Hell's Paradise (地獄楽)

Shinsenkyo.

You're the only one to return from that island alive.

Tell us exactly what happened out there.

Yamada Asaemon Jikka.

Hmm. All right then, that's fine.

Not sure I see the point, but I'll tell you anyway.

Do you mind if I get more comfortable?

So, no?

Ah, well.

Let's see.

It's hard to know where my story should begin.

In an attempt to get their hands on the Elixir of Life,

which is said to grant immortality,

the shogun ordered condemned criminals

and members of the Yamada Asaemon Clan

to Shinsenkyo two days ago.

I was tasked with monitoring Horubo, the Killing Prayer.

Aza Chobe, the Bandit King, killed him on the boat,

so I decided to come back home.

Obviously, I was quite distraught

that I was unable to fulfill my mission,

which is why I turned back.

But the currents were too strong

and washed me ashore.

Wait, are-- are you saying

-you set foot on the island? -Well, yes.

The very island

where 60 of our good men have gone missing?

Though I did consider

searching for the Elixir myself,

I thought it more important to inform

the criminal's family of his death.

And then, somehow I made it back--

Wait a minute. "Somehow"?

What does that mean, exactly?

Eh, trying to explain would be a waste of time.

If I were you, I would have nothing more to do

with that place.

Trust me, Shinsenkyo is not of this world.

Only children and fools poke bee hives, you know.

What? Did you--

It sounds as if you mean to imply

that the shogunate are a band of fools!

-Well, I wouldn't say imply-- - My deepest apologies.

Even we struggle to keep this man's insolence in check.

The entire Yamada clan, including myself,

take full responsibility.

I hope you can forgive us.

You think an apology...

-Hey. -...is enough? What is it?

We needn't show deference to these executioners.

But you know who that is.

The one from the incident.

Right.

Well, your journey home must have been quite exhausting.

We shall overlook your disrespectful attitude.

Hmm.

Now, I will read you an urgent message

sent from the shogun himself,

so please listen well.

"By decree, the Yamada Clan

shall sail once more to Shinsenkyo.

You will be tasked with overseeing expedition members.

You've been ordered to choose new monitors.

Yamada Asaemon Shugen."

Aw, man.

We samurai are just pawns in their little game.

Our lives are expendable.

An awfully bitter pill to swallow, yeah?

That is enough!

You overstepped with the shogunate, Jikka-dono.

Your behavior is unacceptable.

With you sitting next to me,

I figured things would work out fine.

And I wasn't wrong, now, was I?

Even I cannot overlook your lapses in judgment.

You are a samurai, you know.

All I'm asking is that you conduct yourself like one.

Is that so?

Sorry about that then.

I now serve as Eizen-dono's proxy.

I cannot afford to sully his position while he's gone.

Well, it seems you've outdone yourself.

So, do they have any condemned criminals

they might be willing to part with

for the shogunate's cause?

No. Instead of criminals,

I hear they'll be sending Iwagakure's shinobi.

Oh?

When they were screening participants

to send to the island,

every last criminal was ruthlessly annihilated

by the Iwagakure.

The shogun was so impressed,

they chose the four shinobi present at the scene.

As Iwagakure chief,

I'm more than happy to lend assistance to the shogun.

As it stands, I've actually forgotten something of mine

on that very island.

Trusting condemned criminals was nonsense in the first place.

Absolute nonsense.

So you will be joining them.

You'll travel to the island in a few days.

What? You kidding me?

No way. I don't want anything to do with that island.

Jikka-dono.

Eizen-dono made a promise to me

that he would report back on the second day,

no matter what.

Today is the third day.

It's not just him, either.

Tenza and Kisho.

And what of Sagiri?

We've no word from any of them.

I find it unbearable to sit here and do nothing.

Yeah, you're not wrong.

That is concerning.

I know.

So we will make toward the island,

and bring this mission to a conclusion.

Um, excuse me?

Lord samurai.

What shall we do with this?

Ah. Good question.

My, my.

Surely they'd realize how dangerous the island is

if they saw this on display.

It's a shame they never got to.

Alas,

the chance to bring up monsters didn't arise

during our little fireside chat.

All that effort expended to drag this thing out of the ocean,

-and I never even used it. -

Sorry about that.

Might the red-light district serve as consolation?

I could take you there.

Or you could join me in my bedroom.

-Either way is fine by me. -Sir, I, uh...

Don't touch that, lord samurai!

Some of the tentacles might still be alive.

No, they're already dead.

I don't sense the waves of life.

Jikka-dono, let's go.

Huh?

The waves of life?

Sorry for the delay.

We finished our report to the shogunate.

As planned, the four of us will travel to the island.

We've been chosen solely for our strength.

-Jikka-dona will come with us. -That's funny.

I don't seem to remember agreeing to any such thing.

We shall depart right away

for Shinsenkyo.

Tao.

Tao is life itself.

As such, to use it is to consume life itself.

When large quantities of it are used,

it has varying effects on the body and soul.

A harmonious affair.

Are the body and soul not two different things?

No.

You see, each one is a distinct form of tao.

Complicated topics, again?

We agreed not to talk about that stuff here.

Mm. You have my apologies.

Ha! Gotcha!

Don't you bow your head.

Do just the opposite.

Hold it up high!

Well, Rien?

It's our new training ground.

Isn't it great?

Yes. Great, indeed.

Splendid.

By exercising under and above water,

studying breathing techniques,

one can train in doin and taisoku.

Music bolsters meditation,

allowing for training of shuitsu and shuten.

And that room, well,

no better place for bochu jutsu.

-I know, right? -How silly.

Bochu jutsu, I mean.

The best way to thrive

is to live right in the middle of yin and yang as I do.

I must disagree.

Properties of tao differ depending on the life.

When we entwine ourselves with others,

we can access new strength which yearns to erupt.

In a word, that was sublime, Ju Fa.

Such focus. You two train hard.

-So, tan? -Quickly, if you don't mind.

Not at all.

Mu Dan made this batch.

Fresh squeezed, too.

-And there you go. -Thank you.

I forgot to add the glowy stuff to your drink.

You know, that stuff that makes it glow?

Hey.

Where is it, Zhu Jin?