Daemons of the Shadow Realm (黄泉のツガイ)

Daemons of the Shadow Realm

All the pain I've experienced

Has traveled through my veins

And passed through my heart

By the time I've forgotten, it arrives

In my brain

I guess it's not that bad

But there's this tiny little draft

Of resentment and sadness

Just let me have this

I'm spineless

All my words and tears

And these feathers grown from my feelings

I'll put all of them on my back

Well, see you later

I'll leave it all behind here

I'm not scared

Up in the sky

See these feathers flutter in the wind

And follow along

The first time I felt another person direct their intent to kill at me

was shortly before my parents left the village.

He was probably a bandit.

I was deep in the mountains hunting with Father...

when I was nearly killed.

"You are not needed in this world."

That aura of powerful denial.

I felt it penetrating every pore of my body,

piercing my skin and stabbing directly into my flesh.

Yuru!

Yuru!

Are you all right? Are you hurt?

This is... his blood.

I'm sorry.

I shouldn't have taken my eyes off you.

What... What is this?

Yuru, remember this.

This is the intent to kill.

You'll probably experience it again in the future. No...

As long as you're alive, it will probably be thrown at you countless times.

Do not hesitate against those who direct it at you.

Have you calmed down some, Yuru?

We'll head back to the village after spending the night on the mountain.

You can take your time calming down.

Breathe in deeply and let it out slowly.

That's it. Let your anxiety out with your breath.

There are moments when fear can kill you.

Especially for hunters like us, who fight for our lives against beasts.

Calm down, analyze the situation, and determine what you should do.

Always consider how you can use the materials at hand to survive.

Death strikes where fear makes us vulnerable.

Listen, Yuru.

Don't tell the villagers you were attacked by a bandit.

Why not? The bandit's allies could attack the village.

We have to tell the others.

No, they won't attack our village.

Don't tell anyone.

When we get back to the village, act like you always do.

As though nothing happened.

Remain calm.

Mine-san!

We're back.

We're glad you're back.

We were worried when we heard you didn't come back last night.

Sorry about that.

We chased our quarry deep into the mountains.

Since I had Yuru with me, we played it safe and spent the night out there.

You camped out overnight and have nothing to show for it?

That's unusual for you.

It happens.

Mine-san!

We're back, Kyoka-san.

Good. Yuru's with you.

We were worried when you didn't come back.

Did something happen in the mountains?

No, nothing.

We just chased our quarry too far.

Did you get hurt?

It's the blood of the rat we ate for dinner.

Boy, am I hungry.

That rat wasn't nearly enough food.

Where's Nagisa? With Asa?

Yes, she's inside.

Okay.

Let's have breakfast together, Yuru.

Okay.

Nagisa.

We're back, Mother.

Welcome home.

I was so worried when you didn't return.

Sorry.

Sorry, Asa.

We went deep into the mountains and were late coming back.

Were you hurt?

Are you okay, Brother?

Nothing happened. I'm totally fine.

Nothing happened.

Man... I was too anxious to sleep while camping out.

I'm a little tired.

Brother.

Take care of yourself.

I almost had it. It was really big.

Nagisa.

I'm sure you'll get it next time.

Yeah.

Yeah. I'm looking forward to it.

Shortly after that, Father and Mother left the village without me and Asa.

Or so I thought. I was actually the only one left behind.

Father and Mother fled the village with Asa.

The girl I thought was my sister whom I lived with for ten years was an impostor.

For ten years, the people of Higashi Village lied to me.

Or so the self-proclaimed "real" Asa said.

According to her...

I died once.

I was killed by a Higashi Village assassin.

Episode 7 Asa and Break

We fled Higashi Village and evaded our pursuers.

Then the Kagemori clan took us in.

We thought things had calmed down, but then Father and Mother went missing.

Last year, when I was fifteen, I was captured by an assassin.

I was killed then and gained the power of Break.

This is the power of the Daemon

that lives on the boundary between the land of the dead and ours.

The Daemon I met had the power of Break.

Oh? Some flesh has arrived.

Huh?

I was cut by a Higashi Village assassin, and...

You died.

You died once.

Then is this hell?

I suppose this place doesn't look like paradise.

Wait.

Why do you assume you'd be sent straight to hell upon your death?

What kind of life did you live in your world?

This is the boundary between the land of the dead and your world.

Let's see... Where is it?

Here. This is it.

In your country, this place is known as Yomotsu Hirasaka.

It's just like Father said.

According to the village legend,

"Male and female twins born in the eastern village before and after daybreak

on a day when the day and night are equal lengths will travel to the shadow realm

to command Daemons."

Oral traditions always get distorted over time.

To be precise, it's "just before the shadow realm."

The people of Higashi Village actually tried to kill me.

Well, you can't come here unless you die.

So, what will you do now?

What?

Humans who come here have two paths to choose from.

Remain dead or accept me.

If you wish to die, simply fall from that path.

If you want to live,

accept me, the power of Break, and return to the world of the living.

It's convenient.

As long as you can see him,

you can "break" the enemy commander's head off his body on the battlefield.

You can end wars by yourself.

Depending on the era, you could become a hero.

There are plenty of other ways to use it, too.

But in exchange, those who wish to use you will gather around you.

You may experience a living hell.

You may think you're better off dead.

My personal hell may have already begun.

Father and Mother were kidnapped. I don't know what happened to them.

Because I was born, they...

Wait! Has my brother already come here?

Has he been killed?

I don't know.

When he dies, he'll go to where Seal is.