UTW
Presents
ＳＨＩＮＳＥＫＡＩ
ＹＯＲＩ
How many of them are there?
At least three thousand.
They appear to have split into five units.
Episode 07
Summer Darkness
They're pretty well equipped.
Destroying even one of them might take a while.
It might give away our location too.
What do we do?
Also, I haven't been feeling too well.
What do you mean?
I think I'm just tired, but I can barely concentrate.
It's getting harder to produce mental images.
So you can't use your Cantus?
Don't worry, I can use it.
Using it against so many of them is a different matter, though.
Gods, there is movement among the enemy ranks.
They're moving.
Let's just watch for now.
Get down!
Damn it! Should I strike back?
Not yet!
They're waiting for our reaction.
If we do this halfheartedly, they'll know exactly what we can do.
Squealer!
Yes? How can I be of service?
Where's their nest?
We cannot be entirely certain, but most probably among those trees in front of us.
Satoru! Set fire to the trees!
Should I burn more?
Not yet. Let's see what they do now.
It seems they evacuated their queen through the tunnels.
They'll go on the offensive now.
Hey, Squealer!
Satoru! Can you still use your Cantus?
Damn... Maybe two or three times.
Throw back the furthest of the rocks they're catapulting here!
Why?!
I get it!
Eat this!
Let's run while we can!
Not yet! One more.
Don't overdo it!
Let's run! Quick!
It's okay! Don't worry!
We'll make it home!
Yeah...
Damn it...
You damn traitor!
Stop!
Gods, I shall be eternally grateful.
I am only alive because of your intervention.
How can you have the nerve to say that?!
You sold us out!
No such thing! This is a misunderstanding!
Are these warriors not like dirt to you?
It doesn't change the fact that you betrayed our location!
I am terribly sorry, but I was afraid you would abandon me otherwise...
You were the one who ran off back there!
Indeed, I have no excuse for that.
I am a coward.
A mere filthy worm.
Even the larvae of dung beetles are a more worthy existence than me.
Even a maggot wallowing in excrement is—
Enough!
We need to escape now!
There are no enemies to the east.
I would suggest we escape in that direction.
Okay!
Gods, please run!
Satoru, are you okay?
I can't... I can't run any more.
Hang in there! Just—
Gods, what are you doing?
Why will you not annihilate them?
Could it be that...
...you are no longer gods?
Shut up...
They're falling back.
Rejoice! The reinforcements have come!
Judging from the sound, it must be the Giant Hornets!
Giant Hornets?!
They are the largest colony in the Kanto region. Their forces exceed 20,000 soldiers.
Wh-What?
We have annihilated the enemy's main force.
Only their queen remains to be captured.
Their monstrosity makes it difficult to consider them my own species,
but it is merely skin-deep.
Perhaps their foolish battle order was due to your presence, gods.
Please allow me, Kiroumaru, to express my deepest gratitude.
Kiroumaru...
We have discovered their nest.
That is excellent news!
My presence is required there.
What will you do?
Why did you say we'd come with him?
We can't show any weakness here!
But the Giant Hornet is the colony most loyal to humans, isn't it?
All the more reason we must be careful.
What do you mean?
Since yesterday we've been walking the line between life and death.
This is probably the most dangerous situation so far.
What are those?
They are nestlings birthed by the Feral Spider queen.
Nestlings?
Babies?
They are treasured spoils of war.
They shall be the workforce for a brighter future for our colony.
The queen would be executed,
and we would work as slaves until we die.
We would be treated like scum while we live,
and our corpses would be left in the hills to fertilize the earth.
The Robber Fly colony may be small,
but even the loss of a small colony would be regrettable.
All captured amount to roughly two thousand mature ones and three thousand nestlings.
A tenth of each are yours.
Thank you very much!
Well, when the time comes I shall expect you to repay your debts.
On no terms will the queen be spared.
However, there is no harm in listening to their commander.
Blowdogs!
You stopped the explosion?
Yeah.
Did it work out?
You saved us all.
Squealer, the soldiers and Kiroumaru as well.
I see.
Man, this stuff's gross.
How long was I out cold for, Saki?
It's already pitch black outside.
Hey, about what you said earlier. Are we still in danger?
Yeah.
But why? The Giant Hornets are—
Loyal to humans.
Huh?
That doesn't mean they're loyal to us.
Kiroumaru and the others only obey the adults without question.
So?
The orders of the Ethics Committee take the highest priority.
We met the false minoshiro and learned things we weren't supposed to.
But...
They wouldn't...
Shh. If what the false minoshiro said is true,
then our society would collapse if someone could use their Cantus to attack others!
They'd use any means to prevent that, no matter how dreadful!
But why would they target us?
Don't you remember it said that children who are likely to cause trouble are removed?
Removed?
They'd get rid of us!
Don't be ridiculous!
They'd never do that—
Just think about it!
In Harmony School and Sage Academy, kids went missing every year!
How is that not suspicious?
Where did they all go?
But... But...
No one knows that the fake minoshiro told us all that!
Rijin-san's dead too...
But our Canti were sealed.
They wouldn't do that unless it was a grave crime.
Kiroumaru must have reported to the villages already.
They might give him orders to kill us here.
If it's true that all humans have death feedback,
then no one in the villages could kill us.
The queerats must be the ones doing the killing.
That's why this is so dangerous.
We have to go back.
Are you okay?
What's wrong?
Nothing.
I'm fine.
Who's there?!
Gods, just how far will you go?
Why?
Why did you follow us?
I would have no excuse should anything befall you, gods.
Is there anyone with you?
No, I am alone.
If you wanted to protect us, shouldn't you have brought soldiers?
I... I went unprepared...
I had no time...
Squealer.
We need your help.
We want to go to the west shore of Lake Kasumigaura.
Show us the fastest way.
Why are you in such a hurry?
Should we not wait until dawn?
If we wait until dawn, our lives would be in danger.
What do you mean?
Kiroumaru may try to kill us.
That would never happen!
It is unthinkable that the general of the largest queerat colony would attempt to harm a god.
We can't tell you the details, but please believe us!
If we weren't speaking the truth, why would we try to escape in the dead of the night?
Very well.
I will show you a shortcut.
Thank you.
However, should we be pursued, it is likely they would choose the same route.
We must make haste.
Can you hear that?
What is it?
Isn't that just a nighthawk?
General Kiroumaru often uses trained birds for search and recon purposes.
I have heard that he uses nighthawks once darkness falls because they can see well even at night.
Saki?
Shun?
Satoru!
Maria!
Mamoru!
What is that?!
His name's Squealer.
He guided us here.
I am a messenger of the Robber Fly colony.
The Robber Fly colony played quite an important role in the Feral Spiders' demise.
Did you really beat them?
Yeah.
The Giant Hornet colony arrived as reinforcements and annihilated them.
Anyway, we should head to the canoes now.
We'll have plenty of time to talk then.
We have to make our escape now.
What are we running from?
The Giant Hornet colony.
From General Kiroumaru.
General?
Trust us!
I wish you all the best.
Thank you.
Row properly, Saki!
I am!
Saki!
Will you shut up?!
What is it?
Look up!
Saki...
They've got us.
That's Kiroumaru.
Thank you.
You're making it a lot easier.
That area sparkling in the sunlight over there should be the northern stream of the Tone river.
I apologize, but we cannot follow you from this point on.
Don't worry.
We can make it on our own now.
Thank you.
Gods! Gods!
This is where we truly part ways.
My prayers are with you.
I have one plea.
What is it?
Please do not divulge that I towed your canoes.
Why?
If this were to become known, there is no doubt that I would be sentenced to death.
All right.
We will keep it a secret.
He risked his life to save us.
Yeah.
He seems to have gotten orders from the Ethics Committee after all.
Hey!
We'll be right there!
I want to go home.
Yeah.
But we still have a long distance to cover, so we should wait until tomorrow.
I'm so tired.
No wonder.
Satoru, are you still not able to use your Cantus?
I can't really concentrate, but simple things might work.
What's going on?
I remembered Satoru's mantra.
I taught it to him while he was asleep.
I see!
We can use our Canti again if we remember our mantras!
We let ourselves get tricked by that Rijin monk guy.
His hypnosis wasn't a big deal.
I mean, even Saki could undo it.
But do you all remember your own mantras?
It was blind luck that I remembered Satoru's.
I remember.
Why?
It came to me again.
Wow...
I made up a lot of mnemonics so I'd never forget it.
But no matter how often I repeated my mantra, it wouldn't work.
I needed to know the way to break through the hypnosis.
I can't remember it...
Do you have it written down somewhere at home?
I do!
Me too!
I wrote it in my diary!
Then it's all good.
When we get back, Satoru and I will show you our Canti in action.
That way, you'll no longer believe that it has been sealed.
That's right!
Yeah!
All right, Saki.
Please.
Restore my Cantus.
Look at the flames.
When we returned to Kamisu's 66th district,
our Canti quickly returned along with our mantras.
We had managed to outwit the adults and finally acquired the power of gods once more.
However, we had absolutely no idea just how terribly mistaken we were.
Nakisou na aoringo kakaeteru mune no oku
泣きそうな 青リンゴ 抱えてる 胸の奥
In my chest, I carry a green apple that wets my eyes
Korogatte tsuyogatte
転がって 強がって
I fall over yet pretend to be strong
Kyuukutsu na sora niramu
窮屈な空睨む
I glower at the sky and it seems to suffocate me
Unmei ni juujun ni
運命に 従順に
Do I look like I'd wait quietly
Jukusu no wo matsu mon ka
熟すのを 待つもんか
For destiny to ripen it?
Sen no kaze
千の風
The winds
Agaite sakende
足掻いて 叫んで
I struggle and scream
Fuke fuke
吹け吹け
Blow and blow
Watashi wa shabondama
私はシャボン玉
I'm a soap bubble
Soredemo shinjiteru
それでも信じてる
And still I have faith
Yokisenu arashi ni
よきせぬ 嵐に
In a sudden storm
Joushou shite kakou shite
上昇して 下降して
I rise and fall
Aragau shabondama
抗うシャボン玉
I fight, soap bubble that I am
Soredemo ikiteku
それでも生きてく
And still I live on
Hajikeru shunkan niji hanate
はじける瞬間 虹放て
I make a rainbow when I burst
Let go of me.
What if I said no?
Hey, what happened?
I won't do anything if you don't answer me.
Just what are we doing?