Asumu
Please sit in a well-lit room, at a comfortable distance, when watching.
I, Adachi Asumu, am a third year middle school student living in downtown Tokyo.
After I met Hibiki, a man who transforms into an Oni, something changed.
I had grown uneasy before my high school entrance exam,
but seeing Hibiki and his group working hard made me want to do the same.
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Volume Seven
Exhaling Oni
It's there! I did it! I passed! I got in!
Hell yes, I passed! Unbelievable!
I got in! I got in! Thank goodness!
Yesss!
Successful Jounan High School Applicants for the 2005 School Year
Hey. Leave a message.
Mom, it's me! I got into Jounan! Bye!
Congratulations!
Thank you!
You all really worked hard.
Y'know, thinking back, I just knew it'd be a piece of cake...
- Yeah, right! - Come on, Katsuo!
You can only say that because you've already passed!
But aren't you guys glad you took the exams for your fallback schools anyway?
Well, a bit...
A little, just a little...
Oh, but you only took Jounan's exam, right, Adachi?
Right.
You must've been really anxious...
Well, sorta. But I trained kinda hard for it.
Still, I was thinking it would go pretty well.
Anyway, I'm just really glad we all got in after working so hard!
Us too!
Thank goodness!
Training
Train your arms, train your legs, lalala~
Refine yourself... into a handsome man~
Hup!
Run through the mountains, the valleys, and the seas~
And train your body right~
Thanks.
Oh, thank you!
What's up?
Congratulations!
I got your message!
I'm so glad. As expected of my son!
Yayyy!
What was that?
Well, my coworkers are all celebrating your success too!
- Congratulations! - Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Geez, what're you guys doing...?
I might be back a bit late tonight, but we're definitely going to celebrate, just you wait!
Wait for it!
That's enough already, really. C'mon...
Um, I'm going to go tell Hibiki now, so...
Hibiki?
Go on! Make sure to thank him.
And give him my regards, too!
I will, I will... Okay, I'm going to hang up now!
Yup, yup, okay...
Yay!
Way to go, Asumu!
Congrats on passing!
But... I'm sorry.
Hibiki happens to be out.
Oh...
I want to tell him you're here, but it's relatively hard to get in touch with him during the daytime.
Is he off fighting again?
Well... no, but... he's kinda secluded himself in the mountains...
The mountains?
When he secludes himself, he doesn't come back that quickly.
Oh, but Hibiki was really worried about you.
Really?
Of course! Right?
Yup.
He did seem pretty worried.
I hope you guys can meet up soon.
Excuse me...
Oh! Welcome, Mrs. Yagi!
Um... where has Hibiki secluded himself?
Well, it's about three hours from here by train.
Okay.
What I'm about to tell you...
Don't tell anyone else, okay?
Okay.
If you get off the Kashima line at Tomoegawa Station,
there's this super old Shinto shrine called "Onitsuka"...
Inside it, there's this deep forest, and that's where Hibiki is.
650...
651...
Does that mean he's training?
So he can beat those Makamou things?
It's more... to keep up the strength he needs to become an Oni.
Wait, then does that mean anyone can become an Oni if they train for it?
Yup, that's right.
Wait, no, but you can't become one that easily.
Are you considering becoming an Oni, Asumu?
Ah... no, I don't think so.
I know, right? I mean, it's really no simple task. Not at all.
It's a hard life, becoming a person who saves others.
Only once you've honed your mind and body through training...
...can you become an Oni.
That's amazing!
Is that your goal too, as a man?
Ah, not really...
Tatsumaki
Tatsu
maki
Tatsumaki
Tornado
Tatsumaki
Tornado
Tatsumaki
Ah, so Akira passed...
Adachi
Mom? It's me. I went to Tachibana's, but Hibiki was out.
Adachi
I want to tell him that I passed, though,
so I'm gonna go visit him.
Alright.
There's nothing here.
And we came all this way...
It's cold...!
Not a thing...
Our child...
...is crying with hunger.
W-what the...?
What's with these people?
Hey, let's go...
Please become its food.
Hitomi!
Our child likes human juice...
So let us squeeze you a bit.
Here, eat up.
Really?! So he passed! The boy passed?!
Yes!
Man, that's great news!
Congratulations!
Um, don't say it to me...
But that's great! Really great.
It seemed like he really wanted to see you, Hibiki.
I see... That's some bad timing.
Any idea when you'll be coming back?
Hmm... I'll try to make it back as soon as possible.
I want to congratulate the boy too, after all.
I figured!
Also, about Ibuki...
Okay, got it. Bye.
Sorry to keep you waiting, ma'am... no, miss.
Good news, eh?
So, what's the side dish for today?
There's the hijiki seaweed you like, and okra...
- Okra... - And eggplant...
- Eggplant... - And squash...
Squash...
And... erm... what else...?
I guess I'll know once I have some?
Indeed.
- Well, I'll go get it. - Okay.
I'm counting on you.
Kitami-Kawashima, Kitami-Kawashima.
Please sit.
Oh, thanks.
Thank you.
And the branch chief?
Hm... I think he'll be back soon.
I'm home.
Ah, speak of the devil.
Ibuki's on the line.
Well, speak of the devil and he shall appear.
Welcome back.
I've got the gist of their behavior,
so I thought I'd start hunting them down now...
Okay, good work.
Is your apprentice there with you?
I told her she didn't need to come, since the exam results came out today, but it looks like she's heading here anyway.
She passed, I assume.
Fortunately.
That's good to hear.
Your apprentice is a diligent one, after all.
That's Akira's strong point.
By the way, what's your current location?
Lake Hinoe, why?
I think Hibiki is on Mt. Kishimine, the next mountain over.
Oh, is he training there?
Yeah. I'll let you know when he calls.
Oh, Hinaka answered a call from Hibiki a little while ago.
Or there's that.
Got it.
Anyway, the enemy is an Ittan-momen,
so even if you get Hibiki to come—
He'd be little more than support from the sidelines, right?
I agree.
Oh, by the way...
When is your next day off, Kasumi?
I have no days off!
Bravo! Well done!
Thanks!
So, I hear you're dropping by Lake Hinoe first thing tomorrow morning.
Yup. And then I'll head straight back to Tokyo.
I see. Then... how about we have a feast tonight?
Thanks!
Been training a lot?
Yup.
Look.
Here's the result!
Good, good.
We have arrived in Tomoegawa. This is Tomoegawa.
Had your fill?
We have arrived in Hitachiogawa. This is Hitachiogawa.
Where are you looking to go?
Um, I'm trying to get to Tomoegawa...
Next one's not coming for another two hours.
Oh...
Wind
Evil spirit
Evil
Evil spirit
Evil
Heavens
It cries with hunger.
Let us squeeze you a bit.
Are you okay?
I B U K I
Ibuki
Shoot
Exhaling Oni
It is as if you are wholly transparent
As if everything is passing through you
Is that not how it feels?
Boy! If you are going to journey...
Then you must have clear skies in your heart!
Hit the beat! Keep your beat!
Seek out the places that move your heart!
Hit the beat! Keep your beat!
Find what no one else can do!
That is your resonance!
An untrained person like you shouldn't be here.
Akira, Ibuki, and I all risk our lives and work hard every day...
...in order to eliminate Makamou.
Keep a closer eye on your friend here, Hibiki!
Volume Eight
Howling Wind
Volume Eight: Howling Wind.