Asumu
Please sit in a well-lit room, at a comfortable distance, when watching.
Alright!
Akira!
Why are you running away?!
Why?
Hibiki!
Haruka tooku no chiheisen kara From the distant horizon
Hikari afurete kuru you ni The light overflows
Kimi no mirai wa hajimatta bakari Your future has only just begun!
K
a
m
e
n
R
i
d
e
r
Dare mo isogu michi A road that everyone hurries along
Kimi dake ni mieru asu he hashire Run to the tomorrow that only you can see
Oozora ni ao daichi ni inochi The blue of the sky, the Earth full of life
Senaka wo osu kaze unabara ni nami The wind at your back, the waves in the sea
Kurikaesu hibiki… This recurring resonance...
Ima, hajimari no kimi e Passes now to you, at the beginning!
Volume Thirty­Nine
Your Beginning
Hey... more.
You're still eating, Todoroki?
That's your thirtieth bowl. Cut it out already.
Hey, Hinaka.
If you're mad at me, then punch me.
What?
I'm a man worth punching, right?!
Right?
What on earth happened?
Zanki...
won't punch me!
Damn it!
Zanki...
I don't know what to do anymore...
He's manic.
From an angry drunk to a weepy drunk?
It's remarkable to see someone get drunk from eating red bean soup.
Zanki... you jerk...
Yes? Ah, Kiriya? Yeah.
Hibiki was...?!
Midori.
Those shoes...
They might be from the victims of the Makamou.
What?!
If we don't escape soon, we'll be in trouble.
But... how can we escape?
Asumu, do you have strong teeth?
Asumu and Midori?
Danki and the others are searching for them,
but they still haven't...
I see...
How's Hibiki?
He's still asleep.
I see...
Like that. Asumu, hang in there!
Hang in there.
Hurry!
Good job, Asumu!
Wow!
I'm well-trained.
What are you doing?!
I want you to punch me... Zanki...
We've got to contact everyone!
Yeah. I'm sure everyone's worried.
Ah! I wonder if Kiriya's okay?
He's probably with Hibiki.
Speaking of which, Kiriya said he'll become Hibiki's apprentice.
Yeah.
Asumu, are you okay with that?
I heard Hibiki doesn't take apprentices.
I wonder if that's really true?
I'm scared of the dark...
Mama...
Mama!
What's the deal with this house?!
When he was in middle school, there was a kid in his class who was being bullied.
At the time, Hibiki couldn't do anything.
In the end, after that kid transferred schools, Hibiki transferred too.
Three years later...
a boy helped me when I was being harassed in the city one day.
It was Hibiki.
At that time, Hibiki said this:
"I'm well-trained, so I won't stop you."
"If you want to hit someone, hit me all you like."
He was so cool.
Hibiki...
kept getting up no matter how much he got hit.
Eventually​, his opponents got scared and ran away.
When I tried to thank him, he was already leaving.
With that pose.
At that time, I thought...
people can change...
as long as they have a bit of courage to take the first step.
That's why I joined Takeshi.
I wanted to support Hibiki and all the Oni from behind the scenes.
A bit of courage...
I will...!
I heard from Hinaka.
So Zanki has been cold to you?
Yeah. It's already below freezing!
But y'know, don't they say that a lion pushes its cubs into a ravine and only raises those that crawl out?
A lion...
I am...
a lion...
No... that's not what I meant.
I think Zanki wants you to be independent.
Lion... lion... lion...
I see...
So that's how it is?!
- That's not it. - Got it.
Ishiwari called. The Yobuko has just appeared in town, and Sabaki is dealing with it.
Roger!
I'll also crawl out of the ravine!
I'm off!
Alright!
That's not crawling.
Sabaki!
I won't lose! I definitely won't lose!
Todoroki.
Todoroki!
Get up!
Why is this boy here?
I don't know... but... look at this.
Hibiki!
Yo.
Ibuki.
Zanki... I did it by myself.
So... even though I lost...
I haven't truly lost.
Please stay away!
I'm not that...
I'm not that weak!
Zanki.
For everything...
For everything up to now...
I'm truly grateful!
Yo.
Why did you try to use the tuning fork?
I want to become an Oni.
Just because you want to doesn't mean you can.
Then...
Please make me your apprentice!
What will you do if you become an Oni?
I want to surpass my father.
This is the only way for me to surpass my dead father.
Being an Oni would do that?
There's been a call from Midori.
No, wait.
They're probably in the Yobuko's territory.
We've also lost contact with Ibuki and the others.
It's pitiful, but I still haven't found a way to win this one.
Well...
I'll just do what I can.
But you know you'll lose!
So there's no point in fighting.
There is a point.
Because there are people waiting for me.
Later.
Hibiki...
Only after you left, did I realize...
what an insignificant person I am...
Right now, I am troubled, just like you.
I wonder if I was really worthy of taking on an apprentice.
I think I have to reach that conclusion on my own.
So, Akira...
come to your own conclusion as well.
Whether you will be an Oni or not.
You are the only one who can decide that.
It's okay now.
Yeah.
Okay, let's go.
Found you.
In your little hiding spot.
Alright, that's far enough.
Hibiki!
You took your time!
Sorry for making you wait.
Even though you were beaten so badly... you still came back?
Foolish Oni.
Midori... please find that aura cycle you mentioned.
I'll try.
I'm counting on you. I can't hold him for long.
Alright!
It's no good. I can't detect the aura!
The aura...?
The Makamou is emitting a sound wave barrier. If we discover its cycle, we can break the barrier.
Asumu?!
I don't get it!
I'm not done yet!
Where'd it go?
At last... at last... at last...
The time has come to devour the Oni.
Go...
Yobuko.
Hibiki...
What should I do?
In nature... everything has a rhythm.
Midori... the water at the Makamou's feet is rippling.
It's resonating with the waves emitted by the Yobuko.
It stopped...
Hibiki, now!
Alright!
The waves stopped! The barrier should disappear​ too.
Hibiki!
Thanks.
Alright.
Armed Hibiki.
Fierce Spirits' Rousing Howl.
He did it!
Daybreak is...
A long way off.
Hibiki!
Thank you.
Asumu.
Your Beginning
The forest's appearance is merely a harbinger. Orochi draws near.
I will become an Oni, and take over after Hibiki.
It can't be...
The Kodama's forest?
Amami... will you make me your apprentice too?
Volume Forty
Approaching Orochi
Volume Forty: Approaching Orochi.