Asumu
Please sit in a well-lit room, at a comfortable distance, when watching.
Fierce Spirits' Rousing Howl.
Daybreak is...
A long way off.
Hibiki!
Thank you.
Asumu.
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
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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 Forty
Approaching Orochi
Huh, Hibiki called you by your name?
Yeah. It was like, "Thank you, Asumu." Man, I was so touched!
That's great. You've always been "boy" so far, right?
Ah, maybe it's that Hibiki acknowledges you as a full-grown man?
I have no idea. But... maybe it's because I helped him out?
Helped? What do you mean?
Ah... well... with some stuff.
By the way, what about Kiriya?
What do you mean?
Kiriya told me before that he might become friends with you, Adachi.
Really?
Yeah.
How about you, Adachi? Do you dislike Kiriya?
Not really, but...
By the way, Kiriya was absent from school today.
I wonder if he caught a cold?
So you came to check up on me?
Since you live alone, it'd be rough if you got sick and were stuck in bed.
I'm fine.
Sorry.
Don't be sorry.
Aren't there are some times you don't want to go to school?
To start with, the lessons at our school are too low-level.
It's so boring I want to die.
Well, that's because you're smart, Kiriya.
Hey, why don't you quit the nice guy act?
What nice guy act?
I get it.
You actually came to laugh at me, didn't you?
Because you know Hibiki refused to make me his apprentice.
I'm not giving up. Ever!
I will definitely become an Oni.
I will become an Oni, and take over after Hibiki.
Hey, this is bad. Aren't we lost?
Yeah... First of all, there's not supposed to be a forest here.
Is someone there?
Kiriya becoming Hibiki's apprentice?
Yeah.
I was kind of... shocked.
But... Hibiki turned him down, right?
Well, it seems that way, but...
How do I put this? Kiriya was so serious about it.
I feel like I'm being left behind.
Could it be... you want to be Hibiki's apprentice too, Adachi?
That's...
To be honest... I've thought about it a lot.
I have thought that I want to become like Hibiki.
But... even if I said I wanted to be his apprentice, what would Hibiki say?
What do you think?
I don't know.
But... maybe Hibiki turned down Kiriya because he wants to make you his apprentice?
I wonder...
Mom.
What is it?
May I ask you something?
Why so formal​?
As my mother... what do you think about my future?
What I think?
Like have you ever thought "I want my son to turn out like this"?
Nope. Not at all.
What the heck?!
You don't have any expectations for your son?!
Am I really such a lousy son?
A lousy son?
That's not what I mean.
As your mom, I think whatever you want to do is fine, Asumu.
No matter what it is?
Yeah, no matter what it is.
Oh?
What? Does that mean you found something you want to do?
Well...
I'm still worrying about it.
What's with that sigh?
Hey.
You've always overthought things.
You're a man, sometimes you have to act without thinking.
If you mess up, so what? You're young. You can always redo things.
You really just have to go for it with a bang! Bang!
I see...
Bang... Okay... okay... Alright, I've got it!
Where are you going, son?
I'm going with a bang. Bang!
Hibiki...
Hibiki!
Oh, Asumu. What's wrong?
Umm... where's Hibiki?
Oh. He just left to go jogging.
Okay!
Hibi—
You...
Hey! Hey, come on now.
What are you doing?!
I'm asking once again!
Please make me your apprentice! Please!
Hold on. I've said this many times.
An Oni's job is much harder than you think. Okay?
So if you have the free time to do this, go home and study.
Why?! Why am I not good enough?
I am a superior person. I would definitely meet your expectations, Hibiki.
Geez... that's not the problem. Anyway... no means no, got it?
I don't!
Please!
Please! Please!
I'm not giving up...
Weird... I was sure it was around here...
Man... what a pain.
He's pretty persistent.
I kinda wanted to talk about that.
What?
What if I...
What if I said I wanted to become your apprentice, Hibiki?
Hey, what's going on? Even you, boy?
Boy?
You should just stay as you are, boy. Okay?
Boy...
Hibiki.
Todoroki called earlier.
It seems like he got a hit, but we lost contact after that.
This is it?
Probably.
Todoroki!
Sorry for the wait.
You're late!
What's with this forest?!
Alright.
Armed Hibiki.
Anyway, that's it.
Until we find a countermeasure, we'll have to stand guard over the forest so people don't enter it.
Yeah.
What is it?
Nothing.
Ah... it's Akira?
She still hasn't said anything yet?
No.
I see...
Well, there's no other way.
This is a problem Akira has to solve herself.
Don't worry about it too much.
It must be tough, taking on an apprentice and stuff.
Say...
To be honest...
I'm also a bit troubled.
The boy and his friend both said they want to become my apprentice.
Hibiki, why don't you take apprentices?
Me?
I'm still... how do I put this?
I'm doing all I can as a novice myself. I'm still developing.
No way, that's not true! You're—
I think training an apprentice is also important work for an Oni.
Taking on an apprentice even with your own worries...
Hibiki... could it be you're running away from that?
Running away? Me?
Yes. Hibiki, with your skill and experience, you're more than qualified to take on an apprentice.
Aren't you just scared?
Of becoming close to an apprentice?
Huh?
This is kinda awkward.
What's the matter, Ibuki? You went a little too far.
I'm sorry.
Ah, no...
Ibuki.
Oh. Um... Kiriya, right?
Yes.
Can I ask you something? It's about Amami Akira.
I was wondering if she's doing well?
She didn't come to school today.
I got it! Why don't you make me your apprentice instead of Amami?
For now, even you would be okay. Just as long as I can surpass Hibiki, it's fine.
I'm superior to Amami.
I think it's a real bargain.
You don't understand anything.
You shouldn't say thoughtless things.
That forest?
Yeah.
We have to stand guard so people don't get lost in it.
That forest is unreal!
Ah, I'll be fine by myself though, Zanki.
I've got to stop being dependent on you.
I know. It's not that I'm worried about you.
I just want to do my job as a member of Takeshi.
Ah, that's fine, then.
What was that?! What's going on, Zanki?!
It vanished.
There's no doubt. It's the Kodama's forest.
This is bad.
What should we do?
The forest's appearance is merely a harbinger.
Orochi draws near.
There is nothing our power can do.
It disappeared? The forest?
Yeah! All of a sudden, right before my eyes!
Right, Zanki?
Yeah.
This was my first time seeing that too.
It can't be...
The Kodama's forest?
What's that?
I remember reading about it in the ancient documents...
Ah, wait! Chief!
What's going on? He suddenly went all pale.
You're Todoroki, right?
You're also one of the Oni. I looked into it.
Huh? Who are you?
Please make me your apprentice! I'll definitely become an amazing Oni that will go down in history!
Please, master!
M... Master?!
M... Me?!
I don't really get it... but that has a nice ring to it.
Me as a master...
Impossible! I can't be a master!
It's ten years too early. Ten years! Right, Zanki?
So... the apprentice conversation was no good?
Yeah.
It seems I'm back to being "boy."
I'm guess I'm just useless.
There's only one way left.
Kiriya.
Amami...
Will you make me your apprentice?
What does that mean?
I want to become an Oni.
I'm not just fooling around.
Haven't you undergone training to become an Oni?
I want you to teach me what you've learned.
If you do, I might get a bit closer to an Oni.
Hey! What's going on?
When did this forest appear?
Let's get out of here.
I'm scared...
Hibiki.
It looks like what Todoroki said was true.
Yeah.
I can't believe the forest moves.
Man, a mischievous forest.
Please, Amami. I know it's not a game.
I've finally found a path I can throw myself at.
I'm begging you! Please!
Okay.
I will help you if you'd like.
Alright!
Is this for real?
It's not like you were going to become Amami's apprentice.
Well, I guess that was about it for your desire to become an Oni.
That's not true! I'm serious too!
Amami...
Will you make me your apprentice too?
Please.
Okay.
Hinaka?
Akira? Actually, I need to ask you for an urgent favor...
The Kodama's forest?
Yeah. Hibiki and Ibuki are headed there now...
but Father said it seems like a forest you must not enter.
But I can't reach Ibuki's cell phone.
Ibuki!
Alright.
Hibiki!
Ibuki!
Akira!
Stay away!
Don't come here!
Akira!
Approaching Orochi
Gather the Oni. Otherwise, everything will be destroyed.
I just want you to tell me how you really feel.
I can get things done when I need to. I definitely won't run away.
Volume Forty­One
and Student
Teacher
Awakening of
Volume Forty-One: Awakening of Teacher and Student.