Halloween Jiangshi Night Epilogue

Title card pops up right away and follows Housamo tradition, and the name of this chapter is Arise! Halloween Jiangshi Night

Things then pick up after the end of the play as the smoke of the Resurrection Incense turns into motes of light that float away into the sky. The stoked excitement is dying down as a sense of satisfaction remains, and Tetsugyuu talks to you and asks if this means the show is done. Harlot confirms that it is but asks where the jiangshi went since she doesn’t see them.

As Harlot and Tetsugyuu look around, narration says there’s a calm mood in the area when they notice something. You then notice and say that all the torn clothes and broken stalls have all been reverted to normal. Krampus is the one to say out loud that it’s like an app battle finishing, and that’s fine and all but it’s still confusing as to why it happened.

Harlot talks about how app battles and enclosed areas that happen to fulfill the conditions do physically revert things after the zone is released. One of the conditions for this to happen is that the area has to have app users and Transients make up the majority of the population. Sometimes that happens by chance, but she questions if that’s the case this time. You wonder the same.

Gouryou says that it’s true that with the stall people and the neighborhood council president there were a lot of Transients, but there should also be a lot of locals around too. He comments that it smells fishy. Tetsugyuu thinks Gouryou means him and asks him about it, but Gouryou tells him to stay away since he reeks of sweat.

Li Chou is quiet, so you talk to him and thank him for his work and the finale. He nods and mentions feeling relieved for the first time in a while. He says it’s thanks to you that he could try his best, then proclaims the ad lib hero show will make the festival a huge success.

Li Chou has a laugh to himself before he goes quiet. As he seems to think of something he eventually yells out about how that statement is wrong. And by that he means that there’s still so much to do and that the festival is still going on. Li says it’s time to get back inside the school and that the Daikanyama students should be there about now.

As you all head over, there’s a bit of a roadblock in the way. A huge crowd of visitors are smiling and applauding for you guys, which baffles Li Chou. Harlot points out that the jiangshi are there too, and that they seem to be their normal cute innocent selves.

Tetsugyuu wonders why all these people are here before thinking they’re there to raid the school. Krampus calls Tetsugyuu by his staged name and realizes they’re here waiting for you guys to come by like people do for performers or celebrities.

The crowd presses in. Alchemist A is glad Harlot and Tetsugyuu are okay and ask them to say something. Guy B thanks Krampus, Li Chou, and you (who never gave a stage name so he settles on Sword Person) for protecting the market street peace. Maid C says she saw the whole thing and compliments you all.

Swooning Girl D tells Harlot her last speech was so full of tragic determination and asks for a handshake. Harlot is a bit thrown off by the request and considers whether or not to oblige. Motosumi’s kids all jump on Tetsugyuu and ask him to let them hang on him. He awkwardly laughs as they climb all over him.

Pirate E says Krampus was great and tells the group/nearby fans or whatever that they should all carry him on their shoulders. Krampus is shocked by this and unprepared to roll with it, but Yule tells him to go on and look good because he’s gonna take pictures. Other fans tell Li Chou that his entrance gave them the shivers. He can’t bring himself to respond.

Shirou commends you on your fight and asks if their cheers got through to you. Kengo asks if you saw how Shirou was crying as he cheered. Ryouta says his hands started sweating and calls you their hero, and Touji agrees and says you were enchanting out there. Behemoth says the kids sitting on him were so excited they almost jumped off of him, which got him pumped too. You either thank them all, say the show was exciting, or indulge in narcissism and ask if you were radiant.

Going A, Hanuman runs up whining that he wanted to take part too. Things had already started when he came back after Sanat Kumara left him, he says. Nezha mentions something about Hanuman telling them to not attack and says they’ve been watching from the roof. Hanuman says that’s because it really looked like Nezha was going to barge in too.

Nezha then talks about how Tokyo is filled with amazing people before seguing into wanting a war to start already. After they go conquer Umamichi they figure they might as well charge on ahead, figuring Krampus would be a really fun opponent. You either tell Hanuman that next time you guys will have double lead roles, ask Nezha to calm down, or tell Krampus to run.

In B Nezha protests that they can’t sit still when they see someone so strong before laughing about how they can’t wait for some mutual destruction. In C Krampus is surprised and says he’s getting the chills and wonders if it’s a portent about the new show season.

Anyways, some time later Benten comes over to congratulate Li Chou and ask if this means he’ll save face as the festival head. He answers yes, though he seems distracted. Benten finds this weird and tries prompting him for some quick victory statement, but Gouryou asks her to hold off saying Li is having some sort of growth of his own.

Li Chou is looking up into the sky, watching Sanat Kumara fly off from the Kaminarimon and shine up above. His hand is on his artifact in an instant, which narration says has gone back to its default state. It does note that Li no longer has any guilt about his past though.

Li Chou thanks Sanat Kumara, who mostly disappears into the night sky. When he takes a quick look down, he sees the neighbor council president applauding and smiling for you guys. Li Chou desperately wipes away the tears falling from his eyes and hides them behind a bright smile.

Camera then follows Sanat Kumara as a mysterious shadow(/Shadow?) flies up to meet him. Christine calls out and asks if this means the play has ended safely, and there’s a bunch of her for some reason. She also asks if he liked their (the Entertainers’) performance.

Sanat Kumara says that he was terrified for a bit when the audience members were dragged into the incident and calls Christine by name saying he never thought she’d pretend to be part of the audience. Christine coalesces back into one and says that the forever young are used to keep the game running smoothly. She’s just there to help if possible. With her Thousand Masks it’s no trouble to play tens or hundreds of roles.

Christine happily sighs about finally having a moment on the big stage and getting enthusiastic because of it. She then talks about how a Different Troupe Member brought along a special guest and seems pretty happy about it. Nyarlathotep pops in on cue and starts babbling something about unused antics to be done in front of a king being unwanted.

Nyarlathotep also talks about how the best and worst party can’t go on running like normal and that an emergency situation can make for the best kind of theater. And while he talks about how great unsought love is underneath there’s something about all the troubles a couple facing could be bad luck. I’m lost as to what he means next regarding if something is the same.

Christine calls that a fascinating appreciation of the arts and mentions that their help has some good results even for them. Sanat Kumara doesn’t say anything, so Christine tries asking him what’s wrong.

When Sanat Kumara starts talking he seems to understand something and says they (the Entertainers) were thoroughly tricked by his Shadow. Another of him shows up, and Christine initially thinks this is transformation or disguise before seeming to figure it out. Before she says what, Sanat Kumara accuses them of working behind the scenes for this incident and being the ones to switch out the Resurrection Incense.

Sanat Kumara says the copy is almost exactly like himself if I understand him right, then compares whatever is happening to interfering directly with memories. His copy says nothing, and Sanat attacks it in an attempt to understand it. It disappears and melts into nothingness, which he notes is neither transformation nor disguise. He doesn’t finish his sentence on what it is.

Christine tries asking Sanat Kumara about that Shadow and about him. He replies that he’s the real Game Masters Sanat Kumara and not the one who helped them. He denies having switched out the Resurrection Incense or requesting the Entertainers for help.

Christine is shocked by this, and Sanat Kumara says that he did manage to graze the Shadow with his artifact. Whoever or whatever it was is something done by the Invaders. Sanat then says that the only things done that he couldn’t see were the Incense switching and the contact with the Entertainers.

Sanat Kumara says he knows for sure that the thing never came close to you guys or his other kouhai as his concept prevents all deceptions. Christine is shocked about the Invaders’ involvement, and Sanat talks about how using some ghostly or oni-like Role to encroach on memories through the Resurrection Incense seems like something the Invaders would do. He doesn’t know why for now though. Experiment, preparation for another move, who knows.

Christine is in disbelief about misreading their patron, and Sanat Kumara tells her that he’ll go investigate the Invaders from within. It has to be his artifact to be able to figure out what’s going on. Christine tells him to be careful, then disappears away with Nyarlathotep.

Sanat Kumara comments about the Invaders and how the true big three guilds are fearsome. But on another note, he compliments Li Chou for surpassing the trials this time thanks to the interference and says he’s proud of him. Sanat then makes one last comment telling them to follow after him.

Camera then shifts back to your side as Motosumi laughs and says Li Chou did great. Li in turn freaks out about him rubbing his head and yells for him to stop. Motosumi then prompts Li to look at his kids, who are thanking Krampus for saving Halloween, calling him cool, and going Yama, Ace Authority. Krampus is embarrassed and makes them promise to not copy him.

Motosumi tells Li Chou that what success and failure are can be understood by looking at the kids and asks if he agrees. Li takes a moment but says he does. He then changes the subject to demand to know where he went since they were short handed for the play. Motosumi laughs and says he had something to take care of.

Somewhere close by, some jiangshi are talking and wonder if the festival is a success since they don’t remember what happened. They seem aware of how hard everyone worked for this at least and smile at Li Chou. Li acknowledges this and says it’s thanks to them too.

Other mobs start talking to Harlot and say she was soooo cool during the show. She compliments them back and suggests going around the festival and offering her hand. Ziz comments that things have calmed down now and wonders where Azathoth went, but Harlot asks her to stop since she noticed him paying attention because she’s ignoring him.

Azathoth is off to the side laughing about how things avoided going down the bad ending, and narration says Harlot is pretending she doesn’t see him. Harlot says he showed up after the show ended and seems to be having fun playing with the other kids. She comments that he had nothing to do with this incident but says “his friend” was overexcited in trying to show him something nice.

Harlot also thinks that Azathoth wouldn’t want her to say anything about his friend, so she’s deciding to pretend she didn’t see anything. She says he’s always the one to play a game he’s been given and not the one to start one. Ziz remarks on how motherly Harlot seems at the moment, and Harlot says it’s because she decided to be his mother. She does remember that she’ll need to warn him not to worry Arc about his friends though. Then she’ll hug him.

Focus then shifts to Shirou as he talks to you about how the incident is solved but the festival might be over soon. Ryouta is shocked it’s that late and says you guys should hurry to Umamichi. Touji says it’s sad but unavoidable if the trip ends at the market street. You comment about Halloween and the festival ending soon before asking Li Chou if there’s anything left.

Li Chou’s a bit nonplussed by your reactions and says it’s not gonna end like that since the big draw for the event will be a costume parade from the school to the market street. The order has been flipped around now, but he shrugs and says it’s fine if people enjoy it. Hanuman agrees and says he’ll go around informing people about it. Yule says he’ll go with and help.

Harlot says Arc and Surtr should be there soon and asks if Therion wants to go too. It sounds like Kirito is with the Genociders here as Harlot mentions him indirectly. He’s staying home or whatever and Harlot sighs it’d have been nice if they all had fun together. But if that’s what he wants then she’ll accept it, deciding to buy a present for him.

Kengo is excited with everyone around and says you guys should have a party that’ll go down in the history books. You either protest that you aren’t a biker gang, suggest getting everyone together, or say it’s time for a triumphant return.

Time skips a bit to the parade as people in costume and people not in costume are in the streets, gathering together in a line whether they know what’s happening or not. Li Chou declares it’s time to head to the school and leads the parade. On the way, Shinya and his group talk to him.

Shinya greets Li Chou and says that Umamichi is booming too. Taromaiti says they saw the hero show in a video and mentions getting shivers when Li made his entrance. Kalki says disaster has been averted and tells him to be proud of his accomplishments.

Li Chou in turn is a bit surprised to see them and says he has something he couldn’t tell them earlier after fumbling a bit. He eventually spits out some thanks for their help at the gym. Shinya is touched and says he’s welcome. Taromaiti says their show was great again.

Maria comes up next to thank Li Chou for his work as festival head. She says she’s never seen a parade like this before and is glad she’s come. Li thanks her back for believing in him and in Umamichi.

The parade goes on, and narration talks about how not everyone in it knows everything. There are those who joined because it seemed fun and some who just decided to go on a whim. Even when people joined in and left the reason why for later, more and more people joined because people seemed to enjoy themselves.

Even people who shouldn’t be visible have joined the costume procession, and there is no one who thinks of paying any mind to the differences between themselves and to others. They are all there as just friends, and their laughs carry on into the night.

The next day after the festival is over, narration looks in at the market street as the merchants work to clean up together. One store owner sighs about all the trash and work to do, so another owner teases her for selling her fried pumpkin manju like crazy after the show and yelling praise for the festival. Store Owner A snaps back that festivals stay on until they end and that was then.

A tenjin runs up in a panic saying a bunch of Umamichi students are at the market street entrance. After the camera pans over them, the disgruntled stall keepers from the night before wonder why they’re there before getting scared it’s retaliation for their complaints.

Li Chou starts yelling his greetings to the market street and introduces himself as Umamichi’s festival planner. He thanks all their cooperation for helping make the festival a success and says all the students came to thank them. They shout their thanks, and Li Chou says they’ve all come to help clean up as well. He offers to help with whatever they need, then says they hope to keep working together.

Narration says the Umamichi students start pitching in, then starts talking about what a beautiful day it is. The liveliness of the night before passes on like a dream, and Asakusa returns to its usual self. There’s a sadness that summer has passed, but also an excitement that autumn is coming. And soon after will be the seasonal interval for the new year. Li Chou looks up at the faint moon in the sky, smiling in satisfaction. And so the curtain falls on Halloween Jiangshi Night.