Saturday, September 11, 2021

Summer River Adventure Episode 6 Part 1

Picking up from last time, the sky island the party is on shook really hard and changed from an early ruin to a divine mountain and Magami is no longer his usual self. Thunderbird is shocked as he says a second layer overworld shift is happening and that a different faith is overwriting the floating island. Tajikarao says he recognizes the mountain even if the minor details are different, then declares that you guys are in Takamagahara now.
 
Magami repeats his last line from the previous episode about being the devourer of evil, and you comment that he seems different, ask what he means by evil, or ask about you guys being in Takamagahara. Magami doesn't answer you as he looks straight at the party, and Arachne tries talking to him asking why he looks different. It's impressive and all, but something else about him seems off. Jugo adds that Magami seems to be a different person now, but before he can say more his curse starts activating and causing him pain.
 
Arachne expresses concern for Jugo and is frustrated at what the hell is going on. Jugo manages to say the Mizuchi curse is suddenly strengthening before it cuts him off again, and Shiva starts wondering if what's happening with him is same origin world resonance or something else. Again, the Orochi brand is surfacing on Jugo's body only this time it's spread to his whole body.
 
Magami tells the party to leave the evildoer here for the crime of stealing something worshiped in Takamagahara. Tajikarao is aghast as he points out that as police they're supposed to be protecting citizens. They can investigate the crimes of suspects and arrest them, but the actual judgment is done by the judiciary department. Magami refuses, saying that he is the devourer of any evil that transgresses against the law of Takamagahara and goes against the world's order. That is the role he was given and a fact of life here in Takamagahara.
 
Magami's halo shines as bright as the sun, meaning the light that stands above all else. Tajikarao is taken by surprise by it as he makes the sun comparison out loud, and Shiva takes an interest as he says he's giving off World Representative level power vibes. It's a borrowed power that isn't normally his, but it counts as the real thing where you guys are currently at.
 
The panda alchemist makes a note about the Japanese pun involving okami sounding like wolf and great deity in Takamagahara and Wa no Kuni. Not many beings have that title, so Magami has overlaid someone with that power level over himself. The panda talks about Takamagahara being a world that exists in the sky, which is comparable to how the area is being overlaid with Magami's memories. He's given up his individual free will and abandoned himself to the world, which is another way of saying he's been inserted to the System that is the world.
 
Thunderbird starts talking about knowing how people who have been worn out after going through an eternity turn out like Magami has. One time back in Great Spirit, the one who stood at the top of the hierarchy was filled with the thoughts of many and eventually became Like That. All those memories and thoughts overwhelmed his own self. This is normally something that takes forever and not within a day, and Arachne adds it might be an effect of the River Lethe. If the river were to reverse, it'd become the River Mnemosyne which holds the memories of others.

Arachne points at the river flowing up into the sky, noting that it's flowing in reverse from the ground to the sky, then suggests something would happen if it rivers of multiple worlds manifested and gathered in Magami, though she admits it's still a guess. Thunderbird nods and notes that Magami has the power to gather things and that he was unsure of how he should be. He's likely lost himself from having many other people's thoughts put into him. Right now, he himself is a part of Takamagahara's System.

Magami confirms what Thunderbird has been saying, then describes himself as the one who shows the right way and the place to return to in Takamagahara. Because of that, he has to weigh Jugo's sins and show him Takamagahara's justice. He prompts you guys to hand him over again so he can eat him, otherwise he'll judge you guys as people who are also criminals hiding something shameful and something he needs to purge as well.

The party braces themselves against Magami, and you protest and try to ask Magami what happened to him. Shiva tells you that you won't be able to get Magami to listen to you since he's already a part of the world's System. You either ask for an explanation or silently wait for one, so Shiva explains that beings that live for a long time receiving the thoughts of living things have these thoughts overwhelm them and they end up like that. Their own will is lost as their body is surrendered to their role, and they live only to use their power for the sake of the world. He sadly tells you to give up on him saying the process is irreversible as they are now just a cogwheel for the world that just looks the same as they used to.

Tajikarao calls out to Magami in concern. Magami turns to him and says that if he's a member of Takamagahara's people then he can't turn his eyes away from any sin that would pollute their world. He then prompts Tajikarao to hand Jugo over again as another gear to Takamagahara's System. Tajikarao responds with an anguished glare as his hands shake, and to the side the alchemists (the giraffe at least) start suggesting that they sneak away. The rhino however says you guys were oddly nice to them since you guys removed the ropes on them and told them to leave first. You guys even gave them enough kemi dango to hitch a ride back, though it won't last long. The panda thinks the most logical idea is to stay and watch since it's a good chance to observe a multilayered overworld shift and the System of another world. Tajikarao tries to remind Magami that he's a police dog. Magami says all he will do is die to uphold what Takamagahara decides is right and fulfill his given duties. All life will become this way and abandon their doubts, and inevitability to save even more people.

You tell Shiva you won't give up and/or argue against Magami, which surprises Arachne. A flashback pops up of that time Magami saying the wolf skull told him it wanted to go home, and back to the present Arachne notes Magami was feeling hesitant then. When he knew of the skull's feelings, he wanted to grant its wish. The current Magami doesn't comment on this, but Arachne says she wouldn't have commented if Magami had chosen to throw away his doubts by his own will. Tajikarao brings up that Magami chose to return the skull fully knowing he was breaking the rules. He respects his decision as he said earlier, and he notes that Magami was determined to help the wolf skull.

Thunderbird starts talking about getting to know Magami while he questioned what the right thing to do was, and he calls him a hero for caring about a relic nobody else paid attention to. And he's seen the goal he fought for, so he won't leave him like this. Shiva goes next, saying he doesn't know what's going to happen to him. But that said, he doesn't like Magami having his own will be overwritten by somebody else's thoughts, and anything he doesn't like he will tear apart with his own hands. Jugo seems surprised by Shiva, then says he can't be sitting down in pain either.

Magami is quiet for a moment before dismissing everyone's statements as trifles in comparison to the world. In order to guide as many people to the right path, there will be sacrifices needed, even if it's himself. For that reason, he will use his power. The island shakes again as the light of the sun intensifies to the point where shadows can't be cast. This also causes Orochi to go crazy which in turn causes Jugo to suffer as he attempts to keep them under control.

Arachne is alarmed as she notices Jugo's brand acting up, then asks Magami what he did. Magami answers that this is the Providence of his System, which can reveal the curse hidden in Jugo's body. Thunderbird notes that the light shines upon everything in front of it, but he argues it's too harsh since Jugo didn't ask to be cursed. Magami says that all sinners must be judged and devoured by him, and speaking of sinners he demands the alchemists appear before him too.

The alchemists are alarmed to be brought into the conversation, and Thunderbird is surprised that they're still around. Arachne can sympathize with their curiosity, but this isn't the time and place for that as she urges them to run. Magami says that it is impossible to hide things with your mind and body in front of Takamagahara's System so all crimes will be judged. The alchemists start panicking and ask for help, and Magami declares that he'll eat them as he opens up his mouth, but Tajikarao intervenes by attempting to falcon punch him in the stomach.

Magami doesn't react at first, but eventually he yells that Tajikarao should know his place before the sun as he light blasts him away to your surprise. When Tajikarao gets back up, he's dismayed as a handler and senpai that trying to hit Magami really hard didn't really snap him out of things, but he yells loudly that Magami is his cute kouhai. Magami then starts recoiling from the impact of Tajikarao's punch and says he feels it in his internal organs. Tajikarao points out that of course he would since he's always prompting people to hit him in the torso rather than the head. And even if it doesn't actually hurt him, if his original self is still underneath all the thoughts poured into him then Tajikarao swears to pull it back to the surface and make him remember his forgotten directives.

Magami struggles to deal with the impact as he says the feelings in Tajikarao's fists have reached his heart, and his normal self comes back up calling Tajikarao Senpai. Thunderbird is surprised to see that Magami still has his own self underneath even after being turned into a System part, and Shiva seems to understand what's going on. It's true that it looks like Magami has become part of the System, but this normally takes an eternity to happen with someone accepting another person's thoughts and getting their self worn away. Magami however has not been exposed to eternity and therefore has not been eroded away, which then means his self is still underneath the other thoughts.

You ask Shiva if that means you guys need to get rid of the other thoughts, then ask how to actually do that. Shiva exchanges looks briefly with Jugo, then tells you that he can't do it. Jugo meanwhile has his curse going wild and compared to a raging river, and the Orochi's shadow seems to flow out of him for a second before he beats it back, shouting loudly as he resists. He steps forward, bleeding a bit from tearing off one of the snake's scales. Jugo starts saying that Takamagahara and roles mean nothing and that the Mizuchi is in a bad mood. Everyone else has been fighting, so he has to be able to pitch in too, otherwise his training was pointless.

Shiva notes that Jugo is making Mizuchi's curse reverse and seems to call it Dragon Reversal, comparing it to how naturally violent Ganga was. Arachne takes notice of this and asks about the reverse flow curse thing, saying something can be done in that case. You ask Arachne to explain herself, so she says the idea is to make the reversed flow reverse itself again. She then calls the team together to explain a plan she has cooked up.

Arachne's explanation gets offscreened to the part where she asks if everyone is ready to go and turns to face Magami again. She tells him that their first meeting could have been a coincidence, but she now thinks of him as a friend and cohort in making summer memories. If the string tying them together frays by even one bit, that would be sad for her, and she begs Magami to remember himself and his original values. If he doesn't then she'll tailor him up in her best haute couture. Thunderbird says that another measurer of good and evil, he feels a special sort of pity for those who stifle their own emotions and insert themselves into their System like a sacrifice. He then refers to Magami as the Sunkamanitu Tanka of Takamagahara, then says it's time to wake him up from his sad dream.

You either call out to everyone, Magami, and/or quietly ball up your fists. Magami asks if that is the party's answer to his request, then says he'll purge you all as concealers of shame. If you don't like that, then he challenges you guys to show him he's wrong with your fists. You steel yourself and tell him to be ready to feel everyone's determination for himself, and for a second it feels like Magami is smiling. Magami then prompts you guys to come at him as he starts the episode battle.

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