Xolotl starts narrating about his home world El Dorado. Beneath it is its burning underworld Mictlan, which is a place he and his brother Quetzalcoatl once journeyed to. The world and humanity had been destroyed, so the two of them went there to bring it all back and to bring Mictlan's fire up to the surface world. It was a ritual that imitated the cycle of returning the sun back to the sky after it set into the land. There were many times where they were close to falling into bottomless pits, but eventually they managed to get what they came for. The ruler of the underworld Mictlantecuhtli however sent an army to retake the fire, but Xolotl says he and his brother couldn't afford to lose.
Xolotl handled defense, and Quetzalcoatl handled offense. The two of them synchronized to the point they breathed in synch, and Xolotl is proud of that time even now. He actually wonders and laughs to himself if another of their brothers Tezcatlipoca would have been jealous had he seen it. But anyways, Xolotl says he may have chosen to become a bodyguard when he came to Tokyo because of how he felt about that time.
The bigger thing that left an impression on Xolotl was the artifact Quetzalcoatl wielded, a flaming serpent dragon made out of turquoise that held the power of sun dragon that burns down things on the land and rends them. Xolotl explains that it's the manifestation of the faith that the sun burns down the land upon returning to the sky from underground. He admired and trusted in it, calling it the strength to return that no one could stop. Once everything preventing the sun's return was burned away, the journey to bring fire to the surface land succeeded. The sun was resurrected once more, humans gained a netherworld, and the world was filled with fire once more. But when Xolotl eventually found out that Quetzalcoatl left the world of El Dorado, he wondered where his artifact went off to.
Back to the present, the party gathers at the entrance of Onamuji's inn to get ready to head out. Xolotl asks in surprise if Mineaki and Sarutahiko really aren't coming along. Mineaki answers that he does want to do his best for his students, he's unfortunately not really a fighter. If he came along and dragged the party down because of it, he figured it'd be better for him to stay back and do what he can there. He can't use his artifact now, but maybe he can help out with something else. And in that case, he'd like Sarutahiko to act as a guide and help him. Sarutahiko says that's how it goes, so he'll be counting on you guys.
The party is now splitting up into two teams, one of which will be going to Enma's office. Xolotl says he understands and will do his best. You either are impressed at how motivated he is or point out that he can't use his artifact right now. Xolotl starts stammering about how he can't use His Own artifact, but it's possible for him to borrow someone else's. He then cuts himself off and claims it's nothing, apologizing for speaking nonsense.
Mineaki says it's fine and suggests that Xolotl have more confidence in himself, so Xolotl stands up straighter and repeats that he'll do his best. Sarutahiko wishes Zhurong good luck, saying he feels bad about leaving things to him but his power is needed. Zhurong nods and says he'll work hard enough to fill in for Sarutahiko. Sarutahiko gives him some head pats before encouraging him with a slap to the back. Kamui then asks you if you're ready, telling you to not push yourself too hard. Daikoku says it'd be okay for you to stay behind at the inn if you want to, saying the away team will manage without you in that case. You either say it's time to go, tell Kamui he shouldn't push himself too hard either, or ask Daikoku if he's worried about you. B has an extra line of Kamui agreeing, saying he won't be able to keep you safe if he acts recklessly. C has a different extra where Daikoku laughs and says he is because you getting hurt would bother him. When you suggest he's just concerned about your monetary value as a product, he laughs it off and denies the idea.
Before the away team is about to go, Onamuji stops you guys for a brief talk. He asks that you guys be careful and says they'll be waiting for you all to come back. The away party promises to come back, then heads off for that big building in the distance. Onamuji sadly comments on the party going after you all leave, and he hopes it doesn't turn into a big thing. Mineaki says all they can do is trust and wait, but he's sure you guys will be fine. In the meantime, Sarutahiko says he'll make Yubune (which I guess is the name of the inn) the best inn in the hot springs town. Onamuji and Mineaki nod at this, and Mineaki suggests putting more information upfront on the various springs there. He also offers to teach a little bit about medicine just in case it helps, so Onamuji agrees and says they should do their best.
Title card pops up, and this episode is called King Enma Arrives
Suzuku shows up and tells you all to stop, saying you're all pretty brave to come back. Takemaru is growling like a dog and says he won't let you guys escape, and Zhurong freaks out at the two acting scarier than the first time you all saw them. Suzuka is happy about this, saying she had some hellish training since you guys ran off on her. The oni mobs around watching the spirits pile up rocks start gathering, and it's clear there's a huge number disparity in their favor even if Kamui can use fire powers now. Suzuka brags about having called for reinforcements against you guys to make sure she gets you all this time. You say it'll be bad if they get any more reinforcements, try to excuse the party out, or sigh in disappointment saying you wanted to be alone with Suzuka. C gets an extra bit of Suzuka getting mad and accusing you of trying to trick her. It still works since she agrees to send you her phone number.
Anyways, Suzuka starts dramatically like an introductory host and calls for the two guards of hell to show up. The party is taken aback as Hakumen and Tadatomo arrive, with Hakumen announcing her presence and commenting on seeing you guys again. Tadatomo is mad as he says that thanks to you guys escaping, the two of them got spanked 100 times as punishment. He swears to catch you this time so you guys can taste that humiliation in the basement.
The party is surrounded by the mob onis along with the others, and Daikoku expresses concern about the situation. If you guys can't get out of it it'll be time for everyone to meet their maker, though Daikoku then remembers that you're already in Hell. Kamui offers to stall them out so that everyone else can get across the river, and he says he'll cross afterwards. Kamui is about to step forward and fight, but Daikoku stops him saying it was different from earlier when Daikoku offered to be the decoy. Not only is there a bigger numbers difference, there's four strong servants of hell here. Daikoku also points out that if Kamui goes down, the party would have almost no ability to fight left. Both sides have a point, but there's no time to come up with a solution as Suzuka and the others start moving.
Suzuka declares that no amount of planning will save you guys from getting stepped on, and Hakumen cheerfully says it's time to go. The mobs start rushing the party, but Kamui takes point declaring himself the sword and shield of heroes to hold the line. He swings his fire wheels around, surprising Tadatomo as he says it's the flame of punishment Datsue-babalon told them about earlier. Takemaru says it doesn't matter if they can just gang up on him.
Daikoku says the rest of the party needs to fight too because leaving Kamui behind is a bad move all around, and Zhurong yells for people to stop bullying Kamui as he attacks too. Everyone does as best they can, but the numbers difference means the situation gradually turns against you guys. Xolotl thinks to himself that everyone will get beaten down at this rate, and he feels the power of the artifact his brother wielded inside himself. He thinks about how he's not sure why he has the artifact since it isn't his, but the possibility of losing everyone else pushes him to try using it.
Xolotl holds his right arm up towards the sky and yells, calling for the burning turquoise snake to give him power. Both sides are shocked as a bunch of snakes appear from Xolotl's arm and start flying towards the sky. Xolotl himself magically changes clothes and summons the sun in the sky. He laughs a little and says he's still scared because it still feels like he'll be offered up to that sun. Daikoku is shocked about the sun appearing since the Hell you guys are in is supposed to be in a state of constant night. You are surprised but are glad to have things turn around in your favor, cheer Xolotl on, or dance around in pain because the ground is burning. Meanwhile the turquoise snakes continue pushing the sun higher and higher. The higher the sun gets, the more power they and Xolotl give off until they finally push it into a good position. Xolotl says the sun has reached the highest point, then tells the enemies to get ready as he starts the episode battle. More story happens afterwards.
After the battle, Xolotl asks the other side to surrender since his artifact is dangerous. He explains that the snakes burn down the land, which makes it the natural enemy of everyone in the underground netherworld. His bravado starts to falter a little as he threatens to burn them all down, and you either say Xolotl is amazing, wonder if he ever had an artifact like that, or curse the fact that your own sword isn't working.
Hakumen tells Xolotl to get it over with, saying that a hell guard that can't render judgment on sinners is worthless. One of the snakes charges at her like it's about to eat her, and Hakumen just closes her eyes to let it happen. Nothing does though, and she opens her eyes up in confusion to see Xolotl having cancelled the artifact activation and back in his yukata. He tearfully apologizes and promises to help her, so he asks her to wait a little longer.
Takemaru is surprised that Xolotl backed down and readies himself to attack, but Suzuka stops him and says they've lost. If he keeps going, then they really will get burned to ash. Takemaru deflates and trembles at that, and Tadatomo clicks his tongue in frustration before telling you guys there's a healing spring up ahead you guys can use before going to Enma's office. It's his way of repaying Xolotl for sparing them, and he helps Hakumen up before leaving. Suzuka prompts you guys to get going before they change their minds, and she points to an old beat up looking boat that should still carry the party across the water. You thank Suzuka, say you'll save her for sure, or tell Takemaru to wait a little longer. In A, Suzuka blusters about you being a weirdo to thank an oni, but she still wishes you good luck. In B, Suzuka is confused since normally she makes others call for help, but she warns you that Enma is on another level from them in power. In C, Takemaru is confused but prompts you to go on, saying oni there are more temperamental than he thought.
In any case the party climbs into the boat and crosses over the river. You guys decide to stop by the healing spring Tadatomo mentioned, and no one says anything on the way, not even Zhurong. No one can broach the subject of Xolotl suddenly pulling another artifact out of his sleeves, so the awkward mood persists for some time. Xolotl is the one to eventually break the ice as he apologizes for keeping quiet about being able to use an artifact. Zhurong immediately gushes over how cool he was and how he changed his whole outfit when using it. Kamui says it's a fact that Xolotl saved them, and he figures Xolotl not mentioning the artifact earlier must have been because of reasons of some kind.
Daikoku follows up saying he doesn't intend on questioning why Xolotl kept quiet, but he does ask if Xolotl will explain why he can use this other artifact. Xolotl agrees and answers that the artifact isn't originally his. He looks to you, and it's clear it belonged to his brother before. Xolotl says that when everyone talked about how the world you guys are in is Hell and no one could use their artifacts, he did notice that he couldn't use his own. He was still able to feel something from the one he borrowed though, telling him he could use it in this particular area. Daikoku puts his hand to his chin at this and looks to Kamui and Zhurong, saying it lines up with Zhurong lending Kamui fire magic. He then reasons this means that people have little hope of using their own artifacts after all.
Xolotl apologizes repeatedly as the party eventually finds the hot spring. When you get in, you compare it to heaven, an oasis in hell, and/or say you'll have to praise Tadatomo when you get back. Kamui agrees that it's surprising to have something like that spring around, but he cautions you to keep your guard up since this is deep in enemy territory. He suggests dividing the party in two between a lookout group and a bathing group. Xolotl asks if he can go in with you first then, which you either find surprising, tease him about for being so forward, or casually roll with it. The rest of the party agrees, and you decide whether you'll be having a foot bath or an actual bath.
Xolotl apologizes to you again for forcing the situation, but he says he wanted to talk to you about that power he used. So you probably have noticed already, but he tells you it's the power of Quetzalcoatl within you. He noticed that he had the power of your artifact a few days after coming to Tokyo, though he's not sure when he actually got it. But for whatever reason, Quetzalcoatl's power was entrusted to him.
Xolotl raises his right arm to show you a turquoise snake wrapped around it. He tries to ask you about why the power was given to him, and he's worried that it's because the power was lent to him that your artifact became unusable. He starts working himself into a panic, but you stop him and say you aren't Quetzalcoatl. But even so, you're sure he cared about Xolotl, even if it meant he'd disappear himself. Xolotl argues that Quetzalcoatl put him up as a sacrifice once, but he ran out on it and was unable to do anything for the world. You inform Xolotl that Tezcatlipoca once told you that Quetzalcoatl stopped doing sacrifices after Xolotl left. Xolotl is surprised to hear this, and you suggest that he might have done this to let Xolotl come back.
Xolotl brings up that the faith that seeks sacrifices is the pillar that supports El Dorado. Denying it means having to leave the world, and Xolotl gets distressed at the idea it's his fault Quetzalcoatl is gone. Tears well up as he says he became a sacrifice after all, and you either choose to wipe away Xolotl's tears, look away to spare his feelings, or hug and pat him down. Whichever way you go, you wait for Xolotl to eventually cry it out.
In any case, Xolotl apologizes for looking like a mess, still trembling a little as he wipes his eyes. He talks about not knowing how Quetzalcoatl truly felt in passing his artifact on to him, but he promises to use it and bring everyone back to life. If he doesn't, he wouldn't be able to bring himself to look Quetzalcoatl in the eye again, and he swears to do his best to defend everyone. Xolotl looks like he's feeling better now that he's gotten that off his chest, and the two of you sit in the water for a moment longer before returning to the rest of the party to switch off.
Daikoku wastes no time teasing Xolotl for gaining his determination, freaking Xolotl out as he asks if they all heard him. Zhurong says they weren't that far away and Xolotl was crying loudly, so yeah they heard him. Xolotl hides his face out of embarrassment, saying he still meant it about protecting everyone as a bodyguard, leading the rest of the party to smile.
Scene shifts over to Enma's office, and Harlot reports that the party will be arriving soon. Tetsugyuu declares that Enma's power is undoubtedly the best of the Ten Kings, and the guy they call Enma leaves without a word. Harlot comments on him being cool as ever, then orders Tetsugyuu to be ready for the party to show up. Testugyuu obeys, getting excited to crush the party this time as they leave themselves, and so the episode ends.
Thanks for the translation/summary
ReplyDelete