Things tune in over at Kabukicho Academy where Kresnik is checking in to make sure Ellie is doing her make-up school work. She let things pile up for three days, and he asks if she's gotten anywhere with that. Ellie yawns and responds that she got all of jack done. It's finally nighttime, but having to do work is making her sleepy. Kresnik is taken aback that Ellie brought a pillow with her, saying she got all this work to do because she wanders around at night and sleeps during the day. Shinjuku's Emperor of the Night Tsukuyomi is doing well in class, so Kabukicho's Night Queen could stand to make an effort, he says.
Ellie sighs about how Kresnik just doesn't understand that queens are supposed to be free-spirited and junk. Kresnik is shocked that Ellie would defy a teacher like that and wonders how he's supposed to motivate her. He then asks if she was ever interested in learning about the people who came before her. Ellie is quiet for a moment, but the topic does interest her enough to ask him if there are any other vampires in Tokyo that aren't Transients besides her.
Kresnik is mildly surprised at the question and asks Ellie what she'd do with that information, so Ellie answers that she'd ask if they'd agree as another Night Walker that homework is stupid. Kresnik decides to tell her after a moment that there might have been in the past, but all he knows is of the past. Ellie is interested and asks what happened to them, so Kresnik says it's not really public knowledge, but there was a fair amount of casualties then. It's always been a thing that anyone made out to be an enemy of the world gets shunned as a monster, and the guy Kresnik is talking about was once called the Impaler Count. Information of the incident is still top secret, but rumors say he continues on as an urban legend even here in Tokyo. They also call him a High Daylight Walker, though he notes that Ellie herself could walk around in the day if she felt like it.
Kresnik eyes Ellie as if wondering if she's just a terminal slacker as he says that they both know that it's all the same to the world in the end. Ellie says nothing at that. Narration talks about how oni and monsters live in people's hearts, and how oni and monsters are things created by people. If people call something a monster, then that's what they become. If they have no horns or fangs they're just hiding it, they say as "truth" covers over reality. The monsters then get swallowed up by that "truth," believing that it's their destiny to crave blood.
Ellie asks Kresnik if the Impaler Count is no longer around anymore. Kresnik answers that there aren't any records of him in the general public, but there might be something in society's underworld. He brings up that artifacts can change their owners, like Ellie's blood has. Artifacts collect faith, and when someone inherits one they also inherit the thoughts and feelings that are drawn in by that faith too.
Kresnik says it's possible the Impaler Count could be sleeping somewhere surprising, like some facility regular people don't go to. Ellie suggests the police station as a possibility, which makes Kresnik laugh at her jumping to that of all things. He then tries to get Ellie to return to her work, but Ellie peaces out instead to have fun, leaving him to futilely call after her before sighing about it all.
Things then tune back to the present I guess as the battle with Vampire Touji continues. Touji laughs evilly and demands flesh and blood be brought forth for his faith, and he has a blood crazed smile on his face you've never seen him wear before. You demand to know who he is, wondering for a second if he's Touji before rejecting the idea. Vampire Touji says he's always been inside him as he takes a moment to punch up the grandiosity of his speech, saying he was always sealed away.
Vampire Touji talks about how Touji carries the blood of oni who once got stuck in this world, and he always lived among people suppressing his instincts to eat people and drink blood. His ancestral barrier magic has kept his other side down, but the seal has weakened today on Halloween, and now his oni side has come out by borrowing the faith of the Impaler Count. So to sum it up, he is both Touji and the warrior the Impaler Count, and he taunts you guys to continue fighting.
Oni Touji laughs about the valor and faith you hold, which he says makes sipping your blood worth it and considers making you his bride. He does notice that you're holding back, so he asks if you're worried about his body or mind. Hotei yells that of course they would be when a friend's body is taken hostage, but Oni Touji scoffs at this as naivety saying you should do whatever you can if you want to survive. He doesn't consider avoiding people and living in isolation to really be living, and for a moment he looks off into the distance.
Li Chou and Sarutahiko attempt to take advantage with a cross attack filled with their school spirit, but this fails as Sarutahiko notes that Oni Touji has been blocking it by turning to mist every time. Li notes that's a standard vampire trick and that they can also turn into bats as a defense too. Sarutahiko compares this power to shifting into another dimension, and then compares it to Ama no Sakate. That would be Kotoshironushi's power to create a shrine to hide himself in.
Sarutahiko starts saying you guys need a power that can destroy any barrier and defense to stand a chance, but Oni Touji scoffs that no such thing exists. He starts to say he's invincible so long as that one vampire hunter isn't fighting him, but Li Chou snaps that if the idea is to just punch his stupid mug in, then there's definitely some way of doing that. Oni Touji takes enough interest to ask about that, so you do the invocation spiel. Oni Touji is alarmed enough to try turning to mist again, but you let loose with your NP and demand Touji's return.
Your attack cuts Something in between Touji and his oni self, and you can feel something working. Touji starts falling over, so Hotei rushes in to catch him with his bag as a cushion. Once he does catch him Hotei loudly asks Touji if he's okay, and he turns out to not be above playing around with Touji's face to find out. Touji is awake and mobile enough to whack him and call him an ass, and Hotei yelps and calls it a good reaction. Touji steps back a bit to admit he did save him, so Hotei expresses amazement at your artifact and says he helped out too. Li Chou cheers about your artifact, and you express relief that Touji is okay before remembering that there's still a bigger problem to deal with. Someone starts laughing about being surprised a power like yours exists, and Hotei points at the mist cut off from Touji as it starts coalescing.
Scene shifts to the other half of the party down on the ground, and they can see something happening as Ebisu asks what's going on above the school. Arc figures you guys must be up there and says they're getting a bad feeling about it. Alp is sniffing like a dog, then expresses confusion about faintly smelling a dream despite not having used his artifact. Azathoth laughs about how it's Halloween, the day where the border between Here and There is gone. Both sides are blending together into a dream land, and which is real and which is true means little because of what day it is.
Black is laughing as he leads the vending machines on a rampage. Hanuman says he still doesn't get what's going on, but he declares himself to be the number one prankster. Nezha laughs and says they won't lose as they're gonna be the ones at the top in terms of cuteness and pranks. Black comments on his surprise at finding some people so talented for tricks over here, and he sniffles about not being lonely now since he was the only one of the stupid gang sent over to play tricks.
Over in Umamichi's gym or whatever, a bunch of jianghshi are tickling Tetsugyuu as part of their trick or treat shenanigans. He does his best to resist and tell them to stop, and he also points out that they're acting different than usual. Motosumi comments on Hanuman and Nezha going wild again and is mad about it because they're going to have a bad influence on people, which makes Testugyuu promptly lampshade his priorities.
Back to your side of things, Vampire Touji starts laughing about how having that faith is enough to manifest himself outside Touji. Hotei says he understands now that Vampire Touji is a ghost or ethereal person. You ask about these terms and/or express shock that Vampire Touji came out of Touji, and Sarutahiko turns to Li Chou to ask him what to do now. Li Chou's mind shorts out in shock for a moment as he agrees to do something before yelling that he can't and calls for an exorcist. Motosumi or Gouryou being around would help, but the former is busy babysitting and the latter is busy playing hooky. Li then resorts to panicking and yelling for Sanat Kumara's help.
Vampire Touji directs you all to gaze upon the body filled with the faith given to the Lord Impaler's artifact, and his mist body starts coming together and materialize into a more solid form. Touji is shocked at seeing it turn out to be a copy of himself, so Vampire Touji says it's because he's him, the oni he had always sealed away inside himself. Sarutahiko is baffled that there are two horned guys now.
Touji says Vampire Touji is talking malarkey and says he's enough on his own, that he doesn't need his oni side. He swears to seal him again, but Oni Touji says that won't actually get rid of him. You can't make something that exists suddenly disappear to nothing. He starts taunting Touji about how he put on a front and talked about leaving a place he loved to protect people, but inside he was afraid of possibly eating the people around him. He's always focusing on the future and turning away from the past. Vampire Touji starts talking about how the vampire costume he refers to as a relic from the Impaler Lord is what let him out, and this causes Touji to sputter in shock that the costume his senpais gave him caused all this. Vampire Touji then tells Touji "I am thou, thou art I" with slightly less antiquated linguistics and says he won't stand to be ignored by him.
You call out to Touji and/or stare at him, and Touji seems ashamed to be seen by you. Oni Touji talks about how this current phenomenon will eventually spread across the whole world, where dreams and reality mix and chaos covers the sky. He's fine with playing with you guys until then, but he notes that some other mad play is happening elsewhere around here. Li Chou asks him if he's talking about the vending machines, and Oni Touji finds this term fascinating for a mount. He decides he should get some himself for a resurrection celebration. It's noted that Oni Touji is acting like the Lord Impaler probably because he's carrying his faith, but you find Oni Touji's ignorance of vending machines to be odd. Hotei wonders if he's just acting stupid as a surprise, though he can sort of see how he could think that. Oni Touji then cackles as he says bye to the group and leaves.
After Oni Touji leaves, Li Chou starts yelling about how Halloween is going beyond chaos in terms of crazy this year. Sarutahiko tries to calm him down and prompts him to take deep breaths while sympathizing. Touji is alarmed at his other side running off and swears to cut it down, but when he tries to move he turns out to be too tired to keep steady as Hotei points out. Touji tries to argue it's no big deal and that it's his job to protect the peace. Plus he feels personally responsible for dealing with his other side, or else dying wouldn't be enough to make up for it.
Touji is shuddering a little, so you tell him he shouldn't push himself, tell him to rest a minute, and/or help support him on his feet. He can't bring himself to say anything as you lie him on a futon Hotei pulls out of his bag, but soon starts asking why his police senpais gave him that costume. He tried to live his life with an eye to the future, but the past will never let him escape.
You tell Touji in concern he shouldn't worry about it too much, so Touji apologizes for his outburst. He also feels you're wasting your concern, which you either protest against or quietly look at him. He apologizes again for upsetting you, then asks you to go after Oni Touji. He says he'll be fine and back at it after a little break, and he promises to come join you guys soon. You agree, then prompt everyone to come along.
Touji thanks you, but before everyone leaves Li Chou decides to make a point of telling Touji he shouldn't be alone when times are tough. Touji is surprised by his concern and sees something in his eyes. Hotei decides to add his own words and says he understands a little bit about Touji's suffering even though he's only known him a few days. It sucks to have so much expectations placed on you by others, but what's worse is your own expectations.
You ask Hotei about personal expectations being worse than external expectations, so he elaborates it's about having confidence in yourself that you can do something. In his case he's always expecting deep down that he can make people laugh and smile, especially with his main gag. This doesn't always happen though, and failing his own expectations would depress him. Sure there are times he succeeds, but in life it's not how it'll go every single time. Sarutahiko says he knows that feeling as he mentions getting caught up in himself at work and messing up because of it. He agrees that being self-confident is important though when you occasionally lose sight of yourself.
You say you sort of understand what the others are getting at and say you lose sight of things when you get stressed. Touji contemplates the thought of personal expectations, and Hotei decides it's time to pull something out. He takes a moment to rummage through his bag, then eventually finds that cold wet towel he had somewhere in there and places it on Touji's head. The chill makes Touji calm down and slow his thoughts down. He looks at himself more analytically, more composed than he was before.
Hotei says it's time for them to go, telling Touji it's times like these that it's fine to leave things to other people. Li Chou gets determined to put a stop to things as an organizer, and he tells Touji to watch you guys. Sarutahiko suggests going to his workplace after everything's over and says he'll get everyone cleaned up nice and proper. You tell Touji you're going and say you'll be back soon. He nods in acknowledgement. Hotei notes how everyone is worried and has their hands full thinking about their lives and living, so you thank Hotei for being so sunny all the time. Hotei then laughs and says not having any worries can be a worry in itself, then says smiles can save the world.
Scene shifts over to Nezha and the others, and Nezha seems to pick up on something. Hanuman asks them what's up since it's unusual for them to make a face like that. Nezha says they feel there was something important that happened, but now they forget. Nezha asks Hanuman if he knows, and Hanuman is slightly taken aback at the question and asks if it's more important than pranks. Nezha laughs that tricks ARE important, and Black agrees as he says having them around him is reassuring. He also refers to them as stars, which Hanuman is flattered by as he notes he was a famous trickster in his home world.
Oni Touji turns up at this point to imperiously ask for the bending muhsheens, threatening to show them the Lord Impaler's true terror otherwise. Hanuman freaks out at Touji being around and asks if he's here to yell at them for their tricks, though he then argues it's cool to play tricks if he doesn't get candy today. But on another note he thinks Touji is into the vampire costume and asks if he came to join them in playing pranks, which confuses Oni Touji.
Hanuman figures that's what's actually going on and calls Touji a rascal. Nezha is impressed Touji jumped up and turned into mist, thinking it's a cool trick that he can't figure out. Black is also impressed and invites Touji to join them, and Oni Touji is intrigued that they'd treat him that way. He decides to tell them to follow after him, and the vending machines all cheer as they move along. Ebisu is surprised that 'Touji' is helping the pranksters, and Alp starts worrying that Touji has gone bad. Arc can sense it's not really Touji and wonders why he feels so sinister. Azathoth starts cackling about how boring it is to hit a bad ending in the fourth chapter, and he gets serious about telling everyone to stop the tricksters. If they manage to get out of the school, it's a quick step away from The End and the end of the event. The episode part ends with Arc being concerned with Azathoth's change in demeanor.
Thanks for all your hard work!
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