What's wrong?
Nothing. I'm fine.
I'm here to listen if you need to get something off your chest.
All right.
Then, hear me out...
I'm in love with you.
Why...?
What is happening to me?
Die, demon!
The plan worked! Thanks for helping us kill this freak.
C'mon. Let's go.
I see. I've been betrayed.
That she-devil is next!
We should've done this a long time ago!
So what if I'm bigger than most people? How is that reason enough to kill me?
Why is this happening?
Why do I have to die?
No.... not here...
I don't want to die. Not here!
Look!
What's going on?!
It shouldn't come as a surprise.
This is what you wanted, isn't it?
You're not going to run?
I'm scared, but I won't run.
Because even as a demon, I know that you're still you.
I'm sorry...
I couldn't stand strong like you did...
I was wrong.
What did I just see?
Well, damn.
Guess I can't absorb your power when your mind is still intact.
Suzune.
So she's the reason why you fight, eh?
Yes. I take it that you saw my memories as well?
Seems like we're birds of a feather.
Perhaps.
You're not going to quit, are you?
I wouldn't be a demon if I could exercise restraint.
Good point.
But no matter, you cannot overcome my indomitable body.
Indomitable, huh?
This is pointless. Stop being stupid.
I remember Mosuke. His only wish was to live hidden from both demons and humans.
And Hatsu. All she wanted was to return to her husband as quickly as possible.
And Ofuu. She only wished to go back to her garden of happiness.
And Yunagi. All she wanted was to keep a single emotion secret.
Long ago, there was a demon who could see into the future.
I imagine a need to change the doomed fate of demonkind is what gave her that power.
But in spite of her wishes, she could only see the future.
It was an ability known as "foresight".
It's all clear to me now.
The powers we demons have are not skills, but desires.
Negative emotions are what transform humans into demons,
but it's impossible wishes that furnish demons with power.
Or rather, their obsession is the paint that covers their canvas of being.
In which case, life will never go as they want.
That's why I know. Strength isn't what you wished for at all.
Tsuchiura. What made you desire that indomitable body?
Shut up!
Allow me to change the question. What is it you're fighting for?
Trust me.
Both demons and samurai are on the verge of being abandoned by the modern age.
We are relics of the past. That makes us compatriots.
There is no good reason that we cannot join forces.
Master Yasuhide generously accepted me for the demon I am.
My loyalty to him is everything.
It's all that I have.
No, there's more to your life than that.
I figured you might be similar to me, but I was wrong.
Tsuchiura. I'm fairly certain that you're stronger than I am.
But I won't lose.
You cast aside everything you had and obtained strength by making yourself believe in a lie.
Whereas my weakness has made me hesitant to cast anything aside. So you'll never get the better of me!
You're full of hot air.
Act as tough as you want,
you cannot bring any harm to me!
Dart.
Please forgive us. We're so sorry. Truly!
Our daughter had no other choice!
They threatened to ostracize our whole family unless she helped them lure you into their trap!
Shut up!
She really did love you!
I said shut up!
Yeah. It didn't matter if you were a demon or not. She believed in you wholeheartedly!
No more!
If I were indomitable, then I would never have to fear being hurt again.
If I were indomitable, then I would never have to worry about facing death.
If I were indomitable...
then I could have fully believed in her.
All I wanted... was someone to put my faith in...
You're formidable.
No, just weak.
Tsuchiura. I think weakness is better for us in the end.
We foolishly wanted to regain the things that we lost, which drove us into becoming demons.
Our half-hearted attempts to gain power and spurn our weakness has trapped us on the wrong life path.
But if our willpower had been a little weaker,
then we could have simply died a respectable death.
I see. We dug our graves in the wrong spot, huh?
That sums it up.
But this isn't so bad.
I've recognized what my heart truly desired.
Go on. Take my power.
Although it was born from my pathetic obsession,
it should prove handy at some point.
I appreciate what you've done.
Thank you for ending my life. This isn't the worst place to die.
I'm sorry, Master Yasuhide. I was unable to grant your wish.
It's strange. I can't bring myself to hate you, even as you consume me.
Perhaps, if we had met under different circumstances...
Yeah. We could've been fighting alongside each other instead.
Exactly...
Hey there!
Welcome in!
Took you long enough!
Aw, gimme a break.
Now then, shall we get going, Tsuchiura?
Yeah.
Safe travels!
Thanks.
Farewell.
Ah, if it isn't Jinya-dono.
Your being here can only mean one thing.
Tsuchiura must be dead. Am I right?
Yes.
I see.
Without Tsuchiura on my side, I have no more moves to play.
Checkmate, it would seem.
That's right.
And so, I've come to grant your wish.
My wish, you say?
Yes. I defeated Tsuchiura and consumed him.
It's only fair that I take up the responsibility he left behind.
Does that mean you will serve in his stead?
No.
I'm here to grant your heart's true desire.
I always thought it was strange.
Mataroku Sugino. Kiichi Okada. And, of course, Tsuchiura.
You've constantly made moves to provoke me.
The question is: why?
Your goal is supposedly to purge the foreigners and reestablish the shogunate.
But that isn't quite right.
Because in reality you knew better than anyone that foreign influence would never go away.
Your true goal wasn't for success, but failure.
For someone to step in and kill you. That's what you want, right?
I guess there's no point hiding it.
I knew it all along.
No matter how fiercely we resisted, foreign culture would still find its way into this country.
The government would collapse and the age of samurai would come to an end.
No one can stop that.
I was fully aware.
We must change with the times.
All the people who choose to adapt and welcome the new era are right to do so.
However, it was simply beyond me.
The thought of straying from the life path I've fought so long and hard to forge seemed irrevocably shameful.
And thus, I wanted to be killed.
To die as a samurai who defended the shogunate to the bitter end.
So, it seems you really have come to grant my true desire.
We've both been a thorn in each other's side.
Oh, most definitely.
But that's just what happens when we insist on having things go our way.
You're not wrong.
Will you kill me now?
Yes.
Though you failed to save the age of the samurai,
you shall still meet a warrior's end.
You are a demon enslaved to your blade.
There is no place for you in the future.
Both demons and katana are doomed to be thrown out like yesterday's trash.
So how will you continue to live in this world?
Know that I'll be watching you... with great interest... from beyond the grave...
Daddy's taking a long time.
He sure is.
You're still awake?
Daddy!
Sorry. Didn't mean to keep you waiting.
Jinya-kun. There's a better choice of words for when you come home, you know?
Daddy!
Have you been a good girl, Nomari?
Yeah!
I think I need to leave Edo.
It's only matter of time until word of my being a demon spreads throughout town.
I see.
Well then, consider this.
What if you followed my dad's advice and took over as owner of the soba shop?
Isn't that still a possibility?
We can change the name. How about "Demon Soba"?
A soba shop run by a married demon couple.
Doesn't that sound amusing?
I guess that would be kinda nice.
Right? So, then...
It's still a no, huh?
I can't stray from my life path at this point.
But you knew that already, didn't you?
You really are the biggest hardhead alive.
Yeah. Even I wish I didn't have to be like that.
Listen, Ofuu.
Although I might have made a huge mistake,
I'm not depressed about it.
I'm still unsure whether I'll be able to forgive Suzune in the end or not.
But there are people I can save even if I stay on this flawed path.
You helped me realize that.
So I'm going to hem and haw for a little longer.
Will you come with me?
I'm sorry.
I'm just hopeless, aren't I?
Seeing you like that got me thinking...
I took my dad's hand and let him lead me to the outside.
Then I just lived under his wing the entire time.
All I really did was stop relying on the comfort of my memories to rely on him instead.
So if I take your hand now,
I know that I'll only end up dependent on you.
Nothing will have changed from back when I shut myself in the garden of happiness.
That's too frustrating to live with, you know?
So, although I'm the one who brought up the idea of sticking together, I can't go with you.
I have to learn how to make it on my own first.
Otherwise, staying by your side will only make me depressed.
We're quite the awkward pair, eh?
You can say that again.
I need you to do me a favor.
Could you please take Noma-
No! I'm going with you, Daddy!
You heard her.
All right.
Let's go together.
Uh-huh!
Will we see each other again?
I don't know.
But we won't be dying from old age any time soon.
So we may bump into each other someday.
Oh, come on. You know this is the part you're supposed to just lie and say "yes".
Too bad that demons never lie.
So long, Ofuu.
Bye.
See you again. Someday.
Are you happy, Daddy?
Yeah. I suppose I must be.
Hopefully we cross paths again.
Goodbye.
Ready to go?
Yep!
On October 14th, in the third year of the Keio era,
the 15th Commander-in-Chief of the Edo shogunate, Yoshinobu Tokugawa,
ceded his political authority to the Emperor.
This event was widely known as the "Return of Power".
And thus, the long-running age of the samurai came to an end,
and a brand new era was ushered in.
Are you happy, Daddy?
Yeah. I suppose I must be.
Hopefully we cross paths again.
What's the matter?
I saw someone who brought back memories.
Who might that be?
A person whose feelings I once hurt.
I'm sorry. I shouldn't be holding us up!
Let's go, darling.
Okay, I suppose it's about time we head back to the shop...
Lady Natsu.
Darling!
Shucks, don't mind me. I just had a feeling...
it'd be good to call you that for old time's sake.
I wonder why?
Well, get your butt in gear...
Zenji!
Right away, milady!
Man, it's been way too long. This is making me blush!
And how do you think I feel?!
Farewell, Jinya.