I'm broke.
Harima-san gave me money for my memo, but...
I used that money already because...
This is so yummy!
What rich cream!
It's exquisite!
Thank you, Minato!
But it must be expensive.
Don't worry about it.
I want you to eat quality food.
Are you sure? In that case...
I'll have another!
Utsugi, that's too much.
As expected of the kintsuba from Chikugen-do,
a store with two hundred years of history.
It melts in your mouth.
They don't know how to hold back.
Budget Book
If I buy them cheap stuff...
They always look so glum.
Kusunoki's Garden of Gods
The Shrine in the Mountain and the Sacred Tree in the Garden
Hoji Cafe
Part-time Workers Wanted High School Students Welcome Hours Negotiable, between 8AM to 8PM Age/Gender 18 and older, open to all genders
A part-time job, huh?
It might help to make money for snacks?
No, a part-time job can make only so much.
I guess I'll have to downgrade the quality of snacks.
Welcome!
Hoji City Shopping District
Raffle Booth
Reception
Raffle
Raffles are happening over here!
I'll take your tickets here!
One raffle per ticket!
Raffle Ticket
Okay, one ticket.
Congratulations! You won the first prize!
What? First prize?
And here it is.
A cash voucher of 100,000 yen.
Wh-What?!
O-One hundred thousand?!
Oh, but with this money...
Tanba Liquor Store
I could buy sake for Yamagami-san.
Congratulations!
Huh?
Today marks the 333-year anniversary of Tanba Liquor Store!
Congratulations! 333th Anniversary
As a gift, you, the 333rd customer, receive a special sake set!
It's a coincidence, right?
No, something's definitely off!
I kept on winning stuff after that.
To continue to be this lucky...
Could it be Yamagami-san's power?
Not my power.
Then how?
It's his power.
What?
Is that... a tortoise?
The divine tortoise, Reiki.
Reiki
The Four Holy Beasts are the mythical creatures that bring you luck.
That's one of them.
When did he get here?
He says you helped him.
What? I did?
I have no recollection! Maybe you're mistaking me for someone?
It was when you banished an evil spirit in town.
Huh? Back then?
Your string of luck is thanks to Reiki's power.
Oh no, no way.
Hello? Mom, what's up?
I don't know what's going on. It was a surprise for sure!
What?
You entered a sweepstakes before you moved, didn't you?
Sweepstakes? Oh...
You won! The prize money of one million yen!
O-One million yen?!
Now do you believe?
My goodness, I'm in awe.
Tortoise-san, thank you very much.
Reiki seems to want to live in this pond.
Really? Are you okay with that?
This is your garden.
So you decide.
I don't mind.
You heard him.
Tortoise-san.
Would you like some sake?
Hm?
Whoa!
Tortoise-san likes sake, huh?
He's not a lightweight.
Please have as much as you like.
Hm?
Are these... seeds?
A gift from Reiki.
From Tortoise-san?
Maybe I'll plant them somewhere in the garden.
They'll grow quite tall.
Then will you choose a spot for me?
That should work.
By the way, what seeds are these?
One should ask that before they plant them.
Sorry.
You'll find out in time.
Look forward to it.
This cookie is tasty!
Everyone, would you like some more cookies?
That looks yummy.
Can we get some?
Whoa?!
No need to be surprised like that.
How rude.
It's been a while, Fujin, Raijin.
Yes, it's good to see you.
Raijin
Fujin
Mind if we come in?
Are they the Fujin and Raijin?!
Indeed.
They've been pictured in scrolls and folding screen paintings for ages.
They're rather cute.
Please have some, if you'd like.
Yes, thank you.
Yamagami, you're not dead yet, huh?
Hm?
You were awfully weakened, so we thought you'd kicked the bucket by now.
As if.
You cannot get rid of me so easily.
Those are our cookies!
Oh, lighten up.
You're the minions we heard of?
Nice to meet you.
What are you here for?
Nothing.
We caught wind of this area becoming easier to live in, so we came to visit.
Yes, it has become nice and cozy.
Oh? That's a nice drink you've got there.
Would you like some?
Why not? Might as well.
Sounds delightful. Shall we?
Junmai "Kame"
Junmai Daiginjo "Koura"
Well, we had a lot!
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I know.
As a thank-you, I'll let you use my power a little bit.
What?
Wow!
Huh?
What was that?
As you can see, the power of wind.
How do I use it?
Picture yourself creating wind.
Picture it?
Um, creating wind?
Minato, that's amazing!
I really am creating wind!
But it's still a breeze.
Yes. You must train.
Is this power helpful for sweeping up fallen leaves?
I, uh... Who knows?
The power is almost gone.
Who knew Kusunoki Minato possessed such power?
Ichijo?!
S-Stop!
Seishiro-san.
You, help me already!
You're supposed to be my partner, you bitch!
Are you all right?
Y-Yes. Thank you very much.
What was that earlier?
This old man didn't see it coming!
What do you mean?
Horikawa!
I-I'm sorry about earlier.
So, did you figure it out?
Where that bastard Harima got his shopping memo.
I-I'm not sure.
All I know is that he received it recently from someone.
I don't have any details.
You're totally useless, you slowpoke.
Wh-Why?
Huh?
Why do you have it in for Harima-san?
Could it be because he's better than you?
How dare you!
Wait, come back!
Damn it.
Harima. I will never lose to you, no matter what.
Kusunoki's Garden of Gods
Oh, looks like the rain stopped.
This garden is unaffected.
Because this is sacred ground.
It's incredible that it's unaffected by rain.
Is this what we planted the other day?
Correct.
There wasn't even a sprout yesterday.
The sacred tree of this residence, a kusunoki, or a camphor tree.
A sacred tree.
Does it have enough nutrients?
Anyhow, it needs water! Let me water it.
Yamagami-san, how do you like the taste?
It's a specialty from my hometown called hot spring buns.
Irresistible.
I asked my mother to send me other stuff as well.
Hm? Are you going to climb a mountain or something?
I was actually thinking about climbing your mountain.
You mean Mount Hojo?
Yes. You're a mountain god, right?
So I should properly pay respect to your mountain.
I could use some exercise too.
It won't be a leisurely hike to climb my mountain.
I know. That's why I needed the gear.
There's a small shrine halfway up the mountain.
It shouldn't be too difficult to climb that far.
Then I'll climb up to that point.
People constantly visited back in the old days,
but now it's completely deserted.
Is that so?
I can have my minions guide you.
It's tougher than I expected.
Minato, please watch your steps.
G-Give me a second.
You can do it, Minato!
I thought it wouldn't be too hard to climb up to the shrine.
Utsugi, come down already.
You're putting strain on Minato.
Boo!
I'm okay.
It's not too heavy.
Jeez. You're spoiling Utsugi.
Stay strong!
After you cross the river up ahead, you're almost there.
This is Yamagami-san's shrine.
Yamagami won't be bothered if you don't clean it.
True.
Minato directly worships Yamagami.
Let's have some snacks, Minato!
But I can't leave it like this.
It's thanks to this small shrine that people worshiped Yamagami-san
in the past, right?
Okay. We can help you!
Yeah!
Now it's clean.
It's tastier when we eat together!
You're right.
I'm sure Yamagami is happy too.
What's that?
Huh?
H-Hold on!
What's going on?
Y-You guys... Huh?
What is that... black haze?
Is that...?
An evil spirit.
An evil spirit?!
It moved!
Watch out!
Minato!
Are you okay?
The evil spirit is possessing someone!
What?
Can't you see it, Minato?
The impurity covering this whole area?
I can only see good things.
But if I can sort of see it, it must be a really bad evil spirit.
Because of the impurity, we can't approach any further.
Ugh, I'm feeling sick.
Minato, you have a note pad, right?
Y-Yes.
B-Be careful.
I will!
This is no good. I can't get any closer.
What do I do?
I know!
The power of wind?!
I see!
Great!
Well done!
Nice use of the power you got from Fujin!
Is that a deer?
No, it's not.
Are you okay? Oh...
So fast. Traveled that far in a flash.
Well, if they're feeling better, it's all good.
Bye-bye!
I am grateful that you cleaned my shrine.
Anyhow, I wonder what that creature was.
You'll find out soon enough.
Huh?
What's wrong?
The camphor tree stopped growing.
This kusunoki is a sacred tree, so...
It follows a different set of rules than a regular tree.
I don't think you need to worry.
You think so?
Hm?
Tortoise-san, what's the matter?
Hm?
Hm? Oh!
The one I saved in the mountain?
No, it looks rather different.
Oh, how nice of you to visit.
A friend of Tortoise-san?
One of the Four Holy Beasts, like Reiki.
This is Ouryu.
Ouryu
Wow.
Hm?
What? That cloud came out of nowhere.
Rain... in the sacred ground?
Wow!
Huh?
Ouryu would like to live in this pond.
Oh, sure. If Tortoise-san is okay with it.
Dragon-san likes wine, huh?
Reiki is happy to have a drinking buddy.
Ouryu is grateful to you.
Me?
You remember that onmyoji?
Oh, Harima-san?
When Ouryu was being possessed by the evil spirit,
that man saved him by banishing it.
Then it was thanks to Harima-san?
It was thanks to the pentagram you drew.
Either way, I'm glad you're okay.
Here are the new memo... I mean, the talismans you asked for.
Thank you as always.
Soft red bean jelly
Thank you for bringing a gift every time you visit.
What is it?
Oh, it's nothing.
Did the pentagram work for you?
More than I expected.
But today, I'd like you to draw the grid crest, if you don't mind.
What? You didn't like the star shape?
Oh, that isn't my family crest.
The pentagram is a family crest?
I'm sorry, I didn't know.
How many lines in the grid?
Ah.
So you've been on fire these days thanks to those blessed memos, huh?
It's a rare power.
But pieces of paper must be difficult to handle.
Hard to throw, right?
That's why I asked for business card-style.
You're throwing business cards, huh?
Gotta wear a leotard with an older sister and a younger sister!
Throwing business cards in a leotard?
Why?
You don't know?!
So this is what you call a generation gap.
You're making this old man sad.
Anyhow, Harima. You've got to be vigilant.
What?
If other people learn about that guy,
you'd be getting a civilian in trouble.
Well, I guess it's kind of too late.
That guy Ichijo saw the power already, and he really has in it for you.
I hope nothing bad happens.
Oh, I'm so sorry!
Tsk.
Gosh... No need to glare at me like that.
Episode 3, "Training Wind Power in the Sacred Ground."
Next Time
Training Wind Power in the Sacred Ground