Birdy still hasn't woken up.
He transformed back to his original state to get help back then,
so maybe he used too much of his power.
Right, but I'm sure he'll wake up soon enough.
That's good.
Ho'o isn't the type to croak so easily.
Right.
I want to master the power to seal things that the goddess gave me.
If I can seal the power to exorcise, it might help Mr. Harima and the others.
Hm. What an interesting idea to trap and contain the power
you've been spewing out.
Chestnut buns
I think Amaterasu was using a wooden box like this.
Did it work?
Hmm.
The power is overflowing like smoke.
Is that so?
Aye. To seal it, you must see the imaage.
See "the imaage," huh?
Go ahead and laugh, why don't you?
I-I'm not laughing!
Torika told me my pronunciation is horrible, so I am aware of it.
Torika sure has learned not to hold back.
Kusunoki's Garden of Gods
Welcome to the Spring Garden
Here you go.
How goes the training of the power to seal things?
I still have a long way to go.
By the way, I got a call earlier.
The person who was interested in viewing the house canceled, yet again.
Hmm. Is that so?
This is the third time it was canceled last minute.
Humans are often so fickle.
I wonder why.
A rural one-bedroom with nice living, dining, and kitchen area
with a quiet, beautiful garden that comes with Yamagami.
Included in the property.
I've cleaned thoroughly and even had some Japanese sweets ready.
Thanks to that, these are now mine.
I bought yours separately.
The color of Japanese bush warblers, the light cherry blossom color of the buns.
These gentle, soft colors truly represent spring.
Wow! The garden!
Spring can't begin without the cherry blossoms.
Oh no! You've gotten small again!
Fluff!
Is your body okay?
It might take a bit for me to grow back to my normal size.
How did you do that just now?
I used my eyes. Smirk.
Your eyes?
Indeed. For me, that's the easiest method.
It's the easiest method for you.
You can find what works for you.
What works... for me.
I see!
With my regular note pads, I might be able to seal my power to exorcise!
It's only natural that there are things that will and will not work for you.
Uguisu mochi cake
Those warbles are perfect sounds for this spring garden.
Quite.
Teacher! You're needed!
I should work hard too.
Slurpy-slurp!
Minato! Come on, hurry up!
Hey, get yourself together.
Why are we going bamboo shoot digging now?
Something to do with the power to seal things?
There are a lot of bamboo shoots on the Yamagami's mountain.
When you taste some of that fresh spring delicacy, it might give you more power.
I hope that's the case.
Those humans who were interested in buying this house,
I chucked them into my kami realm for a while before releasing them.
I see, so it was your doing.
That was rather a mean thing to do.
Well, excuse me!
You trapped that guy who tried to kick the gate yourself.
Well, he deserved it.
Any human who dares to kick the gate of the house of kami
should grovel out of gratitude for being spared their lives.
Indeed.
My goodness, you're scary!
Another abandoned kami realm.
It's moving toward the mountain.
Minato seems to be attracting it.
Good grief, that boy.
Here!
Phew. I've seen many humans before, but attracting kami realms isn't normal.
Despite being human, he lives in a kami realm and is around us,
which must've had some weird effects on him.
No wonder he's closer to kami.
Right. And he was pulled into a kami realm the other day.
Maybe I should give him a bit more power
so something like that won't happen again.
Don't. Give him more, and he'll cease to be human.
What matters is how he'll use his powers from now on, right?
Minato, we're almost there.
Just a bit more to the bamboo shoots!
Look! There are tons of them, ready for digging!
You're right!
Oh, but this was so last minute that I didn't have time to get a hoe.
Hm?
I totally looked it in the eye!
What should I do?! Pretend to be dead? At this point?
Not to worry.
There's nothing to fear.
What?!
That is what you call a gentle giant.
Is that you, Yamagami?
Indeed.
You can be in Utsugi's body?
I told you, these are my minions.
This is a piece of cake.
"Thank you for taking care of our chief," he says.
Chief?
He means Kirin.
"I'd love to show appreciation."
Well, um...
I'm really glad he's on our side.
Is he telling me to take these?
Yes! You can understand animals now?
Well, sort of.
Thank you.
"The fresher the better, so eat it right now," he says.
Th-Thank you very much.
Then shall we enjoy the freshly-dug bamboo shoots?
Right here?
Eating freshly harvested food is a joy that can't be replaced by anything else.
This is the joy of seasonal produce.
This is hard to move in.
Well, I'm sure I'll get used to it.
Thank you, Bear.
If we're eating raw bamboo shoots, then it's a race against time.
So wasabi out of the tube will have to do.
Here you go, Yamagami.
Hm. Much obliged.
Yamagami.
Hm?
What does digging for bamboo shoots have anything to do with my power?
Who said it had anything to do with it?
Don't tell me you just wanted to eat bamboo shoots!
You seemed to be pushing yourself too hard.
I thought this would provide a good change of pace.
I do feel calmer after being in the fresh, clean air.
Moreover, I think I was able to communicate with the animals.
You should try the bamboo shoots as well.
Yeah, let me try some.
It is exceptional.
Thank you for the food.
Well?
It is superb!
Here we go.
What brought this on?
It's nice to play every now and then.
I think you'll be able to play the shogi collapse game, so let's try it out.
Oh?
I'll show you.
Good.
All you do is pull a piece out like this.
But you can't make a sound.
If you do, then we switch turns.
I see.
The one who has more pieces at the end wins.
Easy enough.
But it's surprisingly hard.
King
Pawn
How is this possible?
I must insist on another round!
Grrr, you piece of wood!
How dare you, a mere piece, defy me?
You! Who gave you permission to make a sound?!
Yamagami, don't break it, okay?
I know.
Aw!
Yamagami, you shouldn't cheat.
You used your power, didn't you?
What are you on about?
This is part of your training.
It's my turn now.
If that's how you want to play...
What is that, Yamagami?
Some things can get lost and find their way here, so it must be one of those.
This is my first time hearing about it.
It shouldn't be a problem.
Are you sure?
Here we go.
Sorry to interrupt!
I promise I'm not a shady character.
R-Right.
I probably don't need to explain myself, but I'm called Ebisu.
The Kami Ebisu
You must be the one who received powers.
Oh... um... Huh?
Oh, my bad.
You can call me Ebby.
Nice to meet you, Ebby.
How do you know about me?
I heard a rumor about this strange human who's been getting kami powers.
So I wanted to meet him.
I am humbled.
Anyhow, this is quite an elegant garden.
Thank you very much.
Huh?
What is this feeling?
I never want to lose to that thing, no matter what.
What is this burning passion?!
Who knows?
W-Wait, can this be...?
Love, is it?
Does this mean spring has finally come to me?
I... don't think that's what it means.
There's a hot spring here too?
Very nice.
If you'd like, please feel free.
Oh, I'll take you up on that.
Mountain God, may I?
Do as you wish.
Thanks a bunch.
As a thank you, I'll give these to you.
Wh-What?
They're taiyaki.
Share them with everyone later.
Smooth paste?
I've got you different kinds.
Of course there's smooth paste too.
Thank you very much.
Alrighty, then let me soak in the hot spring.
Yes, please make yourself at home.
I see.
Hm?
Straying off quite a bit.
Huh? Straying off? What is?
Kusunoki's Garden of Gods
It feels like I'm almost getting a hang of the power to seal things.
Hm?
The fox's wedding, or sunshower, is over.
Oh, please!
We're not giving away our bride because of the weather.
Another visitor?
I had no idea... that a wonderful hot spring like this was so close by!
Is this your residence?
No, I'm the current custodian of this place.
Oh, I see.
You want to soak in the hot spring?
N-Not as such.
I'm in the middle of an important errand.
Is that urgent?
I... wouldn't exactly say... that it's urgent.
Why not be honest?
Today's lunch is inarizushi.
Would you like to join us?
Are you sure I may partake of your lunch?!
Of course. Come eat with us.
Thank you very much!
I am the minion of the mountain god
who resides in the mountain next to this mountain.
Wow, there's a kami in the next mountain?
Yes. My name is Tsumugi.
Tsumugi
Pleasure to make your acquaintance.
The pleasure is all mine.
If I may be so bold to ask you...
is your inarizushi homemade?
I mean, the store-bought ones are just as wonderful.
But you know, nothing beats homemade inarizushi.
I guess I can say it's homemade, with wild vegetables.
You don't say!
I can't guarantee you'll like it, though.
Made with care by human hands...
That makes it more than valuable enough.
I see.
A triangle-shape would be even better.
Oh!
Mountain God, how wonderful it is to see you.
Aye. Eat first and soak in the hot spring later.
Do as you wish.
I am most grateful.
Yamagami... You look like a god!
How rude.
I am a great mountain god.
You must know that he is a rather high-ranking kami.
Thank you for the food!
This inarizushi...
Sink your teeth in, and the juice spreads from the fried tofu skin.
Not too much, not too little, just the right amount.
So tasty!
It was delicious!
I'm glad you enjoyed it.
It's against my policy to owe a favor.
As such, I must insist that you accept a token of my gratitude.
O-Okay.
This is a peach that I harvested at home.
Here's one for you.
Harvested at your mountain?
Technically speaking,
it was harvested in the garden we're so proud of, as good as this garden.
This is for kami only, so perhaps you shouldn't eat it.
I-Is that so?
This will never rot.
It smells great, so you can put it up as a decoration.
Um, are you sure I can have it?
Yes. My master kami actually entrusted me with it.
Your master kami?
They said it would prove our garden was superior.
Thank you for this.
Yamagami, what should I do?
I shall eat it later.
Do you know Tsumugi's master kami?
Who can say?
Oh, why don't you go bathe in the hot spring?
Yes, thank you very much!
Um, do you bathe there too?
I do every day.
That makes sense.
That's why you don't feel like a human.
What?
See you again!
Yamagami, I guess I'm not like a human.
I was sort of aware of it, but...
Straying off quite a bit.
He meant that I was straying off from being human, right?
Aye.
I'm only a mere mortal, so how could I not be affected?
I want to be able to master the power to seal things,
but I'm scared of changing.
Have no fear.
Even with powers, you are still you.
I am me.
Will I be able to die a human?
I promise.
So give it your all to your training and learn to wield your powers.
Okay.
The hint to the power to seal things might be in your past.
My past?
You've been able to see things since you were small, haven't you?
Things that aren't human.
The first time I saw it...
Oh!
Is this...?
It was when I was five.
Translation: Tomoko Takedani Sater Timing: Andy Ellis
Editing and Typesetting: Ashley Barboza Quality Control: Salem Alabanza
Episode 7, "The Key to Unlocking the Power is in the Memories."
Next Time
The Key to Unlocking the Power is in the Memories