Hell's Paradise
A faint flower was blooming unnoticed by anyone
Not a burning red, but flickering serenely in red
I've been pausing for a long time dragging my past at my feet
If I break free from this ambivalence,
will I be able to bloom by its side?
The future is slipping away between my fingers
What mistake did I make to pay this price?
Always hurting myself
and hesitant even to a small joy
I want to stop now
The flower just bloomed in dignity
and that was all I needed to be happy
I just wanted to protect this one flower
Wishing to be strong, I
picked up the vulnerability I had once cast away
Can't break free from the ambivalence
In ambivalence, I become myself
Like rooting strongly into the soil
like swaying ephemerally to the wind
I'm slowly loosening myself to bloom
Hell's Paradise
So depending on the matchup, it may make sense for me to protect you.
Ephemeralness and Fire
We're both shinobi, but you and I are nothing alike.
Nothing's more important to me than my life.
I'm not risking it for anything.
I agree.
My goal is to make it back home alive.
To live and see my wife.
I don't intend to risk my life.
Enough.
Mission complete. Let's get out of here.
Don't leave anything behind.
Gabimaru.
You've been acting strange.
You've stopped killing on every job.
You used to kill everyone in the way before getting to work.
What does it matter? We were hired to steal this.
Is that it?
Has getting married changed your thinking?
A mere marriage wouldn't cause a change of heart.
Oh, welcome home.
D-Darling.
Uh, yeah.
You're not hurt today.
I'm relieved.
L-Lately, I haven't been hired to kill anyone.
I see.
That's good.
I'm glad.
It's not a change of heart.
I'm at a loss.
My whole life, I've only lived as a shinobi, and yet...
I don't know how to face her.
I-I like chestnut rice.
Huh? Oh...
I see.
I don't know how to face her.
So, what is it this time?
Killing.
Gabimaru the Hollow, without blood or tears.
That is my true face.
Welcome...
Stay where you are.
My face looks awful.
I'd only scare you.
Stop.
You'll be soiled.
Y-You're not afraid?
Of course not.
You're not an ogre or a ghost.
Whatever your face looks like, you're still my husband.
I still don't know how to face her.
But I don't ever want her expression to be clouded.
Yui...
My goal is to live and see my wife.
I don't intend to risk my life.
So...
I'll risk everything else instead.
My beliefs.
My reason, my common sense.
Even my humanity.
Gabimaru probably using plan B.
Gabimaru
Yuzuriha
What? Plan B?
When human and flower merge, human turns into flower if flower's tao wins.
But if balanced, human gains flower's power.
Just like Tensen.
That's what my brother did.
Yes, but he beat flower's tao.
Tan entered body through flower,
but only very small amount, so achieved balance.
His body same as Tensen now.
In other words, if we control the transformation,
we can regenerate just like them.
There's something I'd like to confirm.
Mu Dan's tentacle.
I can use this to turn myself into flowers.
It should be easy to control this little.
Too dangerous.
Balance happens by coincidence.
Normally, turn into flower, even if small amount.
But Chobe did it.
How?
Probably because on verge of death.
Tao consumed by breathing, thinking, everything involved in living.
But when dying, do nothing. No thoughts.
So tao focus only on regenerating.
I see.
No see!
Brother special.
Beat flower's tao even when unconscious.
Sense of self strong.
Desire to live strong.
My brother is special. Give it up.
You'll just end up like the others.
If you stab yourself with that, you'll turn into a flower and die.
Chobe was different from the others because he had something to lose.
Because he had someone to live for,
no matter what it cost him.
Abandon humanity to make it home alive.
That is...
Plan B.
It defies common sense.
Gabimaru
Yuzuriha
But Gabimaru could do it.
No, I'm sure he will
if that will get him closer to his wife.
Gaining the ability to regenerate hasn't changed much.
My opponent hinders me.
My regeneration and tao are being weakened.
My endurance has only increased slightly.
We both have to avoid fatal blows to our tanden in particular.
But that's all it would take.
That would be enough...
to kill Ran.
Before my body is consumed by flowers.
You're a freak.
You're still fighting after dying once.
You've even abandoned your humanity.
For an uncertainty.
You're a fool. I don't have time for this.
Maybe you're right.
But there are places only fools can reach.
Calmness and logic won't get you there.
Sometimes, you can only rely on your experiences.
You're self-serving, but you're also clear-headed.
You've probably never known anything that's made you a fool.
You bet I'm clear-headed.
I don't fight anyone I can't beat.
But...
I'll make anyone who tears my favorite clothes pay.
Those aren't even yours.
My fire tao can't strike a fatal blow against Ran's water tao.
But for your earth tao, it'd be possible.
Isn't hindering tao ineffective if the difference is too great?
Plus, unlike Mu Dan, they retain their intellect while transformed.
I'm not sure any coordinated attack we throw together will work.
That's why we have to do it.
Honestly, it's a gamble, but we don't have a choice.
It's for my wife.
Yes, yes. This again.
I'm kind of relieved you haven't changed despite abandoning your humanity.
Ninjutsu! Such impressive training and study.
Ninpo: Demonic Firebug.
Ninpo: Pyro Bridge.
Ugh, I was trying to tear that off.
That's plenty.
Ninpo: Ascetic Blaze.
Hot! Move!
The result will always be the same.
I know what you're trying to do.
Your imperfect teamwork is pointless
but beautiful.
A desperate battle. Ninjutsu.
Refined by imperfect humans, the crystallization of kung fu.
I've got plenty more, including ones that can kill you.
Very well. Show me everything you have.
This is all part of my training.
It will feed my doin.
Did you have to provoke them?
This is fine.
It's the only way we can win.
Oh, come on.
Fine, I'll do it.
Tao consumed by breathing, thinking, everything involved in living.
Transforming must consume a lot of tao as well.
In other words, once the transformation is dispelled, their tao will be exhausted.
They might even have less than us.
Is that true?
Yes.
Kishikai use lots of tao.
Can't maintain a whole hour.
An hour...
That's a long battle.
Are you done already?
Yeah, I've done enough.
I know you respond to external stimuli the same way humans do.
Even to light.
So extreme flickering should temporarily excite your nervous system.
Excessive focus due to excitement
robs people of their judgment and sense of time.
It's an old trick used by shinobi during interrogations.
Could it be?
I was buying time and waiting for this.
That's a long battle, but if you can hold out for an hour...
We'll have a rare shot at winning.
Their transformation will fall apart.
After transformation ends, no strength.
Normally, we're powerless against the god-like Tensen.
So I'll drag them down to a level I can reach.
That's their actual body's tao.
Now's the time to strike.
They dispelled the transformation before they ran out of tao.
They're restoring their tao through circulation.
Yuzuriha!
Destroy Ran's tanden using hindrance before they can recover!
She can't.
I can see that she's severely wounded. She can barely stand.
If she focuses her tao on her weapons, she'll die.
She's not prepared to risk her life.
You're right. I care about myself first and foremost.
There's no point if I die.
But...
I think I'd die from stress if I let you live.
I have to do what I want to do.
There's more to life than breathing, you know?
Very well.
I've had enough.
I have to do what I want to do.
Breathing isn't all there is.
B-Brother...
My poor brother...
Are you all right?
Are you?
I've just been pierced by a pillar.
It's not hindering me.
It'll take time, but I can regenerate.
But it's not perfect, right?
The more you regenerate, the more you'll turn into a flower, like the Hoko.
It's limited regeneration.
If it continues to consume you, you'll die.
An even worse hell could be waiting for you.
Still, I had to do this if I wanted to return to my wife.
Seriously, you're astonishing.
If you're fine, then let's go.
You're joking, right?
Let me rest!
There's no time.
We'll go after Sagiri and Mei.
It's currently unclear who will reach the sluice gate.
We may need to get there first.
Then go without me.
I'll catch up after I rest.
Are you sure you're okay?
Oh, you're worried about me? I'm surprised.
If your wife finds out, she'll be mad at—
She's not that petty.
I'm totally fine. Just go.
I'll be waiting.
Yuzuriha.
What?
What now?
Thank you for saving me.
I mean it.
Ugh, I screwed up.
This is deep.
It's not like me to get hit.
Rin-pyo-tou-sha-kai-jin-retsu-zai-zen.
But I never show anyone how I truly feel.
I'll live and die by myself.
Do I need a reason to want to make it back alive?
I'm young and don't want to die. That's all.
Sorry, Saya.
Your big sister tried really hard to live for the both of us.
But this might be the end.
When you're struggling, think about things you like.
Think only of a pet cat, the one you love,
your family, and beautiful sights.
How unexpected.
No, it's natural for incomplete tao to win.
Where are you going?
To report to Rien.
You should do as you wish.
Are you sure you should be leaving us here?
It doesn't matter. You said you didn't want to fight.
You're not going to avenge your friend?
No.
They were weeded out. That's part of our training.
That is the way of the sage. You know that, Mei.
The Tensen are truthseekers. We have no bonds or feelings.
You followed by example, too.
After leaving Horai, you hid and watched the island decline.
Why did you return now?
I finally understood life. Was taught.
I see.
I'm jealous.
What was that sound?
This seems bad.
On the other side, even today
Someone is unraveling, yet they still stand
A stab to the chest, this loneliness
Points and lines, breaking off and vanishing
My shattered mask
It's more than I can bear
But I must keep on living
Tomorrow awaits to greet me
It's endless
And so fragile
Is it better to believe hearts don't exist at all?
Radiant and soft
Was the hand
I squeezed back on that day