Oniyasha
Night Road Ghost Story Chapter 1
Ibuki's entrance into AKATSUKI has insensitive parallels to the history between Japan and the Ryukyu Islands, specifically the annexation of Ryukyu into Okinawa from 1872-1879 onward. Click for more information
AKATSUKI is a unit embodied by 和 (wa, lit. harmony, but also a self-designator for Japan). The word 和風 (wafu, Japanese style) comes from 和. During the Meiji Restoration, 和 was central to Japan’s efforts to unify and assimilate new territories under a shared cultural identity. On top of his membership, Ibuki's active pursuit of 本当の和風 (true Japanese-style) being the reason he pursues AKATSUKI is inappropriate, bearing this in mind.
Additionally, the Ryukyu Disposition was driven by military interests, particularly securing Japan's southern borders from other nations. In Okinawan schools, national pride was linked to serving Japan’s military goals. This had devastating consequences, particularly during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II. This in mind, having Ibuki join the self-proclaimed "war unit" is also inappropriate.
Read the full-length analysis here: Unpacking Shinsei (新生) AKATSUKI; An Extended Translation Note and Analysis.
Nyahaha ♪ I'm totally stuffed already~
As long as it suits your tastes, that's what matters. It's just a cheap family restaurant, though.
Do you usually go to restaurants like these, Kiryu-san~?
I dunno about "usually", I'm not goin' everyday. I've only started eatin' out more often for the past year.
Anyway, it got totally dark out, huh.
Eatin' too late isn't good for ya, so we went out to grab some food, but...
It was already pretty dark out by the time we left the studio. Maybe we shoulda grabbed take-out and had it at Seisoukan, huh.
You worry too much~ I'm just happy to get to have some real good food!
Actually, it's kinda surprising you worry so much about stuff like that, Kiryu-san~?
Y'know, stuff like not eating late at night or being careful walking home at night.
I'm not a kid, either, so you don't have to worry that much, it's okay~ If I eat tons, I just gotta work it off, that's all~
It's not about you being a kid or anythin'...
... Nah, maybe I was treatin' ya like one subconsciously, huh.
Somethin' like, "Hasumi 'n Kanzaki are at work right now, so I'm the one who's gotta look after Taki".
But I should know best outta anyone else how annoyin' that kinda thing is.
Nyahaha~ I know it's just you being considerate and thinking about all sortsa things for me, so it's no big deal, Kiryu-san~
It's just that you're a lot more of a worrywart than I thought~ That kinda thing is sooo Hasumi-san...♪
Well, I've known Danna1 for ages, so maybe some of that damn nagging caught on with me.
Even I know that, y'know~ Humans get influenced by their environment in all sortsa ways, after all~
So habits and common sense stuff you pick up there get pretty hard to shake off. ... Hm?
What's up, Taki? You stopped all of a sudden.
Hey, Kiryu-san. Something's in that alley over there.
Something like what? Didja see a cat or a dog or somethin'?
... What the, there is somethin'...
(There's three guys in black clothes in the alley. The stuff they're wearin' doesn't look like normal clothes.)
(If anything, it looks like they got overcoats on to hide their identities...)
I wonder what they're doing over there~? It's almost summer, so maybe they're prepping for a festival or something?
It’s about time for summer festivals for sure, but I don't think you need to prep stuff wearin' clothes that hot 'n stuffy.
…!
…!
Ah, they went further back~
(I thought I caught a glimpse of their faces, but... are those masks?)
... Hey, Taki. What the hell do ya think yer doin'?
I'm gonna go after them, duh~
No way. Back alleys are dark. We don't even know who those other guys are.
You worry too much~ ... is what I wanna say, but yeah, you definitely don't know what's gonna happen when it's this dark, huh~?
I don't know this area real well either, so I'll be good and stay put~
Whoa, you backed down surprisingly easy, thank god. I was worried about what I'd hafta do if ya went for it.
... Still, what the hell was that?
(It feels even creepier that they were hidin' their faces with masks.)
(What’s more, it looked like the oni masks you'd see in period dramas.)
—You saw a strange group of people dressed in black?
Taki 'n I saw 'em in a back alley on our way back home yesterday.
It's almost summer, right~? We thought they might've been prepping for a festival, but it didn't really give off that kinda vibe, y'know~?
I did not see it myself, so I cannot say for certain, but... Just hearing about a group of fellows, clad in black from head to toe, loitering in a back alley sounds most suspicious.
… And you didn't see their faces?
One of 'em noticed and looked over their shoulder, but they were wearin' a mask.
And it was the kinda oni masks you'd see in a period drama.
Hmm. If it was an oni, was it a mask of a hannya, perhaps?2
It is difficult to imagine that kind of mask would be one you would wear on a daily basis. To go that far... I have no choice but to suspect they are trying to conceal their faces...
...
What's wrong, Hasumi-san? You're brooding a lil'~?
Did somethin' just come to mind?
... I don't have any substantial proof that it's related, but...
Have you all heard rumors of the "yasha"?3
Rumors of yasha? Come to think of it, I believe I have....? Let's see, where did I hear it from?
This is the first I'm hearin' of it. What the hell's the rumor about?
I don't really know the details. But apparently, there have been sightings recently around ES of figures clad in black from head to toe, wearing fierce-looking oni masks.
I haven't heard anything they've done concretely, but there have been rumors going around the ES staff.
So the guys we saw in black are those yasha guys?
Who knows. I just thought there were a lot of points that line up.
…So, what happened when you guys came across them?
Nothing. They just vanished further back into the alleys.
This grows more and more suspicious. Hearing that, I can't even imagine what they were doing in the alleys.
I know, right~? I was gonna go after them, but Kiryu-san stopped me~?
... Taki. You were going to go after those guys?
? I wanted to find out what their deal was, so that woulda been the fastest way to do it~ But Kiryu-san told me to stop~
(Sigh)... How dangerous. It was good you stopped him, Kiryu.
Well, I said it was pretty tough to see in the dark, so Taki gave in pretty easy too.
Even if that weren’t the case, don't act so carelessly, Taki.
Hm~? I wouldn't make the mistake of getting beaten up by them, y’know~?
You know this too, dontcha, Hasumi-san? I pride myself on my physical strength~♪
Taki, that is not what Hasumi-dono is worried about.
You are certainly able to on your own right. I doubt you would lose to those scoundrels. And you were with Kiryu-dono as well.
But there are no absolutes in a game of chance. In the awful chance that you would get hurt, it would be a grave matter.
That's exactly it. Please don't make us worry too much.
... Tch. Yeah, yeah~
Cut him some slack, 'kay. Taki was real level-headed yesterday, ya know.
That goes for you too, Kiryu.
Haahh? What's that supposed to mean?
I don't know what those guys were planning, but just from what you've said, it sounds like they were up to trouble. If that's the case, it's a job that you should leave up to the police.
Surely, you're not planning to get up to some monkey business to try and find out what they're up to, are you?
... Relax, will ya? It's not like it's a problem happenin’ in ES, so I'll sit this one out this time.
You really mean that?
C'mon, I'm not gonna play vigilante, doin' stuff like goin' around solvin' the problems around town.
Well, if the rumors about the yasha start spreading more 'n more, there might be some reason or another to look into it, though...
So until then, you'll be watching from the sidelines, hm.
... Fine. But, if it comes to the point that you start launching an actual investigation, you have to promise you'll let us know.
Yes. Please refrain from doing anything reckless on your own, Kiryu-dono.
Of course, I do not think someone of your caliber would lose to something like yasha, Kiryu-dono, but...
Should the need arise, please do not hesitate to rely on us.
Yeah, alright, I got it.
Night Road Ghost Story Chapter 2
(Yasha rumors, huh...)
(I'd be lyin' if I said it wasn't weighin' on my mind. It’s honestly real spooky, not knowin' their goals or who they really are.)
(Fortunately, just 'cuz it's been seen around ES doesn't mean it actually has to do with ES.)
(Wait, no. Still can't say for sure they're not related to ES, though. They might just be scoping out the place for their infiltration.)
(... What the. I'm definitely overthinking it.)
(And even if that were the case, there wouldn’t be a need to go out of your way to wear something so conspicuous. It'd be way better to dress in normal clothes, y'know.)
(It makes me more and more curious about what those guys are up to, but...)
(It's no good. I've got no clue.)
(And even if I looked into it, the area around ES is way too big. The solid thing to do here is find someone who knows more about it and get the information outta him.)
(Hasumi said what he said, but... hearin' just a lil' bit of gossip isn't gonna hurt anybody.)
— So this is what the yasha looks like?
(This voice is... And did he just say "yasha"?)
"The Curse of the Yasha", is it? Is such a cheap Site really a reliable source of information, though?4
That's what I thought too, but actually, the timing of when the yasha rumors started up and the dates of these submitted reports are too close to each other...
— By "yasha rumors", are you talking about those guys spotted around ES?
Uhya!? Ki-Kiryu-senpai?
P-Please don’t startle me like that! I thought my heart was going to stop!
My bad, my bad. You just happened to be talkin’ about somethin’ that was on my mind, is all.
That aside, are you guys lookin' into that yasha thing?
I-Indeed. ... Please give me a moment, let me just catch my breath a little. (Inhale, exhale)...
Pardon me. ... It's as you said, we were investigating the rumors regarding the yasha disturbance at ES.
Why are you guys doin' that? Investigating this kinda thing is the police's job, right?
Of course. We have already informed the police about the yasha. However, there's been no real damage caused by the yasha, so the police can’t do anything but increase the number of nighttime patrols in the area.
As for me, I thought it would be alright to leave it be as long as there was no real harm being done, but...
... Residents living on land owned by the Suou Family have been raising concerns.
As the head of the Suou Family, I absolutely cannot ignore those concerns. So I am launching my own investigation.
Yeah? I don't know stuff about bein' family head real well, but guess you're lendin' a hand to those troubled people. That's real praiseworthy.
I’m not doing anything worthy of praise. As the head of the Suou Family, it is only natural to take such actions...♪
(I can tell Suou-kun's grinning a little.)
So, Sengoku's helpin' ya with that then.
That's right. Well, it would be more accurate to say that we've got the same goal rather than him assisting me.
I learned that Suou-kun happened to be investigating the same rumor by chance, so I proposed that we pool our information together.
Shinobu-kun set out on his investigation for Morisawa-senpai’s sake, correct?
That's right. Morisawa-dono has been acting terribly strange for the past few days...
Even though he’s finished his work, he waits for us when our jobs go late so that he goes home with us together.
I don't mind going back home together, but I feel bad to keep him waiting… But when we tell him that he can go on ahead without us, he stubbornly refuses.
At first, I thought he was worried about us given the yasha situation, but I believe he's actually just scared of the yasha themselves.
Well, yeah, that Morisawa's no good with that sorta talk, after all.
Indeed. And while that kept going, Midori-kun started to complain, saying, "It's such a pain that he tries to go home together every day."
Haha. Guess it'd be a pain havin' someone glued to ya on the way home, huh.
But. Even though he says that, when Midori-kun's done with his job first, he still makes up an excuse to stick around until Morisawa-senpai finishes his work.
Midori-kun is also someone who is quite a big pain.
Anyways. Things can't keep going on like this, so we've started an investigation together, so as to relieve Morisawa-dono of his worries a little.
If we can prove that the rumors are just that, it should bring Morisawa-dono peace, too.
I see. Now I see what you guys are up to.
Judging by how you joined our conversation, are you investigating the rumors of the yasha, too, Kiryu-senpai?
Nah, I just heard of the rumors, is all. I wasn't thinkin' of actively lookin' into the truth of the matter.
I just thought it'd be better to hear what kinda rumors are goin' around.
Hm. I know how you feel. It's a creepy rumor, after all.
Indeed so. We are still in the middle of investigating, but we haven't caught sight of them for ourselves yet.
Maybe there really is a chance it could be a ghost...
... No, surely, you must be joking. That's too unrealistic.
For all we know, there's even a chance that the rumors of them wearing a mask was a mistake on the witnesses’ part.
They always make their appearances late into the night, so there's also the chance it could have been a misunderstanding.
As the rumors spread, they become more and more exaggerated. We need to examine how much of this information we can trust.
You're awful careful, huh. Well, you never know what's gonna happen, so I'd say it's better to be that cautious about it.
Still, they were definitely wearin' masks that'd make kids burst into tears.
"Definitely"... Kiryu-senpai, could you have actually seen the yasha!?
Yeah. Yesterday, on my way back home. I happened to see 'em standin' in some dark backalley.
It was just for a moment, but I saw ‘em wearin' masks. I can definitely see those oni masks bein’ called yasha, with how they looked.
Please hold on a moment! Could those yasha... have been wearing these masks?!
What the, y'pulled out yer phone so fast to show me... Wait, this is—
Yeah. These are definitely the masks. But how’d you get this picture, Sengoku?
If Kiryu-dono's memory is correct... then this site is definitely related to the yasha after all!
... True. And even if that weren't the case, Kiryu-senpai is a valuable presence, having actually seen the yasha himself.
Kiryu-senpai, if it's alright with you, could you help us with our investigation on the yasha?
Sure, I don't mind. But you said something about pics and websites a second ago, what were you talkin' about?
Yuuki-dono showed it to me. Ghost stories about the yasha get posted on this website.
This one here... is a ghost story called "The Curse of the Yasha."
In the story, if you get lured by the yasha that makes its appearances in town night-after-night, completely covered in black, you'll be whisked away to another world and suffer a terrible fate.
... That's it? That just feels like a typical ghost story.
I thought the same thing, but the forums on this Site are strangely active...
A Comment got posted saying they saw the yasha with a picture of them attached.
No way... Are you sayin' the yasha from the forum posts in these ghost stories are the same yasha as the ones from the rumors?
That may just be a possibility. There are plenty of things that line up, but then again, it's a pretty low-brow Site.
If we think it through rationally, someone who's heard rumors about the yasha could have posted the ghost story on this website. Or...
Someone read this ghost story, and now wanders around the streets pretending to be the yasha as a joke.
Like Shinobu-kun said, the Timing between when the rumors started spreading and when the ghost story was posted is pretty close, so we can't say they're not related.
And then Kiryu-senpai appeared before us, someone who'd actually seen the yasha. And it raised the likelihood that the yasha in the picture might be the same as the actual yasha.
This Site might give us the clue to uncovering what the yasha are really up to.
If that's how it is, should we be lookin' into this website next? Dunno if I'd be much help with that, though...
If only there was someone besides Yuuki-dono who knew a lot about the internet... or someone who knows a lot about ghost stories.
Ghost stories mean the Occult, right... If that's the case, someone just came to mind for me.
Night Road Ghost Story Chapter 3
... I just don’t feel like I can settle down when I'm in a different agency.
I know how you feel. The staff members seem to have their attention on us for a while now, too.
But talking to Sakasaki-dono is a great idea.
Sakasaki-dono doesn't just know the ins-and-outs of fortunes, but items with a shady history too.
Like Suou-kun said, he might know something about the yasha...!
Huh. Items with a shady history? Like a haunted doll or somethin'? So he knows stuff other than fortunes, like ghost stories and horrors, huh? Never knew.
Well, guess that's not too surprising, but — I woulda thought Aoba would know this kinda stuff better.
… Hello you two, I kept you waiting.
Hey. We weren’t waiting that long, though. Anyways, about Sakasaki...
Judging by that expression, is it possible he's not here?
I’m afraid so. I'm very sorry for taking up your time for this. Seems like we just missed him somehow.
Can’t do much ‘bout that, then. Well, assuming we can just talk to Sakasaki when we get back to Seisoukan...
What should we do now? Should we split off to get information?
No, Sakasaki-senpai isn't here, but there is one more person we could ask for help, a kid...
...
Oh, speak of the devil. Kanna-kun, could we have a second?
? Thank you for your hard work, Senpai.
Please excuse me, I have work after this.
Hold it right there. Isn’t your work much later today?
I just heard your schedule from the Staff a second ago. They said you should have about an hour to spare before the next job.
I see.
There's no "I see" about it! Don't lie so brazenly to your seniors.
Forgive me. I tried to ignore you and go home so I don't get caught up in something troublesome.
You were trying to ignore me...!? I-Is that any way to behave with a senior!?
C-Calm down, Suou-kun.
By Kanna-kun, you mean the kid who participated with Yuuta-kun and the rest in 4piece, correct?
Yeah, he's in the new unit Esupuri. I think they call him a boy genius or somethin'?
Yes. You're not mistaken, it's the same boy genius. Well then...
Like I said, stop trying to sneak away and go home.
Sorry, don't mean to take up too much of yer time. Can you hear us out for just a second?
... I understand.
The sooner I sit here and listen to you, the sooner you'll let me go.
I've been sensing a lack of Respect for your superiors for quite some time now...!
Kanna, was it? You know anythin' about the yasha rumors that have been goin' around lately?
No, I don't.
The thing is, we ended up stumbling upon this website that looks to be related to the rumors of the yasha.
But we haven't been able to get any further in our investigation, so we're at a standstill...
This is that Site. Is there anything you notice, looking at it?
I don't know what you expect me to say to that.
Sorry for askin' ya somethin' so vague. If you notice anythin', anythin' at all, couldja tell us?
(Sigh). ... Well then, here are my purely basic thoughts.
Supernatural beings like ghosts and youkai are nothing more than delusions born from the preconceptions and misunderstandings of humans.
So, suspecting that to be the reason why is out of the question. I'd say it being the work of humans is the only valid assumption here.
In the case of these rumors, it's very likely that someone saw a group of people wearing all black in a non-busy part of town at night, and mistook them for a group of suspicious people wearing masks.
Or perhaps the yasha don't exist at all, and the rumors are false. It's likely that the story is made up.
So it’s either a misunderstanding or a made-up story, huh. I sure wish that was the case…
Is there something you don't agree with about what I said?
Kiryu-senpai actually saw those yasha downtown. Therefore, it's impossible that it's a made up story.
And you don't think there's a possibility you saw something and mistook what it was?
It was real dark, but they were definitely wearin' masks with horns on ‘em. The black clothes they were wearin' looked nothin' like normal clothes either.
In that case, I suppose those yasha really do exist.
You changed your mind so quickly...
There's no need to get hung up on a hypothesis if there's proof to the contrary, after all.
Be that as it may, this is assuming that what Senpai saw was true.
But I wonder what reason there is for someone to dress up like a yasha and wander the streets at night…?
What do you think, Kanna-kun?
...
I have a few theories.
One, a cultural festival event has staked out the area. Two, it could be a practical joke between friends. Three, it was for a filming of some sort.
By a cultural event that staked it out, are you talking about a festival?
But the places they were spotted in were neighborhoods, not places related to festivals. I think that possibility is low.
As for possibly being a prank, it seems like that could happen, but we can't say for certain until we hear it for ourselves.
Then we’ve only got the last one, which is the most realistic of 'em. If it's a horror film bein' filmed by students, I'm familiar with that sorta thing.5
I am glad to know the theories were satisfactory. ... May I go now?
Yes. You’ve helped us a lot by laying out all the different possibilities for us.
But, if I could be so greedy, I was hoping for a lead on our next steps...
But it seems like you're also working late today, Kanna-kun, so try not to get home too late...
Huh? Where'd he go?
As soon he heard your answer, he left immediately, y'know?
What!? ... Acting like that to the very end... What a disrespectful junior! You’re always supposed to always listen to your seniors!
Well, I think there needs to be a bare minimum of etiquette at least, sure, but...
That bein' said, anyone's gonna get sick of bein' nagged about what they should and shouldn't do.
That… is true I suppose, but... His behavior is absolutely unacceptable. He won't make it in the Idol industry if he keeps this up.
... Um, well. At the very least, I'm relieved to know that it’s no sign of ghosts or youkai.
If it’s a person behind the mask, I think Morisawa-dono will be a little relieved too.
Really? If anything, it's even creepier that it's the work of humans, though.
Thankfully, if it's somethin' you can touch, it's somethin' you can punch.
We mustn’t do that, Kiryu-senpai. We are Idols, so we should keep from committing acts of violence.
You sound like Hasumi. But well, I don’t actually wanna fight 'em or anythin'.
So then, what should we do now? Do we keep getting a lil' more information outta people? ... But while we were talkin', the sun went down already.
I'm sorry... I just got called to go to a last minute meeting.
Right now? Won't it be dark by the time you get home? You might even come across the yasha...!
You're right about that. Given the rumors about the yasha here lately, I've been avoiding coming home too late.
But. I feel like at this point in time, coming across the yasha might be a good thing.
For one thing, it’d be helpful to see them for myself just like Kiryu-senpai did, but… In order to settle the matter as soon as we can, the quickest way would be to ask them directly, no?
…If that's the case, why don't we wait for ya to be done with your work, Suou?
Do you mean that you’ll walk back to the dorms with me, Kiryu-senpai?
I'm interested in the rumors too, y'know. Killin' off those creepy rumors would be better.
Marvelous…☆ I couldn't ask for a better proposal. It's reassuring to have Kiryu-senpai with me!
If that's the case, we'd like to come along with you too!
The truth is, Morisawa-dono is working late at ES again, so I was going to walk home with him.
If Suou-kun and Kiryu-dono are there, I think it would give Morisawa-dono some peace of mind on our way back...!
Well, it's decided then. Just hit me up after yer done with work. I'll kill some time and gather some more information in the meantime.
Night Road Ghost Story Chapter 4
(... "So yeah, that's why I've decided to look into that rumor just a little. I'm not plannin' on gettin' in too deep, so don't worry." Sent.)
(Is this okay? Knowin' Hasumi, he'll probably ask if something comes up.)
(If he finds out about my secret investigation, he's definitely gonna nag me 'bout it.)
(Even so, I'm sure I'll get a light scolding at least... Ah, he's already replied.)
("Got it. I'll let you know if I find anything out on my end. Whatever you do, don't do anything reckless, okay?")
(Even if I tell Danna he doesn't need to go that far, he's not gonna listen. Even though he doesn’t have to bother with me so much...)
... Ah, Kiryu-senpai, he's finally here! You're late~
Ohh, sorry for keepin' ya waiting. ... Why's Himemiya here?
You're too loud, Tori-kun. There are still other employees here, so please keep it down.
Ugh, you’re so annoying~ It's fine, no one's nearby.
It's not about whether people are around or not. It's a matter of social etiquette. Besides, I'd say it's very rude to tell Kiryu-senpai he's late when he took the time to come here for us.
Calm down, you guys. Kiryu-senpai's just standing there confused.
Yer here too, Isara? I mean, this is gettin’ to be a pretty big group.
I'm here too, Kiryu!
Ahh, yeah, Sengoku told me you'd be here, so I knew that.
Sengoku told me that you guys were going home together, so I figured we could tag along.
Yuzuru is away on site just for today, so I had to.
Please forgive me, Kiryu-dono.
I was going around asking people about the yasha until Morisawa-dono was done with work, but when I said I was going home with Kiryu-dono, this ended up happening...
I see, huh. So, everyone here are all the guys at ES who had work this late.
Well, me and Rabu-han were actually off today.
Yeah. We were going to head home before the sun went down because of the yasha rumors, but we ended up getting caught up in conversation at the cafe and lost track of time.
Ko-ko-ko ♪ He got tons'a his oshi's merch, so he was in a real great mood.
Well, if it's just about protecting Rabu-han from suspicious folks, I can handle that myself.
No, no. Please don't do anything dangerous, Kohakucchi! I don't think the yasha will come close with all these people around here, so I’ll be fine ♪
Yes! Like Shiratori said, with such a large group, even the yasha won’t be scary...✩
Ah, just to let you know, I don’t believe in the yasha rumors or anything! It's just, things have been dangerous lately, and going home this late alone would be careless, and—
Ah~ I get it, really. Doesn't really matter to me how many people tag along.
...
? Suou, you look out of it. What's the matter?
It's nothing, I just tried inviting Kanna-kun too while we're at it, but… It seems his work is running late, so he hasn't returned to ES yet.
He told me, "Don't worry about me and go home," but still...
Kanna’s that rookie, right? If he says it's alright, then isn't it fine we go home without him?
Well, it's exactly because he's a rookie that you'd worry and want to step in.
What should we do? I don't mind waitin' for him.
... No. If we wait for him to arrive, it'll inconvenience everyone, since we'd only get home later.
I feel bad for Kanna, but let's just head home for today.
I see. So you've been looking into the yasha for the scared residents, huh.
Yes. But we still haven't ascertained the yasha's motives or true identity.
Since this is my own initiative, I can't use the Suou family's resources either, so the investigation is proving difficult...
Don't be so down on yerself. I'm sure for the people who are scared of the yasha, they'll be real appreciative of you just tryin' to investigate it.
Mhmhm. I had no clue you were juggling looking into the rumors with your student council duties, Suou-senpai.
Besides, isn't NEW DI all hectic since the director came back?
Trying your best is great, but you should rest when you can, yeah~?
Heheh...♪ Thank you for your concern.
What the? Tsukasa looks all happy to be pampered...
Don't push yourself crazy and collapse, 'kay? You'll just be a bother to everyone.
You don't need to tell me that, Tori-kun, I know.
Sengoku-han, what have you been lookin’ at this whole time?
Mnn. I was looking at the website where the yasha ghost story was posted.
The yasha ghost story...!? Why would you look at something like that, Sengoku!?
Before we left together, I actually had Mayoi-dono take a look at this site for me.
And when he saw the pictures that were posted on the forum, he said a few things that stuck out to me...
What'd Ayase say?
—He said, "They were able to take a really good shot, huh?"
Now that you mention it... Yes, some of the photos that were posted of the yasha are blurry, but there were others that are very clean and in-focus.
This one looks like if you put on a title or something over it, you could make a movie poster out of it.
But isn't this a ghost story website? Isn't this a little too well-composed for something trying to scare people?
The location in this picture. And the date...
Shinobu-kun. May you show me the pictures on this site from the very start of the timeline?
? That’s alright with me…?
... I had a suspicion, but it's true...
Hold on, don't just keep it to yourselves, if you learned something new then tell us.
When I checked the clear photos, they matched with the dates of the sightings I had heard about.
That's not all. ... It's hard to tell because of the Angle it's at, but I suspect that each of the photos posted were taken close to where a sighting occurred.
Uu~um. What's that supposed to mean, then?
These photos posted on the forum show the places the yasha appeared.
No... It might even mean they're being posted right when the yasha show up.
This is still just speculation, but... Perhaps if you go to the location right after the picture is posted...
You might be able to meet the rumored yasha.
... But, if so, the mystery only deepens.
Like who's taking these photos and for what purpose are they posting them on the forum, right?
Isn't it a recreation of the ghost story, maybe? I hear ghost stories these days are real elaborate.
...!
Wh-What was that sound!?
My apologies. That was a message on my Smartphone—
… How could I be so careless…
Is somethin' the matter?
No, it seems I left the materials for a meeting at the work site. Someone noticed and contacted me.
They said I could come and pick it up another day, but I'll be going out of town a bit for work tomorrow... I'm wondering if I should go back and get it now.
Can't it wait? If ya go back for it now, you're gonna get back home way later.
That may be so, but...
— No, I think I'll go back and get it after all. I was worried about Kanna-kun anyway.
Well, if that's what you decide, Suou-kun, we won't stop you, but...
I don't think you're gonna run into the yasha, but be careful, 'kay?
Of course. Well then, I hope to see you all later.
Night Road Ghost Story Chapter 5
Aalright! We were able to get back safely today...!
Thank god there weren't any yasha out~ Just walking back made my heart pound like crazy, y'know~
But it's fun coming home in a big group, like we're on a group walk home from school~ Something about it feels really nostalgic ♪
Huh… So this is what it’s like to do a group walk home?
Kiryu-senpai. Are you gonna keep on doing this while the yasha incident is going on?
I wonder. It kinda just happened today, y'know?
Well, I don't mind doin' it if our schedules line up. But I'd rather just get this yasha thing resolved already.
You've got that right. ... (Sigh) Being so tense has me weirdly tired.
(Whispering) Kiryu-dono, please take a look at this.
Hm? ... Is this the forum on that ghost story site you were talkin' about earlier?
A new picture was posted to it just a second ago.
…! This is the one?
If Suou's hunch was right, this place might be where the yasha are right now.
Mhm. But that's only if we can figure out where this place is...
Judgin' by the buildin's in the picture, it looks like a residential area. All I can make out are streetlights and power poles.
Hmm. It's such an ordinary scene, I can't pick out where the yasha are from this alone.
...? Kiryu-dono. On the edge here, isn't it a little brighter than the rest?
Isn't that just a streetlight? Look, you can see one back there too...
Nah, that ain't it. If there was a streetlight right here, this spot'd be just as bright as the back.
You're right. So this feels like a different light source altogether.
A different kind of light source in a residential area... It's not comin' to me.
But this side of the fence might be another hint. You can see some kinda trees here, but for trees you'd find in a residential area...
Kiryu-dono, do you know where this is?
I'm not totally sure, but it might be worth checkin' out.
In that case, I'll accompany you!
(It's gotten completely dark, hasn't it.)
(By now, originally, I was supposed to be testing the system I finished yesterday, but...)
(It doesn't look like I’ll have time for that now. It would've been much more worthwhile if I had ignored that summons from the agency.)
(It was a last-minute job, but it didn't seem particularly urgent—)
(Those are footsteps, huh.)
(Ever since I became an idol, Nice-san has been handling things for me, so I haven’t been seeing those sorts of people much, but... Could it be one of those reporters?)
(There's no one else around, and it's the perfect situation to approach me. I let my guard down a little too much.)
(What to do... Honestly, diverting brainpower to this is such a pain...)
(... I don't have the time to really think about it. The footsteps are getting quicker. I should just run for now.)
Ah! Wait a second, Kanna-kun!
? Is that Suou-san?
Yes. Who on earth did you think it could be?
... No. It seems like you were trying to put on a brave front too, Kanna-kun, but it's only natural taking a walk at night on a path this murky and dark would make you feel helpless.
What are you talking about?
You thought you were being followed by the yasha, no?
Yasha... Oh. That story you forced me to listen to today.
I completely forgot about it.
Eh? So I was wrong...?
That aside, weren’t you supposed to be back at the dorms much earlier, Suou-san?
Yes. However, I had a small matter to attend to, so...
Or rather, that's right! Why haven't you replied to my messages, Kanna-kun!?
I Emailed you asking if you were still working! You should have replied!
Yes. But I was already on my way home, so replying seemed like too much trouble.
"Too much trouble"...! I was contacting you specifically so we could meet up!
I told you not to worry about me, though.
I can't do that. As your senior at the agency, I have to look out for my juniors.
For me, it's nothing but unnecessary meddling.
You always have a comeback for everything I say, huh. That kind of backtalk reminds me of someone else...
Anyway, I'm glad nothing happened. The yasha aside, it's dangerous walking at night, so let's go home together from here.
Thankfully, the yasha forum hasn't changed, so... No, wait. A new post?
…Post?
Yes. A new photo of the yasha was posted on the forum of the Site we talked about today.
This is... I feel like I've seen a place like this before. Do you recognize this place, Kanna-kun?
Asking me won't help. Even if I knew where this was, what's that going to do?
There might be a chance the yasha are at the place in the picture that was posted.
If the place in the picture is close, couldn't we meet them directly and ask them what's happening?
... If that's the case, you might be in luck, Suou-san.
...? What do you mean?
There are clues in this picture that could key you in on the location.
One, it's a residential area. That's a crucial piece to narrowing down this place.
Two, this light source. The luminosity is different from the streetlight in the back, meaning it's a different light... likely the glow from a public phone.
And three: looking at the trees you can see through the fence, there's a grove of trees in the back.
The number of payphones decreases year by year. Based on the fact it is a residential area, along with the sightings of yasha around ES...
I'd say the picture of yasha was taken just around the corner here—
…!
…!
(Something black just emerged from around the corner!? No, don’t tell me the one wearing those black clothes is...!)
Is that the yasha!?
(Did they notice us? There’s no doubt about it! Just like in the stories, they're wearing oni-like masks!)
(Maybe it was because we were out walking at night, or I weirdly lost my sense of reality, but it's creepier than I could have thought...!)
(No. Calm down, get it together... Like Kanna-kun said, there are no ghosts or youkai.)
(Kanna-kun is behind me. As a knight, I must—)
(? What on earth was that sound just now?)
Huh? Kanna-kun!? Why are you collapsed on the ground!? Get a hold of yourself!
...
H-He’s completely passed out! Eh!? What am I supposed to do here!?
(Wawah!? Why are the yasha coming towards us!?)
(There weren't reports of them attacking people, but... No, that wouldn’t have been possible in the first place. Dead men tell no tales.)
(— Were victims of attacks sent to the other side?)
(If that's the case, we need to get out of here quickly, imminently! But, Kanna-kun's unconscious...)
(I make a break for it myself... No, I can't do that. Then...)
S-Stop right there! Any closer, and who knows what will happen!
(Weakly) Uuu... He's getting closer. S-Somebody...
—Hey!
That voice is... Kiryu-senpai!
Yo, Suou, short time no see, huh. You're not hurt, are ya?
Are you alright, Suou-kun!?
Shinobu-kun too...! I'm alright, but Kanna-kun's...!
…!
Sengoku, I'm leavin' Suou 'n Kanna to you.
That's fine with me, but... what about you, Kiryu-dono?
I'm gonna go give the ringleader what for...!
...!? Oi— Get back here!
Night Road Ghost Story Chapter 6
Oi, how long do you feel like running for!
(How the hell is he tearin' through the forest with a mask like that...!)
(But I don't plan on lettin' him get away.)
(... Considering Kanna was passed out, I’m guessin’ the yasha attacked Suou and Kanna.)
(I heard that the yasha only made appearances and didn't attack people, so I let my guard down.)
(If I just got there a little faster...!)
(Nah, save the regrets for later. Right now, I gotta stop that yasha, no matter what.)
(...! He stopped in their tracks.)
You finally gave up, huh?
(No, it's like he’s waitin' for somethin'.. Is that a wooden sword?)
I get it. You're gonna use that to take me on, huh? Fine... Any time, anywhere, bring it on.
(He’s comin' in quick! It's real fast, but that's no problem.)
(When it comes to that kinda weapon, I know a guy who's way better than you...!)
Alright...! It's my move next!
—Hah!
(Tch, he got crafty and dodged behind a tree, huh?)
(With the way this guy moves, he's no amateur. Still doesn’t mean I can’t win against him.)
(I dunno if he’s got some kinda goal, but if he plans to hurt the people I know… then I'll catch him even if I go down swingin'.)
...
(No, that's not right. I do this, and Hasumi's gonna lecture me again.)
(I gotta stop thinkin' stuff like, "even if I go down swingin'.”)
(If it's those guys... If they felt like I was in danger, they'd probably tell me to run instead of doin' something stupid.)
(That said, if I let this guy get away, he might attack somebody else. So, when it comes down to it...)
(The only thing I can do is defeat them...!)
What's the matter, did that hit just now scare ya? If you surrender, it'll be easy on me too...
(Come to think of it, he had some other buddies in all black with him before, but they're not here this time?)
(Don't tell me they stayed behind with Sengoku and the other guys...!)
There you are, Kiryu-senpai!
Suou? And there's Sengoku too-- so you were safe!
But more importantly, don't get too close! The yasha guy's still...!
(...? The yasha dropped his wooden sword?)
It's alright. This person told us what was happening.
That guy in black is the one who was with the yasha…
Yes. According to what they told us, everything surrounding the yasha... was a film shoot for a music video.
... Hah?
... So, this is that MV?
Yes. It was a self-produced video made for the yasha's own Channel.
It's no wonder we didn't hear any information from the Staff of ES.
Independent projects that aren’t organized by ES would naturally mean that nobody but the people directly involved would know about it.
Yeah. I never thought the yasha rumors woulda come outta somethin' an ES idol was doing. At most, I thought it would be somethin' like college students or somethin'.
The stories that were posted about the yasha, 'n the pictures on the forum... those were all them doin' that too, huh.
Indeed, it was to generate buzz for the MV. The yasha's forum was getting some traction on social media.
Apparently, the views on the posted MV have shot up too.
That's certainly a good thing, but still. They caused an awful lotta trouble.
Well... Being thorough with their filming ended up backfiring on them.
If it weren't just the yasha, and they had a Cameraman with them as well, anyone who saw them would have assumed they were filming something.
But they didn't want any unexpected reflections in the camera shots, so all the Staff wore black clothes and even hid their Cameras under black cloth.
They also chose quiet locations where filming wouldn't cause a disturbance, and apparently, they checked with the people in charge to make sure they were permitted to film the buildings.
However, some of the filming locations were on public roads. A local resident happened to see them and misunderstood, and things very quickly got out of hand.
They said they'd avoid filming in all black in the future, so I think it'll be fine...
Well, in the end nothing ended up happenin'. Kanna collapsed, so I thought for sure the yasha attacked him.
Turns out that Kanna was so surprised when the yasha suddenly appeared, he fainted. The yasha saw Kanna collapse, got worried, and came closer.
I'll admit, my blood ran cold at the time. I wish he'd at least taken the mask off.
And Kanna-kun is Kanna-kun. Even though he insisted that there weren't any ghosts nor youkai, he got so scared he fainted.
And when I pointed that out to him, he had the nerve to say, "It would be surprising no matter what jumps out at you, person or ghost, now wouldn’t it?"...!
Haha. He may be cheeky, but he's got a cute side to 'im too.
But there's one thing that's been botherin' me...
What is it? Don't tell me there's still a mystery left about this whole thing?
No, no, I'm not thinkin' that or anythin'. … I was just wonderin' why that yasha guy fought back.
He showed some real fightin' spirit, so I thought I had to take him down. Shouldn't he have just stopped 'n explained the situation?
After that... you, Sengoku, and the guy in black clothes did all the explainin', while the yasha himself barely said a word, so I never found out his reason in the end.
Ahh, that part's easy.
I heard that was because the Idol playing the role of the yasha wanted to spar with you, Kiryu-dono.
Spar with me?
Yes. He was experienced in martial arts, and has done sword-work and the like for jobs as well.
He had been waiting for the chance to spar with you, since you were skilled at martial arts too.
I heard that, originally, action Scenes were planned to be in the music video.
However, none of the people they recruited could sword fight, so they decided to cut it this time around.
Still, he wouldn't give up on it. That's when you appeared in front of him, and despite the situation, he grew the urge to spar with you. That's the reason why.
Is that right? If he'd just picked the right time and place, I'd spar with him at least.
Well, glad that's cleared up.
The yasha rumors are gone, so case closed. Good work, Suou.
No. It's thanks to you, Kiryu-senpai, for your help.
... To be honest, when Kanna-kun collapsed, I thought we were done for.
I can't even imagine what would have happened if you and Shinobu-kun hadn't come...
You're sayin' that, but weren't you tryna protect Kanna?
(To be completely honest, all I thought of Suou was that he was a rich kid from some well-off family, but...)
(What he is is the leader who unifies the members of Knights, so of course he's gonna have that kinda grit.)
(Kanzaki and Sengoku, too. It's real scary how these juniors really are growin' up and into themselves, huh.)
What's the matter, Kiryu-senpai? You look pleased about something...
It's nothin'. I was just thinkin' it's a real lifesaver that all you young guys have been real reliable lately.
Young guys... You're not that far in age from us either, are you, Kiryu-senpai?
Haha, you got me there.
That's right. How about we go out for a celebratory meal for all those rumors bein' settled?
... A meal?
Well… This kind of chance doesn't come often. If you say so, Kiryu-senpai, then certainly, yes ♪
Then it's settled. While we're at it, let's invite Sengoku too and make it a real party.
Translation Notes
- ↑ Kuro often refers to Keito as 旦那 (danna, lit. master ), or "boss". He'll also use Hasumi-no-danna.
- ↑ These masks have two bull horns, metallic eyes, and leering smiles, and are used in Noh theatre.
- ↑ 夜叉 (yasha, from the Sanskrit yaksha). While originating as benevolant spirits called yaksha in Hindu mythology, the Japanese yasha is a distinct evolution, adapted from China through Buddhism and integrated with Japanese spirits like youkai and oni.
- ↑ In Japanese, words from other languages (such as English) are typically rendered in katakana. However, when Tsukasa uses katakana words, they are all written in English instead, emphasizing Tsukasa's fluency in English. These words are adapted to their meanings and kept as written in English, capitalized.
- ↑ Likely referring to The Legend of Ox-Hour Part A , when Kuro, Keito, Rei and Tomoya film a horror movie in the woods, and run into a group of college students filming their own.