Hi!

Kaikou story is getting more interesting now! :) Yashashuu is facing an another mystery to solve... and the chimeras are possibly involved in it?!  

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Summary of Kaikou vol. 13: Kamikakushi Jitai (Mysterious Disappaerance Zone)

Due to the incident that happened at Mt. Yonayama last volume, Naoe feels that he doesn't want to perform kanshou anymore. He demands Kagetora as their leader to make a plan so that they can complete their mission during this lifetime. Kagetora just says of course, he wants move to afterlife too, as soon as possible. But inside of his heart Kagetora feels unsure, since there are more and more onryous all the time. Kenshin ordered them to send the victims of the Siege of Ootate to the afterlife, but it seems there are lots of onryous outside of Echigo too. Earlier they exorcised Takeka clan's onryous, like Takeda Katsuyori (Shingen's son). After being a team for these several years, Naoe is feeling a bit confused of Kagetora's "kindness". He wonders if Kagetora has forgiven him or forgotten all terrible things that happened during the Siege of Ootate? They also have the following funny conversation:

*Kagetora stares at Naoe*

N: "Is something wrong?"

K: "You've changed."

N: "Changed? Me?"

K: "You're more handsome than earlier."

N: "W-What are you talking about? All of sudden..." (´A`;;)

K: "Kurouzaemon was a man among men. He gave you good influence."

Haruie left for exorcising his brother, Jirousaburou, who has become a chimera. Kagetora and Naoe travel to a fisher village where has happened very mysterious things recently: children are disappearing and after few days they come back with supernatural skills like reading mind, controlling fire and so on. Nagahide has investigated this mystery in the another village and recognized that it's not caused by onryous, but still it's not normal. In the village they meet a boy, Koheita, who got a special skill of foreseeing the future. He gets fond of Naoe, because he saw himself entering into Kasugayama castle as a lord and Naoe as his vassal. Both Kagetora and Naoe are a bit shocked, since Kasugayama is Kenshin's castle and Kagekatsu the lord of it. Is this boy going to defeat Kagekatsu in the future? And Naoe as his vassal?! Koheita also sees something in Kagetora's future too, but he won't say what, making both Kagetora and Naoe a bit worried.  

Irobe also visits one village where children are spirited away. One of the children, Gosuke, tells how everything happened: when he was spirited away he found himself from a parallel world that was almost same as this world. There he met a nun who told that in that parallel world, there is yours "doppelganger" living there. Parallel world is a like mirror of this world. If you die there, you also die in the real world. No one should meet their doppelganger, because if you meet, you both will disappear eternally. However, you can return to the real world if you exchange something from your body with your doppelganger's body. In Gosuke's case, he exchanged his left eye. Nun removed Gosuke's eye (somehow it didn't hurt) and exchanged it with doppelganger's eye while he was sleeping. After the exchange, Gosuke found himself from the place he got lost. And he obtained a skill to find lost humans or things with the eye he got from the parallel world. At Gosuke's house Irobe finds a mysterious amulet that Gosuke's family got from a wandering priestess of Oogamachi shrine. The demon like character that is graved on it is a protector God named Ugunushin. In the village Irobe runs into Jushinni who he hasn't met since the chimera incident. For his and Jushinni's surprise Gosuke is sure that Jushinni was the nun who helped him to get back to real world. Jushinni is confused and says she doesn't know what Gosuke is talking about. But if there are two Jushinnis, the another one who is helping children must the be Jushinni of the parallel world. Later on that evening Irobe and Jushinni watch moon together, talking about what happened last time they met. Some time ago, Irobe almost became a chimera. At the time Jushinni was helping the Yashashuu, but after that incident Irobe didn't meet her or even know if she was still alive. The chimera egg was plant inside of him and he was quite out of control. However, Irobe himself doesn't remember anything while being half-chimera, he was found unconscious on the street, chimera egg destroyed on his side and his naked body was covered by a piece of female clothing. Irobe wondered if it was Jushinni who saved him from the chimeras, but it can't be possible with her powers. Anyway Irobe is very happy being able to meet her again and he asks what did happen to her at the time. Jushinni tells that she doesn't know either. She woke up at the temple, not having memories at all. She feels sorry for not being useful for this mysterious children incident. And it's of course quite scary if there is another me somewhere in this world. Irobe comforts her and they keep talking about their past, former families and so on. 

Next day, Nagahide comes to the same village where Irobe is. Nagahide recognizes the Ugunogami's amulet on the shelf and says that "Isn't that chimera's mark?". Irobe gets shocked. Are Ugunogami and chimeras connected to somehow?! Then Jushinni loses her consciousness falling on the floor, and exactly at the same time one villager runs to inform them that again one child has come back. Later on that day Irobe and Nagahide find out that every child that has come back from "the parallel world", has a chimera mark somewhere on their skin. However, the children aren't possessed by hyouirei like chimeras are. There is no any sign of evil on the kids, but still this is very worrying. Are these children new type of chimera?!  Irobe and Nagahide have a talk alone. Nagahide says he is sure that Jushinni is related to chimeras and disappearing children somehow. Isn't it obvious since 1) Shoujou didn't kill her, 2) Irobe's chimera egg was )destroyed (+Jushinni was there too), 3) children say that Jushinni was the nun who helped them, 4) children come back with chimera mark? Irobe denies everything and says that someone is possibly using Jushinni. There is no way she would do anything wrong. He saw with his own eyes how Jushinni was here when the latest missing child came back. She didn't do anything bad! Nagahide rolls his eyes and asks if Irobe has fallen in love with this lady because he's closing his eyes from the truth. Irobe freezes and denies that it's not like that. Nagahide keeps saying that he understands if Irobe doesn't want to think anything bad about Jushinni, but these evidences are quite sure: she's the evildoer here. Irobe should cut his relationship with that woman immediately. Irobe gets angry and shows quite clearly that he won't show any mercy even to Nagahide, if someone does something bad to Jushinni.

Several days has passed since Kagetora and Naoe came to Koheita's home town. Kagetora is a bit piqued because Naoe is doing everything Koheita asks (= Naoe doesn't want to do, but Koheita forces and Naoe can't say no to child), they're like a master and a vassal. Some Koheita's predictions has come true, so it's quite worrying. While Kagetora is out of house, Naoe asks what kind of prediction Koheita saw about Kurata's future. Koheita gets quite serious and first doesn't want to tell, but eventually he exposes that Kurata will die soon. Naoe of course gets horrified, but also doubts if it's true or not. Kagetora is in good health... Is he going to get sick and die?! Koheita pities Kurata and says that he saw him coughing blood and dying... Naoe decides keep this a secret, but Kagetora senses that he's hiding something from him. Knowing Naoe and Koheita having secrets that they won't tell to him makes Kagetora of course even more bad mood (jealous Kagetora is so cute :D). Kagetora goes for a walk alone. After visiting several shrines and temples he recognizes that the gods and Buddhist deities have disappear somewhere. He also runs into a young monk named Touichibou, who helped Yashashuu earlier. Touchibou tells about Ugunushin named God whose amulets are given into houses. Ugunushin is believed to be the God of silver, so it was worshiped among miners in Okutadami. Kagetora is surprised hearing that there was a silver mine in Echigo, since if Kenshin had known about it, Uesugi clan would have protected it since silver is very valuable in markets. Touichibou tells that when he was younger he was sold to silver miners. There he learnt about Ugunushin. After escaping from the mine he became a monk and haven't met these miners since that. Recently he has wandered around Echigo and heard rumors that Ugunushin will cause terrible calamities soon. Ugunushin is an aboriginal god, but it was displaced by Shinto gods (if you remember in the main story Kihachi, Tatara clan and Ooyunohara onryous were also replaced/destroyed by Yamato/Amatsugamis, Ugunushin also faced same fate in the ancient times), but few clans kept worshiping it secretly. Now Ugunushin will revenge, but everyone who worships him, will be saved. As common people are afraid of calamities, they purchase the amulet. It seems that the amulet has some kind of special spell that weakens the power of Shinto gods and Buddhist deities. If many homes have the amulet, it causes the situation that for example Yashashuu's power won't work either. Kagetora freezes as Touichibou says that Oogamachi shrine is the main shrine for Ugunushin. Oogamachi ---> Kamachi?! Kagetora's fear is correct, Ugunushin is the God that Kamachi clan worships and Okutadani is their home land. Touichibou wonders if Kamachis are trying to weaken other gods powers in order to get stronger. 

After Kagetora returns to Koheita's home with Touichibou, they found out that Koheita has chimera's mark on his leg. In the evening Yukihebi brings a letter from Nagahide. In the letter Nagahide tells that it's Jushinni who helps the children to get back to the real world. She must be related to Kamachi clan somehow. However, Nagahide is having a quarrel with Irobe who very stubbornly protects Jushinni and believes that she is just used. The mystery is getting more complicated. In the same evening Kagetora and the others are attacked by some onryous, but for Kagetora and Naoe's horror they can't use Bishamonten's powers anymore.         

Next day, while Irobe is out of house, Nagahide visits Jushinni with a girl named Kayo who got skills of reading people's heart after coming back from the parallel world. He hypnotizes Jushinni and asks Kayo to make sure if the nun is telling the truth or not. At first Jushinni seems being who she is claims to be, but then Kayo senses something dark nesting inside of her. Eventually, the second personality of Jushinni comes out. It seems that the name of this second personality is Youkihi. In other words Jushinni is having DID (dissociative identity disorder). Nagahide demands Youkihi to tell what's going on and she eventually tells that she is the one who saves and helps the children to return to the real world from the parallel world. Jushinni herself doesn't know the existence of Youkihi or Youkihi's alternative life. She tells that there are many parallel worlds and she can easily travel to any of them. Nagahide also learns that the one who saved Irobe earlier was Youkihi, not Jushinni. But why Youkihi would help her enemy...? Has she fallen in love with Irobe too? Youkihi asks Yashashuu to get out of their way or she needs to kill everyone. She also exposes that her husband is King Ranryou, the leader of Kamachi clan. Nagahide was right all the time! She is related to the Kamachis! Nagahide tries to fight back, but then Youkihi uses exorcism power of Ugunushin and Nagahide is sucked into a black hole. 

Meanwhile Irobe is on the way back to Jushinni, but then he is stopped by some religious persons. He gets an amulet that has Ugunushin's craving on it. Before Irobe can do anything, something from the amulet flows into his body. One of the priests tells that Irobe and Ugunushin are now connected, he can use Ugunushin's exorcism powers. The time of Bishamonten is over now.

Kagetora and Naoe hear that Koheita's 10 years old cousin, Rokurouta, was spirited away few days ago and now he has come back. The shocking thing is that on his back, there was a message from Nagahide! Kagetora and Naoe rushes to the neighbor village where Rokurouta lives. From the message that Nagahide has written on Rokurouta's skin they learn that Nagahide is in the parallel world now. Youkihi/Jushinni's exorcism power sent him there. The parallel world is similar to real world, but it has enormously strong powers of Buddhist deities and Shinto gods. It seems that they're in parallel world too. Nagahide tells that he will keep investigating and inform Kagetora and the others if he finds out something. But so far he doesn't know how to return back to the rea lworld. Kagetora, Naoe and Touichibou decide to find the way to stop Kamachi clan, so they're planning to visit Okutadami. Koheita is having high fever, so Mukademaru proposes that she can stay there and take care of Koheita and Rokurouta. When Kagetora and the others are about to leave, Jirousaburou and one child chimera, Kakusuke, stop them. They came to pick up Rokurouta.  Kagetora and Naoe fight against Jirousaburou and Kakusuke while Touichibou and Mukademaru are protecting Rokurouta. Being able to use only swords and nenpa, Kagetora and Naoe are weaker than chimeras. Naoe asks Kagetora to escape together with Touichibou and Rokurouta, he can stay there alone. For Naoe's great surprise Kagetora grabs his arm and says that he definitely won't leave Naoe alone there. Naoe shows that he got Ugunushin's amulet from Koheita's home, so let's see if it can protect him. Mukademaru also offers to stay with Naoe, so eventually Kagetora accepts this. Yukihebi transformers herself to bigger so that Kagetora, Rokurouta and Touichibou can ride on her back. They escape leaving Naoe and Mukademaru alone with Jirousaburou and Kakusuke. Mukademaru uses wild-boar god's power and Naoe Ugunushin's amulet. Together they injure chimeras so bad that Jirousaburou and the others escape. After the fight Naoe's mind is full of Kagetora, confused, why did he had such a gaze. He touches his arm on the spot Kagetora grabbed him. He can still feel his touch on his skin. 'This is a trouble. Don't accept me as your friend. Our position won't change at easily. My task is to keep eyes on you. Everyday I have lived so, being self-aware and nervous about my task, since the very first day of being a kanshousha. Having forgotten what happened during the Siege of Ootate and being fellows now it's just a conspiracy. We haven't settled anything yet, you're just trying to ingratiate me', Naoe thinks in his mind. Kagetora definitely hasn't forgiven anything, he just acts so. He just tries to flatter Naoe and then show his true self, his revenge. Have to be careful and not open own heart too much for Kagetora. At last, Naoe tries to wipe away the feeling of Kagetora's touch on his arm. After that they hurry to Koheita's home since it's possible that someone comes to pick up Koheita too. 

After coming back to Koheita's house, Naoe was right: someone came to pick up Koheita. But not only one, two persons. Naoe is shocked because he knows both of them: another man is a chimera named Kajika. He helped Yashashuu during Biwajima-Hime incident, and the another, younger man, is Juushirou. He is a heir of one small town and Yashashuu helped him and the villagers fighting against chimeras. The things are getting more complicated since Naoe finds out that Kajika is actually Juushirou's servant. And it seems that Juushirou and Mukademaru know each other. But the most shocking thing is that Juushirou tells his true identity: he's Kamachi Juushirou, the heir of Kamachi clan, King Ranryou's son. In other words Juushirou fooled Yashashuu earlier in order to get know what kind of power Uesugi's Yashashuu has. Naoe and Kajika start to fight, but since Naoe can't use anything else than nenpa, he's a underdog. The biggest twist and turn happens when Juushirou calls Haruie to step in. Haruie was supposed to find his brother and exorcise him... Why he is on Kamachi's side?! Painfully Haruie says that Uesugi's time is over, Kamachi clan should rule over Echigo. Naoe is fuming in anger, but can't do anything as Haruie prepares Ugunushin's exorcism.

On the way to Okutadami Kagetora is worried about Naoe, but he trusts Naoe will find out the way to survive. After they arrive to Okutadami they meet Touichibou's master, Obaba. She is very old and knows well about Kamachi clan. They discuss about what is happening in Echigo. Obaba tells that these child chimera are made by someone, and they will keep living as long as the maker, the parent, is alive. So in order to stop children disappearing and return children normal again, they need to kill Youkihi. But since Youkihi and Jushinni are same person, Jushinni's body has to die. Kagetora asks if there are any other option than killing her, but unfortunately no... Youkihi has to disappear. Kagetora and the others decide to find their way to King Ranyou's place and try to defeat him first before Kamachi clan continues their plans. The volume ends with Kagetora, Touichibou, Rokurouta and Obaba getting surrounded by Shoujou (he survived from Amida Buddha's purification in previous volume) and some other Kamachi vassals. Something happens in Kagetora's body when he's having nenpa fight against Shoujou: he starts to cough fresh blood and have difficulties to get air into his lungs. Kagetora is shocked what is happening... Eventually he collapses on the ground and dies.

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Kurata died as Koheita predicted... D: Sensei ended this volume very interestingly... To whose body Kagetora will perform kanshou next?! Readers will found it out in the next volume. Yashashuu in big troubles again... Nagahide is in the parallel world, Ugunushin priests did something to Irobe, Naoe is getting exorcised by the Kamachis and... Haruie... betrayed Kagetora?! Woah, what's happening here?! o_o 

Two more volumes to go!

Btw, this is maybe a bit off-topic, but there is a new movie named Legend of the Demon Cat (Kuukai: Utsukushiki Ouhi no Nazo), and it's about young Kuukai when he was learning esoteric Buddhism in China. Youkihi has also role in the movie. :)