Submarine – Nirai-Kanai
Chapter Index
Ch 1 - Ch 2 - Ch 3 - Ch 4 - Ch 5 - Ch 6 - Ch 7 - Ch 8 - Ch 9 - Ch 10 - Ch 11 - Ch 12 - Ch 13 - Ch 14 - Translation Notes
Chapter 1
Chapter Translation Note: Nirai-Kanai is Okinawan for “The paradise across the ocean” or “The paradise on the bottom of the ocean”, i.e. the land of the gods. One way to put it in Japanese is umi no kanata, so on top of everything else, it’s also a wordplay with Kanata’s name.
This chapter is translated by verdantgrove. Click here to read Chapter 11!
Chapter 2
This chapter is translated by verdantgrove. Click here to read Chapter 12!
Chapter 3
Several minutes later, at the restaurant that Akatsuki frequents…
Pardon me!
Hasumi-dono! I have arrived alongside Kiryu-dono, as I heard there is an urgent matter! What on earth happened!?
Mm, well… Sit down first, Kanzaki.
Wait, no, I take that back. You’re free to do as you like. I won’t be giving you a single order.
This is already becoming such a troublesome matter, Hasumi-dono~!
—Mm!?
You ruffian—!
Woah! Don’t make any sudden big moves. And don’t cause a ruckus in the restaurant.
Ah, it really does feel relieving to receive orders from a higher-up…♪
—Nay, I mustn’t indulge right now! Stay alert, gentlemen! There is a figure hiding in the shadows! Could it be an assassin aiming for our lives…!?
What is this, the Sengoku period or somethin’? There’s nobody in this modern age who’d be a professional assassin.
Heh-heh-heh…♪
Brilliant! I applaud your incredible intuition to detect the presence of Ninja-man! I never imagined that someone could break through Sengoku-style Ninjutsu…!
Ninja-man? I do not believe you could be anyone but Morisawa-dono, correct?
Don’t answer him like that. Morisawa is apparently into playing ninja right now.
Indeed! Since I’m currently in a position similar to one, I thought I’d act the part! Plus, I hope to bond more with Sengoku by doing this, since he loves ninjas!
That’s why…! You may call me “Ninja-man” instead of “Morisawa Chiaki from Ryuseitai”…☆
E-Erm…? All right…?
Quit it, Morisawa. You’re confusing our junior with your bizarre behavior.
Besides, what’re you even doin’ here? I heard rumors that Ryuseitai’s been running away with the local idols who’re bein’ bullied, is that right?
Correct! That’s what happens when you answer the call for help! We, Ryuseitai, will always fight for the sake of those oppressed!
…Fortunately, ES idols are still mainly focused on gobbling up each other at the moment, and don’t seem to have time to mess with local idols.
We’re taking advantage of this opportunity to run away and hide, while steadily earning SSL$ through peaceful improv live shows and the like.
We’re getting pretty favorable responses with our performances, likely because the people who came to Okinawa for the shows were also starting to get tired of the endless war. It goes to show that people do prefer peace over war!
Hmm… Indeed, I have heard that.
However, it seems that the scale and particulars of each and every live conducted by the local idols can be ignored, so we are leaving them alone for the time being.
Heheh, I assume it’s because you can crush the local idols and us anytime you like?
Nay, you have been taking full advantage of this area by traveling from place to place. Thus, your unpredictable appearances across the prefecture has left us unable to catch hold of your unit and the rest of the idols.
Considering the time and effort required to search for all of you, it would be much more efficient to target idols from other agencies whose whereabouts are discernable.
Our strengths are different from yours. If we are to continue at this pace, we will surely be the winners of the final qualifying round in Okinawa.
I bet. Heheh… heheheh…♪
Did I say something amusing?
Oh, no. I was thinking that the way you spoke was just like Hasumi — Something about that made me laugh.
…!! ☆
Do not look at me like that.
Wait, no — It’s your choice whether you look at me or not. I won’t be ordering you to do anything, Kanzaki.
You are extremely difficult to speak with right now, Hasumi-dono.
Man, makes you wonder how many times a day Hasumi typically orders around Kanzaki. You guys may be comfortable with it, but from an outside perspective, it’s pretty bizarre.
I think it’s fine if both parties are happy with it, but it does have a sort of archaic feel to it.
Have you come to comment on our relationship, Morisawa?
Of course not.
I’m here to discuss something severely grave.
Chapter 4
Before we start, I should mention something — Morisawa apparently has to withdraw himself from Ryuseitai on a regular basis, likely due to his order.
I had him take advantage of such a position and imitate the likes of a counterintelligence officer, or in other words, a spy. I informed him of this when we first met them in Okinawa.
Actually, at first, I asked Sengoku if he could do it, considering I’ve been getting him to keep me regularly updated on how the Student Council is doing, as I tend to worry about Isara as the president.
Wait, so that mysterious “Ninja Room” next to the Akatsuki group chat on HoldHands was basically DMs between you and Sengoku?
Hmm. If you require such information, I could have asked Sengoku whatever you wanted in my dorm room, as we are roommates.
The Student Council is none of your business, is it?
Heheh, well, they aren’t doing anything wrong in that room, so there’s no problem either way. Sengoku seems to be happy to have a chance to act like a ninja, too!
Thanks for playing with my junior, Hasumi.
I’m not playing with him… Though I do think I should reward Sengoku sooner or later for acting as my subordinate.
I recall him saying he’s simply returning the favor you did for him in Scroll of the Elements1, so don’t worry about it.
Hmmm. I have an inquiry: why is Morisawa-dono being used as a counterintelligence officer rather than Sengoku for this occasion only?
It’s a little bit over-the-top to call it “counterintelligence”, really — I’m more like a middleman of some sorts.
Either way, I’m mostly doing it just in case. I have a feeling that there is something off about ES, especially since SS started.
ES is usually built around the delicate balance of power among the four major agencies.
But now, I get the feeling that the entire corporation is moving under someone’s conscious volition — in a way that is disconnected from the four agencies’ motives.
Normally, if I observe the actions taken by Eichi, Sakuma, Saegusa, and Aoba—
I would be able to grasp the intentions of the four major agencies and guess the overall composition and the story that will be told in the future.
But right now, how do I put it… It’s an incoherent mess. I feel as if I’m being placed in the hands of some god or other and manipulated as a convenient pawn, instead of a human being.
Maybe it’s all in my head, but nonetheless, I don’t trust ES as a whole. That’s why I wanted to avoid using HoldHands as much as possible, since it’s run by them.
If they wanted to, they could look into the conversations going on in the app.
That’s why we’re exchanging information face to face like this.
As mentioned multiple times before, I can go out on my own on a regular basis without raising any suspicions.
Well, you have been acting suspicious, really. However, you have no choice but to make unnatural movements due to your order, so you’ve always got that excuse up your sleeve.
Hmmm. So Morisawa-dono moving around on his own truly is a result of his order?
I had thought that he was doing something similar to Hasumi-dono.
What do you mean?
When a reliable person, who usually leads everyone, takes a step back or temporarily leaves—
I would assume it would be to prompt the independence of his subordinates, who only follow orders with acquiescence.
As a matter of fact, now that Hasumi-dono is no longer giving me orders, I have no choice but to do my best on my own.
Thanks to that, though, we discovered Kanzaki’s unexpected talent.
Hmm, well… Maybe that kind of thing is more your unit’s style.
…In our case, it didn’t work.
“Don’t do everything for them, but keep your distance and watch over them. By doing so, we can encourage them to grow and become independent.”
That’s what I wanted to do, and to some extent it worked. But before that theory and those efforts bore fruit, it all went back to the way it was.
What exactly went wrong with us…? Was it bad luck, the times, or was it just—
Do you even hear yourself? You’re beyond help because you refuse to hold a grudge against others. Were you a fool who laments unreason and blames everyone around you, I could still sympathize with you.
But excessive goodness and holiness only lead people astray, Morisawa.
Honestly, it’s more like he just blames himself for everything. He’s a gloomy guy at heart.
Woah, what’s going on here? Is it suddenly time to criticize me for my inadequacies?
No, this is the time to listen to what you have to say.
Though, you have been acting and behaving indiscreetly this whole time, so it is likely not an urgent matter anyway…
No, really, it’s a pretty bad situation. It’s so bad that it doesn’t feel real — it’s hard to even talk about it with a straight face.
…What do you mean?
I’d like you to remain as relaxed as possible while you listen to what I’m about to say—
The truth is, it seems that our Kanata has been enshrined as a god by a local religious group.
———!
Chapter 5
That night, in a prohibited area within Okinawa…
W-What’re we gonna do…?
What d’ya think!? We have to save Shinkai-senpai!
Um, uhhhh, how, exactly…? Everything’s happening so fast that I’m having a little trouble keeping up…
Isn’t this basically a crime? Are we sure everything’s okay? S-Should we call the police or something…?
Hmm~… I think that would be a hasty decision. As of this moment, there is no specific incident that the police could investigate.
B-But…! Shinkai-senpai was taken away by some religious people! What’re we supposed to do if those suspicious people do suspicious things to him…!?
Tetora-kun, your wording sounds like something a six year old kid would say.
Ughhh~!! I can’t think straight when nothing makes sense!
Whenever you’re in a panicked state, it’s a good idea to write down what you know one by one.
Personally, that is what I do whenever my mind goes blank.
It’s time for Ninpou: Slow and Steady Jutsu…!
Your ninjutsu basically reeks of life hacks, huh…
Well, they are useful because they benefit daily life. Even if I was capable of breathing fire from my mouth or conjuring up a giant toad, I would be incapable of solving anything.
Ohh, the way you just casually shrugged off all those flashy ninjas that appear in manga and stuff… Sometimes you come across as calm, in a way… Or maybe it makes more sense to say that you go about things in a modern way…
Y-You two sure are calm, huh…? Or am I just panicking way too much?
Nah, it’s just, it doesn’t really feel real to me somehow…
To be honest, it isn’t something to panic about when you think about it calmly.
The local religious group, I assume…? Simply offered a meeting with Shinkai-dono, and he agreed to it. That is all there is to it, that we know of.
The people he is meeting are religious people, but they aren’t evil spirits of any kinds, so it isn’t like they’ll eat him up or something.
But I’m still worried! It’s a religion I’ve never heard of! They were wearing strange clothes and saying a lotta words I dunno~!
Fufu. But we also wear hero outfits and have long conversations about tokusatsu shows, so in a way, we may be similar to them in other people’s eyes.
Yeah, we shouldn’t be prejudiced against them… I dunno about you, Tetora-kun, but Shinobu-kun and I have been hurt before by people staring at us like we’re weirdos.
I don’t think it’s right to disregard every single thing about someone when you don’t even know anything about them…
Oh, how surprising! Midori-kun’s opinion is so mature!
Heheh, I guess that means I’ve grown up a bit, too…
Well, I do think something like a suspicious religion or whatever sounds creepy, though…
What was the point of saying all that, then!?
Well, just ‘cause it’s creepy doesn’t mean it’s okay to trample all over them… I think… Maybe.
I-I think you’d have sounded way cooler if you said that in a cool way, you know!?
Now Shinobu-kun’s vocabulary is reverting to six year old level… That’s basically like saying “my headache aches”…
That just shows how we aren’t actually in a calm state!
I mean, I don’t blame us — Everything happened outta nowhere.
No, actually, Shinkai-senpai was acting a bit suspiciously…
It just wasn’t as noticeable since Morisawa-senpai looked way more suspicious with all his constant disappearing every so often.
I think Shinkai-senpai was talking to those strange religious people in secret after every live show we’ve been doing…
The religious people seemed to be related to the local idols we were running around with…
I thought they were just wearing what looked like Okinawan folk clothing… like, dressing up that way to please the tourists, or whatever…
Midori-kun, you’re surprisingly attentive to your surroundings, aren’t ya?
Heheh, I’m taller, so I have a wider field of vision…
Ahh, why’d I go and hurt myself by saying that… I’m so depressed…
You didn’t need to mention it if it was going to depress you…
Anyway! There’s no point in chatting about random stuff! I wanna go and save Shinkai-senpai right now, but what do you guys think?
I think I’d like to wait and see what’ll happen… Shinkai-senpai said something like, “be good boys and wait until I’m done talking to them”…
And nothing bad has ever happened by following his instructions, soo…
He may look like he’s just standing there without a thought in his mind, but he has a much greater perspective of everything than I do…
It’s like he’s looking at everything from above like a god, so I feel like I can never go wrong by listening to him… ‘Cause he’s always right about everything…
I getcha, but… They’re just treating us like kids again and leaving us outta the loop, aren’t they?
Yeah, but we snapped at them ‘cause of that, so I’d like to think that our seniors won’t continue to do it over and over again…
But who knows… They’re just the overprotective type in general, after all…
Hmm… For the time being, I have contacted Morisawa-dono, who is once again doing something separate from us.
He has instructed us to avoid using HoldHands as much as possible…
But we have no choice this time around. It’s an urgent situation, after all.
Morisawa-dono has a much deeper relationship with Shinkai-dono than we do, and has known him for longer, too. If we were to get his opinion, he may be able to shed some light on the current mysterious situation.
Uuu~… It’s a li’l frustrating to think that we’ll have to depend on him in the end…
He’s simply the right person to consult with for this situation, that is all. What someone is unable to do, someone else will do. That is how a hero sentai accomplishes everything and ultimately wins.
All for one, and one for all! —right?
Everything we’ve been through since spring has taken a huge toll on us, but I wanna believe that those fundamental parts of our unit haven’t changed.
Chapter 6
At the same time, deep within the cave eroded by water…
……………
(…? it is kind of noisy Out there, isn’t it~?)
(you should not do that~ you cannot make a Ruckus around a Sacred place—)
(—hmm~? are these Voices coming from the children in my ryuseitai…?)
(i told them to Watch over the area properly…)
(but they have not been following my Instructions at all lately. is this the Rumored rebellious Phase…?)
(that is the sprout of one’s Independence… to become a Mature adult.)
(it reminds me of the past… i was just like them When i was their age—)
(……?)
(i… i hear a strange Noise. it sounds as if something is going to break…)
(is someone playing Soldiers again somewhere?)
(you shouldn’t do that, either. even if it is just for Fun, there will be times you can’t get away with that as an Excuse.)
(ahh, i do not have any choice, do i~? i have to stop him.)
(that Child would listen to Whatever i say, after all. unlike the children from my unit, he has yet to enter his Rebellious phase—)
Please listen to us, Kanzaki-dono! You are not allowed to go beyond here! It’s off-limits!
Ahh! Move at once, you scoundrels! By what authority do you stand in my way!?
W-w-w-we don’t have any authority here! But the public’s not allowed beyond that point — it says so in the guidebook!
Such a thing means nothing to me! As Hasumi-dono would say: if the law obstructs your path, then change it! Send me the lord of the land, and I will personally force him to bend the law!
Isn’t that kinda insane!? Midori-kun, don’t just stand there and watch — help us stop Kanzaki-senpai!
Hell no… I’m terrified… I don’t wanna get near someone waving around a real sword…
I-It’s safe to get near Kanzaki-dono! He would never do anything to hurt anyone!
Nu-uh… Just seeing him wielding that sword is terrifying; I can feel the agonizing pain inflicting on me already… How are you guys even standing near him without fear…?
I know the sort of person Kanzaki-dono is, that’s why!
If I use my karate moves here, I could at least buy us more time, if nothing else…!
Um, you don’t have to risk yourself over this, do you…? Just leave him be… Why do we even need to care what happens to him…?
Takamine is right! The both of you, stay back! You will only get hurt!
Ah! He does know my name…♪
Of course! Kanzaki-dono is an upperclassman worthy of respect! He’s kindhearted to those younger than him, and he’s always looking out for us!
That’s exactly why I can’t just stand by and watch such a wonderful person go astray right before me!
Exactly! Ooooh!! We’re not lettin’ you through even if we die tryin’!!
Nooo, don’t lump me in that “we” — I don’t wanna be involved with all this dumb stuff… Why’s Ryuseitai always like this…?
(Not lately, though… Which means that this is more like the old Ryuseitai I love so much—)
Ahh, enough! Begone at once! I have no time to dabble with you!
I’m goin’ nowhere! I won’t budge ‘til you gimme a reason that makes sense to me!
Come on, Midori-kun! It’s time for the specialty you demonstrated in MDM!2
No no no, absolutely no way! “Takamine Barricade” is powerless against an opponent with an actual weapon!
—behave.
…!?
(…Curses! I was so preoccupied with the Ryuseitai juniors that I did not notice Shinkai-dono approaching from behind!)
(Did they plan this all along and dared to make a fool of themselves…!?)
Agh, you freaked me out!!
You always appear so abruptly, Shinkai-dono!
Even though he’s big… for some reason he has zero presence sometimes, like a ghost—
i am not a Ghost~ chiaki would Hate me if i was.
S-Shinkai-dono——
souma… so it really was you. the “so” in “souma” stood for “so noisy” all along, i see.
I-I apologize for the trouble I have caused! However, I have heard some extraordinary information from Morisawa-dono—
from chiaki? what has he been doing, and where? has he just been wandering the place and playing around, after throwing the Children’s care on me…?
I-I do not believe that gentleman is playing around… But more importantly, um, this is extremely difficult to ask, but—
Is it true that you have been enshrined as a god again!?
hawa…?
Chapter 7
Around an hour later…
Huff, huff…! W-We’ve finally made it!
Ugh, Kanzaki took off so suddenly that I didn’t even have time to react — And why to this remote island, anyway!? I’m glad I had him install a GPS app just in case any of us got lost, because it would be a disaster if we got separated during this trip!
Heheh, it’s pretty remarkable that technology has advanced to the extent that signals can reach even a remote island this far out.
I heard that back in the days of flip-phones and such, if you went to a remote island or deep in the mountains, you would get no signal.
Yeah, I heard that our family temple was like that, among others. How do you even know that? Are you actually not of our generation or something?
No, I learned about it from an old detective novel.
Oh yeah, you’re the type to read books, aren’t you?
Fuhaha! Reading is energy for the mind, after all! ☆
…Hey, enough chit-chat. None of that matters right now. We needa find Kanzaki. He wasn’t acting like he normally would, and it’s worryin’.
I’m more worried about you.
Mhm, I agree… Are you alright, Kiryu? Maybe you should’ve stayed back at the restaurant…
The boat ride to get here has left you looking like you’re about to die again.
Shut it. I wouldn’t have become a delinquent if I cared to think about shit like that.
Kiryu, let me support you by the shoulder. Good grief, you’re always so reckless…♪
Whenever I’m in bad shape, Hasumi gets unbearably gentle, and it creeps me out.
I think he just likes to take care of a vulnerable kid, or maybe it’s just engraved in his instincts to do so. Hasumi and Tenshouin have known each other since childhood, after all.
His existence has nothing to do with my development.
No way he doesn’t, dude… What are you, a teenager who gets embarrassed by people knowing that you’re close to your family?
He isn’t family. I’m simply subjected to the misfortune of being stuck in an undesirable yet inseparable relationship.
Doesn’t change the fact it’s a relationship, even if it’s a “misfortune”. I honestly envy ya, Hasumi. I’m still so haunted by The War days, that me and Itsuki don’t—
Hmm?
What’s wrong, Kiryu?
Look over there. The hell is that…?
Hmm!? Did a kaijuu appear from the ocean!? Maybe King Caesar…!?3 ☆
What on earth do you see Okinawa as?
repent of your Deeds! repent of your Deeds!
I repent! I repent!
What the hell…!?
Hmm… From the looks of it, it seems that Kanata is suspending Kanzaki-kun from a tree and showering him with seaweed. I think he has wakame seaweed in his hand.
Being specific about it won’t help me understand anything.
What the hell, is this some kinda religious ceremony or somethin’…?
It isn’t right to conclude that something you don’t know must be “related to religion”, without ever trying to deepen your understanding of it, Kiryu!
All the religious people in the world must’ve suffered from such a lack of sympathy, you know! Don’t you agree, Hasumi!?
No, I wouldn’t really…
say you’re Sorry! say you’re Sorry!
I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
Ah! Morisawa-dono, Hasumi-dono, and Kiryu-dono! You’ve all finally arrived! Please explain to us what’s going on here~!
I wouldn’t know, either. We aren’t divine beings who know everything happening in the universe.
I’d rather ask you guys the same question: What’s happening here…?
W-We really don’t have a clue! Kanzaki-senpai appeared outta nowhere, and then Shinkai-senpai also appeared outta nowhere…!?
Calm down, Tetsu. You’re a mess when you try to think in words, so take a deep breath and just move your body. It’ll work out better for you that way.
O-Ossu, roger that! You’re awesome, Taishou, you always get me every time! ☆
Nah, it’s just that I’m like that, too. Let the smart people figure out the hard stuff — Things usually work out better that way.
Ossu, understood! But unfortunately, nobody in Ryuseitai is smart!
You’re not wrong, but I’m shocked that you’d word it that way, Tetora-kun… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry for being an idiot…
N-No one is saying anything bad about you, Midori-kun! If anything, I’m the idiot!
Huh, that so? Personally, I get the impression that you guys are always gettin’ in and out of trouble ‘cause you’re all just too obedient for your own good.
That doesn’t matter now! Stop this at once, Shinkai! Don’t commit such inhumane acts on my junior! This is unforgivable, do you hear!?
Nay! Do not stop him, Hasumi-dono — I am being punished because I want to be!
Ugh, nothing is making any sense! Just what is going on here…!?
Chapter 8
Next morning. After waiting for the break of dawn — on the boat ride back to the mainland…
in short, there seems to have been some sort of unfortunate Mishap.
And what exactly do you mean by a mishap…?
hmm… i think everyone here knows that i am worshiped as a God in my Hometown, but—
Huh!? This is the first time I’m hearing this, though!?
eh? did i not Tell you about it properly?
I mean, you did tell us a story before, but it all sounded like some kinda folk tale. I thought you were just quoting a bunch of tokusatsu shows or somethin’ random like that.
Ehhh…? God? What do you mean…?
I remember hearing you say some stuff like that, though… But I just thought it was another one of those “our seniors are talking about something stupid again” moments, and didn’t really listen properly.
gosh… this is all because chiaki always talks about Dumb stuff. please learn to do better.
Ah, um, okay. I guess the blame is once again on me for this too, huh.
But this is something to do with you personally, so I can’t just go around spreading stories about it on my own, can I?
well, that is true. i was also afraid that if i told the truth, you would all hate me — that is why i could not Tell you all about it in detail.
W-We wouldn’t hate you, I promise!
Yeah… Morisawa-senpai sometimes makes me wanna hit him for legit reasons, and I don’t think it would emotionally hurt me if I did…
But I feel like if I ever did something that makes Shinkai-senpai sad, I’d probably regret it for the rest of my life…
Don’t you think the difference in treatment is just awful, Akatsuki?
Fufu, perhaps it comes from a feeling of trust that you would laugh it off and forgive him no matter what he does.
Besides, you should reflect on yourself before blaming others, Shinkai. Do your Ryuseitai juniors really seem the type to become disillusioned by learning about your past?
i do not want to be Lectured by you, but…
while i understand the Feeling of only wanting to show the Best parts of yourself, and never wanting the version of you before Transformation to be seen…
…that would make us Distant from each other, wouldn’t it?
but… all of you hate God, don’t you?
Wha!? No, um, I’ve never really thought that deeply ‘bout religion, honestly…!?
still. everyone always avoids that Topic, don’t they? i know that we are the type of People that others would prefer avoiding.4
because we are something scary, something that is unfathomable — something like a Monster.
in this country, and in these times, God is the same as a Monster.
am i wrong? if not, then why is everyone so afraid of God?
why do you Pretend not to See it, like it is something dirty? why do you refuse to Speak about it?
R-Rather than being afraid, they are in awe of them. They respect them and keep their distance from them.
that is only you, isn’t it?
……………
Oh yeah, by the way, I don’t really fully get it myself, but apparently Kanzaki was a member of the religious group that worships Shinkai as a god.
I think he had an important role or something — he was entrusted with performing a special ceremony only in times of emergency.
I believe there is a slight miswording there, but I am fine with it being understood as such.
Huh… U-Um, I dunno how to respond to that… It’s kind of an unexpected relationship in an unexpected way, or well, this is all pretty unexpected in general…
Oh, Midori-kun’s vocabulary has reverted to six year old level, too! Now the junior members of Ryuseitai are all matching.
…Well, that is the sort of joke I would love to make here, but I’ll leave it aside for now… This is a very serious topic you must listen carefully to — Shinkai-dono.
When I was younger, everyone used to look at me oddly whenever I spoke about ninjas. I could tell they didn’t know how to respond, so I tried to wave it all off and end the conversation there.
However… Everyone in Ryuseitai would always earnestly listen to what I had to say. It all began when Morisawa-dono heard me out—
Even when you didn’t understand me fully, you showed support and acceptance without ever rejecting me.
That’s why I shall do the exact same. I will listen to what you have to say seriously — and I know for a fact that we will accept it wholeheartedly.
So please, I hope that you will talk to us about everything properly, without brushing it off as a funny story. We would never ignore or ridicule you.
……………
Sengoku deserves ten billion points for his deeds today.
Shinobu-kun is the championship winner.
He just said to talk seriously, so don’t respond like idiots.
Uuu, Tetora-kun called me an idiot again…
there, there~♪ don’t worry, tetora Loves you, okay?
Erm, should we excuse ourselves…?
Although, it’s hard to leave when we’re all on a boat.
It’s practically impossible. Kanzaki apparently could manage to swim across just fine, though. How the hell did he build the stamina to do that…
indeed, souma is very Good at swimming~♪
Why are you proud of that.
well, i just think it is Amazing when someone Can do something that i Cannot do myself.
Actually, how come you can’t swim despite being such a huge sea and fish lover?
You always just sat back and watched whenever we had swimming classes at school, didn’t ya?
that is because i would be able to run away if i could swim. if Fish could survive on Land, they would be even harder to Catch than they already are, don’t you think?
so that is the reason. it is simply much more Convenient for everyone that way.
……………
Chapter 9
Several hours later, at the ryokan for ES idols — Ryuseitai’s room…
……………
……………
……………
—and so, to conclude… i was a God my whole life, but through my encounter with chiaki, i began to Live as a Human being.
Please don’t talk about it like it was only thanks to me.
I didn’t manage to do anything. The reason you were freed from the binds of your home was largely thanks to you and Mikejima-san.
it is because of chiaki that i was able to gain the Motivation to change. if i had not met you, i would probably still be Deep within the Ocean—
……………
n-no one is reacting… did it make you all Uncomfortable, after all…?
N-No! It’s just, um, so absurd — Erm, no, I shouldn’t say that… I’m simply struggling to digest it a little. It sounds so unreal.
Yeah… Your world is entirely different to the kind I’ve lived as the son of a greengrocer…
But… that’s the truth, and nothing but the truth, right?
yes, it is. i am not Lying. i am very sorry that i was unable to Tell you about it properly for so long, everyone.
it is because on a general sense, my Upbringing does not affect my Idol activities. but, to be honest, i was also Afraid of telling the truth and having it out of the water.
after all, this is the world of Human beings.
it is Normal for things other than human beings to be considered Strange, to be Discriminated against, shunned, or kept away from this world.
even Tokusatsu shows that are meant to sing praises of Justice are like that.
i was afraid that you would all think of me as an Eerie being. that things would not be the same ever again—
but… you cannot stay the Same forever. after all, i am not the God that is depicted in Legends.
even if only the form remains the Same as it was in the Past, the inside is always Changing. you can never stay the Same, can you?
That’s true. That’s why, while the agency’s order to return back to the same old Ryuseitai was utter nonsense, it’s also human instinct to be unwilling and afraid of change.
In the end, we have to grit our teeth through unreasonable circumstances, knowing there isn’t much else we can do about the situation… but still move forward without ever giving up.
That’s not something you should be saying, and it kinda peeves me hearing it from you… It feels like you’re just lecturing a spoiled kid who doesn’t listen.
But at the same time… you’ve got a point. The worst thing you can do is to give up. Not everything’s gonna turn out the way you want it to, so you have to persevere, overcome, and move on.
It’s tricky to do so right away, but that’s also what I wanna do. Ossu!
It’s not “I”, it’s “we”, Tetora-kun.
Yeah! All for one, and one for all! We, Ryuseitai, are always of one mind!
You guys…☆
Gaaah!? Please don’t hug me outta nowhere!
Just to let you know, nothing’s been resolved, ‘kay!? I just said somethin’ nice to brighten up the mood!
Heheh. Still, let’s start from there.
We, Ryuseitai, will fight against the evil that is unreason.
It’ll be alright. We will be able to achieve victory.
yes~♪ i have always felt that way, so i do not have any Worries about ryuseitai~
no matter how long this Painful situation continues, we will be Victorious so long as we can keep our Smiles at the end of the day.
that is why… i must first set Right the Accident caused by me this time around.
I don’t think it was caused by you, though. There seems to have been some sort of mix-up regarding the message that Sengoku sent me through HoldHands.
For some reason, I was given incorrect information that Kanata had been enshrined as a god by a local Okinawan religious group.
That misinformation was conveyed to everyone in Akatsuki from me, and so Kanzaki-kun acted rashly to hurry and confirm the truth — that’s how we got here.
Hold on, why were you telling Akatsuki about private messages between us in the first place, Morisawa-senpai…?
You’re not spilling info about my private life to them as well, are you…?
Fear not, Takamine! I doubt that Akatsuki has any interest in you!
Hah? I mean I guess that’s true, but did you have to put it that way…?
Oh? Well, don’t you worry, Takamine! I’m extremely interested in you!
That’s just creepy. Please go die.
What else was I supposed to say here!?
Chapter 10
Alright, so… We began sharing information with Akatsuki after forming a common front.
At first, I was the one who was asked to be the mediator, but this time around, Morisawa-dono was much more convenient for the role, so I requested that he do it in my stead.
Yup! I was Ninja-man, who went around Okinawa gathering information and passing it on to the right people!
Ninja-man! That’s so cool…☆
I really don’t get what’s to be excited about…
But, huh, so that’s how we ended up with an “unfortunate mishap”?
Kanzaki-senpai believed in the weird info he was given, and then started acting weird, himself… But why did he react so irrationally in the first place?
I mean, if you told me the same thing, I would’ve just been like, “Enshrined as a god? What’re you even on about?”
yes, of course you would. but souma cannot Ignore such Information.
if i were to return back to being a God, he would be in Trouble.
What do you mean by trouble?
I’m sorry that I suck at understanding stuff! I did hear that Kanzaki-senpai was uh, like, a worshipper of your religion, or somethin’…?
it is a bit Off to merely say that he is a Worshipper. he comes from a Lineage that holds a particular Duty.
when i — a God — go mad, he must Conceal it at once.
Conceal? Do you mean manipulation and concealment of information?
no. what it means is that he must Kill.5
K-Ki…!?
that is why… souma must have been Distraught, thinking that i had returned to being a God. after all, now that i am a Human being—
he has been unable to carry out his Duty to “slice god into pieces”. because it is not a Human being that he should slice, but God.
if he had one Last opportunity to Kill me, it would have been during the battle versus the sea god.
but… he lost his Chance then.
eventually, he no longer had any opportunity to ever carry out his Duty, but…
were i to ever become God again, he may have to Carry it out then.
because he was born in order to kill God in the off-chance that the worst happens.
his Reckless behavior must have come from being terrified of the thought that if i were to ever return to being a God again, that Day may truly come—
and so he swam across a long, long Distance to confirm the truth.
he is such a silly boy, don’t you think? he is like a little Child who had a scary nightmare.
but… to be honest, i was happy. if souma never Cared for me, he would not have Flinched for even a moment.
i am sure that he would have carried out his Duty like a Robot — without a flutter in his Heart.
he would have sliced me up like a Fish.
but… he was disheveled because of how much Care and love he had for me.
the mere Thought terrified him, enough so that he could no longer stand still.
when i think about those sincere Feelings of his, ahh—
i can’t help but think he is just so, so, soooooo adorable…♪
Hmm… It’s always hard to understand Shinkai-senpai whenever he speaks in long sentences, ‘cuz it’s hard to pick up what he’s saying…
But in short, the incident today was just an unfortunate mishap, yeah? Kanzaki-senpai believed in the weird info he was given, and went a li’l nuts.
yes. there is no Truth in the idea that i have been enshrined as a God.
it is just that the local Religious people had said something that stuck out to me.
i thought that i should have a proper Talk with them, so i told you three to Stay put and watch over as i met with the Religious group. that is all.
You guys are doing it again, keeping us out of the loop—
n-no, that is not my intention. that area is a Sacred place, and normally no one but those Permitted can enter.
i was only allowed in because i received a Special permit. there was something i wanted to check first, and it could only be accessed deep within that Confined area—
By the way, confined areas refer to places that the general public is forbidden to enter.
Surprisingly, there are many places like that all over the country, and they are often sacred religious sites.
You sure know a lot, huh…?
Heh! My club member, Mayoi-dono, is an expert in all sorts of occult stories, so my knowledge of these things just naturally grows whenever we chat.
So even the stuff that perverted-looking guy talks about is suspicious too, huh…?
“Perverted-looking guy”!? M-Mayoi-dono is a good person, you know~!? Whenever I’m feeling down, he twists and turns in heavy breaths to make me laugh!
That’s exactly what I’m talking about.
Hmm… It seems that misinformation led to a series of misunderstandings and miscommunications, resulting in a strange accident…
If that were all it is, we could just brush it off as a silly mistake, but something doesn’t feel right. For one thing, why did the message that Sengoku sent me contain such misleading information?
I-I didn’t write anything except, “I believe that Shinkai-dono had gone to meet and talk with people from a religious group.”
We were not sure what was going on because it came out of the blue, so I figured Morisawa-dono might have some idea about the situation, since you have known Shinkai-dono for a long time… That’s when I thought to ask you about it, in hopes we could get answers.
Wait, huh? I just looked at my phone, and sure enough, it says something about Shinkai-dono being enshrined as a god?
Ehh…? Did I truly write it like this…?
Hmm… I hope Sengoku is simply misremembering, and that he really did just slip and write a strange message.
Because if not, then this is an extremely grave situation.
What do you mean…?
I’m unsure what their intentions could be… But our phones were specifically provided by ES and are made to use for the corporation, so it’s possible that the message has been rewritten by someone from the outside.
Only ES is able to do that, as they’re the ones in charge of supplying the phones and managing the servers of HoldHands.
On top of that, the rewritten content was precisely the kind of thing that would cause Kanzaki-kun to act recklessly.
In other words… It’s possible that someone in the upper management of ES, who knows us well and can even interfere with messages in HoldHands, attacked us with malicious intent.
attacked…?
Yeah. I could just be overthinking it, and with such a vaguely chosen alteration, I can’t fully pinpoint what they were trying to accomplish were we to rule it as an attack…
It could simply be nothing but a prank, but if it really was an attack all along, then we’re in deep trouble.
We are idols affiliated with ES. If that ES has bared its fangs toward us with malicious intent, then this could unfold the most earth-shaking development yet.
Chapter 11
This chapter is translated by verdantgrove. Click here to read Chapter 11!
Chapter 12
The next day, at noon — At a sandy beach in Okinawa, during Ryuseitai and Akatsuki’s match…
—Mhm. Yeah, that’s why everything will be alright, Mikejima-san. It was all just an accident caused by an unfortunate misunderstanding.
I’m still concerned about where the misinformation came from, but we’re taking the proper precautions.
Yep, I borrowed a phone from a local who should be out of ES’s reach.
I’m also using a secure line to make the call with your mother’s help. I doubt even a powerhouse such as ES could interfere through this many safety measures.
They might be able to listen in, but they can’t alter the audio. I hope so, at least. Your mother said something similar, too.
Huh? Why do I know your mother’s contact information? Oh! I was simply approached by her a long while back, when I was browsing around in a bookstore.
She greeted me politely, thanking me for getting along with her son and such, so we talked to each other about the books we liked.
After that, she felt tired from walking, so I offered that she rest at my house, and—
Hmm? “That’s how those two try to get you”? Woah, you’re talking about your parents like they’re strangers.
As I understand it, you don’t seem to have a good relationship with your family, but I still think you should drop by once in a while to reassure them.
Your parents seem to miss you and worry about you.
Even your sister regularly asks me if you’re doing alright.
Huh? Well, I often talk with your sister on a tokusatsu fan site, so that’s how I know… She seems to be a fan of the villains in the shows, both monsters and bad guys alike.
Hey, we’re still workin’, Morisawa. Why’re you chattin’ about random stuff on the phone?
Ohh, no, I was having a serious call about something, actually.
I thought I should let Mikejima-san know about what happened concerning what we thought was Kanata’s religion, and such.
We’d only call for more trouble if we had even more unwanted fabrications and misunderstandings, so I tried to contact him through a secure method.
Huh. Well, I guess that is pretty important to do when it comes to Shinkai’s religion. I mean, didja see how reckless Kanzaki was? If Mikejima got involved somehow, he’d have gone even more berserk.
Yeah, it feels like Mikejima-san’s been on a constant rampage lately. I’m worried about him…
Even during the SS qualifying rounds, it seems that he’s been displaying quite a lot of inexplicable, problematic behavior.
I bet it’s been a blast for him though; it’s really just like him to go off like that. But I guess it’s also just like those brainless biker gangs who drive through highways like maniacs with their customized motorbikes.
Let him know that we don’t really have the right to stop him or anythin’, but if it gets real nasty, we’re willin’ to do what it takes to stick our foot in and help.
Hahaha. He says, “That’s my line.”
Haah? Tell him, “Who the hell do you think we are? As if we’ll ever ask for your help.”
Um, wouldn’t it just be easier to talk to each other directly at this point…!? Why am I still acting as a middleman!?
Haha, some things are harder to say directly. Cut us some slack, will ya?
That’s so complicated… But I guess that’s just how guys are…
Anyway, it’s true that it’s a bad look for me to be on the phone while working. I’ve told you everything you need to know, so let’s end the call here.
Mhm, mhm… I don’t know where you are nor what you’re doing right now, but I wish you the best of luck. We’re always cheering for you!
Yeah, we’ll also do our best in our silly little “Ryuseitai VS Akatsuki” fishing showdown! ♪
Huh? “Why’re you guys partaking in a dumb showdown like that”? I think it’s nice and peaceful, though!
And that means — we ended up with this decision because everyone preferred peace over war.
Chapter 13
Gentlemen, feast your eyes on this!
This is a secret technique of the Kanzaki blade style: Dance of Divine Slicing6…!
Ohhh~♪ That’s awesome! The fish we caught was cut apart perfectly!
Not only that, but the sliced fish dropped on the plate in such a neat and flawless manner! It looks delicious~♪
Um, all I feel is fear watching a blade slice stuff apart this up-close… I envy you two… You’re able to enjoy this with so much innocence…
What’s the matter, Takamine? You don’t look well. Are you seasick like Kiryu?
Huh? Ahh, no, um, I’m always like this, though…?
Oh, I see. Right, that makes sense. Sorry, obviously there’d be people out there who are, by default, not the energetic type.
Forcing those types of people to “cheer up” or “do their best” would be the same as abuse, wouldn’t it?
Huh? Uh, yes? That’s true…?
(I had no idea that Hasumi-senpai can be as persistent as Morisawa-senpai… We barely had anything to do with Akatsuki outside of Scroll of the Elements, so—)
fufu. we have a bit of history between us and akatsuki, after all. perhaps that made us Avoid each other.
Can you please not read my mind!?
i cannot read your Mind~ i am not a God, after all.
even so, i have been with All of you for a looong time, so i can at least perceive what you are Thinking.
Um, okay… I still dunno anything about you though, Shinkai-senpai…
I don’t even know why us Ryuseitai and the members of Akatsuki have decided to compete through fishing…
There are a few complex reasons for that, Takamine.
W-Why’s everyone talking to me all of a sudden…? Uuu, I thought I’d finally get to spend my time in peace and quiet now that Morisawa-senpai isn’t anywhere nearby…
Fufu, Morisawa-dono is away from everyone in Ryuseitai again due to either his order or secret order, correct?
Hah… Apparently he has to spend a certain amount of time far away from our sight…
Fine with me, though… since he’s always so overbearing… I hope his order stays even after SS is over—
Fufu, you should not utter such insincere statements such as that. There exists what we call the power of the spoken word.
Nonetheless, though Morisawa-dono constantly needs to separate from his members, I am grateful that it allows him to take care of Kiryu-dono, as he continues to be in poor health.
He could die if he boards a ship once more. I was worried about him.
Is Taishou gonna be okay…?
Of course. You know his strength better than anyone — Nagumo.
Ossu, I do. But no matter how strong someone is, there’s still times when they lose their energy or get into bad shape. I’m worried ‘bout him.
And I, as well. However, we mustn’t allow ourselves to be caught up by our emotions.
Rather, showing him that we are in good spirits shall be the greatest comfort to him.
Perhaps this is blunt, but I must say it: For Kiryu-dono’s sake, you should cheer up.
Here, eat some fish. Fish is nourishing.
Ossu, I appreciate it. I’ll dig in!
(Ahh… Seeing that sword on Kanzaki-senpai gives off a terrifying impression of him, but he’s a good person like any other regular person.)
(Hasumi-senpai seems to be a good person, too… He didn’t have any ulterior motive earlier, he would’ve talked to anyone who was left out of the conversation, or looked down in the dumps.)
(Was I just being overly self-conscious by thinking they were paying too much attention to me…? Ugh, I’m such an embarrassment…)
fufu. this is truly so Peaceful and Relaxing~♪
i am so glad that everyone in akatsuki accepted our Idea~
There is no reason to refuse it. Our interests are aligned, are they not, Kanzaki?
Ahh, yes, indeed. Hasumi-dono was not the one to accept the idea; rather, it was I who decided that we side with Ryuseitai’s proposal.
you two are quite Troublesome this Time around, aren’t you…?
Indeed, and it is all a result of our orders. …Incidentally, what order were you given, Shinkai-dono?
eh~? you know i cannot answer that, right?
Yeah, that’s how the order works, after all.
yes. at the very least, i will let you Know that i am fulfilling my Order so far. there is no Need to worry.
I’m not particularly worried. When it comes down to it, you’re simply another unit among many, and in SS, we’re rivals competing for the top spot.
fufufu. i am not really interested in becoming the Best, though.
were i to reach the Top, i would simply feel lonely all by Myself up there.
It sounds profoundly deep when uttered by you, Shinkai-dono.
that is because the Deep sea7 has strong Water pressure~♪
that is why i was going to be Fine. i am used to harsh Environments.
but, the same cannot be said about everyone else. if you continue to give them Stress, they will break.
that is why… we are venting off our Frustrations in this way, yes?
Chapter 14
Your explanation is difficult to understand, Shinkai.
Mm, you see… Originally, we were to continue battling one another within Okinawa.
We were supposed to continuously prey on other units through live battles.
Yeah, and for every victory, we can loot all the SSL$ that belonged to our opponents.
I don’t know how it is in other areas, but that’s the rule here in Okinawa.
yes… that is why everyone was repeatedly performing live battles; it was to make a Quick profit in ss-l-dollars.
Yeah, especially since you could turn the tables if you manage to overpower the strong ones who’re making a lot of money. That sounds nice on paper, but personally, I’m not fond of the idea — it feels as though it encourages people to crush and kill each other.
However, I suppose ES’s plan was to show the power of their agencies in this area, by having the ES idols, who are accustomed with the DreamFes system, wipe the floor with the idols here.
Hmm… Thus, the local Okinawan idols and others alike were sacrificed for this purpose?
That’s just my guess. I’m sure that this is happening not only in Okinawa, but all over the country. ES is trying to prove their righteousness and strength with these aggressive methods.
SS is nothing but a promotion by ES and intended for ES. It’s an unreasonably massive charade, in which only ES can win. …Though, perhaps I’m distrusting them a little too much by assuming as such.
I suppose if there is one saving grace, it’s that even if you lose the battle, you won’t die — you only forfeit your SSL$.
Were this a real war of life or death, it would be nauseatingly wicked.
But thankfully, the losers of the live battle don’t lose their qualification to participate in the qualifying rounds, and they can continue to earn money through their idol activities.
However, it is still a long, rigorous road. I cannot speak for the energetic and hopelessly optimistic adolescents, but our agency’s veterans do not have the fighting spirit.
That is precisely why everyone was hastily repeatedly performing live battles.
In fighting, there are winners and losers — within the losers, hatred is born, and in the winners, fear of retaliation or loss of property is born.
In this way, negative emotions multiply and chain together, causing one conflict after another.
And this ruthless battlefield within Okinawa is precisely the hell that emerged from these repeated events.
Hmph. A war that gets bogged down like that is the worst kind of war. That’s exactly why in The War era, we sought speed and wanted short term battles.
Also, because there was the possibility that Eichi would die if it dragged on for too long.
please do not mention Old stories of the War days at every opportunity you get. they are Stories that do not make anyone Happy.
instead of lamenting about the Past, let’s think about the Future. after all, we can make That shine with our Efforts.
I suppose we see things with a different perspective, then. If we don’t learn from the past and its history, we’re doomed to repeat the same tragedy.
even though both the Characters involved and the Script are different this time?
you are looking Down on Human beings a little too much, temple guy.
……………
Fufu. However, the events in Okinawa were somehow reminiscent of The War era — especially around the time of the Battle versus the Sea God.
Constant wars, jaded people, and the scent of religion creeping in… In those war days, I could do little but watch from the sidelines.
However, the times have changed. I do not mean to say this in a haughty manner, but I am now even in a position to make decisions within Akatsuki.
I shall make the most of what I have gained, and use it to bring about the future I desire.
yes, i intend to do the same.
i will not fulfill someone else’s Wish, but my own Desire.
that is why we have the Fishing contest. the team who catches the most Fish wins…♪
That still doesn’t explain how we got here. Are you an alien or what? Speak in a way I can understand.
fufu. this time, instead of a live battle, we will fight through a peaceful Method.
since it is not a live battle, even if we lose, we will not lose our ss-l-dollars on top of that.
no one will be hurt, and nothing will be lost—
we will have a Battle like one from a Variety show, as if it is a Game. hopefully, one that can put a Smile on anyone with Unease in their hearts.
and we will be deciding the Rules for this Battle.
Indeed. We ignore rules that we are not fond of, and operate under our own as long as they comply with our principles. That is the way we Akatsuki — or rather, Hasumi-dono — operate.
I wish to follow in Hasumi-dono’s footsteps — Not because Hasumi-dono ordered me to do so, but because it is as I desire.
Hm… Well, it is true that it isn’t like us to dance around according to rules laid down by others.
That sounds kinda like what Trickstar’d say.
Ahh, so that’s why it sounded so familiar.
Hmph. We were their first obstacle, after all. And we aren’t so stupid as to fail to learn anything from the opponents we battled to our last breath.
Indeed. It may also be due to the influence of Anzu-dono, who is a Trickstar member, as well.
In past days, she used to be the only sun in Yumenosaki, and we had performed our idol activities under her light for a long time.
How could we not be influenced by her?
yes. she Loves everyone so much — that is why she would never want us to crush or kill each other.
we are also very fond of all the Idol activities that have been Produced by her.
so surely no one would be interested in having War battles after all that — right, anzu-san?
Speaking of which, I haven’t seen her around since the qualifying rounds started. I wonder what she’s doing right now…
Hm, the qualifying rounds are being held at the same time all over the country, so I don’t believe she can afford to travel to every site.
She may likely be at the ES building, performing her job mainly through the Internet.
Yeah, that makes sense… It’d be way weirder if she could appear anywhere in the country and do her job perfectly.
yes, i believe so. that would be Impossible for anyone other than God.
it is not right to Expect that from a Human being, as they are not God.
Indeed. Even though we are far away and unable to speak directly to each other, we have accumulated within ourselves everything we have gained from her thus far.
Let us proudly display it, as it shines brilliantly from within!
Anzu-dono! We are happily performing our idol activities here in the far south today!
Translation Notes
- ↑ Scroll of the Elements is an Akatsuki and Ryuseitai story.
- ↑ Referring to Chapter 200 of the first main story.
- ↑ King Caesar is a kaijuu in Godzilla. It looks like a Shisa, a guardian from Okinawan mythology.
- ↑ For anyone interested, here is a video that discusses how Japan views religion, that I found to be relevant to this story.
- ↑ Typically, kakusu means to conceal, but it has an archaic meaning to say “to behead”.
- ↑ “The Dance of Divine Slicing” shares a pronunciation with the name Kanzaki, the kan in the technique being “god”, and the zaki being “to slice; cut open.” This is also related to his role as a Kanzaki mentioned earlier in the story, as well as in Meteor Impact (One Year Ago, Chapter 11).
- ↑ A wordplay with his name, shinkai, which also means deep sea.