Opening Act: Heian Sakura Front Line

Rayshift complete. We've arrived in Japan, Master.

And it seems you got there safely. Sorry if the ride was bumpy, Fujimaru.

As if to be expected, I'm not getting a clear visual of you. This time it's even worse than normal.

I'm guessing you can't pinpoint the cause?

Yeah. There are times when you travel so far back that we don't have enough data on that era...but that's not the case here.

This observation impediment doesn't follow any pattern we've seen before. It's like someone is jamming our signal.

However, the fact remains that I'm picking up very unusual responses from that era. It's bound to turn into a Singularity if we leave it alone.

That's why I sent you two to check it out. For starters, what are your surroundings like?

Right. Well, it's safe here. I mean, we've never been to a place this idyllic. Especially, um...

The cherry blossoms are lovely. Just beautiful.

Cherry blossoms, huh? That's nice. I've seen them before, too. Although I didn't get to have a viewing party...

...On top of that, there's a kind of sweet aroma...all around... Mm...

？！

Hmmm... An aroma you say... I wonder what it could be. We definitely need more information.

My estimate is that you're in the Heian era right now. That said, the Heian era lasted for nearly 400 years.

Stand by while I try to pinpoint your exact coordinates. Please keep an eye on your surroundings.

Understood. Still... I can't get over how beautiful it is here.

R-Right... As you can see, my primary colors are purple and black... So I am no match for the beautiful pink of cherry blossoms.

Hehe. Shhh, Senpai. Caesar will appear if you bring that up again.

？！

But... Ummm. Actually, this has been bothering me since we got here...

There's a big pile of petals over there, but it's human-shaped.

It's as if someone fell asleep while viewing the cherry blossoms and was left behind for a full day...

Ahchooo! Ahhh, what, morning already!? Daaammit!

K-Kintoki!?

Okay, if I just do this and voila... Huh? Hey, I'm picking up a Servant in your proximity.

Going by the powerful magical energy reading... No doubt about it, it's a musclehead Servant with a suffocating presence!

Yes, Doctor. Mr. Golden, Sakata Kintoki himself is right in front of us.

Oh, Kintoki is there. That would explain this strength level I'm seeing.

Wait, what's he doing there!? Did you two bring him along!?

Oooh, my head hurts... I went overboard brawling with those bears...

Oh! That's a nice greeting, Boss! To be golden in the morning is very golden!

O-Oh, that's a strange mangling of the language. "God morning" sounds a little ominous.

？！

At any rate, it's good to start off with a greeting. It shows you have good manners.

A fulfilling day begins with a nice greeting, a nice breakfast, and nice wood-chopping.

My boss... Oh, I don't mean you. My former boss, or I guess more like my foster parent...

Boss Raikou, you know? She lived around here.

She was usually lax, but very serious about table manners. Even bad sitting posture would earn a demonic glare.

Um, Kintoki. My apologies for interrupting, but would you tell us what you're doing here?

Oh, sorry. I slipped into reminiscing about the olden days. But the reason I'm here

Whoa, wait. Don't get too close.

Huh?

(I'm the one just waking up here... And even though I'm the man they called the Beast of Ashigara...)

(Dangerous... she's the true dangerous beast! I mean, look at her outfit!)

Senpai, he won't look me in the eye. Does he hate me now?

？！

No, it's not your fault, young lady. In fact, I would compliment you, if you were a man.

H-Huh? Thank you... I think?

Oh, you even bow to me?! Then I gotta man up... Here we go...

K-Kintoki!? Oh no, Senpai, Kintoki is punching himself hard in the cheek!

All right, that woke me up! So, shall we get going, Boss!?

I wouldn't call it a world crisis, but there's trouble in my neck of the woods.

Deep in the mountains, somebody called. I don't know who it is, but I'm goin' there.

All the signs point to good things, so I'll push on ahead. My axe will carve a way through the mountains. Make way for this thunderclap!

Yes, I've never seen him so full of energy.

That said... Where are we going?

？！

Huh? Where are we going? Why, that's obvious. It's

Gyaaaaooooo!

Aaaah! A hostile response already! Is ita wild beast?

Your ambush is well-timed! But I don't think I've seen you around these parts before!

It seems to see us as food. It's charging!

This is also a perfect way to start the day. A nice warm-up! Let's go wild, Master!

Good work. I've finally got your coordinates now.

North latitude 35 degrees, east longitude 135 degrees 45 minutes approximately. The cultural and political center of Japan in this era.

In other words, if you go down that mountain

There's only one place with a sky and cherry blossoms like this. We stand before Kyoto.

It's Kyo He stole my line! I shouldn't have started off with the latitude and longitude!

It's okay, Doctor.

Someday we may have to take a geography test with the fate of the world hanging in the balance.

When that happens, this information should come in handy. Thank you very much.

Mash, you can be rather brutal sometimes... Okay, one more piece of new info.

You were just talking about an aroma, right? I got curious, so I analyzed it...

There's ethanol mixed in with the air. Fruits and crops fermented using yeast.

In other words, alcohol. What you're smelling is wine.

The smell of wine, huh?

Kintoki? You seem like a guy who can hold his drink. Bad memories or something?

I've never heard of anything good happening when alcohol was involved.

That's true. It's usually stories of someone getting drunk and embarrassing themselves!

...That's right. Jeez, I've got a golden bad feeling about this.

...

Enough about drinking. I've located the point of the abnormality too.

Ignore what we can't understand for now, and head there as planned to investigate it.

That's why you're here, right, Kintoki? But when did you use the Rayshift?

Huh? Boss was the one who called me, right?

I just found myself here all of a sudden! I was bored, so I trained with a bear, slept, and then it was morning.

...Hmm? So you were forcibly summoned there.

Yeah. Looks like there's more to it, but the details don't matter. Boss, you need more people, right?

Then leave it to me! As you can see, I've got more strength than I know what to do with!

Thanks, that's a big help. Take care and proceed.

This is a bad mist. Smoke on the whatsits, you know?

There's a bit of a ways till you get to the source. What's the situation where you're at?

It looks like we're in a residential district near Kyoto... But something seems strange...

Hahahaha! Ahahahaha! Food! Drink! Bring more!

You rotten fiend! I never liked the way you married your childhood friend! Now let's celebrate!

I like you. I love you! Take me! Take me now! Take me to paradise! Huh? You're married? Then die!

？！

To be honest, I don't understand what's going on. Everyone seems to be doing something different.

Everybody's getting excited about their own thing... What is going on here?

A lot of them are saying some rough stuff, but they're still sane. It's fine until the blades come out, but...

...Did you notice? It's getting thicker.

There's no telling what will happen. Senpai, we need to be more careful than ever.

The cherry blossoms are as pretty as ever but

... ...

Huh!? Senpai, watch out! (Squeeze)

What's wrong? What happened!? An enemy attack?

？！

Whew. That was close. A cherry blossom petal fell on Senpai's head.

...Huh?

Senpai has an important duty to perform. I can't let anything threaten that.

I, Mash Kyrielight, want to help Senpai. More, more, more. More.

SoHuh!? Look at that foul-smelling mystery trap! It may be an enemy Noble Phantasm! Get back! (Squeeze-squeeze)

No, that's just a fertilizer pit. if you fall in, you're gonna regret it.

...Oh? Senpai, your face is a little red. Do you have a fever? ...No, perhaps a cold?

Are you okay? Does it hurt anywhere? Do you want headpats?

Come to think of it, you were sleeping with your stomach exposed this morning.

But don't worry. It's okay now that I'm here. I'll sleep next to you tonight.

With my Noble Phantasm I can keep you safe from cold viruses, as well as nasty cedar pollen!

I can shut out all nasty insects and external enemies completely!

？！

Hmm? Wait a second. Is this... I see. I knew it.

By the way, how about you, Kintoki? Anything seem off with you?

No need to worry. I'm always golden.

Actually, I feel stronger! I feel like I'm overflowing with energy!

Did you hear that, Senpai? Mr. Golden is filled with too much energy, he says. Scary, huh?

But don't worry. Even if he approaches you with a sexual proposition,

my shield will deploy to secure you with incredible speed.

No, I'm not that kind of guy...

Hey, Boss? Is she always like this?

？！

Um, well... This is extremely hard to say, but...

I'm seeing a slight change on her vitals. She's drunk.

Drunk? Just on this aroma?

Yeah. It doesn't seem to be affecting you, though.

It's because of the alcohol that's permeating the air. That's what's gotten into the people around you, too.

Whoever breathes it in gets drunk. That's why they're all acting like that.

How about you, Fujimaru? Anything seem strange?

？！

Hmm. Maybe the protective power that Mash should have is being transferred to her Master?

Still, that's the right thing for the moment. No matter how drunk she is, Mash will follow Fujimaru's orders.

If Fujimaru went nuts, we'd have a golden disaster on our hands.

Senpai! Senpai! Stop spending so much time talking with the Doctor, and let's go. We have a ways to walk.

Guess we'll have to keep going. Though my bad feeling keeps getting worse... Huh?

Yahoo! A bunch o' fresh country bumpkins!

Leave all your valuables!

I will not! Senpai's going with me!

Senpai, we'll eliminate this obstacle. Let's do it together!

What's strange about this is that she seems normal at first glance...

Is there a reason they're getting drunk like this?

...

Tch... It stinks. I mean, there are good drinks and bad drinks.

And this is a really bad one. It ain't something a person should be drinking.

...Harder to reach you... All I can manage is audio... Be careful...

It's strange. We should be getting closer to central Kyoto, but

It feels so empty. I don't see a single person.

What? Kyoto was the center of Japan in that era. There can't just be no one there

But it's true. I'll add that there are several corpses lying on the side of the road.

It seems clear that something's going up ahead. ...Mr. Golden, you know Kyoto well, right?

Yeah, I guess. But this is different. This ain't the Kyoto I know.

Kyoto's a golden city. The atmosphere, the people, even the laughter shines.

That's normal and natural in Kyoto. That's why in the future that amazing, cool golden temple is gonna be built.

(He's probably talking about the Kinkaku... Rokuon-ji...)

I don't like it. This dead, alcohol-stinking air ain't Kyoto.

Drinks are for warming up the heart. It ain't something to melt the marrow of your bones.

...Tch. I don't want to remember it, but this alcohol is

Doctor, I see a big gate. Is it past this?

...Yes...but...be careful...

Uh! What is this? A dragonkin!? Everyone, be extremely careful

Ah! I see something near the gate, Master!

...And to think I thought this was just a lot of fun. Pathetic. I feel pathetic.

Poison, miasma, hedonism, and decadence, all mixed up. That means only one thing.

That ain't a bunch of little things mixed together. It's the real aura of an oni.

Haha! Bwahahahaha!

And there you are, Ibaraki-Douji!

I wondered who it was. Haha! Who does it turn out to be but Sakata Kintoki!

It's been so damn long! So long! You alone? Where's Raikou? Where's Tsuna?

You've got eyes, don't you? But you... You ain't alone, are ya?

Tell me. What is that? What is that thing floating behind you?

...

Hah! This is my master, and my sacrifice!

Our fallen leader of the oni clan, Shuten-Douji!

Bwaha! Hahaha! Hahahahaha!

!

Hah! Ticked off, huh? Even behind that strange blindfold I can tell!

Your eyes are shining with a burning light. That must've ticked you off, huh?

Humph. But I am even more displeased than you. Would the likes of you really care about Shuten?

After you tricked her and slew her? Why would you care about Shuten when I am about to eat her?

You idiot! I ain't worried! I don't care what you do!

If you're gonna fight each other, do it somewhere else! And anyway

You have any idea how dangerous that wench is? After you eat her she'll devour you from the inside out!

Humph. That's right. The old me wouldn't have been able to defeat her.

But you know what? Race forward, Sougenbi!

Gwaah!?

...What ...happened...?

Some huge flaming thing just flew out and blew Kintoki away!

And... now it's coming back! That's... That's...

Tch. Is that...your arm?

Indeed. Indeed! Indeed! Indeed! This is my arm of destruction! I call it the Great Grudge of Rashomon!

She's got a damn rocket punch! I thought Tsuna hacked that thing off!

No way... That's a Noble Phantasm. She's using her own severed arm as a Noble Phantasm

Bwahahaha! Little girl! Little girl! Little girl! Have you ever seen anything like me?

Then carve this into your mind, so you'll have something to remember as the maggots eat your guts!

Raging like a beast! Terrifying like a god! Frivolous like an insect!

We know not the weakness of mankind, nor the pride of a warrior! We use our own rotted arms as weapons!

That is what an oni is. We are man-eating monsters, who inspire fear by our very presence!

Ugh!

...They're speaking to me. Yes, someone, somewhere, is saying it.

Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour. Devour

Devour mankind. Devour you!

You are human. Flesh for me to eat. You are Sakata Kintoki, my mortal enemy.

And I am Ibaraki-Douji. The ruler of all the oni on Mt. Ooe!

And thus... You shall not leave this place alive!

...Stupid. Ibaraki's even stupider than last time.

You know her, Kintoki?

Yeah. She's just an animal that doesn't like people. We don't get along.

But she wasn't that bad. She used to follow the laws of the food chain...

But now she's not... She's an oni killing people for no reason, not just to survive?

Yup. That's what she's become. And that puts her in my jurisdiction.

I see you've got some yummy kids with you! They can fill my belly too!

Sure, bring it, little oni! I'll smash that big arm of yours into tiny pieces!

That's my line, you wannabe westerner! I'll eat your bones along with Shuten!

...

(That oni girl screwed up big... Isn't Mt. Ooe yours, fool?)

Aah, aah A lovely wind is blowing. It smells of guts and blood and alcohol.

It is the smell of the demonic city that I desire!

I'm so happy, Kintoki. Soonthe smell of your guts will be mixed in with it too!

Bwaha! Bwahahahaha!

Her murderous intent is incredible... She's coming, Master! Get ready to fight!

Right. One warning, Boss. that ain't the Ibaraki I know.

She might be strong enough that you could throw all your Servants at her and have a 50/50 chance.

Nah, she was always like that. That hasn't changed a bit.

But she's a lot stronger! A helluva lot stronger than the Ibaraki I knew!

？！

Anyway, this is good stuff!

The little oni who hid in Shuten's shadow has grown up to reach the level of a god!

A worthy opponent! Let's go, Boss! Time for some golden oni hunting!