Section Five: To the Heavens? (1/2)

Please, Kouju. Please bring me those scrolls.

I'll never be able to make my wish come true without them.

I believe you, Lady Shana-oh.

Lady Kiichi may not understand your position, but I do.

The Taira clan's reign must come to an end. You are right to wish for it.

So please, don't worry, Lady Shana-oh.

I promise, I won't let you down.

How dare you, Shana-oh!?

How dare you trick my daughter into stealing the scrolls of ultimate techniques!

And to make matters worse, you've already read them!?

What you've done here is unforgivable!

Lady Kiichi!

You're right, Mentor! My actions are inexcusable, and I can never hope to make amends!

But you also said I had learned everything you had to teach me about the sword...

...yet you still refused to show me both the "Six Secret Teachings" or the "Three Strategies of Huang Shigon"! Why!?

I have to be useful to my brother someday! I have to!

Even if I must turn to evil means to do so!

Silence, Shana-oh! Not another word!

Oh wow!

Now this is truly a breathtaking scene!

Well yeah, we're literally walking on clouds. 'Course the scenery's gonna be impressive.

Wait. We're walking on clouds!

Damn, this is like something out of a fairy tale! Is it just anything goes now!?

Are you sure we're okay up here, Master? We're not gonna fall, are we?

Then that's all that matters.

You're a little insane, aren't you?

？！

Ooh, this is so exciting! Cú and me, up in the clouds together! It's like a dream honeymoon come true!

YOU talking about honeymoons? That's rich.

What are you talking about!? No Heroic Spirit could better fill the role of blushing bride than me, right?

Pffft.

What's so funny!?

Say, student. It may be a little late to ask you this, but how are you with heights?

Hmm, I see. Then I'll have to take you on a proper trip around the sky sometime.

Trust me, you're in for a treat! Kanra kara kara!

Really? I would never know from looking at you, but you really have been through a lot, haven't you?

？！

Oho, I see Lady Kiichi is playing the doting mentor with Master again.

There's something moving about that. It's so... So...

Creepy!

Is there no other word you could've chosen!?

Student, huh... You know, that reminds me of something.

Hm?

Didn't you say you studied under a tengu? In fact, I think you've even claimed to be one yourself...

Tengu are a kind of Japanese spirit, right?

That's right. They're one of Japan's ancient Mystics.

In Japan, they're said to live in the mountains, and in China, they're said to embody comets and meteors.

And in the Buddhist world

They're said to be monks or Shugendou practitioners who have fallen to depravity, and they're closely associated with mountains there as well.

Hmm. So are you a tengu, Kiichi? Although, you didn't introduce yourself as one, did you?

Hey, Kiichi? Are you really Ushiwakamaru's teacher?

You're not lying to us, are you?

Don't be ridiculous! I show up in "The Chronicle of Yoshitsune" and everything!

Not that the chronicle covers my whole story...

And what's more, I'm told that the legends and folklore surrounding Heroic Spirits can have major effects on how they manifest.

Well sure, but that doesn't just apply to you and Ushiwaka. That's true for most Heroic Spirits.

The ones who are just like their living counterparts are honestly the exception, I'd say.

And that's not getting into the even rarer ones who show up at Chaldea while they're still alive.

Suffice to say, there are many different kinds of humans and Heroic Spirits.

And heads. Don't forget heads.

Cut that out!

Hey, she's not wrong.

...Do you ever shut up? Come on, let's find this other Ushiwaka and her mallet already.

What Cú said! Just because we're literally up in the clouds doesn't mean we should be keeping our heads in them!

Anyway, I know this is where the needle led us, but where exactly ARE we, anyway?

Well, at least geographically, I'd say it looks like we're back around France?

It looks like it. I'm checking your coordinates now...

...and it seems you're somewhere high above the Mediterranean Sea.

All right, then I guess it's time to go cloud walking

And resume our search for Evil Ushiwaka!

C'mon, let's go.

Coming, Cú!

It's wonderful seeing those two get along so well. It never fails to warm my heart.

Man, you gotta put actual work into being that dumb. Or were you going for sarcasm there?

I mean, a honeymoon up in the clouds? That's gotta be too good to be true.

Oh, I can see the sea down below through a gap in the clouds! Seems there are a fair few ships on the water below as well.

Seriously!?

Kanra kara kara! Now, now, everyone, you mustn't get carried away!

Then again, I suppose these clouds are literally carrying us away as we speak...

At any rate, we can't stop looking for Evil Ushiwaka now.

Come, my student. Let's go enjoy a walk on the clouds while we also look for any leads we can find!

？！

Good!