Warau Ishi 7

P1

sfx: fwoosh
Eat the soul…
of the baku…?

Why should I…
…do that…?

Let’s…
go somewhere else first.
sfx: STEP
Huh?

Chapter 7

I’ll tell you…
about your “curse”.

What is the method to slow down the curse!?


P2

Entering a new arc!!!!

In this old temple, secrets, mysteries and demons lie concealed!!

Keichirou Arita



P452

Pitch-black ghost horror

Volume 1 of the manga, now on sale!!

Warauishi


P453

The story so far: Ataru succeeded in making the ghost girl Azuki Yuzuriha go to heaven. But then Yachie Kaburagi tells him to eat the soul of the baku which Azuki left behind. What exactly is the method to stop the curse of the wishing stone and the petrifaction of Ataru’s right hand……?!

What is this place?
It’s filled with talismans…
and old books…

Nirasaki… Where are we?
This is Kamonagi Shrine.
To be more precise, I called you here.

This shrine prospered until the beginning of the Meiji period…
There.
But now I’m using it as a storehouse.

Anyways…
Here.
sfx: toss
Huh…? What’s this?

A scroll…?
It’s an old document.

★This story is a work of fiction. It has no relation to existing people, groups or events.



P454

Have you ever heard of a figure called “En no Ozuno”?

E-... En-... no?
Um, is that the person depicted in this scroll?

Tch.
You’re a high school student, you should’ve heard about him in history class.
...Oh well.

He was a sorcerer, who is said to be the founder of Shugendou, a Buddhist sect.

It is known that he made a pilgrimage though the whole country, from the Asuka period until the Nara period. And they say he employed demons, who helped him exorcise evil sprits that were harming the people.

This scroll is a memoir written by somebody who was saved by Ozuno.
I’ll translate it for you.
To ordinary people, it’ll just seem like a fantastical story...

But you...
might get something else out of it.


In the year 671...

My village was being plagued by inexplicable epidemics and natural disasters. There were also accounts of people being spirited away.

We could not do anything about it, so we were exhausted and despondent.


P456

But then...

A mysterious man appeared. He had come to our village after he heard about our misfortunes. By his side, there were two demons.

The first thing he said, was...

Won’t you trust me...
to solve your problems?

This is all the doing of evil spirits.

The man exterminated all the evil spirits that were plaguing our village, and soon after, the people’s illnesses disappeared.

The villagers were overjoyed, and advocated the man as an “emissary of the gods”.

However, that night...
I saw the man slip away from the banquet we held. Out of curiosity, I followed him.

And then...
I saw with my very own eyes...

P457

How the man...
and his two demons...

were devouring something... I did not know what it was...

I became frightened, and ran away.
The next day, the man had disappeared from the village.

There was no evidence left...
that he’d ever even been there.
The end.

And? Did you get something from it?


P458

There are similar stories from other eras. For example, one in which 300 people disappeared from a castle town.

Or one where villagers suddenly started killing each other, for no apparent reason.
The most recent story I know is from 30 years ago, when a large amount of people from the same town suddenly went missing...

There are also countless reports which couldn’t be confirmed...

The one thing all these incidents have in common...
Do you get it?

sfx: jump
Me, me!
The wishing stone!!

You idiot. What I mean, is what happens after that.

“Breaking the curse of the wishing stone”...

The method to get rid of the curse of the wishing stone, and an explanation of the definition of “evil spirits” ... Or something like that?
Hm.
You’re half correct.

You probably want to hear about the wishing stone right away.
But we should probably start with the explanation. That way you would understand it better.

There’s someone here who isn’t quite following the conversation, after all.
Huh...?
Huh...?
Ah... Okay.


P458

Within all the things in our world that are called “spirits”...
we can distinguish three different types.

The first are things like floating ghosts and haunting spirits, who remain in this world because they have lingering feelings or regrets.
They are fairly harmless.
“Empty spirits”

Second are spirits which do not have their own bodies, so they possess people and influence them.
“Possessing spirits”

And finally, there are “empty spirits” who are possessed by “possessing spirits”
“Possessed spirits”

So you mean...
Yeah.
All the spirits you’ve encountered, like Azuki and the baku...
can be categorized like this. But that’s not the most important thing right now.

“Empty spirits” who are possessed by “possessing spirits”, or “possessed spirits”...
can turn into “evil spirits” with the passing of time.

Their self-awareness breaks down, and there is a high possibility...
that they cause calamities, in some shape or form.
sfx: splatter splatter
sfx: munch

Gah.. Guh...
The one that Azuki and I exorcised earlier was one like that.


P460

To explain it simply, it’s like this.

Empty spirit + Possessing spirit
Possessed spirit
Evil spirit

The problem here, is...
that you’re not possessed by a spirit, but cursed by the wishing stone.

You’re not dead, in the first place.

...Then, I’m...
Yeah. We’ll have to look back at the story of En no Ozuno.

En no Ozuno employed demon servants and exorcised evil spirits, even though he was alive.
But there are also reports saying that he ate them, like the memoir we just read.
And there’s one more thing.

The skin of his right hand had a discoloration...
It was said to look like “stone”...

Do you get it now?

The sorcerer, who used to help people, didn’t just do it out of compassion. He had another goal.


P461

En no Ozuno was cursed by a wishing stone...
and feared that he would turn into an evil spirit himself.
So don’t you think he might’ve been on a journey to find a way to undo the curse?

......

......
What should I do?

......
Let’s see...
...He’s changed......

First, you need to become aware of the fact...
that you’re not entirely human anymore. You’re closer to being something like a spirit or demon... Something supernatural.

And...

sfx: grab
Hey...!
What’re you doing?!!
Show me your arm.


P462

Ah...
The stone part of my hand... has gotten bigger...
And next... You have to know...

that there is no way to completely remove the curse from people...
who have used a wishing stone...
sfx: whoosh whoosh whoosh

However.


P463

sfx: fwoosh
(TL note: The letters on pages 463 and 464 make up one sfx, so maybe it’s better to merge these pages?)

Wh-...
What...?

It’s Azuki’s...
No...
It’s my...


P465

sfx: whoosh...

Things are different...
if you can eat souls, like this.


P466

Hey... What did you... just...
What... just happened... to me?!

Your body ate a soul.
Maybe it’s easier to understand if I said you “absorbed” it.

I ate it...? Like that...?
Stop nagging! Putting something in your mouth isn’t the only way to eat something, you idiot.
Look at your right hand.
Huh?

Ah...

The petrified part... has gotten smaller.

D-did it heal...?
No, it didn’t.
It just stopped.

Listen.
Your curse can’t be lifted completely, but as written in the records, there is a way to slow down its progress.


P467

In this world, there are many “supernatural things” which normal people can’t see. You just weren’t aware of it before.
It’s not always clear if they are good or evil though.

But if you want to continue living as a “human”,
you’ve got no choice but to eat their souls to survive.

......
Hey... What would happen if he didn’t eat any?

If he didn’t eat any souls...
he would surely...
create his own curse...

Like an evil spirit...
he would curse, hate, envy, punish and kill the people around him.


P468

Yachie-san...
...I...
In that case...

I’ll do it......
I’ll just have to do it......!

No matter what I do, or don’t do, I’ve only been causing trouble for others...

...That’s why...

I’ll struggle as hard as I can!
I’ll eat all the demons and spirits or whatever... And stay human, until I die!

If you die like that, you might still curse other humans, you know?

Then...
I’ll find it....... I’ll...


P469

I’ll find a way to break...
the curse of the wishing stone...!

......

...Pfft.
...Heh heh heh......

...Heh heh heh heh heh.
Ahahahahahaha!
sfx: bwahahahaha
sfx: shock
Wh-... What’s so funny?!
No... I was just thinking how naïve you are...
Hey... I’m serious here......

Ah... It’s fine. You go and do that.
Right, Nirasaki?
Ahh, that was hilarious.
Yeah!
You’re so cool, Ataru-kun.
sfx: poof
!!


P470

No matter which path you choose to take...
I’ll always help you, Ataru-kun.

sfx: blush...
Th-... thanks...

...Pfft.
You’re both so naïve!
sfx: snap...


P471

sfx: crackle

......
Phew...

I’m looking forward to see...
how he will develop...

his “bonds”...


P472

sfx: roar

sfx: roar roar

......
...What......?


P473

sfx: roar
Are you crying...?

...No... You’re not...
That is...

Warauishi
---part 2---
“Bonds”

how you laugh.


P474

Now I know what’s going on........

But... What should I actually be doing...?

Huh?
You’re gonna eat souls, aren’t you?

Well, yeah, but...
How should I find and gather them?
Ah.

It probably won’t always go as smoothly as with Azuki......
Not all of them would be able to communicate, or understand my situation.
...Yeah.

Aaaaaaah...
sfx: Aaaaah
I acted all high and mighty because I thought it’d work out somehow...
But now that I think about it, I have no idea where to start...

Hey! I know!
!

Come with me, Ataru-kun!

...Huh?


P475

...And...?

What’re we doing at an amusement park...?
Wow, look at that! That roller coaster is huge!!
sfx: flail flail
Ah!
There’s a super-scary looking haunted house over there!
Why...? Why is this......?

Um... Nirasaki-san... Why did we come to an amusement park...?
Because I’ve never been to one before!
So... you see...? I really wanted to go!
sfx: shake shake
Ah... That’s not what I meant...

But with so many people gathered here, there’s bound to be a spirit or two, don’t you think?
...Hmm... I guess you’re right......


P478

Look!
I wanna go on that!
It looks fun!
Hey, wait...! Nirasaki...

You’ve got to relax once in a while!
Right?

Come to think of it...


P479

How long...

Are you ready?
No, stop!!
has it been...

since I played with someone like this?


P480

When was the last time...

I laughed like this...?

Ah....
Oops...


P481

In the end, we played around all day... What the heck am I doing......?
I’m tired... My body feels heavy...
sfx: sparkle
Hey, Ataru-kun! I wanna go on that ride one more time!
Why does she still have so much energy...?

...Sorry... I can’t take any more...
Geez! You’re so weak!
sfx: boo boo
Fine then! I’ll go by myself!

Wait here, okay?
sfx: zoom
I’ll come back after I’ve gone on it three more times!

......
Her stamina is amazing...
...Hm?

......
...Ah...

That person...

Could she be...
possessed by something...?


P482

What should I do...? If she’s really possessed...
should I tell her......?

But what should I say? “Hey, you. You’re being possessed”?
No way, I’d sound like some kind of scammer.
Then maybe “Have you noticed anything strange around you lately”?
No, that sounds even more like a scam! I’m an idiot!!

Anyways, calm down...
I should just talk to her, but keep my distance...

sfx: stare
Um... Think...
I need an excuse to talk to her...

“I dropped my handkerchief.” “Can you lend me your phone?” “I slipped and fell.” “What time is it?” etc...
......
Ah...

Um...
Is there... anything... wrong?

Oops!! I stared at her too much... It’s a bad habit of mine!!
sfx: gloom
Ahh...

Wait...


P483

You... can see me?

...
Huh?

......
Ah... Um... Could you be... This is going to sound really rude, but...

Are you a ghost...?
Yes.


P484

I found you.

Ah, this sucks.
So ghosts hang out together and go on dates at amusement parks nowadays, huh.
...Times have really changed.

No way! How shameless! That’s unacceptable!

...So?
What are you gonna do?


P485

I see...
sfx: slump
I’m so glad...
Huh...? Um... Are you okay?
Ah, I’m okay! I was just talking to myself.

Well, actually... I was wondering about what to do.
I wanted to tell you something...

There’s something that looks like an evil spirit behind you...
I know.

But...
sfx: fwoosh


P486

sfx: fwoosh

It’s impossible for me to...

remove it.

To be continued in the July issue!!