Through the Mist, a Name Unveiled

Through the Mist, a Name Unveiled is the second part of .
==Steps==
# Ask Ryuuji for information
# Ask Amenoma Tougo for information
# Go to the Nagato household and find out what happened
# Go to the warehouse where the fire broke out
# Follow the scent and look for clues
# Follow the scent and look for clues
# Defeat the hilichurls
#* Wave 1: , 
#* Wave 2: , 
# Talk to Kazuha
# Keep following the scent and looking for clues
# Defeat the attacker
#* 
#* Kaedehara Kazuha joins as a trial character
# Talk to Kazuha
==Trial Character==
==Dialogue==
;(After the previous quest)
: Paimon: The Detective Agency knows the most about what goes on in town.
: Paimon: Let's see what Ryuuji has to say!
----
;(Talk to Ryuuji)
: Paimon: Hey there, we'd like to ask you a quick question.
: Paimon: Do you know if anyone around here has been looking for him? For Kaedehara Kazuha, we mean!
: Ryuuji: Aha, so this is the renowned Mr. Kaedehara! I've heard a lot about you. It is an honor to finally meet you today.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: You are too kind. We are currently investigating an assault, and would appreciate any help you can offer.
: Ryuuji: Oh? You were targeted in an assault? Let me think... I can't seem to recall anything of immediate interest.
: Ryuuji: Mr. Kaedehara is currently the talk of the town, so there are always a lot of people looking for him.
: Ryuuji: To be honest with you, our Detective Agency has recently been receiving many inquiries from people wishing to obtain Mr. Kaedehara's personal information.
: Ryuuji: Some of them were offering us millions of Mora just to gather the information they want. If these were more legitimate commissions, Sango would have snapped them up in an instant.
: Paimon: M—Millions of Mora!? Whoa... wait, even at that price, you probably still shouldn't...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Please accept my thanks for looking out for my privacy.
: Ryuuji: Of course. No matter what, we only take on legitimate cases. We don't make our money by revealing details of other people's day-to-day life just for the sake of it.
: Ryuuji: Sorry, I got a little off topic. What I'm really trying to say is, it doesn't surprise me that a complete stranger is looking for Mr. Kaedehara.
: Ryuuji: But I wouldn't know where to begin if we want to connect this with an assault...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Then let's put that connection aside for now. Have there been any other attacks or similar incidents recently that stand out as particularly unusual?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The Tenryou Commission had very few leads. I thought you might have some information from different sources.
: Ryuuji: It's true that the Commissioners aren't clued up about every little thing that goes on out in the streets. But typically, it's only the most trivial events that manage to escape their attention...
: Ryuuji: If anyone had been out there attacking people, that would be assault, in which case the Tenryou Commission would absolutely get involved.
: Paimon: Th—That does make sense...
: Paimon: Uh-oh, looks like the trail's already run cold.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I still find it difficult to believe that whoever attacked you hasn't been causing any trouble elsewhere...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Few people possess your prowess in battle. So unless you were the first person he targeted, someone is certain to have been hurt by now.
: Is this your way of giving praise?
: It was also not easy for me to fight him off.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I am well aware of your talents, there is no need to be humble around me. In fact, I'm quite relieved that you were the one he targeted.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It would cause me great grief to see someone become critically injured or lose their life because of me.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: For the poor victim, this would be a completely senseless crime.
: Paimon: Don't worry, we'll find him!
: Ryuuji: It seems you are every bit the selfless hero they make you out to be, Mr. Kaedehara. Surely, this same concern for your fellow man is what drove you to fearlessly raise your blade against the Almighty Shogun.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: You flatter me. Truth be told, I don't know quite what came over me in that moment...
: Ryuuji: Haha, you are much too humble. Don't worry, I completely understand your concerns. I will try my best to gather whatever leads I can for you.
: Ryuuji: Oh, actually, there was one strange incident over the last few days. It doesn't involve an attack, though.
: Ryuuji: Let me tell you about it just in case.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Sure. During times like this, the more information we have, the better.
: Ryuuji: Alright then. Recently, two people went missing from the city at around the same time.
: Ryuuji: One of them is a pretty well-known collector, surname Nagato. The other, Amenoma Yuuya, is a samurai from the Amenoma Clan.
: Paimon: Amenoma... now there's a familiar name.
: Ryuuji: Right. Yuuya is the nephew of Amenoma Tougo, the owner of Amenoma Smithy.
: Ryuuji: Two grown men going missing at the same time... their cases are likely connected, but I don't know much in the way of details.
: Ryuuji: I recalled this because Amenoma Yuuya is also an accomplished martial artist who is skilled with the blade. Perhaps he is the one you are looking for.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Understood, though it seems highly unlikely to me... I neither know this man, nor do I have any idea why he may wish to attack me.
: Let's consider this a favor for Ryuuji.
: We'll investigate both incidents at the same time.
: Paimon: Sure, can't hurt! We never know what we might find out along the way.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Thank you, Ryuuji. We'll start by making some inquiries at the Amenoma Smithy.
: Ryuuji: Sounds good. All the best with your investigation. I'll get moving shortly myself.
;(Talk to Amenoma Tougo)
: Amenoma Tougo: Ah, if it isn't Kaedehara Kazuha! What brings you here today?
: Paimon: Huh? You two know each other?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes. The Kaedehara and Amenoma Clans were both members of the Raiden Gokaden. Historically, there have always been deep links between the two clans.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: After I returned to Inazuma, I visited Mr. Amenoma to pay my respects.
;(If the player did not take part in Hues of the Violet Garden)
:: "Raiden Gokaden"?
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Ah, let me quickly explain. The Raiden Gokaden was the collective term for the five most acclaimed bladesmithing arts in Inazuma.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: The techniques of blade-making were personally bequeathed to the Raiden Gokaden by the Almighty Shogun, and over time, further honed and enhanced by the most talented craftsmen.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Unfortunately, a series of events led to the gradual decline of many clans in the bladesmithing trade. Today, only the Amenoma Clan has kept its art alive.
:: Paimon: So sad...
:: Amenoma Tougo: *sigh* It is a great pity indeed. In the old days, we each had our specialties, and just as iron sharpens iron, so too did we learn much from each other.
;(If the player took part in Hues of the Violet Garden)
:: Ah. I see.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes. You may recall the story of the Raiden Gokaden from the Irodori Festival.
:: Amenoma Tougo: Though all bladesmiths trace their craft back to the same source, over time, each of us has arrived at a different blade-making philosophy, spawning the development of different branches of the same art.
: Amenoma Tougo: As an example, the Amenoma Art strives to emulate the abiding patience and determination of water as it turns stone to sand.
: Amenoma Tougo: There is nothing mystical to our work. There is only practice, day in and day out, until both body and mind have memorized the craft, turning each motion of every technique into an intrinsic part of the bladesmith's life.
: Amenoma Tougo: As for the art of the Kaedehara Clan... I believe it's called the "Isshin Art."
: Kaedehara Kazuha: That's right. Isshin Art strives for complete harmony between blade and mind from the moment that forging begins.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: For only a blade thus forged can capture and convey its maker's thoughts and feelings, and eventually become an extension of its wielder's will.
: Amenoma Tougo: Indeed. Most samurai choose their blades, but an Isshin blade chooses its owner.
: Amenoma Tougo: You are, without a doubt, the most worthy wielder of an Isshin blade... It gladdens my heart to see that although the Kaedehara Clan has fallen on hard times, its ideals and virtues are alive and well.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: You overestimate me. My actions are guided by my own personal sentiments, not by any noble aspirations on behalf of my clan.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But let's get back on topic. The purpose of our visit today is to gather some information on your missing nephew.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: We hope to assist with the investigation. It may turn out that this case is connected to another we are pursuing.
: Amenoma Tougo: Ah yes, my nephew... *sigh* I reported the case to the Tenryou Commission, but I haven't heard anything back so far.
: Amenoma Tougo: He didn't say a word before he left, which is very unlike him. I'm still completely at a loss on what to make of it.
: Amenoma Tougo: But I've done what I can so far. Worrying is futile, all I can do now is wait for the news from the Tenryou Commission.
: Paimon: We heard that there was a collector involved in the disappearance too. Know anything about that?
: Amenoma Tougo: Yes. On the morning that Yuuya went missing, he gave me a very cryptic look and said that he was going to give me a great gift.
: Amenoma Tougo: I believe he went to collect the item from Mr. Nagato after that. The next thing I heard was that a fire had broken out at the warehouse, and neither of them came back...
: A fire!?
: Amenoma Tougo: Yes. Strange, isn't it? I wonder what could have caused it? Unfortunately, there was very little evidence left behind, so nobody knows what really happened...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Hmm... Do you have any thoughts on what Yuuya may have wanted to give you?
: Amenoma Tougo: If I had to guess... it must have been some kind of rare weapon. Otherwise, there would have been no reason for him to get my hopes up.
: Amenoma Tougo: He's never been particularly interested in blade-forging, but has always had a fondness for blade-testing, and can sense even the most minute differences in blade quality.
: Amenoma Tougo: He is extraordinarily talented in martial arts, particularly when it comes to the art of the sword.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Truth be told, we have some information that you may find to be objectionable. The person we are looking for... he attacked this friend of mine.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Based on the evidence we have gathered so far, only Yuuya seems to match the suspect's profile.
: Amenoma Tougo: What? No, absolutely impossible. Yuuya is not that kind of person.
: Amenoma Tougo: He is humble and kind. Even his training is done with the goal of calming his mind. He has never gotten into a fight before.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Huh, is that so...
: Amenoma Tougo: Yes. If there's one thing I can say for certain, it's that Yuuya would never draw his blade without a very good reason.
: Amenoma Tougo: But with that said, it's equally out of character for him to just disappear with neither farewell nor fair warning.
: Amenoma Tougo: I also cannot know what course of action he might be capable of if coerced, or otherwise compelled by circumstances unbeknownst to me...
: Amenoma Tougo: Anyway, should you find him, please let me know as soon as possible.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Don't worry. You have our word.
: Paimon: Hmm... from the sound of that, Paimon doesn't think Yuuya was the one who attacked us as well.
: We still need to get the info from the Nagato family.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes. It sounds as if something happened when the two men met each other.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Let's pay a visit to the Nagato household.
;(Talk to Amenoma Tougo again)
: Amenoma Tougo: Growing up, Yuuya never caused anyone any trouble.
: Amenoma Tougo: *sigh* What could have happened to him...
----
;(Talk to Nagato Sachiko)
: Nagato Sachiko: I'm very sorry, but we cannot afford to pay what we owe right now...
: Nagato Sachiko: My husband has gone missing, and I'm still trying to find him.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: No, no, you misunderstand us. We are here to help with the investigation. We'd like to ask you some questions about Mr. Nagato's disappearance, if we may.
: Nagato Sachiko: Ah, I see... I thought the debt collectors had come to visit again.
: Nagato Sachiko: I'm sorry you have to see me in this dreadful state... Has some new information come out? Do you know where he's gone?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I'm afraid we don't have any new information at the moment. We're still trying to find out as much as we can to inform our search.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: With this in mind, can we perhaps ask some questions about your family's current situation?
: Paimon: For example, Paimon's struggling to understand why a collector would be strapped for Mora...
: Nagato Sachiko: *sigh* That's a long story. Ever since I've known him, he's been an avid collector of all sorts of things...
: Nagato Sachiko: He'd always get so animated when he was showing them to me... I knew nothing about the items myself, but seeing how enthusiastic and excited they made him, I was happy to believe that they were just extremely important to him.
: Nagato Sachiko: Everything was fine when we first got married. But as time went by, things changed for the worse...
: Paimon: Uh-oh, what happened?
: Nagato Sachiko: He lost his sense of restraint. He started buying more and more things, and even resorted to borrowing money just so he could pay for them.
: Nagato Sachiko: Our expenses really spiraled out of control when he started getting interested in weapons. It was awful. There were days when he'd spend hours down at the warehouse admiring his weapons even as debt collectors were descending upon our house.
: Nagato Sachiko: He wouldn't sell them, wouldn't even touch them. Just sat there staring at them, like he was in a trance.
: Nagato Sachiko: I'm happy he has a hobby and I'm willing to support him, but making ends meet has to come first. I've tried talking to him about it so many times, but he never listens...
: Nagato Sachiko: On the last day that I saw him, I gave him an ultimatum... I said, if he refused to sell his collectibles and pay off his debts, I would divorce him and take the children with me.
: Paimon: Whoa...!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: And that led to an argument...
: Nagato Sachiko: Actually, it didn't. Generally, he's a quiet man who likes to go with the flow. On most things, he leaves the decision-making to me.
: Nagato Sachiko: You must understand, I never would have dreamed of threatening him with divorce if the debts hadn't pushed our family to the brink...
: Nagato Sachiko: After I said those words, he froze, and was silent for a long time. When he finally spoke, he awkwardly mumbled that he would pick out a few items to sell.
: Nagato Sachiko: His voice was so meek and pitiful that I felt an urge to take everything back. But then what? If I didn't draw the line, what would happen to our family?
: You did the right thing.
: It's important to set boundaries.
: Nagato Sachiko: Had I not indulged his bad habits, we would not have found ourselves in such a predicament.
: Nagato Sachiko: And I also don't know if he had actually come to his senses, or if he was simply angry with me...
: Nagato Sachiko: The next thing I heard was that our warehouse had caught fire, and both he and the buyer had gone missing.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I see. I understand.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Amenoma Yuuya came to purchase a weapon from Mr. Nagato. During the sale, a fire broke out at the warehouse, and both men disappeared.
: Nagato Sachiko: At first, I assumed they must have gotten into an argument over the price...
: Nagato Sachiko: But my husband has never been one to negotiate. He never even haggles when he's out buying groceries, so it's hard to imagine him getting into a fierce argument.
: Paimon: Hmm... maybe he was feeling the pressure from the debts?
: Nagato Sachiko: I don't know. He just disappeared after the warehouse burned down.
: Nagato Sachiko: Perhaps he's too afraid to come home now that all his collectibles have been lost in the fire, and he's got no way to pay off our debts.
: Nagato Sachiko: *sigh* Even though I'm still a little mad at him, we're a family, and I want us to face our family's crisis together.
: Nagato Sachiko: As long as he's willing to turn over a new leaf, I know we can work things out...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Please don't get upset. There could be more to this situation than meets the eye.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If collecting things is a habit that Mr. Nagato has had his whole life, it is quite unusual for this habit to change so drastically over a short period.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But the information we gathered from the other side suggests Amenoma Yuuya is also a mild-mannered man who would not be likely to start an argument.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Hmm... this situation is getting a little confusing.
: Paimon: "A little confusing"? More like completely mystifying.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Let's try a change of scenery, and see if we can piece together what we've learned.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Rest assured, we'll notify you if we find anything.
: Nagato Sachiko: Ah, thank you so much. I just want him to come home...
:;(Kazuha, the Traveler, and Paimon move to a nearby location)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Based on the information we've gathered so far, I can only surmise that the sales meeting between the two men was somehow the catalyst for their disappearance.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The fire at the warehouse likely played a part in how the situation unfolded, though its exact role is a mystery.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: ...Do you have any thoughts?
: Paimon: Eh? Um, well... Paimon was thinking that maybe someone accidentally knocked over an oil lamp, and um...
: Paimon: Nope, never mind, Paimon's brain needs to rest for a while. Over to you!
: They must have had an argument during the sale.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: That is the most likely conclusion based on everything we know. What started as a disagreement over the price escalated and ultimately turned into a tragedy.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: However, in this case, only one of the parties would have started the fire. That would make the other party innocent, and they would have no reason to hide themselves from the public.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: If this is indeed what happened, and the innocent man hasn't come forward yet, then it suggests they may have already lost their life.
: Perhaps the fire was deliberately used to hide the truth.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: An interesting explanation. I was also considering this possibility.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Amenoma Yuuya is an expert on swords. He could have noticed some problematic details about Mr. Nagato's collectibles.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Maybe he recognized a blade as a fake, or a well-known stolen item. Either way, after arguing about it, the two men agreed to hide the truth of this matter.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: They thought a fire would destroy everything, but then the Tenryou Commission began investigating and uncovered some incriminating details, so they fled to protect their secrets...
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: But it's a far-fetched theory... I can't imagine how they would have been able to reach an agreement.
: We are still missing crucial information.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Right, I very much agree with you. It seems highly likely that we're missing a piece of the puzzle...
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: Working off what we know so far, there are too many things that don't add up.
:: Kaedehara Kazuha: The chances are that there are still some clues left for us to discover.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: One fact that I keep coming back to is that Amenoma Yuuya is polite and well-mannered, while Mr. Nagato is introverted and passive. Neither seems like the type of person who is inclined towards initiating conflict.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Mr. Nagato, being heavily in debt, is also the only one of them with a potential motive to disappear after the fire.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The more I ponder it, the more puzzling it becomes... just what could have happened there?
: This also doesn't seem connected to the case of the attacker.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Right. Although the time frame seems to broadly match, no other details that we've learned seem to link the two events together.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Amenoma Yuuya lacks a key distinguishing feature of the attacker — namely, that he is principally a practitioner of the blade-testing techniques of Amenoma Art, not those of the combat-oriented Isshin Art.
: Paimon: Darn, we thought we could get two birds with one stone here, but at this rate it's starting to look like a wild goose chase...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Hmm...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Let's keep going, since we've come this far.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If we can solve the case, both Mr. Amenoma and Mrs. Nagato will be able to get some closure.
: Paimon: Okay, but where should we go now?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Let's head out of the city and check out the warehouse. There's still a chance we may be able to find some shreds of evidence.
;(Talk to Nagato Sachiko again)
: Nagato Sachiko: Thank you for your help. The longer this drags on, the worse things at home will get...
----
;(Approach the warehouse)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Wait.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I hear something ominous in the wind.
: Paimon: Ohh, this must be another one of those sounds that only you can hear.
: Paimon: As sketchy as that whole thing seems, you did put it to good use when we were chasing down that Vision thief at Beidou's tournament, so...
: I knew we could count on you.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Hmm, now I'm picking up a strong scent in addition to the sound. It's right around here somewhere...
: Paimon: But there's nothing here.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It's gone now. But I can still sense the direction it left in.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It felt very much like that ancient presence in Inazuma... the remnants of the Tatarigami.
: Tatarigami...
: That's one thing I didn't expect to encounter here.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Indeed. But this unexpected spring of inauspicious energy may prove to be of benefit to our investigation.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: We should remain vigilant, and approach slowly.
:;(Kazuha, the Traveler, and Paimon approach a trapdoor)
: Paimon: Huh, so it's an underground warehouse...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The force is definitely coming from down below.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The source of the Tatarigami energy has long since left this place, but the residue it left behind still hasn't dissipated completely.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Judging from the concentration... I would have to conclude that the Tatarigami source resided here for a very long time.
: Paimon: Mrs. Nagato said her husband used to hang around the warehouse by himself a lot.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It could well be that he was already under the influence of Tatarigami energy at that time.
: Surely someone would have noticed?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: From what I've been told... Tatarigami does not turn all upon whom it preys into violent monsters.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But most will develop a stubborn streak upon being exposed to the Tatarigami's unfulfilled will. Their interests become fanatical obsessions.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Mr. Nagato had an interest in collecting to begin with. The influence of Tatarigami could explain why he became an obsessive hoarder, amassing more and more possessions even as he put himself in grave debt.
: Paimon: Um... so what should we do now? Go down and take a look?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Step back. I'll open the door and take a look inside.
: That's dangerous.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If we don't open this door, we can move no closer to the truth.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: You needn't worry. Both of us have faced far greater dangers than this. Relatively speaking, the risk here is trivial.
:;(Kazuha opens the door)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Ah... hmm...
: Paimon: What's down there?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Everything's buried in debris. I can't see anything.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It looks like the fire caused a cave-in, reducing the entire warehouse to rubble.
: So in the end, it was just a scare.
: I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing...
: Paimon: That was too scary! Paimon was so sure that the warehouse bogeyman was about to jump out at us...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: All we can do now is keep searching in the direction that the Tatarigami energy's source left this place.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Two ordinary humans, entangled with the Tatarigami... I fear much misfortune has already befallen them.
: Let's hurry.
: We cannot afford to delay any longer.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes, let's go. If nothing else, it's vital that we find out where this Tatarigami energy is coming from.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Quiet your mind and focus on what you sense around you... perhaps you, too, will perceive its ominous presence in the wind.
----
;(After following the trail)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: From this point, the trail appears to split into two.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The main source of the Tatarigami energy continued on into the distance. But a small portion remained here, and seems to be dissipating slowly.
: Two parts, so would that correspond to...
: ...Mr. Nagato and Amenoma Yuuya?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Quite possibly. Let's search the area.
----
;(Approach the Hilichurls)
: Paimon: Whoa, look at all those hilichurls! They're acting really strangely!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Something seems to be drawing their attention. Let's take a closer look.
;(After defeating the hilichurls)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I—It's...
: Paimon: Agh! Look at this red stuff... Wh—What is it?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: By the looks of it, a letter, written on a piece of torn clothing. The ink is bone-dry... it must have been written quite some time ago.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Well, let's take a look.
:
:
::I am Nagato. I was wounded by Amenoma Yuuya. He took my most precious blade. I chased him, but could not catch him. I lay down here to rest on account of my exhaustion. I thought that I might croak right here — my stomach kept on bleeding! But it seems that some strange power has sustained me...
::Why did he steal that blade? I was going to sell it to him! He even burned my warehouse down!
::Agh, it hurts. It hurts! But for some reason, I can't fall unconscious, so all I can do to distract from the pain is write.
::What will happen to Sachiko, Yuuichi and Yuuji...
::I'm sorry to them. I really am. Only now do I realize how stuck in my ways I was, and how blind to my obsession! I must have been cursed...
::I collected all those strange and bizarre things, but they won me not one iota of happiness or warmth. Put all of it together, and it still wouldn't have been worth a single word from her mouth.
::Thank you... and sorry for letting you down, Sachiko.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Mm-hmm...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: According to this letter, a conflict arose because Amenoma Yuuya wanted to seize a blade belonging to Mr. Nagato.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yuuya started the fire that destroyed the warehouse, and wounded Mr. Nagato in the fight. Mr. Nagato kept chase as long as he could, eventually stopping here to write this letter when his strength gave out.
: Paimon: So... where is he...?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: He was not only mortally wounded, but also under the heavy influence of Tatarigami. Add to that the fact that its aura seems to have attracted a horde of monsters, and... I'm afraid he may no longer be with us.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Whatever traces there may have been of his fate beyond after this point, they've since been disturbed by the hilichurls. There's nothing more for us to find here.
: Let's ask the Tenryou Commission to do a thorough search later.
: There are more important things right now.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Yes, right now, we need to uncover some more important truths.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If Amenoma Yuuya is attacking other people indiscriminately, then the longer we take to find him, the more people risk meeting the same tragic end.
: Paimon: Right, so let's get moving!
: How did it come to this...
: It's not in his nature.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I wouldn't be surprised if he, too, fell prey to the influence of the Tatarigami.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: For a practitioner of the martial arts, the easiest desire to inflame would be their pursuit of further power and skill.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: All the clues that at first seemed disparate and disconnected... it seems that now we know the thread that runs between them.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I have a hypothesis that, if it's correct, not only explains the series of events leading to the two men's disappearance, but also zeroes in on the attacker's identity.
: Paimon: ...Wait, you've figured it out? So these two cases are connected after all?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I believe so... but it's something of an outlandish idea. I will only be able to confirm my suspicions once we've met him in person.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: On with the search. We must stay vigilant. At any point now, we may find ourselves in danger.
----
;(Approach the island)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: He seems to have stayed here for a long time.
: Paimon: Why here? Is there anything special about this place?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I'm not sure... but on closer examination, I sense that the aura may have lingered here at several different points in time...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: ...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Show yourself! It's no use hiding anymore!
: ???: Hmph.
: ???: Kaedehara Kazuha... it's you, at last.
: Paimon: Aha! So it the same guy from before!
: Paimon: What's your problem, huh? What could you possibly have against Kazuha!?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Indeed, there should be no enmity between us... if it is Amenoma Yuuya that stands before us.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But what if instead of facing Amenoma Yuuya... we are in fact facing the blade in his hand?
: ...The blade?
: Paimon: Now that you mention it, it is giving off a strange light...
: Paimon: Whoa, whoa, surely you don't mean... Are you serious!?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Tatarigami energy often lodges itself within physical objects, then works to subtly affect any living organisms in its vicinity.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The blade has resided in Mr. Nagato's warehouse for many years, affecting his state of mind, and more recently using the sale as a means to affect...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Or rather, as a means to occupy Amenoma Yuuya's body.
: ???: Hmph. You're sharper than I thought. You've already deduced the truth of the matter.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Many, many years ago, I was forged by a famed bladesmith of the Isshin tradition. I was his pride and joy, in me, he placed all his hopes and dreams.
: Prized Isshin Blade: As a descendant of the Kaedehara Clan, you should be able to guess our greatest regret.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I presume it has something to do with the Raiden Gokaden.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Indeed. At that point in time, he failed to live up to the Raiden Shogun's expectations. In the end, all he could do was to flee the nation by sea, on a ship bound for Snezhnaya.
: Prized Isshin Blade: He was a bladesmith of great renown, a master of his craft! There was nothing that he could not accomplish! All he needed was more time, and a little faith.
: Prized Isshin Blade: And sure enough, in the end, he achieved what he had set out to do. All of his life's work — his wisdom, his skill — it culminated in his creation of me.
: Prized Isshin Blade: He not only bestowed upon me the greatest of strength, but also endowed me with a consciousness of my own...
: Prized Isshin Blade: In her conceit, the Raiden Shogun lost not only the single most perfect blade in the entire world, but also an irreplaceable achievement in the art of blade-forging!
: Paimon: So... swords can become conscious? And... control people!?
: Prized Isshin Blade: The people of the time in which I was born never believed I had that kind of power. They saw me as a mere blade — a sharp and well-crafted one, but in all other respects an ordinary weapon. Hmph, but that gave me the opportunity to take action.
: Prized Isshin Blade: After the death of my creator, I decided to leave Snezhnaya, and began my long quest to return to the distant land of Inazuma. Moving from one person to the next, I controlled the minds of countless hosts along the way, each bringing me one step closer to my ancestral home.
: Prized Isshin Blade: I seek but one thing: to face the full force of the Raiden Shogun's blade, and prove my power, the might of Isshin Art!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: So Amenoma Yuuya was not your first victim.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Tell me, what happens to those you've possessed when you've finished using them?
: Prized Isshin Blade: My hosts? Who cares what happens to them. They are but tools that serve my mission.
: Prized Isshin Blade: When they got tired, or injured, or unusable, I hopped to the next one in line. All I needed them for was to take me back to Inazuma.
: Paimon: You're awful!
: Prized Isshin Blade: After I returned to Inazuma, I decided to bide my time in Nagato's warehouse, until Amenoma Yuuya handed himself over to me on a silver platter.
: Prized Isshin Blade: At long last, I am approaching my journey's destination. By Amenoma Yuuya's body I have found you, and by your hand I shall defeat the Raiden Shogun!
: Prized Isshin Blade: Kaedehara Kazuha, you stood against the Raiden Shogun's Musou no Hitotachi. There can be no other to serve as my host for what is to come.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Now, give your body over to me!
----
;(After defeating the opponent)
: Prized Isshin Blade: Do not stand in my way, or I will strike you down too!
: Paimon: Your bluff's fooling no one. You've lost!
: Prized Isshin Blade: Lost? I can never lose. It is this body that has reached its limit, nothing more.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Even if you defeat me here, the one who falls will not be me, but this man.
: Prized Isshin Blade: He is but a puppet that can be replaced. I can take a new vessel at will.
: Then we will smash you into pieces.
: Prized Isshin Blade: The end result is the same! I will end this wretch's life before you can lift a finger.
: Prized Isshin Blade: And even if I were to lose my physical form, it is but a small setback. My consciousness shall endure.
: Prized Isshin Blade: By any means necessary and any medium available, I shall return and fulfill my destiny!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Your fighting style... it is indeed the forms of Isshin Art.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But from your movements, I sense only hatred and arrogance, as well as a thinly veiled mania and despair.
: Paimon: Really? You can tell all that just from his moves?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: As I've mentioned before, the forms of Isshin Art convey the user's thoughts and feelings.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Since the blade is currently possessing Amenoma Yuuya's body, its movements express the innermost thoughts of the blade.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If you ask me, the mania is probably due to your desperate, single-minded ambition. You believe I am your only hope.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Are you trying to claim that I am helpless without you?
: Prized Isshin Blade: On his deathbed, he passed to me all of Isshin Art's secrets. The little that you know barely scratches the surface.
: Prized Isshin Blade: In that regard, why would I ever need your help?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Because all of that is in the past.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I've been wondering why you've not caused more trouble in all the years that you've been in Inazuma, if you are indeed a cursed blade that can possess its owner.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Now that I've seen inside your mind, everything finally makes sense. You weren't biding your time... you were trapped.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Hmph...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: After all the time that's passed, you have grown weak, to the point that you are now unable to acquire a new host without making physical contact.
: Paimon: Ooh, that's right, Paimon remembers now! Mr. Nagato had a habit of never touching his collectibles!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Only when Mr. Nagato witnessed his wife's distress and decided to sell his collectibles did you finally have an opportunity to reach out to Amenoma Yuuya and make your escape.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Hmph, what of it!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Well, that brings me to my second point. There's a despair in you that is so strong, it threatens to overwhelm you.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: You were determined to fulfill your maker's ambition, whatever the cost. But this ambition is too grand, and too heavy for you to bear. Each step you have taken has come at a great cost.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I think you realized your limitations long ago. The more you clenched your teeth and pressed forward, the greater your fear of losing everything you had achieved grew, and the more you wished to run from the truth.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: But the way I see it... what began as an ambition has long since become a delusional fantasy.
: Prized Isshin Blade: What would you know about any of this? I'm just one step away from achieving my goal!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: You returned to Inazuma to prove the unparalleled brilliance of Isshin Art. But to make this arduous journey, you committed countless atrocities, and showed a blatant disregard for human life.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Even if you were to sever that divine light... is this truly the outcome that your maker would have desired?
: Prized Isshin Blade: You...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Sure, you inherited the secrets of Isshin Art, but even as you made your journey to honor this legacy, you treated the ones who wielded you as mere tools to do your bidding.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: How could you possibly unleash the full potential of Isshin Art, when you act in perfect discordance with the principle of harmony between a blade and its bearer?
: Prized Isshin Blade: Silence, you blabbering fool...
: Prized Isshin Blade: I must achieve my goal. This was his life's dream, and the very purpose for which I was brought into being.
: Prized Isshin Blade: I will concede that you are most perceptive. You see my predicament clearly... but you also underestimate my resolve.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: And you should face reality.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Easy for you to say! Facing reality offers me nothing!
: Prized Isshin Blade: I have no need of anything that would stand in my way. Not hesitation, not self-reflection, and certainly not your so-called reality!
: Prized Isshin Blade: ...
: Prized Isshin Blade: It is pointless to argue further, descendant of the Kaedehara Clan. If you wish to save this man, then offer me your body in exchange.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: How stubbornly you stick to your wayward path...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I do not believe for a second that you can challenge the Almighty Shogun in your current state. So let us make a bet, and I will put your strength to the test.
: Paimon: What? Surely you're not planning to agree to his demands...
: Prized Isshin Blade: Very well, then find yourself some enemies with whom you wish to cross blades. A taste of my power will more than convince you.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Once we have dealt with them, we shall proceed to Tenshukaku.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: And as for your end of the bargain, if you lose, you must release Amenoma Yuuya from your control.
: Prized Isshin Blade: I accept.
: Paimon: Don't do this, Kazuha!
: This is a risky strategy.
: You're dealing with a cursed blade that can possess people.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: This is the only way to save Amenoma Yuuya. If we don't do this, he'll forever be the blade's puppet.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The cursed blade's strength is currently very weak, and I sense he's hesitating. This suggests his heart is still not completely devoid of honor.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The power of the Tatarigami lies in intensifying existing obsessions. This is the reason Mr. Nagato and Amenoma Yuuya fell prey to it. Since I don't have any similar kinds of obsessions, I should be able to put up some resistance for a while.
: Paimon: But, even so...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Even if things take a turn for the worse, I still have you both here with me.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: We have a chance here to save an innocent victim. I am willing to accept the risks entailed.
: Alright, fine.
: It's not like I can stop you.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Your disdain for me betrays your woeful ignorance. I agreed to this bet because there are things I wish to learn, too.
: Prized Isshin Blade: Now, take me in your hand.
:;(The Isshin Blade flies into Kazuha's hands)
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Ugh!
: Paimon: Kazuha!
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I... I'm okay...
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I felt a little dizzy at first, but only for a moment.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: It's alright. So far, this was as I expected.
: If something feels off, let me know immediately.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: I will. Thank you.
: Paimon: What should we do next? Have you got a plan, Kazuha?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: We find some enemies.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Although this blade has endured much turmoil, it probably hasn't experienced many real fights.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If a blade built for Isshin Art cannot enter a state of harmony between blade and bearer, it cannot unleash its true power.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: If he wants to avoid reality, then we need to fight until he has no choice but to face it. He shouldn't last long in an intense combat situation.
: Paimon: Wait a minute... Paimon remembers hearing about something from the Adventurers' Guild...
: Paimon: Since the Takatsukasa Clan abandoned that secret base, it's been held by ronin ever since.
: That should fit the bill.
: Kaedehara Kazuha: Ah, alright. Please lead the way.
: Paimon: What about Amenoma Yuuya? What should we do with him?
: Kaedehara Kazuha: The blade says he'll let Amenoma Yuuya trail us silently. Although he hasn't regained his own consciousness yet, he is not in any immediate danger.
: Paimon: Are we sure this is a good idea? It's a pretty treacherous journey...
: Paimon: Okay fine... just be careful.
==Soundtracks==
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
es:Una revelación entre el caos
pt-br:Através da Névoa, Um Nome Revelado