Chapter 18

## Chapter Chronology

**The Stone That Brings Death** (死をもたらす石,, *Shi o Motarasu Ishi*?) is the 18th chapter of the Kemono Jihen manga series.

## Summary

Kabane sees another calculus on Yui's chest. Inugami describes it as the nil calculus, a calculus that brings death and is originally created in order to destroy and revive a barren land. Inugami then asks him what happen to the snow village since it is taboo to take it out. However, Yui refuses to answer the question and instead thanked Inugami for taking care of his little brother. The three then figures he is Akira's big brother and tells him that they came to get Akira back and asks if he is in the castle.

Meanwhile trapped inside the castle, Akira speaks to his plushie. Just then, Yui appears and tells him that the furniture he wants is already finished. Akira then follows Yui only to find Inugami, Shiki, and Kabane in a frozen state. Yui tells Akira that they are claiming to be Akira's friends and since he can't let Akira go outside. He froze them and brought inside. Seeing this, Akira becomes unwell and starts throwing up to which Yui asks if he's not feeling well and will go find some mint and leaves.

Akira still shocked tells that they are all dead. However, Big Brother plushies says that they are alive. Suddenly, Akira realizes that Kabane can't die and that Mr. Inugami and Shiki preserve their body heat to survive. Yui then arrives at the castle. Akira then asks Yui to bring him some salt and water since they make his skin smoother but in reality, it is a way to melt the frozen water on his friends. Yui again leaves for Akira's request. Meanwhile, Akira is determined to save everyone.

Outside the castle, Inari and Nobimaru arrives.

Back at the castle, while Akira panics over breaking Shiki's fingers, Kabane's frozen state melts and manages to move again. He then asks Akira if he knows something about nil calculus since Inugami mentioned it earlier. Akira then tells him that back in their village, there is a blizzard barrier that kept humans from coming in and it is from a stone's power. Kabane tells kira that that must be it and demands Akira to tell him more in order to beat Yui.

Kabane then tells Akira to go back to the office. Akira then goes silent and changes his attitude towards Kabane saying that he asked his big brother to beat everyone up and that he hates Kabane. Akira walks away while trying to freeze his tears. Yui then arrives and saw Kabane and tries to attack him however Akira stops him and says that he doesn't care about them and wants to live somewhere else. Akira turns around and says goodbye to Akira.

After Akira leaves, Big Brother speaks up and orders Kabane to put him between the frozen Inugami and Shiki since he can use his warmth as a machine. Kabane thinks about what Akira said earlier. Just then, Inari appears behind him and tells that she is there to retrieve the nil calculus and proposes a deal to Kabane to retrieve it since it has a connection to his parents.

Yui detects something at the outside while they are leaving and traps Akira in a ice cage. Nobimaru shows himself. Yui asks him what is his relationship to Akira in which Nobimaru says that he is just a stranger.Yui tries to attack him however Nobiamru manages to melt the ice on his legs using his power. Nobimaru then transforms into his kitsune form and plans to go all out against Yui since his boss is present there.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Kabane Kusaka
* Yui
* Kohachi Inugami
* Shiki Tademaru
* Yoko Inari
* Nobimaru
* Aya Tademaru (mentioned)