Episode 2

## "Gold Opens Any Door"

**"Gold Opens Any Door"** is the second episode of the *Revenger* anime.

## Synopsis

Together with Usui Yuen and his gang, Raizo has taken revenge on Matsumiine Jonoshin and the others who killed his fiancée's father. As he struggles to make amends on Yui's suicide, Raizo listens to Yuen's proposal in assimilating him in the killer organization Revenger, an illicit business that serves justice to fallen victims as an act of vengeance. Raizo strongly opposes the job, but things change when Revenger is called to another mission.

## Summary

In a dream, Hirata watches Raizo train his swordsmanship skills. Yui arrives to serve them tea, and Raizo later on promises Hirata that he will wield his sword for his and Yui's sake. Raizo hears Yui call him a liar, and he remembers the bloody scene of when he killed Hirata and his men, as well as Yui's suicide. At an inn, Raizo mourns Yui's death and believes that it should have been him who died.

At the ruins of an old chapel in the mountains, hidden from public view, Yuen meets his superiors to atone for his sins after successfully getting revenge on Matsumine. He performs penance in front of a decolorized statue of the Virgin Mary and is given absolution by his superior. Yuen is fed a Communion host doused in wine by a nun and is presented a stack of silver mon. His superior compliments one of his men's swordsmanship and comments that revenge must only be carried out by Deus' disciples; should they further lead others down the wrong path, they will then be faced with Deus' judgment. Yuen wonders who could ever do such a thing, and he is told that Deus sees all things that are done from up in Heaven.

Yuen meets Soji and Nio, who are not pleased by their low pay for their recent gig. They confront Yuen about it, and they are reminded about Raizo, who helped them with the job out of personal interest. Soji complains about Raizo's inclusion, while Nio suggests that they kill Raizo quickly out of worry about the Chapel finding out. Yuen tells them that the Chapel is already aware of it, and they are surprised, with Soji assuming that they will end up getting punished for it. Yuen insists on paying everyone on the team, implying Raizo's membership in Revenger, prompting Soji and Nio to complain.

Yuen defends Raizo's case, remarking that he had been deceived by the daimyo to kill his fiancée's father. When Soji continues to complain, Yuen suggests that they reimburse their pay to the Chapel and confess that they had failed the mission, excluding Raizo's help. Soji disproves this and accepts the payment regardless, heading to town to gamble.

Teppa checks on the health of a frail lady called Mana, when she hands him a bitten gold mon. She asks Teppa about it, as she had heard rumors from brothels about an organization that would settle disputes for a client in exchange for a gold mon with bite marks. Teppa wonders who she could hate badly enough to lead her to seek revenge, and she tells him of her husband, Inohachi, a gambling addict who put her up as collateral for his bets between him and his superior, Tenmokuya. When Inohachi fell into debt, he and Tenmokuya possessed all of her belongings, including those she had received from her now-deceased father for her betrothal. Having informed Teppa of her predicament, she begs him to help her get revenge.

Yuen meets a dejected Raizo, who refuses to accept payment for his services. Yuen then introduces him to his other line of work as a Revenger, which is to seek vengeance for the powerless by presenting a gold mon with bite marks on it. He tells Raizo that their work is committing murder nonetheless, but that there are evils in the world that must be purged from existence. Raizo admits that killing Matsumine was out of revenge for deceiving him, but he cannot fathom the thought of being paid to kill. Yuen explains that not everyone in the world is in the position to get revenge, hence Revenger's existence. He recruits Raizo into the group and presents the bitten gold coin, which represents the depth of a person's grudge, then invites him out for fresh air.

Yuen and Raizo arrive at Mana's wake in the mountains, where no light is present. Teppa explains that she could not spare money for a proper funeral because she had put all her finances into obtaining the gold coin, a sign of her deep grudge against Inohachi and Tenmokuya, who had deceived not only her but countless other women and sold them into prostitution. Yuen advises Raizo to discuss the matter with Yui, adding that he cannot go back to the life he once had and that he can only wield his sword for another purpose. Later on, Raizo bathes and grooms himself and apologizes to Yui as he comes to a decision.

Inohachi meets Tenmokuya, who warns him of being targeted. He introduces a man who will escort him out of Nagasaki. As Inohachi is dragged away, Teppa welcomes Raizo to the basement, where his equipment is stored. He hands Raizo a pair of boots before taking off.

Inohachi and his bodyguard escape by boat on the river. Teppa emerges on the rooftop of a building and calculates the distance to the target he must reach. Unraveling his bow, he targets Inohachi's bodyguard and sinks their boat in the process. Inohachi swims to shore, but Raizo beheads him before he can escape, using the boots given by Teppa to leap across the river.

Back at the shop, Nio baits Tenmokuya into following him by tempting Tenmokuya into sleeping with him. Nio leads him to an alley, where Yuen suffocates him using a golden sheet. Chanting a prayer to the Virgin Mary, Yuen kills Tenmokuya successfully.

After the mission, Teppa visits Mana's grave, leaving flowers by her gravestone.

## Characters in order of appearance

1. Hirata Genshin
2. Kurima Raizo
3. Yui
4. Usui Yuen
5. Gerald Kano
6. Nun
7. Nio
8. Soji
9. Mana
10. Murakami Teppa
11. Inohachi
12. Tenmokuya
13. Bodyguard