Episode 12

## Episode Chronology

**Umbrella and Ink** (傘と墨, *Kasa to Sumi*) is the twelfth episode of the Jigokuraku anime series.

## Synopsis

Sagiri and the others set foot in Lord Tensen's territory Hōrai in their search for Gabimaru. What was waiting for them there is the Tensen Mu Dan. With his sadistic smile representing his passion for experimenting on humans as his Guinea pigs, Mu Dan sets his sights on Yuzuriha. However, Senta stands in his way to protect his assigned criminal.

## Plot

After severing Hōko's head, Mu Dan comments on how Sagiri, Yuzuriha, and Senta are the first humans to make it to Hōrai in 1,000 years. Sensing how dangerous he is, Yuzuriha flees in fear. However, Mu Dan instantly catches up and restrains her, telling Yuzuriha that she didn't have to run since he doesn't plan to kill her quite yet. Though she could also tell that Mu Dan is stronger than the monsters she had previously faced before, Sagiri points her sword at him demanding that he let Yuzuriha go and asks Mu Dan to identify himself. Hōko answers that the man standing before them is one of Lord Tensen. Senta becomes surprised that Hōko can continue to talk and is informed by Mu Dan that, although it was not enough to kill him, his transformation will accelerate to turn him into a tree completely. Hōko gives his acceptance to his fate, believing that his soul while be able to rest in Hōrai. However, Mu Dan tells him the truth that his people's beliefs were all lies in order to maintain order on the island and that the island acts as a place for conducting experiments on life, which his people were no more than mere prototypes. Mu Dan then presents his Kyōshi, humans he experimented on as research materials, to hold down Yuzuriha and use as a chair. After adding that the humans who come to the island become Tan, Mu Dan hears Senta referring to the potion as the "Elixir of Life" and explains that what they seek does not exist since Tan will turn non-Tensens into trees and that Lord Tensen is still doing researching on it. Hearing this news, Sagiri becomes worried for Gabimaru since this meant that he cannot receive the pardon.

Mu Dan suggests to Sagiri and Senta to allow themselves to be captured and looks towards Yuzuriha as he states the things he has in mind for them. However, Mu Dan looks to see the Kyōshi restraining an Arborified Hōko in her place and is suddenly caught with a sneak attack by the kunoichi. After decapitating Mu Dan and rendering the Kyōshi immobile without orders from their master, Yuzuriha believes that they are clear to escape. Seeing Sagiri spacing out about the news concerning the Elixir of Life, Yuzuriha first thanks her for being concerned for her well-being earlier, in light of her preparation to abandon her, and tells Sagiri that they should focus on staying alive by fleeing the area, which the Asaemon agrees to do. However, Mu Dan regenerates from the damaged he took and orders the Kyōshi to attack Yuzuriha by having them detonate to release a corrosive substance. Yuzuriha manages to avoid the attack and is sensed by Mu Dan to be using Tao, though she states that she is only familiar with the term "ki". Noticing that Yuzuriha has not fully mastered it, Mu Dan offers to teach her but is interrupted by Senta who draws his sword refusing to allow him to do as he please to her if it concerned her well-being. Not interested in the other two, Mu Dan continues to direct his attention to Yuzuriha and states his intentions on using her for Bōchū Jutsu if she deems capable of wielding Tao properly or have her turned into Tan.

Noticing Senta drawing his sword for a criminal, Sagiri starts to wonder if he has developed feelings for Yuzuriha. Too slow to react to Mu Dan who instantly appears in front of her, Sagiri is hit with Tōate that sends her back. After explaining what the technique was to Yuzuriha, Mu Dan finds both his hands and right leg being cut off by Senta and tells him to not interfere. Despite the help, Yuzuriha also tells Senta to not get in the way and attacks Mu Dan with her ninjutsu by poisoning and shredding his body to pieces. However, Mu Dan regenerates from the damage and states that her ability is an application of Tao but was not quite using the energy as intended to manipulate it better. Senta cuts the top portion of Mu Dan's head and suggests to Yuzuriha looking for the right opportunity to find a way to beat him. This then prompts Mu Dan to leave his eyeballs unregenerated and using Tao to sense and easily dodge their attacks, proofing to them that their strategy is ineffective since he can sense movement with Tao and that without mastery of Tao they are no match for him.

Hōko is asked for help from Sagiri by giving her any clues as to what Lord Tensen's weaknesses are but replies that everything that is happening is divine punishment that he will accept since he still believes that Mu Dan is a god. Sagiri tells Hōko that she understands where he was coming from but begs him to help, pointing out that death will lead to him never seeing Mei again. After noticing how Yuzuriha's Ninpō: Kawarimi earlier bore resemblance to hōjutsu, Mu Dan prepares to target and kill Senta but then moves out of the way of Sagiri attempting to slash him. Knowing that he can sense her intentions, Sagiri comes up with the plan to throw her sword at Mu Dan's navel and slash at it as she follows Hōko information on how Tao is generated through the tanden. However, Mu Dan remains standing as he explains that attack without Tao cannot hurt him, which was a problem for them since none of them has mastery over Tao. In light of this, Mu Dan moves back after he senses a burst of Tao flowing out of Sagiri, as the latter took note of something up close and controlled her breathing, and receives a minor wound from her. Mu Dan wonders how Sagiri managed to accomplish this, knowing that the size of Tao can only be controlled through one's mind, and speculates something about her. Yuzuriha and Senta then notice that the wound Sagiri gave to Mu Dan is not healing.

Sagiri informs Senta and Yuzuriha that she had detected a unique aura emitting from Mu Dan upon getting up close to him and believes that it is the same aura she sensed from Gabimaru and Rokurōta. Yuzuriha figures that a certain amount of Tao is needed to defeat Mu Dan and that Sagiri is able to increase hers using breathing techniques but questions why the Tensen is unable to regenerate. Though he comes to realize that Sagiri's Tao is poison to him, Mu Dan becomes delighted to see whether she will end up becoming Tan or if he will die by her hands. Though Sagiri offers to take the lead, Senta recommends that they work together to increase their chances of success.

Using Hōjutsu: Tsuchinoto no i — Yakei, Mu Dan vanishes from Sagiri's sight and reappears in front of her to attack. However, knowing how his technique works, Yuzuriha prevents Mu Dan from attacking by restraining him with her mucus strings. Before Sagiri could bring her sword down, Mu Dan releases a burst of Tao from his mouth to push Sagiri back and orders the Kyōshi to attack Yuzuriha. Senta then comes in to protect Yuzuriha by striking the Kyōshi down but takes a hit from a Tao projectile shot by Mu Dan after Yuzuriha sees the attack coming to move out of the way. As Sagiri tries to land an attack, Yuzuriha and Senta back her up by slashing at Mu Dan's arms and legs to immobilize him, only for Mu Dan to use Hōjutsu: Tsuchinoe no i — Kūkei to have himself float in the air and distance himself from them. He then shifts into his Yin form and unleashes Senjutsu: Suzusashi to have multiple Tao projectiles rain down on them and cause much damage. While taking cover, Sagiri notices that she is almost at her limit but is pushed by Yuzuriha to keep fighting since she believes that it is possible to defeat their enemy and tells her that she will restrain Mu Dan to give the chance to kill her.

Using her mucus strings, Yuzuriha grabs Mu Dan's leg but is left open for the Tensen to bombard her with Tao projectiles. Despite taking damage, Yuzuriha remains standing to furiously bring Mu Dan down and yells out to Sagiri to attack while she has the chance. After Senta comes in from behind to restrain the Tensen, Sagiri is given the opening she needed to slash Mu Dan across his tanden and finish him off.

After the battle comes to an end, Sagiri goes over to Hōko to pick up his head as she worries for his metamorphosis but is told by him that he is still okay, much to her relief. She then tries to process everything that has happened and voices her worries about the Elixir of Life not existing. Yuzuriha replies that they will simply have to think of something else and looks towards the golden statues as possible compromise. While sitting down to rest, Senta is asked by Sagiri if he has feelings for Yuzuriha and reacts with embarrassment. He clarifies to her that he is rather envious of Yuzuriha since she has the privilege to be free, something he was never given as a child who was forced by his family to serve the Yamada clan instead of living out his dream as an artist. Though he adds that it must be silly for an Asaemon to admire a criminal, Sagiri tells him that she slightly understands where he was coming from and suggests the idea of having everyone on the island work together to escape, which Senta agrees.

Meanwhile, Gabimaru believes that he has not yet mastered Tao yet after just awakening it and unfortunately realizes from Fuchi that he won't be able to ask about the Elixir of Life from the two Dōshi after they have been killed. While Fuchi thinks that they should ask Mei about the Elixir of Life, Gantetsusai thinks that it would be cruel to have her lead the way after learning the connection between her and the monsters. On the other hand, Gabimaru tells Mei that he is willing to pay his debt to her for saving him twice. Seeing this side, Fuchi recalls Sagiri records on Gabimaru and how he is acting different than what she reported, though he questions whether this side of him will have an effect on his goal. The three then become shocked to see Gabimaru bleeding from the nose, followed by him fainting.

Looking at Mu Dan's corpse, Yuzuriha takes note of the flowers sprouting from the body and informs Sagiri and Senta. Out from the flowers emerges a flower stinger that targets Yuzuriha but ends up stinging Senta after he comes in to push her out of the way. In the process of being stung, Senta's head starts to bloom flowers while he goes into a trance where he dreams of drawing Yuzuriha. Sagiri then falls to her knees in terror as Mu Dan enters his Kishikai transformation and asks Yuzuriha what they should do next, only for the kunoichi to lose hope in having to fight the Tensen again. The two remain helpless as multiple flower stingers target them, however, Shion arrives on time to cut them down and save Sagiri and Yuzuriha.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Mu Dan
* Hōko
* Yamada Asaemon Sagiri
* Yuzuriha
* Yamada Asaemon Senta
* Gabimaru
* Mei
* Rokurōta (flashback)
* Moro Makiya (flashback)
* Yamada Asaemon Fuchi
* Tamiya Gantetsusai
* *Centipede Dōshi*
* *Butterfly Dōshi*
* Yui (flashback)
* Yamada Asaemon Shion