Chapter 23

**The Price of Flames** (対価の火, *Taika no Hi*, ***The Price of Flames***?) is the 23rd chapter of the *To Your Eternity* manga.

## Summary

Confused, Booze Man asks Gugu what he needs alcohol for. Gugu, desperate and tipsy, yells at Booze Man to give him the strongest beer to put inside his belly. Rean and her parents are shocked and confused by the spectacle. As Gugu continues trying to explain the situation, Pioran cues in and realizes what is happening. She tells Booze Man she can take over and tells him to do as Gugu says. Booze Man agrees and starts pumping his strongest alcohol into Gugu's stomach.

Gugu flinches in pain as the alcohol enters his body. Booze Man explains there might be some internal damage and warns Gugu that he might die. Gugu yells at him to keep putting the alcohol in.

Meanwhile Rean is fighting against her parents who want to leave and take her home. She keeps insisting she wants to stay at Booze Man's place. Her parents scold Rean for causing problems and acting up. Pioran, who was watching, comments that Rean's problem is that her parents don't see a problem. Gugu steps in and tells Rean's father, Igoss, that Rean can't go back. Igoss complains that he raised Rean to not make a fool of herself to which she retorts that she doesn't want to leave because she wants to live freely and foolishly. Rean's mother chimes in saying she understands now and that Rean is acting out because she doesn't like that her fiancé was decided for her. Rean denies the claim and Gugu is shocked. Before leaving out the door, Gugu drunkenly states, "don't know who the guy is, but let me say, the one who loves Rean the most is me, Gugu!" Rean blushes. Rean's parents start to leave with her and Pioran steps in blocking the doorway.

Gugu runs through the forest shouting for Fushi and then spots Oniguma towering in the distance. He first believes it's Fushi, but upon closer inspection it turns out to be a Nokker. Gugu runs towards the Nokker asking what it's done to Fushi. Now with a belly full of alcohol, he blows a giant flame at the Nokker. The Nokker reacts in pain to the surrounding flames and Gugu continues blowing more at it. The Nokker eventually burns into a pile of flesh. Believing Fushi is gone, Gugu cries beside the pile, apologizing for being a powerless brother.

Gugu notices specks of light flowing from the pile towards a rock in the forest. The Beholder watches and comments that Fushi is lucky and that Gugu's fragile, but not weak, existence will help make Fushi stronger in time. Gugu picks up the rock and it transforms into Joaan. Fushi looks around confused and Gugu explains he defeated the Nokker. Fushi is shocked and nibbles on Gugu's hand referring to his promise last chapter if Gugu came back. The two play around and Fushi thanks Gugu.

They head back to Booze Man's place where they're greeted by everyone.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Booze Man
* Gugu
* Igoss Cropp
* Rean's Mother
* Rean Cropp
* Pioran
* Nokkers — Form(s): Oniguma
* Rean's maid
* Fushi — Form(s): rock, Joaan, The Nameless Boy
* The Beholder

## Chapter Notes

* It is revealed Rean has a fiancé chosen for her by her parents.
* Gugu defeats the Nokker with his flames. Making him the first human to do so.
* Fushi regains all the forms he has lost.