Chapter 2

## Chapter Guide

**This Monster Battle Stuff is Intense!** (さすがバケモンバトル!, *Sasuga Bakemon Batoru!*?) is the second chapter of *Ayashimon*.

## Summary

Maruo and Urara confront Shinjuku's border guard, Hashihime, as they attempt to enter Shinjuku. Hashihime easily defeats Maruo and hears Urara out about her plans to take revenge on the people who is responsible for Kio's, her father's, death. Maruo picks himself up to fight Hashihime once again and manages to defeat her, making way for him and Urara to enter Shinjuku.

## Plot Details

While riding the train at night, Urara explains to Maruo the role Kio played as the oyabun of Shinjuku who maintained the honor code of jingi within the Enma Syndicate and the Kabukicho underworld and how his death caused a disruption for the yakuza families. Maruo comments on how it should be exciting for him to get engage in the gang warfare ensuing, only to be told by Urara that he should not take the situation lightly since people are dying from this situation. Maruo then moves on to ask Urara about the other members of her party and becomes shocked to learn that he and her are the only members since had recently just founded the group after meeting him. Despite the number being small, Urara tells Maruo that it is a good thing since their small squad will be able to take advantage of the chaos ensuing in Shinjuku. Maruo asks if it would really be possible to accomplish what she hopes, to which Urara tells Maruo that she places her hopes on him to see this through.

Hearing this, Maruo starts to form many questions in his head as to who Urara is but becomes overwhelmed with his curiosity. The two then catch the attention of a little girl who asks her mother as to what they are talking about. Urara makes a cover up by telling the little girl that they are brother and sister and that they are talking about manga. Noticing him thinking too much into the situation he is in, Urara tells Maruo to calm down and focus on fighting, which excites him and causes a scene on the train. Getting back on track to their current mission, Urara tells Maruo that in order to enter Shinjuku they have to arrive at Shinjuku Gyoen, since public safety does not monitor this area, and get pass the border guard named Hashihime.

After arriving, Maruo and Urara confront Hashihime while in her yokai form. Maruo becomes informed by Urara that Hashihime is a secret member of the Enma Syndicate and that she takes on the duty of working at the gardens during the day while guarding the border during the night. He then becomes excited as prepares to take on Hashihime. However, the fight quickly comes to an end after Hashihime sends Maruo back into a pond with a single blow. After being left alone with Urara, Hashihime reverts back to her human form, commenting on how weak Maruo is compared to a fly, and kneels before Urara to ask that she turn back, explaining to her that the new Enma Syndicate has become more dangerous than before and that she will end up putting herself in danger if anyone in Shinjuku were to find out that she is the illegitimate child of Kio. She also explains that, since the day she made the personal decision to escort her out of Shinjuku, she wanted her to live a life that did not involve the underworld. Hashihime then asks if the reason she brought herself back was because she had doubts about the way her father died.

After hearing Hashihime's words, along with noticing her getting up from her kneeling position, Urara menacingly orders her to continue lowering herself before her, which the border guard follows. Urara then tells Hashihime that, despite her small body, she is an oni Ayashimon and that she can tell that she also believes that Kioh was murdered instead of dying of natural causes. However, Urara explains to her that what she wants is to take revenge on the one who murdered him instead of simply finding out the truth and curses his killer and the Enma Syndicate for being unable to protect him. She then states her objective to take back the family crest her father gave her and take down his killer and the Enma Syndicate, believing that it will be a final parting gift to Kio.

The two then notice Maruo resurfacing from the pool to once again face Hashihime with a look of glee on his face, thinking that intense monster battle like the one he just experience is waiting for him in Shinjuku. Hashihime takes note at how stubborn Maruo is and decides to face him in a one-on-one fight with the motivation to defeat him after wanting to convince Urara to give up on her ambitions. After taking three blows, Maruo gets knocked back into the garden and realizes that he needs to use his brain to defeat Hashihime. Hashihime tells Maruo that he will not be able to harm her due to her wax body being stronger than steel. However, Hashihime becomes shocked after Maruo manages to damage her arm with a special attack. Noticing her confused look, Maruo asked if she wanted to continue fighting him and informs her that she doesn't like to fight people who don't fight back since it gave him no fun. Finding his statement to be an insult, Hashihime continues to battle Maruo.

As Maruo and Hashihime fight, Urara watches as a spectator on top of a tree and starts to believe that Maruo is completely different from both an Ayashimon and a human, which works in his favor against his opponents. Urara also tells herself that if Maruo were to become too difficult for her to take charge then she will have no other choice but to dispose of him but has high hopes for him as her pawn. Having said this, Urara believes that the fight may have gone a little overboard after the garden gets demolished.

The battle comes to an end with Maruo as the victor. While down on the ground, Hashihime is thanked by Urara for her devotion as she prepares to depart. Hashihime states to Urara that she could tell that she sees Maruo as nothing more than an expendable pawn the same way she was treated before. Hashihime is then asked by Urara if this upset her, to which she answers no since she was proud of the fact that she grew up strong. Maruo sees Hashihime back on feet wanting to talk to him and reacts by telling her not to order him around since she lost to him. Hashihime warns Maruo that he needs to stay alert while in Shinjuku and be aware of the four most dangerous groups: the newly reformed Enma Syndicate, the Todoroki Alliance, the Ayakashi ☆ B-Stars, and the Kori Hotel. She also tells him that he needs to learn the rules of the ritual duel in order to protect his bosses honor. After being told this much, Maruo finds himself being overwhelmed with the amount of information he needed to process.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Kio
* Urara
* Maruo Kaido
* Hashihime
* Doppo Akari
* Kotton
* Rokurogi
* Tamagawa

## Chapter Notes

* Maruo learns that he is the only member of Urara's yakuza family.
* Maruo has yet to understand Urara's ambitions.
* Maruo and Urara attempt to slip into Shinjuku through Shinjuku Gyoen where they must get through the border guard, Hashihime.
	+ Hashihime easily defeats Maruo with one hit.
	+ Hashihime ask that Urara stay away from Shinjuku due to the danger of being Kio's illegitimate child.
	+ Urara tells Hashihime of her resolution to take back her family crest and take down both her father's murder and the Enma Syndicate.
	+ Maruo faces Hashihime once again and manages to defeat her with a special attack.
	+ Urara speculates that there is more to Maruo than meets the eye and contemplates on disposing him if he were to be too difficult to control as her pawn.
	+ Hashihime tells Urara that she is proud with the way she turned out.
	+ Hashihime warns Maruo of the four most dangerous groups in Shinjuku: the newly reformed Enma Syndicate, the Todoroki Alliance, the Ayakashi ☆ B-Stars, and the Kori Hotels.

## Navigation

 Volume 3 | 17  •  18  •  19  •  20  •  21  •  22  •  23  •  24  •  25

 Kori Hotel Arc | 19  •  20  •  21  •  22  •  23  •  24  •  24  •  25