Konjiki no Gash!! Chapter 14

**Protecting Heart** (守る心, *Mamoru Kokoro*) is the 14th chapter of Makoto Raiku's Konjiki no Gash!!. This chapter was originally released in Japan as part of volume 2 on August 9, 2001.

## Plot

While running away with Gash and an unconscious Tsukushi, Kiyomaro is shown to be seething with rage at the damage Haruhiko and Sugina have caused to the surrounding plants and innocent people at the botanical garden. Kiyomaro manages to get Tsukushi to a safe spot to lie her down on the ground, and tells Gash to listen to what he’s about to say. Kiyomaro explains to Gash that they have been fighting recklessly so far, and that they’re at a big disadvantage against these new enemies. Kiyomaro tells Gash they cannot lose, and that in order to do that they’ve got to fight smart, so there are two things he must ask of Gash. Meanwhile, Haruhiko and Sugina can’t find where Kiyomaro and Gash had run off to. Sugina says he can sense them, but doesn’t know exactly where they are. Haruhiko is confident they’ll manage to defeat Kiyomaro and Gash, because he knows the weaknesses of demons whose spells come from their mouth, and he thinks they still want to fight. He hears something coming, so he and Sugina turn around and find Kiyomaro pointing toward them. Kiyomaro shouts, “set,” before casting *Zakeru*. Haruhiko and Sugina dodge the attack again, and Haruhiko casts *Juron*. Sugina’s root comes up from behind to attack Kiyomaro and Gash, but Gash destroys it when Kiyomaro casts another *Zakeru*. Haruhiko doesn’t understand why his plan to confuse Gash and Kiyomaro isn’t working. He’s ready to attack them again, but Kiyomaro and Gash just run away.

Gash is impressed that Kiyomaro’s plan is working, and thinks back to when Kiyomaro first presented it to him. Kiyomaro had told him they have to move quickly, and that Gash needs to stay one meter behind him and watch his right hand, and turn his head whichever direction Kiyomaro points when he says “set.” Kiyomaro casts another *Zakeru* toward Haruhiko and Sugina, they dodge again and Haruhiko casts *Juron*, which Kiyomaro and Gash counter with another *Zakeru* before running away. Haruhiko becomes fed up with them and is ready to keep chasing them, but Sugina grabs him by the jacket. He asks Haruhiko if he’s noticed the way Kiyomaro and Gash are using their spells, at which Haruhiko realizes they don’t know the concept of how the spells work, and he regains his confidence. As Kiyomaro and Gash are still running, Gash reflects on the second thing Kiyomaro had asked of him which was to keep a heroic heart; a heart that protects. In a brief flashback, Kiyomaro and Gash go on about how despicable Haruhiko and Sugina are, and then swear to protect the innocent people.

Haruhiko and Sugina find Gash without Kiyomaro, so Haruhiko looks around and sees Kiyomaro carrying an old man away. Haruhiko is confused as to how the old man got down from one of the roots, and he looks around at the other roots and sees they’re all burnt, and that everyone who had been captured were now free. He finally realizes that none of the *Zakeru*s were aimed at him, but the roots instead. Upon this realization, Haruhiko is furious that they had taken away his hostages. He casts *Juron*, and Sugina launches two roots directly toward Kiyomaro and the old man. Gash catches both roots under his arms, and tells Haruhiko and Sugina that they will not be able to get past him.

## Features

### Characters by Appearance

* Kiyomaro Takamine
* Tsukushi Kinoyama
* Sugina
* Haruhiko
* Gash Bell

### Spells by Appearance

* Zakeru
* Juron