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The Oni, Hoshiguma; the snake, Kinbee. Add to that a poor goldfin, and a wolf who believes its own nose—you. All your fates are intertwined.

Oh, there was also an unfortunate old man, but he's dead now.

Tessai-san?!

With his death, you finally have the chance to seize the happiness that you have longed for.

His death... my happiness? What do you mean?

Why... why is Tessai dead? Who killed him?

Is it so hard to guess?

What you REALLY should ask yourself, though, is if it matters?

You stand where countless people could only dream of standing, Moriuchi. This is a business opportunity, a big one. Choose right, and everything will be yours.

You want me... to stand on Kinbee's side?

Kinbee is a liar. He wouldn't let me live.

That's why it's a big business opportunity.

Kinbee is a liar, certainly, but he needs you. More specifically, Kinsekikai needs you.

The separation of the Kinsekikai and the Kinseki Group has entered the final phase. Only a catastrophic event could stop it.

Everything seems to be going according to Kinbee's plan, but he's about to find that he isn't as powerful as he thought.

You've survived for so long between the overworld and underworld of Kajimachi and Nita Street. As a man, you're not that far off from Kinbee.

Moriuchi is stunned.

In his mind, he fantasied about his reunion with the Kami countless times, but never in another thousand years could he have imagined that It would so calmly tell him something so...

...Terrifying.

You want me to take Kinbee's place? Is that the happiness that you're talking about?

Yes.

What if I take his place, but find it beyond my abilities...?

But you'll be rich. Very rich.

Rich...?

You'll be rich, whether you have the ability or not. Maybe not as rich as Kinbee is... but the kind of wealth that you could hardly even imagine right now.

Is money not happiness?

Was it not money that you and your family found when you were young?

Is it not because of money that Mitsukue, and this country, enjoy endless happiness?

Where would happiness be if money left you?

...Is this the lesson you have for me?

It's not a lesson, just the simplest law of existence.

Kinbee knows it. The Diet knows it. Virtually everyone in Mitsukue knows it... you knew it too, when you were little.

Moriuchi feels a chill come over him, as though the setting sun is suffocating in its own golden rays.

Is this really the Kami that he encountered when he was young?

Or is this simply an absurd nightmare... no, something trying to deceive him and make him abandon his search for the kami?

But Its mannerisms, the way It talks, even the line 'What does any of that have to do with me?'... he has never forgotten them.

In Moriuchi's memory, even those cold words seemed to be a kind of encouragement. Now, though...

Moriuchi is gasping for air, but the cold nightmare seems inexorably suffocating.

He reaches into his pocket and takes out the key.

There are numerous scratches on the old-fashioned key, with a tiny maneki-neko hanging from the keychain.

It has kept him company for many years.

Money is happiness, you say?

Maybe. Maybe that's what I always thought, deep inside.

But did you ever stop to think... before all that happened, I only ever thought of you as a friend, the only friend of a lonely boy?

The friend brought me happiness, for which I was very grateful, but could never repay. You had no intention to accept everything that I did.

When you disappeared after I failed to come to see you for a while, I thought it must be because I had neglected you.

I thought I deserved it, because I had abandoned my only friend.

You know? I almost did the exact same thing when I was being coerced by Mifune.

The Oni?

Yes. My guts wrenched in shame when she came to rescue me, but I couldn't say anything.

But you just told me that I got it backwards all along. It wasn't you who brought me happiness. You simply came to me because happiness was there.

Yes.

I see. You're a kami... you've never been any more or less than a kami.

I'm sorry for my arrogance, to think that I could befriend a kami, never mind trying to catch its tail.

Thank you for coming to see me, and telling me that I have been walking down the wrong path my entire life.

How could an information broker have any true friends?

Moriuchi raises the keys and takes off the maneki-neko accessory.

He looks at the keychain, as though he is talking to the kami behind it.

But I wanted a friend. A true friend.

Can you understand that? Would it make you... angry?

If you're not angry... might I be so presumptuous as to... make a bet with you?

Moriuchi stretches out his hand, into the sky unobstructed by concrete.

If I do as you say...

I'll never have a true friend for the rest of my life...

I'll never have true happiness.

He bites his lip and opens up his trembling hand.

The accessory falls straight down, like any ordinary object, and is soon swallowed by the dark streets beneath the setting sun.

...Sayounara.

Where are you going?

To find Hoshiguma. If Tessai's dead, as you said, then I have to go and help Hoshiguma.

She's in the back alley of Nita Street. The one with that tiny shrine.

Huh... huh?

What are you huhing for? It's me?

Maneki-Neko-sama, It—

Moriuchi turns around to see nothing, as though nothing was there to begin with, except for the orange-yellow glow of dusk.

He turns his head to the front, and sees the Nosy Kami floating in the air in front.

That neko left because you rejected It. Does that surprise you?

Then... why did you help me?

It's not me who wanted to help you. The star of our shrine told me to help you if I have time, for all the chikuwa offerings you made.

That neko could've done it Itself! Hmph!

Thank you for the help, and pass on my thanks to that... er... 'star'?

Don't expect me to help you fight. I'm just pointing the way.

After all, both of us have a score to settle with that bastard Mifune.

Moriuchi-san?

Did you come to help me, or stop me?

Help.

Did you find your kami-sama, then?

It's doing fine. Much better than I am. But It has nothing to do with me, now that I've found It.

Where's Momoka? Isn't she with you?

I was about to go in and rescue her—

Moriuchi? Is that Moriuchi?

The TV?

Moriuchi-san! Momoka told me your oden's the best in Higashi! I want to try it, once this is all over and done with.

Who are you?

Call me Sarasa, but we don't have time for introductions right now!

Momoka, Kichisei, get closer to the mic! Time to make battle plans!

Mitsukue's in for a BIG surprise!