Swimming Through the Forest (
Summary
Yuka, Tsurugi, and Maru head to the forest for a wild encounter with a man-eating shark!
Plot Details
Usami assigns Yuka Okkotsu and Tsurugi Okkotsu a mission to exorcise a man-eating shark in Gifu, with Maru accompanying them. The Okkotsu siblings are confused, since Gifu is landlocked, but Usami explains that the shark was spotted swimming through forests rather than water. Later, as the trio travel to Gifu by train, Tsurugi tells Maru that cursed spirits only appear in Tokyo. Yuka clarifies what cursed spirits are when she notices Maru's confusion, while Tsurugi speculates that a curse appearing outside the Inhuman Makyo might be connected to the Simurians. Maru dismisses the idea, insisting there's no correlation, though he only manages to convince Yuka.
The shark had already claimed two victims. Witnesses reported seeing it near the mangled remains, yet no bodies of water were found at either location. After interviewing one witness, Yuka remains skeptical but presses on to meet the next, leaving Tsurugi and Maru to investigate the woods alone. During their search, Tsurugi asks Maru if strange incidents like this are occurring across Japan because of a secret alien invasion. Offended, Maru snaps back that humanity’s morality and rationality haven't developed enough to criticize the actions of aliens. Tsurugi counters by reminding him that the Simurians were the ones seeking refuge on Earth. Maru reveals that the Simurians didn’t abandon their home willingly, then demands to know why Tsurugi is trying to pick a fight. Tsurugi replies that he doesn’t want "an idiot" like Maru as deadweight on a mission. Stung, Maru asks why Tsurugi thinks he's an idiot in the first place. Tsurugi brings up how easily Maru subdued the kidnapper with his cursed technique, questioning why he hadn't done so from the start. Maru explains that his superiors ordered him not to interfere, prompting Tsurugi to ask whether he valued his orders above a child's life.
A shark suddenly appears before the two, catching them completely off guard. Tsurugi prepares to attack the creature with Honoyagi, but stops when Maru warns that using the cursed tool could ignite a wildfire. Acting on instinct, Maru grabs hold of the shark and tells Tsurugi to strike without using fire. Just as Tsurugi moves in, a man's face suddenly emerges beneath the shark’s body, remarking that he hasn't seen the two boys before. Shocked, Tsurugi and Maru exclaim that the man looks old. Later, the man scolds them for calling him old before asking what they're doing out in the countryside. He surprises them further by revealing his familiarity with jujutsu sorcerers, explaining that he’s a Jujutsu High alumnus.
Maru asks if the man is the man-eating shark that's been terrorizing the region, but he denies it. The man introduces himself as Osada, a former jujutsu sorcerer hunting the true culprit behind the recent killings: a tiger named Toranosuke. When Tsurugi expresses disbelief that a tiger could even exist in Japan, Osada explains that Toranosuke's grandparents were smuggled into the country by illegal foreign traders over twenty-five years ago and eventually made their home in the mountains of Gifu. However, the recent restoration of a massive solar power plant atop the mountain caused the river to dry up from the heat, forcing Toranosuke to descend in search of water and prey, leading to the attacks on villagers. Mistaking Osada, who was wearing a shark costume while pursuing the tiger, the locals assumed he was the man-eating beast responsible for the killings.
Osada reveals his intention to save Toranosuke rather than kill him, planning to contain the tiger in his home far from town. Tsurugi objects to the idea, insisting that any beast that has eaten humans must be exterminated. Osada's desire for coexistence resonates with Maru, who supports his ideals and urges Tsurugi to reconsider, but to no avail. Suddenly, Osada notices something and swims away. His séance cursed technique allows him to summon and utilize the powers of whatever he wears. By donning a shark costume, he can swim through the air and gains a nose sensitive to the scent of blood. Following the trail, Osada arrives at the source, hoping to find Toranosuke, but instead discovers blood splattered across a tree. Realizing too late that it's a trap, Osada is slashed and injured as Toranosuke leaps down from above. Arriving at the scene, Tsurugi intercepts the tiger and knocks it away from Osada, while Maru rushes to tend to the wounded sorcerer. Remembering his time with Toranosuke as a cub and realizing that his old friend is no longer the same, Osada tearfully asks Tsurugi to put an end to the tiger's suffering.
After Tsurugi kills Toranosuke, he finds Maru sitting quietly beneath a tree. Maru then reveals his true mission: to gather information on Earthlings so the Simurians can determine whether coexistence with humans is possible. He also explains that his cursed technique is shared with his younger twin brother, and he is forbidden from using it unless in emergencies, since excessive use would alert his brother. Maru's hesitation during the earlier incident wasn't due to indifference toward the children's lives, but because him being in danger and resorting to the cursed technique would make his brother trust humans even less. When Tsurugi asks why he's sharing this, Maru confides that he wants to be friends, inspired by the parallel between Toranosuke and the Simurians' struggle for coexistence with humans.
Suddenly, a tiger cub emerges from the bushes. As Tsurugi approaches, Maru warns him to stop, drawing Osada’s attention. Instead of attacking the cub, Tsurugi gently hands it over to Osada, asking him to raise it well and ensure it doesn't become another Toranosuke. Tearfully, Osada promises he will. When Maru asks if that was the right choice, Tsurugi replies that no one can know how the tiger will turn out, just as no one can predict the future between humans and Simurians. His words bring a smile to Maru's face. Meanwhile, Yuka finds herself stuck with three elderly women, unable to leave due to their overwhelming hospitality.
Character in Order of Appearances
- Marulu Val Vol Yelvori
- Yuka Okkotsu
- Usami
- Tsurugi Okkotsu
- Cross (Mentioned)
- Osada
Locations
- Gifu
Jujutsu
- Osada's Costume Séance Technique
Author's Comment
| Author's Comment | |
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Yuji Iwasaki |
The excitement each week over what to write here… Huh? Sharks and tigers? I love them! | |