| Chapter V: Kyousei Fukuin | ||||
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| Kuro Arashi: The Black Storm chapter | ||||
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| Focus Character | Motoko Aoyama, Seno Nakakami | |||
| Place | Hinata-Sou | |||
| Chapter Chronology | ||||
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- "So much happening so fast at once. Even staying in the background, it was overwhelming."
- —Shinobu Maehara, On a Wing and a Storm
The fifth chapter of Kuro Arashi: The Black Storm. This chapter features the reveal of Naru Narusegawa's powers and the return of Seno Nakakami.
Chapter Synopsis[]
The chapter opens where the previous left off, after the duel at Hinata with Motoko Aoyama weeping openly over Seno's cooling body. As the rain beings to pour, the residents of the Hinata-Sou attempt to usher the woman inside, which she refuses to do in her mourning, stateing quite plainly that she would freeze if it meant Seno would live once more. As Keitaro Urashima attempts to calm Motoko, Mutsumi Otohime appears and, at the sight of Seno, nears tears and whispers that she was too late.
Mutsumi then questions Motoko's affection, which Motoko confirms, saying she would kill herself willingly to be with Seno. Naru discreetly hides Motoko's sword, Youto Hina, behind her back at these words, but Mutsumi continues. She questions if Motoko would love to have Seno back in the world of the living, to which Motoko replies in retort, saying she would give everything to have him back.
Mutsumi then states she will do everything in her power to bring Seno back, and the warmth and love in the woman's words and beings causes Motoko's hopes to soar and, coincidentally, the stress of everything causes her to black out. Naru catches her before she can fall, and in her dazed state before passing out, she hears Mutsumi request that Keitaro and Naru bring them inside.
When Motoko seemingly regains consciousness, she finds herself in a void of white. Not knowing where she is, the feels the sudden warm presence of Seno's strong arms around her. Thinking herself in nothing but a dream, she weeps openly and questions why the dream ought to be so vivid when she's already lost her boyfriend. Seno's spirit goes on to explain that he gave this dream to her, to see her one more time.
The woman scolds him, saying that she should be apologizing to him for being the somewhat indirect cause of his death. The couple continues to talk in the dream-like afterlife, where they sort out any accounts they might have and then Motoko mentions that Mutsumi is going to try to bring Seno back. Seno states that Mutsumi is no ordinary woman and that it might be possible, and the scene closes with the couple sharing what might be their last kiss.
The following scene opens hours later. Motoko awakens to find Mutsumi praying over Seno's body, while Naru and Keitaro are sleeping lightly, as from stress and exhaustion. Keitaro stirs when Motoko does, and she thanks him for watching over her in her slumber. Motoko notices that the aura around Mutsumi is similar, bit inherently different than ki.
When a troubled look passes Mutsumi's face, Keitaro asks what's wrong. Mutsumi apologizes and states that they need to head outside once more, and that she will require Naru's presence. Motoko can accompany too, as it will help her. The four head back outside, carrying Seno, and Mutsumi clasps her hands once more, calling forth a brilliant light. The light baths Naru and she awakens as a half-angel, white feathered wings protruding from her back.
The rain pauses in midair, and Naru cups one single droplet in her hand, which she uses to heal Seno with powerful holy magic. For a moment, nothing seems to happen, but Seno is revived and Motoko tearfully falls upon him in embrace. Seno awakens and hugs Motoko back and the two thank Naru and Mutsumi wholeheartedly.
The reunited couple begin to pour their hearts out, and Mutsumi, Keitaro and Naru politely and discreetly leave them alone. The couple confirms their love once more, and the trio move downstairs to where the other Hinata residents await.
Mitsune Konno is the first to speak and the others are releived to know that Seno is alive once more. Kaolla Su questions how it was done, and Naru reveals her angel wings and heritage to the remaining residents. Shinobu Maehara faints, Kitsune swears off alcohol, Kaolla embraces Naru's wings and Haruka Urashima's cigarette drops to the ground due to her disbelief.
As Keitaro and Naru deduce that Naru's angel heritage had never been apparent before due to Naru being so scornful against Keitaro, Naru realizes that it has now surfaced because she has moved past that scorn and has grown to love Keitaro. She saddens in shame, stating it was no wonder she lost her power as an angel, to which Seno appears and lightens the mood with his presence and a joking mood.
After everyone is reassure all parties are in good spirits and health, Kaolla and Kitsune suggest the inevitable: a party.
Several hours later in the evening, as the Hinata residents booze themselves for the evening, Mutsumi is joined by Seno out on the front porch. The two converse and Mutsumi explains that she believes, knows, that the spirit that was within Seno was the unsent spirit of Kawakami Gensai one of the hitokiri, or manslayers, of the Meiji period that had bound himself to powerful fighters throughout the centuries.
Mutsumi states that it is troubling that Gensai was able to manifest and escape, and that the spirit now presented a threat to them all. Seno states that there was to be a fight ahead, then, and if that was the case, he had things he needs to finish up before fighting ensued. The chapter closes with Mutsumi asking, and Seno confirming, that these things had to do with Motoko, and that Seno states he would be taking a trip to Kyoto, starting the next day.