Chapter 51

Chapter 51: "The Fire of Farewell".

Long Summary
Tonari, put to sleep with morning glory, is being held hostage by Hayase. Hayase asks Fushi if she should kill the children (Mia, Uba, and Uroy) and to let her kill them for his sake. Fushi is confused and Hayase explains that he wants to live a pristine life without killing, hurting, or stealing and that that is the reason he couldn't kill her. She goes on to say that she even took on this terrible role to protect him.

Fushi tells her to put Tonari down and then they'll talk but Hayase threatens to throw her into the fire pit if he moves any closer. Fushi says Tonari has nothing to do with this, but Hayase explains that this is a negotiation. Hayase says Fushi needs her because, if he refuses her, his hands will be dirtied with the blood of his friends. Tonari wakes up to see Hayase holding her over the fire pit. Hayase tells Fushi that she will not kill Tonari, but in exchange, she will kill Mia, Uba, and Uroy. In order to save Tonari, he only needs to agree to her terms. Tonari looks over to Fushi and shakes her head. She then kicks off the ledge and drags Hayase into the fire with her while Fushi runs towards them.

Thinking to herself, Tonari says that if she could choose her destiny now, this is what she would choose. Smiling, she tells Uba, Mia, and Uroy that she'll be joining them soon.

Suddenly, Fushi catches Tonari and Hayase and brings them back to safety. Fushi says it's a good thing he was able to save them and tells Tonari not to worry about Hayase because he put her to sleep with the morning glory. He then ties Hayase up and pulls Tonari away from her. They both look over to see Uba, Mia, and Uroy's corpses walking towards them. Tonari, shaking with fear and sadness, picks up a sword and prepares to kill them. However, Fushi takes the sword from her and walks forward.

After the Knockers are dead, Fushi, Tonari, and Sander are seen mourning the deaths of Uba, Mia, and Uroy. Tonari says that even though Uba was sold off for a silver coin by her parents, she still grew up to be a kind and thoughtful kid. Mia taught Tonari the meaning of friendship and Tonari says the only reason she was able to laugh on this island was because of her. Uroy was like a kind older brother to the group and, no matter what, whenever they were in trouble he would always take out his sword to defend them. Tonari says they were her reason for living.

Fushi apologizes for saying they "weren't normal" when they first met, but Tonari says he wasn't wrong and that they knew they weren't normal. They were "struggling against the way of the island by trying to defeat it," and that everyone was laughing afterward. Sander remembers they told Fushi "as if you're one to talk!" And older villager appears and tells Fushi he would like to start collecting the corpses. The older man notices the chief, Tonari, and asks why her and her friends are here. Tonari tells him they came back to fight with the island in it's time of crisis. The older man breaks down crying, saying these children have done nothing wrong yet they had to die like this.

Fushi, Tonari, and Sander are next seen watching the corpses burn. Another villager comes over to Fushi and says the island needs a leader and asks if he could give a few words. Fushi declines because he believes everything that happened was his fault. The villager then turns to Tonari and asks her if she can give them a few words. She tells them "A mountain of corpses will only attract evil, so stop the needless murder and live to help others." The villager runs to tell the people and Sander says he hopes word will spread. They ask Fushi what he plans to do now and he says that if he stays here the Knockers will return. But, he says he has some time left and plans on going around the island to make sure everything is working before he leaves. Fushi then asks Tonari and Sander what they plan to do and they say they decided they'd stay on the island.