Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story XI "Ninja Scroll of Bewitching Flower"

(Yōka ninpōchō begins at 08:56)

I am the servant of a kunoichi and up until now I have put an end to the lives of numerous men. Sometimes they were samurai from an enemy nation, sometimes ninjas from an opposing style. There were some formidable opponents among them, but there has not been a man that my master and I could not defeat. The method my master specializes in involves her getting on intimate terms with her target and rendering them defenseless with her sexual charms. She then invites them to bed and when the time is right, she releases me from her body, killing them with a single blow. After the act is done, I return to where I came from, meaning I go back inside my master's body. Since I hide myself so speedily, even if there is a commotion after the man is found dead, nobody notices that it was the work of my master and I.

Sometimes it can take a while before the target opens himself up. At times like that, my master properly accompanies them in bed so as not to seem suspicious. When she does so, her moans of ecstasy are sublimely lustrous, like a bewitching flower. Even I find it hard to believe that they are just an act. From time to time I even think that maybe my master does this work because she likes it, but whenever I see the tears my master sheds when she is dressing herself after finishing an opponent, I let go of such silly notions. I do not know why my master sheds tears, but when she does, I feel sad together with her. If but only once, I would like to gently hold my master round the shoulders, but unfortunately I am a snake, therefore my hands are tied, so to speak.

陰陽座百物語　第拾壱話「妖花忍法帖」

私はとあるくノ一に仕える身で、今までに何人もの男をあの世に送って参りました。ある時は敵国の侍、またある時は敵対流派の忍者等、中には手強い相手もおりましたが、私と御主人様の手にかかって倒せない男等おりませんでした。御主人様が得意とするのは相手の男の懐に飛び込み、色仕掛けで骨抜きにした後、床に誘い込んで、いざと言う瞬間にその体に潜ませた私を放ち、一撃の下に葬り去ると言う手段です。事が済めば私は元居た場所、つまり御主人様の体の中ですが、そこへ速やかに身を隠します故、男が死んだ事が分かって騒ぎになっても誰もそれが御主人様と私の仕業だとは気が付きません。

時には相手が隙を見せるまでそれなりに時間の掛かる事も御座います。そんな時、御主人様は怪しまれぬ様、しっかりと床の御相手を御勤めになるので御座いますが、そんな時に見せる法悦の喘ぎは丸で妖しい花の様に壮絶な艶やかさで、私が見てもとても芝居だとは思えないもので御座います。それで時々、御主人様は好んでこの仕事を果たしているのだと思う事すらあるのですが、相手を葬り、身繕いをしている御主人様がふと零す泪を見る度に私はその浅はかな考えを改めるので御座います。私には、なぜ御主人様が泪を流すのか分かりません。でも、御主人様が泪を流すと私も一緒に悲しくなるのです。一度でいいから、そんな御主人様の肩をそっと抱いてみたいと思うのですが、残念ながら私は蛇で御座いますので、手も足も出ないので御座います。

Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story X "The Misshapen Moon"

(Yugamu tsuki begins at 01:30)

At the bottom of a cold, murky lake located deep in the heart of the forest there lived a hideous creature. A long time ago, there was a time when that creature had still been a human. Her nails whose beauty people compared to that of cherry tellin^[1] turned dark and twisted like the roots of a tree, her teeth that were charming like mother-of-pearl became sharp like the fangs of a beast, and her skin that was as smooth as a white peach became completely covered with hard scales. The thing she changed into was something utterly gruesome. To hide her hideous body, the creature resided at the cold bottom of a lake, where it had lived for a length of time that defies belief. All the while being tormented by the weight of her sin and punishment.

It happened on a night when the silvery light of the moon shined brightly all the way to the bottom of the lake. So bright was the light that it made the creature look up at the surface, and there, slowly dancing on the water, she saw the silhouette of someone peering down. How many years had it been since a human last visited the lake? Having once been a human herself, out of nostalgia and without giving it much thought, the creature strained her eyes to take a close look at the person's face. Oh, what a curious coincidence it was! The young man who had stopped to draw water from the lake was the spitting image of the man she had loved long ago when she was still a beautiful human girl.

Could it be possible? Startled, the creature leaned forward, and at that very moment it just so happened that the refulgent moonbeams grew ever so brighter, and the bottom of the lake was illuminated with dazzling light. That was when the traveler noticed the monster illuminated by the moonlight and with his face distorted in fear he gave out a cry of horror. Having been seen, in the twinkling of an eye, the creature leaped to the surface and struck its sharp fangs at the base of the traveler's throat. Like the blood of the man she loved had once soaked her hands, the creature's throat was now dyed bright red with the blood that flowed from the traveler's neck. Once the man eventually stopped breathing, she quietly dived back to the bottom, carrying the traveler between her teeth.

---

[1] 桜貝 - A glossy pink type of clam.

陰陽座百物語　第拾話「歪む月」

深い深い森の奥、暗く冷たい湖の底に醜い物の怪が住んでおりました。遥か昔、まだその物の怪が人間であった頃には、丸で桜貝の様だと称えられた美しい爪は木の根の様に黒く捩じれ、螺鈿のような愛らしい歯も獣の如く鋭く尖り、白桃の様に美しかった肌には硬い鱗がびっしりと生え、それはそれは恐ろしい姿へと変わり果てていました。物の怪は醜い身体を隠す様に、気の遠くなる様な長い年月を冷たい水の底で唯、永らえていました。己の犯した罪とその罰の重さに苦しみながら。

ある夜の事です。その夜は月が眩しく、物の怪の居る水底まで白い光が射し込んでいました。その光の眩しさに水面を見上げると、ゆらゆらと揺れる人影が一つ、こちらを覗き込んでいるではありませんか。この湖に人が訪れるのは幾年振りでしょうか？かつては人であった物の怪は懐かしさから思わずその人影の顔を良く見ようと、目を凝らしました。嗚呼、何と言う事でしょう！旅の途中、水を汲みに来たその青年は、遠い昔、物の怪がまだ美しい人間の娘だった頃に愛した人に瓜二つだったのです。

もしや！と物の怪が驚き、思わず身を乗り出した刹那、月の光は無情にも燦然と輝きを増し、水底を煌煌と照らしました。すると旅人は月光に照らされた物の怪の姿に気付き、恐怖に歪んだ形相で大声を上げました。姿を見られた物の怪は瞬く間に水面まで躍り上がり、旅人の首元に鋭い牙を突き立てました。かつて愛しい人の血が自分の手を紅く濡らした様に、物の怪の喉元は旅人の首から流れ出る血で真っ赤に染まり、やがて息をしなくなった旅人を銜えたまま、唯静かに水底へと帰って行きました。

Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story IX "Yoshitsune: Otherworldly Rencontre"

(Raise Kaikō begins at 17:00)

(Note: The second and third parts are mostly the same as the preface for Raise Kaikō that is included in the Garyō Tensei album booklet)

    Minamoto No Yoshitsune had joined the army of his older brother Minamoto No Yoritomo, whose objective was to overthrow the Tairas. Making good use of his prodigious tactician skills, Yoshitsune was overpowering the Tairas unopposed. Contrary to his military achievements however, due to the machinations of various generals and Yoritomo who slighted the behavior and youth of his brother, he ends up being killed as a traitor.
    Yoshitsune's wife Shizuka Gozen is also captured by Yoritomo, and although she manages to escape death, the child of Yoshitsune she was pregnant with is cruelly murdered by Yoritomo.

    Separated from Yoshitsune and her beloved child brutally murdered by Yoritomo, Shizuka Gozen blames herself for all that has happened. Down in the depths of despair, she gives up hope of ever seeing Yoshitsune alive. Now cherishing the hope for a rencontre with him in the next world, quietly and alone, she bids farewell to this life.

    Sweeping over the sadness of the people at the mercy of the currents of history, the tide of a new era will surge forward, recede, then surge forward again.
    As long as there are humans in the world, the coming and going of that tide will never cease.

陰陽座百物語　第玖話「義経～来世邂逅」

　打倒平氏を掲げる源頼朝の軍勢に加わった頼朝の弟源義経。天才的な戦術を駆使し、破竹の勢いで平氏を圧倒する義経だったが、その戦果とは裏腹にその言動と若さを疎んじる頼朝と諸将の謀略により、逆賊として命を奪われてしまう。
　義経の妻である静御前も頼朝に捕らえられ、一命こそ取り留めるも、その身に宿していた義経の子を頼朝によって惨殺されてしまう。

　義経と生き別れ、その愛子を頼朝に惨殺された静御前は、それを自らの罪と咎めた。絶望の淵で悲しみに暮れる静御前は生きて再び義経と巡り合う望みを絶ち、一人静かに来世で邂逅する望みを胸に抱きながら現世に別れを告げるのであった。

　時代の流れに翻弄された人々の悲しみを踏み越えて、新しい時代の流れは押し寄せ、そしてやがて引いて、また押し寄せる。
　此の世に人間のある限り、その満ち引きが絶えることはない

Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story VIII "Ninja Scroll of Slumber"

(Madoromi ninpōchō begins at 09:07)

The woman was a kunoichi. Carrying out her mission, she had succeeded in killing the target in his sleep, but had been seriously wounded while escaping and was now hiding in a nearby mountain forest in a half-conscious state. The wound was deep and she was bleeding do death. Once she realized that she did not have long to live, seemingly accepting her fate, she gazed into the sky and slowly closed her eyes with a peaceful expression on her face that resembled a smile. She could no longer feel the coldness of the ground nor the breath of the wind that made the grass tickle her cheeks. It felt as if her body had melted and was merging into them. Just like the ground does not feel the ground and like the wind does not feel the wind.

Without realizing it, she was thinking back on her life as a kunoichi. Using her feminine assets, literally selling her body she had completed her missions. She had never given it a second thought, but now that she was about to die, what she felt was relief of finally being free. It was strange how she felt no pain or anguish. From the bottom of her heart, she felt how lucky she was to earn such a peaceful death, as in the world of the shinobi no one mourns for you when you die.

Finally, as all of her strength drained from her, inside her muddled mind she silently whispered: "So this is how I die," and to take a last look at the world, she tried to open her eyes. Her eyelids felt heavy and her vision was so blurred that she could not even tell whether she had opened her eyes or not. What she saw there, she could not believe. Someone who could not possibly have been there was standing before her. A man she had grown up with in the same ninja village as herself. The man she was in love with. In a split second she understood that what she was seeing was an illusion, but still she tried frantically to see his face. Did she really see it, or was it only in her mind? She could not tell, but it looked as if the man had smiled just a little.

陰陽座百物語　第捌話「微睡忍法帖」

その女はくノ一だった。ある任務に就き、目指す標的の寝首を掻く事には成功したのだが、脱出する際に深手を負い、朦朧とする意識の儘、近くの山林に身を隠していた。傷は深く、流れ出る血は止めども無かった。自らの命がもう長くは持たない事を悟った女は観念した様に天を仰ぎ、微笑みすら浮かべた様な穏やかな表情の儘、ゆっくりと瞳を閉じた。身体を預ける土の冷たさも、頬をくすぐる風や草木の息吹きすらも、女にはもう感じる事は出来なかった。その感覚は丸で身体が溶けて自然とそれらに混ざっていく様だった。土が土を感じず、風が風を感じない様に。

くノ一として生きた己の人生を女は無意識に思い返していた。女としての武器を使い、文字通り身を鬻いで任務を遂行する。その事に疑問を思った事は無かったが、死を前にした今、そこに有るのは　やっと解放されるという思いばかりだった。不思議なくらい痛みや苦しみは無かった。女は命を落としても弔う者すらない様な忍びの世界でこんな安らかな死を得られる自分は幸せだと心から思った。

いよいよ全身の力が抜け、混濁する意識の中で「嗚呼、これが最期か」と呟いて、この世の最後の見納めにと女は目を開けようとした。瞼が重く、目を開けたのかどうか自分でも判断が付かないぐらい、その視界が霞んでいたが、女はそこに信じられないものを見た。それは此処に居るはずの無い同じ忍びの里で育ち、想いを寄せ合っていた男が自分を見守る様にそこに佇んでいる姿だった。幻だ！と女は一瞬で理解したが、それでもその顔を必死に見つめようとした。それが視界なのか、意識なのかも区別出来ない儘、男は本の少し微笑んでいた。

Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story VII "Hill of the Phoenix Tree"

(Aogiri no oka begins at 01:05)

After the life form had closed his eyes for the last time, he floated, or perhaps lied down, in an indefinite place, surrounded by dazzling light whose colors cannot be expressed in words. The last thing he remembered was regretting the fact that he had let his loved one die, unable to protect them. Now, as it seems that he too had died, maybe this was his atonement in a way he thought. No, it couldn't work that way; he kept pondering the matter but could not make up his mind.

Although surprised at the fact that he could still think about things like this even now that he was dead, he came to the conclusion that because he still kept thinking of such insignificant things at a time like this, he had probably been a human while he was still alive. Focusing his mind, he could sense that apparently there were many other life forms beside himself that had gathered in that indefinite space. The next thing he knew, he could no longer feel the boundary line between himself and the other life forms. Having lost their boundary lines, the lives eventually formed a single stream that slowly flowed down, or perhaps up, towards some indefinite place.

Along the way, the life form thought he heard a voice. The maternal yet resolute voice that gently enveloped them called out to each of the lives: "Come, transmigrate." The owner of the voice appeared to be a bird that was wrapped in light, but in the same time it also felt like something out of this world. Still, the life form thought that while they were on the way to the next world, an expression like "out of this world" seemed a little out of place.

One morning, in a river somewhere, a sweetfish was splashing in the water. It swam happily by a beautiful flower that bloomed on the riverbank, and sprang many times. The flower bloomed silently, as if smiling at the sweetfish.

陰陽座百物語　第漆話「梧桐の丘」

最後の瞬きを終えたその命はこの世の色では言い表せない様な目映い光に包まれ、何処とも言えない場所に浮かんで、或いは横たわっていた。その命の最後の記憶は愛する者を守る事が出来ず死なせてしまった事への後悔だった。今、どうやら自分も死んでしまった様だから、それで少しは罪滅ぼしになるだろうか。いや、そういうものではないか、などと逡巡している。

死んでからもこんな風にものを考える事が出来る事が以外だったが、寧ろ死んでからもくだらない事を考える辺りは生前自分はどうやら人間だったらしいと、その命は思った。ふと意識してみると、どうやらその何処とも言えない空間には自分以外にも沢山の命が集って来ている様だ。
気が付けば、既に自分とそれ以外の命との境界線が感じられなくなっていた。境界線を失った命はやがて一つの流れに成り、ゆっくりと何処へともなく流れ落ち、或いは上っていった。

その途中、命は一つの声を聞いた気がした。母を思わせる様な、優しく包み込む様な、それでいて毅然としたその声は命達それぞれに「さあ、廻りなさい」と告げた。その声の主は光を身に纏った鳥の様にも見え、また、この世のものでは無い姿の様な気もした。あの世に行こうとしながら、この世のものでは無いと言う表現もおかしいとその命は懲りずに思っていた。

ある朝、ある川の中で一匹の鮎が跳ねた。その鮎は川岸に咲く美しい花の側でいとおしそうに泳ぎ回り、そして何度も跳ねた。花がその鮎の方に微笑む様に静かに咲いていた。

Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story VI "Yoshitsune: Nightmare Ablaze"

(Muma Enjō begins at 14:50) 

(Note: The same text is used as the preface for Muma Enjō that is included in the Garyō Tensei album booklet)

    Intently yearning for his brother's love, Yoshitsune defeats the Tairas just like his brother Yoritomo had hoped. Due to the machinations of Yoritomo and his close advisers, instead of a war hero, Yoshitsune ends up being branded as a rebel.
    While his miraculous services in war earn him the popularity and trust of the people in the capital, at the same time, he is thoroughly disdained by most of the generals in Kamakura because of his childish behavior. For Yoritomo he was becoming an insurmountable nightmare. Yoritomo's resolution to get rid of Yoshitsune only grows stronger as his younger brother appears in his dreams night after night.
    Unwilling to believe that his brother is plotting against him, Yoshitsune reluctantly leaves the capital only after there is an attempt on his life. Although he succeeds in escaping with the help of Fujiwara of Ōshū, Yoshitsune becomes separated with Shizuka Gozen in the mountains of Yoshino. Shizuka, having a premonition that this would be their final farewell, weeps and shrieks in her heart.
    Afterwards, Shizuka is captured by Yoritomo, and although her life is spared thanks to the beauty of her dance, Yoritomo, worried of retribution by Yoshitsune's offspring, cruelly murders the child she is pregnant with.
    Meanwhile, having barely escaped to Ōshū where he is given shelter by Fujiwara No Hidehira, Yoshitsune is eventually attacked at night by Hidehira's son Yasuhira, who betrays Yoshitsune after his father passes away.
    Then finally, in his Takadachi mansion at Koromogawa that has been set ablaze, Yoshitsune, a broken man, decides to take his own life.

陰陽座百物語　第陸話「義経～夢魔炎上」

　兄頼朝の愛が欲しい一心で兄の思惑通り平家討伐を果たした義経は、頼朝とその側近の謀略により「戦功者」ではなく「謀反者」の汚名を着せられる。
　その神懸った戦功により都の人々の人気と信頼を一心に浴び、反面、その子供じみた挙動により鎌倉の諸将から絶大なる拒絶を受ける義経は、もはや頼朝にとっては如何ともしがたい「夢魔」そのものであり、毎夜枕元に現れる弟の夢魔に、「義経討つべし」という意志を一層固める頼朝であった。
　兄の謀略を信じたくない義経も、命を狙われるまでに至って懊悩しながらもようやく都を落ち、奥州の藤原氏を頼って逃げるも、吉野の山中で連れ立っていた静御前と生き別れになる。静はそのとき、本能的にこれが今生の別れとなってしまうことを予感し、心中で嘆き、喚く。
　静はその後頼朝に捕らえれるが、舞の素晴らしさに命だけは助けられるも、身体に宿した義経の子は、仇討ちを憂う頼朝によって無惨にも殺されてしまう。
　一方、辛くも奥州にて身を潜めていた義経も、それを匿う藤原秀衡の死後、その子泰衡が頼朝を恐れて寝返り、夜討ちをかけられる。
　遂に義経は、炎上する衣川の高館で失意の中自害を決意するのであった。

Onmyōza Hyakumonogatari Story V "Rokurokubi"

(Rokurokubi begins at 8:00)

Well sure, I may have gone a little overboard with the drinking and gambling. But my wife is the one to blame. How come, you ask? Well, she's just too damn sexy. When I walk around town with her, everyone turns their heads with envious looks on their faces. Sure, I fell for her looks. Yes I did, guilty as charged. But you know, when she seriously uses her sex appeal on other men, I'm not just going keep quiet.

Like a while ago, when the fishmonger came by, she goes: "Isn't it hot?" and invites him inside and treats him to some cold noodles. I was going to eat those for lunch. And then, that fishmonger shamelessly helps himself to some sake, and is getting along really good with my wife. Goes without saying that that was my sake. That's when I told him to his face that if he was done trading he should just get out. And guess what? Without even a glance in my direction, he just tells my wife to take care and that he'd come by again. Does that sound like something a fishmonger would say!?

And my wife too, she didn't look altogether displeased! Gimme a break! What? [unclear] What do I care! Like, isn't that the proper duty of a husband? I let her have it. I told her that I'd be better off without such a bitch. Then she went and handed me a notice of divorce! The nerve on that woman! What? You're telling me it's ass backwards for a wife to give the husband a notice of divorce? Shut up! I can't help it! That's just what she did.

But you know, I'm a man after all; I wouldn't accept such a thing. That's why, uh, I threw it into the privy without even reading it. Serves her right. Huh? You're saying that my hand slipped and I dropped it when I was trying to read it in secret? D- Don't be silly! Like I'd do something that pathetic... I used that thing as toilet paper then threw it away. For real.

Anyways, I told her that it was her fault and she's the one who should apologize, otherwise she could just take a hike! And guess what, she really did! Even if that bitch comes back I won't even let her cross the threshold! I'm a man of my word. Right, buddy boy?
Ah... Mommy...

陰陽座百物語　第伍話「飛頭蛮」

たしかによぉ、俺は酒と博打が過ぎたかもしれねーよ。でも悪いの、かかあの方なんだよ。何が悪いって？あいつは色気が過ぎるってんだよ。そりゃな、あいつを連れて町を行けば皆が羨ましそうに振り返る。その器量に俺は惚れたよ、惚れた、惚れました。けどよ、その色気を本気で他の男に向けられちゃ男として黙っちゃいられねーよ。

この前なんかよ、家に来た魚屋を「お暑いでしょう？」なんつってよ、座敷に上げて冷麦食わしてやってんだよ。ありゃ俺の昼飯だったんだ。その後、その魚屋、しゃあしゃあと酒まで飲んでよ、いい塩梅になってかかあと話し込んでやがる。勿論俺の酒だよ。んで俺は言ってやったよ、「商いが済んだんなら帰えってくんな」ってな。そしたらよ、奴さん俺には一瞥もくれず、かかあに向かって、「元気でな、また来るぜ」ときたもんだ。それが魚屋の台詞かよ！

かかあもかかあで満更でもねえ面しやがってよー！俺悔しいよ！何？[unclear]、そんなもん知ったことかよ！こりゃおめえ、亭主として当然の事だろうが。だから俺は言ってやったんだよ、「おめえみてーなあばずれはこっちから願い下げ」だってな。そしたらよ、三行半書いてよこしやがったんだ、かかあの奴はよ！何？亭主が嫁に三行半書かれるってな、あべこべだって？うるせーよ！しかたねーだろ！書かれちまったもんはよ。

でもな、俺は男だ。そんなもん受け取れねーよ。だからあれだ、読まずに厠にどぼんだよ。ざま見ろってんだ。何？厠でこっそり読もうとして手滑らして落としたんだろって？ば・馬鹿言っちゃいけねーよ！誰がおめえ、そんなみっともねえ…　あんなもん便所紙にして捨ててやったんだよ。いや本当だって。

そんでよ、「おめえが悪いんだからおめえが謝れ！さもなきゃとっとと出て行きやがれ」とこうかましてやったらよ、本当に出て行っちめえやがった。あんちくしょう、帰って来たって敷居跨がせてやんねーからな！俺はやる時はやる男だぜ。なーおい？
嗚呼、母ちゃん…