The Sunset II (夕日 II Yūhi II) is the fourth chapter of the Shakugan no Shana manga series.
Yūji received an explanation regarding the Crimson Realm, Denizens, and Power of Existence from Shana and Alastor.
Summary[]
Denizens crossing over from the "Crimson Realm" to "this world" and needing Power of Existence.
Shana explained that the Crimson Realm was right beside this world but couldn't be reached on foot, and was also known as the "Swirling Cathedral". Its inhabitants are the Crimson Denizens. Yūji likened them to beings from a different dimension and asked if they had come to take over this world. Alastor answered that each had their own objectives, but they all manifest in this world by freely manipulating Power of Existence, and by altering it they can manipulate the world's phenomena. This meant there were always Denizens crossing over. Since Yūji didn't understand, Shana explained that Power of Existence was an energy that allowed things to exist. The Denizens who had crossed over were beings who did not exist in this world, so they require Power of Existence in order to exist here. Alastor continued that to remain in this world, Denizens needed to keep using Power of Existence, and they were obtaining it from humans. Yūji remembered the giant baby eating the frozen people the day before.
Shana and Alastor said that the Denizens then use Power of Existence however they want to, such as creating servants and phenomena which should not exist or be possible in this world, and that the Denizens' over-hunting may cause the balance between this world and the Crimson Realm to crumble. Yūji surmised that Flame Haze defeat the over-hunters to protect the world's balance, and asked Alastor if he was okay with killing his own kind, but he saw it as a responsibility. Shana ended the explanation, saying that they will stay with Yūji until either he burns away or they destroy the Denizens after him. Yūji was assured, but asked whether they would stay with him around the clock, and the answer was yes.
Shana creating a Fūzetsu.
From a bush behind them, Satō and Tanaka were spying on the two, but they couldn't hear their conversation. Ike came up behind them and asked what they were doing, and Shana heard them talking. She told Alastor that she would send an invitation for the Denizen, then activated the spell, Fūzetsu. A field enveloped the area, which Yūji recognized as the space in which the monsters had attacked him yesterday. As Shana rushed off, Yūji thought that the enemy was close, but she stopped at the bushes and they saw the three boys frozen. Shana and Alastor believed they were trying to listen in on the conversation, thought that they failed, but decided to move just in case.
Yūji and Shana walked through the frozen school. Yūji asked about the space in which humans couldn't move, remembering yesterday. Shana explained the Fūzetsu as a temporary severing of the area from the surrounding world. Yūji likened the spell to magic using Power of Existence. He noted that the other Torches couldn't move in the Fūzetsu like he could. Shana explained that he wasn't an ordinary Torch but a Mystes with a treasure inside, and it was the treasure's power which allowed him to move. The Denizens were after Yūji for his treasure, and Shana was waiting for them in order to destroy them. Shana didn't know why he had a treasure inside him. She deactivated the Fūzetsu and everyone began moving. Yūji realized that the Fūzetsu may be noticed by the Denizens. Shana said she had made it on purpose, a big one even, so that the Denizens would know precisely where they were, shocking Yūji, as the Denizens would show up at the school. When she said that she was there to find and destroy the Denizens, Yūji became aware that she had no plans to protect all of the students. Yūji was unsettled and left her, feigning going to the bathroom.
Yūji being questioned by his friends.
As he thought about the whole school getting involved, Yūji was stopped by Ike, Satō and Tanaka. The three were surprised and worried that Yūji was hanging out with Hirai after her treatment of the teachers. They also questioned how close the two had suddenly gotten. Yūji thought that he couldn't tell them "the truth". He tried to dismiss their relationship but they persisted, calling him a lolicon. Tanaka wanted to know what moves Yūji had pulled to get Hirai, and Yūji punched him.
In an abandoned department store, a man in a white tuxedo floated in the air, holding the doll Marianne. They sensed the Fūzetsu. Marianne identified it as coming from the Flame Haze from yesterday. The man saw it as a challenge and told her that they might enjoy the hunt for the first time in a while.
Characters[]
* denotes if the character debuts in this chapter
- Yūji Sakai
- Shana
- Alastor
- Huge Kewpie Rinne (flashback)
- Keisaku Satō
- Eita Tanaka
- Hayato Ike*
- Friagne*
- Marianne
Powers and Abilities Used[]
Unrestricted Spells[]
- Fūzetsu - Shana
Locations[]
Quotes[]
- Yūji: "Th-that means... the enemies will come to the school!?"
Shana: "What are you saying? I'm here to find and destroy them."
Yūji: "Will you protect... everyone?"
Shana: "What do you mean?" - Satō: "Hirai-chan is cute, but... you have crazy tastes."
Tanaka: "So he actually likes the "loli attributes"... you can't underestimate this guy!!" - Tanaka: "Y... you lecher!! With that innocent face of yours, just what wiles did you use?!!"
Trivia[]
- Yūji remembered the Huge Kewpie Rinne consuming Power of Existence the previous day, in chapter 1.
Cultural References[]
- Shana eats dango for lunch.
- Yūji was accused of being a lolicon, a term meaning "attraction to young or prepubescent girls".