Seiga Kaku
Seiga Kaku's Fantasy Rebirth Story
Seiga
Welcome, Miss PLAYER.
Seiga
You did well to find me. Was it difficult?
At first, I was just guessing.
But there was something that gave you away.
Seiga
Ah, that's right. I put Yoshika on lookout duty in the graveyard above ground.
Seiga
Maybe that was too big a clue.
Actually, she just told me you were down here.
Seiga
She's amazing, right?!
Seiga
Yoshika's my finest creation. By constantly updating my animation technique, I made an ever-evolving corpse!
Seiga
First off, she's super cute. And with me coming from China, her peaceful nature seems almost mystical!
Seiga
Plus, she's brave and kind. Not to mention the fact her skin is the smoothest in all of Gensokyo!
You don't treat her like a zombie servant.
Seiga
...
Seiga
To be perfectly honest...
Seiga
There was a time when I treated her like that.
Seiga
Like any of the other spirits of the dead I handle. As a tool, as a body to experiment on, as a disposable resource.
Seiga
To me, she was like a bullet. No one spares a second thought for the bullets they've fired.
Seiga
But I knew something had to change. Senjutsu is a type of Taoist technique. Hermits seem like scholars, but we're not.
Seiga
Some vilify me as a wicked hermit, but my dream is to create my own ultimate senjutsu before attaining enlightenment.
Seiga
...Perhaps "ultimate" is an exaggeration, but you get the point.
Seiga
Even with the road to Heaven closed, my goal was the same as any other hermit.
Seiga
While fending off shinigami and living on and on, you'd get bored without something to strive for.
Seiga
Hermits want proof that they lived. Something to show for their existence. What do you think that could be?
Seiga
Their own Senkai? A tool? A secret book? Or perhaps knowledge? Experience? Memories? Ideas?
Seiga
There's nothing wrong with any of them. But they weren't for me.
Seiga
All that I've discovered on my journey is contained within Yoshika. I put it all there instead of a brain and other organs.
Seiga
She's my treasure.
Is that why you were waiting for me here?
Seiga
It is.
Seiga
Lady Toyosatomimi has a plan to combat the Lost Word Incident.
Seiga
It all hinges on how effectively we can control the spirit paths that allow passage through the Spiritual Realm.
Seiga
First, we need to investigate and run experiments on those paths. I tried to find a place we've experimented on before.
Seiga
Which brought me here, to the cave that used to be the Hall of Dreams' Great Mausoleum...
Seiga
Many lesser divine spirits passed through here in the past. It's the perfect place to begin our research.
Seiga
...
Seiga
In order to manipulate a spirit path, someone has to follow it.
Seiga
And if we want Lady Toyosatomimi's plan to succeed, we can't afford to take half measures.
Seiga
When the time comes, I intend to use Yoshika.
No way!
Seiga
Yoshika's a jiang shi, a living corpse.
Seiga
Which means she isn't able to access the spirit paths.
Seiga
But the magic I use to animate her should function as a pseudo-soul, detaching from her body to travel in her stead.
Seiga
As I said, Yoshika is my treasure. The magic that animates her is my life's work. It is my history given form.
Seiga
There's a chance it could even outlast me. That's why I have to use Yoshika.
Seiga
But the magic that returns to Yoshika after being separated may not quite be the same. It may leave a great deal behind.
*gasp*
Seiga
I see you understand.
Seiga
Even if the brain rots, the body remembers. Even if the body rots, its components remember.
Seiga
I'm talking about the residue of Yoshika's memories from when she was alive.
Seiga
That's all it is. Residue. It's a shadow of something that once was.
Seiga
It's not my Yoshika. It's not even Yoshika from before she died. It doesn't matter if it's lost.
Seiga
It's OK to discard.
Seiga
But... I can't bring myself to do it.
I see...
Let me test the spirit paths instead, then!
Seiga
What?!
Seiga
But I haven't explained the whole process yet!
Phew! It worked!
But... how?!
Seiga
Hmm... What you just did is equivalent to humanity's first deep-sea voyage.
Seiga
...No, the reason I brought you to me was because I predicted you had a high chance of success.
Wait, I thought I came to see you on my own.
Seiga
Actually, I used magic to guide you to me from that graveyard. It's similar to using fangshu.
Seiga
I also knew you would want to see me to discuss Lady Toyosatomimi's plan.
Seiga
But still... I'm amazed how well our spirit path investigation went.
Seiga
There aren't even any side effects after recovering your soul. With this method, I'm OK to use Yoshika for the real thing.
Seiga
This is all fascinating... If we weren't in such a dire situation, I'd love to investigate further!
Seiga
But there isn't time.
Seiga
For now, I'll just say that your success is probably linked to the nature of your soul and your tendency to sleep and dream.
Seiga
Hehehe.
I know this is kinda strange timing, but...
Seiga
Is this... a present? But why?
Seiga
It's from the mountain hermit?!
Seiga
I see. I thought I was controlling you.
Seiga
But it seems I was being controlled by something far larger... Gensokyo.
Seiga
Hehehe... Hahaha!
Seiga
Miss PLAYER...
Seiga
Thank you. Please also pass on my thanks to the mountain hermit.
You're welcome. And I will.
Seiga
Come back anytime and let me use you in my experiments.
O-Oh, uhh... Sure!
Costume Presentation
Seiga
Your ability has some similarities to my senjutsu. But that shouldn't be possible. My senjutsu is an original creation. Nobody else knows it. The only way to solve this mystery is to resolve the big incident and get your memory back... I'll help you!
