Oedo Fire Slayer -The Legend of Phoenix- (火喰鳥 羽州ぼろ鳶組)

But is it going to be that easy to find a wind-reader, boss?

It'd be hard if we did it the usual way.

You said you had a lead on one, right?

Yeah. A guy from back when I was a Jou firefighter in Iidamachi.

His name's a little intimidating, so I just called him "old man."

Intimidating?

Kaji "Fire" Magoichi.

"Fire"?

I'll go ask Samon if he's found any information on the old man.

He died. Soon after quitting his job as a firefighter.

Sorry. I guess I'm still a firefighter.

Don't go! Magoichi! Magoichi!

There is one man he called a genius.

His name is Kaji Seijuurou.

He's Magoichi's son, and a true genius.

I refuse.

I have no intention of following in my father's footsteps.

The "Sei" in the name my father gave me means "star."

He must have wanted me to be an astronomer like him.

And I'm going to do what he failed to do.

Only by going outside can man truly shine like the stars.

Ma'am!

OEDO FIRE SLAYER THE LEGEND OF THE PHOENIX

Fire in Ueno!

At Komoroya.

That's Kingorou-san from Group I.

And Renji.

Gen? You're out tonight, too?

What's Group I doing out here?

We happened to have a meeting near here.

We're the only Group I folk here.

So what's the situation?

The Maeda clan headed over to Kaneiji.

The Kaga Black Kites?

They're Edo's greatest daimyo firefighters. They work fast.

The Kuroda clan will handle the north side.

We're heading there, too.

What about where the fire started?

One of Komoroya's storehouses blew up without warning.

The fire spread north, so the Kaga Kites and Kuroda headed that way.

I see. So the west and north will be fine.

You'd better not screw this up, Fire-Slayer.

You don't need to tell me.

We'll head to Komoroya, too!

What's going on here?

More firefighters should have arrived by now.

I'll go check.

Boss!

I found out where the firefighters are.

When Komoroya's storehouse blew up,

a strong wind was blowing northwest.

So that's where the fire is spreading.

The Kaga Kites and Kuroda are handling the fires to the west and to the north.

So I know there's nothing to do here.

But if the wind changes direction...

The buildings to the east will catch fire.

Lots of mansions and storehouses there,

and merchants pay firefighters and magistrates a bundle.

If we're not worried about them burning, they won't want them torn down, huh?

There was an actual request to that effect, yes.

We can't be sure they're safe, though.

The bigger problem is Komoroya.

There's a sick woman still inside.

Some kind of heart disease, apparently.

If they move her, she may not survive.

I'll go check inside.

Start tearing down the surrounding buildings to protect the shop.

Yes, sir.

Are you okay?

I saw you the other day.

I'm okay.

What are you doing here?

I'm a firefighter.

Doctor, how's the mistress?

She had a weak heart to begin with.

The storehouse explosion startled her and she collapsed.

After the explosion, I saw flaming strips of paper fly up into the wind.

Were you storing paper in there?

No. Buckwheat.

We don't know when the wind will change direction.

Can we carry her out?

Impossible.

The slightest shock right now will kill her.

You need to leave her here.

The mistress is like a mother to me.

I can't just leave her.

Fine. I'll handle this.

Doctor, take care of her.

Boss. How'd it go?

We can't move the lady of the house until she's stable.

To stop the fire from reaching the shop,

we can destroy that storehouse.

Let's start by at least removing anything flammable from inside.

Got it!

Wait!

Something's wrong.

It's hot. There's a fire inside.

Then we need to open the door and put the fire out.

No. This is...

Surely not? Another backdraft?

The second we open this door, flames will come bursting out.

What the hell's going on?

One storehouse blows up, and the other's building up a backdraft?

The wind...

The wind direction might change.

Boss, at this rate...

Hikoya! Hurry and fetch some horses!

You're not going off to get him, are you?

I am. So horses! Now!

Hey! There's a fire!

So it seems.

There's no time to waste.

Please come with us.

I refuse.

You jerk.

The fire started in one of Komoroya's storehouses.

There's a sick person inside who needs rest before she can be moved.

I'm sure the wind will change from northwest to southeast.

But how long do we have?

The recent storm means the ground is cooling off faster than usual.

Half a toki, I'd say.

1/2 TOKI = AROUND 1 HOUR

Got it.

Hikoya, we need to get her out of there as soon as we're back.

But Osuzu won't allow that.

Nothing we do will make her leave the mistress behind.

Osuzu is there?

You're not gonna help, so what do you care?!

You're a cold-blooded monster who only cares about his books!

You're scared, aren't you?

You're no monster.

You're far kinder than most.

If your feelings win even once,

you know it'll stop you from achieving your life's goal.

And that's what scares you.

Seijuurou, we have to go.

Let me say one last thing.

No matter what you say—

Shut up and listen!

"Only by going outside can man truly shine like the stars."

The old man said that.

What is your name?

To you, a day may only be a single mark on a calendar.

But everyone else clings to that day, trying their hardest to survive!

One day is one day.

No matter what man does during it,

it remains nothing but a single unit of time that will always come.

I understand.

Sorry to bother you.

Wait.

Let me show Osuzu the next day.

The one that's sure to come.

We're back.

How's the mistress doing?

Still in an unstable condition.

What's wrong, Seijuurou?

This is arson, like I thought.

A fuse.