32. Shinigami Record II

Shinigami Record II (シニガミレコードII Shinigami Rekōdo II) is the thirty-second chapter of the Kagerou Daze manga.

Summary

 * Hibiya questions what the white cluster is and Ayano replies that those are memories of a tragedy, which she repeatedly saw while she was inside of the Kagerou Daze. She says that Hibiya probably saw something different from her, then she explains that her power, Favoring Eyes, can show people's emotions and memories directly. She raises her left hand and, as memories appear above her, she begins to convey them to Hibiya.


 * The scene changes to outer space, as Azami narrates how she did not know how much time she had spent there, that she never knew where she was, nor could she sense anything. As the scenery changes to a sunny day, it makes her note that she must have been in a dark place since it's bright. She doesn't know much, but as time passes and she discovers new things which help her understand what the "past" is.


 * In a dark cave, a silhouette reflected in the water seemingly always stares at her, but she soon realizes that it is herself. She finds that she has a shape of her own, that she is similar to living creatures, but that compared to them, she has been watching the world ever since it was created from nothing. Azami wonders what she is but she cannot come up with an answer to the question. This irritates her, as well as her featureless appearance, so she wishes to have a form that is easier to understand. The wish is granted, and soon she receives red eyes.


 * Footsteps begin to approach her, which turns out to come from a group of humans carrying torches. While she notes that these creatures must be intelligent since they can wield fire, the humans scream and begin to swing the torches her way. One person swings the torch at her, and she is surprised that she can feel the heat of the fire. While the group of humans attacks her, Azami begins to wonder what would happen if she dies and that she does not want to die. As one human yells that they will kill the monster, the group is startled by a snake and they run away. Azami wonders what a snake is, but her mind soon becomes hazy. While she is lying on the ground, she wonders if she is already dead, but a sound coming from inside of her startles her. She bolts upright and wonders if the humans had come back, but she sighs out of relief after she sees that she is alone. As she feels pain over her body, she thinks how pain leads to fear and recalls how the humans felt the same.


 * Azami begins to tremble out of fear and thinks how she only has a surface knowledge of the world and herself. She remembers how the humans ran away after they saw a snake, and as she wonders what that was, several snakes lither beside her. This startles her but she manages to beg the snakes not to kill her. She is surprised that she has a voice and wonders if the meaning of her words was conveyed to the snakes. One of the snakes freezes, and it explains that they only attacked the humans since they threatened to destroy their home, but that they have no reason to kill her. This makes Azami tear up with relief, but when the snake questions if she is crying, it quickly realizes that she doesn't know anything. Azami replies with irritation that she knows almost everything that there is to know since she has been watching the world longer than the snake, but internally berates herself since she realized a moment earlier that she doesn't know much. After the snake asks her who she is, she replies that she does not know, but that she wants to find out. The snake apologizes and says that it was only curious because she was using their language, then adds that she is strange since she wants to know more about herself. It suggests that she seeks humans for help since they also seek to understand what they are. Azami reacts negatively because a short time ago they tried to kill her but then recalls that the humans called her a monster and because of that, she concludes that humans must know something about her. While she has her doubts, she comes to the conclusion that looking like a human might keep them calm.


 * After she finishes that thought, the snake begins to gesture towards the water so she could see her reflection. As she approaches the pool of water, she thinks about how it has become difficult to move her body. After she reaches the edge of the water, she peers into the water and quickly jumps away when she sees a human. She realizes that it was her reflection, so she crouches near the water to examine herself.