Volcanic Island Chain

Souryuuden Volume 13

Novel by Tanaka Yoshiki
Summary by Amparo Bertram

Jump to: [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7] [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10]

Chapter 1: The Younger Boys in an Aerial Battle?

  1. The Prime Minister awakens to find he is blindfolded and tied up on a bed. He is being held captive behind a cover story that he is terminally ill and can't receive visitors. The man in charge of him, Fuse (pronounced "Foo-seh"), believes that the Prime Minister's policies have made Japan weak. He intends to take control and rebuild the country's military power. He is keeping the Prime Minister unconscious with drugs, but the supply can't be restocked due to the havoc caused by Mt. Fuji's eruption.

  2. Owaru and Amaru are flying around on the back of a touda, observing the extent of the damage caused by the volcano. In the process, they meet up with two of the Hassen, Sou Kokukyuu and Ran Saiwa, who are floating on a cloud. The two men recognize the boys as Dragon Kings, and Sou Kokukyuu begins to tell the tale of how they met 1000 years ago.

  3. Saying he's going to give them a "test," Sou Kokukyuu begins blasting the boys with energy beams. They're at a disadvantage in the air, so they descend to the ground. Once they land, they spot a group of people wearing what looks like European armor. Owaru is relieved to see Kobayakawa Natsuko isn't among them.

  4. The men in armor are American soldiers on a special mission to test their new anti-ash gear. They're shocked to see two young boys and a giant winged serpent appear in front of them. Not knowing that the touda is a creature from Asian mythology, they open fire. Owaru stands in front of them to try to stop their attack, while Amaru takes the rifle away from one of the soldiers and bends it easily.

Chapter 2: The Younger Boys in a Land Battle!

  1. In Kyoto, Hajime and Tsuzuku are trying to figure out the best way to get back to Tokyo where Matsuri's parents live. Meanwhile, Owaru and Amaru are very upset with the American soldiers. The soldiers decide to attack them to get rid of witnesses. As the two Hassen watch, Owaru takes out all the attacking soldiers barehanded in less than a minute.

  2. The two Hassen are impressed by the boys' abilities. They remove the bullets from the injured touda and lead the way to an abandoned hotel where it can rest. The group is followed by one lone American soldier in a face mask who is recording their actions with a digital camera. When Owaru tries to take the camera, the soldier's reflexes reveal him to be more than human. His face mask comes off in the struggle, uncovering a reptilian face with red eyes.

  3. Hajime starts to worry when suppertime rolls around and Owaru doesn't show. Shinkai, Nijikawa, and Mizuchi have their own problems trying to get their new business started. They suddenly hear Kobayakawa's laughter approaching, at which Hajime comments that he's glad Matsuri happens to be out at the moment.

  4. A short time earlier, the former Prime Minister in Kobayakawa's entourage had called his cronies together to make plans. He meets with Katsuoka Kanta, Kamakura no Gozen's grandson, who strangely writes (and speaks) entirely without kanji. As soon as he and Kobayakawa see each other, they begin flinging insults. Kobayakawa nearly kills him, but he zaps her with a blast of pepper spray and makes his escape.

Chapter 3: The Old City Has a Huge Nuisance

  1. The former Prime Minister, in an attempt to get rid of Kobayakawa as quickly as possible, tells her that the dragon brothers are without a doubt gathered at Mt. Fuji. As she is about to leave, however, an underling comes in and reports on their location in Kyoto. Convinced that the Prime Minister is scheming against her, she chases him away, then sets off for Kyoto in a large freezer truck.

  2. Kobayakawa makes a dramatic entrance and begins attacking Hajime and Tsuzuku with a massive frying pan. Hajime tries to lead her outside to minimize the property damage. There he runs into a hitenyasha, which leads him to speculate that Lambert Clark's successor has gotten in on the action. To top everything off, the gang from when Matsuri stole clothes a few days ago at Lake Biwa has shown up looking for revenge.

  3. Before the gang even gets through the gate, Katsuoka rides up on a white horse. He charges into battle against his aunt. The gang members, caught up in the confusion, get flung every which way. When the police show up, Nijikawa speaks to one he knew from school and tells him to keep people away from the fight.

  4. Katsuoka's three best assassins rush the Ryuudou boys, but they don't last long. Next Tsuzuku cunningly suggests to Kobayakawa that her first duty is to get rid of Katsuoka once and for all to prove that she is the true heir of Kamakura no Gozen.

Chapter 4: Unnecessary Guests

  1. The American Vice-President, Douglas Vincent, meets with a Japanese top official while a masked man and woman are present. Vincent arrogantly announces that he doesn't care who Japan chooses as its next Prime Minister, as long as he concerns himself solely with Japan and leaves military matters in the hands of America (and continues to pay to support American military bases). He also declares extravagantly that the Japanese people have lost their vigor, and it's about time to start coddling China instead. When he concludes and the Japanese official leaves, the mystery man removes his mask to reveal fiery topaz eyes. Vincent calls him "Kimpi-sama."

  2. Vincent, who looks down on every other person in the world (including the Texas-born President), acts like a slave in front of this inhuman creature. Kimpi claims to have inhabited a Portuguese soldier centuries ago who was responsible for ravaging Asia. He commends the masked woman, Stone Mistress, for the good work she's been doing in South America.

  3. Vincent receives reports that most of their high tech gear is useless in the midst of high humidity, hot ash, and electromagnetic interference. Kimpi tells him to leave weapons testing to the JSDF, but he protests that they have their hands full helping with disaster relief. The head of America's Homeland Security steps in and says this case should fall under his jurisdiction (since dragons could be considered biological weapons of mass destruction). After the Americans all leave, Kimpi remarks to Stone Mistress that America's greed and misdeeds will be its downfall. In the end, probably only England and Japan will stand on its side--and even England is in doubt if that country's government changes.

  4. Owaru engages in a fierce battle with the lizard soldier. At first it looks to the Hassen that the boy is at a disadvantage, but Amaru laughs and says it's just because Owaru is playing around. When Owaru starts to get serious, however, the lizard soldier makes his escape by tunneling underground. At that point, Matsuri and her older goddess sister Youki arrive to report that Hajime is worried about the two younger boys and they should return. The two Hassen tell Matsuri what the situation is like at her parents' house, then head back to Kunlong.

  5. Youki gives them some medicine to heal the touda and goes to report to her mother Seioubo, though she promises she'll be back soon. While the boys eat the snack Matsuri brought them, they ask if she was surprised to meet her sister. She was, but she's been hanging around with the Ryuudous all her life, so she has a measure of immunity to shock. As they're preparing to return to Kyoto, a car drives up to them.

  6. The doctors in charge of the captive Prime Minister are nervous about what is going on. This plays right into the Prime Minister's hands. He capitalizes on a young doctor's fears and gets the man to do whatever he says.

  7. The doctor smuggles the Prime Minister out of the hospital and drives until they meet up with Matsuri and the boys at Mt. Fuji. The Prime Minister tries convincing them to rescue him, though he can't think up any reward tempting enough--just like when the Ryuudous had kidnapped him and taken him to America. A group of men-in-black drive up and try to convince the boys to turn over the Prime Minister so they can return him to the hospital, but Matsuri aims one of the American soldiers' rifles at them and warns them off. She claims to be from a special American squad, and if they don't do as she says, she'll consider them enemies of justice and freedom. She fires a few warning shots, making them scream and run away. (The boys are impressed at how much she has mellowed--earlier, she would have fired first and given her warning afterward.)

Chapter 5: The Birth of a Shogunate in Kyoto?

  1. A group of foreign ambassadors gather to gripe about the "Great American Empire," particularly the way it throws its military might around however it pleases. They place the blame on the most recent President, adding considerately that his views are not the same as the rest of the Christian world. On the contrary, a true Christian would follow the advice "if an enemy strikes you on the right cheek, turn and offer him the left."

  2. Back in Kyoto, Katsuoka is soundly defeated. Kobayakawa wants to cut off his ears and nose as punishment, but Tsuzuku convinces her that it's pointless to do so without the press present to mark the occasion. Amaru calls and reports that they're all fine on their end. He's surprised to hear Kobayakawa's laughter in the background, but he trusts Hajime to handle the situation however necessary.

  3. The group at Mt. Fuji starts driving back toward Kyoto, but they get stuck in a traffic jam where the police have set up an inspection roadblock. The Prime Minister pretends to be frail and in poor health in the hope that the boys will have pity and not abandon him.

  4. Tsuzuku urges Kobayakawa to start her own shogunate government, pointing out that there's no law against it. Hajime has his reservations about the plan, but Tsuzuku is enjoying his new "toy" and reasons that the current government started it by invading their private lives. After Kobayakawa writes "Kyoto Shogunate" on their wall, the touda returns riderless. Hajime, concerned about his brothers and cousin, is about to set off with the touda to discover what happened to them, when he once again spots the hitenyasha.

Chapter 6: Hardworking People

  1. While Hajime and Tsuzuku take care of the situation outside, their trio of friends tends to Kobayakawa and her plans for conquering the country. Mizuchi reasons that it's better to go down in history for founding a new government than for being a terrorist, as they are all currently known.

  2. Hajime and Tsuzuku confront Stone Mistress up on the roof. Hajime chats with her about politics to stall for time while he tries to puzzle out what the Four Sisters are plotting and whether she's connected with the hitenyasha. By the time Stone Mistress is fed up with talk and ready to fight, Kobayakawa clambers up on the roof to confront her.

  3. Stone Mistress tries burying Kobayakawa beneath her Sarcophagus stones, but that isn't nearly enough to stop such a monster. Next the hitenyasha attack the brothers, proving they're on Stone Mistress' side, but Hajime and Tsuzuku take them out easily. Finally, Stone Mistress calls down a destructive energy beam from an American military satellite. She orders the Blue Dragon King to surrender or she'll destroy Kyoto's most historical buildings.

  4. Still stuck in the traffic jam, Owaru, Amaru, and Matsuri hang around outside the car. They spot the men-in-black returning, having recruited the local police on their side. Matsuri reaches for the rifle in the car, when suddenly the vehicle begins shaking. The lizard soldier springs out from beneath it where he had been hiding and attacks the men-in-black. He turns on Matsuri, but her two cousins drag her out of harm's way in the nick of time. An enormous flock of owls swoops in and swarms the lizard soldier, causing panic to erupt throughout the traffic jam. The lizard soldier once again escapes underground. The boys notice what appears to be a JSDF convoy passing by off the road, so Owaru decides to take over an armored truck.

Chapter 7: People Who Work Even Harder

  1. Owaru and Amaru approach the armored truck. Amaru puts on a skillful act to get the soldiers to drop their guard, and then Owaru tosses all of the soldiers out of the vehicle. While Amaru stands watch, Owaru runs back to fetch the others. The doctor happens to be obsessed with the military, so he agrees to drive.

  2. They drive along, picking up an elderly couple on the way. The owls are still flocking around them, so Matsuri scrambles onto the roof to thank the birds and tell them to go home. After a few minutes, another military vehicle begins to give chase and fire upon them. Amaru guesses that it's being driven by the lizard soldier.

  3. Hajime has faith that he and his brother together can defeat Stone Mistress--except he can't predict what Kobayakawa might do. He stalls for time by saying how shameful it is that someone of proud Scottish descent like Stone Mistress has joined forces with the appallingly selfish, childish, warmongering government of America. As she begins to lose patience, he concludes by asking what she plans to do if she wins. He doesn't receive an answer, because at that moment gunshots sound from below.

  4. Nijikawa's police acquaintance had started firing on the hitenyasha that were recovering from their earlier defeat. The gun has little effect, but the touda bashes one into the wall with his tail. The impact distracts Stone Mistress, allowing Kobayakawa to grab her by the ankle and swing her around. She lets go, and Stone Mistress would have plummeted to her death if the trio hadn't run out to catch her. Tsuzuku reminds his brother about his intended mission to Mt. Fuji, adding that he'll stay behind to keep watch and question Stone Mistress.

Chapter 8: Does Hard Work Make People Mature?

  1. The newly chosen Prime Minister has been spending his time hiding out in a bunker well supplied with food. All he cares about is eating and playing golf. He gets worried when Fuse reports that the previous Prime Minister was apparently abducted by the American military, though he is assured that the government will simply announce that the previous Prime Minister died, so if he turns up he will be branded an imposter. The new Prime Minister relies entirely on Fuse to make his decisions for him.

  2. The doctor drives the armored truck according to the satellite navigation system, leaving the lizard soldier behind. Unfortunately, the static caused by the volcano leads the truck off course. When they figure out the problem and turn around, they find that the lizard soldier has caught up with them. The doctor throws the truck into full speed reverse and Owaru climbs out to combat their enemy.

  3. Tsuzuku goes out to inspect the damage done by the military satellite. There he meets up with Kimpi, who declares the 21st century will be perfect for his goals because the American President has set the precedent that a strong country can invade a weaker country and depose its government without the approval of the United Nations--and get away with it. Tsuzuku figures out from the discussion that Kimpi must be a relatively high-ranking Gyuushu.

  4. Stone Mistress awakens and pulls out a small gun the trio hadn't found because they didn't dare to strip-search her. She demands to have her satellite controller back, unaware that Tsuzuku already destroyed it. As she holds the trio hostage, Kobayakawa shows up and closes in on her.

Chapter 9: Monsters Suit Fuji Well

  1. Owaru had climbed on the roof of the armored truck in the hope that the lizard soldier would fire at him and turn him into a dragon. Against all expectations, every shot misses. Finally Hajime appears and dives from the touda's back onto the enemy vehicle and manages to chase off the lizard soldier. He breaks into a grin when he sees Matsuri...but he stops chastely nearly two feet away from her. (Owaru and Amaru exchange glances and shrug in bemusement at how 19th century their displays of affection are.) The brothers catch each other up on the night's events.

  2. A convoy of the JSDF drives up to recover the hijacked vehicles. Hajime and Owaru grab the officer in charge, show him the Prime Minister, and work at convincing him to let them use the truck. While they're talking, the lizard soldier resumes his attack.

  3. This time the lizard brought reinforcements--a whole group of similar creatures. The JSDF officer doesn't want to open fire on people in American uniforms, but his men are getting slaughtered. Then, when the situation seems to have turned into an all-out battle, Mt. Fuji erupts again and everyone runs for cover. In the confusion, Hajime gets shot in the back and explodes in a ball of light.

  4. The dragon revels in his freedom. He can't stop the volcanic eruption--even if he sealed it temporarily, the pent-up energy would find a way to escape--nor does he really want to. What the dragon wants most of all is for the humans to simply leave him alone.

Chapter 10: Japan's Dawn May Be Near

  1. The dragon spots a huge, serpentine shadow that appears to be dancing with glee inside the mouth of the volcano, but it vanishes into the lava before he can get a good look. He proceeds to kill the lizard soldiers and levitates the armored vehicle with his family inside to fly them all to Kyoto.

  2. Back at the shogunate headquarters, the trio happily thinks up their new laws--all decidedly liberal, yet justified to Kobayakawa under the argument that they are designed to be in direct opposition to the Tokyo government's policies. The former Prime Minister agrees to join the shogunate (fearing he'll be killed otherwise).

  3. Stone Mistress had been cowed by Kobayakawa and retreated behind mental barriers. Amaru gets through to her a bit by singing a song he learned in Scotland. Finally, the four brothers have a good soak in the hot bath together. They discuss that their new shogunate government should side with the parties in America that are not as war-crazed as the present administration, reasoning that the fastest way to turn Japan around is to bring a better group to power in America. Hajime and Tsuzuku linger to talk together after the younger two leave, but neither knows what the creature in the volcano might have been. They head off to bed, Hajime and Matsuri exchanging simple (yet heartfelt) goodnights.

  4. The new Prime Minister hears about the shogunate from Fuse. He wants to go in with weapons blazing, but Fuse talks him out of it on the principle that they shouldn't take such a cult seriously or they'll be a laughingstock. Kimpi tells Vincent not to do anything about the shogunate until the Japanese government begs them, at which point they can invade with impunity under the name "Operation Japan's Dawn." After Vincent leaves, Kimpi looks at a map of eight Japanese volcanoes and calls out eight names, ordering them to show the dragons who's boss.

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