Episode Guide to Gensomaden Saiyuki

5. True Assassin/A Beautiful Assassin

(manga Vol. 2, chapters 8-9--mostly)

Yaone, Kougaiji's resident apothecary and assassin-in-training, begs for a shot at the Sanzo-ikkou, citing her expertise with all powders from poisons to explosives. He reluctantly agrees to let her go. She takes a job as a waitress in an inn they're likely to visit and plans to poison their food. We see in a flashback that she was captured to be given in sacrifice to the centipede-demon Hyakugan Maoh, who was known for his cruel torment and devouring of women; she was rescued by Kougaiji to serve as his chemist and healer, and thus is utterly devoted to him.

Team Sanzo arrives on a night when she's being especially rudely harrassed by male customers (she's the prettiest girl on the staff), and when they chivarously come to her rescue she feels a twinge of guilt over her intent to kill them, especially the one with the green eyes and charming smile. Meanwhile, the SI are observing that while demons are notoriously independent and self-interested, the ones they've met who were working for Kougaiji were fiercely loyal to him, even willing to die in his service. What manner of youkai is this Kougaiji and how does he inspire such loyalty? they wonder.
Her carefully poisoned meal is ruined in a brawl before the guys can eat it, so Yaone uses a sleeping powder to take out the inn's entire clientele--except Hakkai, who holds his breath, and thus is the only one left standing to fight her. She assumes her demon form and they have a short and polite duel; though earnest and determined, she's not a very good fighter and he goes easy on her (and he's also already disarmed the bomb she planted inside, as well).
Yaone is desolate, saying she's proven herself worthless to Kougaiji, and prepares to commit suicide. The sight of her aiming the knife at herself gives Hakkai a keenly painful flashback to a similar moment with a woman named Kanan, who addresses him as Cho Gonou. As he's begging Yaone to stop, a flying shape with long red hair sweeps her up to the rooftop and the rest of the SI dash out. She cries out "Kougaiji-sama!" and they realize the drop-dead-gorgeous *koffsorry* topic of their discussion has arrived. Goku's delighted to meet him at last and prepares to fight, but the youkai says no: he only came to save his subordinate and too many innocent people would be endangered. (There's a quick scuffle anyway, just enough to impress Goku with their foe's strength.) As the two youkai leave together, Hakkai says they have the answer to their question about Kougaiji.
Kougaiji tells Yaone he doesn't ever want to see his people throw their lives away, and asks if she's breaking her promise to serve him forever. She beams at him with renewed devotion and says she will never leave his side.

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