Chapter 12 - Metamorphoses

Metamorphoses is Saiyuki's twelfth chapter.

Summary
In the pouring rain, Sanzo lies bleeding on the ground, wounded by Rikudo's spear. Goku crouches at Sanzo's side, incessantly calling his name as Hakkai orders him not to try to move Sanzo. Meanwhile, Rikudo stands by in shock as what he has just done sinks in. A memory of himself as Shuei with Kouryuu flashes through his mind and then he screams in pain as the talisman embedded in his flesh reacts. Even though in his mind he silently implores the talisman curse not to take Kouryuu away from him with Sanzo's death, out loud he laughs and says that anyone who sides with yokai deserves to die.

Still at Sanzo's side, Goku begins to have a strange reaction as his body twitches and becomes tense. As Hakkai asks him what's wrong, Goku starts panting heavily. Confused, Goku sees an image in his mind of a man with long hair but does not know who it is. Suddenly, his yokai power limiter shatters and he screams. Gojyo, Hakkai, and Rikudo watch in alarm as Goku's ears, nails, and hair grow long and his eyes become fierce. Hakkai says this is how Goku, a heretical being born from rocks gathered by the earth's aura, looks without his power limiter. This is Son Goku, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.

Rikudo laughs, calling Goku a monster who has finally revealed his true form. Before Rikudo has time to react, Goku leaps at him in a flash and pins him to the ground. As Goku straddles him, Rikudo grabs Goku's wrists. But Goku only smirks, immune to the power of the talisman. Rikudo knocks Goku off with his leg, and Goku lands off to the side. Rikudo throws a talisman attack at Goku, but it fails as Goku's powerful yokai energy burns up the talismans. Goku knocks Rikudo to the ground again with a punch to the face. Staddling Rikudo again, Goku gleefully begins to throw punch after punch.

Gojyo watches in shock, surprised at how frightening Goku is in this form. Hakkai calls Gojyo's attention back to the injured Sanzo. Although Sanzo is still breathing and the spear missed his vital organs, he is still losing body heat and blood. Hakkai uses his chi to heal the wound. As Hakkai stays to tend to Sanzo, it is Gojyo's job to try to stop Goku's violent rampage.

Goku rips a chunk out of Rikudo's shoulder with his teeth, and suddenly there is a bright flash of light originating from the bead necklace around Rikudo's neck. In response to the reaction of the beads, Goku backs away and screams while covering his ears. Rikudo takes this chance to escape and vanishes into thin air. His disembodied voice shouts out that he will return to kill them.

With Sanzo's wound now closed, both Gojyo and Hakkai turn their attention to stopping Goku. When Gojyo approaches Goku, Hakkai warns him that Goku currently doesn't know who they are. Gojyo and Goku grapple with each other a bit, and then Gojyo holds out his arm for an enraged Goku to bite onto. Goku takes the bait and sinks in his teeth. As Gojyo grabs Goku's head, he hears an unfamiliar voice telling him to hold Goku still. Energy crackles and Goku's face goes blank as he stops attacking. The power limiter reforms out of energy around Goku's head and solidifies into place. Goku returns to his regular form and slumps fast asleep into Gojyo's arms. As Gojyo and Hakkai wonder what just happened, Kanzeon Bosatsu and Jiroushin appear on the scene. Hakkai asks them who they are.

Meanwhile, an injured Rikudo rests amongst the trees. He laments that he has lost everything now. Laughing maniacally, he says he will kill them all.