12 Battle Against the Darkness

Battle Against the Darkness is the twelfth episode of Gensoumaden Saiyuki and climax to the infamous Chin Yisou Arc.

Summary
''"As long as there are people that believe in me I will carry on and I will never do anything to let them down. That's what Hakkai says. So no matter what kinds of dirty tricks Chin Yisou pulls out of his sleeves, we can be sure Hakkai will never betray us. Ain't that right Sanzo?... Sanzo? Oh well." - Son Goku''

Chin Yisou threats Sanzo and Goku is wick to defend, but Chin Yisou damages Goku’s already broken leg and then vanishes into the trees. Sanzo and Hakkai decide to leave Gojyo and Goku behind for their own good and go after Chin Yisou themselves. Gojyo and Goku are not happy about it. Gojyo, still healing from the gun shot to the chest in the previous episode, carries Goku on his shoulders since the monkey can’t walk. Gojyo tells Goku (an unusually serious conversation for them) that he's very worried about Hakkai’s mental state, but Goku strongly believes that Hakkai will be okay, cementing the response by saying that Hakkai told him that as long as there are that still believe in him, Hakkai will never let them down.

Deep in the forest, Hakkai ponders that his being with the rest of them has put them in danger. Chin Yisou appears above them in a tree. He threatens Sanzo again and Hakkai say that Chin Yisou should be fighting him instead. Chin Yisou takes control of Hakkai’s mind as forces Hakkai to kill Sanzo. While monologueing, Chin Yisou also tells Hakkai who he is and that he’s a shikigami, with a Mahjong piece in his belly that is keeping him alive.

After a dramatic performance, in which Hakkai has killed Sanzo, Gojyo and Goku finally catch up. But they are confused. Why is Sanzo lying on the ground motionless? Hakkai says he did it and then fires an attack at his friends. But just as Chin Yisou starts to think that he’s truly one, Hakkai turns his attack on him. Sanzo, also acting just as Hakkai was, gets up and put’s his gun to Chin Yisou’s head. Chin Yisou goes in for the attack, but Hakkai stabs into him with his Qigong technique and rips out the shikigami talisman. Chin Yisou’s form crumbles into ruble.

Later, while setting the monkey’s leg, Hakkai is thinking about his shot life line. Goku pops up behind he and Gojyo and extends the line using a permanent marker that Gojyo was drawing on his cast with earlier. Hakkai complains that it’s permanent and there for won’t wash off. Gojyo agrees, wearing a smile. Sanzo barks that it’s time they hit the road, and the journey to the west continues…

Quotes

 * "Awful lot of bark for a mutt that can barely stand up on his own two paws" - Chin Yisou


 * "I'm so happy for you. Her suffering has finally come to an end. My goodness, what a terrifying look. You must be desiring to murder me with all your heart and soul. How proud you must be to have slayed every demon in this castle all by yourself. No human could have accomplished a feet like that all alone. Then again, It's only a legend, but it is says a human who is bathed in the blood of a thousand demons shall become a demon himself. Isn't that ironic?" - Chin Yisou Gonou


 * "What is it? Asking me something stupid and I'll shoot you." - Genjo Sanzo to Hakkai


 * "Do you think it's really okay for me to be here?" - Cho Hakkai to Sanzo


 * "I know you would never betray me. Am I right?" - Genjo Sanzo to Hakkai


 * "He told me that as long as there are people out there that believe in him, he'll find a way to survive. He'll do anything within his power not to let them down... I'm sure he'll be alright." - Son Goku to Gojyo


 * "For one single woman who was my entire other life." - Cho Hakkai


 * "I'm the one you're after, so go ahead and try to do whatever to can to me, but him? I will personally see to it that you never lay a finger on him." - Cho Hakka to Chin Yisou


 * "Hakkai would probably rather bite off his own tongue than strangle me to death." - Genjo Sanzo to Chin Yisou


 * "You said it was easy to find the crevices of my heart? Well my heart isn't big enough for crevices. You would think you would have learn that after the last time I killed you not to underestimate me, fortune teller. The only difference between you and the rest of your clan, is that I get to kill you twice." - Cho Hakkai to Chin Yisou


 * "At least I'm not a creature like you, without a past or a future." - Cho Hakkai


 * "Ow! Now my head bone's broke!" - Son Goku


 * "I suppose. You know, in a funny way, that fortune teller did me a huge favor. I'd been caring my past around with me so long, I suppose it was only a matter of time before I had to confront that part of myself again. Right now, I'm wishing my life line was just a tincy bit longer than it is at the moment... I guess that means that I just have to get use to the idea that I'm going to have to make the most of short time that I have left." - Cho Hakkai


 * "Kanan, I'd like to live for myself just a little while longer." - Cho Hakkai