Chapter 14 - Good Night

Good Night is Saiyuki's fourteenth chapter.

Summary
Genjo Sanzo and Rikudo confront each other. As Sanzo raises his gun and shoots at Rikudo, Rikudo vanishes on the spot. He re-materializes directly behind Sanzo and says that because Sanzo ruined his life when Sanzo left Kinzan Temple, now Sanzo can share his fate by suffering pain and death. Rikudo punches Sanzo, and Sanzo fights back by whacking him with his gun. Sanzo fires another shot at Rikudo, but misses as Rikudo ducks behind a tree.

Sanzo tells Rikudo that the exorcism talismans won't work on him. Rikudo respond that he now knows that what the talisman really wants is to take Sanzo's life.

As Sanzo's injury throbs with pain, he thinks to himself that the reason why he jumped in front of Goku wasn't to save him, but rather to shield his own emotional scars from the pain of Koumyou's death that he still feels. He says to himself that he will never die for someone else, because he knows the pain felt by the person left behind. "I live for myself, and I die for myself - no one else. And I take pride in that."

Rikudo begins to chant a tantra, and Sanzo recognizes it as a spell that paralyzes spirits and people. Sanzo falls to the ground, unable to move. Rikudo straddles Sanzo and begins to strangle him with his hands. He tells Sanzo that by killing him, every part of Sanzo will belong to him, including his soul. He wants to put Sanzo through the same nightmare that he has been experiencing. Sanzo responds by telling Rikudo that it was his own fault for being possessed by the talisman because he was too weak. Rikudo yells at Sanzo to shut up, and begins to choke him in earnest. Rikudo suddenly releases Sanzo and screams as the talisman begins to painfully react. The beads around his neck begin to crack, the necklace breaks and the beads scatter. Rikudo screams in agony as the talisman consumes his whole being and what was left of Shuei is lost. Sanzo realizes that there is nothing he can do to save Shuei now. Rikudo thinks to himself that if it wasn't for Kouryuu having given him the beads, he could have lost himself sooner.

Rikudo grabs the wrist of Sanzo's gun arm, and places the muzzle of the gun against his own forehead. Amidst a backdrop of the memory of Kouryuu gifting Shuei with the beads, Sanzo pulls the trigger.

Sanzo recalls a memory of Koumyou as they watched the birds migrate. Koumyou told him that even though the birds can fly wherever they want, they may regret having wings if they lack a destination or a place to rest. "I think it may be that true freedom is having a place to return to."

As Sanzo exits the forest, he sees Goku, Gojyo, and Hakkai waiting for him in Jeep. Gojyo and Goku jokingly ask him where's he's headed, and he responds, "Where else? I'm headed west." Sanzo tosses his gun to Goku and says he's going to sleep and will kill anyone who wakes him up. "Good night," Hakkai replies, and they continue their journey west.

Elsewhere, in the heavens, Kanzeon Bosatsu observes that the Sanzo-ikkou haven't changed in 500 years, and we see a backdrop of Konzen, Tenpou, and Kenren from the past. Kanzeon says that they would rather bite their tongues and die than take orders from anyone, no matter how many times they are reincarnated. Kanzeon approaches a throne where Nataku Taishi is seated, blank and motionless like a doll.