Lord of Vermilion: The Crimson King Season 1 Episode 9

Julia and Suruga convince Akira and Tsubaki to leave the Church “sinners” and rejoin the Guardian State. At AVAL, a large group of men, women, and children are turned into familiars with an artificial barrier called a keystone. Shōko berates Chihiro for trusting Yuri and Kakihara says Kurokami died because she trusted him. Koume leaves with Kurokami in her red stone form to continue Inuki’s research. Kakihara and Aero also leave, researching the points on the map Kurokami gave them. Chihiro follows but is found out and Kakihara guesses he dreamed his death. Kakihara states Chihiro doesn’t want to save him, merely change the dreams and fate so he and Yuri don’t have to kill each other. Chihiro pleads he wants to prevent deaths and Kakihara leaves. To himself, Kakihara realizes his eyes had changed, he was trying to live. Kakihara admits to Chihiro he survived a family suicide to. They were forced into debt and his parents ran the car off a cliff, Kakihara thrown out of the car so only he survived, abandoned. He asks why Chihiro rejected his father’s wish to die with him, but Chihiro says he doesn’t care about living. There must be a reason he lived though, so he doesn’t want to die. Kakihara says his eyes are no longer darkened with hate and despair, begging for forgiveness. Kotetsu passes on the warning of Chihiro’s dream to Tsubkai, who agrees to help.

Chihiro accompanies Kakihara and Aero to visit the GPS points on Kurokami’s map, Kakihara not even sure why he’s working with Chihiro. They arrive at the same keystone where Kurokami was attacked. There’s no point in Shōko destroying the old barriers with these new ones being put up. Kark appears and attacks, though Aero saves Kakihara and Kakihara is shocked to recognize the famous pianist. Chihiro hallucinates he is being attacked by those he “killed” due to Kaburagi and is captured, unable to manifest his blood armaments. Kakihara is wounded while trying to free him and Aero sacrifices herself for Kakihara, her last words ordering him to live. Kakihara attacks but his wounds trouble him and he is cut down. Cerdid arrives, temporarily forcing Kark to fall back. Kakihara admits making him admit his guilt was his life’s purpose. He didn’t want to acknowledge his parents rejected him, since they should have taken him with them if they loved him, so he couldn’t forgive how Chihiro refused to die with his father. However, it seems he was wrong. He tells Chihiro what he learned from the case documents. After Chihiro stabbed his father, his father stopped trying to strangle him, returning to his senses. Fearing he would kill his son or Chihiro would be branded a murderer he used the shard to commit seppuku. He drew the word “live” with his own blood before he died, his final request of his son. Realizing he didn’t kill him, Chihiro’s grief is lifted and he breaks free of the spell, creating his blood armaments. Tsubaki and Kotetsu arrive and Chihiro tells them Kark killed Kurokami, the two forcing him to flee. Cerdid is unable to heal Kakihara’s wounds and he dies after forgiving Chihiro.

Shōko speaks with Dux, expressing her concern that at this rate the Heroic Lineage will be wiped out. Dux agrees it will likely happen again, confusing Shōko. Again? Dux instead says that if the last keystone is connected, Chaos will win and Shōko vows she won’t let that happen. However, Dux says they cannot retreat until they are down to only one Heroic Vassal, to which Shōko also agrees.