Original subtitles

I need talent

I need talent.

I need talent

I must become

I must become a "somebody."

I must become a somebody

Anything.

Just one will do.

It will be all mine!

It will be all mine!

You saw the flower petal dude?

Yeah, I swear!

It was just the other day, near the convenience store.

Oh, hey. I'm pretty sure I saw him, too.

No way. You're just making this crap up.

But seriously, all the posts on socials about petals

is getting out of hand, don'tcha think?

Yeah, totally.

Hey, here's an idea.

Maybe the guy's a serial killer or something?

There's no way!

Now that's just crazy talk.

Toya Senji

Focus. Don't let them distract you.

All right, everyone, take your seats.

Before we get started, I'd like to introduce you to a new student joining our class.

Quiet down.

Come on in.

The floor is yours.

Hey, wait up!

Haito Luo Buffet

The name's Haito Luo Buffet,

nice to meet you!

Sure.

Uh-huh...

Whatever.

Feel free to take a seat there.

Okay, time for attendance!

Hey, wait up!

Toya Senji.

How do you know my-

Hmm...

You don't look like much of a bookworm to me.

Those tense eyebrows and bags under your eyes...

What are you looking so hard at?

Excuse me.

I'm going to be late for cram school.

I get what you were saying now.

He does have it in his eyes, Neumann.

Yes.

Quite a resemblance.

Ple-please! Stay away!

There's no need to be so afraid.

For I will...

make a delicious meal out of you in due time.

Please! No!

Help-

ZETTAI Shingaku Cram School

National Mock Exams - Transcript

Dammit, this won't cut it.

There has to be something, anything.

A talent of all my own,

or else I'm useless.

I need a talent.

I don't care what it is.

Just one will suffice.

I'll do anything...

to get my hands on one.

Anyone?

Nope, not a soul.

Was it a prank call?

Screaming was reported somewhere in this area.

Huh?

Did he drink himself sick?

What a pain.

Are you alright, sir?

Pay no heed to me.

I'm afraid I can't do that.

This woman, you see,

she had the gall to make a fool out of someone as talented as me.

This is her comeuppance!

Y-you sick bastard!

What's that weird smell?

'Tis all too amusing to ever quit.

Oh, how lucky I am!

Why, dammit?!

Are you jealous?

Are you jealous?

There are three emotions that one feels upon witnessing another's talent.

Awe.

Awe

Fear

Fear.

And envy.

And envy

Those who desire talent...

feel that last one most of all.

It's you...

Well, I'll be damned.

You seem to be enjoying yourself, Fish.

All thanks to you.

I'm truly grateful to you for bestowing this fabulous talent upon me!

As a token of my gratitude,

I will cook the both of you into a delicious meal!

Huh?

Where'd you run off to now?

Computational Prediction...

You've outdone yourself again, Neumann.

Nice to meet you.

"Neumann"?

John von Neumann

Haito.

I know, I know.

Suppose there was an item that could resurrect the talents of your past lives,

regardless of how useless you are in this one.

If you had the chance to use it, Toya...

what would you do?

The Branch of Reincarnation.

Behold.

W-wait!

Ah, there you are.

Harasogi!

Kubikari!

HARASOGI

(Disemboweler)

To me!

KUBIKARI

(Decapitator)

Flower petals?

Here we go!

MUSASHI

HARUNOBU

MIYAMOTO

Musashi Harunobu Miyamoto,

at your service!

Psych!

That's reincarnation.

Using the Branch of Reincarnation, one can retrieve talents from their past lives.

Those who achieved reincarnation are called "Returners."

What's with the petals?

I'll explain.

The petals are proof that one has retrieved their talent from their former life.

Even the most iconic heroes and unparalleled geniuses are still human.

They must eventually perish.

But ironically, death also brings new life,

as the talents of history's greats are reborn in a cycle of reincarnation.

Just like her.

The Branch of Reincarnation brings back talent from your former life.

But it does not discriminate between talents.

On one hand, we have the "Greats":

the heroes of history whose talents led to the betterment of humanity.

But on the other hand...

You get the idea.

People like Fish.

The criminals, murderers, and dictators of the world.

Those whose talents brought harm to humanity.

These so-called "Sinners" are reincarnated just the same.

Of course, there's always a chance you simply die after using the branch

without reviving any talent at all.

Knowing all of that, will you still do it?

It figures you'd hesitate,

but that's nothing to be ashamed of.

It's a lot to take in...

Toya?

How incredible!

I was excited to battle it out with a famous sword master,

but your swordsmanship is rather disappointing.

You're really asking for it now.

Ibitsu Niten Style:

Eight-hued Corpse!

IBITSU NITEN STYLE

EIGHT-HUED CORPSE

I can parry your blade with ease!

Okay, but what about the rest of them?

You fool.

Neumann, mission accomplished.

Where's Toya?

He's gone.

I see.

I'm sure Toya's petals...

Episode 1

Those Who Shed Petals

will bloom.

Over here, Toya.

Wait! Wait up!

What's wrong?

Hurry up, Toya.

Seiya!

Toya.

Toya!

Morning!

Why're you here?

It seems you've safely become a Returner.

Despite all that moaning and groaning you did in your sleep.

I had an older brother.

He was good at everything: academics, martial arts, fine arts, you name it.

People called him a prodigy.

He achieved fame and fortune from a young age.

Everybody knew he had a bright future, but as for me...

Fourth place in the foot race?

Seiya was always first.

Seiya brought home gold medals. You brought home nothing.

Talk about a disappointment.

You incompetent brat!

You incompetent brat!

I was always desperate to meet the standards he set.

But as they say, "those whom the gods love die young."

My brother got sick and died.

And let me guess...

Yeah, my parents blamed me for that, too.

Looking back on it now,

they might've only said that to avoid ruining the legacy he created.

Well, either way,

it ended with me getting kicked out of the house.

That's why I want to humiliate them with a talent of my own.

I want to get payback.

Against all the jerks who looked down on me like trash!

But more than anything,

I want to prove to myself that I'm capable of something.

I see.

So that's why you were so desperate for talent.

The violin...

The piano, flute, oil painting, dancing, swimming, track and field,

basketball, soccer, gymnastics, Go, chess, Aikido, Karate, Kendo...

All extracurricular activities that I was forced to do.

Wow!

Although I didn't find my calling in any of them.

Well, I guess you and I...

are two peas in a pod.

What do you mean?

I'm glad you're here, Toya Senji.

We've been awaiting your arrival.

You must be...

Neumann?

Where's everyone else?

They're all out on missions.

To eliminate evil Returners.

That is our main mission here at the Forest of the Greats, after all.

The Forest of the Greats...

The Branch of Reincarnation doesn't discriminate between talents.

We have no problem with the talents of the "Greats" that benefit humanity.

But when the reincarnated talent belongs to those like Fish,

who bring harm to humanity,

we must make quick work of eradicating them.

That is one of our responsibilities

as Returners who have awakened the talents of a Great.

Keep this in mind.

Your reincarnated talent is akin to a gift from the heavens.

It's not something to flaunt, but rather use for the betterment of humanity.

That sums it up.

Now, then.

I'm going to have you join Haito on a new assignment.

Your target is the Sinner Returner...

known as Vlad III.

But your goal is not exactly to kill him.

What does that mean?

Aren't we supposed to eradicate him?

There's something I'm curious to find out.

Haito, I want you to distract the enemy

and keep the battle going as long as possible.

But be sure to eliminate him after 10 minutes.

He'll decipher our talents if the battle drags on any longer than that.

Okay.

Toya, I want you to send me as much intel on the target and his surroundings as possible.

The operation will commence in two days' time.

Not today?

There's something I want to do beforehand.

The Forest of the Greats, huh?

THIEF!

You there!

Stop him!

Dim lighting, bad visibility, and the wind is sure to blow your petals around.

You sure you want to do this?

Yes.

Don't get too carried away.

You're still new to the whole reincarnation thing.

TALENT

Talent:

Right Arm of the Thief.

RIGHT ARM OF THE THIEF

Otta the way, kid!

Or I'll bust yer teeth in!

Thank you!

Hey! Why didn't you stop him?!

Please stay calm. There's no need to worry.

I got all your things back.

My stuff...

Thank yo-

No, you idiot!

The purse is more valuable than the stuff in it!

It's a designer's bag!

Get back here, YOU THIEF!

With a range of only 70 centimeters and no offensive power to speak of...

the conditions of your talent make it very risky to use.

But as long as you're within range,

you can defy the laws of physics and steal the contents of anything.

Whoa... what happened to him?

You stole his blood to induce a state of anemia.

Very clever.

Turning evil into good.

I see you understand the ideal behind talent.

It's not the talent itself that matters,

but how you make use of it.

Uh-huh.

Anything?

No signs of the target yet.

Art thou one o' the Forest of the Greats?

Count Vlad.

In the flesh.

Thou hast much audacity to face me alone.

Vlad III

I do not take kindly...

to being sold so short.

Ibitsu Niten Style:

Four-hued Corpse!

How futile!

Let us see how much longer thee shall last!

Well, crap.

Forget about just stalling for time,

I can't even get close to this guy.

Don't be hasty.

We're analyzing the data right now.

Just focus on the mission.

Aw jeez.

He was clearly waiting for us to come.

Stick your neck out too far and you'll lose your head, most likely.

We're better off waiting for the right opportunity.

That's easy for you to say.

His stakes can come from anywhere, which makes them...

pretty hard to dodge!

I can't do it forever.

What is her intention?

She forsakes taking the offensive.

Hurry up, Toya.

It's probably due to the swordsman in her,

but Haito tends to enjoy battles a little too much.

She's bound to get herself into trouble.

Ibitsu Niten Style:

IBITSU NITEN STYLE

Eight-hued Corpse!

EIGHT-HUED CORPSE

Thou art quite bothersome.

But this be a battle of attrition.

Playing defense is not for me.

Time to attack!

Don't!

I have awaited this moment!

Mission failed.

Don't just stand there.

Retreat!

Thou hast been consumed by thine own talent.

Witless fool!

Victory is mine!

What devilry is this?

I should have a wall to my back!

That arm...

It's been ten minutes, so I figured I'd give you a hand.

Did that kill him?

Thou hast only newly become a Returner, nay?

I can tell.

Thou art not yet accustomed to thy talent.

Thus thou missed a prime opportunity to best me.

How foolish!

I declare ye both be executed at the stake!

Fall back.

Careful now.

No funny moves if you value your life.

That voice...

Fall back, Vlad.

But I'm on the verge of ending them!

Don't make me repeat myself.

Yes, my lord.

I see.

You look a lot like him.

Mission complete.

Time to retreat.

Thief!

I have finally found thee.

Return it to me...

Now!

Count Vlad.

What do you want?

Do not jest with me!

How could thou be so shameless!

Thou must have stolen it from me!

My talent!

Have you told anybody you lost it?

How could I!

Such disgrace is too shameful to even mention!

I'm glad to hear that.

Now then, it's time for you...

to disappear!

Spoils of the Thief!

Talent:

Lord Impaler

Talent:

Lord Impaler

Count Vlad.

I'm truly grateful.

Please rest assured.

I will use your talent

in ways you could never have dreamed of.

Contributing to humanity?

Not interested.

What does that have to do with me?

I need talent.

Any talent I desire is mine for the taking.

I need talent.

I couldn't care less whether they're a Great or a Sinner...

I will keep stealing, and stealing,

until there's nothing left!

And once I've stolen all the talents I desire,

I will be the most talented person in history!

Then I'll have caught up with Seiya...

No, I'll have surpassed him beyond a doubt!

I can't wait.

I truly can't wait!

The last one laughing

Not the "Greats"

won't be the Greats nor the Sinners...

Nor the "Sinners."

It will be me!!

It will be me!

All according to plan.

Are you seeing this...

Seiya?

The Way of the Returner

Episode 2

"The Way of the Returner."