Birdy the Mighty: Decode Episode 9: The Champion of Justice

Matsunaga confirms Hidesuke's past as a master pyrotechnician from Kagiya. The others, including Kijiro, Oharu, Shinza, and Kikusuke, react with surprise to this revelation. Kikusuke then makes the crucial connection, recognizing Hidesuke as the angry monk he encountered earlier, confirming Hidesuke's identity as Kitsunebi. This piece of information sets a grim, serious tone for the impending backstory.

The narrative pulls back to Hidesuke's happier past, when he was a celebrated pyrotechnician with a family. We meet Seikichi, his ambitious young apprentice, and Oito, Hidesuke's innocent daughter, who yearns to see red fireworks. Despite Hidesuke's stern warnings about their danger, Seikichi, eager to please Oito, confidently promises to create the elusive red display. Hidesuke's worry is palpable, a foreshadowing of the disaster to come.

Seikichi secretly proceeds with his dangerous experiment, drawing an excited crowd to the riverbank. Hidesuke rushes in, his face a mask of horror, screaming for Seikichi to stop. But it is too late; the firework launches, not as a beautiful display, but as a devastating explosion. Flames engulf the entire area, and people are thrown through the air, their bodies consumed by fire.

Amidst the inferno, Hidesuke frantically searches for Oito, only to find her helpless in the raging flames. He desperately calls for water, ordering Seikichi to act, but the buckets are tragically empty. Hidesuke's anguish turns to rage, accusing Seikichi of his reckless unpreparedness as the fire claims Oito, leaving Hidesuke in utter despair.

Returning to the present, Matsunaga explains how this unspeakable tragedy twisted Hidesuke's soul. The loss of both Oito and his wife, coupled with the perceived inaction of the firefighters that night, fostered a deep-seated, consuming hatred. This bitterness against Kagiya and all fire brigades morphed him into the vengeful arsonist, Kitsunebi, seeking retribution for his immeasurable pain.

After days of fruitless waiting for Kitsunebi to appear, Shinza and Kikusuke show their growing impatience. Their vigil is broken by Kijiro's sudden fury, recognizing a flute associated with a new fire, confirming Kitsunebi's latest strike. The firefighters, now alert, rush towards the inferno, anticipating the long-awaited confrontation. This is their chance to stop the arsonist.

Shinza bravely engages Kitsunebi's masked followers, only to be confronted by Hidesuke himself. Hidesuke shockingly accuses Matsunaga of being the real arsonist, unsettling Shinza before launching a psychological assault. He twists the nature of fire service, claiming firefighters secretly desire the very blazes they extinguish, then blinds Shinza with a firework before vanishing. The attack leaves Shinza reeling and vulnerable.

In the chaos, Kagiya firemen apprehend Shinza, mistakenly believing him to be Matsunaga and Kitsunebi. Simultaneously, the real Matsunaga is confined due to the machinations of Ogasawara-sama, preventing him from defending himself. The group then discovers insidious flyers spread across Edo, branding their captain and the entire Boro-gumi as arsonists, revealing a meticulously planned public smear campaign designed to destroy their credibility.

The crushing weight of false accusations and their captain’s absence causes fissures within the Boro-gumi. Kijiro, overcome with frustration and a sense of helplessness, announces his intention to abandon the group, sparking a furious argument with Shinza. Despite Shinza’s impassioned defence of their duty and the importance of unity, Kijiro resolutely walks away. Shinza is left in the empty training ground, consumed by despair and weeping for guidance.

Alone in the aftermath of betrayal and dissolution, Shinza reaches his lowest point, calling out to his absent father for direction. After a moment of profound grief, he finds a new wellspring of strength. He rises, his face etched with grim determination, and vows to continue the fight alone if necessary, to protect Edo and restore his group's honor.