SQS10 Taikyoku Denki Kanka Soran Development Notes 01/22/24

[nebulancer]

🐼Break Day Tradition (?) Development Notes🐼

From the Yin origin and first Gokuzoku

The Gokuzoku King

Shun: Good day to you.

Shun-san, who’s discussed during the stage, at your service ☆

Are you enjoying the world of Taikyoku Denki? It seems there are various daily lives and conversations that couldn’t be shown due to time constraints. We’ll show you the side stories 🐼

# SQSTaikyoku

 

Eichi: A stone that shines at night. ...It’s like a star.

 

🐼Eichi’s Necklace🐼

(A story of the luminescent stone)

 

On a certain day in En.

 

Eichi: Shu~! Shu~? Are you here~?

Ichiru: Hey, Shu~! SHUUUUUUU~~~! Where are you~!?

Issei: Stop that, Ichiru! You’re too loud.

 

Shu: Hey there, Eichi, Issei, Ichiru. What’s going on? That’s quite the fuss you’re stirring up.

Ichiru: Ah, you’re heeere!

 

The three of them run over, surrounding Shu.

 

Ichiru: This, this! Check this out!

 

Ichiru hands Shu a stone smaller than his fist, which lights up.

 

Shu: This is... a stone filled with quite the amount of Yang energy.

Ichiru: Awesome, innit? My hand was getting shocks just holding it! Isn’t it similar to the jade stone that you have?

(The magical jade that sealed Shiki away)

Shu: It does. That one had a technique cast on it, but this one... is natural, it seems. Natural energy accumulated into this... Hmm... How intriguing.

Issei: Is it okay for you to hold it?

Shu: Yeah. It feels almost warm in my hand.

Issei: It must be resonating with you. I’d expect nothing less of the “People’s King.”

Shu: Don’t call me by that grandiose name. (wry laugh) I just have a bit more Yang energy in my body than the rest. Anyway, this rock...

Eichi: Aah, yeah. I got it as a gift. I went outside the city for a little bit, see? I saw an old man who’d sprained his leg, so I carried him on my back all the way back to En. He gave me that rock as thanks.

Shu: I see.

Issei: Shu, tell Eichi for us. That it’s dangerous for him to wander outside the city after dark.

Eichi: Erk—

Issei: No matter how many times we warn him, he just keeps leaving the city with this reason and that.

Shu: That’s true. Although you do have two Gokuzoku, considered the strongest species in battle, with you already...

Ichiru: HA! HAH! HAHHH~! Exactly! We’re the strongest! And the strongest? That’s us! Your Lords Gokuzoku, right here~! Well, yeah, those scrubs all around? Just sensing us will make ‘em run right away! They can’t hold a candle to us, after all!

Issei: Don’t get too full of yourself!

Ichiru: Ouch!

Issei: Right now, we’re discussing how to make Jinzoku Eichi stop putting himself into dangerous situations. It doesn’t have anything to do with how strong you are.

Ichiru: All right, I get it......

Eichi: (wry laugh) Sorry, I’m the one at fault, Icchi. And thank you, Isse and Shu, for worrying about me. Um... I just heard there was an unusual ore which only shines at nighttime, so I wanted to do anything to see it... I was reckless. Sorry.

Shu: Only shining at nighttime... You mean a luminescent rock?

Eichi: Huh? Shu, you know about it?

Shu: I have a luminescent rock necklace.

Eichi: Whoa, that’s incredible!

Issei: As I’d expect of the Fourth Imperial Prince of Shin.

Shu: I discarded that title when I left the capital... three years ago.

Ichiru: Hmm~? ...Or so you say, but I get the vibe that you’re being pretty fussy about taking care of other people’s needs?

Shu: ......

Ichiru: And the reason why you don’t leave this manor very often is because you keep worrying about that title, eh? Like, you just keep shutting yourself away in this place every single day. Just reading books. Sooo weird. Isn’t it weird for you to be tied down by something you can’t see? You’re living a restricted life because of it all.

Issei: Ichiru. Jinzoku are different from us Gokuzoku. We can live as long as we have Yin energy. We don’t need to eat, we don’t need to sleep, and our bodies are tough and powerful. We can live alone, but......

Eichi: Jinzoku aren’t the same. We already have enough on our plates trying to protect ourselves from demons, but it takes a lot out of us to find clothing, food, and shelter alone, too. We need to help each other in order to keep living. Because that’s the case, there are basic rules set in place, or things we need to be considerate of......

Ichiru: Gaa~aa~ah~! What a pain! The strong are the best! That way of living’s the best because it’s easiest to understand!

Shu: I see. That is, indeed, easy to understand.

Ichiru: I know, right?

Shu: But there are various types of “power” as well.

Ichiru: Types of... power?

Shu: Yeah.

Ichiru: You mean, like how the strength of magic spells is different from how strong I can kick?

Shu: Yeah.

Ichiru: But I know you’re strong. Like, you’re strong enough to seal that Shiki away.

Shu: !

 

Shu: ......That was... a result... that came from all sorts of variables interacting... It wasn’t on purpose. What I’m talking about is not something physical......

Ichiru: Strength that doesn’t have a physical shape? What’s up with that?

Eichi: Hmm~ The first thing that comes to mind would be strength of will, strength of one’s heart, I guess?

Ichiru: ? Someone’s strength of will or the heart doesn’t matter in a fight. Like, all you gotta do is blast the enemy away, right?

Eichi: I suppose I’d have to say, “I expected nothing less from a Gokuzoku,” at how blasting your opponent away is the first step you take... (wry laugh)

In Jinzoku’s case, we have to talk things out or do a series of negotiations first to make sure that doesn’t happen.

Shu: Eichi’s skilled at those types of things. He’s great at making connections with others.

Eichi: Y-you think...? (blushing)

Ichiru: So that means Eichi’s strong? Are you sure~?

Eichi: That’s so mean, Icchi! Despite my looks, I’m... um, I have a six-pack!?

Issei: Eichi, I don’t think that’s exactly what you’re supposed to be proud of.

Shu: Ahaha. ......

 

Shu: The “People’s King,” huh...?

 

A later day in En.

 

Shu: Ah, I almost forgot. Eichi.

Eichi: Yes~?

Shu: Here, this......

 

Shu puts the necklace on Eichi.

 

Eichi: Is this... the luminescent stone?

Shu: Yes, it is. Please accept it.

Eichi: Acce—Wha!? Isn’t this extremely rare and expensive!? Is it really okay for me to have something so incredible!?

Shu: Don’t worry about it. You said you were interested in it, didn’t you? If I kept it, it’d just be stashed away. I want you to have it.

Eichi: But......

Shu: ......Three years ago, you appeared in front of us as a traveling merchant. You’re going to leave this city someday, won’t you? You’ll see all sorts of sights, going from city to city, going to all sorts of places. When you do so, I want you to take that in place of me. I want you to show it all kinds of things in my place.

Eichi: Shu......

 

Shu kisses the necklace’s stone.

 

Eichi: !?!?!?!

Shu: With this, we’ll be together forever, Eichi.

Eichi: Haa—gh—Uwhoa—Ha—

Dai: ...This is him au naturel, huh?

Tsubasa: Yeah. ...It’s incredible, isn’t it?

 

🐼Daily Life in En🐼

  

Tsubasa: En’s peaceful and full of vigor... I’m proud of this city, after all!

 

In En. A conversation between Jinzoku.

 

Shu: En remains peaceful again today.

Tsubasa: We’re lucky it is.

Shu: The laughter of children ringing out in this city is proof that it’s a city full of life.

Eichi: Yeah. The kids in En are full of energy, too. And Icchi went to a haunted house with them the other day.

Dai: That’s not... energetic... It’s more like fearless... And do haunted houses work on Gokuzoku?

Shu: Apparently they do. The kids egged him on, saying, “What, are you scared?” and he went all for it with a, “Bring it on!” ......Then his legs gave way and Issei carried him home on his back.

Tsubasa: He’s a scaredy-cat! Like, for real!

Eichi: He claims that he just hates things he can’t beat up with his fists.

Tsubasa: That’s lame! Like, that’s genuinely such a lame excuse!

Dai: But you’re no different when we talk about these kinds of topics.

Tsubasa: Uh, no way~!? I’m not a scaredy-cat like him!

Eichi: !? Tsubasa-kun, look behind you...!

Tsubasa: GYAHHHH!!

 

Tsubasa leaps at Dai and clings to him, Dai groans.

 

Dai: ......Sheesh. A Gokuzoku, the strongest demon, is accompanying you, so surely ghosts wouldn’t be a big deal.

Tsubasa: I just hate things that don’t abide by the laws of physics!

Eichi: Tsubasa-kun, that’s not much different from what Icchi claims~ (sweat)

Shu: Fufu.

 

In En. A certain day’s conversation between Shiki and Shu.

 

Shiki: It’s not much different from having numerous flies around you.

Shu: (wry laugh) Flies, huh? I see. From your perspective, most lives, including mine, are short-lived enough to swat away like nameless insects. ......But...

Shiki: ...

Shu: Even the smallest of lives are quite intriguing. The world is vast. Humans are small. Thus, they have thousands—no, millions of ways to live. Like the stars that sparkle in the sky, like the flowers that bloom on the mountains of the wilderness, or like the white froth that bubbles up on the oceans. Thousands... Millions of such short-lived things scattered throughout this vast world meet and clash with one another, to create an endlessly moving history......

Aah. It truly is intriguing.

Shiki: ......

 

In En. Shiki and Dai’s interaction.

 

Dai: But you’re older than me. ......See, you’re so flimsy, too.

Shiki: ......Hey. Don’t lift me up. Put me down. ...And I’m not flimsy.

 

Shiki slaps Dai’s hand lightly and runs away.

 

Dai: It’s like you’re a cat.

Shiki: Who are you calling a cat?

 

In Gaisei (The capital) – Tsubasa and Shu’s first meeting.

 

Tsubasa: Ah, you’re Shu? Nice to meetcha! I’m the son of En’s king! Tsubasa! Let’s get along! ♪

Shu: ......

(He’s surprised by Tsubasa’s sudden closeness and atmosphere. It’s only explained later on.)

Tsubasa: Hm?

Shu: Aah—No, it’s nothing. Sorry. Let’s get along.

Tsubasa: Sure thing!

 

＊＊＊

 

Tsubasa plinks and plucks away at the koto.

 

Shu: I see... My mother came from En.

Tsubasa: Yeah. Didn’t you know? Your mom was cousins with my dad. Which means you’n I are distant relatives.

Shu: Figures......

Tsubasa: Hm?

Shu: I thought that your facial build resembled my mother’s.

Tsubasa: Yeah, I surprised the guys back there with that. Your mother, the consort, was an unrivaled beauty, right? Of course we resemble each other~♪

Shu: Pfft... And that unflinching confidence is similar to hers, too.

 

＊＊＊

 

Tsubasa: Then I’ll be heading back.

Shu: Yeah. Be careful.

Tsubasa: ...

Shu: ...

Tsubasa: Come ooon~~~!

 

Tsubasa pulls Shu close and hugs his shoulders.

 

Tsubasa: If you’re sad to see me leave, just say so~~

Shu: ......You’re right. I’m going to be sad seeing you leave.

I’m simply going to return to my obvious daily life, but now that I’ve experienced your brilliance even once, I’m sure my life will become ever more wearisome for it.

Tsubasa: ......

Shu: ...Tsubasa?

Tsubasa: I didn’t tell you to say that much~~. What’s with this guy? Scary! You’re literally spouting flirty lines as easily as you breathe!!

Shu: Well, you did tell me to openly express my regrets that you were leaving......

Tsubasa: Pfft! Ahaha! You’re right! That’s the type of guy you are!

 

Tsubasa relentlessly slaps Shu’s shoulders and brings their faces close together.

 

Tsubasa: We’ll be friends no matter how far apart we are, Shu. Remember me when you’re in trouble.

—I’ll definitely lend you a helping hand.

 

🐼Development Notes🐼

 

The “Qilin” that appears in the story at one point is not the “giraffe” (kirin), but instead an auspicious beast found only in legend. The one that the “Kirin” brand of beer is named after 🍻 It’s especially gentle, kind, and it hates killing, to the point it despises even stepping on bugs or plants.

Tsubasa: Just if you hear it on the spur of the moment, you’d think of “giraffe,” huh~! I said the same thing, which made me laugh.

 

Eichi: The special guest Rei-san barges in, and during his intrusion, we have “Zero no Historia” performed with Shu and Shiki-san as backdancers!

Shiki: ...To be honest, this dance exhausts a very high amount of calories.

Rei: Thanks. (laughs)

Shu: This was similar to our previous unit’s dance choreography, so it brought me back to the past.

Eichi: Rei-san’s main color is sky blue 💙 if you have the penlight, you can wave both sky blue for Shu and Rei-san at the same time~♪

Shu & Rei: We’ll be waiting for your support 👋

 

Shiki: Purple. Don’t forget about purple.

 

# We’re looking forward to your support

 

Shun: The Taikyoku Denki this time is focused on the Jinzoku. My beloved children... the children of Yin will have much to learn.

Yin and Yang. Two split from one. They cannot be separate from one another, yet completely different. It would be nice if they understand the meaning and importance of standing side-by-side when the two receive a deeper understanding of each other.

Go and have fun playing with them when the break day’s over! See you ♪

 

☆Extra☆

Shun: Ah, yes. We have a story about Koukin, Rei, and Shu’s past, but let’s save that for the other rest day.

They, the soldiers who rush through the battlefield, and the children of the cities. They are all beloved children who are swathed in Yang energy, which have nothing in common.

Humans are exactly what they are because they set aflame their lives in all different ways. That is why they are so lovable. May you all live with all your might as well.

 

🐼A Development Note for apology🐼

Naming the Sasakuma /

The reason why Shiki’s panda is named “Shii-kun” and not “Darling” in response to Tsubasa’s panda “Honey” is because Shiki, who named the Sasakuma, didn’t want anyone to say “Darling” aside from Tsubasa. Though it may sound like a joking nickname, it’s a precious name through the story part.