I just finished reading Volume 8 of Boku to Kanojo ni Furu Yoru (ぼくと彼女に降る夜), which sets the groundwork for the final volume. We have discussed this series in the past, so feel free to look at that previous post if you want more background on the series as a whole.
The story continues from the previous volume, where a small part of the Originator of all Makaijuu (which is distinct from magic) is awakened. It emerges from Naito’s body and takes over Sakura’s weakened form. The power he musters is absolute, and the group has no choice but to retreat and regroup.
In order to face this new threat, especially since Naito can no longer use Makaijuu, they must find a new way to power up. Naito visits his old sword master, Tachibana, who is a quite hilarious old man. There, he undergoes a typical training arc where Tachibana gives him an impossible task. Naito manages to complete it, learning a technique capable of cutting through almost anything. We also learn more about the past; it seems Meisterin Iris and Tachibana fought before and remain on bad terms.
At the same time, Yoru discovers the true origin of the ritual battle royale they have been unknowingly performing. It appears that after defeating the other seven candidates, the victor must sacrifice themselves to seal the Originator for a while longer. This cycle has continued for tens of thousands of years. Naito, of course, is unwilling to allow this and prefers to fight the enemy directly.
At the altar, the spirit of an old progenitor from the eight families narrates the ancient history. Originally, magicians ruled the world through magic, but oppressed commoners developed a new power called Makaijuu to rebel. This led to a worldwide war that killed 90 percent of the population. The Makaijuu faction won and erased the magicians, but their Originator eventually turned on regular humans because everyone possesses the potential to become a magician. This led the eight families to seal him. One family betrayed the others for unknown reasons, allowing a small fragment of the Originator to escape, which eventually ended up inside Naito.
Through various battles, they manage to free Sakura, who ends up shrunk in size and devoid of power. However, the Originator manages to free himself completely and regains his full strength. After easily dispatching Naito and the others, he decides to play a game. He kidnaps Meisterin Iris and Yoru, telling Naito he must win within a strict time limit or they will be killed.
Meanwhile, a separate faction of magicians born from humans after the war, commanded by Shin, is also preparing for the final battle. They want the coin used for the ritual, which was apparently the key component Makaijuu and magicians fought over in the original war. No details are given yet regarding what Shin plans to use it for.
Meisterin Iris seems completely unfazed by the situation. She reveals she only faked being kidnapped and frees herself easily, noting that the Originator is hardly powerful enough to make her use her real strength. She chooses not to intervene yet because her plan is to have a final battle against Naito after he defeats the Originator.
As you can see, this volume was packed with information and revelations about the backstory. I am quite surprised that the Originator is almost certainly not the final boss. While events seemed to lead that way, with Iris and Shin entering the fray, I am no longer certain.
Aside from Nanami, who was completely absent since Iris took control, Yoru took more of a backseat role in this volume, focusing mostly on research. I am curious to see how she will contribute to the final battle now that her special power has been drained by the Originator and she has not received a major power-up like Naito.
Sakura surviving the ordeal was also a relief. We had several close calls where she seemed to die, but she pulled through. Her survival is important because it gives Naito the willpower to pursue a happy ending where everyone survives. How easily that will happen remains to be seen. Since Iris is technically inhabiting Nanami’s body, I am not sure if both can survive in the end. Of course, the Originator stated he could resurrect the dead, so nothing is impossible at this point.
I am looking forward to reading the final volume soon to see if Naito can truly achieve the happy ending he envisions for the girls around him.
