Chapter 022: The Garden

The Garden (庭 "Niwa" ) is the 22nd chapter of the Kekkaishi Manga written and illustrated by Yellow Tanabe

Summary
Yoshimori watches in awe as Madarao and Kouya begin to fight. Madarao pushes Yoshimori away, telling him to stay back since it isn't his fight. Noticing that Uhosuke is still unconscious and wounded, Yoshimori picks him up. Honetaro and Nagao demand that Yoshimori leave him alone, but Yoshimori points out that he's in the way of the fight, and will most likely heal if he is moved. Though they dislike the idea of an enemy having compassion for them, Honetaro and Nagao help move Uhosuke. Tokine asks Yoshimori if he realizes what he's done in removing Madarao's seal. Yoshimori assures her that Madarao will handle it, asks Tokine to keep an eye on Honetaro and his friends, then goes back to check on Madarao. Hakubi says he has a bad feeling about this, causing Tokine to wonder if he is like Madarao and Kouya as well. Hakubi refuses to get involved, and says Tokine shouldn't either.

Kouya appears to be controlling the fight as Madarao falls repeatedly to his blows. Kouya accuses Madarao of becoming soft, and says they are incompatible with humans. Madarao slowly gets up, wondering if Kouya only has hatred left in him, and if he still recalls the good times they shared. Madarao doubts he can win against Kouya's speed, but remains determined to finish him, even if it means death for both of them. Madarao creates illusionary copies of himself, but Kouya tracks him by his scent. Kouya stabs Madarao through the chest with his tail, but Madarao does the same by sending his tail through one of his illusions. Kouya prepares to strike, but suddenly falls to his knees. Madarao reveals that he injected Kouya with poison earlier on, and covered it with antiseptic so that Kouya wouldn't notice. Madarao collapses, relieved that he won, but Kouya suddenly rises, supported by Karasumori's power. Yoshimori returns and orders Madarao to grant his favor: to not die and leave his master behind. Madarao tells him to run, but Yoshimori points out that Madarao damaged his territory and has to take responsibility, so dying is out of the question. Madarao gets to his feet, prepared to continue the fight.

Characters (in order of appearance)

 * Madarao
 * Kouya
 * Yoshimori Sumimura
 * Tokine Yukimura
 * Hakubi
 * Uhosuke
 * Honetaro
 * Nagao