Roku no Meiyaku (ロクの冥約) is a one-shot story created by Takeru Hokazono, featuring both the writing and illustration. It was published in Weekly Shounen Jump Issue 36/37 of 2022, specifically on August 8, 2022.
Summary[]
While smoking beneath a bridge near the railway tracks, Roku is approached by Lucille, who identifies itself as a messenger and a guide to the realm of hell. Lucille claims that only Roku can perceive its presence. Roku places his cigarettes into Lucille, but due to its lack of sensation, there's no burning of its eyes. Lucille expresses its frustration at being treated in such a manner, underscoring its existence as a being of a higher dimension than humans. It asserts the ability to read minds and cites an example of reading Roku's perception of it resembling a cat drawn by a toddler.
Seeking clarity on Lucille's sudden appearance, Roku inquires if it intends to transport him to hell. Rather than addressing this directly, Lucille requests and consumes a piece of bread in an unconventional manner, analogous to drinking. Roku segues into discussing his friend Machi, describing him as similarly lacking in intelligence. Machi was Roku's companion at a previous job, and they would routinely convene beneath the bridge. Roku would bring bread for Machi, which he consumed it. Roku fondly recalls their interactions, including Machi's requests for cigarettes and his musings on eating and digesting food.
After Roku explained his typical interactions with Machi to Lucille, Lucille grasped the concept effortlessly. Utilizing its mind-reading capability, Lucille comprehended Roku's sentiments. The two of them stood before Machi's lifeless body, which lay on the ground, pierced by three swords from behind, with his right arm severed from the body.
The chapter delved into a previous recollection featuring Machi and Roku during their childhood. The two were getting some food when they encountered his Father. This event occurred prior to their father's recruitment by the leader of the Koryukai, the dominant family in the town, which led him to become an assassin. Their friendship, which originated at that time, endured as they spent numerous moments together, including training to become skilled fighters.
The narrative transitions to a scene in a hall resembling a stage, where his Father is admonishing them. He highlights their current situation and berates them for failing to eliminate a child they were assigned to kill two years ago. He showcases a severed hand as evidence and boasts about discovering 23 other targets that Roku and Machi were supposed to eliminate, but who are still alive. His Father conducts a comprehensive investigation and seeks an explanation from them.
Roku explains that they didn't outright release the target, but rather, they employed intimidation to dissuade the individual from associating with the Dragon Society. His Father disputes this, asserting that his instructions were to carry out the killings. Machi intervenes, declaring their commitment to commence the killings from that point onward. He underscores that their intimidation tactics have effectively paralyzed those individuals, preventing any retaliatory actions, including the previously mentioned child.
Following Machi's statements, his Father turns to Roku to ascertain his allegiance. After Roku confirms his alignment with Machi, his Father extends an apology. Nevertheless, the outcome remained that Machi had died. Roku expressed that Machi's words to his father held no significance, as his father disapproved of any form of disobedience. Roku conveyed this to Lucille with a composed demeanor, prompting Lucille to question his emotional state. Roku then proposed that if Lucille intended to take him to hell, it should do so promptly. However, Lucille's intentions differed from Roku's assumptions. Instead, it sought to guide Roku in finding a substitute for himself. Lucille explained that its most recent substitute had concluded their arrangement, as it couldn't directly influence individuals. It offered Roku a deal, suggesting that he could evade death for the next century and concurrently harness Lucille's abilities. This would enable Roku to exact vengeance upon those deserving of hell, significantly simplifying his quest for retribution.
Roku admitted to having taken many lives, painting himself as a villain deserving of damnation. Lucille countered by highlighting that in their shared existence, they had refrained from harming innocent people, deeming Roku a "better bad guy." Roku countered that it had all been Machi's brainchild, distancing himself from responsibility, emphasizing his lack of concern. Lucille assured Roku that once he had fulfilled his term, his transition to hell would be unproblematic. Roku pondered for a moment and questioned Lucille's proposition of living a century without Machi. Lucille asked if Roku was eager to hasten his death, asserting that this wasn't Machi's wish. In a playful exchange, Roku humorously remarked that Lucille wasn't Machi, to which Lucille surprisingly concurred.
In the current setting, within the hall occupied by his Father and fellow assassins, Roku executed a surprise assault, dismembering them systematically from their arms to their feet, causing each of them to meet their death. After eliminating a few, his Father emerged. He extended an apology to Roku for the harm that had befallen Machi. He characterized their actions as an act of rebellion, acknowledging that they had hastily vented their frustrations on his Father, while in an attempt to manipulate Roku's emotional state and lower his defenses. His Father managed to approach Roku, taking hold of his trembling hands that clutched a sword. In a sudden turn, he shot Roku in the abdomen, causing him to lose his balance. This signaled the others to converge upon him, subjecting him to relentless strikes.
As he lay on the ground, blood streaming from his mouth due to the continuous barrage, Lucille established a telepathic connection with him. Lucille pointed out that Roku had been deceived, on the brink of being discarded following his Father's instructions to the other assassins in the room. While Roku remained prostrate, bloodied and struggling to breathe under the weight of the relentless assault, Lucille asserted that it was his Father who truly deserved condemnation to hell at that moment. Lucille prompted Roku to consider the deal it had earlier proposed, indicating that he should signify his agreement by raising his blood.
A vivid memory emerged in Roku's mind, depicting a younger Roku and Machi during a time of hunger. Machi earnestly implored Roku that if he were to perish, Roku must persist, promising not to forsake their bond. He emphasized the importance of their companionship, asserting that life would be dull without him. Moved by this memory, Roku drew his own blood on the ground, flicking a small amount upward, thereby signifying his commitment. The sudden action puzzled the assassins, prompting them to question his intent. In an instant, all of them met a swift end, losing their heads in a rapid sequence.
Simultaneously, in his Father's room, a sensation of a presence outside the door alerted him. As Roku entered the room, his blood-smeared visage and dark feathers adorning his back, the space around him plunged into absolute darkness. Roku expressed gratitude to Lucille for affording him a choice. With remarkable agility, he dispatched the assassins one by one, even before his Father could issue commands. The room ignited in flames as Roku's feathers scattered and blazed, consuming everything in their path. His Father attempted to shoot Roku, yet the bullet simply passed through him, unsettling his Father. Roku then inquired whether Machi had been deemed worthless in his Father's eyes. Trembling in fear, his Father begged for forgiveness, claiming his earlier statements were not sincere. Roku paid no heed and delivered a single fatal strike, ending his Father's life.
At that moment, Lucille arrived, reminding Roku of its ability to read his thoughts. It inquired about Roku's well-being, to which Roku admitted feeling sorrowful.
They paid a visit to Machi's grave, placing a loaf of bread there, a gesture that had become a customary practice for Roku. Amidst this, Lucille expressed their intention to provide Roku with experiences that would stave off boredom. Roku chuckled softly at this notion, prompting Lucille to comment on the peculiarity of Roku's laughter in the presence of someone with their ethereal appearance. Roku then chose to disregard the interaction and continued onward.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Gallery[]
