Satokowashi-hen Part 5 (郷壊し編 其の五 Satokowashi-hen Sonogo, Village-Destroying Chapter Part 5) is the fifth chapter in Higurashi no Naku Koro ni Meguri and the final chapter in Satokowashi-hen.
Summary[]
Satoko has learned everything about Hinamizawa now that she's seen Rika's 100 years. The horned woman notices her grin and says that if she planned to manipulate Hinamizawa through rumors and agitation, that won't work anymore; Satoko is visibly annoyed. The rules and pathogen transmitting Hinamizawa Syndrome have changed due to the Hanyuu, the woman's failure, disappearing. Satoko gets impatient and asks how it changed, not caring about the cause. The syndrome pathogen is still there, but extreme stress and paranoia will no longer work to induce terminal symptoms on their own. Satoko wonders if the woman could be lying, but realizes that she would hinder her own theatergoing by telling Satoko things, and there's even proof since Rika was able to leave Hinamizawa without problems, and Satoko's own condition improved.
Satoko knows that a tragedy is essential for 1983, and realizes that H173 can still be used to induce symptoms. The woman reminds her of another detail: since Hanyuu is gone, the one in control of the loops is now her. Hanyuu's inability resulted in Rika losing some of her memories a few hours before death, but the woman is a perfect being and can allow loopers to retain all their memories, and even modify the rules of looping.
Satoko is certain that unlike before, Rika would be very surprised to remember everything in each loop. The woman becomes confused at this detail, and Satoko also becomes confused at her reaction. The woman says that if Rika did loop alongside her, eventually she would discover Satoko is the culprit. She stands up and asks if Satoko would require her to erase Rika's loop if that did happen, but Satoko won't do that. She says that since this was meant to stave off boredom, there must be some gameplay involved. The woman agrees, saying that being interesting takes more priority.
Satoko still doesn't know how loops work. The woman explains that it's actually death causing your consciousness to transport to another Fragment; a single self successively moving forward. The woman says they can modify the loop mechanism and have Rika lose her memories of the few hours before death. Satoko imposes another rule, being that if she dies before Rika, then she loses the game. The woman is intrigued by Satoko imposing restrictions on herself, and Satoko asks her to think about it.
In order to escape the loop, Rika needs to kill Satoko. The choice Rika has between being killed or killing Satoko would cause her to think for a very long time, and at the end, Satoko would be overjoyed to be killed by her; Rika would be tortured by those thoughts forever and ever. As Satoko fantasizes, the woman thinks that Rika could only learn about this if Satoko told her. She also thinks that Satoko never asked about making other people loopers, possibly because it's unclear if anyone else besides Rika could handle it and were subconsciously excluded. Either way, Satoko's focus is on Rika.
The woman asks what Satoko will give up when she loses, and decides that she'll lose the ability to loop if Rika kills her first; she will lose her dream of repeating June 1983. The woman adds that by making Rika a looper a once more, this introduces another defeat condition: the Onigari-no-ryuuou, a sword capable of slaying loopers. Satoko sees that nobody but Rika knows where it is, with the woman adding that Rika may also have to learn that info from her. Satoko is confident that no matter what methods Rika uses, she still has the initiative, and fate goes round and round by her hand.
Before, Rules X, Y, and Z were set conditions, but now the only rule is Satoko being a villain. The woman and Satoko wonder if Rika will be able to kill her, or Satoko will keep killing. Satoko realizes she still doesn't know the woman's name, and she asks to be given a name. Satoko grunts audibly, and the woman settles on "Eua" being her name. Satoko tries to explain, but Eua is pleased. Eua then sends Satoko back with a snap of their fingers.
Satoko returns to her teenage body in 1988, where the club was just getting ready for reunion games. Satoko grabs Rika's hand and smiles at her, and the club prepares to go all-out.
The club plays vigorously in their reunion games, suffering many punishments throughout. Afterwards, the club plays hide and seek. Satoko and Rika grab hands and hide on the top floor of the school house. Satoko sees Keiichi searching for them from a window and tells Rika about how happy she is to be spending time with everyone like this. Rika shares the sentiment. Satoko and Rika sit down while continuing to hold hands. Satoko loves how peaceful it was in Hinamizawa and says that just looking at Rika makes her feel at ease. Rika says she was the one who was really saved, remembering a lot of painful memories and deaths, but Satoko is what motivated her to keep going.
Rika and Satoko hug, and Satoko pushes Rika to the ground. She caresses her face and says she's like a box of jewels, then starts choking her. Rika tries to fight back, but Satoko keeps choking her while talking about all the things she wants to do with everyone, like eat bentos and have club activities. Satoko cries as Rika reaches for her face before falling limp.
Satoko wipes her tears and says they'll meet again very soon. She breaks a nearby window, grabbing the attention of the other club members, and slits her throat with a glass shard while giggling.
Characters[]
- Satoko Houjou
- Eua
- Satoshi Houjou (Fragment, memory)
- Shion Sonozaki (Fragment)
- Kyousuke Irie (memory)
- Miyo Takano (Fragment)
- Jirou Tomitake (Fragment)
- Rina Mamiya (flashback)
- Tetsurou Okonogi (memory)
- Oryou Sonozaki (memory)
- Akane Sonozaki (memory)
- Keiichi Maebara
- Rika Furude
- Rena Ryuugu
- Mion Sonozaki
Gallery[]
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