第8話: 助の悲劇的な過去と魔剣ニヒルの最期

8

To retrieve the sword Tanosuke attacks Dororo who is holed up in a blacksmith's hut, but fails. Tanosuke then tells his sister of his time in the lord's service where he successfully supervised the building of a fortress. He was then given the sword Nihil and ordered to kill all of the carpenters in case they divulged secrets of its construction - reluctantly he obeyed the order. He used the sword in many battles since and it developed a thirst for blood. That night, under Tanosuke's instructions, the villagers set fire to the hut and Tanosuke retrieves the sword. At the last moment, Hyakkimaru arrives and pulls Dororo from the burning building. He explains the power of the demon sword, but the villagers don't believe him until Tanosuke needlessly kills a villager and his wife. Hyakkimaru challenges Tanosuke and they fight, and Tanosuke continues even after he is wounded. Realising his situation, Tanosuke kills himself with the sword which drinks its fill on his blood. As he dies, the demon dissipates. At Tanosuke's graveside, Hyakkimaru recovers one of his eyes and is able to see for the first time, and Dororo promises never to hold a sword again. (Source: Wikipedia)