Yumeha II: An Aura Burning in the Great Sand Hill

Yumeha II: An Aura Burning in the Great Sand Hill (夢破II 霊気が燃える大砂丘!) is the eighteenth episode of Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya.

Synopsis
When Jiraiya finds difficulty in defeating the power of Maou, he must learn the ways of the peaceful flower ninja Yumeha to find a clue for victory.

Plot
Continuing from the previous episode... Jiraiya is clearly outmatched by the power exhibited by Maoh, and just before he moves for the killing blow against him and Yumeha, a rockslide caused by Tetsuzan distracts the for long enough for the two ninja to escape. Cursing his enemy for his interference, Dokusai attempts to command the possessed Kurozaru, only to be rebuked as Maoh proclaims his intent to reign supreme among the World Ninjas by destroying Jiraiya and all who stand on his path, Dokusai included.

Later at Hamana-ko Lakeside Plaza, Toha is moping about his powerlessness before Maoh and asks Tetsuzan for advice on how to defeat the cursed armor. Tetsuzan says there was no secret and, instead, invites his sons for a bath; impatient, Toha refuses to go. At the bath, Tetsuzan confides to Manabu that Toha cannot win as long as he stays nervous. He proves his point by driving off a Karasutengu who had been spying on them for a while, which Toha had failed to notice. Once the spy is out of their sights, Tetsuzan asks Manabu to take care of Yumeha, while he will deal with Toha.

In the meantime, Toha goes to talk to Yumeha at the resort's corral, asking her whether Murakami had spoken about how Maoh had been sealed before. The downcast kunoichi warns against going after Maoh, having even given up on her revenge, and swearing off her days as a Hananin. Toha decides to take matters on his own hands, unaware that he was still being spied upon, not by a Karasutengu, but by one of the renegade Hananin.

While Benikiba is fuming about Kurozaru's betrayal, Dokusai, having received the news that Toha will be fighting alone, hopes that Maoh and Jiraiya manage to kill each other. To that end, the head of the Yoma Clan proposes that they pretend to support Maoh's quest.

Kurozaru, on his end, receives the news of Yumeha giving up on her vengeance. As his spy states that Toha will probably challenge him, Maoh tells the spy to warn Dokusai in order to set a trap.

As if on cue, Jiraiya is cornered at the beach by both Karasutengu and Maoh followers, whom he fends off before Maoh makes himself known. He quickly figures out that the Jikou Shinkuken is useless against Maoh's sheer negative energy and, supported by the Yoma Clan, he knock Jiraiya into the lake. Maoh, however, is not convinced that Jiraiya could be so easily defeated, and asks for his head to be brought to him.

Later, Toha laments his inability to defeat Maoh, and Tetsuzan points out that, as he is now, nothing he will try can defeat the cursed armor. Reminding him that the cherry flowers blooming season is near, and that Maoh must be sealed at that time, the head of the Yamaji family asks Toha to think over why he is unable to win.

At a riverboat, Yumeha thinks about how Maoh's energies feed off fighting spirit, and disrupting this feeding is the only way to defeat it. Her thoughts are interrupted by a girl asking her to take a picture of her, surprising Manabu as he sees it's Kei. Just as they strike up some conversation, the Yoma Clan hijacks the boat, taking the passengers hostages. While Kei explains that Tetsuzan sent her because Manabu alone wouldn't be able to defuse the situation, the patriarch explains the situation to Toha: he must go to the Great Sand Hill, where Maoh might be waiting, if the hostages are to be freed. Tetsuzan then explains about how he must empty his mind from all fighting spirit if he is to seal Maoh, as his ancestors had done before. It is a risky move, as one misstep may lead to his death, but there is no other way.

Soon they come up with a plan: Tetsuzan drives a motor boat to attempt to rescue the hostages, as a distraction, while Jiraiya storms the riverboat from the water to fend off the Yoma Clan. Not counting on this, Benikiba attempts to up the stakes by threatening a little girl, but Kei quickly fends her off, donning her Emiha armor. Unfortunately, a reckless move from Manabu allows Retsukiba to take him hostage, ordering the two Togakure ninja to drop their swords, but Yumeha acts quickly to save Manabu, allowing Jiraiya and Emiha to fight back. Now at a disadvantage, Benikiba and Retsukiba retreat, and the hostage situation is defused. Now ready to go to the Great Sand Hill, Jiraiya is asked by Yumeha to go with him.

At the Great Sand Hill, Jiraiya and Yumeha are confronted by a small troop of Maoh underlings, who are easily dispatched, but the greatest challenge is still to come. Jiraiya calls out for Maoh, who reveals himself. At first, he and Yumeha attempt to fight, with the same results as before: Maoh is unstoppable. Jiraiya attemps the Inazuma Otoshi technique, which Maoh is able to brush off as well. As the ninja steps forward, resolute about winning, he remembers Tetsuzan's words, advising him not to think about victory, and stops on his tracks. Realizing this, Yumeha also opens her guard, nullifying the negative energy coming from Maoh. Desperate, Maoh attemps to attack, only for his strikes to be effortlessly dodged by the two ninja. Yumeha, then, gives Jiraiya an opening to pierce the armor with the Jikou Shinkuken. After a long struggle, however, Maoh, while severely weakened, ends up resisting the blow. As a last resort, Jiraiya dons the Power Protector, and uses the Naname Ryozan to strike down Maoh for good, killing Kurozaru inside it.

The resealed armor is brought back, and Yumeha and the Yamaji pray to Murakami's spirit, that he can rest in peace now that the Hananin clan's mission to guard Maoh has been restored thanks to Yumeha's assistance in Kurozaru's destruction.

Later, driving down the road, Toha lets a flower in bloom soar in the wind, bidding farewell to Yumeha as he is reminded of her.

Cast

 * Takumi Tsutsui as Toha Yamaji/Jiraiya
 * Megumi Sekiguchi as Kei Yamaji/Princess Ninja Emiha
 * Masaaki Hatsumi as Tetsuzan Yamaji
 * Takumi Hashimoto as Manabu Yamaji
 * Hiromi Nohara as Butterfly Ninja Benikiba
 * Ryo Nagamine as Star Ninja Retsukiba
 * Tamao Matsugi as Flower Ninja Yumeha
 * Bun Nakamura as Kurozaru/Maoh
 * Dai Nagasawa as Tetsuzan Yamaji (voice)
 * Shozo Iizuka as Org Ninja Dokusai (voice)
 * Shingo Hiromori as Star Ninja Retsukiba (voice)
 * Ittoku Yamanaka and Toku Nishio as Bird Ninjas Karasutengu (voice)

Trivia

 * This episode aired alongside ' episode 32, '.

DVD releases
Sekai Ninja Sen Jiraiya Volume 2 features episodes 11-20.