Asuna’s Journey Below

This thread traces Asuna Watase’s journey from loneliness on the surface into Agartha, where she learns that seeking the dead cannot replace connection with the living.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

The Mountain Refuge

The Mountain Refuge Solitude at home Asuna excels at school but struggles to respond naturally when classmates invite her to spend time together. She retreats after class to a lookout on Mount Obuchi, where her crystal radio gives her private company and a view beyond town. A missing listener Her mother works night shifts, and Asuna often has to contain good news and disappointments by herself. The radio becomes more than a hobby: it gives shape to a longing she has not yet understood.

A Boy from Agartha

A Boy from Agartha Sudden danger A monstrous creature attacks Asuna on the railway bridge, and Shun rescues her before carrying her to safety. His strange pendant and knowledge of the creature introduce a world beyond her understanding. A fragile encounter Asuna later meets Shun again at her lookout, tends his wound, and shares her radio and food with him. His kindness gives her a rare sense of companionship, while his warning and unexplained words leave questions unresolved.

Following the Clavis

Following the Clavis A confusing return Asuna sees a figure she believes is Shun, but he identifies himself as Shin and insists that Shun is dead. Armed pursuers arrive, and the jewel activates a hidden entrance in the rock, forcing Asuna into flight. Choosing the unknown Shin escapes into the underground passage, while Morisaki reveals his own mission to find a way to resurrect his wife. Asuna follows him into the water, drawn by grief, curiosity, and the possibility that the journey might answer her loneliness.

The Cost of Resurrection

The Cost of Resurrection A world in decline Asuna and Morisaki travel through Agartha, encountering ruins, living communities, and a society wary of people from the surface. The journey makes Asuna feel unexpectedly useful, especially when her practical skills help them find food and care for one another. A warning from Nami Nami explains that her return from death cost her lover’s life, making resurrection a sacrifice rather than a simple remedy. Asuna begins to doubt whether restoring the dead can honor them, even while Morisaki continues toward his goal.

Loneliness Named

Loneliness Named The impossible descent At Finis Terra, Asuna cannot face the sheer cliff, and Morisaki continues alone toward the Gate of Life and Death. When night brings the Izoku, she loses her way and nearly dies, confronting the vulnerability that her solitary habits concealed. A simple truth Asuna realizes she came to Agartha because she was lonely, not because she had a clear wish to retrieve someone. Shin rescues her, and together they mourn Shun, allowing grief to become shared rather than a reason to deny his death.

Before the beginning of Asuna’s adventure

One summer afternoon on the railway bridge

The evening Shun’s younger brother appears

During the journey toward the Gate of Life and Death

Near the climax at Finis Terra