Dark Gathering - Episode 2

The second episode of "Dark Gathering" begins with Keitaro and Yayoi visiting the shrine of Keitaro's grandmother after their tutoring session for his routine exorcism to treat his cursed hand. They learn that Yayoi has been accused of vandalizing seven Jizo statues, but Keitaro still asks his grandmother to show her mercy.

The grandmother reveals the presence of an anesthesiologist who will assist in the exorcism process. Meanwhile, Yayoi admits to breaking the statues to drive away evil spirits, believing one of them kidnapped her mother. Keitaro then enters the exorcism chamber and reflects on his close bond with his grandmother.

During the exorcism, Yayoi, fascinated by the procedure, is shown a photo by Eiko of Keitaro's hand beneath his glove, marked by abnormally growing nerves. Keitaro's grandmother successfully completes the exorcism by cutting these nerves, accompanied by Shinto incantations.

After the ritual, Keitaro's grandmother tells Eiko and Yayoi a story about the shrine's history of holding memorial services for cursed dolls and warns them of a dangerous basement. At the same time, Keitaro finds a stuffed animal he intends to bring into the sanctuary.

Yayoi grows worried when she notices Keitaro's senses seem dulled after the exorcism. She suspects one of the cursed dolls in the basement may have possessed him. She rushes into the basement and manages to save Keitaro from a possessed doll by beheading it with the grandmother's sword.

After the unsettling encounter, Keitaro convinces his grandmother of Yayoi's trustworthiness and expresses his ambition to gain spiritual knowledge from her. They then leave the shrine, with Yayoi receiving a memento from Keitaro's grandmother.

Upon returning home, Yayoi reveals her doll collection to Keitaro, including the doll she beheaded earlier at the shrine. She explains that she uses Keitaro's severed nerves to bind spirits to these dolls. The episode ends on an unexpected note as Yayoi asks Keitaro to give her his nails.