Volume 20

Volume 20 is the twentieth volume of the manga series, Blue Exorcist (青の祓魔師 Ao no Ekusoshisuto) by Kazue Katō. The front cover features Renzo Shima.

Blurb
Fight hellfire with hellfire!

''The holiday season falls upon True Cross Academy, and Rin and his friends kick things off with a combined birthday and Christmas party. More happy news comes as they are invited to Kyoto for the New Year's wedding of Renzo Shima's older brother. But underneath the festivities runs a feeling of great uneasiness—tension grows between Yukio and Rin as they question the truth of the circumstances of their birth and who their mother really was. Elsewhere, Lightning continues to press the suspects of his investigation of the Illuminati. Sooner or later, something's got to give…''

The Story So Far
''Unknown to Rin Okumura, both human and demon blood runs in his veins. In an argument with his foster father, Father Fujimoto, Rin learns that Satan is his true father. Satan suddenly appears and tries to drag Rin down to Gehenna because Rin has inherited his power. Father Fujimoto fights to defend Rin, but dies in the process. Rin decides to become an Exorcist so he can someday defeat Satan and begins studying at the Exorcism Cram School under the instruction of his twin brother Yukio, who is already an Exorcist.''

''Rin and the others succeed in defeating the Impure King, awakened by the former exorcist, Todo. Meanwhile, Yukio fights Todo, and as the battle rages, he senses the same flame in his own eyes as his brother. Afraid, he keeps it a secret.''

''Later, mysterious events begin occurring around the globe orchestrated by a secret society known as the Illuminati.

''Lightning and Suguro conduct an investigation on their own into the Illuminati and discover a place called Asylum on academy grounds. Asylum was the previous incarnation of the Exorcism Cram School of the Knights of the True Cross. There, they learn the shocking truth that the Order was producing hosts for possession by the demon kings.''

''Meanwhile, on orders from Mephisto, Shima infiltrates the Illuminati to supply information to both sides, and Yukio gradually becomes more obsessed with the progress of Lightning and Suguro's investigation. To make matters even more unsettling, Shiemi has announced her decision to not become an Exorcist. In an attempt to change this downbeat mood, the Exwires decide to hold a combined birthday/Christmas party.''

In the next volume…
''The incursion of a huge demon inside Tokyo that almost everyone could see was the start of an unprecedented outbreak of demonic activity around the world. While the Knights of the True Cross and the Japanese government scramble to contain the damage, Lightning's investigation into the Illuminati has pushed the Knights of the True Cross—and Yukio—just a little too far. Now Yukio rushes to confront Mephisto, determined to hear the truth of the circumstances of his and Rin's birth. Yet Mephisto, aloof as always, still seems to be pulling everyone's strings. For Yukio and Rin, there will be no easy answers…''

Foreword
''Hurray! It's volume 20! The series has been going on for a whole eight years now! In eight years, a child who was in kindergarten when the series started would now be in junior high. The passage of time really strikes fear into this old woman! I've been able to continue this series for so long thanks to the readers and everyone involved in making it! Thank you very much!''

There's a lot more to come, so I hope you readers who are coming along for the ride will check out future volumes too!

Enjoy the manga!

Cast of Characters
Info below retrieved from Viz Media.

Rin Okumura Yukio Okumura Shiemi Moriyama Ryuji Suguro Renzo Shima Konekomaru Miwa Izumo Kamiki Noriko Paku Shura Kirigakure Mephisto Pheles Lewin Light Drac Dragulesc Juzo Shima Kinzo Shima Mamushi Hojo Shiro Fujimoto Kuro
 * Born of a human mother and Satan, the God of Demons, Rin Okumura has powers he can barely control. After Satan kills Father Fujimoto, Rin's foster father, Rin decides to become an Exorcist so he can someday defeat Satan. Now a first-year student at True Cross Academy and an Exwire at the Exorcism Cram School, he hopes to someday become a Knight. When he draws the Koma Sword, he manifests his infernal power in the form of blue flames. He succeeded in defeating the Impure King and affirmed his determination to live with his flame.
 * Rin's brother. Hoping to become a doctor, he's a genius who is the youngest student ever to become an instructor at the Exorcism Cram School. An instructor in Demon Pharmaceuticals, he possesses the titles of Doctor and Dragoon. Todo told him that his true nature is that of a demon.
 * Daughter of the owner of Futsumaya, an Exorcist supply shop. She possesses the ability to become a Tamer and can summon a baby Greenman named Nee. She decided to quit the Exorcism Cram School, but she hasn't revealed the reason why.
 * Heir to the venerable Buddhist sect known as Myodha in Kyoto. He wants to achieve the titles of Dragoon and Aria. He is Lightning's apprentice and they are conducting an investigation together.
 * Once a pupil of Suguro's father and now Suguro's friend. Currently, he is a double agent providing information to both the Illuminati and the Knights of the True Cross.
 * He was once a pupil of Suguro's father and is now Suguro's friend. He's an Exwire who hopes to become an Exorcist someday. He is small in size and has a quiet and composed personality.
 * An Exwire with the blood of shrine maidens. She has the ability to become a Tamer and can summon two white foxes. The Illuminati had taken her captive, but with help from Rin and the others, she escaped and settled her grudge against the insane professor Gedōin.
 * An old friend of Kamiki. The two girls joined the Exorcism Cram School together, but Paku dropped out when she couldn't keep up. Now she takes classes in the general curriculum at True Cross Academy Private High School.
 * A Senior Exorcist First Class who holds the titles of Knight, Tamer, Doctor and Aria. Rin and Yukio helped free her from a contract entered into by her ancestor.
 * President of True Cross Academy and head of the Exorcism Cram School. He was Father Fujimoto's friend, and now he is Rin and Yukio's guardian. The number two power in Gehenna and known as Samael, King of Time.
 * An Arch Knight, he is Arthur's right-hand man as well as number two in the Order. An expert in Arias and summoning, he goes by the nickname "Lightning." He is currently stationed at the Japan Branch to investigate the Illuminati.
 * An Arch Knight at the Romania Branch and director of K.R.C. Laboratory. He appears to have played a central role in clone research at Section 13, however...
 * Second son of the Shima family. A Senior Buddhist Exorcist Second Class holding the classifications of Knight and Aria. After the defeat of the Impure King, he and Mamushi got engaged.
 * The fourth son of the Shima family. An Intermediate Buddhist Exorcist Second Class holding the classifications of Knight and Aria. He's quick to fight and often grows violent with Renzo for no apparent reason.
 * The eldest daughter of the Hojo family. The Order expelled her for the crome of cooperating with Todo during the Impure King incident.
 * The man who raised Rin and Yukio. He held the rank of Paladin, but Satan possessed him and he gave his life defending Rin. There is a possibility that the was a clone of Azazel created by Section 13.
 * A Cat Sidhe who was once Shiro's familiar. After Shiro's death, he began turning back into a demon. Rin saved him, and now the two are practically inseparable. His favorite drink is the catnip wine Shiro used to make.

Chapter List

 * Chapter 89: Happy (Merry Xmas) Birthday!「ハッピー（メリクリ）バースデー！ Happī (Merikuri) Bāsudē!」
 * Chapter 90: Congratulations - Bridal Night「寿・初夜 Kotobuki・Soya」
 * Chapter 91: Congratulations - Late Night「寿・後夜 Kotobuki・Goya」
 * Chapter 92: Beyond the Snow, Part 1「雪の果て (1) Yuki no Hate (1)」
 * Chapter 93: Beyond the Snow, Part 2「雪の果て (2) Yuki no Hate (2)」
 * Bonus
 * Staff 20th Volume Congratulatory Art
 * Fan Art Corner

Characters Introduced
Myōō Dharani
 * Jun Shima
 * Yumi Shima