He's...
Do you think I'm bluffing? You think that I'm all talk?
Hey...
Destroy.
Mizuki!
Rhyme...?
Usui...?
Welcome home, Aoba-kun.
You're...
Toue!
I'm glad that you remember me.
Remember?
What do you mean?
If you want to stop me, then find out.
Once you discover who you are, everything will begin.
Once you discover your powers, the world will change.
That time seems to be drawing near.
I'll eagerly await it.
Are you all right?
Grams?!
Ow...
Are you okay, Grams?
As you can see, I'm fine. It's thanks to all of you.
Aoba, I was worried about you.
Master!
Where's Mizuki?
He's right there.
Help me, Aoba...
M-Mizuki...
Aoba!
Master!
Mizuki...
Scrap-Rhyme synchronization complete.
How was Aoba-kun?
His powers activate when he's emotionally distressed.
The results match our data.
I've contacted the police department of the Old Residential District
and asked them to apprehend him, but...
That's fine.
But I'd like them to make it up here through their own efforts.
I look forward to seeing how far they can get.
I see you're finally awake, Aoba.
How do you feel?
My head hurts.
Aoba! You're awake!
Master, we've already helped ourselves.
I see... So that wasn't a dream after all.
Grams, where's Mizuki?
Mizuki and the other Dry Juice kids
were admitted upon being taken to the hospital.
They still aren't conscious.
I see... I'll help.
Ow...
Take your medicine.
Okay.
We've finished eating,
so if you're hungry, sit down and eat.
Okay.
Grams, are you okay now?
Worry about yourself first.
You're the one who collapsed.
Hey, Aoba.
If you don't eat soon, Clear's going to eat yours, too.
Aw, I wouldn't do something like that, Master.
And this bean sprout's going to eat his own kind.
What? I'm not a bean sprout.
I truly am sorry that I worried you.
Hey, Grams... Can I ask you something?
Sure.
Why did Mizuki do that?
About that...
I guess I should tell you all everything from the beginning.
I'm going to tell you something very important.
I'm still not sure if I should be
telling you this or not.
But, given what could happen in the future...
So all of you, listen up.
First, as for why Mizuki kidnapped me,
he was being controlled.
By Morphine, right?
That's correct...
But Morphine isn't what you all think it is.
What?
This is just my hunch,
but it's likely they have some connection to Toue Konzern.
Toue? You mean the old guy who bought this island and built Platinum Jail?
What does Morphine have to do with Toue?
And why did they want you, Grams?
I used to be a researcher in one of Toue's labs.
That was about twenty years ago, though.
You were a researcher at one of Toue's labs, Grams?
I was researching the human brain on the mainland.
At first, I didn't know that the lab and Toue were connected.
I didn't find out about that until much later.
The research that I was involved in was,
to put it simply, neuroplasticity.
The possibility of restructuring the brain once its functions had ceased.
We were also researching the effects
that drugs had on the brain.
It was very promising research meant to aid
recovery, as well as offer new hope,
for people who had suffered brain damage.
That's what I believed.
But in reality, that wasn't the case.
Huh?
Toue's true motive was to find
every means possible of controlling people.
My research, as well as everything else,
was for that purpose.
I questioned the purpose of certain programs
from time to time,
and eventually, my doubts mounted.
After some digging, I found a certain thesis.
It was a theory regarding how to totally replace a person's consciousness.
Once I saw that, I felt dead inside.
I had believed I was helping people,
but in reality, I was harming them.
That's when I gave up my research and quit the lab.
After that, I decided to live out my life quietly,
back home on this island, and have nothing further to do with Toue.
But recently I received a
request to come back to the research lab.
Of course, I declined.
I never wanted anything to do with Toue again.
That's why they used Morphine
and controlled Mizuki, in an attempt to force me.
So what they wanted
was to bring you back to the research lab?
Y-Yes...
Their appearance is corporate,
but they operate like a gang.
Gang, huh?
What?
Hey, Grams isn't done talking yet.
But how were they controlling Mizuki and the other guys from Dry Juice?
Most likely, Toue brainwashed them.
Brainwashed?
Lately, there have been reports of young people
on this island disappearing, correct?
And you also see young people who seem
to be high on something wandering around.
I believe that they are victims of Toue's brainwashing experiments.
They use people a guinea pigs, then set them loose in the city.
Then they observe the results...
Or perhaps they just release people
who are failed experiments.
You're kidding...
That's pretty messed up.
What do you mean by failed experiments?
Meaning, Toue failed to control them, and broke them instead.
Their minds were destroyed, and they became invalids.
What?
So what happens to the successful ones?
They become candidates for further experiments.
Such as replacing one's consciousness,
to create humans that can be controlled completely.
What does Toue plan on doing with that kind of research?
What's going to happen to this island?
I believe he's trying to replace the consciousness
of every person on this island.
That way, Toue can create a kingdom where he controls
all of the inhabitants.
No problems thus far.
Please proceed.
Are you sure about leaving
the matter concerning the dissidents alone?
Do you know exactly when someone can show their true potential?
I do not.
When people are at an disadvantage,
they display far greater powers.
Shall we send an invitation to Seragaki Aoba-kun, as well?
There's no need.
As I told you, the greater the disadvantage, the greater the power.
If he can perfect a technique to completely control people,
he can sell it to other countries.
Sounds like a rich person's idea.
It seems he was being quiet the past few years,
but now he may be taking the next step...
By sacrificing the people of this island.
No...
To sacrifice everyone... on this island...
I don't want that.
We have to stop Toue.
Master?
I don't want that. I don't want that to happen!
We need to bust into Platinum Jail as soon as possible, then.
Tomorrow, if we can.
I shall accompany you, Master!
And that's enough of that.
I've talked for too long.
Now, I'm sure you're all tired.
Though you probably won't get much of it,
all of you should rest now.
I'm truly sorry for getting all of you involved today.
Tae-san, you don't have to...
Madam...
Now, get home and get some sleep.
If anything happens, contact me immediately.
Don't forget about our promise.
This wasn't volunteer work. I'll make sure you return the favor.
Master, if you call for me, I shall be there! Anytime, any place.
Man... those guys sure eat a lot.
Maybe your cooking's just too delicious, Grams.
Aoba, there's something else I have to tell you.
Yeah... that's why you sent everyone home, right?
Tell me, Grams.
You have the ability to put
your consciousness into the minds of others.
We called that power Scrap.
Scrap...
You trigger Scrap with your voice.
If you say something emotionally,
people will do as you ask of them.
You've probably had a number of experiences like that.
Y-Yeah...
Your voice has the ability to draw people to you.
If you use that consciously, your voice will enter their heads
and you can control them as you wish.
If you want to know more about a person,
or want them to have deeper feelings for you,
you can plant your own consciousness in their mind.
But by entering someone's mind,
you confront that person's own consciousness
without the protection of their defenses, or in this case, their physical body.
At that moment, depending what you do and say,
it is possible for you to destroy that person's consciousness.
Destroy...
So that weird dream-like world that I saw today
was actually inside Mizuki's head?
Probably, yes.
I talked to Mizuki then.
Mizuki was back to normal there, and...
Mizuki told me how he had been suffering...
And how conflicted he was about Dry Juice and Rib.
What you spoke to was Mizuki's consciousness,
without any lies.
This Mizuki was unguarded, and spoke only the truth.
How did you reply?
I was too preoccupied with myself, so I couldn't give him an answer...
And then Mizuki...
Mizuki was suddenly in pain, and I couldn't do anything... I...
Aoba.
This might sound a bit harsh,
but the reason why Mizuki hasn't woken up
is probably you.
Hey. Thanks for earlier.
What do you want?
You know what I want.
What do you intend to do with Aoba?
I have no reason to tell you that.
How about I make it so you can never talk again?
Must be nice, not knowing anything.
What'd you say?
He decieves people.
You went into Mizuki's mind without conviction,
dragged the truth out of him, and then left him there.
No... I'm the one who
destroyed Mizuki's consciousness?
Aoba, depending on how you use your powers, you could break people.
That's why you need to realize what you're capable of.
I knew I'd have to tell you someday...
But I couldn't bring myself to do it.
Until now, I've been there for you.
Because you had me as a cage, I was able to protect you.
But that won't work anymore.
If I keep protecting you,
your powers will one day go berserk and create misfortune.
Even if that doesn't happen, Toue will eventually find you.
Because you have the powers that Toue desires.
I'm what he was after... The reason you were kidnapped...
Why Mizuki ended up like that...
It's all my fault.
Destruction and death.
I'm the reason.
You may have forgotten this, but you used to play Rhyme.
Huh?
You were involved in an accident while playing Rhyme.
That was probably when you lost your memories.
In order to keep your consciousness stable
and prevent your powers from going berserk, I gave you medicine.
The medicine isn't working as well as it used to,
perhaps because your powers are
rebelling at being suppressed for so long.
Lost my memories... I was playing Rhyme?
Listen, Aoba. The root of Scrap is destruction.
It's a power to destroy and kill.
But depending on how you use that power, it could change.
That's why you'll have to face yourself.
Hey, Grams. There's so much that I don't understand.
Why do I even have this Scrap power?
What the hell is going on?
Aoba, that's because...
Sorry.
Aoba-san?
Virus?
This is an emergency. Listen to me calmly.
The police are headed for your house.
Huh? But why?
I'm not sure, but quite a few of them are going that way.
Please, quickly run or hide.
We're preoccupied at the moment
because of the police.
I'll contact you again if something happens.
Right...
Aoba-san, please be careful.
A pass to Platinum Jail?
Aoba?
Koujaku, I'm thinking about going to Platinum Jail.
Actually, I have to go.
What? Wait a minute.
Then I'll go, too.
Crap. Sorry, I gotta hang up.
Hey, what's going on?
Come on out, you damned terrorist!
Your crimes are as follows:
It's Akushima.
Unlawful entry, destruction of property,
and various others!
Ren, I'm counting on you.
Right.
Seragaki Aoba!
Hurry up and come out! If you don't, we're coming in!
Grams...
Hurry up and go.
All right, then... charge!
Grams, I'm sorry...
Looks like the route ahead is blocked.
It's best if we head north for now.
Right. Thanks, Ren.
The police are after him? Why?
Master...
Aoba...
All right, fine. You weren't crying.
Well then, Aoba...
Are you awake?
You're not a person, are you?
I'm going to save them this time.
It's all too late.
I thought everything would be okay if I met you.
I will destroy you.