Hey, Kaito!
What is the story behind Jin Makata?
What are his connections with that Master Brain freak?
Hey!
We nearly got killed by some Master Brain who
was fulfillin’ Jin Makata’s wishes!
Jin doesn’t have anything to do with them!
Menacing figure detected.
What?
Menacing figure detected.
Iwashimizu, Gammon isn’t a “menacing figure.”
Hey, Cubik! Is Iwashimizu missing a screw or two?
I don’t think so...
Jin-Jin?
Even So, I Believe in Him
These are hard to carry... And I can barely see...
Huh?
Are you all right?
Jin?!
Th-thank you!
My teacher asked me to carry these...
It was nothing.
Carrying all of these must be tough.
Let me help.
I can handle it!
Believe it or not, I’m pretty strong.
Sweet!
These are hard to carry... And I can barely see...
Huh?
Hello.
“Jin Makata has nothing to do with that organization.”
What makes you say that?
I know Jin.
If I said he’s got nothing to do with them, that’s the way it is.
I figured you were gonna say that.
I’ll ask the guy in question!
What?! Gammon, you jerk!
Wanna fight, DaiMORON?! Hey! Guys, you need to calm down!
What are you doing?
Suspicious character detected.
She transferred to our school.
Raetsel!
Hi there.
I don’t see any reason to reject your application.
I appreciate how quickly you accepted it, Principal Baron Kaidou.
I couldn’t sit on a personal request
made by President Enigma of the Republic of Amgine.
I don’t care about that sorta stuff.
Then allow me to ask you something as the principal of this school.
What brought you to Root Gakuen?
I came... because Jin lacks something.
What might that be?
Me!
Mr. Takeda! She’s a first year high school student!
A first year, huh?
Not to brag, but aren’t all of the ladies who transfer here beautiful?
Yep! Good job, Principal!
Oh, I’ve got it!
For the next school festival, what do you think of making
“Root Gakuen’s Survival of the Hottest Puzzle”?
The title alone sounds exciting, Mr. Takeda!
Doesn’t it, Mr. Aizawa?
Hello there, Raetsel.
Hello!
Hello.
I’m Student Council President Tamaki Chieno.
If you have any questions about Root Gakuen,
please feel free to ask.
I’m Erena Himekawa.
You’re a Giver, aren’t you?
Yes.
I’m amazed you could tell, Miss Erena.
My intuition as a fellow Giver told me, Student Council President!
I’m Airi Mizutani.
Would you be interested in joining the Puzzle Club?
The Puzzle Club?
This is called the “Licky-Licky Bucket Puzzle.”
I made it!
You win if you can fit all six Licky-Licky’s in the bucket and close the lid,
but... to be honest... even I can’t solve it!
L-Licky-Lacky? Drippy-Droppy?
Licky-Licky!
Nice to meet you, Miss Raetsel!
Sheesh! Why did I have to carry those boxes?!
Jin Makata!
Ain’t he buds with the principal?
So why’s he hiding?
What?!
Jin...
What’re you after?
Lady, you’ve got something up your sleeve, don’t you?
You even took the trouble to transfer to our school...
Wait!
I won’t let you escape!
You can’t trick me.
Is he--Jin Makata--
an angel who loves puzzles?
Or is he a demon who hates them?!
So, you’re not sure
if you should take Kaito Daimon’s word at face value.
Jin despises puzzles.
He hates them with all his heart.
You’ll have to decide for yourself whether
you’ll take my word for it or Kaito’s.
Gammon!
What’re you doing to that girl?!
Raetsel, you...!
Don’t worry. I won’t do anything to Jin.
I said I’d let you watch over him, didn’t I?
I’m rather curious, you know.
Are you capable of helping Jin regain his memories or not?
I think that girl is in love...
In love...?
When it comes to that chick, that kind of naïve
thinking will get you hurt!
They’re hiding something.
And by “they,” I mean Raetsel and Jin Makata.
Jin isn’t that type of guy!
So everything they’ve said is a lie? Seriously?!
Jin would never do the crap they’ve claimed!
Kaito Daimon, I shall take advantage of your deep sense of trust.
Oh, right!
And I’m supposed to believe everything you say about him.
You musta stuck to Jin like glue!
Jin made me realize that puzzles aren’t my enemies.
He taught me that puzzles are my friends.
After a Puzzle of Fools killed my parents,
my heart had grown dark and cold.
But Jin and his puzzles warmed my heart, thawing the ice...
Meeting a puzzle is the same as meeting a person.
Solve them. Set them free.
Free the puzzles.
The puzzles have done nothing wrong.
The blame should fall on those who made them.
Never lose sight of what matters... never!
Aw, you hit another dead end!
At this rate, I’ll never reach the goal!
If you do this, it opens up a new path!
You’re doing great!
If you run into a wall, you can always make a new path.
There is no path you can’t make...
in both puzzles and in life!
There is no way Jin could hate puzzles...!
Menacing figure approaching.
What’s wrong, Iwashimizu?
Can you hear me, Kaito?
Jin!
It has the Republic of Amgine’s coat of arms!
Face me via a puzzle!
What are you going to do, Kaito?
Stop where you stand, DaiMORON!
Kaito!
Wait for me!
Please wait up!
Kaito!
I see you didn’t chicken out, Kaito!
Just what I would expect from my pupil.
What’s wrong?
Have I managed to shock you speechless?
Jin, have your memories come back?
Yeah! That is precisely why I am standing here before you.
I will use puzzles to destroy the Phi-Brain children.
Kaito, consider it an honor to fall by my hand!
It can’t be...
Jin, you would never...!
No way... This can’t be right!
This is a dream! It’s all an illusion!
Kaito...
This is a lie!
Please tell me that this is all a lie, Jin!
Just kidding!
What?!
I know that you’re not the real Jin!
He’s not Jin...?
I think he’s an imposter.
M-me, an imposter?
What are you talking about?
Cut the crap!
Are you the Jin that those Master Brain guys keep talking about?
It would be an honor if that’s what you thought.
That man is my treasure.
You--!
That jerk!
Master Jin Makata,
I revere you as my one and only teacher in the world.
Keeping my pledge to you,
I have sworn to annihilate the puzzlers of the world!
I have dedicated my heart and soul to you!
I am the most ingenious Master Brain Giver!
My name is none other than Jin Masaka!
Masaka?!
So it musta been you who stuck out your tongue back there...
Master Jin Makata, to think that I’ll get to
defeat Kaito Daimon in front of you...
Nothing could fill me with greater joy.
Please watch this battle through to the end!
Knock it off, Fake!
I’ll solve your puzzle in three seconds.
Sounds promising!
In that case, pick up that controller.
This massive puzzle is a sliding puzzle combined together with a maze.
You’re supposed to race toward the goal on the opposite end
while using the controller to move the blocks.
However, if you fail to reach the goal within the time limit...
What will happen?
You’ll fall!
Puzzle time... Let's begin!
Wait!
So this is the entrance.
Let’s see...
Even if you know how to solve it, can you get out in time?
He’s having a rough time...
Don’t let that fake beat you, Kaito!
But...
He may be a phony,
but what if he’s perfectly copying
Jin Makata’s appearance along with his skill with puzzles?
That’s not possible!
This is pretty good for an imposter’s puzzle!
You won’t be making wise cracks for long!
I need more time!
It looks like he’s taking a roundabout path.
Nope, he’s doin’ good.
Huh? But...
Kaito has caught on, but...
Simply sliding the blocks wouldn’t be that bad,
but the intricate maze inside makes this way too complex.
And that isn’t everything.
He’s hiding something up his sleeve.
Looks like I’m gonna make it!
Not happening!
I knew you were an imposter!
Jin would never pull a cowardly stunt like that!
You’re wrong! That was by no means cowardly!
“Do whatever it takes to win!”
That was one of Master Jin Makata’s teachings!
The bastard!
Got it!
I’ll just have to sharpen the slope!
Kaito!
Will I make it?
I made it...
Yay!
Whoa, hey! Don’t! Yay!
Kaito, you made it!
I’d expect no less from my Kaito.
N-no way! And I came so close...!
I never expected him to defeat me, the great Jin Masaka...
Wait!
Kaito, it’s not like I don’t get how you feel about Jin Makata.
On the other hand, not only has Raetsel transferred to our school,
but we’ve also had a Jin Makata imposter pop up.
This is serious business!
What are you going to do?
If Master Brains start attacking one after the next...?
Bring them on! I’ll take ’em down!
No, I will solve all of the puzzles.
No, I will!
I will!
I said I will!
Did something happen to get you worked up?
Just a minute ago-- I can’t tell you!
Now, now. Let’s stop right there.
What was the point of that puzzle battle?
Now, now. Don’t get so upset.
It is not as though I keep tabs on each and every Master Brain.
I will defeat Kaito Daimon!
That was our agreement!
I hope you do.
Oh, pardon me.
I simply meant that I hope you have not lost the will to fight
now that you are with Jin Makata.
I might...
Oh, dear! I hope that was a joke.
Back at you.
You’re such a naughty kitten, teasing an adult.
Now then, let’s get the barbeque under way!
Cook the meat and onions uniformly.
Sure thing! There, there, there and there!
You want your kabobs perfect and fast?!
Go, Gammon! Make the next one.
Next time: A Good Meal can Resolve Most Problems
A Good Meal can Resolve Most Problems
How am I supposed to make this, Principal?!
There, there and there!
Fin Art: Akeru Otsuki
Waah! I'm sorry!