With this, you are finished!
You’ve died five times now! All in this puzzle I’ve crafted!
Who is it?!
Who dares to interrupt my moment of bliss?
You have my apologies. Should I call back later?
Aren’t you...?
I’ve greatly enjoyed reviewing the puzzles you’ve sent me.
These puzzles are clearly overflowing with brilliance and zeal.
I haven’t been this impressed in some time.
Allow me to jump straight to the point.
Me, become a Master Brain?!
Is there a problem?
Hey, what’s gotten into you?
My apologies. I haven’t had an evening this amusing in ages!
Would you mind if I interpreted that as a good thing?
Depending on the conditions, I might be willing to lend you a hand.
Just you wait, Kaito Daimon!
I, Herbert Mueller, am sure to defeat you with this next puzzle!
Is That What You Thought I’d Say?
Huh?
Eh?!
Like this?
How’s it go?
Like this? How’s it go?
Like this? That’s not right...
Sheesh...
Huh?
Here? Over there... That’s open.
Isn’t that off?
Jeez! We come to South America and you’re at another puzzle?
No, duh! It’s not like we came to play!
Sure, I know this isn’t fun and games.
But there’s the Machu Picchu, Geoglyphs of Nazca,
Pampas de Jumana, the ruins at Chavin de Hauntar, and bunch of rare sights!
I wanna go! Man, I wanna see them!
Let it drop.
She doesn’t see why we are here.
Hey, Q-taro! Are you sure there’s a Puzzle of Fools?
According to that Master Brain’s hint,
it should be somewhere around here...
You should say so with confidence, Doctor.
It looks way cooler facing this direction!
That’s the entrance!
Ana, you’re incredible!
This is...
Alpaca!
Is this... the puzzle?
Looks like the Master Brain ain’t around!
The door leadin’ to the next room is locked!
Kaito!
Look!
That’s--!
Its the ring she wore back that one time!
Yeah. Now we know for sure: Raetsel was here.
This Philosopher’s Puzzle was another dud.
Where in the world could the Pythagoras Document be?
It looks like we’ll have no choice but to check those ruins.
But, Master Rook, even according to the POG’s charters,
it is taboo to so much as step foot in there.
Yeah, but something about it smells fishy.
“Pythagoras’ Ruins.”
I’m sure we’ll find something inside...
Here are the rules for this puzzle:
We must correctly place the pieces on the center pedestal.
However, we’re only given one chance to move the pieces.
We must pick up and set down the pieces at the same time.
The bases for these eight alpaca statues are the “pieces.”
If you look at them from above, they’re all quadrilaterals.
And these five are the only ones that fit inside perfectly.
Is everyone ready?
Gammon I’m cool!
I wish I brought Iwashimizu with us!
Iwarin was saying, “Must rest and recuperate.
Rest time! Rest time!”
Whatever! Just hurry and get this over with!
We’ve gotta put these down at the same time.
And now!
Are you okay?
Hey! Why was the platform under me the only one that tilted?!
Open Sesame!
Sweet! That was the right answer.
Let’s go.
What’s with this room?
Kaito Daimon and your crew, I was growing weary of waiting!
Thrice I have returned,
all to settle the score that has grown to massive proportions!
Herbert!
What’re you doin’ here?!
I have taken the time to come dispose of you personally.
I’m here as the Republic of Amgine’s Head of
Puzzles and Special Assistant to the President!
As the Special Assistant to the President?!
Meaning you’re a Master Brain?!
I’m not here to see you! Where are Jin and Raetsel?
I’m willing to tell you, but only if you manage to free my puzzle.
You aren’t my enemy! Just tell me where they are!
I see you are taking me lightly.
However, I am no longer the same man you once knew!
Allow me to show you...
...how I have been reborn anew!
Replica Rings?!
You’re still wearing those?!
Didn’t the POG recover all of them...?
I am currently the only person
in the world with possession of these Rings!
And on top of these...!
You put on more?!
The more Rings, the better.
I can think clearly!
I have become the first person in
human history to rule over four Rings!
How many times do I have to tell you?!
Those things put incredible strain on your mind!
I am the Angel of Vengeance, sent to do Heaven’s bidding!
Such concerns mean nothing to me!
You shall suffer humiliation
and despair in retribution for trying to take my life!
We tried to kill you?
You’re the one who’s always throwing us into harm’s way!
And Nonoha saved you that last time...
Silence!
Feast your eyes on this!
Detestable Phi-Brain children, pit yourselves against my puzzle.
There you shall find five balances.
Each of you must identify your own bag
before inputting the correct answer into the central puzzle!
Our own bag?
I took the liberty of weighing you earlier.
Y-you weighed me without asking?!
You are not allowed to touch the bag.
You may use the balances up to ten times.
For your first shot at it, all five of you are
to stand on the balances simultaneously.
I am giving you ten minutes.
If you cannot reach the correct answer within the time limit,
the Blocks of Judgment shall rain upon you from the heavens.
You shall pay for your sins with your very lives.
You’re a scumball for weighing a girl!
But if we don’t solve this,
we won’t learn about Raetsel’s puzzle...
Kaito, we don’t have to solve this puzzle.
We do!
He’s been possessed by the Rings. I can’t just leave him!
The four Rings are forcibly stimulating his brain!
If we don’t stop them soon, they could kill him!
I see...
Are you ready to depart for your journey to Hell?
You’re on! I’ll accept your challenge.
It’s puzzle time... Let’s start!
For starters, we’ll never solve this
if we don’t know everyone’s weights.
I’m 60kg.
I, Ana, am 47!
I’m 40kg.
I’m 78. That makes me the heaviest.
I’m a mere 30kg!
Kidding! I’m between Kaito and Ana...
We’ve got all the info we need, right?
Then we can solve the puzzle now.
Let’s do it!
Ready, go!
We didn’t get any lucky matches, huh?
But we found out where my bag is.
We did?
Yeah.
Goin’ from lightest to heaviest, it’s Cubik, Ana, Nonoha, Kaito and then me.
The bag on Kaito’s balance was heavier than him.
So I’m the only person it could match up with.
Oh, that makes sense!
We get five more tries at the balances. This’ll be a piece of cake.
Oomph!
We can take it one person at a time from here on out.
You’re next, Ana. Get on this yellow balance.
Sure thing!
What’s the matter, Kaito?
Nah, it’s nothing.
Something’s off. At most, we’ll use
the balances eight times before reaching the answer.
Darn it, Herbert! Are you keeping something from us again?
Kaito Daimon’s life will draw to an end before much longer.
Excellent. You are meeting my expectations, Herbert.
Now then, about what we had discussed.
I know. You are worthy of someday leading the Republic of Amgine.
If you should win, I will start by
transferring command over all of the Master Brains to you.
I have your word on that?
But of course.
I’m awaiting your favorable report.
That one’s lighter than Ana.
In that case, that bag has to match up with Cubik.
I’m next!
Wha--?!
What the hell?!
Eh? What? What’s the big deal?
That result’s impossible!
Two of the bags are heavier than Kaito.
What?!
Gammon is the only person here heavier than Kaito,
but two bags meet that criteria.
Which means...
You’re up to your stinkin’ cheap tricks again, aren’t you?! Herbert!
“Cheap”? So what of it?
Doesn’t Jin Makata encourage such behavior?
He says, “Do whatever it takes to win.”
What was that?!
Animosity can fuel a person’s heart.
At times, it can serve as fodder for power.
How truly fascinating.
How are we supposed to answer this if you
screwed with the weight of the bags?!
I’ve presented all of the necessary information.
If you can’t solve it, then you have your own stupidity to blame.
Sounds fun!
What?
You may not play fair, but you never
present puzzles that don’t have answers.
That’s the one thing I about you I can count on.
Just you watch.
There is no puzzle I cannot solve!
Only the first balances moved differently.
There must have been a reason for that.
Our weights...
We were convinced that it was our body weight,
but that was Herbert’s trap.
There was an alpaca statue by my feet when Herbert weighed us.
Inversely, Nonoha should be lighter since the floor sank.
I’ve got it!
Ana, get on the red balance!
Huh?
No time to explain! Hurry!
Roger!
He’s figured it out? Curse you!
Moron! What’s wrong with you?!
As the Giver, I get to decide the rules.
There aren’t any puzzles that you can’t solve, right?
The red balance is lighter than Nonoha, but heavier than Ana.
So that bag goes to Nonoha!
In that case, the remaining balance goes to...
Ana, get on that one!
Okay!
Whoosh!
Perfect!
I’ve solved it!
And that’s a wrap!
Nice!
Why must I lose?
How... and where did I go wrong?
Tell me: Where is Jin?
He isn’t here.
He should be in the Andes at present.
You better not be feedin’ us bull!
At the moment, I have no reason to deceive you.
Fair enough. Then there’s nothing left to keep us here.
Let’s get goin’, Kaito.
Herbert!
Sure enough, I just can’t bring myself to hate your puzzles.
In that case, I shall make a puzzle that will vex you,
make you stamp your feet in frustration.
What you said back then...
I think those words reflected how you truly feel inside.
Quit wearing those Rings and being so damn stubborn!
Get rid of those things!
And then show it to me--Let me see your true puzzle!
My true puzzle?!
I haven’t given you all I have?! Is that what you’re saying?!
How badly must you disgrace me before you’re satisfied?!
Stop it! Don’t use the Rings powers anymore!
I’ll do whatever it takes to send you to the pit of hell, Kaito Daimon!
There was no reason for me to have lost.
So where did I go wrong?!
You lost because of your foul trickery.
Wha--?!
Didn’t you say that you would face him fair-and-square?
Why didn’t you keep your word?
Well, you see...
Don’t be stupid!
You shoulda made a puzzle so cheap that no one coulda solved it!
A-another one?!
I’m totally screwed! It’s all over; I’m finished!
I see. These must be creating you!
Why won’t they come off?!
Are even the Rings making a fool of me?
You’re eyesores! You, these Rings, everything!
Don’t appear before me ever again!
Disappear...
...for all eternity!
The Rings...
What... just happened?
The Rings came off!
Are you okay, Herbert?
I see... So it was all a nightmare.
You have my gratitude, Kaito Daimon and crew.
I was clearly in the wrong.
I shall put all of the grudges I’ve held against you behind me.
Herbert...
And next time, let’s pit our skills against each
other on the ultimate puzzle as friendly rivals.
Is that what you thought I’d say?
Punk!
The whole lot of you can go to hell together!
Stupid! You’re the one standing under the trap right now!
What?!
Herbert!
Please save me!
That was the worst puzzle in all of history!
It tells you my weight!
Herbert weighs 80 kilograms.
The Andes, huh?
I analyzed him and anything he says has zero reliability!
It’s zero!
But Her-Her wasn’t lying to us.
He isn’t here.
He should be in the Andes at present.
Doesn’t matter either way ya look at it.
A Master Brain’s waiting for us at our next destination.
What makes you so certain?
She’s luring us out with the prize
and waiting for her prey to fall for the trap.
That’s the way the puzzle Raetsel made works.
Sounds convincing.
The prize is Jin Makata and the traps are the Master Brains, right?
That ring is nothin’ more than bait.
We’re already caught in her trap.
All over a measly ring...
Smooth!
Raetsel...
I’m so happy!
I’m thrilled that I get to travel with you again, Jin.
Raetsel, you’re free to abandon puzzles.
But she’s missing something. That’s the feeling I get.
Perhaps the two are connected.
If Jin’s memories come back, he’ll abandon me again...
Is something wrong?
Nuh-huh. It’s nothing.
It’s getting cold. Why don’t we head on back?
Uh-huh.
I won’t let him take Jin.
Before he can, I’ll deal with Kaito Daimon myself...
Hello. Freecell?
Um, who is this?
It’s me! Me!
That’s not terribly helpful...
You know? I’m with the POG.
Mr. Bishop?
No. I’m the one with a ball of hair.
Oh, Funga!
He has an afro.
I’ve got it! You’re Herbert.
His time to shine is over.
She’s Too Shallow
Next time, “She’s Too Shallow.”
I give. I have no idea who you are.
You’re just yanking my chain, aren’t you?
One for all! Fin Art: Akeru Otsuki