Wh-what’s going on?!
Raetsel!
Wh-where am I?
So you’ve finally arrived,
Kaito.
Raetsel!
It’s Insanely Fun to be Alive
Is this another past?
I see. I take it this is the last barrier, Orpheus.
Come on! It’s time we got started.
Started? On what?
Chickening out?
Isn’t it obvious that I was referring to the Puzzle of God?
The Puzzle of God?!
Jin and Count Pythagoras are
going to challenge the Puzzle of God here tomorrow.
But I could not possibly let Jin do something that dangerous.
So you want to solve it in his stead?
Right, even if that means one of us could die.
What should I do?
How can I bring back the old Raetsel?
Come on! Face me in a duel, Kaito.
How can I get us out of this maze...?
You two! What are you doing here?
This is a dangerous puzzle that could potentially take lives!
You shouldn’t be anywhere near here.
Nonoha?!
Huh? Kaito? Are you Kaito?
Dude, what’re you doin’ here?
Right back at you, Kaito!
By any chance, have you kept our promise?
Kaito, have you continued to solve puzzles?
Promise...?
What promise are you--
I swear that I’ll be great at solving puzzles by the next time I see you!
So...
Yeah! Let’s solve the hardest puzzle in the world together.
It’s a promise!
I’m holding you to this promise!
I see...
Challenge harder and harder puzzles and solve them on your own!
You’ll have loads more fun that way!
Even I wish I could change part of my past.
I’ve continued to solve puzzles ever since.
Now I’m a Solver working for the POG.
Is that what brought you here?
I’m constantly traveling around, solving puzzles across the world.
I figured that in doing so, I might run into you.
Now let’s fulfill that promise and solve the Puzzle of God together.
Together?
You can’t solve the Puzzle of God by yourself.
I was searching for a partner anyway!
Stop right there!
Who do you think you are, butting in like this?
By any chance, are you Raetsel?
This battle is between the two of us.
I have to defeat Kaito Daimon!
But... but you can’t solve the puzzle like that!
Puzzles are filled with a wide array of emotions.
They hold the emotions of the people who made them...
and the emotions of the people who solve them.
When a person solves a puzzle, they’re always with someone else.
They’re with the feelings of another...
The Puzzle of God is the hardest puzzle in the world.
This is such a treat!
Let’s enjoy solving it together, just you, Raetsel, Kaito and I!
Everyone, together...
Puzzle time... Let’s begin!
Huh? What’s this?
Thank you, Nonoha!
Let’s be sure to solve some puzzles together sometime!
Kaito!
What’s going on?!
It’s a promise.
Where is this...?
Whatcha think of that?! We escaped your Time Maze, Orpheus!
I would expect no less from my vessels.
I get it!
This is a puzzle where we steal each other’s territory.
The real puzzle has just begun!
Let’s enjoy it, Kaito Daimon!
Yeah! Puzzle time...
Let’s begin!
This strategy game uses the tower’s panels.
I’m red. Kaito’s blue.
I can move four spaces vertically or horizontally from where I’m standing.
A diagonal line will extend from where I started,
connecting that panel to my current location.
That series of panels constitutes my “territory.”
However, I’m not allowed to cross over my own panels.
I can cross over my opponent’s line to sever it.
I get to keep the longer of the severed lines.
If they’re the same length, I get to keep both.
I can’t return to a panel I’ve already selected once.
Same for panels that I’ve already claimed.
If I can’t move, I’ll have to skip my turn until I can move again.
He’s pushing me up!
As things are now, I can’t win!
I’m going to enjoy this puzzle, but at this rate, Raetsel will...
Let’s solve the Puzzle of God together.
Together...
Kaito?
Kaito!
Kaito... You’re tough!
Kaito Daimon is launching an all-out assault against Raetsel!
I can see it! I can see Kaito Daimon as he awakens!
It’s game over...
But I had fun.
This is the first time I’ve enjoyed such a fulfilling puzzle.
Thank you, Kaito.
Please take care of Jin for me.
Pass!
Kaito has run out of panels?!
That is a trivial matter.
It will not sway the future.
He’s skipping his turn? That’s nuts!
Does this mean...?
Raetsel...
Is that right?
Is this really what you meant, Kaito?
She’s expanding her red territory?!
I need to go there next!
Blank panels?!
Did Kaito Daimon leave blank panels for Raetsel?
Is the ultimate Phi-Brain mind being used
to lead his opponent to victory?!
That’s absurd! Why would he do that?
It’s beautiful! What a beautiful move!
But even if that’s what he’s going for,
he is still way ahead of her!
How far can I go? But--
Pass!
He skipped his turn again?!
With this, victory’s mine!
What?!
We did it, Kaito!
I believed in you, Raetsel.
Orpheus, I’m the one who won!
But Kaito is the one who solved the puzzle!
What do you have to say about that, Orpheus?!
Wh-what’s happening?
What?! What on earth is going on?!
Lovushka! Lovushka!
Raetsel!
Lovushka!
Enigma!
Lovushka! Lovushka!
You showed me something truly beautiful.
As a sign of my gratitude, I shall spare your lives.
However...
Kaito!
The future is barely swaying.
It is still in the palm of my hand.
Kaito!
The time has come for me to enter your brain!
Kaito!
Kaito, pull yourself together!
Orpheus is entering Kaito’s mind...!
Kaito!
Jin!
Jin! Jin, hang in there!
Jin!
I used the system that Cubik invented to intercept Orpheus.
Rook, dude...!
You’re alive?
He couldn’t read my thoughts
when my mind was in a state of confusion,
consumed by the Armlet.
Orpheus’ perception of the future swayed
whenever something was related to Kaito.
That’s why I challenged you to a puzzle battle
when I was consumed by the Armlet.
I tricked Orpheus into thinking that I was dead and
waited for my chance to act.
I figured about as much!
I thought you had some kind of plan.
I swear, he’s one impressive bastard!
It goes to show he had us completely fooled, doesn’t it?
Gammon! Freecell!
Like that was enough to knock off Galileo,
the Great Gammon Sakanoue!
Or so I’d like to say, but...
Rook rescued us.
Yes. No one has been harmed.
Nonoha and the others are also safe and sound.
We only had one chance.
We had to act the moment Orpheus’ mind left Jin
and tried to enter yours, Kaito.
We used those devises to block your mind.
They prevented Orpheus from transferring his mind into you or Jin.
Mission: Complete. Mission: Complete.
So Jin’s back to normal?
He’s not Jin!
What?!
The future... The future that I foresaw...
It changed?
Did we fail?
That can’t be right!
No, you didn’t actually fail.
You can hear us, can’t you?
Come on out, Jin.
Bastard! What do you mean by--Ngh!
Jin! Hang in there, Jin!
S-stop it! Don’t!
Jin!
Jin...
Jin!
Huh?!
What the blazes is going on?!
Does this mean Orpheus didn’t have control over Jin?!
Yeah. They had already merged together, becoming one.
When Orpheus nearly entered my mind just a second ago, I felt him.
I sensed Jin with him.
That’s horrible!
They reflected my heart and bound me like chains...
That is how I perceived puzzles.
They’re mirrors and chains...
I’m sure it must have been the same for Orpheus.
That’s probably why we synchronized.
But didn’t you tell us not to challenge the Puzzle of God?
I don’t know... I just don’t know.
Where does my mind end...
and Orpheus’ mind begin...?
What’s that supposed to mean?
Jin may have possessed the desire to challenge the Puzzle of God as well.
He lost control of that desire when it fused with Orpheus’.
I was certain that you were capable of becoming a Phi-Brain,
Kaito...
I thought that puzzles were all that mattered to me,
but I was wrong...
In my heart,
I was constantly thinking about how I needed to stop Pythagoras.
Raetsel, you said that you would do it for me, but that’s the problem.
You must cast everything aside.
Puzzles are the only thing you can care about.
That will lead you to becoming a Phi-Brain.
I felt that the only one who could reach such heights
was you, Kaito...
That’s why you chose Kaito instead of me...
I don’t plan on castin’ anything aside.
A long time ago, I had the most fun when I solved puzzles by myself.
I loved puzzles above all else.
But I’m different now.
’Course, there have been some hard times.
There have been sad times, painful times,
and times I thought I hated puzzles.
But I was never alone.
I’ve solved puzzles with everyone.
Isn’t it strange?
No matter how painful the puzzle was,
the moment I solved it, it changed into a really fun memory.
Right now, solving puzzles with everyone
and living with them is insanely fun.
I could never throw that away!
It’s fun? That’s it!
No matter what the situation,
you always remembered to have fun...
That is what makes a person truly strong.
It’s what I...
It’s what I was missing...
Raetsel,
I wanted you to cast puzzles aside
and enjoy a peaceful life.
No matter what your intentions were,
I’m happy that I met you.
Thank you, Jin.
Kaito,
I’ll let you two be alone.
It’s my way of thanking you for bringing the old Jin back.
Jin...!
Farewell!
Are you all right, Jin?
I may have wanted this to happen...
For you to stop Orpheus... to stop me...
Kaito...
I want you to make a puzzle.
I want to solve a puzzle with you...
It will be fun, just like the olden days...
Jin...
Raetsel!
Is this where you wanted it?
Freecell!
I’m sure everyone at school will be shocked when they see this.
Yeah.
I want everyone to go all out and have fun solving puzzles today.
Right. Today is the anniversary of Jin’s...
68th Graduation Ceremony at Root Gakuen High School
Cubik, have you grown a bit taller?
Huh? You think I’m taller?
By 9.5mm. By 9.5mm.
What are you going to do now?
Nothin’ much.
I’ll keep on makin’ and solvin’ puzzles. That’s all.
So how about you?
I will merely concentrate on my usual duties
at the POG, working under Master Rook.
How do you like studying art overseas?
Aren’t you studying in Paris?
Nuh-uh! N’Djamena!
Where’s that...?
I kept my word,
Jin.
It’s over. Everything is truly over.
Nonoha, you still haven’t solved that?
That’s the puzzle Kaito made for Jin.
Didn’t you spend forever working on that puzzle?
What was with that “going on a journey to perfect my skills” nonsense?!
I can’t believe he left without saying goodbye!
He could have waited until after the graduation ceremony!
I wonder what he’s doing right now.
You couldn’t solve a puzzle to save--
I-I solved it!
Nonoha...
solved...
a puzzle?!
Jin, thank you very much!
Hey, Nonoha! Where are you going?
Isn’t that a given?
I’m going after Kaito!
But we don’t know where Kaito is.
It says right here!
Just you wait! I’m on my way, Kaito!
It looks like that is going to be a fun journey,
Kaito.
It’s Mr. Puzzle!
Mr. Puzzle! Mister!
Oh, there you are!
I solved the puzzle you left with me.
Me, too!
Same here!
Yeah? You’re amazing, guys!
Mister, where are the new puzzles?
Hurry up! Hurry!
I want one, too!
Don’t be in such a rush.
Let’s solve puzzles together with the others.
Okay, let’s get started!
Puzzle time...
Let’s begin!
Art: Akeru Otsuki
Let’s solve puzzles again! Fin