2021: Outskirts of Tokyo
A Gastrea!
It's heading this way!
Fire! Fire!
If you do not want to die,
survive, Rentaro.
10 Years Later: Tokyo Area
#01 The Last Hope
What?
Permit
Tendo Civil Security Agency Satomi Rentaro
You're the civil officer who's come to help us out?
But you're still a kid.
I can't exactly help that, but I'm the civil officer.
Tendo Civil Security Agency, huh...
Never heard of it.
Hey, why don't we talk about work?
Fourth floor.
Someone on the floor below
reported that blood was leaking through their ceiling.
Putting together all the information, it's definitely a Gastrea.
For cryin' out loud... Now that you're here, I can finally go in.
The law preventing you guys from entering the scene
without a civil officer is to reduce the amount of victims.
That's exactly what I don't like about it!
So, where's your partner, the "Initiator"?
As a standard, civil officers are supposed to fight in pairs, aren't they?
I-I didn't think it was necessary for her to help.
Oh, Inspector.
Any changes?
I-I'm sorry... two of our point men just went down
through the window with wires to engage.
We haven't heard from them since.
Why didn't you wait for the civil officer's arrival?
We didn't want guys like him to steal the glory!
Out of the way. I'm going in!
You're rather late, Mr. Civil Officer.
What...
Are you one of us?
I was, indeed, also after the Gastrea that was the source of infection.
However,
I'm not one of you.
Because...
the one who killed these police officers...
was me.
Not bad.
Is that you, Kohina?
Yes... Right.
I'll meet up with you in a moment.
I will avenge my friends!
Inzen: Kokutenfu!
Inzen: Genmeika!
Oh, it's nothing. I'll be right there.
Splendid.
I didn't think you'd actually land a hit.
What is your name?
Satomi Rentaro!
Satomi-kun, eh?
Let us meet again, Satomi-kun.
Just who are you?
I am...
the one who will destroy the world.
It is impossible for anyone to stop me.
Where's the Gastrea?
The victims were assaulted here.
Then they escaped through the window in search of help.
Come on, now...
You said "escaped," but this apartment is on the fourth floo—
And if they were able to move after losing this much blood...
So not only is the source of the infection
running about, but the infected are, as well?
Pandemic...
Set a blockade around the area, Inspector Tadashima!
Rentaro, you imbecile!
Regardless of the urgency, how dare he throw me, his fiancée, off the bicycle and leave?!
Little girl!
What is it?! I am in quite a hurry!
Little girl... I wanted to ask for directions...
Do you... not understand what is happening to you?
Huh?
There is nothing that I can do for you.
Do you have any final words?
Do you remember now?
When I was on the balcony,
I was almost killed by a Gastrea,
so I ran for my life...
Sadly, I'm afraid that you will transition from victim to aggressor very soon.
H-Help me!
What is this?! It's all sticky!
Gastrea!
Model Spider Stage One confirmed!
I will now engage!
What d'ya think you're doing?!
Normal bullets have no effect on Gastrea!
It'll just agitate it more!
It's working...
Black bullets... Varanium!
Yeah. It's a metal that stops the regeneration of Gastrea!
This one's a Stage One element,
a Jumping Spider Gastrea!
Damn it! I'm out of bullets.
Enju!
Hmph!
You're too quick to let your guard down, Rentaro!
I can't bear to watch you!
I see... so this kid is...
Indeed. I am Rentaro's Initiator...
Or rather,
his partner,
Aihara Enju!
Don't you forget it, you public servant!
More importantly, are you all right, Enju?
Yes. It'll heal soon.
I'm more angered by the destruction of my outfit.
The Cursed Children...
What now? Are you smitten with me?
Unfortunately for you, Rentaro and I have sworn to be together forever.
Give it up.
No one swore anything!
What are you doing?!
What? Did you want to do more, Rentaro?
You idiot!
By the way, are you going to make it in time for the limited time sale?
Oh... Crap!
Hey, you're leaving already?
Bean sprouts are six yen a bag!
Rentaro, are you trying to leave me behind again?
What happened earlier was inevitable!
How rude!
Varanium, huh?
Sir!
Initiators, born to fight Gastrea,
and Promoters, who are in charge of keeping them under control.
You mean that civil officer who was just here?
Yeah...
They're humanity's last hope.
La La Loan
Tendo Civil Security Agency
Is there anything you'd like to say before you die, Satomi-kun?
I-I can't do anything about something that already happened.
You idiot!
Why did you run away?! You're infuriating!
Don't be ridiculous!
So because you were in a rush to go buy something at a limited time sale,
you later realized that you forgot to get compensation from the police?
You tried to contact them, but they wouldn't pay you...
And yet you bought two bags of bean sprouts.
Very Delicious Bean Sprouts
Would you like some, Kisara-san?
Tendo Civil Security Agency President Tendo Kisara
Call me President while we're at work!
Listen, Satomi-kun.
We made nothing this month.
Whose fault do you think that is?
You're useless! A weakling! An idiot!
And you actually gave the sale priority over reporting to your boss?
And most of all...
Why didn't you tell me about the sale?!
Can't go on...
I want steak...
So do I.
Running a company is harder than I thought.
It's all because you're such a useless idiot, Satomi-kun...
You're not going to blame it on the company's location?
Cabaret Hana Ichi
If we were a better company, the location wouldn't matter!
I know!
Why don't you put on a maid outfit and hand out flyers, Kisara-san?
Are you saying I should act like a hostess?
You need to run
into a crowd of people yelling, "Tendo Civil Security Agency is right here!"
and catch on fire or explode!
That'd be an act of terrorism...
Hey, the Gastrea you killed was an infected, right?
Yeah. I didn't encounter the source of the infection, though...
Some other company probably already found it and got rid of it.
Not only did no one take care of it,
No Hits
no one's even seen it.
Why didn't you send out a warning?
This is why we civil officers have our jobs.
Since it's not in the police's net, it won't be easy to find.
I'll ask others in the business if they know anything.
Satomi-kun, we're going to hunt down the other sources of infection, too!
Understood.
If you're going home, I'll walk you partway.
I have a hemodialysis appointment today,
so I have to go to the hospital...
Oh... I see.
It's almost been an entire year...
since you became a Promoter and met Enju-chan.
It's only been a year.
You and I are still only partway to our goals.
Satomi-kun, you've really changed lately.
You smile a lot more.
That's not true...
So, what exactly is your current goal?
You always said as a kid,
"I know Mom and Dad are alive, so I'm going to find them."
Do you still think that?
That has nothing to do with this.
Stop bringing that up all the time!
It doesn't matter anymore.
My parents died in that war!
Damn...
I still can't handle it when people bring up that subject...
It's already been ten years...
I need to build up a little tolerance already.
Sensei, where are you?
Over here.
Whoa!
Boo!
Don't scare me like that, Sensei!
Well, hello, Rentaro-kun.
Welcome to the abyss.
Corpses are great. They don't waste time with idle chat.
So, who's the guy?
Charlie.
My boyfriend.
Wasn't it some woman named Susan before?
The Gastrea you defeated earlier was brought into our lab a little while ago...
Can't you kill them a bit more cleanly?
Not to mention there were bullets lying all over the place...
Not only are you a perverted, lazy coward, but you can't shoot worth a damn, either.
Why haven't you killed yourself yet?
Am I that much of a lost cause?
If you don't shape up, Kisara's never going to look your way.
Where'd that come from?!
If you like her, you should just make her yours by force.
Kisara-san is a master of the Tendo Martial Arts form of iaido...
She'd kill me in an instant.
When you lived in the Tendo household,
Kisara protected you from her older brothers, right?
Yeah. I think I've gotten
strong enough to at least protect Kisara-san now, too...
But you're still as worthless as ever?
Now let's get down to business.
You didn't come here to ask about the autopsy, did you?
Sensei, there are no reports of eliminating or even spotting
the Gastrea that was the source of the infection.
At this rate, there'll be more victims.
Investigation, huh?
Do you know the unique characteristic of a jumping spider?
The color of its body, right?
And it's known to jump when hunting its prey.
Precisely...
By nature, even if an insect grew to the size of a human,
it would no longer be able to use its jumping ability.
Really?
If a flea were to get that big,
it wouldn't be able to support its own body,
nor would it be able to breathe properly.
However, the Gastrea virus turns all that around.
When an organism turns into a Gastrea,
the strength of its skin as well as its physical functions
are elevated to compensate for its size.
The speed at which the Gastrea virus is able to rewrite DNA
is irregular in every way.
And once it's taken over more than 50% of the body,
the body of the host can't maintain its human form.
It goes through a process in which its form is destroyed,
and it becomes a Gastrea.
That process sometimes results in new, original powers.
The source you've yet to find
may have acquired a new, original power, as well.
Like optical camouflage?
If it truly had that kind of ability,
the Tokyo Area could become extinct by a pandemic as early as tomorrow.
It'll be okay.
Enju and I will make sure that won't happen...
Enju-chan, huh?
Wh-What?
Your share.
You're not going to eat it?
Wow!
Stir-fried bean sprouts,
chilled bean sprouts in soy sauce,
and bean sprout miso soup!
It all looks so delicious!
This is amazing, Rentaro.
Hey, before you eat...
What? I've already passed along the neighborhood bulletin.
That's not what I'm talking about.
Oh! I see, Rentaro. You want to do that thing.
Would you like dinner first, or your bath?
Or...
Hurry up and put some pants on!
The meals you make are so delicious, Rentaro.
How can you make such delicious meals from just bean sprouts?
Enju, it's time for your shot.
All done.
Our daily routine is complete!
Now that we've filled our bellies, there's only one thing left to do, Rentaro.
Yep. Goodnight.
You insolent pig! How dare you ignore me?!
Really now...
What kind of man are you, passing up an offer from a lady?
Ladies are modest and prudent.
Not to mention, you're as flat as a board.
Th-They'll get bigger soon enough!
It's important to know when to give up.
However!
I hear there are many unfortunate people
like yourself in the world who cannot love mature women.
Things like, "Onii-chan, inject Enju with your shot of love,"
are what you're into, right, Rentaro?
I'm begging you, don't lead me down the road to hell.
And eat your breakfast.
Okay!
Look! It's Seitenshi-sama!
Seitenshi-sama has appeared on the balcony!
Tokyo Area Ruler: Seitenshi-sama
She has appeared alongside her advisor, Tendo Kikunojo.
Seitenshi's Advisor: Tendo Kikunojo
Hey, that's your...
Just hurry up and eat! Let's go, Enju!
Say, Rentaro.
Why don't you take this opportunity to transfer into my class?
Don't be ridiculous.
Then keep failing school for the next six years,
until I'm in my second year of high school.
There'd be quite a few problems with a 23-year-old high school student....
Enju, at school...
Worry not.
No one has realized my true identity.
Morning, Enju-chan!
Morning indeed, Mai-chan.
I'm delighted to see that you're faring well.
I see you're talking weird as usual.
Did you watch Tenchu Girls yesterday?
But of course.
The nihilistic nature of Tenchu Black, whom we are
uncertain is friend or foe, is quite real.
Yeah... but I think Tenchu Gold is cooler.
Normally, the Gastrea virus is only spread among humans through bodily fluids...
But there are very rare cases in which the Gastrea virus enters
the mouth of a pregnant woman, infecting the offspring...
They are the Cursed Children.
All of them are born girls.
Their eyes are red,
and the Gastrea virus is rooted deep within their bodies.
Because of the inhibiting factor within their bodies,
the virus's corrosion is very slow,
but there are quite a few who refuse to accept
that those children are human.
Ten years ago, humanity was infected by Gastrea,
the parasitic lifeform that spread like an explosion,
and we were nearly exterminated.
On the brink of extinction,
humanity surrounded itself with giant Monoliths made from Varanium,
a metal the Gastrea hated, and managed to survive by staying within these barriers.
Ten years have passed.
After much trial and error,
humanity is gradually arming itself with ways to fight Gastrea.
At the core of that are Enju and the other chosen Cursed Children, the Initiators.
Peace is being maintained here thanks to those girls who inherited
Gastrea's regenerative and physical abilities.
The Cursed Children are indeed the curse that Gastrea put upon humanity.
However, they are also currently the only thing that makes it possible
for humanity to defeat Gastrea.
Those girls are the last hope for humanity.
#02 The Mask of Madness
Why didn't you save them?
Time for work, Satomi-kun.
To the Ministry of Defense.
They're pointing their guns at us.
Despair.
Are you even human?
The day of extinction is nigh.