A head-to-head fight against the Navy's newest fighter...
That's right.
If we win, we'll be the pride of the army.
And even if we lose,
the problematic ESP unit will take responsibility and be immediately disbanded.
Either way, the higher-ups can't lose.
The battle will be a one-on-one aerial fight.
We'll also use machine guns, loaded with fake bullets.
A one-on-one aerial fight... In other words, a duel.
Man! That gets me fired up!
Let me do it!
It's my fault we have to do this.
I want to take responsibility!
No, for this mission...
Hyobu,
you will take part.
Huh?
ESP Unit Part 2
Ascending into the sun... Not bad, Kyosuke.
Turn and...
Shoot!
Too soft, Kyosuke!
Ow, ow, ow...
Kyosuke...
Kyosuke, face me.
Wait a second! What are you doing, Fujiko-san?!
There's nothing to be embarrassed about.
We're family, right?
You're all bruised from bullets and the emergency landing...
And you're only eight years old.
What brought this on?
I feel bad...
Huh?
Having you enlisted, as well.
I said this and that, but in the end, I just couldn't do it on my own.
Fujiko-san...
So I thought that I should be the one protecting you.
I'll become stronger and not allow anyone
to take what's important from me.
That's what being true to myself means.
But...
That's your ego talking.
If he's important to you,
you should wish for him to be strong enough to not require your protection.
That's what the Captain said?
F-F-Fujiko-san!
Win, Kyosuke! No matter the enemy.
No matter what!
I'll win... For Fujiko-san and my comrades.
And also
to prove my father, who didn't believe in me, wrong.
Your father?
Maybe I can make it, if I'm with everyone else,
to someplace even higher!
Prototype Zero Fighter, no problems.
Arriving at mock battle ocean location momentarily.
Roger that.
It's a valuable prototype machine. Please be careful.
Yeah, I'm well aware of that...
Why do men love their new toys so much?
Teleportation... In a real fight, it would be over
just by tossing one of these into the cockpit.
That isn't what we agreed upon!
We know that.
We didn't want to get blamed later for a surprise attack,
so we came and warned you.
Wait! Aren't you that girl from earlier?
Huh?
Nice to see you again, young lady.
You're...
Today won't go the way it did before!
S-Sorry about that one time...
Honestly, how can they leave monsters
like you on your own?
I only lost because some psychokinesis was involved,
but I was totally disgraced.
You stray dogs!
If you're going to go outside, at least be disciplined first!
Are you all right?
Thanks, Ryu... I'm fine.
Don't worry about him.
That's just his pride talking.
Yeah, I know.
But our future is riding on this, too...
We can't lose here.
I'm counting on you, Kyosuke!
Flying without wings or an engine?
You've got to be kidding me.
I'll shoot him down no matter what!
He's here.
Enemy sighted.
What are those movements?
But this will be interesting.
This is the perfect opportunity to test
this prototype fighter's performance limits.
Seems Kyosuke's engaged the enemy.
It looks that way.
It's time.
How's it going, Yadorigi-kun? How is Kyosuke doing?
Kyosuke's movements are sluggish.
He doesn't have any speed, either.
The enemy can move at over 500 kph.
It's completely different from the practice fighters
you've been facing.
Our advantage is maneuverability,
the ability to turn and shoot, mid-flight.
Once he's following you, change course.
The moment his nose faces you, turn around and shoot.
That's when the battle will be won.
But the machine gun is too heavy to aim properly.
Can't I use a regular rifle?
The enemy has 20 mm guns with sixty rounds, and 7.7 mm guns with three hundred rounds.
Can you really take him with five shots from a 38?
All fighters have a particular weakness in common.
It's the cockpit.
If I can shoot the pilot's head,
this will be over with one shot.
What do you think?
Don't you think I'd have a chance that way?
Kyosuke...
If this keeps up, he'll catch me.
I have to move faster!
Until then,
I have no choice but to evade him with irregular movements!
At this rate, I can shoot him down.
My body feels heavy...
As if something
was wrapped around my legs.
Captain, does it look like Kyosuke can win?
It's a tough battle.
No matter how powerful, he's still only a child.
Given the emotional pressure, he can't unleash his real power.
Our unit's fate depends on him, after all.
Captain!
Calm down.
This situation is within calculations.
Similarly to all of you,
I, too, have invested my future in this unit.
When I chose him for this battle, my strategy was not misguided.
Well, keep watching.
The greater the pressure, the greater the power that builds beneath it.
I can't find an opening to return fire!
Don't use that power,
Kyosuke!
You'll only become someone's pawn.
Just like your mother!
F-Father?
I thought I told you not to use your powers!
Your mother died because of her abilities...
Because I pushed her too far, in the name of research.
I...
I chose research over my beloved's life!
I won't make the same mistake twice!
ESP is unnecessary!
If you want to live as a human,
abandon it!
But, Father...
I'm an esper. That's who I am!
I...
I don't want to stop being myself!
So that's why you're having trouble sleeping before your fight?
I'm sorry.
I'm sure my Father wouldn't want me to win.
But...
I...
Did you know this?
In English, they call talent a "gift."
That means a present.
A present?
Westerners probably think of it as a present from God.
God is telling them to use the gifts they've been given.
There's nothing to be afraid of.
Forget about your father.
This is your home now.
As long as this unit exists, you can be yourself here.
Captain...
If you can manifest your power to its full potential,
then you can be anything and go anywhere!
He got faster?
Buy some time until the nose is facing me...
I...
He did it!
Kyosuke!
Nice!
Kyosuke...
Well done!
Captain.
Captain! Everyone! I did it!
Did you see, Captain?
Kyosuke, it's an emergency.
A submarine of unknown nationality has been sighted in nearby waters.
Switch to live ammo, and get to that location!
This isn't a drill!
It's a real battle!
They're shooting something.
What is it?
Do we have permission to fire?
They just say, "Wait to switch with reinforcements."
We're almost out of fuel.
A-Are they flesh and blood?
We're the army's ESP Unit. We'll take it from here.
They're the ESP Unit...
Identify your vessel and nationality!
If you don't, you will be boarded.
That was close...
Doesn't appear they intend to comply.
Let's destroy the engines and seize them.
No, wait.
That's a submarine.
And they seem to be on special assignment.
They might self-destruct it if we seize them forcibly.
Then we wouldn't recover any information.
They're submerging!
Yes, that's definitely a US sub. What should we do?
Shall we take it by force?
No, our relationship with them is especially tense right now.
We should avoid unnecessary conflict at all cost.
Let it go.
More importantly, do you know what they were after?
That's...
Look over there!
Dolphins?
A family?
Their dorsal fins are numbered.
We seek aid...
We seek political asylum.
Telepathy? From those dolphins?
They're espers!
Torpedoes?
Everyone, defensive formation!
Is everyone okay?
Shiga-san, the dolphins!
One got hit!
Second wave incoming!
I'll stop it.
One got through!
I'll go!
No, Kyosuke!
It probably has a timed detonator...
There isn't time!
No, Kyosuke!
Stop him, Akita!
Understood.
Hold on, kid!
We've caught up... Let go!
First, the propeller!
I'll use psychokinesis as a shield.
I must suppress the shock wave!
Enemy submarine has retreated.
Neither echo sounder nor visual indicates pursuit.
How are Kyosuke and the rest?
Captain!
They're all safe... Well do—
Father,
I have decided to follow the path that I believe in.
I make this decision without regret.
Even if I could do it again, I'm sure I'd choose the same path.
As long as I am myself,
in this place, with everyone...
We can obtain our futures by our own powers.
Kyosuke, I need to keep moving forward,
just like you!
It's a shame about your companion.
Sorry we couldn't protect him.
Thank you.
We appreciate that you saved us.
But...
Be careful...
Compared to us, you guys are...
much closer to death.
Ready and...
Captain!
Did you hear about yesterday's bombing of Hiroshima?
Yes, seems it's a new type of bomb.
You've done well, but this war is over.
Unconditional surrender is the only path left.
But...
This country no longer has a substantial fighting force.
Of the ESP Unit, everyone but you is injured.
I can fight alone!
At the least, I can go and stop the second bomb...
Enough.
Ihachi
Our fate has already been decided.
Defeat, reconstruction,
and our next destruction.
What's that?
The dead dolphin's brain.
Analysis revealed that they
were hiding one portion of their precognition.
Huh?
Following the war, the number of espers will keep increasing.
And...
You will lead them and destroy the world.
Wh-What are you saying?
C-Captain...
I am grateful to you.
But we cannot allow an occupation army to learn
that we created a monster like you.
Monster?
You're joking, aren't you?
Captain...
I cannot
hand you over to anyone else.
Kyosuke,
I will not make you into humanity's enemy.
That power
is mine alone.
Humanity's enemy?
Monster?
Ultimately, are we...
Congratulations.
You have now received a two rank special promotion.
Join your fellow comrades who have died honorably...
Impossible!
Are we...
monsters?
I will not forgive them.
The normals who betrayed us...
Every last one of them...
This is a work of fiction, and has no affiliation to any real person or group.
Catastrophe
Next time, Catastrophe.