I will consider you my one and only friend. You should be grateful.
Huh? What brought that on?
You mean we weren't friends before now?
Even though we go butterfly hunting together!
I bet you don't have any friends.
I used to have zero myself.
Well, in any case, I'm happy to hear it, Koko.
Wha—
It's a species I've never seen before!
Are you suicidal?
I wish I could fly! Then I could have a complete collection of every species!
The inability to fly suits humans just fine.
I'm certain that was an undiscovered species...
Koko, aren't we "geniuses"?
I'd say that's true for you, Minami. But I'm not a genius at anything.
A genius arms dealer.
Don't pout. You know I'm right, don't you?
Do you think that greedy soldiers and politicians are gonna buy weapons from you
just because your dad's the king of marine shipping?
Just 'cause some young chick says, "I'm selling weapons"?
Koko, you have a knack for earning people's trust and getting them to buy from you.
We will realize this plan through my brains and your business expertise.
Don't talk so loud.
Only the two of us know about this plan.
Its confidentiality is of the utmost importance.
Only confide in the dead.
Don't you want to see it? The world I explained?
I do! I wanna see the new world Koko is gonna make!
I can't die until I do.
Both you and I will make that world.
Don't go back on what you've said.
I hate people who get bored partway through and give up.
Whether awake or asleep, think about the plan and work on the theory.
I'll do the same.
Let me know how much this is going to cost. I'll cover it in full.
Okay!
I didn't catch a single butterfly. Might as well head back.
Oh, I also hate when people push me!
What?!
I'll run away if you push me too hard!
Now you're just being a brat!
(Baby, you know...)
(Ready, move!)
(Stand by! Yeah!)
(Five, four, three, two, one, zero, go ahead!)
The burning hot grip and my frozen vision
hoteru gurippu kouchoku no bijon
The midnight's making me sick.
hakike ga suru no midnight
You put your gun against my forehead
hitai ni juukou mukete
putting me to sleep with anger to the world.
nemure sekai shousou
Where is God? There's no way out.
where is god deguchi wa nai
orokamono dreamlike utagau wa
I suspect it's like a fool's dream
Let's embrace the black and white
dakiau yo black and white
bokura wa nani wo yume miteite
What is this dream we're having?
(Ready!)
(3...)
(Right now!)
(2...)
(Stand by!)
(1...)
This gunshot reminds me that judgment day begins tonight!
'cause I loathe people like you.
We'll break the fake blue sky.
itsuwari no aozora wo yabutte
dareshimo umare shinu dake nara
If we're merely living from the cradle to the grave,
I will put my trust
only one shinjitai
houkai kara umareru ashita wo
in the only possible future, born after the apocalypse.
You ready? Brace yourself!
Congratulations on the completion of Märchen's second factory!
This facility was funded 100% by none
other than me, Koko Hekmatyar!
Dr. Minami is the director of this toy and
robot research development center!
We also have a hot spring!
You changed the plans without telling me?!
I can't come up with any good ideas if I don't take a bath and relax, you know?
Minami!
Yikes!
Whoa, whoa! This might be one sticky situation.
Yeah, hello? What is it, Schokolade?
Why am I in England? You do realize I have other cases, don't you?
I can't watch Professor Amada all year! Are you stupid?!
So what's up?
What?! Hekmatyar showed up at Märchen's new facility?!
That's right. It's an all-stars-on-parade with Koko-chan's unit!
It looks like they're celebrating the completion of the building.
Huh? Their voices? I can't record that.
This was totally unexpected! They aren't that easy to bug!
You coulda given that Jonah kid some candy
and planted a bug on him!
That's nuts.
That woman...
What the hell does she need with some toy maker's new stinkin' factory?!
Is it even a toy factory?
Okay, get goin'!
Go up to them and ask, "What is this facility really?"
They've taken a liking to you, so you oughta be okay!
Are you an idiot? Forget it!
Shit! This means that Fat Man — that's not right —
Book Man might drop me a line.
Koko Hekmatyar showed up at Märchen's new factory?
Why? Wasn't she supposed to be in France?
It's stunts like this that keep me on my toes with the Little Lady.
Hey, Scarecrow-kun. Aren't you currently in London?
What is really inside that box in South Africa?
Chief Black, I don't work under you.
Just answer the question!
I seriously don't know!
Supposedly all of Hekmatyar's soldiers are there today,
but Professor Amada is the only one going in and out.
They've always had a handful of PMC soldiers guard the place.
I never thought anything more than, "This has tight security for a toy factory."
I'll continue to investigate the facility!
This is just like a castle for Dr. Miami!
I see. Thank you.
So you survived?
Sure did.
You were around when we blasted off the rocket.
Are you Dr. Miami's subordinate now?
Yeah, that sounds about right.
A toy factory, huh?
I have no idea what is running through the Little Lady's head!
Huh? Where's Minami? And Jonah?
Doctor, are you sure about this?
It's fine! Don't sweat it!
Wouldn't Jonah-kun get bored stiff looking at that facility?
I wonder if there are any butterflies somewhere this cold.
Just like Koko said, he doesn't talk much at all! He quietly tagged along! Fascinating!
Taciturn Karen-chan and taciturn Jonah-kun, what were you two talking about earlier?
We briefly discussed our past.
I shot Karen.
Don't worry about it. No worries, Jonah. Karen-chan's tough!
There isn't a single bug, is there? Not that I'm surprised.
We're on a walk. I wanted to bring you out here.
Dr. Miami, may I ask you a question?
What? What? Ask anything you want!
I'll answer anything with just one exception!
What are you and Koko trying to pull off?
Too bad! That was the one exception.
It's my ultimate promise with Koko. Sorry, Jonah.
Nah, it's cool.
Jonah! Be sure to come play again!
T-Too cute! I want Jonah.
No!
Now, now. Seriously though, it might be a good idea to leave him with me.
And why is that?
I'm concerned that his cuteness is going to make you grow soft, Koko.
What's with that reaction?!
You threw me off!
I was thinking, "Even Minami's mind is wired to occasionally have soft thoughts."
You specialize in being hard,
yet you've started to worry about people's soft spots.
That's a nice change.
You're taking our plan more serioulsy since it feels much more plausible.
When that realization suddenly sinks in, you start to look around you.
You're scared, but there is nothing to fear, Minami.
There is just one step left in the plan.
We need that one part you're going to make.
The gears are turning. There is no stopping them.
Those with keen intuition may have a faint inkling of what we are up to.
There are bound to be some who want what we are about to create and some who don't.
But because of that, just you wait and see, Minami.
No one is going to raise his hand against us.
I see. You might be right.
I'm absolutely right, Professor Amada.
It's time. Later!
Be sure to actually do your job, Minami!
Oh, lucky! They look so soft.
She's settled into her role as an evil arms dealer, hasn't she?
Doctor, I could not possibly do that.
You never know.
Oh, that's right.
Koko! It's no fun referring to it like that all the time!
Let's give it a name!
Jormungand.
It's Jormungand.
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Jormungand, huh? Just how sarcastic can she get?
Did you think of something amusing, Dr. Amada?
Oh, I'm sorry, Pres. Curry. I merely remembered something that made me giggle.
Sir, I love how you're treating me to this feast,
but I can't give you anything in return.
It'd be a pain if you said, "Make me a weapon!"
And I don't see you as someone stupid enough to say that.
I wouldn't ask for that.
You see, the president here is dying to know what you and your pal Koko-chan are up to.
Koko? Aren't you guys friends with her as well?
Mildo, could you keep your mouth shut?
Please excuse her, Doctor. That is not what brought us here.
It would be a lie if I said I wasn't curious,
but I doubt someone as bright as you would actually tell me.
Then why did we come to South Africa? Well?
I like this lady! She says everything that comes to mind.
I wanted to ask you about the lack of middle-range arms dealers such as myself.
Those with keen intuition may have a faint inkling...
What's that mean?! Is our company in trouble?! President?!
Curry's Company Aerial Transport...
President Curry, you were a talented pilot in England's air force.
After you retired, you bought a used freighter
and started up a somewhat crooked shipping company.
Military officers willingly gave you airplanes and shared their runways,
despite knowing what you were up to.
You're making me blush!
Although it's hardly something to brag about. Did you look into me?
Nope! All of that came from Koko.
Are you unable to sell your weapons?
After the year 2000, you hit a point in time where shipping fees
cost more than your small arms, which were your specialty.
After devouring the Cold War's legacy,
your rival dealers have been getting arrested one after the next,
almost as if they're no longer needed.
There was a shift in the type of people who profit from war.
Or so you've noticed.
President, they'll never catch you!
Mildo!
You think? This year looks kinda iffy.
What should I do? I want to beat Dr. Miami to a pulp!
Mildo!
No weapons. Karen-chan, let her have it.
Okay, Doctor.
I've heard about you. You lost to Valmet, didn't you?
Come at me.
Koko says, "The privatization of war began when people awoke to military affairs."
Business operations and management change on a daily basis.
Consequentially, the napalm and the jungle's soil,
oil and the hot desert sand;
our battlefields that reek of gunpowder are vanishing.
People fight due to debt, which only creates more poor who are in debt.
Soldiers hit the battlefield with question marks hanging over their heads.
Officials sit in a conference room drinking coffee
while firing missiles from unmanned aerial vehicles
to bring their operations to an end.
Valmet!
War has become quite the peculiar beast.
Well, for better or worse,
the battlefield you survived and profited from isn't going to come back.
Will you continue striding through war zones despite that?
For starters, President Curry, someone like you has already
reached a decision by the time you try talking to an outsider like me.
Bidding farewell to Koko would have been the correct course of action.
You've left me speechless, Doctor.
But I could hardly tell that to Hekmatyar.
It sounds like a declaration of defeat.
Now then, what should I start up next?
How about a restaurant?
I'll learn how to cook, President.
You're willing to help, Lou?
Naturally.
I-I've had enough...
I've lost.
President, I'll help with the restaurant.
Very well. Now sit down.
Behave yourself!
I ate and ate and drank and then ate some more!
Karen-chan, you really are strong, aren't you? Is your hand okay?
Yes, since she wasn't fighting for real.
He came to say his era was over and she intentionally let you punch her.
Arms dealers are seriously messed up!
I guess that's a given. They are arms dealers.
Well, Jonah? Isn't the night view pretty?
Man, I'm so happy this car came back to us!
Ugo was so happy he jumped with glee!
Doesn't it take you back? This reminds me of the day we first met.
Just the two of us went on a drive in this very car on a night just like tonight!
Jonah?
This truly is just like the day I first met you...
Jonah! Jonah!
Jonah!
Koko, you're making it hard to protect you.
Yay! Jonah, you're finally back to your old self.
Koko, aren't you clinging on to Jonah-kun a bit much?
What? Is something wrong with Jonah?
Long time no see! Koko-chan, I've been dying to see you.
I even considered up and joining HCLI just to see you again!
It's been a while, Torohovsky-san.
Hekmatyar and Torohovsky are meeting up?
Yeah, I know. Both the Little Lady and the Lady are doing well.
Supposedly she is sealing the deal with the Euro Group
for three previous-generation UAVs along with the staff to operate them.
She's probably going to lease them to someone in Africa.
Even guerrilla groups use UAVs these days.
Yes?
Scarecrow-kun? Where are you right now?
I just arrived in South Africa.
Why are you there?
Whadda ya mean, "why"? I'm here to root through Dr. Amada's bank account
and discern that new factory's flow of money.
Very well. Later.
"Very well"?! I said I don't friggin' work for you!
Was that Chief Book Man?
Shuddup!
He's really starting to use you, isn't he?
Shut the heck up!
Book Man, come to the conference room. Kasper's big speech is about to begin.
Yeah, I'm on my way.
HCLI seems to be running at full steam. Can you handle it?
Don't sink yourselves. I'm also a passenger on the boat that you've constructed.
Koko-chan, make peace signs to the sky.
Peace!
It's set on still image mode.
The resolution is incredible for a shot taken so high the naked eye can't see it.
Isn't it? That's one of the selling points for this model.
Furthermore, a certain startup company
successfully created lightweight planes with solar panels.
Its altitude is high enough that the weather barely affects it.
It charges during the day to power itself at night, making it possible
to fly for 24 hours straight!
We are currently developing UAVs that could fly for half of eternity
with sensors like this attached to them!
Pardon me.
Amalia, it is almost time for Mr. Kasper Hekmatyar's speech from the Philippines.
Indeed it is. Could you record that for me?
Very well.
Are you sure about that?
Yes. Your brother is going to announce some new project at a weapons exhibition.
Naturally, I'm intrigued. Is it related to all those satellites you launched?
If it is, it will create a revolution in international distribution.
It's a big deal. I'm sure it will reshape war.
People will question the purpose of us arms dealers.
But talking with you right now will prove far more profitable.
That's the feeling I get.
Philippines
Good afternoon to military officers around the world, etc., etc.
I am Kasper Hekmatyar.
Hey, don't go quiet! You'll put me to sleep.
I'm sure I have worked with many of you in the past.
As you know, I am merely a dealer.
I am simply a spokesman for the package we are announcing at this exhibition.
If you have any questions, please review your pamphlets or call our main office.
This is one apathetic spokesman...
These siblings resemble each other.
Put simply, the Hekmatyar Global GRID
is a comprehensive logistics and commands transmission package
outsourced to the private sector, which has been cultivated
by HCLI's worldwide freight network and 126 "satellite positioning systems."
Since ancient times, the army has basically been a dog
tied back by the leash called "logistics."
The supply line is both a chain that limits the army's movements
as well as a lifeline.
Expansion, distribution of supplies,
correspondence, maintenance, and construction of facilities.
Even the most skilled of soldiers are unable to work if you strip that away.
And this all costs a boatload of money!
For starters, you've got a mountain of extra supplies and hungry soldiers.
Let's streamline things!
The Hekmatyar Global GRID will offer logistics and transmit orders
on a scale appropriate for war or battle just in time.
If you use the Hekmatyar Global GRID,
any army can improve their ability to expand overseas at a relatively low cost.
Even countries with strong expansive prowess
can save dramatically on their military budget.
"Logistics."
That word originates from the Greek word meaning "an expert at math."
Modern logistics truly exist in a world of applied math.
The ones with the know-how aren't the military elite from around the world,
but those in the privatized sector.
This simply means we are trying to exploit
the privatization of the market in the war's infrastructure,
efficiently.
When it comes to money, the army doesn't stand a chance against the private sector!
Sounds interesting.
Hinoki-kun, we'll need to teach that bastard military know-how!
I believe we should wait and watch for now, your Excellency.
You can strike them whenever you wish.
He sounds like a fraud! Are they trying to control all war?
He's like the evil last boss from a bande dessinée.
That's Kasper!
Mr. Jonah, are you acquaintances with Mr. Kasper?
Not really.
HCLI just made a big fat announcement.
This is the live footage.
If it's all that important, why didn't Koko go to hear him speak?
She isn't even interested in the TV.
Koko-chan, I am curious as to what you are plotting.
Could you let me in on it? Please!
If you want money, I'll pay your asking price!
Wh-What brought this on, Torohovsky-san?
HCLI just announced their comprehensive package
called the "Hekmatyar Global GRID."
Torohovsky-san, it will bring about a new—
That's not what I meant.
I can understand how unsettling it must be to have that come out of nowhere.
I will pull back for today.
But I haven't given up! Feel free to let me know whenever you need my help!
Wh-Whatever could you be talking about?
Take care. Thank you for your business!
Let's meet up again, Koko-chan!
I traveled with an arms dealer.
Thinking back, I didn't understand Koko at all.
Jonah, let's go on a walk!
It really feels like fall now, doesn't it?
Yeah...
She's always infinitely close to me, yet I can't reach her.
That was the person called, "Koko Hekmatyar."