I'm sorry. I mustn't go with you.
We would run and run, but to where?
There is no place that is safe for us.
That's...
I am glad that you came for me.
But there is no path ahead of us to travel down yet.
Thank you. This is not a time to attempt to do too much.
Is it because of the snow?
Lieselotte.
You have no one to blame but yourself.
It was you who betrayed us Magiuses.
I did not betray you.
I simply wanted to do the right thing.
Module 77 has been targeted for attack?!
Yes. A space-model Phantom is en route to the Moon.
But the Moon is neutral!
Yeah, but these guys attacked JIOR, and we were neutral, too.
Let's go back to the Moon! Module 77 is completely defenseless!
We haven't seen what the situation is in JIOR yet.
Or met up with Ms. Rukino, either.
But if we don't have a place to go home to, all this will have been for nothing!
I know, but we...
L-elf! What do we do?
I have a plan.
The supplies we received from the Royalists also contained intel.
What is that, a rocket?
Wow, what an antique.
It's a multi-stage design from over 100 years ago.
You want us to use this museum piece?
That's exactly why the Dorssian military security will be light.
And one more thing.
What's that?
Those are JIORan names.
These are JIORans who were taken by force
to the town where we're headed.
If we rescue them, we can ascertain the situation inside JIOR.
Which will essentially let us complete the
objective of the force recon mission.
But still...
That all depends on what sort of people were taken into custody.
Whatever the reason, we gotta help these people.
What is it?
My dad's name is on here!
Seriously?
Yes.
SOUICHI TOKISHIMA
Are there more? Do you recognize any others?
- Is my old man on there? - What about my mom?!
Is my grandpa on there?
Is this the whole list?
Hey, I know this name!
It's not there! It's not there!
It's possible that the families of everyone back at the Moon are on here.
You're right!
Let's look for them!
I apologize for making you go to all this trouble.
Do not mention it.
However little it may be, locked away as I am,
I will do anything in my power to assist you.
What sort of authorization is it this time?
Is it to help an ideological criminal?
Or someone with ties to the royal family, perhaps?
It's for JIORans.
The students who have come down to Earth.
Surely you don't mean—
Will this be a problem for you, Miss?
No, none at all.
Michael...
The thing is, H-neun was selling military intel.
It had to be done, right?
"Death to traitors" and all that, you know?
If I had known he was a traitor,
I would have fought him myself...
It's old-fashioned, but this city is rather lovely.
The old capital, Dorssiana.
It was the capital of the Kingdom of Dorssia for a thousand years.
A thousand?
I guess that shows how much support the
royal family had from the people.
But they say most of the royals were locked up
in the coup 10 years ago.
Red Thursday...
That marked the day that
Dorssia began expanding across the globe as a military state.
This district has been turned into a total ghost town,
so I guess that make the
Royalists feel free to operate with impunity here.
They're here!
Switch successful...
This will let you see him.
Your father, I mean. I'm jealous.
But I...
Hey, don't feel guilty on our account.
It's okay to be happy.
It's not that.
I haven't seen my father all that often.
He was busy with work all the time. He was hardly ever at home.
He was a researcher at a pharmaceutical company.
A total genius.
That's why I never knew what to say to him.
I guess I was afraid that he'd be disappointed in me.
But after all this,
I think I'll be able to actually talk with him now.
Yes, this looks good.
Let's give it a try with this.
Yes, Doctor.
Hm? What's that, Doctor?
Oh, this?
Haruto Tokishima. He's my son.
Your son?
That's right.
Haruto here is my pride and joy.
What's wrong, sir?
Prepare for battle.
Backbone line infiltration successful.
Address: Kaiserburg, district 672, D-5421.
The museum is now closed.
We ask that all visitors please vacate the building immediately.
Museum. Main system.
Down a level. Guard room. Camera...
There's the signal from Akira!
We're leaving as soon as Haruto and the others get back.
Let's get to work.
I had no idea you were a fellow Royalist, Kriemhild.
Your night vision is as sharp as ever, I see.
You know her?
She's a former superior officer.
The JIORans taken into custody are being held underground.
We can only take you as far as the duct entrance.
Finish up inside of two hours.
Understood.
But aren't you going to ask why I turned traitor?
I haven't led a life that's been so happy-go-lucky
that I believe answers to my questions.
My men will show you to the duct.
Very well. We should be able to begin the operation immediately.
Just out of curiosity, is anyone in your group named Michael?
No, there isn't.
Michael? That isn't a JIORan name.
I see. Forget I asked.
Wait.
When I joined the Karlstein Agency, my name was taken from me.
The name I was given was the identification code "L, number 11."
L-elf.
I don't believe it... It's you?
On the door to this hangar, there was a crest with seven dragons.
That means it's reserved for royal family use.
L-elf, don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong.
To use it, the signature of someone in the royal line of succession is needed.
There are currently 63 people in line for the throne.
Of those, 56 are confirmed to be residing outside of Dorssiana.
In other words, there are 7 who could have provided a signature.
And of those 7, the only one who knows my old name...
...is her.
By "her" you mean... the girl in the picture?
I'm telling you to drop it.
My pre-Karlstein name.
The seven dragons on the door.
A royal in line for the throne.
The conclusion I'm led to is...
Hey!
L-elf! Stop where you are!
Lieutenant Commander! What do we do?
What the hell is he doing? What about the plan?!
It's not safe to be away from L-elf.
Let's go after him, too!
No.
Let's proceed according to plan.
Tokishima?
You want to do this without L-elf?!
We're going to fight our own battle.
Just like we want to see our families and keep our friends safe,
he has his own reasons to fight.
We're a long way down...
According to her description, we're 100 meters underground.
I guess that shows how important the prisoners are.
I mean, they brought them here all the way from JIOR.
No way.
My dad is a simple office worker.
Ship registry number, DS-HUW40768S254.
Just as I thought, this is the ship that L-elf and his people stole.
We won't be facing only students.
There's a chance that L-elf is here, as well.
You seem to be very cautious when it comes to L-elf, sir.
That's because he's an opponent you must be cautious with.
Yes, sir.
I'll take the bridge.
You see to the hangar.
Blitzendegen!
Is this where we were supposed to meet our contact?
It should be.
It's cold, don't you think?
Excuse me, are you our...
Are you the kids from JIOR?
Yes, sir. We're here to break you all out.
Help has arrived!
Just like she said!
She was telling the truth! We can go home!
Yes! We have to bring our data!
Excuse me, is there a man here by the name of Souichi Tokishima?
Huh? Tokishima?
Yes, Souichi Tokishima is my father.
Oh, he is? Then you're the...
You're the boy who's fighting the whole world, huh?
Is this fate? Or karma?
Shut it.
Karma?
Tokishima. There's something I haven't told you.
Haruto!
Haruto, I'm so glad to see you!
Dorssia sure is cold, isn't it?
Dad?!
How are you, my boy?
No health problems, I hope?
Cut it out, Dad!
Let's have a look at you!
I'm fine! I'm not a child!
That tickles, Dad!
Oh, I'm sorry!
It's been a long time, Dad. What's it been, three years?
I suppose it has!
But I haven't forgotten you for a single moment!
I've had a photo of you on my desk this whole time!
Huh? A picture?
I look at it all the time.
After all, you're my pride and joy.
See? This is the one.
Isn't it beautiful, Haruto? This is you.
What... is this?
This is your gene map! My masterpiece!
Isn't the alignment of this N sequence a thing of beauty?
Dad?
Dr. Tokishima is the scientist in charge of the VVV Project.
Huh? But Dad, You said you worked for a pharmaceutical company.
Oh, that was a lie.
The VVV Project was the highest of state secrets, you see.
It was camouflage.
Then... Then you were making weapons, Dad?
Tools for killing?
"Weapons"?
The Valvraves are nothing so crude as that.
Our sponsor was the military,
so we slapped armor and weapons onto them, that's all.
The real goal of the Valvraves is to create a new form of life!
Yes! You have surpassed humanity!
It's the birth of Homo sapiens novus,
which will rule all humanity on Earth! No, the entire universe!
Haruto, you and the others are the chosen few,
modified for the VVV Project!
Modified?
What do you mean, "project"?
The project to develop the Valvraves and their pilots.
You were created through genetic and Rune manipulation
to make you compatible with the Valvraves.
What gave you the right to do that to us?!
Oh, we had permission.
I sure don't remember giving anybody my permission!
Silly boy!
This was before you were born!
It was your parents who gave me permission, of course!
I did not! I was tricked!
I did it out of idealism!
But it doesn't changed the fact that you were willing participants!
That's why you can't go public!
In other words, the children of the
VVV Project personnel are both test subjects and leverage!
Two birds with one stone, am I right?
I have to meet up with the others and tell them what the enemy's up to!
It's deserted? What's going on?
L-elf...
I've located the transport that was stolen by L-elf
and his people in the forest 30km east of Dorssiana.
However, no one is on board.
If they've deserted the transport, that means
they've set their sights on another means of transportation.
To carry the Valvraves, they'd need something big.
The only civilian craft big enough would be...
...at this base!
I see.
Your line of reasoning is not bad at all.
Q-vier, now departing for battle! Blitzendegen!
I haven't given you any such order yet.
Now, then. Isn't there another possibility?
The possibility that they are receiving Royalist assistance...
...is rather high, wouldn't you say?
This should bring something capable of breaching the tower wall.
L-elf's been spotted?
Don't worry, Haruto.
You're a special being who has received
the blessings of the power of science!
Not even the Dorssian military will turn you away!
Blessing? What you gave us is a curse!
We lose our memories! Our minds!
We live by devouring other people!
Homo sapiens novus stands at the top of the food chain.
What you describe is as natural as a human eating a fish or pig!
Dad!
Hold your head high, Haruto!
You've become the ultimate lifeform!
As the person who created you, from a scientific standpoint,
does that make me God?
Dr. Tokishima! Please stop antagonizing him!
Haruto?!
"Ultimate lifeform," my ass!
Tons of people have died because of us!
Aina and Marie and lots of JIORans!
Don't worry about a thing, Haruto.
A Homo sapien novus like you won't die so easily.
Haruto...
Dad.
I've decided.
I made up my mind a long time ago.
About what?
I'm going to destroy the Valvraves.
To make sure this curse doesn't spread any further,
I'll make sure nothing's left!
Don't do that, Haruto!
You're the living embodiment of my dreams!
Do you want to end humanity's future?
To hold back the clock of human evolution?
Stop this.
Wait!
What are you thinking?!
Everything has worked out so well!
You're perfect!
Goodbye, Dad.
Why? Why did you...
This isn't like three years ago. I've created a path.
I now have a country to protect you.
Lieselotte...
Michael...
Allow me to abduct you.
Next time, episode 19. "Sadness is Like the Falling Snow."
Valvrave the Liberator...
The system that will expose the truth of the world.