Thanks, Uchida.
You're a lifesaver.
It's no big deal. Everyone in my family loves animals.
I'm kind of surprised, though.
I didn't know Akatsuki was friends with the middle school saint.
You know Kanase?
The monastery she lived in as a kid was close to my house.
We've sort of drifted apart since the incident, though.
Incident?
There was an accident and a lot of people died.
She was the only survivor.
One of my friends got caught up in it, as well.
I remember that every time I see her.
I know it's not her fault...
So I hope you'll be good to her, Kojou.
Sure.
So all the cats have been taken now, right?
Yes.
The only one left is the one I just found.
I can handle this one myself.
Just now?
Shh! Keep your voice down, Senpai!
You picked up another one?
Weren't you aware, Akatsuki Kojou?
Bringing animals onto school premises is prohibited.
Natsuki-ch—
Ow!
Don't call your teacher "chan."
I'll overlook this, but on one condition.
Condition?
Akatsuki Kojou,
accompany me tonight.
Huh?
Hey...
You were asking me to help with your attack mage work, weren't you?
Indeed.
Then what are you dressed like that for?
And you kept me waiting here for two hours.
There's a festival going on in the shopping district near here.
I just wanted to give Astarte a chance to enjoy the night shops.
"Enjoy"?
That aside, what are you doing here, transfer student?
I am the Fourth Progenitor's observer.
Do you need a yukata to observe him?
Th-This is...
When she heard it was a festival, Nagisa-chan made me...
Whatever.
Anyway, Akatsuki, you read the information I emailed you, right?
Yeah. I knew there was an incident three days ago,
but I thought it was demons causing trouble.
I never guessed those "Possession Mask" guys were behind it.
Two of them with similar appearances destroyed each other,
damaging the surrounding area in the process.
Five incidents of the same type have occurred in the past two weeks.
It'll be your job to catch them.
You make it sound easy, but they can fly, right?
How are we supposed to catch them?
Not a problem. Just shoot them down.
If you unleash a Familiar on them in the air,
it won't harm the city.
Pretty reckless thing to ask...
But recklessness might be just what we need here.
That's the building Mask Possession destroyed in their battle, right?
If magic and summoning caused that much damage,
I should have noticed...
So even a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Organization
couldn't detect their attack...
What does that mean?
A special class of magic, physical attacks...
There are several possibilities.
Of course, we'll find out if we ask them ourselves.
Don't kill them, Akatsuki.
That's Mask Possession?
They showed up sooner than I thought.
Astarte, inform everyone at the school.
It's time for the fireworks.
Accept.
Fireworks?
You don't know?
They're beautiful lights that explode in the sky—
I know that mu—
Everyone in town will be looking at the fireworks.
We should be able to get away with a little mayhem and explosions.
Now that you mention it, I didn't think we had festivals here at this time of year.
Is it all so we could do this?
Now's our chance to take care of it.
Time to fly.
Huh? Fly?
What the hell? How'd we get here?
Void shifting magic.
But, Senpai, look up there.
I don't know that magic!
It seems to resemble our divine possession techniques more than magic!
Help me out, Himeragi Yukina!
We're gonna take them all out!
Schneesturm Wolfin!
Himeragi!
They cut through the chains?!
No!
Akatsuki, take care of them!
Don't hold back, or they'll kill you!
These chains...
Natsuki-chan?!
Come, ninth Familiar, Al-Nasl Minium!
It can't be... It withstood an attack from a Progenitor's Familiar?!
Did she just... save us?
No way... That's...
That face...
It can't be...
Stop, Kanase...
Kanase!
Magus Craft?
It's a company chiefly known for manufacturing industrial automata.
The address Nagisa-chan gave me for Kanase-san
was part of their company housing.
The man who took her in as her father
after the incident at the monastery works here.
Did you tell Minamiya-sensei about Kanase-san?
Not yet.
Hell, I'm not sure I could.
I'd rather, at least, wait until we have more information.
Yes... You're right.
We'd like to see Kanase Kanon-san in room 204.
I'm sorry, but she's not in right now.
Then, how about Mr. Kanase Kensei?
Pardon my asking, but you are...
Himeragi of the Lion King Organization.
One moment, please.
You sure it was okay to give your name?
Well, it looks like we might get something out of it.
A registered demon.
I'm Beatrice Basler.
I'm Kanase Kensei's... well, something like his secretary.
What could an attack mage of the
Lion King Organization need with him?
I'm sorry, but I'd rather speak with him directly.
That poses a problem.
Kanase is not currently on the island.
This company owns a research facility in
a controlled area within a demon district.
Outside of Itogami Island?
Is Kanase-san's daughter there with him?
Yes, so I've been told.
If your business with him is urgent,
I could show you to the research facility.
I'm Lowe Kirishima.
I'll be taking you guys to the island.
As you can see, this plane's pretty old.
It gets a little rough, so be ready.
Y-You okay, Himeragi?
Your face is the color of paper.
Of course I'm okay! No problem at all!
Wait, are you scared of airplanes?
Of course not!
I'm a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Organization...
S-Senpai?
Nagisa can't stand airplanes, either.
It seems to relax her when I do this.
Does it bother you?
I didn't say that...
Anyway, you think Kanase's dad's research has something
to do with Possession Mask?
I'm sure of it.
So he altered his own daughter into a monster and sent her to kill?
I think the order is reversed.
Kanase Kensei didn't alter his own daughter...
He adopted her so he could alter her?
The first time I met Kanase-san,
I felt an affinity with her, even though it was our first meeting.
I understand now.
She and I are alike.
That's why...
Kanase helped us last night, right?
Now it's our turn.
Yes.
Yo, idiot couple.
Hate to interrupt your flirting, but we're almost there.
The research facility is on that island?
Don't talk. You'll bite your tongue.
Here we go!
Man, there's nothing out here.
Are the Kanases really on this island?
Who knows? You'll probably see them sooner or later.
If you can stay alive until then.
Sorry, idiot couple.
If you're gonna blame someone, blame Beatrice!
Hey! Hold on, old man!
Hey!
Gimme a break...
I never thought they'd try to get the Fourth Progenitor
off of Itogami Island that way.
I let my guard down.
No wonder, when you were so scared of flying.
I was not! I just let my guard down!
Naturally, our phones won't work here.
Guess it was a mistake to come without telling Natsuki-chan.
We can think about how to get off this island later.
Right now, we need water and food,
and shelter from the elements...
Before sundown, if possible.
I feel like a castaway washed up on a deserted island.
It's not just a feeling. This is a deserted island.
O-Oh, yeah.
If we can't get off of here,
in the worst case, we'll have to live here alone.
That'd really suck.
Worst case, huh?
That would suck? I see.
Uh, Himeragi, are you mad?
I'm just making a marker so we won't lose our trail.
I... I see...
What is this?
They're pillboxes.
Guard posts used to protect against enemy attacks in battle.
On this island?
There was a gunfight here.
These casings are still new.
Looks kinda dangerous, but I guess we have no choice.
We'll make camp here.
I'm sure it sucks,
but since we can't get off this island ourselves,
we'll have to wait here, alone, until we're rescued.
I'm sure that's the worst case...
Rescued, huh?
Rescued...
The caduceus...
Just like the reports said.
This is the monastery where Kanase Kanon lived?
Cat hair?
And this smell...
Who's there?!
Yo.
You were with Dimitrie Vatler.
You're no ordinary high school student, are you?
Who are you?
At the moment, I'm just a classmate of Akatsuki Kojou's.
If possible, can we skip the interrogation and make a deal,
War Dancer of the Lion King Organization?
A deal?
The condition is that you tell no one, including Kojou and Himeragi Yukina,
who I really am.
If you agree, I'll give you information.
What information?
Information on Akatsuki Kojou's whereabouts.
I-It's not like I care where he is!
Of course,
Himeragi Yukina is with him.
They got wrapped up in a case involving the Kanases,
and they're in a tight spot now...
Sorry to make you go out of your way after practice.
No, I'm sorry.
If I knew you had plans with Kojou-kun,
I wouldn't have made him help Kanon-chan.
Don't worry about it.
He's the one who stood me up.
I'll take it out on him later.
Crap... This is bad!
Why are they coming here?!
"They"?
Hi! Is Kanon-chan here?
Kojou-kun hasn't been here, has he?
Huh? Yazecchi?
Motoki?
Why are you...
You're the psycho woman who attacked Kojou the other day!
You're Akatsuki Kojou's fling!
Who are you calling a fling?!
I'm not a psycho, either!
What was that about, then?!
Huh? What is this?
What's going on?
Huh, Yazecchi? Well?!
I don't care anymore.
I, Akatsuki Kojou, successor to the blood of Kaleid Blood,
now release your constraints.
Come, fifth Familiar,
Regulus Aurum!
Easy, now... easy...
What are you doing, Senpai?
Well, you found fresh water for us,
so I thought I should look for food...
Then I thought, "hey, it's possible to catch fish using electric shock!"
You know?
And?
Um... I'm sorry.
I've already prepared dinner.
I came to tell you.
Oh... Thanks.
Um... what is this?
Coconut.
What's this white stuff?
Coconut sashimi.
What about this?
Shredded coconut and rotary sliced coconut.
And this is soup made from coconut and seawater.
Those are pretty original dishes.
There's enough for seconds.
If I could've found other ingredients, I could've made a bigger variety...
Oh, no, this is plenty. I'll eat it.
So... how does it taste?
I just remembered, I played house with Nagisa when we were kids,
and ended up sick to my stomach...
I can't help but wonder why that came to you now,
but I have a feeling I'd only feel worse if I asked, so I won't.
Nah, I was just worried about Nagisa,
since I haven't been home in days.
Well, tomorrow's Sunday, so—
Crap!
That means today's Saturday?
Senpai?
Well, I promised I'd help Asagi with her art project...
Damn it! She's gotta be mad!
But in that case, I'm sure she'd get suspicious and go looking for you,
so that gives us some hope.
That'd be nice, but...
No, if Asagi stumbles across Magus Craft, then she'll be in danger.
But we can't save Kanase if we're stuck here...
Damn it! What're we supposed to do?
All you do is worry about other people.
You're the one stuck on a deserted island with no way to get home...
I know that.
This isn't the time to worry about other people.
No... I kind of like that side of you, just a little.
Nice view, huh?
Yeah.
Sure is.
Found them.
This is Kojou and the transfer student.
Where were they headed?
Mogwai.
A deserted island owned by Magus Craft.
Thirty minutes to get there.
Their cover story is that it houses a research facility...
But that's just a cover story, huh?
Yeah. This company's hiding a lot behind closed doors.
Such as records of deals with the Confederate States Army.
So that's it.
I'm finally starting to see how it all works.
Aiba Asagi, just what are you?
Given the Black Death Emperor Faction's interest in you,
I knew you must be special, but still...
I'm an ordinary high school student.
I just help the management corporation part-time.
What I want to know is, who are you?
Can you really save Kojou and the girl?
Leave that to me.
I can use my connections to send a Coast Guard boat for them.
Connections, huh?
And what is your relationship with Kojou?
What about you? What's your relationship with him?
That's what I'm asking you!
Why are you and Akatsuki Kojou so—
Damn, it's cold... I guess it does get cold at night.
Huh? Himeragi?
Okay, okay...
You can talk about that stuff with Kojou when he comes back, all right?
You know...
Even now, he and Himeragi-chan
could be having a Blue Something-or-other moment on that island by themselves...
He's right... That's not good.
We'll call a truce for now, all right?
Fine by me.
Then, tell me one thing.
Why were you looking for info on Kanase Kanon?
Because someone I knew wanted to meet her.
Guarding her was my real duty,
but she went missing before I came to Itogami Island.
Who was it you were supposed to guard?
It was...
The princess of Aldegyr...
Her Highness La Folia Rihavein.
Next Time
I knew you'd come to peek!
Turn around and I'll stab you!
I know you'll come back to life!
The Amphisbaena III
"The Amphisbaena III."