That's it! Faster! C'mon!
Bloody hell! Bill! This thing's done for!
Yeah, I know...
How's the new arm coming? Think it'll be ready tomorrow?
You make it sound simple, don't you?
The basic framework's not even done.
What's that? Hugo's dad paid you a pretty penny, didn't he?
Why not just buy some expensive parts and get it done?
I've arranged for the parts.
We'll be able to upgrade the skeleton, steam tubes, valves and everything.
What's needed now is an engineer's insight and patience.
Well, suppose that's true.
Anyway, we need it post-haste. Not much point practicing like this.
Have you any idea how complex the engine structure is?
Making full use of the hyper steam power while also staying within regulations
-requires hair's breadth adjustments. -Aw, got it, got it!
Why, you of all people can pull it off!
You're the renowned engineering genius of Zack's Gym! Right, Levius?
Yeah.
Levius, whatever happens, you've got to win the bout with AJ.
Yeah...
Which means...
both arms ought to be artificial.
Both arms?!
Until now, I've respected your wishes. I've urged but never insisted.
But now things have changed.
This is as close as I come to forcing you.
You've got to decide now, or it'll be too late.
What will you do?
I want to keep this arm as it is...
With only one arm, your probability of winning plummets.
That may be... That may be so, but...
I want to keep it as it is.
Fine.
Then let's put all we've got, money and skill, into your new right arm.
Right! In that case, we've got to build up your left arm too!
Let's go, Levius!
EPISODE 8
THESE YOUNG GENIUSES... IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU SICK...
What?
Hm?
The AJ fight from the other day?
He borrowed it from Hugo's dad.
Watching it again, it really is remarkable...
Closer to impossible than remarkable, really.
She sways her upper body that far, but never loses balance...
Her enhancements have a much broader range of motion than normal parts.
What the deuce is she...?
Huh? What the... You can't see it even if you stop the film.
Yeah, she's too fast.
And the punch comes from a ludicrous direction.
There's no way to defend against it.
There's quite a discharge of hyper steam just after punching.
I imagine the pressure is being raised to the limit at the moment of impact.
The technical side must play a large role, but it may also be the Greenbridge blood.
In any event, it'll be no easy feat making an arm that can endure such an assault.
I need to get back to work.
She really is a demon...
I honestly don't know how we can counter it.
No matter how strong she is, I'll be fine if I don't get hit, right?
Hm? Perhaps, but no human being can hit that hard.
There's no way to practice it.
Think I could spar with both of you at once?
With you, Uncle, and Natalia?
Huh?
Aww, what're you doing, you hairy pig?!
You move like a slug and your stamina's nil!
N-No help for it! Haven't you heard of being rusty?!
Like I care!
Uncle, I'm sorry... Let's just have Natalia do it after all.
I'm sorry...
Why don't I help?
I-It's you...
Malcolm Eden?!
It's been a while, hasn't it, Levius.
Yes, it has.
Malcolm, what're you doing here?
I just happened to be passing by.
I took a peek inside and found you like this.
I just thought I'd offer to help.
But you've retired, right?
Last thing we need is you huffing and puffing like our hairy pig here.
I've not rusted yet.
I suppose I'll make a decent sparring partner at least.
We'd appreciate it, but are you sure? I hear you're doing charity work now.
That's what this would be as well.
Charity work to whip a certain naïve boxer back into shape.
Hah. Well, we'd be much obliged.
Sure, give us a hand.
Now listen. AJ's punches come precisely from your blind spots.
First thing, forget about "dodging".
Hm? What, were you at the Hugo fight?
No, I just watched the film at the Association.
You, little girl.
Natalia!
Whatever. Just stand there.
Attack from more of an angle.
The moment Levius attacks, throw a punch from his blind spot.
Huh? There's no way he could dodge that.
I just told you to forget all that.
You don't dodge, you throw off her timing.
AJ attacks precisely. You turn that to your advantage.
Levius, immediately after an attack,
even if by just a fist-width, slide toward your blind spot.
I see...
If you shift the point of impact, there'll be no power behind it.
I'm not going to hold anything back. Ready?
Hit 'im, little girl.
The blow's coming from your blind spot. Don't depend on your eyes.
Don't depend on my eyes...
Don't fear being hit. You have to feel it with your body.
With my body...
That just can't be done. It's not like he's got your right eye.
My right eye?
Yeah, that! The lens!
The quibbling four-eyes said it's how you cover your blind spot.
Lens?
Your right eye is a wide-angle lens, isn't it?
A wide-angle lens?
That'd throw off the parallax with my other eye and I'd lose depth perception.
This here's got the same angle as a flesh-and-blood eye.
Then, how'd you...?
Movement patterns, sound, air flow...
You get a feel for it from things like that.
That's what sharpening your senses is.
So, when you fought Levius...
My senses.
N-No way...
Sharpening your senses...
I'll give that a try.
Listen. Don't depend on your eyes. Focus on your senses.
I will!
Not bad. On to the next step.
I'm gonna keep going.
The steam tubes are next.
What're you doing?! Focus!
Bugger.
That's it, Levius! Focus! Focus! Focus! Focus!
Cork it! We can't focus!
H-He dodged it!
I think I'm starting to figure this out.
These young geniuses... It's enough to make you sick...
That's the stuff, Levius!
Now you're on the trolley! Absolutely ace!
Cool your jets, hairy pig...
It's too soon to celebrate yet.
We've not practiced any blocking at all.
Glad to hear that.
It means I'm just in time.
Oh, does that mean...
Yeah. It's ready.
A red arm...?
The metal in the surface layer of the steam tubes looks red when light hits it.
The extensor units are ten times stronger, and I've also reinforced the connectors.
Here we go.
All okay.
Astonishing...
Blimey, Bill! Why, the word "genius" barely covers it!
You, you're a god! An engineering god!
That hurts. You'll skew my spectacles.
With that right arm, no doubt we'll sail to victory!
Not so fast. There's still the adjustments to get past the regulation check,
and external armor to be attached.
Still more sleepless nights ahead.
Who could that be?
Come on in!
Chairman...?
Seems the investigation results are in.
Here's the report Billy was asking for.
Report?
Yes, regarding our key individual, AJ.
We still know nothing about their methods for either mind control or dulling pain.
That's why I asked the chairman for further investigation.
We don't know what sort of chemical agent they're actually using,
but they ran a series of experiments using an agent with similar effects on lab mice.
"Mice dosed with the agent became unresponsive to pain...
They cannot be struck down by any impact, and the only way to stop their activity...
is to kill them.
There's no other way."
No...
You mean, we've got no choice but to kill AJ?
There'd be no point to all this! We're to be saving her!
I know!
We just have to find another way. There must be something...
Her steam generator.
If her steam generator stops functioning, she stops moving.
You mean, stop her supply of hyper steam itself...
True, if the supply of steam to her whole body is cut,
moving her enhancements will become impossible.
But, how?
Exactly! How are we s'posed to do that? Dirty tricks or something?
It's simple.
You smash it.
W-What a frightful old fellow.
Normally, the steam generator is located on the back of the scapula,
right below the cartridge tank.
You just need to break through here.
But can we even get a punch in on AJ's back?
That's what I'm about to show you. Put up your forks, little girl.
Natalia!
First, a spin hook. Telegraph it on purpose and swing to miss.
Your opponent is sure to take the opening and come in with a finishing blow.
That's when...
you take it in the armor right here, and just barely turn it aside.
Do that, and you'll have their left shoulder right in front of you.
Then, a countering...
spin-hook.
So? Think you can do that?
Yes.
W-Wait just a second.
Take it in the side armor?
We're talking about AJ's finishing blow. Eat that and it's lights out!
Actually, if it's not a direct hit, it should be able to withstand one shot.
Even if it does... Isn't this against the rules?
Well... but should they move and you accidentally hit them in the back...
It happens a lot, right?
Yes. It often happens.
And this isn't an opponent you can beat with gentlemanly conduct.
Plus, you want her to live, right?
She will... I guarantee it.
Good. Telegraph it. Lay the bait. Get her to bite.
Blast it.
Damn! You nearly had it!
Not even close. You're attacking too soon.
Pull her in as close as possible. Don't shy away.
It just can't be done, can it? He may be close, but he's still missing.
Arm movement isn't the problem. It's all in the timing.
This isn't like you. That's not the sort of blow I'd expect from you.
Have you forgotten our bout?
Our bout...
The sidewinder...
Yeah, that's it...
You did it... Levius...
Malcolm, it's all thanks to y...
Are you alright?
I'm fine.
Now all you need to do is drill it to death.
Okay!
For goodness sake, you're exasperating! You won't even let me relax.
No help for it! The bout's just 'round the corner!
Where's Levius?
Gone to the hospital to see his mum. It's right before a big bout, you see.
It never occurred to you to take him?
He said he wanted to go alone today.
I see...
His fate depends on this fight.
If it were me, the pressure would just flatten me.
Is that so...?
Oh, that's right. Natalia! Natalia!
Coming!
What is it, Gran?
Bit familiar, aren't we? You her grandkid now?
Can I ask you a wee favor?
I'll come again. I promise.
It's coming up. Who do you think'll win?
AJ, no question. It was her that laid out Hugo.
-S-Sorry... -Oi! Watch--
Oh, Levius?
Natalia...
Just as I was wondering who's this tosser in my way...
You don't often shop at the market, do you?
Well, come tomorrow, we'll be cooped up for the regulation check, right?
Yeah.
So Gran wants to pull out all the stops and send everybody off with a proper meal.
You know, I never thought it'd be so nice to have a family.
Yeah...
But at the same time, you can't go worrying them either...
So why exactly are you so dead-set on fighting?
I can understand your wanting to help AJ,
and that Clown bloke is a right bloody bastard...
But there's no use in you trying to take on everything yourself, is there?
The hairy pig, and Gran, and even the quibbling four-eyes...
You've got a lot of people worried for you.
Yes, you're right...
S-So then...
I still have dreams...
Dreams...?
Dreams of Greenbridge.
The destroyed town... AJ and the children being carried off...
My mother saving me...
I wasn't able to help any of them.
Even after I wake up, the sounds still ring in my ears.
I'm certain a part of me is still there in that town...
When I started metal boxing, it felt like the dreams were going away.
That's why I keep fighting...
What a twit!
Then you just need to get out there and win.
After that, wait for me in G2
because I'll rise right up to give you a proper thrashing.
Yeah, okay.
It's a promise, then.
Break it, and I'll still give you a right thrashing!
Okay.
Whoa! Stone the crows!
Now that's our Mum!
When it comes to cooking, not even G1 can top her!
Indeed. Not only has she taken nutritional needs into account,
-but the vitamin balance is also-- -Aw, jeez! Just say it looks good!
Your jabbering is gonna ruin it.
Well, you may have a point.
Oi, Levius! You eat like this, and you're sure to win!
Yes.
Well now, where to begin...
Such a chatterbox you are. Quiet down.
Levius, you make sure to eat your fill.
Thanks, Gran.
Right! It's ready!
Chef Natalia's signature meat pie!
What is this lump?
Meat pie typically has meat in it, you know.
Looks good, eh? Tuck in!
Levius, steer clear or you can forget about your bout.
Hey! At least try it, hairy pig!
How?! It's char black!
-I cooked it for two whole hours! -Let's eat, Levius.
-That's your problem! It ain't like coal! -Oh, right.
Belt up, you two! The food will get cold! Now, eat!
Yes, ma'am.
By the way, Gran, don't you ever go to see Levius fight?
I don't care to watch such punch-ups.
Well, Mum, don't worry!
I'm keeping a keen eye on our Levius!
Sorry, but I must be off.
The food was lovely. Thanks.
What?! Leaving so soon?
Yeah! What about my pie?!
I haven't finished the final adjustments on the external armor.
Oh... but you've been up till dawn every night now, haven't you?
I've no time for breaks.
A greater than normal volume of Agartha water is permitted at promotion bouts.
Even more than the usual adjustments are needed.
Bill...
Trust Bill. He doesn't know the word "compromise".
And in the end, he always delivers top-notch work.
Your job now is to pack this away.
Okay?
Right.
Still no good...
Just a bit more.
Bill...
All ready, eh? That's our guy.
Naturally.
The regulation check established by the Metal Boxing Association
for Grade 2 promotion bouts shall begin.
Whoa... Now this is stunning.
Yes, but it'll still be a while yet.
Checks to confirm the operation of each part, the engines,
armor shape and material properties, maximum pressure...
Promotion bout regulation checks can take over four hours.
F-Four hours?! And they do that three times?!
Rules are rules.
Promotion bout rules are even more rigid than usual, eh?
Next, we will check the total steam capacity.
Supplying hyper steam for inspection.
Levius Cromwell. Total hyper steam capacity...
Hm?
9,500.05 cc.
This exceeds competition rules...
That's impossible!
It's slight, but at its peak, it exceeds the regulation amount.
It's over the amount? You're joking...
Bill...
Damn!
We've got to do it all again!