You're...
Avrora?
Senpai, what's wrong?
Ah, it's nothing.
Come on, Kojou-kun.
You can't stare at December-san like that just because she's pretty!
It's not like that.
It looks like my sister caused some trouble for you. Sorry about that.
It's fine.
If it's for a cute girl's sake, I'm more than happy to lend a hand.
It's so peaceful, isn't it?
Even though terrorists set off an explosion, the shops are still selling food as usual.
And there are people who eat that food.
I feel that food is directly linked to peace.
Don't you think so?
Yeah...
Bye, Nagisa-chan.
You too, Kojou-kun. Bye bye.
Ah, Kojou-kun. What about the milk?
Sorry, I haven't looked for it yet.
Geez, I thought you said you were going to buy some.
Ah, that shop might have some.
I'll go take a look.
Somehow, it feels like Nagisa is back to her usual self.
Yes, that's great.
Food is peace, huh?
This is a terrorist attack. They are planning to throw Itogami Island into chaos and destroy it.
Tartarus Lapus's next target...
Eh?
That's what December said.
She said that food is directly linked to peace.
If Tartarus Lapus is looking to throw Itogami Island into chaos...
Don't tell me...
It's just a guess. But I have a bad feeling about this.
Their next target is...
The Great Pile on Island East. The large-scale food stockpile warehouse.
I'm surprised you knew I was here, Minamiya Natsuki.
One of my students is very good at finding people.
What has it been, fifteen years? You haven't changed a bit.
You're showing your age, Senga Takehito.
Are you still using children for your schemes?
I merely showed them how to use their powers.
Just like you did, all those years ago.
Are you saying that the children wish for the destruction of the Demon Sanctuary?
I am not the leader of Tartaru Lapus, that should be proof enough.
The one giving them orders is someone else.
Oh? That's interesting.
But for now, destroying the Eight Trigams formation that you set up comes first.
I will listen to your explanation after that.
It gets pretty chilly after sunset, right?
Yes. Good thing I brought a coat.
So beautiful.
It's a fresh look, and I don't get tired of looking at it.
S-Senpai! What are you saying, all of a sudden!?
Oh, do you not like it that much, Himeragi?
No, I do like it... And besides, Nagisa-chan picked it out for me.
Huh? What are you talking about?
Ehh? What were you talking about?
Well... This area was rebuilt recently, so I thought that the view at night looked fresh.
T-The view?
Oh, I see. I should have known.
But Senpai, aren't you the reason why they had to rebuild it?
You couldn't control your familiar, and razed everything to the ground.
It wasn't my fault! That was before I got to suck your blood, Himeragi.
You're right.
Now it's not just me, it looks like you've sucked the blood from several other girls as well.
Hang on! Why did you pull your spear out after saying that!?
What the hell is this incredible magical power?
You can't stop the Roses of Tartaros the way you are now, Minamiya Natsuki!
You fiend!
Golems that control storms and waves!
Don't tell me... Stone Soldiers?
Come out! Al-Nasl-Minium!
It's regenerating? Dammit, this will never end!
I will defeat the person controlling them. Senpai, please stay here and buy me some time!
Sorry, but...
I can't really let you do that.
December-san?
I'll leave the rest to you.
You... Are you a member of Tartaros Lapus?
A member? That sounds pretty nice.
I'm actually the leader, though.
The Fourth Primogenitor, Akatsuki Kojou.
What do you say, do you want to join us?
The person next to you is welcome as well.
Like hell I do!
Really? How unfortunate.
A D-Type!
Dammit... Al-Nasl-Minium!
Retreat, Al-Nasl-Minium!
Senpai! What just happened?
Senpai!
You actually took control of the Fourth Primogenitor's mind...
Just who are you?
Mind control...?
Forget about Akatsuki Kojou's familiar, transfer student.
Your opponent is that girl.
I, Sword Shaman of the High God and priestess of the Lion, beseech thee.
Spirit wolf of snowy mist, fashion a shield from the echoes of the thousand swift ones, and expel this calamity!
Senpai!
Looks like it wore off.
No matter. We have already achieved our goal.
Achieved your goal?
Flame control... A Pyrokinesist?
That must be the one who caused the explosion at the Keystone Gate.
So both you and Senga's Stone Soldiers... were just a distraction?
I won't let you go any further!
Ugh, what's a girl got to do...
I really didn't want to hurt Takehito's friend, but...
Carly, go ahead.
A magical bullet?
Natsuki-chan!
Minamiya-sensei!
Let me ask you one more time.
Akatsuki Kojou, join us.
You really think I'll agree, after what you just did!?
The Banquet of Change...
Just like us, you had your fate controlled by people who wanted power.
I really thought that you would understand.
You... What do you know?
It looks like some of your memories are still missing.
In that case, I'll take you by force!
Come out, Natra-Cinereus!
He used a smoke screen?
As expected of the boy that she picked.
Time to retreat, Rogi, Carly.
The Roses are ready.
Hey, Nina.
She got hit really hard... do you think Natsuki-chan's real body is still safe inside the Prison Barrier?
Well, her real body is probably unhurt.
But with her Spirit Container in such a state...
The impact of the destruction was probably transmitted to her.
It might take a while until she is able to move around out here.
I see...
Astarte, did Natsuki-chan leave any instructions?
One matching entry found.
"Find out more about Tartarus's Roses."
Tartaros's Roses?
Sorry to keep you waiting.
Thanks, Kanase.
Sorry for not helping out.
It's okay... Doing something helped me take my mind off things.
Don't be shy, eat up.
Serious food shortages expected.
There's no telling how long this island will still have food left to eat.
If they were canceling school, I wish they'd let me know earlier.
I basically stayed up all night and still forced myself to wake up.
The island administration is in chaos, after all.
The teachers at school must also be...Oh, hang on. You have a message from Kojou.
He wants you to look up something called "Tartaros's Roses".
And here I thought he was actually worried about me for once.
What does that idiot think I am?
It's your fault for expecting anything from him, Missy.
Oh, shut up!
Anyway, you just looked it up, right? Find anything?
I didn't find anything of note in the company archives.
I can try digging deeper in other information agencies, but that's going to take some time.
Seriously... Let Kojou know that I'll need more time to find something.
Also, tell him that I'm going over to Motoki's house to check up on him, and if he has the time, he should come too.
You got it.
That person is...
Are you here to see Motoki?
You're his senior from school, right?
I-It's not what you think!
He's just my childhood friend, and there's already someone else that I like!
Gosh!
Woah, she totally has the wrong idea.
I have a bad feeling about this.
It's like the calm before the storm.
Everything is so tense.
I'm to blame.
It's because I wasn't able to protect the Great Pile.
Hang on, that doesn't make sense.
Protecting the warehouse isn't your job, Himeragi.
But I'm a Sword Shaman from the Lion King Organization...!
A trainee Sword Shaman, right?
Umm, S-Senpai?
Do you remember the story I told you about how I messed up during a basketball match?
Yes.
That memory flashed through my head when December hijacked my familiar.
I got carried away because people called me the strongest vampire in the world...
And you saw how that turned out.
But that was outside your control!
I understand how you feel, Himeragi.
But sitting around moping will get us nowhere.
We'll aim for the next time they strike.
This is my fight now, after all.
No, Senpai. It's ours.
Still...I wonder who she is.
That girl called December.
Every time I see her, I feel like my heart is being ripped apart.
If you want to know more about December, come and hang out with us for a bit, Fourth Primogenitor.
You're... the one who blew up the warehouse yesterday!
You can call me Rogi, Akatsuki Kojou.
Our teacher, Senga Takehito, wants to talk to you.
What?
Just so you know, Carly, our sniper, has you in her sights.
It would be terrible if some unrelated person was hit by a stray bullet, right?
Where should I go?
Senpai!?
You'll find out soon enough.
We can't do much in the way of welcoming guests, so don't get your hopes up.
The Fourth Primogenitor! Thanks for coming.
So you're Senga Takehito?
That's right.
You're the one who used Feng Shui to seal off the Itogami Island?
Well, that is my job after all.
That's Ran. One of our comrades.
It looks like they're all children.
I don't mean this as an excuse, but I'm not forcing them to do anything.
They are the ones who wished for the destruction of the Demon Sanctuary.
What?
Take Rogi, for example.
He is a military-use homonculus, an experimental body with the powers of pyrokinesis.
An experimental body!?
But research on living organisms for military use is...
It is illegal, of course.
When that came to light and he was going to be disposed of, December saved him.
From the place that used to be known as the Iroise Demon Sanctuary.
The other children have similar backgrounds.
So that's why they're trying to destroy Itogami Island?
Because it is also a Demon Sanctuary?
No.
There is a different reason why this place was targeted.
A reason?
That is the reason why I called you here.
Once you find out about that, I hoped that you might help us as well.
Look, I'm sorry, okay?
I didn't expect to encounter that person here... was her name Hiina-san?
Still, she's a little strange. Bringing fruits like these when coming to visit you.
Well, they're delicious so I don't mind.
Geez...
You came here because you were worried about me, so I guess I should thank you.
That's right. You should be grateful.
So, how's the search for your father going?
Still no word from them.
There's also the matter of restoring the Great Pile. I guess they have their hands full.
I'm worried... Was he attacked because he's in charge of this island?
Probably, yeah.
But there's a bunch of stuff that doesn't sit right with me.
Like what?
The person in charge of the actual administration is my brother.
If their aim was to throw the island into chaos, attacking my father doesn't make a lot of sense.
Besides, if my father could be done in by an explosion of that level, he would have died dozens of times already.
Just so you know, I have no intention of helping you guys.
I won't be party to murder.
Murder, huh? But the people who built this island are doing the same thing.
The next tragedy that this island will cause...
The number of victims will be on a whole different level compared to what we've done.
The next tragedy that the island will cause...?
The true purpose of the artificial island called Itogami Island...
It is to function as an altar for the resurrection of the Old God Cain.
The person who designed Itogami Island, Itogami Senra, wished for Cain's resurrection.
While he is no longer alive, there are still people in Itogami Island's administration who have inherited his ideology.
So, the directors of the island's administration whom you assassinated...
That's your excuse for terrorism?
What do you say, Fourth Primogenitor? Do you feel like helping us now?
Help? You can't be serious.
So in the end, you're all the same.
Senpai?
What do you mean?
Why are you guys trying to take on everything by yourselves?
I feel like I'm looking at my past self in a mirror, it's pretty embarrassing.
Why didn't you ask for help? Why didn't you raise your voices?
After going so far as to become terrorists, do you think anyone would take your side?
Of course we raised our voices.
But our efforts were wiped out by those with authority.
Even when our voices reached some people, no one was willing to believe us because we had no clear proof!
Are you sure that's really true?
Was the lack of proof really why people refused to believe you?
You know that's not true!
It's because you guys didn't believe in anyone yourselves!
What?
You said a lot of people would die if Cain was resurrected, right?
In that case, you shouldn't be destroying the Demon Sanctuary.
You should be saving the people who will be sacrificed instead!
Saying whatever you want...
Stop, Rogi.
I suppose we walk different paths, after all.
But that no longer matters.
We have already carried out our objective.
Objective?
We have no intention of changing our methods.
We will take direct action to prevent the resurrection of the Old God.
By obliterating the Priestess of Cain.
Priestess of Cain?
Were you not aware?
Aiba Asagi.
It's your friend.
You called us here to separate us from Aiba-senpai?
Senga!
Senpai!
I won't ask for your forgiveness, Fourth Primogenitor.
Feng Shui, huh?
Senpai, get down!
Let's go!
Yes!
What's taking Kojou so long?
There won't be any melon left for him.
Why are you eating the whole thing-
Asagi!
What was that!?
A sniper!
They're using explosive rounds in a place like this?
Are they insane?
What the hell is going on!?
It's no good, I can't get through!
Senpai! Where is Yaze-senpai's house?
From here, it is around two stops away by monorail.
Himeragi!
Yes!
S-Senpai!?
This power is... from that sword-shaped familiar.
You're able to control it now?
No... I don't really get it, but I felt like it would work now.
You're using the power in such an incomplete state?
Senpai!
It's okay.
After we save Asagi, I'm never going to do something this exhausting again.
Is that...
Asagi must be over there!
So you came after all, Akatsuki Kojou.
Get out of my way, December.
I cannot allow Aiba Asagi to live.
She is far too dangerous.
Come out, Regulus Aurum!
Retreat, Regulus Aurum!
Come out... Come out!
Mesarthim-Adamas! Al-Nasl-Minium! Al-Meissa-Mercury!
Retreat! Mesarthim-Adamas! Al-Nasl-Minium! Al-Meissa-Mercury!
Senpai, stop!
I'll handle her, so-!
Come out, Kiffa-Ater!
Retreat... My brethren!
Come out! Sadalmelik-Albus! Cor Tauri-Sucinum!!
Senpai!
Again...
Are you going to kill me once more, Akatsuki Kojou?
Senpai!
You did well, December.
That was more than enough.
We're out of time, Ran. Activate the Roses.
Senpai! Pull yourself together! Senpai!