Hello!
We have pork miso soup and vegetable soup over here!
We have rice balls too!
Here you go.
Thank you.
It's fresh and hot, so please be careful.
Yes.
Here you go!
The next batch of minestrone soup is ready.
Man, there sure are a lot of people here.
It's still pretty early.
I think they were all waiting eagerly for some hot food.
They haven't finished restoring the infrastructure in this district yet.
Ah, that reminds me, Senpai.
That's your portion, over there.
Oh, did you make these, Himeragi?
Yes.
Here you go.
Thanks, Himeragi.
Aren't you going to eat?
I don't have much of an appetite...
Umm... How do they taste?
Yeah, they're unexpectedly good.
Unexpectedly, huh?
I see.
Umm... Himeragi?
No, it's nothing.
Onii-san and Yukina-chan, thanks for helping out today.
No problem, I had fun helping out as well.
That's right.
Besides, we're partly to blame for the destruction this time.
T-That's right.
I thought that we should probably get ready to go to school.
So I came to let you know.
Oh, it's already this late?
Right then, let's get ready and go to school-
About that, umm... Onii-san...
If you'd like, please eat this.
Umm... Kanase, did you make these?
Yes!
T-Thanks, Kanase.
I was feeling a little hungry.
I-It's good!
I could eat these all day.
Please, eat as many as you want!
Kojou-kun!
We'll be late for school if we don't leave soon!
Yeah.
I was sure you'd be hungry, so I set these aside for you!
Eat up!
Y-Yeah...
The Tartaros-Rose incident caused major damage to the city.
Restoration is being carried out at a fervent pace,
but in such a situation, the one who is attracting the most attention in Itogami Island is...
That's right. It is this person, Aiba Asagi-san.
She stopped the hacking attack by the terrorist organization, Tartaros Lapus,
and kept the damage to a minimum, the beautiful genius hacker, nicknamed the Digital Empress.
Aiba-senpai is amazing, isn't she?
She became popular in no time at all.
Yeah, that's for sure.
She's been absent from school all this time because she has to help with the restoration...
Charity
Island Administration
Large-scale Restoration Project
She is currently very busy participating in charities for the victims,
and the Island Administration's large-scale restoration plan.
Unbelievably, she is slated to release a song supporting the restoration of Itogami Island next month.
A song!? By Asagi!?
Everyone, take a look at this.
Save Our Sanctuary, by Aiba Asagi-san.
Everything is going to be just fine.
I'm here for you.
I want to protect it.
Our perfect sanctuary!
Woah!
Amazing! Isn't Asagi-chan amazing, Kojou-kun!?
There are things I can do,
Y-Yeah... But...
only because I am a girl.
I'll cheer you on while you're doing your best!
Senpai?
Is something wrong?
No, but...
Don't you think Asagi is...
Isn't she different from usual?
Well, of course!
That's a fake, made using CG.
A fake!? Seriously?
Her earrings.
Huh?
There's no way Asagi would take those off, let alone wear something else.
And besides, they're hiding it well, but she can't hold a tune to save her life.
I-I see.
Seriously, Akatsuki-kun. I can't tell if you're slow or sharp.
You should pay that much attention to Asagi all the time, okay?
Huh? I do, don't I?
Huh?
Geez, I don't get why Asagi's been after someone like this for all these years...
Huh?
Anyways, if that was CG, then the Island Administration is pretty good.
Why are they taking the effort to make her do something like that?
Probably because the restoration is making barely any progress.
They're using her as they please to distract the populace.
"A genius hacker and high school girl protects the island."
That's perfect material to make her popular.
And she has the looks as well.
Looks?
Asagi is a beauty, isn't she?
Yeah.
Now that you mention it, I guess she is?
Don't sound so unsure about it!
You blockheaded brutish devil!
A fake?
That Aiba-senpai?
Yeah, but it's not like we have any proof.
But Senpai, you haven't met Aiba-senpai even once after the Tartaros Rose vanished, right?
Her phone keeps going to the answering machine,
but she sent messages once in a while, so I wasn't worried.
It would be good if you could speak to her directly.
The monorail will be arriving shortly.
Anyway, I'll ask Yaze for advice when I go to see him.
He might know what's going on.
Okay.
Oh, are you one of Yaze-kun's friends?
Y-Yes. When was he released from the hospital?
He was moved to a different hospital, not released.
His brother stopped by last night to pick him up.
Eh? Do you know where he was moved to?
I'm sorry, I don't know.
Even if I did, I couldn't tell you.
Yeah, I thought so.
He was moved?
Without saying anything to Senpai?
Yeah...
How are you doing, Motoki?
Whats the deal, Bro?
Why did you bring me all the way here?
For security.
I didn't think we could protect you properly in a normal hospital.
Who the hell would target someone like me?
You're going to take over as the Yaze family head.
As the replacement for our father, who was supposedly assassinated.
There's no way the other people in the family would accept that.
You should do it, Bro.
I'm the son of his mistress, and can't use the power of the Hyper Adapter.
So I can't do it.
But you have what it takes to be the legitimate successor, both in terms of lineage and ability.
You're going to help me out, especially to convince those annoying old men.
You really think I'll agree to something like that-
Of course, you are free to abandon your inheritance.
If you do that, you can probably avoid being targeted.
But you'll also lose the chance to save your childhood friend, the Priestess of Cain.
Asagi!?
Right now, we still have time.
If you agree to help us, that is.
"Us"?
Have you finished talking to your guardian?
Why are you...
I have a debt to pay to your father and the current board members of the Island Administration.
If you're worried about your future, I might be willing to hear you out.
The fact that I received this means... Yukina and I are once again roommates!
It means that the Lion King Organization officially accepted that we can live together, right?
I don't like that Akatsuki Kojou lives next door, but oh well.
If it's something like waking him up when he oversleeps or eating together,
I don't mind doing that.
Sorry Yukina, but I'm coming in.
This pisses me off for some reason.
Stupid Akatsuki Kojou.
What is this?
A preliminary test kit?
Yukina!
A permit!?
Yes. I'm sorry, but you need a permit from the Man-made Island Administration to go any further.
Hey, come on!
I just want to visit Asagi- I mean, one of my friends.
Why would I need a permit for that?
Senpai, let's go.
Fine. I'll come back some other time.
Thank you for your cooperation.
This is starting to get shady.
Y-You're right.
What's wrong?
You don't look well.
It's nothing.
It's been getting a little cold lately.
Cold...?
That reminds me, Himeragi, did you eat properly?
Let's go to a restaurant somewhere...
No, I'm fine-
You're definitely not okay!
You should probably go home for a bit-
Please step back.
This is a barrier that keeps people away.
Who is that?
Senpai, be careful. That person is dangerous.
What?
Sekkarou!
Senpai!
I, Sword Shaman of the High God and priestess of the Lion, beseech thee!
Too slow.
Himeragi!
The Spirit Bow technique... It can't be!
I need you to calm down for a while, Fourth Primogenitor.
Sen...pai?
Sen...pai...
Himeragi!
Get a hold of yourself, Himeragi!
My word.
I had an inkling ever since I heard that you used Divine Possession against Minamiya Natsuki, but...
That power... So it was like that after all, Yukina?
You...
Shike-sama...
Wait... Shike-sama? Huh?
Don't tell me, you're the real Nyanko-sensei!?
It's not like you were unaware of it...
Now then, what should we do about this?
Now that I have seen it with my own eyes, I can't just let this pass.
No, Shike-sama! I can still...!
Yukina.
Hang on, you two! What are you talking about!?
We're running away, Senpai!
Eh?
Boundary!
Yukina... You are...
Yes!
One moment, I'll be right there!
Wait... Huh?
Ah, you're Yukina-chan's senpai!
Hello. Umm... Is Akatsuki Kojou here?
Umm... He said that he would visit Yazecchi... one of his friends in the hospital,
so he's not home yet.
So Yukina should be with him as well, right?
Yes.
Umm... You're Yukina's classmate, right?
How has she been, recently?
Has she been acting differently in any way?
Not really...
Ah, I think she hasn't had much of an appetite lately.
She didn't eat much last night...
Also, she said she felt nauseous and only drank Lemon Squash for lunch today.
I knew it!
Akatsuki Kojou, you idiot!
What have you done to my Yukina!?
Did Kojou-kun do something to Yukina-chan?
I have no time to lose.
I need to find Yukina right away!
Thank you. Sorry for bothering you.
Ah, hang on!
What's this?
A test kit?
Wait... It's positive!?
I had no idea that Nyanko-sensei was actually such a beauty.
Why did she attack you, Himeragi?
Don't you think it was a little over the top for just testing a student?
I think Shike-sama was trying to drive me into a corner.
She wanted to push me to the brink...
To make you fight seriously, Himeragi?
Any reason why she had to go that far?
Yes, I think so.
Oh well.
Anyway, Himeragi, do you feel cold?
If it keeps raining for a while...
H-Himeragi?
Senpai.
I don't want to go home tonight.
Wait, what!?
That's... That's a strange way to put it.
Besides, you live alone...
That house belongs to the Lion King Organization.
Since I disobeyed Shike-sama, I'm sure it has been occupied by pursuers already.
Ah... So that's what you meant by not wanting to go home.
But why is the Lion King Organization after you?
I know why they think that I am dangerous.
Sorry, I said something selfish.
Senpai, please go home without me.
Without you... What are you planning to do, Himeragi?
I can't go back to that house anymore.
But don't worry, I'm still keeping an eye on you, Senpai.
I'll keep watching over you, until the end!
Is that supposed to make me feel better?
You're scaring me!
Oh well, we don't have school tomorrow anyway.
Want to go for some karaoke?
Karaoke?
You don't know what that is?
Of course I do! I've gone twice, with Nagisa-chan and others.
That's good. Let's go together.
Umm... I don't know any of the popular songs...
And I can't sing like Aiba-senpai...
I'm sorry! I didn't meant to...!
Why are you apologizing for that, Himeragi?
And besides, the one doing the singing is a fake.
The real one is apparently terrible at singing.
Senpai...
Alright then, we're going to karaoke!
But how about we eat some ramen first?
After all that happened, I'm hungry.
That's right... If it's noodles, I might be able to eat it too.
That's decided, then.
Asagi told me about a good shop that's not too far from here...
It's called... let's see...
Oh yeah, Itogami Noodle House.
Two people, yes? Thanks for waiting!
Would you mind sharing a table with someone else?
We don't really mind, but...
There seem to be a bunch of people waiting in line ahead of us.
About that... they refused to share a table, so...
Boyfriend-dono!
If it isn't Boyfriend-dono!
You are Empress-dono's boyfriend, are you not?
This one is called Lydianne Didier!
Do you not remember me?
Ah! You're Asagi's friend!
This one is vexed, Boyfriend-dono.
Due to this one's lack of strength, Empress-dono is...!
There is no choice but to rip through this abdomen of mine-
Wait!
What the hell are you doing all of a sudden!
Do not stop me, Boyfriend-dono!
Let go, dammit!
You can't do that with chopsticks anyway!
No matter how far Lydianne has fallen, she is still a warrior!
Stop making such a racket, you fools.
You're being rude to the owner of the shop.
If you wish to consume ramen, then sit.
If not, then leave!
T-That's right. My bad.
Thank you for waiting.
Here's your Itogami pork and seafood ramen!
I see.
A soup made from fresh seafood, pork, and vegetables that cannot be recreated anywhere else.
The noodles are on the thick side, made by the chef.
I see originality in the ingredients as well.
I see. No wonder Asagi recommended it.
Who the hell are you?
Are you one of Asagi's gourmet friends?
Senpai, be careful what you say to him.
This person... is probably...
You know him?
No. But this person's power...
It might equal or even surpass that of Lord Ardeal.
But there is something strange about it...
Know your place, Sword Shaman.
I am interacting with the Fourth Primogenitor as a Prince of the Dynasty of Destruction.
A mere observer has no right to speak.
A prince? And the Dynasty of Destruction...
His Highness, Ibriss-Bel Aziz!
Seriously?
Wait, why is the Second Primogenitor's son here,
eating pork ramen on Itogami Island with Asagi's friend?
It's a pork and seafood ramen.
Don't get it wrong.
This esteemed person saved this one's life.
Your life?
Just earlier, this one attempted to infiltrate Keystone Gate together with Hizamaru, but...
Warning. Received damage from an anti-material rifle.
Close-range damage from a small bore Gatling gun.
Heavy damage to the front left leg.
Release lock from joint #4.
Are they not... regular people!?
Are they the Island Guard's SSG!?
SSG?
A strike force comprised of demons.
It is an unofficial special force, supposedly reporting directly to the Board of Directors of the Island Administration.
And so, the deteriorating situation forced this one to cede ground...
You retreated, right?
Launch the wire anchor!
Aim for the monorail bridge!
A close escape...
Wire anchor unusable.
Heavy damage to the rear legs and main power unit.
Switching life-support systems to backup power.
Is this the end of the road...!
Worthless.
It cannot be...!
I was reluctant, but she is an acquaintance of mine.
Thank you for finishing your meal.
I ended up bringing her under my protection.
It was merely a whim.
I understand what happened, but...
Why did you try and sneak into such a dangerous place?
Is it not obvious?
It was to save Empress-dono, who has been confined by the Island Administration.
Confined!? The Island Administration has Asagi?
On the deepest level of the Keystone Gate...
Therein lies the impregnable Floor Zero.
In the center of that area lies Cain's Coffin, also called "C".
Empress-dono has been imprisoned there!
Save me...
Kojou...