Francine, I've finally caught up with you.
Let's do this.
-Stop, Kato. Stand back. -Move.
I'm the one who will protect you.
Am I destined to lose my way?
All I want is to have fun in my life
All I want is to be with those I love
Ready or not Here I come
I don't care anymore
I just don't know anymore
I wish everything would just disappear
There are days when I think like that
But everything is precious to me
And so I fight on
Today was a tough day
I almost gave up hope
But the truth is I don't want to lose anything anymore
I wish everything would just disappear
There are days when I think like that
But everything is precious to me
And so I must fight
#34 Rearguard
I'm the one who will protect you.
Yeah right, I can protect myself.
Your mission is to go to space for the sake of mankind.
Huh? Is he...
She's already decided for herself who she belongs to.
Are you the one that owns Éléonore?
What are you talking about?
You see, I've fallen for that girl there.
I really want her.
Never!
Éléonore, you stay there and wait.
I swear on a pigeon's beak, I'll be right with you. But first...
I'm going to kill him.
-Hey... -Didn't you hear me?
I am your opponent.
Well, okay then.
I see my dear Éléonore needs a little discipline.
You won't die, anyway. So let's have a little fun.
It's...
-Oh...? -Arlequin!
Mr. Arlequin, eh? Long time no see.
I swear on a centipede's legs, it's going to be fun disciplining you.
I've seen enough.
You're fighting me!
Boom!
Kato!
Give it up. See? You're all bloody now.
Call it quits, and let's be good friends.
I will never.
You're a blood-sucking automaton. As if you could be friends with a human.
You think you're a human, huh?
Let me tell you something. A human that doesn't die isn't human.
You're just like an automaton.
I bet humans don't even accept you as one of them.
You might be right.
But still...
I can sacrifice myself for those who are precious to me!
And that precious person is going to be me.
Les Arts Martiaux!
Flèche Enflammée!
Blade of Saint George!
Not bad.
-Okay, my turn. -Éléonore!
Take that!
It's easy. I just take the puppeteer out.
Now then. Time to take care of my rival in love while Éléonore is down.
Say bye-bye.
Let's see you try.
Wait.
This is my fight, Kato.
I already told you.
That I would be the one to protect you.
You fool, look at yourself.
You don't have to know.
About how much you gave to me.
Like an abandoned puppet.
Being picked up by human hands for the first time.
Like a stray dog being taken in.
And petted on the head for the first time.
Out of the way, dear Éléonore. I'm going to kill that human.
Move! Stand back, I'll handle him.
Kato.
Thank you for coming into my life.
-What? -If you won't move, I'll put you to sleep.
Thank you for talking to me.
Oh dear, is that the best you've got?
Thank you for giving me memories.
Les Arts Martiaux!
Swirling Tiger!
I don't care if you hate me again.
So please.
Will you come into my life again someday?
Éléonore!
Éléonore...!
So this is it.
Not bad, human. You must be Narumi Kato.
What if I am?
I am Brighella Cavicchio da Val Brembana.
All my opponents this far were weak. I expect more from you.
Éléonore, don't you die.
No, forget about her.
My mission is to defeat him and go to space.
For mankind.
-Ready? -Always am.
Grim Reaper!
Sangre y Fuego!
Know your place. You've put up a good fight, but you're no match for me.
I am Captain Graziano.
I come from a noble lineage dating back to the crusades.
Master, he's coming!
Dammit.
I still recall the final move campaign of 1982.
How I defeated 10,000 shiroganes...
Don't listen to him, he's lying!
There's no way he even existed back then.
Quiet! I am tired of you. Time for you to perish.
By my ancestors' lethal move.
Fracasso!
What's wrong, Narumi?
There's no qi in your punches, just ungainly brute strength.
You dare take me lightly?
He's stronger than any automata I've fought.
Now, show me that explosive force I've heard about.
Or be skewered by my spear hand!
No wonder you're lackluster. You can't channel qi into machine limbs.
Not all of me is machinery. And I'm not finished yet.
Too slow.
How unskilled.
This is how you do a horse punch.
I like fighting with my bare hands.
Because it shows who is stronger, not who has better weapons.
It is the true test of strength.
Now you will become proof of my strength.
I can't lose.
What are you reading?
Leave me alone. They're just letters.
The kids gave them to me when we left.
Dear Narumi. Hurry up and go ask how to fix Mommy and Daddy.
Be careful.
I'm going to bake Mommy cookies when she gets better.
Her body is like stone now because of ZONAPHA.
I can't lose.
I'm disappointed. You're nothing but a wooden doll that can hardly stand up.
The children love you, don't they?
What would a puppet-human like you understand?
Go away.
Okay...
That's right.
I've said so many mean things to her.
It's over, Narumi.
I have no use for a weak man.
I will send you to where I've sent countless weak men.
I have to apologize to her.
The launch pad is in sight now.
But you will not reach it.
You have disappointed me.
So I will kill you in the most shameful way for a fighter.
With a missile.
Missile?
That's right, Minghai.
That's the most basic strike of our school.
The splitting fist.
The extended arm acts as the launch pad of a missile.
Let every body part act together as one, channel your qi and...
push...
forward.
Split!
What heavy impact...!
Thanks for that missile. It reminded me of something really important.
That martial arts aren't about just arms and legs.
He's saying my missile gave him a hint on how to make a comeback?
Why did I shoot that missile?
I've hated weapons all this time.
It's because of that one shot.
I felt a dark sensation run through me when I shot him.
The sensation of destroying an enemy with just one shot. And I liked it.
This cannot be!
If only I hadn't shot that one missile...
Crush!
Master, Master!
You're tough. I thought human children were powerless things that cried.
You're different.
I, who am courageous, do not feel pain or fear.
But you, a weak being, must feel it acutely.
Cry and beg at my feet, and I may let you live.
Cry, you say?
I've already cried a lot.
A lot of times. Over a lot of things.
I cried when I learned about the past.
I cried with sorrow over this world right now.
But I'm not going to cry anymore.
Because if I cry, I won't be able to save anybody.
You still haven't given up?
Is that your only plan, to not cry?
This isn't the time for me to cry.
It's time to smile.
Then die smiling!
Come back, you coward.
Narumi. Narumi!
To smile means to be strong, right?
It gives kindness and courage to others and to ourselves.
I'm going to be strong.
Don't forget this, Masaru.
If something bad happens, think from the heart.
About what it is you need to do.
I'm going to be like Narumi.
You won't get away!
I'm going to save everyone.
I'm going to be strong like Narumi!
What are you going to do?
Master!
You fool. You can't even fly on your own.
I see, you plan to die.
Then let me tell you about how I fought in France's Hundred Years' War.
Shut up, Captain Whatever.
-What... -Who cares about the past?
I despise history. I despise the sorrowful past.
It's the people of the past
that entangle the people of today, keeping them unhappy.
You can't be controlled by the past if you want to live in today.
Where did you learn to do this?
That's right, you've downloaded your grandfather's martial arts skills.
And you say you hate the past?
You're using the past, the power of tradition.
Traditions aren't just the past.
Human's traditions are about the heart.
It's the heart trying to turn a sorrowful past into something better.
Tell it to the other corpses!
Sangre y Fuego!
Miura-ryu, severing pulse blade.
Matsukaze!
My blade, Spaventa!
Grandpa, lend me your strength.
All right, Masaru. Here's the next move.
How dare you!
I am Captain Graziano, descendant of the King of Aragon...
Miura-ryu, thousand-wind finishing blade.
Korobi!
Captain.
Your traditions won't linger for a second in my mind.
How's the fit of your pressure suit?
Good. How's the rocket?
It'll be ready in 30 minutes.
The weather is clear. You'll be able to take off.
How are the kids?
They're in a safe place with Mingxia.
We're here, Minghai.
-Narumi! -I asked for us to be let in.
You really made it here. Just like you promised.
Good luck, Mr. Narumi.
Oh no...
Automata? Now?
Go! Destroy the space shuttle!
How many are there? Is there any way to stop them?
Look at the monitor.
-Huh? -Minghai!
What can a single human do, huh? Kill him!
Stay back, Narumi! Remember your mission, you have to stop ZONAPHA.
I won't let you lay a finger on the shuttle.
My friends carried it here at the cost of their lives.
Come on, fight me!
I've never fought so many at once before...
But dammit...
I won't lose!
Huh? The enemy is only coming from the front.
What's going on?
Nobody's attacking me from behind.
Somebody's got my back.
Dang it, my hands are too full to check.
But there's somebody there. Who is it?
Who's protecting me?
I've finally met you again.
Narumi. Narumi. Narumi!
It's my turn now!
You worthless puppets, they're just humans!
Watch out!
I can faintly see a marionette moving.
A puppeteer?
I can't tell.
But the guy behind me...
I'm glad he's here.
Masaru!
Wow, who is he?
A former client of mine. He was a crybaby.
We got them all.
Hey, thanks for...
My eyes, what's that for?
Master, why...?
A past that can't become a memory plays on repeat
In my mind is a forgotten thing that I still remember
Questions remain unanswered but I must go now
I walk in the dark, making a promise to my footprints
So many similar beings leading similar lives
Was there a reason for me to be born at all?
The world lost all sound but for the ticking of a clock
A missing heart keeps shouting
A meaningless life was shaking
All because of your unique existence
If the reason for the pain is revealed someday
If you find a home for those tears someday
You shall sleep with the whole universe in your arms
I know it still plays in your heart
The melody that brought you here