You're just a bunch of scrap iron!
Where's Empress and what is she doing?
Damn it!
Tell me, where are you?
What are you doing?
Answer me…
Black Rock Shooter.
Why don't you give up already?
Everything was in vain.
Everything.
Trying to live, all the fighting…
it's all just worthless.
SAN FRANCISCO, 2062 A.D.
20 YEARS AFTER PROJECT "ELYSION" FAILED AND AI ARTEMIS RAN AMOK
THE ECOSYSTEM CHANGED RAPIDLY
THE SURFACE OF THE EARTH WAS CONTAMINATED BY ARCHE, NANOBOTS,
AND AN IRON OCEAN WAS FORMED
It's replenishing the Iron Ocean with humans.
Yes. There's one Gigantes and numerous guards.
Should we help?
Are you crazy?
Let's go. They shouldn't cause any problems.
Episode 1: "The Good, The Bad & The Mechanics"
Where am I?
Lighthouse No. 8.
No, I can't remember.
But I feel like I have to get there. Why?
Norito, I'm thirsty.
The Arche level is way over the threshold here.
Wait until we get back to town where I can test the water quality.
Okay.
It's glowing.
I've never seen this before.
Hey!
There's somebody out there, right?
Please help. Something's stuck and the door won't open.
Somebody is trapped in there.
Let's go. It feels dangerous.
But…
Titans! Those same guys might be here again.
Damn it.
Norito!
Run… Miya.
No.
Open this door.
What?
I can probably fight.
Step back.
Well, well. It's been a long time.
This girl... she's not human?
Watch out, behind you!
Hey.
Who am I?
Well, that's what I want to know.
Wait, you're okay without a mask?
A mask?
You're not human, are you?
What is that?
Don't you know? They're Artemis' human hunting drones.
They feed us to the Iron Ocean as nourishment for the machines.
Artemis…
Hey.
I… kind of remember but I'm still confused.
Show me your gun.
Out of ammo, right? If these are compatible I'll reload it.
I've never seen this type of gun.
This gun wasn't out of ammo.
I forgot how to use it.
But thanks. Now I just remembered.
You don't remember anything about yourself either?
Yes, and it's causing me trouble.
I'm Miya. He's my big brother.
Your big brother…
My name is Norito. Were you living here?
No.
My home is Light House No. 8.
I have to go there.
We've been detected.
Take me to the surface. If we fight them here, we'll be cornered.
Okay.
Oh, no!
Hey, can you take my sister and help her escape?
Norito.
With your ability, perhaps you can safely escape with her.
-No. -What?
Either we all die, or we all survive.
I just feel it has to be that way.
Whoa!
Hemiteos Unit Type 01, confirmed.
-It talks! -It talks!
It's been a long time, Empress.
Hey, hey, ho!
Done!
Hello, Lunatic. I feel very good now.
I'm sure.
But I need you to put that thing away.
Oh, excuse me.
So here are your instructions from the Core.
Right to the point, huh?
We've confirmed that the Hemiteos Unit has been reactivated.
Your Education Institution's forces should be used for pursuit.
On what scale?
At maximum capacity.
Understood.
Attention. You must all heed my wisdom.
Humans are born as mere animals.
Humans become humans
by education, environment, and mechanics.
Humans can entrust their humanity to external devices.
Everything you wear is part of humanity.
Can humans without mechanics or education
be properly called humans?
I, Schoolmaster Smiley will guide you all
on the path to the perfect human form!
-Schoolmaster Smiley! -Schoolmaster Smiley!
Look, in front!
Gravel Mode.
F***!
Tarmac Mode.
What kind of bike is this? Why are you so strong?
I don't know. What is this bike?
I'm Black Trike, a highly advanced Hemiteos Unit Assist Vehicle.
I'm honored to serve you, Empress.
You're "Empress"? That's a weird name.
I'm…
Another one. Who is it this time?
Peacebuilding Force. All the way out here?
There's no doubt. That must be her.
She's already being pursued.
It just looks like she's a kid protecting some other kids.
Goddammit.
He got them! Wow!
You must be "Black Rock Shooter" Empress.
Who are you?
They call me Colonel.
Is that your name?
Of course not.
It isn't?
You're a survivor of the Hemiteos Unit, guardians of the human race.
Empress.
The Peacebuilding Force's network picked up your reboot pulse.
Why do you look confused?
She lost her memory. She is confused.
What the hell?
I don't know how confused you are,
but you should be able to see how bad this world has become by this landscape.
Long ago, through the efforts of several supranational corporations
Project Elysion started, which was for large-scale automation of labor.
And it failed?
Exactly.
The core system of Project Elysion, an artificial intelligence called Artemis
chose war against the human race.
The reasons are too complicated to explain now, so I'll skip it.
Artemis and its Unmanned Forces
are currently building a Orbital Elevator to connect Earth with the moon.
When it's completed,
huge machines being mass-produced on the moon will come here in full force.
So the completion of the Orbital Elevator is the time limit.
I don't get it. What does that have to do with me?
You're going to destroy that Elevator while it's under construction, Empress.
That's what you were born to do.
There!
This is not good. It's pretty large, so let's move.
Move?
That's not a small fry like before. The weapons we have won't be enough.
Those kids will slow us down. Leave them here.
Where do you live?
Hey!
There's a mountain a few kilometers from here.
The remaining survivors live there in the hollowed-out fortified city.
I'll take you home.
I'm only trying to help, you know.
I don't want to abandon anybody.
Being abandoned cuts deep.
You…
Hurry, go after her.
Hey!
Goddammit.
Nothing's going right.
Holy s***!
Are you okay, Miya?
Norito.
Now I remember just a little bit how to do it.
You can manipulate Arche?
Incredible.
It's still moving.
No!
Hey, Empress.
Translated by Ikuko Ohno