You're ignoring my orders?
Listen to me! Go back!
I cut ties with Iga.
You aren't my chief. Who cares about your orders?
I need you to listen to me!
What a pain...
Still so childish.
I won't obey your orders.
Kousetsu, do you still want to die?
Mom said something to me once.
She told me her greatest joy comes from seeing what her kids do with their lives.
I'm sure she's watching to see what you do with yours, Kousetsu.
Could that be reason enough for you to live?
Take care of things here.
Koga is going to attack.
Make sure the Iga ninjas successfully escape.
Those are the chief's orders.
The plan is for the chief to charge into Koga headquarters alone while that happens.
You can break the chip in your head with this.
The only thing is, you might break first.
I want to help Ittoki.
I'm here because this is what I want to do.
Thank you.
Episode 12
Ittoki the Ninja
At the stroke of midnight, we'll begin the second assault on Iga.
We'll settle the battle for certain within 30 minutes.
Senpai, does this late-night reception work not violate the Labor Standards Act?
That sort of thing flies in Koga.
Might I ask what your business is here today?
I'd like to meet with Koga's chief.
Get me the security feed!
Ridiculous!
What the hell do they think they can do with just three people?
But Tokisada is among them!
Is that supposed to be a problem?
Activate all the Asuras in the building! Recall the deployed units as well!
It's no use. We can't reach headquarters through Iga's jamming.
So they caught wind of our movements.
No matter! Begin the second assault on Iga as planned.
Stay alive and protect Iga.
Yes, sir!
This'll stall them for at least two minutes.
Ryoko!
Kirei?!
H-Heya!
It looks like there are no issues with what I sent.
What are you two doing here?
I came to take back what was taken from me.
I'm her escort!
Kirei, don't you have something to say?
Oh, uh...
I changed my look! Whaddya think?
Kirei.
I'm so sorry!
I was deceiving you the whole time.
I was... passing intel to Koga.
So I came to make amends.
Because I want to stay friends with you!
That's all!
You three go on ahead!
Leave this to us! We'll handle things here!
Don't be reckless
Be careful.
Thanks.
I only came here to talk.
I don't want to fight you if I can help it.
It's a little late for that!
Stay back.
Now!
Uncle!
Kousetsu!
Kousetsu.
Go.
Give it your best shot.
Ryoko, another immobilizing thingy!
We used them all!
That's a nasty little joke you just told.
It's the truth.
Then we'll just have to take 'em out!
Right. Let's give it all we've got!
Ugh. What is this bullshit?
We'll end this quickly and go crush Iga.
I'll take care of them.
Kousetsu.
You! Why?
Let's go.
I have something I want to ask you two.
Bastard...
So you're here to get revenge for Housen.
You're a traitor!
If I didn't come here to do this, I'd be betraying myself.
So that's the secret Ninja Core?
It's what Iga's chiefs protected at the cost of their lives.
And what you were willing to destroy everything to get.
I offer it on these conditions:
that you make no moves against other villages;
that you destroy all your mechanical ninjas;
that you admit to all your crimes;
and finally, that you give up being a ninja.
Swear these things.
I refuse.
The fact that your blade isn't pointed at me means that you have no intent to kill.
Or more accurately, you lack the mettle to kill someone.
Countless Koga ninjas will be returning here after crushing Iga village.
All I have to do is wait.
Your little act of rebellion is finished.
I want to confirm something.
Why are you trying to destroy every village and all ninjas?
Why...
did my mother have to die?
You didn't want to become a ninja.
But you had no choice but to be one.
So you didn't want there to be any more people like you, right?
So that no one else would have to suffer.
Being born to a ninja family means you have your life decided for you,
you endure pain, and you have dirty work forced on you.
Could it be that a desire to change that
is what led you to try to make yourself the last ninja?
Could it be that you're a kind person, deep down?
If that's the real reason you hate ninjas,
then I'll forgive you.
Dammit!
Answer me. What do you two think of Koga's current state?
Say you use the Asuras to kill every ninja. What lies at the end of that path?
The powerful will stand on top, and the weak will die.
We'll just repeat that.
Your old man died because he spouted soft crap like, "What about the future?"
I see.
Bastard. What will opposing the chief get you?
You planning to take his place or something?
I am.
Wh—
Enough with your bullshit!
I'll absolutely never follow you!
Kidou Minobe doesn't have a heart.
So I'm going to remake Koga!
You must have been born blessed and grown up being loved.
You're banking on a conscience that I do not possess.
But then, neither do you.
The reason I killed your mother was just that she was in the way.
And the reason I want to crush Iga, destroy every village, and kill all ninjas,
is just that they're an eyesore.
You're seeking closure for your beloved mother's death, aren't you?
You want to believe there was some grand reason for why your lives were ruined.
However, the reality is
that my reason for killing her was trivial. I squashed her like I would a bug.
It's nothing more than that.
Are you still able to forgive me,
Ittoki Sakuraba?
We're all demons just below the surface.
If you want to avenge your mother, now is your only chance.
Draw your blade, coward! Kill me!
Ittoki.
You're right.
We'll be going now.
So you'll play the angel until you die.
I have nothing more to discuss with you.
Video and audio recorded. We have everything.
We can go any time.
I'll get testimony from Koga's chief
that he ordered the aggressions against the villages.
Testimony?! But how?
Don't tell me you plan to enter Koga.
You get the evidence. In exchange, I look the other way.
Is that it?
I am making this request of you on Tokisada's counsel, Captain Kouzuki.
Sir, permission to go in.
Granted.
All agents, move in!
Prioritize rescuing the wounded!
Secure a route to the top floor!
The rest is the NSC's job.
Surrender quietly and accept your punishment.
As if a mere child...
Fine, then.
Kousetsu!
Why?
Why do you resist?
You have no chance of winning.
You had to know you would perish eventually.
So don't fight it.
Don't make light of me.
What reason could I possibly have
to give up on what I hold dear?
You invent ridiculous ideals and persist with your revolting angel act.
Bound by fantasy, you'll die having accomplished nothing.
Your actions
are pointless! Worthless!
You're wrong.
Protecting what's dear comes from the will to preserve things.
Risking your life to keep something going
is what it means to live!
Don't latch onto me, you insect!
The NSC will be here soon. Can you hold out until then?
I'll... take care of Kidou....
Okay.
Dammit.
Do you think I feel guilty?
You were born blessed.
I was born defective.
You're so merciful, you can't even kill your parent's killer.
I'm so merciless, I would even kill an infant.
We turned out the way we had to.
I have not a single thing to repent.
I am who I am.
All just excuses.
You talk like you're the victim, like you couldn't help it, like you're blameless.
You know that's not true.
You just ran away from the unfairness of it all.
Everyone struggles with unfairness from the moment they're born.
It never stops.
Because the world isn't fair.
But you have to tough it out.
You have to grit your teeth and bear it.
No matter how much it hurts...
You have to live despite it!
Are you okay, Kousetsu?
Yeah. I'll manage.
How very
kind you are.
I did this completely on my own! Got that?
Uncle, don't!
This is my job.
It doesn't have to be your burden to bear.
You don't need a babysitter anymore, right?
Oh... Kousetsu...
Smile now and then.
Welp, see ya.
Requesting medical unit ASAP.
And... this is a message for all NSC agents.
On suspicion of attacking Koga and killing Koga's chief,
Tokisada Kaga is a wanted fugitive!
I swear,
I won't let you get away!
Ready to go?
Yeah.
What'll you do now?
It doesn't matter.
What do you mean?
I can do... anything.
I see.
Several Years Later
Thankfully, we're maintaining a functional relationship with Koga.
That's good to hear.
As for Tokisada, it's been nothing but radio silence from him.
You guessed why I'm here.
You know, I think he's not running, but protecting us from the shadows.
In a certain sense, that's very like a shinobi.
Are you still going to punish him?
I'm just going to do my job.
Hey, Ryoko!
When you get a chance, can you give my prosthetic a once-over?
Sure thing!
Now then, a question for the leading actress, Ms. Kirei Kisegawa.
Free of Falsehood
Love, lies, language and —
things kept secret
Fire away!
What was your impetus for becoming an actress?
Well...
I'm a liar, you see.
That's your reason?
So I decided to tell lies that make people happy.
We will now begin the meeting.
Sakuraba Family Grave
Ittoki says today's his first day at work.
I think he'll stick with it, but I also feel like he might quit after three days.
Sakuraba Family Grave
What do you think, Mom?
I'm so sorry! Thank you so much!
Don't be sorry. I'm glad he's okay.
Here. You dropped this.
Thanks.
Never do that again!
Hey, mister,
are you a ninja?
Come on. What kind of question is that?
A ninja?
The End
You know there's no such thing.