Hello, Shinya?
How long do I have to keep watchin' this place?
Sorry, but there's something I want you to do.
What is it?
Burn down the house?
I can't!
Relax.
I've already planned it so you won't get caught.
I'm asking because I trust you.
Have I ever steered you wrong?
Do it.
Or else you'll be back at the bottom.
Okay. I got it.
And there's one more thing I need from you.
Pull it off, and I'll make sure you earn a hundred times more than now.
The best tools are fools obsessed with money.
Wave some cash in their faces, and they'll bust their asses for you.
All while never realizing they're disposable pawns.
Didn't expect Mikado and Ichinose to be connected.
I'm on a lucky streak.
You're outside, right?
Tell me, is it raining out there?
Rain?
Nah, all clear.
Here.
Sorry, Natsu.
Yeah.
Huh? That's, um…
What's up?
He wants me to find a girl.
Sounds like it's urgent.
I blurted out that I was a cop, even though I'm not.
What do I do?
Leave it to me.
Really?
You're in a bind, right?
Not like I've got anything better to do.
I'll work some magic with my intel.
Thanks!
Natsu, it's all set.
My boss said he'll look into it.
- Perfect. - It'll be fine.
Don't worry about it.
Didn't expect the name tag I traced to actually pay off.
Thank you.
You take care, too, Natsu.
- Yeah… - Everything's going just as I planned.
Okay, talk to you soon.
Bye-bye!
No doubt in my mind.
Mikado's gonna want Ichinose dead!
Please get back!
I see.
I've got a pretty good idea of what happened.
First, I'll give you a physical exam.
Sure.
There's one thing I need to confirm.
How'd it go?
Physically, he checks out fine.
But based on what he told us,
the fact they've been one step ahead everywhere…
it's likely we're being spied on.
Some kind of surveillance ability, either bugs or hidden cams.
Surveillance, you think?
I'm sure it's not the ability of the Nerima Momo who tangled with Mudano.
Who are you?
Osuke Momokado, Vice-Captain, Unit 20.
Let's throw down.
I don't want anybody to interfere.
Let's have a good time, just you and me.
Bottom line, we know nothing about our opponent,
not even his power.
We're at a complete disadvantage.
So what do we do now?
Our only lead is those lowlife punks connected to that Momo.
Right. And if we don't move fast, they'll get silenced, too.
Silenced?
You mean killed?
Of course.
Momotaro doesn't want us to find those punks.
If I were them, I'd take them out before they can talk.
Always assume the worst.
If you can't imagine the absolute worst-case scenario,
you'll freeze up when it counts.
Don't forget. These guys wouldn't think twice about burning children alive.
Sick bastards.
This place isn't safe anymore, either.
Shame, but we've gotta abandon it.
Evacuate everyone.
So we're out of options?
Idiot.
Every ability has a weakness.
The key is to find that weakness without giving up.
What, losing your nerve just because things got hard?
When you're cornered, that's when you need to keep your head cool
and push your brain into overdrive.
If you can't do that, you're useless to the Recon, Support, or Combat Units.
Don't let your spirit break.
As long as you've got fighting spirit, there's still a chance.
Right!
Mudano, Kaoru, we're holding a strategy meeting.
HE WHO READS THE FUTURE, RULES IT
You okay?
Totally fine.
You got your butt kicked by Mudano.
Shut it!
That was just the first half.
Either way, I'm up next.
Nope! I get a rematch.
Tch. If you're gonna kill him, then do it, already.
He's surprisingly useless.
Though I guess if he and Tsukuyomi team up, they might pull it off.
More importantly…
should be about that time.
There it is.
Hey, Mikado, check this out.
This news article about the fire,
isn't that the location your friend asked about?
Huh? You're right!
It's on fire?
There was a fire at a nearby hospital, too.
It made me curious, so I looked into it.
Remember the sisters that Oni saved?
Yeah. They were on the security footage, right?
They were at both fires.
First, the hospital where the older sister was staying caught fire.
Then the house where the younger sister lives also burned down.
No doubt someone's after them.
Let me ask you something.
Can you really trust this Natsu guy?
Trust him?
He wanted the sisters' address, right?
Yeah, but…
Who exactly is Natsu?
How much do you actually know about him?
Can you say, without a doubt, that you trust him with your whole heart?
Captain Masumi!
Yeah?
We've gathered all the important documents.
Good. Trash the rest.
Then you and everyone else, relocate to the alternate hideout.
Yes, sir.
Also, I've got one more thing I need from you.
Sir?
Are we relocating, too?
This is boring!
Nope. You're all being put to work.
Your job is to track down the scum.
The Kanto Nuts Union, those lowlifes connected to that Momo,
run a handful of shops.
Odds are good they're holed up in one of them.
Problem is we're short on people.
So pair off and fan out.
Find those punks.
What about Kougasaki?
He's sitting this one out.
No telling what kind of ability he might have been hit with.
Makes sense.
He'll relocate with the others.
All right, let's go, Rokuro!
Okay.
This beats the hell out of hiding like mice!
Let's get a move on.
U-Um, sorry, I…
Come on, let's go!
O-Okay!
Thank you so much!
If I'm ever dragging you down…
just pretend I don't exist!
She's got that move down like an art form.
I'm counting on you, Byobugaura!
Can I trust Natsu?
Of course I can!
And you will, too, once you meet him.
What have you two been going on about?
Hey, now, don't interrupt.
Oh, sorry.
Just talking about a friend.
Yeah, you really are that kind of guy, huh?
That's why I'm here.
You're too pure.
And you've got this unwavering sense of conviction.
But being overly righteous doesn't mean you're right.
Even swords are curved for a reason.
Sometimes bending is what keeps you from breaking.
But don't worry.
I'll be the one to bend you.
Wow, sounds like you've made a real friend.
Want me to do a compatibility reading?
I think we're a good match.
We've got similar interests, and, well, we click.
I get that you want to believe in this Natsu guy,
but you're too kind.
And I'm worried that kindness might be used against you.
Used? Come on, that's a bit much.
Humans, Oni, and Momo alike, everyone's cunning in their own way.
And to be honest, even I've been hiding something from you.
You have?
It's about the Oni who saved the sisters.
Actually, I nabbed him and held him captive.
Wait, seriously?
I should have told you. That's my bad.
But here's the real kicker.
That Oni was deeply connected to Shiki Ichinose.
The Child of Kishin?
Back in Kyoto, that Oni was with Ichinose.
He was in disguise,
but based on what Yomogi told us about his physical features,
it's almost certainly him.
Which means there's a good chance they're working together again right now.
Then why not just make that Oni spill where Ichinose is hiding?
He slipped away while I was on my way here.
That's so lame!
Anyway, let's say Ichinose got info from that Oni.
What do you think he'd do next?
Check if his friends are okay, obviously.
Wrong. He'd silence the witnesses.
What if those sisters saw his face?
What if they saw his ability in action?
If Ichinose's a perfectionist, even the tiniest loose end would get snipped.
Hell, I bet he'd even kill the Oni who got caught.
Anyone dumb enough to get captured is just dead weight.
No way. He'd kill his own allies?
One more thing.
Ichinose's attribute as a Child of Kishin is flames.
And what's been happening lately? Fires, all of them.
Now, what if this Natsu guy is Ichinose in disguise?
Huh? Natsu?
He used fire to silence witnesses.
He doesn't know you're Momotaro, but he's been using you nonetheless.
It's just a theory, sure, but it fits, doesn't it?
But…
But what?
You really don't think that's suspicious,
asking for the sisters' address in a situation like this?
And then, bam, there's a fire right after.
You're seriously telling me not a single part of you is doubtful?
Because that'd be the real red flag, wouldn't it?
It's true, I haven't known Natsu that long.
But you know how people give off a vibe?
Natsu's always felt completely genuine.
That's why I want to believe in him.
He "wants to believe"?
Not "does believe"?
The seed of doubt's already been planted.
From 100% trust, now it's dropped to 99%.
That's right. Waver.
Even a well-woven thread unravels from a single fray.
That one percent of suspicion is a major one percent.
And that little "motivational switch" you've been hiding, I see it now.
Just gotta dig it out.
And when the time's right, I'll be the one to flip that switch!
Until the time comes, let him cling to that fractured 99%.
IZAKAYA THE DRUNKEN FOOL
No one's here.
I don't see any scary people, either.
Ugh. I think my stomach's acting up.
Not good.
Are you okay, Rokuro?
Want some medicine? Need a bathroom?
No, you should lie down.
Here, lie on my lap!
No, um…
Another dead end.
Again? I just wanna find these guys and lay 'em out, already.
We're here to capture them, remember?
Mikado?
What's this about?
Hello.
Hey, Natsu? Sorry for the sudden call.
I was wondering if we could talk in person for a bit.
Can we meet now?
Huh? Now?
It's not a good time.
You sound kind of busy.
What are you up to?
Wait, are you outside? Where are you?
It's sorta hard to say.
Wait, are you doing something you can't talk about?
No, nothin' like that.
I can't tell him the truth, so what do I say?
Uh, I'm sorry.
I'm totally in the way, right?
I'll just turn to stone. Don't mind me.
No, no! You're fine!
Sorry! I gotta go.
I'll call you later, okay?
Natsu! Hello?
Seems like you still trust him, but he's clearly hiding something.
Of course he is!
The Kishin kid's got a lot on his plate right now.
But he sure as hell can't explain it!
Still…
thanks to that, my little piggy bank of suspicion just got fatter.
What was Mikado even callin' about?
He was acting kinda weird.
Man, keeping secrets really wears you down.
Maybe once this all settles down, I'll go see him.
Mikado, I get why you want to believe in him.
I…
But if my theory checks out, you're the one who needs to deal with it, get me?
Oh, you will. I've already made sure of it.
I know.
I don't believe it for a second, but if Natsu really is a Child of Kishin…
then I'll kill him…
with my own hands.
That whole call with Mikado…
Maybe it was actually about some romantic drama?
But it's probably 100% nonsense anyway.
These punks have their fingers in all sorts of properties.
No telling where they're hiding.
Search every last one of them.
They're our only solid link to the Momotaro
behind the attack on Kougasaki.
Find them!
Easy for him to say! They're nowhere!
We tried almost all the places on the list you got, right?
They might be hiding somewhere the Recon Unit hasn't marked yet.
Sorry for speaking out of turn.
Then we've got nothin' to go on.
Crap.
Yes, I am crap.
I'm sorry. I'll just go die now.
I wasn't talkin' to you, Byobugaura!
All we're doin' is wasting time at this point.
Damn it. I hate to do this again, but I've got no choice.
The Kanto Nuts Union?
I know, I'm sorry!
But can you figure out where they are?
Wow, Natsu.
First you hang up on me, and now you're asking for another favor?
I know. I'm a jerk, askin' you for all this.
But you're the only one I can count on right now.
Can you track them down, like, ASAP?
Yeah.
I'll look into it.