Burst into bloom - Red Crown!
Surely you don't think that's sufficient to deal with me?
Why don't you show yourself already?
Silas Norman...
Unshackled
I'm impressed that you realized I was the true perpetrator.
Thanks to that slip of the tongue of yours.
I'm sure I don't know what you mean.
Yesterday, in the Business Area, this is what you said in trying to stop Lester.
"Waiting for a chance to duel... you'd never do anything cowardly like that!"
So what if I did?
The only thing the media reported was that I'd repulsed my attackers.
There was no report of my having dueled Sasamiya that day.
You couldn't have been so sure about that unless you actually saw it happen,
or else you'd been told of the situation.
Either way, it could only have been the perpetrator, and those in league with him!
Well, well... How careless of me!
So in other words, Amagiri deliberately provoked Lester yesterday?
Most likely.
He's the kind of guy who can express himself without words.
If that's the case, I see that I made the right call in targeting him instead.
He's such a hindrance when it comes to targeting you!
Why, you...!
I know, I know!
You came here just to stop me from doing that very thing, didn't you?
In that case, why don't we strike a deal?
My condition is that you withdraw from the Phoenix Festa.
That's ridiculous.
All I have to do is annihilate you right here and now!
Is what you just said true, Silas?!
Lester!
Hey, I've been waiting for you, Lester.
I came rushing over when I heard that Julis had accepted my duel.
So you're the one who attacked Julis?!
He was hired by some academy or other,
to attack all the frontrunners for the Phoenix Festa.
Didn't you know that?
You mean you've sold out your fellow students?
Fellow students?
You can't be serious!
All of us here in Asterisk are mutual enemies.
We're only here to target others, and be targeted, to fulfill our own desires, remember?
That being the case, wouldn't it be wiser to make money by taking advantage of that?
I'm gonna ask you before I kick the crap outta you.
Why'd you make a point of summoning me here?
I'm going to have you assume the role of the man behind all those attacks.
You two dueled each other, and you both fell, like the best of friends.
I'd call that a likely scenario, wouldn't you?
You go to hell!
What the...?
I get it.
So those are the comrades you're so proud of?
Please don't be absurd.
These are my precious, precious little dolls!
Puppets?
I wish you wouldn't lump them in with something so crude.
There's absolutely nothing mechanical about them.
I see, so that's where your true talent lies, eh?
Take that!
Blast Nemea!
Lester!
Whoa, please sit tight right there.
I've raised their heat threshold just for you.
Looks like you're only capable of dirty tricks like sucker-punching.
Oh, my, you're in better shape than I thought!
No matter how many of these wooden puppets you sic on me...
No matter how many I sic on you?
Very well, as you wish...
I'll be happy to take you on with 128 of these!
I like that look on your face! Now then... farewell.
Lester!
Stop it, Silas!
Burst into bloom - Antirrhinum majus!
I must say, that's quite impressive.
But at the end of the day, you're still outnumbered!
Your skills are certainly prodigious,
but the way they conceal your own view as well is a real flaw.
I've discovered something myself!
And what would that be?
That it's Allekant that's pulling your strings.
No school is capable of mass-producing the kind of armor that can withstand our attacks...
except for Allekant!
Quite perceptive.
But I'm afraid there's no way I can afford to let you go now.
I was planning to enjoy myself by inflicting pain on you a bit longer,
but I've changed my mind.
I think I'll just get this over with.
What the...?
Sorry, I got held up.
Ayato!
A-Ayato...
You... What are you doing here?!
I'm here to save you, actually.
This is my problem, and it has nothing to do with you!
So why would you go out of your way to venture into danger?!
Listen, Julis.
You told me that you were fighting of your own free will - for yourself, right?
That you're protecting the kids in that orphanage
just because that's what you want to do.
Yes. Exactly.
Well, then, who's going to protect you, Julis?
Who's... going to...?
You see, Julis...
I've been searching for it all this time.
What it is that I'm capable of, what it is that I'm supposed to do...
But now that I've met you here, I finally get it.
Right now, if there's something I want to do, and if I have what it takes to do it...
Well, that's what I'm supposed to do.
What you're supposed to do...
I want to be there for you, Julis.
Y-You moron! Where do you get off saying such things?!
Are you done chatting?
Mr. Ayato Amagiri?
So was that the power of the Ser Veresta?
Right. I see it's a bit of a nuisance.
That said, although your surprise attack just now seems to have worked out,
just what do you hope to accomplish against over 100 of my dolls?
Shut up. You're the one who's only capable of surprise attacks.
Silas Norman.
How rude of you.
In that case, would you care to test me?
With the sword inside me, I shall break out of this starry prison,
and release my savage force!
Ayato...
What the...?
I-Impossible!
I'm right here.
Wh-Wh-What...?
W-Who in the world...
P-Put me down this instant! I have no intention of hindering you!
Sorry, but could you put up with this just a little longer?
This time I'm going to go all-out!
This is the essence of my Merciless Army!
Try fending them off if you can!
I see.
The most puppets you can move individually is up to six types, huh?
And there are sixteen puppets who execute a certain pattern of moves.
The rest only take the simplest of actions.
Six types, sixteen pieces...
I guess you're evoking chess?
You bastard!
I'll demolish you!
I swear I'll demolish you!
N-No way...
A sword that can't be blocked, no matter what?
Impossible...
How is that possible?
Game over, Silas.
Not yet! I've still got my secret technique!
All right, my queen!
Get rid of him!
Ripping apart the five viscera and severing the four limbs...
Amagiri Shinmei-style, Second Sword...
Nine-fanged Sword!
You sure don't know when to quit.
Sorry, Julis. I'm gonna go after him, so would you mind waiting here a second?
I don't mind, but will you make it?
To be honest, I'm not sure.
In that case... it's my turn, then. Right?
I told you before... I'm not going to drag you down!
Burst into bloom - Strelitzia!
Let's go! I'll pilot you!
This time, make sure you bash that coward's face in!
Hey, that's...
not exactly what a princess would say, is it?
Checkmate...
Silas Norman!
S-Stop it...
Stop it!
Well, since Silas is a Genestella himself, I'm sure this won't kill him.
And Claudia and the others should be waiting down there.
So how about we leave the rest to them?
Good idea.
It's an awesome view, huh?
I see.
It certainly is a glorious sight!
Wh-What's wrong?
Wh-What's going on here?!
Ayato!
H-Hey! Stay with me, Ayato!
Ayato!
I'm sorry, Ayato.
Big Sister?
With these circular shackles, I imprison your savage force.
B-Big Sister...
Remember what I told you before?
That I'd be the one to protect you.
So...
No...
I told you that I'd protect you, too.
Goodbye, Ayato.
I love you.
Oh, so you've finally come to!
Really, for a while there I didn't know what to think.
I see.
So I did pass out, after all.
Don't overdo it.
I've already contacted Claudia, and they'll be coming to get us soon.
Right, thanks.
N-No need to thank me!
Since you're the one who saved me.
Hey, you! Don't move around like that!
M-My bad!
N-Never mind that, just lie still, you idiot!
Y-Yeah, but...
I-I'm telling you it's all right, so it's all right!
Get that through your head!
Uh... okay.
Anyway...
That power that's restraining you...
Who was it cast by?
It was... um...
It was my sister.
She had Imprisonment Power. The power to forcibly bind all things.
I see.
Meaning that those were your true powers, then?
Yeah... I guess you could say that.
What's up with that? Such a vague answer.
Well, I can only use them for so long.
This is the first time they've lasted for more than five minutes.
And to top it all off, look at the state I'm left in.
Why did your sister do such a thing?
Well, I'd ask her myself if I could.
As it is, she went missing five years ago.
It's all right. I'm sure that my sister had her reasons.
And I'm sure there must be some kind of point to all this, as well.
Is it okay if I ask you one more question?
What is it?
Have you already decided on your tag partner for the Phoenix Festa?
Um... listen...
I wonder if I'd fit the bill?
What?
I'm not a man of integrity, and my mind is just average-quick,
and you'll have to give me a pass on the strong will, noble spirit thing, but...
I appreciate your offer, but don't push yourself.
At the Festa level, your normal powers just won't translate.
And you wouldn't want to end up this way after unsealing your powers after every match.
No, I'm totally cool with that.
I told you before...
what I'm supposed to do right now...
Julis, it's to be there for you.
N-No... But the thing is...
These things should be handled more...
Wait, are you embarrassed?
Your face is bright red!
Idiot! Of course I'm not!
A-Anyway, d-don't look at me!
J-Julis!
Julis?
Are you serious about this?
Of course I am.
Seriously, you really are a strange one...
aren't you?
What's this?
Surely you couldn't have been ignorant of this one's power, could you now?
Oh, man, don't tell me you actually wasted him, did you?
No worries, he's not dead.
He can still be of some use, after all.
So instead of going public with this incident and using it as a diplomatic chip,
you're going to take care of it internally, and make Allekant owe us, is that it?
I'm going to leave this to the discretion of you Shadow Stars.
Please be sure to get some information out of him.
You can count on it.
It's our job.
So? How did it go with those two?
It seems to have gone well.
Wait, you don't look too happy, considering.
Oh, really? I wouldn't say that.
Well, I guess it's time.
I've acquired enough data,
and they even did a better job with those bonus sneak attacks
on the frontrunners than I'd dared to hope.
Ah, well, but maybe that was only because my little puppets were so competent?
At any rate, these semi-intelligent beings are so easy to handle, it's a godsend!
That's my Ayato!
Your relationship with Julis makes me somewhat jealous,
but it's for the Phoenix Festa. I shall endure it.
Now if only our school's Rank #1...
Episode 5 - Lightning Blade Speed
if only she would agree to compete...