KING

In the ruined chamber, rubble and smoke fill the air from a massive explosion. Pitou stands in the background near a broken doorway, looking back over her shoulder. In the center, a figure in a striped outfit kneels while holding the injured Komugi, who is slumped forward. A large clawed silhouette of the King dominates the right foreground. A text box declares "THE SPECTACLE PITOU SAW WAS...!!!!" Debris flies through the air as dust clouds billow outward.

In the upper panels, the King stands in shadow beneath his wide hat, his face obscured as he cuts off his glance. Time, which had been frozen, begins moving again. Pitou appears on the right, leaning forward with wide eyes and curly hair whipping around, one hand extended toward a fallen cylindrical object. Narration states: "AS THE KING CUT OFF HIS GLANCE, TIME BEGAN MOVING AGAIN." The lower half of the page is a stark black field. A small winged creature floats in the center. Two figures stand on the right side of the darkness. Narration boxes read: "OR RATHER," and "ALL TIME BUT THE KING'S WAS LEFT FROZEN OVER."

Two assassins who had entered with the intent to kill the King had swallowed their breath and stopped moving. Their faces are shown side by side: one with spiky hair and a stern expression, the other bald with a short beard and weary eyes. Narration explains: "THE REASONS WHY THE TWO ASSASSINS WHO HAD INTRUDED IN WITH THE INTENT TO KILL THE KING HAD SWALLOWED THEIR BREATH AND STOPPED MOVING WERE." Below, Pitou kneels while embracing Komugi's body in a grotesque protective gesture. Komugi lies limp and splattered with blood. Additional narration states: "AND BECAUSE THE GESTURES OF THE GROTESQUE FIGURE EMBRACING HER BODY" and "THE GIRL SPLATTERED IN BLOOD," followed by "WERE UNMISTAKABLY OVERFLOWING WITH NOTHING OTHER THAN TENDERNESS." Pitou cradles the bloodied girl on the ground in the final panel.

Pitou appears in close profile, helmet and tail visible. "PITOU." The King had returned to his normal facial expression. Pitou kneels on rubble before the King. "YOUR MAJESTY." Komugi lies injured on the ground nearby. Which actually heightened Pitou's anxiety. In the ruined area, Pitou leans forward and issues the order: "HEAL KOMUGI." "HOW- EVER,"

The King stares forward intensely, helmet and long hair framing his face. "I'M COUNTING ON YOU." A large box labels the speaker "KING". Narration explains the King had no idea the source of his wet cheeks. His whole body was quivering, full of excitement. At the same time, Pitou moved. That voice swelled up a force exceeding common consent or refusal. Two veterans observe from below. "WAS AN EXPRESSION OF RESPECT." "WHAT COULD BE SEEN AS A FOOLISH ACT OF ATTENTIVELY STANDING STILL AND WATCHING THE ENEMY'S MOVEMENTS AT THAT TIME, CONTINUED BY THE TWO VETERANS,"

Zeno's stern face filled the panel as he reflected on the situation. It was understandable for Zeno to press such a question. This is turning out pretty different from what you told me, he noted. The act was reserved for those with little knowledge of proper conduct. To trespass on someone overflowing with so much love toward a single life crossed a line. Netero felt the same way, his aged features showing quiet agreement. In the lower scene the King stood up amid swirling dust and debris on the ruined ground. The unclear murmuring that was heard as the King stood up gave way to a simple Now then.... It was a suggestion beyond prudence. The helmeted figure loomed over the motionless body lying in the foreground, one hand extended toward the fallen form while the other remained clenched.

The helmeted figure's face filled the frame, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. Shall we change our location? the figure proposed. Narration explained the King and a division of his royal guard would move. More convenient for you as well, correct? That way should be better. Netero appeared in profile, hand near his chin, while Zeno stood with a serious expression. Netero had wasted a great sum of the power he had borrowed from Zeno in order to make that happen. He shouldn't have had any objection. In the final close-up Netero looked downward, his expression thoughtful. He could wipe away the feeling that he had the first move taken from him. Well... and yet... hmm, he murmured.

Pitou hovers in the darkness with wings spread, a medical bag marked with a cross slung over one shoulder and clawed hands extended. Below, a small girl sits while a boy lies sprawled on the ground. "DOCTOR BLYTHE!" rings out in a large speech bubble. A narration box states THE MOMENT PITOU ACTIVATED HIS ABILITY. In the lower panel two men stand with their backs to the viewer, one bald with a spiky tuft of hair and the other white-haired wearing a vest with a large C, facing a swirling black mass. A jagged "DEATH" sound effect cuts across the smoke. Narration boxes read IT WAS NATURAL FOR THOSE TWO TO INSTANTLY PREPARE FOR DEATH and THEY FELT A FATAL NEGLIGENCE.

A rocky wall crackles with white energy on the left. The bald man and the white-haired man remain standing with their backs turned. The King steps forward into view, tall and powerfully built, wearing a striped helmet and tail, his muscular torso and clawed hands clearly visible. Narration boxes read CALMLY CROSSED THEIR POINT BETWEEN LIFE AND DEATH, THEIR ENEMY WAS STILL A DISTANT MONSTER, and AND YET, HOW EASILY THE KING.

A violent explosion tears through the rocky terrain, sending massive boulders and clouds of debris flying in every direction amid heavy rumbling sounds. The force of the blast scatters everything in its path. In the middle panels, a grotesque creature with spotted patterns and writhing tentacles appears amid motion lines and impact effects. Below, a massive black silhouette of a multi-limbed monster looms over the ruined landscape, its tendrils extending outward. A text box states that thanks to Youpi's attack the punitive force had been separated, while additional rumbling SFX echo across the bottom of the page.

Youpi's monstrous form hovers above the shattered remains of a grand stairway inside a vast ruined chamber, its many limbs spread wide as it waits in ambush. A narration box explains that having destroyed the entire stairway, Youpi stood poised to ambush anyone who would try and traverse the ruins. In a close-up panel, a determined face appears with the label 'BEHIND HIM'. At the bottom, Meleoron and Knuckle are shown crouching amid rubble and smoke; a text box notes they were the ones who had missed the second floor by a hair's breadth.

Shoot cries out in agony as Youpi's strike lands, shouting "HE GOT... MY LEG!!" with sharp SFX ズギ ズギ echoing. "SHIT..." "BELOW THE STAIRS" he adds, clutching the wound while sprawled amid swirling dust and debris. Morau, close by with a focused glare, declares "LEAVE THE REST TO ME." Narration notes that Shoot had been in the closest proximity to Youpi's attack. In the next moment, Youpi senses an abnormality in the whirling dust and is suddenly struck by Morau's "DEEP PURPLE." A massive, branching explosion erupts violently with SFX ズガン and ドゴォ, the blast filling the air as someone exclaims "WHAT RASHNESS!"

Youpi tears through the "DEEP PURPLE" in the blink of an eye, the smoke and fragments scattering wildly with SFX ビキ and ズズン. Narration states this was only the easy part of a plan cleverly devised by Morau. The smoke allows access to Youpi's blind spot. Youpi realizes "IT ISN'T SMOKE!" as multiple decoys surround him, the resistance proving greater than expected. The decoys are revealed as fakes with star-like marks, while the real assault continues from an unseen angle.

Motion lines erupt across the page as a massive pipe weapon slashes through the air with tremendous force. A many-eyed creature recoils in shock, its numerous eyes wide. A speech bubble declares, "IT'S NOT SMOKE, JUST A WEAPON!?" Below, Morel swings his enormous pipe through billowing smoke while a spiky-haired figure in sunglasses lunges forward with arms raised. Another panel shows the pipe embedded in a smoky mass as the many-eyed being reacts with alarm. A caption box states, "AND A CHANCE TO SLIP THROUGH."

Morel sprints across a cloudy battlefield, his pipe trailing behind him as a decoy. A narration box explains, "MORAU, USING HIS OWN WEAPON AS A DECOY, HAD NOTHING ELSE TO DO NOW BUT RUN." The enraged many-eyed chimera ant roars, "AS IF I'D LET YOU GET AWAY!! FOOL!" In a close-up, Knuckle's intense face appears with the text "AND KNUCKLE." Below, Knuckle embraces Morel from behind in a powerful hold while a massive black sphere labeled "HAKOWARE!!!" expands. Narration reads, "UNDERSTOOD, EVEN WITHOUT HEARING THE CALL." and "THE UNIQUE BONDS BETWEEN TEACHER AND STUDENT!!!"