"Now, tell me, do you think that you are the man behind this incident?"
She asked.
The question makes him remain silent and contemplate it in his mind.
'That's right, what am I thinking? I just wanna be a guy like him. There's no way I want to hurt anyone.'
He said in his mind. He then takes a breath slowly and says something with a gaze full of determination.
"I am not!"
Seeing that, she just smiles and gives the guy who just got a false accusation from the government a hand.
"Then, I'll set you free right away!"
He is just impressed for a sec and nods taking her hand. The duo then runs away, yet in the middle of the escape, the siren rings aloud that surprises them.
"They got us, eh?"
He asked.
"No, the siren rings indicating that someone is invading the prison."
"Invasion? How can it be possible?"
"Probably they want to save someone imprisoned here."
Her answer makes him realize something.
"Don't tell me that it's Daisuke san?!"
"Your friend…?"
"You can say that. He is a nice guy who gave me a place to stay and food in Ichikawa."
"Then, let's see him. We have to hurry before he gets arrested by the wardens here!"
Finally, the duo hurries to where Ryoichi is.
---
At the same time, Ryoichi Daisuke is making his way to proceed to the prison where Takayuki is imprisoned, and that causes the siren to ring.
As he made his way from the main gate, many wardens put suspicion on him, yet he is not that reckless as he has his plan to save Takayuki.
He used a smoke bomb to flee from the wardens and then one of them rang the siren to call for backups.
"Damn it! Where are you, Michio?!"
Ryoichi is passing through many cells yet he can't find Takayuki at all. Later, he finds a strange cell and he finds the cell is open.
"Eh? Why is this one open? Did someone save the prisoner here?"
With that fact in his deposit, finally, he follows the trace left from the cell. And, in the middle of his tracing, he finds himself being ambushed by the wardens.
"Freeze!"
"How dare you make trouble here?! You are looking for free accommodation, eh?"
They said.
"Darn! Should I just fight them?"
He is getting ready for a fight, yet they suddenly hear an explosion. That does distract the wardens and he takes the chance to head to where the explosion occurred.
"What!?"
Ryoichi is shocked to see the wall is destroyed.
---
Previously, Takayuki and Yumeno who wanted to fetch Ryoichi got ambushed by the wardens.
"What the!?
"Isn't he the man behind this accident!?"
"I thought the WTM was on our side…"
They said as they were surprised to see Yumeno stand next to Takayuki.
"You got it wrong! After further investigation, he is not the one!"
She argued.
"Even so, it doesn't mean you can set him free like that! We need the confirmation from the government to set him free!"
One of them said.
"We've got no time for that!"
She argued.
"Then, we have no choice but to stop you!"
They said.
Takayuki remained silent as he was confused by what was just happening between Yumeno and the wardens.
'What to do in this kind of situation, eh?'
He said in his mind.
Without any choice left, she destroyed the wall and chose to run away instead of fighting them.
"This way, Takayuki!"
"How about Daisuke san?!"
"We'll discuss it later!"
Then, the duo makes it to get outta the prison by passing through the path from the destroyed wall. When the duo thought they would be free that easily, they got it wrong as they find so many wardens ambushing them.
"No way."
He was surprised to see that.
"Takayuki, leave them to me!"
"But…"
"I am strong! So just leave me! I'll catch you up after dealing with them!"
After she said that, Takayuki has no choice but to leave her. What he can do right now is just run away with so many wardens pursuing him with cars.
"No way! At this rate, they will get me!"
He increases his pace.
In this kind of situation, he can see Ryoichi is making his way passing the car with his bike as he is trying to reach the running Takayuki.
"Michio! Hop on!!!"
Ryoichi exclaimed.
Takayuki nods and hops on Ryoichi's bike.
"Good grief you are all right, Daisuke san."
Takayuki said.
"That's my line, you trouble maker!"
Ryoichi argued speeding up to get away from the wardens who are chasing them.
"Why did them put you under arrest?! What was on their mind anyway?"
Ryoichi asked.
"They said that they were putting a suspicion on me to be the man behind the accident!"
"What the hell?! Do they have any evidence for that?!"
"None! They just said that my family and I are not registered in the census."
"In the end, it's just a slander! If you are, there's no way the monster would attack you!"
Ryoichi's words make Takayuki recall the time Yumeno saved him from the monster.
"So that's why Yumeno changed her mind and saved me too, eh?"
"So she set you free, eh? Looks like we have no time for chit-chat."
This time, not only a car chasing them, they have to deal with the military helicopter which is ready to shoot them. That shocks them literally.
"Then, we take another way! Hang on, Michio!"
He speeds up trying to evade the crossfire from the helicopter.
"That was close!"
Takayuki is becoming afraid of that.
"We are here!"
Ryoichi speeds up to the max that the bike runs fast till they reach a tunnel.
"Is this the plan so the helicopter won't shoot us?!"
"Yeah!!"
They enter the tunnel and think that they are safe, yet the officers have ambushed them from the sides of the tunnel.
"Crap! So there's no way out, eh?"
Ryoichi said.
"What do we do? What do we do?!"
Takayuki is getting scared.
"Freeze! We'll shoot you if you move!"
Said one of them.
"I dare you! If you do, I won't hesitate!"
Yumeno said as she enters out of the blue. The officers see her remain scared of her existence, yet it doesn't mean they will abandon the mission.
"Is she the one that set you free, Michio?"
"Yeah…"
"She's from the WTM, you know?"
"Y-yeah, she said that but I don't know what the WTM is."
"The WTM is the organization that protects humans from monsters!"
That surprises Takayuki and he averts his gaze to Yumeno Shion who is encountering the officers. Ryoichi who sees that turns around to Takayuki and says,
"Michio, when you see my signal… Please duck!"
"What are you doing, Daisuke san?!"
"I want to back her up with everything I can! There's no way I just stay still like this!"
Ryoichi gets ready to join the fray and the officers are ready to open fire. Yumeno is also ready to unleash her power, but, as they are about to go--
"Enough already!!"
Exclaimed Isshin Kira who enters before all of them.
---
"Isshin Kira!? What are you doing here!?"
Yumeno exclaimed.
"What is Isshin Kira doing here!?"
"Don't tell me, he is up to something again?!"
Isshin Kira's appearance distracts Yumeno and the officers.
"Uwaa looks like you still hate me!!"
Isshin Kira replied.
"There's no way I can forgive you for what you have done last year!"
Yumeno said.
"Who's that?"
Takayuki asked.
"He is the one who caused the incident last year! And he comes in this situation!"
Ryoichi said as he gets upset to see Isshin Kira's appearance.
"Calm down, I am here not for destroying the Yggdrasil. I am here to stop both of you!"
Isshin Kira answered.
"What the hell!?"
One of the officers argued.
"Your mission is putting arrest that Michio Takayuki, eh? Too bad that you don't need to."
Isshin Kira's words startle them.
"What's your game now, Isshin Kira!?"
Yumeno argued.
"Oh, right, you don't know what happened to the WTM leader, right?"
"Huh!? There's no way I let---"
"But, we have no time for that! Isn't our mission is to deal with the incident going on right now?"
Those words shut her up.
"What do you mean by not needing to put Michio Takayuki under arrest?!"
Isshin Kira then shows a contract between the WTM and the Japanese government about not putting Michio Takayuki under arrest while he is under WTM surveillance.
"How did you do that?!"
Yumeno argued.
"Well, It's not that easy. You can say I threatened the government to sign it."
That makes them remain silent.
"Isshin Kira, you!!!"
"I had no choice, so I did this instead. And also, I need that Michio Takayuki guy to take care of this incident."
Isshin Kira answered.
"What are you up to with Michio Takayuki?! Do you want to realize your ambition that was failed by Satou last year?"
"What I want is to be the strongest of this world… Yet, the strongest must protect the weak. In the other words, I'll protect you!"
Isshin Kira answered.
"Do you think I'll believe you?!"
"You may kill me if you don't, Yumeno Shion. But, before I die, you have to take care of this incident till it's over!"
Isshin Kira's answer shut her up. Isshin Kira then continues,
"You heard that, right? Michio Takayuki doesn't need to be arrested as he is under WTM surveillance! Now, dismiss!"
The statement stops the fight between Yumeno and the officers.
"I don't know what just happened. Isshin Kira before me is different from the one I know last year. "
Ryoichi said.
Yumeno lets out a sigh and says.
"I can't believe that you become the leader of the WTM and how did they accept you?"
"Just like you. They choose to take care of the incident as they want to fight for peace as they can. And so, don't give up! If Satou Hideaki were here, he would say the same."
Isshin Kira answered.
"Pardon, am I free right now?"
Takayuki asked awkwardly as he scratches his right cheek.
"So you are that Michio Takayuki?"
"Y-yes!"
"Sorry for what just happened to you before. If I could do it faster, this wouldn't happen. But, rest assured, you won't be under any suspicion."
"But that doesn't change the anomaly about me."
"That's right, but I haven't introduced myself!"
"That's okay. You are Isshin Kira, right?"
Isshin Kira just shakes his head and that makes Takayuki confused.
"Isshin Kira was dead as he was crushed by a plane yesterday."
"Eh?"
"Salutation, shounen! My name is Issho Kemen!"
"Um… But they said that your name was Isshin Kira, right?"
"UI told you that Isshin Kira was dead as he was crushed by a plane yesterday."
The answer makes Takayuki confused and he asks Ryoichi.
"It's Isshin Kira, right? Why did he say Issho Kemen?"
"Don't ask me. Isshin Kira I saw last year is different to this one!"
Isshin Kira then laughs and tells Yumeno,
"This shounen is interesting, Yumeno."
"Knock it off! What are you going to do with him?!"
"Of course make him enroll in the WTM army."
"Huh!? What did you say?"
"Making him enroll in the WTM army!"
Yumeno suddenly pulls Ishhin Kira's collar and gives him a cold gaze that Isshin Kira just puts a small smirk on his face.
"What are you up to anyway? You know that he can't fight!"
"Yup, so what?"
"You! What if he gets hurt?!"
She argued.
"I've got some reason and please hear me out. First, let me go! And second, the government puts suspicion on him! Then, third, he has to be under the WTM surveillance so the government won't put him under arrest! The last but not least, he has to prove that he will do good for the government."
"And that's why you make him join the fray?!"
"Exactly. Like I have another choice but this! We have no time…"
She then lets him go.
"Oh right… Michio! I'd like to apologize!"
"For what?"
"You told me to save Yui, right? In the end, I couldn't!"
Ryoichi's words surprise Takayuki.
"That's my fault. If only I chased her that time, she might have."
"It's not your fault! It's fate."
That gets Takayuki's nerve.
"No, it's the monsters! If they didn't assault her, she would have been alive! Daisuke san, you told me that the WTM is taking care of the chaos caused by the monsters, right?"
"What are you up to, Michio?"
"I will become a personnel of the WTM!"
That surprises Ryoichi.
"What are you talking about?! Don't just blame yourself that you have to go that far!"
"But, there's no other choice. The government suspicion won't fade away either. I don't want something that happened to Yui san ever happen again!"
Ryouicho who sees Takayuki's determination just lets out a sigh and says,
"I know that it's your choice, but please remember that you are not alone! I am your friend, Michio."
Ryoichi's statement makes Takayuki cries.
"Oi, oi! Why are you crying?!"
Ryoichi asked.
"This is the first time someone considered me a friend. Thank you, Daisuke san!"
"Take care of yourself!"
Ryoichi offers Takayuki a fist bump.
"You too!"
Takayuki gives Ryoichi a fist bump and leaves Ryoichi. Takayuki then approaches Isshin Kira and Yumeo Shion.
"I'm going with you!"
That surprises Yumeno.
"Just to be under surveillance?"
"I want to join the WTM!"
"What are you—"
Isshin Kira then soothes her up.
"At first I would like to scout you, but I didn't expect you'd say it yourself, shounen."
"I don't know what I can do, but I don't want to stay idle and let this incident go on."
"I see. So you have made the decision, shounen?"
"I have no idea."
"Then why don't you want to let this incident go on?"
Takayuki then answers,
"I am gonna be the guy. The one sacrificed his life for the world's sake, and his name is."
Takayuki recalls the name that was stated by Ryoichi.
"Satou Hideaki. Though I know that I can't be like him for now! As I thought, I just have to give it a shot!"
That surprises both Yumeno and Isshin Kira.
"Wait, you know Satou Hideaki?! Why?"
Yumeno asked.
"Last year, I saw him heading to a giant tree by accident. After the incident ended, I realized that he was the true hero."
That makes Isshin Kira smile.
"So you are looking for who you are, shounen? Then, you only have to do one thing, keep moving forward!"
Isshin Kira said.
Later, Takayuki bids farewell to Ryoichi for Takayuki has decided to join the WTM and leaves with Isshin Kira and Yumeno. Then, the day has changed. Takayuki's application is approved and he is officially a member of the WTM armies.
"Huh? Me in the army?!"
Takayuki is surprised after knowing that.
"Yup. You'll enroll in the training session."
Kayonna Charlee answered.
Hearing that, he just remains silent as in the end, he has to enroll in the training session. Yet he is told everything about the WTM before the session is commenced. One of them is about the organization he enrolls in as one of the army personnel, the WTM.
World Tree Miracle is an organization that protects the giant tree that grants prodigy called Yggdrasil.
Why does the Yggdrasil need to be guarded well by the WTM? It's because if someone damages the Yggdrasil or does something bad on the Yggdrasil, then a bad disaster may occur.
The disaster may happen anywhere like a great disaster or a monster invasion.
In other words, the Yggdrasil is like the heart of the world.
'So that's why the monster killed Michio Yui, eh? Somebody must have done something bad on the Yggdrasil.'
He said in his mind.
Currently, the Yggdrasil is surrounded by monsters and it's reported that the previous leader of the WTM, Stephen Smith has gone missing ever since he investigated the new incident and the Yggdrasil location in which the Yawata no Yabushirazu forest.
'It's colose to Ichikawa?! Is it the reason why the city become the dead one as it has become the part of the forest?'
He said in his mind.
Yet, currently, the Yawata no Yabushirazu forest, or to be exact the Ishikawa city is full of lurking monsters, but fortunately the WTM has built a gate around the city so the monsters can't invade another city.
After he got the information about the WTM and the Yggdrasil, he is performing physical training. As he thought, he is weak that he is told to have track training.
"A little bit more…"
He said while panting from the exhaustion trying to keep running and ends up falling.
"Stand up, shounen, you still want to realize the dream of yours, right? Then, stand up, if you keep like that, there's no way you can realize it!"
Isshin Kira said giving a hand to Takayuki.
"Thank you, Issho san."
Takayuki said taking Isshin Kira's hand.
"Wooooh! You are the first person who called me like that!"
"Really?"
Yumeno just sees the duo talk.
"As I thought he's just an amateur. Is it ok to let him join the armies?"
Yumeno wondered as she lets out a sigh.
She recalls what happened last night when Isshin Kira gave her the last message from Stephen Smith that made her concern about that up till now, who is the one behind the Yggdrasil incident right now.
After Takayuki finished the training session, Isshin Kira holds a WTM meeting.
"As we have no more time, we will commence the Yggdrasil investigation by tomorrow!"
Isshin Kira said to the WTM personnel.