Really? Yoshida is such a kind person.
We're doing okay too. Things are looking up!
Honjo and her brother
are truly trying to do something about this world.
I'm just protecting Honjo, admittedly for my own sake as well.
From here on…
Mayuko Nise.
Do you really believe you can stay in this indefinite state?
Well, Mayuko Nise?
A Mask?
No. It's me?
I'm already…
ORIGINAL WORK BY TSUINA MIURA ILLUSTRATED BY TAKAHIRO OBA
"If I Become a Perfect God…"
No, I'm not…
Mayuko?
Are you all right?
You fell asleep standing up.
What? I was asleep?
Then was that…
a dream?
It must be.
You must be tired.
You fought so hard.
Let's go rest on that bench.
Yes, sure.
I think I get the gist of it.
So what are we going to do?
My brother said he's heading for Yoshida's Ikebukuro-style building.
I'd like to search for that place as well and maybe join up with my brother.
I understand.
By the way, are we leaving Mr. Tanabe here?
Oh, I forgot!
The real substantial treatment begins now,
but there will be no danger to his life.
If you kill him instead of treating him, I'll never forgive you.
I wouldn't do anything to incur your wrath.
If you say so.
We're leaving now, so we'll leave the rest to you.
Look, it's still hanging there.
What am I going to do with you?
She took off her mask?
That little Ein is too cute to be real!
I wish she was my little sister.
-We'd have so much fun… -Honjo, why are you talking so happily?
Something about it irritates the heck out of me.
By the way, she took off her mask pretty easily, didn't she?
Short periods of time are okay if the mask allows it.
It's common sense.
Oh, you knew?
Wait, why do I know that?
Did I really…
Let's go, Mayuko!
Right.
The mask I put on should have been defective.
And yet…
Mayuko, is something wrong?
Don't worry.
It was nothing.
Mayuko! Hey!
If you're unwell, we can go back and get some rest.
That scream was worrisome, but you're more important.
Thanks, Honjo, but I'm all right.
It doesn't have full control over my brain yet.
I have to protect my own will no matter what.
At least, until Honjo can reunite with her brother.
-I'm opening it. -Okay.
What is this?
A library?
It's spacious with lots of blind spots.
This one's tough.
But while I still have my senses,
I'll kill all of Honjo's opponents.
Why is Mayuko getting worked up?
He has a longer reach.
I'll have to disarm him first!
That's a wide swing. Who do you think I am?
He's not strong after all.
No, Mayuko!
Mayuko, answer me!
She's alive. Thank goodness.
But she's hurt.
I can't approach easily, but…
Mayuko!
What? I see.
That gun sound.
That shooting style.
You're alive, Sniper Mask?
Mayuko!
Honjo?
I'm glad you're conscious.
Are you hurt? Can you move?
I'm fine.
He didn't hit me directly in the head, so it's nothing serious.
Where's the Mask?
He's dead, but we have a more troublesome enemy now.
That Sniper Mask survived, and he's here now.
-Do you see that staircase? -Yes.
The best choice in this situation is to retreat!
I had no intention of attacking them.
They left before I could say a word.
I would've liked to join up with them.
Maybe we can still catch up with them?
They may have more hand grenades left.
Now that they know I'm alive, we'll have to be cautious.
Keeping that girl alive is better for my goals as well.
What do you mean by "goals"?
It doesn't concern you, miss.
What is it?
You wanted me to talk, but now you won't reciprocate?
Quoting a word you used earlier, I'd say it's rather "lame" of you.
Or perhaps you have an embarrassing reason that you can never share?
You're too close.
Well, am I right?
Okay, I get it, so just back up!
In the oldest memory I currently have…
I was already obeying the mask's orders.
I wandered about, searching for humans.
When I came to the roof of a dimly lit building,
I came upon a lone human.
Unbelievable. Even you have put on a mask.
He seemed to know me,
but at the time, my mask had no cracks in it.
All I could do was obey the Mask's orders.
Deliver that human into despair and make him commit suicide by falling.
We don't go in with any intention to kill the target.
He knew that.
By dropping his weapons, he showed that he didn't plan to kill me.
I could tell at that moment that his objective was to remove my mask.
TO BIG BROTHER YURI
That guy looked at me with tears running down his face.
I'm now starting to remember my connection with that guy.
It is very likely that he was a close friend of mine.
That's why I want to meet with him and confirm it for myself.
Hey, what are you crying for?
I'm sorry.
But when I think about how that friend must have felt
after seeing you wear that mask,
how dreadfully painful it must have been.
That's right, why did I put this mask on in the first place?
I didn't put this on myself.
It was put on me!
That woman…
No, there were two of them.
I was just waiting to be killed off after being utterly defeated by them.
Mister, you are sporting such a fashionable look.
You can speak?
That's right!
My wavelength totally matched that person's, you see.
So much so that words are of no use.
Do you know how to access the Railgun System?
Kill me already.
It seems like you don't know.
But you know what? I'm not going to kill you.
Ta-da!
It's a present for this stylish man!
And I'll throw in this wonderful rifle too!
I just know you'll become a strong Mask.
I'd rather die than become puppets such as the likes of you!
Angels have it easy.
Fear, anxiety, school, and tests all go away.
This is your salvation.
What a terrifying story.
I'm feeling a fear I can't quite nail down.
So the God Candidate controlling that mask
wants to know how to fire the Railgun.
So it seems.
This means there are people in this world who desire chaos.
The moment that God is born, this realm will dissipate.
This means there is only one who can become a Perfect God.
I wonder who just fired the Railgun.
I have to pinpoint them for that person.
I now understand what that mask-wearing version of myself is.
It was the mask's orders trying to control my brain.
If she consumes my brain, the mask will gain full control over me.
That time may be close at hand.
Doesn't this building remind you of the building where we first met?
It was only just a short while ago, but it's already so nostalgic for me.
It already feels like we've been friends forever, Mayuko.
Hey, Mayuko! What's wrong?
I'm still conscious, but my body won't move!
Hey, are you okay?
Mayuko!
Honjo.
I want to be together with you…
until you find your brother.
This…
is my fault.
I didn't notice Mayuko's condition and pushed her too hard.
I'm the worst.
I'm really sorry, Mayuko.
Don't get in the way.
I don't have time for you.
You're incredible, Honjo.
Even without a mask's power…
You'll be fine, Honjo.
Even if I don't make it…
What are you saying?
I'm sorry I kept my mouth shut.
That mask should have been defective,
but my control is slowly slipping.
What?
Something is inside my head, and it's calling to me.
I'm afraid that it's the mask's orders.
Soon, I'll become a puppet with no will of my own.
Oh, no…
I have no regrets, since I was able to save you back then.
I don't want to leave you, though.
What do you mean, "leave" me?
It's just that my mask was broken.
If a mask breaks, you know what kind of order will come down.
The order to take your own life.
But I don't want to die by some order.
-That's right! There's no need to obey it! -That's why…
I'll jump on my own free will.
Goodbye, Honjo.
I'm so glad that I met you in this world.
I won't let you kill yourself!
Don't give up!
There has to be another way!
Honjo, thank you.
But please, let me go.
-At this rate, you'll be in danger too-- -No way!
Time is up.
She's coming.
Hurry, get away from me.
She's coming.
Mayuko?
What?
Humans who cannot jump to their death must be killed.
Mayuko, come back!
-Don't lose to a mask! -Must be killed.
Must be killed…
Honjo.
Honjo!
Mayuko!
Current program cannot confirm proper operation.
Despair Command, Kill Command, Suicide Command,
and many others have overlapped and become inoperable.
The will of the body, Mayuko Nise, is not yet under full control.
Mayuko, bring yourself back!
Self-recovery impossible.
Current program will now enter Hibernation.
What? Mayuko?
What is this?
Dear me.
Well, this is a rare find for a regular patrol.
An Angry Mask!
What…
Slow down.
You better not face me as an enemy.
If the mask recognizes your animosity,
you'll be killed by the Self-Defense Command.
Excuse me, do you know what sort of state Mayuko is in right now?
If you know, please tell me.
This girl is a precious friend!
I've received the mask's permission.
Hibernation is the final course of action when various Commands are unresponsive.
The host is killed by gradually bringing their vital functions to a halt.
If she's left like this, this girl has about two hours to live.
If she's left like this?
So are you saying there's a solution?
If there is, please tell me!
Oh, my. You're quite sharp, aren't you?
I've received the mask's permission.
This is a special exception since the mask malfunctioned.
I will present to you just one necessary piece of information.
Non-disclosure is the only condition.
Of course.
Only a God Candidate can save her.
So the only way is for you to become a God Candidate yourself.
I am what is referred to as a Guardian Angel,
so I know the location of all items within my zone.
In a place about 30 minutes from here, there is a Mouthless Mask.
If you wear that, you will become a God Candidate.
However, if you become a God Candidate,
you will be forced into a fierce battle to become the Perfect God.
I don't mind.
As long as I can save Mayuko.
Mayuko, wait here until I return.
Honjo.
I'll be right back, okay?
Mayuko put herself through that just to save me.
So now it's my turn to save her!
I won't fail!
A moan?
Someone's here.
So is there a way to fix her?
This is Hibernation.
I think I can interfere with her mind by using my ability
to call her back from the mask's control and stop this condition.
Is there no danger to you?
Probably.
I lied. There definitely is,
but this person will die if I don't do it!
If I can't even save one person, I'm basically useless in this realm!
I will try.
I will now begin.
It's an image of her will.
Even now, it seems to be vanishing.
Excuse me! Are you…
Just as I thought, with my powers,
I couldn't do anything.
I couldn't even save Mr. Mask.
I won't have it!
You, a Mask program, will now receive a mandate from a God Candidate.
Cease Hibernation at once
and return sovereignty of will to this human.
This program will abide by the God Candidate's order.
So it worked out.
What's this?
Hey, are you all right?
It looked pretty taxing.
I'm fine.
I'm much more flustered by this right here!
Well, did you pull it off?
Yes.
When she awakens, she will be back to normal, I believe.
By the way, I wonder where that sailor uniform girl ran off to.
The Mouthless Mask is just up this ladder.
I won't die!
That's right, I won't die as long as I don't fall.
I'm not scared!
I'm not…
I'm scared!
If I fall, I'm done for!
I'll die if my hand slips even a bit.
If I fall…
You'll be fine, Honjo.
You're right, Mayuko!
I'll be okay, won't I?
A Mask?
Oh, no! I left the gun behind!
I have no other choice!
I'm up!
Wait! Hold on!
I hate needles!
Honjo!