A man clad in purest black...
I see.
You're the stray dog that's been snapping at the Cult lately.
My name is Shadow.
He who lurks in the shadows in order to hunt the shadows.
Shadow?
You seem to have gotten a swelled head after crushing a few of our smaller facilities.
But not one of the Cult's core members was anywhere near any of those bases.
You're just a bunch of cowards going after our weakest minions.
Whomever or wherever we hunt, the result is the same.
Unfortunately for you, it is not the same.
A core member of the Cult is right here.
Today, you will be hunted by me:
the future Twelfth Seat of Rounds, Zenon Griffey.
I will take your life in the service of the Knights of Rounds!
So?
Where is this core member of the Cult?
#5: I Am…
We've finished evacuating citizens
from Commercial Districts 3 through 8!
Close the station!
Have the trains take shelter three stations down!
All of them!
Fire! Fire!
Dark Knights!
Attack!
What?!
It healed itself?!
Dammit!
Rally all nearby units!
Aye!
We'll try to keep it here!
Don't worry about damaging buildings!
Permission granted to go all out!
Do whatever it takes to stop that thing!
You monster!
Princess Iris!
The injured will retreat!
This district will soon be deserted!
Then we can-
It's healing itself.
You're kidding.
That was an attack from Princess Iris!
You can heal that, too, can you?
In that case,
I'll just have to cut you into pieces so small that you can't regenerate from them!
I'll just keep...
You're only making her suffer.
Can't you see that?
Who are you?!
Alpha.
The monster...
You poor thing, I know it hurts.
You don't have to suffer any more.
You don't have to feel any more pain,
any more sadness.
You...
Wait, come back!
Be a good audience member and content yourself with sitting back and enjoying the show.
We are Shadow Garden, and you will stay out of our way.
Shadow Garden?
It's happening everywhere!
Alexia, where in the world are you?!
I see, apparently I've underestimated you a little.
I can see how you've managed to destroy so many of our bases,
even if they were small ones.
Now let me show you!
Behold the power of a future Knight of Rounds!
So much magical energy...
He's strong.
Dammit!
You're not attacking?
"Future Rounds"?
His technique has gone beyond excellent and into the realms of transcendent.
But at its core...
his fencing is so ordinary.
Like I dreamed of when I was a little girl...
My ridiculous idea of ideal swordplay.
Even without the innate talent for the sword that my sister had,
I believed that, if I worked long and hard enough, I could be as strong as she is.
But no matter how hard I tried, I could never catch up to the prodigy.
The best I could ever do was to get people to compare me to her, and laugh at me.
The fencing style of the have-nots, with no strength and no skill:
the style of a Fencer Ordinaire.
But I couldn't give it up.
This style, that's nothing but a plain, boring accumulation of basic skills...
To me...
this style...
I like your fencing style.
You, who are you?!
If you have so much power, why do you hide your identity?!
We are Shadow Garden.
They who lurk in the shadows, who hunt the shadows.
That is the sole purpose of our existence.
Are you insane?
Shadow Garden?
And there's a cult?
What's going on?
All right...
If you really want to fight,
then I'll give you a fight!
With these pills,
a man can awaken to a new nature beyond human limitations!
If an ordinary person took them, he would be overwhelmed by their tremendous power and die...
I am the Third Awakened.
Those who can control this power are the real chosen ones.
The ones worthy to join the Rounds.
Let me show you...
almighty power!
How unsightly.
If that's the best you can do, don't claim to be almighty.
That's blasphemy against the almighty.
Dammit...
There is no road to almightiness for those using borrowed strength.
None!
Playtime is over.
What is all this?
Is this magic?
But it's so...
A single person could never-
Once upon a time,
there was a man who wished to withstand a nuclear bomb.
The man developed his muscles, honed his mind, perfected his skills.
However, there were yet heights he could not attain.
But I couldn't allow myself to give up.
So after years upon years of training,
I arrived at a single solution.
If I don't want to be vaporized in a nuclear explosion...
I simply have to become nuclear myself.
You're out of your mind!
Let the true meaning of "almighty" be carved into your soul.
This is my almighty power.
I...
am...
atomic.
Alexia!
I'm so glad you're all right!
So glad!
I-I'm sorry! Are my arms cold?
Thank you...
Iris.
It seems like there's more to the plot than meets the eye,
but as far as the public is concerned, the case has been solved.
Wow, cool.
Guess I'm done here, then.
No, wait!
Um...
There's something I wanted to talk about.
You told me you liked my fencing style, remember?
Maybe it's a little late to say this, but...
Thank you.
You're welcome, I guess.
I've finally learned to like my sword style.
Not because of you, though.
I think you could have left that last part out, don't you?
Well, it's true.
Anyway, I'm out.
Wait!
I mean...
We've been pretending to be a couple for a while now.
And during the incident...
Zenon kindly got himself killed.
So if you're interested...
I was thinking maybe we could try to keep this relationship going a little longer.
I'm gonna have to say no.
Later, massive amounts of blood were discovered behind the school building,
but no body was found in the vicinity,
and no students or faculty were reported to be injured or missing.
This incident would eventually go on to become one of the school's seven mysteries:
The Bodiless Murder.
The Cult facility where they were holding Princess Alexia captive
was destroyed by Lord Shadow.
Zenon Griffey evaporated without a trace. That is my report.
The Boss is almighty...
Truly, it was a beautiful light.
The entire Royal Capital bathed in the glow of Lord Shadow's magic...
It was like looking at a heavenly paradise.
I hope they've learned their lesson.
They should know that they are merely prey to be hunted.
One day, all of our enemies will vanish in that light.
And on that day...
Shall we continue?
Yes.
Zeta has reported in. She has found the target.
She says she's going to get closer and investigate.
I'll be expecting good news.
And here is a research report from Eta.
It seems to be going smoothly.
And finally, we have a pressing issue.
This.
Shadow Garden will deliver death's judgment!
They're fools to call themselves by our name.
Although they do seem to be covering their tracks rather well.
They cannot escape our all-searching eye.
It's not possible.
The Cult of Diablos, and Shadow Garden...
There may be something at work somewhere,
somewhere beyond our grasp.
However...
Do you suspect the Knight Order?
Our kingdom's most renowned sword instructor was an adherent of the Cult of Diablos.
Considering that fact...
Then we follow the plan?
I will put together a new investigation team.
Glen...
Marco...
I trust both of you with all my heart.
I would like you to be a part of it.
If that is your command.
I-I would be honored!
Thank you.
Right now, this is our only clue.
First, we'll need to find someone who can decipher its functions.
This, "was"... "ed",
And... "if"?
"If you wish"?
"Do"... "to"...
Together, "grate"?
"Val"... "you"...
That girl is definitely not a princess.
She's a natural born killing machine.
Ow....
Are you okay?