What happened after Fushi went to sleep in Renril?
Bon told Fushi everything.
Please don't die and leave me behind.
Even in the end...
everyone was so...
very kind.
To Takunaha?
What brought this on?
Where'd you get this?
Fushi saw Gugu off as he left for Takunaha.
Connective
Good, good!
Congratulations, first graders, on entering school.
Welcome to Minamoto Elementary.
Hello!
I'm March!
Let's be friends!
March-chan?
That's a weird name.
Nice to meet you. I'm March!
Let's be friends!
What's that thing on your head?
Lemme see!
Isn't it cute?
Mom made it for me.
You're not supposed to bring stuff like this to school.
Mommy said so.
Why not? You have some, too.
Mine are hair ties.
Yours is just a decoration.
You have decorations, too!
I've always had these ribbons. They don't count.
I've always had this on my head, too!
How long is "always"?
For 500 years!
500 years?
Liar!
I'm not lying!
Sensei, one of the new students is a pathological liar!
I hope March-chan's doing okay.
I'm sure she's fine.
She's sociable, and she has Bon with her.
Aiko, the entrance for first-years is that way.
Okay, I'll see you later.
Go do your thing!
Yup.
Hey.
President! Good morning!
Fushi-kun, you guys are close with Mizuha-san, aren't you?
We can't find Mizuha-san's name in the new class arrangements.
She transferred to another school.
Something about her dad's work.
We haven't heard anything about this!
Well, it was pretty sudden.
Hanna-san, you really didn't know?
N-No. I had no idea.
I see.
You don't have your hair accessory on, so I thought maybe something had happened.
How was it?
Seems like they aren't there.
Maybe they already moved out.
No. They just don't care to answer.
Why not?
I've been checking on Mizuha's place.
I never noticed them moving.
Oh, good. That means...
It's Mizuha-senpai's birthday tomorrow, right?
I want to see Senpai smiling again!
I'll do anything to make it happen!
Yeah...
I wonder what would make her smile.
Okay, smile!
Heya, March! Did you have fun?
What's this? What's wrong?
Did something happen?
Bon-san.
Why, hello, Mimori-kun.
Look, March, it's Mimori-oneechan.
She goes to your school.
March?
Oh, the one Fushi-san was talking about.
His... mom?
Huh? Did you say something?
No. What's the matter?
I think she's fed up with school.
Just like me, then.
Oh, Fushi.
What's March up to?
Making mud balls with Mimori-kun.
Is something the matter, Fushi?
Gugu sent me a message.
He wants to see her dressed up for school.
Well, good timing.
She was crying until just now.
She was?
It seems she doesn't like school.
She just now started smiling.
How?
"How"?
I brought some water!
Oh, right.
Attention Grab-no-jutsu.
Something Mimori left behind in her absence.
Something to connect someone with someone else.
Something that'll reach them even after a long time.
Something that'll bring smiles.
It's Mizuha-senpai's birthday tomorrow, right?
Maybe I should give her a gift.
Happy birthday to me.
Happy birthday to Mizuha.
Mizuha...
Izumi-san's PC is supposed to have records of Mizuha.
So we print them out and give them to her as a gift.
This is a great idea, Fushi!
The password is...
0406.
There.
I want her to at least know the truth.
That all her mother wanted
was not to forget her the way she was.
Yeah.
There, all done.
All taped on.
What are you doing?
We were making a birthday gift for Mizuha-senpai.
A special album.
I wanna make it cuter.
I got a bunch of stickers yesterday!
Looks great.
There.
Why'd you come out of there?!
What were you doing in there?
Nothing.
You guys look gloomy.
What's wrong?
Oh, we were just telling them about what went on and stuff.
We're discussing whether we should do something about Mizuha vanishing.
But we don't know what to do.
I don't think you need to let it get to you, Hanna.
Something happened between you and Mizuha, though, right?
Maybe what she's doing is more important than where she is.
You know, then?
You know what Mizuha's up to right now?
No.
If we could at least get her to see that she has people around who care about her...
I'm not sure what we would talk to her about even if we saw her.
I feel like we might completely lose her if we botch it.
Let's take a simpler approach.
Do you want to see Mizuha-senpai again?
I do.
I miss her.
She might not come out again today, but let's drop by her place anyway.
Yeah.
I made her a birthday gift, too.
You're the one who dropped this in my mailbox, aren't you?
Are you her dad?
It's a birthday gift for her!
Sorry, but I'm sure she'll reject it.
My daughter's already moved on. Her past isn't coming back.
I have no intention of returning.
Where are you moving to?
Somewhere you could never come.
I'm leaving with my daughter tomorrow.
Somewhere so far that you won't be able to play friends anymore.
I hope you understand.
Doesn't look like there's any point in going.
He actually bothered delivering it to us.
He's kind.
Yeah.
You dropped something.
I thought we taped everything on well.
Huh?
Do you remember this picture?
"My beloved family."
What?
I think I should go to Mizuha's place.
We're way past that. We'd just be causing trouble at this point.
Crap!
I haven't confessed to Mizuha-senpai yet!
I have to do that!
Which means I'm coming with!
It's my last chance!
You...
You have to tell her, Aoki-kun!
Right?
Let's do it, Vice President!
We'll have your back.
Let's go!
Yeah!
Our guest today is
Renril weed removal expert Harumaki-san of the Tasty Peach Foundation.
Thanks for having me.
Bon-san's on TV again.
This one's live.
He's famous!
Could you tell Bon-san to stop skipping work at school?
The principal's furious.
Ah.
See you.
Hey, Tonari, got a minute?
I left my school body in the custodian's room.
Could you check to see it's still hidden?
Why me?
I'm skipping school today.
I'm confessing to Mizuha-senpai today!
It's my last chance!
And I'm helping him.
Huh?
You get it, don't you? It's an important day.
Let's go, Fushi!
I don't get it!
Welcome back, Fushi. How'd it go?
It's by Mizuha's grandfather's place.
Probably underground.
I think it's connected to where Fen and Nixon went before.
So we're stepping into the enemy base.
We, the Occult Research Club!
Let's go! O.R.C., fight!
O.R.C., fight!
Not Occult Research Club. Handicrafts Club!
Is this even a club event?
Wait, you're coming, too?
That was the agreement.
Of course we are!
Vice Principal Yuki's romantic prospects are on the line!
Don't you want to come, too, Hanna-senpai?
Y-Yeah...
Well, this'll be my first time skipping school.
Oh, fine.
We're turning back the moment it gets dangerous, though.
Sir!
Roger that!
I'm the leader of the Occult Research Club!
It's far, isn't it?
I guess we're taking a bus.
I said, I'm the leader—
When you take the detergent back, could you take this oil tank, too?
What, what, what a pain.
You haven't hidden yourself at all!
Man, you need so much help.
Hey, it's the bow we used to use!
What a throwback!
Hang on, why do you have all these weapons here?!
Jeez!
What is he doing where, anyway?
We're here.
We should say hi to her grandpa.
No. It's an enemy home.
H-He's an enemy?
I like the sound of that!
Grandpa is? What do you mean?
Do we really need to come through this way?!
The tunnel's closed with a steel door.
I could break through, but it would take a while.
It's the entrance to a labyrinth city!
Mizuha's somewhere beyond here?
Is that what you're telling me?
Looks like it's time for the resident intellect, Senba Suzuhiko, to shine!
I shall lead the way using a map!
No Internet connection!
That way.
The far right.
Careful, it's slippery.
How did you know it was here?
Fushi can sense places using the roots that he has linked to himself.
So you know what's ahead, too?
As far as the roots will reach.
And where the roots won't reach is where the enemy base is.
A steel door, huh?
Allow me, the team's muscle, to handle it.
I hurt my arm!
Are you okay, Tamaki-kun?!
It's open!
Nice, Fushi!
Thanks to Nando.
It's a complete maze beyond here.
Every route has a steel door.
We won't know what's ahead until we open them.
Sounds like it's my turn!
I have just the thing to show the way.
Ta-da! The Ouija board!
We can use this to ask the spirits the way.
Spirits?
Ghosts, spirits, anybody, please tell us where Mizuha-senpai is.
These kids are always playing with those things.
It moved!
"Ri..."
You're kidding!
"...ght."
Right!
This way!
Let's go!
Thanks!
Who are you thanking?!
An area closed off behind steel...
Isn't this the place Fen and Nixon were talking about?
Looks like it.
Mizuha's behind there?
That's far enough.
I need you guys to go back.
Why?! We've come all this way!
I wish you could have met Mizuha, but with the entrance being what it is...
I don't think the Nokkers would let you through.
That's the enemy?!
Nokkers?! I've never seen them before!
Nasty indeed.
Be careful, Fushi.
Don't forget to have a backup body ready.
Yeah. Take care of the others.
Okay. Bye.
Well met, Fushi-sama!
Please, help yourself.
Look, Mizuha. Fushi-san's here to see you.
Your birthday gift.
It's belated now, but I wanted to deliver it to you.
My. An album.
Well? Want to take a look?
Oh? You don't?
I'm sorry.
She's been acting so spoiled lately.
What do you want, then?
What? You want Fushi-san?
Oh, dear, this girl.
There isn't really a "Fushi," Mizuha.
I'm... What's here are the bodies of the people I've met to this point.
Is that really what you want?
There is.
Right here.
You're talking to me right now.
Hey, Nokker, Mizuha's here by your will, isn't she?
The outside world hurts Mizuha.
Until the outside world becomes a paradise,
Mizuha's mind and soul both need to remain here.
Mizuha, is that what you really believe?
What's your true wish?
Everyone wants you to come back.
Including me.
Okay, if I died, would you cry for me?
Yeah.
Liar.
You've never even cried before.
O-Of course I have.
You mean the time you became a sea turtle?
Those don't count as human tears.
I can't trust you.
Nothing you say rings true.
I mean, you're always prepared to run away.
Mizuha, I envy you.
You've been Mizuha since the moment you were born,
and you've always been accepted as Mizuha.
Yes, as Mom's trophy.
That's not true.
Izumi-san did try to raise you as someone she could be proud of.
And that may have been upsetting to you.
But she loved you.
That much is certain.
Liar.
Bullshit.
You can't even prove it.
I can. With that album.
I can prove that Izumi-san loves you.
The amnesia induced by the Nokker, the painful memories...
You were always in the middle of it.
But she was desperate not to forget the days she spent with you.
I remember this.
All of it.
I remember.
What do you think you're doing showing me all this, Fushi?
They're painful memories.
You shouldn't have looked at this.
Now, then, shall we begin?
Stop it! Let me go!
Happy birthday, Mizuha! Happy birthday, Mizuha!
Happy birthday dear Mizuha!
Happy birthday Mizuha!
Um, I realize this is a rude thing to say to her family,
but I don't think Mizuha should be down here.
I want you back.
Why did you come here?
You don't actually even care.
No... Why would you say that?
You're just saying things again.
Doesn't it say anything that we came all this way?
We worked together to find you because we care about you!
Stop shouting, Hanna. It's annoying.
Stop deflecting and tell me.
Why do you need to be down here?
Um, may I ask something?
Is Mizuha-senpai seeing a doctor?
I'm not.
Pretend I'm a doctor and hear me out.
You need sunlight, or you risk osteoporosis. It's bad for your health.
You aren't a convincing doctor. I'm not listening to you.
Roger that!
Mizuha, I don't know how you grew up,
and I might not be able to support you at all,
but I want to do everything I can for you.
You don't need to do anything anymore, Hanna.
I'm not expecting anything of you.
But... what am I supposed to do?
Oh, pardon me, but I smell stagnant water here.
Furthermore, the cake looks utterly disgusting.
I recommend that you leave before you become stinky yourself, Mizuha-senpai.
Who's with me?!
You're all awful!
How could you be so rude?
You ought to kick them out immediately!
I don't think you should do that right now.
Why?
Your dream is to grant everyone's dreams, right, Fushi?
And for that to happen, the world has to be peaceful.
I figured out what peace is.
Preview
The change came suddenly at school.
Grotesque monsters threaten Tonari and her schoolmates.
Is there anything they can do about enemies who reincarnate endlessly?
The girls seek freedom.
Invisible Battle