Checkmate.
Oh! That's the legendary hitman for you!
You're just saying that.
It's been a while since you let me take you on,
but even as a middle schooler, you're seriously cracked!
Well, this younger body definitely isn't as strong.
But since I still have all my experience and knowledge,
maybe I can actually move better in the field than I used to.
Were you actually human in your prime?
I mean...
Yeah, I did get a fresh reminder that you've always been freakishly strong.
Even back in middle school,
but still...
Don't go all out without thinking about the consequences again.
Like you did with Tenma!
Seriously, I'm pretty sure the kids from home ec are still suspicious!
Yeah, yeah. I get it.
And apparently, the report I sent the boss still wasn't detailed enough.
How damn thorough does that doting father need to be?
Listen, okay? If you're gonna keep living as a middle schooler,
the one rule is never let anyone find out who you really are.
For the boss's mission...
For your paycheck...
And more than anything...
For your own sake, Boss.
At least, that's how I see things.
Yeah.
You're right.
HOME EC ROOM
Ogami...
Noren...
I have a favor to ask.
This weekend...
would you two...
go on a double date with me?
- Huh? - Huh?
What?
President, don't tell me you agreed to go out with Tenma!
I-I-I-I didn't! I have no intention of doing that!
But...
I love you!
Huh?
Chisato!
He's been showing up every single day, and I sort of let it slip...
that maybe I could at least go on one date.
Wow, you fold way easier than I thought!
I mean...
a double date?
Why?
I said, it couldn't be just the two of us, but if Noren and Oga come, then okay.
No, do not drag us into this!
You're usually so on top of things,
but when it comes to this stuff, you're hopeless.
Yeah, I'm ashamed to admit it.
Get it together! Keep this up...
and someday when you're one of those businesswomen...
who scares off every guy around her because she's too competent at work...
Chisato!
...you'll get suckered by some random pushy loser!
I just thought maybe if I went on one date with him, he'd be satisfied.
What kind of a plan is that?
It's even more delusional than Japan's low birthrate countermeasures!
DOKI-DOKI DOUBLE DATE SATURDAY, MAY 23rd
Somehow...
I ended up getting roped into this double date.
But honestly, I'm still curious about Ogami's secret.
Maybe I'll find out something today.
Yo!
President!
Man, I'm really sorry about all this.
Wait, what is that outfit?
Well, with the duel thing, this is sort of anti-pickup-guy protection.
Ah, you're already here!
Sorry to keep you waiting!
- That's workout gear! - Huh?
I wasn't expecting you to show up stylish or anything...
but come on! That's workout gear!
Huh? Is it bad?
You know this is a date, right? Not the gym?
Who the hell said that Unicorns were perfect inside and out?
His stats are ridiculously lopsided.
In fact, everything got dumped into physical.
A date with my beloved Chisato!
I'm so, so happy!
But he's so pure!
At this rate, he's just gonna steamroll you!
Huh? Am I last?
Sorry. Kept you waiting.
A jacket...
and a clutch bag?
Huh?
This isn't about whether it's stylish or not!
You're on some completely different wavelength!
I'm pretty sure I got the size right.
That's not the issue!
A date?
Are you sure about this?
You're an old man, remember?
What choice do I have?
If we're just walking around town, I'll manage somehow.
I won't be around at your departure time, though.
What are you gonna wear?
It'll be fine.
I'll just wear something normal.
Your "normal" is an automatic fail, boss!
Still...
what a weird group.
And Noren's outfit is like some celebrity trying not to be recognized.
Am I the only normal middle schooler here?
Uh...
So, what are we going to do?
I figured we'd browse some shops around here, then maybe catch a movie.
That's surprisingly normal!
Thank goodness it's not training.
Man, this used to be just some nothing park back in the day.
There were even homeless guys hanging around.
Huh? Back in the day?
I mean, I just happened to see some random old guy write that online!
Don't let your guard down, Boss!
Old guy?
HACHIROU RAMEN
Oh! I've been kind of curious...
about that ramen place!
Huh? You like ramen?
What? No...
I mean... I have it once in a while, I guess!
That place has a line full of seriously hardcore customers.
You wanna go heavy, huh?
Sorry, ramen's out for me.
Today's not a cheat day.
You're seriously training at that level?
Well, I guess I am getting a little hungry.
Wanna duck into that coffee house over there?
"Coffee house"?
I mean, it's not like nobody says that...
but when Ogami says it, it fits way too well!
Man...
this has been fun, Chisato!
O-Oh, y-yeah?
Crap. Somehow I actually had a pretty good time.
I knew it!
I thought so before, too, but it's not so much that he's weird!
It's like he's a totally different age!
But plain and simple, he's a middle schooler for sure!
It's not like he just looks young!
Oh, shit!
What the hell? My body suddenly feels...
Crap! Did I pass out?
Judging by the scene, has it been about an hour?
Huh? My hands look old.
Wait...
This stubble...
What? I'm back to being an adult?
Was there some trigger?
Or did the wasp venom just wear off naturally?
No, that doesn't matter right now!
This is really bad!
By "bad," I mean...
the visuals! Why now?
Could the timing possibly be any worse?
MIDDLE SCHOOL / MIDDLE SCHOOL MIDDLE AGE / MIDDLE SCHOOL
If they notice me like this...
EEK AAAH
Oh, no. I already want to die.
Ogami, is something wrong?
Bathroom!
Huh?
Now that I'm thinking clearly, what the hell am I doing?
Even if I felt more like a chaperone tagging along...
What grown-ass man goes on a double date with middle schoolers?
Am I an idiot?
That snapped me right back to my senses.
I panicked a little, but I'm back to normal now.
This little game ends here.
I'm just gonna bail.
I do feel a little bad about breaking my promise to Noren...
but an old guy going to middle school in the first place is insane.
Hey, Ogami!
- Huh? Tenma? - What, did you fall in?
The movie's over—
That scared me.
Hey!
Coming all the way over to the stall? Of course he would!
Dammit, what do I do?
Oh, we're connected.
What happened?
Don't say anything! Just look at this!
Y-You're back!
And Noren and the others are outside...
so I can't get out of this damn restroom.
All you brought today was that clutch bag, right?
Lock picks, mini bombs and a bunch of useless...
Oh!
The cat-shaped voice-changer sticker!
At least it's not a bow tie.
Hey, are you really okay in there?
Stick it around your Adam's apple.
Then use the app on your phone to change the frequency, and...
U-Uh...
I-I might not be okay.
Huh? Seriously?
M-My stomach's messed up. I can't come out.
You three go home without me.
It's that bad? Should I call an ambulance?
No! It's not that bad! But I can't come out right away!
We were only heading home anyway, so just go! Please!
Okay.
I'll tell them.
Oh, thank goodness!
Now if I just wait a little and come out, I can get home safe, and—
Huh? Wh-Who are...
Wh-What the...
- Hey! Wait! T-Tenma! - Huh?
- Ogami! Noren just... - Safety...
...is officially off the table?
Noren got kidnapped!
Another kidnapping?
Again with this crap?
Noren, even this old man's starting to feel sorry for you!
Dammit! No, I can't!
I can't just leave her!
If I go home now, I'll never sleep right again!
Dammit!
You okay?
I'm fine...
but Noren...
Boss! If you come out like that, they're gonna get a good look at you!
Tenma!
Hug her as hard as you can! Right now!
Huh?
Like this?
Big Sis!
What did the kidnappers look like?
Uh, th-there were two of them!
Both wearing black hoodies!
A black van! Heading toward Gaien?
TENGOKU GAIENZAKA
Huh?
Hey, wait!
Message this number!
You'll be reimbursed!
What?
Dammit! One thing after another!
Boss, I just realized something.
Yeah?
That whole restroom thing...
Couldn't you have just walked out pretending to be a total stranger?
Oh! Yeah!
I panicked and didn't think of it!
Well, that's rare.
He's been in plenty of situations...
that called for way tougher split-second calls.
And panicking over anything at all is out of character for him.
Was he really enjoying middle school life that much?
Jeez! How long are you gonna keep hugging me?
Oh. I was so happy, I forgot.
This is not the time!
Ogami went after them alone, and I don't know what we can even do...
but we have to go after him!
Huh?
Why?
As long as you're safe, I'm good, Chisato.
Do I have to go?
Ogami already went, didn't he?
Well...
Of course you do!
What are you, a robot?
Did you already forget what we talked about?
When someone's in trouble, you go to help!
Sure, we're middle schoolers! I know encouraging us to go is crazy!
But that attitude is not okay!
And here I was, actually having a little fun today!
Don't make me lose respect for you!
Someone who talks like that at a time like this...
is someone I could never like!
I'm sorry.
People have always told me I can't read the room...
or that I don't understand how other people feel.
Even when I think I get it, I don't really get it.
And I'm sure that's going to keep happening.
So...
I want you to teach me.
I'll try.
So I don't make you cry, Chisato.
Okay!
I'm going.
Chisato, stay here and call the police.
No, I'm going, too—
You're slow, and you'd probably just get in the way.
- Hello? Ogami? Where are you? - You just said...
...you were going to try not to make me cry!
Jeez, Tenma...
He's coming, too?
And what the hell is this crap?
Can't believe I turned back into a kid again in the middle of chasing them.
Okay, I'm here!
Sorry to keep you waiting!
That was fast! How'd you get here?
Huh? I ran.
It was only two or three kilometers.
He's not a triple threat superman for nothing.
There they are.
Those guys...
They don't seem like your average NPCs, do they?
Are they high or something?
Yeah.
Crap! I screwed up!
I figured they were just low-level thugs, so I brought Tenma along...
but that mark...
Their organization's bigger than ours.
In number of assassins, track record, sales, and customer satisfaction...
They're number one across the board! The biggest name in the business!
JARDIN!
They rank their clients based on their membership fee.
The higher the rank, the tougher the assassins they send.
Supposedly, only VIPs are allowed to join the top-tier black rank!
Huh? There's two of 'em.
The little one is...
Well, whatever.
Kazuma Rindou, age 15!
Either way, this'll be over in no time.
The big one is Eiji Rindou, age 13!
They're both black-rank assassins!
Hold up! They're middle schoolers?
Huh?
Hello?
Ah...
Nice to meet you, Ogami.
And Tenma Tendo, as well.
What do you want?
Why, the Mitsuoka duel, of course. And the position of fiancé.
Though...
I'll formally challenge you for that another day.
Today, my goal is...
Noren's heart.
My specialty is hypnosis.
I'm going to use it to make her fall in love with Eiji here.
Huh? You can't just—
I can.
I can hypnotize anyone powerfully and instantly.
If I win the duel, I can take the position of fiancé.
But merely having the title would not satisfy me.
Noren Mitsuoka must become...
my little brother Eiji's bride in body and soul.
- Wha... - Wha...
Um, your brother there...
He's only been going "ooh" and "aah" this whole time.
Indeed. My brother is a man of few words.
But once she falls in love with him, that will be a minor detail.
No, this isn't about a "few words."
It's more like, is he alive?
Even if, for argument's sake, they did get married...
could he actually make a marriage work long term?
He moves, therefore he lives.
I won't deny there may be certain areas where he falls short, but not to worry.
I will support him. And with that, our conversation is over.
Agreed?
Like hell I do!
What a nuisance.
By the way, Tenma...
- Huh? - Huh?
Me?
I have a proposal.
You only came here because Chisato Shiraishi told you to, right?
If you leave Ogami behind and go home right now,
I'll use hypnosis to make Chisato Shiraishi fall in love with you.
You'll get what you want, and avoid putting yourself in unnecessary danger.
Well?
This guy...
He's done a serious amount of research!
Tenma doesn't really understand emotions.
Don't tell me...
Jeez...
You probably shouldn't have said that.
That's basically like fixing a match, right?
The way I feel about Chisato...
is no different from the three sports I've devoted my life to.
If I have to win by cheating, I'd rather lose for real and cry about it.
Tenma...
I mean, I'm definitely gonna win, though!
Big Sis, you've got one hell of an admirer.
So, honestly...
I was already getting pissed off from the whole Noren thing at the start.
I don't like you guys.
And I'm not really in the mood to just let this slide.
So, there you have it. We're done talking.
Give Noren back, you trash-tier matchmaking brothers.
Negotiations have broken down, then.
Very well.
War it is!
Golf?
- Crap! Dodge, Tenma! - Huh? Ah...
These guys are nuts!
Ogami! Even I can tell what's going on here!
If that hits us, we're dead!
Yeah, I'm with you on that one!
For now, get out into the concourse and find cover!
All right. I'll pursue them.
You keep watch over Noren, and if you sense them anywhere, snipe them!
Dammit, who the hell are these guys?
This is bad!
Empty-handed, even I might be in trouble!
Boss!
Can you get toward block 320?
I sent a drone loaded with guns your way!
For real? You're a lifesaver!
What's gotten into you, Nekota? You're absolutely killing it today!
Okay, here it comes! That's it!
I'm not letting you get your hands on a weapon.
You're in the same line of work, aren't you?
It fell inside the concourse.
But it's too far away.
And if he can hit a drone from that position...
I won't have time to go grab it!
So, it ends before I even use my real weapon.
How anticlimactic!
Boss!
The big guy left on the ground...
is the sniper, right?
Wha...
He used the sound to make Eiji snipe it...
so the blast wave would launch the gun toward him.
Listen.
I basically see Noren as a daughter.
Now imagine you're the dad...
and some guy shows up at your house asking to have your daughter!
We're in love!
Because I hypnotized her.
Naturally, I'm gonna beat the shit outta you!