Wh-What the hell is that?
It's a monster!
No, it's a massive cocoon.
I could tell at a glance.
What I was seeing was out of this world. A supernatural occurrence.
The other students all stood speechless and helpless. And who could blame them?
They'd never experienced or even imagined an encounter like this.
With the exception of those from the quarantine facility.
THE LAD WHO LOVED INSECTS
Hatoyanagi-sensei.
Well, isn't this impressive?
Someone want to tell me who took this giant shit
in the hallowed front line brigade's barracks?
Was it you? Or you?
You buffoons had better confess now
if you want to prove your loyalty to your country!
And I thought this school couldn't get any worse
with all the refuse that's wormed its way into our halls.
Ichimi! Futaba! Mitsue! Shiki! My babies!
I can't reach!
Hey. You say those are yours?
Is this monstrosity your doing?
N-N-No, sir.
How did a wretch like you even get a recommendation to enroll here?
I got one from Iwamoto Kodo-senpai, sir.
Can't say I'm surprised about that.
Iwamoto-kun.
The quarantine facility is more or less under your management, correct?
Yes, sir.
Your freaks have caused more than enough trouble for our front line brigade.
Do you understand what I'm saying?
Yes, sir.
Then it's your damn responsibility to find out who did this!
And bring them to me!
I don't even want to touch you.
It's disgusting.
I'm not sure what Kitsujo sees in you,
but you're wasting everyone's time collecting these walking trash piles.
I-Iwamoto-san...
It is the spirit of patriotism
that brings young men here to train their bodies and minds
in order to ascend to the ranks of the elite!
Cleaning up trash is the perfect task for your worthless bunch.
No need to dirty the hands of productive soldiers serving their country! Got it?!
Yes, sir.
And so, Iwamoto-senpai began searching for the culprit.
Any reason you're looking in a place like this?
Wait, do you already have a suspect in mind?
Are you going to sneak up behind them and nab them?!
No.
Glad to see he's doing well.
W-Was that another student from the quarantine facility?
I just wanted to confirm he was alive.
Hey, hold on! We're gonna get stuck!
So do you actually have any idea who's behind it?
I hate to tell you this, but it's easy to understand
why the quarantine facility's students would be suspected.
And once the culprit's caught, that drill sergeant from hell will likely kill them.
It's quite a pickle.
My condolences, Iwamoto-sa—
Hey, it's Iwamoto!
Hey, man! How goes the investigation?
Yikes. It's the front line brigade.
What's the matter? You're looking all pasty.
Maybe you oughta come get some exercise with the rest of us.
They say a healthy mind needs a healthy body to dwell in!
Do you know this guy?
No, not really. Although he does often talk at me.
Hey, come on! That's rude!
I'm Gondo, a third-year, my boy.
And I was his first friend after he enrolled.
Uh-huh...
Keeping an eye on me, Gondo?
Man, I'm not a spy.
I just figured we could chat about the state of the world.
Even from an objective perspective...
Actually, no. I just can't think of anyone capable of it.
Iwamoto-senpai?! You didn't share your thoughts with me!
What about that Japanese doll kid?
Awadama-kun, naturally, wouldn't be capable of it.
He's a genuine victim.
They should all burn. They should all burn.
With his dolls in that cocoon,
They should all burn. They should all burn.
he's done nothing but curse people all day.
Well, that's freaky.
That said, everyone thinks only one of your guys
could call on a bug capable of whipping up that thing.
I'd rather they didn't speculate.
The first question is: Whose power could have caused something like this?
There should be no students with powers I'm unfamiliar with in the school, but...
You've got a point.
Well, whatever the truth is, Hatoyanagi-sensei is absolutely furious.
I'd love to offer you my help, but...
Excuse me.
May I have a word?
What the hell, man?
Forgive me. It gets humid here in the dining hall.
Who is this guy?
I believe this is the rain man... Sazame Ryu-kun.
He's a member of my squad.
I appreciate you visiting us in spite of the weather.
Man, you really do have a quirky bunch, don't you?
Did you need something?
Well, more like there's a place I'd like you to take a look at.
Care to join me?
Due to my power, I tend to inspect areas where the air quality is different.
This leads me to wet the school's hallways, but...
When I was doing my rounds in the quarantine facility,
I came across an area where it rained rather hard.
I'll be waiting outside. I'm sure you don't need an even bigger mess.
Oh, no, we appreciate the help!
Whose room is this?
This entire block should just be empty rooms.
It's open.
This is getting scary.
What's this? It's so humid.
Where the hell did these plants come from?
What in the world?
What am I looking at here?
A jungle? Or... some kinda setup meant to resemble one, at least?
Who could've done this?
It's like the ideal environment for raising bugs.
Bugs?
The culprit likely used this room, thinking no one would discover it.
So whatever's inside that cocoon was raised in here?
Why would they do that?
The quarantine facility and the research tower are on pretty cordial terms.
They'd probably have space to spare if someone needed it.
Awadama-kun's room just happens to be above this one.
Do you think whatever was here left to pupate?
Why bother leaving, though?
Well, if it was going to make a cocoon, I guess it wanted a place that was safer,
or where it felt more comfortable.
And that place was our barracks?
Or maybe that's where the person who raised it is.
Gondo.
Whose room does the cocoon cover?
Iwamoto.
I'm Okano Saburo, a second-year in the front line brigade.
Okano, do you know why we're here?
Yes. I'm the one who created that cocoon with my powers.
Typically, I would be in the quarantine facility
as a member of Iwamoto-senpai's squad.
What is this place?
I'll explain.
I've had a strange power my entire life.
In response to my affection, creatures that I raise
are capable of changing into unique shapes and colors.
I'm particularly fond of insects,
and I've spent most of my life raising insects in secret with this power.
But due to my physical build,
I earned a recommendation from an officer who visited my town, which I accepted.
I caught Hatoyanagi-sensei's eye and ended up in the front line brigade.
Even after learning there were others like me in the school,
I was afraid of the insects I loved being used for military purposes,
so I kept quiet about my power.
However...
I stumbled on this cave, where I happened to find him...
and maybe I showed a little too much affection.
He grew attached to me and followed me everywhere. I was unable to ignore him.
So I raised him with great care.
I'm sorry for keeping quiet about this.
I'll accept any punishment.
Falsifying records, lying to a superior officer...
If Hatoyanagi-sensei hears the truth, he might actually kill Okano-san!
FACULTY OFFICE
Okano's responsible?
Yes, sir.
If that's true, he's guilty of lying to an officer.
That's grounds for a court-martial.
Here's what I'm wondering: What happens to him, then?
I don't buy it, Iwamoto.
He's a crucial part of the front line brigade that I personally trained.
I'm not letting you have him.
Hatoyanagi-sensei, let me deal with the matter of the cocoon.
I'm listening, Iwamoto.
I make this suggestion because I agree with you about something.
What the hell are you boys doing? Eavesdropping?
Sorry, sir!
Iwamoto-san! Are you sure about this? That old fart's such a jerk!
He tore into you when nobody knew who the culprit was, but now...
It pisses me off!
He's got his own standards.
Although we'll never get along...
Okano-kun.
I'm going to have to dispose of the cocoon. Do you understand?
Yes.
Bloom.
Okano.
I've heard that when a pupa inside a cocoon is heated up,
it'll sometimes emerge early.
Iwamoto-san?
Look at that, girls.
Wh-What the...
They're... fireflies!
Iwamoto...
Iwamoto-san, why...
Fighting on the front line isn't the only kind of military application.
If you don't like that, come up with a different use for them.
You can take the time you need.
That's what schools are for.
Okano Saburo revealed his power for the first time since enrolling.
Or that's how it was explained to the authorities,
with Iwamoto-senpai tidying up the unfortunate incident.
Hatoyanagi-sensei signed off on the resolution.
Having begun to learn about his powers,
he now doesn't hide his affection for insects,
while training in the front line brigade and simultaneously refining his ability.
Iwamoto-senpai said this:
The value of my squad?
I've never even thought about it.
But I believe everyone has abilities, big or small,
and if we encourage their development and wait for them to bloom,
in time, they'll become true assets that light the way for this country.
True assets?
That's what I believe.
SIHO MIDDLE SCHOOL FRONT LINE BRIGADE SECOND-YEAR, OKANO SABURO
HAS ODD ABILITY WHERE, IN RESPONSE TO HIS AFFECTION,
LIFE-FORMS HE HAS MADE CONTACT WITH AND HELPED RAISE
MATURE INTO DISTINCT COLORS AND SHAPES
"Here are your director's instructions."
"A certain region tells tales of undead."
"This must not be investigated under any circumstances."
"Iwamoto Kodo-dono. Consider this a warning."
K PREFECTURE S CITY
Nothing out of the ordinary so far.
Kitsujo-sensei doesn't want me investigating this place.
That's never happened before.
But... I'll make the call on whether to get involved or not
after I find out what's going on.
The businesses are operating normally.
No one has mentioned any strange rumors.
The food tastes normal, too.
Sir, if I may recommend this dish, as well.
I don't recall ordering it.
Oh, don't be like that.
Nobody likes a picky eater.
Amaba-kun...
Why did you stop attending school? You'd barely been there three days.
It just didn't suit me.
I appreciate having the right to attend, though.
Don't worry. I'll pop in when I have a need to.
The top-secret documents in Kitsujo-sensei's desk...
I thought you might find them handy.
Unbelievable.
You're as troublesome as ever.
Hey, if you hadn't caught me back then, I'd still be plying my old trade.
But for today, I think you owe my bad habits some gratitude.
I'll pretend this never happened.
MULTIPLE BLEACHED SKELETONS DISCOVERED. SKETCH PROVIDED FOR RECORDS.
Strange pictures.
You sure you don't mean "eerie"?
I figured you'd wanna stick your nose into this kinda stuff.
Incidents where "something strange" is going on.
What exactly is strange about this?
I just happened to drop by this area while on vacation.
Come on. Don't lie to me.
You think someone with powers is up to something.
I wonder, though...
Even if it's to help someone with powers, defying the director's orders...
You're one to talk.
So how's it going?
Find anything concrete about someone with powers in these parts yet?
A bleached skeleton with human flesh.
Only a person with powers could create something so extraordinary.
And when you factor in the local folklore, it sounds even more likely.
I thought so, too.
I wonder what he doesn't want you looking into.
Something smells fishy, doesn't it, Iwamoto-senpai?
About the local "Legend of Migiashi Lake's Walking Dead."
A story from the Edo period about corpses getting up and walking around at night.
Kitsujo-san's stance is weird, and so is this town.
Nobody seems on edge in spite of these bizarre rumors.
That'll catch the attention of an ace detective like you, right?
I have nothing better to do, so I'll play assistant.
Sounds like fun.
Don't make jokes.
So, what to do first? See if we can turn up some actual skeletons?
Maybe by just digging around?
Wait.
GAS REFINERY
A gas refinery?
A factory that'd pollute the lake the town bases its tourism around?
Why would they build something like that?
Are those... hot air balloons?
Yeah. And a fair amount of them, too.
You don't see them in the civilian world often.
You've got a point. Let's take a look.
"No fire inside."
Looks like you're banned, Iwamoto-san.
Man, they're like castle walls. Awfully secure.
Let's head inside and investigate.
Ah, I love the directness, Iwamoto-senpai.
I really do, but...
How do you intend to get in there? Especially without military backing.
A facility this huge ought to have a back door somewhere.
Let's go find it. Nice and stealthy-like.
You seem used to this.
Well, it's where life has led me.
Whoa there.
They're all in black.
Like a little group of mourners.
Let's see...
"They're headed this way soon. Everything is ready."
You can read lips?
Learning was a great way to kill time.
Look.
Maybe you weren't wrong about there being a funeral.
Why are they bringing a casket into a place like this?
It's a factory, right?
Put this on.
Oh, I get it. An undercover investigation, Iwamoto-senpai?
It's always so much trouble, these funerals for people from that area.
But it's not like we've got a choice.
We just need to deal with it in the factory, and that'll be that.
I just hope that even the returners can rest in peace.
Returners?
NEXT TIME: THE LEGEND OF THE DEAD AND THE GAS REFINERY