A few people have remembered Aichi.
We can't afford to let this stand.
If they find their way here...
They still wouldn't be able to do anything.
Not as long as we're here.
It sounds like fun!
I wonder how I should play with them...
All of you. If something does happen, it'll be too late to act.
Those who remembered him are new buds growing on a branch, so to speak.
I believe our wisest course of action is to freeze them before they can blossom.
Master...
Please assign me that duty.
And? What will you do?
After reading their minds, I will do whatever needs to be done.
In other words, I will continue my duties as steward.
There are a few things I want to know.
What?
How do we find Aichi?
Do you have any ideas?
Why did he disappear?
How... and for what reason?
And where is he now?
We don't even have any hints to help answer those questions.
Where in the world should we begin?
Do we even really stand a chance of finding Aichi?
I understand your anxiety.
But don't think too much.
But...
Don't think too much about what lies ahead.
It's the same thing with fights, right?
In a trigger check, you never know if you'll draw one until you turn that card over.
What's that? That's a weird analogy.
Kai... you've changed.
Hey, Tokura...
Would you give me a little time?
Sure. I'll leave it to you.
Sorry.
Huh...
It's strange hearing you apologize to someone.
So, where's Ishida?
Still in school, I think...
Aichi's Shadow
Wait, Aichi!
Naoki... It's impossible for you.
W-Why?! I wanna get over there!
You can't come here.
But...
What the...?!
W-Wait, Aichi!
A dream?
Darn it! Why do I gotta have a dream like that?!
It's bad luck at a time when I gotta find Aichi!
Darn it!
Y-You startled me!
You shouldn't suddenly cry out like that!
Shingo... What are you doin' here?
I can go wherever I want.
For some reason, coming to this classroom calms my nerves.
That's all.
It also sharpens my concentration, so I came here to read up on this.
Modern Literature
Hey, Shingo!
Vanguard Monthly
Wait, look! I'm not some idol otaku...
I thought that looked too thick for a textbook.
But I don't care about that.
Why does comin' here make you feel at ease?
Do you remember the Cardfight Club bein' here?
Cardfight Club?! This school has a club like that?!
That would be Utopia for me!
Guess you don't remember...
Remember what?
How can I explain it?
In a nutshell...
That struck totally close!
The static electricity made my hair stand on end.
Huh?
Was that window open before?
It's suddenly pouring out there.
Weird weather...
This weather is like your feelings right now.
In a word, that feeling is "turmoil."
Who the heck are you?!
I am Moress Pennyworth.
I'm employed as a certain person's steward.
And what's a steward doin' here?!
I came to fulfill my master's wish.
Wish?
To shatter your will.
You're directing that strong will towards your friend.
Friend?
What does Shingo have to do with...
Well, it doesn't matter if you understand or not.
Wait... you're talkin' about Aichi?!
Interestin'...
Okay, I'll fight you.
In that case, will you picture it?
Being caught in a web, immobile, only able to wait for your inevitable death...
...as spider's prey.
What is this?!
Here I come...
I don't know who you are, but Naoki ain't such a pushover
that he'd give up on a friend over a little intimidation!
Stand up, Vanguard!
Brawler, Fighting Dracokid!
Megacolony Battler C!
Read their minds?
Much like anticipating a master's thoughts.
It's a steward skill.
Reading their thoughts will be simplicity itself.
What are their current thoughts?
At the moment,
I'm certain our three troublemakers have no idea what they should do next.
And so?
Because of that, their feelings are in turmoil over whether they'll really be able to find him.
I shall use that turmoil to arrest their wills and crush them.
Ishida...
I ride Machining Hornet!
I ride Teirin!
Attack!
That's a fierce unit.
Just like your will...
However, a person's will cannot remain strong forever.
Machining Mantis attacks!
I activate Caucasus's skill!
I paralyze one of your rear-guard units!
Megacolony's stand prevention.
I prefer the more elegant term "paralyze."
And then...
...just like with this unit, I paralyze a person's will.
You're unable to do a thing.
Kotenka!
I'm sick of hearin' your mouth flap!
Guard!
I ride Cyclomatooth!
You're trying to use your strong will to find your friend.
What about it?!
Well... how are you planning to locate him?
Are you capable of articulating that here?
What?
Come. Please tell me.
W-Well... I...
There's nothing you can say.
For you understand nothing.
Oh, yeah?!
Call!
I activate Papilio's skill!
And as that makes its entrance, I can paralyze one unit!
Wha...?!
Jerk! So what if I don't understand?!
I'll rely on my guts to do it somehow!
Oh, really?
When you're driving a car but don't know your destination,
will putting the pedal to the metal somehow get you there eventually?
Truly, even you must know the answer to that.
You won't reach it that way.
Aichi, wait!
Attack!
Darn it!
Ishida seems strange somehow...
I paralyze a unit again.
Every time I do that to a unit, your mind becomes paralyzed too.
I shall expand their turmoil, weaken their wills, and transform those into despair.
Please picture it.
You, not getting anywhere...
The subsequent feeling of wasted effort...
Will you be able to endure that?
For Aichi's sake, you bet I'll endure it!
If you never make it there, that feeling of wasted effort
will continue for months, years... no, the rest of your life.
And as that feeling accumulates, a person's will weakens.
Th-That'll never happen to me...
No matter how much effort you put into something, if it never pays off,
even a strong will becomes paralyzed.
You've experienced that before, haven't you?
Shut up!
No matter how much you drivel on, I'm gonna find Aichi!
Do you really think you can?
I can!
You're wrong!
You're simply lying from bravado.
What?!
The fact of the matter is that you know you can't do it.
Why, you...
There is uncertainty in your heart!
I'll lay it out for you.
At the bottom of your heart, you know you can't do it.
You're just afraid to admit that!
Look deep into your heart.
Then the truth shall become clear.
No matter how desperately you strive, you'll never reach your friend.
You'll never get closer to him.
It's impossible for you.
Despite your will and effort, you're just spinning your wheels.
You can't come here.
You're held captive by a feeling of helplessness.
In the end, you'll even lose the ability to move.
Just as my master has commanded, all enemies shall be paralyzed!
Break ride!
Machining Spark Hercules!
Now I'm going to show you what I meant by "losing the ability to move"!
Break ride skill!
Hercules gets +10000 power!
All of your units, including the Vanguard, are paralyzed!
I... I can't stand any of my units?!
Not even the Vanguard?!
Now even you understand what it means to lose the ability to move, yes?
You cannot accomplish anything with your will.
That holds true for this fight, and also regarding your friend.
I... I...
What's this? It seems you haven't given up yet.
Then you leave me no choice.
Hercules's skill.
With an Especial Soulblast, it gets +2000 power!
I do the same skill one more time.
Call!
Observe, unmoving, as Kohiko is miserably smashed.
Realize that there is nothing you can do!
After their will has been stopped in its tracks...
...I shall inflict upon them abject loss.
With that, their wills shall be crushed!
I can't... do anything...
Limit Break!
The power is 41000...
Y-You can't give up!
Giving up over something like this isn't like you, Ishida!
We fought together...
...so I know that better than anyone!
We fought together?
What? What am I saying?
Anyway, not important right now. Ishida!
Goodbye, Naoki Ishida.
Is there really nothin' I can do?
Nothin' except give up?
Aichi!
Walk together with your mate...
A mate that fights by your side!
One ray of light, extending out into the despair of oblivion...
When the strength of two is combined, a giant power is born!
Ishida, hang in there!
Guard! Intercept!
What?!
Attack!
Guard!
Yeah, you hit the nail on the head.
I was worried about whether I could find Aichi or not.
But...
You! You!
It may be impossible for me to do it alone, but along with my friends,
I'm sure I'll be able to make it!
Ishida...
That's right. I ain't fightin' alone!
That's what this guy taught me.
You and your friend reach out to each other with hot blood,
then bring on the fight!
I ride...
...Brawler, Skybeat Dragon!
True, you kept me from standin' my units.
But if I ride like this, I can make my own opportunity to stand!
Crafty...
What can you do with just one unit?!
I told ya, I'm not alone!
Seek mate!
This Vanguard can call out a mate just once!
Whoa! And now, Legion!
Legion?!
With its skill, I retire one of your rear-guard units!
I use the skill of Fighting Dracokid to retire one more unit!
Legion attack!
Guard!
You shouldn't be able to break through this defense!
Twin drive check!
A trigger here?!
This is...
It's the power of more than one person!
And I'm definitely gonna use that power to find my mate, Aichi!
It seems like you know some interestin' things.
You're gonna share 'em with me, huh?
Enough. Withdraw.
But...
Regardless. Withdraw.
This won't happen next time.
We shall meet again!
Gone...
Darn it! He got away clean.
Who was he?
Sorry to get you mixed up in it.
Huh? Not at all...
More importantly, Ishida, when I cheered you on, I felt like...
You remembered?!
It's like it's inside of a thick fog, so I can't see it clearly.
I see.
So that's what happened...
Although the guy didn't clearly say that he had some connection to Aichi.
I see...
Hi. This is unusual.
What can I do for you today?
Darn it, what's with that steward guy?!
But I can still sense it.
The shadow of those people who said not to look for Aichi!
We have to increase our number of mates.
But whoever we choose will be exposed to danger.
Next time: Seek the Mate!
Seek the Mate
We need to find mates who aren't afraid of danger!
You mean someone stupid like me?
It's fine, but...
Sorry.
You admitted it!