Things begin with Shennong in the infirmary, with narration saying it's been some time since he became the Shinjuku school doctor after transferring in from the military prison academy. Just before he came in, he was appointed as if he were a replacement for Mononobe, who had suddenly gone one leave, which threw the school into chaos. However, Shennong and the other teachers worked to make up for his absence. They listened to the students' worries, gave them advice, and soon the school returned to business as usual. On school days, Shennong would handle health consultations for the students and help with their worries. On weekends, he'd spend the whole day preparing guidance plans and setting up equipment. And so he spends his days here, protecting its usual way of life while knowing the day that Tokyo would be covered in the flames of war.
Shennong's thoughts turn to you, the one who lead to the events that lead to his appointment here. He thinks, what if he just took the students he got attached to and ran away? Maybe he could save one, maybe two people at most. He should be able to defend them to the end at least. He unfortunately cannot take everyone with him though. He can't save everyone, so sacrifices have to be made.
Shennong thinks out loud, wondering which choice is right and which is wrong. Narration says he used to work as an army doctor for the military prison academy, the frontline base of war. In the army, an army doctor has very high standing on the pecking order. That won't stop them from being dismissed if the top brass thinks they're causing a problem though. But anyways, him being up there means that Shennong is privy to a certain amount of information about the Warmongers' military operations, though not as much as the leaders.
Shennong throws out the term Operation Mahakala as he looks out to the sky to the east of Shinjuku, past where the Yamanote Line separates the eastern and western sides of the city. Several km to the north in that direction, walls should be up around the area where the true big three guilds are battling it out. It is also the place where the Warmongers' ultimate weapon is being tested.
Mineaki turns out to be in the room with Shennong, and Shennong asks him if he's really going to go over there to take a look at things after knowing about the ultimate weapon thing. He warns that if he misjudges when to pull out as a triple agent, it's going to be on his head. Mineaki laughs as he says plans on being a regular guy, and that even now he plans on being Yoyogi's sports physician as his main job. He's thought about hiding underground for a spell, but he says that his coworker teacher seems to be in deep. Mineaki then asks Shennong if he'll help him, just like old times. And as he says that, his eye artifact gleams.
Scene shifts over to where Shiva is running around and yelling, trying to find someone to vent the raging emotions within him to. His hands swing out, breaking the steel frames of buildings he passes by, and the main street of Ikebukuro is leveled in his wake. Among the endless cycles of reincarnation, this Thing was pressed onto him amidst his harsh training. But the arrow from a short while ago reawakened his sleeping passions. Now an unquenchable flame is burning within Shiva.
Shiva yells out loud, demanding to know where Varuna-Kamadeva is, the one who gave him these feelings. Shiva is aware of the other devas' expectations are when they instigated all this of course. They were forcing a new role on him for the world of Reincarnation, Deva Loka. But he refused as training and asceticism were the only things he cared about. He never cared about living for the world or about associating with other people. Because of that, Varuna-Kamadeva gave Shiva the power and authority of passion and forcibly put him into the System of Reincarnation.
Shiva yells some more, and narration says he knows about the above. He doesn't know why Varuna-Kamadeva agreed to do it though. Once, that almighty deva relinquished his powers one by one. Each time he did, he descended as he lost the faith that went with them, and eventually he was left with the power of love. If Varuna-Kamadeva were to give it up, he would lose all roles to fulfill in that world. Those with no roles to fulfill are seen as having no value in living. Their faith would be lost, and they would be fated to disappear from the world. In this case, Varuna-Kamadeva would disappear before Shiva's third eye could burn him away. So, why? What is Shiva supposed to do with these aroused feelings he can't keep down?
Shiva yells yet again, and special element angel mobs see him coming and sound out an order to retreat. Michael and Amaterasu are standing on the roof of a nearby building overlooking the street, and Michael talks about how he came to see for himself about the rumor about the Warmongers' ultimate weapon. He then asks Amaterasu what she thinks about the chaos on the streets and about Shiva especially. Amaterasu notes that compared to previous loops, Shiva is being especially violent, or rampaging wildly rather. So much so that it's reminding her of her younger brother. How frightening. Amaterasu then apologizes for her remark and notes that Shiva is strong, but also rejecting his role.
Michael agrees with Amaterasu and talks about how Shiva is stubbornly refusing his class, which means he isn't able to use his true power. He's a known threat like he has been in all the other loops, but he's not a game changer to the balance between the three big guilds...assuming he stays the same that is.
Scene shifts to your end as the game talks about how the Exception Mahakala is floating in the sky above Kabukicho. He's transparent as a ghost though, and it seems as if he'd disappear at any moment. Compared to the five Exceptions you've faced previously, he is far less dangerous than they are.
Temujin is watching from far away, and Perun soon joins him asking if that's the rumored ultimate weapon of the Warmongers. Temujin acknowledges his arrival, then says it's as he sees. He starts talking about how the underground labyrinth beneath the city is where the personality of many of the beings not allowed to be summoned to Tokyo are sealed. They apparently cannot manifest wherever there's meaningful information, ie light. Their powers cannot be utilized through the App, according to the guildmasters of the true big three guilds anyways.
Temujin explains that what the Warmongers did now is 'expanding the underground maze above ground.' They've made new walls around of the same materials as the walls of the underground maze to make domes. This extends the enclosed areas from the underground, and the shadow of the Exception can be called forth. This way they'll keep their wills and can interact with others, but Temujin questions what happens after that. He talks about how Exceptions are receptacles for powers with nowhere to go, and they only possess great strength when infinite power is poured into them. They'd otherwise be no more than ghosts. Perun notes that when that power is put into them, they become unreliable weapons that hurt ally and enemy alike.
Michael and Amaterasu are having this exact same conversation as the camera pivots to them to continue it. Michael talks about how on one hand there's Shiva not being able to use his concept power since he won't accept his class. Back to Temujin and Perun, Perun points out how there's Mahakala on the other hand unable to hold a class because he's been stripped of his power. Then camera shifts to Ose who is by all appearances alone and talking to himself on this same topic, and he notes that both Shiva and Mahakala are Incomplete as weapons. The rest of the Warmongers are aware of all this, which means that there must be another phase to Operation Mahakala.
Scene then shifts to your end as you and Kengo are carrying Marduk through Kabukicho. Kengo is breathing hard as he struggles with Marduk's weight, and you cheer him on and tell Marduk to hang on a little longer. Kengo just grunts. Camera jumps ahead to the Outlaws shelter area as Tetsuya says all remaining members are here now and it's about time to bunk inside when you and Kengo barge in. Kengo asks Tetsuya to let Marduk get in too, but Tetsuya gets angry for a second and tells him to wait before he stops to ask who Marduk is and notices his injury.
Kengo tells Tetsuya Marduk's name and mentions up front that he's probably one of the Warmongers, which shocks him. Marduk starts talking to you and says you should know in all likelihood know that you're the trophy he and the other World Representatives are fighting over because of what you have within you. You might not have any recollection of getting those memories or anything done to you, and you might regard it as an unhappy fact. Marduk personally sees you as someone to subjugate, so he starts to ask you why you saved him when the pain cuts him off.
You either say you'd help anyone in pain, argue that friends and enemies is pointless now, or brush the question aside to focus on his stab wound. Marduk responds in clips that you don't need to worry about it since he has a way of dealing with it. If he uses the power of Babel, he'll return to how he was before he was injured like nothing happened, but he trails off on that. You either be surprised he can heal himself, be glad about it, or notice that he trailed off. Marduk decides not to elaborate as he addresses you and Kengo, and he makes a point of still seeing you guys as enemies, but he swears not to forget his debts so long as his body exists.
Kengo comments on how upstanding Marduk is compared to the other World Representatives who attacked you all of a sudden. He suggests coming back to talk to him later after he gets healed in Tetsuya's shelter as he turns to you. Tetsuya objects to you guys deciding this without his input, and he says it's a stupid idea to help one of the leaders attacking the city when you turn to leave, prompting him to ask where you're going. You apologize and ask Tetsuya to handle the rest since you have to go and talk to Mahakala.
Kengo is briefly shocked as he tells you to wait for him. Tetsuya is amused as he comments on Kengo finding a new partner who won't listen to him saying 'wait.' Kengo gets mad as he says Tetsuya also acted like a mad dog back in the day too, but he doesn't stay on the topic for long as he calls after you and rushes to catch up. Tetsuya sighs to himself about Kengo having fun, then turns to Marduk. He suggests he use his healing thing already if he says he has it.
Marduk explains after a moment that it isn't healing. It's 'making as if it had never happened.' The wound, his memories, everything will be gone as Marduk will be revived into a new life. Tetsuya doesn't understand what he means, so Marduk asks Mushussu to do it quickly. Mushussu opens his big mouth, then shocks Tetsuya when he swallows Marduk whole.
Scene jumps to follow you as narration describes how Mahakala is floating along while Kabukicho is still being bombarded. You call out to Mahakala and ask if that's who he is and if he was the one who possessed Mononobe to talk to you back then. Mahakala responds to you and says it's been some time, since the jail conversation actually. He doesn't know how long it's been since then, but he says he's glad to see you again on the battlefield.
You ask Mahakala if his appearance is what he really looks like and start to refer to how you saw him in the prison school. Mahakala says he was borrowing Mononobe's mouth and shadow back then to talk to you. He calls himself the protector of Shadows, guardian of faded shades cut away from the world. Because of that he took in Mononobe who was vanishing from the world, and he explains that he covers the lost with his shadow to shelter them. He calls what you saw earlier as a fragment of Mononobe's memory, and that shadow is now a part of him.
You demand or ask Mahakala to let you see Mononobe. Mahakala comments on how sad it is to chase after the shadow of someone who's fulfilled their role in the world. He starts to talk about something if you're really sure of it as he looks to the ring on your hand for a moment, but he reconsiders that and decides to comply. Decaying Mononobe appears, and the episode ends with you and Mononobe calling each others' names.
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