We pick up from last time with Shaft driving the party towards the memorial monoliths and everyone else trying to discuss and decode Vulpecula's riddle video. Kalaski starts talking about the parting bird comment Vulpecula made, and Alchiba says that seems to be related to the time limit you guys have. There probably isn't a need to haul ass just yet, but figuring it out should shed some light on things. Alchiba then asks if anyone has ideas on what that hint means as he replays Vulpecula's videos parts mentioning it.
You think on the bird line and say it's so puzzling. Shaft speaks up from the front to suggest the possibility it's referring to a dream burial bird, and Mokdai comments on how ominous that name is. Shaft quickly explains that it's a bird that sings only at dawn and got its name from a story that says it sings to mourn the dead. It has a beautiful voice that it's well known for, and Shaft says a previous customer told him about it. Alchiba thinks it over and says it's also known as a dreamingale, a rare bird seen only in certain areas. He then asks aloud what the bird's song represents if Vulpecula's hint is referring to it. You either say it means rarity, bad omens, or dawn.
The correct answer is C. A and B has Alchiba doubt the presented answers as he says he feels it should be time related based on the riddle. But once you get it right he praises you for figuring it out, then says the next bit to puzzle out is *which* dawn Vulpecula is talking about. Alchiba then has a brainwave and notices there's a Japanese pun built into the riddle where part of things can be reinterpreted as "4" and "from today." If the terrorism is the main part of the show and the second video he put up the next day is the second act, then he asks how many more days until Vulpecula acts. You can say either two, three, or four days.
The correct answer here is B. If you pick A or C, Alchiba tells you to slow down and count the first day too before figuring when "four days' time" would land. But anyways yes the original message meant that Vulpecula was going to act in four days after his upload. Mokdai asks what the finale actually means, so Alchiba explains that normally means the last act of a show, but in this case it should refer to the beginning of Vulpecula's terrorism. When you combine it with the second video saying the date's been changed, when will it happen then? You can either say tonight, tomorrow morning, or tomorrow night.
B is the right answer. A and C has Alchiba assuming you already know and are rushing yourself into saying the wrong answer and thinks it's cute. But yes he's sure Vulpecula is gonna bomb the monoliths tomorrow morning. The crime will probably be happening tonight he says, so he suggests hurrying on over to stop him. On another note, Alchiba compliments Shaft for knowing about the dream burial bird. Shaft is thrown off by this but thanks him, glad that the tidbit helped and saying bird names are worth remembering.
Kalaski sighs in amazement and says Alchiba really IS smart. He thought of him as a jokey playboy at first. Alchiba chooses to laugh this off, but he still points out that Kalaski hated being judged at first glance too. Kalaski gets the point and apologizes, saying he'll make up for this later. Alchiba says he's not that put off by the comment, and he says that since they're all working together to stop Vulpecula it's better not to make each other feel bad.
Mokdai seems confused as something occurs to him, which Alchiba asks about when he notices. Alchiba figured it has something to do with his reasoning, but Mokdai quickly denies having any doubts about it. What Mokdai is actually thinking about is how it feels like Alchiba is personally obsessed with Vulpecula to him. Alchiba finds it interesting that it looks that way to him, and Mokdai says stopping a villain is the right thing to do, but he feels that Alchiba cares more about catching Vulpecula in particular than preventing his crime.
Alchiba sighs, prompting Mokdai to apologize in embarrassment. Alchiba waves it off and says he was actually surprised at how observant Mokdai is when it comes to other people's words and actions. If he trains that ability up, Alchiba says he's sure Mokdai could be a great detective himself. Mokdai is flattered by the compliment, and after a bit of thoughtful chin holding, Alchiba decides it's about time to talk about his first meeting with Vulpecula not long after he started being a detective.
Flashback kicks in to Alchiba being on some ship and making a summation about how Vulpecula alone was never actually invited to whatever party is going on. Vulpecula is silent at first before laughing, and he compliments Alchiba for figuring it out. He then says Alchiba still underestimated the situation and asks him to guess why Vulpecula is apparently alone. Alchiba needs a second to process this before concluding that Vulpecula is acting as a decoy. Vulpecula says he said as much in his calling card poem, but since Alchiba couldn't figure it out beforehand that's just a shame. But anyways it's almost time for his little fireworks show to start!
Alchiba desperately attempts to talk Vulpecula out of his sabotage, saying the server he's after only stores data of unidentified people that shouldn't have any value to him. Vulpecula regards him for a moment before revealing this server is named the Extinction Server and agrees he has no need of it. But that's exactly why he's going to get rid of it. Discarding fragments of the past is a necessary process for living in the present. Alchiba still attempts to appeal to Vulpecula, saying a villain like him should know that these fragments are all that's left of people eaten by Monsters to prove they existed.
Vulpecula pauses before asking if the past is that valuable. These were people who weren't saved, and Vulpecula asks if Alchiba has anything in his past he'd rather get rid of too. Alchiba doesn't answer, so Vulpecula asks if he made him remember something unpleasant. If he did, he suggests Alchiba just get rid of it. There's no need to be bound by the past, and he says Alchiba may have certain qualities as he invites him to live in the present with him.
Alchiba shoots the offer down, saying his own past is unimportant but he won't stand letting other peoples' pasts be tossed away. He admits to trying to put everything into black and white, but he also says that it's too early to write the server off yet. Vulpecula is displeased by this as he says Alchiba could never understand his aesthetics, calling him a foolish hypocrite for trying to protect other peoples' pasts despite hating his own past self.
Vulpecula returns his focus back to his crime in progress and orders his underlings to take the server, and Alchiba shouts out his protests in vain as a light flashes in the distance, leaving him to watch the undersea server get its power cut off. Alchiba grieves over this saying there was still a chance to get those people connected, and he decries Vulpecula's actions as trampling over someone's memories instead of stealing the past. Vulpecula calls the notion a ridiculous dress up of memories. He sighs and says he's done, then taunts Alchiba to come after him like some crazy jilted lover. That ought to be a good job for a detective that can't catch him like this, he says before flourishing his cape and jumping off the deck.
Alchiba is shocked by Vulpecula's action since the party they were at was on an ocean cruiser, so jumping overboard is generally not helpful. But it turns out that Vulpecula has jumped over to a spaceship he had arranged prior, and he spares Alchiba a look of disdain as he calls him a stupid clown who should just get drunk on his own miseries. The next time he shows up in front of him he should at least define himself as black or white, and Vulpecula bids him goodbye as his ship zooms away. Alchiba angrily cusses him out as he watches him go, swearing not to let Vulpecula destroy anything else and wishing he had more power and the ability to be a hero.
Title card pops up, and this episode is called Give Me the Strength to Fight.
Back to the present you express some sympathy for Alchiba, who says that was the most frustrating thing in his life. He wasn't able to come up with an argument against Vulpecula's philosophy, and all he could do was watch Vulpecula get away with his crime. It was embarrassing, and Alchiba is sure he was feeling lost then like he is now, which is why he couldn't win.
You ask Alchiba about this sense of being lost, so Alchiba says it's about how he feels the future should be. Vulpecula believes that there is a future in discarding the past, and while Alchiba disagrees with that viewpoint he can't really explain himself his actual position. Alchiba shows you guys his hands, and there are old rugged traces on his palms. Mokdai expresses his surprise at them, and Kalaski observes that those are traces of Alchiba having held a gun in his past. Alchiba confirms as much, calling his callouses mementos of a past he'd like to get rid of but can't. Even if he thinks of it as terrible, he can't throw away the skills he's picked up from that time, and he still uses them in the present. If he has to, he'll take his gun up even now.
Alchiba balls up his fist as he says he hates his past, but he can't approve of abandoning all of it like Vulpecula is arguing for. He feels that as long as he keeps his conflicting viewpoints in mind, he'll probably always be charging recklessly at Vulpecula. But Alchiba says he's fine with this since he can't come up with anything better. You express concern for Alchiba or stay silent, and Shaft starts thinking about his own circumstances as he's been following along the conversation while driving. Shaft soon catches sight of something up ahead, so he tells you guys about it and says he'll be stopping the car for now before taking the taxi to cover.
Mokdai starts worrying that Shaft saw Vulpecula's minions coming after you guys. Kalaski notes that you guys don't have that much time to stretch out, so he'd rather just force his way past them if possible. He asks Shaft if he saw an estimate to how many people were up ahead, so Shaft says he picked up at least ten cars even if they were far away. If they're all enemies, that's quite a bit of them over there.
Kalaski says it sounds like there's too many to just engage them, but there's not much time to come up with a plan either. Alchiba says Vulpecula as a person isn't the aggressive belligerent sort, and he points out the mercenaries were able to make their escape easily earlier. Vulpecula's more the tactical type to bring in armed friends to help him destroy things of the past while he leads from the back. There's no telling how many people he's brought, but he's thought things out pretty well.
A voice suddenly speaks out thanking Alchiba for the compliment, and Vulpecula reveals himself smiling as though he was there from the beginning. Alchiba is taken by surprise by this, and Mokdai is mildly freaked out at him showing up all of a sudden. You are surprised as well, though you quickly tell everyone to transform and get ready to fight. Vulpecula makes no effort to move as the party suits up, then starts introducing himself to everyone, confident that you guys can't lay a finger on him.
Alchiba calls Vulpecula's words a cheap taunt and says he won't fall for it, but Vulpecula bows unconcerned. Vulpecula says he isn't here to make a taunt since he doesn't want to hurt you guys. Since you guys are contradicting his aesthetics, he came hoping to make a deal. Alchiba says he isn't letting go of how Vulpecula destroyed the Extinction Server, but Vulpecula just sighs and looks at him, saying he doesn't remember anything he's stolen. He argues that losing the past and forgetting its sadness is how you fill the present with joy, and he says Alchiba should know since he has the qualifications for whatever. Alchiba says Vulpecula can talk all he likes after he's arrested as he charges him, but Vulpecula makes no effort to move away.
Just as Alchiba is about to grab him, Vulpecula disappears from the spot he was standing in. Vulpecula casually taunts you guys from his new position as he reiterates that you guys can't catch him. Mokdai is amazed at Vulpecula's disappearing trick and compares it to magic, so you either tell him this isn't the time to be impressed or tell everyone to be careful. A gets an extra line where Mokdai goes 'oh, right' and has to refocus on the situation at hand.
Kalaski is annoyed as he wonders what trick Vulpecula is pulling. Vulpecula comments on how unaesthetic you guys are and says he just needs you guys to not get in his way before indirectly threatening you all. Alchiba declares he's here as a detective hero and not just a detective today, so he'll figure out what he's doing as he casts his ultimate move Demonstration "Mávro Áspro." A scanning laser beam is shot out from Alchiba's Parallel Weapon, but Vulpecula disappears just as it's about to hit him causing the weapon to spit out a No Data error message.
Alchiba is dismayed and angry his weapon wasn't able to scan Vulpecula, and Vulpecula in turn calls him a dull boy for doing so terribly. This provokes Alchiba into casting his ultimate again, but you try to tell Alchiba to stop spamming it since it isn't working and he's just draining your ~~MP~~ Views for nothing. Vulpecula flexes on Alchiba again by teleporting away, and Alchiba says he realizes he's wasting Views and curses being unable to do anything again with Vulpecula in front of him. Another failed scan message pops up for him, but your phone starts glowing red again, causing you to suspect another variant path is opening up.
Alchiba grits his teeth at this, and Vulpecula laughs as he calls him a fool again. His weapon does suit him though, what with him tied up with his past. But he doesn't have the ability to catch him, so he should just sit back and watch his show. Pained frustration shows on Alchiba's face, asking if he's really going to keep being the stupid puppet in Vulpecula's plays. He admits to having a past he'd rather let go of, but that's not something he can just do. He knows this, but this isn't enough to be a point to use as an argument against Vulpecula. He then tries pushing himself to come up with a way to nab him.
You speak up to say you feel the past has things that are important, and Alchiba reacts like this is a big revelation. Vulpecula looks unimpressed as he comments that sounds like the sort of thing you'd say as someone on Alchiba's side. You meet his eyes when he turns to look at you, and meanwhile Alchiba looks down on his hands and the callouses he got from holding a gun in the past. Alchiba admits to being shaped by his past, and while he'd rather not accept it the future exists because the present and past do. That's why he's unable to let the past go, and agonizing over this is how he walks towards the future.
Alchiba balls up his fist(s?) and glares at Vulpecula, and he starts talking about how he'll be able to properly attack him once he affirms the past even a little bit and has a legitimate argument against Vulpecula's view of the future. He swears that he'll use even his horrible past to fight against Vulpecula, and your phone responds by giving you the window prompt for a new path for Alchiba. Alchiba doesn't seem to notice when you remark on the new window out loud as he asks you to operate and help him catch Vulpecula. But when you say you're opening the new path, he consents and says he'll be counting on you.
When you hit the confirm button on your phone screen, Alchiba is covered in a red light, shifting to his variant form when the transformation is finalized. Alchiba is surprised at his new form, though he quickly figures out it comes from a personal wish to have the power to arrest Vulpecula instead of a desire to climb up or for organizational recognition. He considers calling it an armed detective form, and he notes his wings are black, but a different shade from his police days. He accepts it all and says he'll fight for himself now.
You get excited as you say Alchiba looks cool and/or say he has a different vibe now. Shaft is shocked to see Alchiba in a different hero form, and Kalaski is slightly less so but still surprised to see the rumored Parallel Weapon changing in accordance to its wielder's mind state. He figures you must be that mysterious Observer that Narihito told him about. He's never seen it himself before, but he didn't expect it to change completely like that. He figures it must be because of how thoughts can influence a person's vision of a hero. Shaft is taken aback at this idea, then mutters to himself that maybe you could do something for him as he goes to hide by the car again.
Back to Alchiba, Alchiba looks at his new variant form weapon and comments on it being a laser gun similar to the gun he used to have. He finds it ironic that this is his weapon now, but he's glad it feels so familiar and declares Vulpecula won't be getting away. Vulpecula finds this development interesting and says this is a lot of progress coming from Alchiba, only to shrug and add that it's still not enough to pin him down. He asks Alchiba why he tries so hard to protect the memorial monoliths, and he argues that the people who go visit them are trapped by their grief.
Kalaski flips the argument around to say the monoliths give support for untold numbers of people that Vulpecula could never hope to see himself. Vulpecula however argues that memories of the dead are only a burden for the living, something that only prolongs suffering and makes the bright parts of life fade away. He calls it nonsensical to waste time spending your life thinking about the deceased. Mokdai rebuts the point and says everyone has people they don't want to forget about. People may feel lonely in those times, but protecting and remembering them is important.
Vulpecula's brows knit in irritation at Mokdai's argument, then asks what should be done for people eaten by Monsters and those who knew them. Nothing is left behind in that case, and if the people who knew them forgot about them they wouldn't be suffering their loss. To remember is to suffer. If you die in a war, a memorial will be made to mourn you. If you're a monster victim, no one need bother with being sad. But that's way too unequal, and the world is too harsh on those who have memories that won't go away. That's nothing different from the sophistry heroes support, the justice they claim to uphold by cutting down one and supporting the other.
Vulpecula continues monologuing his utter distaste for the layerings of dressing up the past, and he says that his thefts are making things equal. Kalaski finally finds a moment where Vulpecula is distracted enough to pull his ultimate on him, surprising Vulpecula when the stop effect sticks to him. Kalaski tells you guys to hurry and follow up since the effect only works for a few seconds as he holds his camera up, and you nod as you urge the others to attack. Alchiba thanks Kalaski, then fires his laser. Vulpecula still manages to shake the stun off to warp away, but he calls out to you all to compliment you guys for nearly managing to put a hole in his suit.
Kalaski cusses at the near miss, and Alchiba demands Vulpecula reveal himself again instead of run. Vulpecula answers he's not running, but going on with his regularly scheduled heist like he said he would in his video. It seems like you guys won't turn back, and it's a shame you haven't come to an understanding, so it's time for his family/friends/minions to keep you busy. The mercenary mobs burst out of the shadows on cue, and Alchiba asks what the big shame is before telling you to stay in formation. Shaft calls out that there's a lot of enemies here, and Mokdai says you guys will have to fight your way out since you're all surrounded.
You either worry about this situation, tell everyone to get ready, or say to keep frosty and break through. Kalaski whispers to you and Shaft the plan is to escape after taking some of the mobs out. The party will make an opening in the enemy line while Shaft is to sneak over to the taxi when he sees a chance to do so. Shaft says he'll do it, so Kalaski tells him to drive over to the party once he's in to pick everyone up and speed on out of there. He'll need to direct the party for that part, so Shaft says he'll do his best. Kalaski then lightly raps your head and tells everyone to get ready and to not die as the episode battle starts.
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