Teenagers Steal A Nuke And Hold Japan Hostage As Revenge For Being Experimented On

It’s just like any other day in Aomori, Japan. A truck is on its way to a nuclear processing facility. Its driver, named Twelve, is in an upbeat mood, a warm contrast to the cold surroundings. As he nears the facility, he sees the gate closing. So without hesitation he pulls the pin of a grenade and hurls it onto the gate to blast it open. The guards are completely taken aback by this and immediately ring the alarm throughout the facility. Inside, none of the workers are aware of what’s happenin

g outside. At Least not yet. But one of them, Nine, shows suspicious behavior. He writes the word “VON'' on the floor using red spray paint. The others wonder what he’s doing, and are too slow to react when he suddenly grabs the plutonium and makes a run for it, just as the alarm goes off. Nine knows where to run, even if the security cameras capture his escape. He goes out of the backdoor, where Twelve arrives riding a snowmobile. Nine carefully places the plutonium inside a bag. The guards arr

ive, but they can’t fire at them. They can’t risk blowing up the facility if they accidentally shoot the plutonium. Soon, Nine and Twelve dash out of the place, covering their tracks with snow dust. Six months have passed. The stolen plutonium has never made it to the news, making the public blissfully ignorant of the terrifying possibility. Nine and Twelve are walking on their way to the school where they just transferred. Yes, they’re only teenagers, barely out of highschool, so it’s impossibl

e to imagine them as the masterminds behind the stolen plutonium. As they cross the bridge, Twelve smells chlorine, indicating that there’s a pool nearby. He climbs up the fence, and from his position, he can see four girls seemingly intimidating a fifth girl to jump into the pool. He correctly guesses that the girls are bullying their classmate. Lisa Mishima is a timid girl, and has no energy nor desire to fight back her bullies. Twelve doesn’t care about her, but what he does next makes a dist

raction. He jumps onto the pool, saving Lisa from embarrassment. Later, Nine and Twelve are inside the school, posing as transfer students. Twelve gives his class a shock with his wet appearance, and he happens to be in the same one as Lisa. During lunchtime, Nine and Twelve meet at the school rooftop. Nine warns his partner not to make himself stand out too much. But Twelve replies that Nine is already making a buzz among the girls for his good looks. Then he sees Lisa running to the restroom,

holding her lunchbox. He assumes she usually goes there to have her meal in peace. Around the same time in the Tokyo Police Department, in an office that’s barely larger than a cubicle, two officers spend their lunchtime differently. Mukasa likes to watch cat videos, while Shibazaki plays shogi. They’re the only members of the Records Division, a messy and disorganized office for paperwork. Out of the blue, Mukasa clicks on a video that shows two teenagers wearing masks. Their excessive actions

belie their lack of enthusiasm for what they’re doing. They introduce themselves as Sphinx, and proceed to tell some sort of a riddle. They are predicting Tokyo will be enveloped by darkness after 3pm tomorrow. And then large sparks will rain around the Shinjuku area. The two officers dismiss it as a youngsters’ prank. However, Shibazaki takes notes. That night, Nine wakes up after another nightmare. It’s always the same one from before: he and Twelve running towards a fenced gate, a third one a

few feet behind them. But their companion never made it out, getting engulfed in flames. Twelve sees his partner, and offers an explanation. The nightmare may have been triggered after meeting Lisa Mishima. After all, her eyes are the same as those kids at the institution. Instead of responding to this, Nine says they’re weak, both him and Twelve, and the ones they left behind. But they’re different now, and they must focus on their plans. The next day, they join their classmates on their field

trip to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office. They mingle with others, especially on the floor where they sell souvenirs. Meanwhile, Lisa escapes again into the restroom. Not from her bullies, but from everyone. She feels suffocated. She brings out her phone, only to find multiple messages from her mother. She wishes everyone to just disappear. At exactly 3pm, a crane pushes into some electrical wires, causing a widespread blackout around Tokyo. As an SOP, everyone is guided out of the buil

dings until the backup generators kick in. Proceeding with their plans, Nine and Twelve sneak away from the crowd to distribute multiple stuffed toys at several strategic points. But something happens that they haven’t factored in. Lisa, who has just come out of the restroom, misses the emergency evacuation. As she gropes her way out, she accidentally sees Twelve going down the stairs. Twelve knows this is a hitch in their plans. So, as an insurance, he tosses her one stuffed toy. Evacuations ar

e still being carried on when the power comes back. But Nine proceeds to the next step. He calls a number, which triggers multiple hissing explosions from the stuffed toys. Emergency alarms ring everywhere as smoke detectors kick in, turning on the sprinklers to subdue the fire. However, this escalates into a full-blown explosion. Lisa is still inside the building. Twelve calls her, but Nines grabs the phone to talk to her. He gives her two options: to die, or to become their accomplice. Lisa em

otionally says she doesn't want to die. So Nine gives her instructions on where to put the stuffed toy she has, while Twelve rides his motorcycle to save her. By that time, everyone around the area can see the explosion from the building. Firetrucks and police cars rush in to gauge the situation. Lisa manages to follow Nine’s instructions. From one of the blown-up walls, she can see Twelve waiting for her. Throwing all caution to the wind, she jumps into Twelve’s arms. And together, they speed a

way, just as one of the towers of the government building collapses. Twelve and Lisa meet Nine at one of the empty parks near the explosion. Nine tells her she chose to be their accomplice. There’s no turning back now. In the aftermath of the explosion, key offices and government agencies gather to discuss and evaluate the terrorist attack and their response to it. Leading the group is Kurahashi, chief of the First Investigation Division. A brief recap of the event and updates are in order. Acco

rding to the report, the fire alarms went off before the massive explosion. This meant that only minor injuries were recorded, as all civilians were evacuated from the building. It can be said that it’s very fortunate no life was taken given the scale of the attack. The next topic is the suspicious video uploaded yesterday. Kinoshita from the cybercrime division says the video was uploaded from Tor, a browser used for anonymity. Because of this, the origin of the video couldn’t be determined. Ok

ano from the special investigation team reports that no suspicious individuals were detected from the surveillance cameras. But there’s a loophole. Based on the timeline of events, after the major blackout, twenty-five minutes had passed before the power generators started up. This window of time gave the perpetrators enough time to put the bombs in strategic places. One of the officers points out that the suspects in the attack may have also been involved in the blackout. To that, Okano says th

ey’re still investigating those people involved in the crane accident. Finally, Chief Hamada from forensics details the nature of the bombs used. He first explains the structure of the government building. The pillars that support the frame of the building are four times thicker than usual, which means standard bombs are ineffective against them. With this in mind, the bombs used in the attack utilized what is known as a thermite reaction. It’s a process where a mixture of metal and metal oxide

are ignited, producing a large amount of energy in the form of heat. It can reach up to 3000°C, which is more than enough to melt iron and concrete. This means that by the time the sprinklers were turned on to quell the fire, the pillars were already melting, weakening the structural integrity of the building. With the addition of water into the mix, steam-driven explosions occurred, leading to the collapse of the building. Chief Hamada remarks that the perpetrators are very smart to use this ty

pe of explosion. But there’s one thing that puzzles him. One TNT was included among the bombs. When reconstructed, it showed three letters: VON. Kurahashi and select others are horrified. This is the same word found in the stolen plutonium case six months ago. Can there be a connection between these two events? And if there is, then they’re not just dealing with regular terrorists. The next day, Lisa attends school. The government has assured the public everything’s being taken care of. But she

looks at the empty seat of Twelve, and wonders if he and Nine are planning something again. Indeed, they are. They just finished assembling another bomb. They discuss Lisa. Nine is sure she doesn’t have the guts to report them to the police. Even though they don’t say it out loud, they both know that they must account for her actions from then on, despite Nine insisting she’s not part of their group. Nonetheless, they need to focus on their next target, and to do that, they need to deliver some

ramen. The Roppongi Police Station accepts a delivery from the Choujyuan noodle shop. Since it’s such a seemingly insignificant part of their day, they let the delivery boy in. No one recognizes Nine, nor do any of them have any idea of what’s about to come next. Nine leaves the delivery box in an obscure spot, and with that, he waits for the right time. In the Tokyo Police Department, everyone gets notified about a new video from Sphinx. The two teenagers look like they’re proud of their bombs,

and so they’re announcing another one. They address everyone, especially the police, to solve the following riddle: What first walks on two legs, then on four, and finally on three legs? The video ends on a note that if anyone solves the riddle, then the bomb is theirs. Kurahashi gathers a few officers to discuss this. He shares with them that the name of the terrorists, Sphinx, must’ve come from the tragic story of Oedipus. It’s a well-known monster from the Greek legends, which gave out riddl

es to travelers. If they couldn’t solve it, the sphinx ate them. The famous riddle it gave to Oedipus went like this: what walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs in the evening? The answer is man. Hamura, Okano, and Kinoshita brainstorm as they try to figure out which place could be the next target. They try using the combination 4-2-3, in case the number of legs may refer to an address. Then they have a hit. A DNA facility in Minato. Immediately, they sprin

g to action. Kurahashi comes with them. Upon arriving, they waste no time scouring the area for the bomb. Meanwhile, Shibazaki calls Kurahashi. He informs the chief that he’s solved the puzzle, but what he has in mind is far different from what they’ve figured out. He says there are two versions of the riddle, and the one given by Sphinx is the second version. In this, it was two legs in the morning, four in the afternoon, and three in the evening. And the answer is Oedipus himself, referring to

the decline of his life from being a man, to becoming monster-like due to his actions, then being a blind man using a cane. If the numbers 2-4-3 are considered an address, then they refer to the Roppongi Police Station. Considering that the Sphinx mentioned the police in their video, then the place checks out. Just as they figure it out, Nine dials the numbers. A deafening explosion shakes the Roppongi Police Station, terrorizing the citizens and frustrating Kurahashi. This leaves him no choice

but to tell Shibazaki the details about the stolen plutonium, and the suspicions that it may be directly related to what’s happening. He orders Shibazaki to return to them. In the events following the second explosion, Kurahashi assigns Shibazaki to lead the investigation on this terrorist duo calling themselves Sphinx. Hamura questions this appointment, as he can’t believe somebody old coming from the archives could be any help in this case. But apparently, Shibazaki originally came from the F

irst Division, and he earned the moniker “Razor Shibazaki”. His further protests are shunned when the man himself enters the room, assisted by Mukasa. Hamura just doesn’t understand why he must accept orders from someone like Shibazaki. The police review the footage from the CCTV of the Roppongi Police station, capturing the entrance and exit of the delivery boy who presumably left the bomb. From all the data they have on them, it’s safe to say the bombers are bold enough to declare war on the p

olice. They may even be planting a third bomb somewhere. And that is true. Nine and Twelve are inside an abandoned building, installing their homemade explosive and setting it for 24 hours. Meanwhile, Kurahashi gives Shibazaki more details about the stolen plutonium. The heist happened in a nuclear fuel reprocessing facility in Aomori. One of the culprits used the alias “Yuzo Miyajima” to work there for a few months. He created a background for himself to make it look like he’s a local, thus tak

ing advantage of local employment. But it’s a fake identity. All they had in file was an illustration, because somehow, his files were deleted from the facility’s main data frame. By the time reinforcements were sent, the culprits were nowhere to be found. Shibazaki remarks on how young Miyajima looks. He then stands up and looks at the sky. It’s a sweltering summer afternoon, ideal for a cup of refreshing drinks. But Shibazaki hates summer. It reminds him of his hometown in Hiroshima, where eld

ers don’t come out of their homes due to the heat. They say summer makes them feel ill. Kurahashi infers that Shibazaki accepted this case because he’s a second-generation atomic bomb victim, and he hates criminals who play with nuclear weapons. Shibazaki shrugs, although he says something about this case bothers him. Back in the Tokyo Police Department, they have detained the crane operator who caused the power blackout the other day. Mr. Kawai denies intentionally cutting the power line, sayin

g he was simply tired during that time. But when Shibazaki enters and mentions a debt collector following Kawai due to his gambling debts, the man becomes extremely nervous. The cybercrime department has managed to dig up Kawai’s emails. They have seen an exchange with an unknown source, bribing the man with 2 million yen if he cuts the power line and makes it look like an accident. Kawai has been given half of the money as an advance. Shibazaki and others discuss this detail. Of course, the acc

ount from which the money came is fake and untraceable. But what puzzles Shibazaki is the fact that the culprits carelessly leave trails for the police to follow. Their discussion is cut when they’re informed about another upload from Sphinx. In the video, the duo gives the riddle right away. “What’s the building beside the house of the god who solved the riddle?” They give the police until 10am the next day to solve it, or else everything will go “boom”. They encourage everyone to search until

they walk lame and drag their feet along. Again, the officers brainstorm to find the answer. But all they can come up with is that the Sphinx may be targeting a shrine due to the word “god” and the praying gesture seen in the video. Since they don’t have anything else to work on, they order every shrine to be guarded. That night, Lisa returns home to her wailing mother. She’s tired of the emotional burden her mother puts on her, along with verbal and physical abuse. As she looks at her phone, sh

e sees the unknown number Twelve used to call her. Lisa wonders if they can save her from her misery. In the end, she decides to take control of her life. She packs her bag and leaves her mother crying for her. Around the same time, at the archives office, Shibazaki spends some time lounging while Mukasa plays his mobile RPG. Shibazaki takes a look at the game just as his colleague defeats the character on the screen. It’s a green dragon that’s hard to beat. Shibazaki gets a sudden inspiration f

rom the character, and he might have the answer to the Sphinx’s riddle. The next day, he explains it to his colleagues. “What’s the building beside the house of the god who solved the riddle?” The one “who solved the riddle” may be referring to Oedipus himself. However, he’s not technically a god, and his name literally means “swollen feet” in Greek. But if they take note that the ancestor of his mother, Jocasta, was a dragon, and if they consider its counterpart in the Japanese religion, then i

t can make sense. In fact, there is a god in the Kanto and Tohuku regions known as the “god of feet”. His name is Arahabaki, and part of his name means “dragon tree”. If Arahabaki is the answer, then his shrine in Tokyo is located at Shirahige. The next day, as he waits for the appointed time, Nine recollects his memories back when he and Twelve were still in the facility. He sees again in his mind the friend they left behind, a white-haired girl. The guilt, and the fiery images ingrained in his

mind, are too much to handle. Twelve approaches him. Nine pretends to be okay, but his partner sees through it. Instead of answering, he changes the topic by asking about Lisa Mishima. Twelve has met with her on the day of the Roppongi bombing. Nine warns him not to get too close to the girl. The younger boy promises not to, as he’d learned his lesson before. A few hours before 10am, the Tokyo Police Department conducts a livestream, with Shibazaki as the host. He answers the riddle Sphinx gave

them, and explains it as how he did to his colleagues. Through another video monitor, Nine and Twelve can see the special operatives swarming in to enter the abandoned building beside the Shirahige Shrine, where they have planted the bomb. Soon, they’ve disarmed the explosive. Nine and Twelve are impressed. But before they can end the livestream, Shibazaki expresses a fully passionate warning about Sphinx waving around “the joker” they have. He swears to catch them and make them pay for their t

error attacks. Nine smiles. There’s no doubt now that the police have connected them to the stolen plutonium. Finally, there’s a worthy opponent in the police department whom they can play with. After the livestream, Hamura asks Kurahashi about Shibazaki’s past. The chief relays that fifteen years ago, a Diet secretary jumped to his death. Shibazaki couldn’t accept this, as he was convinced the man was involved in some conspiracy. He even investigated the leader of the political faction with who

m the secretary was affiliated, who happens to be from the Tokyo Police Department. The controversy caused Shibazaki to get fired and relocated to the Records Division, and also cost him his family and reputation. However, he has never forgotten about the case, and never gave up. That night, the task force discuss the retrieved bomb from the site. Chief Hamada explains the type of the bomb used this time, and the parts used to make it. The culprits used an illegally obtained credit card to buy t

he parts. As usual, they can’t trace the origins because the culprits used cryptocurrency to get the credit card. But one thing they know is that the materials for the bomb were bought from Showa Gunpowder, while the less important things were bought from Amazon. As of now, they need to study hours of footage from Showa Gunpowder to look for suspicious individuals. The next day, Shibazaki decides to visit the processing facility at Aomori where it all started. He talks to someone named Ebisuno Y

oshiharu about the former employee known as Yuzo Miyajima. Yoshiharu does remember Miyajima’s face, but he says the kid is someone who doesn’t mingle well with others. He would keep to himself at all times, listening to “music from a cold land” with his earphones. When Yoshiharu asked about the parents, Miyajima tended to be quiet. It isn’t a fruitful visit by Shibzaki’s standards. Only a handful of people remember Miyajima, which paints the person akin to a ghost. Even though he can understand

why there’s a fixation on Oedipus’ story, he still can’t figure out the overall connections in this case. In their hideout, Nine is hard at work preparing the next “bomb” for the police. He’s been trying to hack into the police department’s database. Eventually, he does, and he finds a wealth of information regarding the Sphinx case, as well as personal data on Kenjiro Shibazaki, the one who answered their recent riddle. By the end of the day, Nine has put together everything he needs to set up

his bomb. He allows Twelve to go out to buy some things. A few hours later, Shibazaki treats Mukasa to a ramen shop when they receive another notification on Sphinx’s upload. This is what the video contains. The duo presents what they call Time Shock Bomb. To stop this, they must answer the following: At the place where the king who solved the riddle received a scary prophecy, whose name would you carve on its entrance? If they can’t answer, they’ll receive an explosion from the hidden bomb. The

Sphinx warns them to avoid cheating when playing with them. They’ll be waiting at the king’s final destination, and for their last piece of advice, they should use letters, not bronze when they come. Shibazaki runs to the police department to discuss the riddle. He easily guesses that the king referred to was Oedipus, and that he got to his final destination, which is the underworld, through a staircase of bronze. However, the Sphinx has warned them to use letters. This implies that they must s

croll down through the comment section of the video, which represents the staircase of letters. There, they find a link to a website the Sphinx has created. It shows the countdown timer, which is until midnight, and the field where they must enter the answer to the riddle. Shibazaki thinks this must represent the door to Delphi, where Oedipus received his prophecy. According to the story, there were maxims inscribed at the entrance. “Know thyself”, “Nothing in excess”, “Make a pledge and mischie

f is nigh”. If they can identify the person the maxims refer to, then they will have solved the riddle. The rest of the officers feel insulted that they’re being played by highschoolers. They leave Shibazaki alone and focus on finding the culprits. Meanwhile, Twelve monitors Lisa’s movements through an online map. He presumes the girl has run away from home. At first, he doesn’t want to have anything to do with her. But in the end, he meets Lisa, who’s alone in a park. Twelve tells her to go hom

e, but she shouts back at him to leave her alone. She admits she was stupid to get her hopes up and expect them to take her away. But now she realizes she’s alone in this world, and there’s no one to take her in when she wants them to. With that, she runs away again. Lisa runs into a couple of officers who inquire about her. She doesn’t know what to do or what to say. Thankfully, Twelve has followed her on his motorcycle. Even without words, he lets Lisa know he’s taking her away. Without ado, s

he rides behind him, and the two speed into the night. Meanwhile, one of the officers reviewing the security footage from Showa Gunpowder has found a lead. From the different video sequences, they’ve figured out the probable hideout of Sphinx. With that, they prepare a whole force to raid the building in question. Hamura informs Shibazaki, but the latter is still busy answering the riddle. Hamura gets frustrated. At least, for him, they’re doing something better than Shibazaki who allows himself

to get played by these tricksters. He leaves him again. Shibazaki has no idea what the answer is. But when he reads the maxims again, he suddenly realizes the answer is him. He enters his name, and finally, a congratulatory note shows on the screen. However, the timer doesn’t stop. The AI voice tells him that they've cheated because the police still tried to look for them even though the Sphinx warned them not to. When the timer hits zero, the hidden bomb explodes. In no time, everyone with a s

martphone receives all the confidential details the police have compiled about the Sphinx case. All documents, all leads, all reports. That night, the Tokyo Police Department becomes the laughing stock, as the public realizes they’re nowhere near identifying the culprits. Twelve brings Lisa to their hideout. Nine blatantly refuses to let her in. But Lisa can’t hold it anymore. She faints due to fatigue. When she comes to, it’s already morning. Nine and Twelve are discussing what to do about her.

Nine is still firm about not accepting Lisa into their group, despite telling her before she’s their accomplice. Twelve explains she has nowhere to go, and will be more dangerous if she’s left on her own devices. The older boy isn’t convinced yet, believing she’ll be in their way sooner or later. As if on cue, all phones on their table ring, thanks to Lisa accidentally touching one. Fortunately, the bomb isn’t activated yet, or else they’ll all go up in flames. Twelve jokingly mimics an explosi

on, which makes Lisa faint again. The two boys think she’s better off sleeping. At the police station, everyone looks either depressed or infuriated due to the hacking incident last night. Kurahashi emphasizes the police can’t commit another mistake again. They must reinforce all their defenses and increase efforts in catching the Sphinx. After his speech, Kurahashi abruptly ends the meeting. He’s supposed to meet some delegates from America. When he enters the room, he sees higher-ups from the

government, along with a blonde man speaking in English, and someone with white hair whose back faces him. He wonders if the two new people will be involved in the Sphinx case. Around the same time, Nina and Twelve are already installing their fifth bomb. After their work, they return home to find Lisa burning her cooking. The two boys aren't pleased, especially Nine who doesn’t hold back with his comments. Twelve points out she’s still flushed, and that she should take her rest and leave the co

oking to them. Taking their advice, Lisa sleeps again. The Sphinx uploads their fifth video regarding the new riddle. This is how it goes: Where did the punishment take place for FEZ 5889, the angel who planted a grapevine? They only have until 8pm that night to solve the riddle, or else there will be a big “kaboom”. Okano orders everyone to analyze the riddle, but Shibazaki already has an idea about it. He looks for the police record with the documentation number FEZ 5889. Once found, they disc

over it’s about a case of corporal punishment in a public high school. Apparently, a coach made four students who were late to the morning practice run around the school several times, causing heatstroke. Then, Shibazaki thinks about a specific angel who incurred the wrath of God by planting a grapevine in Eden. The angel’s name was Sammael, who was also known as the Red Serpent. Assuming the angels’ punishment was forced running just like in the case file, then what object looks like a red snak

e and runs? Hamura figures out the answer, which is a train, and it may refer to the Shuto Shinjuku Line. Immediately he runs off to tell his superiors. As for Shibazaki, he finally figures out an aspect of this case. The Sphinx doesn’t just commit random acts of terror. Instead, they’re slowly revealing their real target. By knowing the important people related to the places of the bombings, they can find a common denominator. He finds out that all these people are related to an organization kn

own as the Rising Peace Academy, a non-profit that promotes interaction between the government and the people. From a simple research, it can be said the organization has attracted a lot of political names and influential people. He assumes the Sphinx targets this organization. But as for the motive, it remains to be seen. Sunset has come, yet there is no news about a bomb being removed, nor rumors about it. Even inside the police station, no one has any idea about what’s going on. Kurahashi has

been told that a special task force has been assigned to deal with it, but he doesn’t have any updates about the operation. As for Nine and Twelve, they refuse to believe the police haven't figured out the riddle. If time runs out, then the bomb will detonate, killing hundreds of people. Then Twelve notices their smartphones are not getting any signals. In fact, everyone in Tokyo experiences electromagnetic interference. Good thing, the boys still have a backup plan. They resort to using radios

, with Twelve rushing to the station to remove the bomb while Nine hacks into the subway system through its backdoor to figure out the path of the train car where the bomb is. Soon, Nine gets into the system. But when he checks the train car, the system shows him multiple hits. Then, to his surprise, someone is trying to hack into his own firewall system. Nine suddenly experiences ringing in his ears, and he’s forced to remember that one friend they left behind in the past. Gathering himself, he

closes the laptop and gets another one. He tries to hack directly into the subway system. This time, he’s successful. But the train car arrives at the station near them, and they don’t have much time. Nine runs out of their hideout, informing Twelve of what he’s about to do. Fortunately, he makes it before the appointed time. Nine discreetly throws a smoke screen, triggering the emergency alarm. Everyone panics as they try to run away. He takes advantage of this to remove the bomb, but he sees

a sleeping student inside the train car. Without thinking twice, he goes to save her, ultimately getting caught in the explosion. When he wakes up, he only has bruising on his back. He contacts Twelve, who’s relieved to hear from him. Then all the smartphones start receiving signal again. This means that whoever interfered with the operations, both theirs and the police, doesn’t care how many casualties there will be after the explosion, as long as that person can locate them. At that moment, bo

th Nine and Twelve receive a message saying “I found you”. Without a doubt Five has returned. In the aftermath of the bombing, another conference is held by the Tokyo Police Department. According to the reports, there are no casualties, but there are 72 reported injuries, making this the most in any of the attacks. Investigations are also currently being held regarding the loss of cellular service a few minutes before the bomb went off. After this update, Kurahashi addresses everyone and informs

them of the new developments with the investigation. The American government has offered help. The FBI’s Counterterrorism Division will be offering their assistance from then on. He doesn’t elaborate much, but he asks everyone to cooperate accordingly. Later, Kurahashi meets with Shibazaki. If there’s anyone in the police force that the chief trusts, it’s the rugged detective. Shibazaki deduces that the American agents are actually there to take over the case, to which Kurahashi grudgingly conf

irms. He says he can’t do anything since the order has come from the higher-ups. He says he met them yesterday while meeting their superiors. The blonde male agent is introduced as FBI Special Agent Clarence. The agent tells everyone they know about the stolen plutonium six months ago, and they have proof that the thieves were the same ones who are terrorizing Japan under the codename Sphinx. Kurahashi remembers asking for proof so they can arrest the culprits. But the second agent, the young gi

rl with white hair, insolently laughs at him. She says that on top of letting Sphinx do whatever they want, they don’t have any evidence against them, and even allowed them to reveal sensitive information about the investigation. And now he’s talking about arresting them? That’s the best joke she’s heard, she says. Kurahashi feels ashamed about Five’s remark. He has confirmed her occupation as a researcher for an organization named NEST, which stands for Nuclear Emergency Support Team. So her sa

ying they have proof is not simply a bluff. Shibazaki has a different opinion about those agents. He thinks they will corner Sphinx, no matter what it costs. If the culprits feel threatened, who’s to blame them if they finally decide to use the plutonium they stole? Meanwhile, Nine and Twelve are discussing their next move regarding Five. It turns out, Five, the odd American agent with white hair, who’s taken over the Sphinx investigation, is the same friend they left at the institute all those

years ago. Nine and Twelve both know she’s a very difficult opponent to have. She loves to play games, and they know she won’t let them go that easily. Lisa approaches them and asks if there’s anything she can do for them. Nine bluntly tells her none. She argues, prompting Nine to show her footages from yesterday’s bombing. In the eyes of the public, they’re considered terrorists because of their actions. He doesn’t think Lisa is someone who can stomach doing these things. However, in truth, Nin

e and Twelve don’t intend to take lives using their radicalism. They only want the public to discover something about the two of them, and the best way to get their attention is to put their safety at risk. They have found someone in the police department who they think can play their games. But the addition of Five into the fray, and considering Lisa as an accomplice, makes the whole situation more complicated than it is. As if proving that point, someone posing as Sphinx has released a new cri

me announcement via text messages, an unusual stray from their video uploads. The message includes a series of letters followed by the sentence “Gaius Julius Caesar gone to Arab”. Nine and Twelve know it’s Five orchestrating this announcement. They decide to play her game because they have no choice. Whether they go to the airport or not, Sphinx will still take the blame. And in the end, even though Nine is adamant about it, Lisa joins their operation for the first time. They easily solve the ri

ddle, which requires the Caesar Cipher to decode. The series of letters corresponds to coordinates. Specifically, the coordinates of Haneda airport, one of their targets. The rest of the letters show the time when it’s supposed to explode. This implies that Five has seen through their plans. At the same time, at the police department, they are also solving the riddle. With Shibazaki’s input, they manage to figure out that the next bombing will occur at Haneda airport. But they meet an unexpected

obstacle. Director Shimada tells everyone not to interfere, as there’s already a special force assigned to deal with the situation. He warns everyone not to act on their own. But Shibazaki is not someone to be told to stay put. Secretly, he walks to his car, intending to drive to the airport. Someone calls his name, and to his surprise, Hamura and the others are already there. They are of one mind in stopping the bombing at all costs. With all the important characters on their way to the airpor

t, Five’s game has begun. Nine and Twelve arrive first. Through the cameras, Five spots them. Her excitement becomes palpable as she sees her former comrades again. She orders an image to be flashed on the display television. It’s the layout of the airport, overlayed with an 8x8 grid, like a chessboard. Then she shows her first move: D4. The duo immediately understands that Five wants to continue their game of chess from the past. Nine, with his prodigious intellect, imagines the whole place as

the chessboard and identifies each location with a corresponding coordinate. He also makes his move: knight to F6. And with that, the two of them get to action. Neither the Sphinx nor Five knows about the arrival of Shibazaki and the others. They immediately see the “D4” flashed on the screen. When they check with airport officials, they’re surprised to know that the police are the ones giving instructions to them, and they were told not to interfere with their operations. Of course, Shibazaki a

nd the others don’t know about this, having been told by their superiors not to meddle. They regroup at a corner, where Shibazaki posits his theory about this affair. If the police are the ones sending the message, then it can only mean they are the ones who set the bomb, and the message is sent to the ones who must disarm it. This implies that the police posed as Sphinx earlier, and they want the real Sphinx to come. It can be deduced this is a trap to capture the culprits. But regardless of wh

ether the bomb is real or not, it’s a perilous gamble to do it in such a high-risk area like the airport. Later, Kinoshita finds out the message flashed earlier is a move in a chess game. Hamura finds it ridiculously annoying that someone is treating this whole situation as a game. Meanwhile, Okano discovers that there’s a police surveillance truck that has entered the airport hours ago. Shibazaki thinks they must find soon. Nine keeps on running around the airport based on the moves shown on sc

reen, or received through the telephone booth. He knows that Five is watching him. He also knows that when they reach a checkmate situation, that’s when he’ll know where the bomb is located. Twelve, on the other hand, has managed to get out of the range of CCTV monitors. He changes into a security guard costume, which easily camouflages him from those pursuing him. At one point, he calls Nine. He wants to confirm if it’s the right time to launch the second part of their strategy. Nine says they

have no choice. So Twelve calls Lisa, who’s already inside the airport. She’s nervous as hell, but she steels her nerves to do what’s instructed to her. She proceeds inside the comfort room after putting up a “Closed for Cleaning” sign. In one of the cubicles, Lisa is shaking so badly about what she’s supposed to do. It takes her a few minutes before finally igniting the smoke flare. Around the same time, Twelve enters one of the control rooms to set up something that will confuse Five. Once he’

s done, he goes out to locate the bomb. As Five looks at the monitors, she sees a glitch in one of them. Then the smoke alarm rings. The smoke flare has successfully done its job. Five orders the airport police to investigate the situation. When she looks back at the screen, she sees a teenage girl who keeps bumping into strangers and apologizing. She calls Clarence. After giving him a new order, she goes back to monitoring Nine. However, after a few minutes, she feels there’s something amiss. S

he takes control of the switches to look at the monitors. She can see Nine running, but something is wrong. Then she finds it. The exact real time is 7:07 pm, but the one shown on the monitor is 7:02 pm. Her eyes bulge as she realizes what has happened. She gets out of the surveillance truck. But before she steps her foot on the ground, Nine calls her out, pointing a gun at her. Five greets her old friend. Nine ignores it and asks why she’s interfering in their plans. She says she came back to s

ettle things with him. And instead of elaborating further, Five adds she is still one step ahead of them. She realized earlier that the smoke incident was simply a camouflage so Twelve can alter the monitor feed, giving the impression that she’s still watching Nine. But she has dealt with it, as she has identified the third member of Sphinx who created the camouflage. She congratulates them for earning a friend, and mocks them for adding a point of weakness. She has sent that third member to whe

re the bomb really is. Isn’t that the best welcome for their reunion? Nine doesn’t have time to respond, as police officers start shooting at him. He runs away. Along the hallway, he runs past Shibazaki and others who intend to confront the people using the police surveillance truck. As soon as they pass each other, Shibazaki knows he’s just met one of the Sphinx. Nine meets Twelve at the storage area in Gate 106. That’s where the bomb should be, if the rules of the game they played with Five ar

e correct. But it isn’t there. Then Twelve receives a call from Lisa. She’s almost hysterical as she tells the two she’s trapped inside a moving plane, alone and helpless. And the bomb is ticking a few feet away from her. Nine and Twelve realize that Gate 106 isn’t where the bomb is, but where the bomb is headed. The plane is being controlled remotely from the control tower. If they don’t do something, this can result in a massive explosion and a great number of casualties. Nine suggests causing

a diversion to evacuate civilians. But that will mean sacrificing Lisa’s life, and Twelve is strongly against it. They only have one choice. Nine calls Shibazaki. The inspector is surprised that Sphinx knows his number, but there’s no time to ask questions. Nine explains that a passenger jet heading towards Gate 106 may have a real bomb that will soon explode. He instructs him to go to the control tower to take over the autopilot system. The special assault team is heavily guarding the place, b

ut Nine believes Shibazaki can do something about it. After all, the police must protect civilians from danger. Shibazaki smiles. He can’t believe he has a mutual interest with someone he considers a terrorist. Immediately, Shibazaki and others force their way into the control tower. The SAT stops them as expected, but he slips through their guard. Meanwhile, Twelve instructs Lisa to tie blankets together to hold her in place when she jumps out of the plane. Nine drives the ground vehicle alongs

ide the plane that’s slowly approaching Gate 106. They hit some cargo along the way, causing Lisa to lose balance and fall off the hatch where she comes out. Thankfully, she’s held by the blankets. But time is almost up. Shibazaki knows this as he enters the control room. Five is already there, and she doesn't like seeing the detective foil her plans. He points a gun at one of the operators and instructs them to change the direction of the plane onto an empty runway. Lisa manages to untie the bl

anket, then she jumps onto the truck where Twelve is waiting for her. After a few seconds, the passenger jet explodes at a safe distance away from Gate 106, shocking all the civilians inside. Nine, Twelve, and Lisa drive away and make their escape before Shibazaki can get a hold of them. The next day, the large-scale bombing at Haneda airport is predictably being blamed on Sphinx. Director Shimada finds out what Shibazaki and others have done during the incident. As a punishment, he suspends the

m for three months. Shibazaki takes accountability for everything. He also says he met Sphinx, and that it’s not them who planted the bomb, but another entity who wants to put the blame on them. However, Shimada won’t hear any of his theories. He tells Shibazaki he’s suspended indefinitely, and he must surrender his badge. When Shibazaki meets with Kurahashi, the former believes that the American girl has something to do with his suspension. Kurahashi confirms this, adding that the girl was firs

t employed as a spy before becoming a researcher. This information makes no sense with the stolen plutonium case, but there may be something far more sinister hiding beneath the surface. After his unfortunate morning at the office, he visits his daughter Haruka. She happens to be an engineering student who studies physics. Shibazaki asks her if it’s possible to turn plutonium into a bomb. She says it’s probable, given the right materials to do it. But it’s hard for amateurs, especially concernin

g the excessive radiation factor. Back at the hideout, Lisa wakes up after an exhausting night. She finds herself alone, with a written instruction from Nine and Twelve to not step outside. To pass the time, she attempts to cook some curry for the boys. While cooking, she receives a mysterious package addressed to her. She reads the letter pinned to the box. It says “Bomb!” It’s written in the English alphabet, so it takes her some time to understand she’s in a perilous situation. Still holding

the ladle, she grabs her bag and runs out. She meets Nine and Twelve, who are just returning from their grocery trip. Without warning, their hideout explodes, leaving the three of them stunned. Nine is forced to use their second safe house, an abandoned arcade full of retrogames. As usual, Nine blames Lisa for their situation. Since they know her face, she’ll be more of a liability than an asset to them. The next day, Shibazaki spends his time researching more about the connections of the bombin

g sites. Early on, he found out that the people connected to the places Sphinx had targeted all had a common denominator. They attended a seminar conducted by a group known as Rising Peace Academy. One notable activity from this group was the implementation of the Athena Plan. As Shibazaki looks further, anything about it is unavailable from the public records. But he’s found a lead after browsing the list of participants for that seminar. So he enlists Mukasa’s help. A few moments later, he’s i

n the office of Ichiro Fujikawa, an influential member of the cabinet who’s running for a government position. Shibazaki directly asks him to provide details about the Athena plan, a project meant to educate gifted children. It was spearheaded by the members of the Rising Peace Academy, of which Fujikawa used to be a member. The politician initially denies knowing any of it. But Shibazaki blackmails him by showing a picture of his son dealing with drugs. He’s about to be fired anyway, so his rep

utation won’t be a problem as long as he gets to the bottom of this. Eventually, Fujikawa relents. He tells the detective they used to inquire at orphanages, conducted tests, and recruited suitable children for their project. After talking to Fujikawa, Shibazaki is about to continue his investigation when he meets Hamura. Together, they check the orphanages around the city to get more details. Based on their findings, it’s true that some people from the government did conduct tests and interview

s on the children living in orphanages. Some did not pass, but those who did were brought to another place unknown to many. One nun gives Shibazaki an old calling card of the person who conducted those tests and interviews. The name on the card is Souta Aoki, the then welfare minister. Later that night, Shibazaki calls Kinoshita to hack into the police classified documents to dig more about the Athena plan. Kinoshita is hesitant, not wanting to worsen his suspension. Eventually, he relents, and

he finds out that the Athena plan was a large-scale endeavor joined by large pharmaceutical companies, neuroscience research institutions, and medical organizations. But the plan was terminated seven years ago. He provides them with the address of the key person in this project: Souta Aoki In their new hideout, Nine and Twelve discuss the developments in their plan. Nine admits he didn’t account for Five’s involvement, therefore they must accelerate their scheme before she interferes again. He p

roposes to use the plutonium in their next bomb announcement. At this point, Twelve pedals back and says they probably shouldn’t do it after all. But Nine reminds him of their origin, of the main reason why they have to do this. At the start, they both know what’s in it for them, and they both vow to see it until the end. Nine thinks Twelve is hesitating because of Lisa. He says they never should have involved her in the first place. The incident at the Haneda airport should be enough of a lesso

n that life can easily be taken away due to carelessness. Lisa hears their conversation. She decides to leave. However, she’s unaware that Five is waiting for her. The American agent has become obsessed after knowing Lisa’s involvement. She doesn’t care that Clarence reprimanded her earlier for acting out of her whim. It’s true when she tells him it doesn’t matter how she does it, as long as she catches the culprits. But Five is almost out of time. She clutches her aching head, thinking about ho

w to get Nine. To do that, she needs Lisa. To her favor, she finds the girl running along the streets. She orders her men to abduct her. This is her chance to bait Nine and Twelve into her trap. Later, Twelve receives a message from Lisa’s number. He finds out she’s been abducted and left inside one of the cars in a ferris wheel. He and Nine both know it’s Five’s doing. Without hesitation, Twelve gathers his things to save their friend. Nine attempts to stop him, but the younger boy has made up

his mind. He leaves his partner. Nine knows this is a crucial moment in their plans. He must act soon, or else Five will defeat them, and all their efforts will have been put to waste. He goes to another empty warehouse to prepare for their finale. Twelve rides his motorcycle and speeds through the rain to reach Lisa. Meanwhile, Shibazaki and Hamura decide to pay Souta Aoki a visit. When they get to the house, the man himself opens the gate. They introduce themselves as inspectors. To their surp

rise, Aoki simply lets them in. He says he’s been expecting people like them to come. Without ado, Shibazaki asks him to tell all the details about the Athena plan - its goals, activities, and the fate of those involved, especially the children. Aoki tests them by revealing that three years ago, someone actually tried to report to the authorities everything about it, but passed away due to unexplainable circumstances. If they value their lives, they should leave right there and then. Shibazaki r

emains stoic and tells Hamura to leave, but the latter refuses. Despite his bravado, he’s scared of what can happen to him. However, he brings out his recorder and starts it, showing his bravery in completing this mission. Aoki sees their resolve, and decides to reveal the truth. After all, his life is already on the line the moment these inspectors step inside his home. The Athena project was an endeavor by the Rising Peace Academy, and it was inspired by a condition known as savant syndrome. I

t’s a psychological condition where brain functions are extremely high in certain aspects. People with this condition were known as savants. They excel in academics and arts, but lack in other areas such as socialization and emotional management. A Japanese pharmaceutical company researching savant syndrome accidentally created a drug that seemed to replicate it. The Rising Peace Academy saw the potential in this, and so they funded the Athena project. The goal is to artificially replicate savan

t syndrome to produce humans with abilities beyond the norm. Twenty-six children were chosen as test subjects, and they came from different orphanages. Their traces were erased after they were brought to a place called The Settlement. There, many brilliant scientists and researchers joined the cause, and subjected the children to various inhumane and cold treatments. However, they found out that the drug was only permissible in children under five years old. On a regular person, it could be detr

imental, which may lead to death. One by one, the children lost their lives. The US government got wind of this experiment and intervened, ultimately leading to its failure and closure seven years ago. Only one child was known to survive. Presumably, that was Five, who was taken care of by an American agency. Aoki adds that two children had managed to escape a year before its closure. They caused a huge fire and brought down the security system. They’re only known by their numbers - test subject

Nine and test subject Twelve. He had hoped, even now, that those children survived, despite knowing it wouldn’t be for long. The experiments done on them, and the drug’s effect, would greatly shorten their lives. Shibazaki and Hamura look at each other, as they realize the terrorists known as Sphinx may well be those two escaped children. Shibazaki asks Aoki why he’s telling all these things to them. The latter says he could’ve brought this secret to his grave, but he doubts those children woul

d want him to. It’s his way to repent. Although Aoki is sincere, Shibazaki doesn’t pity him. When he asks who was in charge of the Athena plan, he gets the shock of his life. It was Dr. Shunzo Mamiya, the politician he investigated fifteen years ago, and the reason for his demotion. While they’re discussing the truth about the Athena plan, Twelve arrives at the theme park where Lisa is held. He goes to the ferris wheel, where in one of the cars, Lisa is cuffed to a chair, wearing a vest full of

bombs. Once Twelve steps inside, the timer on the vest starts, as well as the ferris wheel. He’s enraged that Five will do something drastic just to corner them. There are only 8 and a half minutes before the bombs explode, so he does his best to disarm each one. Lisa keeps on apologizing, for being a burden to them. One can’t fault her for her actions, as she’s also dealing with problems of her own. She regrets involving Twelve in this dangerous situation. But it’s Twelve who regrets his decisi

on to involve Lisa. He knows from the start the implications of including her in their plans, and yet he continues getting close to her. He admits that Nine was right about his warnings. A few moments pass as Twelve silently but effectively disarms the bombs. But looking at the numbers, no matter how good he is, he can’t disarm all within the time limit. To his surprise, Lisa tells him to go. There’s acceptance, and a certain level of peace, in her eyes as she tells him he should go back to Nine

. Twelve refuses. Watching them from a monitor is Five, along with Clarence and their operators. Five feels the headache again as she looks at Twelve valiantly attempting the impossible. Annoyed at the progress of things, she calls Twelve and strikes a bargain. She’ll stop the timer if he’ll reveal the location of the plutonium. Less than ten seconds remain on the timer. With no choice, Twelve reveals the location of the bomb. It’s at the school where they enrolled, and they hid it in locker D-1

2. Soon, police and military forces rush to the school to retrieve it. It so happens that Nine is also at the school to get it. When he sees the police cars, he realizes Twelve has no choice. Fortunately, he manages to escape before the soldiers can capture him. Five is still holding on to her consciousness as she gives orders, but her headache becomes too much to bear. She passes out. The next day, Nine surrenders himself to the police. Every officer panics as they don’t know, nor understand, t

he intentions of this person they call the terrorist. Why is he surrendering? Where is the other Sphinx? Inside the interrogation room, Nine sits alone, calm, and waiting for the right time. He demands to talk to Detective Shibazaki. But instead, it’s Kurahashi who comes to him. Nine doesn’t answer his pertinent questions. He tells Kurahashi that he’s set up the timer for an atomic bomb. If they don’t accede to his commands, then it’ll be the end for Japan. Kurahashi has no choice but to relay S

phinx’s demands to his superiors. Shibazaki doesn’t know about this yet. He’s still focused on his investigation regarding the Athena plan. He intends to visit Mamiya to confront him and settle personal grudges. Hamura wants to go, too. Shibazaki orders him to buy cigarettes first. Hamura, who doesn’t have any inkling about the latter’s little manipulation, eagerly accepts the money and leaves. Shibazaki goes on his own. He arrives at Mamiya’s mansion. At first, he is refused entry there. But wh

en he says he’s come in place of the 26 children who disappeared, he’s allowed in by the butler. For a long time, Shibazaki has held a deep grudge against Mamiya, the corrupt politician he’d been investigating in the past. He’s never forgotten how he was defeated and almost wasted his life because of the demotion. But now, he has more than enough reason to ensure the devil will face his comeuppance. Mamiya has become a crippled old man, but his eyes are as sharp as ever. He knows why Shibazaki i

s there. Like Aoki, he tests the detective’s resolve to bring this case to a close. Shibazaki says he’s come a long way to turn around and forget everything. With that, Mamiya tells his story. He says Japan never truly recovered in the seventy years that followed the war. The country’s spirit is that of a loser, without a shred of dignity. He wanted his country to be truly independent. That’s why he started the Athena plan. An endeavor that would artificially create humans whose intelligence and

sensitivity surpass that of ordinary people, and raise personnel more useful than any weapon. Although his aspirations failed, he believed the children became a fine foundation for the country. Shibazaki refutes this, correcting Mamiya that he stole the lives of those children for his selfish reasons. And now, those children have come back through Sphinx to exact their revenge, by stealing and utilizing the one thing that Mamiya didn’t want to be made known. Mamiya asks him if he’s ready to rev

eal this to the authorities. It will be like shouting amidst a thunderstorm. Shibazaki promises he’ll do everything in his power to ensure that Mamiya’s dark intentions will come to light. The butler comes in to inform them about the breaking news. Sphinx has surrendered, but he demands to hold a press conference at 8pm that night. Shibazaki leaves immediately. The news reaches Lisa and Twelve as well. After what happened at the ferris wheel last night, Twelve has been feeling guilty and depress

ed. Lisa informs him about Nine’s surrender, which makes his guilt more unbearable. But instead of wallowing in it, he pulls Lisa with him to go back to the theme park and forget everything for a few hours. Meanwhile, Five wakes up in a hospital. It’s Clarence who informs her of Nine’s surrender. She doesn’t waste her time and immediately plans on how to get to him. After the fiasco at the airport, the Japanese government doesn’t trust them anymore, making it hard for Clarence to gather intellig

ence. Five says it doesn’t matter now; they can always use force to get what they want. She won’t let anyone have Nine. It’s already sunset. All the roads in Shinjuku, where the first bombing occurred, are being closed in preparation for the press conference. With the help of Kurahashi, Shibazaki, and Hamura manage to enter the hall where reporters are gathered. Lisa and Twelve are still at the theme park. She convinces Twelve to help his friend. She was happy when Twelve came to her rescue that

night, so she’s sure it’ll be the same for Nine when he comes. Several convoys are on their way towards Shinjuku. However, an unknown armed group interferes with their operations. It’s Five’s order to weed out the decoys and find the vehicle where Nine is being transported. Soon, she finds it. Together with Clarence, they chase the van. Kurahashi is with Nine, along with three more operatives. As soon as they catch up with the van, Five shoots at them. The driver and the two officers beside Nin

e get killed, necessitating Kurahashi to take control of the vehicle. They crash on an island before stopping fully. Nine escapes. Another vehicle, Twelve riding his motorcycle, gives chase to prevent Five from capturing Nine. Five shoots, but Twelve throws a bomb at them before crashing on the road. Five and Clarence avoid crashing themselves. They get out of the car. Then Clarence points his gun at her. He’s dismissing her on the spot for insubordination, breaking the law, and physical deterio

ration. Five shoots him as a response. She doesn’t care anymore, as long as she gets Nine. She drives the car back to where they came from, where she sees Nine waiting for her. Her obsession with him started when they left her that day. She has always wanted to beat him. However, her time is almost up. She tells Nine she survived all those years just to see him again, so he must survive and go on, at least for her. She says she’ll be going ahead, before shooting at the car’s gas tank, causing it

to explode and engulf her. The highway chase delayed the expected conference. As Nine has set up, an automatic cutter cuts a rope, allowing a balloon to fly, carrying a medium-sized box with it. At the same time, a scheduled video upload is now being played around Tokyo. In the video, Sphinx no. 1 is alone. He says the press conference has been canceled due to their interference. So this will be his last message. The last bomb is an atomic bomb that will automatically detonate at 10 pm. And wit

h that, he removes his mask, revealing his face to the nation, and says goodbye. A mass evacuation throughout the country follows this ominous announcement. The chief cabinet secretary holds a press conference, briefing everyone about the situation. A nationwide state of emergency has been declared, and the Kanto region as a danger zone. He advises the public to follow the authorities in a safe evacuation. All flights are getting canceled. People call their loved ones to say their goodbyes, or t

o see them again when this crisis passes. Amidst their hurry and panic, no one notices the injured Twelve walking towards the park, where Lisa sees him, nor Nine, who walks opposite the crowd towards another building. Shibazaki and Hamura are on their way to leave the hotel. Hamura thinks this is Sphinx’s final revenge for all the suffering they went through in the Athena project. But Shibazaki corrects him. Ever since the bombings started, no casualties have been reported. This means that Sphin

x is not after taking lives, but rather getting the public's attention, because they want to say something. And it’s their job to find out what it is. He believes the atomic bomb won’t be used to obliterate Japan, but simply to send a message. He calls Haruka, who’s currently among the evacuating crowd, along with her mother. He asks her if there’s a way to detonate an atomic bomb without killing anyone. Haruka says there is, and it’s called a high-altitude nuclear explosion. It’s a type of deto

nation that happens in the stratosphere, miles, and miles away from the ground and possible victims. Hamura overhears this conversation, and offers an input. It’s possible to do this by using a balloon to carry the bomb into the stratosphere. With that information, they order the remaining officers to look for anyone who may have seen a balloon floating somewhere. After a few minutes, it’s Kinoshita who finds footage of a mysterious balloon flying upwards, carrying a box with it. That’s their pr

oof that Sphinx intends to detonate it in the sky. They share this information with Kurahashi. In their headquarters, they monitor the progress of the balloon via satellite images. Hamada of the forensics department orients them about the high-altitude nuclear explosion. The radiation from this will disperse into space, but in exchange, a strong electromagnetic pulse will be generated, disabling all kinds of electronics across the country. Kurahashi orders communications with nuclear power plant

s for an emergency shutdown. As for the aircrafts, unless they have an anti-EMP device, they will all crash after the explosion. So far, only the US forces in Japan have those devices, and as of this moment, 250 aircraft are in the air. Kurahashi orders every aircraft to land, no matter what. There’s only less than an hour left before the detonation, so they must not waste time. In the park, Twelve finally wakes up. Lisa has done her best to look after him and his bruises. She’s so relieved that

Twelve’s safe, she hugs him tight. After assuring her that he’s okay, they sit to wait for the explosion. He tells her he and Nine both came from a dark institution where they were raised not knowing where they came from. They’ve always been alone, and not needed by anyone. But somehow, when Lisa came into their lives, it’s as if she filled that gap for them, even if she herself has issues of her own. Twelve thanks her, saying he’s glad to have met her. Right on time, the atomic bomb explodes,

coloring the sky with red. Despite the devastating threat it poses, everyone can’t help but look at it, a red sun in the night sky. A few minutes after the explosion, an aurora appears, fascinating all those who look at it. The night passes by without any casualties, although communications all over the country are down. The lively cities that used to be filled with people look like ghost towns, with silence filling in the air. Nine goes back to the Settlement, where it all began. In those years

of abandonment, nature has taken over the establishment. In one part of the property, a cluster of wood stands on soft soil. They’re the gravemarkers of their fellow test subjects who have gone ahead of them. Nine plants one for Five. Then, he sees Twelve and Lisa approaching him. There’s no bad blood between the two boys, as Nine understands why Twelve did what he did. With that seemingly resolved, the three of them spend the rest of the day playing, relaxing, and enjoying this reprieve. Late

that afternoon, Shibazaki approaches them. He’s finally figured out what the Sphinx wants to say. If they’d gone directly to the media and revealed the darkness they had gone through, no one would believe them. But if they orchestrated something on a large scale, then they will get the public’s attention. Everyone would ask questions about Sphinx, about their motives, about their demands. Only then would they be able to tell the truth about the Athena project. Since starting their plans, part of

it has always been to get arrested. But it should be done by someone they can trust, someone who can figure out what they want to do. And that role is fulfilled by Shibazaki. As a symbol, the detective pulls out his gun and announces that Sphinx is under arrest. Twelve says the girl with them is a hostage, and has nothing to do with their attacks. Just as everything seems to go nicely, the US Forces find them there and threaten to kill them. Nine still has a trick up his sleeve. He pulls out a

detonator, saying he’s planted another bomb in one of the nuclear plants around the country. He will not hesitate to push the button. The soldiers hesitate, but their commander orders them to push through with the mission. They can’t afford anyone who knows their involvement with the Haneda airport bombing and the highway chase to live. And so, they shoot Twelve first. Nine almost pushes the button but Shibazaki convinces him not to. He promises Nine that he’ll bring to light what they want to s

ay. After considering, Nine gives him the detonator. He asks him to remember them, that they also lived. And with that, Nine collapses on the ground, breathing his last. One year later, the truth behind the Rising Peace Academy, the Athena plan, and the involvement of Aoki and Mamiya becomes public. They call this affair the Sphinx incident, where the darkness they carry comes to light. Thanks to the efforts of Shibazaki, Kurahashi, and others, justice has been given to the 26 innocent lives who

fell victim to the selfishness of those in power. Lisa Mishima has been afforded anonymity throughout this ordeal. She is asked to be quiet about what she knows, and soon she gets used to it. One day, after paying a visit to the graves of Nine and Twelve, she meets Shibazaki. She shares with him something that Nine told her. He said he liked listening to music from a cold land, from Iceland. There was an Icelandic word that had stuck with him for a long time. The word is “von”, which is Iceland

ic for hope. Shibazaki thinks it’s a fitting word, as it only proves that Nine and Twelve never gave it up after all that had happened. Thank you for watching. See you in the next video.