Fire Force (炎炎ノ消防隊)

Lisa, hand me my gauge, would you?

Okay.

--Here. --Thank you.

Oh, are you making something new for us?

There's no telling when the Evangelist's people will show up again.

There. Lisa, that's all for today.

Okay. If you need anything else, just call.

Yeah.

She's put up with a ton of abuse from Haijima.

And after how Dr. Giovani hurt Lisa,

I'm going to make damn sure Haijima pays for what they did.

Yeah, let's kick their asses.

Shinra, before you enrolled at the training academy,

you were at a Haijima facility, right?

You could be a spy!

Oh, yeah, maybe so. I could be a spy, if it meant being able to assassinate you.

So you are a spy! Come at me!

You're coming at me, you idiot!

Did you think you could beat the Knight King's sword skills?!

You actually hit me!

You're the one who hit me first!

--You devil! Devil! Devil! --You stupid knight! Stupid knight!

Shinra, you were once at Haijima?

Hmm? Oh, yeah. When my abilities surfaced after the fire 12 years ago,

there was a period where I couldn't control them very well.

That was when...

...I underwent experiments at a Haijima pyrokinesis development institute.

I can still remember how chilling it felt there.

All the employees saw the children as nothing more than test subjects.

I didn't feel the slightest bit of warmth from them.

I didn't want for anything there, but it wasn't exactly cozy, either.

Shinra-kun...

Inspector Licht?!

I have a somewhat important matter I need to discuss,

so I'd like to get everyone together.

A-All right.

Okay.

"Episode 14: The Ashen Reaper"

So, what's this important matter you need to discuss?

This is extremely hard for me to say,

and I apologize in advance, but I, Viktor Licht...

...am a Haijima spy, embedded here at the 8th.

H-Huh? You seem underwhelmed.

Mm-hmm, we knew.

So why speak up now? You were never actually posted to the 8th.

You've always been with Haijima, right?

Yes I have.

Huh? Does that mean that Licht-san isn't one of us?

It's okay. As you were, Sister. Mm-hmm.

Then that will speed this along.

My primary objective in coming to the 8th

was to observe Shinra-kun and his Adolla Burst.

Haijima has been looking for the next bearer of an Adolla Burst,

just like the Evangelist,

and for that reason, I was sent here to spy on Shinra-kun.

But Shinra was already at Haijima, right?

It seems like they let Shinra's Adolla Burst get away from them pretty easily.

Yes, and that is what I would like to speak about.

Shinra-kun, after your house burned down,

you were taken in by a Haijima pyrokinesis development institute, yes?

Yes, from when I was 5 until I was 12.

At age 13, I enrolled at the Fire Force Training Academy.

As it happens, they were researching Adolla Bursts at that facility.

Nonetheless, the Haijima researchers there at the time

could not identify your flame as being an Adolla Burst.

Heh, lightweight.

What's so funny? You're the last person to laugh.

This is where the issue arises.

Once they discovered the fact that they passed over Shinra-kun,

the facility has gotten a lot more radical with their experiments,

enough so that people are getting hurt.

So much so that some of the kids will never recover.

And the thing that triggered all this was letting Shinra-kun get away.

Oh, man... Because of me?

And now, they've finally ordered me to bring Shinra-kun back.

There's no way we can sell out one of our crewmen.

It's dangerous, to be sure. Haijima is clearly out for Shinra-kun's Adolla Burst.

However, I think of this as being a chance to investigate Haijima.

None of Haijima's people know the nitty-gritty

of the pyrokinesis development facility, including me.

If we agree to go in,

we may be able to find a connection between the facility and the Evangelist.

You're a Haijima spy, aren't you?! I'm not about to trust you so quickly!

Hold on, Vulcan.

If what Inspector Licht says is true,

then I can't just leave the children there to suffer.

Captain, I'm okay with this.

What kind of hero am I if I can't keep children safe?

Shinra, don't rush into any decisions.

It's going to take three years before the truth about Amaterasu goes public.

In the meantime, the Evangelist's plans just keep moving forward.

There's no time for playing it slow and easy.

I mean, Sho is still...

Inspector Licht,

the most important question still remains.

Whose side are you on, the 8th's, or Haijima's?

I'm on both sides.

I'm with Haijima because I can research the truth.

But right now, I'm partial to the 8th.

The 8th seems like it's closer to the truth.

It doesn't seem like you're really part of either one.

Oh, that's a sharp observation.

Shinra, I can't let you go to Haijima by yourself. It's too dangerous.

All 8th personnel will be conducting an investigation of Haijima.

--Yes, sir! --Yes, sir!

Commence "Operation Investigate Haijima Industries"!

--Roger! --Roger!

Nataku-kun, we're starting a combat test.

Kurono-kun, are you ready?

Nataku, care to go a round with your Uncle Reaper?

S-Sure.

This will be the third combat test, huh?

He may be an unexpected surprise from that earlier incident,

but don't break him, if you please.

Okay, you may begin.

Okay, you have another experiment with your Uncle Reaper today.

U-Uncle Reaper...

...when will I be able to go home?

You recognize this grim reaper symbol, right?

You're not going home until you're dead.

This is your third test, too. It's about time I started fighting like I mean it.

Nataku, you'll have to knuckle down, too, or you could go home in a coffin.

I want you to show me your true power.

Click!

Fire! I know you can do it! You can do it!

After all, you've been chosen by the Insects!

Show them how hot-blooded you are!

Show them how passionate you are!

Fire!!

I'm getting fired up!

That's it! Fire! Click!

"Click"

Fire!

Fire!!

That's the spirit, that's the spirit! That's good! That's hot! Keep at it!

Breathe in, just like that! Shout it out from deep inside! Waah!

Let it out, let it out even more! I know you can do it! Let yourself roar!

"Raaaah"

Flame output rising. Still unable to detect an Adolla Burst.

His mental state is growing unstable.

From the trauma of that incident. What do we do, stop?

Shinra Kusakabe is said to have sparked his Adolla Burst

through actual combat and combat training.

We continue. And if he breaks, that's that.

It would be a shame, though.

Come on, we're not done yet.

This is Uncle Reaper's job, too.

I need you to go along with this, or I can't work.

It's hard enough just to watch. I'm surprised he can do this.

I understand that to him, this is his true calling.

He's got the skills it would take to fight in an actual combat unit,

but apparently, he remains here by choice.

Just so he can pick on children.

His right arm is already carbonized from tephrosis,

but he still seeks to destroy even more.

He's completely around the bend, isn't he?

But his abilities are the real deal.