Sabikui Bisco (Rust-Eater Bisco)

Children's Fortress

Children's Fortress

Help me!

You planning to kidnap children too, you gangsters?

We'll fill you full of holes and send you back to Kurokawa's!

Nuts...

Who is this "Kurokawa"?

The governor of Imihama.

They say his reelection is guaranteed,

though that's just because all the other candidates went missing.

I dunno where you got that wrong idea,

but stop pointing weapons at travelers!

We're just trying to get to Akita!

Quit lying!

No one heading north would pass through the Calvero Shellsand Sea,

where water and food are scarce!

Everyone has their own reasons for doing stuff, y'know!

Though, yeah, it's true that we could use some food.

But we have money, so please spare some.

No way you've got much money walking around like that.

Now hurry up and let Kousuke go!

Guess you're in your rebellious phase.

Whatever. Good thing I saved a copy.

Man-Eating Redcap

Man-Eating Redcap

Akaboshi Bisco

Akaboshi Bisco

Wanted

Wanted

Age: 17 Height: 180cm

on 28 Counts of Mushroom Terrorism

800,000 Sol Reward

I'm Akaboshi Bisco, the man-eating redcap causing chaos all over Japan!

If you manage to take me to Imihama alive, you'll get an 800,000-sol reward!

Hey, wh-what are you doing, Bisco?!

Akaboshi?

The man-eating redcap, Akaboshi?

The real deal?

Wow!

Really?!

See? It all worked out.

You call this "working out"?

The fishermen of Calvero always keep their word.

We'll give you food, so behave yourselves until we turn you over to the authorities.

Thank you for looking after us.

What an amazing man.

m 0 0 l 100 0 100 100 0 100

Tetsujin Town

Who are they?

I don't know.

Who is it?

This town has kind of a strange shape.

It was carved out of a piece of Tetsujin that landed here after the explosion.

That's what the adults said long ago.

Liquid Bonecoal

Akaboshi, you go here.

Kousuke, come with me.

Plum, you keep an eye on White Panda down there!

Thank you so much. You saved our lives.

I just happened to be passing by. There's no need to thank me.

The bandits' trap was still there, wasn't it?

Bandits?

You mean that pile of corpses?

They used this place as a base to attack traders passing through.

Serves 'em right.

Hey, I know.

If you like, why don't you come to our place? You can fix it up there.

Really?

Yes, it's just up ahead.

This is good!

You're exaggerating. It's just clams simmered in milk.

Thank you.

But are you sure?

I had no choice. You looked like you were going to drop it.

Hey, aren't there any adults here?

You're all armed, too. Do bandits strike out here?

Schools of flying blowfish rise up in winter.

Flying blowfish?

They eat several people every year,

and our weapons are getting old,

so we don't know if we'll make it through this winter.

Let me see that.

I-It's been like this forever.

It's not just me. Everyone has it.

It's called Rusting, right?

Huh?

That's what the Imihama army said when they barged in here.

The medicine costs a fortune, so all the adults left to earn money.

That's why they're all forced to wear those strange masks by the governor, Kurokawa.

Kurokawa? How could he do this to children?

Plum, the disease you all have isn't Rusting.

Huh?

Here you go. Drink up.

We used to live in that apartment block.

After everyone was gone, we moved here.

What on earth happened here?

A mass outbreak of Rusting.

I see. Here, too, huh?

It's all his fault.

"His"?

Our town was wiped out by a Mushroom Keeper who just showed up one day.

Around here, we didn't used to fear Mushroom Keepers as much as we do now.

He stayed in one of the apartment blocks and used mushrooms to treat illnesses.

At first, it looked like they were definitely doing some good.

But then...

When we investigated later,

it turned out that everyone the Mushroom Keeper had given medicine to had Rust all over.

Everyone still alive fled,

and before we knew it, it was just the two of us left.

Then the Mushroom Keeper came to us and said,

"Thank you. That experiment was worthwhile."

That bastard.

So the Mushroom Keepers really are spreading Rust.

The two of us came over here after that.

We had a lot of memories in this place, you see.

It was our dream to fix this place up one day.

We hoped that if we did, people would return to this town once more.

That's why we occasionally pick up things we think might be useful.

Like the playground equipment outside, which we repaired and improved ourselves.

What the hell?!

You brats get to eat stuff this good all the time?

We're not brats!

We're proud Calvero fishermen.

That was great.

More.

Y-You...

Don't you realize the position you're in?

The weapon on that wall over there is a pretty nasty piece.

That's my dad's harpoon.

He was the best fisherman here, and our chief.

He stood up to the Imihama army and got his head blown off.

It's a great harpoon.

That harpoon and my grudge are the two things I never want to rust.

That's why I keep it on display.

Your memories aside, it's a great harpoon.

Give it to me.

Wh-What?!

There's no point in putting it on display.

A pipsqueak like you would be out of your depth wielding it.

It's better if I use it.

How dare you?!

Nuts!

All right.

Excuse me.

I'd like to ask a question—

Ecchan.

Did that woman drink the tea?

Don't worry.

I sneaked a peek at her cup, and it was empty.

That iron pole of hers was like an oni's club.

Real scary.

Then let's turn that woman into a statue of a female oni.

Oh?

All done with the repairs to your bike?

What is this place?

A shelter.

It's an ideal dwelling because we don't have to worry about Rust here.

It appears you two are the ones who have been acting like bandits.

I can't look the other way now that I know you're evil.

Die!

It's starting to work.

We put poison in the tea you just drank!

What? How...

The Rust in my chest was just aching a bit, that's all.

I'm not so reckless as to gulp down tea that might be poisoned.

So you two really were the ones who set that trap.

Shou-chan!

Shou-chan, this way!