Taboo Tattoo (タブー・タトゥー)

Take this, jerk!

What? No way! I'm gonna tell my mommy on you!

Yeah, you big meanie!

Seriously?

Excuse me, sir, are you hurt?

I'll be fine. You saved my life.

Here, let me reward you. Uh, it's here somewhere.

Hmm... The last one, already.

Well...

I know it doesn't seem like much,

but this is the first step to learning the truth.

Huh?

What the hell? This stings like crazy!

Why is it shocking me?

W-Wait. What is this? A tattoo?

They say "curiosity killed the cat."

You're not a cat, are you?

Looking back on it now,

that was the moment my life changed forever.

It was my first step into the abyss--

an unforgiving world with no escape.

Would you hurry up?

Damn it!

Whoa, get out of the way!

Ah! I'm so sorry!

When someone charges at me like a maniac, I just react.

It's a reflex.

It's fine.

Sorry I couldn't slow down in time.

Here, let me help you up.

What was that about?

Watch where you're going.

Uh! Hey!

Seigi, stop flirting and come on!

If we're late to school, it's all your fault!

Uh...

And ever since, they've rapidly expanded

into the burgeoning powerhouse of southern Asia

we know today as the Kingdom of Selinistan.

It's now a global leader in technological development

and national infrastructure.

It currently boasts one of the world's

largest Gross Domestic Product totals,

second only to its primary competitor, America.

If you keep up with the news, this shouldn't come as a shock,

but recently, tensions between America

and the Kingdom have been escalating.

If they're not careful, we'll be lookin' at World War III.

Hey, what are you up to over there?

This stupid thing won't come off.

What is that? A fake tattoo?

I'm not sure.

I saved a guy from being mugged last night,

and then he did this to my hand.

C'mon, fighting crime again?

I can't tell if you're really brave or just kind of an idiot.

I've spent years studying martial arts under my grandpa.

Why not put it to use?

You know, there's this rumor going around

in the military forums I chat in online.

Huh?

Apparently, America has started arming itself.

They've been developing a high-tech secret weapon

to battle the Kingdom.

America?

It's called a "sealing combat device,"

but no one knows its true purpose.

According to the rumors, someone took it from America

and it's currently floating around

the Japanese black market.

What's your point?

Their top-secret weapon is supposed to look

exactly like a tattoo!

For real?

Not very secret, huh.

Yeah right!

Seigi, I need to pick up groceries after school

for our dinner. Will you help?

Sorry, Grandpa hates it when I'm late to training.

Oh, but you don't have a problem

making other people late?!

You could've gone ahead if you wanted to get here on time.

Jeez, your mother asked me to keep an eye on you.

Besides, when I'm not around,

all you do is get yourself into trouble.

Are they married?

Obviously.

Hey! Shut it! You don't know a single thing about us!

I'll see you after school. Don't be late, or else!

All right, I get it. 'Bye.

So, what is this thing, really?

Wow, Seigi, I dunno.

Everything looks so tasty I'm having trouble

deciding what to get. Have anything in mind?

I'm fine with whatever.

Why don't you just pick your favorite--

you're the one who's cooking.

Yeah, but making the same stuff over and over is boring.

Use your imagination-- the sky's the limit!

All right, then I want Euro-American-Style

Indian Curry Udon.

Oh, of course, uh...

Euro-American-Style Indian Curry Udon.

You sure that's even a thing?

Probably not, guess you should choose instead.

No, wait! I can do this! Challenge accepted!

I'd better give grandpa a call.

Hi.

Hm?

It's been a while.

Ah...

Sorry about what happened this morning.

How is your head feeling?

It's fine.

-- --

She took my phone!

Come back! Wait! Wait!

Good news. An employee taught me how to make

authentic Euro-American-Style Indian Curry Udon

with a special Jamaican flair!

Behold! The flavors linking their cultures!

Help me carry the ingredients and I'll--

Ah--

The jerk ditched me!

That's enough! Give me my phone!

I know you're in here!

"Justice" Akatsuka.

Third-year at Harumi Private Middle School.

Hmph. That's a weird name. But it's kinda cool, I guess.

Almost makes you sound like a superhero.

Ah! It was my dad's idea!

I don't know what he was thinking.

I was his firstborn so he got excited, I guess.

You shouldn't be reading my phone to begin with!

Give it to me!

I need to ask you something important.

How'd you get that tattoo on your hand?

Huh...? Tattoo?

What the hell?!

It's classified property of the US Military.

I'm bringing it back to America.

America? Military? You're not making any sense!

Oh, no!

Huh.

Fine, we'll settle things your way.

I won't hold back either!

You're actually pretty good!

Get up.

She's gonna kill me.

Ah. Oops!

Went a little overboard.

When I'm having fun, I forget to hold back.

I have to admit, I'm surprised.

You held out against me for that long

and you didn't even activate your tattoo.

You're pretty tough for a middle schooler.

I don't have a clue what you're talking about!

Why won't you tell me what's going on?!

You almost kill me and you're still yammering about tattoos?!

I don't understand any of this!

I had a hunch that was the case.

How'd a kid like you get a hold of such a dangerous weapon?

I'm not a kid. N'you're just as young as I am!

It looks that way. In reality, I'm much older than I seem.

This is my tattoo.

Every tattoo has a unique trigger,

and those who invoke a tattoo's power are called "Sealed."

These are bio-engineered super-weapons which enhance

the physical capabilities of their users.

However, for highly-skilled Sealed,

these powers manifest differently,

granting supernatural abilities.

The trigger that charges mine up is chalk.

Observe.

Now it's activated.

My particular ability lets me condense air into a sphere.

I'll let it float up.

And bombs away!