BLACK TORCH

Damn it!

I was finally able to sleep.

So you're finally up, eh, sleeping beauty?

And?

You know this kid's been staring you down this whole time, right?

Yeah, I noticed the four-eyed casanova douche.

What is that?

Hey Shiba!

Hm?

Why does he get to have a sword?

Oh, that's right, I forgot.

He comes from a long line of swordmasters,

the Kirihara family of spies.

When the Bureau was part of the Oniwaban,

they instructed the shogunate in the family sword arts,

alongside other arts like

Yagyu Shinkage-ryu and One-blade Ono-ha.

If you think it's unfair, you're welcome to your own.

Nah, don't need one.

Don't hold back.

You may be without a sword, but you've got your own "weapon."

You know, your recent acquisition.

Your special secret weapon.

You stupid?

This little guy isn't a "weapon."

Besides, this's between you and me.

You asked, and I'm gonna deliver.

No one's gonna interfere!

Rago, stay out of this, got it?

Fine...

I'm going back to bed.

This is absurd.

Hey, what do you think you're doing?

It's a handicap.

I've got to keep this fight from being totally dull, don't I?

The timing's completely up to you.

I've no need to face you.

I'll even close my eyes.

They both look to be holding back some.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're mocking me.

I'm gonna enjoy this...

That smug smirk and those dumb glasses...

I'll knock 'em both off that punchable face!

Ingenious!

He's attacking mid air so footsteps can't give away his distance!

No, I think you're giving him too much credit.

To the swordsman, distance between opponents is paramount.

Second-rate blade smiths resort to sight and sound.

But the very best employ a sort of sixth sense.

Reiji's awareness is 360 degrees...

He has no blind spot.

It's a veritable wall of blade work.

So he wasn't bluffing...

I'm impressed.

I hope he's okay, poor Jiro.

Perhaps we should stop there.

Much more of this,

and it won't be long before he expires.

Exceptional power is one thing,

but if he's the one with the power...

Ohh...

It's just a scratch.

Hey, what's the matter?

I'm just gettin' warmed up.

You have resilience.

Just as I expected from a mononoke.

My gramps has been knocking sense into me since I was a little kid.

Your play sword fighting is nothing!

The Kirihara-ryu school of sword fighting...

...is no conceptual practice.

It is the undiluted art of the kill.

It's the height of centuries of sacrifice and genius,

refined and polished in blood and blood alone.

And you dare call it play?

That's punishable by death!

I'd like to see you try!

Make sure you're getting this, Usami.

Huh?

Here comes the best part.

That idiot!

You're asking for it head on!

Incredible.

He was aiming...

...for the blade the whole time!

Woah, way to go, Jiro!

Interesting, breaking the weapon.

So he figured out my striking distance...

The moment I swung my sword.

Still...

How did he shatter a wooden sword that easily?

Could he've timed his punch and my slash

to meet at exactly the right moment ...

No, even if he did...

That counter...

It'd be impossible to pull off as a reaction to my swing!

That means...

He predicted it!

All it took was a single strike.

He mapped out my every move!

All right, that makes one hit for each of us.

And...

You no longer got that crutch of yours.

Hungry for more...

Pretty boy?

I'll even throw in a juice box for ya if you just give up.

You are a true fool.

You always act like you're in middle school?

You want me to give up?

But this is just the beginning!

Now that's more like it!

All right, then bring it!

Die mother—

My thoughts exactly!

So, Chief.

Hm?

This really going to convince the higher-ups?

I suppose it shows their toughness, their tenacity.

Is that what they really care about?

Just two young bucks letting their fists do the talking!

Is there anything sexier?

Is she okay?

Geez...

You're both idiots!

How ya holdin' up, four-eyes?

Where'd everyone go?

Back inside, I think.

I just woke up, too, so who knows.

I see...

So a draw.

Then again, you came to first so...

Catch.

And this is?

Your "juice box."

Is your brain fully functioning?

I mean, why are you giving this to me?

You seriously are an ass.

I guess I got carried away.

If you'd really tried,

you could've killed me with that first hit.

My trick worked against your second strike

only cause you had a wooden sword...

So I guess...

I'll give ya this one.

Congratulations big shot.

Huh. You really do have the mind of a middle schooler.

I got ya good, dumbass!

I shook the crap out of that can while you were out cold!

“Huh" my ass!

That's what you get for thinking you're so smooth!

It was a freakin' joke!

How intriguing.

Who would've thought trash was capable

of such a varied vocabulary.

Why you...!

You really think this's going to be okay?

I think you did a fine job for an amateur.

No, that's not what I mean.

Not to worry.

That was never meant to convince anyone of anything.

The real test comes tomorrow out in the field

when we learn their capacity for real teamwork.

In the field?

You're assigning them a real mission?!

For those two...

It's way too soon!

No better experience than real life.

But the higher-ups haven't assigned us any new missions.

Then we figure out one for ourselves.

I can think of one already.

And if all goes well,

it just might reveal the identity of our true enemy.

It's an important mission...

And only we can do it.

Hey, you guys ready?

Wow!

Look at these cool commandos!

I guess the right clothes really do make all the difference.

Why do I need to tag along?

I had your uniform adjusted when I had theirs made.

We need to make sure yours is working, just in case.

Press and hold the button on your left wrists.

This thing?

Ohh!

It changed our clothes?

That's Quantum Camouflage Mode.

It disguises you in personalized ordinary civilian attire.

Now try double tapping the same button.

Whoa, I'm like sorta see-through!

That's Stealth Mode.

While you appear semi-transparent to each other,

you're completely invisible to everyone else.

This is so freakin' cool!

The downside is that Quantum Camouflage Mode

dramatically lowers the efficiency of your espionage gear.

So what we use varies situation to situation.

You got it.

There's a little more to it than that,

but you'll get used to it, little by little.

Well, it's into the field we go.

While we're out, it's all you, Usami.