The second episode began with the opening theme. Yuuya listened to it all over again, letting it wash over him. His hype had already gone beyond its limit after just one episode. He hadn't even known it was possible to feel that much excitement so quickly. Now the rising intensity felt like uncharted territory. He had no idea how far this feeling would carry him. Just imagining the day the series would reach its climax gave him goosebumps. It was already rewriting his concept of hype, and it had only just begun.
When the opening ended, the story picked up.
Outside, the military continued to massacre civilians. Inside an abandoned building, Lelouch was wondering why the girl had given him power. While he thought it over, a Knightmare arrived, piloted by a female soldier. Seeing the royal guard dead and a student standing there, she demanded, "What happened here? All these Britannian soldiers—"
When Lelouch stayed silent, she fired a shot to scare him. "Are you deaf? Answer me."
Lelouch tried using his power to order the soldiers inside the Knightmare to come out, but nothing happened. Yuuya thought, So it only works on direct contact. They're pushing the route of emotion and intelligence here.
Lelouch then lied about his identity, tricking the pilot into stepping out of her Knightmare to inspect him. The moment she did, he used his power and took control of her Knightmare Frame.
The scene shifted. Suzaku lay on a bed, his body covered in bandages. A scientist approached. Suzaku asked what was happening in the ghetto.
"The poison gas seems to have been released. Massive Elevens casualties are being reported, and the perpetrators haven't been caught," the scientist said.
He had been keeping tabs on Suzaku since his enrollment, having noticed his great talent for piloting Knightmare Frames. Now he guided him toward a new machine, offering the chance to pilot the latest model. One of a kind.
The focus returned to the battlefield. Britannian forces were still slaughtering civilians, though word spread that so-called terrorists were fighting back to protect people. Lelouch called Shirley, asking her to check the TV for any news about Shinjuku. She found nothing. No reports at all.
Spotting another Knightmare Frame, Lelouch muttered, "I want payback for dragging me into this." He called Kallen and helped her escape pursuit by the royal guard. Leading her to his position, he sniped with his hook, destroying one Knightmare. Another pilot was ejected. Lelouch then directed Kallen and the other terrorists toward the location where a train carrying Britannian Knightmares was stationed.
When the group saw the train loaded with Knightmares, they were stunned. Lelouch quickly began giving commands, and the others followed. Though nervous, he was determined to escape this place. Their leader asked Lelouch for his name, but he refused to answer.
Inside his Knightmare, Lelouch spotted approaching Britannian soldiers and ordered the terrorists to strike.
Under his guidance, they destroyed enemy Knightmares one after another. On the command HQ screen, a scientist requested permission to deploy, but higher-ups refused. Prince Clovis ordered all remaining forces to converge on the terrorists' location. By the time they arrived, however, no one was there. Lelouch had moved the group underground. Launching a surprise attack from below, they crushed the Britannian forces completely.
Seeing the victory, Lelouch grew hysterical. "I can do it! I can! I can defeat Britannia!"
Yuuya frowned. So he has that kind of ego too… I just hope this doesn't turn into a full-on god complex now that he's gained power.
Prince Clovis turned to the scientist. "Lloyd, can your toy win against them?"
"Please, call it Lancelot," Lloyd replied. His team quickly briefed Suzaku on how to operate the Lancelot, the world's first seventh-generation Knightmare Frame.
When the Lancelot launched, the dramatic background music gave Yuuya chills. Man, the BGM makes this scene so much more intense.
As Suzaku piloted the Lancelot at full power, terrorist Knightmares were destroyed one by one. Lelouch kept issuing commands, but nothing worked against it.
Suzaku noticed a Knightmare standing on top of a building. "So you're the one controlling them," he said, leaping toward it. Lelouch tried to escape, but Kallen arrived just in time to save him.
"Hey, I'm returning the favor," she said. But even she faced defeat and was forced to eject from her Knightmare, while Lelouch managed to slip away.
The Lancelot pursued him relentlessly. Lelouch fired shots, trying to block it with debris, but the Lancelot dodged everything with ease. During the chaos, a mother and child fell from a collapsing building. The Lancelot stopped to save them, giving Lelouch just enough time to escape.
He eventually reached near HQ, disguised in a soldier's uniform.
Inside, Lelouch used his power to seize control of a soldier and infiltrated the command room. Meanwhile, the terrorists had hidden inside an abandoned building. Britannian soldiers surrounded it and prepared to fire, but Prince Clovis suddenly ordered all forces to retreat.
In the HQ, Lelouch pointed a gun at Clovis, forcing him to speak. Clovis chuckled bitterly. "What now? A round of song? Or perhaps a nice game of chess?"
Lelouch stepped forward, hand on his mask. "Now that has a familiar ring. Don't you remember? We used to play chess together as children. And of course, I always won."
He moved out of the shadows, revealing his face. "It's been a long time, big brother. The eldest son of the late Empress Marianne, seventeenth in line to the imperial throne. Lelouch vi Britannia, at your service."
Yuuya froze. So he's a prince? Then does he plan to become king, to rule the world under the guise of changing it and ending people's suffering?
Clovis' eyes widened. "Lelouch… but I thought you were dead!"
"You were wrong," Lelouch replied coldly. "I have returned, Your Highness, to change everything."
The screen cut to black.
Yuuya leaned back, stunned. I knew it. Mizushiro and cliffhangers are two sides of the same coin. How did I not see this coming? Of course the second episode would end this way. But… will Lelouch really control his brothers and rise to become king?
His stomach growled. With a sigh, he carried his food to the oven to reheat it. As it warmed, his thoughts drifted again. I wonder how the public is reacting to this episode… He opened his social media to find out.
[Note: If any of you are wondering, BGM is the Code Geass OST; previous notice.]
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