Yoshino has successfully convinced Mahiro that the Tree of Exodus – and by extension Samon – could be responsible for Aika’s death, and Samon has no further leverage. Hakaze scours the island for the offering, but cannot find it, but a dud missile lands on the beach, and she uses it to break the prison of time and return to the present. Before anything more can be done, the Tree of Genesis goes berserk, spouting branches all over Japan and the rest of the world, breaking the barrier that controls Exodus. A battle between the trees commences, and in the melee, Yoshino and Mahiro are impaled by branches. Hakaze and Samon commence healing them, and must suppress Exodus to attempt to calm Genesis before all of civilization is destroyed.
No more standing around in deep thought and chatting and thrusting katanas into the ground and pointing chained machine guns at people – this week we get down to the climactic action, and there’s a lot of it. First, Hakaze finally returns to the present and sees the lads for the first time. It’s a sudden turn of events, but after all, the logic of the world is on her side, and it’s quite a triumphant moment. Unfortunately there’s no time for celebrations, as the same tree that helped get her back is now locked in a furious battle with Exodus, a battle that may well be the titular “civilization blaster”, turning men and their works to ash. Even Hakaze isn’t quite sure which tree to trust, but at the moment both are a threat to humanity, and must be dealt with.
Luckily for Yoshino, the shit hits the fan before Mahiro can tell him to reveal who Aika’s girlfriend was. Unluckily for both of them, the Genesis deems their service to Princess Hakaze complete, and seems to dispose of them by impalement by errant branch. It’s a frightening, visceral scene, enough to make us briefly forget the Kusaribes are wielders of healing magic that can mend them. But even if they do, there’s still a huge shitstorm left to deal with. All of civilization is at the mercy of two immensely powerful badass trees who do not like each other – vying for dominion over the earth.
Rating: 9 (Superior)
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