Dead Account Episode 9: The Battle at Sainokawara

Kiyomi receives a notification about a battle, her smile turning into a gleeful grimace as she wishes ill upon Kasubata. Her momentary annoyance about her battery quickly turns to determination, suggesting an underlying sense of responsibility. Suddenly, Kasaba ambushes her, jumping onto her back with playful aggression. Kiyomi's shock gives way to anger as Kasaba smugly admits to stopping her from helping.

The opening sequence flashes by, a chaotic, glitchy kaleidoscope of digital effects and character introductions. It hints at the deeper, darker themes of the show, displaying disturbing transformations and ominous figures lurking in a digital underworld. The overall impression is one of high-energy, stylized conflict and mysterious supernatural abilities, firmly establishing the show's aesthetic.

Returning to the rural road, Kasaba again pounces on Kiyomi's back, escalating their physical tussle. Kiyomi, fed up, activates her cyberkinesis, causing a grotesque pink goo to erupt from her phone. A single, unsettling eye forms within the blob, and a gooey appendage flings Kasaba into the air. Kiyomi lands, determined and angry, ready to face her opponent.

Kiyomi narrates Kasaba's true nature: a manipulative "minefield" who adopts various personas to ensnare boys. She scoffs at Kasaba's innocent pose amidst sparkles, detailing her process of researching potential crushes online and crafting a "perfect woman" facade. Kasaba, in turn, reveals her "Little Mine Book" ability, which allows her to amplify a male fighter's power by stepping on a mine, demonstrating her unique form of cyberkinesis. Her first attack comes in the form of powerful, goo-covered fists, striking with surprising force.

Kasaba, still attacking with aggressive abandon, explains her peculiar romantic philosophy: she loses interest the moment a guy reciprocates, valuing the "chase" above all else. Kiyomi, frustrated by the relentless assault, accuses Kasaba of being a mere decoy for Wagatie, questioning her true motivations. Kasaba smirks, denying any such subservience. Instead, she reveals her genuine fear that Kuro will fall for Kiyomi and launches into a dreamy idealization of his "masculine energy" and Yubata's good looks.

Kiyomi, disgusted by Kasaba's fickle affections and romantic fantasies, unleashes her fury. She performs a powerful goo-kick, sending Kasaba flying across the road. Her anger escalates as she questions Kasaba's inability to commit to a single person. Ignoring Kasaba's taunts, Kiyomi transforms her goo into a dragon-headed monster, launching a "Sticky Love Bomb" that sends Kasaba crashing through the roof of a nearby building.

Kiyomi groans in pain, having used significant power to cushion her fall inside the bathhouse, her battery now at 45%. Before she can recover, Kasaba appears, having torn her uniform into a more revealing outfit with scissors. Kasaba confidently asserts that, with no boys or "camera-jones" around, she can be as provocative as she likes. Kiyomi is horrified by the display, trapped and vulnerable as Kasaba steps on another "mine," ready to amplify her power.

Kiyomi takes another devastating blow, sliding across the floor in pain. Kasaba gloats, promising a beating that will make Kuro lose interest in Kiyomi. Kiyomi lashes out, questioning Kasaba's obsessive love for Kuro and revealing her own animosity towards him. Kasaba dismisses her, reiterating her infatuation with Kuro's "piercing eyes" and "masculine energy," extending her romanticization to Yubata as well.

Kiyomi, utterly disgusted, lands another powerful kick, screaming at Kasaba about her lack of a true self. Kasaba, despite being beaten, vehemently defends herself, claiming every emotion she expresses is genuine, however fleeting. They both collapse in exhaustion amidst the goo, their power reserves dwindling. Kiyomi lashes out, calling Kasaba a "self-repressing stalker," which triggers a chilling response. Kasaba chokes Kiyomi with a gooey tentacle, revealing she meticulously tracked Kuro's every move, even knowing the exact time and date of a selfie, admitting to hours of obsessive watching.

Horrified and disgusted by Kasaba's disturbing revelation, Kiyomi's body contorts, and a grotesque pink goo transforms into a black, spear-like weapon. She strikes Kasaba violently, expressing her hatred for the "gross rock star guys" Kasaba is obsessed with. With a surge of power, the black spear morphs into a magnificent, glowing koi fish of pure energy. Kiyomi, completely spent, collapses, lying defeated as Kuro watches over her.

Kiyomi sits dejected on a park bench at night, questioning her actions. Minatogawa appears, offering seemingly innocuous concern that Kiyomi rebuffs with a sharp tongue. He gently reveals that Kasaba is fine, before explaining that Kiyomi's glowing koi fish is a manifestation of her unique power, "cyberkinesis," visible only to them. He then invites her to Miden Academy, where she can learn alongside "people like you." Kiyomi, surprised, listens intently to his explanation.

Despite the immediate aftermath, Kiyomi's determination solidifies. A powerful montage or internal experience shows both girls, in a digital space, fighting to the very last drop of their cyberkinesis, their phone batteries draining rapidly. They trade final, desperate blows, their mutual exhaustion palpable as their powers flicker and die. The sheer intensity of their rivalry, even in their depleted state, emphasizes the depth of their conflict.

Both girls lie utterly defeated, their power spent. The scene shifts to them sharing a hot spring, their bodies aching from the intensity of their battle. Kiyomi, holding a milk bottle, grudgingly acknowledges Kasaba's strength, taking back her earlier insult. Kasaba, equally tired and holding her own milk, returns the compliment and offers a playful apology for calling Kiyomi a stalker. They clink their milk bottles together, a silent, fragile truce forming between them.