Open (chapter)

Open
Japanese Title	オープン Ōpun
Volume	4
Chapter	31
Arc	e-test
Pages	19
Release Date	May 9, 2011
WSJ Issue	22, 2011
Chronology
Previous Chapter	e30. Tear
Next Chapter	e32. Shadow
Debut
Characters	Reverend Scott

Open (オープン, Ōpun) is chapter 31 of the ǝnígmǝ manga.

Summary

The eight participants have returned to the infirmary after having obtained their sixth password. Since their last challenge had ended, Sumio has been wondering if Shigeru, with her strong sense of justice, made her so different. He wonders if something had awakened inside of her when she told him of the harpoons coming from below and if ǝnígmǝ knew of this already. Hiina calls Sumio over to talk to him.

Having gathered up all the passwords they had found, she claims to have realized something upon obtaining the sixth password. She reminds everyone of a hijacking incident that occurred two and a half years ago. A plane carrying one minor was bound for Sapporo from Haneda when it crashed into Iriai Coast southeast of Yūyami City. Everyone onboard was killed except for the hijacker. Remembering this incident too, Moto recalls the hijacker being caught. Hiina recalls that the hijacker was the minor on the plane and therefore, this person's name was withheld. She then reveals that this "HIJACK" occurred on "February 29", and the flight was operated by Queen Airlines under flight number "Q-510". Everyone is stunned upon hearing this. Sudō asks Hiina how she knows all this even though the incident had nothing to do with her. Hiina explains that Queen Airlines is an affiliate of the Kujōin Group, so she had already dealt with this incident earlier in her life, but the name of the culprit was never revealed to her as it was top secret information. Sumio asks Matsurigi if "A24" meant a seat number, but Matsurigi wonders what "Ryō Kurisu" had to do with the hijacking. Realizing the flight number was Q-510 and that the plane departed at 7:30pm, Kurisu mentions that he was supposed to have a connection with the incident too, as he was going to take that fateful flight, but cancelled his ticket a few days earlier. He recalls at the time having been admitted to Yūyami High as a second year student, returning to Japan. Around the time his new semester was to start, he was planning to go on a trip with a priest that had looked after him in the past, but the priest became ill, so they postponed their trip and eventually avoided boarding the tragic flight. Realizing that Kurisu was indirectly involved with the plane crash, Matsurigi realizes that all the passwords do point to that incident after all and wonders why ǝnígmǝ is showing all this. Hiina then points out something the culprit said something odd when caught: The culprit claimed not to have the power to crash the plane and that someone else set the plane crash. Hearing about this possible false charge, Sudō immediately thinks of Ami Yumikawa. Sumio thinks the real culprit may have something to do with ǝnígmǝ. Before thinking about this incident any further, ǝnígmǝ calls the eight of them for their second general meeting in the gymnasium. The eight of them comply and proceed there.

Meanwhile, outside Yūyami High in the real world, Kei Sūki unsuccessfully attempts again to get in contact with Sumio by phone. Seeing the doors inside open and lights turned off, she walks inside, wondering who would still be in there. Passing through the locker area and walking down a hallway, she spots a man in one room with his back turned against her, looking outside the moonlit window. Suddenly, a strong breeze pulls in and the man turns to reveal himself as Yūta Kijima with his right hand bearing the Handprint Phantom's mark. Suddenly, she hears a loud noise and closes her eyes and covers her ears. Before figuring out what the noise is, she realizes Kijima had vanished.

Bursting into the gymnasium of ǝnígmǝ's world with everyone else, Sumio taunts ǝnígmǝ into threatening them some more and claims they have some questions for him regarding the passwords. The gymnasium screen flashes on, displaying the following:

Current Time: September 21, 0:03
Remaining Time: 23 Hours, 56 Minutes, 12 Seconds

Passwords
No. 1 HIJACK
No. 2 Q-510
No. 3 Ryō Kurisu
No. 4 classmate
No. 5 February 29
No. 6 A24
No. 7 ?

With the screen on and no answer coming from ǝnígmǝ, he asks why he's not answering and wonders where he went. Suddenly, a loud ringing sound is heard. Everyone covers their ears as ǝnígmǝ emerges on the gymnasium screen. ǝnígmǝ expresses his excitement for everyone having assembled and used their Talents. Sumio is surprised as ǝnígmǝ expresses to Shigeru how faint her Talent was, but how she became conscious of it for the first time. ǝnígmǝ reveals that Shigeru had been using her Talent the whole time since the e-test started. Everyone is surprised that Shigeru may have used her Talent even before the e-test started. Sumio rejects ǝnígmǝ's findings, claiming nothing special happened. Surprised too, Shigeru tries to ask ǝnígmǝ what it is, but ǝnígmǝ rejects their questions and promises that all will be revealed once they escape with a discussion should they collect the seventh password in the 24 hours remaining. ǝnígmǝ then gives everyone advice on this password: He claims that obtaining the first six were merely warm-ups, a "test" with prepared answers, and that the seventh has a not yet known severity, one without a prepared future. Suddenly, everything around Sumio turns dark, as ǝnígmǝ proclaims his Dream Diary power will disappear by fear, despair and darkness. Sumio feels immense pain inside of him and feels his power may really be disappearing. Firmly holding Sumio's arm, Shigeru tells him to get himself together. Everyone else too shows no fear, as they shout back to ǝnígmǝ with confidence that they'll all pull through. Hearing everyone talk back to ǝnígmǝ, Sumio regains his strength and proclaims they'll all reach their future where all eight of them will get even with him. Entertained by Sumio and the others, ǝnígmǝ promises to wait for him. ǝnígmǝ proceeds to prepare the invitation of the guest related to the seventh password. Around them, all the doors and windows to the outside world open up.

Characters in order of appearance

1. Ryō Kurisu
2. Takemaru Sudō
3. Jirō Matsurigi
4. Hiina Kujōin
5. Moto Hasekura
6. Aru Mizusawa
7. Sumio Haiba
8. Shigeru Kurumiya
9. Reverend Scott (flashback)
10. Kei Sūki
11. Yūta Kijima
12. ǝnígmǝ (Kirio Imizuka)