Chapter 39

* Title Card
* Cover Page

## Chapter Chronology

**As you sleep** is the thirty-ninth chapter of the manga *Choujin X.*

## Summary

All of Yamato Mori's Keepers react with shock to Tokyo's request and Arthur demands an explanation. So the boy points out that two essential pieces of information are missing for the success of the plan: how strong are the Choujins of the Old Market and where are the poppy fields located. Tokio proposes to split the two objectives as they have two difficult objectives in one mission.

When Michael reacts angrily, deeming the boy too arrogant to question an officer, Arthur is open to confrontation. According to Yamato Mori, even if the forces of the Old Market should be sought, their forces have also increased this year and they are sure they can handle everything thanks to Mado's prophecies. Tokio however points out that their enemies have also had a year and that if Zora's opium is her weak point her followers would die defending it.

As for the position of the poppies, Tokyo is aware that Minami has a large territory to cover and proposes, instead of wasting their resources in a single attack to prepare with a strategy first. Arthur points out that while they wait the Tower of Mourning could launch another attack like that of the plane, but the boy has already considered this, proposing to create a small research group while the other Keepers deal with routine security. Tokyo wants to lead the research in the Old Market, thanks to the experience gained at Iwato, and is confident that together with Ichiiro and two other Keepers, he will be able to find the fields in a month.

The reaction of doubt and amazement from the other team members is obvious but Ely coolly silences Michael's insults while Azuma continues to listen in silence. Having to make a decision as leader, Arthur seeks the advice of Sato, who has so far remained at the back of the room reading, who declares that they will find the place in two weeks as they cannot leave time for the Tower to prepare while their forces waste time. Even if the goal and the times seem impossible, Tokyo accepts anyway, taking on the responsibility of protecting Yamato's people and the Keepers themselves.

Following the meeting, Momoma reflects on how Tokyo has changed and expressed her thoughts clearly. Ely thinks she can do better too, taking more shifts at work but Azuma points out that they are on guard duty now and that Yamato Mori will pay them too. But Ely also wants to do something other than their role as Keeper, thinking that normal things like work and school will help her feel grounded, advising the boy to take a break too. However, Azuma walks away coldly, thinking he feels better when he's busy and advising his teammate not to get tired as he needs her efficient.

Starting his work, Tokyo systematically collects all the information on the Choujins involved in Yamato Prefecture, placing Zora and her mysterious prophecy at the center, himself as a candidate to be Marked and all the Keepers of Yamato Mori on his side, the Choujins of the Tower of Mourning they know and the number of their followers, Noh Masks about whom information is scarce and all the mercenaries he hired in the past to hunt them down ... until they form a large map that creates a clear view of the whole.

While he thinks about the variables involved, Simon joins him bringing him food and the boy takes the opportunity to ask his friend for information on those who know little.
Kagomura is able to fill some of his gaps regarding Noh Mask. In fact, he is a **Nue Chimera**. He is in fact able to steal the abilities of the other Choujins thanks to the body parts that contain them. However, the boy specifies that a **Nue** is not a specific person with that power but a group. Noh Mask attacked them at the Beast Isles but he's not the one who slaughtered his clan in the past. The Noh Mask they know was in fact Batista, Sandek's younger brother, who was once part of the Yamato Mori before abandoning it and becoming part of the **Nue**. If you want to know more about him, Tokyo will have to ask Sandek.

When the boy asks his friend if he bears a grudge against Batista or whoever attacked his family, Simon replies that what he's most bitter about is the fact that his own family had become too weak and let themselves be defeated so easily , his goal will in fact be to demonstrate that the Kagomura are still the 'swords' of the people: this will be his personal form of revenge.

The days go by and Tokyo continues its activities against the clock. Using his ability to communicate with birds and his reserves of bread, he convinces dozens of pigeons to work for him, involving them in the search of the Old Market and in the identification of routes and key points.Now that his foot is fully healed, the boy takes things personally and flies into the skies of Minami at night in search of his targets and to experience the discoveries of his feathered friends. Masamune, an eagle who had helped and trained him in Iwato, also flies with him.

Looking back on that year, Tokyo feels that Haken was a much simpler enemy in his brutality, in fact Zora once fought for her country and was a hero and now she's just a monster to be exterminated. Even if her methods are wrong he still thinks there must be another way, as he still doesn't know if his prophecy is completely wrong and he doesn't want to corner someone who's already beaten down. His winged mentor reminds him that people often put faith in uncertain possibilities and that prophecies are dangerous because they make them seem probable. it's good that the boy has an open view of things but if he hesitates he could lose someone. If he can't talk to Zora he will have to pray that his prophecy was wrong.

Meanwhile, a mysterious girl watches over the port until she finds what she's looking for: a body washed ashore. She lifts it up to prepare to carry it when suddenly Azuma appears from behind her, asking what she's doing. Embarrassed she tries to make something up, terrified about the idea of being reported, until her stomach starts to growl...but Azuma simply offers her the crab rice balls he bought and introduces himself.

The boy calls the police after identifying the body as one of the people who died in the plane terrorist attack. Azuma explains to the girl that he is a Keeper at Yamato Mori despite his young age and that his goal is to find the bodies and bring them back to their families. Before saying goodbye, the girl introduces herself with the name of Palma and wish him luck.

Following the meeting, the girl goes back to work at her shop until a new customer shows up.
Noh Mask, noticing that the girl seems happier than usual, asks her for a 'tongue' and when Palma asks him if the one he had given him earlier had gone bad, the man explains that a problem happened in the plane crash in which one of his acquaintances was involved but also that thanks to her products there is nothing to worry about.

However, Noh Mask has another proposal and asks if Palma's 'merchandise' responds to medicines. His request is to create a more refined version of his 'Choujin Stimulant', a serum that allows you to transform a human into Choujin, using the reanimated bodies of the girl.
Noh Mask explains that in the past she was part of an organization in which she dedicated all of herself to making XEMBER, a discovery that could have changed history and that she believed could have saved someone… and for this very reason she was stopped.Palma allows herself to be convinced by his dream and agrees to proceed with the search ... but she all of her 'inventory' is hempty now. However Noh Mask personally offers to provide her with the eighty bodies she will need before leaving Palma to start her new job.

## Characters

* Tokio Kurohara
* Arthur One
* Michael
* Azuma Higashi
* Ely Otta
* Maiko Momoma
* Simon Kagomura
* Michelangelo
* Hod Smith
* Gibran Smith
* Maho Tagawa
* Denku
* Ichiiro Sato
* Sora Siruha *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Quiem McMann *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Antitis *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Chandra Hume *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Jing *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Tawashi Minami *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* I. C. Ice *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Bador Vlad *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Noh Mask
* Nari Tsumuji *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Ririka Umezawa *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Ricardo Terror *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Yubiko *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Hoshi Sandek *⟨Mentioned⟩*
* Masamune
* Palma Shishinegura

## Location

* Yamato Prefecture
	+ Yamato Mori
	+ Minami City

## Trivia

* The book that Ichiiro Sato is reading during the meeting is **Tao Te Ching (道徳経) by Lao Tzu (老子 著)**. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao\_Te\_Ching)

## Gallery of Tokio's sketches

MadoSandekAzumaElyTokioSatoSimonMaikoMichaelZoraBadorChandraIceBatistaNariYubikoAntitiseQuiem
## Navigation

 **Volume 6**
 **Volume 8**

 Tower of Mourning Arc