Ep. 9: Keisuke demands Akira display agonized emotions, leading to a violent clash that ends with Rin seizing their tags to confront Il re.

9

Keisuke displays his collected tags to Akira, expressing a desire to witness more intense emotions, specifically the face of someone in agony. Their confrontation escalates into a physical battle where Akira reveals his true feelings, further provoking Keisuke. During the fight, Akira loses his weapon and sustains a cut, allowing blood to reach Keisuke’s mouth and causing him to suffocate. Akira experiences brief black flashes of his past before returning to the present. He discovers Keisuke is still alive and carries him to a bed, watching over him until sunrise. Rin then finds them, takes their tags, and leaves to fight Il re. Although Arbitro recognizes the jack, he permits Rin to proceed with the battle.