Kotarou continues to further deceive and delve deeper into Suzaki's Gaian faction, learning more about what the Key means to Suzaki and Sakura. It turns out that Suzaki is trying to import human life over to Gaia's monster storage room, an alternate dimension existing alongside Kazamatusuri known as the City of Stone. Not wishing to endanger his place, Kotarou pretends to wholeheartedly agree with Suzaki's ideas. However, Kotarou is soon called to a second meeting with Sakura. Feeling that she cannot be tricked, Kotarou tells a half-truth to Sakura and reports everything to Suzaki, who then uses this information to formulate a plan to overthrow Sakura. Returning to Kotori's secret base, Kotori and Kotarou quarrel again and Kotarou leaves in anger to find Kagari atop a hill of daisies. Their relationship slowly begins to worsen as Kagari does not understand the ways of the human heart, insisting that Kotarou has to hurry. Frustrated and tired, Kotarou bumps into Akane holding a tank of what appears to be dead monster beetles from Gaia. Bringing her back to the House of Ties orphanage, he encounters Nagai, now known as Tsukuno and with her memories erased. Kotarou also finds a young Chihaya who seems to be good friends with Akane. Later that day, when Suzaki prepares to put his plan into action, Sakura announces publicly that she has chosen her successor as the next Saint who is revealed to be none other than Akane herself, ruining all of Suzaki's plans and plunging Gaia into further turmoil. Thinking about Akane, Kotori, Yasmin and the children as well as his oath to himself for Luis not to die in vain, Kotarou declares to Kagari that he is willing to let the Earth fall into ruin if that means he gets to remain with his friends. Furious, Kagari commands the Salvation, only for Kotarou to kiss her and explains that he is serving her because he loves her. Even though the Salvation is halted, Kagari still angrily pulls away and runs into the forest.