Chapter 36

This is the thirty-sixth chapter of DARLING in the FRANXX.

Synopsis
Goro reaches Delphinium and Ichigo is surprised to see him. He says it would be easier if they fought together and he comments how thin the air is. She berates him for being risky by swimming in the klaxosaur to save her and reminds him how he used to always do things on his own, and he can’t do anything without her. He simply smiles at her replies they are similar. She smiles back and agrees. They reconnect and activate Delphinium, and they cut away the klaxosaur’s tentacles. Delphinium sets a detonator on the nucleus and Ichigo orders Goro to activate the detonator.

On the surface, the others realize it’s too dangerous to go further and Kokoro says the plantation is about to attack the klaxosaur. They then see Delphinium emerge from the vapor hole. However, Delphinium’s connection starts to sever due to running out of power and Chlorophytum rescues it. Ichigo thanks Ikuno, who is relieved Ichigo is alright. Goro instructs Mitsuru to get them away from the klaxosaur while ordering everyone to withdraw. At the klaxosaur’s nucleus, the detonator explodes and obliterates the klaxosaur.

Nana and Hachi watch the scene on the monitor. They learn the parasites have safely withdrawn and Nana calls them reckless. Hachi mentions they are just like her past self but Nana is confused. Hachi then says it’s nothing.

Later, Ichigo tends to Goro’s wounds and places a patch in his forehead. He points out her hair clip, which had been cut in half, and she is saddened. He hands her the hair clip that he has kept and she asks how he has it. He explains it is the one he had kept for a long time and had been wanting to give it to her. Goro confesses that he loves her, which embarrasses her. He tells her that, when she disappeared, he wished he told her before so he wouldn’t have any regrets. Ichigo then says she has something to tell him, which is that he is a great partner but she doesn’t know how to respond to his confession. He then collapses in her arms and says he wasn’t expecting a reply but asks her to let him be like this for a bit.

The squad then gathers and Ichigo apologizes for her worrying them. She then thanks Zero Two for her help but Zero Two says she was only returning the favor. Goro says they would have never been able to find Delphinium if Zero Two hadn’t located it in the monitor. Zorome and Futoshi are impressed that it was Zero Two who used the monitor to scan for Delphinium but Mitsuru doesn’t say anything. Kokoro says they couldn’t have done it without her and Miku asks her to be less selfish next time. Hiro says he agrees and thinks the white suit looks better on her. However, Zero Two is not paying attention and appears to be thinking about something else. Later that night, she sits in her room and says she needs to learn more about humans. A hazy memory of a young boy reaching out to her appears and she calls him darling.