Chapter 57

This is the fifty-seventh chapter of DARLING in the FRANXX (manga).

Synopsis
Hachi receives the order from APE to deploy Squad 13 and he orders for the FRANXX to be sent out. Nana wonders if this is okay and Hachi replies the children are trying to become independent from the adults, like he and her once tried before. He adds they have to see for themselves how far the children can go.

Squad 13 advances towards the Gran Crevasse. Goro asks Ichigo if her arm hurts and she says a little but she is fine. Zorome and Futoshi wonder if it is alright to have three people in there. Ikuno says two of them are connected so there shouldn’t be any system related problems but there must be some noise in there. In Genista’s cockpit, Hiro is riding alongside Mitsuru and Kokoro. Mitsuru asks him if he has something to say as Hiro recalls Kokoro and Mitsuru offering to take him to Zero Two before. Hiro says no because he didn’t think Mitsuru would let him climb up there. Mitsuru remembers when they made their promise and says he figured he would just have Hiro keep his promise now that he remembers everything now. Hiro thanks Mitsuru for letting him redeem himself and Kokoro is happy for Mitsuru.

Plantations begin ramming into the walls of the Gran Crevasse, causing the plantations to explode. The mayor of Plantation 13 realizes the magma energy of the plantations are being used as firepower. He asks Papa if all the other mayors approved of this but Papa tells him to get in his VR machine and sleep while he can before he feels the joy of being released from his caged body like the others did. The Vice Chairman learns Plantation 26 has fallen as well and Papa orders for the activation of Protocol 32. 090 despairs over the loss of his comrades and his failure to protect his plantation but decides to leave the rest to Squad 13. Before self-destructing, he wonders why Squad 13 came to his mind in his last moments. Nana and Hachi are horrified by the sacrifices and the mayor alerts Hachi to recall Squad 13 because the plantations are being used as bombs and Plantation 13 is in danger. Hachi relates this to the squad and to focus on defending the city but Ichigo says they will deal with that later because there is something more important they have to do. The squad reveals they will no longer be fighting on behalf of the adults anymore. The mayor is bewildered of this because they will have nothing to fight for if they do t do it for the adults and he calls them ungrateful even after the awards they received. Hiro remembers Zero Two, and this strengthens his resolve.

Argentea alerts them of a Klaxosaur vanguard and 9'α tells them that they better not regret talking to an adult like that but he he knew that he found them to be interesting. His and 9'δ’s new 9 Model cuts straight through the vanguard at ease as Delta says it combines the parts from 4 of the 9’s squad’s machines. Everyone is surprised and compares it to Strelizia. Goro orders everyone to move in for the attack and Futoshi orders everyone to stay away from Genista. Everyone moves in to fight the Klaxosaurs while Genista rushes towards Gran Crevasse, and Hiro assures Zero Two that he is coming. Meanwhile, Zero Two finally confronts 001 at the Gran Crevasse and 001 asks her if she wants to perish alongside the humans.