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The Business Lunch Arc is the eighteenth story arc in the manga Soul Eater. In this arc, while Black☆Star battles Crona, Eruka Frog, and the Mizune Family, and Medusa Gorgon battles Justin Law and Tezca Tlipoca, Death holds a meeting to determine how to save Death the Kid from the Book of Eibon. This arc is exclusive to the manga.
Summary[]
Black☆Star and Tsubaki versus Crona[]
A multi-limbed Crona, after madness fusion with the Black Clown
In one of Medusa Gorgon's lairs, Black☆Star, armed with Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, faces Crona who, thanks to Madness Fusion with the Black Clown, has dragon wings and extra limbs to hold more swords. Crona initiates Scream Resonance and slashes at Black Star, who easily dodges and returns punches—only to see that Crona's Black Blood makes their skin too hard to punch, only injuring his hands.
As Crona fails to remember Maka, the meister's fused soul expands
Furious, Black Star persists, demanding to know why Crona betrayed Maka Albarn. Crona, however, does not recognize the name, claiming Medusa needs them more than anyone else. Tsubaki claims Maka and their friends need Crona, too. Frustrated with these questions, Crona grows more animated, demanding to know who Maka is. As they yell, Crona's Soul Wavelength grows stronger before they again attack Black Star. Black Star initiates Severed Shadow, multiple iterations of him bouncing around Crona. Crona performs Screech Delta, which erases all the Severed Shadows, leaving only the original Black Star, who leaps higher up the walls, seeming to escape.[1]
Black Star calls Tsubaki to form Shadow Star: Second Form: "Leaf of the Moonlit Night." Black Star throws the large star through Screech Delta, slicing through that technique, knocking into Crona, and shooting upward. As Tsubaki's second form descends, at the moment she is before Crona, Black Star dashes forward and puts his wrist through the opening in the second form, producing a massive amount of energy that repels Crona. Tsubaki's second form, swirling around Black Star's wrist, spins as it decreases in size around Black Star's wrist.[1]
Tsubaki tries again to reach out to Crona, claiming that they have no intention to injure Crona and only wish to return their friends at the DWMA. Crona seems to remember betraying these people, hence feels that they cannot face these people ever again. Crona concludes that at least with Medusa they will get the power to defeat anyone. Black Star claims power is nothing compared to friends, but Crona still intends to kill him.[1]
Medusa versus Justin Law[]
Medusa Gorgon has been in another room of the lair, watching Crona's battle through her crystal ball. She is shocked that Black Star managed to crack through Crona's Black Blood with only his fists. She is ready to give Crona a retreat notice, but she is interrupted by a voice behind her: Justin Law, who performs madness fusion with The Clown. She dodges his attacks, even as she blames him for her early departure from her Central Africa lab, which left research materials for the DWMA to claim. Medusa evades Justin's Law-Abiding Silver Gun, as the defected Death Scythe performs Madness Fusion with the Clown. Because Medusa desecrated the Kishin with her fabricated clown, Justin intends to teach Medusa actual madness. Medusa mentally calls out to Eruka and Mizune to retrieve Crona and escape.[1]
Black Star and Tsubaki versus Crona, Eruka, and Mizune[]
Behind Black Star, Eruka appears, firing Tadpole Bombs at him. Black Star avoids the explosions but is surrounded by the Mizune Family, assuming her two-mice and three-mice forms, double-teaming against him. Ragnarok desires to retreat, but Crona joins the battle. Eruka stands apart to observe the battle—and, realizing they have no chance to defeat Black Star, urges that they retreat.[1][2] Eruka fires multiple Tadpole Bombs at Black☆Star as a distraction. While the explosions allow Mizune and Crona to retreat, an infuriated Black☆Star catches Eruka in her frog form. Unable to catch up to Crona, Black Star decides to take Eruka back to Death City to face Death.[2]
Far away, Crona lands, dragon wings transporting the meister away from the battle with Black☆Star. Ragnarok is pleased with the escape, while Crona is still confused by that name, "Maka."[2]
Medusa versus Justin versus Tezca[]
Justin Law prepares to execute Medusa
Medusa finds her head inside Justin's guillotine as he prepares Executioner: Commence Execution, intending to punish her for claiming power that he thinks belongs to Asura. Medusa yells at Justin to stop, but it is too late: her blood coats the floor, and Medusa is beheaded.[1][2] Then Vector Arrows head towards Justin, revealing that Justin merely gave Medusa a madness-influence nightmare. Medusa explains she created a fail-safe—the Portable Purple Clown—to automatically release should she fall under a hallucination, similar to the one she had under Arachne's Madness earlier. Justin is disgusted that Medusa would perform yet another "blasphemy," when Clowns belong to Asura. Medusa replies, "I'm a witch--blasphemy is our job."[2]
Justin and Medusa continue their battle, his madness-influenced body and his Silver Gun able to repel or destroy her Purple Clown-infused snakes. But as Justin lands on the floor, he is confronted by Medusa—and another iteration of Justin. Justin is, predictably, confused, but so is Medusa—because she sees Justin but, rather than a second iteration of him, a second iteration of herself. Justin quickly recognizes this subterfuge: the doppelganger is Tezca Tlipoca. Images of Justin's past pass through his mind, as he stands before the Clown then Death. Justin tells Tezca not to "reflect what's in my heart." Tezca explains that his mirror reflects people. Medusa looks nervous, as an image of Crona comes to her mind. Tezca urges Justin to turn back to the DWMA, reminding him how long they have been such good friends, having long conversations together. But Justin says he does not know what Tezca is saying, as his earphones are too loud and Tezca's mask blocks his lips. Tezca slowly realizes that Justin has never heard a word he has ever said in any conversation, even when he thought they were friends together at the DWMA. While Tezca and his meister Enrique scream repeatedly in horror, Justin and Medusa grow tired of his antics and depart. Although they failed to capture them, Tezca tells Enrique that he managed to reflect Justin's soul, so now he can track him.[2]
Soul has suitors[]
In the backyard, a female student waits for Soul Eater to arrive, and after hesitating, she nervously asks him to be her partner someday, promising to wait for him. Soul is surprised, silent, as the student turns and runs away. Soul goes back to his hallway locker, finding inside a flood of requests letters. Maka Albarn approaches and comments about Soul's "famous sex appeal." Soul assures her the partner requests are only because people want him as a partner since he became a Death Scythe. Maka's face grows more serious, as she slaps him hard on the back, encouraging him to go home. As Soul and Maka depart, they are observed by a female student, spying behind a row of lockers. She says that "Maka-senpai" is hardly a suitable "match" for "Soul-senpai."[2]
Risa, Arisa, and Blair visit Death[]
At the front entrance to the Academy, Maka and Soul are surprised to see "Chupa Girls," Blair, Risa, and Arisa, are advertising their club to DWMA students.[2] They are escorted by an annoyed Marie Mjolnir to the Death Room, where Spirit Albarn reminds the witches that this meeting has to be taken seriously. Maka and Soul wait outside the room, trying to figure out what is happening.[3]
The Chupa Girls host a reception in the Death Room
Inside the Death Room, Spirit announces they are ready—but Death is surprised, as Blair, Risa, and Arisa initiate on-site catering, with food, streamers, confetti, and magic lights. Frustrated, Marie asks why they are treating the important meeting to discuss rescuing Death the Kid like a party at a strip club. Death and Spirit's behavior, as well as Arisa's conversation with Stein, annoys Marie so much that she leaves.[3]
Tsubaki is shocked as Black Star kicks down the Death Room door
After they see Marie leave the Death Room, Soul tells Maka they should go home. Maka refuses, thinking they are acting like detectives. Maka is then surprised to see Black Star return with Tsubaki, who proceeds to ignore the closed door to the Death Room—by kicking it down and entering. Soul asks whether to follow Black Star, but Maka refuses to enter uninvited when sneaking around is so much more fun. While Soul is exasperated with Maka, he seems to not notice one of his admirers is spying on him around the corner of the hallway as well. But Maka, annoyed, can sense that student's presence with Soul Perception.[3]
Back inside the Death Room, Spirit is delighted with the business meeting, but Death, furious, demands everyone cease partying. Risa and Arisa are confused, assuming Death invited them to entertain the Death Room. When Death threatens to Shinigami Chop the witches, Risa claims Spirit had told them their invitation was to host a reception. Despite Spirit's denials, he is chopped in the head. Spirit explains that, even though he as a parent understands the pain to lose a child, he thought everyone at the Death Weapon Meister Academy could use a break after Asura's resurrection, the loss of Brew, and the siege on Baba Yaga Castle. Death is not convinced, so Spirit offers a different excuse, pointing out the alcohol was good. This remark earns him another Shinigami Chop to the head.[4]
Black Star shoves Eruka in Death's face
Sid finally explains why Death brought Risa and Arisa to the Death Room: if the witches help rescue Death the Kid from Noah, then they may return to Chupa Cabra's, but if they refuse, then they will receive life imprisonment. Stein adds that, even if the witches agree, they still will be prohibited by the DWMA from engaging in certain actions. Death explains that Kid was trapped in the Book of Eibon, but as the DWMA possesses a manuscript copy of Eibon's book, Risa and Arisa can create a magic link to retrieve Kid. Arisa claims the Calculation Magic she and Risa would have to perform is too complicated: Death would do better with a different witch. Black☆Star arrives with such a witch—by shoving Eruka, in frog form, in Death's face. They are then interrupted by the arrival of Kim Diehl, who was contacted by Marie to come to the Death Room to assist Risa and Arisa with retrieving Kid.[4]
Death then learns from Stein that the scientist has determined the culprit who took the Book of Eibon manuscript from the library. This culprit, Maka, is right outside the Death Room, still annoyed that, as she spies on the closed door to the Death Room (somehow back in place after Black☆Star kicked it down), Soul Evans's admirer is still spying on her around the hallway corner.[4]
Kid, tortured and trapped in the Book of Eibon[]
Gopher continues to punch Death the Kid repeatedly in his chest, demanding the shinigami beg for his life. But Kid is not convinced, knowing he has no danger of dying here and too amused by Gopher's "sourpuss." But studying Gopher's caret-shaped frown, Kid panicks: the left side of his frown is slightly lower than the right side. Facing such asymmetry, Kid screams for salvation from this torture.[2] Realizing how he can torture him, Gopher has ripped one of Kid's sleeves, leaving his shirt uneven. But worse, Gopher also has taken a marker to half of Kid's face, exaggerating his eyelashes and nose hair with additional lines drawn across half of his face. Kid meekly begs for someone to save him.[3] Gopher then rubs Kid's chest with a back-scratcher—just the right side of his chest, as Kid begs for Gopher to make the rubbing symmetrical. While Gopher is amused, he stops laughing when he realizes an annoyed Noah is behind him. "You have gone too far this time, Gopher," Noah warns, as he is displeased to see "a prized piece of my collection, reduced to this sorry state by your antics." Noah takes Kid's chin in his hand, studying the asymmetrical damage. Noah orders Gopher to depart and to do something to earn back his trust, such as by bringing him tea. As Gopher departs, Noah opens the Book of Eibon, which sucks Kid back into its pages.[4]
Kid meets the Great Old One of Power
Annoyed at his asymmetrical attire, Kid rips off the left sleeve to his shirt, using it to rub away the marker doodles covering the right side of his face. Upon making himself more symmetrical, Kid realizes that Noah has trapped him within a deeper portion of the Book, likely to prevent Kid from re-arranging the contents yet again. Whereas the Book is usually a white field with obscure markings, he notices a swirling mass of black below him. A Soul Wavelength emerges from this mass, pricking at Kid. Finding this wavelength "disgusting," Kid is surprised to see what resembles a face emerge from this mass. Kid urges someone to rescue him from this book and its contents immediately.[4]