39
Raptillion continues preaching coexistence, echoing Behemoth’s ideology.
Levi is affected; her emotional walls are cracking, just like SKK mentioned before.
This interaction convinces her more and more to talk to SKK, even if she’s still scared.
Levi’s fears are easing over talking to SKK because of this exchange.
Nayuta is introduced, but outside of that and the emotional movement, the chapter is mostly filler. Not much actually happens.
40
Starts with Nayuta explaining SKK’s weird connection to the Rapture Queen, something about a gene (Project AD) gave him activation when a Queen's gene activates.
This gave SKK heavy regen powers, but we still don’t know what the exact gene is.
Nayuta has no love for DEEP and warns SKK to stay away, but he’s not likely to be involved anyway, whether he wants to or not.
They arrive at a house on the whale’s back, Pinocchio is introduced but doesn't do much. She’s a Nikke who can grow and was raised by Raptillion.
Levi sees Raptillion again, assumes the worst, kicks Raptillion (who has also brought them to that house), and runs away.
SKK chases her down after making sure Raptillion is okay, he realizes she’s not thinking straight, and wants to talk but is scared.
She could’ve just flown away, but didn’t, a clear sign she wants to talk deep down. She could have just left if she wanted to.
Rapi and SKK discuss Levi and the potential queen she has created, and SKK wants to meet her.
Before SKK can reach Levi, Liberalio appears overhead and hears them.
Liberalio is non-hostile, just finished something in Eden, and is injured.
She demands the continuation of the story, while everyone around her is hostile and wary of her.
Liberalio keeps asking to continue the story.
Nayuta reveals Liberalio is the “Gene Reaper, she kills off any Rapture Queen candidates to preserve the current balance for humanity’s sake.
Liberalio, annoyed by Nayuta’s voice, casually blasts her head off without a second thought, knowing she won’t die.
Despite the hostility from these actions, Liberalio never harms anyone else, even when provoked, and answers SKK's questions so that he will answer hers.
SKK refuses her offer to work together and kill the Four Beasts; he wants to pursue a peaceful outcome, even if it’s risky.
Liberalio warns SKK that Raptures could wipe out humanity easily, but don’t. A new Queen might change that.
Levi and Ziz observe this from afar. Ziz knows Levi wants to talk, but Levi is too overwhelmed.
With both SKK and Liberalio closing in from different sides, Levi panics and shuts everyone out emotionally.
She orders Ziz to stop them.
Ziz transforms (was hiding it the whole time) but isn’t used to fighting like that, gets overwhelmed by Liberalio.
SKK tries to shield Ziz with his own body, Liberalio actually stops and doesn’t shoot him.
Levi breaks emotionally over seeing Ziz fighting and sacrifices herself to Behemoth, begging it to wake up.
Behemoth revives and sucker punches Liberalio, caught completely off-guard (probably by Ziz making such a racket since her ears are sensitive), sending her flying into a wall.
Liberalio is stunned and struggling to get up.
Behemoth, happy that SKK tried to talk and communicate with them, feels sorry that it has to be this way. Levi made her choice, and peace talks are off.
The whale starts crashing from all the chaos, gusts send SKK flying off.
As he blacks out midair, he glimpses a white version of the Ark below.
Last scene: Nayuta reappears and meets up with Pioneer.
Thoughts
The Four Beasts chasing plot line is on-going, albeit these chapters did a way lot more than chapters 35/38 did. The resolution for that is most probably the 3rd anniversary, since SKK is falling right at their MAIN base now.
Levi is really becoming annoying, and the fact that Ziz and Behemoth listen to what she says with such an iron grip is also grating since they both want to talk with SKK. So, the only one needlessly extending this issue is Levi. Hopefully, the 3rd anni resolves this since it seems that they were padding the Four Beasts plotline, because they wanted it to coincide with the 3rd anniversary.
Chapter 39 was practically useless and stretched out as a walking sequence between SKK and Levi on two different sides, whereas Chapter 40 was chock-full of content. I feel like chapters 39's content could have been halved and nothing would have changed.
I loved seeing Viper's side and how drastically she has changed after 24. She doesn't act or behave the same at all, and feels completely different. Her voice is also a lot less sweet, and she's more melancholic and serious. She doesn't know how to atone, which is an understandable position to be in. She wants to look good in front of Counters, and if a way to atone ever presents itself, she'll take it, but she doesn't know how to even begin atoning for what she allowed Crow to do. It was interesting seeing Exotic work.
I hate Viper's CG, I am not a fan of seeing someone I like (and proclaimed to love me here and in chapter 24) put her crotch in another man's face, to look "cool and intimidating". No idea why shitup thought that was a good idea, and I don't like it, you could have shown that in plenty of other ways. There was no need for it, and I'll just bitch on that for the survey. That is just my opinion.
I skipped Anis's side plot, might do that later.