Episode 8 of *Invasion* Season 3 opens with Mitsuki observing the alien, her eyes widening in realization as she discerns that their intentions are not those of planetary annihilation. Instead, they are on a mission to transform Earth into a habitable haven for themselves. This entails blanketing the planet with spores, altering the atmosphere to render it lethal for humans.
Mitsuki trails the ethereal alien as it meanders through the forest, where the weather shifts erratically—sunshine giving way to snowflakes, only to revert to golden rays moments later. Venturing into a cave, she finds herself in a harrowing close encounter. The alien, startled by her presence, triggers a catastrophic cave-in.
Though buried beneath debris, Mitsuki survives. Following a trail of iridescent alien blood, she locates the wounded creature deeper within the cave. Together, they collaborate to escape their entrapment, though Mitsuki’s protective mask is lost in the chaos.
Emerging from the cave, the sun bathes the landscape once more. Mitsuki stumbles upon a wrecked aircraft. The pilot lies lifeless, but Mitsuki deduces that it is not the crash that killed him—it is the deadly spores that have wreaked havoc on his system.
Her progress is abruptly halted when hunters allied with Infinitas seize her. Leading the pack is Carmichael, a man who monopolizes the oxygen supply, insisting it’s essential to keep his mind "unclouded." Their demand is clear: reveal the location of her unit. Mitsuki remains steadfast, refusing to yield—especially after she effortlessly subdues a pair of aliens in an outdoor pit, displaying a calm mastery that leaves her captors astounded.
It doesn't take long for Mitsuki to be whisked away to a private encounter with Carmichael after the recent events. It seems that the man is in the throes of memory loss, and Mitsuki, seizing the opportunity, plays upon his vulnerability. She urges him to release her, arguing that it's the only way to sever their tether to the alien forces once and for all.
Carmichael, however, remains unyielding. Yet, as they converse, Mitsuki manages to break free from her restraints. With a burst of determination, she flees into the dense forest, her heart pounding in her chest. A frantic chase ensues, but Mitsuki, fueled by desperation, manages to elude her pursuers. Her escape, however, comes at a cost; she is shot in the leg as she scales a treacherous, rocky cliff face.
Meanwhile, within the cult's ranks, chaos reigns as Carmichael struggles for breath, his oxygen supply depleted. The others, sensing his weakness, turn on him, scavenging what little remains and abandoning him to his fate.
Mitsuki, battered but unbroken, eventually reunites with the alien, which is now struggling to maintain its balance. Together, they press on towards the mothership. But just as hope seems within reach, Mitsuki begins to succumb to the debilitating effects of the alien spores. She collapses in the woods, her body wracked with pain.
In a twist of fate, the alien returns to her side. With a gentle touch, it extracts the life-giving juice from one of the alien eggs, which we glimpsed earlier in the episode. Dripping the precious liquid into Mitsuki's mouth, it works its magic, reviving her from the brink of death.
Outside the mothership, the translucent alien collapses, its strength spent. Just then, four HKs arrive on the scene, swiftly patching up the weary creature. Mitsuki, watching this unfold, realizes that this is what the aliens had meant by "help." Doubts begin to creep into her mind, and she starts to question whether saving the planet is truly the right course of action. In fact, as she collapses once more, the aliens gather around her, and the screen fades to black, leaving her fate—and the fate of the world—hanging in the balance.
