Mikage again tries to make Utena part of his seminar, by being able to help her or her friends. Utena decides to see him about Anthy and her Rose Bride dilemma. But when she arrives at Nemuro Memorial Hall, she finds pictures of the Black Rose Duelists on the wall. She realizes that Mikage has been orchestrating the Black Rose Duelists' coming into existence, and in her anger, challenges him to a duel.

Throughout the duel, Mikage finally finds out that the Mamiya he thought he knew was fake, and in fact never existed. Upon losing the duel, he disappears, whereupon Akio reveals that he had been manipulating Nemuro as a part of his plans; neither Mikage or Mamiya had ever existed.