Episode 42

The Holy Woman's Anguish & The Man, Assault is the forty-second episode of the Fire Force anime and the eighteenth episode of the second season.

Plot
Company 8 returns to the business of fighting Infernals, but Sister Iris needs to baptize a new batch of equipment, and Shinra offers to accompany her to the Tokyo Empire Chou-ku Central Church, known as the Baptism Church. He encounters Lieutenant Hou Yan who reminds him of the need for faith in society. Iris takes him to the National Holy Sol Cemetery where clergy are buried and she reveals her doubts about the value of the church if it really was created by the Evangelist. Suddenly a priest bursts into flame and Shira puts him to rest. Iris blesses him, but another sister questions why god allowed such a devout man to become an Infernal. Shinra eventually restores Iris' faith by reminding her that the Sun is beyond the Evangelist and the church.

Since Assault's defeat by Tamaki Kotatsu when he was distracted by her semi-naked body, he has put himself through rigorous training to desensitize himself to the female form. The ruthless assassin challenges Tamaki to a duel, but the sight of her underwear is too much of a distraction and he is defeated. He returns to his training to overcome his weakness towards women and their underwear, and tries twice more to defeat her. At the third attempt, he launches an all-out attack but he suspects that he may never win.

Trivia

 * Assault's visit to the "Chupa Cabaret" contains a couple references to Ookubo's previous work, Soul Eater:
 * The name "Chupa Cabaret" references the "Chupa Cabra's", a nightclub of the same kind.
 * Behind Assault, a red-haired man refered as "Scythe" complains about his daughter called Makami not talking to him. This is a nod to the Soul eater characters Spirit and Maka, the former being a regular customer at Chupa Cabra's, and having similar issues with his daughter.