Black Jack and Pinoko arrive in a remote village in Africa looking for Dr. Kuma, however they find that many villagers are dead from ailments possibly caused by Phoenix disease. Jack and Pinoko then walk to Arnol Village where they befriend a local girl, Mary, who takes them to Dr. Kuma. Mary's mother falls ill and is rescued by Jack, but he collapses dues to a bite from a tsetse fly. Fortunately Dr. Kuma saves him and reveals that he was an apprentice of Dr. Honma at the time the Noir Project and explains that specialist doctors were gathered by Zen Mantoku to research the secret of eternal life. Dr. Jorujyu discovered a virus which could power artificial organs which they named B.O.P. for Blood of Phoenix. When B.O.P. was used experimentally to power artificial hearts on live subjects, Dr. Honma resigned. Later, Zen Mantoku asked Dr. Kuma to test B.O.P. on animals and although the results were promising at first, the animals and then the villagers began to die. Later, Dr. Kuma is seriously injured by a black panther while trying to save Pinoco and Mary, and the villagers donate blood to save him. Jack then receives an urgent message that his father is in a coma. (Source: Wikipedia)