Swift (サクッっと Sakutto) is the tenth chapter of the Kagurabachi manga series, written and illustrated by Takeru Hokazono.
Summary[]
It is revealed that Nishiki augments every one of Chihiro's strikes with high-density spirit energy. Chihiro's body aches in pain as he struggles to keep himself steady, and Sojo notices. He talks down at Chihiro, telling Chihiro not to exhaust himself showing off, and internally wonders how Chihiro was still conscious, attributing it to his mere week of experience with Cloud Gouger. Seeking to buy time, Sojo questions Chihiro's motives, deeming his altruism in relation to protecting Char (still currently escaping with Hinao in an alley) inappropriate for Kunishige's weapons for mass destruction. This mention of his father prompts Chihiro to scream in fury for Sojo to stop talking about his father, surprising Sojo, before Chihiro rushes in.
Chihiro's strike immediately manages to knock Cloud Gouger into the air before he speeds around. Sojo takes note of Chihiro's enhanced power and speed, catches Cloud Gouger and uses Yui to create spikes of ice around him, forcing Chihiro into a specific path towards Sojo. Chihiro attacks from behind but Sojo, knowing where he would come from, counters with his own strike. As both blades slice towards their opponents' heads, the two both jump away. Chihiro is disgruntled at the fact that Sojo could read and counter his attack, and realises he has one more serious effort in him before he reaches his limit.
He decides to end Sojo right there and then when he notices a car with several suited yakuza within and Char's leg visible. Sojo half-heartedly chastises them for being so obvious and Chihiro is aghast, realising his focus on Cloud Gouger prevented him from considering that Sojo would bring backup to handle retrieving Char. After a brief moment of hesitation, Chihiro immediately dashes off in the car's direction, just as Sojo realises Mei's cooldown has finished.
The Kamunabi arrive on-scene
Sojo immediately chants Mei and the cloud dragon beside him melds into lightning that fires itself at Chihiro, but the attack is blocked by a wall rising from the ground, summoned by Shiyumi Harima's Gansui. Ikuto Hagiwara, Makoto Kasahara, Hajime Kugara and Kiyohiko Uzuki, her squad, the Kamunabi's Anti-Cloud Gouger Special Forces, also arrive on the scene, as well as Azami and Shiba on a nearby rooftop. Sojo reckons he could deal with just the Anti-Cloud Gouger Special Forces, but believes handling them alongside Azami and Shiba would be a problem, as at the moment the latter two would be too much to deal with.
Now dressed in his Kamunabi uniform, Azami orders the Kamunabi to stand by, while Shiba immediately prepares to aid Chihiro. Azami refuses, as if Shiba were to move, Sojo would break the stalemate. Shiba decides to fight Sojo instead, but Azami stops him again, due to Sojo's Enchanted Blade capable of causing severe damage to the city. Shiba moves to teleport in anyway, but Sojo summons a large cloud of mist through calling Kou, a large cloud of mist appearing and preventing the Kamunabi and Shiba from spotting him as he makes his escape.
Chihiro rushes to intercept the car carrying Char, swiftly decapitating two of Sojo's men as he leaps in. Upon reaching it, he discovers only Char's severed leg inside, prompting Chihiro to grab the man he left alive and rush out of the car as it crashes behind him, before interrogating the man. The man reveals they were ordered to confuse Chihiro by cutting off Char's leg. Chihiro asks about Hinao, but the man only laughs in response, with Hinao's unconscious body shown collapsed in an alleyway.
Chihiro kills the man as the car explodes, and as Chihiro teeters on the verge of collapse, before he can fall from exhaustion, Shiba quickly teleports in and steadies Chihiro. At Chihiro's inquiry, Shiba revealed that Sojo had escaped using Kou. One thing is clear in Chihiro's mind; that the hand holding his father's sword is completely worthless.
Meanwhile, two of Sojo's men and a crying Char are being driven in a car. The two men had severed Char's legs and were remarking at how she was already healing, surprising the men at the speed. Sojo lands on the roof and enters the front passenger seat through the window, and his men ask whether he had mastered Cloud Gouger yet. Sojo reckons he has not, staring at his throbbing and shaking right hand, before expressing the need to further his understanding of the blade. As they have Char back, Sojo plans to resume his goal of surpassing Kunishige Rokuhira. His men ask if he's going to forget about the new Enchanted Blade, and Sojo replies he will not, especially due to being newly aware that Chihiro is Kunishige's son. Back on the street, an exhausted Chihiro is determined to confront and kill Sojo.
Quick References[]
Chapter Notes[]
- Chihiro, drained after being hit by Sojo's charged Mei, activates Nishiki and the two continue their clash.
- Despite his weakness, Chihiro risks himself to protect Char, who is still fleeing with Hinao.
- After being taunted by Sojo, Chihiro inadvertently reveals himself to be Kunishige's son.
- Chihiro sees Char's leg in a car with Sojo's men and attacks, but it was actually her severed leg, the real car being accompanied by two of Sojo's mohawked henchmen. Hinao is revealed to be knocked unconscious in an alleyway.
- Five members of the Kamunabi's Anti-Cloud Gouger Special Forces as well as Azami and Shiba arrive, leading Sojo to decide to escape using a cloud of mist summoned through Kou.
- Chihiro collapses of exhaustion and right before doing so declares he will kill Sojo.
- Sojo returns to the car with Char, decides to refocus on his plan to surpass Kunishige, and believes he needs to talk more with Chihiro.
- Sojo also decides to prioritise deepening his understanding of Cloud Gouger.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Author's Comment[]
| Author Comment | |
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Takeru Hokazono |
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