“Food” (
Summary[]
A scene from the past shows Char and her mother enjoying a meal together. Before they eat, Char's mother asks to see an injury Char had incurred, but Char reassures her that the injury has already healed. Her mother then asks if anyone noticed Char's rapid healing and warns her to be cautious when school starts. She explains the importance of keeping Char's special abilities a secret, advising her to only share them with someone she truly trusts. Char's mother had previously shared her own powers with the person she loved most—her husband. Sadly, when he learned about her abilities, he became frightened and left. Despite this, she cherishes the joyful moments spent with Char.
Shifting back to the present, Chihiro demonstrates an enhanced version of his Kuro technique, known as Kuro: Shred, to defeat a sorcerer with iron gauntlets, who is cut in two easily. This demonstration reveals that Chihiro's many smaller Kuro consumes the same amount of spirit energy (Genryoku) as a regular-sized one. Although it's not as powerful as a standard Kuro, it offers a more precise and swift swing, with a school of twenty smaller goldfish executing twenty smaller slashes, intensifying the impact. Despite sacrificing a significant amount of energy, this technique enables him to execute rapid slashes without straining his body as much. In that moment, Chihiro's intense focus triggers a heightened sense of understanding, allowing him to perform Nishiki and eliminate the other guards in the room.
In another flashback scene, Genichi Sojo recounts the story of the Kyonagi Clan's tragic fate as he stands in front of Char and her mother in a cell. There was a belief that consuming a Kyonagi clan member's flesh granted immortality, and as a result about a decade ago, after the Seitei War, the Kyonagi village was attacked, leading to the destruction of their clan. A certain man sold information to Sojo, telling him a single girl had evaded the massacre, Char's mother. She escaped the village at 13 and lived in hiding to stay safe. Sojo questioned why she would bring another of her kind into the hell that was the world, but appreciated the additional sample for his research.
Later, it's revealed that she sacrificed herself to help her daughter escape from Sojo's prison. She stayed behind to confront the pursuers, ensuring Char's chance at happiness. As the young Char reluctantly bids her a tearful farewell and escaped, Char's mother set fire to the research facility, sacrificing herself and burning several researchers to enable her daughter's escape.
Meanwhile, Chihiro, using the Nishiki technique, defeats Sojo's guards. His determination helps him overcome the obstacles and eliminate every guard to reach Char's actual location. After killing the final two mohawked guards, Chihiro offers Char a sandwich from his pocket. They share a reunion, and amidst tears, an overwhelmed Char tells Chihiro that he arrived late.
Quick References[]
Chapter Notes[]
- Chihiro's Combat Techniques: Chihiro showcases another version of his Kuro technique called Kuro: Shred, demonstrating its efficiency in combat. This version allows for quicker and more precise attacks that are less taxing on his body, aiding him in defeating adversaries.
- History of the Kyonagi Clan: The Kyonagi Clan's tragic fate, caused by the belief in consuming their flesh for immortality, is recounted.
- Char's Story: The story of Char and her mother is shown, revealing their peaceful life brought to an end by Sojo's imprisoning of the two and subsequent experimentation on them for an unknown duration of time.
- Self-Sacrifice for Char: Char's mother would eventually sacrifice herself, setting fire to Sojo's research facility and causing chaos to aid Char's escape. Her actions lead to the death of several researchers, showcasing her commitment to ensuring Char's safety.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
Author's Comment[]
| Author's Comments | |
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Takeru Hokazono |
With my shower running out of hot water, I started going to the public bath. It feels good to walk around at night.
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