In Kaguabachi’s eleventh chapter, titled, “Awaken,” we began with Chihiro waking up in a hospital bed, bandaged up after the conclusion of his battle with Genichi Sojo. Azami and Mr. Shiba rushed in quickly, telling Chihiro that he was indeed in a hospital (specifically a public hospital) because he had no idea where he was. Azami told him that he would get better treatment in the Kamunabi hospital, but his lineage appearing in the records wouldn’t be good, considering there are members of the Kamunabi who do not think highly of his father. It was then revealed that Hinao was still alive.
We learned from Mr. Shiba that Genichi Sojo is in possession of Datenseki, a unique ore that was discovered during the Imperial War and the source material for the enchanted blades, only 250 kilos known to exist. The scene then transitioned over to Sojo, learning that the spirit energy imbued into the stone multiplies, becoming something so concentrated that it wouldn’t be possible to contain in a human body. The same goes for the enchanted blades. Datenseki is toxic and, when spirit energy is poured into it, that condensed energy streams into the person’s body. Unable to contain the energy, the body will burst, resulting in death. However, Kunishige Rokuhira was the only person to ever succeed in stabilizing the power of Datenseki.
Switching back to Chihiro, Azami and Mr. Shiba, Shiba informed Chihiro that Sojo believes the cells of the Kyonagi Clan are the key to stabilizing Datenseki and that he wishes to use Char to create a new weapon. Upon imagining the torture and pain Char was going through at that moment, we could see in Chihiro’s face how much it bothered him.
Azami then told Chihiro that the Kamunabi are speeding up their plan to defeat Sojo, putting together a Counter-Cloud Gouger special force. Because Chihiro is the most informed on the enchanted blades, Azami wishes for him to meet the Kamunabi. That’s when the Kamunabi appeared in the hospital room. Chihiro offered to give them information on one condition, which was that they allow him to join the operation. After some backlash from a few members of the group, one member claimed that their mission is to kill Genichi Sojo, not to save Char and that, even if they left Chihiro behind, he’d only sneak away and carry out his own plan. He told Chihiro that they would kill Sojo and, in the meantime, Chihiro could covertly rescue Char. To close out the chapter, Chihiro accepted his role in the operation, agreeing to save Char while the Kamunabi took care of Genichi Sojo.
