Chapter 13

## Chapter Chronology

**"Reunion"** (再 (さ) 会 (かい) , *Saikai*) serves as the thirteenth chapter in the *Gokurakugai* manga series, a work written and illustrated by Yuto Sano. It is also featured as the seventh and final chapter included in the third volume of the series.

## Summary

While receiving training from Ryu and Nei, Alma finally managed to remove the stake of restraint by his own will. Eager to not forget this sensation, he immediately challenged Nei to a match but collapsed due to anemia.

Upon awakening, Alma decides to undergo training again, this time under Ryu's guidance. His initially unmotivated impression transforms, and a serious battle ensues between his and the armed Ryu. Despite Alma attempting to challenge him after removing the stake of restraint herself, he is overwhelmed by the difference in power and is unable to land a single blow on him as the training concludes.

Meanwhile, Tao investigates the incident with Tatsuomi. While checking a certain surveillance camera, Tao discovers a black-haired young man bearing a striking resemblance to the person he's searching for.

Amidst an unsettling feeling, Tao heads towards the shrine where the hanging incident occurred. There, he encounters Jin, whose childhood was fraught with both hardship and joy, a figure captured by the surveillance camera...!?

## Plot Details

Alma, despite sustaining severe injuries and being covered in his own blood, managed to remove the stake lodged in his heart. He smiled proudly in his partially transformed state and questioned who was being called weak. Nei bantered with him, acknowledging his earlier admission but also boosting his morale by implying her superiority. Even though Alma asked about her childish boasting, their playful exchange continued. Meanwhile, Ryu, observing from a higher position with a drink in hand, indicated that pulling out the stake wasn't the sole goal of Alma's training phase. Ryu stressed the need for Alma to fight independently for at least three minutes. Confident in his abilities, Alma believed lasting three minutes in combat would be easy and prepared for another round with Nei. However, during their the preparation, Alma suddenly collapsed, causing Nei to become alarmed and worried. Ryu assessed the situation and diagnosed it as anemia.

At one of Tatsuomi's workplaces, he, along with Tao and a colleague, reviewed CCTV footage. They spotted a person dressed in black that seemed to match the description of Yomi, their target. Tao became alarmed, focusing intensely on the screen, joined by Tatsuomi's colleague, who also noticed the man conversing with someone in the video. Then, as the footage played on, two women approached the men, but shockingly, the video showed these women being strangled to death without any physical contact from the men. The other individual who was with Yomi was the one responsible for the strangulation.

The unexpected turn left Tatsuomi and his colleague surprised, recognizing yet another puzzling occurrence. Visibly shaken, Tao remained silent while witnessing the distressing scene. Tatsuomi suspected that the man in the footage might be associated with Yomi's group, hinting at a consistent pattern of strangulation related to the black-haired man, though certainty eluded them as he hadn't directly hanged the victims. As Tatsuomi closely observed the footage, he noticed the man giving something to the victims, intensifying the seriousness of the situation. Amid the disturbing scene, Tatsuomi's colleague felt nauseous, and Tao, deeply affected, sought Tatsuomi's perspective on a hypothetical scenario involving someone "they cared" transforming into a Maga and the dilemma of having to consider killing them.

Kishibe, the nurse aide, noticed Alma waking up and promptly alerted Ryu, who was lounging nearby, about Alma's consciousness. Alma, upon awakening, seemed confused about his condition. Ryu calmly explained that Alma had lost a significant amount of blood due to severe injuries, leading to his collapse. He mentioned Nei's absence on a mission and how she had urgently called for Kishibe when Alma appeared lifeless.

With Kishibe's assistance, Alma received care, and Ryu advised him to eat before resuming training. Eager to continue, Alma returned to the training area, feeling restless and pressing Ryu to begin the session. Despite Ryu's unhurried approach due to his age, they started training, with Alma transformed and wielding a stake-turned-cleaver blade against Ryu's attacks. Struggling to keep up, Alma's right hand got severed by Ryu, who effortlessly countered all of Alma's moves. Exhausted, Alma reverted from his transformed state, prompting Ryu to notice his inability to endure even half a minute of combat.

Although Alma protested about the session's duration, they persisted, gradually increasing Alma's endurance, albeit with Ryu observing a slowdown in Alma's regeneration. Recognizing the need to conclude the day's training, Ryu decided to stop, which Alma accepted, agreeing to abide by Ryu's directive to resume training the following morning.

After finishing his training, Alma headed to the cafeteria at their base and placed a sizable order for various dishes. While placing the order, Tatsuomi unexpectedly joined him, causing Alma to be surprised. They both carried their food to a table while exchanging some light-hearted remarks.

Wondering about Tao's whereabouts, Alma asked Tatsuomi, who mentioned that she had either gone home or to the office. They briefly discussed Tao's safety, with Tatsuomi expressing some regret for not accompanying her. Alma then diverted the conversation, asking Tatsuomi why he was at his table and hinting that he should find another place to sit. Tatsuomi defended himself, stating that Alma had started the conversation, which naturally led to him taking a seat. Despite this, they continued their playful banter as they settled down to eat at the table.

While traveling in the car without a specific destination in mind, Tao's thoughts revisited a previous discussion she had at one of Tatsuomi's workplaces. During this conversation, Tatsuomi had expressed his readiness to end the life of someone transformed into a Maga if it meant sparing them from enduring a harrowing existence. This revelation left Tao surprised and somewhat upset, though she chose to withhold her reaction.

Deep in contemplation of Tatsuomi's words, Tao reached for a cigarette, but Tatsuomi intervened, redirecting their attention to that individual connected to Yomi in the CCTV footage. They discussed the person's identity, but Tao admitted uncertainty due to the unclear visuals and the passage of nine years, making it hard for her to visualize the person's face clearly. Tatsuomi advised Tao not to dwell excessively on this, urging her to clear her mind for better focus. The weight of their recent conversation lingered, evident in Tao's troubled expression as she smoked in the car. Eventually, her journey led her to the Meito Shrine, triggering a rush of memories.

While walking through the shrine, memories surfaced from her youth, recalling a time when she and someone else, both injured, had fallen asleep together. Witnessing a man hanging at the shrine's entrance now shocked Tao deeply. When the man raised his face, that man was the person named Yoru, who was recently acquainted with Alma and associated with Yomi. Yet, Tao, now able to clearly see the man's face, addressed him as "Jin."

## Quick References

### Chapter Notes

* Alma's struggle with severe injuries, collapsing due to blood loss after pulling out a stake from his heart, diagnosed with anemia by Ryu. Ryu's indication of him not being able to withstand his transformation even for 3 minutes.
	+ Alma's challenging training session with Ryu, resulting in severe physical strain and injury, prompting Ryu to limit the training duration and observed slowdown in Alma's regeneration.
* Tatsuomi, Tao, and colleague reviewing CCTV footage, discovering a figure connected to Yomi strangling two women without physical contact, leading to speculations about Yomi's associate and their methods.
* Tao's recollection of a conversation with Tatsuomi about Maga transformation, followed by their review of the CCTV footage and Tao's struggle to identify an individual linked to Yomi.
* Tao's visit to the Meito Shrine, triggering memories from her past and encountering Yoru (referred to as "Jin") hanging at the shrine's entrance.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

**Ryu**
**Alma**
**Nei**
**Tatsuomi**
**Tao**
**Yomi**Footage
**Yoru**
**Kisabe**Debut