Chapter 3

* Title card
* Cover page

## Chapter Chronology

**Stand by the West** is the third chapter of the manga Choujin X.

## Summary

A transformed Tokio Kurohara is struggling to carry his unconscious friend, Azuma Higashi, to the hospital. His extreme exhaustion hampers his progress and he slips. Their sudden drop spurs Azuma to wake up and become startled at the sight of Tokio's new face. Tokio is relieved to see his friend is okay, holding his shoulders with taloned hands. Azuma asks what happened to "that guy", referring to Johhny Kiyoshi Takeyama, and Tokio replies that he dealt with him somehow, hazy on the details. Reasserting their destination, Tokio is surprised when the other boy insists on going to the hospital alone since he would be recognized as a Choujin on sight with his current appearance. Thus, unless he was prepared for the word to spread, Tokio shouldn't go outside until he can control his body.

A short time later, Tokio takes a shower back home before morning comes, and he has to deal with the difficulties his new form gives simple tasks like talking to his sister or eating. Having receded to his face, neck, hands, and half his forearms, the bird-like features were still glaringly obvious. Making up a high fever to skip school, Tokio is left distraught at the thought that he could be like this his entire life. Tokio attempts to catch up with Azuma to distract himself but receives no response. With this and the conversation yesterday in mind, he decides to go to his friend's house that night. He begins the journey with fresh anxiety after his sister makes a small request to his now disguised self.

Standing in front of the household's gate, Tokio sees a light and the silhouette he wished to find after a brief search. Azuma calls him and apologizes for not picking up, reporting that nothing was abnormal with him or his treatment with a flat expression. Commenting on Tokio's follow up concerning his own state, he guesses that the new Choujin appears like a bird because they take on the the form they most desire, in this case a vulture. Tokio then speaks of his desire to turn back and nervously rambles on what exactly he should do next. Azuma snaps at the questions, yelling at him to think for himself for once. With both taken aback at this, Tokio tearfully apologizes, hangs up and leaves before Azuma can bring himself to respond, leaving the boy to lament his words.

Elsewhere in a nondescript building, Johnny is being questioned by the same masked man who gave him the drugs. He repeats himself, with his leg pinning Johhny's long neck to the ground, asking for who used the other syringes. Under threat of death, the thug describes the two as high-school students and confesses that one turned into a monster with a huge beak or mask. He chooses not to give anymore information after seeing the eyes behind his interrogator's mask, though, intuiting that his fate was already predetermined at this point and not wanting to sink any lower after killing his pals. The man pauses, and then cuts Johnny's neck into pieces with a flourish of his hands. He leaves the scene with the Choujin's scant description on his mind.

## Characters

* Tokio Kurohara
* Azuma Higashi
* Tobisuke Kurohara
* Kinako Kurohara
* Johnny Kiyoshi Takeyama
* Noh Mask

## Navigation

 **Volume 6**
 **Volume 8**

 Tower of Mourning Arc