Chapter 225

## Slums

**Slums**, or **The Slums** (貧民窟, *Hinminkutsu*) is the 225th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

Several prostitutes attempts to lure in some male customers on a cold Sapporo night, with one of them having managed to latch onto a man with a top hat. As she tries to chat him up, the man suddenly grabs her mouth and shoves a knife into her neck. The prostitute stares at the blood flowing out of her neck before pulling at the man’s shirt, revealing that he is one of the Abashiri Convicts, before dying and allowing the convict to carve up her body.

The next day, a crowd of onlookers arrives to see the corpse of the prostitute, being held back by several police officers. Ishikawa interviews the police chief, noting that the details of the prostitute’s death was similar to that of another killing which had occured a month prior. He attempts to draw out more information from the chief but is bluntly turned down before returning to Hijikata’s Group.

Ishikawa tells Hijikata’s Group about the killings and tries to goad Nagakura into giving him some money. Ushiyama notes that it is a horrible way to die and wonders if the killer has a grudge against prostitutes. Ishikawa agrees, saying that he hopes the killer is caught quickly before killing his favourite prostitute, drawing ire from Nagakura.

Hijikata asks Kadokura if he can think of anyone among the tattooed convicts that might be responsible for the murders, and Kadokura tells him about a man in Yokohama who stabbed a prostitute around ten years ago and was locked into Abashiri Prison as a result. Hijikata notes that if the killer really is a tattooed convict, then the fact that he caused a huge uproar will grab the 7th Division’s attention and they will look for him as well. Meanwhile, Ogata attempts to shoot some birds down but is only able to graze their feathers.

In a village on the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk, Usami kills a horse before fleeing so that the owner cannot find the one responsible for the animal’s death. Tsurumi reads a newspaper and is already aware of the Sapporo murders, believing that a tattooed convict is involved in them. He tells Kikuta and Usami to head to Sapporo to investigate the killings while he will stay and search for Asirpa. When Kikuta and Usami voices their displeasure towards each other, Tsurumi tells Kikuta that Usami will be of use to him in Sapporo, confusing him.

Tsurumi says that it is likely that Hijikata’s Group has already found out about the killings and warns Kikuta and Usami to avoid them at all cost. Usami says that it is fine and that they cannot depend on anything from Ariko and as such, he will kill them all and steal everything. The 7th Division and Hijikata’s Group makes their goal to look for the tattooed convict in Sapporo.

A flashback occurs in the 28th year of the Meiji era in the Shibata, Niigata prefecture, in which Tsurumi is training with his martial arts master, Takeda. Once he had finished his training, he scolds some of the children for getting too close to Takeda’s horse before someone calls out to him, saying that he has returned. Tsurumi turns to see a 14-year old Usami Tokishige and notes that he has gotten taller, which Usami confirms.

## Character Appearances

* Sapporo Killer *(Debut)*
* Takuboku Ishikawa
* Shinpachi Nagakura
* Kadokura
* Toshizou Hijikata
* Tatsuma Ushiyama
* Hyakunosuke Ogata
* Tokishige Usami
* Tokushirou Tsurumi
* Kikuta
* Rikimatsu Ariko
* Kirawus
* Toni Anji
* Kantarou
* Takeda *(Debut)* *(Flashback)*