Konjiki no Gash!! Chapter 46

**The Manipulator** (操りし者, *Ayatsurishi Mono*) is the 46th chapter of Makoto Raiku's Konjiki no Gash!!. This chapter was originally released in Japan as part of volume 5 on April 18, 2002 .

## Plot

With Hobark Castle about to collapse, Kiyomaro, Seccoro, and Gash stood completely frozen, unsure what to do as they still hadn’t found Seccoro’s parents. Kiyomaro calls out to the crowd of people escaping the castle and asks if any of them knew where Seccoro’s parents were. A man amidst the crowd steps forward to tell the group that Seccoro’s parents were alive but then goes on to explain that his parents were moved to a cell underground as punishment for continuing to defy Steng. The man expresses however that it’s not possible for them to be able to reach them in time before the castle completely collapses. Seccoro tries to plead that there must be something that they can do to save them but the crowd of people turn silent as it seems that it won’t be possible. Despite being faced with such a desperate situation, Kiyomaro speaks up and tells Seccoro that he and Gash will save his parents.

Worried, Seitaro asks Kiyomaro how he’ll save them and Kiyomaro tells him that he already has a plan in mind. Kiyomaro explains that the collapse of the castle won’t hurt them since the cell was built into solid ground beneath it and that they’ll all be safe even after it falls apart. Kiyomaro notes however that the air underground for them won’t last long and therefore they must reach the cell before the castle falls. From there, they can blast their way back to the surface with Gash’s power. Kiyomaro then has Gash face a nearby wall and he uses *Zakeru* to blast through it. Worried, Seitaro tries to talk Kiyomaro out of this risky plan but Kiyomaro stands firm on his decision and simply tells Seitaro that lives are at stake. As Kiyomaro and Gash head down to rescue Seccoro’s parents, Seccoro himself joins them and the trio quickly hurry to the bottom of the castle. When they finally get there, they find Seccoro’s parents trapped behind a cell. Gash breaks open this cell and Seccoro and his family share a tearful reunion with each other.

From the outside, the castle had now completely collapsed on itself leaving nothing but destruction behind. As Seitaro waits for any sign of Kiyomaro and the others, Seitaro thinks about how much Kiyomaro had changed from the last time he saw him. Just then, a blast of lightning pierces through the rubble and Seitaro is relieved to see that Kiyomaro and the others made it out alive. He thinks to himself how mature Kiyomaro is now and how thankful he is to Gash for helping change him for the better. Meanwhile, Steng and Baltro are seen running far away from the castle. Steng expresses his frustration with being forced on the run because of Gash and Kiyomaro but is glad he still has Baltro’s spell book with him.

Suddenly, they are then stopped by a mysterious figure who is revealed to be the one who had paid Steng to kidnap Seitaro. Steng demands answers from this person about the entire situation but the person only comments that Baltro had now officially lost the battle. Baltro begins to shake in fear and the mysterious person then strikes Steng and Baltro with a powerful electrical spell. Baltro’s spell book becomes engulfed in flames and Baltro soon disappears along with his book. The mysterious person then turns away to leave, and despite most of their appearance being concealed with shadows, it is evident that they bear a striking resemblance to Gash.

## Features

### Characters by Appearance

* Kiyomaro Takamine
* Seccoro
* Gash Bell
* Seitaro Takamine
* Steng
* Baltro
* Zeon Bell

### Locations

* England
	+ Hobark Castle