Chapter 261

## Fire Brigade

* Volume
* Magazine

**Fire Brigade** (消防組, *Shōbō-gumi*) is the 261st chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

The firefighters prepares to bring in more steam pumpers from the Susukino district in order to control the brewery fire. Meanwhile inside the brewery, Kikuta curses himself for letting Asirpa get away when he is suddenly startled by someone pointing their gun at him. The gun belongs to an officer of the 7th Division who apologizes to Kikuta for his action and Kikuta addresses Tsurumi who explains that they will make their retreat while avoiding Hijikata and Sugimoto’s Group as their top priority is to escort Asirpa out of town. Tsurumi also warns about the sniper that killed Usami and Kikuta is shocked to hear that Usami has died as Koito and Tsukishima looks on in silence.

Elsewhere in the brewery, Ogata wonders what move Vasily will make next and expects him to take position upwind of the brewery where there is less smoke. On the grounds of the brewery, Vasily remembers what Sugimoto told him and anticipates that Ogata will try to counter his moves while remembering Ogata’s name in between bouts of grunts. Sugimoto confronts Boutarou, demanding where he put Asirpa but Boutarou blinds him with his hair. As Sugimoto attempts to stab Boutarou with his bayonet, the latter wonders if their fight will not be settled until one of them is dead.

Boutarou kicks Sugimoto in the face but Sugimoto quickly counters with a heavy punch to the face and starts beating him with the butt of his rifle, screaming that he is immortal. Boutarou is rattled and slumps to the ground as Sugimoto points his rifle at him and he raises his hand to surrender. However, Sugimoto does not accept Boutarou’s declaration and shoots but Shiraishi lifts his rifle up, telling him to calm down as if he kills Boutarou, they will never be able to find Asirpa. Boutarou reveals that Asirpa was taken by the 7th Division and suggests that they team up to get her back.

Sugimoto becomes furious and asks where they had gone and Boutarou says that with the skins they have in their possession, they could try to solve the code themselves and that they do not need Hijikata’s Group anymore. Sugimoto is skeptical about teaming up with a guy who hit him over the head with a shovel and that they would be better off with Hijikata, telling Shiraishi to come with him. Sugimoto is not too worried as if the 7th Division attempts to take Asirpa away, Vasily will be there to stop them and that they cannot escape the brewery. Meanwhile, Vasily and Ogata are engaged in a sniper battle, trying to locate each other’s positions.

Sugimoto notices a man tied and gagged up on the ground and helps him up, asking him who he is. He sees more men also tied up as the man whom he helped reveals that they are the fire brigade from Susukino district and that the 7th Division took their equipments to make their getaway. Sugimoto begins to panic and Boutarou calls out to him to show off a beer car that he had found in the brewery and Sugimoto asks him if he can drive. Boutarou reveals that he had met an American man named Eddie and that they had gotten along well enough for Eddie to teach him how to drive. Sugimoto, Shiraishi, and Boutarou rides off in the beer car to catch up to the 7th Division who are in disguise as the fire brigade from Susukino district.

## Character Appearances

* Asirpa
* Tokushirou Tsurumi
* Otonoshin Koito
* Hajime Tsukishima
* Saichi Sugimoto
* Fusatarou Oosawa
* Yoshitake Shiraishi
* Toshizou Hijikata (cover)
* Hyakunosuke Ogata
* Vasily
* Mokutarou Kikuta
* Kouhei Nikaidou
* Tokishige Usami
* Tatsuma Ushiyama *(Flashback)*
* Kiichirou Wakayama *(Flashback)*
* Eddie Dun *(Flashback)*