Chapter 88

## Chapter Chronology

**Pursue** (意義 (いぎ) ) is the 88th chapter of the Tougen Anki manga series.

## Synopsis

With Nekosaki in pursuit, Jin and Ikari arrive at the bottom of the mountain and prepare to climb.

Homare tries to summon her blood titan to carry them both to the top but fails, realising that she had already used up too much blood in her earlier fight. Instead, Shiki uses his own blood to summon a sniper rifle and targets Innami and Nekosaki from a distance, preventing either of them from closing in on the students.

Jin reaches the summit followed by Ikari. As Ikari approaches the top, Shiki extends a hand to help him but, after a moment of hesitance, Ikari snubs him, pulling himself up and storming past Shiki. Shiki pouts and wonders what Ikari's problem is.

With everyone gathered, Mudano congratulates the students and announces that they completed the training 8 hours, 48 minutes - faster than he expected. He notes that each student displayed specific strengths and gained valuable experience from the exercise with the exception of Ikari, who selfishly ignored his team and made short-sighted decisions at everyone else's expense.

In response, Ikari tells Mudano that he's not interested in teamwork and came to Rasetsu Academy to become stronger as an individual but Mudano reminds Ikari that controlling Oni blood requires emotional strength and experience, and that the desire to help and protect only strengthen an Oni's resolve. He states that relying only on negative emotions may trigger an Oni's strength but can also trigger a berserk episode.

An important part of developing friendships, he adds, is learning about the motivations of your teammates, and so each student announces their goal. For Shiki, this still includes avenging his father's death but has broadened to creating a world where Oni like Mei can live freely and happily. Jin states that he intends to kill his father and Homare tells everyone that she wants to help people. Kuina jokes that her goal is to be buried with Rokuro and Juuji tries to justify his sexual perversions by waxing lyrical about the Oni-Momo conflict.

When asked what his own motivations are, Ikari becomes angry and shouts that he'll kill as many Momotarou as they've killed his friends, adding that he doesn't need any friends other than the ones he has lost. In a tantrum, he turns around and leaves, with Shiki commenting that Ikari had been on edge since his fight with Ousuke.

Nekosaki suggests that everyone should make their way back to the Academy, complaining mentally about the cold. Mudano agrees but punishes Nekosaki with a thousand extra squats for secretly trash talking behind his back. Innami offers to train with him in solidarity but Nekosaki tells him to get lost.

As Ikari descends the mountain alone, he thinks angrily about how making friends can't possibly help him become stronger and about how Shiki's growth is solely the result of his experience battling Momotarou. Refusing to remain in the shadows of his fellow students, he's sure that gaining more combat experience will help him grow.

## Characters

In order of appearance:

* Hagure Nekosaki
* Jin Kougasaki
* Ikari Yaoroshi
* Homare Byoubugaura
* Shiki Ichinose
* Juuji Yusurube
* Yuu Innami
* Rokuro Kiriyama
* Kuina Sazanami
* Naito Mudano
* Kyouya Oiranzaka
* Mei (mentioned)