Chapter 267

## Severed

**Severed** (断絶, *Danzetsu*) is the 267th chapter of the *Golden Kamuy* manga.

## Synopsis

Kiroranke writes a letter to Sofia explaining what happened to him and Wilk after they crossed over into Japan. They had split up when they arrived in Hokkaido as their plan was to live among the Ainu and gather information about the buried gold and that in order to adapt himself even more to his life as an Ainu, Wilk had gotten married and had a child. However, when Kiroranke saw the expression on Wilk's face as he carried Asirpa, he became upset as he had seen a look of gentleness on his face that he had never seen before.

Several years later, someone discovered a man whom everyone had thought died from smallpox living by himself deep in the mountains. Tsurumi reveals that the man, named Kimuspu was one of the Ainu extremists who gathered the gold dust 50 years ago and tried to use them to buy weapons from the Russians, and as such, knew where the gold was hidden. He also states that in the 35th year of Meiji (1902), the 7th Division had also gotten their hands on the information about Kimuspu and that it was his spotting that caused things to take a big step forwards.

Wilk met with several Ainu men to discuss about Kimuspu and how to find him, however before they could set out to look for him, he was confronted by Kiroranke who was upset about not being included in the discussion. Wilk tells the other Ainu men to go on ahead and the both of them begins to argue about Wilk's change of plan to create an independent Hokkaido. Tsurumi asks Asirpa if she knew what her father was talking about and explains what kind of nation that both Kiroranke and Sofia were trying to create in contrast to the nation that Wilk had decided to focus on.

Tsurumi comments that he understands Wilk's argument, since Hokkaido could only be attacked by ship while the Far Eastern Federation that Kiroranke and Sofia were aiming for would share land borders with its neighbours, thus making it difficult to defend against invasions. Wilk and Kiroranke continues to argue as Kiroranke accuses Wilk of betraying his people in Karafuto and the Russian far east. Wilk says that anyone who wants to is welcome to immigrate to Hokkaido and that the various ethnic groups can live their lives while continuing to follow their own gods and cultures.

Kiroranke counters by talking about Wilk's village disappearing since the people there abandoned the lands they were familiar with and moving somewhere else but Wilk says that they just have to avoid making the same mistakes again. Kiroranke then asks about the Uilta people as it is too warm in Hokkaido for them to raise their reindeers and asks Wilk how they can live in Hokkaido while still following their culture. Wilk states that immigration would only be for those who wants to immigrate, causing Kiroranke to lash out accusing him of not caring for the minority groups living in Russia and that he would rather live as a Hokkaido Ainu to protect his daughter's future.

Wilk says he is simply choosing the more realistic path, however Kiroranke exclaims that Hokkaido never had anything to do with them in the first place but Wilk had made a family for himself and turned Hokkaido into his homeland. Tsurumi explains their reasoning as simply being a fight to protect the surviving remnants of the ethnic groups or feelings for those who they love and that neither of them are lies. Kiroranke becomes physical, stating that Sofia is still waiting for them in Russia and punches Wilk but ends up getting headlocked by Wilk.

Asirpa says that Kiroranke got angry not only because of the Russian ethnic minority groups, but also because he had feelings for Sofia as she recalls his final words. She explains that her father must have understood Kiroranke's feelings very well and as such decided to distance himself from Kiroranke. Wilk ties Kiroranke to a tree but Kiroranke noted that Wilk had left him alive, saying that the old Wilk would have surely killed someone who would become a hindrance to his own goals. He becomes disappointed that Wilk has changed and that the old Wilk he once loved was no longer there anymore.

## Character Appearances

* Kiroranke *(Flashback)*
* Hyakunosuke Ogata *(Flashback)*
* Sofia
* Svetlana *(Flashback)*
* Wilk *(Flashback)*
* Riratte *(Flashback)*
* Asirpa
* Huci *(Flashback)*
* Tokushirou Tsurumi
* Kimuspu *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Mokutarou Kikuta *(Flashback)*
* Tokishige Usami *(Flashback)*
* Hajime Tsukishima
* Siromakur *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Mesira *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Sukuta *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Irenka *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Ratci *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*
* Oskeporo *(Flashback)* *(Debut)*

## Trivia

* The chapter cover visually mirrors the cover of Chapter 265, which depicts Kouichi Hasegawa, Fina, and Olga together.