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Transformative Decisions That Will Redefine Kagurabachi
Dora NaletilićShare
Takeru Hokazono produced an absolute triumph with his Kagurabachi, and it seems that there is very little that can stop that ascent. With the newest chapter, we saw Chihiro being determined and tested against Hirohiko, an incredibly powerful foe, and Samura's daughter Iori being an important part of the main plan that is 'do or die' for our protagonist. It's interesting how the decision of one character will impact so many things in Kagurabachi, which is closer to the hundredth chapter than the first one.
Hishaku Wants Samura's Daughter
The conflict of the current story arc of Kagurabachi is reaching its peak, and fans are really excited. We saw Chihiro grow before our eyes, especially during the 'Sword Bearer Assassination arc,' his obstacles and maturity only got more visible with every new chapter. The whole conflict of this arc is very tense, and any wrong step will ruin the mission Chihiro and the Masumi Clan have for stopping Samura from essentially killing everyone with Enchanted Blades. We know that Samura is a dangerous man who already expressed and showcased that his mission goes above everything he knows, driven by guilt and love for his family.
The powerful sorcerer team wants Enchanted Blades for themselves to rule over the whole of Japan, and they pose another threat to Chihiro and his allies. They also know that Samura poses an incredible threat to Hishaku due to his incredible power and mastery of swordsmanship and because he wants to 'erase' people who want to use Enchanted Blades for selfish deeds. All in all, the whole 'Sword Bearer Assassination arc' is getting to its peak, and the resurgence of Iori, Samura's daughter, poses another obstacle in Chihiro's journey.
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Chihiro Wants to Make Sure Iori is Safe
When we meet Iori, she's a regular teenager who leads a peaceful life, but only due to the powerful seal that erased her memories of her father, Seiichi Samura. Seiichi himself is responsible for that memory seal due to Hishaku and the whole criminal underworld hunting him and his family due to his part in the Seitei War. Masumi Clan and Chihiro reach Iori first and get her to safety. During their stay at Kyoto Bloodshed Hotel, Iori learns the hard truth about everything that is going on—her memories, especially her life, are what pose as an important part of the whole ordeal. Iori learns about Samura, the Seitei War, and why her father wanted to protect her from himself.
Through every overwhelming truth, Iori's getting more overwhelmed. Ro, the Masumi Clan leader, tells her they will take care of her new memory seal and make sure she forgets about everything, making sure she can return to her peaceful life. Chihiro vows to help her, and they even talk deeply about some things—the Sword Bearer tells Samura's daughter he understands her final decision; it doesn't matter if it's a memory loss or living with truth, because he knows how much the latter hurts. He promises her he will do his best to let her get back to her regular life.
Iori Makes a Final Decision ... or Does She?
While Chihiro and Iori have a heart-to-heart, the Hishaku members infiltrate the hotel and immediately start causing chaos, killing everyone in their way. Specifically, Hirohiko, who strangely is obsessed with Chihiro and wants to fight him. He is there to take Iori away to use her against Samura. Chihiro says no and immediately starts fighting the Hishaku member.
The epic fight goes through many parts of the hotel, but what is really interesting is that Ro takes Iori away to safety. Specifically, he is taking Iori on top of the hotel to seal her memories properly this time, making sure she goes back to her peaceful and calm life. Ro and Chihiro are just following Iori's wishes because Chihiro himself told Iori that any decisions she makes are her responsibility, and they are there to help her in the end. However, it seems that her initial wish is getting weaker because Iori starts getting second thoughts about her life path—she wants to meet her father but also return to her old life, making her decision one of the most important plot points of 'Sword Bearer Assassination arc.'.
Conclusion: The Decision That Will Change Everything
Although she was introduced quite late within the story arc of Kagurabachi, Iori definitely poses as an incredible piece of the larger story because her decision can potentially change everything for every side of this epic battle. If Iori decides to change her mind and learn the truth about her father, she is fully in this whole conflict, making her an easy target for Hishaku and every other criminal in the underworld. Chihiro and Masumi Clan will do their best to protect her, but also maybe use her to convince Samura to not spill more blood for Enchanted Blades, one of them being wielded by Chihiro as well. We cannot forget the government organization Kamunabi, who are also part of this conflict and consequently Samura's target.
The next chapter will be the one where we see Iori making this important decision, meaning that Hokazono is slowly but surely getting us to the peak of his story arc, which is exceptionally written and illustrated.
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