Following his decisive victories in the Sendai Colony, Yuta Okkotsu pauses to reflect on the nature of strength, morality, and mercy in battle. While Yuta chooses to spare his opponents and contemplates the responsibility that comes with power, Ryu Ishigori — though defeated — acknowledges Yuta’s strength and resolve, gaining newfound respect for him despite their differing philosophies on combat and fulfillment.
The narrative then shifts focus to a new player: Charles Bernard. Through a flashback, readers glimpse Charles’ troubled past as an aspiring manga artist. His story reveals a passionate, if misunderstood, creator whose works consistently clashed with industry expectations. His frustration culminates in a heated incident at a publishing house, where his uncompromising ideals and disillusionment with superficial storytelling put him at odds with editors and critics.
In the present, driven by disillusionment in a cursed world devoid of artistic inspiration, Charles enters the Culling Game in search of a new sense of purpose. He confronts Kinji Hakari, hoping the chaos of battle might awaken his dormant fighting spirit and give his life meaning once more.
Initially indulging Charles’ ramblings with irritation, Hakari mocks and provokes him, delivering sharp insults aimed at igniting Charles’ emotions. The confrontation escalates as Charles, emotionally charged, finally accepts the provocation. The stage is thus set for a high-stakes showdown between Hakari and Charles, each with vastly different ideals about fighting and creation.
