Kagurabachi chapter 35: Hakuri's traumatic past kindles his latent genius

Kagurabachi chapter 35 was released in Weekly Shonen Jump's 27th issue on Monday, June 3, 2024, at 12 am JST. The chapter delved into a flashback and revealed Hakuri Sazanami's traumatic past. At the same time, the chapter showed the mysterious girl with whom the boy was acquainted in the past.

In the previous chapter of Kagurabachi, Hakuri requested Chihiro to let him handle Soya Sazanami and told him to proceed with his original plan. Chihiro then joined Shiba and took on Hakuri's twin brother, Tenri, who acquired powers akin to an Enchanted Blade, thanks to Datenseki.

Kagurabachi chapter 35 highlights: Hakuri's relationship with an ice girl from the past is revealed through a flashback

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Kagurabachi chapter 35, titled Cage, begins with a scene from August of the current year and focuses on the Rakuzaichi auction's preparation period. Hakuri is entrusted with the job of watching over a girl, enlisted as a rare merchandise for the auction.

He opens the door and notices the girl has left her food untouched behind the bars. Kagurabachi chapter 35 refers to her as the girl with the icy skin. She explains that she would starve to death rather than be sold to someone low-life.

Hakuri reminds her of her position as a rare merchandise for the auction, so she must eat for the auction's sake. She will also be moved to the original storehouse after three weeks.

The girl with icy skin and Hakuri (Image via Takeru Hokazono/Shueisha)

If she doesn't listen, he will have to feed her forcefully. The girl replies that meals are something that one is supposed to enjoy with other people.

However, Kagurabachi chapter 35 reveals that the air around her is always chilly due to her special powers. As such, she cannot be put in the same room as other merchandise, hence the solitary confinement.

Interestingly, the girl doesn't want Hakuri to let her out of the confinement but wants someone to talk to. Eventually, Hakuri agrees to be her companion during the lunch hours, for the sake of the Rakuzaichi.

Kagurabachi chapter 35: Hakuri shares the stories of his trauma with the ice girl

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The next day, Hakuri brings a meal for the girl and shares an intimate conversation regarding the tortures he has to face from his family, especially from his elder brother, Soya Sazanami. Kagurabachi chapter 35 reveals Soya often used to physically abuse Hakuri using pliers, ropes, and other items.

The ice girl listens to Hakuri's plight. She holds his hands and uses her ice powers to ease the boy's wounds. The girl feels like Hakuri has become an outcast, just like her. She jokingly proposes to escape together, like a couple of rejects.

The girl heals Hakuri's wounds (Image via Takeru Hokazono/Shueisha)

However, Hakuri reminds her that she's only a merchandise, and he's the merchant. The boy also tells her that he's doing everything, not only for the sake of the Rakuzaichi auction but because he wants to be useful at something.

Days go by, and the ice girl becomes healthier than before. Then one day, Hakuri appears bruised, prompting the girl to enquire about his health. Hakuri shrugs it off and informs her that it's the final day before she will be moved to the Rakuzaichi's original storeroom.

Hakuri, as seen in Kagurabachi chapter 35 (Image via Takeru Hokazono/Shueisha)

Seeing Hakuri in a battered and bruised state, the girl asks why he has been putting up with the tortures. Kagurabachi chapter 35 then shows Hakuri breaking down in tears, lamenting that he isn't "special" like the other family members. The girl feels that Hakuri is actually trapped in a cage.

Living in a small, narrow world, he has lost the sense of his actual worth. Hakuri then asks what his worth is. The girl reminds him that he talked to her, which is why she enjoyed her meals and became healthier. Interestingly, the boy appears the next day too with a meal. He unlocks the cage and proposes they have a meal outside the confinement.

Kagurabachi chapter 35: Hakuri vs. Soya resumes after the painful flashback

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Kagurabachi chapter 35 switches to the present and shows Hakuri's battle against his Soya Sazanami. The elder brother overwhelms Hakuri, reminding him that he can never attain victory against him. After that, the chapter once again delves into the past.

After preparing the meal, Hakuri Sazanami opens the door, ready to invite the ice girl. However, to his horror, he sees the girl holding a knife against her throat. She apologizes to the boy for using him.

The ice girl dies in front of Hakuri (Image via Takeru Hokazono/Shueisha)

Kagurabachi chapter 35 explains the ice girl intended to die from the beginning because she would rather die than be sold to someone and lead a meaningless life with her cursed skin.

Since Hakuri prevented her from starving to death, she had to choose that other option. Hakuri begs the girl not to die, reminding her that she's not useless. Her special abilities helped heal his injuries. However, the mysterious lady says that the love of her life had said the same before selling her off.

She laments that because of her skin, people always abandon her. The girl feels her worth is only as a curiosity or a tool. Before slicing her throat, the ice girl tells Hakuri that even outside the cage, there's no such thing as hope.

Hakuri awakens his latent potential (Image via Takeru Hokazono/Shueisha)

Past and present collide as Hakuri Sazanami's head buzzes with several questions. He feels he's the one who killed her. At the same time, he wonders whether all those words the girl told her were meaningless.

Even then, he wants to push forward. Kagurabachi chapter 35 ends with the pliers from the past hitting Soya Sazanami on his back. The Spirit Energy flickers from Hakuri's eyes, as he lies on the ground. The editor's comment at the end hints that the blossoming of a genius (Hakuri) cannot be stopped.