Chapter Summaries

Louis told Ganshi about his childhood, including his special ability, his mother’s death, and his father selling him to a research institute. After questioning him through the night, Ganshi asked him for a favor as they parted.

• Louis described his special ability and explained that his father had sold him to a government research institute.
• Ganshi took out a notebook and interviewed Louis, probing how he knew about his parents.
• Louis said that officials had kept records and that someone helped him retrieve them when he was twenty-three.
• Ganshi asked Louis how old he was, and he answered that he was nineteen.
• As they parted after a night of conversation, Ganshi asked Louis to do her a favor.

Louis arrived at negotiations over control of Ward 6, where Black Tiger and Old Qian were pressuring Ito to divide the territory between their factions. His sudden entrance disrupted the meeting, and the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s leader fell silent upon seeing him.

• Banjō rescued Louis and told him the Thousand-Leaf Tree had joined another outside faction to force Ito into negotiations that day.
• Black Tiger and Old Qian demanded shares of Ward 6, while Ito and his people refused to surrender control.
• Louis smashed through the courtyard gate carrying a badly injured Thousand-Leaf Tree ghoul, and Ito angrily blamed him for destroying Mr. Shachi’s gate.
• Louis made ice chairs and joined the negotiations, prompting Black Tiger to suggest they remove him before dealing with Ito.
• Black Tiger failed to notice that Old Qian had gone silent since Louis arrived.

Ito made Ice Mask Ward 6’s leader in name, but required him to prove himself by dealing with Black Tiger and the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s leader. With Shachi’s permission, Louis unleashed icy mist and attacked the gathered ghouls, leaving the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s leader badly wounded.

• Ito rejected Black Tiger’s attempt to claim authority and told Ice Mask he would have to earn Ward 6’s acceptance as its leader.
• Louis declared he would handle Black Tiger and the other intruders himself, then revealed that the ghouls Black Tiger had stationed outside had been frozen into ice sculptures.
• Louis called to Mr. Shachi and received permission to proceed, then covered the courtyard in lethal icy mist.
• Louis’s Ice Blades wounded several S-Rank ghouls and drove the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s leader to try to escape.
• Louis dodged the leader’s attack in the mist and severed his right arm with an Ice Blade.

Louis and Shachi defeated the invading factions, and Shachi reclaimed his place as Ward 6’s leader while preparing Louis to succeed him. Louis then took the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s leader to question him about the V Organization, as Sante and Banjō moved against the invaders’ bases.

• Black Tiger tried to flee the icy mist but was struck down by Shachi.
• Louis defeated the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s leader, leaving both invading groups incapacitated.
• Ito tried to reject his agreement with Louis, but Shachi silenced him and reminded him not to endanger Ward 6 over an old house.
• Shachi thanked Ito for his service and acknowledged that he had returned to resolve Ward 6’s leadership problems.
• Louis carried the captured leader to a deserted alley and began questioning him about the V Organization.
• Sante and Banjō led disguised Aogiri Tree members toward the invaders’ bases, while the captive refused to talk.

Louis took control of Ward 6 after Aogiri Tree defeated Black Tiger and the Thousand-Leaf Tree, while Shachi departed and left the ward’s future to its residents. As Louis and his new allies set out to reclaim the territory, Ito received news of another attack before they arrived.

• Eto killed a V enforcer and told Louis that V would blame him for the man’s death.
• Shachi bid farewell to Ito and the others, saying they would decide Ward 6’s future and accept Louis if they approved of him.
• Louis recruited the surviving ghouls, and Young Noblewoman agreed on behalf of the group to follow him as Lord Ice Mask.
• Young Noblewoman explained that Ward 6’s southern faction and its largest family had stayed apart from the fighting, and Louis chose not to challenge them unless they broke the rules.
• As Louis and his companions drove to reclaim the territory, Ito received a call reporting trouble and ordered someone to find out who was responsible.

After Ward 6’s forces captured the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s territory, Louis and Ito dealt with the prisoners and inspected the group’s former headquarters. Louis considered turning the vacant building into a coffee shop, but Ito offered to fund it and revealed Louis’s bounty had climbed to a billion yen.

• Banjō watched over the bound Thousand-Leaf Tree members as Louis, Ito, and the Young Noblewoman arrived at the warehouse.
• A former subordinate begged Ito for forgiveness, but Ito identified him as a traitor, and Louis ordered all the captives locked up for questioning.
• Ito showed Louis and Banjō the Thousand-Leaf Tree’s vacant former headquarters, and Louis proposed turning it into a coffee shop.
• Banjō pointed out that they lacked the money to renovate the building, so Louis showed them his hundred-million-yen bounty notice and asked Banjō to investigate it.
• Ito offered to cover the costs and told Louis that his bounty had risen to a billion yen.

Louis suffered a dangerous bout of organ crystallization and learned that forcing his evolution gave him only a one-in-ten chance of survival. As he struggled to find a way to halt the process, he tried to remember something he had just thrown out.

• Ito examined the billion-yen bounty on Louis and said he would ask Black Haru to investigate who had placed it.
• Louis told Banjō to bring Jiro and the others over after a few days and promised to find Rize within a month.
• Louis considered pursuing Kanou as a way to prevent the Anteiku extermination operation.
• Louis’s organs began crystallizing, causing internal injuries and blood to freeze into crimson flowers.
• Louis ordered Banjō out, sealed the room with ice, and learned from the system that his chances of surviving forced evolution were one in ten.
• Louis wondered what he had just thrown out as blood loss and oxygen deprivation clouded his mind.

Louis woke after a week-long unconscious spell, having survived an attempted evolution that would have turned him into an emotionless crystal being. As he resumed dealing with Ward 6, he opened a mysterious letter that revealed a secret no one should have known.

• Louis emerged from the ice crystals and told the system he did not want to abandon his human life for an uncertain higher form of existence.
• Louis found Hinami and Banjō waiting outside and learned he had been unconscious for nearly a week.
• Banjō and Sante reported that Ward 6 was stable, the Gen Family had taken in needy ghouls, and the family might seek dominance over the ward.
• Louis decided to address the captured Thousand-Leaf Tree and Black Tiger members after settling in.
• Banjō gave Louis an unopened letter addressed to the Ice Mask, and Louis opened it despite being unable to read the writing.
• Louis saw that the letter casually disclosed a secret no one should have known, and his calm was shaken.

Louis destroyed a letter inviting him to Anteiku and ordered that future messengers be captured alive. At Anteiku, the Manager told the others Louis was doing well in Ward 6, while Louis arrived at the Ward 6 prison to deal with its traitorous captives.

• Louis read a letter inviting him to meet at Anteiku, destroyed it, and told his people to capture future messengers alive.
• Touka, Nishiki Nishio, Roma, and Sakuragi Aoi heard from the Manager that Louis was doing well in Ward 6 and discussed rumors about him.
• Guards in the Ward 6 prison mocked a jailed traitor who begged to see Ito and regretted his betrayal.
• Louis entered the prison, ordered the guards outside, and said he would handle the prisoners himself.

Louis offered Ward 6’s prisoners a chance to join his Death Squad before meeting Furuta Nimura at Anteiku. Furuta asked how Louis had discovered his identity, but Louis refused to answer.

• Louis told the imprisoned ghouls that their former identities were dead and offered them a chance to swear allegiance and join his Death Squad.
• The next morning, Louis went to Anteiku to meet the man who had sent him a letter.
• Furuta Nimura praised the coffee and flirted with Irimi Kyouko, but Louis slammed his face into a cup and warned him about sexual harassment.
• Furuta explained that he had chosen Anteiku as a safe meeting place and asked Louis how he had discovered him.
• Louis refused to answer, believing Furuta had little power and would not risk exposing Anteiku.

Louis met with Furuta Nimura, who gave him an address connected to the one-eyed twins and hinted at a secret involving Louis, Furuta, and Kanou Akihiro. At Anteiku, Louis urged Yoshimura to consider joining his side if he could escape V’s control, then left to investigate Furuta’s uncertain lead.

• Furuta gave Louis a business card bearing an address and suggested that they might cooperate through a mutual friend.
• Louis suspected the address led to Kurona Yasuhisa and her sister, and connected Furuta’s hinted secret to the unusual effect his blood had on ghouls.
• Louis met with the Manager at Anteiku and told him that he had met Eto Yoshimura.
• Louis asked the Manager whether he wanted to see Eto and urged him to join their side if he ever broke free of V’s control.
• Louis left Anteiku and decided to pursue the address Furuta had given him despite the risk of a trap.

Louis investigated Nana Shou Anjo’s estate in Ward 6 and found Kurona Yasuhisa living there with her father, Kanou. As Kurona led him toward the underground laboratory, they discussed why Louis had let Nashiro Yasuhisa escape, and Louis told Kurona he no longer wanted to take either sister away.

• Louis searched the deserted estate and detected one of the tracking crystals he had planted on Kurona Yasuhisa and Nashiro Yasuhisa underground.
• Louis found a bedroom containing a childhood photograph of the Yasuhisa twins, then met Kurona Yasuhisa, who said Kanou wanted to see him.
• Kurona Yasuhisa led Louis to a concealed elevator and said Kanou had promised to bring Nashiro Yasuhisa back, but she did not know what had happened afterward.
• Louis reasoned that Kanou’s actions had involved the V Organization thugs, though he could not determine whether Kanou had deeper ties to the organization.
• Louis explained that he had let Nashiro Yasuhisa escape because Aogiri Tree would likely have killed her, then told Kurona Yasuhisa he was no longer interested in taking either sister away.

Louis met Kanou Akihiro in the underground laboratory and learned that his unusually active RC cells might help create a powerful one-eyed ghoul. After refusing Kanou’s proposed partnership, Louis received a clown mask and a message from Furuta, then subdued Kurona and demanded a private conversation with Kanou.

• Louis followed Kurona Yasuhisa through the laboratory and confronted Kanou Akihiro, who showed him a fragment of his lost mask.
• Louis destroyed the mask fragment, and Kanou explained that Louis’s active RC cells could potentially transform a compatible one-eyed ghoul.
• Louis rejected Kanou’s offer to change the world together and clarified that he had come to discuss working with Furuta.
• Kanou gave Louis a clown mask and relayed Furuta’s instruction to attend a Strange Meeting, though the message included no time or place.
• Louis covered the laboratory in crystals, immobilized Kurona and Kanou, and demanded that Kanou ensure no one could overhear their conversation.

Louis negotiated a limited arrangement with Kanou, then encountered the imprisoned and mentally broken Rize Kamishiro in his laboratory. Back at the Ward 6 base, Louis tried to awaken Banjō’s kagune and revealed that he had found Rize.

• Louis and Kanou agreed to remain in contact, while Louis accepted a clown mask as an invitation to the Clowns’ core meeting.
• Louis saw Rize Kamishiro imprisoned in the laboratory and learned from Kanou that she had lost her mind.
• Louis left with Kurona Yasuhisa and told her to protect her sister before returning to the Ward 6 base.
• Louis bound Banjō to a chair and used cold to try to awaken his kagune, drawing curious onlookers outside the room.
• Louis told Banjō that he had found Rize Kamishiro.

Louis awakened Banjō's Black Ukaku, which could heal nearby living beings, then discussed the dangers of rescuing Rize Kamishiro. He offered to help Banjō save her and planned to use the Clowns to create chaos that would conceal their involvement.

• Louis provoked Banjō until his Kagune awakened as a small Black Ukaku that released life energy and healed nearby beings.
• Louis told Banjō that rescuing Rize Kamishiro could expose their location to Aogiri Tree, V, and other powerful factions.
• Banjō admitted he wanted to save Rize but did not want to endanger Louis or his former subordinates.
• Louis agreed to help rescue Rize and kept her mental condition secret from Banjō.
• Louis took out a clown mask and decided they needed to orchestrate chaos to hide their role in the rescue.

Louis punished the Intelligence Department for spreading rumors and introduced Banjō to his new Private Soldiers. When Hinami confessed that she liked Louis, he promised to answer after winter, then ordered the eavesdroppers outside the door arrested.

• Louis ordered the Intelligence Department members, including Lin, placed in solitary confinement for a week.
• Louis explained to Banjō Kazuichi that the masked ghouls were former prisoners serving as his Private Soldiers and asked Banjō to master his kagune.
• Louis talked with Hinami about how Irimi had helped him and why he admired her.
• Hinami confessed that she had fallen for Louis and wanted to help him; Louis said he would give her an answer after winter.
• Louis heard people eavesdropping outside and ordered them arrested for listening to confidential information.

Louis hosted a birthday party for Hinami, bringing together familiar faces from Anteiku and reuniting her with her mother. The celebration ended with the group enjoying coffee while Roma reluctantly worked downstairs at the café.

• Touka, Koma, Yoshimura, Irimi Kyouko, Yomo, Sakuragi Aoi, Nishiki Nishio, and Roma arrived at Louis's café for Hinami's birthday.
• Louis brought Ryouko Fueguchi from Ward 24 and awkwardly asked whether she would object if he wanted to be with Hinami; Ryouko said she did not object, but he would have to wait until Hinami was an adult.
• Louis led Hinami into the upstairs living room, where her friends and family surprised her with birthday wishes, and she burst into tears as she embraced Ryouko.
• Touka teased Louis about leaving without a word, then said she would forgive him because he had protected Hinami.
• Louis revealed that Roma had been assigned to work in the café downstairs, where she served unfamiliar customers instead of attending the party.

Louis discussed turning re into another refuge with Manager Yoshimura, but their party was interrupted when Sen Takatsuki arrived. The chapter left the manager and his daughter sharing an unspoken first exchange while Louis guarded against possible trouble.

• Louis asked Manager Yoshimura for his thoughts on re and discussed making it a refuge like Anteiku.
• Banjō brought Sen Takatsuki into the café, startling Louis and Manager Yoshimura; Hinami excitedly asked her for an autograph.
• Louis reassured the manager that he would help, then ordered Banjō to post guards and report before bringing anyone else upstairs.
• Louis considered the danger posed by the powerful guests and learned from the system that SSS+ was the highest combat rating.
• Nishiki Nishio asked Louis about returning, and Louis instead invited him and the others to move to re and work for him.
• Manager Yoshimura served coffee to the guests, including Sen Takatsuki, who thanked him.

Louis took Roma Hoito to the basement after she caused a disturbance at the café and revealed that he knew she was the Clowns’ founder. When Louis showed her Furuta’s Clown Mask, Roma claimed it meant he was destined to join the Clowns and told him about her past.

• Roma lost her temper while working downstairs, and Louis hurried in to calm the situation.
• Louis led Roma into the basement, bound her with a Crystallization Chain, and shut her in.
• Louis revealed that Roma Hoito was an alias and identified her as the Mother of Chaos and a fugitive from Ghoul Prison.
• Louis showed Roma the Clown Mask Furuta had given him and asked what it meant.
• Roma said the mask destined Louis to become a Clown and described her violent childhood and hatred of happiness.

Louis learned that the Clowns' leader, Father, had unusual abilities, but Roma Hantō escaped after provoking a compromising scene with Touka. Louis told Touka he would bring Kaneki back, leaving Touka to stop and listen.

• Louis recalled Roma Hantō's account of Father creating doubles and controlling other living creatures, then let Roma leave the basement to avoid drawing the CCG's attention.
• Roma Hantō staged a tearful scene in front of Touka before slipping away, leaving Louis facing Touka's angry stare.
• Touka warned Louis to stop meddling because he was human and refused his offer to help her get into Kamii University.
• Louis said he would bring Kaneki back and joked that Touka should beat him for knocking Louis out; Touka stopped on the stairs.