Kaneki wakes up in a hospital bed, alive but not quite himself. Ordinary food now tastes like ash, his senses feel unnaturally sharp, and a strange hunger gnaws at him constantly. Something changed inside him during that surgery, and he is slowly realizing what his body now craves.
The battle for Anteiku erupts in full force. Quinques flash and kagunes tear through the night. Touka fights like a cornered animal, protecting Hinami and the others with everything she has. Touka fighting to protect her home brings out her very best.
Touka confronts Kaneki about the path he is on. She sees him disappearing into the darkness and refuses to watch silently. Their argument is raw and honest, the kind only people who truly care can have. Touka calling Kaneki out is the honest conversation he desperately needed.
Hinami continues to grow stronger, her dual kagune developing in frightening ways. Touka watches proudly and fearfully. The little girl they all protected is becoming someone who can protect herself. Hinami’s growth into a fighter is both proud and heartbreaking to witness.
The CCG, meanwhile, is not idle. New investigators are promoted, new weapons forged. The loss of so many veterans has made them desperate, and desperate doves are the most dangerous kind. The CCG’s desperation makes them unpredictable and dangerous.
Tsukiyama, ever dramatic, declares his devotion to Kaneki’s cause in the most extravagant way possible. Some things never change. His loyalty, however theatrical, is absolutely real. Tsukiyama being dramatic as ever provides some much needed lightness.
The city slowly returns to normal, or something like it. Humans and ghouls eye each other warily, but the open war is over. Kaneki watches it all, knowing his work is far from done. The city returning to normal, or something like it, is quietly hopeful.