Chapter 74 of Dorohedoro is the First Chapter of Volume 13 titled: Curse 74 "Cross-News"
Summary
After a long absence from the story we once again see the crew of Restaurant Tanba, as Fukuyama reads the newspaper about how its been a month since En's death and the Cross-Eyes takeover of En's Mansion. Tanba scolds him to get back to work, and the young man wonders what happened to Kaiman, as the boss grumpily affirms, he must be alive somewhere.
The mansion was vandalized by the Cross-Eyes and En's portraits profaned, while Kai stares with a serious yet lost look in his face. While Dokuga plays around with his knives, Natsuki does some errands around the mansion, collecting valuables and other stuff, happy to know the Cross-Eyes are finally rich. Ton and Saji appear too along with Ushishimada carrying many severed head from the Goons who resisted their takeover, shocking Natsuki in horror, yet no one seems to care as they are more concern about the whereabouts of the top members of the En Family.
Feeling better Natsuki shows her biggest discovery in the mansion to the rest of the Officers, a vault stuffed to the roof with gold bars, exited about the idea be rich yet none of the officers shown excitement, even not understanding what's the fuzz about, but then Ton appears with and even greater discovery! A vault stuffed to the roof with Groseries and Toiled Paper! All the officers rejoice and celebrate while Dokuga, speechless for such a beautiful sight, finally understands what if feels like to be rich (Natsuki believes this was a weird exageration). Carrying some food boxes they spot the Door to Hole.
Next morning we see Dokuga sleeping in En's old room, still using his stupid cuckoo clock, not waiting to ditch something in good shape, even if is incredible annoying. Tetsujo sudden appears with incredible news, thousands of people are in front of the mansion, begging to be accepted as Cross-Eyes, still none of the officers truly believes they are begging for nothing more than self interest, yet they decide to consult The Boss, but for everyone dismay, he is gone again.
Elsewhere we see Aikawa having dinner in a ramen restaurant as news about the horde of people wishing to become Cross-Eyes apperar, calling this a load of crap, he goes aimlessly not knowing what to do, until he ran over an ex-classmate that was bullied by other Magic-Users, Aikawa easily took them down and saved him, then he told Aikawa about the new school of magic in the city, founded by En after the Zagan School was closed by himself from been a place infested by the Cross-Eyes.
They went to the new building, already filled with Cross-Eyes propaganda, Aikawa's Classmate shown concern and anger towards them, because people who use Black Powder shows how pointless is practice magic if there is another alternative, and strong Magic Users harrass people like him for be associate with them, believing he would be killed by them eventually, yet Aikawa reminds him that things always where like that. The classmate ask where is Risu, but Aikawa has no idea, in the ends he has to run when he spots the chef from the old school, who recognizes him as the thief who always stole food from the cafeteria, chasing him out the the place.
Thinking about Risu, he decided to look for him, going to his friend's old apartment. Without understanding what is in front of him, Aikawa looks at Risu, completely possessed by Curse, curled in the dark of his room.
Characters
- The Cross-Eyes
- Aikawa
- Risu
- Aikawa's Classmate
- Kaiman (mentioned)
