With Asirpa unaware that Sugimoto is still alive, she heads farther north into Karafuto with Kiroranke, Ogata and Shiraishi. Back in Hokkaido, Hijikata follows up on information he discovered inside Abashiri prison, leading him to a former assassin. Meanwhile, Sugimoto and his party, desperate to find Asirpa, come upon a traveling circus whose ringmaster might be able to help. But to secure his aid will Sugimoto have to kill himself?

Volume 16 of the Golden Kamuy manga series by Satoru Noda.