Hiroaki Samura takes his readers on a stroll down a dark, disturbing pathway in the 'Shortcut' story arc! Mozen's recently botched 'exploratory operation' on Manji brings unexpected results. Backstabbing Burando, Kagimura's most deranged medical examiner, is about to have his chance to cut into Manji to explore the secrets of the kessen-chu, the mystical bloodworms that heal Manji's wounds and grant him near-immortality. Enraged and in chains in Kagimura's prison, Manji befriends his dim-witted cellmate, Dewanosuke, and begins to formulate an escape plan