Aw man, Shiraishi almost broke his promise to Sugimoto but sticks with it. Whatever happens, I predict this will lead to the end for Kiro; anyone else see the fan theory that in the chapter page for volume 10 it has Kiro barefoot and walking left to right with Ienaga, Nakagura, Hijikata and Shiraishi is escaping "Survival Road"? The taxidermist was also drawn barefoot to foreshadow his death (I think I read this on Kamuy Central) in regards to a question to Noda-sensei. I may even be bold enough to hypothesize that most of the cast on the bottom left to right panel may die by the end of the series while the top group of Asirpa, Sugimoto, Ushiyama and Ogata live. Add in the "last supper" painting with Kiro as Judas - he's not making it to the end even though I love his character, fighting for the right of indigenous people and against colonialism and imperialism.