Sekirei 106

Musubi and Kusano takes Chiho to MBI, but...

Turn your phone to vibrate if you want to sneak around unnoticed.

Summary:
While Musubi and Kusano are taking Chiho to MBI, Matsu is still at the hospital downloading Chiho's medical records and sending them to Takami while Tsukiumi stands guard. Most of the staff are distracted by the giant tree that Kusano erected in front of the hospital, and so Matsu and Tsukiumi are left alone to their activities. While waiting for Matsu, Tsukiumi spots Higa's bespectacled Sekirei making a phone call about the situation and calling for backup. The Sekirei spots Matsu and Tsukiumi who quickly make their exit out the nearest window.

Back at the inn, Minato receives a phone call from Takami saying that MBI can save Chiho. Minato and Takami then let Uzume talk to Chiho for a bit, and Sekirei and Ashikabi express their love for each other. Higa's Sekirei #31 Sai tells Uzume to get to work, but Uuzme declares that she's changing sides. Sai and #40 Shi refuse to back down, but Kazehana and Homura send both of them sprawling to the ground. Minato's group is getting ready to celebrate, but Sai isn't done yet and in a last ditch effort she throws her knife towards Minato in hopes of killing Minato and deactivating all of his Sekireis. Uzume spots the attack and steps into the way, and she is stabbed through the back by Sai's knife in front of Minato's eyes.

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We all know that Minato's plan will run into some bumps along the way, but I didn't expect the story go right into the ultimate conclusion and take out Uzume. The stab looks like a very serious wound, so the chances of Uzume being deactivated is rather high. If Uzume were to be taken out by this attack, then she would bow out in a similar fashion as she did in the anime (throwing her body in the way to save someone from Minato's group while Minato's other Sekirei were staring out into space). Perhaps keeping the manga and anime somewhat consistent is the reason why Uzume is suddenly stabbed. There I was hoping for something a bit more dramatic... I half-expected Uzume to be defeated at the end of the operation, but I thought it'd happen with more of a struggle between Minato and Higa's forces. Other than the last attack on Uzume, Minato's operation has gone surprisingly smooth and it appears that Higa's crew were caught with their pants down. Maybe the author just wants to move on from Uzume and Chiho and on to the growing conflict between Minato and Higa.

Supposedly the next chapter will be in November if the translations are correct, so fans will have plenty of time to speculate whether Uzume will actually be deactivated or not.