TSKR Episode 6

Episode 6: Poaching Seashore (エピソード#06 密漁海岸) is a manga written and illustrated by Hirohiko Araki as part of the Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan series. The one-shot was featured in Weekly Shonen Jump 2013 Issue #46 on October 12, 2013, bearing the tag line "Curiosity killed the manga artist." (「好奇心は、漫画家を殺す」). The story follows Rohan Kishibe, alongside Tonio Trussardi from Diamond is Unbreakable, as the two attempt to illegally poach abalones, only to fall victim to an ancient trap.

To ensure that the meals seen in the one-shot were accurately depicted, Araki consulted with Japanese chef and model.

Summary
The first page shows Rohan warming up his fingers before the story begins. At Tonio Trussardi's trattoria, Rohan eats an abalone risotto to heal his eye strain. Although they temporarily shrivel, the eyes soon return to full health and the mangaka compliments the chef, also spotting a wheelchair-bound woman in a corner of the restaurant.

Thankful, Tonio asks Rohan for a favor, to help him harvest some disk abalones, a unique type of abalone only found near Morioh. Researching them, Rohan notably learns that they're a traditional delicacy, prey of octopus, and more importantly that they're invaluable so Rohan guesses that Tonio is asking him to go poaching. Tonio has done his own research and explains that despite the security surrounding their breeding area, there is a precise path and night known since times immemorial during which the duo will be able to harvest the abalone which will be freely swimming in the water.

On this night, Rohan and Tonio sneak toward the poaching reef. Rohan inquires about the woman, leading Tonio to tearfully reveal that he seeks the abalone to cure his girlfriend's disease. Waist-deep into the water, the duo see the spectacle of the swarm of swimming abalones. In joy, Rohan is momentarily distracted and notices that Tonio has sunken at the bottom of the sea: the abalones have stuck onto his body, weighing him down.

Tonio is drowning, and Rohan decides to use Tonio's rope on the surface to pull him to safety. While he tries to save the Italian, several abalones also begin to stick themselves onto him. Unable to break their shell, push himself up from the bottom, and only getting more abalone stuck on him, Rohan helplessly sinks. At the bottom, Rohan sees several skeletons and understands that the fabled path and full moon are traps to punish unsuspecting poachers. Thankfully, several octopi are near, and Rohan uses Heaven's Door to command them to target the abalones on him and Tonio, saving the day.

Later, Rohan savors an octopus dish with Okuyasu, Koichi and some punk, discussing octopi. Rohan tries to shout for Tonio, asking for an abalone dish, but seeing Tonio with his cured girlfriend, decides to leave them be.