Chapter 45

is the forty-fifth chapter of the Fire Force manga series.

Plot
The citizens of Asakusa continue quarreling, and although Benimaru attempts to step in to stop them, they don't listen. Soon after, he is alerted of multiple Flame Human sightings. Standing atop a hill, watching over Asakusa as it burns in flames, the Sniper tells Jonah and another member of the White Hoods that she has released the Bugs across Asakusa, with the hope that somebody may be compatible with the flames. Back in Asakusa, Shinra asks Akitaru if he can start purifications, but Akitaru forbids it until they gain permission to do so, as Asakusa's ritual of purification is different. Akitaru instead orders the 8th to evacuate the people into safety, but they are then attacked by the Sniper's flame arrow from afar. Maki stands and tries to deflect the next attack, but struggles to repel it, and instead has to change the shape into Pusu Pusu so that the damage was minimized, albeit leaving her knocked out. Shinra then flies to the sky to detect the Sniper, and is attacked by multiple flaming arrows. He notices that the Sniper's location is changing each time they fire their arrows, and are moving amidst the chaos of the district. Arthur joins Shinra from the ground, and they both move together in pursuit of the Sniper. Konro, still with Hinata and the fake Hikage, questions the fake Hikage on Hikage's whereabouts, but is only told riddles by the fake Hikage. He starts to laugh, and Konro spots an empty bottle on the ground, to which the fake Hikage then transforms into an artificial Flame Human, and Takehisa makes quick work of it. As a leader is needed to put order to the citizens, Konro questions the whereabouts of Benimaru.