Ichi the Witch Chapter 98: Official Release Date, Full Chapter 97 “Mission: Doggo” Final Twist, and Strategic Infiltration Preview
Ichi the Witch Chapter 98 is shaping up to be one of those chapters where the setup from the previous week suddenly makes a lot more sense. After reading through the ending of Chapter 97, I honestly love how much of the chaos appears to have been deliberate. What looked like a ridiculous hallway fight was actually a carefully planned distraction, giving the real team a chance to move deeper into the Ribboncandy Estate.
And then there are the dogs.
Seriously, Mission: Doggo might be one of the funniest names this arc could possibly have ended on.
The current story has managed to mix supernatural combat, infiltration, character development, and pure comedy without making any of those pieces feel completely out of place. That is probably my favorite thing about Ichi the Witch right now. It can spend pages building tension around a dangerous Majik monster and then suddenly throw a giant pile of fluffy creatures into the middle of the operation.
With Chapter 98 scheduled for September 13, 2026, I’m expecting the next installment to finally show what the team plans to do with everything they’ve managed to recover.
Chapter 97 Wasn’t Really About the Fight
The biggest reveal for me is that the enormous corridor battle was basically a giant distraction.
Ichi and Desscaras weren’t simply getting involved in another chaotic confrontation. The fight was designed to pull attention away from the actual infiltration team. That changes the way I look at almost everything that happened during the sequence.
The fake combat created enough noise for the real objective to continue elsewhere.
The basic plan was surprisingly simple:
- Use magical decoys to attract the enemy’s attention.
- Keep Hakari occupied with the apparent battle.
- Move the real infiltration team deeper into the estate.
- Recover the magic stone shards.
- Free the trapped creatures and hostages.
What makes it work is that Hakari himself apparently didn’t realize he was helping the deception.
That’s such an Ichi the Witch move.
Hakari’s intensity made the fake battle look even more convincing. From the enemy’s perspective, there was no obvious reason to suspect that the people fighting in the hallway weren’t the real targets.
Meanwhile, Ichi and Desscaras could work quietly in the background.
Ichi and Desscaras Finally Get a Great Character Moment
The action wasn’t even the part of Chapter 97 that stood out most to me.
I really liked the quieter exchange between Ichi and Desscaras.
Ichi is watching her carefully, trying to understand what makes her so strong. It’s not simply about magical ability or physical power. There is something about Desscaras’s composure and confidence that Ichi clearly wants to learn from.
That fits Ichi perfectly.
He’s someone who constantly adapts by watching other people. Instead of pretending that he already understands everything, he observes, experiments, and tries to figure out what makes powerful witches tick.
The idea that learning how Desscaras moves and thinks might teach Ichi something about becoming stronger himself gives their partnership more weight.
And Desscaras’s attitude toward him is exactly what I enjoy about their dynamic. She doesn’t need to give him some huge inspirational speech. Her confidence basically says: keep up, watch me, and become better.
That’s much more effective.
The Real Meaning Behind “Mission: Doggo”
Then Chapter 97 completely changes tone.
The final sequence reveals the group surrounded by an absurd number of long-haired, dog-like creatures. They’re panting, making ridiculous noises, and basically turning a supposedly dangerous infiltration into the cutest possible hostage-rescue operation.
And I have to admit, I love this twist.
The chapter title suddenly makes sense in the most literal way possible.
The final command to begin “Mission: Doggo” is funny on its own, but it also raises a lot of questions about what these creatures actually are.
Are they ordinary animals?
Are they familiars?
Are they connected to the Ribboncandy Estate’s magical defenses?
Or are they somehow part of the estate’s larger barrier system?
The theory that these creatures could have a connection to the family’s magical infrastructure is especially interesting because it would give the seemingly comedic scene an actual strategic purpose.
If the creatures are tied to the estate’s magical system, removing them could be far more important than simply rescuing a group of cute animals.
Why Chapter 98 Could Be Very Different
I don’t expect Chapter 98 to simply continue the same kind of battle we saw in the hallway.
Now that the deception has been revealed to the reader, the story has several different directions it can take.
| Element | Chapter 97 | Chapter 98 Prediction |
|---|---|---|
| Main Strategy | Create a huge distraction | Complete the extraction |
| Ichi | Follow Desscaras’s lead | Guide the creatures through the estate |
| Desscaras | Control the operation | Protect the recovered magical assets |
| Hakari | Unknowingly supports the deception | Potentially discovers the trick |
| Doggos | Mysterious creatures surrounding the team | Central part of the escape |
| Estate | Defenses distracted | Increasingly unstable |
Personally, Hakari is the character I’m most interested in seeing next.
If the illusions suddenly disappear while he’s still throwing everything he has at them, his reaction could be incredible.
Imagine Hakari realizing that the people he was fighting weren’t even there.
I can already picture the rage.
Ichi’s Animal Skills Could Finally Become Crucial
One detail that could become much more important in Chapter 98 is Ichi’s background.
He’s not just another powerful character who happens to be surrounded by a ridiculous number of animals. His experience as a mountain hunter gives him knowledge that the rest of the team may not have.
That could make him the perfect person to manage the evacuation.
Moving one creature through a dangerous magical estate would be manageable. Moving a massive pack while trying to avoid enemy detection is another story entirely.
This is where I could see Ichi’s unconventional skills becoming the difference between success and failure.
Instead of solving the problem by throwing another enormous spell at it, he might need to understand the animals, control their movement, and find a quiet route through the estate.
That would be a very fitting Ichi moment.
The Bigger Objective Is Still Amadoro Ribboncandy
The Doggo situation is hilarious, but I don’t think the story has forgotten the serious part of the mission.
The larger objective remains the rescue operation involving Amadoro Ribboncandy and the dangerous situation surrounding the estate.
Recovering the magic stone shards could weaken the enemy’s control over the area. If the rescued creatures are also connected to the estate’s magical defenses, then the team could be dismantling the enemy’s position piece by piece.
That’s why I think Chapter 98 could work as a bridge between comedy and a much more serious confrontation.
The story can spend half a chapter dealing with a ridiculous dog evacuation and then suddenly remind everyone that the entire estate is still hostile territory.
My Biggest Chapter 98 Predictions
If I had to put money on what happens next, these are the developments I’d watch for:
- The decoys finally disappear, leaving Hakari completely confused and furious.
- Mission: Doggo becomes the central objective, with the team trying to move the creatures without exposing themselves.
- Ichi’s hunting instincts become surprisingly useful, giving him a role that isn’t based purely on combat.
- The magic stone shards start affecting the estate’s defenses, making the infiltration increasingly dangerous.
- The story moves closer to Amadoro Ribboncandy, setting up the next major confrontation.
The biggest wildcard is Hakari. His involvement could turn the escape into either a disaster or another hilarious accidental success.
Final Thoughts
What I appreciate most about the current Ribboncandy Rescue Arc is how unpredictable its structure has become. Chapter 97 initially looks like another absurd battle, but the final pages reveal that the fight was only the surface-level part of a much bigger plan.
The actual operation was happening somewhere else the entire time.
And now the heroes apparently have to sneak an enormous group of fluffy creatures out of a dangerous magical estate.
Mission: Doggo is officially one of my favorite chapter-ending concepts in this arc.
I’m especially curious whether the creatures are simply part of the rescue effort or whether they have a much deeper connection to the Ribboncandy Estate’s magical defenses. If the latter is true, Chapter 98 could turn what looks like a comedy sequence into one of the most strategically important parts of the entire operation.
Either way, I expect Ichi the Witch Chapter 98 to deliver a mixture of stealth, comedy, magical chaos, and another reminder that Ichi’s greatest strength isn’t always raw power. Sometimes it’s simply being the weirdest person in the room who happens to know exactly what to do.
And honestly, after ending Chapter 97 with “MISSION: DOGGO!!”, I absolutely need to see how this ridiculous rescue mission plays out.
Release Date: September 13, 2026
