Chapter 61

Sinister Form (異形, Igyō) is the 61st chapter of the Parasyte manga series, written and illustrated by Hitoshi Iwaaki.

Overview
''As Shinichi searches the woods for Gotou, he comes to terms with the fact that he may die. Though Shinichi uses multiple stratigies against Gotou, each one fails, and he is soon brought to his knees. After Shinichi begins to feel despair, he remembers the words of Reiko and Mitsuyo, and decides he must try everything possible before giving up.''

Summary
Shinichi wanders around alone in the darkness, struggling to hear Gotou's breathing past all the the cries of animal life. He realizes that the hatchet knife he grabbed had been made for the right hand and was thus cutting poorly. The narration reveals that he had no plan and felt almost nothing, beyond guilt for causing this to happen and a sense that he must be die to even the balance of those who would also die tomorrow. Despite his low odds, however, he felt more and more optimistic as he approached.

Luckily, Shinichi finds Gotou while he was sleeping. He approaches and wonders if Migi might awaken if he calls out. However, he knows it's too good to be true and aims the hatchet to Gotou's neck. Before it hits, Gotou awakens and an eye peers out from the back of the monster's head.

Shinichi barely dodges the retaliation and flees as Gotou roars, demanding for the human to show himself. Gotou continues to rampage while Shinichi strengthens his resolve to fight in order to wound him in any way, able to hide due to his smaller size and sharper senses. He thinks back to Mitsuyo's advice and decides to aim for the neck again.

He picks up a long branch and climbs a tree, then tears the branch with his teeth, turning it into another spear. The sound attracts Gotou's attention. As he approaches, Shinichi decides that he has to jump with the spear to get through Gotou's armor with his body weight in order to destroy the organs. Unfortunately, the hatchet he used from earlier is still in the way, and Gotou catches him before he makes contact.

Shinichi is flung off. Upon recognizing him, Gotou starts talking, saying he no longer needs to pretend to be human and enjoys the countryside air. Shinichi shouts Migi's name. Gotou tells him that there's only him left, and Shinichi punches him in rage. It has no effect, and Gotou returns the favor by morphing a fist and punching Shinichi into the air.

Shinichi then lands on the dumped trash he had seen days ago, coughing up blood. Gotou dismissively calls him a poor fight, and asks if he knew what had happened to Reiko Tamura. This prompts Shinichi to remember her calling Gotou a weak but undefeatable parasite.

Before Gotou deals a finishing blow, he's distracted by a dump truck being pulled over by police cars, and watches the distant argument. Shinichi thinks about he's barely seconds from dying and that he should have died the day of the City Hall Massacre. He then remembers the bleeding wound on Gotou's side from that day, and wonders if that's a chink in the armor. His hand hovers over a rusted iron rod.

Although Shinichi has many doubts, he knows that if he does nothing, he'll have no chance anyway.