Encounter: ACT

The allies discover that the Dragon holds a second core separate from Kaneki, and that it must be dealt with inside twelve hours or the poison will spread and turn everyone into ghouls. Because Kaneki alone seems immune, he resolves to descend to the creature's underground core and destroy it, with Ayato insisting on coming along. The rest hold the line against the Clowns, and just as victory looks near, a ghoul resembling the Owl reappears and wreaks fresh chaos.

Hinami determines that Donato is puppeteering the Owl, and Kotaro moves to face him. Uta and Itori encounter Yomo, and though Uta attacks, Yomo spares him out of regard for their friendship. Amon finishes Donato, who admits he always loved him as a father and could never bring himself to hate him for his deeds. Meanwhile Ayato and Kaneki near the underground core; Ayato hangs back to stall the monsters while Kaneki presses on and finds Furuta standing guard over it.

A second Dragon core is found, setting a twelve-hour deadline before the poison consumes everyone. Kaneki, immune, descends toward it with Ayato. The Owl returns under Donato's control, Hinami exposes the puppeteer, and Amon defeats Donato after a final confession. Yomo spares Uta out of friendship. Ayato stays behind to stall the monsters while Kaneki reaches the core and confronts Furuta guarding it.

The title puns on "react." The episode adapts a block of Tokyo Ghoul:re chapters. The adaptation makes minor changes: Takizawa does not watch Amon battle Donato, and when Kaneki reaches Furuta he does not immediately strike with his enormous kagune. Some scenes are rearranged and merged, and others are added for the anime.