In this volume, Waka continues the battle test at the Institute, revealing how little control she has over her abilities. While the Institute is hungry for weapons against the Gods, they aren't stupid or desperate enough to trust Waka very far. While the middle of the volume gives out characters some time to relax, the plot picks up quickly again with surprise attacks and twists.
The art continues to be detailed and particularly unsettling whenever the Gods are involved. Sometimes, I hesitated to turn a page, afraid that the next drawing would be disturbing enough to make me close this manga. Thankfully, things weren't too bad for me, but if I had a worse aversion to twisty patterns and such, I would avoid this series entirely.
Regarding plot and characters, most of the characters are distinct and memorable in both appearance and behavior. Some of them definitely feel more outlandish, but it fits in the context. The banter between the Institute employees is often fun and adds some levity before things get dark again.
Thematically, this volume seems to double down on the idea of society being worse than the Gods. Waka's grief over Shion and desire for vengeance is questioned by others as misguided. This series asks who is truly responsible for a person's fate. I'm interested in seeing how the series continues this thread, but I also worry it won't be handled well in the end.
Overall, this was a good volume 2, and I look forward to reading more