The good part is, this is a less-self-promoting chapter. Gryphon starts the chapter having had the crap kicked out of him, and then gets into an adventure involving, for the most part, original characters, and his supporting cast isn't quite as dependent on him. He writes Sakura very well, for the most part. Plus, hey, actual conflict near the end there.
Still, there's Hutchins Chutzpah™ to be had here. Sakura's now his student (which means she'll be a master of Ler Drit the moment she kicks Gryphon awake in the morning), he tosses in a few more unnecessary crossovers (Crazy Taxi, Gunsmith Cats, and I'm almost positive he swiped Gryphon's car garage lock, stock, and tomahawk from Clive Cussler), and Gryphon can still do no wrong. I'm pretty sure we could MiST it.
I'll agree with Austin and Shady, though: wait 'til 6 before we hit 5. Two chapters of Hutchins at a time is damn well enough.