Chapter 53
Ango Sakaguchi was a little overwhelmed by reading a large amount of memories at once. Just when he was about to terminate his supernatural power, a figure suddenly appeared. The figure was wearing a strange felt hat and sat next to Dazai Osamu who was drinking alone. From the upward angle, one could see that the figure had a very pointed chin and a paler face than ordinary people, and it seemed that he was not in good health.
[The pale young man ordered a glass of wine, but did not drink it. Instead, he turned to look at Dazai Osamu who was drinking and said, "Do you know the existence of [the book]?"
Dazai glanced at the visitor indifferently, without much desire to communicate. Today he accidentally heard that the leader of the port mafia had suddenly passed away. Although he had never formally met the leader, he had more or less noticed the leader's character in many encounters with the mafia. He felt that he must be a very interesting person, and he happened to be the president of the Armed Detective Agency. He was originally planning to pay a formal visit, but unexpectedly an accident happened first.
He couldn't tell whether he was feeling regretful or depressed, he just stopped when passing by Lupin Bar and walked in...
"The world in front of us is actually one of the countless possible worlds." The pale young man did not give up the conversation because of being ignored. He just said what he wanted to say, "And all the countless possible worlds exist in one [book], and the world where that [book] is located is the only main world."
"Write the corresponding contents in the [book] of the main world. If those contents exist in a possible world, then the written contents will be summoned to the only main world in reality."
Dazai Osamu narrowed his eyes and looked at the newcomer. He finally spoke the first sentence: "What is your purpose in telling me all this?"
The pale young man took out a book at this time. He put the book on the table and continued, "The book is close to the origin of the world. There is also one in this world. However, when more than three people know the existence of the book, the world is in danger of collapse. Now you know it, and there is another person who knows it besides me. This world may collapse in the next second."
Dazai suddenly laughed. He looked at the book on the counter and said, "Really? I'm curious about what it would be like if the world was destroyed."
"Although I also want to see it, I hope that this world can be summoned to the main world and become the existence that replaces the main world." The pale young man also smiled. He seemed very happy to communicate with Dazai Osamu. "But the existence of [the book] is always a hidden danger. It will prevent this world from lasting until that day, so I came to see you."
"Me?" Dazai Osamu seemed to have heard something interesting. He supported his chin with his hand and faced the pale young man, wanting to see what else the person in front of him could say.
"Your ability is very special. It can ineffectively injure the abilities that your body touches." The pale young man said, pushing the [Book] in his hand towards Dazai Osamu. "So I think if you can merge your ability with the [Book] that is the origin of the world, then all the abilities in the world will disappear."
“Without the disturbing factor of supernatural powers, even if more than three people knew about the existence of [the book] at the same time, the world would not be affected.”
Dazai glanced at the [book] again and said, "Is your purpose to eliminate the supernatural power?"
"You can understand it this way. Although this place is just one of the countless possible worlds, it is the only one for you and me. So I hope to eliminate the unrest in this world." The pale young man said, he turned and looked at the black-haired young man with a faint smile on his lips.
The main goal of the pale young man is indeed to eliminate all superpowers in the world. As one of the countless possible worlds, all he has to do is create a possible world without superpowers, waiting for him in the main world to obtain the [Book], and then summon the world he created into reality through the [Book].
And what he is doing now is actually a gamble. When he learned about the existence of the supernatural power of "No Longer Human", he investigated Dazai Osamu. Although the Dazai Osamu in this world had a rebellious period in his youth, he soon met Fukuzawa Yukichi and another special child Edogawa Ranpo. Fukuzawa Yukichi formed the Armed Detective Agency for the sake of the two children.
After that, the detective agency gradually recruited other members, and as one of the first two special members, Dazai Osamu grew up in a favored environment. He was betting that Dazai Osamu, who was favored by fate, would be willing to contribute his special abilities for the stability of the world.
"In short, your fate after this world is in your hands." After saying the last sentence, the pale young man stood up and left his seat, leaving an untouched glass of wine on the bar, as well as a very special [book]...
After the pale young man left, Dazai Osamu looked at the "book" on the bar. He drank the wine in his glass first, and then put it down. He reached out and gently touched the "book". This was just a test out of curiosity, but he didn't expect that after just this one touch, he was fixed there as if he had lost his soul...
The pale young man eventually lost the bet, because he had never thought that Dazai had a special ability. The moment he touched the [Book], he gained his own memories in the main world. He also had never thought about what kind of existence the man named Odasaku was to Dazai...
Dazai Osamu actually always had an illusion that his current life was stolen. How could a person like him enjoy so many bright days? He used to be timid and guarded those days, not daring to delve into them. Until now, when he got the memory of the main world, he understood everything. Those days of his were not stolen, but were carefully built for him by someone. But now, the person who carefully built a world for him like building blocks is no longer here...
Perhaps influenced by the memories of the main world, Dazai felt as if someone had used a heavy hammer to carve a hole in his heart. The things he had carefully guarded like a thief were destroyed in an instant. He felt as if he had fallen into an abyss filled with icy water. The bright days of the past were mercilessly washed away by the icy water, and his world fell apart bit by bit...
Perhaps not being able to grasp anything, not being able to keep anything is his ultimate fate, and in the end he is left alone, falling into darkness...
A crack suddenly appeared in the sky outside, but Dazai's world had already collapsed before the outside world was destroyed...】
Ango Sakaguchi had to stop using his supernatural powers. Excessive use of his supernatural powers gave him a splitting headache. He leaned on the bar to rest, and it took him a long time to recover.
"Hey, there's someone here?"
The door of the bar was suddenly pushed open and a familiar voice was heard. Sakaguchi Ango looked over and saw that the people who walked in were Kenji Miyazawa and Doppo Kunikida, members of the Armed Detective Agency.
"Why are you here?" Kunikida asked. He glanced at the three wine glasses on the bar and his expression became strange.
Sakaguchi Ango thought about it and soon understood the purpose of the two people's visit: "Did Dazai ask you to get the wine?"
The Dazai he is referring to here is of course the president of the Armed Detective Agency. Although the two Dazais are in different positions, they thought of the same thing at the same time.
"Are you here to get some wine as well?" Miyazawa Kenji asked. "That's great. President Dazai asked us to take the wine and deliver it directly to the Black Hand Gang. I was wondering how to deliver it to the Black Hand Gang if I don't know any of their members."
...
The members of the Armed Detective Agency and the Port Mafia seemed to have reached some kind of tacit understanding. In the few remaining time, the two sides stopped fighting and started to plan a grand banquet together, except for one person who was a little dissatisfied...
"Don't hang something so disgusting outside the Mafia building!"
"What do you think this place is? An amusement park?!"
“Take them all off for me!!!”
Nakahara Chuuya was furious.
Sakaguchi Ango looked up at the port mafia building surrounded by balloons, streamers and colored lights. He had already passed by and turned back to say, "Maybe this is what he wants to see."
Nakahara Chuuya was stunned for a moment, and suddenly fell silent...
Ango Sakaguchi also helped to prepare the banquet, during which he met Dazai Osamu several times. He wanted to explain to him what he had found out, but every time he swallowed his words back when he saw the look in his eyes.
Be it the game or the truth, at this moment, none of them are as important to Dazai Osamu as the banquet in front of him and the book in his hand. Sakaguchi Ango even thought that Dazai Osamu was going to keep the book for himself. However, on the last day of the game, the president of the Armed Detective Agency brought the members of the Armed Detective Agency to the port black/hand/party to attend the banquet. As a player, Dazai Osamu saw them, but he returned the book very casually, as if his previous obsession and reluctance were all an illusion...
Or maybe the whole world is an illusion. Sakaguchi Ango couldn't help thinking so. He stood on the rooftop of the port black hand party with everyone else. Under his feet was a carefully decorated banquet venue, and above his head was a dark sky. The crack across the sky of Yokohama had expanded into a bloody mouth, as if it could swallow up the entire Yokohama at any time...
Sakaguchi Ango retracted his gaze and looked in front of him. The lights in front of him were bright, and colorful lights almost covered the entire banquet hall. Dew was still hanging on the flowers brought in from the suburbs, and the water droplets reflected the lights from all directions, making the already gorgeous flowers look even more gorgeous and moving. The glass wine glasses and drinks on the dining table also reflected lights from nowhere, and the people attending the banquet picked them up and put them down from time to time... From what I saw, this was probably the most dazzling and magnificent banquet in the world.
The only drawback was probably that the food was a bit stale. Luanbu from the detective agency took a piece of cake and as soon as he put it in his mouth, a childish look of unhappiness appeared on his face.
The newly appointed president of the detective agency came over, and the young man with black hair and iris eyes waved his hand to greet them. Miyazawa Kenji and Nakajima Atsushi moved a refrigerator over together. Inside the refrigerator were cakes and desserts that had been preserved for who knows when.
Ranpo took out a small cake from the refrigerator, and this time he finally had a satisfied smile when he put it into his mouth. He stretched out his hand, but stopped halfway, and just leaned over and said to the black-haired and iris-eyed president: "That mushroom really tastes like cream. Ranpo has never blamed you."
Many years ago, Fukuzawa Yukichi adopted Dazai Osamu and Edogawa Ranpo. How bad was it to adopt these two children at the same time? You can get a glimpse of this from the fact that Fukuzawa Yukichi retired early to live out his old age. He either had to worry about Ranpo getting lost when he went out, or he had to worry about Dazai who was keen on all kinds of strange recipes.
Once, he was not in the detective agency because of some matters. Dazai picked some mushrooms from somewhere and brought them back. He ate them with gusto and commented: "It tastes like sweet cream..."
Ranpo couldn't resist the temptation and ate one... When Fukuzawa Yukichi came back, he saw two insane children who mistook the detective agency for a gangster's den and almost set it on fire...
Later, he sent the two children to the hospital. Strangely enough, Dazai had eaten a lot of mushrooms, but after he regained consciousness, his body was fine. On the contrary, Ranbu, who had only eaten one, stayed in the hospital for a few days.
When Ranpo was lying on the hospital bed in a daze, he woke up several times and caught a glimpse of a small figure standing outside the ward door. It seemed to be Dazai...
Anyway, after the mushroom incident, Dazai suddenly gave up his strange diet and started to enjoy eating snacks with Ranpo...
Time returned to the present. The black-haired young man with iris eyes looked at the person in front of him and replied with a smile: "I know, so... who do you think ate the snacks you hid when you returned to the detective agency?"
Ranpo's eyes widened a little bit. He had always thought that President Fukuzawa took away the snacks because he was worried about his weak body...
Dazai laughed twice more, and before Ranbu could get angry, he ran away...
"President, please help us." The Tanizaki siblings nearby wanted to take a photo, so they stopped Dazai who was passing by and handed the camera to him.
Dazai took the camera and took a picture of the two of them. After taking the picture, he looked at it and said, "No, no, take another one."
"What's wrong?" asked Naomi Tanizaki.
"Kunikida's hand grabbed the camera." Dazai said to Kunikida, who was writing something on a notebook with a pen on the table in front of him, "Kunikida, take your hand away."
Kunikida's hand holding the pen suddenly tightened, and when he looked up he met Dazai's very honest gaze, but he was not deceived by the illusion, because when Dazai was still a member, he was keen on causing trouble for him. He thought that this guy's personality would be more restrained after becoming the president, but he didn't expect that he would still be the same as before.
Dazai tilted his head, as if he could see what Kunikida was thinking, and explained, "The lighting is best here."
Kunikida: "..." What's even more annoying is that, just like before, Dazai always gives a very reasonable reason...
After returning the camera to the Tanizaki siblings, Dazai picked up a wine glass on the table and walked towards the port mafia.
Halfway through, Nakahara Chuuya appeared. When he looked at the young man in the sand-colored windbreaker, he realized that he had recognized the wrong person. However, it was already very difficult for him to say those words to the leader Dazai at that time, and now he couldn't repeat them a second time. So when he saw Dazai coming over with a wine glass, he also picked up a glass of wine and stopped the person who came.
"Hey." Chuuya spoke awkwardly, raising the wine glass in his hand and saying, "Do you dare to drink with me?"
Dazai glanced at the wine in Ryouya's hand, turned around, and walked past him.
A vein suddenly popped out of Chuuya's forehead. He turned to Dazai and asked through gritted teeth, "What on earth do you mean by that?!"
"Hmm?" Dazai turned around, blinked innocently, and spoke in a very caring tone, "Minors should not drink."
With a crack, the cup in Chuuya's hand burst, and he angrily rushed towards the culprit: "You bastard! I'm going to pull out your head and throw you into the sea to feed the fish!!!"
Atsushi and Kagamika saw this and quickly pulled him back. Atsushi said, "Officer Chuuya, don't be impulsive!"
Ozaki Kouyo drank the wine in the glass and said to Hirotsu Yanami beside him: "It's still good to be young."
Guangjin Liulang smiled and picked up a glass of wine.
Dazai dodged Chuuya's attack and continued to move forward, but was stopped by Yosano Akiko. He looked over and found Yosano Akiko and Akutagawa Gin sitting together, each of them had a bouquet of flowers placed in front of them.
"Which bouquet do you think is prettier?" asked Yosano Akiko. She and Akutagawa Gin were arranging flowers together, but both Akutagawa Ryunosuke said that Akutagawa Gin's was prettier, so Yosano called Dazai to let him vote again. However, Dazai also voted for Akutagawa Gin.
"Yoshino's hands are suitable for cooler things." Dazai said before he got mad at Yoshino, but after taking a few steps, he turned back and added, "So don't destroy those flowers."
"You bastard!"
Dazai walked away with a smile, holding the wine glass. In front of him was Fukuzawa Yukichi, who had retired from the position of president long ago, and Fukuzawa Yukichi's old friend, Mori Ogai, the director of the orphanage.
Seeing Dazai approaching, Mori Ogai suddenly said to Fukuzawa Yukichi: "The young are to be feared."
Dazai finally stood in front of Fukuzawa Yukichi and toasted the man in front of him with the wine in his hand...
As Ango Sakaguchi watched the scenes unfold, he suddenly realized that the Dazai who had become the president was different from the Dazai he knew who had joined the detective agency. The Dazai he knew was also a member of the detective agency, but he always gave people a feeling of being outside, while the Dazai here became a part of everyone...
Sakaguchi Ango looked at Dazai Osamu, who was sitting in the corner and was also a player like him. Recalling this period of time, although the two Dazais had not met each other very often, they had a tacit understanding in everything and arranged this banquet together. He walked over and asked, "Aren't you going to join us?"
“He has shared the most important things with me.”
Sakaguchi Ango couldn't help but be stunned. He looked at the person in front of him. Perhaps the lights at the banquet were too bright, he actually saw light in Dazai's eyes. It was a radiance that came from the bottom of his heart, carrying hope and yearning. He looked back again, and suddenly realized that the banquet in front of him might not be a funeral for this world, but just a grand and gorgeous celebration.
After this, the people who grew up on this land will not reach the end. They will embark on the journey home in ecstasy along with the Yokohama they once protected...