Time and space shifted.

The pink smoke disappeared around the black-haired youth, who reached out around him to find someone.

[Doro… ro?]

His world darkened.

At ten in the morning in the Yokohama district, the bustling streets were filled with traffic. No one noticed as a young man suddenly turned into a teenager, his eyes open as if blind, touching the air. Each person had their own life trajectory, looking down at their phones or hurrying to somewhere, unable to intersect with the two lines.

As always, Hyakki had no idea he had crossed over.

He saw more people with his heart’s eye, everywhere there were impure white flames of life, but none of them were “Doro… ro”. He pressed his hand against the wall and walked along the empty path.

[Doro… ro, where are you?]

Stubborn Hyakki always thought he had accidentally gotten lost, not that “she” had abandoned him.

He knew “Doro… ro” had countless opportunities to abandon him.

But “she” always found him within a day.

In the world ten years later, Hyakki walked slowly through his own world, lonely and self-contained. He didn’t notice a car parked on the opposite side of the road.

The owner of the vehicle sat in the driver’s seat, smoking, the car filled with smoke.

Seeing Hyakki walk forward, the orange-haired youth extinguished his cigarette, stepped on the accelerator, keeping a certain distance from him, followed by the black-haired youth who looked like he could easily be lured away.

“Is this the person…”

Nakahara’s gaze was indifferent, thinking of the former boss’s frustrated words, “Who writes in their will to protect someone at a specific time and place?”

The succession methods of the Port Mafia were bizarre. The boss who died on the surface died of illness, but in reality, it was murder. The boss who retired on the surface disappeared in reality. The boss before that… was even more ruthless, leaping from the top floor of the Port Mafia headquarters two years ago, bidding farewell to the world.

Thinking of this, Nakahara had a myocardial infarction. “Damn mackerel!”

Why did something always happen when he was away on business!

If Hyakki was Dazai’s lover, it would be understandable; he would be a widow, and it would make sense for Nakahara to take care of him. But Dazai never went to the Armed Detective Agency to find him before he died!

No, using the word “find” was too familiar…

You’ve been secretly in love with him your whole life!

The newly appointed leader of the Port Mafia, the busy Nakahara, muttered to himself while following the instructions of the will to monitor the person on the roadside, until he saw a member of the Armed Detective Agency meet Hyakki head-on.

Nakahara breathed a sigh of relief. “In this way… the will is fulfilled.”

There was no need to continue following.

For some reason, Nakahara felt a wave of sadness, as if Dazai’s connection to this world had been severed. Even though he didn’t know what the bluefish had been striving for all these years, he had ultimately accomplished what he wanted to do and left this world without any lingering attachment.

Turning the steering wheel in his hand, Nakahara took a turn at the intersection and left. No one would know that the current boss of the Port Mafia was bored enough to track a member of the Armed Detective Agency.

On the sidewalk, Yosano Akiko, who was out shopping for supplies, saw Hyakki in surprise.

“Hyakki? Why did you become smaller?”

Hyakki, one of the legendary figures in the Armed Detective Agency.

With formidable combat abilities and a crippled body, his origins were mysterious. He was picked up by Ranpo when he was fourteen and naturally joined the Armed Detective Agency, becoming a bona fide favorite of the organization.

The original 24-year-old Hyakki didn’t require her excessive concern, but the Hyakki before her… was almost the same size as when they first met, small and thin, roughly her height, and probably not as heavy as herself. Without hesitation, she set down her shopping bag and walked over in her high heels. It was less about concern for her fellow members and more about the special attention she had paid to him since he joined the Armed Detective Agency.

“Why did you stop me?”

After being intercepted by Yosano, Hyakki stopped in his tracks, considering the height difference internally.

This person wasn’t “Dororo”; Dororo was shorter than himself.

“Is it the same as before, unable to see or hear?” Yosano’s eyes flashed with concern. She quickly called other members to come and help. Hyakki was in trouble!

The Armed Detective Agency.

This detective agency, located in an old office building in the bustling downtown area, had developed into a well-known organization in Yokohama. At this moment, the members declined other commissions and gathered around one person.

“Mr. Ranpo, come and take a look!”

“Mr. Hyakki looks so cute, small and frail like a child from the countryside.”

“Kyouka, don’t go over there.”

“Why not?”

“He seems nervous. Let’s not crowd him. Mr. Ranpo, please come over quickly!”

“Yes, Mr. Ranpo! It seems like Hyakki has forgotten about us!”

“He lost his memory?”

“Sakunosuke, giving him snacks won’t work. He looks like he wants to run away now.”

With a loud bang, Ranpo returned from his business trip, panting heavily, with the president standing behind him, his face cold. The two pillars of the Armed Detective Agency had returned.

Ranpo Edogawa strode quickly to where Hyakki was standing in the corner and put on his glasses amid the anticipation of everyone.

His green eyes widened, unleashing his extraordinary analytical power.

“Huh?”

“It’s another Hyakki.”

These perplexing words were spoken by him, and without any explanation, he could make people believe without a doubt: “He is Hyakki from a parallel spacetime at the age of fourteen, familiar to me but unfamiliar to you.”

“Hyakki, recognize me. My life’s flame should not have changed.”

The renowned detective Ranpo Edogawa set aside his rational side and waved his hand in front of Hyakki to ease his guard. As expected, Hyakki, familiar with this gesture, recognized him reluctantly from his height and the outline of his flame — one of the kind-hearted people trying to save him.

“Why is he familiar with Mr. Edogawa?” Kunikida asked involuntarily.

“Um,” Oda Sakunosuke hesitated.

The honest person didn’t want to answer.

Kenji Mayazawa cheerfully remarked, “So, Mr. Edogawa is the same as he was ten years ago!”

The members of the Armed Detective Agency fell silent.

Ignoring their voices, Ranpo Edogawa focused intently on Hyakki…