Not far from the Yokohama Ferris Wheel.

When Mori Ogai first met Dazai during his stroll, there was no disabled young man being chased by him.

“You came to see me alone?”

The first sentence carried an inexplicable sense of danger, while the latter was much friendlier.

“I thought it would be your friend who needs to see a doctor. Although you seem to need medical attention as well, judging by your bandaging technique, minor external injuries shouldn’t be a big problem.”

This was the private doctor of the Port Mafia, renowned in the underground world of Yokohama as the Black Doctor. The middle-aged man had slightly long hair and a stubble on his chin. Despite his appearance of casually strolling with a blond girl, his medical skills seemed passable. With just one glance, he could tell that Dazai, covered in bandages, had only minor superficial injuries.

Smart people never inconvenience themselves. Even though Dazai was fond of suicide, he would still take precautions to avoid the possibility of permanent injury or disability. It might be hard to understand, but what Dazai pursued was not mere death; it was the boundary between life and death, perhaps hope, perhaps humanity, anyway, it didn’t need to be explained to outsiders.

Meeting Mori alone, Dazai seemed like a mischievous boy covered in injuries, wearing a white shirt and black trousers, exuding an air of genteel upbringing.

With a smile that deceived adults, he said, “He’s not a friend; Hyakki is my puppet.”

“A puppet?” Remembering recent rumors, Mori Ogai asked kindly, “He seems to obey you very well and avoids contact with others. How did you manage that?”

Dazai replied smugly, “He only listens to me.”

Mori Ogai internally raised his estimation of Dazai’s value, without showing any obvious scrutiny.

Two foxes, one big and one small, were probing each other in their encounter.

“I’m just an ordinary doctor, fortunate enough to have treated the Port Mafia leader a few times, but I’m not affiliated with the Mafia… I understand your difficulties, but alas, I can’t help you.”

“Dr. Mori is too modest. One can tell immediately that he’s different from the cold-blooded Mafia.”

“After all, I’m just a doctor.”

“Yes, Dr. Mori is quite well-known in the underground world of Yokohama. His clinic is near the Lebo Street, and many people who can’t go to regular hospitals find their way to him. Many owe Dr. Mori a lot of favors.”

“I’m just making ends meet. Sometimes, I don’t even receive my consultation fees.”

“Oh? Is it really that bad?”

“Yokohama is chaotic underneath the surface. Outsiders like you, who are staying for a while, will surely understand Yokohama’s unique customs and traditions. It’s really unwise to provoke the Port Mafia during this time.”

Mori Ogai shook his head, sympathizing with another young man who had saved someone he shouldn’t have.

Dazai contemplated.

From Dr. Mori’s words, he had already extracted a lot of useful information. For instance, the Port Mafia was currently in a state of turmoil, and even the upper echelons couldn’t control the leader’s madness, which explained why the pursuit order hadn’t been lifted yet. It could be said that they had gotten involved with the Port Mafia at the worst possible time, and solving the trouble through conventional means would be difficult.

An unconventional approach… right in front of him.

Dazai looked up at the black doctor, who was accompanied by the doctor’s golden-haired young girl making faces at him.

“Tsk.”

“Dr. Mori must have a solution,” he said, almost pleadingly.

With Mori Ogai’s helpless attitude, the teenager suddenly spoke cunningly.

“I don’t think there’s no solution; it’s just a matter of lacking time.”

“What do you mean?” Mori Ogai finally showed interest in the boy.

“Many people in Yokohama are dissatisfied with the Port Mafia,” Dazai revealed, unveiling the dark side of Yokohama in a matter-of-fact tone. “From the upper echelons of the Port Mafia to the owners of street-side shops, this organization has angered many and lost their support. But due to the lack of effective governance from government agencies… the situation is on the verge of spiraling out of control.”

“Once the Port Mafia is destroyed, these dangers will no longer exist,” Dazai told Mori Ogai.

Mori Ogai, with a tone that acknowledged his shortcomings, replied, “It’s not that simple.”

An adult chimed in, “Without the Port Mafia, Yokohama will only become more chaotic. It’ll be chaotic to the extent that you won’t have to worry about them, but it’ll also be chaotic to the point where you won’t be able to live peacefully in Yokohama anymore.”

The teenager wrinkled his nose. “Sounds troublesome.”

Mori Ogai chuckled. “I am Mori Ogai. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?”

Understanding the olive branch extended by Mori, the teenager met his cold, rational gaze, his pupils reflecting the nearby Ferris wheel. In those hawk-colored eyes was a glimmer of light not yet completely engulfed by darkness.

Beneath his sickly appearance was the precious mind of Dazai Osamu, unrefined.

“I’m Dazai, Dazai Osamu.”

They had found each other.

People who can understand the current situation and are willing to take risks.

Mori Ogai’s goodwill was wrapped in venom as he gently asked, “If I were to tell you that I’ve come up with a solution, but it involves some risk, would you be willing to go to such lengths for your friend… ah, I mean, your doll?”

Dazai suddenly took a large step forward, startling Mori Ogai, while Alice also stood guard in front of Mori Ogai.

Dazai’s face was a mix of joy and a great enthusiasm for death.

“I love danger the most. Tell me, will it kill me?”

“…It might.”

“Excellent!”

He cheered and said with a bright smile, “I knew Mr. Mori is a good person.”

A black doctor who quickly gained the trust of the Port Mafia leader, with sinister intentions.

Their goals were indeed aligned.

…

Hyakki was not oblivious to matters concerning himself. The recent frequent drowsiness indicated either some anomaly in his body or something wrong with his food.

He always wanted to believe in the other person, and the pure white flame of life would never deceive him.

That person… could it be Dororo?

As long as there were no anomalies like time travelers, the flame of life symbolized a person’s soul. Who could disguise their soul to appear pure? Whether someone had killed or not, whether there was danger, Hyakki’s insight was clear. Faced with this malicious world, the only thing he could trust was the ability he had gained in this life.

As he woke up earlier each time, Hyakki’s body adapted well to the effects of the sleeping pills, developing a tolerance. He leaned against the corner, his senses losing much of their effectiveness in the enclosed environment.

He had no concrete concept of time, just counting the lonely numbers from one to a hundred.

From one hundred to one thousand.

From one thousand to ten thousand…

Sometimes, Hyakki felt like he was just a lifelike puppet, with his soul hidden in his imperfect body, lacking limbs, like the “human pig” of ancient punishments. He was almost forgetting the sensations of a normal person. After fourteen years, the illusory mental pain was dissipating, and he no longer cared about bleeding during battles.

In the infinite flow of the main god space, could his mental power value break a thousand?

No, he hadn’t invented the ability to scan minds yet.

The limitations were too great.

Hyakki didn’t wait any longer. If Dororo encountered danger, wouldn’t he be waiting to die? After all, in the plot of a shounen manga, there would always be scenes of heroes saving the day.

He pushed aside the obstacles that Dazai had set up to stop him, jumped over the boxes, his expression indifferent, and walked out.

Day and night lost their meaning; in his eyes, there was only the flame of life.

He wanted to find that pure white flame of life.

When Dazai returned as usual, what he saw was the scene after Hyakki had disappeared. It was the first time he had been so busy for someone else for so long, and when he returned home and didn’t see Hyakki, Dazai felt a chill in his heart.

Dazai gritted his teeth. “Next time, install surveillance!”

Fortunately, there was surveillance. He had placed a locator on Hyakki, ensuring that he didn’t lose control over him.

Dazai opened the locator and walked towards the location indicated by the red dot.

—It was Leibo Street!

Not only did Dazai know that Hyakki liked to go to Leibo Street, Hyakki also knew that there was a great possibility that Dazai would go to Leibo Street to find him after he disappeared. Leibo Street was the place Hyakki was most familiar with at the moment. The houses were small and densely packed, making it very convenient for jumping and climbing. Although the people inside were dense, they didn’t need much consideration. They could just beat up anyone they saw with a red flame of life.

Maybe by beating up these people, they could attract weaker demons.

This time, unfortunately, it was the people from the Sheep Organization who suffered.

Killing wasn’t the privilege of adults. The smaller the child, the less their three views were complete, and they relied entirely on momentary excitement to do bad things, and the fear after that didn’t last long.

Nakahara had been with the Sheep Organization for many years and was one of the founders of the Sheep. After picking up Nakahara Chuya of unknown origin in Leibo Street, he and the others from the Sheep Organization were also well-known figures in Leibo Street. Adults with no background didn’t even have the courage to bully them.

A month ago, Nakahara accidentally killed someone he was robbing, but luckily, no one saw it at the time, and he could blame it on someone else in Leibo Street.

Returning to the Sheep’s base,

Killing someone means not worrying about retaliation from the robbery target.

Dzai believed he had grown up, thinking he could boast to his peers about the taste of killing in the future. However, unbeknownst to him, the flame of life had acquired a reddish hue, staining his already impure soul with sin.

“Ahhhh! Help! Zenya won’t let you get away with this!!!”

Dzai was beaten badly by Hyakki, tears streaming down his face as his cries echoed far and wide. Many residents of the Leibo Street took pleasure in his misfortune, recognizing the battered young man from the Yang Organization. Moreover, some residents who knew about supernatural abilities whispered softly, “Doesn’t that boy have the power to distinguish between good and evil? Why does he always manage to find those notorious villains?”

Some took the opportunity to mock, saying, “I always knew Dzai wasn’t a good person. But I never thought he was such a coward, crying out loud after getting beaten, afraid that others wouldn’t hear the name of the Sheep King?”

Without the Sheep King, this self-defense organization composed entirely of ordinary youth would not have survived to this day.

But… the power of gravitational manipulation is truly strong!

“Zenya, Dzai got beaten up by someone!”

Inside the Sheep’s base, Sheep members who dared not rescue others and ran back were making a fuss.

Zenya, who was sitting playing video games in the base, raised his head. “Huh?” He bent his knees, pushed himself up, and tossed the newly bought video game onto the chair, immediately letting the other Sheep boys happily snatch it and continue playing.

Zenya’s initial reaction was that Dzai had kicked the hornet’s nest, provoked the wrong person. However, the Sheep member who brought the news was steadfast, saying, “Dzai didn’t do anything wrong. He was just walking with me when someone suddenly ran out and knocked him down. I couldn’t possibly beat that person! Zenya, hurry up, he’s going to be beaten to death!”

Before Zenya reached the scene, he heard Dzai’s incessant cries echoing.

He was instantly enraged: “Who dares to oppose the Sheep!”

Immediately after,

He glared for a moment, then saw clearly the figure of Hyakki, who had beaten someone and remained there.

“So, it’s you…”

Hyakki dealt with Dzai without even drawing his arms; his fists easily subdued his opponent. By beating those with a red glow in their life flames, he was ready to lay in wait for the next wave of similar individuals.

When this “color-shifting demon” appeared as expected, Hyakki once again confirmed that evildoers and demons were always closely linked, and anyone with a red glow in their life flame should not be spared. Then…

Let them go. Those people either aided tyranny or had blood on their hands from killings; they were entirely unworthy of Hyakki’s sympathy.

In other words—

Who would sympathize with Hyakki, who had become like this because of demons?

However, when Hyakki resolved to once again risk his life to test the demon’s strength, Zenya did not immediately get angry or take action. Instead, a look of confusion flashed in his eyes as he glanced in Dzai’s direction.

“Why did you beat him up? Dzai hasn’t killed anyone like I have. He shouldn’t be attacked by you.”

After days of scrutiny, Zenyafinally discovered the “truth” behind his own attack: it turned out he had indeed killed someone. The targets of the attacks in Leibo Street were very specific, all being notorious wrongdoers with blood on their hands. Occasionally, there were a few mistaken targets, but they were acknowledged as having repented in Leibo Street.

With this realization, Zenyafelt helpless. Was he just an unlikely victim of mistaken identity by the other party?

The people he killed… were all bad people!

Hyakki didn’t need anyone’s opinion. He charged at Zenya, his determination to focus on one thing evident in his gray-brown eyes in the dim light.

Zenya casually inserted his hands into his pockets and unleashed his dark red supernatural ability without hesitation.

Gravity suppression!

Anything he touches can be manipulated by him through gravity!

Hyakki’s arm swung empty; gravity changed the direction of his attack, and he quickly adjusted to avoid anything tainted with the red power. This heightened agility made Zenyaclick his tongue in annoyance, feeling troubled. His attacks couldn’t reach the opponent, and the opponent couldn’t hit him either. His gravity manipulation had been tested beyond its limits, yet he knew nothing about this person other than that he wielded a sword with his hands.

Who knows if this illusionary concept of distinguishing between good and evil is actually the manifestation of supernatural power!

What if it’s an ability specifically targeting evildoers?

In any case, Zenya hesitated, not daring to relentlessly pursue as usual. He had killed someone that was certain. After understanding the target of the other party’s attacks, he eliminated the hostility.

Let’s leave a few good people in this world.

Dzai… if he hadn’t guessed wrong, he probably killed someone recently.

The journey of Zenya’s heart was indescribable. His bright blue eyes dimmed for a moment, then released their fighting spirit once again.

Under the serious suppression of the Sheep King’s power in Leibo Street, Hyakki clearly struggled. He couldn’t use his sword freely, fearing it would be damaged, and had to protect his limbs in terms of physical skills. A new round of confrontation was doomed not to last long. Hyakki was already paying close attention to his surroundings. However, as soon as his feet touched the ground, the ground quickly turned red. He jumped up, reacting faster than Zenya’s ability release speed!

Zenya took the initiative, already airborne, and swung out a leg, saying, “Take this!”

Hyakki was hit in the back by his whip-like kick, smashing towards the ground!

Missing the chance to dodge, Hyakki’s feet sank, and the red glow of his ability quickly covered his body. He quickly arched his body, as if bearing the force of hundreds of pounds, bending over and squatting down.

Zenya had already shown mercy; he didn’t crush the opponent’s body.

The spectacular physical battle refreshed the residents of Leibo Street’s understanding of the Sheep King. This tangerine-haired youth, who grew up in Leibo Street, possessed powerful supernatural abilities, outstanding physical skills, and combat strategies.

Yeah, it’s a bit of bullying.

Hyakki’s physical skills were obviously superior to the Sheep King’s, but he was restrained everywhere, giving the impression of an ordinary person challenging a master of supernatural abilities. Every minute of his persistence was a burst of human potential.

“After so long, I finally caught you.”

Zenya raised his chin slightly, looking like a villain under his hoodie.

He walked towards Hyakki, temporarily forgetting about Dzai, his nerves taut, constantly alert to any sudden developments. Before he could take another step closer to Hyakki, stimulated by the dark red flames of the demon, Hyakki’s body trembled slightly, his expression indifferent, constantly forcing his body away from the demon’s presence.

“I can’t lose to the demon.”

“I want to reclaim the organs I lost. I want to touch this world again…”

“If necessary… I can even sacrifice my current limbs!”

Under Hyakki’s concentrated resistance, the residual red power of the demon surged on him, emitting an ominous glow akin to candlelight, partially neutralizing the gravity manipulation ability covering his entire body.

“Is this somewhat like Kyojuro Rengoku?”

Zenya sensed the weakening of the divine power emanating from the demon, his hair standing on end in astonishment.

“Wait!”

“Don’t force yourself to break free, you’ll get hurt— I bear no ill will!!!”

Zenya, who had been searching for his origins for years, panicked and shouted, but the moment he did, the other party broke free, stumbling backward. One leg loosened from its socket and fell from beneath the worn-out Japanese clothes.

“A leg gone?!!”

Zenya almost lost his soul, thinking he had severed the other’s leg.

Gravity withdrew in an instant.

With the pressure from Hyakki gone, he didn’t bother retrieving his fallen leg. With a slight sway of his body, he used the strength of his arms and fled without looking back.

Zenya’s whole body trembled, hastily picking up the leg that had fallen to the ground. It was a complete leg, extending up to the thigh, devoid of the warmth and flesh of a living being, much like the product of the young man’s arms. Needless to say, the young man who used powers similar to Kyojuro Rengoku had not a single human limb on his body.

A makeshift human?

Another kind born from divine power?

Zenya was drenched in sweat, not wasting a moment as he picked up the object and chased after, bursting with his fastest speed.

“Stop right there—!”

However.

Losing track once meant there would be a second, a third time…

Zenya felt his heart collapsing.

Half an hour later, when Hyakki was found by Osamu Dazai, he was sitting on the roadside, missing a leg. There were no traces of blood under the hem of his clothes, making him resemble a damaged doll more than a living person.

The black-haired youth, his hair tied in a ponytail, turned his face towards Dazai as he arrived.

His hollow eyes showed neither pain nor despair.

Just calm silence.

Osamu Dazai didn’t know what to say. Living like this, he believed dying would be a release.

Why continue living?

Without hands, without feet, you couldn’t touch this world.

Without eyes, without a tongue, without ears, you couldn’t know what this world looked like. How foolish… What’s the point of persisting in living when this world has never treated you kindly!

“Can you stand?”

Countless harsh words could have been said, but at the moment of speaking, they softened into this.

Dazai helped him up with a gentle force, and then Hyakki understood his intention. He stood up on one foot, taller than Dazai, even in this state, straightening his back. Dazai didn’t allow him to use the sword in his arm; instead, he found a branch to use as a cane for balance.

Hyakki felt apologetic towards Dororo, showing him his missing left leg.

“I’m sorry.”

There was no way to maintain a good image.

Osamu Dazai bluntly remarked, “You’re still standing, not bad. If you get lost again, you’ll just be a head.”

After a brief lecture from Osamu Dazai, Hyakki was led back with him, Osamu Dazai walking a half step ahead.

At night, Hyakki was tied up in the safe zone by Osamu Dazai. To ensure that the sword wouldn’t be unsheathed, his binding method resembled some unspeakable techniques, with his shoulders and arms tied together, suspending him in midair. For the first time, the expressionless face of the young man looked innocent and pitiful.

Osamu Dazai showed no sympathy, coldly warning him, pointing at his nose.

“Stay here!”

“This Dororo is so fierce…”

Hyakki couldn’t move, watching as the flames of life drifted away from him under Dazai’s gaze.

Late at night, Dazai descended the stairs.

He held the forbidden book “The Complete Suicide Manual” that he bought last time, reading it while navigating the streets. The figure of the youth blended with the shadows of the eaves, more sinister and bizarre than those who lived here.

After learning about what happened during the day, Osamu Dazai softly uttered chilling words, “The Sheep King, the leader of a flock of lambs? First, he defeated Hyakki using gravity manipulation, tearing off one of his legs, and then pursued Hyakki, causing him to flee in embarrassment…”

This description perfectly matched the facts but had a slightly off feeling. If Zenya heard it, he would surely be infuriated and retort, “I didn’t intend to tear off his leg; he insisted on running away!”

No matter how one tried to argue, Zenya was now burdened with this black mark.

Osamu Dazai had deeply engraved the image of Zenya into his memory.

How to dismember a sheep?… It’s probably best to let them disintegrate from within, stabbed mercilessly.

In the sheep’s base, Zenya was still angrily interrogating Shirase.

“You tell me clearly! Who did you kill?!”

“I didn’t!”

Shirase, with bruises all over his body, wore a face of disbelief. The other party would rather trust an enemy than believe his words!

Zenyafelt immense disappointment. “I gave you a chance, but you still hide things from me. Do you think that person would attack you for no reason? You’d better ask other residents of Leibo Street if he mistakenly beat someone else.”

Shirase protested loudly, “I was the one who got beaten up! You don’t care about me and yet you blame me? Aren’t you the one who kills the most people in our sheep organization?!”

Zenya’s fierce gaze shot over, his cold and dominant eyes making Shirase shrink back.

Only when he loses his temper does Zenya make him afraid.

“I kill for self-defense and retaliation.”

On this point, the orange-haired youth living here had never wavered.

“If I find out you killed an innocent person, sorry… I won’t protect you anymore, Shirase. You’d better pray that the person you killed deserved it, otherwise I can’t accept that my comrade is a liar, a killer, someone who has no respect for the lives of his own kind.”

His words were extremely serious.

The sheep members’ faces changed slightly. They stopped watching the commotion around Shirase and hurriedly offered some kind words to mediate.

Zenya felt weary. He didn’t want to hear their attempts at help and reconciliation. With a glance at the stubborn Shirase, he returned to his own room. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he pressed his hands against his forehead, palms blocking the light from above. He rarely used his hands, fearing the uncontrollable surge of power; his hands had become the switch for unleashing the Hyakki force.

Suppressing his irritation, Zenya glanced at the leg placed on the table, his eye twitching.

“What kind of mess is this?!!!”

He didn’t know.

More serious matters awaited him.

Zenya indirectly offended someone with a grudge, and that person, with no expression on their face in the darkness, muttered to themselves.

“The sheep shelter orphaned children, that’s good… I meet those requirements.”

They touched the bandages on their face, then let out a piercing scream and ran towards the sheep organization.

“Help me—”

“The Port Mafia is chasing me!!!”

Before Hyakki starves to death, let’s dismantle this boring organization in three days.

For some reason, Zenya shuddered upon hearing the desperate cries outside, feeling like he was hearing a background noise while watching a ghost story at midnight.

“Who’s there, coming to us for help in the middle of the night?”

Impatiently, he stepped outside, rejecting the idea verbally but deep down considering the protection of the young as his responsibility.

Those with power naturally had to bear more responsibilities…