Dazai And Oda 4

Gide says a long passage. At the same time, Oda has said a very long passage as well.

Time goes on indefinitely. Between the two, they continue to see what the other is about to say one step ahead of the other.

In the real world, not even a second has passed. In the real world, Oda is shooting Mimic soldiers, while Gide is shooting mafia members.

In this world, Oda will aim his gun's muzzle at Gide next. Gide will also aim his gun's muzzle at him.

"It's almost time for it to end." In the world that continues on, Gide speaks.

"Tell me, Gide." In the world that continues on, Oda speaks. "Did you all never think of searching for a different place? Couldn't you have changed your lifestyles midway? Besides seeking death on the battlefield, is there no other way?"

"Change our lifestyle midway? I couldn't do that sort of thing." Gide smiles, a melancholic radiance flickering in his grey eyes. "I swore to my partners that I would die as a soldier. Anything other than that would be impossible."

Their muzzles are aimed at one another. But on the other hand, they silently face each other in their world forever, like friends engaging in deep conversation.

Gide looks at Odasaku. He can see the sincerity in his gaze.

"But… It may be possible. If we had changed our lifestyles at an earlier time, we might have been able to become something other than soldiers… just like how you stopped killing. If I was as strong as you, perhaps one day, I would be too…"

There are only two people alive in the great hall now. Their muzzles are aimed at each other's hearts. Gide isn't wearing a bulletproof vest. Oda's bulletproof vest had been discarded in the earlier fight. Once their chests are hit, the wound will be fatal.

The trigger has already been pulled. The bullet slides out from the gun. But the two just smile as they face each other. In the long, long time spent conversing, they seem to understand each other like old friends who have known each other for many years.

They have already confirmed that similar abilities counteracting one another will result in the loss of control over the ability and will cause it to develop in a hard to see, unpredictable direction.

Is this world, 'The Oddity of Abilities'?

"I just have one regret.." Oda said. His voice sounds melancholy. "I didn't say goodbye to my friend.."

Once Gide's bullet pierce inside his chest, he won't be able to move to go to Dazai and say goodbye to him for the last time and ask for his forgiveness for not listening to him.

"In this world, there's a man who has always considered me as a 'normal friend'. He feels disinterested with this world." Oda continued.

"Is that man the same as me, seeking death as well?" asked Gide.

"No." Oda immediately answered. "I don't think so. At the beginning, I thought you and Dazai were very similar, unable to see the value of your life, hoping for death, hence jumping into a world of violence and fighting. But that's not the case. That guy is just a child who's too smart. Just a crying child who's been left alone in the darkness, a world of nothingness far emptier than the world we can see."

Dazai's head is too brilliant. That is why he's always so lonely.

Oda thought that Ango and him could stay by Dazai's side because they can understand the loneliness that revolves around Dazai. Even though they are by his side, they would never step within. But now, he's a little regretful that he never stepped into that loneliness impolitely.

Their guns each fire a bullet. The bullets are sucked straight into their chests.

"Till the very end, the bullets you shot were so outstanding." Gide said and smiled. "I'm going to meet my subordinates. Say hello to the children for me."

Both of their bullets find their mark. At that moment, the 'oddity' vanishes. The bullets pierce their chests, through their clothes, through the back.

Gide and Oda both fall backwards in the same pose, at the same time... At that moment, Oda heard footsteps.

"Odasaku!"

He heard a familiar voice calling him by his nickname. It's the voice of his friend.

"Dazai…"

Dazai rushes towards Odasaku's side, checking the severity of Oda's wound. The bullet has pierced through Oda's chest and his blood is pooling on the floor— it's obviously a fatal wound.

Dazai falls to his knees, kneeling by Odasaku's side.

"You're an idiot, Odasaku, you're a big idiot!" he scolded.

"Yeah." Oda agreed.

"To accompany this sort of guy into death, you're an idiot!"

"Yeah."

Odasaku smiled. There is a look of satisfaction on his face— an expression that only someone who has accomplished something and paid the price for it can have.

"Dazai.. I have something to tell you."

"No, don't speak. We might be able to save you. No, we'll definitely be able to save you. So don't be like this..."

Dazai isn't the kind of a person who likes to deceive and lie to himself. But here he is, trying to make himself believe that Odasaku might make it, that he could still do something to keep his friend alive.

"Listen to me!" Odasaku raises his bloodied hand to clasp at Dazai's hand. Dazai was taken aback by Oda's loud voice. With a worried expression on his face, he looks at Odasaku and decides to listen to what his friend is going to say.

"You once said that if you immerse yourself in a world of violence and blood, perhaps you would be able to find a reason to live on."

"…..."

"Aah, I said that, but that sort of thing now…"

"It can't be found." Odasaku says with a low voice. Dazai looks at Odasaku, waiting for him to continue what he's going to say.

"You should know this yourself. Whether you're on the side of killing people or saving people, there will never be anything that can surpass your mind. There is no place in this world that can fill your loneliness. You will just linger in the darkness forever."

—Wake me up from this rotten world of a dream.

At this moment, Dazai realizes for the first time. Odasaku understood him far beyond what Dazai had ever thought. Oda had already reached close to his heart, the place near the center of his heart. Before this, Dazai had never noticed there was someone who understood him so well.

For the first time in his life, Dazai wanted to know something from the depths of his heart. Hence, he brings up the question to the person before him.

"Odasaku.. What should I do?" At this moment, Dazai doesn't look like the feared youngest executive of Port Mafia who has killed a lot of people. Rather, he looks like a child—a young innocent boy who is very clueless of the world and afraid of what would happen once the only person he cared and relied on died.

"​Be on the side that saves people," answered Odasaku. "If both sides are the same, become a good man. Save the weak and protect the orphans. Neither good or evil means much to you, I know that.. but that would make you at least a little bit better."

"How do you know that?" Dazai asked, confused.

"I know better than anyone else... I am your friend, afterall."

Dazai looks at Odasaku's eyes. He made up his mind before he answered with full of sincerity,

"I see, I'll do that."

"Humans live to save themselves. They will understand this before they die," Odasaku's expression is quickly losing color. He smiles, face pale. "Well said..." Oda added before he closed his eyes and Dazai didn't hear him speak again.

In the end, the city was safe… But the cost was Oda's life, and the friendship between Dazai and Ango.

Oda's death has a big impact on Dazai. Odasaku was the first, and so far, the only person to see Dazai for who he was. Dazai trusted Oda's opinion over his own because Oda knew him better than he knew himself.

Dazai wastes no time in following Oda's last words and immediately burns the coat Mori gave him. Two weeks after his friend died, he talks to a tall man known as Chief Taneda and said that he's looking for a new job.

He decided to stop working for the Port Mafia.

"Your face appears regularly on my reports, a frequent guest that needs to be carefully monitored. How did you know about this place?" Taneda asked.

"Most things can be known with some investigation." Dazai answered with a smile while gently shrugging his shoulders.

"You should have temporarily disappeared from the organization… Do you have some business?" Taneda asked.

"I'm looking for a new job. Do you have any places you'd recommend to me?"

The chief looks at Dazai in surprise.

Dazai's face is all smiles. Everyone can see his face and expression clearly because the bandage on his right eye was removed.

"I can't immediately believe this. There are a mountain of questions to ask…" Chief Taneda scratches his chin with his fingers.

"Do you want to come to the Special Ability Department? If that's the case—"

"Please allow me to reject that suggestion."

said Dazai and smiled bitterly. "Places with too many rules don't suit my personality."

"Then, what do you hope for?"

"A place where I can help people." Dazai replied instantly. His voice is soft and genuine.

"Your ledger is too marred. To clear it, you have to lay low for around two years. But… Let me answer your question first. It's not that I cannot find a place such as that."

"Let me hear it."

"There is an armed organization composed of ability users. They're in charge of handling grey areas, troublesome matters that cannot be entrusted to the military or city police. The director there is a man with a good heart, he might be able to grant your wish."

Dazai nods, closing his eyes, as though thinking of something important. Then he opens his eyes, having made a firm resolution, and asks: "What is the name of that organization?"

"Name? The organization's name is—"

Back when he was in the Port Mafia, Dazai wore a black coat that reached under his knees. He also wore bandages over his right eye and his right arm that was in a sling. But today, Dazai wears a long tan trench coat with a belt that he leaves untied.

Under it is a black vest over a striped dress shirt that is light blue in hue. He wears a bolo tie, which is held by a brown ribbon and a turquoise pendant. He has bandages wrapped around his entire body but the bandage covering his right eye before was now removed.

Chief Taneda continued. Dazai listened with a young, innocent smile.

The name of the organization is, Armed Detective Agency.

Dazai doesn't just find another job where he can save and help people... but he also finds a place that he can call home, and members that he can call a family.