𝑨𝑹𝑴𝒀 𝑶𝑭 𝑳𝑶𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑺 = 𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑹𝑶𝑹: ʙᴜɴɢᴏᴜ ꜱᴛʀᴀʏ ᴅᴏɢꜱ x ꜰ! ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

| 𝟖 |

3rd POV

A lot of things went down after you encountered Mori and Elise once again.

Currently, the Agency is hiding in its headquarters before it was even formed.

"Listen up, the Port Mafia seeks to eradicate the Agency. The Guild seeks to usurp the Agency. We must protect the Agency from these two foes. Dazai, explain," The boss said.

"Yes, sir. The Guild has substantial financial assets and the Port Mafia has the numbers advantage. So, we will split into offensive and defensive teams and engage in guerrilla tactics. The main goal of the defence is to protect Yosano-sensei here. With her healing ability, we can be cured of any injury as long as we don't outright die. The offence will split into two teams and surprise the enemy using Tanizaki-kun's subterfuge ability, my nullification ability and Y/N's control ability. The crux of this strategy is to keep our base of operations hidden. If our enemies were to hit us here with everything they have, our defence would not hold."

"The teams will be the Defence Team: Fukuzawa, Ranpo, Yosano and Kenji. Offensive Team A: Kunikida and Jun'ichiro. Offensive Team B: Dazai, Atsushi and myself."

"Y/N, do you have any predictions?" The boss questioned.

"Firstly boss, I'm sure the leader of the Port Mafia knew you weren't going to die, he likely had ordered his men to attach something that allowed him to know your location meaning he knows where we are right now. He's going to send in a single solider as a messenger that eventually leads us to team up with one another to maintain order within this city as the Guild will likely try and destroy this entire city in the future when they come to a realization that defeating us isn't easy."

"Alright, then do you have any ideas what it is they want? Why do they want Atsushi and such?"

"I have heard of something peculiar, there is something called The Book that allows the writer to write anything they have written become the truth. The fact is, I heard of its existence in this very city which is why we are all in this mess," You explained.

"There's something as terrifying as that?" Yosano asked.

"I did hear of a single page being taken for research purposes, but I'm not sure where the page is now. If I were to make a prediction, I bet the Hunting Dogs have something to do with that and that single page just may become the greatest obstacle in our future even more than this whole situation with the Guild."

"..."

"Naturally, our organization and this city have its ultimate trump card," You started.

"And what is that?" Atsushi wondered.

"It's me. If the situation calls for it, I will step in and protect everyone with style," You winked making everyone relax a bit knowing you'd be there to protect them and this city.

......

"The train they're supposed to be on is late," Atsushi said.

"Mori-san from the Port Mafia is the human manifestation of streamlining. He controls the situation with cold, mathematical detachment. You can count on him to take advantage of the fact we're letting our guard down. Atsushi-kun, I have an unavoidable item on my agenda."

"What is it?"

"I'm going to the bathroom," Dazai embarrassed himself and ran away, "I'm not going to make it!"

"He's lying, Atsushi," You shook your head in disappointment, "He's off to do things by himself again. I'm going to go and check up on him, okay?"

Without giving him any time to respond, you dashed toward Dazai and hid to make sure the enemies didn't see you.

"There's no one watching us here. You ought to come out. Hey, Gin-chan," Dazai spoke as Gin held a knife against his throat, "You've gotten taller."

"So you knew we were watching you," Higuchi stated with her gun pointed at him.

"I was the one who created the Port Mafia's surveillance techniques, after all. So what do you want from me?"

"Don't you think this gun tells you what we want?"

"I don't. For a group of assassins, you've recruited some lousy members. Gin-chan, would you please put that away? It's dangerous."

They put the weapons away now, "You're right, that's not why we're here. I have a message from the boss."

"From Mori-san, huh? I wonder what it is."

"The message is: 'Dazai-kun, are you interested in coming back to the Port Mafia executives?'"

Dazai then started laughing, "Ah, what a pleasant invitation."

"I've looked at your records. Your blood is mafia black along with the woman from before. More so than anyone in this nation."

"People change. I mean, Gin-chan over there was a dainty little girl, this tall," Dazai embarrassed her.

"Don't change the subject," Gin shyly spoke.

"Something doesn't add up, though. Why would Mori-san set people aside for this charade and also not invite Y/N?"

"In order to protect the two of you."

"To protect us?"

"The boss has set Q free," Both yours and Dazai's eyes widened.

"Impossible. Do you have any idea what he's unleashed? Q is a walking catastrophe. He'll doom everyone, friend or foe."

"The Port Mafia doesn't choose its means to reach its ends."

"Why do you think Q was imprisoned in the first place? It was because he had the most repulsive ability of them all. Mind control."

"Q's curse attacks the minds of his victims with hallucinations. Then they attack everyone around them. The curse is triggered by the destruction of the doll at the root of the curse. But only a receiver is cursed when that happens. To become a receiver, one must hurt Q. Receivers show a bruise that looks as though they were grabbed by someone, which makes them easy to distinguish. You mentioned that you came here to protect us."

Dazai's eyes immediately widened again and ran back to save Atsushi as you quietly followed him, "Stop, Atsushi-kun! Look carefully!"

"Atsushi-kun... Stop," Naomi said in desperation.

"No... I was the only one being manipulated this whole time? I was only trying to protect them," Atsushi stated in fear, "I just wanted to protect people..."

You then appeared behind him and hit the back of his neck making him go unconscious. While you were doing this, Dazai was using his ability to nullify Q's ability, "L/N-san, Dazai-san, your new friends are so fragile. It's okay, though. I still look forward to breaking you two. In return for making me suffer, I'm going to hurt you two and break you lots."

"We won't capture you next time. We'll rip your heart out," Dazai smirked.

"Let's play again, L/N-san. Dazai-san," Q told the two of you as he rode the train.

"How's he doing, Y/N?"

"He'll wake up soon enough. Oh look at that he already did," You then set him down on the ground as he began crying.

"Let's go, Atsushi-kun. Get up," Dazai kneeled.

"I'm useless! I shouldn't have existed."

"Atsushi-kun," Dazai then slapped him on the face, "Listen to me, Atsushi-kun. I'll give you some advice for once, like a proper senpai. Stop pitying yourself. Pity yourself and life becomes an endless nightmare. We don't have the luxury of choosing our methods anymore, either. If the enemy wants to play their trump card, we'll do the same."

"Atsushi, you cannot be brave when you have no fear. The things that hurt you may have left scars, but they did not destroy you. You survived, and there is hope in that," You smiled at him while reaching your hand out for him to grab which he did with a face that said he was thankful.

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