Territory of Light (Bungou Stray Dogs X OC)

Episode 21: Out of Reach

After failing to stop Odasaku from attacking Mimic on his own, Dazai went back to their headquarters in hopes to ask for reinforcement to back him up.

First, it was Yuko who was taken away earlier, now...it's Odasaku who left on his own.

Dazai can't help but to feel everything's falling apart for him. He doesn't want to lose any more precious friends in his life.

Ango may be gone, but not those two...he wanted to keep them both.

Dazai checked his phone once again to see if the tracker he put on Yuko's phone was back online. And it did...

Yuko's trace was already at the location from where he was earlier.

He then called her.

"Yuko-chan...where are you?"

"At the old man's. Is Odasaku with you?" She immediately answered.

Dazai paused.

He couldn't answer her...how could he?

He felt useless from not being able to stop Odasaku, especially when Yuko even asked him a favor for it.

"Where's Oda?" Her voice was lower.

"Yuko-chan, I'm going to ask Boss for reinforcement. Just stay put for the meantime..."

"Dazai, where's Odasaku?" Yuko repeated.

"Odasaku's planning to go to Mimic...alone." Dazai finally decided to tell her.

Before he can even add more details, Yuko already ended the call.

Dazai gripped his phone and calmed himself, he was sure Yuko will search for Odasaku. If she can stall him, he can make it back with reinforcements to help.

"Boss, I'd like to request permission to organize a gifted squad to save Odasaku." Dazai wasted no time as soon as he walked into Mori's office.

"Very well. Permission granted."

"But first, why?"

"Odasaku is currently doing reconnaissance in force by himself at Mimic's headquarters. If we do nothing, he'll die, and we will lose a valuable gifted agent." Dazai said in a low tone.

"I understand you reasoning. But I doubt Oda-kun wants to be saved by anyone...not even Tsushima-kun." Mori replied with his eyes closed.

"Is this related to why you gave Yuko-chan to the division?" Dazai said calmly.

He wanted to make sure that Mori doesn't know that Yuko's free in the city, or else he'll plan something again.

"Dazai-kun, the leader of an organization is at the pinnacle of that organization, and at the same time, he is its slave. The leader must be more than willing to commit any atrocity in order to ensure the organization's survival."

Mori raised a black envelope in front of him. Dazai's eyes widened as he immediately recognized what it was.

"That envelope..."

Everything was starting to make sense now, but he was too late to realize it.

"I see...I get it now." Dazai said in a low tone while turning his back from Mori.

Odasaku...Yuko...he needed to help them.

"Where are you going?" Mori halted.

"To Odasaku."

Dazai looked at the men who raised their guns at him, grimly. He was calm and yet angry, at the same time.

"We have not yet ended the debate, Dazai-kun." Mori spoke.