"Already?" You hissed.
"Yes!" Dazai urged, unlocking the door to your shared apartment. "Get whatever you need, those three might get themselves killed!"
"Who knew that you of all people could care for your subordinates," you muttered dryly, grabbing your trusty gun as well as a small flashlight. "Alright, let's go."
With that, the two of you jogged in the direction to where Dazai had pinpointed their location, trying to keep both of yourselves concealed for as long as you could.
"We won't get there before Akutagawa, and if he's sent this Higuchi lady alone, she must be able to hold her own," Dazai huffed.
"His motive will be to capture Atsushi alive, and Tanizaki is smart enough to use Light Snow as cover," you added. "Still, I doubt any of them will manage to escape unscathed."
"C'mon, up here," Dazai urged, sending you up a ladder.
The two of you crouched on top of a building which overlooked the alleyway your coworkers were in, both waiting for the right time to attack. Just as the two of you predicted, Tanizaki and Naomi were both covered in their own blood, lying on the floor, immoblised. It seemed as if both were still alive, thankfully, but it was still a shock. Akutagawa was present as well, Rashomon posed to attack.
"My Rashomon is something of a Gourmand," Akutagawa coughed out. "It eats through all in its path. If you resist, your leg will be next."
Just then, Tanizaki caught your eyes from below. You held your fingers up to your lips in a shushing motion, and just like that, were covered by his Light Snow. Of course, the two of you still had to be silent, for Light Snow only created visual illusions, and didn't have the capability to overwrite sound.
"At..sushi...kun," Tanizaki croaked out. "Run... away.."
And run he did.
Only in the wrong direction, like an idiot.
He ran straight into Akutagawa, who wasted no time in using Rashomon to try and bite off Atsushi's leg. After all, if there was one thing you knew about him, over the years of interacting with him, it's that he was a man of his word. Surprisingly, Atsushi managed to dodge by sliding beneath Rashomon, and pocketed Akutagawa's gun. The boy was quick to stand once more, and shot Akutagawa right into the center of his back.
"You know, I blame you for these attacks never working on him," you whispered, voice hoarse.
Dazai could only nod in response, unable to force any words out. When it came to Akutagawa, the two of you could never see eye to eye, that much was obvious. You could only hope that the situation wouldn't repeat in Atsushi's case, for that would likely tear you apart once and for all.
"That was a very impressive move," Akutagawa praised. "But it was still the reckless flailing of a fool. I believe I told you, my black beast eats through all it encounters... even if that something is space itself."
Atsushi gasped, taking a step back in fear.
"I had it consume a fraction of space between the barrel of the gun and my back," Akutagawa continued, taking a step forward. "Neither a spear nor pure fire inflicts harm if the space it occupies does not exist."
"Wha..?" Atsushi gaped, realising one crucial detail.
There would be no way of attacking him and winning, unless one got him so exhausted that his reflexes slowed down considerably. Of course, Atsushi likely didn't have that kind of stamina, meaning the only remaining solution was to outsmart him. But he was a rookie, while the demon opposite him was someone even Kunikida feared.
He stood no chance.
"Now, I must keep my promise," Akutagawa shrugged.
And just like that, Rashomon bit off Atsushi's leg. Your subordinate screamed in shock and agony, unable to fathom the idea that his very own leg was torn off him this quickly.
"I blame you for his need to keep his word," Dazai sighed. "He's the result of our shitty mentoring skills, and I suppose this is how we pay the price."
Just then, the two of you watched as Atsushi jumped onto a wall, parts of his body turning into that of the tiger.
"If he attacks Ryuu, we intervene," you demanded.
"Still hold a soft spot for him, Y/N dearest?" Dazai hummed.
"No," you spat out. "Atsushi'll only get hurt if he lunges in."
"Very well," Dazai nodded, agreeing to your request.
Atsushi slowly regenerated his leg back, all the while glaring at Akutagawa.
"Now we're talking," Akutagawa smirked.
The newcomer immediately lunged in headfirst, transforming into the tiger mid-jump. You nearly jumped over the ledge to intervene, only to stop when you saw a slight glitch on the tiger's tail.
Tanizaki's Light Snow.
Akutagawa hadn't realised it yet, and slashed through him with Rashomon. 'Atsushi' instantly regenerated, healing the mangled flesh, before standing proud and facing off against Akutagawa once more.
"Akutagawa-Senpai!" Higuchi called.
"Get back, Higuchi!" Akutagawa demanded, turning to face his subordinate. "This is nothing you could handle."
Before he could turn back to face the tiger, Atsushi jumped in once again, catching Akutagawa by surprise. Unable to do anything else, he created a spiderweb-like shield using Rashomon, and jumped away from his opponent. Higuchi instantly took the opportunity and fired shots at Atsushi, only for none of them to pierce through his hide. Enraged, the tiger lunged in for her, backing her into a corner.
"Higuchi, what are you doing!" Akutagawa snarled. "Rashomon: Agito!"
With that, he formed a set of jaws, one which bit through Atsushi the moment he jumped for Higuchi.
"Tch," Akutagawa scoffed, annoyed. "I needed him alive, too."
The mangled figure of the weretiger lay on the ground alongside Tanizaki and Naomi, blood pooling out of its wounds and staining the brilliant white fur in a sickly shade of pink. If it weren't for the fact that you knew it was an illusion, you would have definitely panicked.
"This is why I asked what I did," you whispered to your partner.
With one last defeated and shuddery exhale, the tiger began to dissolve into thin air.
"Light Snow!" Higuchi realised.
"The tiger I slashed was a mirage-?!" Akutagawa gaped. "Then-"
He froze, having sensed something behind him.
"Rashomon: Murakumo!" Akutagawa announced, forming a huge clawed hand with his beast before turning around.
Both lunged in at the same time to attack each other. To slow them down, you set up two shields of solid light, thereby creating a safe place for Dazai to stand. You pushed your partner over the ledge, and watched as he nullified the abilities of his two students.
"Okay boys, that will suffice!" Dazai announced, reaching through your shields to touch them.
Atsushi immediately collapsed, not being used to the sensation of having his ability stolen. Akutagawa, on the other hand, was merely dazed by surprise. He looked up to find you, surprised to see you by his former mentor's side once more.
"You're from the Detective Agency...!" Higuchi realised. "Why are you-"
"I have a bad tendency to be wary of attractive young women," Dazai smirked, pulling out a listening device. "So I did a little recording!"
"Oh so it's your habit now?" You scoffed, rolling your eyes playfully.
"A bug?!" Higuchi gaped, pulling the recorder out of her pocket. "So right from the start... you saw through my whole plan?"
"Not me, N/N-chan did!" Dazai grinned.
"Shame we aren't on the same side," you shrugged. "You and I could've gotten along really well, Higuchi-kun."
"Come on now, Atsushi-kun, I prefer to not have to carry an extra person," Dazai groaned, gently patting him awake.
"I'll carry him and Naomi, you worry about Tanizaki," you yawned.
"W-Wait!" Higuchi yelled. "I can't let you go alive!"
"Stop, Higuchi. You cannot defeat them," Akutagawa laughed. "We will retreat for now, Dazai-San, L/N-San.... however, we in the mafia will have that man-tiger's head ere long."
"Why is that?" You asked.
"Simple. That man-tiger has the reward of seven billion yen on the Black Market," Akutagawa shrugged. "More than enough cash to control the underground."
"Well! Quite the bonanza, huh?" Dazai beamed, clapping his hands together.
"I will call upon your agency again sometime," Akutagawa hummed. "If you can hand me seven billion when I do, then all is well. But if you cannot..."
"Then war it is, right?" Dazai shrugged. "With our agency? Well superb! See you then! I should relish in seeing you succeed - if you can, that is."
"You're a piddling detective agency!" Higuchi snapped. "We comprise practically the entire underground in this city! We retain control over several dozen companies in our group... we have roots in every conceivable branch of this town's politics and economy! What could a handful of detectives ever do?! We will reduce your office to a pile of ash within three days! Nobody has ever dared to defy us and live to tell the tale!"
You couldn't help yourself. You laughed.
"Yeah, so I've been told," Dazai shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Indeed. These two should know that better than anyone else," Akutagawa nodded.
"They are ex-mafia, after all."