Chapter 68

**Chapter 68** is the sixty-eighth chapter of the *Dead Mount Death Play* manga.

## Official Blurb

The mysteries surrounding various troublemakers only deepens...

## Synopsis

Having learned that Fire-breathing Bug has burned for over one hundred years, Tena Sorimura supposes that the Bug's organizer must also be at least a century old. Fire-breathing Bug says Solitaire is wrong, for they are "at this point...not...anywhere." Like the bastard children, Bug says, they are bugs that are not meant to exist. Non-existent burn marks. Errors. Flaws. As Bug talks, visuals are shown of an old, decaying building's interior: a hole in a roof; a hallway in shambles; a desk upon which sits a framed photograph of a kimono-wearing couple, one of whom possesses an umbrella; and a corpse in a floral kimono lying in a spartan room.

At the police station, Kayakusa enters the Comps-3 meeting room with a case she found that resembles their current one. Saki Aikawa asks if it is the oldest arson incident; Tsubaki Iwanome, upon Kayakusa handing him the casefile, says this arson case well precedes Bug's debut. If Bug's choice of fire as a modus operandi is neither arbitrary or sick fascination, then perhaps it is the root of his revenge—such was Iwanome's thinking. Iwanome trails off as he reads the files, but soon declares that Comps-3 may have "hit the jackpot" with this case.

Ranmaru Yatsu leans over Iwanome's shoulder to read details of the case out loud: a fire occurred in Shinjuku one hundred years ago, and, in its aftermath, sixteen bodies were found in multiple joined jail cells' charred ruins. Iwanome points out with much disgust that half of the deceased were thought to be young children. Danjō Tozawa, sitting opposite, expresses incredulity at how none of them—himself included—have heard of this incident despite their line of work. Iwanome affirms the incident is news to him, someone who had made a point of memorizing all major troublemaker incidents in Shinjuku. He instructs Kayakusa and the others to scavenge contemporary newspapers and magazines in case the media reported on the fire at the time, adding that he and Kōzaburō Arase will look into Habaki's contact Kuon Higuro.

Arase, who has been operating a laptop at Iwanome's right side, covers his face with his hand. Iwanome cuts himself off to ask Arase what is the matter, growing more alarmed as Arase grins, grits his teeth as if to restrain a paroxysm, then resets himself. Passing off the paroxysm as a momentary malfunction of his emotions, Arase turns his laptop toward Iwanome while commenting that a connection between Solitaire and "that organization" exists after all. Over in the Torture Building, Takumi Kuruya stares at the *Solitaire TV!* Higuro deepfake, experiences a minor emotional death, and comes to terms with the lengthy amount of time his emotions will need to 'reboot'.

In the nearby divination room, Corpse God watches the Higuro-Kannagi deepfake with no idea as to who Higuro is. He surmises that Solitaire apparently has not made contact with 'those three', but the most immediate concern is this video's widespread publication of Sabaramond's name: it may become much more difficult to ascertain whether a self-proclaimed 'Sabaramond' is real or an imposter with the name being common knowledge. Unable to fathom Solitaire's (nonexistent) plans, Corpse God puts them aside to tell Takeru Shinoyama—currently on call—that he will need to extensively prepare in order to identity the nature of "those persons yet at large," which was Takeru's request. He suggests they reconvene in the evening in three days.

A short pause ensues as Takeru parses his half uncle's response. Making a base assumption that Corpse God is indicating he will have to make arrangements in order to release information, Takeru wonders if the other party has been threatening or otherwise a source of influence. He pulls up video footage of Civil A. Sabaramond, Soara Habaki, and Lulu exiting the Torture Building's windows with especial focus on Civil, since it is also possible that Corpse God and this 'foreigner' will make a private bargain. For Polka to bargain with a foreign party at all raises another suspicion in Takeru's mind—the potential for this to be about Polka's mother, Kanon Shinoyama.

When Takeru finally speaks, it is with an abrupt subject change to Taipei's *Weekly Dry*-promised fortune reading: he says he has no problems with Taipei having his fortune read provided "little miss journalist" is also willing. Though surprised that Takeru is giving her the choice, Kochou Eightport still sees mostly upsides to the situation. Solitaire, now Sabaramond, and likely the dirigible fleet's mark are all connected to the Torture Building, if not the Shinoyama Clan itself. She agrees to proceeding with Taipei's fortune, and Corpse God agrees to reconvene at 6 PM in three days' time. Coming to some realization about the agreed-upon day, Takeru instructs Taipei to return for medical treatment at the office before ending the call.

As soon as Takeru hangs up, he dials Bao with instructions to monitor Polka's movements over the course of the next three days and permission to install a listening device on Polka's device if prudent. Deciding that Sayo Shinoyama can be left in the care of Rozan Shinoyama's bodyguards, he instructs Yomogi—standing at attention—to find the "three people that the Heilei are monitoring . . . . [and] get a fix on their movements." Identifying their target as soon as possible is of vital importance, Takeru says, gaze flicking to the footage, for it may lead to the trio becoming their useful pawns.

In the depths of a parking complex, Civil, Soara, and Lulu—the latter cradling Polka—stand in the midst of men. Those semi-encircling the trio's back are dressed eclectically: some wear suits; others wear casual attire; others are dressed like punks. All have stony expressions. Civil, speaking to a tieless, suit-wearing man, comments on the abrupt summons and unfriendly welcome before questioning the reason for the summons. The tieless man—addressing Civil as "Civil-*sama*" despite the atmosphere—relays a message from 'the elders': Civil must abscond the country posthaste and go into hiding.

Civil asks what happens if he refuses, opining that the fun has just started and that he would prefer to be left to his own devices. The man obstinately reaffirms that they take their orders from the elders in "Habaki-*dono*"'s absence, which Civil interprets as evidence he *one*, is "part of the 'old geezers' league," and *two*, was no fan of Habaki. As the tieless man vaguely agrees, one of the men behind him trains a handgun on Lulu. Winning against Civil or Arahabaki is unlikely, the tieless man admits, but surely Civil would prefer to avoid an altercation at all—especially the type in which a stray bullet could strike Civil's attendant.

Lulu, horrified, warns him that he invites danger, but the warning is futile: building material comes crashing down on the gunman, killing him instantly. Civil calls the men fools for having pointed a weapon at Lulu and believing they could kill her, especially since they know about Elementals. Only—they do not. As more and more debris begins dislodging from the ceiling, the tieless man in stupefaction asks whether this is Civil's power at work. Surprised, Civil remarks on the elders' callousness: concealing one's trump card is one matter, but keeping one's own men ignorant of Elementals is another.

In the Torture Building, Misaki Sakimiya learns from Takumi and Corpse God that Polka has been kidnapped. Miyabi Hosorogi asks why they are not mounting a rescue, with Takumi pointing out Corpse God must know Polka's approximate location, and Corpse God replies he needs time to prepare—carelessness will risk disaster. Takumi questions just how 'tough' the kidnappers are, particularly the petite girl; that girl, Corpse God explains, is possessed by an Elemental. With that particular Elemental alone, the girl has the potential means to destroy the entirety of Shinjuku.

Destruction, for now, runs amok within the parking lot's confines. The men have descended into panic as asphalt and lighting descend upon them; one man is crushed, another shouts; a third fires his gun at Lulu, who has fallen to her knees. A chunk of rubble smashes into his shoulder by way of retribution. As the rumbling ceases and bloody fragments of concrete and metal come to suspend themselves midair, Lulu—amidst the felled, unmoving men—clutches her head and pleads with the Elemental not to kill them.

## Trivia

* 'Yomogi' is the 'Yochigi' who has appeared in Chapter 11 and Chapter 17, among others. Yomogi, used in this chapter's Yen Press translation, is the correct reading of the woman's name: 蓬 (よもぎ). 'Yochigi', the interpretation used in Yen Press' release of Chapter 17, is incorrect.

### Referbacks

* Lulu's Elemental was first depicted in Chapter 64.
* The decrepit building at the beginning of the chapter was previously seen in Chapter 61.