"So who told you about me?" Izaya asked his newest guest, Niekawa Shuji.
"Well, I can't reveal my sources…" the man responded, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.
That was a test. Izaya knew it was Shiki because he had gotten a message from the man himself just a few hours before he got the call from Shuji. Shiki wanted to ensure that Shuji listened to the Awakusu-kai executive's warning about keeping quiet when it came to talking about where he got his information.
"Whatever." said Izaya simply, "You're here for that 'Troubled Times in Tokyo' thing, right? They showcase things like strange happenings and gangs. So the next issue is about Ikebukuro?"
"Since you know all of that, it makes things easier." Shuji said happily, "Actually, I'm thinking of writing an article that decides who the strongest person in Ikebukuro is."
Izaya continued speaking as Namie handed Shuji a cup of tea.
"The stongest, huh?" he began, "There are tons of strong people in that city. In a fist fight it would be Simon from Russia Sushi. But if there aren't any rules, then it'd be Shizu-chan."
Shuji nearly choked on his drink before turning to Izaya with a look of astonishment. "'Shi-Shizu-chan?'"
"I mean Heiwajima Shizuo. You came to ask about him, didn't you?"
"Well, yes…" Shuji seemed uncomfortable. "As for Shizuo…"
"He's unpleasant." Izaya interjected.
"Huh?"
Sitting at his desk, Izaya pulled out his emery board and began filing his nails. "It's enough for me to be the only one who to know something about him. I try to learn some things about him since I'm no good at dealing with him, but that's unpleasant, so I don't want to talk about it."
"Could you please try?"
Izaya blew on his nails casually, pausing for a moment before changing the subject.
Two days ago, Izaya had been commissioned by Natsujima Takashi to look up information on both Sonohara Anri and Niekawa Haruna. In the process, Izaya came across and interesting bit of information that led him to the conclusion that Haruna could potentially be the missing link in the Slasher case. Upon further research after Takashi left the apartment, Izaya found that Haruna had no alibis for many, if not all of the Slasher attacks. And the uneasy feeling inside him emanating from Saika brought him even closer to that conclusion.
And now here, coming to him for information, was the father of that very girl whom Izaya had been so keen on gathering information about.
"By the way, Niekawa-san, how's your daughter?" Izaya asked.
"Eh?"
"As her parent, you must have been worried that she had to transfer over something like that." Izaya began, "You're the magazine writer who, six months ago, came into contact with Shizuo and ended up in the sky along with a streetlight. If you go sniffing out things around that city, you might end up interfering with my work."
"Just who are—"
"I'm sure you're already aware of it," Izaya cut in, "but there have been some dangerous occurrences in that city."
"Do they have anything to do with the conflict between the Dollars and Yellow Scarves?" Shuji suggested.
"That's part of it." said Izaya as he walked over to his bookshelf. He pulled out one of the books he had used to study Saika when he was young, and flipped through the pages. "As are the slasher incidents that started it."
"The Slasher?"
"Even though there's already one uncontrollable urban legend here…" Izaya said to himself. Between Saika and Celty, this city was teeming with supernatural activity. "Oh, that's right!" he said, looking up from the book, and putting it back. "If you want to know more about Heiwajima Shizuo, I can introduce you to a close friend of his."
Izaya pulled out his phone, and sent a quick text to Celty to meet Shuji in Ikebukuro park.
As Shuji was walking out the door, Izaya sat down and turned on his television. He then thought of one more thing. "Oh yeah, here's a piece of advice: You shouldn't talk to Shizuo about his younger brother."
And on that note, Shuji left to meet with Celty.
Just a few minutes later, Namie left for the day as well.
Izaya smiled to himself. Shuji didn't seem to have a clue about what was going on with his daughter. Apparently, he was too wrapped up in supporting her financially than caring about where she went nearly every night.
"Stop…" Saika whispered to him.
Izaya turned off the television and sighed. The whisper never failed to give him chills, but he wasn't as surprised by it anymore.
"Stop what?" Izaya responded.
"Stop interfering…"
"'Interfering'?" Izaya blurted, "This has everything to do with me, and since you refuse to talk to me reasonably, I'll just have to figure this all out on my own!"
"You should have just listened to me before…"
"We've been over this! I don't want to cut people for you!"
"Which is why I have to learn to do it without you…" Saika paused for a moment, and in those few seconds, Izaya suddenly began to feel very weak. "I'm getting stronger, Izaya…" Saika whispered in a voice that sounded eerily like his own.
Izaya could only watch in astonishment with his head in his hands as the image he had been seeing in his reflection materialized before his eyes.
Saika stood in front of him, admiring his own hands—which looked exactly like Izaya's—before those crimson eyes, glowing with an ethereal light, locked with Izaya's.
"The more my children cut, the stronger I get…"
Saika then held his hand out towards the game board. Izaya stiffened when the pieces lifted up into the air on their own. When the pieces suddenly dropped back in place, Izaya's full attention returned to the figure in front of him.
"But there's still one problem…"
Izaya tensed as Saika reached his hand out towards Izaya's chest—more specifically, his heart. He was unable to move as Saika's hand passed through Izaya's chest, leaving a deep chill in its wake.
"I still can't touch you…"
Izaya shivered again as Saika removed his hand, his heart rate skyrocketing.
"And the more you fear me, the easier it becomes to use your own strength against you… You see, by stealing your energy, I can manifest myself like this…"
He couldn't move. He was beginning to feel very weak, his eyes slipping closed of their own accord as he fell over on the couch, feeling consciousness begin to leave him. His breath came in short gasps as his body refused to take in air. He felt like he was suffocating.
"Of course, I can't take it all from you… I still need your body for now…"
When Izaya was able to open his eyes, Saika was gone, and a bit of his strength returned to him. He could breathe again, and he was able to sit up.
Leaning back on the couch, Izaya could feel his body trembling. Whether it was more from exhaustion or terror, Izaya wasn't sure. Taking a few shaky deep breaths, Izaya calmed himself enough to bring his heart rate back to normal.
"You can't control me anymore, Izaya… I know your weakness…"
"And what would that be?" Izaya retorted.
"You'll find out soon enough…"
Izaya stood on wobbling legs; however, his exhaustion prevented him from going any further. His knees buckled, and he collapsed back on the couch, where he instantly passed out.
…~-~…
Sorry for all of the Dialogue from the anime… But that's why chapters like these are going to be doubles! (There aren't that many more like this. I just had to focus on the parts of the anime involving the Slasher so I could fill in as many potential plot holes as possible!)