"Mori-san, this is Dazai reporting." The tall man said into a mouthpiece in front of a hastily cobbled up, high-tech looking computer station.

Over the lines, secured as he could make it, on the other side of the world, the Port Mafia's boss Mori Ougai was facing a great monitor. Over the oceans on an optic fiber a girl's voice traveled, "Rintarou, who's calling?"

"Ah, Dazai-kun, it is quite rare to find you reporting— contacting me in any way in fact. What begs the honor?"

"Did you know about the plane incident, Mori-san?"

"Indeed, yes."

"This is about the details behind that."

"I see. Is the line secure?"

"As much as I could make it, with the current resources and time constraints. Though I should probably let you know, Chuuya is here with me. He more than deserves to know."

"Greetings, Boss." Chuuya added from behind Dazai.

"Ah, Chuuya-kun. I'm glad you are still alive. I was worried there for a moment... Now Dazai-kun, go on."

Dazai glanced at Chuuya who nods, indicating that he too was ready. Dazai had insisted on telling them both at once, giving the reason that he didn't want them to be overheard since they were still in the airport. In actuality, he was a bit worried about Chuuya's reaction to the facts.

After more than a month experimenting with Corruption, pushing the limits of his body everyday, Chuuya couldn't afford to go on a dangerous mission. Certainly Dazai couldn't let Chuuya do that especially with... this between the two of them. Yet what Dazai knows would surely prompt immediate investigation from both the Port Mafia and the Armed Detective Agency. And being the hot-headed chibi he was, Chuuya wasn't going to obediently lie down and wait, not with this personal a case.

At least like this, there's still another voice of reason from Mori-san. Surely Mori-san would see that having Chuuya out of harm's way is the best course of action, right?

Dazai sighs, and started speaking.

"As you probably know from your sources already, our plane crashed yesterday. The reason is because Corruption again surfaced without prompting. And this time, No Longer Human didn't work.

"Chuuya blew a hole in the plane, and I jumped after him. I think this occurs by chance, but the rampage stopped and Chuuya… used Corruption to save me. Again, the powers worked while Chuuya was touching me, bringing us together down to the earth so hard he carved a meteor crater in the middle of the forest, but we were both unharmed."

Dazai paused, a silence into which Mori mused, "An exception to your ability? How ironic, for him to be Chuuya-kun."

It would indeed have been very ironic, if out of every single ability user in the world, the only exception to Dazai's ability is his partner. But no, Dazai knew his ability have no exceptions. It's a kind of innate sense that each ability user has since childbirth— and instinct on how to use their own supernatural powers.

So Dazai shook his head and declared, "No. My ability has no exceptions. Either this is not an ability — a preposition rendered false by the countless times I had successfully stopped Chuuya from rampaging in the past — or the only other option is that the ability actually being activated is an entirely different one from Chuuya's, being used from a distance and only activates Corruption as a chain reaction."

"Like the virus incident…. Except it actually links to other abilities instead of just acting on its own" Chuuya shuddered in realization.

"Yes, my current hypothesis is that someone — an ability user — used his ability to draw on that of others, triggering their abilities in turn. This would explain the appearances of Kenji-kun's and Chuuya's ability showing up in Yokohama, in incidents both are totally unaware of until after the report."

"And interesting conjecture," Mori announces, "Having made such connections, I would assume you would like a cross reference on the time of incident and the unexpected appearances of Corruption on your side. Higuchi-kun will be here with the data soon."

"I'll contact the agency to question Kenji-kun about the incident momentarily." Added Dazai. "We have to solve this quick, Mori-san."

Because Chuuya can't stand these random rampages much longer.

Dazai knows that Mori knew this, just by looking at his expression. And this was in direct alignment with Port Mafia's objectives, so Dazai wasn't worried about his own boss' reaction. The real deal stood behind him.

"Yes, boss. We have to find the bastard quick so I can kick his damned head in. We'll be back by tomorrow, the attacks never came less than a day apart, so we will be able to board the plane safely. What's my mission, Boss?"

"You're not going anywhere near the investigation or the bastard, Chuuya." Dazai stated, his voice cold and... restrained. "Akutagawa-kun will be able to take care of that."

"But—"

"No," Dazai turned to face Chuuya, but his next sentence was directed at the mafia's boss. "Mori-san, tell him that he has no mission this time... it's the 'most effective way', after all."

"Oi, Dazai, stop spouting nonsenses. This is my business! The bastard is messing with me! There's no reason I shouldn't be deployed— right, Boss?"

Chuuya turned to Mori for support, but the Port Mafia's boss knows how Dazai must be feeling. And unfortunately, Dazai's strategy is never wrong.

"I don't want to say this, but, Chuuya-kun, I think you know best that Dazai-kun's course of action is rarely ever wrong. This time, too, I must forbid you to take part in the battle."

"But!—"

"Don't be stupid chibi! This is none of your concern! It's just best if you stay in the hospital!"

"Oi, shitty mackerel, don't you just kid around—!!"

"I'm not kidding!!" Dazai almost shouted. Damn him but after almost dying today? His nerves were frayed at the edges.

There was a knocking sound from the other side of the line, however, cutting off their escalating argument. Higuchi came, with, unexpectedly, a worried Akutagawa in tow.

No good news then.

Both of them looked from Mori to the two figures on the screen, and Higuchi cleared her throat nervously.

"I'll cut to the chase, boss... As expected, the times match exactly, both in range and duration. If Dazai Osamu's earlier information is correct, Chuuya-san's rampage stopped at the same moment, down to the second, sir."

"Bingo."

Dazai and Mori said together, and their gazes met. Mori-san's almost warm eyes said to the young mastermind, "You'd better deal with this yourself... but good luck, whatever happens."

With that understanding glance between them, Dazai cut the connection.