Chapter 31

The Twin Darkness (双つの黒,) is the 31st chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Summary
Dazai and Chūya are forced to work with each other to save Q and their doll— as Mori put it, a revival of the tandem Twin Dark, just for that night. The two arrive at the basement where Q is being held. While entering, Chūya tells Dazai that back when Dazai fled from the Port Mafia, he had celebrated by drinking a 1989 vintage. Dazai retorts that he had also marked the occasion by placing a bomb beneath Chūya’s car. They then manage to find Q, who is restrained. Dazai asks for Chūya's knife, upon which he cannot find it, and Dazai reveals that he had snatched it from him a while ago. Dazai then points the knife to Q and glances at Chūya, asking if he will stop him, to which Chūya replies that Mori needs Q alive. When he sees Q, however, he cannot help but remember the deaths of his comrades caused by Q's curse, and he tells Dazai to do it. However, Dazai only cuts the roots restraining Q.

As they get Q and and are about to leave the cabin, they are both unexpectedly attacked with roots by Lovecraft. Chūya is slammed into the wall, and after reaching Dazai, he is startled to see that he is wounded. Dazai explains that he cannot nullify Lovecraft's ability because it is not actually an ability. Chūya states that they will have to deal with it the old fashioned way, to which Dazai replies with “Operation Shame and Toad". Chūya responds that, rather, it should be either "Rain pas the Lattice" or "Fake FLower's Lies", but Dazai asks if any of his strategies had been wrong before. Chūya concedes and the two then prepare to fight back.

Chūya attacks Lovecraft using Dazai as a diversion, punching through its body and causing it to be propelled into his gravity. Believing it to be over, Chūya then turns to leave, but Lovecraft gets back up and attacks Dazai, seemingly tearing off his already injured arm. Upon turning around, they find Lovecraft's body to be completely transformed into a large supernatural being. Chūya inquires about Dazai’s arm, to which Dazai teases him and reveals that the arm had only been a prop and he had not been harmed. Chūya then asks how they can defeat Lovecraft, and Dazai replies that there is only one solution: to use Corruption. Dazai states that it is up to Chūya to make the choice, reminding him that if he is at all late to react, Chūya will die. Chūya takes the option anyways and begins to initiate the chant.

Chūya recites the verses in order to activate Corruption. Meanwhile, Dazai threatens Steinbeck by restraining him with a knife. He tells Steinbeck the details of Chūya's Corruption and asks if he knows Lovecraft's true form, to which Steinbeck replies that if he did know, he wouldn't tell Dazai. Dazai notices that Lovecraft regenerates itself each time Chūya hits it, and he starts to worry, as he knows the Corruption cannot last for long. Steinbeck then reveals that nothing can kill Lovecraft from the outside, causing Dazai to deduce that they ought to destroy it from the inside. He orders Chūya to do so.

After Lovecraft has been destroyed with a bolt from above, Chūya begins to attack his surroundings and cough up blood, still under Corruption and having been injured during the battle. Dazai then nullifies his ability and tells him to rest. Chūya drops to the ground and asks why Dazai had not stopped him sooner. Dazai replies that he had been going to, but it was more fun to watch. Chūya then tells Dazai that he had used Corruption because he trusted him, and asks that he brings him back to base safely. Dazai says to leave it to him.