Chapter 32

Poe and Ranpo (ポオと乱歩,) is the 32nd chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Summary
Ranpo was sent a challenge by the Guild; a "Deduction Game" invitation. Upon solving the puzzle by the door, Ranpo and Akiko walk into the next room where Edgar Allan Poe -- a strategist of the Guild -- is seated and awaiting their arrival.

Edgar Allan Poe spoke as if the two have known each other for a while and he wanted to best Ranpo; however, Ranpo seemed to not remember who Edgar Allan Poe was.

Edgar Allan Poe challenged Ranpo and Akiko to solve the mystery of a novel that he had in his possession. They struck a deal that if Ranpo won, he would reveal the weaknesses of the Guild. After Edgar Allan Poe did a little praising of Ranpo's ability, Ranpo finally agreed to solve the book's chain of murders.

It was revealed to be a trap, and Edgar Allan Poe's ability is revealed. The power to transport his readers into a novel's setting.

Ranpo and Akiko are thrown into the book's setting. The mansion of tragedy. A body is immediately discovered and the conditions of the murder seem to be that of a locked room murder. Ranpo and Akiko cannot seem to activate their ability in the novel. Ranpo does not want to investigate or question the other residents of the mansion because he'd rather use his ability. Akiko, however, holds an interrogation either way.

During the interrogation, Ranpo had refuted many ideas given by the other residents of the mansion as to how the man was murdered. After this, Ranpo had simply walked out. Akiko had followed him and tried to talk about Ranpo's ability, but Ranpo stopped Akiko mid-way -- insisting that he had an ability and that abilities could not be used in the book world.

Meanwhile, Edgar Allan Poe is amused by their struggle -- exclaiming that it is all for the sake of revenge.

Akiko is determined to capture the killer and is seated in her room on her bed with an axe. While Akiko sits there awaiting the murder's move, Edgar Allan Poe explains parts of his past.

The murder comes to kill Akiko, and both she and Ranpo are surprised. The other residents rush to Akiko's room. Akiko lay dying on the floor with the axe she was to use against the murder buried in her torso. As her body went limp, Ranpo took her glasses and wore it himself.

Edgar Allan Poe, in the real world, is laughing in triumph when both Ranpo and Akiko come back out of the book unharmed. He is caught off-guard and Ranpo reveals the murderer in the story along with the tricks used in the narration and the setting of the novel.

Ranpo reveals that he remembered Edgar Allan Poe when he praises him for his improvement in writing. Edgar Allan Poe is taken aback by this. Ranpo leaves mentioning that he looks forward to their next meeting. Edgar Allan Poe is determined to get even better.

Meanwhile, as Ranpo and Akiko were walking back, Akiko mentions that Ranpo doesn't actually have an ability. But Ranpo declines, insisting he has an ability, but he then tells her not to call him normal.

Trivia

 * On this chapter's cover, eight swords can be counted. The tarot card 8 of Swords represents imprisonment, entrapment, and self-victimization while upright, and self-acceptance, new perspectives and freedom while reversed.