Nikolai Gogol

Nikolai Gogol (ニコライ・ゴーゴリ,) is a member of the Decay of Angels.

Appearance
Gogol has white layered, sharp hair swept to the left side of his face. However, as short as it seems, he also has a long braid of hair that often rests on his right shoulder.

A scar is slit vertically down his left eye. Compared to his left eye, his right eye appears vacant, bearing no highlights in it, indicating he may be blind in it. Over his right eye appears to be a card-styled mask or eye patch.

Gogol's attire is just as eccentric as his personality, and closely resembles something akin to a circus ringmaster. He wears a mostly black jacket, the right side being solid black, black and white striped trousers, a shirt with a ruffled, round collar akin to a loose elaborate turtleneck, and dark gloves. He completes the outfit with a top hat with a diamond pattern.

Personality
Gogol is sadistic and loves to speak in great theatrics. One of his main traits is his tendency to pose questions (oftentimes rhetorical threats) as "quizzes". He's also skilled in disguises, deceiving Tonan as his secretary.

Whilst fighting Atsushi, Gogol depicts great joy in fighting and tormenting him, going as far as to capture Atsushi's leg in his coat and leaving it in a separate space on the floor.

Gogol hints that his eccentric persona may or may not be real. The side of him feeling no remorse in murdering others is just as real as the side that feels guilt, well aware of how wrong and cruel his actions are. He claims to want to soar as freely as birds do. Nonetheless, both sides appear evident. However, even if he does feel guilt, he acts as if he bears no hard feelings towards Fyodor Dostoevsky, whom he nicknames "Dos".

Ability
Gogol's ability, The Overcoat (外套,), allows him to use his coat to manipulate spaces and what comes out of them. That is, it acts largely like a portal, capable of relocating and moving objects. He can use this to make his hand and gun appear in a space completely unrelated to him or manifest a pillar. The ability works on living things as well. He uses it to 'sever' Atsushi's leg from his body, trapping it on the floor. Its maximum effect connects 30 meters.

Beginning
Gogol first appears as a disguised police officer who shoots the driver Mushitaro is in. He then introduces himself in the form of a quiz and states that he come to clean up messes. He further explains that his job is to eliminate anyone who knows the Decay of Angels next course of action, five people who will announce the demise of the celestial world. He also disguises himself as Tonan's secretary and shoots him.

Hostage Event
Gogol appears with his hostages who are high-rank government officials, who are bound in a body-cutting machine. He then gives the Armed Detective Agency four pieces of information: a) that when the times comes, the government officials will be cut into two, b) if the members of the agency attempt to interfere, the chainsaw will start automatically, c) the chainsaw will be activated precisely at 6 pm, and remembers that there is no fourth thing. He then orders to take the camera off.

While Atsushi sneakily goes to the mansion where the hostages are held through the evacuation route, Gogol shoots him from the back to which Atsushi managed to avoid. Atsushi then asks if he is one of the terrorists to which Gogol replies with his name and tells him his ability, an object transfer type ability. Atsushi then proceeds to attack Gogol but Gogol manages to take out a gun to which Atsushi stops by using the fangs of the tiger. Gogol then uses his ability to take out a large telephone pole to attack Atsushi. While Atsushi is injured, Gogol then uses his ability to make Atsushi's legs come from his coat. Atushi then asks Gogol the reason for him killing people in cruel ways, Gogol responds that there are two options, one is that it's fun for him and proceeds to stab Atsushi's leg. He then follows his reply that that reply is "one for victims" answer. Gogol then proceeds to tell Atsushi the "real answer", in which he states that he is completely sane and understands the murder of evil and feels guilt just like other people. However, he seeks the perfect freedom that's why he joined the Decay of Angels. Atsushi then says that he does not understand it. Gogol replies that only Fyodor is the one who understands. Gogol then proceeds to ask Atsushi what is the lie on just what he said and tells him that he should not believe a clown's words. He then releases Atsushi's leg from his coat and disappears.

Gogol re-appears at the hostage site and ask Tonan his thoughts before saying goodbye to his lower body to which Tonan replies that the National Judicial Court his father and him built will destroy him. Gogol then tells him that he will only save him as thanks for his help over the last six months. After a while, the Armed Detective Agency arrives at the area to which Gogol immediately orders the masked men to press the button that activates the chainsaw. He then proceeds to tell them to take off their hoods, just as the machine starts to cut the bodies of the other government officials. After taking the hoods, Gogol states that the true identity of the men in white hoods is the Armed Detective Agency, which left them surprised. After grasping the current situation, the agency is shocked that they are the ones inside the room where they have not entered the room yet and Gogol is suddenly tied-up. Gogol then tells the Armed Detective Agency that they are avatars of justice wherein the Decay of Angels is pure evil. He then proceeds to shout that it is a prison break and he chooses the freedom of his soul. Gogol then pleads that he does not want to die and asks Mr. Tonan for help. He then declares that the identity of the criminals is the Armed Detective Agency. After stating the identity of the criminals, Gogol's body was cut in half.

Battle at the Sky Casino Aftermath
Gogol is seen waiting for Sigma at the ground after the Sky Casino battle. After landing, Sigma wakes up at the sight of Gogol. Gogol then explains how he rescued him, in which he uses his space connection ability to lower him little by little until reaching the ground. Sigma then asks Gogol that if the one who gave instruction to shoot him was Fyodor, what is the reason for rescuing him and states that Gogol should have died during the hostage operation, Sigma asks Gogol how he survived and Gogol proceeds to tell him that he created a gap with his space-attachment ability to connect to someone's torso. Sigma then states that the one he is surprised with is the fact the Gogol is expected to die yet he does not. Gogol then replies that Fyodor is the one who understood him but if they were to use Sigma's ability to read Fyodor's ability, they will be free from "brainwashing".

Appearances
{{Appearance
 * Chapters =

Decay of Angels Arc
}}
 * Chapter 57 - Sunday Tragedy, Part 1
 * Chapter 58 - Sunday Tragedy, Part 2
 * Chapter 59 - Dogs Hunt Dogs, Part 1
 * Chapter 77 - Skyfall, Part 4
 * Chapter 78 - To Threaten God, Part 1
 * Chapter 80 - The Strongest Man, Part 1 (flashback)
 * Chapter 84 - Hero vs. Criminal (image)

Trivia

 * Gogol's eccentric nature likely stems from the real Nikolai Gogol's reputation as a dramatist and satirist.
 * Likewise, his brutal method of murder stems from the author's combination of realistic and grotesque elements.
 * Unlike the majority of the characters, Gogol does not share his birthday with his real-life counterpart (31 March). Instead, his birthday is on April Fool's Day.
 * His ability is largely reminiscent of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's Rashōmon, however instead of consuming things in its space, it relocates.
 * His ability comes from his novella ‘The Overcoat,’ about which the author Dostoevsky once said ‘We all come out from Gogol's 'Overcoat.’

Quotes

 * (to Atsushi Nakajima) "Did I trick you? You shouldn't listen to the words of a clown because you won't be able to sleep at night!"