Chapter 52

Echo, Conclusion is the 52nd Chapter of Bungo Stray Dogs.

Synopsis
Ivan Goncharov opens the chapter listening to the classical music playing from the radio. He is communicating with Pushkin who is escaping Akutagawa and Atsushi in a mine cart. He reveals over the walkie-talkie that if he is captured by the detective and mafia agent that his ability causing the virus will be stopped.

Goncharov reveals that all he works for is for their boss, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, the leader of Rats in the House of the Dead, and his happiness. If necessary and asked of it Goncharov would peel the skin from his own face with a knife.

Meanwhile back with Pushkin, Atsushi and an ailing Akutagawa race to keep up. Dazai manages to connect to them over their broadcast and tells them to leave Fyodor to him and they are to only focus on capturing and defeating Pushkin. Hearing this, Akutagawa is compelled to impress Dazai and activates his ability Rashoumon to attack Pushkin who just laughs at him and degrades himself.

Pushkin nearly escapes but Atsushi sees Akutagawa falling behind and activates his own ability, allowing Akutagawa to ride on his back while he uses the tiger's strength to catch up. Suddenly, a large stone giant breaks away from the wall and appears to be animated by none other than Ivan Goncharov who then decides to reveal his own ability, The Precipice.

Outside of the mine Junichirou monitors the ground from a helicopter with Kenji. They inform Dazai that they spot a few cars leaving at the same time from different tunnels as a diversion. Dazai tells them that all of the cars are actually fakes and Fyodor isn't inside any of them because that is exactly what he would do. They see a person in a hood being escorted by through the woods and are also informed to ignore them.

Back inside Akutagawa and Atsushi agree to team up once more and fight against Goncharov's stone titan. Atsushi is injured but Akutagawa stabs Goncharov through the chest with Rashoumon. This Goncharov turns out to be a false clay doll and the true ability user emerges from the walls and tells Atsushi that now he too has been infected with the virus from Pushkin's ability. They've played into Dostoyevsky's trap.

Tanizaki and Kenji inform Dazai of a single figure walking below them through the woods and Dazai tells all of them to go after them because that for sure is Dostoyevsky. He is wrong and reels from the realization that he has made a devastating mistake.

Akutagawa and Atsushi become trapped in a pit of quicksand and Goncharov walks away from them telling them that he'll forget their faces in the next few steps he takes. Atsushi takes time to reflect and tell Akutagawa about his trauma that he is learning to recover from caused by the abuse in the orphanage and that he still sees the orphanage master looming above him constantly. It is implied he wants Akutagawa to do the same with his trauma from Dazai.

Inspired by his words Akutagawa uses Rashoumon one last time and wraps it around Atsushi like bandages in order to lift him from the quicksand. He tells Atsushi that if he does not succeed he will not forgive him.