The Heartless Cur (Short Story)

The Heartless Cur (掌編 心なき狗,) is the short story included in Volume 6.

Summary
A young boy, by the name of Ryūnosuke Akutagawa is dashing through the night. He is currently pursuing the culprit, an armed group, who killed all of his friends due to them accidentally overhearing the time and location of Port Mafia's illegal delivery run. As a result, the outlaws attacked Akutagawa and his friends' place and killed everyone.

Akutagawa was seriously hurt from the attack but was able to escape from the massacre thanks to his younger sister, Gin.

After the incident, Akutagawa rushes to the forest with goal of finding and killing the outlaws during their delivery run, in order to avenge his friends. However, as soon as he reaches the forest path, he fails to find the outlaws. Instead, he finds a man sitting on a nearby tree stump.

The man who wears a black overcoat and a bandage on his head greets Akutagawa. Akutagawa is startled by the man's presence and finds the six outlaws he's finding to be dead, lying before the man.

The man introduces himself as Osamu Dazai from the Port Mafia. As soon as Akutagawa tries to speak, Dazai stops him and tells him that he is expecting him. Akutagawa then asks Dazai the reason he killed the outlaws. Dazai responds that Akutagawa wanted to kill them and soon explains the reason why Akutagawa is at the forest. Dazai additionally adds that he got promoted on being part of the Mafia's leader class that day which gives him the right to hire a single underling. Dazai proceeds to tells Akutagawa the reason he killed the outlaws - it being a bargaining chip to invite Akutagawa to the Port Mafia.

As soon as Dazai finishes his sentence, Akutagawa lashes out his ability through Dazai's throat. However, Akutagawa's attack immediately disappears as soon as it touched Dazai. Due to this, Akutagawa steps back from Dazai telling himself that the man was dangerous. Akutagawa asks him how he killed the six outlaws to which Dazai responds that he pitted them agains each other.

Dazai gives Akutagawa his message that he won't hate him if he turns down his invitation, will even give his friends proper burial, and will give him and his sister money enough to make their living. Once Dazai did all of this, Akutagawa sill never see from him again.

Dazai then gets close to Akutagawa telling that if had the vigor for the invitation, he will gladly grant what Akutagawa seeks. He then proceeds to asks Akutagawa what he seeks. Akutagawa replies by asking Dazai if he can give him a reason to live to which the latter says that he can.

Dazai asks for his response. However instead of replying, Akutagawa just shouts, After hearing Akutagawa's screams, Dazai removes his coat and wraps it on the shoulders of the crying Akutagawa.