Episode 36

Cannibalism (Part 3) (共喰い（其の三)) is the 36th episode of Bungo Stray Dogs anime series. It first aired on June 21, 2019.

Summary
Yukichi Fukuzawa and Ōgai Mori are fiercely fighting each other while they remind themselves of the past they share together as both foes and allies. However, as one of the leaders is about to be killed, an unexpected but nonetheless renowned figure appears and prevents the battle from coming to an end. Meanwhile, Atsushi and Akutagawa are given a last, final chance to save their leaders and form a surprising alliance in order to track down the virus ability user.

Plot
The fight between Fukuzawa and Mori goes on, the President now confronts Elise and calls Mori's ability repulsive. Mori acknowledges his opponent's elegant swordsmanship, and is not in the least surprised by the Silver Wolf, formerly the prime assassin in the government, who counters Elise's attacks so swiftly that his blade remains unseen.

Twelve years ago. A younger-looking Fukuzawa enters by night a clinic run by Mori, then an active underground doctor. There, the two men meet for the first time. Although he is planning to found a detective agency, Fukuzawa was asked by his mentor, Natsume Sōseki, to work as Mori's bodyguard. Mori calls his clinic a neutral ground where he hears plenty stories about the underground world. Fukuzawa already holds suspicions towards Mori, and wonders why Natsume asked him to protect the doctor.

Soon after, Mori, de facto an information broker, is captured by a group of underground criminal who are looking for information about the Port Mafia's armory's location. Mori, far from being afraid by his current situation, threateningly calls his abductors parasites. He then asks for Fukuzawa's opinion as the latter enters the room after killing the dozens of guards watching the building. Fukuzawa does not flinch when one of the criminals threatens to kill Mori, as he does not care.

Fukuzawa says that he smells on Mori the same repulsive stench he smells on himself, and the doctor easily breaks his bonds before brutally killing the criminals. Mori surprises Fukuzawa by naming Natsume as the mastermind behind his plan to learn about the criminals's hideout's location.

Back to the present, Dazai is bedridden at the hospital. He tells Tanizaki about Natsume, a legendary ability user who made the creation of the Agency possible. His ability, which would allegedly allow him to see anything, and his current whereabouts are both unknown to anyone. Suddenly, Mii-chan appears at Dazai's window with a dried sardine between his teeth.

Twelve years ago. Fukuzawa and Mori are in the old mansion where they'll fight against each other twelve years later. In front of the bodies of dozens of enemies Fukuzawa and Mori slayed together, the swordsman complains about the inaccurate information he was given. Mori praises Fukuzawa's skills in combat, but the latter wonders about the usefulness of killing criminals when the Port Mafia is still active. Mori replies that he will take part in Natsume's Tripartite Tactic for this very reason.

Back to the present, Fukuzawa and Mori are still fighting without any of them taking the upper hand. Mori thinks about the past he and Fukuzawa share together, about the many times they clashed but also the times they fought side by side and were then unmatched. Elise attacks but is outmatched by Fukuzawa who cuts her and Mori without restraint. Elise then apologizes to Mori and disappears. Fukuzawa calls for the end of the Tripartite Tactic, a framework set up by Natsume where Yokohama is ruled over by the Special Ability Department by day, the Port Mafia by night, and the Armed Detective Agency during the twilight hours, thus preserving the balance and order of the city.

Mori then tells Fukuzawa that their respective agencies and their lives are not of equal value : if Fukuzawa dies, only peace will be brought, whereas Mori's death will leave the Port Mafia with a blind desire for revenge and will spark an endless war between their organisations. At these words, Fukuzawa flinches, and Mori throws a scalpel right into Fukuzawa's throat.

Sat on stairs by dusk, Atsushi and Kunikida talk about Takai who is presumed dead. Kunikida noticed that the futon Katai was under when Fyodor shot him is not the futon he usually uses - a futon named Yoshiko. As Katai would have no reason to use another futon than Yoshiko, Kunikida deduces that the new futon was bullet-proof. Katai is still alive, but Kunikida wonders who helped the former Agency member to deceive Fyodor.

At the old mansion, Mii-chan watches Mori and Fukuzawa as the latter lies on the floor and is bleeding out. Mori explains that he could not possibly win by force, so he used a dirty verbal play. Fukuzawa weakly calls it fate as his opponent is about to deal the final blow. Mori notices Mii-chan, the cat sitting silently near the two men, and suddenly the floor explodes.

At Haruno's home, she and Naomi wonder about the disappearance of Mii-chan and how the cat always vanishes before serious events are prevented from happening. Indeed, the cat disappeared three days ago, just before the President collapsed.

Back to the old mansion, Fukuzawa and Mori stand injured among the ruins. Suddenly, Mii-chan transforms into a man who scolds the two for being so troublesome. They look up at the sudden presence and are left astounded : before them is Natsume Sōseki, the legendary mentor they have not seen for years. A safe and sound Katai is said to have discovered the Rats in the House of the Dead's hideout's location. Twelve hours before their scheduled death, Fukuzawa and Mori are given by Natsume a last chance to save their lives and to prove Natsume right about the trust he put in their organisations.

On Dazai's initiative, Atsushi and Akutagawa team up in order to raid the enemy hideout, an abandoned coal mine. Atsushi is surprised by Akutagawa accepting their alliance. Their main target is the virus ability user ; their secondary target is Fyodor.

Kunikida, Dazai, Atsushi and Akutagawa arrive near the hideout, but the place is heavily defended with guards, infrared sensors and vital signs monitors. Akutagawa threatens Atsushi to leave him behind or kill him if his presence hinders him, then uses Rashōmon powers to avoid the guards. Atsushi follows him, as the speed of the tiger allows him to move undetected while Dazai and Kunikida go on with their part of the plan.

Tension increases between Akutagawa and Atsushi as the former wants to prove his superiority to Dazai. Atsushi successfully provokes him by saying that as Akutagawa is always eager to kill, it is no surprise that Dazai left him behind. Akutagawa flinches at first, but unexpectedly keeps a cool head. When two guards run into them, Atsushi convince Akutagawa to not kill them in order to gather some intel. Their presence remains unknown and Akutagawa learns about the enemy boss's location after threatening and bribing the two guards.

Somewhere in the hideout, a long-haired, elegant man serves tea while listening to classic music. Fyodor thanks him and asks a Port Mafia underling by phone about the outcome of the fight between Mori and Fukuzawa. The underling tells him that the mansion is in ruins and it is impossible to tell whether the two leaders are alive or not. He then asks Fyodor to defuse the bomb strapped to him; Fyodor tricks him into triggering the bomb.

Atsushi and Akutagawa are now near the blast door behind of which the enemy hideout is said to be. However, Katai needs some time in order to remotely break the locking system. Akutagawa hence asks him to prioritize locating the virus ability user as time is ticking. When Atsushi asks Akutagawa his opinion about Dazai making them work together, the latter answers that Dazai has the thoughts of a fool. He then repeatedly asks Atsushi his reason for taking part in this mission, as Akutagawa considers him to be a coward; Atsushi replies that saving someone is the right thing to do.

Katai manages to find the virus ability user's location; Pushkin is in fact merely meters behind them, and turns out to be one of the two guards Atsushi and Akutagawa captured. Pushkin shots Akutagawa before running away; Atsushi chases him but the criminal gets ahead by using an old mining wagon. Akutagawa stumbles as Pushkin teasingly warns them of slight wounds, and they are horrified to see the same sigil found on Mori and Fukuzawa appears on Akutagawa : he has been infected with Cannibalism.