Chapter 55

The Perfect Murder, The Perfect Killer, Part 2 (完璧な殺人と殺人者 其の弐,) is the 55th chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Summary
Two months before the events of Cannibalism, Dostoevsky visited Mushitaro held captive by the Seventh Agency. After having killed the guards, Dostoevsky recruited Mushitaro to join him in his mission where he could use his ability that can erase evidence of crimes. Mushitaro accepted his invitation and gave his specific conditions in joining him. Most importantly, he asked the Russian to help him escape to another country one week after he had killed someone by then.

At present, Ranpo remains baffled with failing to catch the criminal's location, even with the use of Super Deduction. Poe tries to console him, but Ranpo nonchalantly tells him that he gives up and heads out to return to the Agency. As Mushitaro waits for the Cleaner's vehicle while basking himself in his certain victory, Ranpo asks him from behind where the taxi stand is. Worried that Ranpo might see the Cleaner, Mushitaro suggests Ranpo to ride the train or the bus, both of which Ranpo declines. Shortly after, the Cleaner's vehicle arrives and fetches Mushitaro.

Mushitaro bids Ranpo farewell, but, to his shock, the latter gets in his vehicle as well. Ranpo asks the chauffeur to drive him to the Agency; in return for his services, Ranpo promises that he shall find Mushitaro some work when he becomes unemployed. With no other choice left, Mushitaro signals the Cleaner to drop Ranpo off at the station to find a taxi.

To buy some time, Mushitaro asks Ranpo what he was doing at the tower, which Ranpo says that he was sleuthing. Mushitaro voices his disinterest in mystery novels, while Ranpo states that he hates such easy stories as well. Nonetheless, he admits getting stumped with the falling murder case, having only the victim's shoes as a lead that might lead to the culprit. He also admits that the case is difficult, more so because the culprit has a reality-altering type of ability, much to Mushitaro's surprise with how far the detective has figured out.

Ranpo tells Mushitaro about the existence of supernatural abilities and how they cannot be defeated with mere deductive techniques that he employs in solving crimes. However, he tells Mushitaro that he was able to solve his current case regardless of the circumstances. He explains that the red envelope contained the manuscript that was supposed to be sold to Poe; he reveals that the manuscript was stolen from the author after the culprit killed him off.

Poe reads the manuscript in an attempt to search for clues that might help Ranpo. When asked about it, Minoura tells his companion about the Kindaichi case, in which a mystery author known as Kindaichi was killed in an inn in a manner resembling the novel he was writing prior his death. On the last page of the photocopied manuscript, Poe notices a blot at the end that appears to be a water drop. To his surprise, Poe receives a call.

Ranpo conjectures that the culprit of the falling murder case and the Kindaichi case are the same person, though Mushitaro deems it to be too far-fetched. To prove it, Ranpo brings out the last page of the manuscript and shows it to Mushitaro, who becomes visibly astounded. Ranpo then deduces that the last page he has with him has a different quality from the rest of the pages, concluding that the culprit might have been in a hurry to photocopy and replace the last page. The culprit then hid the real manuscript, which Ranpo had found and kept with him. At that point, Ranpo became convinced that the two cases share the same culprit. He then asks Mushitaro for his name, afterwards thanking Mushitaro for giving him the final piece of information he needs. Ranpo then identifies Mushitaro as the culprit behind the falling murder case and the Kindaichi case.