Chapter 1

Looking the Gift Tiger in the Mouth (人生万事塞翁が虎,) is the 1st chapter of the Bungo Stray Dogs manga.

Synopsis
Atsushi Nakajima rescues a man named Osamu Dazai, who tried to commit suicide by drowning in a river. Dazai and his partner, Kunikida treat Atsushi to some bowls of chazuke as an apology while learning that Atsushi was kicked out of his orphanage. The two men introduce themselves as detectives who are looking for a tiger when Atsushi tries to excuse himself. The detectives grow suspicious and Atsushi confesses that he is being chased by the tiger and Dazai persuades him to help them capture it.

Summary
A boy is seen struggling and dying of hunger while thinking of the food he used to eat at the orphanage. The boy's name reveals to be Atsushi. He was driven out of their orphanage without anything to eat, and a place to sleep. While pondering on the thought of stealing to survive, he notices a man drowning in the river and immediately rescues him.

The man asks Atsushi if he is the one who saved him and tells Atsushi that he hindered his attempt at suicide. The man then apologizes to Atsushi for causing him trouble because he thought it would be a clean suicide. Atsushi's stomach began to growl. Hearing this, the man asks Atsushi if he was hungry, Atsushi reveals that he has not eaten for three days, the man replies that he is also hungry but his wallet got washed away in the river.

Another man appears on the other side of the river named Kunikida who is the man's associate. The man then offers to let his associate treat Atsushi. The man then asks his name and Atsushi replies with "Atsushi Nakajima". Kunikida shouts at his associate who reveals to be Osamu Dazai, to not use his money without his permission.

The three go to a soba restaurant. Kunikida reveals that they are in the middle of a work request to exterminate a beast. Dazai reveals that recently a man hunting tiger has been causing a lot of trouble in Yokohama. After hearing Dazai, Atsushi becomes shocked and insists that he'd better go. Kunikida stops him and Atsushi firmly says that a human cannot defeat it. Kunikida then asks Atsushi if he knows something about the man-eating tiger. Atsushi still tries to escape while saying that the tiger is after him. Kunikida restrains him and tells Atsushi that the agency specializes in violent cases. Kunikida then orders Atushi to tell them everything he knows but Dazai interrupts him saying that information should be gathered through questioning as the director always say.

Atsushi then begins to confess that the orphanage he lived in was destroyed by the tiger, the field was completely ravaged, there were no casualties but the orphanage was on the brink of losing. Atsushi tells them that he was kicked out to reduce the people they feed. Kunikida then asks Atsushi what he meant that the tiger is there to kill him. Atsushi responds that after he left the orphanage, the tiger chased him in the city. Atsushi further tells them that he cannot remember how he escaped as he was dizzy and hungry. Dazai asks him when did it happen and Atsushi replies that he left the orphanage two weeks ago and saw it at the river four days ago. Kunikida then tells them that the tiger's victims were also seen in the vicinity and the tiger was also seen in the Tsurumi River four days ago. After some thinking, Dazai asks Atsushi is he is free and helps them in their tiger hunt and there will be a reward of him. Dazai gives a note to Kunikida to give to the president.

Later that night, Dazai and Atsushi are waiting at the warehouse. Atsushi asks Dazai if the tiger will really come at the warehouse and Dazai says that it will come and tells him not to worry since the tiger is no match for him. Atsushi then tells Dazai that he admires his confidence, unlike him who was always called "good for nothing", and that trash like him should just probably die somewhere. Dazai then looks up at the sky and tells Atsushi that any moment now, the tiger will come. A sound was heard from the warehouse which made Atsushi startled. Atsushi continues to panic saying that the tiger will eat him. Dazai then tells Atsushi how it is strange that the orphanage kicked him considering it was an orphanage and considering that the orphanage is in a brink of closing, kicking one or two children would not help that much. Dazai then continues to tell Atsushi that he came to the town two weeks ago, the same as the tiger.

While Dazai continues to talk, Atsushi transforms into the tiger. Atsushi, in the form of the tiger, starts to attack Dazai however he successfully avoids them. Dazai then touches the tiger and nullifies it turning it back to Atsushi. Atsushi loses consciousness and falls to the floor. After nullifying the ability, Kunikida arrives at the warehouse and learns that Atsushi is the tiger. Dazai reveals that he has the power of the tiger and doesn't seem to retain his memories after hi transform. Kunikida then reveals the note Dazai gave him which states "The tiger will appear in the Western Warehouse in District 15. Build a perimeter to ensure it cannot escape" and tells Dazai that he even deployed those that are off-duty, revealing other agency members: Akiko Yosano, Ranpo Edogawa and Kenji Miyazawa. Dazai then tells them his plan for Atsushi and for him to join the agency.

Chapter Notes

 * Atsushi is revealed to be the man-eating tiger.
 * Dazai, Kunikida, Ranpo, Yosano and Kenji's abilities were introduced.

Abilities

 * Beast Beneath the Moonlight (debut)
 * No Longer Human (debut)
 * The Matchless Poet (debut)
 * Thou Shalt Not Die (debut)
 * Super Deduction (debut)
 * Undefeated by the Rain (debut)

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