Ōgai Mori/Synopsis

The Great War
Fourteen years prior to the main timeline, Mori operated as the head military physician for an infantry corps during the Great War, where he submitted the classified essay "The Immortal Regiment" (不死聯隊,) to the emperor, which aimed to show ability users' usefulness to the government's top brass. To concretize this agenda, Mori drafted 11-year-old Akiko Yosano and left her the task of healing any wounds that his corps soldiers sustained using her healing ability during the intense battle at Tokoyami Island.

As he frequently fawned over Yosano's harsh, cynical attitude towards him, Mori kept a close eye on Yosano and her interactions with the soldiers, which earned him a reputation for his intimidating behavior. Mori then noticed Yosano's growing friendship with a soldier, who incidentally knew of his immortal regiment scheme. In jeopardy of Yosano learning Mori's true intentions, Mori cut their conversation and led Yosano away. While the war raged on, the unit became increasingly dependent on Yosano's ability, which kept a constant stream of physically fit soldiers. Mori forced Yosano to use it even on the mentally traumatized, including soldiers who experienced horrific injuries and near-death experiences. Hence, the unit never received orders to retreat, and more blood spilled.

When the soldier Yosano befriended got a minor wrist fracture, Mori insisted Yosano on healing him to have him return to the frontlines. Exhausted and scared, Yosano refused, but Mori coldly called her 'different' and ordered her to use her ability. He then listed off histories of armies failing to adapt to evolving weaponry and strategy, leading to their downfalls. Now, ability users reshaped war, and Yosano's role was to make the military understand that shift. Regardless, Yosano defied him, so Mori shot the soldier in the chest, putting him on the brink of death and leaving Yosano no choice but to heal him.

The unit lost many soldiers to death thanks to Mori's plan and led them to direct their resentment towards Yosano for trapping them in war. Later on, the war ended, albeit instilling psychological trauma in Yosano.

Post-War
At some point after the war, Mori returned to Yokohama and ran an underground clinic that operated as neutral territory for the criminal world. By this time, the Port Mafia boss's mental state deteriorated into a bloodthirsty state, and Mori answered only to Sōseki Natsume.

Mori then met his "bodyguard" Yukichi Fukuzawa before he fully established the Armed Detective Agency, who clarified to Mori that he acted on Natsume's orders. As the two exchanged banters, some gang members sought Mori; the latter ordered them not to start a fight, as he shall also treat the person who shot their comrade. Mori then left and assured Fukuzawa his clinic is neutral ground. Later that night, Mori was held hostage by men collecting intelligence on the Port Mafia's fortune. Despite being beaten and tied up by them, Mori remained indifferent and nonchalant, causing his captors to lash out on him.

One of them told Mori of their plans on using the mafia's increased violence as scapegoats, going as far as to steal and use their firearms. Mori then concluded that they were illegal immigrants and, suddenly taking a sinister nature, condemned them as parasites leeching off his beloved city's resources. He then addressed Fukuzawa, who arrived after having killed over 20 of the group's men. Mori used Fukuzawa's arrival to distract his captors, freeing himself of his restraints and cutting open the men's throats with a medical scalpel.

With the enemy defeated, Mori informed Fukuzawa that his plan to feign capture worked. Knowing where the group's base is, he determined it's prime time to counterattack, revealing this to be all part of Natsume's own plan. This effectively marked the beginning of Mori's and Fukuzawa's partnership under Natsume's instruction. With Mori's intellect and Fukuzawa's strength, the two were seemingly unstoppable.

Three years after the war's official end, Mori finally discovered Yosano's whereabouts. Ignoring her broken state, Mori intended to use her once more, but Fukuzawa learned of Mori's scheme and fought him. Mori argued that Yosano is vital for the Tripartite Framework and Yokohama's peace, claiming an 'immortal regiment' against Port Mafia's current boss would be the best way. As Fukuzawa condemned Mori's heartless strategy, the battle dissolved their alliance, after which Mori ultimately lost Yosano to the Armed Detective Agency.

Fifteen Arc
At an unknown point in time, Mori eventually rose to a position of high standing the Port Mafia, acting as the Boss's primary physician and right-hand man. During this time, he eventually met Osamu Dazai, at the time a suicidal, shrewd boy that found himself in Mori's clinic. Upon learning of Dazai's intelligence, Mori decided to use him as insurance in assassinating the ill Port Mafia boss, and the two worked as accomplices. Dazai was to be Mori's 'witness' of the late Boss bestowing leadership upon Mori.

However, Mori's intention was for Dazai to have committed suicide soon afterward, taking the truth of Mori's murder with him in death. Dazai's many failures proved both an obstacle and an advantage for Mori. This proved a rare miscalculation on Mori's part, as he failed to correctly read Dazai's intentions and nature. Mori denied Dazai's accusations, pointing out how simple it would've been to let Dazai die instead of treating him from failed suicide attempts. He reached the conclusion he could not let Dazai die, as the former boss' remaining supporters would quickly know that his death was, in fact, a murder conspiracy.

Although he largely underestimated Dazai's intelligence and dark nature, Mori also found the child disturbingly similar to him in nature, and, as a result, a competent future right-hand man. Ultimately, Mori issued him a silver oracle, which granted him considerable influence and power over the mafia in investigating the rumors of the former Boss 'returning' from the grave in Suribachi City. Just before Dazai left, Mori asked him why Dazai wanted to die so badly, but, as expected, received no clear answer.

During Dazai's mission, Mori contacted him to receive affirmation that the Port Mafia's predecessor returned surrounded by black flames. Eventually, after Dazai and Ryūrō Hirotsu were confronted by Chūya Nakahara of Sheep, a mysterious black explosion knocked the group out.

After retrieving them, Mori had Chūya restrained in his office by sub-executive Randō. Mori asked Chūya about the explosion and bluntly asked him if he'd like to join the Port Mafia. This infuriated the boy, which Mori anticipated given his resentment against the Port Mafia thanks to the late boss' mindless havoc over Yokohama. Though Mori noted he 'died from illness', Chūya did not believe him, quick to note Mori's desire for power and the rumors that he assassinated the boss. In a calm, cold manner, Mori then frankly admitted killing his predecessor.

With this reveal, Mori retracted his invitation to Chūya and instead arranged a deal to have him work alongside them to solve the rumors, as they could both benefit from the information the mysterious Arahabaki rumors. He warned Chūya that if he refused, he'll kill the Sheep members; as proof, he held up a transmitter from which Sheep members called for Chūya's help amidst mafioso surrounding them. Hence, Chūya begrudgingly agreed to Mori's deal.

To begin with, both parties thought that the dead could not be revived. However, Mori presented footage of the predecessor in the Port Mafia's highly guarded vaults, where the supposed specter mentioned Arahabaki's name. After Chūya discussed Arahabaki's origins, Dazai theorized that someone might be using the previous boss's alleged resurrection to cause an uproar against the current boss, most likely an ability user's doing all in order to turn Mori's people against him.

Mori ordered Dazai to uncover the truth, which Dazai reluctantly agreed to. When he pointed out that he could not accomplish anything alone, Mori decided to make Chūya work with him. Against their protests, Mori threatened Chūya is in no position to refuse orders. Since the culprit was against the mafia, it'll be easier for an outsider to collect information, with Dazai to act as surveillance and his nullification ability as insurance to ensure Chūya would not betray them.

As the two adolescents accepted his order, Mori dismissed them and looked forward to hearing good news. Once left alone, Mori mused a lesson from Sōseki Natsume: that only diamonds can polish diamonds, or only those with high potential can bring out another's high potential. Using Dazai and Chūya, Mori intended to verify this claim for himself.

Amidst their mission, Dazai contacted Mori after running into Shirase and two other Sheep members. He requested the ones held hostage by the Port Mafia to be released, which Mori approved.

Months after Randō's reveal as a traitor and his burial left in a makeshift gravestone, Mori assigned Dazai – now an official mafioso – to head one of their troops as his first mission to eliminate the GSS and Sheep, the Port Mafia's most active rivals thus far. However, the truth behind this task was to recruit Chūya, knowing of the Sheep's resentment against him. Using the Sheep members' lives as leverage, Dazai successfully convinced Chūya to join the Port Mafia.

As the mafia's tradition, Mori offered Chūya a black second-hand hat, previously found among Randō's personal effects. Mori also informed him about classified documents and confidential material they discovered that revealed intel about the research facility where Chūya was found in; the main purpose was to combine abilities with existing beings, namely artificial abilities. Nonetheless, Mori asked Chūya to rise through the ranks if he wished to access the documents only for executives.

Chūya asked Mori what it meant to be a leader, and Mori returned to his belief of being both their leader and 'slave' who would place their subordinates where they're best suited, using and discarding them if needed. Mori admitted that he is willing to do anything inhumane for the sake of both the Port Mafia and Yokohama. His words inspired Chūya, who pledged his life to the Port Mafia and city.

Later, Mori walked down a corridor with an injured Dazai and the recently retrieved Q. Mori admitted he was unaware of the child's gender, intending to search through certain documents to find out. During the conversation, Chūya, alongside Kōyō Ozaki, ran into them. As the boys instantly argued, Kōyō questioned Mori's decision to allow them both in the Port Mafia, but Mori insisted it shall be fine.

Dragon's Head Conflict
After the death of 'Colonel', a former executive, during the Dragon's Head Conflict, Mori assigned Dazai an executive position. He largely left the conflict to Dazai's discrepancy and noted this as the beginning of the infamous partnership Twin Dark, whose power, skill, and dynamic mirrored that of Mori's and Fukuzawa's former partnership.

Dark Era Arc
At least two years later, Mori orchestrated a grand scheme to acquire a skilled business permit. As such, he sent Ango Sakaguchi – a Special Division for Unusual Powers agent sent in to spy on the mafia – to Europe for a business trip. He learned of a guerrilla organization known as Mimic that way and figured they'd be the easiest way to set his plan into motion, having Ango contact them and illegally aiding in their entrance to Japan all to force the Special Division into issuing the mafia the permit.

Sometime later, Mori summoned lowest-ranking mafioso Sakunosuke Oda to his office while insistently convincing Elise to wear a dress he got her. Amidst Elise admonishing his apparent desperation, Oda interrupted them and asked why Mori called for him. After an initial exchange of pleasantries, Mori tasked Oda to find someone, particularly mafia informant as well as Oda's and Dazai's mutual friend, Ango.

When Oda agreed to the assignment, Mori noted having heard of Oda's reputation. His composure and level-headedness made him a valuable asset, and Mori expected great things from him. He soon handed Oda a silver oracle, granting him written permission to order any mafia member and even executives without question, including Dazai. Before Oda took his leave, Mori complimented his pistol and inquired about the rumors surrounding him as someone who refused to kill anyone, which Oda confirmed. Mori asked why, but after telling Oda he's only asking out of personal interest, Oda plainly stated he'd rather not tell him.

After Mimic established a hostility with the mafia and slaughtered the orphans Oda looked after, Mori attended a meeting on a ship facilitated by Ango between Mori and Santōka Taneda, the commander of the Special Division. As mafia boss, Mori was beseeched to wipe out Mimic, but Mori pointed out Mimic gave the Port Mafia its fair share of trouble. In exchange for the mafia's cooperation, Taneda issued him a skilled business permit.

After Dazai failed to dissuade Oda from attacking Mimic on his own, he asked Mori to provide Oda some backup. Mori approved his request, but he wondered if it worth to send in executive-level men just to save one low-ranking member. Despite Dazai's insistence, Mori doubted that Oda wanted their help. He explained that being the Port Mafia's boss means being both its leader and a slave to it. He must be willing to perform any necessary and logically conceivable atrocity, all for the sake of ensuring their strength and defeating their enemies.

His explanation built up to a vital reveal upon sliding the mysterious black envelope to Dazai. The truth behind the war between Mimic and the Port Mafia finally came to light to Dazai, who abruptly dismissed himself, only for Mori to stop him. As Dazai deduced Mori as the one who orchestrated the entire elaborate scheme.

Mori claimed Dazai was giving him too much credit, pointing out it wasn't that easy to manipulate the Special Division, as they're much more powerful than they let on. Dazai acknowledged this, noting that even the Port Mafia must tread carefully or risk being snuffed out, arguing this was why Mori orchestrated such an elaborate scheme in the first place in exchange for a single black envelope.

Ultimately, when Mimic became an issue in Yokohama, Mori took advantage of the situation and "offered" the Port Mafia's assistance in exchange for the envelope. Mori confirmed his accusations and asked if there's anything wrong with how he helped earn the mafia a victory at the expense of a single, low-ranking mafioso. From a logical standpoint, Dazai could not argue with Mori, though he soon realized that it was the boss who leaked the orphans' location to Mimic, which Mori considered would push Oda over the edge and thereby defeat Mimic as their best and only candidate to do so.

Mori's response remained the same, explaining that the Port Mafia had and would have always committed the worst crimes to obtain their goals. Unable to debate any further, Dazai attempted to leave again, but Mori told him not to. Dazai knew Mori would not gain anything from killing him, with which Mori wondered what Dazai would gain from disobeying him. Dazai dismissed Mori's attempt to make sense of his intentions, simply pointing out that Oda was his friend; he finally left Mori, who watched him leave with a faint smile.

Two weeks after Oda's death and Mimic's defeat, Mori listlessly read over the silver oracle he bestowed Oda that was retrieved from Mimic's base. He was informed of Dazai's absence for two weeks and asked to discuss his executive successor, but Mori ordered to keep his position open. In the end, everything went according to Mori's plan, with their acquired skilled business permit making up for their losses, including Dazai's disappearance. Nonetheless, Mori lamented how things would get "boring" by then in the Port Mafia.

Armed Detective Agency vs. Port Mafia Arc
Mori arranges the Port Mafia's manhunt on Atsushi Nakajima, tasking Ryunosuke Akutagawa and Ichiyō Higuchi with the job. After Akutagawa's defeat, Mori details his dire condition to Higuchi, warning her he may never wake up, much to Higuchi's worry. Mori assures her that what matters is their attempt, not their failure, though this doesn't console Higuchi. Mori brings up the illegal smuggling group Akutagawa slaughtered, Karma Transit; with Akutagawa's injuries and Karma Transit's grudge, Akutagawa is now a liability.

Although Mori acknowledges Akutagawa's worth in the Port Mafia, he questions Higuchi's place as a mafioso. Despite knowing Karma Transit kidnaps Akutagawa, Mori never issues an explicit rescue mission, leaving his subordinates to their own devices.

The Guild Arc
Posing as a civilian doctor in the city, Mori loses track of Elise, calling her name to try and find her. Jun'ichirō Tanizaki shoves him out the way searching for his sister, with Atsushi crouching down to ask Mori if he's okay, unaware he's speaking to the Port Mafia's notorious leader. As a result, Mori is trapped by Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Abyssal Red alongside the two detectives and many street passersby.

After witnessing Lucy's power, Atsushi urges Mori to run, but Mori refuses, telling him he's looking for his 'daughter' and showing a photograph of Elise. It's possible Elise is trapped in Lucy's room, so he can't leave. For the majority of Atsushi and Tanizaki's battle against Lucy, Mori plays the role of an innocent civilian.

After Atsushi attempts to escape for help, Mori stops him, advising him with simple game theory: when the enemy attacks, fight back with all you have. When Atsushi isn't completely convinced, he reminds Atsushi that many people depending on him are still trapped.

Although this helps Atsushi, he's nonetheless 'caught' by Anne. Lucy gloats, aiming at Mori as her next target, however, Mori shows his true colors to her alone. Mori gives a menacing smile that sends chills down Lucy's spine, warning her she's not dealing with a normal man. His frightening gaze and aura are enough to scare even Anne. Mori tells Lucy she's already lost, revealing Atsushi and Tanizaki's plan to defeat her. After Lucy's defeat, Mori and everyone else are freed from Abyssal Red, and much to his joy, Mori finds Elise. When he asks where she went off to, Elise tells her she hid from him to make him upset.

Right before leaving, Mori leaves Atsushi with one last piece of advice: no matter the hardship, there's always a logical, optimal solution. If he finds himself pushed into a corner, he mustn't ever forget that. Mori leaves with Elise in tow, rendering Kyōka Izumi a trembling mess, as she's the only one who recognizes who he truly is.

Mori arrives at a secluded alley, where major mafiosi surround the corpse of a Guild assassin. At his arrival, his subordinates all bow down to him out of respect. Confirming the assassin's death, Mori gives the order to kill both the Guild and Armed Detective Agency.

Having found Kyōka, Mori exchanges a short conversation with Kōyō before she departs to retrieve her former protégé. During their confrontation, Kōyō reveals Mori gave her permission to retrieve Kyōka, instead of eliminating her as a traitor. After being informed of the Guild's attack and Kōyō being missing in action, Mori grits his teeth in frustration, but later simply decides to kill Fukuzawa in retaliation. He arranges for assassins unaffiliated with the mafia to save them the trouble, allowing them to fully focus on the Guild.

The assassination attempt inevitably fails, but scandium marks on the assassins' sleeves allow them to track Fukuzawa's moves. Using this, the Port Mafia locates the Agency's hideout, and Mori has Chūya confront them. As part of Mori's plan, the Port Mafia leaks the whereabouts of Naomi Tanizaki and Haruno Kirako to the Guild, forcing the Agency to take action in hopes of the two enemies taking each other out, lessening the burden on the Port Mafia.

Meanwhile, Mori plans on attacking the Guild's major base, playing darts with his scalpels (and missing every single time). Much to Elise's chagrin, Mori takes one of her crayons to write a letter to the Guild. The letter reaches Nathaniel Hawthorne and Margaret Mitchell, full of empty pleasantries before stating he intends on destroying the S.S. Zelda and killing both Guild members. He assigns Motojirō Kajii and Akutagawa the task.

When Chūya reaches the Agency's hideout, he reveals that they've leaked Naomi and Haruno's whereabouts to the Guild. According to him, Mori said that while the Agency would know it's a trap, they'd make a move nonetheless, driving in Mori's understanding of the Agency's ways.

Determined to wipe out both organizations, Mori goes as far as to release Q from their imprisonment, much to Dazai's shock. He also sends Gin and Higuchi to confront the man, having Higuchi send Mori's usual mocking question to Dazai: if he wants to return to his post as an executive. As Dazai's the one responsible for Q's imprisonment, Mori arranged Gin and Higuchi to 'protect' him from Q's grudge.

Although Mori succeeds in destroying the S.S. Zelda, his other two schemes fail to weaken the Agency. And as a result of their retreat, Q is captured by Howard Phillips Lovecraft as part of the Guild's own plan to use them to burn Yokohama to the ground. With Yokohama in a state of chaos because of Dogra Magra, Mori has his major mafiosi defend their territories from any damage.

Although the incident is quickly quelled, the Guild can reactivate it at any time with Q in their clutches. Mori arrives in one of the Port Mafia's shell companies, filled to the brim with the corpses of many Mafiosi. Having lost 18 direct members and over 100 affiliates, Mori smiles bitterly, ironically wondering aloud how he could face the former boss. Just then, Kōyō returns with a letter from the Agency to work together. With an amused smile, Mori agrees to attend.

Later, Mori and his entourage are welcomed by Dazai to commence the secret meeting. Mori and Fukuzawa state their mutual distrust towards each other's organizations and in an alliance, citing how no one can oversee and stand on neutral ground between the two parties. Fukuzawa then urges Mori that they end it all between the two of them, hence clashing with each other.

In the end, the two parties arrive at the conclusion that they cannot have an alliance. As the mafia leaves, Mori tells Dazai that his invitation to return as a mafia executive still stands, to which Dazai quips if the boss is quite afraid that he might kill him soon like how Mori killed his predecessor.

At night, Mori is updated by Hirotsu that their forces are in position for the counterattack against the Guild. Hirotsu also discusses the former boss' instability and tyrannical leadership that almost razed the city to the ground. Mori asks him to go straight to his point, to which Hirotsu acknowledges that Dazai, among many others, most likely understands why Mori murdered the former boss. Mori admits that he does not regret his past actions, though he finds it unfortunate that Dazai did not last as his right-hand man. Despite not openly forging an alliance with the Agency, Mori sends Chūya to aid Dazai, resurrecting Yokohama's vicious duo, Twin Dark, for one night to crush their mutual enemy.

When Atsushi solo infiltrates Moby Dick, Mori contacts Dazai, much to the latter's cringe. Mori proceeds to tell Dazai that, though the mafia and the Agency have agreed not to hinder each other during the war, he has received a report and can no longer adhere to the treaty, seeing that Akutagawa has also infiltrated Moby Dick.

As the three-way conflict ends, Mori celebrates with Kōyō and Chūya to their success, treated to one of the latter's prized wines. Mori asks Kōyō why she chose not to escape when she was confined in the Agency given that it must have been easy with her ability. Kōyō retorts that it must have been due to the wonderful tea that they served her at the place. If Kōyō were to leave the mafia, with her powerful skills, he admits that nobody might be able to stop her. Kōyō assures him that she has an inept boss to help in reviving the mafia, clarifying that she only hates the previous mafia and that she is now content with the current organization. Mori is gladdened with her response, though he jests that he is only interested in young girls, to which Kōyō asks him to shut up.

The Guild Aftermath Arc
Following the end of the Guild war, Mori orders his subordinates that they are still prohibited from antagonizing the Agency even after the three-way conflict. Though Higuchi initially questions it, Mori assures her that he has taken it into consideration from every perspective. He then tasks Gin to disseminate the order to her fellow mafiosi.

Some time later, Mori and Kōyō are informed by Ace that Fyodor Dostoevsky, the mastermind behind the sinking of Moby Dick, has been captured courtesy of his professional kidnapper. Mori wonders what Fyodor is like, to which Ace mutters under his breath that the man is like a soulless vampire. In any case, Mori remarks that the Russian shall experience the mafia's retribution firsthand, to which Kōyō asks whether her torture squad shall handle it. Ace interjects and volunteers to handle it himself, which Mori allows. As Ace leaves, Kōyō worries about a disloyal executive like Ace handling the case, though Mori comments on how his strength lies in his finances, looking forward to what the executive shall do.

Cannibalism Arc
When ability users are being attacked by a masked assassin at night, Mori orders the Black Lizard to track and infiltrate the alleged suspect's hideout, though he learns from Hirotsu that the place is empty. He then allows them to enact their usual plan as their next course of action. As he and Elise board their car along the streets, the vehicle explodes courtesy of the masked assassin. Elise saves him through levitating, upon which Akutagawa contacts and updates him that their prey has been ensnared. Mori then instructs him that it is their turn to bite him down.

A police officer inquires about the incident. Mori makes up a lie that triggered the explosion, only for the officer to stab him and gets revealed as Fyodor when Mori removes his cap. As Fyodor runs through the crowd to escape, Mori immediately instructs Elise to chase him down, but to no avail. Thinking how Fyodor must have also planned the crowd density, Mori loses consciousness as the Cannibalism virus activates through his wound. Higuchi later rushes in to have him treated.

While incapacitated, Tanizaki aims to assassinate Mori in his chamber, though Kōyō intercepts and prevents the detective's plan. Hence, Mori is moved to an underground shelter to prevent any further attempts on his life.

Fourteen hours before the virus outbreak, Mori manages to get up and leave his safe room, heading to a manor where he encounters Fukuzawa waiting for him. As the two acknowledge that having to battle each other themselves is the only way to sort the issue without inflicting further damage to their respective organizations, Mori remarks how the things they both protect have increased. Fukuzawa reminisces on their last battle at the manor 12 years ago, to which Mori, activating his ability, assures that it will be Fukuzawa's resting place.

Mori summons Elise and clashes with Fukuzawa, noting how the renowned Silver Wolf lives up to his name as a previous government assassin. As they clash with each other, Mori and Fukuzawa muse how they were invincible when working together years ago. Fukuzawa eventually manages to cut Elise into pieces, calling for the end of the Tripartite Framework. Mori explains that his death would ignite an even bloodied war between the organizations, whereas Fukuzawa's death would bring the war to a peaceful end. He suddenly stabs Fukuzawa in the throat with his scalpel and apologizes for his dirty play.

The apparition of Sōseki Natsume ultimately prevents Mori from dealing the final blow to Fukuzawa. Natsume urges his former disciples to crush their mutual opponent, befitting how he entrusts them with their respective organizations. Thanks to Natsume's and Katai Tayama's combined efforts, the mafia and the Agency track down the Rats in the House of the Dead's hideout and the virus ability user, Alexander Pushkin. When the man eventually exits the hideout, members from the Port Mafia and the Agency await him. Mori, alongside Fukuzawa, knocks Pushkin out, thus releasing him from the death sentence of the virus.

Decay of Angels Arc
As the Armed Detective Agency is framed as the Decay of Angels, Mori is contacted by Fukuzawa minutes before the latter's arrest. Fukuzawa asks Mori to aid the Agency against the Hunting Dogs, but Mori asks for a payment in return: a member of the Agency must transfer to the Port Mafia. Fukuzawa forbids him to choose Yosano, as she would not tolerate being Mori's subordinate again. Agreeing to his condition, Mori wishes him luck in their struggle. He then orders to send in Chūya by chopper to the Agency's location.

After Chūya brings the wanted Agency members sans Kunikida to the mafia hideout, Mori welcomes and informs them about Dazai's status, who was captured by the Hunting Dogs and possibly to be sent somewhere unfortunate. For their escape, Mori proposes to have them split up and run away, but Yosano spites his idea and thinks that he merely wishes to get her rather than help them out. From his bargain with Fukuzawa, Mori lies that their President allowed Yosano to be chosen for the transfer to the mafia.

Hirotsu interrupts and hands him a radio left at the entrance, upon which Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald greets Mori and has sent Atsushi to their hideout as part of their deal. Before Mori can further inquire on how Fitzgerald knows about their location, he cuts their conversation, arousing Mori's suspicions. Knowing that Fitzgerald used Eyes of God to track them, Mori surmises that a man such as Fitzgerald is more likely to make a deal with the stronger Hunting Dogs rather than the struggling Agency; he then thinks that the deal is a trap.

Eventually, without the Agency members' knowledge, Mori knows that they would ignore his instructions. Addressing his Mafia vanguards, Mori firmly trusts that they must know the Agency's next moves. Particularly, he knows that they will do anything to prove their innocence to society rather than face a guilty verdict. Hence, he orders the Black Lizard commanders to protect the Agency members on the run.