Chapter 67

Chapter 67 is the sixty-seventh chapter of the Dead Mount Death Play manga.

Official Blurb
Polka the shark has been kidnapped! But to what end...?

Short Summary
Civil A. Sabaramond explains to Soara Habaki and Lulu that he suspects the shark plush they have kidnapped to be 'almost certainly' a catalyst or connection between Polka Shinoyama and the Corpse God from the Other World. Since Fire-breathing Bug will likely try to incinerate the shark plush in the event it is actually a "link to the other side of the sky," the trio will have to protect the shark going forward.

Taipei, visibly unwell, interrupts Corpse God and Takumi Kuruya to request a moment of "Polka-sama's" time. They move to the Fortunetelling room (and are joined shortly by Misaki Sakimiya and Kochou Eightport), where Takeru Shinoyama explains via speakerphone that the previous customer trio belong to a group who have attacked his personnel—thus, Taipei acted to protect Polka's life. He requests that Polka read Taipei's fortune to divine who those three were.

Elsewhere, Tena Sorimura shows the Bugs and Higuro his Higuro-Ryouma Kannagi deepfake creation, which he apparently made for the sole reason of 'surprising' The Bastard Children of Sabaramond. Sorimura's absurd (lack of) rationale is what finally breaks Higuro's stolid demeanor, though Higuro recovers swiftly and asks the Bugs why they have been burning Sabaramond associates for the last century. This is the same question Tsubaki Iwanome wants an answer to—why is Habaki's organization the target of such hostility from Fire-breathing Bug? Meanwhile, in Momoya Agakura's convalescence room, Majiri Agakura reflects on the Bug's approach toward revenge and decides to take action as well, looking forward to welcoming Xiaoyu Lei and Misaki into the Agakura fold.

Synopsis
In the aftermath of the corridor fight, Taipei—his sweat and heavy breaths belaying one or more injuries—calls Takeru Shinoyama to explain and apologize for the fight he lost. Takeru tells him not to worry, for they consequentially know the face of their enemy.

On the streets, Soara Habaki asks Civil A. Sabaramond why he is speaking with the stuffed animal in Lulu's arms. Civil explains that he asked Lulu "who the Elementals most strongly turned their attention toward"—here, Lulu jumps in and says the Elementals ignored 'the human' in favor of calling out to the stuffed shark the entire time. Civil continues by saying it is possible Polka Shinoyama is a visitor from the Other world—that is, under the influence of an otherwordly sorcerer—so the shark therefore might be a catalyst. Consider, he says, how incongruent the shark is with the rest of Polka's carefully themed fortunetelling garb; he is "almost certain" that the shark is a "vital key connecting the sorcerer to Polka Shinoyama."

Polka, currently possessing the plush, wryly notes that Civil is "on the mark and yet totally off." As Civil hands Polka back to Lulu, he tells her that they must protect the shark as best they can; if the shark is capable of linking them to the "other side of the sky," then it may be the first to be incinerated by "The Fire-breathing Bug and his people."

In the living room of the Torture Building, Corpse God tells Takumi Kuruya that, although he does not know why the trio took Polka, he suspects they are not aware the plush is actually Polka. He adds that he has posted a lookout by the trio for the time being, as coming too close to the trio might risk being attacked by Elementals. Privately, Corpse God tries and fails to telepathically communicate with Polka, thereby verifying that Lulu's Elemental must be scrambling his magic. Forcibly summoning Polka's soul back is not an option either, so, eventually, he will have recourse to directly fetch Polka himself if he wants Polka back.

Corpse God's thoughts are interrupted when Taipei knocks on the door to request a moment of "Polka-sama's" time.

A minute or two later, Kochou Eightport and Misaki Sakimiya return to the corridor to find it empty. This strikes Kochou as strange, since the only exit is the staircase they just took, and the sound of voices from the fortuneteller's room draws the duo to its door. Upon finding Taipei and Corpse God inside, Kochou apologizes for bringing "that weirdo" to him. Corpse God asks Taipei why he attacked the other client if Kochou brought him; at Taipei's "pay it no mind, Polka-sama," Kochou indignantly questions Taipei's use of -sama and just who, exactly, the other clients were in the first place. Taipei, putting his smart phone on the table, says that is what he wants his fortune read for.

As Kochou asks what he means with shock, Takeru Shinoyama says, "Polka? It's me" from the phone; Kochou swiftly realizes this must be that Takeru—Rozan Shinoyama's grandson and Polka's older nephew. Takeru admits that he personally asked Taipei to stay behind because the previous, dangerous clients have attacked his personnel. Again, Kochou yelps; identifying her as "Miss Weekly Dry," Takeru requests she specify, should she write an article, that the resulting damage was minor and did not affect business. Takeru continues that Taipei's sudden switch to offense was due to concern that 'waiting to act' would endanger Polka's life. As a result of all that has transpassed, Takeru desires a divination of those clients' identities—but first, he wants to know why they visited the Fortunetelling Shop.

Corpse God carefully replies that he cannot disclose a customer's personal information so readily, and that only he can judge whether the people in question are "bad people." He does, however, inform Takeru that the trio did not ask about anything illegal. With a pause and a chuckle, Takeru commends him for not 'blabbing'; if he had, Takeru would have advised him to quit on the basis of being unsuited for the job. (On the outskirts of the conversation, Kochou wonders whether Takeru, by allowing her to listen in on all this, is trying to get her involved). Thus, he will simply enlist Polka's services. Before he does, however, he asks whether Polka is aware of Phantom Solitaire's latest move—since Corpse God evidently is not, he suggests Corpse God pull up a certain video.

In an undisclosed location, Solitaire puts his Higuro-Ryouma Kannagi deepfake video on a projector for Higuro and the Bugs to watch. Once it is finished, he solicits feedback. As placid-faced as ever, Higuro asks why this footage was what Solitaire went with. Solitaire replies that "a certain Sabaramond gang will be surprised if you're one of them, won't they?" to which Higuro supposes, "Yeah, I guess so. And...?"

Mystified, Solitaire asks if he is meant to have another reason. This is the absurd straw that cracks Higuro's cool; Higuro erupts, "What is with this guy!!!?" so abruptly and uncharacteristically that Solitaire, after recovering, remarks that this is perhaps the first time he has seen Higuro's human side. Higuro, having already recovered his usual tranquil expression, confesses that was the first time he has screamed since Kindergarten. He calmly supposes he will have to undergo plastic surgery and "go on the lam" should he make it out of his situation in one piece. Solitaire, 'jumping to confessions', asks if Higuro is admitting he is in fact friends with "those aliens (proof pending), the Sabaramond!"

Higuro demurs that he is "just" their errand boy—as for 'friends', he does not know what the group thinks of him—then, he asks the Bugs why they have been spending the last century burning those associated with Sabaramond. No one, he admits, has told him.

Tsubaki Iwanome, meanwhile poring over decades-old documents on Fire-breathing Bug, reaffirms the newly realized fact that the Bug—or, Bugs—has/have been operating for over a hundred years. Gripping the Byandy emblem-signed instructions Miyabi Hosorogi left him, he says his next coures of action is to determine why the Bugs are targeting "Officer Habaki's organization," and why they do so with such hostility.

In a hospital or private convalescence room, Majiri Agakura peels a fruit while watching the Higuro-Ryouma Kannagi deepfake on a propped-up smartphone. Her bandaged brother Momoya Agakura listens from his bed as she muses aloud that, though "they" have done nothing but smoldering for one hundred years, it is so sudden when they do take action. "Those children," she remarks, have likely realized that revenge ought to be undertaken in roundabout fashion, thus making a coup de grâce possible. She declares that she, too, will act. The Agakura will welcome her "little kid-ssassin" alongside a new family member—Misaki. "Let's dance."

Solitaire has no idea how far-reaching this goes...

Referbacks
Requires expansion.