Chapter 43

Chapter 43 is the forty-third chapter of the Dead Mount Death Play manga.

Official Blurb
An unwelcome acquaintance from Takumi's past shows up on his doorstep and they seem to have something to do with the recent events!

Synopsis
The Corpse God, erring on the side of caution, asks for proof that Tsubaki Iwanome is not colluding with the police force's underbelly before passing along a message from the "person waiting for [him]": that Iwanome's answer is on the paper that previously guided him, and that he should pursue it if he still believes in himself.

After Iwanome and Kōzaburō Arase leave the building, Arase wonders if Polka Shinoyama is really in contact with Inspector Miyabi Hosorogi after all. Iwanome demurs, replying that the advice to follow up on the paper's information first was correct. Furthermore, they cannot act carelessly and risk their movements being noticed—and since they cannot trust anyone, they seem to be stuck. He comments that he 'fully understands' why Hosorogi disappeared as he unfolds the piece of paper in question, which contains a message in addition to the symbol: instructions to trust nobody; that one more garage is present on the west side of a certain place; and that a 'key' is behind the mirror of I-383.

As rain falls over Shinjuku once more, Higuro casually takes some of Takumi's pens and remarks on Takumi's nice apartment. Takumi—lying on his side with his hands tied behind his back and his legs bound together—asks why Higuro has reappeared after so long through gritted teeth.

Higuro laughs that Takumi must "hate [his guts]," and Takumi agrees that—considering the circumstances—he does. Higuro apologizes that it is for his own good, saying 'we' (himself and Momoya Agakura) will have to hurt him if he lashes out or tries to contact anyone. Takumi calls this 'rich' since Higuro went on the lam after Arase 'wiped out' the Sons of the Styx, but Higuro suggests the two of them blame everything on Arase and "patch things up." Takumi cautiously says that Higuro must know he now works for Clarissa Kuraki, and Higuro agrees: that is exactly why he is here. He asks if Takumi has "figur[ed] it out" yet; after a noticeable pause, Takumi guesses that Higuro mugged Nishida.

Higuro drives one of the pens into Takumi's thigh, remarking that Takumi must have thought about and chosen his words just now—must have chosen between saying 'killed' or 'mugged'. Takumi cries out, "So it really was you...!" only to groan as Takumi stabs another pen into his thigh, next to the first one. As he withdraws it, he comments that pain dulls a persons' judgment and makes them fall for leading questions they normally remain guarded toward—especially susceptible are the people who fear pain like Takumi.

While Takumi shivers on the floor, Higuro inquires as to how Takumi and company managed to hide Nishida's body. His employer, he says, is willing to use any means necessary to "leave all the people associated with the building you're using with nothing," which is why they need the 'mugging' body to be found in that building—so that those associated will be made suspects. Takumi surely must understand that he is out of options.

Momoya, who has been standing near the windows, notices a shadow and calmly interjects that Takumi may, in fact, still have options. A moment later, Misaki Sakimiya smashes one of the windowpanes with her crowbar and drives it down toward Momoya, who blocks it with his weapon.

Over in the Corpse God's building, Sayo Shinoyama asks Corpse God where Misaki has gone. Corpse God says that she went to fetch Takumi after Clarissa called to say this part of town may be getting dangerous. Meanwhile, Clarissa remains tense at her bar with her phone in her hand.

Back in Takumi's apartment, Higuro realizes that the Shinjuku mediators must have figured out his plans as he watches Misaki continue to attack Momoya. Momoya manages to block her next swing with his wrist before the crowbar reaches his head, but he is surprised to find his arm shuddering under Misaki's strength. Soon enough he swings his own blade in Misaki's direction and asks if she is "taking something," puzzled at how she can be stronger than him considering her body.

Misaki brushes her strength off as that of a 'growing girl'. When Momoya blocks her next strike with his weapon, she jumps over him and strikes again; he bends back barely in time to take just a glancing blow to his head rather than a direct one—and then slices her clean through her abdomen.

Misaki's two halves drop to the floor, and Momoya acknowledges that she really was close as blood trickles down his face. Takumi calls Misaki's name—only to grow dizzy and pass out; above him, Higuro raises a shot likely containing a sedative and ruefully muses that war will 'definitely' break out between Shibuya and Shinjuku. Where he is rueful, Momoya gladly welcomes the chance to fight more women like Misaki. As Momoya packs Takumi's body into a duffel bag, Higuro calls someone to apologize that there was a slight 'hiccup' and that he will deliver a full report later. He declares that there can be no failure under the protection of Sabaramond before the call ends. Sighing, he hopes that Takumi will at least prove cooperative once he wakes up. He and Momoya leave the flat with Takumi's body.

In the torture building, Sayo asks Corpse God if he is sure using the gems for that was the right choice. Corpse God affirms that he is sure, given that what he can do is limited; his choice will widen his hands of protection and increase his number of allies who can help him protect everyone. He is certain that his decision to evolve Misaki from a zombie to a vampire larva was apt.

Misaki, having regenerated whole in Takumi's empty flat, stands on a rooftop chain link fence as btas flock around her. She remarks that she seems to be "kind of getting used to" being killed but not dying, and wonders if this is what it feels like to start a new life. Though she laughs, her smile smile fades and she supposes that nothing has changed; her smile disappears altogether as she remembers assassinating Polka. Then it reappears—and a black van appears on the street below, Higuro at its wheel and Momoya in the back.

She leaps off the fence and plummets toward the van with the bats circling overhead. Through a new pair of fangs, Misaki declares that she has always been a monster.

Referbacks

 * The "paper that previously guided" Iwanome is the paper Hosorogi wrote on for Iwanome during the fortune-telling session. More of Hosorogi's message is visible in Chapter 26, where the message was first properly shown.
 * Corpse God not only entertains the idea of making Misaki a vampire as early as Chapter 6, he expresses a desire to eventually replenish enough magic for the deed in the same chapter.
 * Misaki's chain-link fence scene echoes her chain-link fence scene from Chapter 2.