Having just finished reading the latest chapter, I couldn’t help but notice something peculiar about Fyodor’s death scene. It’s all about Dazai’s reaction.

Before Fyodor’s “death,” Dazai seemed to be relishing in his usual smugness, reveling in what Fyodor had missed out on. This behavior is quite typical of Dazai’s character. However, his mood suddenly shifted dramatically.

He became unexpectedly solemn, showing no signs of triumph or gloating. At first, I thought maybe he was regretting having to kill Fyodor, but as I studied the following panels, I realized there was something more to it.

Take a closer look at Dazai’s expression here. Do you notice how suspicious he seems of the hand? It’s as if we’ve never seen his eyes like this before. They are blank white, almost like his mafia eyes but color inverted. This is not the face of someone who has just defeated their greatest enemy or someone mourning their loss. It’s as if Dazai is unsatisfied, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. There is something more hidden in those eyes.

After Fyodor’s death, Dazai is uncharacteristically quiet, and Chuuya even points it out. Once again, this doesn’t feel like a moment of victory. It’s as if we have somehow still lost.

So why would Dazai not want Fyodor dead? While it’s possible that he was saddened by the loss of the only person who understood him, I want to explore another idea.

Death did not stop Fyodor.

Dazai could have easily killed Fyodor when he had him cornered in the cafe if he had wanted to. Alternatively, he could have had someone else do it so that he wouldn’t break his promise to Oda. But he didn’t. Instead, he allowed Ango to arrest him, even though Dazai knew what a threat Fyodor posed. But why?

It all boils down to this.

Dazai can only counter Dostoyevsky when he is right there in front of him. Now that Fyodor is dead, Dazai can no longer read his actions. It’s as if he’s now fighting a ghost. All the plans that Fyodor might have set in motion in case of his death will be ten times harder to uncover and thwart because it’s much more challenging to fight an invisible enemy.

Let’s not forget that Dazai did not order the pilot to kill Fyodor; Bram did. Dazai even admitted that he had no say in that matter.

In conclusion, I don’t have a definitive point to make here. I merely wanted to share these thoughts and vent a little. Does Fyodor quoting Jesus on the cross mean that he will come back in three days? What’s going on with Sigma? I have more questions than answers, and it’s driving me absolutely crazy!