Brutal: Satsujin Kansatsukan no Kokuhaku is a spin-off series (which started to serialize since 2019) of a manga series: “Trace: Kasouken Houi Kenkyuuin no Tsuisou,” which is a crime suspense story, set in a forensic laboratory, where specialists (with gruesome past) work to uncover clues from seemingly insignificant bits of trace evidence.

This spin-off series centers on homicide elite detective (who appeared in Trace) as a main protagonist commits, depicting an incident that happened decades prior to the story of Trace.

The main protagonist, Dan Hiroki, was being commended.

He significantly contributed to arrest of the criminals, even solving the serial physical assault, which was said to be one of the most difficult cases in the police department. All Hiroki’s colleagues were amazed at his competence. Female staff were attracted not only by his cleverness and sincerity but also by his wealth. His father was a former police superintendent general too, and was wealthy enough to own even a mountain. He was into ceramic art, which was also one of the extraordinary parts about him.

There was a hot subject about a “serial killer” spreading in Japan. The killer was an extreme boy who murdered children 20 years ago, who were three and four years old, dismembered their dead bodies and sent them to their parents. Back then, he was only 16 years old, therefore, he was protected by law intead of being executed. After 18-year of imprisonment, he was discharged from prison……

And guess what? He decided to publish a book about the murder case and the emotions he had back then.

The man, who faithfully wrote about the murder case in an essay, insisted that he wanted to pay for his sins when he appeared on TV as a guest. He cried and said that he wanted to use his life protected by law to pay for his sins……

The eyes of Hiroki, who was watching the broadcast on TV, was convulsing twitchily.

All the detectives seemed so disgusted at his superficial attitude, thinking it was too late to do that.

It was the right reaction for anybody too, especially because those, who knew well about the murder case, understood him “having an extraordinary nerve” more than anybody else.

As expected, the man did not regret it at all.

He was having a peaceful and comfortable life, while making the publish company aplogize to bereaved families for what he had done and making the publish company pay for his living expenses until he published the book.

He talked about how the murder case was, very innocently, even making his eyes shine.

One of the staff from the publish company even suggested to him that he should at least go visit the bereaved families to aplogize, however, he refused to do that, mocking him.

After the meeting, he went home.

While he was on the train on the way back home, he looked at a strange girl, imagining.

Then, at the next moment, he noticed.

He saw an article of the weekly magazine on the train, saying that he was having a peaceful and confortable life. Even worse, he found out from that article that his neighbors knew the house he lived in, even though he had never showed his face in public.

The man took the staff from the publish company to the back alley and asked him if he “spilled the beans.” However, before he even replied to him, the staff said to him;

The man became in a good mood.

The article from the weekly magazine were met with anger so the book will sell even more.

The man laughed, thinking that people are all stupid, wanting to know how the serial killer was actually thinking, contrary to what they actually say. Before he went home, he decided to smoke in the back alley.

……Not knowing that Hiroki was standing quietly behind him.

The next time the man woke up, he found himself in a strange place.

There, Hiroki was watching a movie.

The man asked for a help, screaming so hard. Then Hiroki smiled, screaming even louder than the man.

Hiroki said, “Nobody will come here no matter how loud you scream, since it’s my hideout.”

Then Hiroki asked him if he knew how many people are “missing” annually.

The answer is “80,000 people.”

Actually, it’s not uncommon that people are missing……

Even if one person disappears, it’s not a big deal…… Hiroki said to him.