Fukuchi ultimately killed Akutagawa on the boat but initially his target was going to be Atsushi. Something I’ve always found interesting considering if he did kill Atsushi any love Fukuzawa had for him would’ve shattered instantly.
It’s why Fukuchi reassures him that Kunikida was safe after he jumps out the helicopter. If any member of the Agency died because of him Fukuzawa would never have forgiven him for it.
Even if they were a vampire and there was a chance there come back it wouldn’t change that. No one respects the value of a life more than a man that fights to never become desensitised to such a loss again.
This scenario also the question as to whether or not the decision to kill Atsushi was part of Fyodor’s plan.
Given how during their fight Nikolai makes a point of telling Atsushi he’s not one of the murder targets and lets him go. Could this mean he wasn’t one of his targets or not one in general?
I’m leaning towards the latter because well Atsushi’s definitely more valuable alive then dead. And in this scenario if Fukuchi killed Atsushi on the boat and had him turned into a vampire, he’d be under his command.
Remember that inhabiting Bram’s body was never part of Fyodor’s plan and even then he never got the man’s ability. He would never wish to have his precious bookmark under Fukuchi’s control and not his own.
And yet Fukuchi is acting on Fyodor’s orders at least for the most part and this would’ve been a major shift.
It makes sense that the guy wants to prevent a war thought of nabbing the infamous Weretiger. Especially given his reliance on the page to complete his plan and Atsushi’s connection to the Book aka the only thing that can overwrite the Page.
Now it is very clear that Fukuchi was going to kill them both and the only reason he didn’t go after Atsushi was because going back in time to prevent his escape complicated the timeline.
But the fact he decided to go against his initial plan to kill only Atsushi to kill Akutagawa first is intriguing to me. You could say it’s because Akutagawa was mostly defenceless in that moment but even fully powered he didn’t stand a chance.
I think it’s because Fukuchi wanted to torture Atsushi. I think he wanted Atsushi to sit and watch helplessly as his only way out was killed before his eyes. I think he wanted to see what desperation would drive Atsushi to do and kill him but unlike his partner it wouldn’t be quick.
“Oh but he didn’t want the blood of more children on his hands” same guy blinds and kills Tachihara who is canonically 19 years old and tries to kill Aya for stealing Bram and she’s only 10.
Fukuchi might not want to but he damn well will and the guys not exactly a stranger to torture either. He can’t hurt Atsushi, not physically at least not with the tiger but he can break him.
All in the name of world peace.
