:

( Please note : This is a translation done by using text extractors

and DeepL machine translations. It is not a proper replacement for
real translations done by fangroups or official sources. The goal of
this doc is to supply the novel in an at least somewhat readable
form until there are better translations out there. While I’m doing
these translations, f you wish to get in contact with me over them,
whether it’s to help or offer more resources you can contact me
here on my discord ; ACCEL#5454 )
:
:
 6.12
*This work is fictional. It is not related to any real person, organization, or incident.

CHARACTERS

デンジ
ー

ポチタ
:
 19-007

Denji
A boy who is "Chainsaw Man" with his partner, Pochita, in his body. He is honest about his
desires. He likes Makima, who treated him like a human being for the first time.

Pochita
The "Chainsaw Devil". He gives Denji his heart and becomes a part of his body.
:
 Makima:
A mysterious woman who runs the Anti-Demonic Division of the Public Security Bureau. She can
detect the scent of demons.

Aki:
A loyal servant of Makima. He is three years Denji's senior, and is appointed as a chaperone.

Power:
She is a blood fiend. She is selfish and tends to run wild. Her only friend is her cat, Nyakko.

Himeno:
She works as a buddy with her junior colleague Aki. She has made a contract with the "Ghost
Devil.”

Quanxi:
An assassin from China who wants to kill Denji. She is Kishibe's former buddy and is said to be
the strongest human in the world.

Kishibe:
He is the strongest devil hunter in the world and a teacher of Power and Denji.

Story :

Denji, a boy who lives as a devil hunter with the devil Pochita: He is killed in a betrayal while
spending his days at the bottom of the pyramid being used to pay off debts. But Pochita brings
Denji back to life as the "ChainsawDevil" in exchange for his life! After killing all his enemies, Denji
is picked up by Makima and becomes a devil hunter for the Public Safety Bureau.

In the Public Safety Bureau, Denji is assigned to the squad of Makima's subordinate Aki
Hayakawa, and is buddied up with Power, the "Blood fiend”.
Normally, Denji and Power live together at Aki's house and go about their mission of exterminating
devils.

After undergoing hellish training by the most powerful Devil Hunter, Kishibe, Denji improves his
power and fights off the demon’s, and Devil Hunters that attack him one after another, but one by
one his friends die in the fierce competition.

Eventually, Denji comes face to face with the strongest Devil of all, the "Gun Devil," who is the
:
 Eventually, Denji comes face to face with the strongest Devil of all, the "Gun Devil," who is the
killer of Aki's family and has been missing, but this is only part of the conspiracy that is targeting
Denji...

SINEINO?
St799dHYHNs
肥9H9#別♪機

>金苑於强一牆
huBCY을

4494军个盛一

Chapter 1 : Detective Power and Her Assistant Denji

Chapter 2 : The Taste of Nine Years
Chapter 3 : The Day We Became Buddies
Chapter 4 : Island of Dreams

Chapter 1 : Detective Power and Her Assistant

Denji
:
 It was an old theater that was no longer open for business.
Eight spectators were gathered in the dimly lit space, looking around anxiously from
their seats in the front row. The next moment, a dazzling spotlight illuminated the
stage. “Thank you for coming today. I see you've received your invitation.”
With a resounding voice, a man in a tuxedo and a silk hat emerged from the light with
a resonant voice, smiling at the aghast audience and said, "I'm about to show you
something special. Please enjoy the show until the end. Assistant, the video!”
“Yes, leave it to me."
A boy in short pants standing at the very back of the theater operated the projector. As
:
 A boy in short pants standing at the very back of the theater operated the projector. As
the image appeared on the screen, the man held out his hands in an exaggerated
manner. “This is a video of "The Last Man Standing," in which you were cast. In the
middle of a group drama in which masked characters are disappearing one by one, a
single person has really disappeared without a trace. It was a case of human body
disappearance. It was a very puzzling mystery, even for me.”
The man suddenly stopped, and this time took out a magnifying glass from his pocket.
“The stage was filled with the smell of mystery. But every trick has its seeds. The key
is observation. Observation is the only door to the truth.”
With that, he turned the lens of his magnifying glass toward the audience. The man
smiled thinly and picked up a piece of string.

A large knot can be seen in the center of the cord.

“The mysterious knot has now been untied.”
As he slowly pulled the ends of the cord from side to side, the tightly knotted mass
unraveled cleanly and disappeared. The man threw the cord straight up as the sound
of someone gasping escaped. In an instant, it was transformed into a walking stick,
which he caught without difficulty and pointed the spun tip at a certain person.
“The culprit is you.”

"...... Hey.”
“......”
"Hey, Power."
"......"
“Hey!”
Power, which was sitting on the TV, was grabbed from behind.
She turned to see a thuggish-looking man with dull blond hair looking down at me with
his mouth in a pout. Power furrowed her thin eyebrows and pointed a pair of crimson
horns protruding from her head menacingly at her opponent.
“What's the matter, Denji? I'm in the middle of something.”
“You're in my way. Get away from the TV. I wanna use the remote.”
“Nah.”
She turned her face to the TV again and he grabbed her shoulder once again.
“I said no!”
“Get out of my way, I've got something to watch too!”
“What do you wanna watch?
“The News.”
“The News .......”
Power huffs. “It's not a funny joke to be on the news with that face.”
“Shut up. There's a woman with a cute face on the news.”
“Oh. ...... That woman looks a little like Makima. That's bullshit. I don't even want to
look at that disgusting thing!”
When she speaks her mind, Denji gets upset and retaliates.
:
 When she speaks her mind, Denji gets upset and retaliates.

“Then what is it you're looking at?”

“Don't you know? I'm a magician.”
“Magician?”
“That's right. The magician detective is a great detective who can solve any mystery.”
The Magician Detective! It's a TV anime that airs in the evenings. It's about a
detective who solves various mysteries as an ordinary high school student who is
actually a very skilled magician.
Power’s not interested in solving riddles, but she is interested in solving cases and
blackmailing people.
He always solves the case brilliantly and gets everyone's attention.
Power was pleasantly surprised by the applause and respect he received from the
audience, and it has become one of her favorite programs recently. Attention.
Applause. Respect. Those are all things that Power is looking for. Power stood up
slowly and looked around the room with a mysterious look on her face.
“The culprit is in here.”
“......In here?"
The lifted index finger passed over the curled up Meowy on the shelf and pointed
straight at Denji.
“The mysterious knot has just been untied. The culprit is you, Denji.”
“Oh, ...... Why am I the culprit?”
“...... I don’t know?”
“I don't know?”
“No, I remember now. You ate the ice cream in the freezer!”
“You ate that yesterday.”
“How about ......? I didn't eat it.”
"Pfft!"
Denji took a step back and suddenly burst out laughing, holding his stomach. “I'm not
sure what you mean by "magician detective." That's just a cartoon for kids!”
“What the hell!? Don't mock the magician detective!”
Power grabbed Denji as if he were going to burst. The two of them were very similar in
their instincts. The curtains were torn from the rails and the condiments from the
counter were splattered all over the floor. They plunged into the dining table in a
tangle.
"Hey! I'm on the phone! I'm on the phone!"
A dark-haired man in the back of the room shouted while holding the receiver's mouth
with his hand. “...... He's the loudest one of all.”
“You should think about your neighbors a little bit, Top-knot.”
Denji and Power blurted out at the same time as they grabbed each other by the
collar. Aki hung up the phone and stood in front of them with a deep crease in his
brow.
:
 brow.
“Shut up. Don't talk back to me. This is my apartment. Sit there quietly.”
"...... Yeah, yeah.”
“...... You're annoying.”
Denji and Power looked at each other and reluctantly sat down on the spot.
"First of all, don't go crazy in the house. And use honorifics with me. When are you
going to learn that?”
“Huh~? What's the benefit of using honorifics with you?"
"You're too rude to be demanding things like that, top-knot!”
Aki stared bitterly at the seasoning spread out on the floor and mumbled in
disappointment. “Okay. ...... Then I guess Denji’s skipping dinner.”
“Hey, what the hell is that!?"
"Gah-hah-hah, don’t make fun of the magician detective!"
“And, Power’s menu is carrot and burdock salad.”
“What!?”
Hunger was Denji's natural enemy, and vegetables were the natural enemy of Power.
The master of the house knows exactly what he’s doing.
“Hayakawa-senpai......”
"Senpai......"
As they sat up straight, Aki sighed heavily.
“I'm going to the public safety office now. I'm sure Makima-san would like to see you.”

+++
Devils - beings that are born from a name and terrorize people. The head office of
anti-devils in the Public Security Police (Public Safety Agency, Tokyo Metropolitan
Police Department) which aims to exterminate them, is the Public Safety Anti-Devil
Division, to which Denji and Power belong to.
In a room with a cool, tense atmosphere, red-colored sunlight was streaming in at an
angle. In the room, a woman with a pretty face sitting in the back opens her mouth.
"It's been ten days since Power-chan started living at the Hayakawa household, are
you all getting along?"
The tone of her voice was plain, but it seemed to penetrate deep into Power’s heart. It
was Makima, Denji and the others' superior, the Devil Hunter, who reported directly to
the Chief Cabinet Secretary. The unfathomable pressure and the all-seeing gaze. A
strange chill came over Power as if her heart was being touched directly, and her body
naturally stiffened. “Yes, we are. We're getting along great." She nodded
exaggeratedly while looking away, and Denji next to her pointed at her with a carefree
face.
"Makima-san, please listen to me. This girl doesn't take a bath at all!”
“Well, I go in at least once every three days these days!”
“You don't flush your shit.”
“I flush my shit at least once every two days!”
“You should flush all the time!”
:
 “You should flush all the time!”
“May I speak?”
Makima broke into the conversation, and Power's back arched reflexively. “I've been
asked by Public Safety to do a devil extermination. I'm going to ask you two to do it.”
“Oh~ I have an urgent meeting to attend to that day…..”
"I haven't explained anything yet, Power." Makima smiled thinly and took out a
document from an envelope. “The client is a businessman who runs a lodging
business. One of his properties is located deep in the mountains. It appears there's
been an incident where a customer disappeared.”
"People are disappearing ......?"
Denji raised his right hand in the air beside Power, who mumbled. "You mean a devil
did it?"
“Yes. I think it's very likely. It's just that there are no clear sightings, which is a
mystery.”

“A mystery…….” Once again, Power made small movements with her mouth. Makima
propped her elbows on the desk and brought her hands together in front of her face in
a meaningful way. “I've told you several times before that the Public Safety Anti-Devil
Section 4 is an experimental unit. If we don't produce results, the higher-ups may
dismiss us immediately. As for me, I'd like to see more of the two of you in action. ......
Can you show me what you can do?" Denji pounded on his chest and let out a squeal.
“Leave it to me! I'll do my best and solve the mystery with a bang!”
“I'm counting on you, Denji. What about you, Power?” Makima's eyes looked straight
at Power.
“... I'll do it. I'll do it too.”
Power was kind of reluctant to do it, partly because she was summoned so suddenly,
but she changed her mind when she heard what she said. Power thrust her hands up
into the air and shouted. “The human body disappeared. It's a mystery! This is a case
worthy of Magic Detective Power!”
“ ......?”
When Makima tilted her head, Denji said with a dumbfounded look.
“She's addicted to a kid's cartoon called ‘The Magician Detective’.”
“The Magician Detective ...... Ah, it's a show that airs in the evening. I wonder if
Power-chan will be able to solve this case in a brilliant way like the Magician
Detective.”
“Oh, ohh!” Power's cheeks flushed and she nodded her head repeatedly. In her mind,
she could already see herself solving the riddle on the glittering stage, and she could
hear the praise pouring in. As she was about to leave the room, Makima reminded her.
“Ah, yes. It looks like the civilian Devil Hunters have been invited this time, so make
sure you get along.”

+++
Two hours by train from the city center. An hour and a half by bus. Then, they
transferred to another bus for another hour. From there, it was a thirty-minute climb up
:
 transferred to another bus for another hour. From there, it was a thirty-minute climb up
the mountain road. The building they wanted was located deep in the mountains in the
middle of nowhere.
"Wow, we're finally here....."
"Who would come to stay at a place like this…?”
It was three days after being summoned by Makima. Denji and Power sat in the grass,
breathing heavily, as they arrived for their devil extermination job.
"Well, I'm leaving, but make sure you don't do anything stupid like run away. You know
what they'll do to you." Denji and Power glared at their guardian. “I know what I'm
doing, so shut up. I promised Makima-san that I would be useful. I'm not gonna run
away.”
"Top-knot is a poor man at heart if he is unable to trust his own roommates."
“If you want me to trust you, you need to change your behavior. I'm sure you'll do well.
Don't smear the name of the Department of Public Safety.” Aki retorted, and went
down the mountain path.
“He's so fucking annoying.”
“I think he's sick.” After a few words about Aki, Power felt a little better and turned her
gaze towards the building. Compared to the city, the wind blows much better here. The
smell of grass and soil, familiar from the time she and Meowy had lived in the
mountains, slipped through her nostrils. The Western-style house they were looking
for stood on the other side of the massive ivy-covered gate. Against the background of
the dense, dark forest, the pure white exterior walls stood out beautifully, like a
painting. She felt that the stage was being set in a very appropriate way. It was as if
the stage had been prepared for the genius detective Power.
"Hmm, so that's what you call a house where the guests disappear."
"The human body disappeared. Mysterious. Tis the perfect stage for me!" When she
raised her voice in a good mood, Denji gave her a suspicious look. “I've been
wonderin’ about ...... what you're wearing since we left home.” Power happily lifted the
small silk hat on her head and twirled it around on the spot.
"How do you like it? I bought it from Top-knot on the condition that I clean the
bathrooms for a month.”
“Huh? Seriously?”
“Gahahaha! I have no intention of cleaning bathrooms or doing any other servant
work. Just gotta beat the devil and we'll be on our way!”
“So you're going to take on the devil in that thing?”
“Makima said that since it was outside the patrol area, tis perfect for hiding my horns.”
“...... Not like I care.”
While Denji sat on the ground and sighed, Power raised her fist to the blue sky.
"Ga-ha-ha! Case! Detective! Assistant! Spectators! We've got everything we need."
“I don't care about the case or detective, but where is the assistant?”
“Of course it’s you, Denji.”
“What?”
“And there's the crowd that worships me," Power pointed to the gate of the mansion. A
dozen or so men were hanging out in front of it.
They were probably the civilian devil hunters Makima had mentioned, but for Power,
:
 They were probably the civilian devil hunters Makima had mentioned, but for Power,
their role was to witness a brilliant case solution and heap praise on the famous
detective.
One of the Devil Hunters in front of the group approached with a grim face.
He was dressed lightly in a jersey and was holding a long Japanese sword in his
hand. “Hey. My name’s Kenzo, I don't think I've ever seen you guys before, are you
Devil Hunters too?"
Putting her hands on her hips, Power answered with a great deal of pride. "Indeed. I'm
The Great Detective Power!”
“...What?”
“And this is my assistant, Denji.”
“Why do I have to be your assistant?"
The man’s face twisted at Denji's protest. "You've gotta be kidding me. They're like
kids. What can they do?" Denji then stood up and glared at the man.
“I don't know who you are, but I'm serious about my work, don't worry old man.”
“That's right, old man!”
“Hey, I’m only twenty-five!” The man who called himself Kenzo shook his fist. "Look.
This isn’t a playground for kids. If you drag me down, I won't forgive you." The man
said as if spitting the words at them and stomped away.
"What's with him......?"
“That's audience member number one. Leave him alone.”
As they were exchanging such conversation, the iron gate of the mansion creaked
open slowly. The high-pitched sound of the gate opening was like a fanfare
announcing the opening of an action play, and Power's spirits were lifted. However,
what stood there was the exact opposite of their inflated expectations, a gaunt, elderly
man. The man bowed deeply to the Devil Hunters.
“Thank you for traveling so far. Please lend us your help.”

+++
“This used to be the vacation home of a wealthy family, but I bought it after it had been
abandoned for a long time and renovated it as a lodging facility for experiencing the
mountain forest.” They followed the client, who called himself "Kanbayashi," through
the gates.
As they entered the gates, Kanbayashi led the way with a heavy gait, explaining in an
exhausted voice what had happened.
“However, there was an incident where guests who stayed at the pre-opening had
disappeared in the morning. Not only that, but all the employees we hired were also
gone.”
In the group walking behind them, a civilian devil hunter raised his hand above his
head and said, "Just to be sure, they didn't all run away at night, did they?” It was the
same man named Kenzo who got involved with Power and Denji earlier.
:
 same man named Kenzo who got involved with Power and Denji earlier.
“It's unlikely," he said. “To get to the city, you need to take a bus from the bus station at
the foot of the mountain, but there's no sign that they used it at all.”
The owner replied in a mysterious tone, and Kenzo snorted.
“I see. If so, there is a good chance that a devil is involved then.”
“Yes. If this continues, our company will lose a lot of money. We need you to help us
solve these disappearances, please…”
"GAHAHAHA! In the hands of Detective Power, this knot of mystery will be unraveled
in no time at all! Assistant!”
“I ain’t your assistant.”
The pair of a woman in a silk hat and a young thug-like man attracted strange looks
from everyone, but Power's brain automatically converted them into looks of respect.
The owner pushed open the thick front door, revealing a spacious hall. There was a
carved wooden reception counter in front of them, and as they turned around, they
could see the afternoon sunlight streaming in through the two high windows. The
counter had not been cleaned properly since the disappearance, and there was a thick
layer of dust on it.
“The house is shaped like a cross when viewed from above, and the entrance is
located at the top of the cross," the owner explained, holding up a drawing. Stepping
on the red carpet, they came to a crossroads, the intersection of the crosses. On the
left is the guest area, and on the right is the staff area. In the staff area, which had
already been cleared out, there was a kitchen as well as an office and storage room,
and in the back there was a food pantry stacked with bags of bread and instant foods.
“Food!
“Yes, food.” Denji and Power jumped at the opportunity, and the owner chuckled and
provided an explanation.”We have enough food to last for a few days, so feel free to
eat as you wish.”
The group returned to the crossroads, this time stepping into the main hallway with
their backs to the entrance. This is the lower area of the cross. After a short walk,
Kenzo pointed to a small door on the wall of the corridor. "Hey, owner. What’s that
place?"
“Oh, that's the power room, sir.”
Inside was a small, dimly lit room with countless pipes and wires strung intricately
around it. In the center of the room sat a large machine that appeared to be a
generator, and the room was filled with a low motor sound that sounded like the
rumbling of the earth.
“This is an expensive piece of machinery, so please do not enter this area if you can.”
The owner said and urged us onward. After walking down a long straight corridor, we
suddenly found ourselves in an open space. The ceiling was so high that it looked like
it could host a small sporting event. There was a bar counter and a chatting area at
the front of the spacious room, and a billiards table, ping-pong table, and darts table at
the back. In the back, there was an entertainment area with a billiard table, ping-pong
table, and darts.
“This is the stage for me, the great detective!"
“No, it's for concerts and entertainment, and the whole room is soundproof so that
:
 “No, it's for concerts and entertainment, and the whole room is soundproof so that
even if you make a lot of noise at night, the sound won't leak into the guest room.”
Denji pointed with a gleeful expression to the back of the room next to the owner, who
modestly denied Power's words. "Hey, Power! Isn't that a pool table? Let's try it later!”
“...... Hmph, you're like a little kid, getting excited over a game of pool.”
Power was a tad bit grumpy at being interrupted.
“You've never played it before, have you?”
“Of course I have!”
“You're totally lying.”
“I'm not lying! I've beaten a pro in a professional match once, in fact.”
“That’s a total lie, I knew it!”
“Hey, shut up you guys! Do they really know how to kill devils?”
Another Devil Hunter lightly tapped Kenzo on the shoulder, a pale streak appearing on
his forehead.
“I'm sure they'll be fine. The contract this time is for incentives based on performance,
not just the base salary. In fact, the more useless some of them are, the more money
you’ll get.”
"Well, yeah, but ......" Kenzo clicks his tongue with a bitter expression and turns his
attention to the other side of the entertainment area.
“So, what's in the back?”
“Oh, that's an area that hasn't been renovated yet......”
The group followed the owner as he walked out and stepped into the last area.
Behind the door was a narrow, dimly lit passage. Soon there was a turn, and following
the wall, they came upon another turn. It could be called a corridor, but it was quite
complicated and winding. It felt like a maze, but there was only one path and no
branches. The lights were sparse and the air was damp and stagnant.
“What the hell is this place?”
“That's what I don't understand either. Was he trying to build some kind of playground?
...... The owners of the house have changed so many times that the original
documents aren’t even available anymore.”
The owner replied to Kenzo's question by shaking his head, not even he knew.
In the end, they made it to the end of the hall, only to arrive at the back of the house at
the kitchen door.
After returning to the entertainment hall, the owner handed each group a key to their
room, told them he would come back the next day to check on them, and left the
house. The sound of the front door closing signaled the start of the work day, and the
somewhat relaxed atmosphere instantly tightened up.
A total of sixteen Devil Hunters were about to take on the mystery of the human
disappearances.
“Gahaha! ‘Tis about to begin!”
For Power, it was an extremely easy case. With her genius mind, she could solve a
case like this any time she wanted. So, she decided to play a little billiards first
instead.
“Everybody listen up for a sec.”
It was Kenzo who raised his hands and beckoned to the others. It's been seven years
:
 It was Kenzo who raised his hands and beckoned to the others. It's been seven years
since he became a Devil Hunter. In those seven years years, he has been steadily
building up his track record with his diligent work. He was also proud of the fact that he
had passed through a certain amount of rough patches in his time working. He was
enthusiastic about this large project, in which many devil hunters would be
participating as it would be a good opportunity to make a name for himself.
“I have a proposal. The enemy this time is unknown. Why don't we all work together
here?”
“Work together?” Kenzo continued as another Devil Hunter crossed his arms in
response.
“That's right. If the disappearance is the work of a devil, where the hell is it hiding?
That should be the first question."
“Where? I mean, isn't it somewhere in the compound?”
“Yeah, going forward from the entrance hall, crossroads, guest rooms and staff area
on the left and right. There are rooms and staff areas on the left and right, and an
entertainment area at the end of the hallway. Further on, there is a mysterious corridor
and a kitchen door. The structure of the house is simple, but including the guest
rooms, there are quite a few rooms. But that's not all..."
As if following Kenzo's fingertips, everyone's gaze went to the wall.
“We can't rule out the possibility that it's outside. It could well be that the demon is
somewhere in the forest and attacked from the outside.”
“I see, it makes sense….” They all nodded deeply in agreement.
“That's why we need to cooperate. It's not very efficient to search such a vast area in
isolation. Each team should be divided into groups and assigned an area. We'll work
together to gradually narrow down the search area. Of course, we'll split the credit.
First, we'll set up our headquarters here in the entertainment room–”
“Hey! Power! You just moved the ball with your hand!”
As if to interrupt Kenzo, an angry voice sounded from the billiard table in the back.
“‘Tis a false accusation! Do you really think I’d do such a thing!?”
“Yeah, you would. Totally.”
"Hey, hey, over there, you two!"
Kenzo raised his voice involuntarily. He’d worked with many different Devil Hunters
and had learned how to work with them. But these two were completely beyond his
understanding. First of all, they lacked basic manners, they didn't seem to be
cooperative, he didn’t know why the woman was wearing a silk hat, and he didn’t
know how they can be so carefree playing billiards in the middle of a devil
extermination.
“What the hell, old man?”
“Shut the hell up, old man!”
“I am not an old man! You guys come over here and join the conversation. We're
talking about something important right now.”
Denji and Power looked at each other.
“Hell no.”
“What!?”
“I promised Makima-san I'd be useful and that I’d do my best. I'm not gonna split the
:
 “I promised Makima-san I'd be useful and that I’d do my best. I'm not gonna split the
credit with you all buddy-buddy like. My normal life depends on it.”
"That's right. Don't worry, the case will be solved by me, the magician detective! I'm a
genius, so you idiots don't have to do anything.”
"So what are you saying ......?" Kenzo raised his eyebrows and then opened his mouth
in astonishment. “Wait, wait, wait. Did you just say "Makima”? That's ...... the devil
hunter who reports directly to the Chief Cabinet Secretary. Are you guys Public
Safety?”
"Hmm? Yeah, yeah.” At Denji's reply, the surrounding Devil Hunters began to buzz.
The Public Safety Anti-Devil Division is an elite group that is at the forefront of demon
extermination. They are highly regarded in the industry as a group of skilled people
who exterminate even the most vicious devils that can’t be handled by the civilian
sector.
"What the hell are those guys doing here ......?" As Kenzo mumbled in disbelief,
another Devil Hunter spoke from the side. “You didn't make it to Public Safety, did
you?”
“Shut up. I'm not as skilled as you.”
In the past, Kenzo had tried to take the public safety recruitment test and had been
rejected. Seeing Kenzo grasping the hilt of the Japanese sword, the other man raised
his hands and stepped back.
“I'm sorry, but they do have a point.This is a contract where incentives are paid based
on credit. We’re also business rivals, and a bad collaboration could be fatal for us.”
“Uh, but…”
The Devil Hunters scattered away from the scene, despite Kenzo's efforts to stop
them. Behind Kenzo, who was now standing alone, two people playing billiards
shouted loudly in the background.
“I’m done playing pool.”
"Hey, my balls were just about to go in! Why are you stopping now!?"
“I'm here to work, not play. I can't keep playing around with you here.”
"Well, well, well. You're just like a little kid, getting worked up over a ball game!"
“Huh? Who's getting worked up here!?”
The two of them were arguing, and Kenzo watched in disbelief as his fists clenched.
“There’s no way that I’m going to accept that they're public security…”
...... No. After mumbling that much, Kenzo suddenly looked up. Is it really true? It
seemed hard to believe that such a person with no sense of intelligence or
cooperation can belong to the Public Safety Bureau, an elite agency against devils.
There must be some other purpose behind their wild behavior. Maybe......I should take
a closer look. Kenzo reconsidered and decided to observe the two public security
officers.
“Now that the workout is over, we’ve got some work to do, Assistant!" Power put her
hands on her hips and declared triumphantly.
“I ain't your assistant. I'm gonna take a little break.” Denji shrugged his shoulders in
exasperation and plopped down on the stool in front of the bar counter.
“Ugh, you're useless." Power grumbled and reached into her pocket for the magnifying
:
 “Ugh, you're useless." Power grumbled and reached into her pocket for the magnifying
glass that Aki had bought her along with her hat. She approached the wall of the
entertainment room with a hurried step and pointed the lens. Observation is the only
door to the truth, as the magician detective said. Incidentally, there was no deep
reason why she chose the wall. It was just there in front of her.
"Is there a problem with that wall?" Power was gazing at the magnified white wall
through the lens when Kenzo asked her from behind. Power turned around with a
strange look on her face.
“I smell it. There's a mysterious scent in the air.”
“Mysterious scent ......?" Kenzo sniffed at the wall. "...... I don't understand. Is there
something only you can smell?"
"Yes! It's a clue only a brilliant detective could find!”
Holding the magnifying glass in her hand, Power moved to the hallway leading to the
front door. Suddenly, she started crawling onto the red carpet in the aisle and
inspected the fur silently. Power seemed to have had some idea why she had set her
sights on the carpet. Kenzo was following her from behind.
“Is there something on the floor?”
“Yeah, it's a mysterious smell…”
“There's a mysterious smell in there too ......?” Kenzo bent down and stared at the red
carpet. “I don't know, is it the Public Security Bureau's style to examine every detail so
thoroughly?”
"Of course. Observation is the only door to the truth.”
“I…see.” At Kenzo's admiring nod, Power became even more enthusiastic.
“It's a mystery. I can smell the mystery!”
“Oh.”
“I'm a great detective. This house is fraught with mysteries!”
“I see.”
“Observation. Observation is the door to truth…”
“I get it.”
With Kenzo looking on in amazement, Power got into a groove and, pointing her
magnifying glass at random walls and floors, made her way to the entrance.
Several Devil Hunters were hanging out in the entrance hall. Kenzo approached and
called out to them.
“Hey, what's going on?”
“Well, I was going to check outside, but the door wouldn't open.”
“The door…..?”
Kenzo, wading through the men, grabbed the iron handle and shook it.
“The owner must have accidentally locked the door when he left. He said he'd come
back tomorrow to check on us, so we might have to wait."
“Damn, I guess we have no choice. ......" They shrugged their shoulders and
attempted to move away from the scene.
“No, there's a window there. I smell a mystery!”
Power pointed her magnifying glass at the two light windows above the front door. But
unlike Kenzo, the departing men showed no interest.
:
 unlike Kenzo, the departing men showed no interest.
“There's a mysterious smell ......hmm…oi…” Power glared at the unresponsive men in
frustration.
“So where are we going to look next?”
"I'm done investigating."
Her motivation waned, so she decided to cut it short and head for her assigned room.
However, Kenzo seemed to have a different take on the matter.
“You’re done......? No way, you've already outlined something."
Power stopped abruptly. She slowly turned around and replied with unclouded eyes. “
“Of course not. The knot of mystery has long since been untied.”
“What the hell…”
Power, feeling a little refreshed by the sight of Kenzo standing there in a daze, made
her way over to the guest room area with a light step. When she entered the room,
Denji was already lying on the bed, breathing soundly asleep.
“Hey, assistant! What are you doing sleeping while the detective is doing all the work?”
When she hit him on the head, he opened one eye and let out a big yawn.
“Nnn..? It's fine. If the devil comes, I'll do my job, but if it isn’t here, there's nothing I
can do.These beds are pretty great Power. You should try sleeping in it.”
Power was silent for a moment, then crossed her arms and nodded.
“...... Yeah, that's true, too. I was thinking the same thing.”
They were both very similar in being true to their desires.
"What the hell is Public Security looking for ......?”
Meanwhile, in the next room, Kenzo mumbled to himself with his ear to the wall. In the
end, they went through the entire building, but came up empty-handed. The other
Devil Hunters were the same way, and everyone seemed to be having a hard time
thinking of a way to attack and find the devil.
At this time, he was rather curious about the intentions of the public security officials
who had retreated to their rooms early. As they happened to be in the next room,
Kenzo decided to spy on them from his room. They had been talking earlier, but there
had been no noticeable noise for the past ten minutes afterwards. Rather, the gentle
sounds of sleep reached his ears against the wall.
“They aren’t sleeping on the job, are they......?”
Kenzo stared into the wall in disbelief. “No. ...... Maybe I’m just mistaken?”
Twilight colored the sky as he looked out the latticed window. If the devil lurking
somewhere were to make a move, it would be during the hours of darkness. Thinking
about it, ever since he arrived at the mansion, he’d been feeling tense about the
unseen enemy. The other devil hunters were probably the same. However, he
wondered if he would be able to hold this level of tension through the night. In a battle
against a devil, a moment's lapse in concentration can be fatal.
“...... Well, I don't know if they've got anything, but they're trying to get some rest now
so they can prepare for the night attack. It's a bold but smart strategy. That's what
public safety is all about after all.”
I can't afford to lose. I'll have to follow the Public Security's strategy.
Kenzo set the alarm with a smile on his face and went to bed.
:
 Kenzo set the alarm with a smile on his face and went to bed.
It was three hours later, when the clock struck twenty-one when he woke up. It was
dark outside. Only the sound of the ticking second hand echoed loudly in the silence.
Thanks to the sleep he had gotten, Kenzo’s body felt much lighter and he became
aware of the correctness of the decision. Listening into the next room, he could faintly
hear two people snoring through the wall.
He wondered when the police were going to make their move. They must be on to
something. I can't afford to be outdone.
"Come on, whenever you're ready. I'll be right behind you."
Kenzo prepared his mind and waited for the right moment, breathing heavily.
When the door to the next room opened, the crisp morning sun and the chirping of
birds had completely filled the room.
“...... No way! They slept until morning......!"
Grasping a Japanese sword, Kenzo, sitting in the middle of the room with his ears
against the wall, opened his bloodshot eyes. 'It's ...... I can't. I don't understand. Public
Safety and I must see things differently. ......"
Kenzo’s mind was foggy due to the fact that he had fallen asleep in the middle of the
night listening in. It's not an exaggeration to say that he was now in the worst condition
ever.
As he ran out of the room, he saw the two public security members. The two of them
were stretching out with a pair of refreshing faces, the exact opposite of Kenzo’s.

"Mmm, a pleasant morning."

“I slept a lot. I knew an expensive bed would be totally different!”
Denji's outstretched hand suddenly touches his neck.
“...... Hmm? Hey, Power! You've been sucking my blood again, haven’t you?”
“What? I didn't suck your blood.” Power replied with a straight face and wiped her
mouth away.
"Hey. You guys, what are you planning to do? Why did you go to sleep until
morning…..?”
“Hm-?”
“What?”
“No. nevermind......."
He tried to speak, but Kenzo put his hand down. There was no way he could tell her
that he had been sitting in the next room all night listening to them.
“Hey, where did you get all the bread? There's only supposed to be five of them!”
“Gahhaha, the fastest one wins!”
While the two of them were making noise in the kitchen, the other Devil Hunters were
gathering in droves. They all looked strained and tired.
“In the end, nothing happened. Is there really a devil in the first place?"
“There are so many devil hunters here. Maybe it just tucked its tail and ran away?”
“Hey, hey, that's not good. That's not good! We'll lose our reward!”
They rubbed their sleepy eyes and muttered lightly to each other. As they all moved to
the entertainment area, a Devil Hunter came sprinting in with a pale face.
"...... Hey, we lost some people. Our numbers are down!"
:
 "...... Hey, we lost some people. Our numbers are down!"
The incident happened before they knew it, and then half the Devil Hunters had
disappeared.

+++
“I went through all the rooms just to make sure," The Devil Hunter, surrounded by
everyone, said with a faint tremble in his voice. “Sixteen people entered the house in
total, but there are only eight people here. I went around the rooms, wondering where
the rest of them were and what they were doing, but all the rooms were empty.
“Maybe they're not in the room, but they're hanging around somewhere else?”
“That's what I thought. I went around the house, but I couldn't find them anywhere.”
“Well, maybe they're outside?”
“The front door's still locked. And the back kitchen door at the end of the corridor is
also locked.” The windows were all fitted and lined with metal bars, so even if you
broke them, you couldn't get out. The lighted window in the entrance hall did not have
any grating, but it was very high up and hard to reach.
"So, just like we’ve heard, people have disappeared......”
Suddenly, a heavy silence fell over the entertainment room. The devil had crept in
unknowingly and wiped out half of the people here, giving everyone a cold shiver.
Kenzo looked at the clock on the wall and spoke. “It's about time the client came to
check on us. It might be better to go outside the house and regroup when he gets
here.”
Afterwards, the remaining members of the team made another round of the
compound, but were unable to find the hunters that went missing. There was nothing.
The devil was still out of sight.
The time passed with an indescribable sense of tension in the air. And then…
“Hey, what's going on here?”
“He's not coming at all!"
The remaining devil hunters suddenly began to make a ruckus. It was long past the
appointed time, and even though it was evening, the owner still hadn’t shown up.
“Was it some kind of miscommunication or an accident? With no way of
communicating with people all the way out here in the mountains, it looks like we'll
have to spend another night in the mansion.” Kenzo's words made the men look faintly
uneasy. In the midst of all this, there was one person who sounded out of place with a
high-pitched laugh.

"Gahahahahahahaaaa! I knew this was going to happen. I knew it all from the start!”
Crossing her arms, Power opened her mouth as if she were in a good mood. The
detective, her assistant, and the crowd are all here. But Kenzo wasn't in the mood for
it. What was important, he realized now, was the incident in front of him. Kenzo
approached her with a somewhat vexed look on his face.
:
 approached her with a somewhat vexed look on his face.
“You're on to something after all, aren't you?”
“Yeah. Exactly so.”
“Please. ...... It's time you tell me. I’m ashamed that I have to ask you for help as a
professional, but the circumstances are what they are. What we can't see, you in the
public safety services can.”
Power nodded along generously, feeling more and more upbeat.
"Hehehe. You really want to hear the reasoning of the genius Power-sama? If you ask
me so sincerely, I have no choice!”
“Hey, guys. She's full of shit, so be careful listening to her.”
“No way. I'm the world's leading public safety devil hunter, so don't pay attention to my
assistant's nonsense.”
“I told you I'm not your assistant.” Ignoring Denji's dumbfounded face, Power walked
slowly up to the platform by the back wall.
The crowd watches with bated breath. All eyes are on her. The view down from the
stage was extraordinary. Power nodded in satisfaction as she got what she was
looking for, then held the edge of her silk hat and coughed.
“It's the case of the disappearing human bodies that happened in this mansion. It was
a very puzzling mystery." She turned her head deliberately and began to walk along
the stage. The sound of her footsteps reverberated in the silence of the room.
“Mysteries - yes, this house smelled of mysteries. But every magic trick has a secret.
The key is observation. Observation is the only door to the truth.”
:
 “The culprit is in here.”
“–!”
The air was filled with a cold tension. Amidst the murmurs, Power then reached into
her pocket and pulled out a knotted cord. It was something she had prepared at home
for this very moment.
"And now the mysterious knot is untied–”
But it won't untie. She pulled with all her might, but unlike in the Magician Detective's
anime, the knot only got tighter and tighter.
Power looked as if she were getting impatient, and Kenzo opened his mouth with a
pale expression.
"The culprit is in here...... You mean there's a devil among us?"
“.....What?”
Power blinked her eyes as she grasped both ends of the string.
“Oh. ...... Yeah, that's right. That's what I meant.”
A wave of unrest spread throughout the Devil Hunters.
"Seriously? That's why we couldn't find the enemy."
“Maybe they’re the one who locked the front door.”
"A devil that turns into a human. Was it in the mix from the start? Or did it switch
places halfway through?” Kenzo said, stepping forward in front of everyone.
"Sure, that would explain the current strange situation. So, who the hell is this devil?"
“I can't tell you that yet.”
:
 “I can't tell you that yet.”
"Why not? That's the most important thing we need to know!"
The Devil Hunters were beginning to crowd the stage, but Kenzo stopped them with
his right hand. “Wait. It's okay to make observations, but if you're wrong, we could all
be lynching innocent people here. Until we have solid evidence, we should avoid
saying anything rash.”
"...... Yeah, something like that, that’s what I’m saying.”
Power nodded her head heavily.
“Damn it, who the fuck are you!?”
One Devil Hunter took out a thick-bladed knife from his pocket and looked around him.
“Calm down! The sooner you panic, the sooner the devil will have its way. If you come
at anyone, I’ll have to deal with you myself.”

Kenzo says calmly, and puts his hand on the hilt of his Japanese sword. It's a deadly
situation. The air in the room was filled with tingling thorns. After a brief exchange of
glances, the man with the knife in his hand clicks his tongue and calms down.
"Shit. I'm going back to my room. If you're going to attack me, come on. I’ll strike right
back at you!"
The men, gripped by doubt and fear, returned to their rooms, firing off murderous vibes
at each other. Denji and Power were the only ones left in the entertainment room.
“You don’t even know. You're just saying random things. You were just saying the
same things from that anime you were watching!”
"Why is that not appropriate? I think I'm more suited to being a great detective than a
devil hunter. When I close my business as a devil hunter, I'll start being a detective in
earnest. Gahahahaha!”
“We'll be public security until we die.”
"You're a dreamless man. I was going to hire you as my assistant.”
"I'll think about it if you give me bread with jam on it."
Denji looked up at the high ceiling of the deserted entertainment room and muttered to
himself.
“Hmm, but where is this devil bastard anyway?"
And the next day, the number of people had been further reduced by half.

+++
Four people, including Denji, Power, and Kenzo, were gathered at the entertainment
room.
“Hey, who's doing this? Who the hell did this!? Who's the devil!?"
The other remaining Devil Hunter, with a pale face, pointed his knife around him. This
isn’t good, Kenzo thought.
:
 isn’t good, Kenzo thought.
The man's eyes were bloodshot and he looked as if he were about to explode.

It was in situations like this that they had to maintain a sense of normalcy.
But for some reason, the public security woman suddenly blew up and poured oil onto
the fire that was the man's anger without a care in the world.
"Gahhahahahahaha, that frantic face ......! Gahahaha~!"
"What are you laughing at!?”
"Hey, relax! The least I can say is I’m not a devil." Kenzo kept the man with the knife in
check as he turned his attention back to him.
“Are you serious? Then answer the question! If you are real, you should be able to
answer!”
“Alright, fine.”
“You and I have been involved in business before. What kind of devil was it?"
“It was the sea cucumber devil. We evacuated the people and set up a siege, but
some random person came down from above and snatched our prey.”
“...Bingo."
The man then pointed his knife at Denji and Power. “Then it's one of you! Ask them
questions about themselves and each other.”
Denji and Power both looked at eachother.
"Yeah, I don't wanna. It's a pain in the ass."
“Just ask the question.”
Denji glared lightly at the man who was approaching him with the tip of his blade, and
sighed.
"Power. What do you like?"
“Meowy. I hate vegetables and people. What does Unu like?"
“Makima-san.”
They both pointed at each other. “Power.” “That’s Denji.”
The man with the knife backed away, his mouth twisted.
"Damn it, where the hell are you!?"
The number of people kept slowly dwindling, and there is still no sign of the devil. No
one came for them, and the windows were barred with heavy-duty bars when they
tried to escape. And neither the front door nor the kitchen door at the end of the
corridor faltered. Kenzo felt a dull sense of frustration, as if his neck was being slowly
tightened with cotton wool.
"Yeah. We’d better plan for a long haul and manage our food too."
Kenzo went to the kitchen, but soon returned in a bloody hurry.
“Oh god. We're running out of food!”

The pantry was almost completely empty. There should have been enough for a few
more days.
“Ah, ahhh, what are we going to do? What are we going to do!?”
The other devil hunter shouted in a tearful voice.
“It's the devil's work. I won't forgive it!" Denji said, narrowing his eyes at Power with his
raised fist.
:
 raised fist.
"...... What? Power. You’ve got some crumbs on your clothes?"
"...... You’re seeing things."
Power brushed off the crumbs from her clothes with an unconcerned expression.
“Did you eat the rest of the food?”
“What are you talking about? I've never eaten any bread in my life.”
“I’ve seen you! That’s a lie!”
“Hey,chick! Is it true that you ate the food?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?”
When the three of them confronted her, Power’s face twisted and she backed away.
“N-No! No No! He’s lying! He's the one who's lying!”
Power pointed straight at Denji. “Well, he’s actually the devil lurking in the mansion!
He's lying and trying to frame me for a crime I didn't commit!"
“What the fuck?”
“He’s the devil that killed all those people?”
The sharp gazes of the two civilian Devil Hunters turned to Denji this time.
"Huh? What are you talking about? You said I was real when we were asked those
questions!”
“I didn't say that. I never said that.”
“You’re horrible! Hey, you guys heard that, right?”
However, Kenzo and the other man still had a look of suspicion on their faces towards
Denji.
“But ...... You're the one who first dismissed my suggestion that we all work together."
“Oh, yeah, that's right. That's how we ended up with so few people!”
“No! Don’t be a dick! It's not me!”
"It's him. He's the evil devil. I'm a great detective, so I'm sure of it.”
"You know I won't forgive you if you screw around with me too much."
When Denji tried to grab Power, Kenzo pointed his japanese sword at him.
“Hey! Don’t move, or I'll cut you.”
“Oh yeah? Go ahead, try it.”

“I said don't move. Unless you want to be suspected.”

“...”
Denji gave him a dubious look as he balled up his fists. Kenzo slowly lowered the tip
of his sword. Don't be in a hurry. Keep a leveled head. Kenzo told himself.
“You are certainly suspicious, but there’s no clear evidence. So if you say it's not true,
you have to prove it yourself.”
“What? How am I gonna do that?”
“I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to tie your hands and feet and keep you under
surveillance until they come for you. If the disappearance still happens, we'll know it
wasn't you."
"Huh? So what if nothing happens?"
"That's a good thing. As soon as they pick us up, we can contact the public safety
department and have them investigate further. If you're really innocent, I'm sure they
can prove it.”
“No way. I don't know when they'll come to pick me up. I can't just wait around tied up.”
:
 “No way. I don't know when they'll come to pick me up. I can't just wait around tied up.”
Then, beside Kenzo, the other Devil Hunter said in a pleading voice.
“I understand. Just one day, then. We'll let you go in the morning. How about that?"
“I’m not even a devil in the first place!”
Denji's hands, which were about to go wild, suddenly stopped.
"Well...... Makima-san told me to get along with you guys ......"
Denji seemed to remember something and mumbled in frustration, forcing his other
hand to restrain his swinging fist.
“......That’s it. Just one day.”
“Alright, we have a deal.”
Denji's hands and feet were tied with ropes from a storage room in the staff area, and
he was seated while tied to a pillar. In the midst of the tension, the time passed in a
moist and sweaty atmosphere, and the sun was swallowed up by the mountains to the
west.
The third night was about to begin in the Western-style house where the devil lived.
“Let's take a break. Two of us will keep an eye on him just in case, and the remaining
one will get some sleep, but who’ll sleep first?”
“Me! I'm so sleepy!"
At Kenzo's suggestion, Power raised her hand vigorously.
"Okay. The sun will be up in about six hours. Come back for your shift in two hours."
“Okaaay.”
“Power. You'll have to remember that later.”
“Ugh, the devil is staring at me. I'm scared. ......” Power turned away from Denji and
hurried out of the entertainment venue.
The two civilian Devil Hunters are left with Denji, who is tied up, in a large space.
"In the end, they didn't pick us up again today. I'll never be able to get out of this
house......" The man with the knife in his hand was mumbling and looking at the dull,
gleaming blade. His cheeks were puffy and dark circles had formed under his eyes.
He seemed to be nearing his limit.
“It's not possible. Even if something happened to the owner, if nearly twenty Devil
Hunters didn't return for a week, someone would certainly come looking for them.”
Kenzo attempted to encourage them, and the bound Denji opened his mouth.
"Shut uuuup, can you be quiet? I can’t sleep.”
“Are you going to sleep in that position?”
“It's already night. If I don't sleep, I'll have a hard time tomorrow.”
"I see. No matter what the situation is, sleep when you can. That's the Public Safety
way of working. ...... What, you went to bed already ......?"
Denji was leaning against a pillar and had begun to sleep soundly.
More than three hours had passed since then. The night in the mansion, far away from
the hustle and bustle of the city, was so silent that it was as if sound itself had
vanished.
“What the hell is going on? I told you we'd have a two-hour shift, and you haven't
gotten up at all." Kenzo looks at his watch, annoyed that Power doesn't seem to be
coming back to the entertainment room at all, and then at Denji, who is drooling fast
:
 coming back to the entertainment room at all, and then at Denji, who is drooling fast
asleep.
“This guy has been asleep for a long time. You have to have nerves like this to be a
public safety official.”
“ ...... You don't even know if he's really public safety.”
The man next to him, who was playing with a knife, said in a low voice.
“Oh, yeah, right.”
“Kenzo. I'll keep an eye on things here, so you can go get the girl."
“Yeah, alright. I’ll do that.”

He was a little worried because he was mumbling to himself from time to time, but
Kenzo was somewhat relieved by the man's calm suggestion. He seemed to still be
able to keep his spirits up. Kenzo walked through the door of the entertainment room
and headed toward the guest room.
“....You’ve done it.”
Making sure the door was closed, the man left behind slowly approached the sleeping
Denji. Kenzo had misjudged the man. The man's calmness was not a sign of serenity,
but a sign of extreme agitation. His black eyes were unfocused, and his fingertips
were trembling slightly.
"...... Hey, you're the devil, aren't you? While you’re alive, I can't even sleep peacefully.
I'm not as patient as that Kenzo guy."
The door of the entertainment room is completely soundproof. Now, even if they were
to scream, no one would notice. Worst-case scenario, even if it's wrong, he can make
it the work of the devil. The man looked down at Denji, who had fallen asleep, and
slowly raised the knife he was holding.
“Hey, will you die?”

+++
“Mmm..?”
Power sat up in bed in her room. She thought she heard Denji's voice, but she couldn't
be sure if she was dreaming it or not.
“I’m hungry…..”
Power’s stomach made little screams of hunger. She had eaten all that was left in the
pantry and hadn't had anything but water since noon.
“Denji, blood……”
She jumped into the bed next to her, only to be pushed back by the soft elasticity of
the mattress. Under the quilt, there was no sign of her buddy.
“Hmm….?”
“Hey, wake up! It’s time to change the guard.”
The door to the room was being slammed into hard. The rumbling vibrations finally
brought Power’s hazy consciousness into focus.
“...... Oh, that's right, yeah.”
Come to think of it, Denji had been into being the devil and was being held in the
:
 Come to think of it, Denji had been into being the devil and was being held in the
entertainment room.
“Hey, come on! Answer me!”
“Shut up! I know!”
Power put on the silk hat under her pillow and opened the door, rubbing her sleepy
eyes. Kenzo was standing there in the pale light of the induction lamp and let out a
sigh of relief.
“You're alive. When you didn't answer, I thought you'd been erased too.”
“Where is Denji…?”
“He’s sleeping peacefully in the entertainment room. For now.”
Kenzo said with a grim look on his face as he walked beside Power.
"Hey, are you sure he's been replaced by the devil? The way he's acting, I'm starting
to doubt it.”
“Denji's not the culprit.”
“He isn’t? You're the one who said he was the devil.”
“What? I didn't say that.”
"What? Huh......?"
Kenzo grunted in confusion as Power answered with a straight face. It's time to save
Denji. I'm going to help Denji, and he's going to let me suck his blood in return, Power
thought.
"Wait a minute. If he's not the devil, then what the hell have I done?"
"What an outrageous thing to tie up an innocent man. You're such an idiot!"
“Ughh…..”
However, when they opened the door to the amusement park, they stood there in
silence. There was no one inside.

+++
"What? He was here just a moment ago!"
Kenzo shouted in frustration and rushed out to the place where Denji had been tied
up. Denji, the man who had been tied up, and the man who had been watching him,
all disappeared without a trace. Did they escape? No... although I don't know why, the
ropes he had been tied with have disappeared as well. The human body
disappearance incident occurs again, and the sixteen Devil Hunters are now only two.
"Kuku kuku ......."
Suddenly, Power, who was standing behind him, began to chuckle. "Kuhuhuhuhuhu,
hahahahahahahahahaha!"
"W-What's going on?" ...... You can't be serious, can you?”
Kenzo opened his mouth in astonishment at Power's triumphant expression. When he
began to think about it, he’d been pushed around by this woman since the beginning.
If the devil was pretending to be someone else, he would not have wasted his time on
such a conspicuous act. Kenzo had that preconceived notion before he knew it.
—-I've been tricked ...... This is the devil ......! But she didn't pay attention to Kenzo,
who backed away involuntarily as she ran up to the stage. She reached into her
:
 who backed away involuntarily as she ran up to the stage. She reached into her
pocket and pulled out a knotted cord.
“The mysterious knot has just been untied!”
“What?”
Wait, I'm not sure what she’s talking about.
Power pulls the string hard from both sides, but the knot is still there, just as before.
“Urrrrgh!! Dammit, damn!!”
With a bright blue streak on her forehead, she pulled as hard as she could, and the
knot finally broke with a resounding snap.
Power swung the split cord in front of her face with pride.
“The mysterious knot has just been untied!”
“.....”
Kenzo didn't know how to react and just looked up at the stage in a daze.
“There is a devil lurking in this house that makes people disappear. One person
disappears, two people disappear, three people disappear, and only you and I remain.
And I am not the culprit. So that means—"
Power turned her palm upward with a smug look on her face. The blood that spurted
from her wrist transformed into the shape of a scythe in midair.
“The devil is yoooou!”
“Eee!?”
Kenzo managed to catch the blow of the scythe that was swung from the stage with
his Japanese sword. However, the intensity of the momentum from the blow pushed
him over and he lost his grip on his sword.

“Die, devil, die!”

“What!? I thought you were the devil!”
"I'm a great detective!”
Turning his back on Power, who was raising her scythe like the Grim Reaper, Kenzo
ran out of the area. He didn't know what was going on, but he had to get away now.
“Shit!”
A crimson blade with a thick gust of wind came at him, and the tip of the blade grazed
his calf.
–What do I do? The door is locked, so I can't get out. Should I run to the corridor at the
back of the game room? No, it's a straight path and they'll eventually catch up with me.
Hide in guest rooms or staff areas? No. As long as you've left your weapon behind,
she’ll find you and kill you.
“That's right!”
What Kenzo dove head first into was a small room on the way to the entrance hall.
The power room was off-limits. The inside was dimly lit and intricately lined with pipes
and wires. A large generator in the center of the room was roaring low. He was
planning to hold his breath and let his opponent pass, and then return to the
entertainment room to retrieve his sword. That was the plan—
“It’s in here!”
The door was kicked down loudly from outside, and the woman carrying a scythe on
:
 The door was kicked down loudly from outside, and the woman carrying a scythe on
her shoulder appeared in a flash.
“What? How..!?”
"I smelled blood. Did you think you could escape from Detective Power? You devil!"
Kenzo recalled that he had injured his calf and was bleeding.
“Wait, wait, wait. I'm not the devil! I mean, who the hell are you?"
"I already told you many times that I am the genius detective Power of public safety."
"What kind of detective comes to a murder scene carrying a bloodstained scythe?”
Power was closing in with a furious dash. Kenzo backs away. His back hits the
generator, stopping him in his tracks.
"Wait, wait! The owner says this is an expensive machine here!”
“Dieeee!”
“You aren’t listening!!”

As soon as Kenzo bent down, the tip of the giant scythe stabbed into the generator
behind him.
“What the…?” Power blinked her eyes, and with a bang, electricity sparked from the
machine. Immediately after, SPURRRRRRRTTT!!!
A massive amount of liquid spurted out like a fountain from the crack where the sickle
had pierced.
“What the fuck!?”
“Whoa, whoooooah!?”
They were tossed about by the overflowing murky water, and were pushed back to the
game room, tumbling about. Perhaps because of the damage to the power source, the
lights in the room were flickering violently. The two bodies that emerged from the
flashing lights were stained red.
“Is this…?”
“It’s…blood?”
Power licked her fingertips and spoke. "Hey, why is there blood coming from the
generator ......? Whoa!"
The bloodstained carpet suddenly began to move in an undulating motion, and Kenzo
was tripped up in front of it.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…—
A low moan roared throughout the entire compound.
“You can't be serious. ...... What the hell?”
A huge spray of water fell from the ceiling right next to Kenzo, who was knocked off his
feet. It bounced off the floor, and the spray burned Kenzo's skin. He looked up, his
face contorted, and saw countless droplets of water seeping down the walls and
ceiling.
"Hmm? Just what is going on here?"
Kenzo pointed at the ceiling and shouted at Power who was still carrying a crimson
scythe.
"Watch out! It's acid….!”
“Acid?
“It’ll melt you!”
:
 “It’ll melt you!”
“Huh?” As soon as Power looked up, droplets of water began to pour on them. The
two of them struggled to avoid the acid bombardment.
"Hey, what the hell?"
"I see......! I didn't think this was possible!” Kenzo kept himself low and raised his
voice.

“It's not that the devil can't be seen. It's been there all along, right in front of our faces.”
“Yeah!”
Power’s scythe changes shape into that of a giant umbrella. Kenzo jumps under it with
her.
“This entire mansion is a devil!”

+++
"The entire mansion?" At Kenzo's cry, Power furrowed his brow and looked around.
The floor and walls were indeed writhing like living things, and the acid rain was
gaining more momentum. Kenzo answered quickly.
"Ah, now I get it! When you look at the house from above, it's shaped like a cross, but
think of it as a person. The entrance where we entered is the head. The corridors on
either side where the rooms and staff areas are located are the arms. And this large
space further on from the crossroads is probably the stomach.”
“Stomach…..?”
“See, that’s stomach acid coming down. I'm sure that's what dissolved all those people
before."
“Huh.”
“I don't know if they were trying to have a strategy meeting here at night or if they were
called in by some noise, but the door to the game room is completely soundproof.
Their dying screams wouldn’t have reached the guest rooms. The reason for the
gradual reduction in the number of people was to instill fear in those who remained!”
“Well, devils love human fear.”
“I finally understand the meaning of the mysterious corridor at the end of the stomach.
The reason it was so convoluted and straightforward was probably because that was
the intestines.”
“Uh-huh…”
“And what looked like a generator in the power room was the most important organ.
That room was by the crossroads.Given its location, it was the heart of the house devil
you coincidentally destroyed.”
Power suddenly bellowed, "There is no such thing as coincidences!”

“...... Heart. Yes, the heart. Detective Power had it all figured out from the start! I’m a
genius. The Nobel Prize is mine!”
Wow, you're amazing!... As expected of a genius detective, Power.......!
Power felt that the storm of praise pouring in from all over the world had reached her
ears.
:
 ears.
“No. ...... That's a coincidence, right? I mean, you told me to die and tried to kill me.”
“That's what I told the devil in the house.”
“You're the one who attacked me!”
"What are you talking about......? I've never attacked you before, have I?”
“Jeez, you’re horrible.”
—Clurr…Clurr…clurr.. .......
The walls and floor twisted and turned violently, and the vindictive voices of the devil in
the building reverberated over and over. The amount of acid was increasing, pouring
down like a torrential downpour.
“This isn’t good. The blood umbrella is about to give out.”
There was a lot of blood in the game room from the heart of the mansion, but Power
was not so good with blood other than her own.
“So you're a devil, huh? I've heard rumors that there are devils in Public Safety
Division 4.”
"Yes, I am Master Power, Public Security Fiend Detective."
"Okay, okay. Just head for the hallway by the front door. If we leave the stomach and
head towards the esophagus, we should be able to avoid the acid."
They slowly approached the door of the entertainment room. However, the door would
not open, as if it were locked by the devil of the building.
"Damn it, it doesn't work. It won't budge!"
"Leave it to a great detective. In times like these, use your head!”
Power kicked the door as hard as she could with the sole of her foot.
“That's not using your head!
“Damn, it's harder than I thought.”
Feeling dizzy, Power clicked her tongue. She had increased the size of her blood
umbrella in order to protect herself from the acid storm. Her body felt anemic and
weak. She was drinking the demon's blood, but the acid was eroding too fast for her to
keep up.

"Damn it, are we all going to be wiped out in the end!?" Kenzo shouted with his head
in his hands.
“....Hmm?”
Power looked back at him.
"What's wrong?"
"...... What happened to Denji?”
“The ropes that bound him were gone, along with the remaining Devil Hunter, who was
probably dissolved by the acid.”
“What happens to the melted material?”
“It should flow towards the corridor behind the door on the other side. What about it?"
“...”
Power listened in silence. She thought she heard some other tone mixed in with the
roar of the blasting acid and the roar of the devil.
"When was the last time you saw Denji?"
:
 "When was the last time you saw Denji?"
“Right before I went to wake you up. He was asleep and tied up at the time."
“That means Denji is still in the gut.”
“Yes, but what about it?”
–Vrrmm…
Power looked at the undulating, peristaltic floor of the game room. The devil blood
overflowing from the heart was flowing into the back of the doorway leading to the
opposite corridor.
–Vroom, vroom, vroom .......
It was like the roar of a monster echoing from the depths of hell...
"What’s that sound?"
Kenzo craned his neck with a curious look on his face. Denji should’ve been dissolved
in acid and passed away into the intestines.
That's where the massive supply of devil blood is now coming from.
–VRRRRRRRRM, RRRRRRRMM, BRRRRRRMM…
“It’s getting closer…?”
–VRRRRMMMMM VRRRRRRMMM VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRM!!!
“What is that? Something’s coming…”
–VRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRMMMMM!!!!!
Power stared in the direction of the sound as Kenzo covered his ears, his face
contorted.
“Come on, buddy.”
A moment later with an explosion, the door opposite of them blew to pieces.
A strange looking man was standing there. A dull-colored chainsaw protruded from his
head and hands, its fierce blade like the fangs of a wild beast spinning in circles at
high speed. The sound of the engine tearing through the air stirred Kenzo’s head into
chaos.
“What the hell is that? Seriously, what the hell is that!?”
The man with the chainsaw slowly turned his head to Kenzo, who was holding his ear
and screaming. A quivering wall. The acid blowing in the air. He looked at the hellish
space and said a few words.
"Hmm? What the hell is going on? I woke up and now I’m suddenly in this whole
mess.”
“Denji! Over here!”
When Power raised her voice, Kenzo said in surprise. "What? He's from the Public
Security Bureau? What kind of place is the Public Security Bureau!?”
:
 Security Bureau? What kind of place is the Public Security Bureau!?”
"Oh, yeah, Power! You sold me out!”
When Denji suddenly realized what was happening and started running, acid rain
poured down on him without mercy.
"Ugh, geez, what the hell!?"
But even as he melts and crumbles, the chainsaw man rushes forward with mouthfuls
of blood filling the floor. He then thrusts his right hand into Power's neck.
“Power! That wasn’t a funny joke, y’know!”
"I realize that, but let's not talk about it until we get out of here! If we don't, we're all
going to die."
“Huh?”
Denji turned around. A rain of acid was blowing in all directions in the entertainment
room.
“What are we supposed to do?"
“Escape. But the door won't open.”
"What? Just use your head to open the door!"
Denji swung his head and broke through the middle of the door with the chainsaw on
his head.
“That's not what I meant by "use your head." ......”
With Kenzo's grunts in their ears, first Denji and then Power ran out into the hallway.
Iron doors sprouted from the floor and ceiling one after another, blocking their escape.
“Get out of the waaay!”
The first one, Denji, cut through the steel door and ran through the undulating
passage. Glob. There was an unpleasant sound, and Kenzo, who was in last place,
looked back.
"Hey, there's acid coming at us!”
A wave of acid attacked from the game room like a rush of stomach juices.
“Run, run, run!”
The entrance hall was right in front of them. But–
"Gah!?"
The chainsaw's blow was stopped when it impaled itself on the front door.
"Oh no, the front door is the teeth part of the mouth! It's stronger than the others!”
Kenzo shouted in an impatient voice.
"The teeth?"
As soon as he pulled the chainsaw out of the door, Denji ran up the wall vertically with
the small chainsaw he had grown on his foot.
“The window above is an eye, isn't it? You can't protect your eyes, can you!?”
“Oh, he's using his head…..”
About five meters above the door, Denji broke through the two side by side hall
lighting windows.
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
With a scream that roared throughout the mansion, the front door opened up without
hesitation. At that moment, Power and Kenzo jumped out through the front door.
"We’re outside!"
The sky was dark. The bottom of the sky was beginning to fade. Dawn was about to
break.
:
 break.
“POWER!”
Denji jumped out of the window and landed boldly on the ground, pointing his
chainsaw at the power.
“Hey, don’t be so mad! I’ll let you rub my breasts as an apology.”
“......Uh.”
Denji stopped moving for a moment and shook his head.
“Nah, I don’t need it. I love Makima-san–”
Suddenly, Denji's body was pierced by the iron fence that extended from the entrance.
The devil of the mansion was trying to pull the captured Denji into its body as a last
stand.
"Gaaah!?"
The front door opened vertically and Denji was skewered and swallowed deep into the
house.
“Hey, hey. He got swallowed!”
“It swallowed him…”
Power and Kenzo stood there helplessly.
In the end, they ran out of energy, and with a high-pitched scream in the mountains,
pieces of reddish-black flesh peeled off from the devil house.
In the pale morning sun, only a decaying, ivy-covered ruin remained.
"So you're saying it's a devil that possesses old houses and assimilates them?”
Someone was talking from the mountain path.
"Yes, it seems so. The client was acting strangely, so I asked him about it, and it
seems that the devil from the mansion that possessed the property had threatened
him to send devil hunters as food.”
It was Aki and Makima who showed up.
“It’s…”
Power's spine straightened up. She turned.
“Even so, Makima-san didn't have to come all the way to pick them up......."
“I'm going to be busy next week on a business trip to Kyoto. I thought a hike in the
mountains would be nice before that. I wonder, Hayakawa-kun, do you not want me to
be with you?"
“No, no. It’s fine. Not at all.” As Aki hurriedly waved his hand, Makima turned her
attention to the decaying mansion.
“Oh, it's you, Power.”

She recognized Power standing upright near the doorway and moved closer to her
side.
“I came all this way, but it looks like it's over.”
"U-uh, yeah. Detective Power solved the whole case!"
Kenzo, who was standing next to Power, frowned.
"...... No, you almost killed me.”
“What….? I'm not sure exactly what you mean by that. You're such an idiot!”
“Whaaat!?”
"It's useless. This girl falsifies her memories to suit herself."
:
 "It's useless. This girl falsifies her memories to suit herself."
Aki said off to the side while he lit a cigarette.
"So, where's Denji?"
Power shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
“My assistant Denji was eaten by the mansion. It was a spectacular end!”
“Are you serious?”
“Can you tell me more about it?”
When Makima nodded her head, Power spoke while using all sorts of gestures.
“He was melting in the belly of the house. That's where I came in with my mighty
efforts!”
Kenzo, who was standing beside them, explained instead, since the story was so
incomprehensible.
“I see…”
After hearing the story, Makima went around to the back of the house. All of us who
followed gasped at the sight before us. By the kitchen door, there were several dead
bodies lying haphazardly. There was Denji, the right half of his body melted.
"Makima-san!" Denji waved his remaining left hand happily.
"Good work, Denji. Looks like you got your work done.”
"Of course. I did my best and solved it as quickly as I could.”
As Makima crouched down, Denji made a peace sign.
“You say that, but it’s not very convincing when you’re half melted. ...... But how did
you know he was here?"
Makima answered Aki's question while brushing up her hair.
“The entertainment room is the stomach, and the corridor beyond that is the intestines.
If that's the case, I wondered if the dissolved persons would end up at the exit at the
end of the intestinal corridor.”
“So you're saying that the kitchen door is the anus?”
Power suddenly explodes into a fit of laughter.
"Hahahaha! It’s shit! It's the feces of Detective Power and her assistant!”
“Shut up. What kind of detective shouts about shit?"
“.......”
A little farther away, Kenzo silently watched the commotion of the public security.
There was a woman with a tendency to talk nonsense who suddenly attacked him, a
chainsaw man who was half melted alive, and two people who were watching the
scene without a care in the world.
“Man...... I'm glad I failed to get into public safety ......"
As Kenzo trudged away, Denji's hateful words and Power's piercing laughter echoed
high above him.
:
 Chapter 2 : The Taste of Nine Years
The future is dark. Because of the image of darkness, it is often used to express that a
:
 The future is dark. Because of the image of darkness, it is often used to express that a
bad future awaits us right under our noses, but the correct meaning of the proverb is
that we cannot foresee anything, good or bad. However, in this field, the former
misinterpretation is more correct. That's what Kishibe thought. The job of a public
security devil hunter is one where the promising newcomer, the battle-hardened
strongman, suddenly loses his life one day as if he were caught in a pit. On the front
lines of such devil extermination, he had avoided the gaping "doorway" to the abyss
for years and years. Was it good luck that God smiled upon him? Or was it bad luck
that even the Grim Reaper abandoned him? No, there is no God or Reaper. The only
things that are always by his side are alcohol, cigarettes, and the devil. And only an
unsociable buddy.
The sound of the jazz piano soaked into the space lit by the pale indirect lighting. It
was a bar on the top floor of a luxury hotel. The light which fills the sky is distant. A
dark sky of inorganic skyscrapers stretched out in front of him. As he gazed blankly at
the darkness ahead, Kishibe opened his mouth.
"Quanxi. It's been almost nine years since I started working with you.”
There is an old scar on the edge of his lip that looks like it has been split open.
"...... Nine years. Is that right?"
The woman sitting next to him with an eye patch over her right eye takes a sip of wine
and replies nonchalantly. She is a beautiful woman, but she looks somewhat dour and
lacks expression.
Kishibe held up the glass in his hand to Quanxi.
“Well? Are you interested in going out with me yet?”
“No.”
“Don't raise your fist in the air, please. We're in a restaurant.”
When Kishibe lightly stepped aside and spoke, Quanxi lowered her hand with a look of
disappointment. He had been hitting on her since the first day he met her, but she
usually rejects him by hitting him every time, saying, ‘I can't, I don't want to, no, I'm
picky.’
“How can you keep asking that for nine years?"
"Well, yeah. That's just how strong my feelings are for....... Are you listening?"
Quanxi’s gaze followed the waitress serving in the back. When she finally looked at
Kishibe, he shrugged his shoulders and downed his drink in one gulp.

“You reek of alcohol even more than usual. How much did you drink before I got
here?"
“Not much, really."
"Oh, right. A new recruit died yesterday, didn't they? Whenever a newcomer dies, the
amount of alcohol that you drink tends to increase.”
“......”
Kishibe didn't respond to that, instead ordering a whiskey on the rocks. He stares at
the amber liquid shimmering in the glass with vacant eyes.
"It's a twelve-year-old Macallan. Whiskey takes a long time to mature. In barrels. After
many years of patience, it finally becomes a decent drink."
:
 many years of patience, it finally becomes a decent drink."
“....... What are you trying to say?”
"Public Safety is a one year job. Whether you think you're strong or not, in a year you'll
be dead or in the civilian world. There's nothing like aging in this job. I don't think of it
as raising a human being, because I know these things. It's just dog training. But even
dogs have feelings.”
“.....”
“Five people have died in the past month. So I told my superiors to put an unbreakable
toy under me, neither human nor dog.”
"Unbreakable toy," huh?”
"I'm going to drink more because the person I feel for is going to die. If that's the case,
it's better to have someone you can't have feelings for."
Kishibe let out a damp breath and brought the whiskey to his mouth.
“They told me there were no such toys.”
“I bet.”
“Instead, they're not going to put a new recruit under me for a while."
"That's good, actually. You've had a little too much to drink."
“Are you worried about me?"
“I can't be bothered to get drunk and involved." Quanxi looked down at the wine filling
her glass. The blood-red color of the wine was blurred by the shimmering figure of the
woman with the eye patch.
“Oh, by the way, I'm taking care of a new recruit.”
“You are?”
“They said it was an appointment from the other party. They really want me to be their
instructor."
“That's unusual. Is that a man?"
"No, it's a woman. I've seen her picture on her resume, and she's got a pretty face."
“You seem pretty happy.”
“Oh, do I….?”
Quanxi blinked and gave a slight tilt of her head. Kishibe put his hand into his pocket
and placed the room key on the counter.
“By the way, I've got a room at the hotel downstairs, maybe we can grab a second
drink afterwards?”
"It's not my job as a buddy to take care of drunks."
Quanxi drank all the wine, put the bills on the counter, and left. Even though they had
crossed many deadly lines together, Kishibe raised the corner of his mouth faintly at
the unchanging, casual manner in which they had met.
"...... Nine years old buddy, huh?”
As he slowly turned the glass in his hand, the water in it made a light clinking sound.

+++
Two days later. An apprentice devil hunter arrived at Quanxi and Kishibe's office.
“Good morning, I'm Nakano Minami. I'm looking forward to working with you from now
on!"
:
 on!"
Petite, baby-faced. Short cut with black hair. Her eyes are like those of a puppy.
“Quanxi-san. I'm honored that you've agreed to be my instructor.”
The girl, who introduced herself as Minami, squeezed Quanxi’s hand in admiration.
"......"
Kishibe raised one of his hands in the air as Quanxi gazed at the hand in hers.
“It's nice to meet you. I'm her buddy, Kishibe.”
“Long time no see, Kishibe-san!”
"...... Do I know you?”
"Oh, no. I just saw you in the distance at the joint welcome party for newcomers. I
remembered that you introduced yourself by saying that your favorite things were
drinking, women and killing devils.”
“Uh, ...... Sorry about that. You must be a little disappointed."
“I think that helped ease everyone's nerves."
Kishibe rubbed his chin at the positive newcomer and pointed his thumb at Quanxi
next to him.
“I'm not sure why you'd want to ask her to train you. There are even people in public
security who are afraid to go near her.”
“I'm a little nervous, but I'm not afraid, I admire her. Ms.Quanxi is so strong and
beautiful."
“Seems like you’ve got an admirer.”
Kishibe looks at Quanxi beside him. Quanxi fell silent for a moment and then opened
her mouth to confirm.
“Nakano, or should I say Minami?”
“Yes. Please call me Minami."
“...... Okay, Minami. Which devil are you under contract with?”
“No contract yet. I'm thinking of making one after I've trained a little more."
"That’s good. Those who can't even move well and try to make do with just their devil’s
power usually don't last long. You should brush up on your fundamental physical skills
first."
“Yes!”
“Are you strong?”
“I’m not very strong….but I’m willing to do anything.”
Quanxi nodded and motioned for Minami to follow her.
“Let's start with your current physical capabilities. Come with me to the training room."
“Understood, Quanxi-san.”
The two headed for the Public Safety Training Room. Kishibe followed behind
them.Quanxi, who had let Minami go first, looked back at him in annoyance.
“Kishibe. Why are you even following me?"
“I've got some free time on my hands.”
“So why don't you just go out for a smoke or a drink or crash at a woman's house like
you always do?”
“That's not very nice. You're the only woman I got— whoops.”
Kishibe ducked out of the way of Quanxi's fist in the nick of time. The wind whistled by
his ears. It was a blow that would have killed him instantly if he were a normal person,
:
 his ears. It was a blow that would have killed him instantly if he were a normal person,
but after nine years of being her buddy, he could avoid it somewhat. Kishibe kept his
distance and raised his hands.
"It's an order from the top. They want me to watch over you as a buddy, just in case."
"Oh. The mad dog Kishibe is at the mercy of his superiors. I'll educate her. You stay
out of it.”
“I get it. I'm taking a break from dog training for a while. But it's not the new kid they
want me to watch over. Rather, it's you."
In the past, a few newcomers have come under Quanxi’s supervision, but due to the
severity of the conditions, all of them were forced into early retirement without fail.
“...... Have it your way."
Quanxi grumbled and turned her back on Kishibe. After moving to the training room,
Minami started running along the walls in the vast room under Quanxi’s direction. It
was fast enough to have passed the recruitment test. However, among the Public
Safety Devil Hunters, she was only adequate. After running about ten laps, she started
to gasp for air.
“That’s enough.”
“Wait, I can still keep going!”
As Minami answered while breathing heavily on her back, Quanxi crossed her arms
and replied.
"There's no need to push yourself too hard right off the bat. It will affect your training
later."
“Understood…..”
Minami stood up and took a deep breath. Kishibe, standing beside Quanxi, puffed on
his cigarette and remarked.
“You've got a very different attitude.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Six years ago, when you got a male recruit, you would have made him puke eight
times to get him to keep running."
“The man had a lot of energy left in him.”
“If I recall, he was rushed to the ER shortly afterwards.”
"You've had enough booze in your brain for your memory to be worthless."
“I can’t argue with that.”
Quanxi took off her jacket and put on a black tank top.
"Let's do kumite [1]next. I don't care how you do it, just come at me."
“Y-yes, of course.”
Minami looked nervous and took a half-hearted stance. She shouted and kicked
aggressively at her opponent. But–
“Whoa, whoa–!”

She was lightly kicked and rolled over.

“Again.”
“Yes!”
Minami gets up again and tries to stand up to Quanxi. However, no matter how many
times she tried, she was rolled to the floor in an instant. Minami sat up and exhaled
:
 times she tried, she was rolled to the floor in an instant. Minami sat up and exhaled
roughly.
“Oh, God. ...... I can't do anything about it......"
"Let's take a break. Go get some water."
“Yes, ma’am.”
Quanxi watches Minami silently as she runs out of the training room. Kishibe picked
up the jacket that Quanxi had taken off and called out to her from behind.
“Your attitude is quite different after all."
“What’s that?”
“You know what I’m talking about. Kumite nowadays is like a child's game. I can’t
believe it's being taught by a woman who’d win first place in a competition where all of
humanity gathers to beat each other with their bare hands.”
“No such competition exists. There's no way I'm going to suddenly crush a rookie."
"As I recall, three years ago, when a male recruit came under your command, you
shattered his ribs with the first blow.”
“I don't remember that. Looks like you've been drinking too much and it’s fucked with
your head.”
“Well, sorry about that.”
"Excuse me. Sorry to keep you waiting."
After rehydrating, Minami returned to the training room. Quanxi looked back at Kishibe
as she rubbed her shoulders.
“It's the first day, so we're just going through the motions. I don't need you to worry
about me, I'm going to build up my strength.”
“By the way, don’t train in Newaza[2].”
“.....Why?”
“What good is Newaza training if you're about to take on a devil? Are you stupid?"
“I'm not going to deny that. Well, that’s fine….”
Kishibe shrugged his shoulders, and Quanxi and Minami started their kumite again.
As far as he can see, unlike the previous men, Quanxi doesn't appear to be worried
about pushing the newcomer too hard. Rather, it seems that Quanxi is beginning to
like Minami and is becoming protective of her.
Perhaps Minami is Quanxi’s type–
Those wandering glances she’s been giving her…
In the training room, where Minami's shrill cry echoed, Kishibe watched them
absentmindedly and let out a puff of vapor.
Two weeks had passed since then. At night, after training, the three of them were
seated in a tavern in a bar area. Quanxi turned to Kishibe beside her with a cold
expression, which was the opposite of the smiles on the faces of the customers, who
were filled with a sense of freedom after a hard days work.
"Why are you following me? Minami is my student. You're in the way."
"I'm your buddy. It's no surprise I’m here."
Kishibe looked at the menu on the wall and ordered a draft beer. The chilled
carbonation and alcohol washed down his throat, and the clamor and the sound of the
kitchen cooking buzzed his eardrums. The stench of cigarettes seeping through the
:
 kitchen cooking buzzed his eardrums. The stench of cigarettes seeping through the
walls of the room was refreshing to his senses, and the stagnant heat clung to his
skin.
In the midst of my daily life where my colleagues are dying as a matter of course,
these moments suddenly remind me that I am still alive.
“Oh, I'm sorry! I asked Mr. Kishibe to come with me. I mean, I'm still nervous about
having a drink alone with Ms.Quanxi......"
“.....”
When Minami replied with a bit of embarrassment, Quanxi let out a silent, small huff.
"Speaking of which, how long have you two been buddies?"
“Hm……I forgot.”
“Nine years. Remember?”
Minami watches the exchange between Quanxi and Kishibe as she bites into her fruit.
She looks like a squirrel chewing on a nut.
“Nine years is quite a long time, isn’t it?”
:
 “In public safety, I'd say that's a pretty long time."
Kishibe nodded lightly, tipping his mug back and poured the beer down his gullet.
“Is there a reason why you've been able to do this for so long?”
"It's just that Kishibe doesn't die easily."
“Don't talk about me as if you want me to die soon.”
As usual, Quanxi’s answer was curt, prompting Kishibe to nonchalantly butt in, then
went on to pour himself a second beer. These kinds of exchanges have been going
on for nine years now. Minami smiled wryly, then suddenly mumbled something as if
she remembered something.
"Um…..speaking of which, isn't it about time......?"
Her usual composed expression was tinged with a hint of nervousness.
“What do you mean ‘about time’?”
Quanxi, sitting in front of her, questioned without a change to her expression.
“The devil extermination.”
“Yeah, I guess it’s about time then.”
Kishibe picked up two slices of sea bream sashimi at the same time and brought them
to his mouth.
During devil extermination, new recruits are also supposed to be dispatched alongside
their educators. The last two weeks have been unusual in that there have been no
orders to deploy, but it seemed that time was now.
”To tell you the truth, I'm still not sure how well I can fight devils. I'm still no match for
Miss Quanxi….”
”If a rookie could have a decent go at Quanxi in just two weeks, we'd be all out of a
job.”
“I suppose you’re right.”
“Besides, you're the only one who lasted two weeks under Quanxi.”
“Yeah, that’s true…!”
The energy in Minami's voice returned. Although, the way Quanxi treats the other
men who have been under her in the past is clearly different. The contrast between
:
 men who have been under her in the past is clearly different. The contrast between
the two is truly hell and heaven. In front of a male recruit, she is like a cold-hearted
demon, but in front of Minami, she is a gentle angel. But he wouldn't dare mention
that.
"However, as devil hunters, it's not our job to worry about whether we can fight or not.
We just kill the devils in front of us."
“...Right.”
"If you're worried, you can always quit early. Being a devil hunter isn't the only way to
live."
“Oh, e-excuse me.......”
She looked down for a moment and then raised her head as if she had regained her
composure.
"Well, do you have any tips on how to prepare yourself to fight a devil?”
“Hit it as hard as you can.”
After taking a sip of water, Quanxi looked into the empty sky and answered.
"Alright, I'll hit it as hard as I can.......!"
“What kind of teaching is that? She's the only one who does that, so don't take it too
seriously.”
“What about you, Kishibe-san?”
“Hmm….”
Kishibe stroked the stubble on his chin with the palm of his hand.
“Loosen the screws in your head."
"Screws in your head ...... What’s that mean?”
“Yeah. The more sane you are, the more you fear the devil’s attacks. And fear gives
the devil's power. So, unscrew the screws and throw away the sane. Even devils are
afraid of what they don't understand.”
“Abandoning your sanity...... Is that it?”
Kishibe picked up a skewer of grilled chicken that had been brought over and pointed
it at Minami as if it were a microphone.
“And by the way, why did you apply for Public Safety?”
“Because of……”
After receiving the skewer, Minami faltered a bit, then continued.
“When I was a student, I was attacked by a devil and was saved by a devil hunter.
That's when I realized that I wanted to be like them.”
“In other words, admiration. That's one of the three most common reasons for
applying.”
“What are the other two?”
“A sense of duty and a hatred of the devil. The runner-up was the generous benefits
package."
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No, it's not. But it's sane."
“....”
Minami puffed out her cheeks faintly, as if she was not satisfied. She tried to turn the
skewer she held sideways at an angle, and spun it around.
“But how do I loosen the screws in my head?"
“In my case, it's this one here.....”
:
 “In my case, it's this one here.....”
As Kishibe pointed to the beer in front of him, Quanxi beside him let out a shallow
breath.
"Don't worry about Kishibe, Minami. It may sound reasonable enough, but this guy's
just got a screw loose in his head as a result of his alcohol addiction.”
“You know exactly what I'm talking about.”
When Kishibe chuckled, Quanxi took another sip of water and remarked.
"Don't think too much, Minami. Ignorance and stupidity are the best ways to live a
happy life. Live simply."
"The point is, you need to loosen the screws inside your head and become stupid."
“Don't get mixed up with drunks.”
“...”
Minami grabbed a skewer of yakitori and stared at the exchange between the two.
Then she suddenly rose to her feet, lifted the beer in front of Kishibe and took a swig.
“Ah, hey!”
Despite Kishibe's attempts to stop her, Minami gulped all of the liquid down and placed
the now empty mug on the table.
“Kishibe-san! I-I’m actually not very g-good at drinking. But this will help me get the
screws in my head loosen a little–”
After saying that much, Minami slowly collapsed on the spot.

The neon lights of the night glided past the windows of a cab on the main street. In the
car, filled with the smell of alcohol, Quanxi who was seated in the back seat grumbled.
“......Kishibe. Do you know what I'm thinking right now?"
Minami's head was resting on Quanxi's lap, breathing soundly in her sleep. Kishibe, in
the passenger seat, answered with his eyes looking out the window.
“Well, I haven’t the faintest idea."
"That's what I get for being a buddy for so many years?"
“Don't misunderstand me. I know what you're thinking. It's about time you decided to
go out with me."
“If I didn't have Minami on my lap, I'd rip your head off from behind and throw it out the
window."
“You're not kidding. That's scary.”
“What I'm trying to figure out is why you're in the cab that's taking Minami home.”
The low, inexpressive voice was laced with a hint of pressure. Leaning his back
against the seat, Kishibe shifted his eyes to the rearview mirror.
“It's my fault that Minami went under because I was the one who encouraged her.”
"Don't get involved with my pupils in any funny way. What's sane? You think you've
taught her that this job doesn't suit her?”
"At this rate, she'll be dead in six months. You know that, don't you?"
“....”
Quanxi fell silent. Although the last chug was a bit of a surprise, Minami was basically
perfectly normal. She didn’t have the physical abilities to make up for it, and it’s
questionable whether she is ready to make a pact with a powerful devil. Kishibe felt as
:
 questionable whether she is ready to make a pact with a powerful devil. Kishibe felt as
if she is an example of how not to live long in this job, but for some reason, there are
always a few new recruits like her every year. Quanxi lightly strokes the hair on
Minami's head as she sighs peacefully into her lap.
“I won’t let her die.”
"That's encouraging. But she’s not going to be under your thumb forever."
“You've been talking a lot today. I thought you weren't going to be involved in dog
training for a while?”
“That’s the plan. Though even the death of my Buddy's dog isn’t pleasant for me.”
“....”
"Quanxi, do you know what I'm thinking right now despite everything?"
“I don’t even want to know.”
“We’ve been Buddies for so long and that’s what I get? Brings tears to my eyes.”
“Ha. Your tears have long since dried up.”
Kishibe faintly raised the edge of his mouth. The longer he continued to be a Devil
Hunter in the Public Security Department, the more death piled up around him.
Seniors are dying, classmates are dying, juniors are disappearing. The dogs we raised
are dying one after another. At the same time, he himself is gradually losing the
human part of himself because of his contract with a devil. Thus, Kishibe occasionally
wondered what would be left in the end. At such times, he drank like a drunkard. So
he wouldn’t have to think about anything else.
Living in ignorance and stupidity - in a way, Quanxi's way of life might be the same.
Kishibe took out a portable whiskey bottle from his pocket and poured it down his
throat.
"What I'm thinking about, Quanxi. I'm trying to figure out how you know where Minami
is staying.”
Instead of the smashed Minami, it was Quanxi who gave the address to the driver.
“I told you I looked at her resume before.”
“Do they even remember where I live?”
“What are you trying to say?”
“Nothing…”
Apparently, Quanxi liked Minami even more than Kishibe thought she did. As the
subtle silence continued, the cab drove for about twenty minutes and stopped in front
of a low-rise apartment building. Quanxi, with Minami on her back, twisted the knob
and the door creaked open with an unpleasant cracking sound.
"...... It's open. That's careless."
“You're the only bandit I know who can make a break-in like that."
He turned on the lights and stepped into the room. The room was a studio apartment
with a small cactus and a picture frame on the table. The picture on the table seems to
have been taken with her family.
“....”
Kishibe silently put it down. There's not a single good thing about knowing too much
about a dog's background. Quanxi, who had laid Minami down on the bed, turned
around.
“I'll take care of the rest. You can go home now."
:
 “I'll take care of the rest. You can go home now."
“I mean, that's what I'm going to do, but I'm not sure if that's the right thing for my
Buddy."
“What's that supposed to mean?”
"Quanxi. Do you know the phrase "wolf in sheep's clothing"?
“Tell me what this is about.”
“Nah…”
It would be a mistake to think that no matter how much Minami was Quanxi's type, she
wouldn't make a sudden move on a new recruit. The people who have been working
as devil hunters for years in the Anti-Devil Special Division of the Public Security
Department are all people who have lost touch with common sense. Including Kishibe
himself, of course. He thought for a moment about how he should approach the
situation–
"Mmm, ah ......."
Minami, who was lying on her back on the bed, moaned softly.
“Mm...... Oh......What's going......?"
When Minami opened her eyes, she seemed to be unable to comprehend the
situation. She finally seemed to recognize that she was home and apologized to her in
a fearful manner.
“Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause you any trouble.......!”
Quanxi sat down on the bed and spoke in a calm voice.
"Don't worry about it. It's all Kishibe’s fault you ended up like this. You should go take a
shower or something."
“Ah, okay…”
Minami staggered upwards to her feet.
“You’re wobbling. Let me help you.”
“You hold on.”
Kishibe clutched Quanxi’s arm as she headed for the bathroom, supporting Minami.
Quanxi looked back at him with narrowed eyes.
"...... Why are you stopping me?”
“I just have a gut feeling.”
"What's wrong with me helping Minami with her shower? It's none of your business
anyway."
“Maybe it isn't, maybe it is."
“Get your hands off me.”
Just as Quanxi was about to shake his arm off, a ringing sound came from Kishibe's
pocket. Putting the radio to his ear, Kishibe muttered a few words. “Yeah.” He replied,
putting the device back in his pocket.
"Devil’s on the loose. Let's move out."

+++
The scene was an abandoned factory in the suburbs. The slate exterior walls,
illuminated by the moonlight, seemed to have been abandoned for a long time. More
:
 illuminated by the moonlight, seemed to have been abandoned for a long time. More
than half of the building had been destroyed by the lukewarm erosion of wind and rain.
A mild breeze blew, causing the overgrown weeds within the building to rustle and
sway.
“What kind of devil is it?”
The sound of Minami's throat choking could be heard. Her large eyes were shaking
unsteadily, not because of the alcohol, but because she was anxious and filled with
nervous energy.
"It was reported by some students who came to test their courage, they weren’t able to
make it out clearly because it was dark. But they heard voices that didn't sound
human."
Kishibe said as he slowly looked around.
“I'll do my best to show you a good performance!"
With a rigid voice, Minami grasped the hilt of the sword at her waist. Quanxi placed a
hand lightly on her shoulder.
"Relax. There's no need to push yourself today."
“But….”
Kishibe took a bottle of whiskey out of his pocket and pointed it at Minami.
"Take it easy. You want another one to get you going?"
“No, no, I’m fine sir.”
"Kishibe. You wouldn't want to lose your life over a joke."
“Don't you think it softened the mood?"
Kishibe shrugged at Quanxi and sipped from his whiskey bottle.
"Minami. You know the most important thing for a rookie to do going into their first devil
extermination?"
"...... You mean to kill it properly?”
“No. It’s not dying.”
"When you're dealing with a devil for the first time, it's easy to panic. You cower in
fear. Tense and rigid. You won’t be able to do what you were able to do in training. But
if you don't die, there's always next time.”
“Next time…..”
In other words, there was a good chance that there would be no next time. Minami
nodded her head in acknowledgement of this obvious fact. After passing through two
tilted doors, she found herself in a large space that appeared to be a workshop. The
roof was barely visible, and the moonlight shone through the gaps in the bare steel
frame. In that space they all stopped to catch their breath at the sight that appeared
before them. Mannequins. Countless abandoned mannequins were lying haphazardly
on the floor like the carcasses of a large number of dead fish on the beach. There
were several small piles of mannequins piled high in the back. One without arms. One
without legs. Faceless. Covered in dirt and dust, the remains of those who failed to
become human beings are screaming silently under the moonlight.
"A mannequin factory ....... Ah, so then the Devil is......?"
Minami's head whipped around as she continued on her trembling feet. At her feet, a
shadow stirred just slightly. One of the mannequins lying on the floor was slowly
reaching out its hand to grasp the new devil hunter's ankle.
Just as Kishibe was about to open his mouth to issue a warning, Quanxi’s voice
:
 Just as Kishibe was about to open his mouth to issue a warning, Quanxi’s voice
sounded first.
“Down, Minami.”
“Whoa!?”
As soon as the mannequin's fingertips touched her feet, Minami swung the sword she
had pulled from her waist. The tip of the blade dug into the mannequin's shoulder and
separated the arm from the body. The dry sound of the blade hitting the floor echoed
in the silence, and the mannequin stopped moving like a puppet with its strings cut.
“I-I got it…”
Minami looks back at the shore and at Quanxi, and then jumps up slightly.
“I did it!”
Oh– The mannequin, which had stopped moving, suddenly woke up abruptly. What
was surprising was that its appearance had completely changed. The cracked limbs of
reinforced plastic had become smooth skin, dull eyes twinkle in its face, and a head
full of short-cut black hair sprouts. Except for the missing arm that had been dropped
earlier, it was turning into Minami Nakano herself.
“Huh!?”
A blast of air ripped through the air near Minami, who had fallen on her rear.
Immediately afterwards, the mannequin that resembled Minami was blown backwards,
shattering. In front of the crumbling wreckage, Quanxhi stands with a calm face, fists
clenched.
“Are you alright?”
“Y-yes, I’m fine….”
She stood up with a sluggish gait as Quanxi took her by the hand.
"Oh, um, you didn't really beat it already, did you?"
“Ah. That's how you beat the devil, Minami."
“Ah, yeah…”
“Hit it as hard as you can.”
“Yes, ma’am.....!”
“You probably didn’t notice this, Quanxi.”
Taking a glance at his Buddies supple back, Kishibe observes the myriad of
mannequins scattered about one by one. Kishibe stopped and hunched over slightly.
"What's the matter, Kishibe-san....?"
Not immediately responding to Minami's words, Kishibe kept his attention on his
surroundings. It was a hunch.
“......If Quanxi's fist can blow through one in a second, that’s fine. But is that really the
enemy's main body?"
“What’s the difference?”
“Never know. Remember this, Minami. When it comes to devils, it never hurts to
assume the worst. After all, one mistake and it's game over. And there are no do-
overs.”
“....”
It wasn't over yet. The scent of the malice of something inhuman was wafting through
the air like cigarette smoke. Kishibe’s intuition he had gained over years of being a
devil hunter told him so. Quanxi folded her arms and creaked her shoulders.
:
 devil hunter told him so. Quanxi folded her arms and creaked her shoulders.
“All this worrying is making you lose your hair.”
“Well it’s not growing. I don't have the same reflexes as you do, you know. I have to
use some of my alcohol-ridden brain to make up for it.”
Kishibe considered a few scenarios. For example, the enemy is a type of devil that
possesses and manipulates mannequins, and the moment it is struck by Quanxi, it
already moves to another mannequin and blends in with this large forest of
mannequins. The devil can change the mannequin into the same form as the person it
once touched. He’d heard that there is an assassin in the world who turns people into
puppets, but this devil can do the opposite, transforming mannequins into a human-
like appearance.
“..... It doesn’t matter.”
It's not a big deal to just imitate a figure. One of the piles of mannequins piled high in
the back of the room burst into flames, and a black shadow rushed forward in a
straight line through the countless mannequins that had flown up.
“Ggh!?”
Approach. Collision. Impact. Kishibe crossed his arms and immediately blocked the
enemy's fist that was thrust out. Fast, strong, and heavy. The enemy's face, seen
through his crossed arms, was expressionless, and he wore an eye patch over his
right eye. --This is the worst possible scenario. It was the very image of his buddy.
Quanxi touched the mannequin when she punched it earlier. And the devil can change
the mannequin into the form of anything it touches. The worst part is that the enemy
may be able to mimic not only their appearance, but also their physical abilities.
The bones in his arms creaked. Kishibe, tangled up with the Quanxi mannequin,
plunged through a group of rebar propped up against the wall.
."Kishibe-san!"
Minami yelped and turned her anxious expression to her educator.
“...... Looks like today is one of those days when Kishibe's fears come true."
“Kishibe-san, are you alright?!"
Minami let out an uneasy squeak and turned her head in the direction where Kishibe
had disappeared. Then, from the darkness at the back of the room, the person in
question appeared with a staggering gait.
“Ah….I’m surprised you managed to beat it!”
“Thank god…”
Minami let out a breath of relief and scuttled over to the side of Kishibe. Moments
later. Quanxi's sharp voice flew from behind her.
“Wait, get away from him, Minami.”
“Huh?”
It was at the same time that the figure in front of her, in the form of Kishibe, thrust a
knife into Minami's stomach and Quanxi's fist caught him in the face. The enemy can
change the mannequin into the form of anyone they touch. And just now, Kishibe had
come into contact with the mannequin that had taken the form of Quanxi. As she
watched in slow motion as Kishibe’s form collapsed back into a mannequin, Minami
felt her consciousness fading away.
“Ahahaha, ahahaha, ahaha–" a mechanical voice echoed through the factory.
:
 “Ahahaha, ahahaha, ahaha–" a mechanical voice echoed through the factory.
“I'm stuck. I'm stuck."
"She's so naive. Easy to fool."
The devil seemed to be talking while switching from one mannequin to another. The
words coming from all directions were interfering with each other and reverberating
unpleasantly.
"Mannequins are scary." "They have no expression." "But we want to change, too."
"We can change." "Yes, we will change.” We'll be replacing anyone who touches us."
"It's not just looks. We can read your thoughts, too."
“Thoughts too……..?”
Kishibe furrowed his brow.
“A woman with an eye patch. A man with a beard. Strong. Crazy. I can't read what
you're thinking.”
“But the young woman, she's weak. Straightforward. Easy to read her thoughts." —
One of the mannequins points to Minami, who is being held by Quanxi, and points its
finger over to Kishibe.
“She likes the man with the beard.”
“...What?”
Kishibe couldn't help but let out a strange sound. The mannequins continued to talk,
unconcerned.
"A long time ago, I was attacked by a devil. A man with a beard saved me. It was love
at first sight."
“I want to see you again. I can't sleep at night. I thought about joining the public
security service. I worked hard. I got in."
“I wanted to be put at the top with you, but they told me you weren’t teaching at the
moment. So I thought I’d have the woman in the eye-patch be my teacher instead.”
“Your buddy, so I could see the man with the beard a lot more.”
"So, in the form of the man with the beard, I'm caught off guard. I can be easily fooled.
So easy to fool."
“Honest. Straightforward. Easy to understand. Easy to kill."
“....”
Minami had said that her motivation for joining the Public Security Bureau was
because she was once saved by a Devil Hunter.
—Is that me? I hadn't noticed that at all.
He had been battling devils all year round, so he couldn't remember every single face
of the people he had saved. The alcohol had made his memory fuzzy. He
remembered that when they met, Minami said it had been a long time. The
unexpected revelation stopped him in his tracks for a moment. In short, Quanxi has
feelings for Minami, but Minami actually has feelings for Kishibe. And Kishibe has
been hitting on Quanxi since they first met. A triangle was formed between the buddy
and the teacher. Kishibe silently locked eyes with Quanxi. An indescribable air flowed
between the two of them.
:
 “Well, I mean, what can I say….Don’t let it get you down.”
“....”
Quanxi remained silent and slowly placed Minami on the floor. Ugh… Minami moaned,
and her thin eyes fluttered open. She seemed to be regaining consciousness. It might
have been lucky for her that she didn't know about the unexpected revelation of her
secret to everyone.
“Oh, I failed to kill her. I’ll do it properly this time.”
“I think it’s time we ended this. Let’s go.”
“The woman with the eyepatch. Her body is weird. Hard to use."
“Let's take the guy with the beard. Let’s do it.”
“Let’s all move together.”
“ –We’ll move together.”
“You’ve got bad taste….”
Kishibe opened his mouth. He wasn’t sure if the devil could only move one mannequin
while possessing it, or if it could take over multiple mannequins at the same time, but
the answer came in the form of the countless mannequins lying around like wreckage
slowly growing black hair and a stubble, transforming themselves into the figure of
Kishibe. They raised themselves up at the same time, even the wounds on their
mouths had been carefully reproduced. The sight of hundreds of self-same objects
wriggling around as if they were struggling was far from a pleasant sight to see.
“Drop dead!”
“I want you dead!”
“I want all of you dead!”
The chorus of mannequins, whose voices had become identical to Kishibe's, rang out
in Minami’s eardrums. Minami awakened from the noise and chokes out a scream at
the sight of her own red blood soaking her shirt and the horrible scene in front of her.
DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE–
Countless forms of Kishibe rushed at them, spouting out those words as if they were a
curse. In the midst of the murderous fury that poured down on them like the whirling
sounds of cicadas, Quanxi murmured with her usual blank expression.
“....What a nightmare. Even one Kishibe is bad enough, now there are one too many.”
“Huh?”
With graceful movements, Quanxi bent down slightly and grasped the hilt of the sword
hanging at her waist.
“You’re gonna stop us?”
“It’s pointless.”
“The woman with the eyepatch, she's strong. But it’s impossible."
“Because there are so many of us."
“Because there are so many of us.”
“If.”
“Just in case–”
“Even if it means taking us all down.”
“Is that really safe?”
:
 “Is that really safe?”
“You may just kill the real one by mistake.”
Certainly, Kishibe thought. The place was filled with mannequins that looked just like
Kishibe. If Quanxi attacked indiscriminately, she might even kill the real Kishibe by
accident. So, no matter how much Quanxi attacks, she couldn’t be too reckless. But
Kishibe knew that it’s a big mistake to assume that this is the case. The moment she
quickly held up the knife, Quanxi's figure disappeared. No, it wasn’t that she
disappeared, it was that no one could perceive her.
Black afterimages raced across the space, leaving even sound behind. The floor and
walls caving in in the shape of her feet were the only signs of her immediate
whereabouts, followed by the sound and then the tsunami-like wind pressure.
And the winner was decided. Flying in the air were the countless heads of Kishibe.
The headless mannequins, who had been standing there dumbfounded, not even
realizing that they had been cut, fell to the floor at once with the understanding that
had finally caught up with them. The only people standing safely were the real Quanxi
and the real Kishibe. Kishibe exhaled deeply and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
“H-How did you do that?”
Quanxi's fingertips were picking something that looked like a small winged insect. A
worn-out, hand-sewn doll with a pair of black wings. This must’ve been the body of the
devil.
“How did you know which one was the real one?”
“There’s nothing to tell them apart!”
In response to the devil’s question, Quanxi answered in an indifferent manner.
“I just slashed them with the intention of killing them all."
“That’s impossible…”
“It is, isn’t it? That’s the kind of person my buddy is.”
Kishibe cocked his head and looked at the knife in his hand. Quanxi would do it. He’d
known that for nine years now. That's why Kishibe's first priority when Quanxi
prepared to attack him was to protect himself. In fact, Kishibe's knife had a deep crack
on it from the attack he had received from his buddy.
“If he was the kind of man who would die from this, he wouldn't have been my buddy
for nine years."
Quanxi mumbled indifferently and twisted the plucked devil with her fingertips. The
final scream of the devil, like the buzzing of a mosquito, signaled the end of the battle,
and finally there was nothingness and silence.

“Can you stand, Minami?”

Quanxi reached her hand out to Minami, who was slumped down on the floor and
speechless. However, her fingertips wandered in the air for a while, and then she
lowered them.
“Kishibe. Take Minami to the hospital.”
“Ah…?”
“And you'll have to pay for the key to the apartment you broke into.”
“It wasn’t me who broke into it.”
:
 “It wasn’t me who broke into it.”
Kishibe helped Minami stand herself up and lent her his shoulder.”
“I…um…uh…”
“Don’t worry. That much blood loss won’t kill you, but we can’t just leave it like that
either.”
Kishibe called out to his buddy's supple back as he turned to leave.
“Hey, Quanxi.”
“What?”
“You actually knew which one was the real me, didn’t you?”
“....”
She was going to kill them all. He was sure she meant it, but it still felt like she took it
easy on the real Kishibe. He was prepared for at least an arm or a leg, but the fact that
he only got a crack in the knife was proof of that. Quanxi looked back at him for a
moment with an annoyed look on her face.
“When that devil comes back from hell, tell him. If you’re going to imitate Kishibe,
make sure you imitate his alcohol smelling breath too.”
Then, with a languid gait, she disappeared into the darkness outside.
“Quanxi-san….she knew, didn’t she?”
“Yeah. In fact, she knew and she still came right at me.”
She was the craziest buddy he had. Maybe it was a way for her to let off some steam
after she learned Minami had a thing for Kishibe and not her.
“I can’t compete with her.”
Minami chuckled bitterly.
“That’s right. There aren’t many people who can match her.”
“No, it’s not that—”
Minami's hand is not on her wounded belly, but on her own chest.
“I was easily fooled by the Kishibe mannequin. Quanxi-san found the real you out of
hundreds of them…”
“....”
The small declaration of defeat melted into the moonlight and disappeared.

+++
“Minami left Public Security.”
Three days later. At the bar located on the top floor of a luxury hotel, Quanxi said in a
calm voice. Kishibe, who sat down next to her, replied while looking out the window at
the night view.
“That’s a wise decision. That thing would’ve killed me. I don’t want any more alcohol in
my system.”
“...”
With her hand on a glass of whine, Quanxi opened her mouth.
“Minami wanted you, didn’t she? Why didn’t you go after her?”
:
 “Minami wanted you, didn’t she? Why didn’t you go after her?”
“I already have a woman in my heart, you know. Wait, don’t hit me–”
When she was preempted, Quanxi reluctantly lowered her raised fist.
“How can you keep this up for nine years?”
“I think about that myself.”
“Then why me?”
“Because I’m in love with you.”
Kishibe looked down at the distilled whiskey in his hand beside Quanxi, who remained
silent.
“And ......You won’t die so easily."
His buddy's eyepatched eye turned toward him. As he swirled his glass filled with
twelve-year-old Macallan, the sweet, rich aroma of the sherry-aged alcohol rose to the
surface.
“The more you get involved with people, the more you feel for them. But the devil
hunters of the public safety department evaporate and disappear in the blink of an
eye. The guy who was next to you yesterday is a different guy today. Each time, the
amount of alcohol increases. Eventually, you hesitate to get deeply involved with
people.
“...”
"Quanxi. You won’t die. You will never change. So I can love you without worrying
about you, I’ll always have peace of mind."
“....Seems like a dumb reason.”
“I guess we’re both dumb.”
Somehow, the alcohol is running strong today.
Kishibe plopped down on the counter and gave his buddy a feverish look.
“....I love you.”
A confession can only be made when both parties are still alive. With nine years' worth
of feelings on board, Kishibe is making another attempt at seduction today. Today,
they are still able to speak. They are both alive today.
“Recently, I realized that….”
After a few moments of silence, Quanxi announced with her usual blank expression.
“I think….that I like women.”
Kishibe exhaled with a chuckle and poured the amber liquid down his throat.
“....Yeah, I know.”
We have crossed many deadly lines together, and yet it has not grown thicker or
deeper. And it's not even a little bit sweeter. I felt strangely comfortable with that
unassuming taste that hadn't changed since nine years ago.
:
 Chapter 3 : The Day We Became Buddies
:
 The window was filled with a silvery white world. The endless rain from the leaden sky
was covering the land in all directions. The bare black earth. The cracked asphalt.
Even the grass swayed weakly in the wind. Snow paints everything that exists on the
earth an unblemished white. As I gazed at the white-washed scene, it seemed as if
the heavens were trying to make a clean slate out of this error-filled world.
Still, the memory of the tragic past of losing my family all at once, no matter how deep
it was buried in the snow, left a certain dull pain in my heart.
“...”
Aki let out a small sigh and shifted his gaze from the window of the inn to the room.
Denji was sprawled out on the futon. Power stuck out from the futon and put her foot
on Denji. The assassins who came from all over the world to kill Denji had somehow
been taken care of, and they came to visit the graves in Hokkaido, which has become
an annual event. It was a very noisy trip. They screamed on the bullet train, threw up
on the boat, played with the straps on the bus, and ate offerings at the graves without
permission. As a guardian, he had no time to rest and no time to give respects to the
graves. His eyebrows furrowed lightly as the two snored in perfect harmony, and he
looked out the window once more.
“Visiting the grave, or…”
I used to dread visiting my family's graves because it reminded me of all the bad
things that happened to me, but this year I didn't have time for that because of the
noise Denji and Power were making. Now that I’ve caught my breath, what comes to
my mind instead is my late buddy. I met her at the cemetery, come to think of it.
As he looked out at the white landscape, Aki thought back to the day of his first
mission as a Public Safety Devil Hunter.

+++
“Himeno….this is your new buddy.”
After completing my initial training as a Devil Hunter, Kishibe brought me to the
cemetery. Crosses as far as the eye could see. The cawing of the crows circling above
me seemed awfully loud.
A bouquet of flowers was placed on one of the countless crosses, and the woman who
was to be my buddy stood in front of it. A bandage was wrapped around her head and
her right eye. Her right arm seemed to be injured as well, and was hung up with a
triangular bandage. The woman, who was called Himeno, was looking down at the
cross in front of her with empty eyes in a sorry state covered in wounds. My honest
impression at that moment might have been disappointment. To be injured so badly in
a fight with a devil, you must not be very good or at the very least an amateur. I
wondered if my buddy would be able to handle this kind of situation, considering that I
had joined the Public Safety Department to kill the Gun Devil.
“I’m Aki. Nice to meet you.”
It wasn't because I felt that way, but my first greeting was just a slight inclination of my
head next to Himeno's, who was standing still. Oh well. I’ll kill the Gun Devil with my
:
 head next to Himeno's, who was standing still. Oh well. I’ll kill the Gun Devil with my
own power. I'm not going to get along with anyone from the start anyway. That's what I
was really thinking.
"I did raise him to be rude but a little useful. Make it work."
When Kishibe told her this, Himeno spoke as she looked down at the grave.
“Are you useful?”
“Well…sure…”
Of course I’m confident that I can do it to a certain extent, but I didn’t expect to be
asked so suddenly.
When I answered vaguely, Himeno continued.
“You're the sixth one of my buddies. They're all dead. They're all dead because they
were useless mutts."
“.....”
Her voice was low and cold, as if all emotion had left her. I stared at Himeno's profile
in silence, and her vacant eyes finally turned to look at me.
“Don’t you dare die, Aki-kun.”

+++
Our first mission was exactly two weeks after our encounter.
“Hey, where are we going?”
In the car driven by Himeno, I open my mouth in the passenger's seat. When I arrived
for work at the Public Security Bureau, she said, "Okay, let's go," and suddenly put me
in a car. However, since Himeno had been silent since our departure, I had no idea
what was going on and finally became impatient and decided to ask her. Himeno, who
was holding the steering wheel, turned her gaze to the road ahead of her and replied
matter-of-factly.
“Hmmm, a crime scene.”
“Crime scene? You think a devil came out?”
“Maybe not a devil, but a fiend.”
“I didn’t hear anything about this.”
“Didn’t I tell you?”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Ah, well, that’s fine. You’re still just a rookie after all, and I know what I’m doing.”
“You don’t know me.”
"Oh, that’s a great ramen shop we just passed."
“Hey, listen to me.”
“But it's not the ramen that's good, it's the fried rice. The ramen is really bad. That's
why all the customers order only fried rice and leave. I think it would be better to make
it a fried rice specialty restaurant, but they are so stubborn about it.”
Himeno, who wore a black eye patch that covered her right eye, said in a carefree
tone. It's been like this for the past two weeks. The soul-deprived atmosphere I felt
when I first met her has disappeared, but instead we have fruitless conversations
about what we ate yesterday, where to find a good waffle store, and the rest is just
:
 about what we ate yesterday, where to find a good waffle store, and the rest is just
paperwork. Thanks to this, I still don't feel like I've become a devil hunter. It was my
first mission as a devil hunter, and they didn't even bother to explain the details.
“...”
No, I know the truth.
Perhaps they were not yet recognized as buddies. Before working with Aki, HIMENO
said she had lost five buddies. She didn't want a useless rookie. Perfect. The injuries
to her head and right arm seem to be mostly healed, but I don't need a partner who
blunders in a fight with a devil either.
I would like to say as much, but I know that as a newcomer, I have no right to choose
my partner. Since public security is based on "buddy" activities, I need to at least make
this woman recognize me in order to get to the gun devil.
I glared at Himeno with a sideways glance.
“...Don’t lump me with those useless mooks.”
“Hmm? Did you say something?”
“No, I’m gonna open a window.”
“Nope, it’s too cold.”
“It reeks of smoke in here.”
Her left hand gripped the steering wheel and her right hand held a lit cigarette. The
smell of cigarette smoke was filling the car.
“Eh? Aki, have you never smoked before?”
“Why does it matter if I’ve never smoked?”
“Nothing. But for a cheeky guy, you're surprisingly childish–...... You really opened the
window. Hey, your senior said it's cold!"
“I don't consider someone who's only been around for a few years to be my senior."
“In other words….you’re saying you don’t accept me?”
“Right.”
“Well then, I guess the feeling is mutual.”
“...”
The sound of dry wind and the cold winter air infiltrated the silenced car. The purple
smoke crawling out of the window crevices stretched long into the sky.
“When we get there, I’ll talk to the client Aki. You just stand off to the side and watch in
silence.”
“....”
The first words I was told upon arrival at the site were these. ‘Rookies are to be quiet
and observe.’ When I got out of the car, I saw a large apartment complex in front of
me. It was old in its own way, but the futons lined up on the balcony and the laundry
swaying in the wind told us that the building was still in use. An elderly man, who
appeared to be the client, stood at the entrance.
“You must be the devil hunter from the Public Safety Department. Thank you for
coming.”
The man's business card listed his title as the head of the administrative corporation
responsible for managing the complex. We moved straight to the superintendent's
office, and the conversation began immediately.
“In the past week, several tenants have been attacked by a fiend. This has led to
:
 “In the past week, several tenants have been attacked by a fiend. This has led to
cancellations by prospective tenants and an increase in the number of tenants moving
out. If the damage spreads any further, we won't be able to run our business at that
point.”
The man spoke bitterly with a somber look on his face. I recalled that there were
indeed a few empty rooms without curtains, even when I looked at them from the
outside.
“Can you be a little more specific about the situation here and the attacks?”
Himeno asked a question to the client, which she was accustomed to doing.
“Well, the fiend appears sometime around the evening and nighttime hours. Three
families have been attacked so far when their front door intercom was pushed and
they answered.”
“What do they look like?”
“They said he was wearing a hood that obscured his face, but he had several sharp
fangs in his mouth."
“Hmmm. Well, it would certainly seem to be a fiend then."
A fiend is a devil that has taken over a human corpse, and its head and face begin to
show characteristics different from those of a normal human being. Their personalities
are those of the devils, but some of them sometimes inherit human memories from the
corpse.
“I'm also told that they carried small bows and arrows - like crossbows."
“Crossbows…?”
Himeno stroked her chin with her finger, then looked up.
“I'd like to see them for myself, so if you have any security camera footage, I'd like to
see it."
“The building is quite old so we don’t have any sort of things like that.”
“Then how did you know it’s a fiend? Did the superintendent witness it or something?"
“The superintendent isn’t a permanent resident, and we haven't really heard anything
about it."
“Then who sighted it?”
I had the same question. The client then gave a somewhat surprising answer.
“Actually, it's information from the victim. Among those attacked by the fiend, there
were a few who survived.”
“...”
Himeno’s gaze and mine crossed slightly.
“This is Sato from room 101....”
The next person to appear in the superintendent's office was a middle-aged woman
with a stout figure. However, she was scruffy and looked as if she might collapse at
any moment.
“I was attacked five days ago. I had just finished preparing dinner when I heard the
intercom ring.”
After sitting down in a steel frame chair, the woman began to talk about the incident
pensively.
“I think it was a man wearing a black hood. But he was facing down, so I couldn't see
his face clearly through the peephole in the door. As soon as I opened the door, I was
immediately confronted by his crossbow. They pointed an arrow at me....."
:
 immediately confronted by his crossbow. They pointed an arrow at me....."
The woman cut off her words and paused for a moment.
“The arrow missed me, but I was so shocked that I just passed out. When I came to, I
think about 15 minutes had passed. I was worried about my family, so I went to the
living room and found ......."
She recalled that an arrow had pierced the chests of her elderly mother, her husband,
and their two children, who live with her. When she spoke up to that point, the woman
began to wail.
After she had calmed down, she bowed and left the room. Himeno leaned back in her
chair and spoke.
“Aki? Are you alright?”
“What?”
“Your face is getting pretty tense.”
“...”
“If you get too emotionally involved with the victim, you won’t last much longer here.”
“I know.”
I didn't feel sorry for her because she lost her family all at once, just like me. I wouldn't
just cry and be done with it. I would definitely find the Gun Devil and kill him. I just
reaffirmed my thoughts.

“This is Shinohara from room 202.”

The next person to enter the room was a man in his thirties wearing glasses. He had a
soft and honest appearance, but his shoulders were slumped.
“The intercom rang three days ago, just as dinner was being prepared. It was my wife
who answered. Oh, because I always cook the meals by the way. Then right away I
heard a scream coming from the front door....."
The man clasped his hands tightly in his lap.
“When I rushed toward the door, I found my wife lying on the floor. A man wearing a
black hood was standing in front of her. I think he had something like fangs growing
out of his mouth. Before I could run away, he pointed a crossbow at me and I fainted.”
As if to calm his mind, the man took a deep breath and sipped the tea in front of him.
“MaybeCHAINSAW MAN : consciousness
I… I think I regained BUDDY S… in about fifteen minutes. The arrow he
fired at me seemed to have luckily missed me, but when I ran up to my wife who had
fallen onto the floor, I found an arrow lodged deeply in her chest.”
The man, who said he had just finished his wife's funeral, pouted in frustration. He
spoke about how he and his wife had no children and lived happily together alone.
The man lifted his glasses and wiped both eyes.
“There was a notice to be on the lookout for suspicious hooded individuals before
that, but my wife tends to be away on business and didn't see it. If I had looked
through the door scope first, she would never have opened the door. ...... No, I should
have warned her first.....!”
:
 [1] Meaning a freestyle form of karate used as a form of sparring.
[2] Grappling techniques in martial arts.
: