Kishibe's reply was the kind of sarcasm that had teeth. He cocked an eyebrow and gave a tiny shrug. "Whenever you show up," he said, voice flat, "something amazing—or disastrously worse—follows. Lucky us to be on the front row, huh?"
Aki's hand went to the pendant at his throat — the hollowed casing that still held a sliver of Gun Devil bullet-meat. The metal hummed, tugging toward the hotel like a compass needle finding true north. He frowned, eyes narrowing.
"This isn't the usual kind of devil," Aki said, his voice low. "Something in there's been feeding on Gun Devil remains."
Denji's eyes went wide. "So the real Gun Devil—part of it—might be here?"
Makima tilted her head, a teasing smile tugging at her lips.
"Denji-kun, if the real Gun Devil were actually here, most of us would already be shredded in seconds. The only one left standing would be Kang Woo—he'd probably just catch every bullet and toss them back like confetti."
Arai's gaze shifted to Aki, his voice uneasy.
"Aki-senpai… can we really trust them with our lives? That blood fiend, Power… and the brat, Denji?"
His eyes flicked toward Makima.
Makima's expression barely shifted, only a faint hum leaving her throat.
"Hm. I'm not your commander anymore. You can speak however you want, if it eases your heart."
Arai clenched his fists, forcing the words out.
"Aki-senpai, I need you to think clearly. Can we really trust Makima? Her identity's already exposed—the Control Devil. The rumors say she's been manipulating the government in secret."
Makima exhaled softly, her voice light but cutting.
"Funny suggestion. Unfortunately for you, I was leashed the same as the rest of you that day. But if you're talking about the rumors that I spied on you all…" her eyes narrowed, glinting sharp as glass, "…those are true. I did that. When I was your commander."
Aki cut in, flat and businesslike. "As for the fiend and the brat—let them fight the devil out front while we watch. If either of them tries to run or betray us, we'll put them down on the spot."
He glanced at Makima, and the hard line in his face softened just a fraction. "Makima-san is the most qualified person for this job. If you want someone to worry about, worry about Kang Woo—disaster follows him wherever he goes."
Power bristled, glaring at Aki. "You treat us like animals. Makima didn't get mocked—why is that fair?"
Denji chimed in immediately. "Power's right. That's not fair."
Aki shrugged, sarcastic. "You two don't get human rights."
Denji and Power leaned in, whispering to each other.
"Why's Aki so grumpy? Was something we did this morning that bad?" Denji asked.
Power shrugged. "Guess our naughty antics really went too far."
Aki heard them and snapped. "You two puked on my head—damn it. Who wouldn't be pissed?"
Himeno pouted. "Aki-kun, that's cruel—you're being mean." Then she brightened, clapping her hands. "All right! Whoever kills the devil first gets a kiss on the cheek from me!"
"HUH?!" Denji blurted.
"EHHH?!" Arai echoed, both of them stunned.
On the sidelines, Kang Woo, Makima, Kobeni, and Kishibe watched the chaos unfold.
Kishibe gave a dry, amused grunt. "First time seeing your old squad joke around like this."
Makima's expression was small and soft. "I've watched them from afar… but this is the first time I get to see them with my own two eyes."
Kang Woo let out a short, humorless chuckle. They look lively, he thought. Ignorance is bliss—and terrifying.
Himeno leaned forward, eyes glinting with mischief. "Do you want a kiss too kang woo ? Since Makima here seems to think you're a walking hurricane who'll just get the job done."
Makima's brow twitched, irritation flickering across her face—yet her lips curved into a teasing smirk. "Aki, shouldn't you be jealous? Your soul partner is cheating on you right now ."
Himeno laughed, clapping Aki's arm lightly. "Hah! Look at that—Makima actually more softens when she's around Kang Woo. ."
Minutes later, inside Morin Hotel.
Denji sprinted down the corridor, his old yakuza axe raised high, eyes gleaming with the promise of a fight. His boots thundered against the carpet.
"I'm gonna find that devil and chop it up first!"
Arai, panting, reached after him. "Oi! Wait! It's dangerous to rush in alone—damn it, Denji!"
Meanwhile, Kang Woo walked at a measured pace with the rest of the group. His eyes never left the floor, scanning every step with detached patience.
Himeno's voice broke the silence, mischievous as ever. "Nudging men's feelings—that's the most fun thing in the world."
Kang Woo ignored her, lips pressed in a flat line. Still the sixth to seventh floor. Not repeating yet. Eternity Devil hasn't caught us in the loop.
Kishibe's voice cut through the air, gruff, edged with sarcasm. "Kang Woo… what are you really after this time? If you wanted, you could blow the whole damn building apart with Zaiphon—with that Mikhail thing riding your hand."
His gaze slid toward Makima, sharp and unflinching. He already knew she had the answer.
Kishibe exhaled smoke from the cigarette in his teeth, then spoke again, dry and biting. "At least one of his partners in love could answer. So the rest of us don't keep walking blind, waiting for hell to snap shut."
Makima's reply was calm, almost indifferent.
"Better you see it yourself. You wouldn't believe anything until you see it with your own eyes."
Himeno leaned in, tone teasing.
"See what? Come on, Makima-san—it's like girl talk. You should be honest with your comrades."
Aki's eyes flicked toward Kang Woo, who hadn't lifted his gaze from the floor—counting steps, counting levels, as though the hotel itself was an enemy waiting to strike.
Suddenly, Power's voice shattered the tension.
"I killed it! This is my kill!"
Aki broke into a run toward her, trying to confirm what she'd done.
Kang Woo's eyes sharpened as he stopped in place. The number on the wall read eight. His lips curved faintly. If I'm correct, this is where the loop begins.
Makima, walking at his side, lowered her voice, her breath brushing his ear.
"…Is this the place? The one that invisible screen warned you about?"
Kang Woo's answer was quiet, almost casual.
"Yup. And I'm hoping the Eternity Devil traps us. If it does, time in here can run for forty-eight hours straight… while outside, the day won't pass at all."
A sharp shout cut through the corridor. Aki's voice.
"Makima-san! The devil that Power killed—it doesn't have any Gun Devil parts."
Himeno's tone followed, brisk and commanding.
"Then we go higher. Everyone, move."
The group shifted toward the stairwell. Kang Woo and Makima ascended calmly, step by step, while behind them chaos simmered: Himeno had her ghost hand wrapped tight around Power's throat, half-choking her while grinning smugly.
"How about it?" Himeno teased, her invisible hand tightening its hold. "Amazing, right? I can put you down whenever I want. And you can't even touch my ghost hand."
Power swung wildly, swiping at the empty air. "Damn you! Release me, wench! I'll destroy your invisible tricks!"
Her flailing only drew more laughter from Himeno.
But Kang Woo's focus didn't waver. His gaze dropped to the floor sign at the stairwell: 8th. Still the 8th. No matter how many steps they climbed.
An evil grin stretched across his lips, sharp and knowing.
Makima caught it instantly. Her eyes glimmered, and she gave a slow, deliberate nod, a teasing curve playing on her lips.
"This is exactly what you wanted, isn't it, Kang Woo?"
The rest of Division 4 managed to catch up, though Arai was the first to frown, his voice cutting through the tense air.
"Wait… didn't we already hit the 8th floor? Shouldn't this be the 9th now?"
Unease tugged at him. Without waiting, he bolted down the stairwell, intent on proving himself right. But as his feet pounded the steps, the truth revealed itself cruelly: instead of reaching lower floors, he emerged from above—right back at the 8th again.
Himeno's eyes widened in shock.
"Arai—you were trying to get down, weren't you?"
Kishibe took a slow drag of his cigarette, his voice flat, heavy with sarcasm.
"Looks like we're stuck. Figures. Probably exactly what Kang Woo wanted."
At that, Kang Woo moved. He raised his hand and wove raw chaos into form, reality bending as a jar of blackness swirled into existence. The container was unnatural, made of twisted dark matter that bent the edges of space itself. He studied it carefully, his gaze unflinching.
"You're all welcome to leave," Kang Woo said, his tone quiet and absolute. "In five minutes I'll open a gateway to the world outside. I'll stay—I need to catch the pathway that leads to the real target."
Arai barked, incredulous. "Are you kidding me? We're stuck here—there's no way out!"
Kang Woo's gaze snapped down the hallway. Both of his irises flared blood-red—two pupils in each eye . He smiled without warmth.
"You've got five minutes, eternity-invalid. Settle your affairs and step into the jar. Refuse…" His voice dropped to a verdict, cold and final. "…and I will crush your futures with my own hands. You will watch every hope you've built shatter into dust right in front of you."
The group felt it. Confidence, arrogance—call it what you will—but the thing that froze them was the eyes: double pupils spinning red like a death clock.
Himeno leaned close to Aki, whispering, "Aki-kun… did you see his eyes?"
Aki's reply was barely a breath. "You're not imagining it. Two irises… red. That's—" He stopped, because no word could make the sight less raw.
Kobeni swallowed so hard her throat clicked. Arai stared anywhere but Kang Woo's face, eyes fixed on a distant patch of wall as if looking away could erase the danger.
Kishibe said nothing; his silence carried calculation—already drafting contingencies in the back of his mind. Prepare the anti-Kang Woo squad later, his thoughts warned, practical and grim.
Power got an unexpected smack from Denji's hand. She blinked. "Hey—what was that for?"
Denji shrugged, blunt and unapologetic. "Precaution. Before you drag us into more trouble." His grin was half-curse, half-comfort.
Makima's words hung in the air like a knife edge, calm but laced with weight.
"So that's Schrift A: The Almighty," she said evenly. "The one you bragged about with the Black King."
Kang Woo's smirk curved sharper, modest and dangerous.
"I'm not done. Three irises—like Yhwach. Four, if I can reach what his father, the Soul King, achieved."
He left it there, smiling faintly as he strode toward a nearby room, Makima following at his side.
Kobeni stepped forward quickly, burdened with bags and food supplies,
but Arai blocked her path with an arm, eyes cold.
"Are you stupid? We already made one mistake trusting Kang Woo."
Kobeni tightened her grip on the luggage, voice shaking but firm.
"If Kang Woo's enemy isn't a problem, then there is no problem."
She pushed past, carrying the things Kang Woo had asked for. Setting them down neatly at the door, she forced a small, nervous smile.
"Food will be in the room. Enjoy the… camping."