"So this is the devil?" Denji-ko stared with curiosity at the human head on the floor. The purple blood seeping out was covered with dense fist marks, as if it had been pummeled to death the instant it appeared.
Strictly speaking, the Shadow Ninjas from the Holy Lord's mask shouldn't be this strong—especially since Su Tang was still the "youth edition." They were more for bullying gangsters and ordinary people.
So Su Tang usually used them for scouting or errands, not for combat.
But aside from this thing, there was nothing devil-like on the entire fifth floor.
Su Tang came over and frowned, looking it up and down.
It really was just a head. No neck—just a pair of feet growing straight out below.
That structure weirdly reminded him of the cartoon "Fruits Warriors" he'd watched before he crossed, except the wheels under those mecha heads had been swapped for realistic human feet.
"Is it the one?"
Su Tang turned to Aki Hayakawa beside him.
"The piece of [Gun] isn't reacting." Aki looked at the bullet fragment hanging quietly from his hand and shook his head. "We're looking for someone else."
"So it was just some small fry we ran into by chance." Denji-ko stood, laced her hands behind her head, and yawned. "I thought this mission would end this fast."
"It could be a vassal of the target." Su Tang still remembered the night before last—the mouth devil, sphincter devil, and the like. All small-fry strength, yet their boss was unfathomably deep.
Aki nodded, wiped the purple blood off his hand, then stood. "The target likely already knows we're here. Stay sharp. Reminder: five civilian devil hunters died in this hotel before us. Don't take it lightly."
At that, the easy air among them instantly froze.
Sweat beaded on Arai Hirokazu's brow; Higashiyama Kobeni went back to shivering and looking all around; even Denji-ko put away the incomprehensible book, her eyes lighting with eagerness to try.
Only Power…
"Power, you see anything?" The five had already gone more than ten paces when they suddenly noticed a missing noise behind them. Turning back, they found Power still squatting by the devil head.
Face solemn, not moving.
Su Tang and Aki exchanged a glance and each read the other's thought.
Could Power have noticed a detail they'd missed?
It was possible. She was still the Blood Fiend, after all—naturally more sensitive to blood.
They hurried back the way they came, holding their breath so as not to disturb Power's "thinking."
Then they saw the long-haired, rose-gold woman slowly speak:
"Yours Truly…"
"My legs fell asleep."
————————————
"No trace of devils on the sixth or seventh floors either."
Denji-ko stretched lazily. Out of the corner of her eye she looked at the female fiend and immediately grinned. "Hey. Crappy woman, why aren't you talking? Say something!"
"Mmff! Mmm-mmm-mmm!" Power glared, twisting as if in a hurry.
But hurry was useless—her mouth and hands were bound with strips of cloth, which wouldn't be taken off before they encountered a devil.
"This devil is hiding deep…" Aki's brows knit. This was his first time running into a devil with such patience. On normal hunts, devils would already be charging in, sniffing human scent.
"Mm. No rush. I'll have them check the eighth floor." Su Tang stopped at the stairhead, directing the Shadow Corps, and suddenly made a small sound.
"Senpai, what is it?" Arai asked.
"I can't sense the ninjas."
"Killed by the devil?!" Denji-ko bared her shark teeth; she was ready for a good, hard fight!
"Doesn't seem like it." Su Tang shook his head, then tried an analogy: "I just… can't sense them—like a phone with no signal."
"Could be the devil's ability." Aki lifted a leg toward the stairs. "Either way, an anomaly means it's devil-related. Our job is to hunt devils."
"That's true… but Makima asked me to bring everyone back safe." Su Tang sighed. "Anyone carrying a phone? Preferably one that records clearly."
"Uh, recording?" Arai recited like a regulation. "On missions, Public Safety hunters carry special phones—only ultra-strong comms. Nothing else is allowed."
"Man, can't you be flexible…" Su Tang was helpless. The rookie Arai had none; Aki never disobeyed Makima; as for Denji-ko and Power—no chance.
"Um…" Kobeni timidly raised a hand, nervous. "I… I bought a new phone this morning before assembly. It's last month's wages…"
"Ha! Kobeni's the clever one!" Su Tang took the brand-new phone and smiled. "Don't worry—Makima won't scold you when we're back!"
"N-no, I mean… Senpai, please be gentle. I just bought it…"
He pulled up the video function and handed it to a Shadow Ninja, then took out his own Black Hand–issue phone.
It had shed most features, but it kept the useful ones.
A bit of tapping, and Kobeni's phone feed appeared on his screen.
"Let's take a look at what's inside. Then—" He had just begun to outline the plan when—crack.
The screen shattered.
No—not his. The phone on the eighth floor suddenly broke!
"Eh? Eee—eeeyaaah!!"
At the sight, Kobeni's eyes went wide. She clapped both hands over her mouth; tears sprang out at once.
"I… I just used my wages to buy… a new phone."
Small, pitiful, helpless voice.
"Ahem." Su Tang glanced at her, apologetic. "It's okay. When this mission's over, I'll go with you to buy another—whatever you want."
"Get ready."
Aki's voice was low.
So far, this devil was even trickier than they'd thought. Their recon meant nothing.
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