POV: Narrator
Two weeks had passed since Isagi awakened in this new world.
During that time, he had adapted remarkably well. Thanks to obtaining Itadori's physical abilities, the training that once felt like pure torture now seemed almost like a game. His muscles had developed rapidly, and his endurance had reached near-superhuman levels.
In addition, he discovered that with his newfound strength, the slashes of his katana were truly impressive.
Every time he swung the blade, the air whistled sharply, leaving behind an audible trail—clear proof of the speed, sharpness, and raw power behind his attacks.
At first, using a katana felt strange, especially considering that Itadori was known for his fists rather than weapons. However, as the days passed, Isagi ended up enjoying it.
The combination of his strength and Wind Breathing allowed him to execute elegant, fast, and devastating attacks.
And best of all… It felt insanely cool to shout out the names of the forms.
Every time he yelled one out loud, he could feel the power surging through his body.
> "First Form: Dust Whirlwind!" he shouted once, purely for fun, while training in the backyard.
The air spun around him, kicking up dust, and he couldn't help but smile proudly. Of course, he restrained himself—otherwise, he would've destroyed half the backyard.
"Damn… this feels amazing," he muttered, lifting the katana and letting the breeze brush against his face.
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A few days later, Isagi decided to leave his "burrow"—as he liked to call his house—and explore the city.
The contrast was immediate: crowded streets, flickering neon lights, old signs, and vintage cars. Everything had a retro feel, completely different from what he remembered from his previous world.
So many people… he thought as he crossed a pedestrian walkway, surrounded by strangers.
The place had a certain charm. Even though Chainsaw Man was set in the '80s or '90s, experiencing it firsthand was completely different from just watching it in an anime.
The noise of traffic, the murmur of people, the smell of street food… everything felt new and yet strangely familiar.
Isagi looked up at the sky with a faint smile.
"I guess this is how a new life begins… in the chainsaw kid's world."
He wandered the streets aimlessly, hands in his pockets, eyes full of curiosity. He had no clear destination—he just wanted to explore and familiarize himself with the surroundings. After all, if he was going to survive in this world, he needed to understand it.
He also couldn't help but feel intrigued by what life was like in a technologically backward era, considering he came from the year 2025.
Minutes passed, and anyone watching him might've mistaken him for a tourist. He stopped to look at shop windows, old advertisements, and even the phone booths that were still standing.
"No Google Maps, no Wi-Fi… how did people even live like this?" he muttered with an amused smile, scratching the back of his neck as he continued walking.
Suddenly, the sound of something breaking interrupted his stroll.
A deafening crash shook the street. Isagi barely had time to turn around when the wall of a nearby house exploded outward, and a human body was hurled through it, crashing onto the pavement.
"What the hell?!" he exclaimed, taking a step back.
Frowning, he lifted his gaze toward the hole in the wall… and saw it.
Inside the house, a grotesque figure emerged amid dust and debris.
A devil.
Its appearance was completely inhuman. It had an elongated body covered in a dark green exoskeleton with metallic reflections. Its head resembled a praying mantis, complete with compound eyes and massive mandibles that opened and closed with a wet, repulsive sound.
Sharp spikes jutted out from its back, and its torso exposed a human brain encased in a transparent membrane, weakly pulsing inside.
"But what kind of nightmare fuel am I looking at…?" Isagi muttered with a disgusted grimace, forcing himself not to look away as fresh blood dripped from the devil's mandibles.
His eyes shifted to the ground, where the unconscious body of a man lay.
A large chunk of his shoulder was missing, and blood pooled darkly beneath him. It didn't take a genius to figure out who was responsible.
Isagi swallowed.
So… this is a real devil.
For a moment, the air grew heavy. Isagi's heart began to pound—not with fear… but with adrenaline.
Could this be… my first mission? he thought, a nervous yet excited smile forming on his face.
The wind blew, stirring dust and leaves around him as his hand slowly moved toward the hilt of his Nichirin katana.
"Mmm… oh, oh, this scent…" the devil sniffed the air, letting out a rough sound through its jaws.
"It's quite appealing." Its insect-like eyes locked onto Isagi, scanning him from head to toe with a disturbing grin. "Young, good physique… about seventeen, I'd say. Attractive face… yes, you'll make a far better meal than that human on the ground."
A shiver ran down Isagi's spine.
"I feel harassed," he muttered, a nervous twitch forming in his eye. " Like, sure, being told I look good is nice—but it'd be way better if it came from a sexy woman, not a giant bug with an exposed brain!"
The devil clicked its mandibles and took a step toward him. In that instant, Isagi moved.
In a silver flash, he drew his Nichirin katana, the blade gleaming coldly under the sun. There was no time to think.
A blur rushed toward him—the Mantis Devil had closed the distance at terrifying speed, kicking up dust in its wake.
The clash was immediate.
CLANG!
The katana's edge was caught between the devil's sharp forelegs, snapping shut like scissors around the blade.
"Hehehe… got you, little human," the creature laughed in a wet, shrill voice.
Isagi raised an eyebrow and, without hesitation, flipped it off with full disrespect.
"Oh yeah? Then take this, carnival bug."
Suddenly, bluish energy edged in black enveloped his right fist, emitting a low but powerful hum. The air vibrated.
His punch slammed directly into the devil's face.
The impact was clean and brutal. The creature let out a grunt as it staggered backward, its legs screeching against the ground.
"Hehehe… not bad," the devil growled, slowly lifting its head. "But a hit that weak won't—"
It didn't finish the sentence.
A second punch exploded directly into its face, far stronger than the first. The blow released a surge of cursed energy, tearing out one of its eyes and sending it flying several meters away.
Dust filled the air, and a piercing shriek cut through the street. Isagi lowered his fist, breathing deeply as a faint smile spread across his face.
"Oh? So… I've got this too, huh?" he said, satisfied as he observed the result of his attack.
Divergent Fist—a technique inherited along with Itadori's physique. And it lived up to its name.
"DAMN YOU, HUMAN!" the devil roared, its voice distorted by rage.
The Mantis Devil lunged at Isagi with brutal speed, leaving behind a trail of dust and shattered stone.
Isagi had already retrieved his Nichirin katana. Gripping it with both hands, he inhaled deeply, filling his lungs to the limit.
In that moment, he felt the flow of energy and technique surge through his body—the system had already granted him the knowledge necessary to perform Wind Breathing correctly.
But he knew that using a technique wasn't the same as mastering it.
In terms of raw power, his breathing could rival Sanemi Shinazugawa's. In experience, however… he didn't even have ten percent of the Pillar's control.
Still, that didn't stop him.
"Wind Breathing: First Form—Dust Whirlwind!" Isagi shouted, swinging his katana with all his strength.
The motion was clean, fast, and devastating.
The air around him twisted violently, forming a whirlwind of invisible blades that surged forward like a raging current. The devil was caught in the center of the storm, its body shredded by dozens of unseen slashes.
Screams of pain echoed as green blood dispersed into a fine mist. Isagi didn't waste time.
Taking advantage of the opening, he channeled cursed energy throughout his body, reinforcing his muscles, his reflexes, and finally coating his katana in that same bluish aura edged in black.
The blade shone with an ominous glow.
"It's over," he declared firmly.
With a single downward strike, the blade traced a perfect arc, splitting the devil cleanly in two. The cut was so precise that it took a second before the body fully separated and collapsed.
Thick green blood splattered across the ground as the two halves fell with a dull thud.
Isagi exhaled slowly and calmly sheathed his katana, the soft metallic click breaking the silence.
On the outside, his expression remained serious—almost stoic.
But on the inside…
Did I look cool? I hope I did… he thought, barely holding back a grin.
The wind blew again, lifting dust and leaves as Isagi stood there in the middle of the street, the devil's corpse at his feet… trying very hard to act like he wasn't freaking out over how awesome that had been.
The sound of patrol sirens began to echo in the distance. That alone was enough to snap Isagi out of his cool, powerful-guy act. He blinked a few times, taking in the scene around him… and his expression froze.
"Oh… shit."
Only then did he fully notice the destruction caused by his First Form.
The street was completely wrecked—the asphalt was torn apart, concrete cracked, and even the earth beneath was exposed.
A nearby house had part of its roof and wall ripped away by the whirlwind of slashes. A cold bead of sweat ran down his forehead as he swallowed.
"This… this is gonna be a problem," he muttered nervously.
Without wasting another second, he activated his superhuman speed and bolted from the scene like a bat out of hell. He had no intention of sticking around to explain why he'd turned half a street into a war zone. He definitely didn't want to get arrested for "supernatural collateral damage."
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Japan was weird. There were sodas of every flavor imaginable: grape, melon, cucumber… even one that tasted like dirt.
"Dirt-flavored? Who the hell approved this?" he muttered, staring at a vending machine as he inserted some coins to buy a Coca-Cola.
He grabbed the bottle, popped it open with a pssst, and took a long drink.
"Ahhh… now this is civilization," he sighed in satisfaction as he walked down the sidewalk, sipping his drink.
Now that I think about it… should I become a devil hunter? he wondered, watching the city lights flicker on as evening approached. Hmm, no… I'm still way too weak to join Public Safety. Besides, the last thing I need is Makima controlling me.
Just thinking about it sent a chill down his spine.
Isagi was fully aware of how dangerous that woman was… though, admittedly, she was also ridiculously sexy. After all, in his previous life he'd done some very thorough research on the subject—purely for educational and investigative purposes, of course.
But if Animal Planet had taught him anything, it was that the most beautiful creatures were often the deadliest.
"Yeah…" he muttered wisely. "I'm just applying natural logic here—and what? It fits Makima perfectly."
He chuckled to himself and took another sip of his drink.
(Though really… what are the odds I actually run into her? She's probably on the other side of the city) he thought calmly as he walked toward a candy shop.
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End of Chapter.