Cael played the surveillance footage.
At last, Hayakawa Aki and Himeno grasped how the events had truly unfolded. The attacker known as Katana Man was actually a hybrid, a being somewhere between human and devil, distinct from a fiend.
As they watched, Cael casually glanced to the side and saw Denji slurping contaminated tonkotsu ramen off the floor like it was a feast.
Oh my god... smack!
Cael slapped his forehead and yelled, "Denji, don't eat stuff off the floor, there's blood in that!"
Too late. Denji finished the soup and grinned at him. "Chill, Cael, it's still pretty fresh. Blood's full of nutrients, you know."
Hayakawa Aki shot Cael a cold glare. "Hmph, disgusting scumbag."
Her expression said it plainly: Denji really would eat anything. Who knew what kind of abuse he dealt with normally…
Cael forced a half‑smile. That was a massive misunderstanding. But Aki would never guess that this was actually Denji's restrained side. In his first couple days at the Funeral Home, he'd once tried to pick up clippings of Cael's fingernails, insisting they were "nutritious" and saying he wanted to boil and eat them.
Denji wasn't about to let anyone trash talk Cael. He bared his teeth at Aki. "Don't insult Cael!"
Aki was momentarily speechless.
"Alright, alright, misunderstanding sorted, everyone just chill," Himeno said, rubbing Denji's head as she tried to ease the tension, smiling warmly.
She steered the conversation back to the point and stared at Cael. "Denji was saying you killed the Zombie Devil in the mass grave behind that mountain?"
"Yeah," Cael said, nodding. With things this far along, hiding it was pointless.
Himeno's eyes widened, impressed. "No kidding, that's one hell of a situation."
Meanwhile Aki, always blunt, said, "Cael, you signed a contract with a devil without Public Safety's permission. That's illegal."
Cael raised an eyebrow, annoyed. Was this woman always looking for trouble?
Compared to Aki, Himeno's attitude was more pleasant.
"So what if I broke the rules?" Cael smirked, arms crossed. "It's illegal for me to protect myself, but totally fine for you to unleash devils and trash my shop, right?"
"Exactly, exactly!" Denji backed him up enthusiastically.
Aki's face flushed, Cael's words poking at her pride. He did shred that Fox Devil inside her own operation… and that Fox Devil might never answer her summons again.
"Calm down, Aki," Himeno said, smiling as she patted Aki's back and helped her breathe.
Then with a cheeky grin she faced Cael. "Handsome, what if I told you we want to take you with us so you can collect a reward, and we'll compensate you for your shop?"
Cael tilted his head. "Explain."
Himeno reached for a cigarette, only to find the pack empty, then shrugged.
"Well," she said, "Devil Hunters often get rewards for hunting devils. The Zombie Devil? Let's say five million yen. And you helped us catch a rare case like that."
Turning her gaze to the unconscious Katana Man at her feet, she added, "And this guy? Research specimen worth at least twenty million yen. Your shop repairs? Add a million and then a bit extra for good measure."
"So basically," she said, grinning, "come with us and you're getting at least 26 million yen."
Money. Denji practically trembled at the idea, his eyes shining with admiration for Himeno.
Cael took a slow breath. That was tempting. That much cash could keep the Funeral Home running for ages. Teacher Tanaka's big jobs weren't constant, after all.
"So… You in?"
"Hell yeah," Cael nodded. Great wealth hides in danger.
Even if it turned into a trap, he had his tricks. Worst case, he, Denji, and Pochita would just tear a path outta there.
Himeno smiled brightly. "Awesome. I've called a ride, should be here soon."
…Screech.
A van pulled up smoothly in front of a tall building. This was the Tokyo Public Safety Devil Hunter Headquarters.
One by one the group stepped out.
"Whoa… it's so tall and clean. This must be what a big city is like…" Denji gawked around.
A gentle voice called from nearby. "Cael, Aki, Himeno, over here."
Cael turned and saw a woman in a long black trench coat smiling at them in front of the headquarters. She looked about Himeno's age, around her mid‑twenties, with fair skin and a striking figure, her pink hair styled in a braid.
But what caught Cael's attention most were her eyes — orange‑yellow rings, eerily reminding him of something intense and unforgettable.
"Do I know you?" Cael asked casually.
Makima shook her head but smiled softly. "This is our first time meeting. I've just finished reviewing your file, Cael, you're quite interesting."
"My name's Makima. Like Aki and Himeno, I'm a Public Safety Devil Hunter."
She extended a hand toward Cael. Her smile had a strange pull — almost mesmerizing.
Cael shook it, warm and firm.
"Cael. Undertaker."
Aki suddenly jabbed Cael with her elbow, grumbling. "Hey! Act like you don't hate Ms. Makima!"
Himeno cracked open a beer and chugged. "Makima, what are you doing here? Weren't you in Kyoto with the big wigs?"
Makima looked toward the bound Katana Man. "I heard you caught a very interesting devil. I couldn't resist seeing it myself, so I postponed my flight. I'm sure the bosses will understand."
---