The chainsaw sparks across the asphalt.
The raised tip of the blade pierces the endless early summer sky, and with his outstretched right arm exposing his vulnerable side, the Chainsaw Man on the other side swings his weapon horizontally, crossing paths with him.
A spine-chilling bang, the sound of a swing missing completely.
The pursuit continued, and the sword clashes continued, their retreating and pursuing steps becoming entangled. Chainsaws collided, sending sparks flying across the arch bridge as metal rubbed together at high speed.
"You damn fake!"
"I won't forgive anyone who steals from me!"
Two Chainsaw Men are clashing right before my eyes.
They constantly switched positions, clashing and locked in fierce battles.
If you only look at the genuine article, there's no difference between the real thing and the fake.
Not only was his build identical, but the clothes he was wearing were the same as well. Even the sharpness of the thorns roughly arranged on the chainsaws growing from his arms seemed to have been measured precisely.
That can't be just a disguise.
It's probably some kind of transformation caused by a demon's power.
The image of the copycat men who had just been run over and killed in a mountain parking lot flashed through my mind. He must be one of those two's accomplices. If so, this guy is the third, and if he has shapeshifting abilities... From the information I had once memorized about devil hunters from various countries, three brothers who were acting as hitmen in America came to mind. But then I reconsidered and decided that was the wrong answer.
I've heard that those three brothers have already left this world.
Then this one must be a different case.
While shielding Nayuta-chan from behind, I kept a watchful eye on the surroundings and observed the fake Chainsaw Man.
Chainsaws tear flesh and break bones, licking each other's blood.
A chainsaw is a terrifying weapon. When it's swung relentlessly from both sides, it inevitably causes a physiological reaction that makes you freeze. Even a highly trained soldier would find it difficult to resist. In that sense, deliberately handling it roughly to seize control of the battle isn't necessarily a bad idea.
However, Denji has no fear.
The depth of their footwork was different.
With each clash of the chainsaw, he closes the gap. The balance of offense and defense begins to tip, and the imposter's stance gradually crumbles.
With that particularly heavy blow, the fake Chainsaw Man's upper body finally recoiled sharply.
"I... I've won!!"
A chainsaw, flash.
Blood spurted from the fake's chest. His knees gave way, and he groaned, his arms on the ground. The chainsaws on both his arms had already shattered into pieces.
A real chainsaw is placed right next to the side of his neck.
There is no longer any chance of a comeback.
It was over in no time.
"Hmph. So you're the assassin? Who the hell are you?"
"Ah, uh... I, I... Hayakawa, Denji..."
"That's obviously me!"
He kicks him, sending him rolling and pressing him against the railing of the arch bridge. Ignoring the screams that escape his lips, Denji extends the chain of his electric saw and ties the man to the railing.
Chainsaw Man, the demon that even other demons fear.
But once you defeat him and immobilize him, he's no big deal; he just looks like a monster from a B-grade horror movie with a chainsaw attached to his head.
"...Transformation ability, huh? The precision is perfect."
Nayuta-chan muttered something that sounded rather amusing.
It wasn't just the appearance and weapons that were the same as the real thing. Their explosive power and physical strength—their physical abilities as weaponized humans—were also on par.
"That's interesting. It seems like it could be useful."
"...You're not thinking of trying to control me?"
"I'm going to kill him anyway... I have to make good use of this life."
"Rephrasing it won't work. Besides, we're not going to kill him. We've gone to the trouble of capturing him, so we have to get information out of him."
"You don't have time for that, do you?"
"We'll hand him over to Mr. Kishibe and his team."
"..."
"He looks extremely unhappy."
The Demon of Control desires pawns. It won't say it out loud, but it's obvious.
I understand her desire to increase her options, but for someone viewed as a threat by Public Safety, it's a double-edged sword. What will happen if she increases her forces without permission? The higher-ups, fearing a return of Makima, might act rashly. Besides, my management abilities will also be put to the test.
"I know that without you looking at me like that."
"I wonder if that's really true?"
"I like people. I don't want to dominate them."
"Yes, yes"
This level of artificiality is almost refreshing.
...I don't mind if you do it, but either do it in a way that absolutely no one finds out, or have someone other than a human do it.
"More importantly, how many more assassins are there?"
"Hmm..."
"what?"
"That Denji, huh? Well, I'm impressed."
His profile, as he glared intently at the bound imposter, was more serious than usual, and I couldn't help but stare at it. So, he's finally getting serious. Thinking about it, Denji has been a devil hunter for a long time. He's no longer a kid who just deals with things haphazardly. The way he subtly keeps an eye on his surroundings is somehow reassuring.
"We need to take them all down quickly...because it's going to be a real pain."
The white light of the sun shone diagonally through the gaps in the clouds, pouring down onto the arch bridge spanning the valley.
"It's going to rain."
"rain?"
"Yeah. You heard the weather forecast in the car, right?"
"Is there something wrong with it raining? Oh, are you perhaps worried about me? Because the explosion's power will decrease if it gets wet."
"No, that's not it. It means we won't be able to play in the river anymore."
"...river?"
The mountains are covered in lush greenery, and if you listen carefully, you can hear the sound of the river flowing beneath the bridge.
"I won't let anyone get in my way...I'm definitely going to have fun today..."
"...Oh, I see."
Well, that's true. Yes.
I knew it.
2 hours and 30 minutes remaining
2 30 yen.
Santa Claus and a mysterious pair of genies.
The inside of the vehicle, where professionals were fighting to the death, had become a raging inferno of flames.
The patient complains of burning skin and a painful, cramping sensation in the mucous membranes of the nose and mouth.
--It hurts! It's painful!
Unable to stay still for even a second, he frantically pounded on the windowpane of the door. But a child's clenched fist couldn't even crack it.
--Someone! Someone!
I couldn't hear the roar or the screeching brakes. Tears welled up, the skin on my face felt unbearably hot, the door began to move at an unbearably frustrating speed, I twisted my fingers into the gap that was opening, groaning, screaming.
--Open! Open quickly!
My head went in, and my shoulders went through.
oxygen--
I desperately jumped out of the burning train.
At this point, there's absolutely no thought of landing properly.
I rolled around in order to survive.
Sand, dirt, grass—it doesn't matter; I don't care how undignified I look, as long as it allows me to smear the flames all over my body. I thrash my arms and legs like a madman, twisting my body like a caterpillar. I pour all my energy into this one thing: escaping the pain.
"Minoodori"
I heard someone's voice.
I crawled and rolled around until I finally understood that the fire had gone out.
A throbbing pain continued to run through my body. I didn't have the energy to move even a single fingertip; all I could do was curl up like a turtle.
Somehow... I managed to survive...
Pain was also proof that I was alive.
Relief, and exhaustion.
Sobs escape, and then the regeneration begins.
The power of the vengeful demon --
I didn't realize my own heavy breathing was the source of the irritation until I noticed how unpleasant it was.
"a..."
Right beside me lay my sister, face down on the ground.
I stretch out my trembling hand.
I touched it.
My sister's body, which had been emitting smoke from its entire being, was also regenerating. It was being covered with flesh-colored skin, like a video played in reverse. If you looked closely, her shoulders were rising and falling significantly. ...She's alive.
"Big sister..."
My other half. A feeling of relief washes over me as I regain something irreplaceable.
My whole body involuntarily relaxed, and I caught sight of a tiny shoetip in the corner of my vision.
"Is this the real thing, a minnow?"
I lifted my head.
Girl.
With a youthful face and golden eyes that were vertically slit like those of a reptile, she possessed a beauty unique to otherworldly beings.
As the girl threw away her burnt hat, her silver hair spread out softly.
Beneath it grows a dense mass of bizarre, red, dragon-like scales.
Demon --
"Hello"
He said something.
But I don't know what language it is.
As I stood there dumbfounded, unable to respond, the demon girl tilted her head just a little.
"Guten Tag? Hello?? नमस्ते? Hola?"
I only know one language.
" ...?"You, good
She smiled.
Suddenly, as if a switch had been flipped, he began speaking fluent Chinese.
"Are you Chinese? I'm sorry, I thought you were Japanese. Are you okay?"
"Ah, um... well..."
"The burn marks have healed. What's that? Is it the power of a demon? That girl over there is the same. I wonder if she's made a contract with the same demon?"
The girl is smiling brightly.
She acted friendly but never got close. She didn't bend down to meet his eye level. Her arms hung limply, and smoke seemed to rise from her entire body. She, too, was burnt. But she didn't seem to mind, and a smile hung on her face.
It was a threatening smile.
Who are you guys?
Be obedient.
If you defy me, I won't let you get away with it.
"It's not just regeneration, is it? Maybe it's some kind of counter-attack. It's not normal for this body, which is immune to fire, to be burned. It's been a long time since I've felt the pain of being burned, not since my past life."
Golden eyes peer in.
"I see, so it's a counter-type ability after all."
Squint your eyes.
"You're wondering what I want? Don't worry, I'm not your enemy. The Soviet Union and China are allies, you know. So, out of that friendship, I thought I'd offer you a little advice."
"What did you say..."
My sister sat up, her shoulders trembling. She moved slowly, like a newborn fawn, but her eyes twisted in defiance as she glared at the demon.
I also got down on all fours and snuggled up to him.
"You guys think you're the only ones who won't be turned into dolls, right?"
I flinched and recoiled.
"Dolls have a certain level of precision. The more time and effort you put into them, the closer they become to a human. That makes them a welcome sacrifice for demons."
"...How do you know that?"
"You're a real amateur, aren't you? Let me tell you something. Every country is making a list of the devils these days."
The silver-haired girl poked her forehead—the red scales—with her fingertip.
"Demons can be resurrected even after death, so we record their characteristics and countermeasures for when that happens. Even the demon doll that Santa Claus has made a contract with is being studied. One of its abilities is that it's an 'elaborate doll,' almost indistinguishable from a human. It can even be made to bear the cost of the contract with the demon."
"He was just offering up a mere doll."
"Poorly made dolls, you see. So I think that invisible demon that appeared at the end was probably just doing it as a side job."
"But it seemed pretty strong," he muttered, turning his gaze towards the remote mountains where the demon was likely to be.
At the end of the train tracks, a burning train can be seen peeking through the distant trees.
"So, for example... if you were turned into elaborate dolls and offered as a sacrifice, that demon would probably get serious, wouldn't he?"
"Hmm, we'll see about that."
"I'm telling you the truth, you know?"
"You want me to believe the words of someone who suddenly started burning things? You're just trying to make do with words because you don't think you can kill us. Isn't that right, huh? You liar."
My sister took a nail from her pocket.
I couldn't hide the trembling in my fingers. Yet I still thrust them at the demon girl. Even though there was no chance of winning, I had to resist, otherwise my revenge wouldn't be fulfilled.
Seeing that, for some reason, the demon girl—
"I've never told a lie."
She smiled with such joy.
"Hmph. That's what all liars say."
"Okay, let me tell you one more thing. A list of demons definitely exists. I've read it, after all. ...The demon you've made a contract with is the Demon of Vengeance, right?"
"!"
"That's a pretty powerful demon, isn't it? And the fact that you can make a contract with it means you're plotting revenge against someone. Also, let's see... the price is probably quite high, isn't it?"
"Well, we'll see."
"Your eyes are darting around. It's so obvious, you know?"
It's too late to frantically glare back at them.
My sister, and probably me as well, have already been seen right through to the very core of our beings.
The demon girl looked about the same age as us, but I realized that she was completely different on the inside.
She's a professional too. A professional, just like Santa Claus.
These professionals, who supposedly have no regard for the weak, nevertheless made an unexpected suggestion.
"Do you understand now? You'll be ruined if you stay with Santa Claus. So why not switch to me instead?"
"What...?"
They proposed that we join forces.
However, despite that, there was no hint of friendliness in his tone of voice.
A dismissive attitude that says, "I don't really care which one you choose."
If it doesn't work out, there's another way, and in that case, I'll just trample these two weak little girls over and move on.
His gaze was cold and detached, yet it met our expectations directly.
What's with those eyes...?
Those eyes looked familiar. They were cold, yet they didn't look down on me. There was neither contempt nor pity. There was simply no room for such considerations.
The demons, who are supposedly on a different biological level, don't see us as insects. But they don't see us as humans either. They simply see us as living things—either edible or inedible, that's all.
There, one can faintly see the will of a beast desperately clinging to life.
—I'll do anything for myself.
Those who lived that kind of life knew it well.
I've seen many of them in the back alleys of this city, a place swirling with desires.
No family, no friends, a lifelong loneliness .
"If you refuse, I'll get rid of you. There's no point in leaving Santa Claus's forces unchecked."
"Hmph, do you think you can do that? The Demon of Vengeance repels every attack."
"I told you I know the countermeasures too."
Everyone but themselves is an enemy. Some street children, unable to understand the concept of human connection, always carry a knife in their pocket and will stab someone at the slightest provocation.
A moral compass lower than that of a stray dog.
Even among outlaws, they are shunned and usually die alone, but apparently, very rarely, some manage to survive. A madman who grows up and gains power destroys everything: people, order, and even themselves.
All emotion vanished from the girl's face.
"Killing the demon of revenge is easy. Just torture him until he wants to die, and then make him commit suicide."
Smoke still wafts from its small body.
...She has definitely been burned once.
With the power of the vengeful demon, he must have felt the excruciating pain that was doubled for both me and my sister.
That excruciating pain, that agony, is coming back to haunt me doubled... I don't even want to imagine it. Yet she stands there, perfectly calm. She's not trembling. She's not crying.
It must hurt, it must be painful, so how can you not be afraid of it happening a second time?
"I won't lose to anyone in the world in a test of endurance."
The genie raises his index finger.
A small flame suddenly ignited at its tip.
"Want to try it? Let's start by setting it to the temperature of a heated frying pan pressed against your body."
"No, stop! ...Please stop."
My sister and I could only let out strained groans.
The excruciating pain of being nearly burned to death—I never want to experience anything like that again.
The silver-haired demon, who had proposed a seemingly insane challenge, leaned closer to me and whispered softly.
"Listen, this is what the last shred of kindness left in me is saying."
She's telling me to choose.
Will you choose the cruel and ruthless Santa Claus, or the self-proclaimed "gentle" demon who just tried to burn you alive?
"..."
"Come on, decide already. Hurry up!"
"...What about the return? Of course, you're going to ask for something in return, right?"
"Of course. You all just need to pretend to be Japanese and become my hostages. That way, the Public Security Bureau won't come after me. And I can chat with my old friends."
"You're old friends?"
"Yeah. A lot of things have happened, and if I don't do that, they won't listen to me. It's sad, isn't it? This is all because of my position."
I thought it was a lie.
I don't know what it is. I suspect it's all a lie.
A madman has his own rules, and he will sacrifice everything to gain an advantage that is incomprehensible to a normal person.
You must not get involved. If that's not possible, then at the very least, you must avoid becoming an enemy.
After a moment of silence, my sister finally mustered the courage to speak.
"...I have a question. Take a look at this."
My sister takes a folded photograph out of her pocket.
The slip of paper given to them by Santa Claus—it showed a picture of two girls and one boy.
"Is there a demon of domination among us?"
"? This is the one."
A blistered finger was pointing precisely at a single girl.
"I see... So this is the Demon of Control after all..."
"So, that guy is your target for revenge?"
"Oh, right... We were told we were adult women with red hair. But that Santa guy said we were resurrected in a different form..."
"Ah, Makima. I heard she's dead. I think her name is Nayuta now."
"Nayuta, Nayuta, is it..."
He whispered softly.
"They're just kids about the same age as us," I thought.
People say that a demon's apparent age doesn't matter.
Even though they look exactly like humans, their thought processes are completely different. They have almost no sense of ethics. Of course, that's to be expected, since they're a different species.
So, even if the other party is in the form of a baby, there should be no reason for us to hesitate.
"Wow... So you can 'feel pity' for a demon?"
"W-what is it?"
"Not really?"
The demon shook his head firmly.
Come to think of it, I hadn't even asked her name. I introduced myself, but the silver- haired girl simply rejected me without hesitation.Zhu A
"I don't have a name. You don't have to call me by one."
"Is that so...? Uh, --?"
--At that moment.
Suddenly, unfamiliar images flooded my mind.
On the bridge built over the mountain
Three people and three people are facing each other.
On one side are me and my sister.
A silver-haired demon is pointing a knife at him from behind.
The other side
The Electric Saw Demon
A female demon with a round head
The Demon of Domination
Only the older sister was released from her position as a hostage.
He ran to the other side.
Protected by three demons
My sister got behind the demon of control.
Secretly clutching the cursed nail
Swing back
Stab downwards --
"Ugh"
"Ah, ku"
I held my head in my hands, trying to somehow get through the backlash from my future vision.
The demon of the future showed me a vision...
"what happened"
"...No, not really."
"Hmm...So, are you going to team up or not?"
My sister and I exchanged glances.
The future demon's vision is absolute.
No matter how hard you struggle, you'll end up in that future.
Thanks to becoming a hostage of this demon, we now have a future where we can drive the cursed nail into the Demon of Control—
My sister nodded.
In that case, I am not at fault.
"Let's team up..."
"Yeah"
I will fulfill my sister's wish.
And then you seize a normal, everyday life.
I was determined to do anything for that.
"So, the alliance is formed then."
The demon girl once again plastered on a friendly smile.
My sister whispered cautiously.
"...Japanese"
"yeah?"
"Teach me Japanese. If I can't speak it at all, people will be suspicious."
"Oh, you're really eager. Sure, I'll teach you."
When he extended his hand, I instinctively shook it.
I was startled.
The demon girl's palm was as hard as stone.
...It's the same technique as my father's.
With my father, whose hands were always darkened from his long years working in a factory.
@
Gunshots echo through the mountains.
A dry, fading sound is flying around above my head.
As I was looking up, the phone rang.
"This is Kishibe. I have three pieces of bad news."
"...Is there no good news?"
"Okay, let's start with the less desirable ones."
On the other end of the phone, I can hear a sound like metal clashing against metal.
"Anastasia is fighting a demon summoned by Santa Claus. It's inside the train station, about 200 meters from the bridge you're on right now. Don't go that way. If you leave it alone, one of them might die."
"Hmm... What kind of demon is it?"
"I don't know. It appears and disappears. It walks on two legs, originally had 10 arms but now has 9, and is over 3 meters tall."
Apparently, the exorcism division found her after she jumped out of a burning train, and they've been fighting her for several tens of minutes since then. Both Anastasia and the mysterious invisible demon have unknown abilities, but they're both incredibly tough.
"And here's the bad news: Our young guys, who tried to take advantage of the situation, got taken out."
"teeth...?"
"I tried to snipe it, but the problem was that it could also attack from a distance. The mysterious demon is shooting huge needles. Anastasia saw fire in her line of sight. It seems to have pyrokinesis."
"fire...?"
It wasn't me who let out a voice of confusion.
Nayuta was nearby, listening intently.
She frowned just a little.
"No, surely not... There isn't just one condition for a fire to start. It could be electromagnetic radiation, or the creation of a substance with a low ignition point..."
Leaving her aside for now, I urged Kishibe-san to move on to the second news item.
"The town is overflowing with dolls."
I couldn't help but gaze at the desolate townscape stretching out in front of the bridge, around the station.
"It looks like Santa Claus is creating more and more of them, but we don't know where they've all gone. We're barely able to keep the damage under control."
The town of Okutama—old buildings are scattered here and there on a gentle slope.
Now that you mention it, not a single car has passed by for a while now.
An eerie silence.
Occasionally, there are bland, single-shot firework-like sounds, and if you listen carefully, you can hear the barking of either a dog or a human.
"Therefore, the Public Security Bureau could hardly allocate any of its forces."
"...What's the last piece of bad news?"
"Look behind you."
I turned around.
The white light of the sun shone diagonally through a gap in the clouds, pouring down onto the arch bridge spanning the valley. Three girls stood in the middle of the road we had been walking on.
Front row left, an unknown girl.
The girl on the right in the front row is someone I don't know.
The girl in the center of the back row is someone I know.
Silver hair.
Her immature physique could easily be mistaken for that of someone younger.
And then there's the thick mask that no one can see through.
--Reze should smile more. Expressing affection is never a bad thing. Even if the other person...
It was a carefree, beautiful smile.
—Even if the other person is a target to be killed.
"It's been a long time, Reze!"
The joy of their reunion was evident.
Even knowing what she's been through, she still appears pure and innocent to me.
A hundred betrayals, a thousand acts of wickedness.
Even within the Soviet Union, a place devoid of human compassion, there was a secret room that lacked even more morality... and among those like her, where deception and betrayal were rampant, there was a girl who was considered shameless and heartless—a former comrade who embodied the darkness of the secret room.
"Polina..."
Two unfamiliar girls stood before the guinea pig, who had once been part of a team.
I understood immediately.
His shoulders were unnaturally stiff, and he walked as if he was determined not to turn around. Something was being held to his back, a weapon. Probably a knife.
A voice on the other end of the phone gave a warning.
"They've taken hostages. We can't do anything because we've been ordered to from above."
I swallowed hard.
In short, does this mean that from here on out, we have to deal with this on our own?
"How have you been? I've been so worried about you, Reze. You're good at everything, but you have a soft spot somewhere. How is Japan? The food is delicious, isn't it? I really like the seasoning here. Listen, listen, I just had sushi, sushi... Hmm? What's with that face?"
He narrowed his eyes and chuckled softly.
"You think I'm a Soviet assassin, don't you? Wrong! Because I've left the Soviet Union. Really!"
You must not listen.
You must not exchange words.
I learned all from Polina how to make expressions that mislead men, and how to blush. I can't see through her lies.
The hostage girls uttered their pleas awkwardly.
"Help me"
"Please"
Polina showed no ill will whatsoever. With her golden, otherworldly eyes, she muttered, "I don't want to do this either," as she slightly moved her shoulders.
One of the hostages let out a short groan.
I was stabbed with the tip of a knife.
"Shall we talk?"
A damp wind was blowing.
Thick clouds slowly block out the sunlight.
"Reze, if you were going to die in just a few hours—what would you want to do before that?"