Panting, panting—
His breathing was jarring to my ears.
My vision was clearly distorted. It was like watching a black and white movie with my father.
Dust hung in the air, making it impossible to see anything. Only the flow of the nearby river and the occasional splashes of spray were moving.
This is a riverbank.
It should be the riverbank.
Yet, I couldn't hear the sound of water at all.
All I can hear is my own breathing.
Why?
Did we do something wrong?
If there is a God, I would like to ask him.
For what reason do we have to go through this?
At that moment, an explosion occurred on the bridge, and I felt my body float up, but then I couldn't grab onto anything. My stomach contents floated up, and I was filled with a sickening, aimless feeling, and I reached out my hand in a frenzy.
I think I fell off the bridge.
My left wrist hurts terribly.
At first, I felt fine, but when I woke up, I had a strange feeling and looked at it, and it was bent at an impossible angle. The moment I realized that, pain spread throughout my body in time with the pounding of my heart.
it hurts.
It hurts terribly.
But this is no time for that.
The only sound I can hear is my own breathing, wheezing.
I sat up and only then did I realize it.
I had an older sister.
He's lying on his back, pinned down.
I know I shouldn't look directly at her, but I can't take my eyes off her. I know she's not okay, but I still check to see. My sister isn't moving at all. Blood is slowly flowing from her nose and mouth, and it's spreading on the ground beneath her head. The dark red liquid is slowly filling the gaps between the stones in the riverbed.
Panting, panting—
why?
Why?
We made a pact with the Demon of Vengeance, so any injury should heal instantly. Why is my sister still motionless?
That makes it sound like I'm the one at fault.
It seems the contract was terminated because I just decided to stop the revenge, because I decided I didn't want to take revenge.
That's not okay.
It's definitely not going to work.
What I said earlier was really not true.
It's not like that.
I will take revenge, I will definitely take it.
I'll defeat any demon of control, no matter what.
So please don't go anywhere. Don't disappear...
"...Uh, ah, ah"
"!"
My sister groaned. She slightly opened her eyes and stared at me, though her gaze was vacant.
I'm alive.
Is it healed...?
But it's way too late.
My sister still can't get up, even though she should have been standing by now. Her breathing is weak, and her tongue, hanging from between her lips, is twitching weakly. It reminds me of a stray dog I saw when I was little. That dog's breathing gradually weakened after it was hit by a car, and in the end, it just seemed to disappear. It's so similar to that time.
Big sister, big sister...!
No, I don't want that.
What should I do? My big sister is going to die...!
And then—I learned of the fate that was predetermined for me.
From the dust that hung over the riverbank, the demon of domination emerged.
Her profile is within arm's reach.
They were about the same height as us.
Her raven-black hair reaches her shoulders.
With emotionless eyes still fixed downstream, it crossed right beside us.
They haven't noticed us.
Look down
A voice was heard.
Hesitantly, I lowered my gaze,
A single nail was lying there.
A cursed demon.
If you stab someone four times, they'll die.
Panting, panting—
It was like a stage that had been specially made for it.
The dust is slowly clearing, and there's no one around. The Demon of Domination is staggering along, its defenseless back exposed. My left arm is broken, but I don't even notice the pain. It almost feels as if it was someone's will that my dominant arm remained unharmed.
No one will get in my way.
I have a weapon.
If I kill him, my sister will be saved!
I desperately try to convince myself, who feels like I'm about to start trembling uncontrollably. This is fate. There is no other way. If I don't take revenge on the demon of control that's right there, my sister and I have no way to survive tomorrow.
Make a decision! Do it properly for once! All you have to do is walk a little and drive a nail into the ground!
Panting, panting—
Whenever I was going through a tough time, my sister would always take my hand and hold it.
I only ended up crying and being rejected.
Things are different now.
The demon of domination tripped over a stone in the riverbed and lost its balance.
The trembling stopped as if by magic.
Silently, step by step, he gripped the cursed nail firmly in his hand, then raised it, aiming at the unsuspecting figure's back.
We can do it, we can do it! Now's the time!
She screamed.
Terrified, they desperately try to cover him, screaming as they violently drive nails into his back.
Crunch, crunch, crunch
I felt something, a bad sensation, it's in!
I almost dropped the nail because I was gripping it too tightly. I quickly readjusted my grip and clung to the demon of control.
I won't let you get away!
Just one more shot and my sister will be saved!
Stab, stab, stab--!!?
"Aaaah!?"
Something has latched onto my back. All the hairs on my body are standing on end. Who is it?!
Fear was raging inside me, and I felt like I was going to lose control. I thrashed my arms around, screaming. A pig-like shriek escaped my lips.
Get out of the way!
"Ah, uh... what...?"
" ..."
I have seen.
In the dimly lit valley, my sister stood like a ghost, her bob haircut stained with dark red blood.
"Big sister...?"
Before I knew it, my knees were bent.
A familiar face was staring at me. Straightforward eyes. They seemed to open their mouth as if to say something, but then quickly closed it again.
He crouched down beside me, who was feeling deflated, and picked up the cursed nail.
Turn on your heel.
I wrapped my arms around the slender neck of the dominating demon, who remained crouching. After securing him tightly, I drove a nail into him.
"The Demon of Domination... Do you remember Quanxi...?"
"H-h-h-h-h... Stop, don't kill me!"
"Hey, it's Quanxi...! Don't tell me you don't know me...!"
"Ah, ah...? What...? A kid...?"
"Haa, haa..."
The Demon of Control probably speaks Japanese.
It seems they don't understand Chinese...
My sister took a deep breath and asked again.
I awkwardly string together the Japanese words I've just learned.
"Why did you kill him, Kwanxi?!"
"Kwanxi...? What are you talking about?"
"Kwanxi! You killed him, Kwanxi!"
"...??"
The Demon of Domination simply stood there, mouth agape, utterly bewildered.
He didn't even notice the nail pressed against his neck. Without caution, without fear, he murmured in a state of ecstasy.
"Who...is it?"
The demon spoke while still held in my sister's arms.
"Quanxi...? Who the hell is that? I don't know her!"
The demon in the form of a young girl gradually begins to show signs of anger.
He struggles, thrashes, and tries to shake off his sister who is on top of him.
Despite being shaken, my sister's expression remained unchanged.
"Let go, kid!"
I had a feeling that might be the case.
The Demon of Control may not remember anything.
They might have forgotten about Kwanxi too.
Because the Demon of Control is an extremely evil guy who has killed hundreds of people... he probably won't even remember kicking a pebble on the side of the road.
Yes, to this demon, Quanxi is nothing but a pebble.
That kind Quanxi, who was so nice to me, is now just a pebble...
"I, I, I am... Me? I am the strongest, most powerful... Demon of Domination! Die, loser!"
The demon of control grabbed his sister's arm, which was wrapped around his neck.
His grip was incredibly strong, digging into my sister's arm. Blood was dripping down.
My sister's expression still didn't change.
His eyes remained cold and vacant.
"That yellow is too thin! Is it stronger than me?! You're a weakling!"
I don't understand the words. But I understand the emotions they convey very well.
Contempt.
Disgust.
Indifference.
Even Buddha wouldn't preach to pig dung—and by the same logic, homeowners unconsciously discriminate against others.
Don't make noise. It'll pollute my ears.
Don't walk on the road. It'll pollute your eyes.
We can throw stones with the same ease as swatting away gnats buzzing around our ears.
"I'm going to go home and upload a video! It'll be viewed millions of times, and I'll become popular...a hero! I'm a winner!"
Their eyes were the same.
Children who can go to school. Adults who don't want their children involved. Unhelpful government officials. Market shopkeepers who won't let them buy anything. People's police. Kwanxi's colleagues. Armed police who are chasing them. Japanese people from a peaceful country.
It was the same.
It was the same kind of malice.
From beginning to end, the perception that "you guys are inferior" comes across.
Ah, I thought so.
Is the Demon of Domination also that kind of creature?
If so,
I heard a click deep inside my head.
The last breakwater vanished as if it had never existed in the first place.
Rough
The nails of us sisters are driven deep into the ground.
and,
Without a sound, without a trace of presence—
Death emerges.
"Huh, what...? Something... is holding me!... My body's being crucified!?"
A monstrous being appears in the space that envelops the demon of domination.
No, that's not right.
I understood it, not just intellectually.
It was there from the very beginning.
Death is everywhere. It permeates all space and time more densely than air.
The cursed demon --
It is being guided toward death, fueled by the will and lifespan that my sister and I have offered.
Death, from which no one can ever escape, bit down on the demon of domination.
"--"
disappear.
They disappeared, they vanished.
Only silence remained.
In the dimly lit bottom of the valley, only my sister and I are still alive.
"..."
"..."
The demon of domination was dead.
He lay there, his eyes vacant.
Panting, panting—
A thin layer of dust still hangs in the air. Only the flow of the nearby river and the occasional splashes of spray are moving.
This is a riverbank.
The sound of water gently enters my ears. I'm returning to a world I know well.
The only sound I could hear was my own breathing.
Is it over...?
My heart is beating hard.
I'm just listening.
It feels so natural that I can't even sense the passage of time.
My sister was quiet.
He had the same exhausted look on his face as when I saw him late one night, with messy hair, coming home and falling asleep without saying a word.
But this time was a little different. He spoke with a distant look in his eyes.
"A cursed demon... How many more years do I have left to live?"
2 years...
"...I see."
picture...?
Two years... what?
Does that mean my sister only has two years left to live...?
Really...? Does that mean my sister can never grow up...?
"Well, it can't be helped... These things happen... It can't be helped..."
"But, but...!"
"Fine! It's my decision! If I'm going to borrow the power of a demon... I knew this would happen!"
"But my big sister didn't do anything wrong!"
"Stop beeping so loudly! I said it's fine, that's all! More importantly, you, your lifespan is, --huh?"
My sister, who had been raging, suddenly stopped moving.
His gaze is fixed on the demon of domination.
The corpse was writhing and undulating.
The shape is changing.
The rounded joints become angular, and even the clothing becomes something entirely different.
To the corpse of a middle-aged man.
"Huh...? Who is this guy...?"
I know it. I've seen it before.
The man had been tied to the bridge railing just moments ago.
The assassin had transformed into a female demon with a round, metallic head.
A shapeshifter.
"He... transformed...? Wait, does that mean..."
In other words,
The one we killed was,
So they're complete strangers, no relation at all...?
"W-what...? That's..."
"Isn't it the Demon of Control...? We, we killed it too..."
I killed him.
An innocent human being—
A tiny, pinpoint ache arose deep within my chest.
And then—as if on cue—a German girl appeared from beyond the dust by the riverbank.
" Mr. Mr. Let me teach you the secret to making intricate dolls."
Santa Claus was standing right beside me.
They are looking down at me from a position where I can reach out and touch them.
I felt completely out of touch with reality.
I can't keep up with the relentless pace at which these professional killers are pushing reality forward. I can only watch in stunned silence.
"To imbue the human beings that are turned into dolls with emotions that only humans possess."
Eyes more emotionless than glass marbles.
A monotone way of speaking.
" !"
My sister pushes me.
I watched his desperate expression as if it were someone else's problem.
"Respect. Adoration. Pity. And the secret ingredient is—"
Santa Claus's hand reached out and touched my sister's shoulder as she stood there defenseless.
"Guilt"
My sister's body trembled.
"a"
I suddenly remembered.
The reality of this moment, with hundreds, even thousands, of raindrops falling silently, was very similar to that time.
Those were probably a mated pair.
I clearly remember that dog, before it was hit by the car, had a strikingly fierce look and intelligent eyes.
Its abdomen was stained with blood, its organs spread out, and it quickly ceased to be a living creature.
The other member of the pair was making a squeaking noise.
It repeatedly licked the area around the cheek of the lying animal, wandered around, and then licked again as if it were an obligation.
He's been dead for ages already.
—I wonder if true love is so deep that it can make you lose your sanity...
I remember feeling that way, as if it were someone else's problem.
Well, what could I do? At the time, I never imagined I would ever experience that feeling myself.
"You,"
My tongue was moving on its own.
My mind can't keep up.
All the blood drains from my body.
Just as the tide recedes before a tsunami, I was acutely aware that in a few moments, an uncontrollable torrent of hatred would erupt.
"How dare you,"
My sense of self is being erased.
The switch in my brain had already been flipped.
My sister had a look on her face I'd never seen before—emotionless, doll-like.
"You did it."
As I burned with the dark, murky blood coursing through my body, I thought: This is what happens when you cling to your moral compass too tightly. I hate myself for making playing the victim like an ignorant fool my only survival strategy. Everything had bared its fangs. Cowardice, slyness, excuses, self-preservation, shifting blame, refusal to think, even my sleazy instincts had abandoned their roles and unanimously gave a thumbs down.
Pure murderous intent reaches out. Picking up the cursed nail, I grip it tightly.
There's nothing else left for me to grasp in my life.
" Oh, oh... This is... a wonderful... hatred... "
The vengeful demon whispered contentedly inside my eardrum.
The contract is being fulfilled.
It's none of my business. Eat as much as you want. There'll be plenty more to go around anyway.
"I'm going to kill you."
My sister was always kind to me.
It protected me from the encroaching flames while I was on the train.
When I fell from the bridge, he grabbed my hand and shielded me from the impact.
And just a moment ago—
The puppet soldiers rush to protect Santa Claus, whom they are glaring at.
10, 20... So what, you piece of garbage?
The first to charge forward was a middle-aged man dressed for mountain climbing.
Both of my hands, spread wide to capture you, are wrapped in something resembling thick rubber gloves. Presumably, wearing them will prevent me from becoming a poorly made doll upon contact. To immobilize me without infecting me...it seems they really want to turn me into one of these sophisticated dolls.
Yes, into an elaborate doll...
Just like my sister... in the same way that it was done to her...
Bang
The moment the middle-aged man touched me, his arm exploded.
The puppet soldiers keep swarming in one after another, completely oblivious to the situation.
A businessman in a suit, a student in a starched uniform, a lady with tacky earrings, a child in brand-new shoes. They are all compressed and crushed the moment I touch them.
"this is..."
The answer is revealed to Santa Claus, who takes a step back as he is showered with flying debris.
"Double, triple, quadruple... return..."
I connected deeply with the demon of revenge and came to understand it.
There's a compatibility factor when making a contract with a demon. Following the demon's preferences will allow you to unleash greater power.
Right now, my hatred is like rotting bait for the demon of revenge.
Bang, bang, bang, bang
No one could stop me.
The moment contact is made, the pressure is amplified tenfold or even twentyfold in return.
A large man dressed as a public security officer, using his impressive physique to his advantage, swung his sword-like arms with blinding speed, but it was all in vain.
The moment it penetrated my skin by just a single molecule, the man's body was scraped down by a hundred slashes.
Bang
All the puppet soldiers turned to dust.
All that's left is Santa Claus himself and my sister.
"--"
...No, that's not right.
That's not my sister. My sister doesn't look at me like that.
Therefore, even if the doll that was once my sister is directed at me, I have absolutely no intention of stopping.
I took the first step.
This is a riverbank.
A narrow valley floor.
There is no way to escape.
He gripped the cursed nail tightly.
I had no intention of showing even a single percent of mercy.
"Demon of revenge. I'll give you everything I have, so let me use everything you have."
I don't care what happens anymore.
Right here and now, I will use any means necessary to unleash all the malice I have. That is the only reason I live.
I amplify the pain of loss swirling in my chest thousands of times over, and channel that burden into causality as a phenomenon.
"Ugh"
Santa Claus stumbled. Blood dripped from his eyes, nose, and mouth.
Nevertheless, the girl smiled.
Slowly, almost gently, he raises his palm.
"Now... you are also part of the family."
He raises the nail.
Santa Claus's hand is reaching out.
They touched at the same time.
"...Now then."
Take a light breath.
I rubbed away the blood that had been running down my eyes, nose, and mouth.
Turning my head, I saw a nail stuck in my shoulder.
Pull it out.
It was a joyous occasion.
We now have two new children.
"Repelling all attacks—that was the power of the vengeful demon, wasn't it?"
In front of me were two girls who appeared to be Chinese.
It had been transformed into an elaborate doll.
"I have no intention of hurting you. This is not an attack. It's love, love."
I checked the situation while putting the cursed nail into my pocket.
There are two targets.
The boy from Chainsaw Man and the Control Devil.
Furthermore, there are two obstacles: a human armed with bombs and two fire demons.
On the other hand, our forces consist only of... human-hunting demons and puppet soldiers.
"We definitely need to reinforce our facilities."
I made an elaborate doll for that purpose.
"Bye-bye, little sister."
As he spoke, he transformed his arm into a sword and stabbed himself in the heart.
"I... I will... offer... my heart."
I look up at the cloudy sky.
He chanted , while being bathed in a light drizzle .
"Instead of that... O demons of hell, please invite my sister to hell."
A door opened in the sky.
The gigantic arm of the demon from hell is swung down, and he is dragged away to hell.
Sas is making a contract with a transcendent being—to become a sacrifice to a dark demon.
Furthermore.
A large number of demons emerged from the open door, as if in a replacement for those who had entered.
They fall one after another, like water spurting out of a rain gutter.
Some monsters walk on two legs, while others are monstrous and walk on three legs. Some have horns, while others are covered in tentacles. Winged creatures float down in a graceful arc, while wounded veterans twist their bodies in mid-air and land silently.
A total of 13 demons.
They all stand together in front of Santa Claus.
"Please tell me your name."
"The Centipede Demon"
"The demon of the forest..."
"The clown devil!"
"The Devil in the Basement"
"The Silent Demon"
"Bird demon!"
"Hahahaha!"
"Woof woof woof woof"
"I am the world president!"
"Idiot! Idiot!"
He coughed once.
"So, as promised, let's sign the contract."
"What's the price?!"
"Do you really think we'll obey you because of your tiny heart?"
"I don't need any dolls! I don't need them at all!"
"Yes. Therefore, the orders I give will be very modest."
"--What do you mean by that--?"
"Feel free to do as you like."
I transform my own arm into a sword.
"Please feel free to behave as you please."
All thirteen animals' eyes were drawn to it.
No demon would refuse to unleash their instincts and receive a reward for it.
"By the way, just one more thing... there's a demon of domination here."
"What?"
"Ohhh"
"You bastard!"
"Enough! You lowly demon, don't interfere! I, the noble and beautiful one, will kill you!"
I obtained their consent.
It pierced right through my heart, and I offered it up.
The contract is concluded.
"Well then... see you later..."
He collapsed with a thud.
In the corner of my fading consciousness, I heard the cries of joy from the demons.
There was a girl who monitored the entire process of the contract through the eyes and ears of crows.
Her raven-black hair reaches her shoulders, and her perpetually sleepy eyes, upon closer inspection, are as lifeless as a doll's. Those who notice her strangeness are intimidated and keep their distance.
She's a demon.
The demon of domination.
"What's wrong, Nayuta? You've got a really evil look on your face."
"The moment we've been waiting for has finally arrived."
"What's that?"
The corners of his mouth were distorted into the shape of a crescent moon.
A wicked smile befitting the name of a devil. Unusually for a young girl, she was openly revealing her inner feelings.
Because today will undoubtedly be a turning point in her life.
Nayuta was a lonely king.
Because the previous generation's Makima had done whatever she pleased, the Japanese government's scrutiny of the Control Devil was extremely strict. The girl's very existence was meant to be about control, yet she only had crows and rats as her subordinates.
But now...
The opportunity has finally arrived.
With numerous assassins operating in the shadows and the public security forces unable to intervene, in this chaotic situation...more than ten demons have been unleashed upon the wild.
"I want five... about ten slaves...! I want to rule over lots of them...!"
"That's scary..."