It Always Comes Down to Recruitment

A white blouse and black pants accentuated her figure. A red ponytail and golden eyes, filled with circular patterns, clearly marked her identity.

Makima.

Leader of Public Safety Devil Hunters' Special Division 4. Direct subordinate of the Japanese Cabinet. Chainsaw Man's final boss. One of the Four Horsemen, the Control Devil, master dog trainer, gaslighting specialist, and the gold standard of bad women!

"Such a welcome after my release, I can't decide if it is a blessing or a curse."

Shoko didn't flinch, despite facing the top power of this world. She smiled and approached her.

Makima could snap her neck, but Shoko didn't care.

As a Devil, death would just return her to Hell. Only the Chainsaw Devil could erase her. Or, she could exhaust her essence.

Shoko was about to speak when her left eye suddenly disappeared, blood gushing from the socket.

It wasn't Makima.

Shoko touched the blood, used to this. "Oh dear..."

While trapped in the dungeon box, she'd lost limbs constantly, her blood pooling at the bottom.

Public Safety gave her blood packets to replenish, or she'd be back in Hell.

Now free, the Devil contracts continued… The need to transfer those costs had disappeared.

Shoko waved her hand, severing those ties. Her flesh wouldn't be wasted on others.

Thankfully, those contracts were recurring, not one-shot. She could stop them at any time.

"Those humans must be worried. Are you starting a war to control the world?"

"Someone took bribes to let you out. I'm here to handle that." Makima said calmly, lives seemingly insignificant to her. "Unfortunately, the escapee resisted and had to be eliminated."

"I guessed as much..."

The tightly guarded prison had been empty, easily infiltrated by Kuroki. It was clearly an inside job.

"Why did you release me?"

Shoko toyed with her hair. "With your power, you don't need me."

"Want a friend or a warm hug?"

Shoko clapped her hands together, grinning. "I can do that. Come on, let this big sister hug you."

"..."

Makima stared, her expression unchanged.

She was 168cm. Shoko was 150. A big sister was ludicrous. She was like a mom in comparison.

But Makima ignored Shoko's flippancy and said: "You had an interesting pet."

"I'll take him now. But I don't want a second hand pet, so you have two options: die as a Devil or join Public Safety, helping me take care of him."

"That's not a choice, is it?"

What else could she do but surrender?

"I wanted to see Denji anyway." Shoko tilted her head. "But I need new clothes."

She tugged at her blood-soaked skirt. "I don't want to waste my power on it. Buying it is more efficient."

"Be at Public Safety headquarters by nightfall." Makima made no objections.

As the Control Devil, she was omnipresent. Birds, rats, humans, they were her eyes.

Shoko couldn't escape. Thus Makima granted her some freedom.

"Thank you. Since you're so kind, could you help me a bit more?" Shoko held out her hand. "Lend me some money."

Makima: "..."

Shoko got money from Makima. Better treatment than how Makima treated Denji.

Was she a tool, while Denji was a dog?

Shoko didn't care. She got a big hug before she left.

[Target Makima's favorability increased. Current favorability: 1]

[Current target energy charge efficiency: 95%]

That trick worked every time in this world of lonely people.

A small chance of farming energy from Makima?

"Denji is working for Public Safety now..."

If the canon held, he was with Aki. Though they haven't met, Aki knew about Shoko, and he'd seen Denji.

Aki wanted to chase Denji off. They'd even fought. Would they now?

She wasn't sure where they were in the plot.

"I'll buy gifts first. With Makima's money~"