Kill?

Hayakawa Aki gave the order, and a massive, monstrous fox head materialized out of thin air, swallowing the gas canister and the bomb in one gulp!

"It's been a while since you summoned me... what did you even make me eat?"

Confusion flickered in the Fox Devil's eyes. "You called me out for this garbage? Whatever, I don't really care. Next time you have such a treat, call me again..."

As the Fox Devil dissipated into smoke, Aki was left bewildered.

What happened? He… wasn't injured?

He blankly raised his arm, expecting to see his skin eaten away, but there wasn't a single trace of pain.

"Decisive action, not bad~"

As the smoke cleared, Shoko, who had been standing in front of him, reappeared. However, her right arm was a gruesome sight, a chunk of flesh seemingly ripped away.

But she seemed completely unfazed by the injury, nonchalantly licking the blood flowing down her hand while giving Aki a thumbs-up with the other.

"That's how a Devil Hunter should be. Hesitation will get you killed."

Wiping her bloodied hand on her clothes, Shoko nodded with satisfaction. "Exactly five minutes. See ya later then?"

"Wait—"

Aki instinctively wanted to chase after her, but glanced back at the trembling Arai and Kobeni, along with Denji and Power lying unconscious and heavily injured. He stopped.

"What is she doing...?"

[Energy +1400]

"So, the Desire Devil subjugation failed?"

In the Public Safety Devil Hunter special division 4 office, Makima, sitting at her desk, listened to Aki's report and nodded casually. "Don't worry about her. Since the Leech Devil and the Bat Devil were successfully eliminated, your mission is complete."

"Please also take Denji and Power's statements. And make them write a 5,000-word essay on why they shouldn't engage civilian Devil Hunter targets without authorization. As for the Desire Devil mentioning that Denji is being targeted, there's no need for extra personnel. Working at Public Safety is already a form of protection."

"Yes..."

Even though he had finished his report, Aki remained standing. Makima looked up at him. "Is there anything else, Hayakawa?"

"Um, what will happen to the Desire Devil…?" Aki lowered his head, avoiding Makima's gaze. "I heard that the previous method of transferring the price is no longer working."

Makima gave a slightly cold smile. "Yes, because we used Denji to form the contract with her, but now that the contract has been fulfilled, she no longer has any use for us. As for you, Hayakawa..."

"It must be because you made a separate contract with her, before Public Safety threatened her. While the price transfer for others is no longer valid, yours still persists. Aren't you still depositing money into her account every month?"

"As for handling her… since she's a dangerous devil who can grant wishes, if we kill her..."

Aki's heart skipped a beat. He started to speak, but when he looked up, Makima was already looking at him with a gentle smile.

"We won't kill her. She's still useful. Don't worry, Hayakawa."

"I, I see."

Aki lowered his head, feeling a lingering unease.

What is she planning? How did she escape? Will Denji be in danger later?

Countless questions swirled in his mind. Aki felt as though an invisible net was gradually closing in, but he didn't even know who had cast it…

"That's some impressive regeneration. Did you merge with Pochita?"

"Even though your goal was a little silly, you looked really cool charging at a strong enemy like that, Denji."

… Such a familiar voice.

In the darkness, Denji seemed to hear a familiar voice whispering nearby.

But he couldn't remember who it was. He only remembered it being warm, very warm.

Who… was it?

Driven by an almost frantic curiosity, Denji forced his heavy eyelids open.

And saw the white hospital ceiling.

"Awake?"

Denji turned his head in confusion and found Aki sitting by the bed calmly peeling an apple. "You got your arm back. It regenerated immediately after the blood transfusion. Truly devil-like."

"Why are you here?!"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

Aki raised an eyebrow, placing the peeled apple on a plate and pushing it towards Denji. "You were almost killed by the Blood Devil."

"The security cameras recorded you leaving your patrol area. Then we found a large amount of your blood in a house suspected to be the Bat Devil's hideout."

"Huh? Is that so...?"

Denji reached for the apple, but Aki pulled it away before he could touch it.

"You're harboring a devil."

Aki frowned at Denji, his tone serious.

"I've told you many times, devils are dangerous. They all anticipate human death. You can't trust them."

"I know, I know! You've told me so many times my ears are calloused!"

Denji angrily rolled over, grabbed the plate, and stuffed the apple into his mouth as if in defiance. "You nag me all the time, are you my dad?"

"Honestly..."

Aki sighed wearily. He hadn't heard anything about Denji since Shoko's capture, having been busy with his missions, until Makima suddenly brought Denji to Devil Hunter headquarters and assigned him to Aki's team.

Given Denji's lackadaisical attitude and lack of seriousness towards being a Devil Hunter, Aki would have normally just punched him and kicked him out of the squad. After all, this job could be fatal.

But Denji's will was completely beyond Aki's expectations. Aki, ready to throw punches, ended up being taken down by Denji's nut-shot… What did Shoko teach him?!

Since he couldn't get rid of him, Aki applied to have the homeless Denji move into his place. On one hand, he could keep an eye on the troublemaker, and on the other, he could teach him a few things to prevent him from being killed so easily.

As for why he was doing this...

Looking at Denji's foolish face, Aki sighed inwardly.

Was it guilt over taking away Denji's family? Or something else…?

He hadn't told Denji about Shoko for so long. Was it the right choice? Now that Shoko had escaped custody, should he tell him?

If he told Denji, how would he explain everything?

After a long silence, Aki finally spoke.

"Get up when you're done eating. Makima wants us at headquarters immediately."

"But I just woke up!"