The Devil with the Power of "Face"

"Where… are we…?" Aki looked at the verdant plains and the strange sky, his unease deepening.

The crowd abruptly transported here was mostly clueless. Moments ago, they'd been locked in a brutal battle – Public Safety versus foreign assassins, all vying for Denji's heart.

Despite their numbers, Public Safety was hard-pressed. Their opponents were Quanxi, the former strongest Devil Hunter, and the infamous Doll Devil. Casualties were mounting. Those still standing were the elite of the elite.

Though, upon closer inspection, aside from Aki, Himeno, Kobeni, and two other skilled Devil Hunters, the rest were either Fiends or Devils...

"Truce, for now. The Fiends are acting strange." Quanxi sheathed her weapons.

As she said, the Devils and Fiends around them were reacting violently.

Power, usually boisterous and fearless, was trembling, drenched in sweat, her voice filled with terror. "No, no, I can't… this place… no…!"

The Violence Fiend had collapsed, his distress evident even through his mask. The Angel Devil was silent, his face pale.

"Ahaha… this joke isn't funny…" Even Reze's laughter sounded strained. "At this rate, I'd rather Makima had just killed me…"

Quanxi's Fiends fared even worse. The dragon-horned Fiend was vomiting, while the eel-like Fiend was begging Quanxi for permission to commit suicide.

"What's wrong with you all?"

Denji, seemingly unaffected, was puzzled by their fear. He felt no discomfort in this place. It was almost… comforting. He even felt a bit hungry…

And, perhaps due to his longing for Shoko, he thought he could smell her nearby.

"What is this…?"

Aki frowned. Denji seemed clueless. He could only ask Reze or the Angel Devil, who appeared to be maintaining some semblance of composure—

"It's Hell, Aki-kun."

"Hell? This is bad. The rescue plan—"

Hearing that reassuringly familiar voice, Aki nodded, but his worry intensified. While their ultimate goal was Hell, rescuing Shoko required careful planning. Being abruptly transported mid-battle, they weren't prepared. Forget rescuing her, even finding her would be—

Suddenly, something felt off. He turned sharply. The familiar girl stood beside him, smiling.

"Shoko?!"

"Long time no see, everyone~"

Shoko waved, taking in their shocked expressions with satisfaction. Deactivating her Passerby Aura after positioning herself among them had been a good call.

"Shoko...?"

Hearing Denji's disbelieving voice, Shoko turned to him, teasing, "What? It's only been a short while. Don't tell me you don't recognize—"

She was cut short. Denji rushed forward, embracing her tightly.

"...Still a child, aren't you?"

Feeling her shoulder dampen, Shoko paused, then patted Denji's back. "But it's alright now."

Even Denji, despite his carefree demeanor, was just a teenager.

"This is Hell. I don't know what happened back on Earth, but it seems the Hell Devil transported all of you here."

While comforting Denji, Shoko addressed the others. "Devils are generally terrified of Hell. They'd rather make contracts with humans on Earth than return here."

Gesturing to the trembling Fiends, Shoko slipped out of Denji's embrace and approached Power, gently stroking her head. "Devils killed in Hell return to Earth. Devils killed on Earth return to Hell, without memories of their previous life. Yet, they remain terrified of Hell, even though they don't remember why."

"Being forcibly brought back triggers those memories, hence their current state."

"But you seem unaffected." Quanxi observed calmly.

"If they, like me, traveled between Hell and Earth two or three times a day, they'd probably get used to it."

Shoko smiled. As if. As the Desire Devil, her life was a constant cycle of death and rebirth, traveling between realms like it was her daily commute. She was practically a Hell veteran.

"And I think they're more afraid of what's coming…"

Her smile vanished, replaced by a serious expression. "This is for your own good. You should make a wish for light. Now."

"Are you saying—"

Before anyone could react, a drop of pure darkness materialized nearby. As the blackness spread, an eerie silence fell.

"The primordial fear, a devil that has never died… Seriously, make your wish quickly. I can't afford to drive this thing away on my own~"

But her warning seemed to have no effect. The oppressive presence of the approaching entity had paralyzed everyone.

Croak

A frog croaked.

The Darkness Devil, a grotesque amalgamation of bones and human bodies, materialized behind them.

Before anyone could move, their hands, even Chainsaw Man's and the Bomb Devil's, were severed. These so-called powerhouses didn't even comprehend how they'd been attacked.

"That's why I told you to hurry…"

Shoko sighed. If she hadn't maxed out her Passerby Aura at the last second, her hands would be gone too.

These guys were useless. The power gap was too vast. Looks like she'd have to handle this herself.

With that thought, Shoko deactivated her aura, stepping forward, placing herself between the Darkness Devil and the others. Then—

"Darkness Devil, we're both primordial fears. Give me some face, let them go."