"I'm counting on you for the rest.''
That was the last thing Shizuka heard before her vision blurred and she was swallowed by Santa Claus's sack.
Moments later, her eyes opened slowly, revealing an entirely different environment. She found herself in a bustling room brimming with energy. Small desks covered in endless gift lists and piles of paperwork were scattered across the space, manned by tiny creatures in green and red uniforms. Warm light emanated from star-shaped lamps hanging from the ceiling, casting golden glimmers throughout the room.
"Welcome. I'm Jingle, one of Santa Claus's elves."
The elf was small, with pointy ears sticking out from beneath his red hat adorned with a tiny jingling bell. His mischievous eyes sparkled, and his smile was overly confident for someone his size. He wore a pristine uniform with gold accents, complemented by a striped scarf.
"Huh? Do you really think you can fool me again!?"
With a swift motion, Shizuka grabbed the little elf by the collar of his outfit and hoisted him up with one hand. Jingle flailed his tiny arms in a futile attempt to break free while the bell on his hat jingled wildly.
"You're wrong... I'm real." The elf stammered nervously as Shizuka's expression grew increasingly terrifying.
"I've been through this once before, and I won't hesitate to smash your cute little face!"
The other elves quickly tried to intervene, pleading for Shizuka to release their companion, but there was no chance they could accomplish such a feat.
"We don't have much time... I don't think that guy can hold out much longer..."
Hearing this, Shizuka finally let go of the elf, causing his tiny body to hit the floor with an amusing thud.
Krampus didn't seem to be the one who had dragged them into this living nightmare. Technically, that meant it was Santa who had sent them on a direct path to doom, and there was no way Shizuka would stay in a good mood after realizing that.
"Talk. I'm listening. Or would you prefer I set a record for how many elves I can send flying?"
"Hiiiiiiiii" All the elves scattered, hiding from Shizuka's fiery wrath.
"Let's... let's all stay calm." Jingle stuttered in fear. "Let me explain..."
Quickly and concisely, the little elf explained the situation.
Krampus, Santa Claus's eternal rival, was a demon of overwhelming power. However, Santa had always managed to defeat Krampus, proving that the man in the red suit was far more than just an old guy with a white beard.
But a few days ago, Krampus had managed to injure Santa. It wasn't a severe wound, but it would make Santa's work far more difficult—and dangerous—if Krampus launched a full assault on Christmas Eve.
This situation had all the elves worried. Even though Santa never backed down, no matter the risks, they wanted to find a way to help their leader. That's when one elf mentioned how, during a trip to a certain country, he'd witnessed a white-haired guy facing two immensely powerful demons and coming out victorious.
After learning this, the elves began monitoring Desmon and determined he might be capable of defeating Krampus. They devised a plan to bring him to the North Pole using Santa's sack, where they would explain the situation and provide him with an artifact that would guarantee his victory.
But to their shock, when the sack absorbed Desmon, he instinctively counterattack with his demonic energy, disrupting the set destination and sending them straight into Krampus's territory.
Panic erupted among the elves as Krampus had also taken the sack, making any rescue attempt impossible.
Nevertheless...
True to their expectations, Desmon managed to retrieve the red sack. When he did, the elves conveyed the crucial information to him. Someone needed to stay behind to hold off Krampus while another went to the North Pole to retrieve the artifact. That task fell to Shizuka.
"I see... you should've explained yourself from the start." She nodded, finally understanding the situation.
The elves weren't to blame; it had been an accident that occurred during their attempt to transport both her and Desmon to the North Pole.
"There's no point. It's too dangerous to give him that artifact now." A new voice echoed across the room.
"What do you mean?" Jingle asked, turning to face the speaker.
Elves had ranks, and the one who spoke seemed to be a supervisor of sorts.
"He won't survive it."
A strange screen appeared, displaying Krampus's territory, where an infinite darkness had been unleashed. It was the same devastating attack that had once wounded Santa himself.
"Did we lose?"
"Is it all over?"
"It's too late..."
The elves panicked.
That darkness was about to devour the demon hunter, erasing him from existence. And if that object fell into Krampus's hands, everything would be doomed.
"You clearly don't know Desmon." She sighed. "No matter what's in front of him, he always finds a way to come out on top."
"How can you be so sure? Could you bear the guilt if Krampus ends up taking millions of lives?" The head elf asked.
"I could." Shizuka replied without hesitation.
This experience had taught her far too much. Now was not the time to waver or overthink. In the short time since they had left her apartment, she, too, had been forced to come to terms with certain truths. If she hadn't, she wouldn't have been able to stand beside Desmon.
"I see... If that's your resolve, then we must also take responsibility for involving you in this."
The supervisor elf stepped closer to Shizuka and handed her what looked like a Christmas tree ornament, but in gold.
In Shizuka's mind, she imagined they'd give her an overwhelmingly powerful magical weapon—but it was just an ornament.
"You've got to be kidding. What's Desmon supposed to do with this? Show Krampus the Christmas spirit while decorating a tree?"
"This is one of Santa's most powerful creations. It holds the ability to grant a miracle, a single wish that can alter the course of events."
"I take it back—that sounds incredible!" She exclaimed, her excitement evident.
"However... it's a bit particular. If you're not specific about your wish, it won't work. That's why it's rarely used."
"Exactly how…"
"There's no time! It's almost midnight!" Another elf interrupted, panicking.
"There'll only be a one-way trip. We can't guarantee your return." The supervisor elf said hastily.
"It doesn't matter; we'll figure it out." She responded with a confident smile.
Months ago, Shizuka would never have imagined herself in such a situation, much less with this kind of attitude. But spending time with that man had infected her with his stupidity.
"We're counting on you. Good luck." The elves said as they bowed.
Taking it as its cue, Santa's bag absorbed her completely, leaving behind only a trail of light that vanished within seconds.
For the third time in a matter of minutes, her vision blurred. When it cleared, she found herself standing in an endless, snowy wasteland. The biting cold stung her skin, and the sky was an oppressive sheet of gray clouds that seemed to crush the horizon. But what truly unsettled her was her surroundings: thousands upon thousands of grotesque demons with glowing eyes, the army of Krampus.
In the distance, something even more horrifying was happening. A massive, writhing darkness pulsed like a living entity, consuming Desmon. Only his outstretched arm remained visible, moments from vanishing completely.
There was no time to strategize or move closer; the situation demanded immediate action. Gripping the golden orb tightly, she took a determined stance. Her knees bent, her arm pulled back, and her fingers gripped the sphere as though it were the most crucial pitch of her life. Each movement mirrored the precision of a professional baseball player.
The air around her seemed to freeze as she focused. The pressure was immense; there was no room for error. Taking a deep breath, she channeled all her strength, twisting her body with flawless technique and hurling the orb with a force that cut through the air like a lightning bolt.
"Go!" She screamed with all her might, watching as the golden orb tore through the sky, leaving a brilliant trail as it soared toward its target.
Yet as the orb closed in, Desmon's arm was swallowed completely, vanishing into the darkness.
There was no escape—everything was over. Now Krampus had the power to go after Santa and eliminate its nemesis... Even so, she didn't give up.
"Desmon!!!" She screamed with every ounce of strength she had.
There was no way Desmon would fall without a fight. After everything they had been through, this couldn't be his end.
Responding to her companion's passion, the moment the golden orb touched the infinite darkness, an arm surged forth. Most of the skin had been shredded away, leaving bones visible—but even so, he managed to catch the orb.
That didn't last long, as this time the darkness made sure to absorb him completely.
"I don't know what you were trying to pull, but it's useless! There's no one who can stop me!" Roared Krampus.
With nothing left to interfere, the only thing remaining was to attack Santa Claus. After all, there were only three seconds left until midnight.
"If I were you, I wouldn't be so sure about that." Shizuka said with a confident smile, her eyes shining with determination.
Krampus didn't even bother to pay attention, ordering its demon army to deal with her as if she were insignificant.
However, just as the army began to move, the clock struck midnight—the magical moment when Santa Claus, the spirit of goodwill and joy, prepared to deliver gifts to children across the world. And then, something unexpected happened.
The immense darkness that had swallowed Desmon began to convulse violently, as if a storm were raging within. The shift was so sudden that even Krampus couldn't ignore it.
"Huh?" It murmured, its glowing red eyes widening in surprise. There was no way anything could escape from that technique—or so it thought.
The fluctuations within the dark mass grew more intense, capturing the attention of the entire demon army. The darkness, once an unstoppable force, now quivered and rippled as though struggling to contain something too powerful, something unnatural and entirely beyond its control.
It was as if the very essence of the darkness was being torn apart from within. Its once uniform, oppressive surface now flickered with crimson sparks—signs of an overwhelming energy desperate to break free.
For a moment, the fluctuations stopped, leaving the battlefield in an eerie silence. It seemed like everything was back to normal. But then...
A deafening explosion shook the ground, shattering the darkness completely.
The sound was like the fracturing of reality itself. Pieces of the dark mass scattered into the air like shards of broken glass, glimmering faintly before disappearing into nothingness. The sheer force of the explosion made even the demons recoil in fear.
And amidst the dissipating fragments, a figure emerged.
"Why do I suddenly crave pizza?"
The unknown figure strolled through the mist as if destroying a legendary demon's technique was just another walk in the park.
Clad in a crimson leather trench coat that had clearly seen more battles than peaceful days, the figure exuded effortless style. Underneath, a half-buttoned dark shirt screamed "I couldn't care less" paired with black, reinforced pants perfect for kicking ass. High combat boots with straps and fingerless gloves completed the badass look, while a massive sword rested casually on its back, ready for action.
What does it take to defeat a legendary demon? The answer is simple: a legendary demon hunter.
And lucky for every demon present, they now had the once-in-a-lifetime chance to face the son of Sparda.
Is there even a need to say his name?
-Who is that? Shizuka wondered, staring at him. Yet, something about the stranger felt oddly familiar—his white hair, in particular.
As their gazes met, the man's lips curled into a grin. In the blink of an eye, he was already by her side.
"Now that I'm up close, that Santa outfit of yours is quite provocative, Shizuka. Makes me wonder if there's some red lingerie under all that."
There was only one person who could say something like that at a time like this. But his appearance was nothing like what she remembered.
"Desmon?"
"Hmm, excellent question. Am I that idiot who loves candy? Or am I that middle-aged guy who lives for pizza, breathes debt, and oozes style?"
When Desmon had seized the golden orb, a multitude of thoughts raced through his mind:
-I want to be stronger than Krampus.
-The strength to defeat that demon.
-Stronger, huh?
Yet none of Desmon's wishes seemed to work, for one simple reason: his desires were not specific enough.
To be stronger than the demon—how strong? Compared to what? And what exactly is "strength"?
No matter what Desmon thought, nothing seemed to click.
Without any other choice, it had to call on a certain white-haired individual who was technically his father. But there was a problem—where exactly was that guy?
Without a clear idea of what it wanted, the golden orb could not be used.
Feeling like an idiot for not knowing how to use the wish and on the brink of suffering a fate worse than death, Desmon ironically thought.
-Why not just become Dante until I get out of here?
At that moment, the orb emitted an intense glow, granting his wish.
Desmon vividly remembered Dante: His fighting style, his arsenal of weapons, even the sensation of his strikes. Combined with the stories Trish had told him, the image of Dante and his personality were clear in Desmon's mind.
In other words, Desmon transformed into the latest version of the legendary demon hunter he remembered, retaining Dante's original personality and demeanor while sharing Desmon's memories.
"So...?"
"Just your friendly, reliable demon hunter." Dante smirked arrogantly.
Is now really the time to contemplate the philosophy of the self?
Shizuka's mind remained somewhat confused, but as long as everything worked out, there wasn't a problem—except for one thing.
"By the way…"
"Something wrong?"
"Why the hell have you been staring at my chest since you got here?!" Shizuka covered herself, slightly embarrassed.
"Technically, I'm innocent of anything I do right now. Also, the thought of you wearing lingerie under that Santa suit has been lingering in my mind for a while."
"As if that's even possible!"
"I see…" Dante lowered his gaze. "Now I'm in a bad mood, so—damned demons—time to wipe you all out!"
"That's the worst excuse for motivation I've ever heard!"
As if they were in a park, the two chatted casually, completely ignoring Krampus and its horde of demons.
"Vanish!" Krampus's voice was like a deadly whisper. With a wave of its claws, it unleashed an enormous slash that tore through space itself, heading straight for them.
Dante merely raised an eyebrow, glancing sideways with a mocking grin.
Almost impossibly, the slash meant to obliterate him caused no harm at all. Instead, Krampus was sent hurtling across the ground, slamming into it violently.
"Impressive, huh? I picked that up from a kung fu–training panda." Dante grinned, subtly adjusting his stance.
Shizuka stared in disbelief. That brief display made it clear the battle was over the moment Dante arrived.
"I think I'm starting to feel sorry for Krampus…" She muttered, shrugging.
"Hold on a minute, Shizuka. I'll be right back!" Dante gave her a cheerful wave before vanishing, reappearing in the midst of the demon horde.
"Alright, who's first? It's Christmas, and I'm feeling generous."
The demons froze, paralyzed with fear. Instinctively, they trembled before the man in the red trench coat. Dante's demonic energy was too overwhelming for mere cannon fodder.
"You bastard..." Krampus stood up, covered in severe wounds from Dante's counter.
"What's wrong? Not so scary when facing someone stronger than you? Wanna cry?" Dante teased, his amusement glinting in his eyes.
"Don't get cocky just because you managed this...!" Before Krampus could finish, Dante was already in front of it. A brutal kick sent it rolling through the snow, its jaw shattering on impact.
"I'm not here to listen to you. If I wanted that, I'd watch an infomercial while using Shizuka's credit card."
From a distance, Shizuka frowned, mentally reminding herself to check her credit card statements once they returned home.
"Kill him!" Krampus roared in fury, clutching its face.
The demons obeyed, surging toward Dante. But they were nothing more than cannon fodder. The first wave comprised demonic toys attacking from all directions.
"No offense, but if you were my Christmas gift, I wouldn't want ugly toys like you."
Dante pulled out his double-barreled shotgun, firing without hesitation. Each shot obliterated his enemies in mere moments. The pellets tore through multiple demons, transforming the assault into a massacre.
In a single movement, over 300 demons were annihilated.
"So, you're up next, big guy?"
A line of blood-soaked snowmen stood before him, their towering forms meant to give them an edge.
"Time to heat things up!"
Metallic boots appeared on Dante's legs, igniting with flames as he began moving frenetically in place.
"Come on, baby!"
The snowmen attacked with icy claws, aiming to kill Dante, but their claws shattered under the force of his kick.
"My turn!"
Dante's body vanished from sight, reappearing high in the air. In an instant, he dove down like a lightning bolt, his foot slamming into the head of one of the icy demons, making it explode on impact.
"They don't make snowmen like they used to..."
Dante flipped mid-air and drove another kick into the next demon, repeating the motion fluidly, eliminating the snowmen in rapid succession.
"Seriously, they're endless, huh?" Dante eyed the reinforcements. More demons poured in, their numbers surpassing the thousands. "Time for some crowd control. I'm not much for big audiences."
Dante leaped into the sky, drawing his twin pistols. "Oi, Krampus, did your demons bring umbrellas?" With a smirk, he channeled demonic energy into his weapons and fired.
"Bon appétit!"
Without mercy, Dante began spinning mid-air, unleashing a torrential storm of bullets that pierced through the demon horde in an instant. Even stray shots rebounding from the ground turned into death traps, escalating the carnage into a full-scale massacre. Thousands of defenseless demons met their end. Where's the demon protection agency when you need them?
Dante landed effortlessly with a flip, taking note of the crimson-stained snow.
"What's wrong? No more playmates for me?" He holstered his guns, stretching casually like he was just getting warmed up.
Krampus, consumed by fury, roared as its body erupted with demonic energy.
"I'LL SHOW YOU TRUE TERROR!" Its form expanded, new arms sprouting from its sides, while its power surged to overwhelming levels.
Dante watched, visibly thrilled.
"Try blocking this!" Krampus bellowed, extending its four arms and preparing a devastating slash that could cleave through the entire realm—a landmass comparable to Earth's largest continent.
"I like a challenge. Bring it on!"
Just as Krampus unleashed its ultimate technique, Dante moved with incredible speed, positioning himself at the center of the impending strike.
What happened next defied logic, even Shizuka couldn't comprehend what just occurred.
In the brief moment when Krampus prepared to destroy everything, Dante closed the gap, intercepting the attack. With a flash of devastating power, Krampus' body was obliterated in mid-air.
To be more precise, Dante's technique's energy was fully charged, releasing all of it onto Krampus's body. Executing a flawless counterattack
"I win this bet!"
"I-impossible..."
"I only watched the first movie with that panda… Imagine if I'd seen the sequels." Dante grinned, his voice full of humor.
Krampus' battered and wounded body hit the ground heavily
"By the way, what do you think of this new arm?" Dante teased, waving one of Krampus' severed limbs mockingly.
The result of their clash was clear: three of Krampus' four arms had been mercilessly ripped off, with Dante holding one like a trophy.
-Easy come, easy go.
"You know what they say: an eye for an eye, an arm for an arm." Dante tightened his grip on the severed arm, crushing it into bloody fragments with immense force.
Krampus couldn't respond—only gasps of bloody breath and pained growls emerged as its body struggled to regenerate, albeit at a sluggish pace.
"A demon of few words! Well then... My turn!"
With a metallic shimmer, Dante's arms were encased in glowing gauntlets as he closed the distance.
His punches came in a torrent: rapid, precise, and unnaturally powerful. Each strike not only destroyed flesh but vibrated the very air, laced with scorching energy. In mere moments, the gauntlets blazed with a furious fire.
"Smile for the camera."
Dante clenched his fist and punched Krampus square in the face, the force so immense it sent the demon flying. Its towering size proved no match for Dante's raw strength.
Without giving Krampus a moment to recover, Dante teleported in front of it, positioning himself and channeling demonic energy into his gauntlet. The demon was met with a real impact that launched it skyward, where Dante was already waiting, unleashing a savage combo of punches.
"You know what's funny? Just minutes ago, you looked so terrifying and imposing… but I guess I was wrong."
With a crushing axe kick, Dante sent Krampus hurtling back to the ground, only to intercept it mid-descent with another kick. The demon's body bounced around like a soccer ball as Dante laughed with a nearly childlike glee.
"How about we wrap this up? I've got some fried chicken waiting for me back home."
The gauntlets vanished, and Dante reached for the sword on his back, ready to deliver the finishing blow.
"This isn't over…!"
"I think it is!"
With Rebellion in hand, Dante propelled himself toward Krampus, launching into a series of rapid, precise slashes. His skill and flair with the sword were on full display.
"One… two… three!"
Like a dance macabre, Dante ended his assault by sending Krampus flying, swinging his sword like a baseball bat.
"ENOUGH… I WILL DESTROY YOU ALONG WITH EVERYTHING! NO MATTER WHAT, YOU WILL DIE!" Krampus roared, halting mid-air and unleashing all its fury.
Furious beyond measure, Krampus channeled its demonic energy into a single, enormous sphere, raising it high with its remaining arm. The sheer power of the attack threatened to obliterate everything in its path.
But Dante's confident smirk didn't falter. His relaxed demeanor spoke volumes.
"Playtime's over. This is where we say goodbye!"
Adjusting his stance, Dante focused all his demonic energy into Rebellion.
The clash was inevitable. Who would emerge victorious?
The answer was absolute.
"DIE AND VANISH! OBLIVION!"
With an earth-shaking roar, Krampus hurled the massive energy sphere. Dante didn't budge, his sword glowing brighter as it brimmed with demonic power.
"Hope you enjoy this!"
In one swift motion, Dante unleashed three devastating energy slashes. The cuts tore through the sphere, obliterating it before continuing their path toward Krampus.
The demon had no chance. The slashes struck true, ripping Krampus apart and scattering its remains across the battlefield.
Dante strolled toward the demon's shattered head, still wearing an eternal expression of hatred.
"This… isn't my end… I will return… and when I do… nothing will save you from my wrath…"
"Not my problem." Dante replied nonchalantly. "Besides, I'm sure Desmon will beat you to a pulp by then."
With a playful smirk, Dante drew his pistols and aimed at Krampus's head.
"Jackpot!"
The gunshot echoed, silencing everything.
The legendary demon Krampus had fallen, defeated by Dante's overwhelming strength and skill.
"A job well done." Twirling his pistols, Dante holstered them as calm settled over the battlefield.
But the moment of peace was short-lived. A massive earthquake shook the area.
With the creator of this realm dead, its source of energy was gone, and the place began to collapse.
"Time to go!"
The ground beneath them started rising toward the sky, as though gravity had flipped.
"Ready, Shizuka? Let's move!"
Before Shizuka could react, Dante swept her into his arms.
"What...?!"
"Oh, come on. We've done this plenty of times. Don't tell me you're still surprised."
Not waiting for a reply, Dante leapt across the floating debris heading skyward. Somewhere amidst the crumbling heavens, a strange white light marked the exit.
With a mighty jump, Dante shot toward the light, breaking through its barrier with a powerful kick.
In an instant, a blinding glow enveloped everything around them. Moments later, a familiar sight greeted them both—they had successfully returned to Shizuka's apartment.
"I think we made it just in time." He said with an arrogant smile.
"Desmon?!"
When her vision returned, she realized the one carrying her was the same guy who had been living with her for a few months—even his severed arm had come back.
"The one and only. Who else were you expecting?" He said with a grin.
Once the wish had been fulfilled, Desmon was restored to his former self. His wounds and clothes had returned to normal.
"By the way, how much longer do you plan on holding me?" Shizuka could feel Desmon's hands in… certain areas.
"It feels soft and cozy. Can't we stay like this a little longer?"
"If you don't put me down this instant, you'll go without dinner!"
"Tch, so grumpy…" With no other choice, Desmon set Shizuka down.
The clock in the apartment struck midnight and one minute—exactly the minute Dante had promised to finish off Krampus
"So, shall we eat? I'm starving…"
Everything ended just as it began.
"Looks like you haven't changed." She sighed in amusement. "Hold on, there's something I want to give you."
Now that it was Christmas, Shizuka went to her room, opened a drawer, and took out a small gift box before returning to the living room.
"Merry Christmas, Desmon!" Shizuka extended the small box toward him.
Desmon was surprised by the gesture, hesitating for a moment before accepting it.
"Can I open it?"
"Ho ho ho, what's the matter? You look like an impatient little kid." she teased, grinning.
"Not at all…"
How many years had it been since Desmon last received a present?
With some hesitation—and a hint of excitement—he opened the box, revealing a pair of black, fingerless leather gloves.
"I wasn't expecting this."
Desmon slipped on the gloves immediately, and they fit perfectly.
"I always see you using Alastor, so I thought it'd be better if you had gloves for it." Shizuka said, scratching the back of her neck, a bit embarrassed.
"I'll make sure to take good care of them. For some reason, I do have a tendency to end up half-naked… Maybe someday I'll get clothes that can regenerate."
"Now that's just being ridiculous. Are you stupid?"
"Haha, maybe a little…"
As Desmon laughed, he spotted another gift box under the Christmas tree, accompanied by a small note.
"Looks like someone else left me a gift."
In good spirits, he approached the tree and read the note.
-Sorry for the trouble. Consider this a token of my gratitude for your help. I'm sure you'll like it since it's something you've been asking for. Sincerely, Santa Claus.
Desmon had saved Christmas, so it only made sense for Santa to leave a great gift. When he opened the box, a mischievous smile crossed his face.
"Hey, Shizuka, this one's for you."
"For me?" She walked over, curious. After all, it had been Desmon who did all the work.
-Santa left me something… Could it be some amazing weapon?
But when she looked inside the box, she found a set of red lingerie with festive Christmas details.
"Who knew Santa Claus was so thoughtful? If he asks nicely, I might handle the demons for him again next year. So, Shizuka, what do you think? Want to try it on?"
Yeah, right! Like hell I would!'' She threw the box to the floor.
"Don't be so intense…"
"You were the one who asked for this...?" She said, her expression darkening.
"Maybe…" He averted his gaze.
"I'm finishing what Krampus started." She muttered, clenching her fists.
"Shizuka… why does it feel like you're trying to kill me?"
And so, the two enjoyed a cheerful Christmas, though Desmon spent a week punished—no sweets allowed.