As the flames of Aki's blue fire consumed the devil's corpse, the alleyway near Fujimono Restaurant briefly flickered with eerie light. The charred remains crumbled into nothingness, leaving only a bullet-shaped fragment—a piece of the Gun Devil.
Aki bent down, picking up the piece and inspecting it carefully before pocketing it. The weight of it felt familiar, yet distant—another reminder of his long-standing revenge.
Himeno stretched her arms, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Kang Woo sure makes our job a hell of a lot easier."
Aki exhaled, standing up. "Himeno-senpai, before we met him, we were constantly outgunned. If a devil was too strong, all we could do was run or pray we survived. But the magic he bestowed on us… the curse energy and mana—it's raised our fighting power to a level where we can actually stand our ground."
Himeno smirked. "And yet, you're still surprised about a newbie welcome party?"
Aki gave her a flat look. "A welcome party for Division 4? Seriously?"
Himeno grinned. "Yep. The new Division 4 that Kishibe mentioned is officially formed, but the members never got a proper chance to meet each other. This is supposed to be their first real bonding moment."
Aki sighed. "Himeno-senpai, we're not even part of Division 4. And yet, here we are… crashing their gathering like we're members of the team."
Himeno nudged him with her elbow. "Aren't you the same kouhai who keeps intruding on things when it suits you?" She smirked. "Didn't you practically barge into Kang Woo's lessons? Asking him to teach you mana, begging him to give you curse energy?"
Aki rolled his eyes, rubbing his temple. "I never begged."
Himeno tilted her head, her smirk softening into something more thoughtful. "Do you still have feelings for Ms. Makima, Aki?"
Aki didn't answer right away. Instead, he gently cupped her face and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"Nope. Now I'm free, and you're my wife," he said simply. His voice carried no hesitation, only certainty.
Himeno blinked, then chuckled. "Well, that's good to hear." But after a moment, she sighed. "Still… I want Ms. Makima to come to the party. We don't know where she and Kang Woo will end up. The two of them can literally go anywhere now."
Aki nodded slightly. "Yeah. It wouldn't be a surprise if they just disappeared to another world at this point."
Himeno let out a huff. "I mean, did you see Kang Woo? The guy opened a rift with his bare hands. That's something straight out of a comic book."
Aki only smiled, as if he had long since accepted the absurdity that came with Kang Woo's presence.
But Himeno wasn't done. Her curiosity lingered, deeper now. "Seriously though… what's with that twin pupil thing? The eyes that both Kang Woo and Ms. Makima have now?"
Aki's expression turned unreadable. "It's the Almighty," he said quietly. "A power we can't understand. All I know is, when we fought him, we lost."
Himeno frowned. "We lost three times. And we still don't know how we lost. We just… lost." She shook her head. "And now Makima has it too. As long as Kang Woo sleeps."
Aki didn't respond this time, simply continuing forward in silence.
Himeno exhaled, her voice lowering. "But there's one thing I'm even more curious about," she murmured. "Kang Woo… is he really a ruler who was betrayed? Or is he just on some ridiculous vacation and got stranded in this world?"
Aki finally spoke, his voice low. "Which do you prefer, Himeno-senpai?"
Himeno sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I'd rather it be the first one," she admitted. "If Kang Woo really is a ruler of Hell who was betrayed and now on the run from his own kind, that at least makes sense. It means there's a reason he's here, a reason he's acting the way he does. But if it's the second one…" Her voice trailed off for a moment before she shook her head. "You saw what he did, right? As he regains his power, Kang Woo can literally command any devil like a king ordering his subordinates. And honestly, I don't want to know how many armies he actually has at his disposal."
Aki nodded slightly. "Yeah… Kang Woo being asleep right now is probably a good thing." He exhaled, his tone quieter. "But between all of that, what unsettles me the most isn't his past, or even his power."
Himeno glanced at him. "Then what is it?"
Aki's hand unconsciously clenched at his side. "The Almighty," he muttered. "That twin-pupil eye he and Makima have now. It gives me the creeps."
Himeno frowned. "Why?"
Aki's gaze darkened. "Because it's like we're already being judged as losers, no matter what decision we make."
Himeno stayed silent for a while, processing his words. The weight of Kang Woo's existence loomed over them—over everything.
But after a moment, Aki lightened the mood, forcing a smirk.
"Himeno-senpai, you just joined the party for the drinks, right?"
Himeno blinked before breaking into a grin. "Obviously." She waved a hand casually. "Let's get back to the topic. We can use this chance to get Makima drunk and make her spill what the Almighty actually is… and maybe even answer my question about Kang Woo."
Before Aki could respond, footsteps approached them from the alley's entrance. Kishibe and Quanxi emerged from the shadows, their expressions unreadable.
"Talking in an alleyway, huh? My disciple, you might get jumped by a stalker," Kishibe commented dryly, lighting a cigarette.
Himeno rolled her eyes. "Sensei, before anyone gets the chance to jump us, they'll be turned into ashes by Aki's magic."
Kishibe's eyes narrowed slightly, his usual relaxed demeanor sharpening. "Enough jokes. It's time you tell me what Kang Woo really is and where he comes from."
Aki let out a slow breath. "Azure Resolve."
As soon as he uttered the words, a dome of blue flames erupted around them, sealing them inside a protective sphere. Himeno followed immediately. "Lucky Drunkard."
A secondary layer of water formed inside the fire dome, ensuring any conversation within wouldn't be heard from the outside.
Quanxi observed the barriers with mild intrigue. "All this just for a conversation?"
Aki's eyes locked onto Kishibe's, unwavering. "For privacy," he said firmly. "Kang Woo's identity might shake the entire structure of power we know. If devils ever find out who he truly is… it'll either send them into chaos, or something even worse."
Kishibe took a slow drag of his cigarette, exhaling before muttering, "I'm listening."
Aki met his gaze with the same seriousness. "Let me explain our world's structure of Hell first. You already know devils reside there, right? But that's just the uppermost layer. Kang Woo… he comes from the deepest part of Hell."
Kishibe raised an eyebrow. "Deepest part? So Hell has multiple levels?"
Aki nodded. "Yeah. But before I get into that, put this in your mind —devils and demons are completely different. Devils, the ones we hunt, only use negative energy. But demons…"
Quanxi, catching onto his train of thought, finished his sentence. "Like Kang Woo."
"Yeah," Aki confirmed. "Demons wield mana—pure magic—whenever they want. Kang Woo has another power too, but I think that's something only he can properly explain. I've seen it myself, It's not magic. It's his original power."
Himeno leaned back slightly, exhaling. "And not just that, he's the ruler of the deepest layer of Hell—the Demon King. We actually heard that part from Makima first. Kang Woo was annoyed when she just promoted him in front of us without a second thought."
Kishibe scoffed. "Why would that annoy him? Shouldn't he be proud? If people know him as the ruler of Hell, that's just more prestige."
Himeno gave a lopsided grin. "That's the thing. Kang Woo likes to fight. If his identity got exposed, no one would dare challenge him—at least, no one worthy. That's why he kept it under wraps for so long. But recently…" Her smirk faded slightly, her voice dropping. "You heard him yourself. He doesn't care anymore. He's letting his identity be known. That's what really surprised us—Kang Woo's personality just changed."
Kishibe took a slow drag of his cigarette, his expression unreadable as he exhaled the smoke into the night air.
"Oi, Hell Devil, come over here," he commanded.
His eyes flickered toward the six-fingered, gaping maw of the Hell Devil that had just been summoned, its massive form looming beside him like an unnatural shadow.
" it's true then?" Kishibe asked, voice even. "Kang Woo's a Demon King? That's why you obeyed him without question after he gave you his blood?"
The Hell Devil grinned—an eerie, gaping expression filled with malice and something dangerously close to reverence. "That's right, human named Kishibe. The noble one is indeed the Demon King."
Quanxi remained silent, arms crossed, her sharp gaze flickering between the devil and Aki.
The Hell Devil's voice deepened, reverberating in the air. "However, not all devils know about demons. Many don't even believe they exist. And that is how it should be. If devils ever found out the truth… if a war ever broke out… it would not be a fight."
The air seemed to grow colder.
"It would be a slaughter," the Hell Devil finished.
Kishibe crushed the butt of his cigarette against his boot, letting out a slow, unimpressed sigh. "Shit. Now that's a crazy thing to drop in the middle of the street."
"And," the Hell Devil added, its voice tinged with something close to resentment, "among all devils… Makima was the one chosen to meet him. Not only that, she carries a fragment of his power inside her body."
Himeno raised an eyebrow, curious. " , you're saying she's special?"
The Hell Devil let out a low, hollow chuckle. "Special? . If I were to put it bluntly… she's more demon than devil now."
Quanxi crossed her arms, eyes sharp with interest. "Hell Devil, when you met Kang Woo—how did it feel?"
The Hell Devil didn't answer right away. Instead, it remained silent, its six-fingered hand twitching slightly as if the question itself was unsettling.
Kishibe took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling slowly. "He's a demon, right? A whole different race—stronger than devils, capable of one-sidedly beating you down without effort. And yet, you admire him."
The Hell Devil let out a slow, rattling breath before finally responding. "Admire? Hah. I'll add something to that—I respect him, yes, but only because it's business." Its mouth twisted into something akin to a grin. "He gave me his blood, a substance more valuable than the combined blood of every living thing in this world. In exchange, I serve him. But if he were to order me to abandon guarding you, human named Kishibe, I'd do it without hesitation."
Kishibe flicked the ash off his cigarette. "Tch. Figured as much."
Aki's expression darkened. "Then you're saying it's all about survival. You don't serve him out of loyalty."
The Hell Devil chuckled, the sound hollow and eerie. "Loyalty? You misunderstand, boy. You already heard the Falling Devil screaming like a madwoman, claiming that the world had ended because that thing is here." The Hell Devil's expression stiffened, as if recalling something dreadful. "She wasn't wrong. She wasn't in a catatonic state—she was telling the truth."
Silence fell upon the group as the weight of those words settled in.
"The sooner the noble one leaves, the better," the Hell Devil continued, voice dropping into something quieter, something darker. "You humans have no idea what happened in Hell when that incident occurred. And I won't describe it to you." Its body trembled slightly. "Because it's too terrifying."
Kishibe exhaled a slow stream of smoke, his gaze sharp. "Fragment of Kang Woo's power… you mean his Commandment, right?"
The Hell Devil's six-fingered maw twitched before its voice rumbled low. "I've spoken enough. The noble one ordered me to guard you, human named Kishibe—not to talk too much about him."
And with that, the six-fingered arm of the Hell Devil vanished into the shadows, dissipating as if it had never been there.
Quanxi, arms crossed, turned her attention toward Aki. " what's this about The Almighty?" she asked, her tone skeptical. "I've heard Makima has it now. And you're planning to make her reveal what it can do?"
Aki adjusted his coat, his expression unreadable. "I'll tell you on the way," he said simply.
Without waiting for a response, he started walking toward Fujimono Restaurant, the others following close behind.
-----------------------------------------
The Fujimono Restaurant was lively, filled with the rowdy voices of Division 4, along with Quanxi's devil fiends. Plates clattered, drinks flowed, and the atmosphere had settled into something that felt almost normal—almost.
A semi-drunk Himeno suddenly stood up, wobbling slightly as she raised her glass. "OI OI, everyone! I want us to make a toast!"
Fushi, sitting nearby, raised an eyebrow. "For who, Himeno-senpai?"
Himeno grinned widely, swaying a little. "To the fuckin' crazy tyrant who just descended on this world! The ruler of he—mmph!"
Aki, moving swiftly, clamped a hand over her mouth before she could finish the sentence. "She's just drunk. Don't mind her," he said quickly, flashing a forced smile.
Kishibe, watching the scene unfold, took a slow sip from his glass before glancing at Quanxi. "Reminds you of the old welcome parties, doesn't it?"
Quanxi smirked, tilting her head slightly. "I remember," she said dryly. "I punched you multiple times back then. You kept pressing me, even when I told you I wasn't interested. I only go for women."
Kishibe let out a chuckle, taking another drag from his cigarette. "Yeah. I was younger and dumber back then. Thought I could convince you otherwise."
Quanxi rolled her eyes, leaning back in her seat. "You couldn't."
The conversation was interrupted as Himeno finally managed to pry Aki's hand off her mouth, only to immediately take another swig of her drink.
"Oi, oi, don't act like we're not all thinking about him," she muttered, her voice slightly slurred. "Kang Woo changed everything. And we're all just along for the ride now, whether we like it or not."
A female Division 4 member leaned forward, curiosity sparking in her eyes. "Kang Woo? You mean the guy always beside Makima? I heard the Prime Minister passed a new rule—no one's allowed to harm him or Makima, no exceptions. What's up with that?"
Himeno, now far deeper into her drunken haze, slammed her glass onto the table. "HE IS A DE—!"
Before she could finish, Aki moved swiftly, clamping his hand over her mouth while Kishibe, acting just as fast, grabbed her arms and tied them behind her chair with the ease of someone who had done this before.
Aki, forcing a laugh, addressed the group. "Let's just enjoy the party, yeah? The food's still warm, and the beer's still flowing."
The group hesitated for a moment but, seeing how unfazed Kishibe and Aki were, shrugged it off and continued drinking, ignoring Himeno's muffled protests as she wiggled against her restraints.
Kishibe took a drag of his cigarette. " She talks too much when she's drunk. Better safe than sorry."
Aki sighed, loosening his tie. "She's going to be pissed when she sobers up."
Suddenly, the restaurant door swung open, and Kobeni and Reze stepped inside. Kobeni looked around nervously before bowing slightly. "Sorry I'm late. This place was a bit hard to find for me."
Before she could even settle in, Himeno—who had somehow freed herself from the ropes and tape—waved enthusiastically. "Kobeni! Come sit next to me!"
Aki gave her a deadpan look. "You escaped already? Are you really drunk, Himeno-senpai? Or are you faking it—like how Kang Woo always does?"
Himeno grinned, tilting her head. "Do I get a reward for fooling you?"
Aki exhaled, shaking his head before pulling her down gently, resting her head on his thigh. "101 on how to handle Himeno-senpai," he muttered, earning chuckles from the group.
Kishibe smirked, watching the scene unfold. "Guess it's official now, huh?"
Quanxi took a sip of her drink, smirking. "They've been circling each other long enough."
The rest of the group nodded in amusement, the tension from earlier completely dissolved. Seeing Aki and Himeno settle into their relationship, even in this chaotic setting, added an unexpected warmth to the gathering.
Aki then said, "Reze, where's Ms. Makima? She should've come with you both if you arrived together."
Reze shook her head. "Makima will catch up later. She needed to handle something first."
One of the Division 4 members spoke up, raising his glass. "Since this is an orientation, juniors in Public Safety Devil Hunters should stand up, introduce themselves—name, age, devil contracts."
Aki frowned slightly. "That's sensitive information. Only trusted folks should be sharing that."
Despite the hesitation, Arai stood up. "My name is Hirokazu Arai. Age 20. However, my Fox Devil contract was severed… I don't know why."
Aki's eyes narrowed. The Fox Devil really only contracted me, huh? Kang Woo, your order to the Fox Devil was really harsh, but I appreciate it. That means I'm the only one who can summon it now.
The Division 4 member turned his gaze toward Kobeni. "Your turn."
Kobeni's expression darkened slightly. "I don't like being ordered by someone else. The only ones who can order me are Kang Woo or Makima."
The same Division 4 member scoffed. "But you're a juni—"
Suddenly, the temperature in the restaurant plummeted.
A cold, suffocating pressure filled the air.
Kobeni's eyes glowed faintly in the dim lighting as she stared the man down. "I don't want to harm you," she said, her voice eerily calm. "But you remind me of my abusive father."
The air grew heavier.
"Do you still want to continue?" she asked.
Himeno, sensing the tension, quickly raised her glass and grinned. "I'd prefer if we just introduced what we like instead. That's a better bonding moment, right, Kobeni-chan?"
Kobeni hesitated for a moment before her expression softened slightly. She gave a small smile. "What I like, huh?" Her voice dropped slightly, almost wistful. "If Kang Woo can return to his laughing, kind self… that would be more than enough for me. Also… I want to be the best cook for Kang Woo."
Madoka, who had been listening quietly, raised an eyebrow. "What's with this Kang Woo talk? Feels like he's the hot topic of the event tonight."
Before anyone could answer, Himeno suddenly turned to Fushi. "Hey, Fushi, where's your new guy?"
Fushi didn't respond immediately. He exhaled slowly, his fingers gripping his glass a little tighter. "Last night," he finally said, "he died fighting a devil."
The table went completely silent.
Aki was the first to speak. "My condolences, Fushi."
The weight of loss settled over the group, a grim reminder of the reality of their line of work. Fushi sighed, rubbing his temple. "It was his first mission. I told him not to act recklessly, but some people… they don't get a second chance."
( there is part 2 just give me time )