Makima glanced at the group, her calm demeanor unwavering. She addressed them with a slight tilt of her head. "Where do I drop you?"
Quanxi blinked, her arms crossed. "Dropped?"
Aki smirked faintly. "Quanxi, did you forget? Ms. Makima can open portals to anywhere. Through her, you can go wherever you like. Or… do you want to join Division 4 at the welcome party Sensei Kishibe mentioned?"
Himeno leaned closer, her teasing grin lighting up her face. "Heeeh? Ms. Makima, joining a party? What is this, sneaking off to have fun while Kang Woo is still asleep inside your body? He might get mad, you know."
Makima smirked faintly, countering without hesitation. "Didn't you all have plenty of privacy to discuss everything? At least without me eavesdropping?"
Kishibe exhaled smoke from his cigarette, a chuckle escaping him. "Drop Aki and Himeno off near Fujimono Restaurant. As for me and Quanxi, we'll tag along with you to Futamichi Café first."
Without further comment, Makima slipped on her infinity sling ring, smoothly tracing a circle in the air. Sparks burst forth, forming a shimmering portal. She gestured toward it. "Here you go, Aki-kun, Himeno-kun."
Aki took a step forward, glancing curiously at Makima. "Ms. Makima, did Kang Woo teach you how to make portals like this? Or is this something you figured out on your own?"
Makima's expression didn't change, but her tone sharpened slightly. "Are you going to keep talking or step through?"
Himeno laughed, nudging Aki lightly. "Don't be pushy, Ms. Makima, all right, all right. We're going." She waved casually as she stepped into the portal, Aki following close behind.
Makima opened another portal, golden sparks flickering as it expanded into a stable gateway leading to the streets near Futamichi Café. She gestured toward it with a composed expression. "After you."
Kishibe smirked, tilting his head toward Quanxi. "Ladies first."
Quanxi rolled her eyes but stepped through without complaint. Kishibe followed, hands in his pockets, and after ensuring the portal remained stable, Makima stepped in last. The moment they emerged onto the familiar streets, the faint aroma of fresh coffee . A peaceful scene—at least, it should have been.
But Makima's gaze immediately sharpened.
Kobeni stood near an imposing pillar of ice. Encased within was none other than Fami—the Famine Devil—her sister. The frozen structure glowed under the streetlights, jagged formations tracing along its surface like a hastily constructed prison.
Makima sighed, already exhausted by the sight.
"Kobeni-chan," she spoke with the tone of someone dealing with an expected nuisance. "Is my sister being an asshole again?"
Kobeni, visibly rattled, nodded frantically. "She is. She wanted to talk to you, but she got impatient and started taking hostages… She even summoned her Guillotine Devil and attacked Quanxi's devil fiend group. I had to freeze her with my ice manipulation."
Quanxi's eyes narrowed dangerously as she turned toward her fiends. They stood stiffly in place, their expressions somewhere between wary and irritated.
"Is this true?" she asked, her tone edged with tension.
Pingtsi, shifting uncomfortably, gave a short nod. "Yes. Fami—the Famine Devil—was being aggressive toward us."
Makima rubbed her temple with a slow, measured motion before exhaling through her nose. "Of course she was."
Her yellow-ringed eyes glowed slightly as she gazed at the frozen figure of her sister, the ice refracting her image in distorted reflections. "Fami, you've always been impatient, but I didn't expect you to stoop so low as to attack Futamichi Café's customers."
Makima gathered a flickering dark flame in her palm, the ominous energy twisting like a living shadow. "Hellblaze," she murmured, her voice steady.
The cursed flames engulfed the frozen structure, melting Kobeni's ice prison in seconds. As the last shards shattered, Fami collapsed forward, coughing violently.
"Haaah— khhh! haaahhh! Haaahhh! Cough! Cough! Khhhkk!"
She gasped for breath, her body trembling slightly as she adjusted to the sudden release. Still, Makima didn't flinch, merely watching her sister struggle.
"Here I am," Makima said flatly. "Now speak. Don't waste my time."
Fami, still catching her breath, wiped her lips before finally looking up, her golden eyes dark with urgency. "Nostradamus' prophecy… The coming arrival of the Death Devil on Earth in July 2020. It's said to be followed by the extinction of humanity, and Devils taking over, leading to a global Age of Devils."
Makima raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Uh-huh. Our eldest sister, the Death Devil, will arrive. So what?"
Fami's expression turned desperate as she stepped forward, her tone more persuasive now. "Don't you understand? This will be the end of everything. The normal life you enjoy, the mundane moments—everything will cease. Even I… I like pizza, I like Chinese food, I like living like this. But once she arrives, it's all over!"
Makima barely listened. Her attention shifted to the coverless grimoire floating beside her, its pages spinning wildly . With a slight wave of her hand, she willed the book to stabilize. Its form shimmered before reforming into Lucius' Grimoire—the very artifact Kang Woo once held.
Yet, despite its transformation, something was off.
The book still doesn't recognize me as its owner, she mused. It doesn't shine as brightly as when Kang Woo held it. After all, it originally belonged to him… and I am still inferior at soul manipulation compared to him.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. even with The Almighty, there are things I can't completely control. Interesting.
Fami, still desperate, pressed on. "Work with me, Control Devil Makima. If we act together, we can use Kang Woo to defeat—"
Makima's head snapped toward her, her expression immediately darkening. "Huhhhhh?"
Fami froze as Makima took a slow step forward, her presence suddenly suffocating.
"What did you just say?" Makima's voice was quiet, but the weight behind it sent a chill down everyone's spine.
Fami hesitated. "I-I mean—"
"You mean control him, right?" Makima clarified, her yellow-ringed eyes flashing with something between amusement and pure, cold rage.
Then, she burst into laughter.
"Fufuffufu… Ahahahahahaha! !"
Makima clutched her sides, laughing like she had just heard the most ridiculous joke in the world.
Finally, she stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing as her smile became something far more dangerous.
"Are you fucking retarded?" she sneered, tilting her head mockingly. "Did all that sugar rot your brain or something?"
Makima's expression remained unreadable as she took a slow step toward Fami, her yellow-ringed eyes gleaming with something between disdain and amusement. "Do you have slightest idea who you're talking about ?"
Fami fell into momentary silence, her brows furrowing slightly. She didn't fully understand what Kang Woo was. Sure, she had seen his power, but even she hadn't grasped the true depth of it.
Makima scoffed, flipping through the pages of Lucius' Grimoire idly with one hand while keeping her other hand raised. "I'm more worried about Kang Woo beheading our dear eldest sister than whatever doomsday you're panicking over," she said casually. "When Kang Woo kills something, he kills it permanently. Conceptually. Even Death itself. If he doesn't behead her, he might just depower you instead."
Fami's eyes widened slightly. "That's—"
Makima ignored her, watching the pages turn, her mind already working ahead. Body, blood, and bone. Kang Woo always had a habit of combining elements. I should test it for myself.
Fami clenched her fists, trying to steady her argument. "Are you really that confident in Kang Woo? That he's unbeatable? Everyone falls eventually. If he gets arrogant, if he underestimates the—"
Makima moved faster than Fami could react.
"Body Compression."
A sickening crack echoed through the air as Makima's right arm suddenly bulged with surging veins, glowing red and pulsating with raw power.
"Jets of Blood."
The compressed energy shot forward in a violent burst, the sheer force of it warping the air. Fami barely had time to register it before Makima followed up immediately—
"Bone Palm."
A massive, jagged bone erupted from her outstretched hand, slamming into Fami's stomach with devastating force. The impact sent her rocketing across the sky, her body blurring as she was launched far into the distance, breaking the sound barrier with an ear-splitting BOOM.
The combined force of the body compression, blood propulsion, and the giant bone strike ensured that Fami didn't just fly—she was catapulted far into the horizon.
Makima casually rolled her wrist, watching the aftershock ripple through the air. "Hmph. That sent her farther than I thought."
Quanxi's devil fiends quickly gathered around her—Pingtsi, Cosmo, Tsugihagi, and Long—all of them moving in unison, instinctively seeking the presence of their leader.
Pingtsi, looking slightly irritated, tugged at Quanxi's sleeve. "Mistress Quanxi, we're still hungry. The café food wasn't enough. Can we eat some more?"
Quanxi sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Kishibe, you're covering the bill at the restaurant, right?"
Kishibe groaned, exhaling a puff of smoke. "There goes my salary… I thought replacing Makima would get me more beer and smokes, but shit , my wallet's bleeding out just the same." He shook his head. "I'll be broke before the night's even over."
Before he could say anything else, Cosmo suddenly stepped forward, her usual blank expression shifting ever so slightly as she focused on Makima.
"You're very lucky," Cosmo murmured, her voice oddly clear and precise—an unusual deviation from her usual babbling. "Control Devil of all beings … you managed to meet that man. Most devils don't even know about him. But you—of all beings—not only met him, but he granted you something beyond any devil or even primal devil could ever obtain."
Quanxi's eyes widened slightly. Cosmo was speaking normally. That almost never happened. Something inside her stirred—something deeper than mere curiosity.
Makima, however, remained composed, her yellow-ringed eyes gleaming with quiet pride. "This is the second time someone's told me that," she said smoothly. "And yeah… I'm very grateful for it. More than that, I'm proud that I was chosen by Kang Woo."
For a few moments, Cosmo simply stared at her.
Then, without warning, her expression shifted again.
Her lips curled, and her entire demeanor seemed to reset. Her mouth opened, and she reverted to her usual self, suddenly babbling in a rhythmic chant.
"Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Halloweeeeeeen."
Makima watched without reaction. But Kishibe and Quanxi exchanged glances, their interest in Kang Woo only deepening.
Kishibe took another drag of his cigarette. " I really need to ask about that guy later."
Makima, ignoring him, raised a hand and effortlessly created another portal— opening near Fujimono Restaurant. The golden sparks flickered as the swirling gateway stabilized.
"If you want to know more about Kang Woo," she said, gesturing toward the portal, "ask Aki and Himeno. I have something else to do first." She placed a hand on her chest, as if feeling something within herself. "Now that he's asleep inside me, I'm gaining more of his accelerated development. His artifacts… they'll be the key to understanding him better."
Kishibe exhaled slowly before stepping toward the portal. "Yeah, yeah. I still plan on asking you later, Makima."
Quanxi, along with her devil fiends, followed close behind, stepping through the gateway.
Without another word, Makima waved her hand, and the portal closed. She stood there for a moment, letting the silence settle around her.
Makima sat at the nearest table, crossing her legs with perfect composure as she pulled out the Book of Mirror Dimension and Mystic Arts Magic. Her fingers traced the ancient cover as she let out a small breath.
I hope The Almighty works in understanding Sanskrit…
Closing her eyes momentarily, she then reopened them, activating The Almighty once more. Her pupils shifted—two irises forming within each eye. The world around her subtly warped, her perception expanding.
The moment she touched the book, a flood of knowledge surged into her mind. The intricate workings of the Mirror Dimension, the manipulation of mystic energies, all of it transferred into her as if she had studied it for years.
She smirked. Even though I don't have Future Transformation or Instant Adaptability like Kang Woo… learning through foresight is truly incredible.
Her gaze then shifted to Lucius' Grimoire, still resting beside her. A flicker of something stirred in her chest—curiosity.
Sorry, Kang Woo, but my desire to be your equal is calling me.
Without hesitation, she placed her hand on the grimoire and activated The Almighty, willing the future knowledge of the book to flow into her.
…
Nothing happened.
Makima's smirk disappeared.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she focused harder, eyes gleaming as she pushed her ability further.
Still… nothing.
The future was completely blacked out.
A cold realization crept into her mind. Kang Woo said The Almighty only works if I have even the smallest chance of winning… That means…
Her fingers tightened around the book.
That means I have a 0% chance of unlocking the grimoire's secrets.
Makima clicked her tongue in irritation.
Shit.
Makima sighed, shaking off her frustration as Kobeni approached from the café kitchen, carrying a milkshake in hand.
"Here it is, Makima. A milkshake for you," Kobeni said with a nervous but genuine smile.
Makima arched an eyebrow. "I didn't order a milkshake, Kobeni-chan."
Kobeni shrugged, placing it on the table. "Just wanted to start a friendly conversation."
Makima hummed in response, eyeing the glass for a moment before noticing Kobeni glancing at her eyes—her yellow-ringed eyes with two pupils in each. The girl's gaze lingered, hesitation clear in her expression.
"I take it… Kang Woo is asleep now?" kobeni asked.
Makima gave a small nod.
Before the conversation could continue, Reze walked over, setting a tray down as she served Kobeni. "Kobeni, you made a milkshake, but you forgot to make one for yourself."
Kobeni scratched the back of her head. "Ah, sorry, Reze. I'm a bit clumsy."
As Reze turned her gaze toward Makima, her eyes suddenly widened in shock. Her hands trembled, and the milkshake she was holding slipped from her fingers. However, Kobeni reacted quickly, snatching it out of the air before it could hit the ground.
Reze's face paled. "Makima… did you get those terrifying eyes because you killed Kang Woo?"
Silence fell over the table.
Makima's expression darkened immediately as she stared at Reze, her yellow-ringed, two-pupil eyes gleaming.
"Are you an idiot?" she said flatly. "Kang Woo just killed something that could be called a god. I wouldn't even have a chance of killing him, Reze. And that's a very bad joke—don't ever say something like that again."
Reze swallowed, realizing her mistake. "I won't repeat it," she said quietly.
Makima leaned back in her chair, resting her chin against her palm. "Good. Because I'm loyal to him alone.."
Kobeni stayed silent, awkwardly sipping her milkshake.
Reze, still tense, finally spoke again. "That means you gained his Almighty power, Makima—the ability that suddenly let him one-sidedly beat Aki. But even I don't fully know what it actually does… or how strong it really is."
Makima responded without hesitation. "Temporarily. If Kang Woo awakens, his borrowed ability will return to him."
She sighed, ready to dismiss the topic entirely. "That's enough talk. Did either of you see a middle-aged man? Pale skin, high cheekbones, stubble, and long ragged black hair with brown highlights… standing behind you right now?"
Reze's eyes widened as she instinctively turned around—but saw nothing. She frowned. "If you're trying to prank me, Makima—"
Makima's entire body tensed.
Her mind processed it instantly. I'm the only one who can see him.
Her voice turned sharp. "Kobeni, Reze—get behind me. NOW."
Kobeni and Reze, recognizing the seriousness in her tone, obeyed immediately, stepping back.
Standing before her was a middle-aged man. He had pale skin, high cheekbones, and stubble. His long, ragged black hair had brown highlights, and his attire consisted of a tattered white dress shirt with an upturned collar and cuffs, black pants, low-heeled boots, and a long, amorphous black overcoat with burgundy highlights that flared out into ragged ends. A pair of brown-tinted, semi-transparent wrap around sunglasses covered his eyes.(img here )
Makima had never seen him before. And yet… there was something about him that felt off. It was as if he didn't belong to this world at all.
She quickly molded her darkness manipulation into the shape of a blade, readying herself against the unknown figure.
Meanwhile, deep within the man's thoughts, something stirred.
Ichigo was supposed to be dead. And yet…
Why do I feel him inside this woman? Alive once again?
Makima tightened her grip on the shadow-forged blade, her yellow-ringed eyes narrowing.
"Who are you?" she demanded.
The man—silent—simply stood there.
Old Man Zangetsu tried to speak, but no voice came out. His eyes narrowed behind his brown-tinted sunglasses, his thoughts racing. This is bad. I never thought I'd be this weak. And in that woman's eyes… His gaze flickered toward Makima's twin pupils, glowing with the power of The Almighty. That's the very ability used by Yhwach himself. If my estimations are correct, Yhwach hasn't even recovered from his nine-year slumber yet…
Realizing he had no time to waste, Old Man Zangetsu raised his blade. Instead of attacking, he pressed the sharp edge against the café wall, carving words into the surface:
"I am not your enemy. But if possible, awaken the man inside as soon as you can. When he awakens, tell him this name—Zangetsu."
With that, he turned, his form dissolving into shadows before disappearing completely.
Makima lowered her sword slowly, staring at the message left behind. "Did you both see that writing on the wall?" she asked.
Reze, who had been watching her the whole time, frowned. "Makima… I think you need some beer. You've been talking to yourself for the past three minutes."
Kobeni, however, shook her head. "Reze, you don't get it. There was something there—something only Makima could see. Those twin pupils of hers… they're the requirement."
Makima remained silent, staring at the wall for a long moment before her thoughts drifted. Zangetsu… who are you?
Makima deactivated The Almighty, her twin pupils fading back into her usual yellow-ringed eyes. The moment she did, the writing carved into the café wall vanished without a trace.
Her fingers twitched slightly as she processed this revelation. It's connected to Kang Woo… through The Almighty. More mysteries to be solved while my king sleeps.
She exhaled, pressing a hand to her temple before glancing toward Reze. "Reze, you listed every item that fell from the sky at Hidden Wonderland, right?"
Reze crossed her arms. "I did. I wrote everything down." She tilted her head slightly. "But don't you have a better memory than me? Didn't you say you remember everything Kang Woo says—including his rants?"
Makima gave a small nod. "I need to double-check. I might have missed something."
Reze shrugged. " I'll go grab it," she said before turning and heading off.
Kobeni shifted uneasily. "Makima… that middle-aged man who was behind us—he's gone now, right?"
Makima's gaze lingered on the now-blank wall before nodding. "He's gone." Her voice was calm, but a calculating edge remained. "But I want to test something."
She reactivated The Almighty.
Instantly, the writing reappeared, carved back into the wall as if it had never left.
Makima's expression remained unreadable, but her mind was racing. it truly is tied to The Almighty. That means… She clenched her fingers slightly before allowing The Almighty to fade again, watching as the words disappeared once more.