Shoko realized she'd stumbled upon a lucrative business opportunity.
Not something from the system shop, but a proper entrepreneurial venture: a maid café!
She'd gone looking for a maid café job, only to discover they didn't exist yet in Akihabara!
Maid cafés originated in 2000. This was 1997. The future haven for otaku was yet to be conceived.
Opening a maid café could generate income to renovate Denji's shack, which desperately needed an actual bed.
The only problem: a lack of startup capital.
Shoko, initially brimming with enthusiasm, now squatted dejectedly on the street. Opening a café required purchasing a storefront, and if she had that kind of money, she wouldn't need a job.
Money wasn't the issue; her persona was.
As a newly arrived Desire Devil, even the money for Denji's burger and clothes came from a lucky find—a lost wallet.
She couldn't rely on constantly finding wallets.
Should she follow Denji's example and sell a kidney?
...
Not a bad idea. She was weak, but as a Devil, she had superhuman regeneration. Even grievous wounds healed quickly with a bit of blood.
She could partner with Denji. He'd provide the blood; she'd provide the kidneys. Sell one, grow one, repeat… She could achieve peak kidney abundance!
No, wait. What if they repaid Denji's debt too quickly, derailing the plot?
Chainsaw Man shouldn't become Kidney Tycoon.
Was there a benevolent benefactor out there?
...
…? Shoko spotted a familiar figure in the crowd: a young man in a black suit, carrying a sword. Her eyes lit up.
She had another idea.
Human Devil Hunters needed weapons to fight Devils. The best weapons were… other Devils.
By forming contracts with Devils, they gained access to their powers, even summoning them for combat.
This came at a price. Each use demanded a tribute, varying depending on the Devil. Greater power required greater sacrifice.
Public Safety had a cooperative Fox Devil. Hunters could offer parts of their bodies to borrow its power—a small price, even if the Fox Devil wasn't particularly strong and sometimes unreliable.
Stronger Devils demanded far greater sacrifices.
Like the sword—or rather, the nail—on Aki Hayakawa's back.
He'd formed a contract with the Curse Devil. Stabbing an enemy multiple times with the nail invoked a deadly curse, highly effective against regenerative foes like Devils and Fiends.
The price: lifespan.
Each use shortened Aki's life. A few more uses, and he'd likely die young.
But to defeat that thing—the Gun Devil—this power was necessary.
Remembering his family, slaughtered by the Gun Devil, Aki's eyes darkened. He'd make any sacrifice for revenge.
"Hello, Aki Hayakawa."
A voice startled him. He turned to see an unfamiliar black-haired girl.
She's beautiful. Even compared to Makima… No, no, I shouldn't think such things.
"Who are you?"
"I'm hungry." The girl smiled brightly, pointing at her stomach. "Can you buy me dinner first?"
…?
Minutes later, Aki sat in a café, watching the girl devour her curry, feeling resigned.
He'd caved and bought her food.
The freeloader, of course, was Shoko, who hadn't had breakfast.
"So, who are you? How do you know my name? What do you want?"
"Who am I? Hmm, how to put this..." Shoko dabbed her mouth elegantly. "I'm here to make a deal."
"Huh?" Even the usually stoic Aki was taken aback by this cryptic statement.
Is she insane?
"Are you tired of your body being consumed? Do you dread sacrificing your lifespan? Make a contract with me! Use Devil powers without the pain!"
… Aki wondered if he should call an ambulance… or the police. Maybe it's just teenage chuunibyou…
"I know you have questions, but don't worry, listen to me." Sensing his contemplation, Shoko smiled calmly. "I'm a Devil."
Aki's eyes sharpened. He shifted into a fighting stance, ready to summon the Fox Devil or draw the nail.
"Relax, I'm just here to make a deal." Shoko held up her empty hands innocently. "You've made contracts with the Fox and Curse Devils. What's one more?"