The expected heavy rain never came.
The dark clouds receded, leaving a bright crescent moon hanging in the night sky.
Thump, thump.
More and more people fell from the high-rise buildings. Beneath the dim streetlights and pale moonlight, Asa Mitaka and Higashiyama Kobeni could see a pile of corpses nearly two people high stacked before them.
"This… this… this…" Kobeni stammered, frozen in terror.
"Coward, be quiet." Scars appeared on Asa's face as Yoru stepped forward, taking control of her body.
A dense, malevolent aura emanated from the corpse pile. Yoru reached into her bag. "Pencil Sword."
Instantly, a long, slender black blade appeared in her hand.
"Come out, Devil," Yoru said, pointing at the mound.
Rustle, rustle, rustle.
The corpses shifted unnaturally, limbs detaching and reassembling into a grotesque, chaotic form.
Gulp.
Yoru swallowed hard. Even as a high-ranking War Devil, she felt a long-forgotten, gut-wrenching fear creeping through her.
"No… this scent… it's not right… I misjudged… it has the faint essence of Primal Fear."
"My strength isn't enough… I cannot fight this thing…"
Without hesitation, Yoru grabbed Kobeni and began to flee.
"Coward, come with me, quickly!"
"Ye… Yes!" Kobeni followed without hesitation.
Kobeni, the Devil Hunter most terrified of devils, had been paralyzed moments ago. Now, aided by Asa, she felt both fear and relief. But Yoru hadn't saved her out of kindness. Using Kobeni as an extra shield could be advantageous, and if favor was gained, she could even become a defensive asset—a weapon and a companion.
As they ran from the narrow alley, the corpse pile reassembled into a monstrous form over two meters tall. It bore the silhouette of a human female, completely naked, with four additional humanoid arms sprouting from her shoulder blades. But she had no head.
The creature rummaged through the corpses with all five pairs of hands, finally spotting Yumi, whose body had survived the fall intact.
Crack.
A bone-tearing sound pierced the air. With a flick of her neck, the monster removed Yumi's head, holding it in both hands, and affixed it to her headless form.
Moments later, the lifeless head became vivid, lifelike. The creature glanced at its body and smiled.
"Oh my, oh my, such an unsightly appearance. I have truly embarrassed myself before everyone."
She then pointed a finger. A chef's uniform fell from a nearby residential area, landing perfectly before her.
Her multiple hands worked in unison, donning the white shirt, apron, and tall chef's hat with elegance.
"I am today's head chef, appearing here upon orders from the diners of Hell."
"A reminder: do not leave any food uneaten, or you shall taste the flavor of death."
"I am a humble servant… named—the Falling Devil."
Turning toward Asa and Kobeni, she continued, "Enough idle talk. Let us commence today's cooking segment."
"Before the main course, allow me to present an appetizer—la·ne·vonla."
The Falling Devil clapped her hands.
Clap, clap.
The crisp sound echoed through the alley. Instantly, chaos erupted. Exhausted office workers lifted off the ground, cries of alarm filling the night.
"Eh? Why am I flying?!"
"Waaaaah—!!!"
"No… please… ah!!!"
The world seemed to tilt; people sporadically shot upward into the sky.
Yoru and Kobeni's running slowed, finally forcing them to their knees on the sidewalk. Their faces reflected despair, as if they faced the worst fate imaginable.
Asa's grief weakened Yoru's ability to maintain her persona, making it nearly impossible to move or fight.
Tsk! Yoru shouted, "Asa! Pull yourself together! Don't let the devil control your mind!"
Asa: "..."
"Hey! Are you listening to me?!"
Yoru's voice buzzed in Asa's ears, overwhelming and indistinct. Slowly, Asa's blurred visions sharpened—revealing a familiar silhouette: a calico cat, Gurambun.
---
Two and a half years ago.
Devil Disaster Aftercare Center. Energetic boys played catch outside.
Asa Mitaka sat alone in a corner of the equipment room, holding a novel titled Starting from the Dark-Dark Fruit, reading listlessly.
Meow~
She wasn't entirely alone. A plump calico cat, Gurambun, lay across her shoulders, pressing down so heavily Asa could barely lift her head. The cat yawned lazily.
Creak—
The door opened. A middle-aged woman in overalls approached.
Asa closed her book and hid it behind her back. "Ms. Igawa, do you need something?"
Igawa Yui, the dormitory manager, smiled gently. "Asa, could we talk for a moment?"
"Mm."
"It's like this," Igawa Yui sat beside Asa. "Could you let a friend of mine adopt this cat you're keeping? She loves cats."
"Asa?" Bewildered.
Her frown revealed her unwillingness. Igawa Yui sighed softly.
"I know you don't want to, but some children here are allergic. You can't only think of yourself, right?"
Asa fell silent. The teacher had a point. But she still wanted to keep the cat…
"And you're too dependent on the cat, Asa. You avoid other children and stay alone too often. That isn't good for your future," Igawa Yui continued.
Meow?
Gurambun's gaze shifted between the two.
"Ms. Igawa," Asa hesitated, hugging the cat tightly, "but I don't want to. If someone is allergic, let me be alone…"
Seeing Asa's stubbornness, Igawa Yui softened her approach.
"Asa, the children here lost their parents to devils. You've lost your mother to the Typhoon Devil… but life continues."
"They can still laugh and play together because we are a new family."
"Family?"
"Yes." Igawa Yui's gaze returned to Gurambun. "Cats are like humans. Wouldn't they be happier with other cats than just staying alone with you?"
"Happier…"
Asa murmured, lowering her eyes as she gently stroked Gurambun. After a long pause, she made her decision.
"It's named Gurambun. Please, Ms. Igawa, let it be happy."
"Mm-hmm," Igawa Yui said, taking the cat carefully. "It will be happy, don't worry."
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