Time returned to the present.
Inside a dessert shop in Kyoto, Makima sat by the window, her expression unreadable as she watched the chaos unfolding outside.
The disturbance was massive.
Even without relying on her abilities, she could clearly sense the shift spreading across the world. Buildings collapsed without warning. Natural disasters erupted one after another. Screams and panicked footsteps blended into a constant roar as crowds fled in every direction.
Makima felt it clearly.
The number of resurrection lives bound to her decreased by several hundred in an instant.
"Hunger, is this the plan you mentioned?"
Across from her, Fami stared out the same window, calmly scooping dessert with a spoon.
"That's right, little sister. I went through quite a bit of trouble to summon her."
As a devil, human deaths meant nothing to her.
Makima lowered her gaze slightly. Kishibe's words suddenly made more sense now. Even a trained dog might feel regret after dying too many times.
"A Primal Fear... Hunger, you actually summoned something this disgusting."
Fami kept the spoon between her lips, completely relaxed.
"The Falling Devil is Hell's head chef. There is no order she cannot complete. With her involvement, our third sister will inevitably be prepared, served, and devoured by devils."
She paused before adding calmly,
"Everything is for your sake. Once our third sister dies, Cael will belong entirely to you. You can relax now."
Makima let out a cold chuckle.
Dealing with Asa Mitaka should never require deploying a Primal Devil. Using something like this was equivalent to firing a cannon at a mosquito.
Fami's intentions were obviously far from pure.
"The devils I summon are weaker than their true forms," Fami continued casually. "This Falling Devil is only a reduced manifestation. Does that ease your concerns?"
Fami possessed abilities similar to those connected with judgment and perception. Even without Makima speaking, understanding her thoughts required little effort.
Makima frowned as distant destruction continued to spread.
"Even weakened, a Primal Devil still embodies primal fear. The affected area will not stay limited to Japan."
"Wow, little sister really is sharp," Fami replied flatly.
She raised one finger.
"As expected, Primal Devils are difficult to control. The Falling Devil's arrival is already altering global gravity itself. However, one region will remain unaffected."
Makima's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
"The X Kingdom." (Cael's Hometown, it's called Xia Kingdom in raw)
Makima blinked, genuinely surprised.
"And why would that place be exempt?"
Fami picked up her chopsticks and spun them lazily between her fingers.
"I gave special instructions."
She spoke as if discussing restaurant reservations.
"That country has some of the richest cuisine in the world. Good food should never be wasted, so nothing must happen there."
"As Hell's chef, the Falling Devil agreed with my reasoning."
Makima stared at her.
"You're insane."
"A compliment?" Fami tilted her head slightly. "Since I've helped you, I would prefer you call me Elder Sister."
...
Elsewhere, Tamano District, Tokyo.
Crack!
A metal railing finally gave out under overwhelming force and snapped apart.
Kobeni Higashiyama felt bitterness flooding her chest without end.
The clothes she wore had belonged to her older sister.
The food she ate had always been leftovers from her brother.
At twenty years old, she had eaten ice cream only once in her life, on her birthday as a child. She dropped it in excitement and was harshly scolded by her father.
Even Asa had once lived happily before tragedy struck her family.
But Kobeni?
Her bad luck began the moment she was born.
The more she thought about it, the heavier her despair became.
The Falling Devil's ability was practically designed to destroy someone like her.
Kobeni dragged Yoru upward as both of them accelerated violently into the sky.
"You coward, I swear I'll kill you!"
Forced to react, Yoru released Kobeni's hand.
Kobeni shot upward at terrifying speed, far faster than the other victims caught in the phenomenon.
A wooden door suddenly appeared.
Clang.
As it opened and shut, Kobeni fell straight through the Gate of Hell.
Yoru continued rising, but without Kobeni weighing her down, her speed slowed.
Still, the situation remained dangerous.
Painful memories flooded Asa's mind, weakening Yoru's control over their shared body.
"Asa, don't panic! I can't stay in control if you lose it!"
Her shouting achieved nothing.
Within the Falling Devil's influence, Asa could not stop the spiral of negative thoughts.
"Damn it... Asa's pushing me out at this rate."
Then Yoru had an idea.
"I've got it."
She raised her hand.
"Index Finger Nail Knife."
A burst of blood mist exploded from her fingertip. Her nail tore free and transformed into a short blade.
The knife dropped.
"Ah! Ow, ow, ow!"
The sharp pain immediately interrupted Asa's emotional collapse.
"It worked."
Yoru regained full control and dropped back toward the ground.
She caught the falling nail knife with one hand while grabbing a rooftop drying rack with the other, swinging herself onto the building.
Blood dripped steadily from her injured finger.
Yoru exhaled heavily.
"So this is what solid ground feels like. Asa, remember the pain. Pain helps you forget fear."
Standing on the rooftop, she locked onto the source of everything.
The Falling Devil walked calmly through the street below, harvesting people like ingredients.
"A devil that weaponizes trauma... a Primal Fear tied to falling. Is she targeting me?"
As if sensing her gaze, the Falling Devil turned slightly.
Blood streamed from her eyes, ears, nose, and mouth as she smiled politely.
"Oh my, War Devil. I have yet to properly welcome you."
"But as tonight's main course, please wait patiently. Premium ingredients deserve careful preparation."
"I promise you an unforgettable dining experience."
She turned away again, continuing to gather her ingredients.
The blatant dismissal irritated Yoru instantly.
"So what if you're a Primal Devil? Don't act like you're untouchable!"
Being forced to retreat earlier had already bruised her pride. Now she looked ready to bite anyone who stood in her way.
Yoru pulled a phone from her pocket.
The one Cael had given Asa.
Well, she used it sometimes too, so it basically counted as hers.
"Smartphone Javelin."
The phone warped and expanded, reshaping into a massive black spear over five meters long.
Yoru tested its weight.
"Huh... feels damn good."
The power exceeded her expectations.
Did Asa really value this thing that much?
Yoru inhaled deeply, twisting her body as she prepared to throw.
"Try this."
The spear launched forward like a missile.
It pierced straight through the Falling Devil's torso.
Organs spilled onto the pavement as the weapon continued forward, obliterating a commercial building behind her.
Yoru planted her hands proudly on her hips.
"That's all you've got? Try acting arrogant again!"
Her confidence lasted exactly one second.
Flesh, blood, and shattered organs gathered together, reconstructing instantly.
The Falling Devil stood restored, completely unharmed.
A Primal Fear.
A transcendent devil that had never known death.
"Oh my, I've lost my composure again."
She adjusted her chef's hat calmly.
"Lively ingredients are certainly appealing, but please refrain from interrupting while I select your side dishes."