Asa shook her head weakly and explained,
"No. These wounds were made by Yoru. She used pain to force me to forget my fear. Inside the domain created by the Falling Devil, anyone whose emotions sink will start floating toward the sky."
A conceptual ability.
The power of the Falling Devil was abstract, far more troublesome than ordinary attacks.
Cael silently memorized the information and gently smoothed Asa's hair.
"With me here, will Asa still feel down?"
Her expression did not improve.
Instead of relief, worry deepened in her eyes. It was as if his arrival only confirmed her fears. She believed she would drag him down with her.
Avoiding his gaze, Asa spoke softly.
"Cael... you shouldn't have come. I'll only slow you down. The Falling Devil wants me. Just let me die peacefully."
Thump.
Cael flicked her lightly on the forehead.
"What kind of stupid crap are you saying, dummy? With me here, who the hell is letting you die?"
Yet Asa's pessimism only worsened. Her body began floating upward again against her will.
The more confident Cael sounded, the heavier her despair became.
The upward pull already canceled out the airflow keeping them grounded. Tears slid from the corners of her eyes as Asa spoke in a hoarse voice.
"No attack works on the Falling Devil. Leave while you still can. I'm sorry, Cael... my life is a mistake. I'm an outcast. I shouldn't exist, and I never should have entered your life..."
Seeing her like this tightened something inside his chest.
Cael remembered the promise he once made, that he would never let Asa cry again.
Yet she was crying right in front of him.
And then, unexpectedly, his own body began to rise.
The ability of the Falling Devil was affecting him too.
Yeah... that thing really wasn't easy to kill.
This could not continue.
If despair kept spreading, both of them would be finished.
Then an idea struck him.
If the problem was pessimism, there was a better solution than pain.
Pain fought fear poorly.
Desire, on the other hand, worked wonders.
Only he could pull this off.
Cael gently held Asa's face.
"Asa, look at me."
"Huh?"
Before she could react, Cael kissed her.
Direct. Familiar. Completely shameless.
Their lips met as naturally as breathing. He deepened the kiss without hesitation, slipping past her defenses as if it were second nature. They had crossed this line many times already.
Asa's eyes widened.
The sadness in them slowly faded, replaced first by confusion, then by warmth, then by a hazy daze.
Heat spread through her body.
At the same time, something unexpected happened.
Their floating bodies slowly descended back toward the ground.
As long as their thoughts drifted away from despair and toward something far more intimate, the oppressive emotional weight weakened.
Human instincts really did have built in survival mechanisms.
At that moment, the Falling Devil floated closer, holding her detached head while watching them kiss with a complicated expression.
She adjusted her chef uniform and gave a polite bow.
"Oh my, oh my. You are Chainsaw Man, correct? Could you refrain from damaging my main ingredient?"
Cael ignored her completely. He was busy curing Asa.
Still kissing her, he casually freed one hand.
A dense black sphere formed in his palm, space twisting violently around it.
The Falling Devil leaned closer with curiosity.
"Oh? Such a rare ingredient."
"Liberation."
Boom.
A violent torrent of crushed buildings, concrete, and twisted steel erupted from the black hole, instantly smashing her body apart.
It was debris Cael had absorbed earlier using Dark Hole. Waste should always be recycled.
Fragments of flesh wriggled across the ground before reforming.
"Bad child," the Falling Devil said calmly. "Concrete and rebar are unsuitable ingredients."
After a long moment, Cael finally pulled away from Asa, leaving faint teeth marks on her lips.
"If you start feeling down again, remember this," he said. "Remember a kiss like that."
"Mmm..."
Asa's face turned completely red. Her earlier despair had vanished.
Honestly, Cael was unfairly good at this.
Once they finished, the Falling Devil approached gracefully again.
"Oh my, oh my. Your bond is touching. However, the farewell kiss is over. Could you hand over Yoru now? The diners are waiting."
She prepared herself calmly for battle.
She had already allowed them time earlier. Courtesy deserved courtesy in return.
Unexpectedly, Cael nodded.
"Sure."
He tightened his grip around Asa's hand.
Asa's heart skipped, but the warmth in his palm steadied her immediately. She trusted him completely.
He definitely had a plan.
The Falling Devil tilted her head in surprise.
Cooperation was welcome.
"Thank you for understanding," she said with another bow. "Please release Yoru's hand. I wish only for her to fall, not you."
Cael waved casually.
"No, please. Make sure it affects me too."
The Falling Devil frowned.
"I do not understand."
"I mean exactly that," Cael said patiently. "You know, Falling Devil, I'm actually a chef myself. My dishes are pretty damn famous among humans."
She inhaled sharply, posture turning serious.
"I see. A fellow professional. My apologies for the earlier disrespect."
Cael sighed dramatically.
"I've achieved fame already, but there's one regret I've always had."
"Please explain."
He raised one finger.
"A world class chef shouldn't die sick in bed. The perfect ending is being cooked and eaten at your peak."
Silence fell.
For the first time, the Falling Devil opened her eyes fully.
Her breathing grew heavier.
"Such conviction... I am ashamed. Your philosophy is flawless. A chef should indeed experience being eaten."
Cael smiled faintly.
"But the one cooking me has to be worthy. I've searched everywhere for that person. Turns out she's standing right in front of me."
The Falling Devil stepped back, visibly shaken.
"You mean... me?"
"Of course. A top chef from Hell. Your dedication moved me. Only you qualify."
Her body trembled.
Without hesitation, she tossed away the sniper's head she had been carrying and slowly removed her tall chef hat.
This was the highest respect she could offer.
"I understand now... Lovers, chefs, devotion. Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful."
Her voice carried genuine admiration.
"A man with such determination will become the finest accompaniment to Yoru."
---