Chapter 3

The clanking of utensils echoed in the restaurant. People occasionally glance at the two Devil Hunters at the table, but did not comment on it

As they ate in silence, he observed his new partner chowing down on the food with surprising intensity. One hand expertly slicing up the meat with a knife, while the other holding a fork stab down and bring it to her mouth in repeated chain of motion

Here he is, already having meals with two different women in the span of 24 hours. In any circumstances, Aki would consider himself lucky, but he knew not to let that train of thought derail him from his objectives

"Give me another plate" He called out to the server

"You don't have to do that" Kobeni's protest was invalidated by her biting into the whole steak as she said this. It's just like...a hungry puppy?

Aki frowned. Just why on Earth is he thinking that?

Disregarding that weird train of thought, he paid for their meals. It doesn't take a blind man to know his partner barely has enough to take care of herself. And taking care of filling her up? That's a small price for her cooperativeness

A collar is a collar, no matter what form it take

________

"You look awfully cheery today"

The old man remarked. 

His tired appearance seem to be etched with something beyond age. The dishoveled clothe and vacant stare together give him the air of a homeless man picked from the street

Despite that, she knew what he is capable of. No one who underestimated this man in battle had lived to tell the tale. Among those who'd dwelled in this profession for over a decade, he is considered a living a legend.

"It is nothing Kishibe. Some days you just want to go out and enjoy things you know you never had. I find it strangely delightful"

Makima retreat from the edge of the window. She is smiling. Ever since yesterday, she'd have that expression fixed on her face. Something has pleased her significantly. 

He stare at her, not quite understanding. Then he shrugged and took a swig from his flask. The taste of alcolhol allowed the old man some semblance of clarity from the woman's presence. His eyes then moved to the pictures on her desk

Before he could see whose picture it is, the smiling Makima pick them up and place them in the drawer, clicking it shut moments later

"I can see you're here for other purposes than to greet an old acquaintance" She sat down onto her chair, facing him "Did something interesting happen?"

"Find myself with a lot of free time is all" Kishibe ponder "Less Devil appearance in Tokyo as of late. It seems like they avoid this area because of some new Hunter who keeps killing them everytime they spawn here"

"That would be Aki Hayakawa's work, I presume"

"He made quite a ruckus among the rank. Just appear one day, take on the most dangerous Devil in the city, then go home without saying a thing"

He took another sip

"Perfect for becoming a toy for our dear Director here"

Makima didn't blink

"Despite my nature as a Fiend. I can assure you my actions are never made with malevolent ideas in mind"

"You don't have the best track record in doing things the benevolent way. Road to hell being paved with it and all" He observed his flask. Nearly empty "Then there's the thing ten years ago"

"Are you still mad at me for turning Quanxi into a lesbian?"

The old Hunter silently gulp down the last of his beverage before retreating out of sight. It would be a long time until he show up again

_________

Aki Hayakawa signed in the final paper on the file, handing it over to the smiling receptionist before him

"Is it over?"

"Yes. You're officially partners now. Suffice to say, miss Higashiyama is in your care" Yarai nodded, before frowning. She leaned in and whispered to him"Do remember not to scare her too much with your crazy talk"

"Don't tell me how to interact with her"

He walked off with Kobeni's file in hand. Aki found himself a spot on a bench to read it. He had found out shortly after inspecting. Everyone in her squad were killed by a Devil except her

So who had killed that Devil? In retrospect, it can only be Kobeni

Was the shy girl he met today responsible for singlehandedly taking on an entity that wiped out an entire organized team of specialized soldiers?  When you look at it from an angle, Higashiyama is more than qualified for this job

There are crazy things a human can do when pushed to their limits. But fighting a supernatural entity, and kill it, requires a  certain amount of madness. Madness born from desperation and an instinct for one's survival-- perhaps that is the most natural antithesis for fear

Aki absentmindedly flip to another page detailing the girl's family. A father and mother. A younger sister and brother. A rather happy group, if not for their poverty that forced their daughter to work overtime at Public Safety

That's enough information for him to work with

"Mr Hayakawa!" The sound of approaching footstep sounded behind him. Aki didn't turn around as Kobeni stoped in front of his seat, panting from a lack of breath "Sorry I'm late. I had a car accident this morning. And somebody mugged me on the way here"

"That's terrible, but please remember to arrive early next time"

He gave her a tissue to wipe the blood off her forehead

________

Once he had had his partner cleaned up the mess on her clothe , Aki begin briefing her of their first mission. 

"Numerous case of cattle death has been reported throughout the suburb" He read the brief from Makima. "The animals were drained of blood, their meats consumed in a ravenous manner with many of the bite marks being human-sized"

Although there has yet to be human casualties, Public Safety has sent them to investigate the area due to civilian concern. A standard scout and eliminate

Quelling the fear from public is also a good way to prevent the appearance of newer, weaker Devils. Although such protocol wasn't implmented until after the Gun Devil incident

There was a period of turmoil following that event. Russia and America descend into a cold war. Japan close its border. The world as they knew it was flipped upside down, courtesy of a single monster that creates catastrophy in the blink of an eye

He used to hate it. Taking revenge from that Devil would be the only thing on his mind. But then the dream came to him. Aki realized none of his life has been real. It was all fabricated, a tale weaved by some higher beings who take joy in their suffering

How laughable

Aki was pulled out of his thoughts as Kobeni tug on his arm

"Sir, it said the bite comes from a human. Does that mean we're dealing with a Fiend?"

"Most likely" Unlike pure Devil, a Fiend is a possessed corpse. They're many times weaker as mere vessels for the existence of a weakened being. That didn't stop them from being dangerous in their own right

The boy look through the reports again

"Hm, don't mention this to the higher-up, but I think I know them" Aki noted "There's this Devil I hunt a month ago that escaped before I dealt the killing blow"

"So you're familiar with it" Kobeni relaxed, her stance remind him of a distressed dog "G-good. That means this mission won't be that difficult, right?"

_______

Blood

It was born from the womb of Hell. A Devil whose only thirst is for that crimson red. It craves for the essence of human. Want to drink it, consume it, become one with it

Severed limbs. Strung up bodies pale from loss of blood. The being scream in pain as steely black eyes stare at it. Right through it.

Nothing can stop them. They are invincible. It alone control the warmth that seep through the veins of human. They are a slave to its power, and their fear its flavorful feast

Despair course through its head as it feels the incoming end of existence. Dread built of savage instinct, clawing at its feral mind. The edge of the blade glint before it

What could they even do? As its life will end like those before it, Hell will return them back. Stronger and faster than it used to be

It can feel death like nothing before. There is nothing beyond this. Not even its soul will reincatnate once entrapped by that void

The Blood Devil blink as the blue sky greeted them. 

That damned Devil Hunter wasn't kneeling over it. Instead, there is only a field of grass in the surrounding. The verdant land swayed with the breeze in the air, bringing about tranquility 

Something meowed beside them. 

"Meowy" It called out its name. The cat looked back at them, purring as the feminine hand pat it.  Their fur feels soft and comforting, as though reminding them that they are alive

"I'm hungry too" She bare her fang. The fear still linger, but she was able to focus it on something more efficient "Let's go kill something"

There wasn't a point in thinking about her death. That damned fool let her escape and it's unlikely to meet him again so soon, which means she is finally safe. The thought caused the Blood Fiend to let out a cackle

"Yes, the glorious and almighty me can never be killed!"

________

"Hmmmm...."

Aki removed his sword from the Bat Devil's corpse

"We got the wrong one" He said to the terrified Kobeni. She is covered in blood and holding her knife tightly, obviously paranoid by the sudden attack

They've encountered this bat thing by chance, courtesy of it jumping at them in the shadow. He was surprised when Kobeni was the one who moved first, cutting off its arm before it can wound him. From then he stab at its eye and kill it

Overall, a very efficient response

"It just appear out of nowhere like a horror movie" His partner sighed shakily "I made it in time though. I protected you" she seems proud of this fact

"Good job. I'll treat you to some Ramen after this"

Kobeni grip her knife tighter. 

"That's a promise, sir"

He nodded and continued on his way, followed closely by her. The Blood Fiend can be tracked down as long as they stick to the trail of its victim

It wasn't trying to cause as much chaos in one place as possible, which is standard behavior for its kind. Instead, the Fiend seem content in killing in very sparse amount across distances. 

"Oh" But Fiends don't need to eat. For a creature bent on inflicting death on whichever, such infrequent murders prove it had only killed out of necessity

Could there be another living thing with them?

They soon stumble across the corpse of another cow. The second one for that morning, torn to pieces from the inside by spikes of solid blood with a chunk of its body missing. Aki's suspicioin is all but confirmed

"The corpse is still warm. It's still in this area" He stood up after inspecting the cattle. How would he know to pinpoint their location and strike when they least expect it? Given the state it was last seen in, the Blood Fiend is extremely skittish of Devil Hunters

He turn to look at Kobeni. A plan form in Aki's mind

_______

She had returned from her hunt. Her belly is full and her mood joyous. The almighty being let out a thunderous belch and lay down on the grass with her furball 

Fulfillment couldn't describe what she is feeling. Not that she would know that word in the first place. Content is more like it, as she now no longer crave the fear of human as before

"Life is beautiful" She sighed in bliss "A simple hunt every morning. Just me, you, and that human over there....hold on"

Her eyes widened

The Blood Fiend jolted up, there, farther up the creek is a human girl nervously wandering about in nothing but a black suit. The sight triggered her instinct. That urge to tear the thing before her apart began to crept over the Devil's rationale

Licking her lips, she crawl on all fours under the tall grass, hidden out of sight. She left Meowy behind, of course, no point in bringing them to danger. 

The girl is defenseless. Weak, her mind assume. Probably confuesed and out of their element, an easy prey to be had if she just strike at the right moment, with the right amount of waiting before that

Too bad patience has never been this Devil's strong forte

"Die, human!"

She lunge forward, swiping her hand along the ground as blood spurt out from her wound, forming crimson-colored daggers that shot toward the prey

Even as a Fiend she is fast, crossing the distance between them in the blink of an eye

She should have crush that girl's head with a single blow. 

Even if her prey react in time, the blood knives would still cut through her

And yet that is not what happened, as the girl's eyes move in her direction. The Blood Fiend only register a blur from her hand, before a sharp blade pierced throug her head

She howled, vision stained with red. A blow in the form of a fist impacted her body, throwing her against the tree along with the snap of her ribcage. Agony coursed throug her as she is still processing what just happened

The Blood Fiend could only lay there while wheezing painfully. It wasn't until someone sat down on her head that she realize the futility of struggling

"Miss me?"

Aki Hayakawa smile down at her

________

"S-sir. I found this cat hiding in the bush near us"

It's amazing how simple some Fiend's thought process are

He accept the animal from his partner, feeling the hissing from below him courtesy of the dirty thing. Aki doesn't have sympathy for her though. Who would even fall for something as suspicious as a girl in the middle of nowhere?

Aki stroke the cat. Its round belly is well-fed, a proof that the Blood Fiend has been taking unusual care of the animal. The only thing that comes to mind is the image of a pet

"What's his name?"

"Meowy" The Fiend shifted under him "And it's a she"

Now he considered killing her before. But the way this Fiend called her cat goes beyond normal Devil empathy limit. There is fear in her voice, not for her own survival, but to the cat in his hand

How interesting

"You will come with us" He smile, handing back Meowy to Kobeni "Resist my order, and my partner will snap your cat's neck before it can say Chonk"

He could feel her stiffening underneath him. But she didn't make to attack. Satisfied, Aki stood up and dust off the dirt on his clothes. 

________

"And that's our report for today's mission" He droned "For her part, Kobeni Higashiyama display good situational awareness and adequate combat skill in the face of danger"

She's also a good bait for Devils with how dumb and innocent she look

Makima chuckled

"Then it is your duty as her lieutenant to reward her accordingly. Treat her to a meal or take her to the movie. Such activities could deeper a subordinate's appreciation toward you"

"I will take that into consideration" He hum "What about the Blood Fiend? I'm guessing you're planning to employ her as part of Public Safety's personnel"

"We are still considering our options"

"Then consider no more. I want her on my team"

Makima tilt her head "There has been plans to integrate regular Fiends into the workforce, so I wasn' t adverse to it. However, I don't see why you'd ask for this one specifically"

"Devil Hunters will perform contracts with Devil to gain the necessary strength to combat their own kind. Naturally, this comes with the drawback of the contract"

She nodded. A contract grant them abilities a normal human could only dream of, but at the cost of something they held dear. The life of a loved one. Their sanity. Their emotions. Often time, this pose tremendous threat to a hunter's performance on a regular basis

"You're thinking to substitute the Fiend in place of a Devil contract"

"She's far easier to handle"

"Are you planning to recruit more women to your team?"

"Not in the foreseeable future" 

Instead of immediately giving an answer, Makima seem to be in deep thought. It was the most serious he had seen the director yet with how nonchalant she usually is

"I will write a formal request to have her under your management. In the mean time, please be sure to take responsibility to the Fiend's behavior"

He nodded and was about to thank her when the door slammed open

"Heeey miss Makima. I'm back!" A woman with an eyepatch walk in, a smell of heavy alcolhol reeeking off her body. Aki ignored her as he exit the office

_________

Author's Note:

University is basicaly an overpriced course for getting that sweet qualification for your future job. Now being a college student myself, it has become clear why a lot of author quit writing at that stage in their life

Now, onto the story

I haven't gotten used to returning to wattpad yet. The stuff I wrote now is obviously a downgrade compared to before, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong at certain part or if you feel there could be improvements to be made with the story pacing

Will this be a harem? Yes. That is the only thing I won't change my mind about. 

About the pairing? I'll add more romance candidate as Aki's schizophrenia worsen. God knows how many I'll add before you start questioning my sanity

Will there be gay sex? I can't answer that question

I'll see you next time, bitches