Chapter 3: A new home and she...

Kishibe looked out of his bedroom window at the buildings and houses bathed in the morning sunlight.

He hadn't slept much during the night, mainly because the sofa wasn't comfortable enough to sleep on, and because at the moment his bed was being used by an intruder he himself had brought.

He stopped watching the city that was slowly waking up to give his full attention to the little individual who also seemed to be waking up from his long sleep.

The little one's eyes moved with difficulty as he kept them closed, signaling that he was about to wake up. And just like that, the eyes of the child Kishibe had rescued opened.

Upon waking up, the child felt a strange sense of calm, as if everything he had experienced was just a dream. As if none of it had ever happened and his brain had played a trick on him in his realm of dreams.

What happened? Had everything from yesterday really occurred?

His mind convinced him for just a few seconds that everything that had happened was actually a nightmare, and that his mother would come through the door to tell him that breakfast was ready. He would have believed it if this wasn't his room...

He raised his body halfway, sitting up in bed, his eyes wandering around the room, vaguely taking in his surroundings.

There was the bed, of course, very comfortable and large, big enough for two people to sleep in; someone as small as him looked a bit insignificant lying in it. In front of him was a television, to the left was a small worktable with many scattered papers, and to the left was a large wardrobe, large enough for two people if it were shared, but if only one person used it, he couldn't imagine the mountain of clothes it would hold.

'Where am I' he thought drowsily as his eyes continued to scan all around, as if some object in the room could give him the answers he sought. He glanced briefly at the clock on the table next to the papers and could make out that it was 6:30 AM.

"Good morning" he heard a stern voice beside him. He quickly tensed up, turning his head to see Kishibe's composed and calm face looking at him steadily and blankly. Kishibe was sitting in a chair by the window, still wearing the same outfit he had seen earlier, the white T-shirt with straps on the shoulders and those strange things at the back that seemed to be absent now.

"G-Good morning" he responded, still very nervous; he still didn't like this man. Firstly, he felt uneasy knowing that this man had been watching him sleep for who knows how long, and secondly, he didn't know why he was still around.

"Did you sleep well?" Kishibe asked. The hesitant child nodded without knowing how to respond, feeling very uncomfortable discussing this with someone he barely knew and who tended to be scary.

"That's good" Kishibe continued seemingly without discomfort. "I can't say the same for myself. After all, it's impolite to bring a guest into your house and not provide them a proper bed."

The child then realized where he had slept, and his cheeks started to redden with embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry!" he exclaimed in a rushed tone, burying his face in the blankets to hide his embarrassment.

Kishibe merely shook his head. "That doesn't matter." He stood up from his chair, which creaked with the movement, walked to the door, and grasped the knob, but before exiting, he turned his gaze back to the child "When you're ready, you can take a shower. The bathroom is to the left of this door. Then wash your clothes and come downstairs. There are some things we need to discuss."

After saying that, Kishibe left the room, his footsteps fading behind the walls and gradually becoming inaudible.

The child was finally alone. He stared at the door for several seconds, questioning whether that conversation was real or not, wondering if it was just a product of his imagination. Perhaps this was still a dream.

But he quickly banished that hopeful thought from his mind. As much as he wished to believe it, he couldn't deny that he no longer had his parents; they were gone, truly gone.

And that reminder was more than enough to make his eyes grow warm and teary. He lay back down on the bed, covering his body with the blanket until he was completely concealed. He let out a sob, then another and another, until he finally felt empty, as if he had no more sadness left to release. He reached a point where he realized that maybe crying wouldn't fix anything.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that, crying and gasping with sorrow, letting out all his whimpers of anger and helplessness. He just wanted his parents back, he wanted to see his mom smiling at him as she set his breakfast in front of him. He wanted to play with his dad again and give him a hug every time he came home from work.

But once again, his consciousness made itself known, telling him that it would never happen again, because they were dead.

After several minutes of agony, he calmed down. He felt like hours had passed while he cried, but he looked at the clock again and now it was 6:50 AM.

With nothing else to do, he got up from the bed and walked to the door, and as he suspected, the man was no longer there. Well, it was obvious; he had stayed in bed for another twenty minutes, so during that time, the man must have gone somewhere else, probably to snatch another child.

And just as he had been told, the bathroom door was to the left of the main door. In front of him was a spiral staircase that he assumed led to the living room or some important part of the house. Somewhat hesitantly, he walked to the bathroom door.

The bathroom was nice, he thought, as he opened the door. The bathtub was large, the shower too. The bathroom was elegant, with blue tiles that only made it look more beautiful and clean. There was also a washing machine for clothes in the room. He only saw these kinds of bathrooms in movies with rich people; this man was surely someone very important. Or maybe he sold children for a good price.

He stopped thinking about that. His body was starting to feel greasy and itchy, the consequences of not taking a shower for a while.

He took off all his clothes and put them in the washing machine, pressing the necessary buttons for a short wash and a longer drying time. He was grateful he had learned that from his mom.

He stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower, feeling the cold drops hitting his body. He shivered a lot, his teeth beginning to chatter from the shiver running through his body.

The worst part was that this man didn't have a key to turn on the hot water. That meant he had to shower with cold water at almost 7 in the morning. This was true torture.

0O0O

Kishibe poured the whisky into a small glass with three ice cubes, took it in his hand, and swirled it slightly before drinking it quickly. He felt the burn take over his throat, though he was already accustomed to it.

At this moment, he stood in his kitchen, waiting for the boy to come downstairs. He felt relieved hearing the sound of the shower. He didn't have the energy to forcefully pull the child out of bed or try to calm his whimpering, or whatever it was that he might cry about. Unfortunately, Quanxi was no longer in town to help with that. She probably went back on vacation once she realized she wasn't needed anymore. He had intended to invite her to dinner, but he decided against it when he realized his face didn't deserve another scar; the left cheek stitch was enough.

With almost disinterested eyes, he watched as the boy descended the spiral staircase, trembling probably from cold or fear. The boy was still dressed in the same clothes he had found him in, and he hoped the child had managed to wash them, assuming he knew how to use a washing machine.

He observed the boy's eyes marvel at the beautiful kitchen, a place where one could cook great food. The kitchen was spacious, equipped with more than six burners, a large and pristine white refrigerator, and the marble table he was seated at. Kishibe usually sat there to drink or eat; he generally didn't use the tables adjacent to the kitchen, as he rarely had guests.

Above them hung a splendid chandelier emitting a brilliant white light, contrasting perfectly with the early and cloudy ambiance of the day, making white objects gleam even more.

The boy stiffened upon making eye contact with Kishibe. He had been so captivated by the kitchen that he hadn't even noticed Kishibe's presence.

With a nod of his head, Kishibe signaled for the boy to sit at the adjacent table. He was the first to move and take a seat after placing the bottle of alcohol and the glass on the table. He stared at the boy with a bored yet expectant look, waiting for him to sit down.

Visibly swallowing hard, the boy took hesitant steps toward the table and pulled out a chair to sit. He ended up face to face with Kishibe, silent and wide-eyed. He cast a brief glance at the large windows beside the table, offering a view of the entire city. That's when he realized he was in an apartment complex and quite high up. He looked back at the man across from him, and for some reason, everything now felt uncomfortable.

Kishibe cleared his throat before speaking. "Alright, I wanted to talk to you about some things you should know" He picked up the whisky bottle he had brought and poured more into his small glass, all the while under the curious gaze of the boy. He took another sip before continuing. "My name is Kishibe just call me Kishibe" he said, and the boy nodded slowly, his arms crossed on his legs.

"Well then" he continued, "What's your name, kid?"

The boy seemed visibly nervous now. "Um, m-my name is Hiro" he said with trepidation "Hiro Takahashi" he added with all the courage he could muster. It was always difficult for him to introduce himself to others, no matter the circumstances under which they had first met.

"Alright, Hiro Takahashi" Kishibe said, taking another sip "now I'll tell you something of utmost importance." His expression grew more serious, though Hiro couldn't discern a difference from before. "I'm a public safety devil hunter."

He anticipated a confused reaction from the boy, and indeed, Hiro's eyes darted around, trying to process everything. Clearly, he was bewildered.

"Um, e-excuse me, what did you say?" Hiro tilted his head.

"I'm a public safety devil hunter" Kishibe reiterated. "And, as the name implies, I hunt devils scattered throughout the city. People like me are responsible for keeping Japan as peaceful as possible."

"I still don't quite understand" Hiro admitted, shaking his head, unsure of how to respond to all of this and not entirely certain if this man named Kishibe was entirely sane.

"That's normal" Kishibe said with a sigh. "It used to be believed that devils were kept at bay through the prayers of Christians and other believers. But that changed, and suddenly devils attacked various parts of the world, terrorizing humanity. To counter this threat, devil hunter divisions were established worldwide. Each country has its own devil hunter agency. Japan has one of the best, and thanks to us, this planet hasn't turned into a hellhole" he finished, taking his final sip.

If Hiro was confused before, he was now even more so. Devils? Hunters? He had never heard anything like this.

"Devils like... The ones in movies?" Hiro asked Kishibe.

"Somewhat" Kishibe said "The difference is that the devils we face aren't fictional. They're completely real, and they can see you."

Hiro audibly swallowed. "I've never heard anything like this" he confessed, furrowing his brow, trying to recall if he'd ever come across anything like this before, but there was nothing to remember.

"That's understandable" Kishibe said with a sigh. "Kids your age shouldn't have this kind of knowledge. You should be playing with friends, watching TV, or playing some sport. Not in this kind of situation" Kishibe felt tempted to take another swig of whisky, but he resisted.

He looked at the young Hiro in front of him with hard black eyes and a stern gaze.

"You... should have your parents."

At the mention of his parents, Hiro tensed up. Since he had gotten out of bed, he had tried not to think about them, but it seemed his mind wouldn't heal from these painful memories anytime soon.

He looked down, his bangs hiding his eyes, and he trembled slightly. "So... a d-devil did that to my parents... they..." He fell silent and let out a gasp, unable to finish the last word.

"Yes," Kishibe said, thinking it might be helpful to help him finish, "A demon killed your parents." He noticed how Hiro shuddered again in his place.

Hiro stayed like that for a moment but quickly wiped his eyes with his shirt sleeve. He looked back at Kishibe, and even though he had wiped away the traces of tears, the redness in his eyes gave him away.

"Why are you telling me this?" Hiro mustered some courage and asked.

"I thought it would be wise for you to know some of the truth," Kishibe calmly responded. "You wouldn't want to spend the rest of your life living with a lie someone else told you."

Hiro didn't respond to that; he really didn't know what to say. Thanking him or something else didn't feel right, although Kishibe probably wasn't expecting him to say anything.

Not hearing a response, Kishibe got up from his seat but kept his gaze on Hiro.

"Today, we'll take a little tour of the city. Join me for breakfast," Kishibe said, not waiting for a reply as he walked toward the exit, ready to grab his large black coat that reached his knees.

Hiro mumbled a response and tried to catch up with the older man as fast as his little legs could carry him.

After putting on his coat, Kishibe opened the door to let the child out before him. He closed the door once the apartment was empty.

As they walked out of the building, Hiro could appreciate the beauty of the hallways in this apartment complex. The hallways were spacious, with yellow ceramic tiles and dark green swirling stripes. However, the yellow color was owed more to the beautiful chandeliers hanging above. Every meter had another chandelier of the same size, so the hallways were well lit and looked very elegant.

For a moment, Hiro wondered if there were more hunters living here; probably everyone preferred separate apartments.

The silence between them returned as they descended in the elevator. Hiro thought that this man wasn't good at starting conversations or only spoke when it suited him. He, on the other hand, still had many questions about devils and hunters, but he thought that if he spoke now, Kishibe wouldn't answer him. He didn't seem to be in the mood to talk, though that was the same expression he had shown when he first talked to him.

Finally, they left the building. Kishibe walked ahead, maintaining a small distance from the child, as Hiro couldn't keep up with his normal pace. When Hiro stepped outside, he felt a moment of relief as he felt the warm touch of sunlight on his skin, which was satisfying after feeling so cold earlier. He stopped being distracted and began to walk again, trying to match Kishibe's pace.

Now they walked freely down the street; cars moved along the roads, sometimes slowing down due to morning traffic. Early risers walked back and forth, each on their own path.

Hiro began to feel very nervous now, as if he were alone in this place without anyone in charge, despite being next to an adult. But Kishibe seemed to pay more attention to what was ahead than to him. He briefly thought about holding Kishibe's hand to feel secure and guided, just as he would have done with his parents. He dismissed the idea, thinking about how embarrassing it would be to hold a man's hand he barely knew. He just trotted along to keep up.

Kishibe glanced out of the corner of his eye at Hiro, who was struggling to keep up. They were about to reach a restaurant where he often had breakfast when he didn't feel like cooking. Deep down, he knew the boy still had questions, and he would be willing to answer all of them. He just hoped that in the end, this boy would make the decision that seemed best to him, and Kishibe would accept it.

Finally, they arrived at the restaurant. Hiro nearly bumped into Kishibe's legs but managed to stop himself. He watched Kishibe enter the restaurant and followed suit. As he entered, the delicious aroma of food filled his nostrils. If he wasn't mistaken, he could smell fish, rice, and miso soup the typical Japanese breakfast.

Both of them took a seat at one of the tables farthest from the entrance. A waiter came over and handed each of them a menu.

"I'll have the traditional" Kishibe said, handing the menu back to the waiter.

"Um, the same for me" Hiro said, giving his menu to the waiter. After taking both menus, the waiter bowed and left.

"Well, while we wait for the food," Kishibe began, leaning back in his chair, crossing his left arm behind the backrest and resting one leg over the other, "You can ask me anything you want, as long as it's related to what we talked about before." He hoped the boy's questions would make sense and wouldn't be silly ones.

"Oh, um, well..." Hiro started to think about what he could ask. He was still processing everything he had been told earlier and couldn't come up with a coherent question that would have an answer.

He said the first thing that came to mind.

"Does... God exist?" he finally asked.

Kishibe sighed. "The Bible mentions devils more than once, especially in the Gospel passages. Let me give you a bit of history: Jesus did exist, just to make that clear. The physical presence of the Son of God on Earth presented a unique scenario. Before that, devils were abundant on Earth, but when Jesus arrived, the devils were forced to flee. It's said that many even kneeled before him. Those were more peaceful times for humanity. But today, without the presence of the Son of God, devils have taken the opportunity to come to the surface, just like they did before. Before his death, Jesus didn't leave humanity a way to kill demons; he left that to his disciples. So we had to find our own way."

Hiro listened attentively to this story. He wasn't religious, but he knew that God was involved with devils from some stories his mother had told him. So he had to confirm whether the deity of God existed or not. When he heard that Jesus really existed, he felt a bit relieved that there was still light in this world.

"At first, we tried to contain the devils" Kishibe continued. "But when prayers weren't enough, we tried to find a way to kill them. That's when devil hunters were born. If trained well, they can even kill powerful devils. It's worth mentioning that over the years, devils have changed form, from being purely spiritual to showing their true form in a physical way. However, some devils have a very interesting origin."

"Interesting?" Hiro asked, trying to understand what he meant by interesting.

Kishibe nodded. "You see, many years ago, we discovered that some devils aren't born directly in hell. They're born from people's fear."

"Wh-what?" Hiro asked in surprise.

"Just as you hear. We discovered that devils can be born from the greatest fears of human beings. Let me give you an example: if several people in the world are afraid of tomatoes, then a tomato devil will be born. However, the fear needs to be massive for the devil to be born. Once it's born, the devil can continue to feed on the fear of those who fear it, making it stronger. But if those people stop fearing it, the devil becomes weak. So, you have to be careful about what you're afraid of."

Hiro's mouth hung open due to all these revelations. Now his mind was spinning even more, and he thought he might have lost track of Kishibe's story somewhere. At least, he answered like two or three questions in that narrative, questions he didn't even know he had in mind. That last thing Kishibe said left him a bit scared; he hoped Kishibe would never find out about his fear of snakes.

"So" Hiro began "You guys are really strong enough to deal with devils?"

Kishibe smiled for the first time that day, and Hiro was a bit surprised because he didn't expect this man to be able to smile. Maybe his mom never told him a tale.

"We are quite skilled. However, we don't have the necessary strength to face high-ranking devils. Semi-human devils usually aren't a big problem."

"Semi-human devils?"

"Yes, devils that can take on the appearance or proportions of a human. Generally, they tend to be very weak, and we can deal with them with our own hands. It always depends on what form they take, whether they're animals, weapons, etc."

"So, what are the strongest devils?" Hiro asked.

"Those would be the ones with powers."

"Powers?"

"Powers" Kishibe affirmed. "High-level devils have special abilities that make them stronger and different from the rest. Many can cause massacres in seconds, others create natural disasters like typhoons, and others can shatter your mind. There's a lot of variety."

"If you say you can't defeat them, then how do you defeat them?" Despite being only 7 years old, Hiro asked anything that didn't make sense to him, which was quite admirable for his age given the topic of conversation.

Kishibe smiled again. "This might sound very contradictory, and you'll probably think it goes against our goal because we're doing the opposite. But sometimes, it's necessary to draw strength from somewhere. Asking God for help became useless for us a long time ago, so we had to resort to other methods; we had to make contracts with the devils." Hiro's eyes widened in astonishment.

"What?!" Hiro exclaimed a bit louder than he intended, feeling a bit embarrassed as he interrupted the breakfast of some people nearby.

Kishibe didn't seem fazed by his surprised outburst. "We make contracts with devils. They lend us their strength and powers, and in return, we give them something they want."

"A-and what, uh, what do they ask for in return?" Hiro asked, his voice tinged with fear at the answer.

Kishibe shrugged. "It depends on what they want from you. They usually set the conditions for using their powers. Many times, it involves parts of your body."

That really scared Hiro.

"Do you have more questions?"

"Well... is the woman from yesterday also a hunter?" Hiro asked, recalling the woman who comforted him when he was crying.

Kishibe nodded. "Yes, her name is Quanxi. She's actually my partner. She's currently on vacation in Kyoto, and I have no idea when she'll be back."

Hiro also nodded, trying to remember the woman's name.

Then, their food arrived, and both of them ate in silence Kishibe enjoying his meal, and Hiro thinking about everything he had been told. Now he regretted asking; all this information was too much for him. Jesus, God, devils, and humans killing devils with the help of other devils. Much of it didn't make sense to him, but other times he managed to understand it all.

He immediately understood that these people took on this job to protect citizens from devils, to prevent others from suffering the same fate as him.

He began to think about all those children who didn't have parents, parents who died because of devils. Children who might be going through the same thing he was. A lump formed in his throat as he thought about that. Inside him, there was a desire to do something, but he didn't know what to do. He was just a 7-year-old orphan without a home. He didn't know any relatives, and he wasn't old enough to work. He was practically nothing at the moment, just a small and clumsy child.

"By the way," Kishibe said, breaking the silence, "After breakfast, I'll take you to an orphanage. I'll handle the paperwork and speak on your behalf." Kishibe expected a response, some surprise on his face. But he saw with a bit of surprise that Hiro nodded without looking up from his food, as if what he said wasn't very relevant. Kishibe decided to leave him be for now; perhaps the boy wasn't in the mood to talk. He knew how that felt.

Kishibe and Hiro left the restaurant minutes later. Kishibe led the child to a small parking lot a little further back from where he had brought him. Apparently, Kishibe had a car. Hiro assumed that the orphanage must be somewhat far away, and Kishibe would need his car to take him there. Hiro got into the passenger seat without saying a word, his gaze fixed on the window, observing everything happening outside.

Kishibe didn't say anything either and preferred to let the boy be lost in his thoughts for now. He started the car, ready to take Hiro to his new home.

The journey lasted only 30 minutes. When Kishibe parked a few meters from the orphanage, Hiro could see how large it was. He got out of the car, barely hearing the sound of Kishibe closing his door, as he was busy looking at the place where he would now live. The orphanage had two floors, and adjacent to it was a playground where boys and girls were having fun with various games. There were adults supervising the little ones, and some were encouraged to play with the children.

It was a peaceful, free, and comfortable environment. But there was something he didn't like, and he couldn't figure out why.

"That's the place" Kishibe said from behind him. "Just let me do the talking. I'll share your story with them. They'll take care of your education and well-being, provide you with clothes and three meals a day. You might even make friends here, and if you do, try not to tell them everything I told you, okay? Nobody wants these kids to have nightmares. Ready?"

Hiro turned to look at Kishibe. The boy's expression was blank, as if he were lost in something that he couldn't see. Clearly, something still bothered him. Hiro nodded and turned his gaze back to the orphanage.

"Alright, then, let's go." Both of them started walking at a normal pace, but this time, Kishibe decided to walk behind Hiro. Hiro was now in front, his head lowered, staring at the ground as if it held something interesting to tell him.

They hadn't even crossed the street that lay before the orphanage's entrance when Hiro came to an abrupt stop, causing Kishibe to stop as well.

"What's wrong?" Kishibe asked. Hiro could hear his voice, but he barely paid attention. He had a great conflict in his mind at this moment.

He started thinking about everything Kishibe had told him. Demons had been terrorizing people for many years, demon hunters had always risked their lives to prevent more innocent people from dying. Right now, he was standing in front of a home for parentless children. How many of these children had lost their parents in the same way he did? Many.

So many people had suffered, so many had sacrificed, so many had lost their dreams and hopes because of the devils that attacked them. Thinking about all of this made him sick; the suffering of these people... nobody should have to go through that. The hunters seemed to make it more bearable, but it didn't help if everyone suffered the same fate over and over again.

If he decided to stay here, then he wouldn't be able to do anything. When he found out his parents had died, he felt so... helpless. He hadn't been able to do anything in those moments. He could still vividly remember how his mother had hidden him in the cupboard in an attempt to save him. And in the end, she and his father were the ones who died to save him. They had done what they could, but he did nothing.

Because right now, he was weak.

Useless.

Just a Kid.

Someone afraid.

But at the same time, he was someone who couldn't stand to see this cycle repeat itself over and over again, how the screams of death echoed every day. He couldn't bear it! If he stayed here, nothing would change for him in the future. He would probably end up like his parents.

Kishibe could see from his position how Hiro trembled and clenched his fists so tightly that red marks were left on his palms.

All of this was just like that time, except that he decided to step through that door many years ago. The question now was, would Hiro do the same? If he did, then he would accept his decision, but if he changed his mind... then he would be getting into a big mess.

"What are you going to do, Hiro?" Kishibe's voice sounded behind him in a whisper that seemed to merge with the wind and resonated throughout the area.

"I don't want to..." Hiro said softly, barely audible.

"Hm?" Kishibe tilted his head. "Say that again..."

Hiro turned abruptly, and finally, Kishibe could see the face that had been hidden throughout the past half-hour.

Hot tears streamed down young Hiro Takahashi's cheeks, his face contorted in a pleading yet determined expression.

"Please, Mr. Kishibe!" he cried out, and Kishibe looked very interested to hear what Hiro was going to say. "I don't want to go to that place! I want to be like you, like Miss Quanxi, like everyone who works to save people from devils! I want to learn to hunt devils when I'm as old as you are!"

He pointed towards the orphanage and the children playing. "That place doesn't have a good future for me! There's nothing guaranteeing that I won't end up with the same fate as my parents. So many people die because of devils! I don't want that to keep happening. I want to help, I want to save people just like you saved me!" Hiro looked down at the ground again, his fists clenched, until he finally let out what he had been considering all this time.

"I want to be a public safety devil hunter!"

Kishibe kept his stoic expression throughout Hiro's outburst. He didn't interrupt at any point, even though it resembled a childish tantrum. But every word he yelled seemed so sincere, so full of passion and determination.

Perhaps... this boy could be more than just the crying child in front of him.

Hiro tensed up when suddenly he felt Kishibe's hand touch his head. Kishibe gave his hair a few strokes before removing his hand.

Hiro froze as he suddenly felt Kishibe's hand touch his head, giving his hair a few gentle strokes before withdrawing it.

"Well then," Kishibe said, "if that's what you want." He turned around, presenting his back to Hiro. "Come with me, and let's go home." After that statement, he began walking at his own pace.

Hiro's blue eyes widened in surprise. He felt the urge to cry again, but this time, the tears seemed to be tears of happiness.

However, he held back those emotions and replaced his sad expression with a radiant smile.

"Yes! Thank you so much, Mr. Kishibe!" Hiro ran again to catch up with his new guardian.

Unbeknownst to him, Kishibe allowed himself a small smile. He was grateful that the boy had made a different decision from his own and hadn't regretted it years later.

On the other hand, he was disturbed by what challenges this child would have to face in the future. Whatever it was, it wouldn't be pleasant, but he hoped to see that same determined look on Hiro's face when he confronted challenges and danger.

Kishibe chose to ignore the fact that Hiro now hesitated to hold his hand on the street. Instead, Hiro gripped the bottom of Kishibe's coat with his small hand, trying to keep up and stay a bit safer. Kishibe walked calmly with a blank expression, and Hiro had a genuine smile on his face.

To anyone who saw them, they would appear as a beautiful father and son duo enjoying a normal day in Tokyo.

Everyone who saw them thought just that.

0O0O

Dr. Yuna Nishimura stood outside Tokyo's sprawling Hunters and Devil Containment Training Center. It was midnight, as her watch confirmed, the appointed hour to pick up... her.

Letting out a heavy sigh, she hadn't even started yet, but just thinking about all the work ahead was already giving her a headache. Nonetheless, she had the duty to educate her, she had explained to the government the best way to provide her education. They had accepted, entrusting her with this project and others that lay ahead.

Everything that would unfold in the future hinged on her education. She wanted to believe that this future would hold promise for the Japanese government.

Her attention sharpened as a van parked in front of her. They were about 10 meters away, but she could easily spot the suit-clad men stepping out, their sleek glasses in place. She herself wore a black office jacket over a white shirt that discreetly concealed her figure, black office pants, and medium-heeled shoes.

Amongst the government men, who were hunters in their own right, she caught a glimpse of a small figure. It was hard to make out amidst the agents, but she recognized the reddish-brown hair.

Her heart raced with excitement as one of the hunters approached her.

"Doctor Yuna, we've brought her from Tateyama. Japan expects significant results within thirteen years."

The woman nodded firmly to the apparent government representative.

"They shall have them. This education plan has been thoroughly analyzed and is poised to yield better outcomes than those in Russia or the United States. Believe me, you won't be disappointed."

"We certainly hope so..."

"Now" she said impatiently "Where is she?"

The hunters moved aside to reveal the individual who would be under her care for the coming years.

Finally, she saw her, the girl who was the reincarnation of one of the most dangerous devils on record.

Dark brown met with yellow.

The doctor gazed with a smile that was anything but kind.

"Hehe, look at those lovely eyes," she was captivated by the girl's eyes, yellow as the nighttime sun, with multiple rings within them. Something unique.

"And your hair is beautiful" the girl's hair was a reddish-brown, long and braided down her back. Though it seemed like a compliment, everything she said was laced with sadistic fascination, like a serial killer toying with her victim before the kill, her silky voice only accentuating the contrast.

"So" she looked back at the man, now with the same serious expression, "Has she been given a name?"

"No, we thought you should be the one to decide that."

Dr. Yuna smiled, then looked back at the girl who regarded her with minimal interest.

"I think I'll call you... Makima. How does that sound?"

The girl only looked at the strange woman before her, now apparently known as Makima. She hadn't had a name until now, and Makima didn't sound bad. In response, she simply nodded, her face devoid of emotion.

The doctor smiled. "Well, Makima, you and I are in for a long period of work."

The little Makima saw a small smile form on the woman's lips.

"Come" she took her by the back and waved off the hunters. They nodded and departed.

"This is going to be quite interesting," Dr. Yuna remarked as she led the Control Devil toward the massive building.

Makima could only look with dull eyes and an emotionless gaze as her life was about to take a drastic turn.

0O0O

Notes: Another chapter of this fanfic.

As you've noticed, this chapter was longer than the others, and I had been tempted to split it into multiple chapters, but I never dared.

Today, Hiro made a significant decision that will change his life, and we finally witnessed the appearance of Makima.

What will happen next for both of them?

Don't miss out.

See you soon.