One above all

by Abusamadres-Sama

In 1977 Kishibe found a child among a massacre where a family used to live, he decides to take the child with him until he finds a new home. Meanwhile in another place the Control Devil learns that she must become someone perfect to get to the top and be someone who can achieve anything. And that means using people too.

20. War crimes

Chapter 20: What she has always been and always will be.

0O0O

"The arrest and elimination of the devils always turns out to be a success in each case regardless of the circumstances that started it, it does not surprise me knowing that we always send you, in fact it would be much rarer if you failed"

"It's much easier than it seems, even the most inept hunter could do it without a problem"

"But the most notable difference between you and the others, is that you don't make use of your contracts with the devils, am I correct?"

"You could say yes, most of the time I don't like to use them, it's not that I care if they take what they please, I stopped caring a long time ago. So I generally prefer to use more practical methods, my fists and my weapons are usually enough"

"So don't you consider it useless to have made three contracts with three different devils if you are never going to use them? Excuse me for saying so but if you are going to continue like this then you are misusing public security resources"

"My contracts are just skills that I save for crucial moments, if something gets out of hand or it's something I just can't defeat in the traditional way, I make use of them. I feel like it's a bit of a stretch to use them for arrest and takedown work that can easily be done with bladed weapons or guns"

"When did you use them? Refresh my memory, I don't remember when was the last time you wrote in your reports that you were forced to use your devils"

"On more than one occasion that is a fact. But usually when there are so many devils that I can't kill them one by one and I need a strong enough attack to take them out, like I said I only use them when I feel like something has gotten out of hand, like when I meet a devil that has exceeded my expectations"

"Just like that time 10 years ago?"

"... Yes, it could say yes"

"And that's the whole reason?"

"No, it's actually much more entertaining to fight hand to hand with a devil. Plus I feel like it's kind of stupid to always rely on your contracts when you've spent a lifetime training, it would be a mockery of yourself and your body."

"And what do they ask you for in return?"

"Is it just me or has this conversation strayed from its main topic? I just came to deliver my report"

"We want to be aware of how well you continue to perform today in your job"

"In a nutshell, do you want to know if I'm rusting?"

"It's up to you to see it that way. But by now you should know that in Public Security a life that manages to be close to 40 years old is still rare, so we want to know if you can continue fighting or if you are close to dying as everyone else"

"I once heard a wise man say that death is for losers. I don't feel bad enough to want to retire or let a devil kill me easily, believe it or not I can still fight, and you'll be surprised if you're still seeing me 10 years from now."

"And what you give in exchange for using the powers of devils doesn't make you doubt that? It's well known that if a hunter doesn't die in a battle, their contracts could also eventually kill them with excessive use of them."

"Not really, as I said before I don't use them all the time but I will admit that what they ask me in return might be too much for others"

"Flesh, skin, blood, body parts, vitality, is that what they usually take from you?"

"Yes, but I've still learned to adapt, that's why I'm still alive"

"If you say so boy, but for the record you've been warned a long time ago about the risks of having a contract with a devil, now imagine having three. They could easily leave you with nothing to give in return and that's where -"

"Where do you think my life will end, hmm, I see"

"You finally understand our concerns"

"I do, but I can't see the part where I care"

"You're still the same insolent brat from 15 years ago, nowadays it's more than notorious that Nishimura failed to educate you"

"Really, then why am I still coming to you after so many years? You could say that one part of her training failed, the other part turned me into the devil hunter I am today even if it's not what you expected."

"We had already informed you that we didn't care about Nishimura's methods as long as she could create soldiers that gave remarkable results, in the end you were a diamond in the rough that she was slow to see. Even if it didn't turn out as expected, she fulfilled her mission despite claim more than once that you were a failure... and an asshole"

"And this asshole still has many years of work ahead of him. Also... I can't die yet, no matter how much I want to, I still have one more job to do in this life"

"Oh right, the Takahashi kid..."

"To end our conversation, I'll make it clear that I'm still young, I can keep fighting, and my contracts won't kill me. But if the world is still against me, then I'll make sure I leave this world leaving someone who is almost as good as me"

"We hope you manage to keep that trust and promises within the next few years boy, time spares no one not even the best hunter in all of Japan"

He turned to go to the exit without bothering to reply further "Bye, old mans. Try not to let the wind hit your face, you don't want to fill the offices with the dust of your bodies"

Kishibe left the high command office and instantly ran into Quanxi's figure leaning against the wall with a serene face, apparently she had been waiting for him.

She opened her only good eye to look at him "From the look you have I assume that your meeting with the high command was normal"

"Something like that" they both started walking in sync heading towards the exit "But they seem to be worried because I'm getting old and they're afraid I'll rust like them"

"They told you that too? So you're not the only one, in fact lately a lot of hunters have had the same topic brought up in their meetings, including me"

"What's their problem? We don't even have gray hair yet" Kishibe couldn't believe they were implying that he could easily die nowadays either due to carelessness or because a devil finally appeared that could defeat him in battle. He felt almost insulted.

"I think they are concerned that part of our generation is becoming obsolete"

Kishibe looked at her blankly "What do you mean?"

She sighed "Are you serious? For many years we have managed to keep the safety ratings as high as possible, but at great cost, several hunters die every day and it is because the devils are getting stronger."

"And there aren't even that many scattered around the country or the city. It would be a disaster if a lot of devils appeared in several places at the same time, we wouldn't have enough hunters to take care of everything at the same time" Kishibe added, understanding what she meant, but it didn't make him feel any better.

"Yes" Quanxi agreed knowing clearly that if something like that happened things would only get more complicated "I think they are desperate for a new generation of hunters to appear as soon as possible, maybe then they think it would be easier to maintain security as we have done"

"But what's the use of having so many new hunters if they're all going to die before their first year? They should wait until they get more experience."

"Well it's not like they're taking them to war either"

Kishibe could only frown when they were close to the exit "Well that's how they make it look, wanting to replace us as much as if we were already dead"

Quanxi had no comment for that.

When they both left the building, the evening light was already illuminating the entire parking lot, announcing that night was very close. And that it was time to pick up Hiro.

"By the way" Quanxi spoke and Kishibe gave him his attention "How well do you think our young apprentice did on his first day?"

Kishibe smiled which gave the hunter a bad sign "I guess just like us on our first day"

"Then it was horrible" she sighed knowing that Kishibe would have no mercy with him.

"Though I was referring to the matter with the girl" Quanxi corrected, being very careful not to mention Makima's name while they were still in the offices. You never know who may be listening.

Kishibe rolled his eyes "I know, I guess that's what matters most to you now" they stopped for a moment to talk about it, but not before making sure there weren't any prying eyes around.

"Tch, I don't know, the boy seemed very melancholic when we entered and there was no sign of her" Kishibe explained "But I told him not to worry, that brat would eventually manage to find him, because lately he seems like a damn magnet attracts devils"

Quanxi put a finger on her chin thinking about the situation "Hm, I guess if he keeps with that same mentality the plan will follow its reasonable course"

"I still don't believe that he has agreed to go through with this" Kishibe crossed his arms while looking at the ground "Even when we tell him the truth he still wants to continue being his friend, honestly sometimes I don't know what goes on in that child's mind. In the end, he felt so sorry for the girl, that he somehow developed an incomprehensible affection for her. It's so... strange how things haven't changed much at all."

Quanxi looked at the sky, the clouds were staining the characteristic orange color of the sunset "I've been thinking about it lately, and I think that everything that has been happening between him and Makima only has a reasonable explanation"

Kishibe looked at her curiously "And that's it?"

Quanxi smirked "You know how kids are at this age, they tend to develop feelings they can't understand and confuse them with others who can't give them an answer. I'm probably getting too far ahead of myself with all this but, I think Hiro is getting in at that stage, and he doesn't even know it. If you realize the way he talks about her, how he tries so hard to help her... You would have to be very ignorant not to realize that he has a soft spot for her ..."

"I'll stop you there" Kishibe had heard enough.

"Oh?"

A small tremor registered in Kishibe's left eye, his look showed that he didn't feel comfortable talking about it at all, he even felt disgusted and irritated.

"I can't believe you're hinting at something like that, Hiro and… Her… It's something I'd rather put my mind off, I couldn't take another mental breakdown that would probably put me in a coma"

Quanxi rolled her eyes and patted him on the head to calm him down "Don't be so melodramatic, besides it's just a long shot, maybe in the end the kid will just be a really good person to others, or be someone crazy enough to want to be with her like that"

Quanxi had to admit that she didn't like the thought at all either because it was very unusual, devil and human didn't go hand in hand.

(A/N: Ironic, don't you think?)

The only thing that managed to calm her down was the distant and small hope that everything would work out at the end of this.

"I was more guided by the second, but rather than being crazy, he would just be a fool. If he did that he would only get into more trouble" Kishibe tried to compose himself taking a few quick breaths "Although... If I was crazy enough to fall in love with a beauty like you, I don't see why he can't do the same" he joked trying to get something productive out of all this talk.

Quanxi was expressionless again "Don't start" she already had her fist ready.

"Okay okay, God..." Kishibe scratched his head thinking about what his partner said.

Hiro and Makima... It was enough to let the two of them be friends, but for them to be something more than a childish friendship was just crazy and in a bad way that was not funny, and that he preferred it to be out of the question if this would be possible.

Also... The control devil was another level, it's one thing to find a human mate who's a bit crazy like Quanxi, but someone like Makima was out of the question. He hoped Hiro would understand it one day, but he doubted it, if he couldn't understand it now then what chance was there that he would understand it in the future?

That boy was a complicated case.

"No, the idea seems stupid to me and it's something I'm very sure won't happen" he finally answered with a better tone.

Quanxi tilted her head curiously "Why do you say so?" it was a rhetorical question.

Kishibe turned to walk again, his footsteps were heard throughout the parking lot while his gaze was somber "Because the boy can't fall any lower"

0O0O

When they both got into the car, that's when Kishibe realized something was wrong.

"Wait a minute" he looked at Quanxi feeling very confused "And why did you get into my car this time?"

She gave him a smile, something inappropriate for her but today she felt in a good mood "I'll accompany you to pick up Hiro, after all I couldn't take him today for his first day even though I'm her main teacher"

Kishibe turned the key and the sound of the engine was present "Yes, but only in legal eyes, you left me the job of training him longer than you"

"The boy always seemed more interested in you training him" Quanxi argued "I suspect he admires you in some way"

"No shit Sherlock" Kishibe replied sarcastically "Like I wouldn't have noticed that a long time ago"

Quanxi only smiled more.

0O0O

During the trip to the research center, Quanxi looked at the car window, seeing how everything happened at a considerable speed and getting lost in his deepest thoughts.

She wondered how Hiro was managing right now, it wouldn't take a genius to guess that by this point in the day he and Makima would already be having a nice conversation with each other. But more than anything, he wondered if the boy could handle all the load that was placed on his shoulders, all the information he received on Saturday was vital for him to make a decision that would help him continue his peculiar friendship with the control devil.

Quanxi wanted to feel guilty, a part of her did in the end but the other reasonable part of her reminded her that this was probably the best plan they had to not screw things up again. Or rather, so that the government would not screw up again.

What was going through Hiro's mind right now? How are his feelings? Has his view about her changed now that he knows the whole story?

The entire conversation she and Kishibe had with the boy on Saturday night came back to her, the memories were still just as frozen in her mind, because she just couldn't help but remember how stunned the boy had looked that day.

The horror on his face that day amused her.

On Saturday night, hours after Hiro was accepted into the training center.

"Ah, home sweet home" Hiro stretched out his arms as they opened the door and entered his apartment, it had been a long drive due to traffic, he was pretty sure it would be heavy for Kishibe starting Monday.

"Well, I'm going to my room" Hiro said goodbye and started to go to his damned room, but suddenly a hand grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him off the ground, stopping him from walking.

"Eh?" Hiro turned his head to look at the person responsible and was met by Kishibe who was looking at him with a flat face.

"Not so fast, we have something else to discuss" Kishibe was still holding the boy up in the air like he was some kind of baby animal. From Quanxi's point of view, he looked like a lion holding his cub in his mouth.

She couldn't think of a better analogy.

Hiro looked at Kishibe from his position blankly "About what? I'm not in trouble again, am I?"

"You've been in trouble since yesterday, but this time we're going to talk about something that's related to it, and maybe it'll help you sort it out." Kishibe released Hiro and the boy staggered to the ground.

A few minutes later both Kishibe and Quanxi and Hiro were sitting at the dining room table. Hiro was sitting in the middle, having the two hunters on either side, they seemed ready to talk about something important.

"So... what exactly are we going to talk about?" he asked, having a feeling this was going to be a long night, he said because the sunset was finally fading.

The traffic was horrible.

Kishibe and Quanxi looked at each other "Who starts, you or me?"

Quanxi stretched out his hand while Hiro looked on curiously "It will have to be decided the old-fashioned way"

Kishibe nodded "Right" he also stretched out his hand and both of them were involved in a battle of rock paper scissors...

Hiro didn't know what was happening, he just wanted to go to his room to rest but now he was just witnessing how his two tutors competed to see who would start the topic first.

Why? Who knows, maybe the subject was something cumbersome for both of them. He reminded him of how he and Kenji tried to say who was going to go first in the solar system exhibit, he lost and had to risk his dignity in front of the whole class.

He refocused on the two hunters, only to see Kishibe lose epically when using paper.

"Tch, dammit" Kishibe cursed as he was forced to be the one to start the story, he personally preferred not to because it was a nuisance.

Quanxi found it curious that she won using scissors, it seemed like a sign from the universe.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Hiro demanded looking very confused.

Kishibe looked at Quanxi once more, silently asking her if it was a good idea to go through with this, she just nodded seriously.

Well fuck this, things had gone sour by the time Hiro got away anyway.

(A/N: Okay people before you want to lynch me because I'm not an intellectual who read the manga 30 times to understand it and that's why I don't know anything at all, I just want to remind you that we don't know shit about Makima's past , not yet at least at the time of writing this fanfic. So I'll tell it in the most realistic way that seemed to me, I've also seen these discussions on different Internet sites and some are almost the same as I imagined, so with all the odds against me hope you like it)

"There is something we have to tell you" the hunter looked at the boy as seriously as he could "It's about Makima"

At that moment Hiro's curiosity shot through the roof "What about her?"

Kishibe rolled his eyes "As if you didn't know by this point. Look kid, as you already know the devils are almost as old as humanity itself, many have lived on earth longer than we think, that means that the fear that some represent are very ancient and are innately present in the subconscious of every human being on the planet, which gives them the opportunity to live no matter what happens for hundreds of years, these are called primordial devils. And they come, as their names say, from primordial fears"

"We don't have many names but the few that public security has managed to register throughout its history are terrifying and destructive enough to be feared. But among all those devils there is one specific one that we want to talk to you about"

Kishibe mentally prepared himself to explain all this trying to remember all the history classes he got from Yuna, for once he was going to use them; he saw how the boy paid attention in silence taking into account every detail.

"For 500 years, sightings of a human-like devil that wandered throughout the world and hid among common people began to be recorded, at that time it was not known exactly what kind of devil it was or what kind of fear it represented, what. The only thing that was known is that it didn't compare at all to something that any hunter had ever come across, it was something very strange and terrifying" Kishibe paused as if he had awakened bitter memories, eventually he continued.

"Some centuries later when the world was becoming what it is now, they managed to give that devil a name according to his personality and abilities" Kishibe paid attention to Hiro's expression "They called him The Control Devil"

"The Control Devil..." Hiro repeated the name in his own words, that kind of devil had never crossed his mind "Does that mean that there are people who are afraid of control?" he didn't feel so upset when he heard the story, more intrigued wanting to know more.

"Not exactly, this devil was born from the fear of domination by others, said fear had a great heyday during various expansions of different empires during the fifteenth century, but we believe that it could have been born much earlier because expansions and wars are a very old concept"

"I think I get it, so the devil was created because there were people who were afraid that others would control them against their will, right?" Hiro reasoned making sense of it.

"Yes, basically yes. But as I said this devil was born mainly out of the fear that was ingrained in every human being during ancient times, domination. Throughout history there have been various examples of subjugation and oppression by various cultures. To others, such fear is generated during conflicts in wars when the weaker side is oppressed by the stronger army, or just to give you another example when the Jews were nearly exterminated by unknown European forces."

"Today there are much lesser examples like being a weak child who is constantly bullied, being an overworked worker who is prevented from leaving his work zone, being threatened by a gang that orders you to do horrible things, these are just examples. of today, but imagine that you are a person living in the 15th century in a quiet empire with a normal life, and out of nowhere other empires come to conquer your territory and control it as they please together with their people. Seen as someone easy to control and play to their heart's content, many expanding empires used to show no mercy to other cultures, destroying them, erasing any trace of their existence, and forcibly imposing their beliefs on the people they enslaved."

He moved closer to Hiro so his words would never be forgotten "The fear of being controlled against your will is terrifying, not being able to do anything to stop it and seeing with your own eyes how an entire civilization crumbles at the whim of others, is something that no one wants to experience. Being controlled directly or indirectly is a fear that everyone possesses, and even if you fully trust your abilities, that fear will not go away."

He took out a cigarette and lit it as fast as he could to continue with the story, he hoped to remember Yuna's classes well "And this is how you create a devil, one that was born indirectly from other fears but in the end became a very powerful one "

Hiro had his hands together and moved his fingers in an attempt to collect his thoughts and process all the information he was receiving "And... That devil, what did it do?"

Kishibe chuckled darkly "What didn't it do" he continued to inhale the smoke from his cigar and quickly expelled it from his lungs "By the time the hunting society gave it a name the Control Devil had already caused a lot of chaos all over the world, It destroyed several civilizations from within without its own inhabitants realizing it, it encouraged the beginning of several armed conflicts between different empires despite the fact that they had peace treaties between them, it controlled world leaders throughout history and it is very likely that several of the conflicts or tragic events that they tell you about in History class have been caused by the Control Devil, because that devil only needs one person to cause chaos among human society, the rest will be much easier start from there" Kishibe looked at Quanxi encouraging her to continue this time.

Quanxi understood and continued for him "Apart from all the above mentioned, the control devil has also been credited with several human deaths in its entire existence, there is no clear number but we know that it killed more than thousands, without counting those who killed indirectly because there would be millions, among those deaths are a handful of devil hunters" Hiro had already turned to look at her and his stomach dropped when he heard that even the hunters had failed to kill that devil, that surely said much of his/her power.

He tried to stay calm as he asked questions "How many hunters did it kill?" he asked not allowing the answer to affect him, they were things of the past anyway.

"Well... since we have records of that devil, there have only been 22 hunters who have fought to the death against her"

Hiro at this point was so immersed in the story that he didn't pay attention to that last detail, this however did not go unnoticed by the hunters "That's... very little"

"It is" Quanxi nodded "But the chances of finding the control devil in those days were very low, and there used to be as many hunters around the world as there are now to try to track her movements, so if you managed to find her it was quite a feat... And a direct path to death" Quanxi and Kishibe's eyes met for a second "Those few clashes happened at different times, from the fifteenth century onwards to be more precise, so different generations of hunters were the ones who They tried to kill her... but out of the 22 hunters who faced her, only two succeeded."

This surprised Hiro "Only two!? Wait a second, if she died before, that means she returned to earth like all the devils that die here, and who were the hunters that managed to kill her?"

Quanxi was always amused by his curiosity even if it managed to be somewhat invasive "Yes, at first everyone thought that if they managed to kill that devil their stay in hell would be eternal, but their thirst for power and domination were underestimated and they returned to the human world with a new body. As for the hunters who managed to kill her, her first death was recorded in the 18th century, in the year 1739, but the identity of the hunter remains a mystery even today."

"A mystery?" Hiro reiterated feeling confused "Then how do you know he was a hunter?"

Quanxi folded her arms "Not much is known about what happened in that time, the only thing we have is the verdict of other hunters who witnessed the moment when that hunter first killed the Control devil, however when they asked his name, he vanished without a trace. In those days, hunting groups were not as organized as they are today, so it was normal for certain information to be lost or not taken into account"

"oh"

"Her last death was not too long ago, 10 years ago to be exact. As for the person who killed her..." her good eye fell on Kishibe who was already finishing his cigarette "Believe it or not that person is at this table right now" Quanxi stated with a twitch of her eyebrows. Kishibe put the cigar in his mouth and crossed his arms with a huff, looking almost smug.

Hiro understood immediately and looked at Quanxi with great amazement and admiration "Unbelievable, so you were the one who killed the control devil aunt Quanxi!?" Hiro asked taking it all wrong.

Kishibe choked on the cigarette which due to an oversight went down his throat, Quanxi just patted his face without waiting for him to come to that conclusion.

Childrens...

Kishibe coughed a few times making sure to get the cigarette butts out of her throat and looked at Hiro irritably "No kid, it was me who killed her!" he said pointing to himself a couple of times and looking a little offended.

Hiro gave him an understanding look "Oh, I'm sorry it's just that a lot can be expected with you two" he shrugged "So you're one of the few people who killed the control devil, you're amazing" this only showed him once more than Kishibe was stronger than he appeared to be, if he was able to kill a devil that only one person other than himself could defeat, then Kishibe's abilities were no joke.

"You're damn right" Kishibe agreed as he sat back down properly, he hadn't tried hard for so many years so that his achievements wouldn't be recognized, even if it was a kid going to elementary school the admiration was accepted.

Kishibe for some reason started to feel like he was 16 again, flaunting his personality whenever he could.

"Hmm" Hiro looked at his hands thinking about everything they told him, the history class was really interesting and he learned something new today, although there was still something that didn't add up in all this and he still had a question to ask "Um, I think I understand everything you told me, about the control devil and all that but... What does Makima have to do with all this?"

Both hunters looked at him as if they didn't believe what he said, Hiro could be clever at times but at the same time he could be worryingly dense. Quanxi thought that if Hiro didn't improve in that aspect, he would have serious problems getting a girlfriend.

"Hiro..." Kishibe put a hand on his shoulder deciding to be the one to tell him "Have you ever wondered why we've been referring to the control demon with feminine pronouns all this time?"

Hiro looked at him out of the corner of his eye, feeling uncomfortable and not knowing how to respond to that "Aah, why is she a girl or does she use the body of one?" he hadn't really taken that detail into account until now...

Wait...

Kishibe nodded slowly, holding back the urge to laugh "Yes, but you should know something else. I killed the control devil in 1970, 7 years later in 1977, public security found her again reincarnated in the body of a little girl, without her past life memories and without her fully developed powers. At that time the government took the opportunity to arrest her and do studies with her, three years later that devil is still in the hands of the government... And the person in charge of her care and study is exclusively Dr. Yuna Nishimura" Kishibe finished without taking his eyes off Hiro.

It took the boy a few more seconds to understand but quickly both hunters caught the exact moment when his face turned completely pale when finally all their conversation made sense to him.

Hiro's eyes were wide as he looked at Kishibe as if he were a ghost "I-i-i-i-is M-m-m-Makima is..?" he left the question hanging in the air, afraid to finish that sentence.

They couldn't really be hinting at that, right?

RIGHT?

Kishibe took advantage of this moment to let out his pent up emotions and smiled madly "That's right kid you made friends with The Control Devil and you didn't even know it!" He laughed at his expression, now it really seemed worth it to tell him the truth just to see how scared he was, someone else could see it cruel to laugh at a scared child, but Kishibe felt that Hiro was an exception here and that he really deserved it for being such a fool.

Even Quanxi covered his mouth as she suppressed her laughter, making fun of the boy was one of her hobbies and seeing the scared face he put on when he learned the truth about his supposed friend had made the wait worth it. Oh now he sure did seem scared of Makima.

Hiro was between two hunters who just laughed at him while his mind was still in a meltdown from which he probably wouldn't recover very soon and as he stared at the table with nothing but pure horror and disbelief in his expression.

All this time... All this damned time he had been next to such a dangerous devil and he didn't know it.

What the fuck?

Hiro had always thought that Makima was a devil and now they had confirmed it to him but he never thought that she would be a devil of such magnitude as that control devil that in the end turned out to be her. Good, but what had he gotten himself into? Now everything made more sense now, the animosity that existed between Makima and Kishibe and the reason why the latter and doctor Yuna looked so alarmed to see them together.

He had befriended such an ancient and dangerous devil and the thought crashed into his mind like a freight car for him to seriously ponder and question his own actions over and over again.

Had Makima really come from doing all those horrible things? Was she really capable of doing all of that and more? If so, then his life was really a hair's breadth away from ceasing to exist when he met her, she definitely would have done horrible things to him if she hadn't done what she asked, now it was clearer than water to him. From the beginning she looked strange and mysterious but now he had discovered how dangerous she could be and that terrified him like never before. So that was what she really was, he now understood why she reacted that way when he asked if she was a devil or not, maybe she didn't want him to know about her past and now he saw why.

It was just awful and too much to take in.

'Makima... She is the Control Devil...' he thought still not believing that those words were very related to her.

So he had embraced more than once and befriended an extremely dangerous devil that only two hunters had managed to kill in over 500 years.

If he was given a coin for every time he was near death from being near Makima, then he would have two, which wasn't much but it's rare for it to happen twice.

Because in his second meeting he didn't even consider her dangerous to that point because he had learned that she was more than what her chilling mien made her seem.

Now… Now he just didn't know what to think about her. It's not every day that you make friends with a reincarnated devil that has been around for hundreds of years and has terrorized thousands of people throughout history.

What would he do from now on? How would he see her face knowing all this? He always thought that the taste of the truth would taste sweet, but in reality it was more bitter than he thought and would only leave him sleepless for a long time.

Now had it really been worth it to become his friend? Should he go through with this? The answer he would find herself tonight while he debated it with the pillow, probably.

Both Kishibe and Quanxi had finally finished laughing and looked at the boy with some understanding "So what do you think?" Kishibe asked.

Hiro still didn't look at him still feeling nauseous "Isn't it too late to revoke my application?"

0O0O

"Okay let me see if I understood correctly" Hiro crashed the cup of chocolate on the table after taking a big sip, Kishibe and Quanxi for their part had glasses full of alcohol which they drank in moderation, much more moderation compared to Hiro and his drink. It was such a contrast between them, Hiro was too young to drink alcohol but it seemed like the hot chocolate was upsetting him just the same.

"Makima can control the people she considers inferior to her, is that how it works?" Kishibe nodded giving him to understand that his conclusion was correct, so Hiro continued "She can make them act as she pleases and do whatever she asks without a chance to resist, at the same time she can steal the powers of other devils to become more powerful" Hiro put his hands on his head analyzing all the information, it seemed that the sugar had gone straight to his brain and it helped his analysis of the situation go faster "And not only that, but she can also control animals, that way she can see and hear everything that's going on in the world!"

"And those are just the things we know, it could probably hide another ability which we don't know" Kishibe drank from his glass sighing happily from the fiery alcohol, he calmly looked at the boy who seemed like he wanted to lose his mind with every minute.

"But they say there's nothing to worry about" Kishibe said with a sarcastic statement "She doesn't remember anything from her past lives, she has been told what she really is and what she represents but now it's like she's a different consciousness set apart of all the mistakes of the past, something like a person wanting to forget their past and start a new life... But I honestly don't believe it at all, for me she is still an evil and cruel being with no appreciation for life"

Hiro squinted at him irritably "That doesn't help me"

"I know, it wasn't meant to give you a solution to your problems, I just told it like it is" Kishibe shrugged and poured himself another drink.

"Asshole" Hiro said with clear irritation towards Kishibe and took another sip of his hot drink enjoying the sweet and relaxing chocolate.

"How do you feel about all this?" Quanxi asked calmly wanting an answer as soon as possible if necessary.

Hiro looked into his cup, the chocolate was slowly running out, he was definitely going to need more "I... I really don't know how to describe it, this alarmed me like never before, I mean I always knew that Makima was a devil and that she had probably done some bad things but I never believe-"

"That would go this far" Kishibe finished for him and Hiro nodded in agreement, Kishibe just sighed "They're devils kid, it's in their nature to cause death in their wake"

"I know but..!" Hiro tried to find his own words but it was getting harder and harder to come up with a solid argument to justify his previous actions "Why would she do something like that!? What kind of benefit would it bring her to control powerful leaders and make them thousands of people kill each other!?"

"Everything she did is horrible and cruel!" Hiro finally brought up everything that bothered him about the story of Makima, or rather the control devil

She made innocent people die, but why? He couldn't believe that girl who had cried on his shoulder just a day ago and who had poured out all her sorrows on him had come from murdering thousands if not millions of people. It was so absurd but sadly real, Hiro really couldn't believe that he had become friends with someone like her but... He still felt that a part of him couldn't reach out and just blame her for all the wrong she did, mainly because the feelings he had about her now they were in a serious debate, and because it was all in the past and he was just someone who lives in a world where everything is even more controlled by hunters, so it would be weird to go and have him give an explanation of why she did all that.

He felt that he couldn't hate her, but he also couldn't be happy being by her side while he knew all this, it was just horrible in more ways than one and too much for his fragile mind. Everything in his mind was a mess and he really couldn't give himself a clear answer. It seemed that everything would be directed towards her in a neutral way, for the moment.

Hiro looked at Kishibe for answers "Hey so she really doesn't remember any of her past lives? I mean all the mess she caused, the lives she took and everything else"

Kishibe stirred the liquid in the glass without looking at Hiro "That's what they told me, and luckily I had the chance to check it myself, she and I had a little chat today"

Hiro and Quanxi looked at him questioningly "Wait" Hiro was incredulous hearing that part "At what point did you...?"

"When they sent me to buy ice cream, I found a little freak that was following me from behind, and as I thought it was that brat" Kishibe growled remembering with bitterness how she easily passed his defenses for a few seconds "Since I had some free time I decided to see how much she had changed, but not before throwing one of my knives straight at her head"

"You did what!?" Hiro felt that with each passing minute and with each new revelation he received, his brain was eventually going to explode.

He definitely didn't like the image in his mind of Kishibe and Makima trying to kill each other, which made his clear problem of his feelings towards her more and more evident, again he didn't know what to think about her but his emotions would automatically react as usual.

Kishibe nodded casually unaffected by Hiro's panic "But she gave it back to me before it touched her" he looked at Quanxi "Part of his strength and speed is still there, it's something to take into account" they both felt the table move, probably Hiro shuddering again.

"Oh for the love of..."

"But as I was saying" Kishibe continued ignoring Hiro's complaint "I started talking to her and it seems that Yuna wasn't lying, she seems to be a different person, she doesn't look like the devil we saw 10 years ago, I personally have always found it impressive how useful reincarnation can be, but I still can't trust her..."

And there it was, the answer Hiro didn't want to hear.

Hiro felt that this was getting out of hand, it seemed that every time a barrier was created that prevented him from having a healthy friendship with Makima, and with barriers he was referring to every bad thing they told him about her.

"Are you saying that because…you think she'll do something bad one day?" Hiro asked fearfully.

"I don't think so, I know for sure. The nature of the control devil is that, the only thing she and her kind came for is to cause chaos and destruction in their path, even if they don't do it on purpose they are responsible for all the evil in the world. Makima even though she is a new version of the control devil cannot let go of the purpose for which she was sent to this world, she will eventually bring out her true intentions one way or another" his cold eyes looked at Hiro "She is something that cannot be completely controlled and that is something that Yuna and the higher ups cannot understand, why do you think you would be any different dealing with her? Just because she cried in front of you and told you that she wanted a family? That doesn't mean that she can justify her past actions and live a quiet life nowadays, it's better that you understand now than when it's too late"

Hiro remained silent and still in his place after Kishibe's words, his eyes were wide and almost lost, his words carried so far that for a moment they felt personal towards him and Makima, probably being a retaliation for his past actions.

He really didn't have an answer for that now, he could understand what Kishibe meant. Makima could be as good as she wanted to be now, but was there really a chance that she wouldn't do anything bad in the future? That is something that only time would tell.

"Hmm actually..."

They both turned their heads to face Quanxi who looked suspiciously calm about the situation.

"That's where our plan comes in" she said and Kishibe leaned back in his chair with a huff.

"Plan?" Hiro asked. "What plan?"

"Yes Quanxi" Kishibe looked at her with animosity which only amused the hunter "What plan?" he asked more like a demand.

Quanxi looked at Hiro with a smile "Remember when I asked you in the car if you could continue to be friends with Makima for the next ten years?"

"Um, yeah?"

"Well here's the thing" she leaned back on the table putting her elbows for support "I've been thinking about this plan ever since you told me about your situation with her. It turns out that if you follow the same pattern you've followed so far, it's likely that you, and only you, manage to reach her heart, if she really has one, but that will also have to be demonstrated, if you do, then she can become something better in a good way"

Hiro and Kishibe looked at each other blankly, the latter looking a bit alarmed "What do you mean?" Hiro asked, still not understanding what he was getting at.

Quanxi sighed "What I want to say is that until now you have been the only one who has shown her affection, you showed her what it feels like to be loved, right now for her you are probably the most special person in her life, I tell you considering that she never had anything like a friend, you are the first so the special thing is not taken away from you by anyone, so you will be someone she holds in high esteem all the time, so even if more people come to her life she will always put you first before everything"

Quanxi placed a hand on Hiro's shoulder and spoke as calm as pure so as not to upset him any more than he already was "Hiro don't you see? You are the only person who has managed to change something in her and if it's a good thing then you wouldn't have a problem changing her way of life"

It seemed that by this point Hiro was already understanding where she was headed with this idea "Do you want me to...?"

Quanxi nodded happily "Yes, if you continue to be her friend you can prevent her from going down the same path she took many years ago, she makes it clear that she really likes you so you won't have a problem staying as her friend. You can probably make her life in make this world more pleasant than it has ever been before, you told me that she doesn't know what it's like to have a family so this is the perfect opportunity to show her" her face seemed to become serious and for a few seconds she kept thinking and at the same time bitter memories of his adolescence came back.

Specifically from the time she spent being Yuna's experimental puppet.

"Yuna and the government don't see it that way and it's understandable why. The control devil is still a creature that came from the depths of hell after all, it can't be treated in the same way as a human being as if we hadn't forgotten about her entire history, they see Makima as a laboratory rat that they hope will be useful to them in the long term... But if you ask both of us, we believe that this is a double-edged sword, it is likely that Makima help the world of hunters in some way yes, but that won't stop her natural instincts from coming out, somehow it will and the blame for it all will fall on those who helped raise her."

She knew that Hiro was too young for this, putting a large load on his shoulders was not pleasant at all, despite this the boy had long ago shown a personal dedication to the things he set out to do, being a devil hunter was one of those goals that was recently met but she was also sure that if Hiro was brave enough this time more than ever, he could easily deal with this situation in the long run. Who knows he might even become a pro at demon taming.

Hiro was having a lot of mixed feelings right now, a lot of things to think about what is the right thing to do next and for the rest of his life "So... What you're saying is that I should just continue to be his friend and that way we could stop her from doing horrible things."

Quanxi nodded slowly "Yes, you can be that person who inspires her to change for the better and in the future she may become something no one has ever seen" she lowered her head only to look at the ground, Hiro couldn't see the expression of his face but he could notice the heaviness in his voice "This is more like... A bet that I have a lot of faith in and one that will only work if you put your mind to it, you have Doctor Yuna and the government against you but don't think about that when you act, just always think about what is right to do. I really think that you and only you can help us here, you would not only be doing her a favor... but the whole world "

She finally lifted her head and the look she gave Hiro showed all the sincerity in her earlier words "So I'll ask you again, do you think you can still be friends with Makima?"

Hiro was speechless upon hearing Quanxi's words deciding to stay still with a surprised look instead, everything they were saying to him had been too much to think about from the beginning but to hear from her own words that she had such faith in him that he could really change something, even if it was something insignificant in Makima's life, it had been touching and inspiring at the same time.

Is this what it felt like to be a hunter? That they placed so much faith and expectations in you that you felt it was almost impossible to fulfill them all?

Could he really help Makima change her way of life? Literally one day ago, he had proposed to be his friend and help her in any way he could so that she would feel what it was like to have a friend, because apparently that was what she had always longed for in their lives, or probably, being a reincarnation, that desire was born now with her... But could he really go that far and help her for 10 years?

He didn't know... And he didn't think it was possible.

On the other side of the table, Kishibe had been silent thinking about Quanxi's words. Was that really his whole plan? Sending Hiro directly into the jaws of the beast did not seem like a good idea, but Quanxi... His own partner with whom he had worked for many years was placing all her trust in the boy, it was Quanxi they were talking about, the woman with whom he was in love and to whom he would entrust his own life, she had full confidence that Hiro could help Makima not become a monster. The reason why Kishibe still didn't like this plan was because he was afraid that it would fail, which would lead to the death of the kid, Kishibe didn't want that... He had already seen so many people die in his life and he would never forgive himself if he allowed Hiro to die...

However, it seemed that at this point it was too late to continue worrying about it, Hiro was already a hunter in training and whether he wanted it or not, death would come to him at any moment in his life, the way Hiro had signed his sentence of death was debatable: It was probably from the time he refused to go to an orphanage, from the time he became friends with Makima, or from the time Yuna accepted him at the training center. In any case, it was useless to worry about the boy's well-being, and in a way he brought it on himself.

So with no alternative to oppose, Kishibe gave his point of view "Maybe she's right" Hiro looked in his direction, Quanxi didn't but her ear was still aware "You've said more than once that death doesn't scare you, and that you would die happy knowing that you saved at least one person, how about you start with Makima as you had previously proposed? It seems that the only thing we can do is help in any way we can so that you and her continue to be... Friends" he ended up looking the other way getting lost in his deepest thoughts wondering if he was really going to regret this, he missed the smile that Quanxi gave him.

Of course... Hiro had forgotten that part, even before he knew what Makima was capable of she had already made up his mind to help her however he could, even if the change wouldn't be noticeable on the first day. Hiro knew that it wasn't going to be easy at all, he had almost every possible chance against him but... It was worth trying, with that in mind he would have two tasks to accomplish in the next ten years: Become a hunter and prevent Makima would turn against everyone one day.

But could he really do it if he kept up the same pattern until now? Getting to know each other better? The first time that hadn't gone very well but that's what second chances in life were for and he was willing to take it.

Maybe he was too young for this, and a small part of him was still reluctant to follow this path but... There was a first time for everything, right? He could easily consider this his first mission as a devil hunter, which was to stop the control devil from killing them all.

It sounded easy.

Hiro looked at Quanxi with a look that ranged from determined, scared, excited and basically all the emotions that defined him "I'll do it"

0O0O

Present: Library of the training center.

Hiro wondered if it was a good idea to throw that revelation out of the blue, but if he was honest he was already tired of dragging things out longer than necessary so he took all his courage and pushed his shyness away as best he could to replace it with determination and go straight to the point.

Hiro couldn't understand the sudden feeling of pride that was born in him seeing Makima so surprised, he felt that for once he could be the one with the confidence and Makima be the one that is caught off guard, Hiro wasn't one to make fun but It didn't hurt to tease others once in a while, and if I could tease Makima more times to make her look vulnerable then it would be worth it...

Okay, that last one sounded very sinister.

'No Hiro, don't let it go to your head' he thought to himself not letting the world turn him into something that was more burnt than the sun itself.

(A/N: Cough* Cough* a cliché anime protagonist Cough*)

On the other side, it seemed that Makima was speechless, without a doubt it caught her off guard but it was to be expected, maybe that was what she was going to talk to him about but he decided to start it first, he was simply curious about her reaction.

Makima looked like she wanted to say something "Ah..." but the words still didn't come out, her heart was hammering in her chest with fear.

He knew... But since when? What would he say to her next?

Makima checked her features and didn't seem too affected about it, unlike herself who was already holding the chair bases tightly, the mouse on her shoulder had jumped to go somewhere other than her shoulder which had started to shake.

Humans...

"How do you... know?" Makima asked when she finally found her speech.

Hiro had his hands on the table and was moving his thumbs in circles as he thought of a way to explain it to her "Well... When you live with the devil hunter who killed the control devil you can come to know a lot of things"

Hiro easily missed that comment but for Makima it was very valuable information, until now she didn't know who was the hunter that murdered her ten years ago. Now some things made sense.

"But putting that aside for now... If there's one thing I want to highlight today, it's that" if Hiro remembered well the advice Quanxi gave him on Saturday, and avoided remembering Kishibe's advice (which hadn't worked for him before ) the next comment should be effective in some way that he didn't understand, but Quanxi claimed could work.

"You... You look so pretty today" he said with a smile, but inside he was madly wanting the ground to eat him up, and wondering if Quanxi's advice worked.

He got his answer when Makima blushed, a little pink blooming on her cheeks to show it, her eyes wide with wonder.

And Hiro was speechless at what he witnessed.

'Holy shit it really worked'

0O0O

Chapter premiered on wattpad on 5/31/2023

Wow 20 chapters and with this there are already 118k words written so far, congratulations on getting here champion, now rest.

I appreciate that you keep reading this thing that for some is a work of art and a love letter to fanfics XD well let's not exaggerate. But personally I'm proud of my work so far, yesterday this story turned two years old, two years in which I've done 20 damn chapters but now that I see all the words I've written it makes sense that I'm late in writing.

Some guy said some nice words to me about how good art takes time, damn that really encourages you to write and even though this isn't great, it's always an alternative to the rest of the Chainsaw Man content found on Wattpad or Fanfiction, it is for this reason that I did not stoop to posting this story only on Wattpad so that those who do like to read better worked and thought stories can enjoy it.

You can always tell me here what you think of this story, shit even if it's a comment for which you would get penalized XD but don't leave it to yourself, at the end of the day not everyone is perfect and I'm not an exception but see the review help me improve in all aspects. And you may not know it as readers, but the reviews and comments make us writers feel very pleased, it makes us really believe that someone is reading what they write.

Shit, not even my story is spared from my own complaints, sometimes I drag things out more than I should but then I think... it's part of the development it's part of the development... Someday it will be worth seeing all the way they did hiro and co. I must say that it has been a challenge trying to write Hiro to the best of my ability, being an OC character it's normal for this kind of thing to happen but sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing with him.

Anyway, see you guys, see you next time.