Chapter 1: Beast

Beneath the sky of crimson blood; amidst the wreckage of human civilisation, only one thing mattered; to be a predator and not prey. There was only hunger here; never-ending, never satiated. This wasn't her first visit to this place. The location would be the same, the cast would change but the carnage was consistent. A powerful, multi-limbed beast loomed over its victim; a smaller bipedal creature which shrieked in fear; all too well knowing its fate. Its malefactor, a writhing mass of scales, contorted its nightmarish visage, drooling ceaselessly from its grotesque maw; languishing in the pleasure of its power. The feminine creature it pinned to the ground used to have wings, wings that had been torn off in its futile attempt to escape. Its orifices were not built to contain the size of creature that violated it now. In this world there was no sanctity; a world of beasts, a world of death. As the vile monstrosity reached its masculine climax it celebrated by extending its Cheshire grin of fangs and biting its victims head off. It roared in sheer brutal triumph; only once there was nothing left other than a smear on the concrete did the beast finish its work and look to the distance; anticipating its next meal. And as she watched, she was both horrified and yet tantalisingly seduced.

A voice snapped Jun awake; she had nodded off again whilst sitting in her dressing room. She breathed heavily. The dream that had been interrupted had not been a pleasant one, nor were they an uncommon occurrence for her recently.

"I can't believe you've dozed off again Jun! This is like the third time this month," chided Asami; her regular make up artist, "And you've messed up your mascara. We've only got a few minutes, so sit still while I reapply it." Jun did as she was asked, grateful for the distraction so that her mind didn't dwell on that horrible dream.

"I'm sorry," she apologised half-heartedly. Asami sighed in resignation.

"You use that word way too much Jun. If you go out there like this now, I'd catch hell for it. Yuasa lets you get away with murder, you know." Jun involuntarily flinched; Asami saw her blushing in the mirror.

"I didn't mean anything by that," Asami sighed again, "I just ask you to be considerate; when someone has to make you up, at least don't ruin their work before you get on set." Jun was about to say 'I'm sorry' again before catching herself. She just nodded instead. Asami examined her work when she was finished. "It's not perfect; it's just going to have to do. You do look a little worse for wear; is there anything wrong, Jun?" Despite her lectures, Asami was a considerate woman, something Jun appreciated. Many of the other employees at the agency didn't really hide that they found her aloof, and some treated her more like a child.

"I'm fine, Asami, thanks. I just didn't sleep very well last night," Jun answered steadily, "I'll be all right." Asami tilted her head.

"You do seem to have a way of exceeding expectations when they put you in front of the camera." she mused, "Anyway, Keiko left your clothes on the table. I'll leave you to it, then. Bye." Jun waved after Asami, appreciative of what she just did. A glance at the clock on the wall though showed she was running several minutes late. She grabbed the garments off the table and quickly changed. She gave herself a once over in the mirror. Asami had done a good job repairing the damage that the impromptu nap had done. The clothes were impeccably designed; consisting of a crisp white leather jacket, a matching miniskirt and a velvet shirt that was designed to stand out when the jacket was left open at the neck; she liked the style very much. However, her dream had left her feeling somewhat distressed. She took a deep breath, pushed it all into the back of her mind and quickly practised a few poses. More than once in her career had she been described as plain by peers and some of the agencies she had applied to in the past. And it was true that her overall appearance wasn't immediately striking; her hair was very typical for a country girl, inoffensively auburn and straight. She never took risks with her appearance really, holding close to convention. It was her eyes that got her work, at least that's what some of the brutally honest higher-ups said, but they didn't mind since those eyes made them money. The short practice session helped ease her mind, and feeling satisfied she headed for the studio.

The photographer, Shoji Tanaka, greeted her warmly. The fact she was running late didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. He struck her as confidently masculine, handsome and quite enthusiastic. Kind of, a little too energetic for her tastes.

"Miss Fudo, your agent told me you're well versed in shoots like these; shall we get straight to business?" He asked her. The set was rather barebones, a white backdrop with a glass sitting table and matching chair.

"Uh, sure. Do you want any particular poses ?" Jun asked in return. Tanaka shook his head.

"I like to do things freestyle, and from the looks of you I think you'll do very well," he said with a glimmering smile that suggested he had been looking forward to this. Jun wished she felt more lively herself. Still this was what she did to pay her bills, so she wasted no more time; placing herself on display for the cameras. She projected her presence as best she could despite her inner torpor; and posed seductively. Tanaka's almost constant praise encouraged her to give increasingly inviting poses. At all times her eyes were transfixed on the camera lens. If there was anything that made her job easy, it was her fascination with being the object of attention. For some reason it brought something out of her that felt buried under intentional suppression. Deep down, she wanted to be seen, to be desired. It allowed her to be more fully herself, fully uninhibited. However, the voyeurism of the lens was safe, unobtrusive and completely objective. It wasn't the same as putting herself on show for other people; the difference between a Zoo and a Safari, perhaps. The camera lens was like a protective barrier; even with the man behind the camera.

"Come on now, chin up, smile!" Tanaka encouraged her, "You have the eyes of a heartbreaker, they need a mischevious grin to go along with them." Jun did her best to try and follow Tanaka's direction, leaning forward, leaning on her arm, and pulling her free hand through her hair. As she did so, she concentrated; she heard her own heart beat, and the slow exhausting of her breath. Tanaka's words started to phase into the background, and she could hear his heart beat. She could hear his blood flow. She licked her lips. "Now that look is something else, how about you keep that, sit down, and lean fully on the table," Tanaka continued instructing, "And just give me that gaze." As Jun did as asked, she felt she could smell everything around her, in a way she'd never experienced before. Tanaka's aftershave, her own perfume, Tanaka's musk; her agent's cologne. The scents underneath all that. She began to salivate. She also noticed something off. Someone... there's someone else here, who? Before she could really consider her errant thought, Tanaka rapid fired several pose instructions, causing her to focus on keeping up. After about a wrapped up the shoot. His heart pounded, Jun could hear it. His job clearly excited him.

"Feel free to take a seat. I just need to go talk to your agent about something," Tanaka said, and as Jun took his suggestion, heading to a leather sofa set up next to the set. She sighed and let her body's tension relax. The sounds and scents she could accutely sense faded from her awareness. She didn't pay particular attention to what her agent and the photographer were saying. After a short while the conversation ended and Yuasa approached her. He was an unassuming man, always dressed in shale coloured suits and wearing his glasses. He was diligent, impeccible when it came to ettiquette, and yet very approachable.

"Tanaka told me you did a great job, Jun," he smiled, "Also, he asked if you would be interested in going out for dinner with him." Jun looked towards Tanaka, who was lighting a cigarette. "His career has really been taking off lately. He has several portfolios lined up for the spring. It could be beneficial for both of you." Yuasa didn't lose a step when Jun's face gave him his answer.

"I'm really sorry," Jun said. Yuasa sat down with her. Saying yes would have benefited all involved in terms of business, she was aware of that. And Yuasa didn't insult her intelligence when he made requests like this. But that awareness wasn't even really the reason she said no.

"No, it's fine, was worth a try though. Think nothing of it," he reassured her.

"You're too good to me, Yuasa." He shrugged nonchalantly.

"Nonsense, it's my job to look after you. I'll never push you to do anything you don't want to do. Let me just go smooth things out with Tanaka then, I'll just be a few minutes." Jun watched from her seat as Yuasa told the photographer something she lacked the confidence to do herself. It made her feel rather pathetic and sorry for herself. She was like a completely different beast during the shoot, almost hungry in a way for the lens, wanting to... wanting to what exactly? She wasn't sure. When Yuasa returned, he took her by the hand like the gentleman he was. She followed him to the elevator, too bashful to want to look back at Tanaka. They both entered, and just as Yuasa pressed the button for the underground garage, and the lift doors began to shut that Jun felt a sudden chill down her spine; a feeling that unwelcome eyes were watching her. There was that misplaced scent earlier, it seemed she might not have been imagining it. She couldn't be certain but she had suspicions that she was being stalked by someone with blonde hair and blue eyes. She had had similar flashes over the past few weeks and they had always led to a similar sensation; but was she just being paranoid? She had mentioned it to Yuasa in passing but he had always maintained that a person fitting that description would be hard to miss. It was just a fact that such characteristics were rare in Japan, and someone like that would have trouble not being noticed.

"Is there something wrong Jun? You seem lost in thought." Yuasa asked with gentle concern in his voice as they descended in the elevator.

"It's nothing Yuasa. I've just been a bit flaky today because I haven't had so much sleep lately. I'm sure it's nothing," she put on what she hoped was a resolute smile. The working day wasn't done after all as that had been her morning slot. She followed on whilst asking Yuasa about his week.

Jun boarded her train home at Shinjuku station, along with dozens of others. It was always a draining experience making her way through the mass of commuters every workday. It was also an entirely different experience from the nature of her profession, where she was paid to be the centre of attention. Among the masses here, going about their everyday lives, she was but a drop in the ocean. In some ways that was liberating; but other times she could feel the pressure around her, as if she really was fighting to not drown. It was particularly stressful when she had first moved to Tokyo, but over time she had come to adapt. And she had made a friend, who would be boarding the train back from her school right about now.

"I see you were able to hold a seat for me, nice!" Kazumi Takiura said by way of greeting.

"Well, this time you were quick enough," Jun replied, moving her bag to let her friend sit down. Kazumi was an eighteen year old school student, and a part-time reader model. Cute and boisterous, she was Jun's only close friend. They had met when Kazumi had accidentally entered Jun's locker room when they were both in the building for different shoots they were both participating in; some might have considered this a faux pas but Jun had invited her in when Kazumi said she was a big fan. It also might have had something to do with the fact that Jun simply found her presence too uplifting to send away. She rather liked the idea of someone looking up to her, and they had been close ever since.

"So how did the job go?" Kazumi asked.

"It went well. I liked the clothes," Jun said, before sighing, "But I didn't think to ask for a complimentary set again."

"Jun," Kazumi groaned, "You practically wouldn't have to buy any clothes if you actually took advantage of your position. I don't see how anybody would say no to you. I'm sure I'd get brushed off, because I'm just a part timer. We don't get any of the perks."

"I doubt it's as easy as that," Jun replied. What she left unsaid, as she thought back to her conversation with Yuasa, is that not all the "perks" were innocent. She was fortunate in that she had Yuasa as her agent; he was strictly professional, honest to a fault and very understanding. But she knew from experience that not everyone in the industry was like that, and her main worry for Kazumi was that her path would have more pitfalls.

"I doubt anything seems easy till you at least try it," Kazumi suggested with a mock smile.

"Maybe," Jun admitted, "Anyway, how was school today?" Kazumi yawned, and said,

"The usual, nothing very exciting."

"And your folks?" Jun asked, also expecting a fairly generic answer. Kazumi never tended to talk about either subject in detail.

"They're fine, they still have me under curfew though. Seriously, I'll be glad to get out of there. Just two more years, hopefully." Jun didn't really know how to take Kazumi's attitude about her parents. Jun had been raised by her mother and grandfather in a small village on the outskirts of Kanto, near Sendai. Her decision to leave had been in many ways hard, but she had done it to pursue what she really wanted to do. Leaving the family home had still been a difficult decision up until the day she left. Kazumi had designs on fleeing the nest from quite a young age it seemed. Was it a difference between being a countryside child versus a city child? She had never enquired too deeply into Kazumi's personal life mainly because Kazumi was always rather evasive about it. Jun had her suspicions why that was. She wasn't oblivious to the fact that Kazumi was six years her junior; nor to the fact that they shared professions. It was likely that other people in Kazumi's life didn't really approve of their friendship. If there were any issues, Kazumi definitely didn't want to open up about them, and it didn't seem fair to force her.

"Just another couple of years, then I'll be like you Jun, working real clothes, walking the aisles, really being noticed," Kazumi enthused.

"I think the clothes you model just now are really cute," Jun replied.

"Cute is for Hello kitty and kid sisters, I want to be..." Kazumi paused for a second, seemingly looking for the best way to say what she wanted to say, "desireable." Jun stayed silent, not quite sure how to respond. It's not as if she knew exactly what she wanted from this job any more, even if she thought she wanted something when she entered it. The one thing she had noticed was the look in Kazumi's eyes when she had said her ultimate goal; it was clear that in her eyes, Jun was desirable. And Jun wasn't sure how she felt about that. Luckily the train came to a halt before the silence grew awkward and Jun picked up her bag, following Kazumi off the train.

"Are you heading straight home?" Jun asked as they ascended the stairs to the street level.

"Yeah, I have to. Dad'll kill me if I break curfew again."

"That bad?" Jun asked, wondering what Kazumi had done to draw the patriarchal wrath.

"I've been late home a few times lately. He really doesn't like that. It's not fair, if you ask me," Kazumi grumbled, "Just another reason to finish school I guess, put that behind me."

"He obviously worries about you," Jun suggested. Kazumi sighed.

"I think he worries less about me than what I do." A voice spoke over the train's PA system confirming that the train's next destination was Kazumi's stop. She collected her things and stood up. "Anyway, I guess this is where we split for today. Do you still want to go for dinner tomorrow evening like we talked about?"

"Sure, I can do it after work. And that's one thing that you will need to get used to if you start full-time modelling, Kazumi," Jun put on her best sage tone, "If the agency wants to drag you out to Akihabara at the weekend; well, you'll just have to go." Kazumi shrugged.

"Then at least I'd get to spend my weekends outside," not hiding the humorous grudge in her voice.

A few hours after her arrival at her apartment complex, Jun found herself channel surfing at a later hour than she usually stayed didn't have work early the following day, just an afternoon gig. Nothing on the television had drawn her attention in any significant way, and she had begun to fall into a bored stupor. Without realising it she began to look out the window. Something was there, off in the distant sky. She rubbed her eyes, thinking at first she was seeing things, but sure enough there was something odd although it was too far away to really tell. It had wings, but was shaped like no bird she had ever seen. It looked almost like a gargoyle. It flew across her vision, it had to be flying fairly low for the streetlights to actually render it visible. Eventually it disappeared from sight entirely. Her fixation came to an end when a knock sounded at her apartment's door. Immediately Jun felt butterflies in her stomach. Nobody knocked on her door this late at night. There was something ominous about it as well. Slowly she walked towards her door and looked through the peep hole. She felt her heart beat accelerate when she saw who was on the other side; a blonde haired woman with intimidating, sky blue eyes.

"Who, who are you? Why have you knocked on my door this late at night?" Jun stammered without opening the door. The woman smirked.

"My name is Lan Asuka. I want you to come with me. I have something to show you, something about yourself that you only grasp deeply inside. Open the door, Jun."

Every instinct Jun had screamed not to do as she was asked, to lock the door and to pretend that none of this was happening. But she opened it. The woman who now stood in front of her was an imposing presence, her piercing blue eyes simply stared into Jun's, never wavering.

"Now get your coat, and let's be on our way," said in a voice that expected compliance. Somehow, Jun could not defy it.

Jun simply had no understanding of why she allowed herself to be persuaded to go with a complete stranger. Yet she was in the strangers car being driven to God knows where. And this stranger had knowledge of her name and her address on top. Her hair and eye colour was too much of a coincidence.

"You've been stalking me, Lan Asuka. You were at work today," Jun finally worked up the courage to say.

"My, you do have some capability to observe your surroundings. I was starting to think there was nothing inside your head, dear." The taunting, and inappropriately familiar tone incensed Jun inwardly but she couldn't find a reply. Asuka's red Ferrari was taking her in the direction of the bay. The roads were still fairly busy despite the time of night, Jun was sure it was after midnight now.

"What on earth is this all about?" She asked from the back seat.

Asuka regarded Jun through the rearview mirror.

"Tell me, Jun, have you ever thought about evolution?" Asuka paused, then continued as Jun stayed silent, "I for one, fear we may have ceased to evolve. We build our great cities and covet our civilisation but the reality is that we have ceased changing, and because of that; we're a doomed species."

"I don't have any idea what you're talking about, and I don't see what any of it has to do with me," Jun whined, frustrated with the blonde woman's stoicism.

"It has everything to do with you, Jun. The genes you've been born with have defined you whether you accept it or not." Jun didn't know what to say to that. The rest of the journey carried on in silence until Asuka pulled up near a warehouse on the docks. Jun wasn't particularly familiar with the route Asuka had taken, and she didn't really know exactly where they were. One warehouse in Tokyo Bay could be any. She joined Asuka outside of the car; from where they stood was a clear view of the water.

"Well, we're here, and this place is about as unpleasant as you. Why did you bring me here? I won't ask again." Asuka smiled, and pointed towards a small service entrance into the nearest warehouse.

"You want me to go in there?" Jun asked uneasilly

"Its more about what you want," Asuka answered enigmatically. Jun's rational mind screamed at her that she should walk away right now. Yet there was something inside her that felt almost excited. There was a scent in the air, something new, yet familiar. It was musky, pungent, like the presence of a wild animal. She couldn't stop herself, and entered the portal.

Before her was a shadowy portrait of corrugated metal and rust. Light stands were set up in the darkness, and though she could barely see them, she didn't find it particularly difficult to avoid knocking them over. The clanging of chains emanated from further inside, discordant with heavy breathing. Somebody was in here. Her muscles tensed as she moved closer, until she could make out some details of the man chained up to a steel post. His heavy breathing never wavered, and now they were accompanied by sounds of uncontrolled drooling. The scent emanating from him had saturated the place. Suddenly, the area was bathed in light. Jun could see now that besides the light stands, several cameras had been set up. What was all this? For what purpose had it been set up?

"I imagine this is rather different work from what you're used to doing," the voice of Lan Asuka emanated from somewhere, "As for the creature we have chained up, imagine him as your colleague for the evening."

"Hello, who are you?" Jun asked the man fearfully. "Why have they chained you up?" The man did not answer, and instead started growling like a feral dog. Jun was startled, and frozen with fear. She watched as the man changed; his body warping before her. His ears lengthened, his mass bloated grotesquely, and with a roar he shattered his chains. Jun was no longer able to contain her fear and she screamed. She ran back to the door, now sealed and banged on it ceaselessly, screaming to be let out. Her salvation was not to be, and she turned to be presented with the sight of a monster, a werewolf out of nightmares that had to be three times her size. It howled with what sounded like pleasure as it stalked her. As it made its approach Jun screamed louder and banged on the door harder; but there was no answer. Instead, unimaginable pain coursed through her body as a hellish claw lashed out, scoring across her back.

"Please, please stop," Jun cried weakly, as she lay on the ground, now barely able to move. Through her fear she heard a voice. A cold, measured voice, emanating from speakers somewhere in the shadows. The voice of Lan Asuka.

"What's it to be Jun? This creature craves your blood. Are you just going to sit there and let it kill you?" Desperately, she tried to crawl and pick herself up but the creatures arcing claws continued to carve up her back. She was helpless as the creature grabbed both her legs by the calfs with one monstrously giant clawed hand and pulled her. The creatures lupine face filled her vision, and she could feel the heat of its rancid breath. Its tongue snaked along her cheek and forced her head forward as she tried to look away. She could feel it's unbearable bloodlust and insatiable heat. Its eyes regarded her with complete nonchalance. She was just a piece of meat to it. The creature dug its claws into her left abdomen and the pain reached an impossible climax. Jun felt her life force slip away, away, fading into the dark. Until she discovered a small ember, a flickering light inside her. Etched upon this ember of will were the words; this creature will not kill me. Her eyes snapped open, and she realised she could feel her blood smeared all over her body. She smiled.

"There it is, in your eyes, dear. It's in your eyes." Jun found herself suddenly re-energised, her prior agonies forgotten and her body able to act to her will's demands. Instinctively she swiped a hand defensively against the wolf creatures side. She felt wetness on her fingers; she had dug right into its flesh, and the pain and shock made it stagger back. She stood up, panting heavily but feeling elated. The wolf monster didn't seem so big all of a sudden. It didn't seem so dangerous anymore. In anger and surprise the creature rushed her, and Jun shot forth an arm right into its gaping mouth. She immobilised the creatures entire jaw with ease. It tried to grasp her wrist in order to break her grip. Jun simply tightened it harder, and as the creature struggled she grabbed its other flailing arm and tore it off in a splatter of blood. What a weak, pitiful creature this was. It collapsed, crimson liquid streaming from the shattered remnants of its arm stump. Jun simply tossed her trophy down, and bathed in the pleasure of the kill.

Suddenly the warehouse was bathed in light, returning Jun's full awareness back to her and with it, her shame. She didn't understand what had just happened to her, or how that wolf monster was now a broken mess before her. She was covered in its blood, her hands were slick with it. They were also completely covered in hair. And as she raised her hands to look at them, on the ends of her fingers were now sharp claws.

"What... what am I?" Her eyes filled with tears. An armoured squad of men had entered the warehouse and began cleaning up the area, ignoring Jun. Their presence however made her aware that she was standing taller than any of them. She felt she must be over seven feet tall, at least, and looking down her transformed body she realised that she actually stood completely naked. She turned away from them covering her breasts with her arms.

"What are you Jun, my dear?" The voice of Asuka purred. Jun turned to see her approaching, just as the squad of armoured men efficiently carried the corpse of the wolf creature out of the warehouse, "I've given some thought to what you should be called. The more superstitious among the organisation I represent have taken to calling these transformations Devil Beast Syndrome. But that seems woefully inadequate for what you are. You're not just some lowly beast, that much is obvious to anyone."

"I don't know why this is happening to me! I mean, why me? I'm just a model, a country girl," Jun replied, "Nobody special." Her words fell flat even to herself, considering the state of her body.

"Look at yourself, Jun. It's clear you are very special indeed. You have the powerful body of a Demon, yet the frail heart of a human. A Devilman."

"D- devilman?" Jun stammered, "No, this can't be real, I am not a Demon. I am not." Jun said the words, trying to make yourself believe them. She fell to her knees, her body well on its way to reverting fully back into her human form. Asuka pincered Jun's chin and forced her to gaze clearly into her crystal blue eyes.

"Accept it, this is your reality now. The purpose of your life will be to fight for the human race. You will be my obedient hunting dog. Unlike you, most devil beasts are no better than animals, and exist only to prey upon the weak. Your unique status makes you ideal for this task. And frankly," Asuka said disdainfully as she ran her fingers through the demon blood still covering Jun's body, still covering her hands, "I think you enjoyed what you did here tonight." Jun wanted to deny it. But she knew that denial was just as futile as a desire to not become what she had just become. Asuka wrapped Jun with her coat as men in white scrubs cleaned up the scene. Before she could say anything further, she was interrupted by her radio.

"Yes? Is there a problem?" Asuka froze. "What do you mean, it's not dead? Hello? Hello!"

A crashing sound emanated from side the warehouse. It was then followed by rhythmic, thundering stomps.

"Something's gone terribly wrong..." Asuka said tentatively. They listened as the ominous sounds grew louder, and then the violent battering against the large corrugated iron shutters at the front of the warehouse.

They watched in horror as giant wolf claws tore through the bottom of the shutters and began pulling them up. The werewolf was back, only now it's size was a mockery of physics. The beast spoke with a primordial voice, and it spoke directly to Jun, its eyes piercing hers.

"You have betrayed your own kind with this assault. For this transgression, kindred, I sentence you to death." With the judgement rendered it brought one of its titanic paws smashing down upon Jun. Asuka was thrown back by the force, and she practically fell into the arms of two of her accompanying soldiers. They dragged her out of the building through the work entrance where she met with Major Masayoshi Yamazaki, the group commander.

"We made a grave miscalculation here, Asuka. We need to scrub the operation and possibly carpet bomb the area to kill that beast. Hunter J is a loss, you're going to have to find somebody else." Asuka argued back.
"No, you don't get it, finding somebody who meets the specifications we need is going to be almost impossible. We may never find another like her."

"With all due respect, if she dies here, then what good is she to us?" Yamazaki pointed out. Asuka stared back at the warehouse. She had not calculated things to end this way. It wasn't her will.

"Jun, don't let it end like this," she said under her breath. As tense seconds passed, the entire warehouse collapsed. Some force had rocked the giant wolf creature and sent it staggering back. As the smoke cleared and helicopters trained search lights onto the remnants of the warehouse, an incredible shape towered dozens of feet from the ground. Jun stood among the wreckage, having fully transformed back into her devil form. Only this time her size more than matched the wolf creature before her. Her overall mass had increased by a factor of ten. As she stepped out of the crushed remnants of the warehouse; she crushed one of the military trucks under her foot leaving only a scant few seconds for men in the proximity to evade her descending leg. Jun observed the miniature harbour before her. She found herself amused with all the little people running away from her. But, she had her eyes set on a different quarry. She locked eyes with the wolf demon, hers golden to its purple. A few tense seconds passed, before in an explosion of raw kinetic fury, they charged one another.

"The idea of these beasts growing to such proportions was only theoretical," Yamazaki said dumbfounded, "I sincerely hope Asuka, that you haven't opened Pandora's box, trying to recruit this woman. You said yourself in the briefing that we have no way of knowing of how strong she might be. " Asuka shook her head.

"But now we've seen proof of just how powerful these creatures can be; it only makes it all the more important that we can match and surpass it with our own hunters." She surveyed Jun's body and licked her lips. The woman possessed such power, and beauty.

Don't lose yourself completely Jun. At least not until we're done with you.

The two titans grappled with one another, and as they shifted around during the struggle, they crashed into another warehouse and completely destroyed it.

"Asuka, we've established a secure perimeter, but we weren't prepared for this kind of escalation," Yamazaki informed her after he finished making the necessary calls, "If this is the sort of thing we're dealing with; I don't know how long we'll be able to contain it." Asuka nodded in agreement.

"I know, and we'll cross that bridge when we have to." The soldiers fired their rifles at the wolf beast but they had almost no effect. This development had not been taken into account and they were not armed to deal with it adequately. Their only hope was the fashion model that had become a giant monster herself.

Jun forced her arms out of the stalemated knuckle lock With a roar she kicked the creature in the pit of its stomach. As it fell back and stumbled into the water, Jun lept forward and landed upon the creature as it attempted to stand back up. She rained punches down upon its grotesque skull. Jun found herself elated in a way she could never have imagined before. Her enemy was almost defeated and all that was left was the coup de grace. The wolf roared in agony and was entirely helpless when Jun grabbed hold of both sides of its head and wrenched it clean from the body. She tossed the head into the water and roared in triumph. Asuka glared in awe.

You have become a great, and terrible being Jun Fudo.

With a mighty stride, Jun climbed back onto the wharf.

"Hold your positions, everyone!" Yamazaki yelled, "We don't know if she is friend or foe. Asuka, if she turns on us we'll have no other choice but to carpet bomb the entire area. We can't let her into the city. She could do untold damage and there would be no covering it up."

"Do as you must, Major," Asuka replied. Yamazaki's men, though brave and committed soldiers, couldn't entirely hide their trepidation as monstrous footsteps boomed closer and a towering shadow loomed over them. The beast's heavy breathing was rhythmic, but she had paused. Asuka wondered just precisely what was going on inside the mind of the great Demon before them. Jun's eyes then cleared of the mist of rage that had been driving her, and her expression tightened as she looked down at her mountainous body. Then, She raised her bloodied hands, and clasped them to her head. A deafening shriek of agony emanated from deep within her throat.

She realises. She sees what she's become. And then, as suddenly as she cried out, her body began to shrink, and fully revert back to her frail human form. She fell unconscious amid a pool of the blood that had previously dripped from her titanic body; blood she had just didn't hide his relief.

"Well now; you have your pet monster. I sincerely hope you can keep her under control," he told Asuka, before ordering two of his men to gently pick Jun up and carry her. The soldiers handled her with the same grace and trepidation as if they were carrying a motion sensitive bomb. They carried her to a waiting ambulance as Asuka and Yamazaki followed.

"She'll be invaluable to our cause, Major. This I promise you." Yamazaki grunted incredulously. He looked at Jun Fudo's unconscious form lying on the stretcher.

"If I were the Devil, walking on this Earth, I would probably take a form that appeared as harmless as this." He then stormed off, yelling at Asuka behind him "Remember, we'll have to be the ones to clean up whatever destruction that creature leaves in her wake." Asuka didn't respond. She placed a hand on Jun's forehead.

"Sleep well. For this is only the beginning."