"Each of us is our own devil, and by that we make this world our hell."—Oscar Wilde
The door swung open.
Maru entered casually, with Tetsu following right behind. They stepped into a place called Cherry's—a retro diner with a heavy American vibe, complete with a jukebox humming in the corner.
Maru slid into a booth in the back like it was routine. Tetsu sat across from him. A waitress approached to take their order… but the second she laid eyes on Maru, she smacked him on the head.
Maru: "What the hell was that for?! Don't you wanna see your big bro?!"
??? (Aoi): "Like hell I do, idiot!! And who's the freak you dragged in with you this time?! Another one of your psycho coworkers?! ANSWER ME, YUUJI MARUYAMA!!"
Tetsu: "Uh… Maru… who's this very angry young lady?"
Maru: "S-She's my little sister. Aoi. Aoi Maruyama. She's… extremely violent."
Aoi: "Shut it! Are you ordering or not?!"
Maru: "I'll have the usual… And the kid—give him some pancakes."
Aoi: "Whatever. But don't blow up half the kitchen again! And where's the chainsaw psycho and the little gremlin?"
Maru: "Uh… they stayed home today."
Aoi rolled her eyes and disappeared into the kitchen. Silence fell over the table.
Maru: "Don't mind her. She's got a short fuse. But hey, now's a good time—go ahead and ask me anything. I'll try to clear things up for you."
Tetsu: "Well… I think I'd like to know what the Committee actually is."
Maru: "Right. The Committee is a global organization run by the government. It was formed after the first Fallen appeared. Their job is to recruit agents and Errants to hunt and wipe out Fallen."
Tetsu: "Didn't feel too friendly when they picked me up."
Maru: "Yeah… the boss can be a little... eccentric. Sorry about that…"
Aoi (offscreen): "Here! Your stupid food, dumbasses!!"
She slammed two plates down—one with a standard American breakfast: eggs and bacon. The other? A literal mountain of pancakes.
Maru: "Alright, I've got a question for you now. You're an Errant. How do you feel about that? Does it hurt? Freak you out?"
Tetsu: "Hmm… I don't really know. I guess… yeah, it's scary sometimes. But I wouldn't say I hate it. It's just… I feel different. I became an Errant after losing my best friend. I miss him a lot."
Maru: "…Got it."
Tetsu: "What about you? Are you an Errant too?"
Maru: "Nah. I'm just a normal human. Well… 'normal' might be a stretch. I fight with these katanas on my back."
He nodded toward the twin swords wrapped in white cloth strapped across his back. Only the deep crimson hilts stuck out, with two navy-blue ribbons tied at the ends.
Maru: "Now here's something important—Errants need energy to maintain their form. That's why you ran out of steam in the coliseum. Every Errant has their own way of powering up, but today, we're going with the universal fuel… sugar."
SLAM.
He stacked the pancakes even higher and doused them in maple syrup, chocolate chips, and strawberry jam before handing them to Tetsu.
Tetsu blinked, still processing all this… then grabbed a pancake and started devouring them one by one.
Maru: "Alright, enough serious talk. I wanna get along with you, so I've got a real question now… Tetsu… WHAT KIND OF GIRLS DO YOU LIKE?!"
Tetsu: "W-WHAT?! I-I MEAN… I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT IT BUT… UH… I GUESS… TALL WOMEN… WITH NICE BODIES…?"
Maru: "…Okay yeah, that was too much. Even for me. Sorry, kid."
The two silently vowed to never speak of this again.
Tetsu: "That masked man… who is he?"
Maru: "Oh, the boss? His name's Johann. But you probably caught that—he was yelling it during your fight. He's German. Don't judge him by his personality—he's actually terrifyingly smart and seriously dangerous—"
BOOM.
The roof caved in.
Something massive had crashed through, leaving the whole place a wreck. Patrons screamed and fled in panic.
Everyone… except for Maru and Tetsu.
Maru stood calmly, drawing one of his katanas. From the rubble emerged a grotesque creature—like a humanoid mechanical wasp, its wings dripping with yellow blood. But the worst part… was that its half-intact face still looked human.
Maru: "Guess you got stung. I know it hurts… so let me put you down gently. Tetsu, stay back. I'll handle this."
Tetsu: "R-Right!"
The creature lunged—but before it even got close, Maru sliced it clean in half. His katana blazed with intense blue flames. Blood and twisted mechanical guts sprayed everywhere, soaking the walls and floor.
AGENT CLASSIFICATION: MARUYAMA YUUJISpecial Ability: BURNING HEARTThanks to a pact with the entity known as The Collector, Maru can ignite his swords in fire. The intensity, size, and color of the flames are tied directly to his emotional state and ego. The more enraged or full of himself he is, the more fiercely the flames burn—with a signature electric-blue glow.
Aoi (from kitchen): "YUUJI MARUYAMA!! I TOLD YOU NOT TO DESTROY THE PLACE!! AND YOU GOT GUTS AND BLOOD ALL OVER ME, YOU BASTARD!!"
Maru: "W-Wait, I can explain—"
Aoi launched a full beatdown on her brother, smacking him over and over again.
Tetsu watched in awe. Honestly, this was all still new to him.
Maru: "S-Sorry, Aoi! We gotta run—there might be a hive nearby. Tetsu, let's go!!"
They burst out the door. In the sky above, a massive swarm of mechanical bees circled… led by a monstrous queen bee.
Tetsu: "Mr. Maru, sorry if this is a dumb question, but… what do you mean 'infected'? And what is that swarm?"
Maru: "There are different types of Beast-class Fallen. This one's Insect-type. Bee-class, specifically. If they sting you or inject venom into your neck, you turn. Full-on mindless drone."
Tetsu: "Got it!!"
Maru: "I might need your help for this. Can you still transform?"
Tetsu: "Uh… I think so."
Maru: "Good. Here's the plan: I'll roast the worker bees. You take out the queen. Clear?"
Tetsu: "Crystal!!"
Maru drew his second sword. Both lit up in a blazing blue glow. He leapt skyward, slicing into the swarm. Every bee he touched ignited in a burst of flame.
The queen roared and lunged at him, aiming her massive stinger straight for his neck. But Maru spun midair, severing it in a flash. She shrieked and retaliated with a blow that sent him crashing to the ground.
Maru: "KID!! WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! TRANSFORM!!"
Tetsu: "R-Right!! ACTIVATE!!"
A deep metallic thrum echoed from his chest.
Metal around him twisted and spun toward him, fusing painfully with his skin. Tetsu didn't flinch. When the fusion stopped, he stood tall—his full Errant form steaming and armored, with turbine exhaust vents hissing from his back.
Maru: "Your turn, kid! I'll cover you!"
Tetsu: "YES, SIR!!"
Maru launched into the air again, roasting the remaining bees. The queen, now alone, tried to flee.
Too late.
Tetsu shot upward and sliced her clean in half with the blade on his arm. Purple blood exploded through the sky. Her body crashed to the ground in metallic pieces.
Silence.
Only the sound of steam hissing from Tetsu's vents remained. He was splattered head to toe in blood.
Maru: "Nice work, kid… Not bad for your first mission."
He raised a hand for a high five.
Tetsu tried to respond… but collapsed.
Steam poured out of him. His armor melted away, his body reverting to human form.
Tetsu: "Mr. Maru… I think I tore the clothes you gave me…"
Maru: "Don't sweat it, kid. That happens all the time. Now rest—your energy's shot. If you don't, your core might overload."
He hoisted Tetsu over his shoulder and carried him back to the apartment.
Later...
Maru: "I'm back, kid."
He walked in and found Tetsu asleep on the floor.
Maru sighed and bent down to carry him to bed—but before he could, the apartment door exploded off its hinges.
Scalpels shot through the air straight at him. He snatched up the TV and used it as a shield.
Tetsu: "What the hell?! We're under attack?!"
Maru: "You really love trying to kill me, don't you?"
Standing in the now-destroyed doorway were two figures:
A towering woman in a blood-soaked nurse outfit, skin as pale as a corpse, honey-yellow eyes glowing with madness. She held an absolutely massive chainsaw drenched in purple blood.
And beside her… a little girl around 7–10 years old. Bronze hair and eyes. School uniform. A tiny backpack with a rabbit keychain bouncing at her side.
??? (Mina): "I just like trying to kill you, Shigeru!!"
??? (Chimo): "We're back, you old geezer!!"