Tokyo, Rental Apartment
Renji Kuroda slowly woke up, still groggy from sleep.
"Ugh… it's so bright. Did I forget to close the curtains yesterday?"
Sunlight poured directly through the window, making his eyes sting. But too lazy to get up, Renji simply turned over, curled on his side, and tried to sink back into his dreams.
"It's a holiday today. No one's ruining my sleep."
He had every intention of dozing off again—until his stomach growled, loud and insistent. With a sigh of defeat, Renji sat up, rubbing his eyes, and began the sluggish process of getting dressed.
A yawn slipped out as he mumbled, "Haaa~ it's day sixty-eight since I transmigrated into the world of Chainsaw Man. Also day sixty-eight of cursing that damned goddess, Eris."
Yes—Renji Kuroda was a transmigrator. Sixty-eight days ago, while walking home, he was suddenly consumed by a burst of white light. When his vision cleared, a beautiful goddess stood before him.
With a graceful smile, she said,"Mr. Kuroda, you've been transmigrated."
"Eh?"
"The world you're going to isn't just any alternate reality—it's a patchwork of countless anime worlds~ And…"Eris leaned in closer, lifting her flowing skirt ever so slightly to reveal her fair, bare feet. She tiptoed over, her voice soft as silk.
"…it's an all-female world~ All the male characters from those anime? Genderbent. Every single one."
"Your mission is to uncover the truth of this world and eventually defeat the Demon King. So—ready or not, here you go!"
Before Renji could protest, she clapped her hands. Another flash of white light—and then he was here.
That was sixty-eight days ago.
Still yawning, Renji shuffled to the kitchen, only to find his fridge completely empty.
"…Right. I ate everything last night."
He scratched his head. "Guess I've got no choice. Time to hit the convenience store."
After throwing on some clothes, he left the apartment.
"I just hope today goes by peacefully… Please, no Devil attacks in broad daylight."
In this version of reality—within the Chainsaw Man universe—humans and Devils coexisted. In just over two months, Renji had already lived through two Devil rampages: the Cucumber Devil and the Eel Devil. Both encounters were traumatizing beyond words. Not only were the creatures grotesquely surreal, but for reasons unknown, they'd also been absurdly strong. The imagery still haunted him—like watching an avant-garde horror film with a Hollywood-level production budget.
Having bought a rice ball and some instant coffee from the corner store, Renji stood at a crosswalk, casually glancing toward the looming structure of Keio Department Store across the street.
"This traffic light is ridiculously slow."
—BOOM!!!
A thunderous explosion tore through the air. A mushroom cloud erupted from the heart of the mall, turning the sky above a churning gray. Shockwaves slammed through the streets like a hurricane. Renji's clothes flapped violently from the pressure.
Screams filled the street. People scattered in every direction.
"Just my luck. A Devil, and in broad daylight too!"
From the fiery ruins of the mall, a massive black shadow surged into the sky. It was bloodied, scorched, and hideous—its shape blurred against the flames.
"Bat Devil!"
Renji recognized it instantly. The Bat Devil flapped unsteadily, its wings jerking erratically. And then, on one of its massive claws—
Renji squinted.There was someone hanging there.
A woman, clearly part of Public Safety's Devil Extermination Division. Her weapon was embedded in the Bat Devil's claw, and she clung to it with both hands, body dangling in the air.
The Bat Devil faltered. Both it and the woman plummeted from the sky.
Glancing once at the fleeing crowd, then at the direction she'd fallen, Renji clenched his jaw and dashed over.
He found her buried in a mound of rubble.
"Hayakawa… Hayakawa Aki?!"
His eyes widened. It was exactly as Eris had said—this world was populated only by women, even those who had originally been men.
The woman beneath the debris had unmistakable features: a familiar sharpness in the eyes, a solemn beauty. Her long hair, no longer tied back, fell loosely over her face. Though pinned under massive chunks of concrete, there was no mistaking her.
This was Hayakawa Aki—transformed, yes, but undoubtedly her.
Renji Kuroda rushed forward, crouching beside the injured woman and desperately pushing aside the heavy slabs of concrete pinning her down.
"Hey! What are you doing here?! Civilians should evacuate—this place is too dangerous!"
"Save your breath," Renji said through gritted teeth. "I'm here to get you out."
Before she could respond, a deafening boom echoed through the street. The Bat Devil, thought to be downed, suddenly rose again with a furious shriek, its massive wings kicking up a whirlwind as it launched itself back into the sky.
Its grotesque, warped face scanned the area—and in an instant, its eyes locked on Renji.
"Damn it… damn it! I'll swallow you both whole!"
Its voice slurred as if its tongue had been shredded, and the hatred in its howl was unmistakable. With a shriek, it dove straight at them, monstrous jaws wide open.
Renji's heart pounded. There was no time to run. He hadn't meant to play the hero, but now he had no choice.
Clenching his jaw, he gave a final heave, shoving aside the last heavy stone. He reached out and grabbed Hayakawa Aki by the arm, trying to drag her free.
[Ding~ Host is about to encounter fatal danger. Role-Playing Transformation System activating…]
[Ding~ First-time contact with key character Hayakawa Aki. Awarding 3 points.]
[Ding~ Detected target's emotional state: guilt. Awarding 20 points.]
[Ding~ Novice gift pack granted: Choose one 3-minute Experience Card from the following golden-haired anime male characters.]
— Fate: Arthur Pendragon— Genshin Impact: Dainsleif— Konosuba: Dust
But the Bat Devil was already upon them. Renji felt the creature's shadow blot out the sky, felt its hunger aimed directly at him. It was too late to escape.
He turned his head—and in that frozen moment, he saw everything in perfect, horrible detail: the Bat Devil's enormous fangs, the glistening, foul-smelling mucus strung between them, the darkness of its throat, waiting to devour.
"Run!" Hayakawa Aki shouted, reaching out as if to shove him out of the way.
[Ding~ Detected Hayakawa Aki's anxious emotion. Awarding 5 points.]
"I choose Arthur Pendragon!" Renji roared.
[System confirmed. Novice gift pack activated. Role-playing transformation initiated.]
A blinding golden light erupted from Renji's body, pouring out in every direction like a rising sun. The force of it struck the Bat Devil mid-charge, sending it crashing backward with a roar of pain.
Hayakawa Aki shielded her eyes, momentarily blinded.
Within the heart of the golden light, Renji's body slowly lifted off the ground. Brilliant silver-white armor began to materialize over him piece by piece, shining with divine radiance.
A glowing sword coalesced in his right hand—noble, ancient, and impossibly heavy with power. His entire presence transformed. He was no longer an ordinary bystander.
He had become the embodiment of Arthur Pendragon.