Without wasting another second, Makima began slipping through the trees, moving like a ghost. Her goal: escape the forest. But the way out was still a long, perilous journey from where she stood.
Every step was silent. Every breath carefully measured.
Yet despite her efforts, a ripple of instinct shivered down her spine.
She froze. Up ahead, something massive slid through the forest floor as if it were water—a monstrous shape with smooth, rubbery skin gliding just beneath the leaves and dirt. The Whale Devil. Its enormous body undulated beneath the ground, sending faint tremors through the roots of trees.
Makima's eyes narrowed as she watched its sides swell and contract. It was sending out pulses—sonar echolocation—searching for her hidden form.
Around her, the low-class devils were closing in, inching nearer and nearer.
I have no choice. I have to kill it, Makima thought. Another twenty sonar pulses and it will find me for sure.
Drawing a deep, silent breath, she lifted her right hand, forming her fingers into the shape of a pistol.
And in a barely audible whisper, she said:
"Bang."
The air rippled as a telekinetic bullet shot forth— But it struck only empty space .
Before Makima could react, something coiled around her neck like a vice. Baba Yaga's gnarled clawed hand closed around Makima's throat, lifting her off the ground as easily as a child's doll.
Makima gasped, eyes going wide. Her legs kicked helplessly as the crushing pressure choked off her breath. Her invisibility shattered. Light refracted back around her body as her hidden form was forcibly dragged into the physical world again.
Tears welled up in Makima's eyes . Something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in what seemed like centuries. Is this how I die? she thought, panic spiraling in her chest. Is this the end of the Control Devil?
Her mind flashed back to the one person who had forced her to feel something other than cold personality . Kang Woo. I hate Kang Woo, she thought. But even as the words echoed in her mind, she felt her true feelings stir and break free. I love him, she admitted silently to herself.
Even though he knows the truth about me being the Control Devil… he hugged me without hesitation.
For the second time in her life, Makima cried. The first time had been with Kang Woo. And now, as she stared death in the face again, she realized how much she truly hated being out of control.
But more than anything, she realized what mattered most to her. Being embraced by Kang Woo is more valuable than the lives of 127 million Japanese citizens, she thought. I would burn their lives to the ground just to feel that warmth again.
Her thoughts grew frantic as she clung to the one thing she still desired—revenge, and perhaps… something more.
I have to slap him. Just once… I need to slap that asshole, she thought, tears mixing with the blood trickling down her lip. I will not die here. I will live… and meet him again.
Makima's eyes blazed suddenly with wild determination. She shouted,: "Jikkai!"
From the her hand, a dark orb pulsed into existence—the Commandment of Piety, a gift Kang Woo had entrusted to her.
The orb ignited in a violent blaze of hellish black and crimson fire.
A shockwave of explosive Hellblaze surged outward, blasting Baba Yaga backward and sending shrieking low-class devils flying through the trees.
The Commandment itself now stood beside Makima, its form a dark silhouette wrapped in swirling fire. It extended a protective circle of roaring Hellblaze around her. .
Makima fell to one knee, gasping, her hair hanging over her face, illuminated by the Hellblaze's glow.
She lifted her eyes slowly, then pushed herself to her feet,
Around her, the low-class devils who moments ago had surged forward to devour her… were now turning to flee. But they froze mid-step.
Makima felt it—an invisible tug running through the unseen chains snaking out from her fingertips. She stared at them, realization flashing through her mind as Kang Woo's voice echoed back from memory:
Anyone who turns their back or tries to run away from the wielder of the Commandment of Piety… will be cursed into serving that wielder. By default, in this case, they all serve you, Makima.
A slow, wicked smile curved across her lips.
From somewhere behind her, the guttural, grating voice of Baba Yaga echoed, vibrating out of her own gnarled stomach: "they're still afraid of my presence."
Makima glanced over her shoulder, eyes glinting. "You can talk, granny?"
Then, without warning, she made a small, hidden gesture with her fingers—like a puppeteer twitching the strings of a marionette.
Instantly, the low-class devils—eyes vacant, limbs jerking like dolls—pivoted toward Baba Yaga.
In a single, monstrous wave, they lunged. Fangs and claws plunged into the old devil's flesh, ripping her apart in a savage frenzy.
Baba Yaga let out a choking howl as her body was impaled from all sides.
Makima stepped closer, watching coldly, and murmured, her voice dripping with mockery: " Your subordinates have figured out that serving under me… is far more enjoyable than staying with you ."
But before the echoes of her words could fade, a deep groan reverberated through the forest floor. The earth quaked.
Makima's gaze snapped up as The House—Baba Yaga's eerie, towering house, with its long, claw-like chicken legs—began to stir. Wood groaned and cracked like bones bending under strain. The entire structure seemed to breathe,. Then the house moved. Its spindly legs extended in a sudden burst of speed, leaping forward and landing with a thunderous crash directly in front of Makima,.
From deep within the walls of the monstrous structure, a voice—echoed out, rattling the branches overhead: "The battle… has only just begun."
Makima tilted her chin up defiantly. "So… the house itself joins the fight?" she murmured. She raised her palm, Hellblaze flickering around the Commandment of Piety coiled in her fingers. Makima said, "Come at me."
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
In the sky above Tokyo, Kang Woo hovered effortlessly, blackened wings unfurled behind him like great blades of night. The cool wind howled around him, tugging at his coat as he stared across the endless expanse below.
Suddenly, a flicker of motion caught his eye. The Eye of Mikhail—a floating orb of swirling light and runes—came darting toward him, slotting neatly back into his left back palm.
Inside his mind, Mikhail's voice resonated, cool and precise:
"Master, the Entity is matured enough for the Kaisergesang ritual. And lastly, the Podkova Drive is secured within my storage should you require it."
Kang Woo glanced down at his palm, where he now held a small object shimmering faintly—a 5D optical data drive. Inside it lay the Entity itself .
Kang Woo glanced at his palm, where a small, faintly shimmering object rested—a 5D optical data drive. Inside it lay the Entity itself.
He exhaled softly, eyes distant. I already have the pieces… and the steps I need for the Kaisergesang ritual now.
A faint smile tugged at his lips. And to think, even Kobeni turned out useful. She can fly a military helicopter now… never expected she'd soak up training like a sponge.
He rolled the tiny drive between his fingers, ready to toss the copper penny he carried—a signal, a key, a catalyst for what would come next.
But before he could act, a surge of foreign energy washed over him. It rippled across his senses like a sudden jolt of electricity, dragging his awareness sharply toward a single point.
Far off, deep in Aokigahara Forest, he felt it: the resonance of his Commandment of Piety being used… and Makima, caught in the middle of a violent clash, her aura straining in distress.
Kang Woo's expression flattened into deadpan exasperation. You just can't stay quiet, could you…?
He hovered there for a moment, shoulders rising and falling with a slow sigh.
What's happened has already happened. No undoing it now… he thought, eyes narrowing. Might as well add some more pieces to the board.
And with that, Kang Woo angled his wings downward, power gathering around him.
In the next instant, he became a blazing streak of darkness—a black comet ripping through the Tokyo sky, leaving a trembling shockwave in his wake as he hurtled toward Aokigahara.
Meanwhile, at the forest's entrance, the Public Safety squad still stood waiting, tension winding tighter by the second. The forest seemed to convulse as deeper within, another violent explosion thundered through the trees. Waves of black flame flared skyward, lighting the horizon with an ominous glow.
Aki clenched his fists, eyes wide. "Makima-san… I have to help her!" he shouted. "She must be overwhelmed. !"
Himeno seized his arm. "Are you insane? You'll get yourself killed! You don't even understand what's happening in there!"
Kishibe crossed his arms, his gaze hard. "Cool yourself, Aki. Emotions like that will do you no good."
Barem Bridge smirked, his hands resting loosely in his pockets. "Makima's probably already dead,. All because she decided to cozy up with that alien, Kang Woo."
At that, Aki's expression went cold as steel. His hand drifted to the hilt of his katana, fingers tightening as if ready to draw and strike.
Before he could move, Denji stepped forward, glaring at Barem.
"Oy, oy, oy…" Denji growled. "From the first time I saw you till now, all you've ever done is run your mouth and provoke people. The fuck is wrong with your head?"
Barem Bridge arched an eyebrow, then suddenly jabbed two fingers straight into Denji's nostrils.
"Ghh—AAAGH!" Denji howled, staggering back, eyes watering from the sharp pain.
Barem leaned close, voice dripping with mockery. "What kind of dog are you, huh? Thinking you'll get Makima's attention? You should shut up and be a good little dog."
Kishibe opened his mouth to cut in, but before he could speak, Power thrust her finger in Denji's face.
"See, listen to that, Denji!. "That's why I'm smarter than you!"
Suddenly, the sky overhead split open with a roaring thunderclap.
A colossal shape streaked from the heavens, black and blazing, trailing a corona of shadow and fire as it screamed toward the earth like a falling star. The ground vibrated under the sheer force of its descent.
Power gawked up, eyes wide. "WHAT is THAT?!"
Kishibe just grinned, shaking his head slowly. "Always gotta make an entrance, huh… Kang Woo."
But the grin faded as he noticed the black comet wasn't slowing down.
Denji's eyes bulged. "Sensei—Kang Woo's not stopping!"
Barem Bridge, ever the arrogant provocateur, suddenly felt a cold sweat bead at his temples. Despite the usual dead-eyed psychopath in him, there was something about the sheer force barreling toward them that made his gut twist. No… A sliver of genuine fear stabbed through his chest. His heart pounded in his ribs as he realized the comet's blazing trajectory was aimed straight for their position.
Himeno and Aki stood utterly still, their faces locked in identical expressions of blank resignation.
Power, however, yelped, ducking her head and clutching her horns.
"DENJI! You're stronger than me—SAVE MEEEEE!" she shrieked.
Denji threw his head back and cackled, even as wind from the descending comet whipped through his hair.
"Oh shit—the mighty Power just confessed she's weak!"
The black comet roared closer, the forest trembling under its sonic boom. Then, in the space of a single heartbeat, the blazing mass shrank. Darkness coiled inward like a collapsing whirlpool, dissipating into tiny wisps of shadow. And just before Kang Woo would have smashed into the ground, he landed with a casual thud, forming only a shallow crater that cracked outward beneath his boots.
Kishibe squinted, glaring at the newcomer. "So what now, after your epic entrance?"
Kang Woo tilted his head slightly, wings folding behind his shoulders. "Kishibe… how much influence do you have over Public Safety Devil Hunters?"
Kishibe's single visible brow rose ever so slightly.
Kang Woo continued, voice calm and utterly serious, "Can someone like me be allowed to make a contract with the devils you've captured…?"
Aki blinked hard, his jaw dropping a fraction. "Huhhh?"
Denji practically yelled, eyes bugging out. "The fuck?!"
Himeno threw her head back and let out a ragged laugh, nearly dropping her cigarette.
"Ahahahaha—the fuck—?! The world's ending, and a powerful alien just walks up like, Hey, can I ask for your assistance?"
Power immediately puffed out her chest, snapping back into full confidence mode. "Woah, woah, humans—stand aside! I am Power! You can make a contract with me, Kang Woo!"
Kishibe just took a slow sip from his metal flask. "Kang Woo… tell me you're joking."
But Kang Woo's expression remained utterly flat. He gazed at Kishibe. "No. I'm not. Can I ask for your assistance, Kishibe?"
Kishibe let out a long breath, scratching at the stubble on his jaw. "I've been with Public Safety for a long time," he said gruffly. "Seen things most people wouldn't believe. And at this point… there aren't many who'd stand in my way if I decided to make things happen. Technically, we're supposed to be the ones controlling devils… not handing them out for contracts. But in this business, exceptions get made. Especially for people like you."
Kishibe fixed Kang Woo with a hard stare. "In other words… if you want to make a contract with one of the devils we've got in custody, I can pull the strings. However…"
He lifted a finger, warningly. "It must not clash with Makima."
Just as he finished speaking, another series of violent explosions thundered from deep inside Aokigahara. Trees cracked and splintered, black flames flashing high into the sky.
Kishibe sighed. "That is… if Makima's still alright, since she's dealing with whatever the hell is inside that forest."
Aki turned sharply toward Kang Woo, his voice tight. "Kang Woo… why can't you just rescue Makima-san yourself? Why the hell do you even need a contract?"
Suddenly, Barem Bridge stepped forward, wearing a warm, almost disarmingly polite smile. He extended his hand toward Kang Woo. "My name is Barem Bridge, part of Private Safety Devil—"
But before he could finish, Kang Woo completely ignored him, as though Barem didn't exist.
Instead, Kang Woo turned his cool gaze on Aki. "Things have escalated," Kang Woo said calmly. "And I need a Absolute win, Aki."
Then Kang Woo shifted his eyes to Kishibe. "Where are the devils held, Kishibe?"
Kishibe scratched the back of his neck. "Most of 'em are in the Kyoto branch building. Technically that's where we stash the really dangerous devils. But it's about 394 kilometers from here. It'd take at least five hours by car."
Kang Woo tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming. "Not if I can help it."
He lifted his hand and began murmuring "Gatom."
Suddenly, a huge green magic circle burst into existence beneath his feet. Complex runes spun along its edges, glowing with eerie emerald light.
Kang Woo glanced at the group, one eyebrow lifted. "Anyone want to join?"
Himeno's eyes sparkled. She immediately latched onto Aki's arm. "Come on, Aki—it's gonna be fun! I've never teleported before!"
Aki let out an exasperated breath. "No one ever does… except Makima-san herself."
Power puffed out her chest and marched forward. "Make way! Me and my buddy are gonna enter!"
Denji scratched his head. "Wait… am I gonna puke if we instant-travel?"
Arai said nothing, quietly trailing after the group, wide-eyed.
But Barem Bridge, sensing himself being left behind, suddenly stepped forward, raising his voice in protest.
"Wait! I'm part of the Devil Hunters too! I'm a hybrid of the Flamethrower Devil. At least… can I know what contract you made to get this sparkle cir—"
Before he could finish, Kang Woo turned his head slightly. His eyes glinted with faint irritation.
In the next instant, gravity around Barem spiked violently downward. The ground cracked under his feet, and Barem dropped like a sack of bricks, pinned flat to the forest floor as though an invisible mountain had landed on his back.
"Fuck off ," Kang Woo said simply.
Then, without another word, he raised his hand. Light flared, and the magic circle blazed bright. The group vanished into the green glow, teleported away in a burst of swirling energy—leaving Barem groaning and flattened in the dirt.
Barem, still pinned to the ground by the oppressive force of Kang Woo's darkness, clenched his teeth and cursed under his breath.
"Damn him… humiliating me like this. Now I understand why someone like him could change Makima's personality… make her… more human. If I could just move my hand… I'd contact Vought right now. This is where Makima's at her weakest moment…"