Chapter 8: Threatening the Zombie Devil
As Denji ran home, Otonashi Chiya headed in the opposite direction. About half an hour later, he finally located the place he remembered. Since he was searching blindly, it had taken a considerable amount of time.
Before him stood a long-abandoned house. The main gate was rusted, weeds grew rampant in every direction, and there wasn't a soul in sight. The atmosphere was profoundly desolate.
I hope the Zombie Devil is in here... Chiya thought.
His plan to deal with the yakuza started with this specific devil. Although the old man oppressing Denji was a big-time mob boss, he was likely getting senile in his old age. In the original story, he actually sought out this devil's power. A zombie... of all things. In the end, he was turned into a zombie and died.
This time, Chiya intended to use the Zombie Devil's traits ahead of schedule to "zombify" the yakuza members himself.
Before entering the derelict house, he allocated all his current attribute points into "Vitality."
[Ding! Allocation complete. Vitality +8!]
Vitality: 45
Available Attribute Points: 0
The exhaustion from hunting the Ant Devil hadn't fully worn off yet. He hoped that with 45 Vitality, he could manage to use Kamui two or three more times; it shouldn't be much of a problem.
Chiya pushed open the front door. Perhaps because it had been abandoned for so long, the lock was broken, and it swung open easily. There was no electricity, leaving the interior of the large house shrouded in darkness. However, his Mangekyo Sharingan could clearly see the Zombie Devil hiding in the deepest corner, along with several humans who had already been turned into zombies standing by its side.
The Zombie Devil was massive, at least five or six meters tall. Its form resembled a human torso with an exposed, shell-less brain on top. Below the chest, numerous intestines extended out, connecting to the backs of the heads of the zombified humans. There was also a massive, disgusting human face on its chest—which was actually the devil's true head.
"Zombie Devil, I'm here for a word," Chiya said, getting straight to the point.
"You want to make a contract with me? I suppose I could..." The face on the right side of the devil's chest spoke.
"You seem to have misunderstood," Chiya's voice grew cold. "I'm not here to negotiate. I'll give you two choices: one, do exactly as I say; or two... die."
"What?!" The Zombie Devil roared in rage. "Who do you think you are? How dare you speak to me like that!"
Chiya didn't feel like wasting any more breath. He drew the katana from his waist, ready to move.
"I see! You're a devil hunter! A cursed devil hunter! You've got some nerve acting so arrogant in front of me!" The Zombie Devil harbored a deep hatred for hunters because they killed its kind.
Usually, this devil didn't actively hunt humans; it waited for foolish humans to come to it seeking contracts. It had no reason to refuse them. If it were more proactive, its army of servants would surely be much larger than the few standing there now.
"Kill him! Tear this cursed devil hunter to pieces!" The Zombie Devil commanded its minions. The zombies shrieked and swarmed toward Chiya.
However, these zombies were incredibly weak. In Chiya's eyes, their movements were as slow as tortoises. They didn't pose the slightest threat. Relying solely on the basic capabilities of the Mangekyo Sharingan and his blade, he began carving through them like vegetables.
[Ding! Host has successfully killed a "Zombified Human." Gained 1 Attribute Point!]
[Ding! Host has successfully killed a "Zombified Human." Gained 1 Attribute Point!]
[...]
One zombie head after another fell to the floor, and Chiya racked up points in quick succession. It seemed these zombified humans were classified as devils by the system; given their pathetic strength, a reward of 1 point per kill was reasonable. In moments, he had harvested 7 attribute points.
"My servants... all of them...!!" The Zombie Devil finally realized that the teenage boy before it was terrifyingly strong.
Without its servants to command, it possessed very little combat power of its own. Its attitude flipped instantly. "Wait—Wait! Devil hunters are actually good people! I don't hate you! Not one bit!"
Chiya was slightly surprised. This guy was even weaker than he had anticipated; it was nothing without its pawns.
"Cut the crap. Sign a contract with me and I'll spare your life. But you have to help me deal with certain people." Chiya pressed the tip of his katana directly against the Zombie Devil's head, forcing it into a deal.
A contract didn't always have to grant devil powers to the human; it could be a simple exchange of services. For example, Denji and Pochita's original contract was simply to help each other survive. Pochita didn't give Denji powers at first; he just became his companion. Once the contract was established, the Zombie Devil would be bound to obey.
"As long as your demands aren't too outrageous, I'll sign," the Zombie Devil stammered, fearing for its life.
Most devils reincarnated from Hell to Earth lose their memories. Unless they are well-informed, many don't realize they can be reborn in Hell after dying on Earth. The Zombie Devil was one such case; it thought death was the end.
"It won't be too outrageous. You just need to offer contracts to them, let them 'gain' your power, and turn them into zombies." As he spoke, Chiya's pupils dilated slightly. His expression was icy and frightening, completely devoid of his usual gentle and sunny demeanor.
"..." The Zombie Devil's impression of this human boy worsened, but it didn't dare say a word. It was the devil here, yet this boy felt far more terrifying.
"I agree. But look at me—I can't exactly walk down the street in broad daylight. How am I supposed to find the people you're talking about?" The Zombie Devil was self-aware; its grotesque appearance would invite an immediate mob of devil hunters the moment it stepped outside.
"That's simple."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Chiya's right eye snapped wide, blood-red veins bulging just like before. The Zombie Devil was startled by the freakish eye. "What are you doing?"