Shinji looked out upon the city, his gaze calm but saddened as he stared into the darkness from his top-floor office window. With a sigh, he turned from the view and sat down at his desk, glancing at his two associates.
"It's a shame Chisato couldn't be made to embrace her true potential as a born killer," he said coldly. "But those who waste their talents... don't deserve to live. At least her end was merciful."
Majima shrugged, slouching back in his chair. "I dunno. I left it to this guy's subordinates. Speaking of which, shouldn't they be back by now? How hard can it be to finish off two little girls and report back?"
Father Sullivan rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That is peculiar... They should've returned by now. They were instructed to avoid drawing attention from any other supernatural forces, so I imagine they're proceeding with caution."
"In any event," Shinji said, turning to the priest, "Father Sullivan, I'd like you to explain what you and your group have planned—how it involves the two of us."
Majima leaned forward slightly, interested. "Yeah, I've been wondering about that too."
Before Sullivan could respond, the sound of distant gunfire cut through the air, followed by panicked screaming. Heavy thuds and the cries of dying men echoed from below.
Shinji quickly dialed a number on his phone. "What's going on down there?"
But instead of his chief of security, a sarcastic voice came through the speaker.
"Sorry, Officer Dickweed can't come to the phone right now. Please leave a message, or better yet—give it to me in person when I show up in a minute."
The line cut off.
Shinji lowered the phone. "Security breach. Gentlemen, I don't know who's been sent after us, but they'll be here momentarily. The security office was only one floor below us, and I doubt whoever did that is planning to let us walk out of this building."
Majima stood, drawing his gun, while Father Sullivan muttered a quick prayer under his breath.
Moments later, the office doors burst open. Three small shadows stepped through, their glowing yellow and red eyes shining menacingly in the dim light.
Before anyone could react, the trio entered. The lead imp stepped forward, a flintlock pistol raised and pointed directly at them.
"Good afternoon, folks," the imp said with a grin. "Name's Blitzø—the 'o' is silent, by the way. Don't bother remembering it. You won't be alive long enough for it to matter."
He gestured lazily toward the group. "My client's hired me to kill two of you. The third gets to come with us. Some dick in a priest outfit."
Father Sullivan narrowed his eyes. "Why does your employer want me? And... since when were imps real? The only demonic beings I know of are devils!"
"Yeah, yeah, I don't care about any of that," Blitzø replied, waving a hand dismissively. "I'm just here to do my job and get paid."
"Hey, Sir!" Moxxie chimed in cheerily.
"Yeah Go ahead."
A gunshot rang out as Moxxie put a bullet between Shinji's eyes.
Majima snapped back to his senses and tried to raise his weapon, but Millie dashed forward, her massive battle axe flashing in the light. With a single powerful swing, she decapitated him on the spot.
Blitzø turned to Father Sullivan, cocking his pistol. "So, you gonna make this easy, or do I let Millie start slicing off your limbs so we can carry you to my client in pieces?"
Realizing there was no escape, Father Sullivan slowly raised his hands. "Fine... I'll go. Where are you taking me, demon?"
"Told ya already. To my client. He wants a little chat," Blitzø replied. "Don't worry—won't take long."
"Your client is wasting his time," the priest muttered defiantly. "I will not speak."
"Yeah, yeah. Shut up and come with us," Blitzø said. He snapped his fingers, and the imps shoved a sack over Father Sullivan's head.
Thirty minutes later, the bag was removed. He blinked at the sudden exposure to light and found himself seated on the rooftop of a nearby warehouse. Across from him stood Rowan.
"Good evening, priest," Rowan greeted smoothly.
Father Sullivan's eyes narrowed. "Of course. It all makes sense now... Who else but a devil would send such foul creatures to apprehend me and commit so many atrocities?"
Millie smacked him across the face with the blunt side of her axe. "Who you callin' foul, asshole?!"
"Millie, we need him alive," Blitzø muttered dryly.
"And that hurt, you bitch!" the priest growled, only to get smacked on the other side of his face by the butt of Moxxie's rifle.
"That's my wife you're talkin' about, ya sanctimonious bastard!" Moxxie snapped.
Blitzø facepalmed. "Guys! We're in front of the client! Try to be a little professional, would ya?"
Rowan chuckled. "It's fine. In fact... feel free to hit him a little more if you'd like."
"Oh, hell yeah!" Blitzø grinned. He walked over and backhanded the priest hard. "Damn, something about smackin' a corrupt holy man just feels right."
Father Sullivan coughed blood and sneered. "Corrupt? I think you mean I'm one of the few priests who remembers his mission."
"And what mission is that?" Rowan asked, curious.
"As if I'd tell you... devil."
Rowan turned to Blitzø. "Blitz."
"On it." Blitzø backhanded him again.
"Feel like talking now?" Rowan asked. "How many of you are in on Kokabiel's plan to restart the Great War?"
Sullivan laughed. "Why does that matter? In the end, the result will be the same. All of you will die—along with the heretics and nonbelievers."
Blitzø burst out laughing. The priest stared at him with a growl.
"What's so funny, monster?"
Blitzø wiped a tear from his eye. "Oh, nothing. Just... how incredibly stupid you are."
"What...?" Sullivan blinked, confused.
"You really don't get it, do you? You just spilled everything we needed to know," Blitzø smirked. "He only had to ask you a couple of leading questions and boom—you served it all up."
Father Sullivan paused, eyes widening in realization. "...You had no idea I was working for Kokabiel, did you?"
Rowan smiled slowly. "Nope. But now I do. And from your follow-up comments, I can infer a few more things: your numbers are small, the defectors from Azazel's ranks are the minority, and support for the war—among both your faction and the church—is... lacking."
Rowan walked to the edge of the rooftop, admiring the distant city lights.
"You know what the funniest part of this is, Father?"
"What, devil?" the priest spat.
"That was all the information I needed from you," Rowan said calmly. "Which means... you're now expendable."
The priest's face twisted in horror. "Wait—!"
But Blitzø had already pressed his flintlock to the side of Sullivan's head and pulled the trigger.
The priest slumped over, lifeless.
Blitzø strolled over to Rowan. "Seriously? That was it? A couple of slaps and some softball questions and he told us everything. I came in ready for a full torture session. Thought tonight was gonna be fun. Priest turned out to be a goddamn amateur."
"Just like you asked," Moxxie added, adjusting his coat. "We cleared out the building, made sure there were no witnesses. The other two dumbasses in the office were dealt with on-site."
Rowan nodded. "Good work. I knew leaving this to professionals was the right move."
"Damn right it was," Blitzø grinned. "Now, about our payment?"
Rowan handed him a briefcase. Blitzø opened it and whistled at the contents.
"Half a million. Hot damn. Pleasure doing business with you."
"Maybe now we can fix the office... pay off some of our debts..." Moxxie muttered hopefully.
"Fuck no!" Blitzø declared. "We're goin' to the Greed Ring to double our money!"
Moxxie groaned, rubbing his temples. "All the casinos there are rigged, Blitz. You're gonna lose everything!"
Rowan chuckled. "Let him do what he wants with his cut."
"Wait... his cut?" Moxxie blinked. Rowan slid two more cases toward Moxxie and Millie.
They opened them to reveal a quarter million dollars each.
"BEST. JOB. EVER," Millie squealed, eyes wide.
Rowan handed them each a business card. "Consider this a bonus. My personal summoning sigil is on there. If you ever find yourselves in a jam, give me a call—I'll see what I can do."
They pocketed the cards, and Blitzø nodded. "I'll hang onto it, but honestly? Can't imagine us needin' help anytime soon."
A glowing light surrounded them.
"Looks like your ride's here," Rowan said.
Blitzø gave a sarcastic salute. "Catch ya later, devil-man."
With a flash, the trio vanished back to their own universe.
Rowan stood quietly for a moment, then turned to Father Sullivan's remains.
"That was fun," he said with a smile, conjuring a flame in his palm and casting it onto the corpse.
The body erupted in fire as Rowan walked away.
The next day, Rowan walked into LycoReco and sat down at the counter. Mika walked over and said, "So... Shinji Yoshimatsu and his entire security detail were found dead last night. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
"Nope, not a thing," Rowan replied.
"I can safely say I didn't kill any of them," he added innocently.
Mika stared at him for a moment and then said, "Are the girls with you?"
"Yeah. I thought it would be best if they lay low until the heat dies down," Rowan said.
Mika nodded. "Good call."
Then Rowan said, "That being said, do you think it would be possible for you to make an opening for them to sneak in and get their things from their homes?"
Mika rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That should be doable. Just give me a week and I should be able to send their things. Just give me an address."
Rowan nodded and handed Mika a piece of paper with an address. "See you around, Mika."
He nodded. "See you around, kid."
Then Rowan departed. As he walked out of the café, he said, "Sora, I need to take the girls for training this weekend. We need a good place to go. Any suggestions?"
Sora replied in her usual calm, teasing tone, "A few—but keep in mind, you'll be restricted to low-power worlds for now. You might survive stronger ones, but your peerage won't. So pick somewhere they'll struggle... but not definitely die."
Rowan scrolled through the world list until he found a certain one that made him smile nostalgically.
"I've got just the place," he said.
They teleported home, and as Rowan walked through the front gate, he saw Takina walking the grounds with a clipboard. Curious, he approached her and asked, "What are you doing?"
Takina replied plainly, "I'm checking out the home's defenses and marking areas that need improvement. So far, the only thing I can't complain about is the armory."
Rowan blinked. "Takina, we don't need defen—wait... when the hell did we get an armory?"
Sora chimed in cheerily, "Oh, Nikolai built it while you were training. He said all proper homes need an armory."
Rowan followed Takina and found an addition to his home he hadn't seen before. Inside were weapons neatly organized on the walls, shelves, and in cases—everything from guns to swords.
Rowan's jaw dropped. "Please tell me he paid for all this..."
Sora said, "Nope! You did."
"Goddammit," Rowan cursed. "Oh well... Takina, you're in charge of this place."
She nodded. "Of course, sir. Leave it to me.
Also, I changed my mind, Rowan said. After thinking about it, we probably do need to increase our defenses.Present your report at the meeting we'll be having after dinner."
"Understood Takina said. Then she said, "What's the meeting about.I just need to talk about this weekend's coming training exercise... and explain more about your abilities."Rowan replied
He reached out and lightly patted her head. "Wonderful initiative, Takina. Keep up the good work."
Takina blushed slightly but nodded. "Yes, sir."
Then Rowan walked to the kitchen to prepare dinner.
And as he did he saw a system notification
Takina Affection: +6
Then Rowan thought to himself, Call it a hunch, but I think she's weak to praise.
He returned to preparing dinner. After about an hour, he set six plates of carbonara on the table along with six cups of tea, then shouted:
"Come and get it!"
Before he could blink, Sora was already at the table.
Rowan blinked. "How did you—"
"I'm literally fused to your soul. How do you think?" she replied dryly.
Rowan sighed. "I keep forgetting that. I guess I'm just lucky you're not cruel enough to blackmail me."
She smirked. "Depends on the day."
Everyone else soon arrived. Bancho sat next to Sora, with Aika beside him, while Chisato and Takina took the seats across from them.
Chisato glanced at Bancho and said, "I'm not sure I'll ever get used to living with a gorilla."
Rowan replied, "Give it time. You'll see worse."
Takina commented, "That somehow isn't comforting."
As they ate, Bancho signed something.
"Is there dessert?" Rowan interpreted.
"Only if you eat your dinner."
Bancho huffed and signed, Yes, Dad.
Rowan sighed again. "Why is my gorilla acting like a moody teen?"
Takina replied, "Perhaps he's still an adolescent."
Rowan raised a brow at her. "And why is my teenaged servant acting like an adult?"
Chisato groaned. "I know, right? I've been trying to get her to loosen up for a while now."
Aika chimed in, "Oh, she just needs to do something she enjoys. Do you have any hobbies, Takina?"
Takina paused for a moment. "Does practicing my aim count?"
Chisato sighed.
Aika gave a weak chuckle. "I mean, I guess—but I meant things you do for fun."
Takina added, "I do enjoy reading. And the occasional shooting game."
Chisato blinked. "Wait, since when?"
Takina replied matter-of-factly, "Since you and Kurumi had me play one. I've since played them whenever I was in the mood."
Aika's eyes lit up. "In that case, you should hang out with me and Bancho sometime in the game room!"
Takina gave a small smile. "I'll think about it."
After dinner, they all sat around the table with tea and slices of cheesecake. Rowan stood and spoke.
"All right. Let's start this meeting."
He cleared his throat. "First order of business: Takina, tell me about the manor's defenses."
Takina stood up, posture crisp. "The outer wall is basically just for decoration. The entrances and exits need to be reinforced, and an escape route wouldn't hurt."
Rowan replied, "We can teleport, though."
Takina looked a bit surprised but responded calmly. "I didn't know that. Regardless, I still think it's necessary—in the event that a hostile force is able to cut off teleportation."
Rowan nodded. "All right. Fair enough. Draft me some detailed plans and I'll have it taken care of."
She gave a nod of approval and sat back down.
"Before we continue," Rowan said, "Chisato, Takina—I need the two of you to say or think the word 'status.'"
The two looked puzzled but complied.
---
Name: Chisato Nishikigi
Race: Devil
Age: 17
Title(s): None
Affiliation: Rowan Bael
Alignment: Neutral
Power Level: Mid-Low Class
Skills:
CQC
Type: Passive
Rank: Basic
Affinity: Physical / Combat
Description:
The user has undergone fundamental close-quarters combat training, allowing them to effectively fight at melee range using strikes, grapples, and counters. While not advanced, this skill provides a solid foundation for physical combat in confined or close-range situations.
Effects:
Increases unarmed/melee attack speed by 10%
Basic strikes have a 15% chance to stagger enemies of equal or lower level
Enables simple counters when successfully dodging or parrying a melee attack (can only occur once every 10 seconds)
Reduces damage taken from close-range attacks by 5%
Devil Magic
The Sharpshooter's Paradox
Type: Passive
1. Projectile Anticipation
Processes visual clues—muscle tics, barrel orientation, trigger finger—instantly predicting projectile paths up to medium range (15 m).
2. Superhuman Reflexes
Reaction time and visual processing speed are dramatically heightened, enabling point‑blank bullet avoidance.
3. Adaptive Evasion
The more accurate her opponent, the easier it is for her to dodge.
4. In-Motion Momentum
Continuous motion enhances evasion—Chisato dodges multiple projectiles more efficiently when mobile.
5. Unwavering Focus
Environmental chaos, distractions, or suppression fire have no negative impact—her perception remains flawless.
---
Name: Takina Inoue
Race: Devil
Age: 16
Title(s): None
Affiliation: Rowan Bael
Alignment: Neutral
Power Level: Mid-Low Class
Skills:
CQC
Devil Magic
Silent Precision
Type: Passive
Effects:
High Accuracy: +40% increased chance to hit vital spots, dealing critical damage
Suppressed Fire: Gunshots generate minimal noise, reducing enemy alert range by 80%
Swift Targeting: Slightly reduces aiming time, improving reaction speed in combat
---
Rowan looked at them seriously. "Don't tell anybody about this. It's not something everyone has."
Chisato chuckled nervously. "Great, first day on the job and I've already got secrets to keep."
Takina studied her status menu for a moment. "What does 'Low Class' mean?"
Rowan replied, "It means that the two of you—and Aika—are at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to power. You two are a little stronger than her, though. You're definitely stronger than the average human, but there are plenty of people out there who could take you both out."
She frowned slightly at that.
Rowan added, "Don't worry about it, though. Within the next month, I'll have the three of you at least at Mid-Class. This weekend's training will help with that."
She nodded. "I won't fail."
Rowan smiled. "I know you won't."
Chisato then asked, "Not to interrupt, but... what is this weekend's training?"
Rowan smiled mischievously. "Simple. We're going hunting."
"Hunting?" Everyone echoed, confused.