Chapter 35

It was morning, and Sam was dressing up for the new day at work. He was quite tired after the sleepless night he had. Fiends were nothing like humans.

Meanwhile, Power was on his bed, eating some snacks.

"Human, can't believe that you were exhausted after just 8 hours," Power said. "But you did eat me well. So happy."

"You know, Power, it gets boring after 8 powers," Sam said, learning to appreciate Himeno.

"I noticed you get happy for mostly 20 seconds. As for me, it lasted for minutes," Power said.

Sam shook his head, feeling the dopamine running through his system. He was almost emotionally numb. "But I think it's time for you to go to work."

"Yeah, we gotta hunt those devils to make a living."

"Wear your clothes first."

"Alright," Power asked. "By the way, when do we start filming?"

"Not now," Sam replied, getting out of the door. "I shall write a book, and it'd make us money."

"Write a book? You write? Hahaha! What will you write about?" Power mocked Sam as he closed the door behind him.

-x-X-x-

Sam was sitting on the rooftop of one building, looking left and right. He had mixed feelings about the whereabouts of devils. Sam was looking at a specific devil, who happened to be Denji. Denji was a wanted man for his Chainsaw Man's devil heart, so it was best to keep track of him to see if some devils were spying on him.

But apparently, many devils had been moving in a different direction.

'This feels strange... it feels like they are after me.' Sam put his hands behind his back and kicked his legs.

"Caught you!"

A group of needles flew at his back. But before they could hit him, he vanished from sight, appearing behind.

A devil with a silver body, alien-like build, hair, and body full of metallic needles, was looking at Sam's original spot.

With a feminine voice, the devil muttered, "Where did he go?" before rushing to his spot and looked downward at the building.

Sam unsheathed his sword, put it on the neck of the devil from behind, saying, "Why have you been following me?"

Almost taken by surprise, needles flew from the devil's body and shot everywhere. Sam spun his sword quickly, catching the needles with his sword before pointing them to the ground.

'I pulled that off!'

He then stabbed forward, his sword piercing through the body of the Needle Devil.

"I'm just an inch from your heart. So if you don't want me to pierce it, speak quickly."

"It's a deal then," the devil spoke slowly.

"Yeah," Sam nodded.

"You have killed the Snake Devil on your own, and it couldn't harm you. This information has spread among us, the not-so-top-tier devils. We want your body, with your speed and our power, the one who gets you first shall get a power boost."

"Fair enough," Sam said. He pulled out his sword slowly, forcing groans of pain to come out of the devil.

"Remember our deal," said the devil.

"Oh, don't worry," Sam said, sheathing his sword, before using Moonlight Cut three times on its back, opening the skin.

He then slammed his left gloved hand inside, held the heart out, and said, "I remember saying that I wouldn't pierce it. Never said anything about crushing it."

"You... bastard..." replied the devil.

Sam asked, "Do you want to make another deal, where I don't use my hands, nor feet to crush your heart?"

"What do you want?"

"A thousand years of your lifespan."

"A thousand years! That's too much! What do you want to do with it!?"

"I think that's a no?" Sam asked, pressing more on the heart, threatening to crush it.

"Wait! All right! Deal," said the devil.

Sam let go of the heart, took his hand back, and created a circle with his fingers, summoning the giant Fox Devil, who ate the Needle Devil, chewing on it.

"The Needle Devil. Usually, I would not accept this. But now I'm stronger thanks to the snake's flesh, I can eat it. May I swallow?" said the Fox Devil's head.

"She's yours," Sam waved his hand, and the Fox Devil vanished into nothingness.

[+30,000 Exp]

'Given the gained experience, it sounds like it was a strong devil.' Now, he thought of the Needle Devil. Apparently, the news of him defeating the Snake Devil had spread. Many other devils wanted his body to get stronger.

He scratched the back of his head. That was troublesome. Was he the strongest now? No. But surely, he could get stronger than he was yesterday.

It's just that he was unsure how to make his decision.

'Man, I hate to have a target on my head. It makes me feel rushed to make a decision. Other than that, I have a familiar feeling that a devil shall appear.'

Sam had a good reason to ask for lifespan, and that to have a good excuse whenever he abuses it.

Birds started gathering on the rooftop. From their midst, Makima emerged, hands behind her back. Despite him expecting a devil was coming here, his heart couldn't help but almost jump at her sight.

"So that's how you play with your words?" asked Makima as she walked toward him.

"Boss," Sam almost performed a military salute. He chuckled a bit and said, "You know, I have some contracts on my life. So you know, just like I spend, I need to earn. Simple economic logic."

"Just call me Makima. Makima-San to you," Makima said, catching him off guard.

Did she just ignore his report? He sighed, and then he lifted his head as he realized that he'd missed the interesting part.

Eyes expanding, he looked at her with confusion. Did she just ask him to call her by her first name? Outside Japan, it was nothing to call people by their first name. But for his boss to ask him so.

Makima smirked at his face.

"You know, I've never done so, so my throat feels heavy."

"Just do it."

"Okay, Makima-San," Sam said, feeling so strange, awkward, and he raised his guard. "But that's the..."

"You said you consider me a family, so get used to it," Makima said, putting her hands behind her back.

"So this is just a family visit." Deciding to play along, Sam went to the edge of the building and sat. "Sorry for the poor hospitality. If you came to my house, I'd offer you tea."

Sam looked at the city. 'This is awkward. Don't tell me she took my speech about family that seriously... I was super nervous that time and I came up with that. It's on my mouth. It always puts me in troubles.'

"I'd like some tea. But you can add a drop of your blood," Makima said as she sat next to him. He turned his head to her.

Makima continued, smiling. "It'll give it a special taste."

"Alright," Sam nodded. Then he almost flinched out of surprise when she wrapped her arm around his shoulder. She surely was an initiative woman.

"So it's a deal," Makima said. Sam nodded.

"Remember, you can't break a deal with a devil." She continued.

"That's on you. You have to come by my house first," Sam shrugged.

"Good. I'd think of some activities to do meanwhile. Keep up the good job," Makima stood up and was about to leave.

"By the way," Sam said. "Did you catch the part where that devil said I'm now a target for the devils?"

"Don't worry about them," Makima said. "Consider them dead. I'll personally assure that."

"Hold up. Leave them for me," Sam said. "Or else my skills would dull."

"That's more like you." Makima gave him one last smile before taking the stairs down.

Sam looked at the sky.

He was now targeted by the devils, and the Control Devil was getting clingy to him.

How would he start his scam motivational speaker career with all of that on his shoulder.

'Simply, I need more power.'

It would be a good time to pick up some skills for himself and adjust his build. He wouldn't procrastinate anymore.

-x-X-x-

Meanwhile, not so far from where Sam was standing, someone dressed in a devil hunter uniform was taking pictures of him with Makima smiling as she talked to him.