The Baba Yaga Devil

Meanwhile, in America, at Vought Tower in New York City—approximately one hour before the conversation between Kishibe, Makima, and Kang Woo about Compound V, and Makima's game of truth and lies with Kang Woo—Madelyn Stillwell sat in her office, her mind consumed by an obsession that had been festering for weeks.

Her thoughts kept circling back to the devil contracts that Japan wielded so freely, and how starkly it contrasted with America's own methods of control. "America has the Gun Devil," she muttered under her breath, leaning back in her chair, her eyes cold as they flicked over various intelligence reports on her monitor. "Specifically, 40% of its body is under our control… 28% with the Soviets, 11% with China, 4% with other nations, and the remaining 17% is scattered, in the hands of devils across the world."

[Note: In this universe, the majority of the Gun Devil's body is controlled by America, thanks to Vought's influence and the power they exert behind the scenes.]

She let out a long sigh, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrests of her chair. "We've got devils locked away in secret prisons all across the country. Some of them are beyond powerful, and yet we barely tap into their potential. Meanwhile, Japan wields them with ease, like tools." Her voice was laced with frustration and bitterness. "Why aren't we doing the same?"

Pressure was mounting on her. Stan Edgar—her boss, the unflappable CEO of Vought—had been colder than usual. He didn't outwardly show his anger, but Madelyn had learned to read between the lines. He was furious. The Sage Grove Center debacle, where 20 tons of Compound V mysteriously disappeared, remained unresolved. And then there was the White Devil Incident, which only compounded the chaos.

God knows where that compound went... and that damned White Devil situation... Her teeth clenched at the thought. The thin ice she was on was cracking, and she knew that if Stan Edgar decided to act, it would be the end of her career. Perhaps worse.

The door to her office suddenly swung open, breaking her brooding silence. Klara Risinger, better known as the new Stormfront, strutted in with her trademark arrogance, a smirk plastered on her face.

"You seem to be in big trouble, Madelyn," Klara said casually, her voice dripping with false concern. "I heard something about 20 tons of Compound V going poof at Sage Grove Center? Quite the mystery."

Madelyn's eyes flared with irritation as she glared at Klara. "What do you want, supremacist?" she shot back, her tone venomous.

[Note: In this version of the Chainsaw Man universe, the Nazi Devil was consumed by the Chainsaw Devil at an unknown time, erasing the concept of 'Nazis' from most of the world's memory. The term 'Nazi' has been replaced by 'supremacist,' and only a select few, like Makima and Kang Woo, remember the existence of Nazis.]

Klara's smirk faltered for a brief moment, and her eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone," she warned. Her voice carried a bite, but she quickly composed herself, leaning in slightly. "Calm down, Madelyn. I'm not here to fight." Her eyes gleamed with a hint of malice. "In fact, I'm here to offer you a solution to your... recent failures."

Madelyn raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what kind of 'solution' could someone like you offer me?"

Klara's smirk returned, more confident now. "It's simple. Edgar doesn't know a damn thing about the real potential of devil contracts. If we can demonstrate how profitable and effective they are, he'll change his mind, and you'll keep your position as Senior Vice President of Hero Management. You know you're on thin ice, Madelyn, and this could be your way out."

Madelyn narrowed her eyes klara is not type woman who work for free , suspicion filling her thoughts. "And what exactly do you need me for? You know I don't have any ties to the Japanese government."

Klara's expression darkened slightly, her voice turning more serious. "I need your help, Madelyn, because right now I don't have any direct contact with Prime Minister Kentaro Ishita. And that's where you come in."

Madelyn's irritation turned into skepticism. "You're kidding, right? I'm just a Senior Vice President of Hero Management. I don't have any leverage over the Japanese government."

Klara's gaze sharpened, and her voice lowered to a dangerous tone. "Cut the bullshit, Madelyn. Vought has the resources to manipulate Congress and overthrow governments if it wants to. You don't need to have 'ties' to the government—you just need to be the one to deliver the message."

Madelyn leaned back slightly, watching Klara with a mixture of curiosity and disdain. "And what message, exactly, would I be delivering?"

Klara stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with ambition. "I'll prepare the blackmail, the leverage. All you need to do is convince the Prime Minister of Japan, Kentaro Ishita, to sever Makima's contract with him."

Madelyn frowned. "Stan Edgar has always said to avoid Japan because of Makima... something about how she's always watching and acting. I still don't get what he means."

Madelyn isn't fully aware that Makima is the Control Devil. Only a few high-ranking people, like Stan Edgar and the President of the United States, know the truth

Klara smirked knowingly. "Let's just say I know exactly who she is and what she is."

Stormfront knows the truth about Makima because of her own personal history. She was the reason Kishibe got away after killing her brother, Klaus Risinger, years ago. She intends to use Madelyn and Homelander to further her own agenda. The timing is right, but she keeps all this knowledge to herself

Klara continued, her tone turning serious again. "Also, when you speak to Prime Minister Kentaro Ishita, make sure he's in a very private room—no birds, no rats, no cameras."

Madelyn felt a chill run down her spine. Klara was playing a much bigger game than she had realized. Severing Makima's contract with Japan would set off a chain reaction—one that could reshape the global power balance. But it could also save her from the thin ice she was skating on with Stan Edgar.

After a long pause, Madelyn nodded. "Fine. I'll handle it. But you'd better be right about this."

Klara grinned, satisfied. "Oh, I'm sure you'll do just fine."

With that, she turned and left the office, leaving Madelyn alone once more.

As the door clicked shut, Madelyn sat back in her chair, her mind racing. Makima, Prime Minister Ishita, Stan Edgar, and now Stormfront—the web of power was growing more tangled by the second. And Madelyn knew she would need to navigate it carefully.

If she didn't... everything could come crashing down.

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Meanwhile, in Japan... At the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, Prime Minister Kentaro Ishita sat at his desk, scanning through important documents, when his phone buzzed unexpectedly. He glanced down at the screen: Madelyn Stillwell.

Scoffing in frustration, Kentaro muttered under his breath, "Vought lapdogs."

Recognizing the importance of the call, Kentaro stood and moved quickly to a private chamber—a secluded room designed to shield any prying eyes or ears, especially those of Makima. Once inside, he sealed the door tightly, ensuring absolute privacy.

Switching to English, he answered with a cold, measured tone, "Kentaro speaking."

Without any hesitation, Madelyn cut straight to the point. "Hey Kentaro, I want you to sever your contract with Makima."

Kentaro's face immediately darkened, and fury erupted within him. "Are you fucking crazy?" he spat. "Do you even understand what you're asking? Do you know what she's capable of?"

He stopped short of revealing the most dangerous truth—that Makima was the Control Devil. Even to someone like Madelyn, that knowledge was too perilous to share. But his brief, seething explanation carried enough weight for her to grasp the gravity of her demand.

Unfazed, Madelyn's voice remained cold and precise. "Check your email."

Confused, Kentaro opened his inbox and froze as the evidence unfolded before his eyes. A flood of documents detailing scandals, criminal activities, and blackmail—enough to ruin him completely—stared back at him from the screen. His hands trembled as the realization hit. This wasn't just a request. It was a threat.

Silence settled over the room as the weight of the situation pressed down on him.

Sensing the tension, Madelyn quickly interjected, realizing she might've made an error. "Are you in a private room, Kentaro? No cameras? No ears?"

Still glaring at the incriminating files, Kentaro growled. "What do you think, huh? Of course, I'm in a private room. And no, I'm not severing the contract. You Americans have no idea what you're dealing with here, and I don't trust you with whatever stunt you're trying to pull."

Madelyn's patience was thinning. Her tone grew colder and more menacing. "Listen, Kentaro, we Americans still remember who won the war. We bombed you once, and as an important member of Vought, we can do it again if we have to. We have military contracts that allow us to make such decisions. You paid a heavy price back then, and don't think for a second we can't manipulate the media to turn the situation against you now."

She paused, softening her voice just a bit, offering him an illusion of diplomacy. "But... if you cooperate, I'll personally speak to the President. We can work on reducing the penalties your country is still facing from all that fallout. A clean slate for Japan, Kentaro. Doesn't that sound better?"

Kentaro's knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of his desk, anger boiling beneath his skin. The idea of complying with her demands repulsed him, but the weight of the blackmail—paired with the thinly veiled promise of possible relief—was pressing in.

The files on his screen were enough to ruin him, enough to dismantle his entire career, and the country's stability could falter if this went public. Japan had barely clawed its way back to power, and this could plunge them back into a vulnerable state they hadn't experienced since the aftermath of World War II.

Kentaro took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm despite the storm of thoughts raging in his mind. "Let me think about it," he muttered through gritted teeth, cutting the call abruptly before Madelyn could press any further.

Just as he leaned back in his chair, trying to collect himself, his phone buzzed again. Kentaro glanced at the screen—it was one of his subordinates. With a sigh, he answered, "What is it?"

"Sir, there's been a sighting. The Baba Yaga Devil has appeared in Japan."

Kentaro's eyes widened, and for a moment, he sat in stunned silence. The Baba Yaga Devil was an ancient, powerful entity known to wreak havoc wherever it appeared. This was exactly the kind of catastrophic event that could shift the narrative in his favor.

A thought crept into Kentaro's mind, one that made his lips curl into a grim, almost cynical smile. Yeah, that could work...

Makima had long since drifted away from her loyalty to Japan, her motivations becoming more obscure and self-serving. If he severed her contract with Japan's citizens, she'd lose her invulnerability. And with the Baba Yaga Devil on the loose, what better way for Makima to meet her end? A grand battle, an honorable death while fighting a monster. The Control Devil would become a martyr, a hero who died protecting Japan.

"Well, isn't that nice?" Kentaro muttered darkly to himself. "You get to be a hero, Makima."

The plan began to crystallize in his mind. He'd sever Makima's contract at just the right moment—timed perfectly with her fight against the Baba Yaga Devil. No one would suspect a thing. To the world, it would simply look like Makima had fallen in battle, taking down a major threat to Japan.

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Some Time later...

Makima, her mind still buzzing with the aftermath of her conversation—or rather, Lovey Dovey—with Kang Woo, strode toward the Baba Yaga Devil's last known location. Her mood, uncharacteristically, was pleasant. The icy exterior she normally maintained was laced with a hint of contentment, though her face remained calm, nearly expressionless.

The first signs of the Baba Yaga Devil had been at Aokigahara Forest. It wasn't long after the White Devil Incident at Sage Grove Center. Reports had indicated that a black mist of unknown origin had fought the White Devil at Aokigahara Forest and suddenly disappeared without a trace—something Makima hadn't yet investigated fully. She had no idea that it was Mahoraga, let alone that the "black mist" had ties to Kang Woo.

As she approached the entrance of the infamous Aokigahara Forest, a group of devil hunters stood ready. The air was thick with tension, the atmosphere oppressive, but there was no sign of imminent danger just yet.

Makima stopped before them, her eyes sharp but her voice cold. "Any casualties yet?" she asked, her words crisp, but with an underlying hint of curiosity. Her cold attitude remained, but there was something unnervingly pleasant about her today.

Kishibe, standing at the front of the group, raised an eyebrow, his cigarette lazily dangling from his lips. He let out a chuckle, teasing Makima. "Must be nice, huh? That little lovey dovey earlier?"

Makima's eyes flicked toward him, unamused but composed. "Don't project, Kishibe," she said dryly, though the faintest trace of a smile tugged at her lips. "Focus on the mission."

Kishibe smirked, amused by her unusually pleasant demeanor. "Yeah, yeah. But you know, you're gonna have to be sharp on this one. Baba Yaga's no ordinary devil. She's more primal... and she's been feeding off the destruction in the forest."

Makima quirked an eyebrow and, in an uncharacteristic jest, said, "Aki hasn't tried to be suicidal and charge in on his own, has he?"

Aki, standing nearby, stiffened slightly. "No, Ms. Makima, I'm fi—" he suddenly stopped mid-sentence, blinking in disbelief. Ms. Makima just... joked? his mind struggling to compute how this of all moments was the time for it.

Beside him, Himeno's cigarette dropped from her lips as her wide eyes flicked between Makima and Aki. "Is this... is this the end of the world?" she muttered, completely stunned.

Kishibe let out a hearty laugh. "You've changed, Makima. I like that. Seems like your mind's stuck on that Kang Woo guy, huh?"

Makima rubbed her forehead where Kang Woo had flicked her twice before, and a faint pinkness crept into her cheeks as she remembered his kiss. She had enjoyed it, although she would never admit that. With a slight grumble, she muttered under her breath, "I really hate you, Kang Woo. And now... I'm going to become a tsundere because of you."

Kishibe heard her, his smirk widening. "Oh? You? A tsundere?"

Makima shot him a look, her usual cold demeanor snapping back into place. "Shut it, Kishibe." But even as she said it, the faintest hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

Suddenly, Barem Bridge—the Flamethrower Hybrid—spoke up, stepping into view. "So, this Kang Woo is the one changing you, huh, Makima?" Barem's tone was casual, but there was a hidden edge beneath it. He didn't like this change in her. He preferred the cold, ruthless Makima—the one who controlled everything and everyone with an iron fist. But he hid his feelings well, masking his true intentions behind a composed facade.

Aki, standing nearby, felt a surge of anger rise in his chest. He clenched his fists and glared at Barem. "It's Ms. Makima," he said, his voice tight with frustration.

Before things could escalate, Kishibe held up a hand to stop Aki. "Hold on, Aki," he said calmly. "We've got a primal devil about to storm Japan. Keep your emotions in check, at least until this is over."

Aki, still fuming, took a deep breath and reluctantly conceded. "Fine," he muttered, stepping back.

Makima, observing the tension, regained full control of the situation. "Then I'll go first," she said coldly, her authoritative tone returning as she prepared to head into the forest. "And please, no fighting. We're a team—Public Safety Devil Hunters—after all."

Despite her words, as Makima turned to leave for Aokigahara Forest, her eyes remained on Barem for just a moment longer, watching him closely. Something about him didn't sit right with her. She was suspicious, wary of what Barem might be planning or what he would do next.

With that, she left, her form disappearing into the ominous depths of Aokigahara Forest.

Makima continued her steady walk toward the center of the Aokigahara Forest, her eyes scanning the destruction left behind from the battle between the black mist and the White Devil. The ground was torn apart, trees reduced to rubble, and at the very center of it all, nestled in the remains of the crater, was a house. It looked straight out of a dark fairy tale—an eerie, ancient structure perched on tall, spindly legs like something out of folklore.

It resembled the infamous Baba Yaga's house, the legends of which Makima had studied briefly in the past. Her cold eyes narrowed as she approached, her senses on high alert. The air was thick with tension, almost suffocating, as though the forest itself was holding its breath in anticipation.

Suddenly, flames erupted from pillars scattered throughout the forest, casting an ominous glow that illuminated the shattered landscape. The flames burned unnaturally, a deep red with an eerie orange hue, as if fed by something other than wood or kindling. The ground shook, and from the depths of the forest, countless skulls began to rise, spilling out of the house and tumbling into the crater like a grotesque waterfall of bones.

Makima's eyes narrowed as she watched the disturbing scene unfold. Her expression remained calm, but inside, she was calculating every possibility. She knew the danger she was facing, and her instincts were screaming at her to prepare.

She sighed, her eyes scanning the chaos. "The granny's behind me, isn't she?" she muttered under her breath, already aware of Baba Yaga's presence.

Without turning around, Makima calmly raised her hand and made the signature pistol gesture with her index finger. "Bang."

The invisible force shot from her finger, hitting Baba Yaga directly behind her. But instead of falling, the ancient devil regenerated instantly.

Makima turned, her eyes now fixed on the creature.

Baba Yaga was horrifying to behold. She was headless—her neck a ragged stump where her head should have been. Her body was old and gnarled, resembling that of an ancient, decayed corpse, yet she moved with unsettling speed and precision. Her skin, stretched tight over her bones, was a sickly gray-green, and she wore tattered, archaic clothing that seemed to have melded with her rotting flesh. Skeletal hands stretched from her body, long and clawed, and her movements were jerky, almost like a puppet's strings being pulled in unnatural directions.

Makima's smile twisted slightly as she stared down the headless monstrosity before her. For a moment, her composed demeanor slipped, and she muttered under her breath, mimicking Kang Woo's cavalier attitude. "Fucking granny," she said with a faint smirk, a dark glint flashing in her eyes.

Baba Yaga's body moved suddenly, twitching in jerky, unnatural motions, her bony limbs creaking as if unused for centuries. Her skeletal hands stretched forward, claws sharp enough to slice through bone. Without a head, she appeared even more menacing, a primal force of death and decay.

Makima didn't flinch. Her hand came up again, forming the familiar pistol gesture with her index finger. "Bang," she whispered.

The invisible force shot out, aimed at Baba Yaga's torso. The primal devil staggered but didn't fall. Regeneration began almost instantly, her decayed flesh knitting itself back together in seconds. With inhuman speed, Baba Yaga closed the gap between them, her claws swiping toward Makima with feral precision.

Makima barely moved, her telekinetic power activated in an instant. "Bang," she whispered again, redirecting Baba Yaga's attack mid-air. The claws swerved away, slashing into the ground beside her, leaving deep gashes in the earth.

For the next few minutes, the fight became a relentless dance of attacks and counters. Baba Yaga's speed and brute strength were terrifying, her claws raking the air with every swipe, each one powerful enough to cleave a person in two. But Makima remained calm, her hand never dropping from its pistol position.

Each time Baba Yaga lunged, Makima whispered, "Bang," sending the force of her telekinesis to redirect or stop the attack. But Baba Yaga's regeneration and raw power meant the fight was far from easy. Each successful attack that landed on Makima was devastating, her body torn apart by the ancient devil's claws.

Makima was killed eight times during the battle. Each time Baba Yaga struck her down, her body was shredded, blood spraying across the forest floor. But each time, Makima returned, her contract with the Prime Minister keeping her alive. Her deaths were brutal, but she remained silent, her focus entirely on Baba Yaga.

The eighth death was particularly gruesome. Baba Yaga caught Makima with both claws, ripping through her chest and stomach in one swift motion, her decayed hands pulling Makima's body apart. Blood soaked the forest floor, but Makima, still silent, returned moments later, her body restored.

"Bang," she whispered again, and Baba Yaga's next attack was halted in mid-air, thrown backward by the force of Makima's telekinesis.

 Baba Yaga's next attack was halted mid-air by Makima's telekinesis, the ancient devil seemed to pause, as though contemplating a shift in strategy. Makima narrowed her eyes, her hand still poised in the pistol gesture, ready for the next move.

Suddenly, the forest around them began to stir, as if coming to life. The twisted trees creaked and groaned, their branches extending unnaturally. Baba Yaga's house, perched ominously on its spindly legs, shuddered and groaned as it seemed to channel its own energy into the battle. The ground split open, and from the forest and the house, an assortment of low-class devils emerged, summoned by Baba Yaga to overwhelm Makima.

Thirteen devils in total stood before her:

Ashen Wolf Devil – A twisted, emaciated beast with hollow eyes and matted fur, its jaws snapping with unnerving speed.

Plague Doctor Devil – A humanoid figure wearing a beaked mask, with long, thin fingers that exuded poison.

Executioner Devil – A hulking figure with a hooded face, dragging a massive, blood-stained axe behind it.

Bone Serpent Devil – A skeletal serpent that slithered from the earth, its fangs dripping with venom.

Grief Devil – A wraith-like figure that emitted an aura of despair, its shadowy form shifting and twisting unnaturally.

Fearling Devil – Small, insectoid creatures that fed off fear and moved in swarms, their eyes glowing with malevolent hunger.

Hollow Knight Devil – An armored devil with a broken sword, its hollow gaze betraying no emotion as it shambled forward.

Carrion Devil – A bloated, rotting devil that feasted on the remains of the dead, leaving a trail of decay in its wake.

Scarecrow Devil – A lanky, eerie devil that resembled a ragged scarecrow, with straw for limbs and a burlap sack for a face.

Weeping Child Devil – A pitiful figure resembling a lost child, but its cries could disorient and paralyze anyone who heard it.

Rust Devil – A devil made of rusted metal and jagged edges, its body falling apart with every step, yet somehow still menacing.

Shadow Stalker Devil – A devil made of living shadow, slipping in and out of view as it stalked its prey.

Makima stood unshaken as these devils surrounded her, their twisted forms closing in. She raised her hand, unfazed by the sight of so many adversaries. "All right," she muttered with cold indifference. "Still not impressed."

Suddenly, one of the devils—the Executioner Devil—moved faster than the others, swinging its massive axe toward Makima's side. Before the blade could connect, however, her hand shot up with the familiar pistol gesture.

"Bang."

The telekinetic force stopped the axe mid-air, sending the Executioner Devil flying backward into a tree. But the other devils surged forward, undeterred.

In the chaos, one of the devils—the Carrion Devil—managed to land a strike, severing Makima's arm clean off. Blood sprayed across the ground, but Makima barely reacted. Her severed limb regenerated almost immediately, the wound healing in a matter of seconds.

With cold, calculated precision, she grabbed one of the low-class devils—the Weeping Child Devil—by its throat and pointed her finger at its head. "Bang."

The devil's head exploded in a gruesome display, its body crumpling to the ground.

Makima's control over the battlefield was absolute, her cold demeanor never faltering as she systematically dispatched the low-class devils with clinical precision. "Bang," she whispered, sending another invisible force through the air, decimating the Rust Devil in an instant. Her expression remained unchanged as she obliterated her foes, her telekinesis slicing through the opposition with ease.

Just as she finished off the Rust Devil, a strange feeling crept over her. She felt... disconnected. A telepathic voice, familiar and foreboding, echoed through her mind—it was Prime Minister Kentaro Ishita.

"Makima, I thank you for your service," Kentaro's voice was steady, but the words that followed shattered the world around her. "However, for the future of Japan, we must sever our partnership."

Makima's eyes widened, though her body remained still. The implications of Kentaro's decision settled in immediately—her contract with the Japanese government was being severed. Her immortality, her control over death itself, was stripped away.

For the first time in decades, Makima felt something foreign—vulnerability. And then, in the midst of that crushing realization, Kang Woo's words echoed in her mind: "Do you have a backup plan, Makima?"

She muttered under her breath, her voice trembling slightly, "No, I don't, Kang Woo. I'm a slave... a slave to corporate."

The forest, once a battlefield she controlled with ease, suddenly felt like a prison. She knew the rats that carried her teleportation powers were her only way out. But with her contract severed, even her ability to escape had been diminished. Her power to control life and death had been stripped away, leaving her vulnerable for the first time in ages.

Using the last of her strength, Makima commanded the nearby rats. She teleported away in a frantic blur, her body reappearing further into the forest. However, without the protection of her former contract, the distance she could travel was limited. She reemerged still deep within the Aokigahara Forest, her body weakened, and her breath came in heavy, labored gasps.

She collapsed behind a large fallen tree, leaning against its gnarled trunk. For the first time, the realization that she was truly alone in this fight began to sink in. No control, no immortality, no backup.

"These... are my last rats," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible. The devils would soon find her. Her heart raced as she tried to think, but there was no clear way out. Baba Yaga's minions were still nearby, and the primal devil herself was waiting in the shadows.

For the first time in her existence, Makima was cornered. And the realization that she might not survive this battle weighed heavily on her as she struggled to catch her breath.

Suddenly, a cold, skeletal hand gripped her throat, lifting her effortlessly into the air. Baba Yaga's headless form stood over her, its gnarled hand tightening around her neck as it pinned her against the tree. A sharp spike of bone pierced through Makima's chest, the pain searing as blood trickled down the length of her body.

For a moment, she stared at the blood dripping down her chest, her body immobilized against the tree. She was supposed to be in control. She had always been in control.

"I forgot... this is her territory..." Makima laughed bitterly, the sound hollow and desperate.

As the darkness closed in around her, tears welled up in her eyes—something she hadn't allowed herself to feel in what seemed like centuries. Is this how I die? Is this the end of the Control Devil? Her mind flashed back to the one person who had recently forced her to feel something other than cold indifference—Kang Woo. I hate Kang Woo, she thought, but even as the thought echoed in her mind, she realized her feelings for him ran deeper. 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 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 him is more valuable than 127 million Japanese citizens' lives, she thought. I would burn their lives to the ground just to feel that warmth again.

Her thoughts became 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, her tears mixing with blood. I will not die here. I will not reincarnate. I will live... and meet him again.

Through her pain, a surge of defiance rose within her. Her eyes narrowed, her body trembling as she whispered the word that Kang Woo had left her with.

"Commandment."

Suddenly, a dark orb materialized around her, the Commandment of Piety gifted to her by Kang Woo. In an instant, an explosion of dark energy erupted from the orb, the darkness swirling around her like a shield. The bones that had pinned her shattered, freeing her from Baba Yaga's grip. Her wounds began to mend, the dark energy knitting her flesh back together slowly but surely.

The Commandment's power coursed through her, and with it came a new wave of strength—strength born from survival, from rebellion, and from her stubborn refusal to die here, in the depths of this cursed forest. Hellblaze, a black flame as dark as the void, ignited around her, consuming the low-ranking devils that dared approach her.

Baba Yaga, though still standing, felt the burn of Hellblaze licking at her decayed form. The primal devil's regeneration was impressive, but Hellblaze was relentless—its damage permanent, its fire undying..

The fight wasn't over—not by a long shot.

Makima's eyes burned with renewed determination as she faced the primal devil once more. "I will live," she muttered, her voice low and venomous. "I will find you, Kang Woo. And I will slap you across the face."

The battle resumed, but now Makima wasn't just fighting for survival. She was fighting for her future, one where she would no longer be a slave to anyone—not to Japan, not to the devils, and certainly not to death.

The moment Makima invoked the Commandment of Piety, everything shifted. The battlefield, once chaotic with devils swarming toward her, had grown eerily still. The black flames of Hellblaze continued to burn, a testament to her defiance, but now the air was charged with something far more potent—control.

The lower-ranking devils that had survived her initial onslaught—Plague Doctor Devil, Grief Devil, Hollow Knight Devil, and Executioner Devil—stood frozen in place, their grotesque forms trembling as they stared at the dark flames swirling around Makima. It wasn't just the fire they feared. It was something deeper, more primal—the symbolic meaning of those flames, the authority they represented. Hellblaze was more than just a tool of destruction; it was a symbol of dominion, of authority over even the darkest of forces.

The devils, once eager to tear her apart, began to back away, their fear palpable. They turned, ready to flee, their bodies twitching with the instinct to escape. Suddenly, they stopped in their tracks, as if an invisible force had seized control of them. Baba Yaga noticed this shift immediately and smiled wickedly, the sight of the lower devils halting their retreat filling her with dark amusement.

A mouth suddenly formed on Baba Yaga's chest, ragged and gnarled, but capable of speech. "Heh... so they're still afraid of my command," the primal devil growled, its voice deep and unsettling, filled with centuries of malice.

Makima, still recovering, glanced at Baba Yaga with cold amusement. Her lips curled into a smirk as she taunted, "So the granny can talk, huh?"

The standoff between them was silent but charged with tension. Makima stood, still surrounded by the cocoon of dark energy, her eyes focused not on Baba Yaga, but on the ethereal chains that had suddenly become visible in her mind. The chains connected the lower devils to her—proof that the Commandment of Piety was active. Just as Kang Woo had said, the moment they decide to run from you, they're completely controlled by you.

Makima's smirk deepened. Without a word, she ordered the lower devils to turn against their former master. Her command was silent, but absolute. The chains of Piety tightened around them, forcing their bodies to act.

Plague Doctor Devil was the first to move, its long, thin fingers extending toward Baba Yaga, poison dripping from its claws. The Grief Devil followed, its wraith-like form moving in a jagged, ghostly motion, while Hollow Knight and Executioner Devil lurched forward, their weapons raised. The primal devil didn't have time to react as the devils under Makima's control launched their assault from behind.

Blades pierced Baba Yaga's decayed flesh, poison seeping into its ancient form, but the primal devil's regeneration was still in play. Baba Yaga let out a furious roar, turning to swat at the traitorous devils, but it was too late.

Makima watched the scene unfold, her expression cold and calculating. "Looks like they were charmed by me... isn't that right, Granny?" she taunted, her voice laced with venomous satisfaction.

Baba Yaga's smile twisted into something grotesque, and before Makima could react, the primal devil's decayed body exploded with a sickening crack. The force sent waves of dark energy through the forest, and as the smoke cleared, something even more ominous began to stir.

The eerie house, once standing silently in the distance, suddenly moved. Its spindly legs extended with a terrifying grace, the wood groaning as if alive. It leaped forward, landing directly in front of Makima with a thunderous crash. The air crackled with a new, sinister energy as the house's windows gleamed with unnatural light. From within the house's walls came a deep, guttural voice, low and ancient, filled with malice and power.

"The battle has only just begun," the voice echoed, as the house itself transformed before Makima's eyes. The structure twisted and contorted, taking on a monstrous form—its wooden legs thickening into grotesque limbs, its roof shifting into a hunched back, and its windows morphing into glowing, menacing eyes.

Baba Yaga had taken on her true form, no longer bound by the limitations of a physical body. She was now the house itself, a twisted manifestation of the ancient fear she embodied. The very earth beneath them seemed to tremble under her power.

Makima's eyes narrowed as she watched the transformation unfold. Despite the overwhelming shift in power, her expression remained calm, even as the sheer weight of Baba Yaga's true form bore down on her.

"So... the house joins the fight," Makima muttered,

The 4 lower devils she controlled—Plague Doctor, Grief, Hollow Knight, and Executioner, stood by her side, their loyalty bound by the Commandment of Piety. Makima raised her hand, readying her next move.

As Baba Yaga's true form loomed above her, the tension in the air became almost unbearable.

Makima and her devils prepared to face the monstrous house, the stakes higher than ever. The true battle was about to begin.