Desmon vs Guardians of the Gates of Hell

Hell is known as a place beyond human comprehension, impossible to define in size due to its distortions, with realms governed by high-ranking demons and areas controlled by those once considered demon kings.

Japan lies within the territory of one of these ancient demon kings, a creature known as Enma, now tasked with judging the souls of the dead and handling demons or individuals who disrupt the balance in his domain. This role was all that Enma could achieve after being defeated by another demon of equal rank.

To maintain control of its realm, Enma relies on its two most loyal servants, demons known as the gatekeepers of hell, dedicated to guarding their master's lands.

These two demons are named Gozu and Mezu.

Both demons have a fearsome appearance: Gozu bears the head of a bull, while Mezu has the head of a horse. They share a muscular, towering physique, their bodies reflecting their roles as fearsome guardians. They wear traditional armor, reinforcing their image as warriors bound to their master's commands.

But unlike other demons, each carries weapons: Gozu wields a massive medieval halberd capable of penetrating and slicing, as well as a large shield used both offensively and defensively. Mezu, on the other hand, carries two dao swords, one in each hand.

As their weapons suggest, each demon has immense combat abilities and distinct roles in battle: Gozu with incredible strength and endurance, and Mezu with remarkable speed and agility. Together, they cover each other's weaknesses, making them unbeatable as a team.

Some might think that an individual fight would be best, but these two are inseparable, and if you manage to kill one; well, no one has yet managed it, though legend has it that defeating one alone would be your biggest mistake.

As expected, both demons are feared by lower-ranking demons, who try to flee at the mere sensation of their demonic aura. But if both pursue you, there's nowhere to hide.

Unfortunately, this was the fate of Hachishaku-sama, who disturbed the balance in Enma's territory, prompting both Gozu and Mezu to appear in the city to take the demon's essence, representing its very existence.

No demon is foolish or brave enough to challenge this duo, but before them stands a guy oblivious to the nature of these two beings.

"I suppose having animal heads keeps them from talking. Well, that's too bad." Desmon commented, receiving no reply from the demons.

Desmon pointed Alastor at them. Though he couldn't sense it, the devil arm seemed eager to confront the two demons.

"I'll make sure you learn basic manners; don't complain if I'm too demanding!"

With that, Desmon lunged at them, slashing with Alastor as he closed the gap, only for the blade to be deflected by Gozu's shield.

In that brief moment, Mezu disappeared from Desmon's view, and while Desmon was left open after the parry, Mezu appeared behind him and cut him twice across the back.

"Tch!"

Desmon felt the slash on his back, yet he didn't back down.

Using the strength in his right side, he spun around with Alastor to strike the foe behind him, but by then Mezu was already out of range.

Keeping his guard up, Desmon turned fully around, resulting in Alastor being repelled once more by Gozu's shield.

Shouldn't its large size slow its reaction time? Not for Gozu, who, after deflecting Desmon's weapon, stabbed him in the stomach with the tip of its halberd.

Impaled, Gozu lifted its halberd before slamming it down, giving Desmon no chance to escape.

"Nice trick…"

Using both arms, Desmon pried himself off the halberd and rolled across the ground to avoid being crushed by Gozu's shield.

But he had no time to recover, as Mezu was already there, ready to strike the final blow.

Unable to stop it, Desmon used his hands to soften the impact of the swords. Though pierced, his hands managed to deflect the weapons' paths, sparing him from being stabbed in the head.

"They make a good team! I'll give them that."

As Mezu withdrew the swords, Desmon sprang up and delivered a spinning kick, but Mezu blocked it with both swords.

With Desmon left open, Gozu, who had already closed the distance, struck him with a shield, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Tch, can't you just come at me one at a time?" He spat blood from his mouth. That shield blow was powerful enough to seriously hurt him.

Mezu exchanged a glance with Gozu, then kicked Alastor, lying on the ground, back toward Desmon, as if saying, "Pick up your weapon and fight."

"I'll wipe that smile off your face, horse-head."

Desmon swung Alastor, but Mezu intercepted him with its swords.

The message Mezu conveyed was clear: a duel between swords. It was also why Gozu decided to simply observe. To them, Desmon was no real threat.

Desmon swung Alastor as best as he could, but each move was parried by Mezu with ease.

There was no comparison between them. Desmon was like a child wielding a toy sword, while Mezu was a seasoned soldier with mastery of the blade.

Desmon had never received any training in swordsmanship; he'd just tried to mimic moves he'd seen in movies. Against lesser demons, that had been enough; his strength and reflexes covered his lack of skill. But against an opponent who excelled in swordplay, he didn't stand a chance.

The demon wielded its weapons without leaving openings, while every swing Desmon attempted resulted in a counterstrike from Mezu.

Gradually, cuts appeared all over Desmon's body. Sure, he tried to dodge as best he could, but facing a dual-wielding swordsman, it was easier said than done.

-How the hell does a horse know how to use swords?

Desmon cursed internally, realizing he was outmatched by Mezu's skill.

When he tried to focus on a horizontal cut, Mezu executed a flawless parry on Alastor, deflecting the blow and leaving Desmon completely exposed.

"This is gonna hurt…"

Mezu unleashed a rapid sequence of cuts on Desmon, moving with impeccable precision, each slice perfectly timed. Mezu finished the assault with a cross-cut.

Desmon's body was flung backward from the impact, a trail of blood marking his path.

With the fight seemingly over, Mezu sheathed its swords. Gozu walked up beside it, raising its hand toward where Desmon's body lay.

That final flurry of cuts should've been enough to finish Desmon off, so the demons considered the battle over. There was no way any other demon lesser than these two could've survived it.

But, to Gozu's surprise, nothing happened.

"Damn, that hurt like hell…"

Desmon, battered but alive, rose from the ground. His clothes were slashed and bloodstained, but his wounds had already healed completely.

"It's pointless…"

Shaking his head, Desmon planted Alastor in the ground.

"You know what they say, you have to fight like you know how." He grinned, entirely different from his expression during the sword exchange with Mezu.

With his lack of sword skills, Desmon stood no chance. But could he hold his own against both demons?

The answer: It depends.

-When was the last time I actually took something seriously?

He began stretching, as if trying to loosen up his muscles.

"Now that I think about it, I don't think I've ever done it. Haha! But you know what they say, there's a first time for everything!" He wiped the remaining blood from his mouth with his thumb, a smug grin on his face.

-I have no idea how to use this, but it shouldn't be too hard.

Desmon focused his demonic energy on his body, though, since he'd never done it before, he could only gather it in his arms and legs.

-This should be enough. I really need to practice more with this thing....

So far, he'd only used his demonic energy on rare occasions, and the best he could manage was to concentrate it in his arms and legs; which was exactly what he needed, as it suited him perfectly.

"Alright, time for round two!"

Noticing Desmon's unusual behavior, both demons watched him curiously as his energy condensed in a way that seemed strange to them.

It's said that concentrating demonic energy on a specific part of the body is harder than spreading it throughout, a rule that applies to demons.

So when they saw Desmon vanish from sight, both demons went on guard.

Mezu was the first to react, drawing its swords and moving to intercept Desmon, slashing with both blades. Desmon dodged by leaning back, slipping under the weapons.

Behind Mezu now, he looked at it with amusement.

"You should aim more carefully; it's dangerous to let someone get behind you."

Mezu quickly turned and attempted a vertical slash, but Desmon caught its wrists, preventing the swords from moving.

In this moment, their strength was evenly matched, as, despite Mezu's push, Desmon held his ground.

With a mocking grin, Desmon leveraged the force exerted against Mezu to make a small jump and deliver a double kick to its face, sending the demon flying to the ground.

"You should wait your turn."

Without giving him a chance, Gozu advanced and swung its halberd vertically, but Desmon stepped back, catching a glimpse of his reflection in the weapon.

-I should fix my hair. He thought, noticing his reflection in a split second.

Seeing this, Gozu swung the halberd horizontally, but Desmon leapt onto the weapon.

"You two related or something? You're both really ugly."

Seeing Desmon perched comfortably on the halberd, Gozu raised its other arm to swing its heavy shield at him.

But Desmon gripped the halberd's handle, using it as a base to double-kick the shield.

The force repelled Gozu's shield and arm, leaving the demon open.

Seizing the opening, Desmon ran up the halberd's handle and leapt toward the demon's head.

"I'll return this favor!"

Known for its massive strength and resilience, Gozu spat blood after taking Desmon's kick square to the head.

"The bigger they are…"

Still airborne over Gozu, Desmon grabbed its horns.

"The harder they fall!"

Showing strength that belied his size against the demons, Desmon flipped forward, yanking Gozu by the head and slamming it violently into the ground.

Dusting his hands arrogantly, he smirked.

"I'm in the mood for meat tonight... Don't you think, pony?"

From his position, Desmon kicked back in an upward motion, deflecting Mezu's sword.

"No matter what weapon you use, it's pointless if you can't hit the target. Want me to prove it?"

Mezu began its sword dance, fluid and perfect movements that left no openings in its guard, yet… Desmon dodged each of its cuts with smooth movements, as if he were dancing.

"Who would've thought that the advice from a middle-aged guy would be this effective."

With a grin, recalling memories from years past, Desmon sidestepped both swords as he closed in on Mezu and struck its wrists.

"My fists or your swords, which are deadlier?"

Mezu snorted and lunged at Desmon, delivering two quick slashes as fast as the wind, but before the second one landed, Desmon deflected the sword with one hand as he closed the distance and drove his other fist into the demon's stomach, forcing it back.

"Are we getting started!?"

Mezu and Desmon launched into a rapid exchange of cuts and punches.

The demon's strikes were precise, but each one was deflected by Desmon; a risky move, as a single mistake would mean getting cut by the swords. Yet Desmon had ample practice deflecting close-range weapons.

Years of training hadn't been in vain.

Desmon met every slash with precision, striking the demon whenever he saw an opening, turning it into a battle of endurance, one that Desmon was winning.

"I must be pretty popular, huh."

He knocked both swords aside and delivered a direct kick toward Mezu, using the momentum to leap back, avoiding the halberd.

"Didn't anyone teach you not to meddle in others' business?"

Gozu let out a fierce roar, swinging its halberd to cut Desmon. To its surprise, Desmon caught the blade with his hand. And though blood dripped from his grip on the blade of the halberd, he showed no sign of discomfort or pain.

"Hey, shitty cow, wait your turn!" Desmon's gaze was piercing and serious.

Desmon grabbed the halberd with both hands, pitting his strength against Gozu, who had also set aside its shield to grip the weapon with both arms.

Calling it a tug-of-war would be inaccurate, as, using the sheer power of his arms, Desmon lifted Gozu, who was still holding onto the halberd.

"Get lost."

Without further ado, Desmon began slamming Gozu against the ground repeatedly until the demon released the halberd and went flying into the sky.

"Never thought I'd see a flying cow."

Gozu's figure disappeared into the clouds.

"Sooner or later, it'll be back…"

For now, Desmon ignored Gozu and focused on the new weapon in his hands.

The massive halberd, much larger than Desmon, was hard to wield, requiring both hands just to have mediocre control over it.

"Pointless. It's not my style…" He said with a grin as he spun in place, wielding the weapon.

Mezu, who had taken advantage of Desmon's supposed distraction, closed in swiftly with its swords but was forced to block the massive halberd that Desmon swung toward it.

"Unlucky for you, pony, mine's bigger."

Before Mezu could recover, Desmon spun the halberd again, making the demon block once more.

"Not so tough now, are you?" He taunted.

Repeating this pattern, Desmon focused on wielding the weapon in such a way that Mezu could only defend.

"Not so fun anymore, is it, pony?"

Desmon changed his attack pattern, tossing the halberd into the air as he closed in on Mezu.

Learning from Desmon's fighting style, Mezu moved its swords quickly and precisely, preventing the demon hunter from blocking with his hands.

But it only took a glance for Desmon to track Mezu's sword movements, deflecting both blades with two swift kicks.

"My turn!"

Desmon hadn't forgotten the string of slashes Mezu had aimed at him, so he decided to return the favor in his own style.

With the demon off guard, Desmon launched a flurry of punches and kicks.

Each blow was precise, leaving no room for his opponent to counter.

How is it possible for this guy to pull off an attack sequence that's usually reserved for members of a certain country's military?

That's a story from one for another time, just like the story of the teacher who taught him that living to hate everything around you is pointless; better to have fun and relax.

For the first time, Mezu was treated like a punching bag, receiving synchronized blows and kicks that left no chance to defend or strike back.

"Let's finish this!"

With a kick to the chest, Mezu was sent to the ground, and as it tried to get up, Desmon held the halberd in his hands.

"My parting gift."

Without hesitation, Desmon hurled the halberd with all his strength at Mezu, impaling the demon and pinning it against a small mountain.

"Now, only one left."

As Desmon pummeled Mezu, he heard a loud sound nearby, as if something massive had fallen from the sky.

Gozu, having recovered from the fall, stood on all fours, glaring at Desmon.

"I know I'm supposed to say something here, but I don't exactly remember the word..."

Before he could think, Gozu started charging at full speed on all fours, like a bull.

Remembering the word, he did not hesitate to say it.

"Ole!"

Desmon sidestepped, dodging the demon's charge at the last second.

"I don't have anything red, so I'll improvise."

Desmon removed his coat, using it to taunt the bull.

In response to the provocation, Gozu charged again, even more forcefully.

"Oleee!"

Even then, the demon hunter managed to dodge at the very last instant.

"Maybe I should be a matador. What do you say, cow?"

The demon charged at Desmon again, this time with much more speed.

Swiftly, Desmon put his coat back on and caught Gozu's horns with his arms.

"Tch…"

The demon's strength pushed Desmon back, as if trying to overpower him.

"You want to challenge me? Fine, I accept!"

Desmon used all his strength to stop Gozu from pushing any further.

Now, it was just two beasts testing each other's strength.

"Tough luck, I win!"

Using the momentum of the charge, Desmon began to spin in place, holding Gozu by the horns.

Like a whirlwind, Desmon whirled around several times before flinging Gozu with all his might toward where Mezu had crashed.

"See you around!"

As expected, both demons collided into each other.

"Really…this job was more of a hassle than I thought…" Desmon yawned and began to stretch.

Having dealt with both demons, it was time to head home. But after a few steps, he turned back toward where the two demons lay.

"I'll give it to you; you're tough. But let's end this last round."

Both Gozu and Mezu were now on their feet. The stoic expressions they wore as they exchanged glances with Desmon were gone.

At first, neither demon saw Desmon as a threat, but now they'd decided to classify him as one.

Demonic energy began gathering within each of their bodies, as if it hadn't been utilized before.

They can only unleash their true power when facing an exceptionally formidable opponent, and Desmon fits the bill.

A strange purple aura infused their bodies, making their muscles swell, along with their bloodlust.

"Let's finish this; I have to get back, and I'm already tired..."

As Desmon said, the situation was about to end in mere seconds...but only for him.

Before he finished speaking, Mezu had already vanished from sight and appeared behind him, both swords drawn.

"…!"

Two deep slashes marked themselves across the demon hunter's chest.

-So fast.

Desmon turned to strike, but Mezu was already on the other side.

Another deep cut appeared, now on his back.

"Tch!"

Desmon's eyes couldn't keep up with the demon's speed; in short, he was in trouble.

For a moment, he considered trying to escape, but he dismissed any thought of it.

-The last thing I'll ever do is run from demons.

Desmon focused his demonic energy and prepared to face them, but it was pointless now.

He moved towards Mezu, and as he closed the gap, the figure before him shifted; it was now Gozu who stood there.

-That's new…

Before he could react, he was met with a blow from Gozu's shield, and though he blocked with his arms, he felt his bones and flesh scream in agony from the impact.

He would have tried to get up after hitting the ground… but Gozu didn't give him even that chance. Gozu impaled him with his halberd, drawing him in and smashing him into the ground with the shield.

Desmon's arms made a horrible sound as they absorbed the blow.

Right after, Gozu kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying as Desmon coughed up blood, feeling his organs destroyed by the sheer force of the kick.

While he was still mid-air, Mezu intercepted him, delivering quick slashes that shredded his skin in an instant.

When Mezu finished, it returned to Gozu's side, watching what was left of Desmon suspended in the air. His body hadn't even hit the ground, and it wouldn't.

Not five seconds had passed since the last clash began, and it was already over. The dominance of both demons over Desmon was so overwhelming it almost seemed unfair.

However, despite being left in such a state, Desmon was still alive. Because of this, Gozu and Mezu readied their weapons, gathering demonic energy into their blades, then sent three devastating slashes towards Desmon at blinding speed.

-Oh, I'm dead… That was all he could think as he saw the cuts heading his way.

The attack's impact thundered across the surroundings, leaving nothing but dust and rubble in its wake.

With only debris remaining, Gozu stretched out its hand, gathering something into its palm. This time, everything proceeded as usual.

With nothing left to do, the demons' aura faded, and they began to withdraw, a strange mist enveloping them until they disappeared completely.

Thus, this battle came to an end, with both demons as the absolute victors.

…

…

…

…

…

Seconds passed, and those seconds turned into minutes, inching closer to an hour with still no sign of the demon hunter.

Faced with such overwhelming power, the outcome was as expected.

Total annihilation and death...

Yet, a hand emerged from the rubble. Skin and wounds were fully visible, though it was clear they were slowly regenerating.

Slowly, Desmon emerged from the rubble, his body covered in blood and riddled with wounds that had only just begun to heal. He had been overwhelmed so quickly that he hadn't even had a chance to react or defend himself.

He used this time to regenerate his internal organs and the most vital parts for survival.

"It was a draw..." He murmured to himself as he lay on the ground, exhausted, with a pale face.

Aside from a certain strawberry ice cream–loving demon hunter, this was the first time Desmon had suffered a complete defeat.

His shirt was completely shredded, his coat in tatters. He'd have to buy a new one; his pants were almost completely destroyed too, making him look like some strange, half-dressed vagabond.

After several more minutes lying on the ground, taking in the beautiful night sky, he decided to stand up and return to the hotel. Technically, he'd completed his job, so he could afford to call it a successful mission. That is, if he ignored the fact he'd been humiliated by the demons.

There was no point dwelling on the beating he'd taken; instead, he focused on how, in their next encounter, he would make sure to repay that beating double.

Having recovered enough, Desmon stood and began brushing the dust off his body, just as his phone rang. Either coincidence or luck that it, tucked in his pants pocket, hadn't been destroyed in the clash with the demons.

"Tch, I'm really not in the mood to talk to her… but ignoring her would only make it worse..."

With no other choice, he answered the call.

"Is something wrong?" He said, sounding subdued. Defeat was hard to accept.

"Strange not to hear your usual tone. Was the job I gave you that tough?" Lady asked, mocking.

"Quite the opposite; it was a resounding success. It was so easy I decided to lie on the ground and stargaze." He tried to sound more upbeat.

A half-truth, but a truth nonetheless.

"Glad to hear it, and to show you just how much I appreciate you handling it, I'll knock 1% off your debt. Am I not incredibly generous?" Lady spoke as if she were the most benevolent person in the world.

"No, you're not…" He shook his head to himself.

"Anyway, moving on, I have another job for you."

"Don't I deserve a day off?"

"Need I remind you of the massive debt you owe me?"

He silently cursed his father for saddling him with endless debts.

"What do you need?"

With no other option, he reluctantly accepted the job.

"Tokyo city. Mr. Nakano will give you the details, but it has to do with his five daughters. That's all; I'll send you the address later. And try not to destroy anything, or I'll add it to your debt!"

"Five daughters?"

"They're quintuplets." Lady replied.

"Now I'm even less keen to go to Tokyo..."

"Just do your job!" With that, Lady hung up.

"Tch, how could Dante ever get involved with such a problematic woman?"

With nothing else to do, Desmon summoned Kurox to return to the hotel.

"Hmmm?"

But before getting on the motorcycle, he noticed something felt off.

"I must be really exhausted…"

Desmon ignored the fact that summoning Kurox felt more draining than usual, chalking it up to his fatigue.

Without overthinking, he rode smoothly back to the hotel, making Kurox vanish as he approached, before entering the building and heading to his room for sleep.

"Tomorrow, I'll go find quintuplets… let's hope it's quick and simple..."

Leaving that issue for his tomorrow self, Desmon walked through the hotel without a care.

Unfortunately, he'd completely forgotten that his appearance was in shambles, looking as if he'd just stumbled out of a crime scene; a walking corpse. The hotel staff went into a panic.

"You and I need to have a long talk."

A hand rested on Desmon's shoulder, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

Like a scene straight out of a horror movie, he slowly turned his head, only to find an angry Shizuka waiting for him.

A peaceful night was the last thing he was going to get.

-I should've just kept watching the stars…