"My, how helpful. Fortunately, I've already found what I've been searching for… You," Makima said.
Never in Daniel's, now Denji's, life had he ever expected to be so terrified of a stunningly beautiful woman staring and smiling at him with a small, alluring smile.
Fuck! She is cute! No! Drop dead gorgeous! Denji thought as his calm expression began to break. Stop it! Remember, she's a devil who won't hesitate to destroy everything you'll ever come to love and care about and laugh while doing it! Focus!
"I'm sorry?" Denji said as he shuffled uncomfortably. "I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean? Could you possibly… be hitting on me?"
"Listen here, you damn brat! Don't talk like that to Makima-San!" One of the Public Safety Devil Hunters said, his face scrunched up in irritation. Before he could step forward, Makima turned to him slightly, her small smile ever present.
"S-sorry, Makima-San," the man muttered before stepping back, like a reprimanded dog.
"Yuichi, Hachiro… wait for me outside," Makima said, her voice cool and even.
No! Yuichi, Hachiro, Don't go! Denji screamed in his mind. Don't leave me alone with her!
Both men turned to one another and nodded. Quickly and quietly, they exited the convenience store. Leaving Makima and Denji alone.
"So, uh… how can I help you-"
"You have a very particular smell," Makima said, cutting Denji off. "It was all over the warehouse outside of town. The one where you took down the Zombie Devil, but you left its minions to run free. We took care of them, yes, but before we did, they managed to kill several people."
Denji blinked and stepped back, as if struck. "W-what?" He said as he felt a wave of guilt.
No… are their deaths my fault? Denji wondered, his expression tight. No, I don't remember anyone being around that crappy warehouse. Could she be lying?
Makima's smile didn't falter, but she was pleased at his reaction.
"You've played quite the convincing game. Pretending to be a normal human for several weeks. But your smell isn't that of a human… but also not that of a devil. I've debated on watching you longer, but I'm working off a timeline, you see," Makima smiled and stepped closer to Denji, who stepped back. "You have two choices. One, be killed by me as a devil. Or two, be kept by me as a human. What will it be?"
So die or be your slave. What shitty choices I have. Denji thought and fought the urge to run away. Even if he escaped the store, he doubted he would get too far from Makima and the two Devil Hunters. Especially considering what devils they're contracted with.
At that moment of stress, Denji's stomach growled loudly. Both Makima and Denji turned to stare at his stomach, one with embarrassment and the other with intrigue.
Damn it! I shouldn't have skipped breakfast! Denji thought as he cursed himself for trying to save every penny, or yen now, for his plane ticket. He sometimes even skipped eating every other day to save as much as he could. It seemed some of Denji's old habits stayed with him despite the change of consciousness.
Makima smiled. "If you're my pet… I'll give you tasty food. I think that's a pretty decent deal, unless you want to die?"
"That's not much of a choice…" Denji gritted out. "Ms?"
"Makima," she replied.
"…Makima. You're asking me to choose between being your pet and dying. That's not a choice, that's an ultimatum," Denji said. He watched as Makima's eyes widened slightly, before a small frown overtook her smile.
Ultimatum… he knows such a word. Makima thought. The host isn't what I expected.
"Perhaps. But you must choose. Die where you stand or be my pet," Makima said, her arms falling to her sides. "Now choose... Chainsaw."
Not much of a choice. I don't want to die, but I also don't want to be under her thumb. Damn it, I knew I should have risked it and snuck onto a boat! Denji thought as he looked over at the door behind Makima.
"Fine… I'll listen to you," Denji said sternly. "What do you want?"
Makima's smile grew wider, and she leaned forward, invading Denji's personal space. He blushed involuntarily, causing her to hum with satisfaction.
"You'll listen to me? How funny," Makima said with a small laugh. "From today onwards, you'll work for the Public Safety Devil Hunters. As long as you're useful, you'll stay alive. How does that sound?"
Like Hell. Denji thought. The weight of defeat and helplessness fell over him as he stared down at his feet. I guess there's no escaping Denji's fate… my fate.
"Ah, I'm afraid I forgot to ask," Makima said as she held her chin. "What's your name?"
"…it's Denji."
-=C-S-M=-
Destiny.
Destiny is known as the predetermined course of events, often held to be an irresistible power or agency.
It has been said by many wise individuals that a person often meets his or her destiny on the road they took to avoid it.
For Denji's case, he barely managed to get a few feet on the road to avoid his own fate before destiny decided to step in and punch him in the face.
Still dressed in his convenience store uniform, with an old black backpack slung over one shoulder, Denji stepped out of the sleek black sedan. He paused for a moment to take in the striking silhouette of the Public Safety Devil Hunter Tokyo Headquarters before him.
The building rose majestically to seven stories, its modern architecture punctuated by an abundance of large windows that invited streams of natural light to spill into the interior. Massive flags, emblazoned with Japan's vibrant red sun, fluttered energetically in the breeze, adding a touch of life against the crisp sky.
Around him, men and women of varied ages moved purposefully in tailored black and white suits, their strides brisk and confident. Each person wore an expression of unyielding professionalism, their eyes shadowed with the weight of experiences etched into their memories—stories of battles fought against unfathomable horrors.
As Denji stood there, a few employees caught sight of him, casting curious glances his way. Some regarded him with a flicker of jealousy, perhaps feeling threatened by his closeness to Makima, while others quickly dismissed him, burying their thoughts beneath the mantle of their own concerns.
"I want to go home," Denji muttered.
Makima smiled and motioned to the building. "This is the headquarters for the Tokyo Devil Hunters branch. Including the civilians, there are over a thousand devil hunters in Tokyo. We Public Safety Devil Hunters get a lot of paid days off and the best benefits package in the country."
"Oh, really? How much vacation time do they offer? What's the 401(k) match like? Are we talking 5% or 10%?"
"To start, everyone receives three weeks of paid time off. As for the 401(k), we match contributions up to 25%," Makima said, her delicate brow furrowing in confusion.
"Wow, really? I mean- uh, I heard someone say that on TV the other night. I thought it would make me sound smart if I said it too…" Denji said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Is that so? It definitely had me fooled for a moment," Makima said before motioning for Denji to follow her inside the building.
That was close. I have to watch what I say around her! Denji thought as he cringed internally as he followed her inside through the large halls. As he walked, he couldn't help but notice and pick up all the different types of people and rooms within the building.
As he walked past another room, he noticed a woman wearing an eyepatch stepping out. She turned quickly to Makima and then to him. When their eyes met, she smiled at him with a charming grin before continuing on her way.
Was that Himeno? Denji thought as he and Makima reached a large room full of black and white suits.
"Denji-kun, we typically work in uniform. So go ahead, put these on," Makima said as she handed him a crisp white dress shirt, a black tie, and a pair of slacks. "When you're done changing, I'll have someone guide you to my office."
Denji nodded and watched her leave. He turned down to stare at the clothes and sighed.
"Looks like this was an unavoidable path for me," he whispered before stepping into a dressing room.
Once he finished, he stepped out and looked at himself in a full-length mirror. Denji adjusted his tie and noticed a large rack filled with dozens of black suit jackets. With a slight smile, he selected his size and slipped it on. While he was at it, he figured he might as well grab a pair of shiny dress shoes as well.
"Clothes make the man," Denji said as he examined his appearance in the mirror. He then deflated and rubbed his face. "What am I doing?"
Deciding it was too late for him to regret his choices, he turned and left the room. Looking to his side, he saw a man with dead-looking eyes who had a scar running down his neck.
"Follow me," the man, Shimoda, said as he led Denji to where Makima's office was located.
-=C-S-M=-
"This is Aki Hayakawa. He's three years your senior here," Makima said from behind her desk, the setting sun looming behind her. "For today, tag along with him."
Denji frowned and looked away from Aki.
Aki… arguably one of Chainsaw Man's most tragic characters. No, not a character... A tragic young man. He lost his parents, brother, teammates, and then he risked it all to protect his new family. Denji thought, a pang of sadness ringing through him.
"Denji-kun? Did you hear me?" Makima asked evenly.
"…Yes, ma'am," Denji said.
"Good. Make sure you be a good senior to him, Hayakawa-kun,"
"Of course, Makima-san," Aki said and spun on his heel. He didn't even give Denji a glance. "Let's go on patrol."
"Right," Denji said and followed after him.
"Oh, and Denji-kun?" Makima spoke up as both young men were about to leave. "Remember what I said… As long as you're useful, everything will work out."
Denji looked away from Makima's sweet smile and nodded. Without saying a word, he walked past Aki and left the room.
-=C-S-M=-
"Why did you become a devil hunter?" Aki asked as he led Denji through the streets of Tokyo.
Because I didn't want to die. Denji thought as he moved around a slow-moving old woman. "Because I think devils need to be stopped."
"A common answer," Aki said. "An answer that many say. But those people also tend to quit after a month because they don't have what it takes to do this job. I suggest you quit now. I don't know why Makima-san is wasting her time on you, but you should stop now before you die."
"…I can't. Quitting isn't an option for me," Denji said seriously.
Aki paused and turned to stare at him with narrowed eyes. "We'll see about that."
For the next several hours, Aki and Denji made their rounds around the city in search of any Devil sightings or appearances. But as the hours passed by, they didn't encounter any of the malevolent creatures that often appeared with no warning.
That was before they encountered the Cockroach Devil on their way back to headquarters.
"Ugh… gross," Denji said as he eyed the large, mutated cockroach monster that was as large as a small vehicle. Throngs of nearby people screamed and fled as they tried to get away from the scene, while a few more curious individuals stood back and watched. "Seeing as you have a sword and I don't have squat, I'm guessing you'll take care of it?"
"No, this Devil isn't strong. It's the perfect opportunity for me to see what you're capable of," Aki said as he stepped back. "Be quick about it."
"Huh? Weren't you listening? I don't have a weapon. You expect me to punch it?" Denji asked incredulously. "At least give me your sword or something."
"Sorry, this katana isn't a weapon I can lend out like that," Aki said as he grabbed his weapon. "Don't worry, if I see you struggling, I'll step in. But if I do, I'll request Makima-san to remove you as a hunter. If you can't handle this, you're as good as dead whenever a real threat appears."
What a hardass. Denji thought. Still, he is looking out for me, at least, in his own way.
"Fine," Denji thought as he began to walk up to the large cockroach.
Okay, how am I going to do this without going all chainsaws out? Denji thought, his eyes scanning the immediate area. Perfect! A rusty pipe! Now I can give it a good ol' smack and a trip to the doctor for a tetanus shot.
But before Denji could grab his chosen weapon, the Cockroach Devil hissed and dashed right at him.
Okay! I can totally do this! I mean, I killed the Zombie Devil! Denji thought and rolled forward as the Cockroach Devil crashed where Denji once stood, causing it to break down the concrete wall behind him. What am I talking about?! I did that as Chainsaw Man! Not as myself! I'm way out of my depth here! I was nothing but some theater kid who loved to play video games. I never did anything physical before, so how am I supposed to handle that?!
The Cockroach Devil growled and stepped back from the ruined wall. It turned to Denji and hissed its large, sharp teeth. Using its several, mutated legs, the monster scampered over to him once more.
Denji hissed and began to run away when the memories of how the original Denji and Pochita used to work together to take down weaker devils began to flash through his mind. All of Denji's past tactics and attack patterns flooded his mind. They weren't the most well-thought-out methods, but they were more than enough.
With a roll, Denji avoided a wide swipe from one of the Devil's long, sharp legs. Using as much strength as he could, Denji jumped over another incoming attack and swooped below the Devil. Now behind it, Denji made a beeline for the rusty pipe from before and snatched it from the ground.
As he turned around, he grunted as the Cockroach Devil managed to land a wide cut over his shoulder.
"Fuck! That stings!" Denji yelled and reared back his arm. "An eye for an eye, you ugly son of a bitch!"
Using all the power his upper body could muster, Denji brought the pipe down into the Devil's left eye. Crushing it into a bloody paste. The monster howled in pain and staggered back.
Running forward, Denji crashed the pipe against one of the Devil's legs, cracking its outer shell's membrane, but ultimately leaving it unharmed.
"…well shit," Denji said and was succinctly sent rolling back as the Devil attacked.
As he came to a stop, Denji groaned in pain and held his slowly bruising chest. His hand slowly moved to the starter under his shirt, but stopped when Aki stepped in front of him.
"I guess I was wrong," Aki said and moved.
With one fast swipe of his katana, Aki removed the Cockroach Devil's head from its body, causing a shower of yellow blood to gush out into the street.
With a swipe, Aki removed any lingering blood from his sword and sheathed it away.
"…that was so cool," Denji muttered as he forced himself up. "Why didn't you just do that instead of letting that thing throw me around like a rag doll? Maybe you find my pain to be funny?"
"I wanted to see if you were serious about being a hunter," Aki said. "I expected you to run. Like several others before you. But you stood your ground and fought it without a weapon of your own."
"No, I swear I saw you smile when I was sent rolling back."
"…you must be seeing things."
-=C-S-M=-
"So what do you think? Can you two get along?" Makima asked after Aki finished giving her an oral report of what had occurred during their fight with the Cockroach Devil.
"I don't know. He seems a little sadistic to me," Denji muttered as he rubbed his now bandaged torso.
"No. He's far too weak and unskilled," Aki said, his arms behind his back.
Makima smiled at their answers. "I see, I'm glad you two are hitting it off. I'm putting Denji-kun in your squad, Hayakawa-kun."
"Him? Really? He isn't ready for the field. He needs to be sent back for more training," Aki replied. "What exactly does this guy have that can serve as an asset, Makima-San?"
"You see, Hayakawa-kun. Denji-kun here is human, but he can turn into a devil," Makima said, her expression calm and relaxed, almost as if she didn't reveal such a big secret.
"Are you serious? I've only heard flimsy rumors about cases like that," Aki said and turned to Denji. "Then why didn't you turn into a devil before? Were you trying to hide that from me?"
"Uh, not really. It's just that transforming into a devil really fucking hurts. And it sends blood everywhere," Denji said as he rubbed his forehead. "It's like my skull is splitting in two, and hundreds of sharp knives are pulling my arms apart. It's the worst."
Makima chuckled and leaned on her hand. "Denji is special. So I've decided that we'll treat him as a special case. If Denji ever quits or disobeys orders… he'll be put down as a devil."
Akis' eyes grew wider by a fraction of an inch.
"…I can't. Quitting isn't an option for me," Denji said seriously.
So that's what he meant. Aki thought as he eyed Denji's reaction. The blonde boy was unreadable, but his eyes settled squarely on Makima.
"Another thing, from now on, Denji will be living with you, Hayakawa-kun. Please be sure you two get along," Makima smiled and turned to her work. "Now then, I have some work to catch up on."
Aki bristled and bit his tongue at her order. He wanted to refute it, but it appeared that the matter was all but dropped. With a polite bow, he and Denji left the room and began leaving the headquarters.
"When I asked you why you became a devil hunter, you said that you thought that devils needed to be stopped. If you meant what you said, you should let me kill you where you stand," Aki said as he stopped in the middle of the street. His hand was on his katana. "You are a devil after all. I'm sure Makima-San will understand."
Denji's fists tightened at his sides as he locked eyes with Aki. "I did mean it. Devils kill people indiscriminately and cause nothing but pain and destruction. And yes, I'm a devil. At least, half of me is. But my other half, the human part, wants to live. So sorry, if you want to kill me, you'll have to work for it," Denji said as he raised his starter in front of Aki.
Aki didn't blink and continued staring at Denji, as if looking for something in his yellow eyes. After several moments, Aki sighed and let go of his sword.
"Very well. As long as you're a useful tool for the Public Safety Devil Hunters, you can live. But if you ever try to run away, I'll kill you myself," Aki said and began walking once more. "Now let's go, I'm hungry."
Denji closed his eyes and sighed. Slipping his starter back into his shirt, he hesitated but ultimately followed after Aki.
I knew it, I should have just swam to Mexico.