Pov Narrator.
"🎶 Now she wants me to wear expensive clothes… Balenciaga and Witchy Praga… but I don't have any of that 🎶"
Isagi hummed calmly, lightly swaying his body to the rhythm of his own voice, as if he were not in the middle of a scenario that, for everyone else, had practically been a nightmare.
The contrast was absurd. While he looked relaxed, almost refreshed. The rest of the Devil Hunters group was on the verge of collapse. Time had passed without anyone being able to measure it with certainty. Days, maybe more. No one had eaten. No one had slept. No one had had a real moment of rest.
And, even worse, No one had been able to escape the noise.
The constant explosions caused by Isagi had shaken the environment over and over again, without respite. Each detonation came accompanied by the screams of the Eternity Devil, a mixture of pain, rage and desperation that repeated endlessly, slowly eroding everyone's mind.
But for Isagi. It had been productive. Very productive. Thanks to the Eternity Devil, he had accumulated a huge amount of experience. Enough to level up approximately ten levels.
Now he was level 40. His stats had increased considerably, and he had also received two quite interesting rewards. In summary: He had come out winning. And by a lot.
"Well… that was fun". he finally said, with a relaxed smile. He brought his hands together and clapped once, as if he were closing some ordinary activity. "You two, the crybaby and the ugly one". He pointed directly at Kobeni and Arai. "Go home and relax. It shows you need it. spineless wimps". Without waiting for a response, he slightly turned his body. "The one with the eyepatch."
He now pointed at Himeno, who was holding Aki, helping him stay on his feet. Aki's state was evident: pale, weakened, barely standing.
"Take Aki to the hospital. He looks like he already has one foot in the grave". His words were direct. Finally, he shifted his gaze toward the last two. "Denji… Power. You do whatever the hell you want. I'm going to go report what happened here…" he said as he began to walk. "and turn in the piece of the Gun Devil's flesh that I found."
" And since when are you the captain, bastard?". Denji growled, frowning. Unlike the others, his state was… relatively stable.
Not because the situation did not affect him, but because, in comparison, it was nothing new to him. Having gone hungry since… well, basically forever, had given him a different kind of endurance.
Two days without eating inside that hotel was not a big deal. Or at least, not for him..Although of course. Time had not flowed normally. Because of the Eternity Devil, while inside approximately two days had passed, in the outside world only a few hours had gone by.
One more distortion to add to the list.
" I would hit you if I wasn't so tired, brat… " Power huffed. Her voice lacked its usual energy. All she wanted was to go back home, lie down somewhere comfortable, pet Nyako… and completely empty Aki's refrigerator.
Isagi looked at them over his shoulder. A slight smile, filled with arrogance, formed on his face.
"I decided it". He made a small pause, as if stating something obvious. "While I am present, I am the one who gives the orders. When I'm not here, Aki is in charge. And that's how it is because I say so". He turned his face a bit more, just enough for his gaze to reach them from the corner of his eye. " I'm the only one who decides."
The silence that followed was brief.
"…Just do what he said".
Aki finally sighed. His voice was lower than usual. He did not have the energy to argue. Not in that state. And definitely not with Isagi… nor with Denji and Power at the same time.
It was more practical to give in. At least for now. The response seemed enough for Isagi. His smile widened slightly.
" See?". he said with satisfaction. " Even Aki knows I'm the boss here". He turned his gaze forward again, completely turning his back on them. "Potential Man". The nickname came out naturally, as if it were already established. "Today nothing can go wrong."
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Isagi walked through the hallway leading to Makima's office in an unusually good mood. His steps were lighter and faster. He wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.
There were two rewards that the system had granted him after his encounter with the Eternity Devil… and one of them, in particular, was directly related to the body he now inhabited.
Megumi Fushiguro's. Just thinking about it sent anticipation through his body. Without bothering to knock, he pushed the door open with one hand. The energy with which he entered completely contrasted with the calm inside.
Makima was sitting behind her desk. Perfectly upright. As if she had not moved at all since the last time. As if she had been waiting for him. Her golden eyes settled on him instantly. She did not blink. But she noticed something. A subtle change. In just a few hours… Isagi had become stronger.
That… only increased her interest. And her doubts. Even so, she received him with the same soft smile as always. Patient. Inviting him to speak.
"You know… today I'm kind of in a hurry, Makima".
Isagi said as he approached the desk without hesitation. His tone was direct. He placed the fragment of the Gun Devil's flesh on the table, leaving it right in front of her with a soft thud.
"So… quick summary". He rested one hand on the surface of the desk, leaning slightly forward. "Eternity Devil. Hotel with altered time flow. I caused the devil so much pain that it gave up and let itself be killed. Fragment recovered and delivered."
Makima nodded slightly. She extended her hand and took the fragment between her fingers, observing it carefully. She turned it slightly, inspecting its texture, its shape… its essence. It was no different from the other fragments that Public Safety had obtained so far.
But the context was different.
"You did a good job, Isagi".
she finally said, lifting her gaze toward him. Her voice was soft. But there was something more behind it.
"In less than three days you have recovered two fragments of the Gun Devil. You are impressive."
" Well… see you."
Isagi turned around just like that, starting to walk toward the door with quick steps. His mind was already somewhere else: at his house, in the system, in those rewards he had been wanting to claim for a while. His hand reached the handle.
"Isagi."
Makima's voice stopped him in his tracks. Soft. Calm. But impossible to ignore. Isagi stood still for a second. Then he slowly turned, showing a forced smile that could not fully hide his discomfort.
Today… Today was the first time he really wanted to leave work early. And, for some reason, that hurt him more than it hurt her.
" What's wrong, Makima?". he asked, trying to keep his tone relaxed.
Makima did not respond immediately. Instead, she slightly raised her hand and made a small gesture, indicating for him to come closer again. To return.
—(Why?!) —Isagi shouted internally—. (It's the first time I want to leave early! I'm the best worker this place has ever had! I know my rights!)
His face reflected none of that. But inside, he was complaining like never before. He exhaled deeply and went back. Step by step, he returned to the desk and sat down in the chair in front of her, letting himself fall with a mix of resignation and curiosity. His index finger began tapping the desk repeatedly.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
A small habit that appeared whenever he was impatient. Makima observed him in silence for a few seconds before speaking.
"Isagi… you have done a great job, you know?. You have kept Power under control… you have recovered two fragments of the Gun Devil… and you have eliminated several devils since you arrived". She made a brief pause. Enough for her words to settle. "Maybe… you deserve a reward". Her golden eyes fixed directly on his. There was no visible pressure. But there was intention. "Don't you think?"
The tapping of Isagi's finger stopped. His ears, so to speak, sharpened instantly.
—(A reward…?) —he thought. And then a smile appeared on his face. —(Oh… yeah.) —A performance bonus? —he asked, leaning slightly forward—. Maybe a raise… or a promotion?
" Mmm". Makima tilted her head slightly. " Is that what interests you? More money?". A soft, brief laugh escaped her lips as she noticed what Isagi's first reaction had been.
"Well it's obvious, right?". he replied, raising an eyebrow. "My gym membership and horse betting don't pay for themselves. What else would I think about?"
Makima gently shook her head. She did not say anything immediately. Instead, she leaned slightly forward, closing the distance between them. Her presence became more… close. More intimate. Her voice dropped just a tone.
The subtle scent surrounding her reached Isagi clearly, provoking an involuntary reaction in him. He swallowed almost without realizing it.
"Would you ask for something more personal". Makima murmured. "if the reward included asking me… for something from me?"
Isagi slightly narrowed his eyes.
—(There's something here…) —he thought, bringing a hand to his chin—. (There's definitely a hidden message.) —It was not just any question. Makima never asked questions "just because". —Well… no. I'm not that type. If I wanted something from you, it would be your number… or to ask you out on a date.
Makima moved a little closer. Enough for her body to brush against his for a brief moment. The contact was light. But deliberate.
"But we already have the date… remember?". she whispered, maintaining that small calm smile on her lips. Her closeness was not accidental. "You can't forget it twice. I would think you're just playing with me, if you don't take it seriously. Tell me". she added, without fully pulling away. "Have you found that movie yet? I'm really interested in seeing how good your taste is, Isagi."
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End of the chapter.
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Well, I changed the minus sign (—) to a period (.).
But when it's translated into Spanish, the period (") is replaced by a minus sign (—).
So that's not my fault, it's the fault of the website or app.