Asa Mitaka was stunned by the roar, then immediately shouted back, "Why the hell not? I bought this! Did you pay a single Yen for eating this hotel?"
The Eternal Devil's spit flew everywhere as it screeched, "I'm a devil! Pay you my ass!"
Enraged, it could no longer follow Fami's instructions.
The looping space had already been damaged. If these so called ingredients ran loose inside its stomach and somehow escaped, it would be finished. Even if Fami spared it, the Falling Devil would not.
Fuck. Either way meant death.
Better to strike first.
"I'll bite you to death!"
The Eternal Devil unleashed its power. Dozens of twisted human faces bulged from the mountain of flesh inside its stomach, lunging at the four survivors.
Sweat beaded on Asa's forehead as she tightened her grip on the Love Hotel Spear, preparing to use her Moonlight Badger Stabbing Spearmanship.
Cael lightly tapped her shoulder.
"Asa, leave this ugly bastard to me. I'm worried you'll lose control and kill it."
He stepped forward, placing himself between the devil and the others.
"Be careful," Asa said.
"It's trash. Relax."
The Eternal Devil was not the main course. To deal with the Falling Devil later, Cael needed this thing alive for now.
The corner of his mouth lifted. "Eternal Devil, I've been looking for you."
The Eternal Devil bristled at his tone.
It would tear this arrogant brat apart first.
"Who the fuck are you? Acting tough? I'll chew you to pieces!"
The writhing mass shifted direction and surged toward Cael.
Crack, crack.
Cael stretched calmly. He had not tested his new form yet.
Might as well.
The triangular pull cord embedded in his chest slid inward, vanishing beneath his skin. In its place, a circular ring pull emerged from his neck.
He grabbed it and yanked hard.
Boom.
A violent explosion ripped through the confined space.
When the smoke cleared, Cael's head had transformed into a savage missile lined with jagged teeth. His body was clad in detonator armor, black fuses trailing from his arms like coiled serpents.
Bomb Devil Form.
Compared to his Chainsaw Devil form, the difference was obvious.
His physical durability had not increased much, and his charisma still surged absurdly high. His luck dropped sharply, though Cael suspected that had more to do with Kobeni's presence than his transformation.
The real change was agility.
It skyrocketed.
To him, the Eternal Devil now moved like a sluggish maggot.
Cael vanished.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared beside the massive body, mirroring the move Reze once used against Beam.
He lightly tapped the Eternal Devil's flesh.
"Boom."
The explosion was deafening.
"Aaaaah!"
More than half of the Eternal Devil's grotesque body was obliterated instantly.
Cael blinked.
He had only used about five percent of his output.
Holy shit.
He almost killed it.
"Damn, I overdid it. So the blast strength isn't directly tied to durability. Good to know."
The shockwave blasted Asa, Yoru, Kobeni, and Ise off their feet. The fleshy walls absorbed most of the impact, sparing them serious injury.
Asa's eyes widened.
No, it was Yoru.
Her emotions surged violently, forcing her to seize control of the body.
Yoru stared at Cael's back for a long moment.
"Cael… Chainsaw Man… she… is my daughter?"
Asa winced. "Yoru, what the hell are you talking about? My head's killing me."
Sharing a brain meant she felt Yoru's turmoil clearly. It was a chaotic mix of overwhelming love and boundless hatred, like magma colliding with a glacier.
"Asa," Yoru said slowly, "what would you do if your sworn enemy turned out to be your daughter?"
"Ask what?"
"What if the one you hate most… is your own child?"
Asa followed Yoru's gaze, which had not left Cael once.
Her stomach dropped.
"Wait. You're saying my man is your daughter?"
"Yes." Yoru nodded faintly. "There's no mistake. Bomb inherited the War flag. She is one of my proud daughters."
"Have you completely lost it? What the hell are you saying?"
Outside, in Hell.
Compared to the emotional chaos inside the Eternal Devil's stomach, the atmosphere outside was eerily calm.
Because of the Eternal Devil's warped ability, time flowed differently inside and out. Though Cael and the others had battled for what felt like ages, from the outside it had barely been a moment.
The Falling Devil stood gracefully, holding her severed head in her hands.
"How does it taste?" she asked serenely. "This fear tinged with love. I prepared it carefully, using the finest ingredients."
Thump. Thump.
Low, unsettling noises echoed from the Eternal Devil's stomach.
She smiled faintly.
Excited, perhaps.
It must be delicious enough to make him kick with joy.
The Eternal Devil forced its mouth into a grotesque grin. "Good… goo…"
"BLEAGH!"
It suddenly vomited violently to the side.
There was a fucking monster inside its stomach setting off explosions nonstop.
Even as a devil, it could not suppress the overwhelming nausea.
With a wet splatter, Cael, Yoru, Kobeni, and a completely disoriented Ise were expelled onto the ground.
The Falling Devil froze.
Vomited?
The corners of her lips twitched.
For the first time, a faint sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead.
Was she afraid?
No.
It was humiliation.
As a chef of Hell, her dish had just been rejected.
Cael noticed immediately.
He smiled, pleased with her expression, and calmly added fuel to the fire.
"What a shame. Dearest Friend, we meet again. Seems this diner really hated the dish."
The Falling Devil's chest rose and fell. Her elegant face twisted slightly.
For the first time, this Primal Devil was angry.
She pointed sharply at the Eternal Devil, who was still dry heaving.
"This is a dish I poured my love into!"
"This is a dish my Dearest Friend offered with his life's resolve!"
"And you dare vomit it out?"
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