Hearing this, Gojo Yoru couldn't help but glance at Yuuki Asuna, teasing her with a smile.
"Yuuki-san, your train of thought is honestly something else. Most people would be panicking about whether Devils are gonna mark them next, but here you are worrying about me. Too many gal games rotting your brain? Let's be real: you're cute and all, but I'm not the love-at-first-sight type. This isn't some suspension bridge effect kicking in, is it?"
"Wh—who said anything like that?! I'm just… concerned, okay? Stop twisting everything into weird stuff!"
A flush crept up Asuna's cheeks at his words. She huffed, turning her face away to hide it, and quickly changed the subject.
"Anyway, looking at you, it doesn't seem like you paid any huge price. You're still in the mood to tease people…"
"Let me cut off that full tsundere arc right there."
Yoru waved a hand lazily, keeping pace beside her as they walked, his tone light and playful.
"It'd probably be more fun for me if I let you keep misunderstanding, but my moral compass is annoyingly strong. Can't bring myself to trick a cute girl, so fine—I'll explain. I didn't jump in specifically to save you. I'm with the Anti-Devil Special Operations Division. Devil Hunter. Eliminating those things is literally my job."
"Eh? But… you're wearing a school uniform just like me. You're a high schooler too, right?"
"Think of it as a part-time gig."
"Uh…"
Asuna's retort died in her throat. She stared at him, brain short-circuiting.
She'd never had a part-time job herself, but she wasn't clueless. Normal high schoolers worked at family restaurants, konbini, or delivery. Devil Hunter as a "part-time job"? That was absurd on every level.
Meeting his expectant gaze, she forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Haha… well… you're really putting in the effort, huh…"
Yoru shot her a flat look.
"It's okay to just call it ridiculous. No need to force polite filler."
"You jerk…"
Asuna bit her lip, cheeks puffing out in annoyance. She stomped her foot once—lightly—then turned her head sharply away and sped up her steps, marching ahead like she was done with him.
Emotional intelligence? Please.
She pulled ahead by a couple of meters… then slowed down again, almost unconsciously.
Annoyed, but not enough to leave. Distancing herself, but not really.
Watching her back, Yoru let out a quiet internal sigh.
She really was cute. Even without his transmigrator bias, after just this short chaotic morning, Yuuki Asuna stood out—not only in looks, but in that earnest, soft personality that somehow survived a bloodbath without breaking.
It was just…
This world was ridiculous.
It had started as a cozy mash-up of slice-of-life anime worlds. Aside from his parents passing early (a minor isekai cliché), his first sixteen years had been blissfully ordinary—school, friends, exams, the usual. Then half a year ago, Devils crashed the party, and suddenly everything veered into Chainsaw Man territory.
How does a wholesome youth rom-com pivot that hard?
But after joining the Anti-Devil Special Operations Division and digging deeper for nearly a month, Yoru realized he'd misjudged it.
This world had never been normal.
Night-stalking human-faced monsters, mountain yokai legends that turned out real, cameras catching ghostly figures, werewolves in back alleys, vampires in clubs—everything existed. Most civilians just stayed blissfully ignorant behind a thin veil of normalcy.
Luckily, as a transmigrator, Yoru wasn't exactly normal either.
Two months back, heading to the konbini for an ice-cold cola, he'd run straight into a suddenly manifesting Sea Cucumber Devil.
In that instant, only one thought dominated his mind:
Sea cucumber. I want to eat sea cucumber.
Braised with scallions—perfect. Cold shredded salad as appetizer—chef's kiss.
As if the universe decided to reward his gourmet craving, a power awakened inside him.
Similar to Chainsaw Man's Devil summoning, but zero price, zero backlash—just stamina drain. A unique ability embodying "Infinity," "Cycles," and "Devouring": Ouroboros.
Thanks for the meal, Sea Cucumber Devil. You're unforgettable.
After that, he joined the Division as a Devil Hunter. Of course, he never revealed the true source. Officially, he "contracted" with the Gluttony Devil and "paid a price" like everyone else.
Ouroboros was straightforward: summon it, devour supernatural beings, gain permanent physical boosts. He could fight with it directly, but the stamina cost was brutal—not worth it most times.
Bottom line: when Yoru fought Devils, he mostly relied on his own enhanced body—precision, explosive speed, raw technique, strategy, and a ridiculous stat floor from all that devoured power.
Pure effort, sweat, and a little cheat-code physique.
"If you've got questions, save them for lunch break."
Their casual back-and-forth carried them to the gates of Sobu High School.
Why Sobu High was plopped in Tokyo instead of Chiba, Yoru didn't question anymore. Fused world rules—familiar elements everywhere, but never a perfect match.
No Sword Art Online here, for one. Yuuki Asuna hadn't logged into a death game to become the Lightning Flash. Instead, she'd been shaking in front of a Bat Devil, showing that vulnerable, gentle side.
"Oh… okay."
Asuna took a steadying breath, squaring her shoulders as she followed him through the gates.
For a first-year girl, her resilience was honestly impressive.
She'd watched dozens die horribly, nearly become food herself—yet she hadn't fainted, hadn't broken down. In under an hour, she'd pulled herself together enough to banter and blush. That mental toughness bordered on superhuman.
…
After checking the freshman class rosters posted outside the main building, Asuna discovered Gojo Yoru was also a first-year—and both assigned to Class 1-A.
Stepping into the classroom, the low hum of chatter paused. Small clusters of new students sizing each other up turned to stare at the late arrivals.
While Asuna scanned for empty seats, wondering where to plant herself, Yoru strode straight to a corner window desk.
Perched casually on top of it was a young woman in a white lab coat thrown over suit pants. Beautiful face, but her vibe screamed "exhausted salaryman who's seen too much"—legs crossed, posture slouched like she was about to demand protection money.
"Hellooo. You must be Gojo-kun, right?"
She raised a hand in lazy greeting, long black hair spilling over her shoulders.
"My name is Hiratsuka Shizuka. I'll be the homeroom teacher for this class starting today. Please take care of me in the future, yeah?"