A week had passed since that night of the Sabbath. It was the beginning of June, with summer's presence drawing near. The town of Higashimurayama greeted another peaceful morning, unchanged from the day before. Lively voices echoed from the shopping district in front of the station, and on the distant hill, the white walls of the Asuka residence were visible. In the Makimura family's living room, the scent of miso soup hung in the air. "[gentle] Akira, if you don't eat quickly, you'll be late." Miki poked her face out from the kitchen, wearing an apron. Her long black hair swayed in a ponytail, and each time it moved, the morning light reflected off it, sparkling brilliantly. Her wide, brown eyes gazed at Akira, who was seated at the dining table. Chopsticks in hand, Akira was slightly dazed. (*Demons, huh.*) In a corner of his mind, the message from Ryo that had arrived the night before clung stubbornly. *'Demonic reaction detected in a forested area on the outskirts of Tokyo. Conduct solo reconnaissance tonight. Do not tell Miki.'* He had read those words, displayed on his smartphone screen, over and over. He was used to Ryo's commanding tone, but this time it felt strangely urgent. And then — the instruction not to tell Miki pricked at his chest like a small thorn. "[gentle] What's wrong, Akira? No appetite?" Miki peered at him with concern. Those puppy-like brown eyes looked straight up at him. "[surprised] Ah, no, I'm fine. Thanks for the food." Akira hurriedly shoveled rice into his mouth. The fluffy, perfectly cooked white rice and Miki's homemade rolled omelet were delicious. Miki smiled and sat down in the seat across from him. "[excited] Oh, right, Akira! Want to walk home together after school today? There's a new crepe shop in the shopping district I've been curious about." Akira's chopsticks stopped. (*This is bad.*) He hid his agitation and somehow managed to make a smile. He desperately suppressed the unconscious habit of scratching behind his ear that was about to surface. "[serious] Ahh... well, sorry. I've got a supplementary lesson today." "[surprised] A supplementary lesson?" Miki's eyebrows rose slightly. Over the past week, Akira had lied to Miki several times. Saying he had meetings with Ryo. He had managed to gloss over those somehow, but today the situation looked ominous. "[embarrassed] Y-yeah, that's right. Um, for math... I did badly on a quiz." "[surprised] Math? Akira, you got an 85 on the last quiz." "[scared] Huh..." Akira's movements stopped completely. Miki's memory, of all times, was too accurate. "[nervous] N-no, I mean, it's for a different subject..." "Oh? Which subject?" Miki stared intently into Akira's eyes. Her mouth was smiling, but her brown eyes weren't smiling at all. Having grown up with her since childhood, Akira knew well that this was the face she made when she was angry. (*Calm down. Just name some random subject...*) But his mind went completely blank, and nothing came to him. "[whispers] ...P.E." The room fell utterly silent. *"A supplementary lesson for P.E."* It was such an impossible phrase, it felt like a retort could be heard from somewhere. Miki let out a deep sigh. "[sarcastic] ...So what do you do in a P.E. supplementary lesson? Special training for pullovers? Or a gathering for kids who can't jump rope?" "[scared] Th-that's..." Akira started scratching behind his ear. He was completely at his limit. (*What do I do, what do I do, if this goes any further...*) That was when it happened. *Ping.* Miki's smartphone chimed a light notification. Miki looked at the screen. Her expression stiffened rapidly. "[cold] ...From Asuka-kun." Akira's heart gave a nasty lurch. "What did he say?" Miki silently turned her smartphone screen toward Akira. *'Akira will be late tonight. Please do not worry.'* The sender was Asuka Ryo. Just one sentence. But its coldness was palpable even through the screen. Miki's hand trembled slightly. "[whispers] ...What is this? Why is Asuka-kun sending me a message like this?" Akira checked his own smartphone. The last message from Ryo was the one from last night. That meant Ryo hadn't informed Akira that he'd sent this LINE message to Miki. (*Ryo... you went ahead and...*) A cold sweat ran down his back. This meant Ryo already had a complete grasp on Miki. Akira's actions, Miki's movements — everything. Miki looked up. What surfaced in her eyes wasn't anger, but a deeper anxiety. "[sad] Akira. I want you to be honest with me. What have you been doing with Asuka-kun lately?" "Th-that's..." "[serious] A week ago, too, you came home in the morning. Covered in wounds. The day you went somewhere, taken by Asuka-kun." Miki stood up. Her brown eyes stared fixedly at Akira. He realized that deep within them, a hurt expression was surfacing. (*Miki-chan has been worried about me all along.*) Lying was painful. But if he told her the truth, he would drag her into danger. "[serious] ...Miki-chan. I'm sorry. I can't talk about it yet." "[sad] ...Something you can't talk to me about?" "[gentle] No! That's not it... It's just, I don't want to put Miki-chan in danger." "[sad] What do you mean, danger? Are you doing something dangerous, Akira?" Cornered by Miki, who showed no sign of letting up her pursuit, Akira was completely trapped. Just then, Miki's smartphone vibrated again. This time, he could see the color drain from her face. "[cold] ...From Asuka-kun, again." Miki froze, having read the message. "What did it say?" When Akira asked, Miki slowly raised her face. Her expression had gone beyond wariness, approaching fear. "[whispers] ...'You should have heard about the supplementary lesson from Akira. Please do not press him further. It will not be to his benefit.'" Something snapped inside Akira's head. (*Ryo, you went this far...*) There was no way Ryo could have known that he'd lied about a "supplementary lesson." And yet, at this timing, he sent Miki a message as if he had been watching. "[angry] ...Ryo." Akira stood up. Unconsciously, he scratched behind his ear over and over. Clutching her smartphone, Miki murmured quietly. "[sad] Was Asuka-kun always like that? Akira. Be careful. That person is... kind of scary." Those words echoed through the living room, strangely heavy. As evening approached, Akira was alone, stepping into a forested area on the outskirts of Tokyo. A thirty-minute bus ride from Higashimurayama Station. The houses disappeared, the road narrowed, and before he knew it, he was surrounded by trees. (*So this is the place Ryo mentioned.*) It was a place aptly called an abandoned forest road. It must have once been a path for hauling out lumber. Old rut marks remained on the ground, and weeds grew thickly everywhere. The light of dusk filtered through the gaps in the branches and leaves, painting a mottled pattern on the ground. The air was chilly, carrying a damp, earthy smell. Taking a deep breath, his lungs filled with the cold air. Akira closed his eyes. (*I'll do it. As Devilman.*) Deep in his chest, he felt Amon's presence. It wasn't asleep. It felt like it was quietly waiting for an opportunity. (*Behave yourself, Amon.*) He thought that in his mind. There was no reply. But a faint sense of ridicule was conveyed to him. Akira took off his clothes and hid them at the base of a nearby tree. Because if they got torn in battle, Miki would be suspicious. And then, the moment he became conscious of transforming — Something surged up from inside his body. Hot. A color like his internal organs were burning spread throughout his entire body. A dark blue carapace broke through his skin, and enormous wings unfolded from his back. His height instantly exceeded two meters, and two curved horns extended from his forehead toward the sky. Golden, shining eyes surveyed the surroundings. Devilman. A being possessing both the power of a demon and the heart of a human. His senses sharpened. The scent of the wind, the rustling of the trees, the sound of a bird taking flight in the distance — and then. A chill. He sensed an unpleasant presence. Akira spread his wings and dashed deeper into the forest. About five minutes after pushing through the trees, he encountered them. Silva. Seven spider-type lesser demons. Each about a meter long, with knobby, eight-jointed legs extending from bodies covered in black, gleaming carapaces. Their multiple eyes swiveled to capture Akira, and sticky saliva dripped from their fang-lined mouths. (*Seven of them...!*) One-on-one would be no problem. But a pack was a different story. Before Akira could ready himself, the lead Silva leaped. *Shhk!* The tip of its leg grazed Akira's shoulder like a sharp blade. Sparks scattered off his dark blue carapace. "[angry] You...!" Akira swung his fist. A Devilman's physical strength, a blow that could even shatter concrete. *Crrack!* The Silva's carapace shattered, and bodily fluids splattered. One down. But the next moment, two others attacked from left and right. Legs, tails, fangs — they struck Akira's body like a rain of murderous intent. His carapace groaned, and pain ran through his arm. (*This much is nothing...!*) Akira spewed flames from his mouth. *Fwoooooosh!!!* Amon's ability — high-temperature flames — incinerated two Silvas at once. The demons let out dying screams, carbonized, and crumbled. Four left. Akira spread his wings and leaped. He dove from the air, piercing one's head with his claws. Then, simultaneously with landing, he kicked the torso of another. *Thwam!* The Silva crashed into a tree, snapping the trunk. (*I can do this!*) Two left. Akira thought that. And that was the moment. — *Kill.* A voice echoed in his head. Amon's voice. (*Shut up...!*) — *Why? You feel it too, don't you? This pleasure.* It was true. Every time he killed a demon, something surged up from deep within his body. A hot, sweet impulse for destruction. (*No... that's not it...*) Akira shook his head. But his senses were becoming distorted. The surrounding trees seemed to waver. The shapes of the trunks looked like human silhouettes. (*Are those... people...?*) No. They were trees. But he wanted to swing his claws down. He wanted to tear those necks apart. His killing instinct was melting his reason. — *Yes. That is our true form. Do not think a mere human can control this power.* Amon's ridicule reverberated in his skull. Akira's mouth twisted into a warped grin. (*Kill... kill them all...*) His golden eyes changed to a color of madness. He raised his claws — that was when it happened. — *Akira, you haven't eaten, have you? Honestly.* Suddenly, a voice surfaced in his head. It wasn't Amon's voice. It was a gentler voice, slightly exasperated, but warm. Miki's smiling face played back like a video. Her wide, brown eyes. The light that sparkled every time her ponytail swayed. Wearing an apron, hands on her hips a little, laughing in exasperation. *'Akira, you're really such an idiot! You have to eat properly, or it's bad for you!'* That image seared itself onto his mind. "[scared] ...Miki... chan." A hoarse voice leaked from Akira's mouth. At the same time, the madness receded. (*No. I'm going to protect.*) (*This power isn't for hurting anyone.*) His human heart pushed back the demon's instinct. The light of sanity returned to his golden eyes. — *What?* He felt as if Amon had let out a startled voice. But it was too late. Akira fixed his gaze on the remaining two Silvas. "[angry] Sorry... the boring show ends here." It was an instant. He spread his wings and closed in at maximum speed. He grabbed the head of the first one and slammed it into the ground, immediately reversing to tear through the torso of the other with his claws. *Splaaaaash!!!* Bodily fluids gushed out, and the Silvas crumbled with their dyi