A decade ago, the Gun Devil rummaged through the earth in search of the Chainsaw Devil, leaving a long trail of blood and scarring the world. Many sought to avenge their fallen family and friends by becoming devil hunters and sacrificing themselves...
The echoes of water drops and ripples filled Izuki's mind. He slowly opened his eyes to find himself staring into a dirty puddle, its shade of greenish brown slowly being tinted to red. Reflected on it, he saw himself with his rounded face, small body, short hair, and amber eyes, a form he felt like he had not seen since long ago, even as he was just right there. His freckled face was full of scratches, with a small wound on his right forehead, still freshly red and dripping blood. Yet, for some reason, he did not feel pain from it, even as he used the rough piece of torn fabric to wipe it away. Instead, the only pain he felt was on the back of his head.
I must've hit something really hard... He thought to himself.
"Nii-chan..." A soft breathy voice called out from behind him, slightly startling him.
He turned his head to see a little girl. It was his sister, sitting alone, wrapped in multiple layers of dirty clothes as her blanket. Above her head was a piece of what used to be a wooden floor, flipped upside down and suspended by concrete rubble, not a good shelter, but it was the best they could make of what was available. Her once bright and glossy red hair had turned matted and dull from dust and debris stuck to it, and her cheery amber eyes clouded and puffy from hours of crying.
"Izumi..." He said with a concerned look, walking closer to her. "What is wrong?"
"I'm hungry..."
Hearing it, he let out a defeated sigh. He patted his sister, his eyes wandering out the their surroundings. The peaceful seaside town they had known for so long was now nothing more than a pile of rubble and junk with splotches of red amongst the. Its foul stench gave him an unnerving idea of where it might come from. Houses, schools, and offices were ripped from the ground, leaving only the pipes and foundations that once anchored them. Meanwhile, fishing boats drifted far into the land, bringing a sense of shame to those who once used it for their livelihood. In the distance, a couple of trails of smoke signified the presence of life other than them, but whether or not they were friendly or hostile... he was too scared to find out.
"I'm sure there will be good people coming soon... and bring us food, just like they taught us in class." He continued to pat his sister's back, pulling her in and wrapping her in his arms. "Just... hold on a little longer."
"... Okay," the little girl nodded, putting her hand on her tummy. "Okaa-san and Otou-san will come with them... right?"
Izuki's heart grew heavy hearing her question. He took a deep breath, trying to convince himself that the terrible possibilities in his head were nothing but a lie. "Y-yeah... I'm sure they will..."
Perhaps it's the surreal sight of the town they called home destroyed beyond recognition, the pain ringing at the back of his head, or maybe he's just tired, but for whatever reason, he could not feel her warmth. Regardless, just being with her in this chaos was the only thing that could comfort him. His eyes again drifted away from her, this time to the grey sky, which steadily darkened. The clouds started to swirl and rumble, emitting brief flashes of white and bringing along a gush of cool wind, as if being alone together was not bad enough. But in the midst of it all, it's not like they have a choice but to endure it.
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