just a guy who's a devil hunter for fun

Chapter 52: Flames on the Chainsaw

In the human world, inside the quarantined area, puppets scurried relentlessly along the streets, seemingly drawn toward something. Among them, moving against the tide, was a man with a scar across his face. He gripped a sword in his hand, slashing and killing any puppet that dared approach. Alone, yet facing an entire army—this man was Arai Hirokazu.

Arai (thinking): Damn it! Why are they appearing now?! I'm trapped here with no way out! I can't let them touch me!

Thinking was easy; doing was another matter. At that moment, a puppet leapt at him with its blade. Arai couldn't dodge in time and had to endure the stabs piercing his body. As they withdrew their swords, he fell to his knees, blood streaming from his wounds. Pain spread through his body as he looked at his hand—slowly turning into a puppet.

Arai (thinking): No! I have to fight it... but my body feels so cold, I want to sleep... No! I have to stay awake! I have to resist!

Despite his determination, the transformation continued, drowsiness creeping into his mind. In the instant before losing himself completely, Arai seized his sword and drove it straight into his own puppet-hand—the weapon crafted by Angel. The transformation immediately halted, vanishing. Arai smiled a mad, triumphant grin, stood up, and continued his slaughter.

The puppets attacked again, swinging their swords at him. Arai snapped, countering with deadly strikes. But relentless combat gradually wore down his sword; it finally broke. Undeterred, he fought on using his fists. Time blurred as he battled, and when the chaos finally subsided, the ground was littered with puppet corpses.

Arai was drenched in blood; his hair stained crimson, his right eye now glowing red. He panted heavily, struggling for air, his energy nearly spent—but he remained standing.

Then something strange happened to his body. His heartbeat, already rapid, accelerated even more, thumping fiercely. Steam seemed to rise from him as if his blood was boiling. Muscles swelled, veins bulged under the skin. Arai's body had grown slightly larger, more imposing. The exhaustion on his face vanished, replaced by a sharp, piercing gaze. In his eyes burned an unspoken resolve, a determination that could not be expressed in words.

Meanwhile, in the human world, Santa Claus, now in the process of absorbing the power of the Darkness Demon, sensed the disappearance of the puppets.

"The life of those puppets... has vanished," she muttered, surrounded by the remaining puppets. "No matter who comes, I will annihilate them all!"

Deep in Hell, Power watched Denji standing before the Darkness Demon, completely unafraid.

"A DEVIL HUNTER?! You're a devil hunter?!" the Darkness Demon bellowed, laughing loudly. "HAHAHA! I AM THE PRIMAL DEMON!!! And you, a foolish devil hunter who doesn't even know my name, dare to come here seeking fame?!"

It continued mocking Denji, until something caught its attention. Panic suddenly flickered in its voice.

Darkness Demon: "You... you are... AHHH—!"

Denji: "What's wrong? Have we met before?"

"It's you! I remember the moment you destroyed me!" the Darkness Demon roared in anger.

Power/Chainsaw Man (thinking): Denji... destroyed the Darkness Demon?!

Makima, in the human world, widened her eyes in shock at the revelation.

"This time I will take revenge on you AND that girl!!!" the Darkness Demon bellowed, pointing at Denji. An invisible force shot toward him, sliding him across the grass, yet he somehow remained standing.