CHAPTER THIRTEEN - BLOODY BULLET TRAIN TO LOVE ARC - GREED (PART ONE)

"Touma Oguro."

The disheveled black hair of the young boy stands out against the stark white walls of the sterile facility. He sits with his head hung low and an absent look in his eyes, his silhouette illuminated by the harsh yellow glow of the lights above.

"From this day forward, you shall be known as Gabriel."

Behind an empty desk sits an older man, his eyes almost entirely sunken beneath his brow. The skin stretched around the angled contours of his face glistens with an unnatural sheen, causing him to resemble a ventriloquist dummy more closely than a man. A toothy smile seems permanently carved into his lower face.

"You've had it rough, haven't ya? Losing your family at such a young age, growing up in that orphanage... frankly, I can't imagine it. Not that it's an uncommon story, in the times we live in..."

He interlocks his fingers and rests his elbows against the table.

"But, well, every last thing that ever happened... all of it led you here. To the place you were always meant to be. The lord sometimes works in mysterious ways, dunnit he?"

A manufactured laugh escapes from deep inside the man's throat.

The child's gaze remains unfocused, as if his mind is drawn to something else entirely.

Finally, he speaks.

"Devils... I'll learn how to kill them, right?"

The older man nods.

"That's right."

His body creaks as he slowly rises from his seat, exposing his short and square-shaped frame. He slowly makes his way around the desk, stopping once he's beside Gabriel.

He presses his thick, wrinkled finger against the boy's chest.

"I can tell. Your heart..."

He taps against it.

"It's black."

Gabriel looks up with an emotionless expression. The man kneels, holding a withered hand against his own heart.

"Mine too. We're sinners, all of us."

He presses his finger tightly against the boy's chest.

"I couldn't save this city, you couldn't save your family... But there's still something you can do. Every time you kill a devil, every time you save someone's life..."

The tip of his finger eases its pressure. 

"Well, you can just imagine it as your heart getting a little bit lighter. And after a while, if you save enough people, then who knows..."

The man lifts his finger entirely, and his smile widens. 

Gabriel peers into the deep black abyss shrouding his eyes.

"Maybe your heart won't be black anymore."

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"Alright, that's enough. Congratulations, Gabriel."

The boy, now noticeably older, directs his spear towards the girl sprawled out across the grass below him. A powerful light radiates across the weapon.

A stern-looking man in a devil exterminator uniform stands between the two.

"Agh... You got me."

The girl adjusts her glasses and brushes off the dirt smudged on her face. 

Quiet applause erupts from a group of young teens surrounding the fight, each dressed in the same black garments bearing a white cross insignia. 

Gabriel extends a hand to help the girl get back on her feet, and after a moment of hesitation, she smiles and accepts.

The two stand amidst a vibrant and picturesque garden. Verdant foliage sprawls across an open plain before abruptly being cut off on all sides by the tall colorless walls that enclose the area. Though any access to natural sunlight is blocked by the ceiling overhead, massive artificial light fixtures mimic a similar effect, raining a powerful light down onto the placid stretches of green.

Across one of the walls, 'EDEN - 01' is painted boldly in black.

"That's enough for today. Good work, everyone," speaks the devil exterminator, presumably taking on the role of an instructor.

He directs his gaze towards Gabriel.

"Well, any updates? Think you're getting a handle on your Blessing?"

"Um... yeah, more or less," the boy shrugs, lowering his spear.

"A light of justice, summoned through prayer..." the instructor ponders. "With the way Blessings tend to work, I wouldn't be surprised if its linked to your heart."

"What do you mean?"

"The wish to drive away the darkness in this world... Your heart makes a request, and the Lord responds," The instructor's stern expression softens into a warm smile.

"Now, go along. You've pushed yourself enough for today."

"...Yes, sir."

"Hey, Gabriel, wait up!"

Interrupting his departure, the girl with glasses awkwardly stumbles her way towards him.

"Theresa..!"

"You did great! Congratulations!"

She rests her hands on her knees, still catching her breath. A faint smile is visible on Gabriel's lips.

"Thanks. You too."

"Oh please, I'm nothing compared to you. My Blessing, well..."

She grips a beaded rosary in her palm.

"It's not quite suited for combat, I guess..."

As she casts her eyes lower, Gabriel catches a glimpse of something he hadn't noticed before. A small cut across the side of her cheek, almost definitely a result of their duel moments ago.

"Hey... I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"Huh?! Of course not! I mean a little, maybe-- Listen, you don't need to worry about me!"

She pokes him hard in the side of his ribs.

"Agh! Come on, cut it out!" he winces.

The two share a laugh together.

"Um, anyways..." Theresa continues. "I'm supposed to sing in the choir during service this Sunday, and I'm thinking I'll need to practice."

She blushes.

"Do you wanna come listen?"

Gabriel allows his shoulders to relax for a moment.

"Yeah. Sounds fun."

His expression is filled with an inexplicable warmth.

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"Field work..? Like, with an actual squad?"

"Of course. Is there a problem?"

In the blindingly white and empty room, Gabriel once again sits across from the wrinkled old man, a look of astonishment in his eyes. 

"Michael, sir..."

"You're gifted, Gabriel. I'm aware that its an exception for trainees your age, but, well... you're an exception too, ain't ya?"

Gabriel uncomfortably grasps the fabric of his pants.

"That Blessing of yours, it's powerful stuff. And I believe it. It's all because of that heart in there."

He points his finger towards Gabriel's chest.

Gabriel hesitates.

"I'm just... I'm not sure if I can-"

"Don't worry, you won't be out there alone. You'll be assigned a commanding officer."

Michael leans back in his chair and deeply exhales.

"Listen, you're gonna have to start, one day or another. It's a difficult thing, to hold the life of another in your hands... But, well, what if someone needed your help tomorrow? Or today, even? And what if you weren't there to provide it?"

Gabriel looks conflicted.

"Your family... What if someone was there to save them?"

Gabriel's eyes widen.

Michael continues his ceaseless stare, his lifeless smile unable to be broken no matter the words that come out of his mouth.

"You'd be strong enough to save them now, wouldn't you?"

Gabriel looks over towards his spear, resting against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

It stands tall and proud, a shining pillar of justice itself.

...

Gabriel looks up with a newfound resolve.

"...Yes, sir. I won't let you down."

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Gabriel carefully strolls down a quiet residential street, dressed in attire befitting of a true devil exterminator. He carries a metal case strapped across his shoulder, a method of hiding his trusted weapon as to not scare any civilians.

A quiet wind rustles the trees. Only the occasional sound of his footsteps and the chirping of birds interrupts the serene and unnatural silence. 

He takes a deep breath, inhaling the fresh spring air. 

...

"Haha, stop it!"

Finally, another sound. The playful shouts of young children in the distance.

Continuing his march, he passes by an old and decayed playground, built atop a small park in the center of a few intersecting streets. A small group of kids maneuver their way through the labyrinthine structure, escaping another child in ruthless pursuit. He holds up his hands, mimicking the shape of claws.

"Raaagh! I'm a devil!"

"Aah! Get away, get away!"

Gabriel watches the children longingly, attempting to ignore the faintest glimpses of a memory floating up from deep within his subsconscious.

His mind can't help but be drawn to the image of the scenic woodland park his mother took him to as a child, the loving smile on her face, and the aggressive encounter with angry geese after he'd innocently offered them a piece of his steamed bun.

...

He smiles, continuing to pass by the children unnoticed.

"Haha! Got you!"

"Nuh-uh I didn't feel it!"

"Aaaaaahhhh!"

"Hey, what's-"

Their playful teasing suddenly morphs into terrified screams. 

Gabriel quickly spins around, instinctually reaching for the case on his back. Upon seeing the sight with his own eyes, however, his hands uncontrollably quiver.

A devil, poking its colossal head out from behind a building on one of the nearby streets. Its face looks something akin to a human baby, but with crudely overlapping pointed teeth piercing through the skin of its lips and stretching all the way to the back of its cheeks. 

As it unhinges its lower jaw, the sheer size of its mouth makes it look as if its entire face had split in two.

"SMELLS... DELICIOUS..."

It fully emerges from behind the building, its head relatively oversized compared to the rest of its more animalistic body. 

In a desperate and uncoordinated scramble to flee, one child trips over the concrete ledge bordering the street, tumbling onto the asphalt and scraping his knee. Tears form in his eyes, his legs too weak and shaky to carry himself off the ground.

In truth, Gabriel was similarly paralyzed.

He simply continues to stands in place, unable to put his effort into anything other than preventing his hand from trembling.

His second encounter with a real, live devil. And the first he would have to fight.

No matter how much he tried to remind himself of his strength, however, vivid images of a home engulfed in flames overpower his memory. 

He couldn't do it on his own. He wasn't allowed to, anyways. He had to go find his commanding officer, give a succinct report of the scene, gather the rest of his squad, and-

There wasn't any time. With every passing moment, the devil slowly crawled towards the boy.

The creature's thick, slimy tongue slithers out from behind its teeth.

Gabriel reaches for his weapon, until-

"Hey! Back off, you ugly freak!"

Accompanying the loud ringing echo of hollow metal, the creature lets out a yelp.

"Hiyah! Hiiiyah!"

A young teen girl uses all her strength to clobber the devil against its side with a long metal tube, doing her best to intercept it from reaching the child.

Her messy hair is about shoulder length, twisted into wild auburn curls that make it look as if it hadn't been brushed in days. Freckles are dotted across the ridge of her nose, and she has a fierce look in her eyes.

She swings her leg upwards, slamming her sneaker into the bottom of the devil's jaw. The child, having regained enough strength to stand, takes his chance to run.

"Thanks, lady!"

"Hey! Are you crazy?!"

Gabriel runs over, having finally gained enough courage to move.

The girl turns her head.

"I'm gonna protect you! Get out of...."

Her words trail off as she notices white cross insignia proudly displayed on Gabriel's outfit.

She looks him up and down.

"Woah, an exterminator?! Are you really-"

"SMELLS... GOOD..."

The devil unhinges its jaws once more, shooting its tongue towards the girl.

Gabriel disappears in a flash, and the girl is knocked to the side. Only the swing of his spear visible as it thrusts deep into the devil's right eye.

It roars in pain.

"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven..."

Gabriel reappears in front of the devil, already halfway done with reciting his prayer. The devils tongue wraps around his body, squeezing tightly.

"...And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen."

Upon the completion of the prayer, a blast of light shoots from the tip of the weapon and pierces through devil's other end. It collapses onto the ground, life fading from its remaining eye.

...

He breathes heavily, looking over towards the girl. She shoots him an angry glare.

"Hey, why'd you have to come and hog all the glory!?"

She grimaces, showing off a small gap between her two front teeth.

"Thanks, though..."

"What were you thinking trying to fight that thing alone?"

Gabriel can't wrap his head around her unfounded courage, especially after taking so long to take action himself.

"I'm the protector of this neighborhood, duh! Sailor Mari, shining beacon of justice--"

She makes a strange pose with her hands.

"...Or something.." she nervously laughs.

"I've gotta go inform my commanding officer. Just don't keep putting yourself in danger."

"Just don't keep putting yourself in danger," she mocks, putting on a deeper voice. "Spare the sympathy, asshole!"

"Hey, you're the asshole! You scared me!" 

Gabriel can't control his temper any longer.

"Hey, hey, so what's it like?" Mari probes, having completely forgotten her previous anger.

"What..?"

"Being a devil exterminator! You're, like, the protector of the whole CITY, right?!"

She plops down onto the concrete ledge.

"I wish I could do that someday. But nope, I can't even defend against one stupid devil..." she sulks. "Nothing in store for little old Mari but school, school, and more school."

What was with this girl?

"...School, huh?"

Gabriel looks to be deep in thought.

"Um... do you think you could tell me about it?"

"Huh?! You've never been to school?!"

Gabriel blushes, looking off to the side.

"Something sorta like a school, I guess. But I know it's not the same..."

Mari gives him a strange look.

"...Well, it depends. You seem like a nerd, so you'd probably get bullied a lot."

"What?! What makes you say that?!"

"But me? I'm the most popular girl around! Everyone tries to sit with me at lunch, I get to ignore all the love letters... Hey, I'm the best at volleyball in P.E., too!"

"P.E.? What's that stand for..?"

"I dunno," she wonders, cocking her head to the side.

She lifts her fists.

"You've gotta be prepared, too. They're always throwing tons of homework at you! Not that I can't handle it, but you know, for some people..."

Gabriel sits with her on the curb.

"...Sounds fun."

"You bet it is!"

She looks off to the side.

"Probably not as much as being an exterminator, though..."

Gabriel's mind lingers for a moment.

"So what are you doing around here?"

"I, um... I didn't feel like going to school today. Plus, who's gonna protect everyone if I'm not there?!"

She pridefully puffs out her chest, though she's unable to fully conceal a sadness hiding behind her eyes.

...

"So what's your name?" Mari redirects the conversation.

Before he can speak, Gabriel needs to remind himself. From that day onward, he had been reborn.

"...It's Gabriel."

"Gei-buri-ullu," she sticks out her tongue, shaking her head. "It's a bit hard to pronounce..."

"Come on, give me another name!"

"What does that even mean?!"

Gabriel sighs, turning his head away from her as he speaks.

...

"You can call me Touma."

"I'm Mari. Just Mari, or Sailor Mari for short."

She extends her arm for a handshake. Though he'd been too preoccupied before, Gabriel now takes notice of the faded purple bruises on her upper arm.

"So, now that we’re acquainted and all..." she has a smug grin. "How about you put in a good word with the exterminators for me? Tell them I fought a devil all by myself, and-"

"In your dreams," Gabriel scoffs.

"Come on, I totally saved you!"

"I'm the one who saved YOU, stupid!"

"Oh yeah? Well then I'm just gonna have to save you again to make up for it!"

She lifts her sleeve, flexing her arm with a confident look. Gabriel sighs.

A girl as brazenly confident as this, willing to jump into danger at the slightest opportunity for the sake of others, with a single-minded focus on saving as many people as possible.

Looking at her, he couldn't help but wonder.

If he could be just a bit more like her, then maybe...

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"Alright, we've got another simple scouting patrol today."

A hard-boiled looking man with jet black hair and a scar across his cheek taps the back of his marker against a whiteboard. Crudely illustrated on the board is a map of the 23 wards of Tokyo, with the name of a devil exterminator written inside each section of the map.

"We'll be slowly extending our reach into the east today, with a specific focus on the residential districts. It seems there's been an increase in devil sightings throughout the area."

In what appears to be a briefing room, Gabriel stands in a horizontal formation with his fellow exterminators, each one significantly older than himself.

The man's sharp eyes lock onto Gabriel, and he points his whiteboard marker.

"Gabriel. You'll be assigned to Chiyoda, along with officer Nakamura. As for Fujino, you can-"

"Um, if I may interrupt for a moment, sir?" Gabriel speaks up.

"Huh?

"About my assignment. May I request to survey Bunkyo instead?"

"Bunkyo? We've already had someone go over that area this week. Listen, we're spread a bit thin here-"

"There's something I'd like to confirm. It's in regards to the devils I encountered during my last patrol."

"Haha! Who's this kid, thinking he gets to call all the shots?" An exterminator laughs, turning towards him. "Listen, just because you got a kill on your own, it doesn't mean-"

"Alright. I'll approve your request," the black haired man interrupts.

"Huh?!"

"Thank you, sir," Gabriel bows his head.

"If anyone's yet to prove yourself yet, it's you, officer Nakamura. So I'd suggest you address your superiors with respect."

"Tch..." Nakamura bites his tongue.

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In a familiar residential area, Gabriel finds himself at the local public park yet again.

"Long time no see," he smiles.

...

"Um... Mari?"

"Just... a little higher... agh!"

She falls from the branch of a tree, tumbling onto the grass below.

Finally noticing his presence, she turns her head.

"Touma!"

"What are you doing, exactly..?"

He lifts his head, scanning his eyes through the shrouded canopy of the tree.

Finally he spots an unzipped backpack, caught within a thick tangle of branches.

Mari's school supplies lay scattered around the roots of the tree, and she anxiously scrambles to pick them up.

"Is that... yours?"

Mari hides a look of embarrassment for only a second before her eyes glow with excitement.

"Listen, you're not gonna believe this!"

She points upwards.

"There's a devil up there, I swear! It grabbed my backpack and scurried away with it! You should've seen the little bastard!"

"I don't see it. Can devils even be that small..?"

"Clearly you don't know as much about devils as I do. So how about you just leave it to the professional?" she has a smug look.

Gabriel stares at her blankly.

...

 He turns around.

"Okay, I need help! Don't just leave!"

Gabriel lets out a sigh.

Setting down the case strapped to his shoulder, he swiftly climbs up and down the tree, retrieving the backpack in what feels like a matter of seconds.

Mari cartoonishly strokes her chin while pretending to be deep in thought.

"Hmm, impressive. Maybe you really are capable of being my sidekick."

"Sidekick..? Listen, what kind of hero gets her backpack stuck in a tree?"

"It... it wasn't my fault."

She has an unusually somber tone. Gabriel takes notice of the subtle shift in her expression.

The two sit together on the concrete curb, the local playground having become something of an unofficial meeting spot. She forcefully shoves her supplies into the empty bag.

"So hey, get this..."

Gabriel's posture loosens as she starts passionately rambling about another day at school. His attention wasn't drawn to her exact words, but the specific way her face lit up with joy when she spoke.

This wasn't the first time he lied.

Truthfully, there was nothing specific left to investigate in Bunkyo.

But ever since their first meeting, for whatever reason, he couldn't keep her out of his mind.

He was transfixed by the tall tales she'd passionately share with him, making her regular school life sound as if it took place on a completely different planet from the facility he called home. Though he was sure not all of it was completely truthful, he couldn't help but feel captivated either way. It was a brief respite from the constant training he endured, a glimpse into a world that could've been if his life had somehow turned out differently.

Any opportunity he'd get, he asked to be reassigned to the same residential area, and each time the two found themselves losing track of time through their idle chatter.

It never felt like enough. Once the day's work was over, there was never a guarantee he'd get to see her anytime soon. 

"So... what about you? You fight any crazy devils recently?"

Her question drags him out of his daze. 

"Huh? Uh, not really.... there was that big bird devil we chased down into Roppongi, I guess..."

She dramatically shields her face.

"Agh! Stop talking! I'm too jealous!" 

"Why'd you even ask, then?!"

Gabriel sighs.

"It's been a lot of work. I've heard talk about how the rifts to Hell might be expanding... And that means a lot more devils, too."

"Well, that just means more people to save, doesn't it?!"

She strikes her iconic Sailor Mari pose.

"...Yeah," he smiles.

...

"Hey, maybe after this whole war with the devils is over, we can, um..."

He quickly looks away.

"...Go to karaoke, or something..."

"Oh, only if you're ready to get creamed! I'll have you know I have all four Beauty Cure insert songs completely memorized, so if you think you can-"

Looking over towards Gabriel, she notices a faint redness growing across his cheeks.

She blushes.

"...Um, yeah. For sure."

The two make prolonged eye contact.

"Alright then," Gabriel smiles.

"Those devils... I'll kill every last one of them."

"Hey, why just you?! Sure, maybe I haven't killed one yet, but I..."

The two continue to playfully bicker, laughing as the sun slowly sets on the horizon.

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Gabriel sits in the shade under a massive oak tree inside the Eden facility, using a cloth to polish his signature silver spear. He rubs the cloth up the length of the handle, and the beams of the sun reflect off the gleaming surface to create a dazzling shine.

"Oh, Gabriel! You're here!" 

Theresa approaches excitedly, brushing dirt from her long black dress.

"Hey, Theresa..."

"You're not around here much anymore, are you? Always being sent off on those patrols and all... It feels like forever since we last hung out."

Gabriel solemnly looks down at his weapon.

"Um... yeah. I guess you're right."

He opens his metal case, inserting the spear.

"Well, now that you're here... How about we check out the flower fields? I hear they're in full bloom! It's just the right time of year, and-"

"Right... Sorry."

Gabriel gets up, slinging the case over his shoulder. Theresa has a worried look. 

"I've gotta go. Apparently there was another attack today."

"Oh, right..."

She looks down, digging her heel into the grass. She can't keep herself from asking the question continually nagging at her brain.

"What's it like out there..? Doing missions outside?"

Gabriel stops in his tracks. 

Somehow, he'd almost forgotten. Theresa was an orphan just like him, picked up by the Devil Extermination Department at a young age and raised entirely within Eden.

Unlike him, however, she still hadn't been granted a chance to leave.

"...Don't worry, you'll see."

"Huh?"

A strong sense of determination hides behind Gabriel's eyes.

"One day, we won't have to fight anymore. I'll kill all the devils out there, save as many people as possible, and then..."

He turns his back, continuing to walk off.

"...Then maybe we can all go to school together."

Why hadn't he realized it before?

It wasn't enough just to save everyone living a normal life. He'd save all the children inside Eden, too. Finally, they'd see everything they've been missing out on.

He had to admit, he was curious, too.

"Wait, what? But-"

Theresa reaches her arm out to him before quietly hesitating.

She watches as he continues to march into the distance, the silhouette of his back extending further and further out of reach.

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Late in the evening, Gabriel marches down the empty Bunkyo streets. Though usually quiet, the area had an especially serene quality after dark, with no sound but the faint buzzing of the streetlights illuminating his path.

He'd just finished his usual patrol, and while he never got a chance to catch up with Mari, he'd eliminated countless devils along the way. The area was especially volatile recently.

Suddenly, something catches his eye. 

Up ahead on the sidewalk, a girl with messy auburn hair carries a backpack so packed to the brim that it looks like its on the verge of exploding.

"Mari! Hey!"

She turns around, and he catches the faintest glimpse of tears in her eyes.

"Gabriel..?"

"Hey! What're you doing out so late?!"

"It's nothing, I just..."

She looks away in an attempt to hide her face, and for the first time is unable to think of a witty retort.

Her backpack hits the ground with a loud thump, enough for it to unzip and for all of her belongings to come spilling out.

"...What's going on?" he panics.

"I told you, it's okay, I... I just don't wanna be at home right now."

She sits down on the sidewalk. He notices the bruises on her arm once again, this time with a more vivid color than before.

She sits on top of her backpack in the middle of the sidewalk, wiping her tears.

"Sorry. I don't know what I'm doing."

Gabriel can't seem to comprehend the situation.

"It... it's okay."

Somehow he could tell there were no devils involved. 

In cases like this, saving people always felt like so much more of a struggle.

He sits down next to her.

"Um... if you wanna talk, maybe we can-"

His words are immediately cut off by the crunching sound of static and his commanding officer's frantic voice piercing through his ear.

"Gabriel. Gabriel, do you copy?"

He holds up the small microphone attached to his uniform.

"Gabriel speaking."

"We're changing our rendezvous point to Supernova Department store. There's a devil, and... well, it's a pesky one."

Mari has a worried look, just barely able to hear the man's voice through the echo of the earpiece.

"Go. Don't worry about me."

Gabriel looks over to her, conflicted.

"A-Are you sure? But-"

"You're gonna save as many people as possible, right?," she smiles, flexing her arm. "Come on, don't leave them hanging!"

After a moment of hesitation, he shoots her a determined nod.

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Gabriel’s breathing is ragged and heavy as he runs down the empty streets, making his way out of the residential district. He barely has to look around before spotting the billowing pillars of smoke spewing from the top of the tall multileveled department store. 

A nervous sensation crawls up his spine.

At this point, he'd lost track of how many devils he'd killed, learning to mercilessly cut them down without any emotion involved. But rarely had he encountered a situation this dire, and especially one so intimately familiar.

Truthfully, he was scared.

What if he failed? What if he wasn't-

Your family... what if someone was there to save them?

The voice crawls out from the depths of his mind, intruding upon his thoughts.

...

He picks up the pace, running towards the building with a newfound resolve.

Inside, a small group of devil exterminators carefully maneuver around the roaring plumes of flame and the collapsing rubble of the building that only seems to become less stable over time.

The black-haired man covers his nose to prevent the thick clouds of ash from filling his lungs any further.

“It’s somewhere on the upper levels!” another exterminator shouts, doing his best to escort a terrified family away from the flames.

"What's the situation?" 

Gabriel crawls over a pile of rubble blocking the entrance.

"We'll handle the evacuation," the man looks relieved. "You think you can deal with that devil up there?"

His motions his head upwards. Gabriel's eyes glow with determination.

"I'll take that as a yes," the man raises his voice. "Alright everyone, search every last inch of this place!"

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The stairs leading to the upper levels crumble below Gabriel's feet, weakened by the constant impacts of falling chunks of stone. He tightly grasps his silver spear, whispering the lines of a prayer under his breath.

"Our father, who art in Heaven..."

Reaching the third and final floor, he finishes his recitation, and his spear glows with a golden light. He shields his nose and submerges himself in the thick cloud of smoke hanging over the area.

He can barely see a thing. The flakes of soot floating in the air burn his eyes with a painful sting. 

He waves around his glowing weapon, using light to faintly illuminate his surroundings. Only hazy silhouettes can be made out from the overwhelming wall of grey. 

A rack of clothing. What looks to be a large countertop. A humanoid figure. A display case. A-

He sharply turns his head around. 

...

The figure is gone.

Gabriel swivels his body, just barely avoiding the slash of a claw from above.

"A DEVIL EXTERMINATOR... YOU'RE YOUNG..."

Gabriel winces. The simple act of listening to the voice was intensely uncomfortable, each word ringing with a strange vibration, as if two separate voices were speaking at slightly offset intervals.

"I WONDER IF... YOU TASTE DIFFERENT..?"

A black silhouette smears across Gabriel's vision. Within a fraction of a second, he lifts his spear, firing off a powerful beam of light from its tip.

The beam burns a hole through the wall across from him, creating an opening for the smoke to freely circulate outside.

He darts his eyes around the room, his vision slightly clearer than before.

"THAT... WAS CLOSE..."

The devil lifts itself from the ground, snapping its bones back into place. Two massive eyes cover each side of its face, with a mouth-like slit of sharp teeth running vertically down the middle. Four twisting horns adorn its head. Though it lacks a torso, its extraordinary long limbs stretch tall from the bottom of its head to mimic the sight of a humanoid form. 

The devil skitters up the wall at an unnatural speed. Gabriel tumbles into a roll, ducking under the creature's trajectory as it pounces towards him diagonally from the corner of the ceiling. With the sound of shattering glass, the devil crashes into a nearby display case.

"YOU'RE FAST... BUT NOT FAST ENOUGH..."

The creature's face splits apart as it speaks, each half of its face acting as jaws for the mouth in the middle.

While he was initially too distracted to feel it, Gabriel notices a fresh wound sliced into his upper arm. Blood drips from the devil's mouth.

Gabriel grips his shoulder in pain.

The devil charges towards him, the immense length of its strides causing it to appear in front of Gabriel almost instantly. It swings its claw, and he deflects with the side of his spear.

With a powerful kick to the legs, he sends the devil tumbling backwards. It knocks into a wall lined with lined with various home goods, and the items drop from the shelf in a rain of loud crashes.

In the time it takes for the devil to recover, another prayer has been recited, and a halo of dazzling light materializes around Gabriel's spear.

The devil grabs a table with one of its long arms, hurling it towards Gabriel.

The halo of light extends up the length of the spear, and with a single thrust, a gaping hole is burned through the middle of the table, breaking it into pieces.

A shining aura radiates across his weapon. 

He traces the shape of an X with his spear, sending forth two crescents of light in the shape of his slashes. The devil's long limbs stretch and contort to miraculously avoid the attack.

A powerful kick pummels Gabriel's stomach and sends him flying, slamming his body against a tall shelf. Just as he tries to recover, the shelf tips over, crushing his back with incredible force. 

He grunts and collapses, held down by its weight.

The devil approaches, wrapping its fingers tightly around his neck and lifting him up from under the furniture.

THUNK!

...

The devil slowly turns its head.

"Hah! Take that!"

Gabriel's heart drops at the sound of the familiar voice.

Mari proudly stands at the edge of the hole burnt into the wall, having used it as an entrance after climbing up the side of the building. Upon making eye contact with the devil, any sense of confidence immediately fades from her face.

She nervously grabs another piece of rubble off the floor, chucking it at the devil.

It ricochets off the side of the creature's head, who simply continues to stare, unaffected.

"YOU'RE STUPID, AREN'T YOU..?"

"Oh yeah? Well you're ugly!"

The devil splits its face in half, dashing towards the girl.

"Not so fast."

Before it can even comprehend what happened, life fades from the devil's movements. Sliced cleanly down the middle by the tip of Gabriel's spear, its body rips in half as bloody entrails explode from the inside.

Both combatants, now drenched with blood, stand in silence.

"Get out of here. now."

Gabriel can't contain the quiver in his voice.

"...You're right. Sorry."

Mari looks down.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"I saw the explosion, I got worried, and I just..."

Tears form in her eyes.

"...If you're supposed to save everyone, then someone needs to save you, right?!"

Gabriel looks off to the side, conflicted.

...

"...Thanks."

Mari softly smiles.

"Now come on. Let's get to safety."

"NOT FAIR..."                                                           "NOT FAIR..."

The torn flesh of the devil strewn across the floor twists and morphs, each half of its bisected body reforming into its own individual being. 

Two identical devils lift themselves off the ground, each with two horns and a single eye in the middle of their face.

"NOW WE'RE EVEN, AREN'T WE?"                     "NOW WE'RE EVEN, AREN'T WE?"

"It's Curse..." Gabriel whispers.

"TOO BAD... OUR OTHER PREY IS ESCAPING..." laments the first devil.

Gabriel runs to protect Mari.

"IF I CAN HAVE THE OTHERS... THEN YOU CAN HAVE THESE TWO..?" the second replies.

He tackles her to the floor, just before the first devil can impale her with its claw. Instead, it stabs into Gabriel's side.

"WORKS FOR ME... THEY'RE INTERESTING, AFTER ALL," the first devil's tongue extends from its face.

Having come to an agreement with its other half, the second devil retreats, crawling back to the staircase leading to the lower floors.

Just as it comes in for a bite, Gabriel parries the first devil's jaws.

Mari cowers in fear, shielded by Gabriel's silhouette. 

She looks around the room, her eyes locking onto a broom.

Taking her chance, she runs from under the cover.

Gabriel twirls his spear in fluid motions to block each and every strike from the devil.

Their fight carries them to the edge of the hole in the wall, just a few inches away from plummeting to the street below.

"Hiyah!"

The devil collapses, the impact of a broomstick cracking against one of its knees.

Mari brushes sweat off her brow, smiling.

"Gotcha!"

Gabriel lifts his spear, ready to finish off the devil with a final blow.

The crackling of static from his radio interrupts his focus.

"Gabriel! The devil, its after the evacuees!"

Hidden behind his commanding officer's voice, the sound of muffled screams and a rain of bullets can be heard. 

"We need backup! It's-"

The man's scream is abruptly cut off. The harsh buzz of static is the only sound that remains.

Mari pummels the devil over and over with her broom.

"What's going on?!" she frantically asks.

"The other devil... it's stopping the evacuation," Gabriel murmurs, unable to process his thoughts.

The devil catches the broom with its claw, and the mere squeeze of its palm shatters it in two.

Gabriel stands paralyzed.

If he stayed on this floor any longer, the remainder of his squad would be wiped out, leaving the evacuees completely defenseless.

If he went back down to help, Mari would be left alone, and surely wouldn't be able to fend off the devil's attacks by herself.

...

Staying to protect one, or leaving to protect many.

It was an impossibly difficult decision. Even more than that, it was one he felt physically incapable of making. No matter what he did, his choice would likely result in the death of another.

Breaking through the wall of static, Nakamura's voice comes through on his radio.

"Commander Kimura is down! What the hell are you doing up there?!"

His heartbeat quickens.

Completely silencing the rest of his thoughts, Michael's words emerge from the depths of Gabriel's psyche once more.

...

After a while, if you save enough people...

Maybe your heart wont be black anymore.

...

The devil slashes its claw towards Mari, but Gabriel intercepts its blow.

"Hey... Mari?"

"Yeah. Don't worry about me."

The girl shows off her daring grin, one that seemed like it could never collapse no matter the situation.

"I..."

Something catches in Gabriel's throat. He can't quite seem to get out of the words.

"I'm gonna go check on them. Just for a minute."

"Yeah."

"I'll be right back, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Don't try to fight. Whatever happens, just try to get out of here, okay?"

Gabriel can't help the tears from building in his eyes.

"Please," his voice cracks as he deflects another attack. 

Silently, Mari stands, picking up the broken pieces of the broom.

...

"Raaaaaaaghhh!"

Tearing her throat with the force of her yell, she thrusts the shattered end of the broomstick into the devil's head, shoving the wooden stake deep inside its flesh. The creature lets out a pained and warbled scream, kicking her away and crawling towards the other side of the room.

"Who do you think I am?!"

A wild passion burns behind her eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you?! I'm a hero!"

...

Gabriel's brain still can't seem to get himself to move.

And so, as if controlled by a force entirely out of his control, his body moves on its own.

He runs.

As fast as physically possible, tumbling over the rubble and straight into the flames, he runs without looking back.

He already knew the sight that would greet him when he reached the bottom floor. He knew he'd already wasted too much time, and that Nakamura's warning was likely the last.

Still, when setting his eyes upon ravaged remains of the men who stood as his comrades only moments ago, it didn't cause him to feel any less anguish.

The second devil looms menacingly above the surviving evacuees, who huddle in a corner while using a stack of collapsed rubble as their last defense.

Upon hearing Gabriel's footsteps, it turns its head, blood spilling from the mouth in the middle of its face.

Gabriel swings his weapon forward, reciting a prayer, and the devil lunges in response.

---

He wasn't sure how long the battle really lasted.

But in what felt like only a few short moments to him, it was over.

He stabs his spear into the head of the creature, drenched in its blood once more.

The evacuees stay hidden and cowering, having just witnessed an extent of violence they'd likely never seen before.

Surely, in their eyes, he appeared as a devil.

Still, there wasn't any time to lose. 

"Go. Get out of here."

Upon speaking these words, he breaks into a sprint, rushing back up to the third floor.

Mari was waiting for him. She'd brazenly fought alone all this time, affording Gabriel the lucky opportunity to save everyone but the valiant exterminators who fought beside him.

Now, he would save her too.

Who are you kidding?

He tries his best to ignore the thought.

With the building now almost completely on the verge of collapsing, a pile rubble covers the entryway to the third floor.

Using all his might, he smashes through the pile with his spear. 

While his vision is obscured by a cloud of dust, somewhere deep down, he knew what waited for him beyond the veil.

He can ignore it no longer.

You killed her.

Like a rabid dog desperate for scraps, the devil tears another pieces of Mari's flesh from her bones. As if on instinct, Gabriel turns his head away.

He looks back, unwilling to pry his eyes away from the gruesome sight. The beast digs its claws into a cavity in Mari's chest, pulling out her innards and stuffing its face with whatever hunk of flesh it can get its hands on. 

"DELICIOUS..."

Without him even noticing, Gabriel had begun to recite a prayer.

"I believe in one God, the father almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth..."

The devil continues to slowly savor its meal, licking the scraps off the girl's bones.

...

Finally finished, it looks over at Gabriel.

The last thing it sees is a blinding wave of light, bursting out of the windows of the building and enveloping the entire area.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A cloaked figure walks down a path of marble, as an enclosed golden container swings from a chain wrapped around his arm. Incense emerges from small holes atop the container, spreading smoke across the surrounding area.

Devil exterminators line the pews of a spacious cathedral, and candlelight illuminates the detailed sculptures of biblical figures adorning the walls. A magnificent classical painting depicting angels and devils alike wraps around the rotunda above. 

The cloaked figure stops after reaching the altar at the back of the cathedral.

Another man makes his way down the center aisle. Gabriel, having visibly aged since the incident at the department store, is dressed in formal attire. He still carries the metal case around his back, now completely wrapped in tape.

He reaches the altar, kneeling on the floor.

Michael, dressed in elaborate robes, steps forward. His casts his sunken eyes down at Gabriel, looking as if he hadn't aged a single day since the moment the two first met. 

He holds a small platter filled with ash. Dipping his thumb in the substance, he kneels down and looks Gabriel straight in his eyes.

"Praise be to God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, for the gift which I shall now bestow upon Gabriel, His blessed follower. Shall he forever walk in the path of the Lord, not for the sake of life on Earth, but for the glory of Heaven and the world to come. Amen."

Gabriel closes his eyes. Michael rubs the ash onto his forehead, drawing the shape of a cross.

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

Michael widens his smile.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you, sir."

The devil exterminators in the audience silently applaud. 

"Of course, you're from Eden, so you've already got a Blessing and a name... But, well, just think of this as a new responsibility. Your responsibility as an Ascended."

"Yes, sir."

Ever since the day Mari died, Gabriel stopped being afraid of killing devils. In fact, he reveled in it. His newfound bloodlust, along with the natural talent he already possessed, skyrocketed him up the ranks of the organization in record time. 

Gabriel exits the cathedral, pushing open the heavy wooden doors.

"Congratulations," Theresa smiles, greeting him.

"So? How are my weapons treating you?"

"Works like a charm," he pulls out a small rosary bead from his pocket.

Upon squeezing the bead in his palm, a slim katana emerges from within his grasp.

Accompanying his change of heart, he refused to continue using his signature silver spear, keeping it permanently locked up in its case. 

Thankfully, Theresa's Blessing provided him a convenient alternative.

Gabriel enters his room inside the department headquarters, setting the case down against the wall. He locks the door, undresses out of his formal blazer, and kneels in the center of the room.

He closes his eyes and holds his hands together in prayer.

"Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

The case against the wall faintly glows. If only for a moment, something inside rattles.

"Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen."

The glow surrounding the case intensifies. His expressions grows pained as he repeats the prayer over and over into the night.

Even if it only brought him slightly closer to redemption, he would continue to pray.

Even if it was futile.

Even if he could never be forgiven.