DEVIL WITHIN

We're not heroes.

But at least, we just want them to know...

Behind the curtain, there's someone struggling desperately to protect their normal lives.

________________________________________________

...

“Huff… puff…”

drip... drip... Blood dripped slowly from Naoya’s sword. His hands trembled as he gripped the hilt.

“…Damn it.”

The satanist lay motionless.

Limp and lifeless. His body soaked in blood.

Naoya killed him—but that didn't make him feel any prouder.

Instead, his face relaxed into a tired grimace. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to calm his breathing.

Suddenly, a strange sound came from the satanist’s body.

“H-H…” Naoya flinched, then froze.

Fwhooosh... A wave of heat rose from the body—quiet, but intense. Even from a distance, it could be felt.

“...” Naoya held his breath.

“He... almost got me...”

step… step… He turned and started walking away.

His footsteps echoed, until he reached the alley’s mouth.

So close, he thought. It had nearly cost him his life.

He tapped the comms device on his ear.

“...HQ, come in. This is the guard stationed at Shibuya Area C.

I’ve got an urgent report.”

“Copy that. This is HQ, security control division 3. Go ahead with your report.”

“…A satanist attacked me during patrol, but I managed to kill him."

“You managed to kill him?”

“This is serious. They’ve come out of hiding.”

“Send us your exact location. Don’t touch anything.

We’ll dispatch a sweep team immediately.”

“Understood. Over.”

Beep!

“Sigh…”

The young man let out a heavy breath again.

He didn’t expect to almost lose his life over such a small mistake.

Sniff, sniff.

Naoya squinted.

“M-Mphf...!!”

That waxy, metallic stench still lingered—like something rotting, mixed with burning rubber.

He approached the trash can where the candle had been hidden.

The lid was still wide open.

Naoya pinched his nose, forcing himself to breathe through his mouth.

“Mmh...!"

"God, what is that smell?!”

Bang! He slammed the lid shut.

…

* * *

...

Some minutes later...

Shibuya was still bustling as usual.

The sun had started its descent into the west. Sunlight grew harsher—people began opening their umbrellas to block the rays.

Chatter, chatter...

This district was always alive—you’d always bump into someone at every corner.

And while walking through it, you’d inevitably overhear a couple of conversations.

“Mama, why are there so many CDRS officers here…?”

“...I don’t know? Maybe it’s just a routine check.”

“Don’t worry, sweetie. As long as they’re around, we’ll be safe.”

“...Wait, why are there suddenly so many anti-satanist officers here??”

Yes, Shibuya was being swept at the time.

Usually, a CDRS sweep team numbered in the dozens.

“We haven’t checked the alley over there yet,” Said one of the officers

“R-Right...”

They were extremely thorough. From one end to the other. Outside and inside buildings. 

Every alley, every nook and cranny of the city—nothing was left unchecked.

...

“Another small attack, huh...”

“Honestly, I don't remember the last one..”

In one of the alleys, a female officer reported to her superior—both of them women.

“Hmm..."

“They’re going to tighten security again, like before.”

“...We can’t just let this slide.”

...

* * *

Flap, flap, flap!  He waved his hands because of the heat.

“Ugh, it’s so hot…”

Naoya, the one who was just attacked, had been assigned to help with the sweep.

“Man…” He sighed, adjusting the military cap on his head.

Sweat dripped down his face—the air outside was scorching.

“Nao..?”

Komaki appeared and called out to him.

She was holding the hand of a young boy—probably her younger brother, judging by how alike they looked.

“Oh, hey Komaki!”

“Oo, Itsuki’s here too,” Naoya replied, smiling.

“You’re helping with the sweep too, Naoya-san..?” said Itsuki, Komaki’s younger brother.

“Yup!” Naoya answered, his hand making a peace sign

“Hey… Are you okay?”

“You’re not hurt, right?” Komaki asked, concerned.

Naoya smiled faintly—grateful for her concern.

“I’m fine, don’t worry.”

“...But honestly, I almost died earlier.”

“He attacked out of nowhere.”

“...I seriously almost died,” he repeated.

“F-For real..??” Komaki’s eyes widened a bit.

“...Thank goodness you’re okay. You really shouldn’t let your guard down…”

“...Yeah,” Naoya nodded. He knew she was right.

“...By the way, isn’t Asahi-san looking for you?” Komaki asked.

“Uhh…”

“She told me to help with the sweep instead,” Naoya replied.

“So… she kicked you out?”

“Well… kind of."

"Not like I’m that important anyway.”

“You’re the one who got attacked, weirdo...”

Itsuki just stood there silently. His face looked blank—clearly bored but too polite to say anything.

“Pftt.”

Komaki patted her brother’s head—aware of his shifting mood.

Bwoop! Suddenly, she pinched his cheek with one hand.

“U-Uphh..!"

"Onee-chwann..!!”

Komaki twisted his face and turned it away dramatically.

“Up-whupph..!!” The poor boy had no choice but to go along with it. Naoya just stared, unsure what to make of the odd sibling dynamic.

“Sorry, but we gotta go!” Komaki said with a big smile.

“Oh, o-okay…”

“Alright, see you, Nao.”

“S-See youuu, Naoya-san..!”

Naoya gently waved goodbye.

…

chatter, chatter…

He stood there alone again, watching the crowd pass by from the sidelines.

Once again, time seemed to slow down—as if pausing to let him think.

Naoya’s gaze shifted, landing on the bloodstains on his gloves.

scratch… He wiped them off onto his military vest—which also had blood splattered on it.

“No use...”

In the end, he took off both items.

“…I still have to keep sweeping the area.”

The young man picked up his pace, blending into the crowd of pedestrians.

…

The sun blazed even stronger overhead.

The faces around him looked drained, beaten down by the unbearable heat.

Some muttered complaints, while others looked too exhausted to even speak.

Crowd murmuring, soft footsteps.

“S-So hot…”

Naoya dragged his feet—his head a little dazed from the scorching sun.

He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, glancing around.

step, step... Eventually, he decided to move toward a quieter, shadier spot.

…

“Haaah..!”

Naoya took shelter in front of a shop—shaded from the sun and cooled by the building’s indoor AC drifting outside.

He pulled out his phone from his pocket.

He checked the call log.

[...7 missed calls from Asahi-san.]

“(Oh crap, she’s gonna chew me out again,)”

“(I don’t remember putting my phone on silent though—)” He muttered to himself.

—Thud!

“U-Ugh..!”

A passerby bumped into him—whether by accident or on purpose, he didn’t know.

“H-Hey—!”

The bump felt intentional, and Naoya had every right to be annoyed.

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, it became really quiet.

Despite the crowd, everything seemed to still for a moment.

Naoya looked at the person who’d bumped into him.

A girl.

Whoosh… The wind blew through her green hair, tied into twin tails.

She wore a black collared jacket—far too big for her frame.

Her overall look was… unusual.

“…”

The girl turned slightly toward him, saying nothing.

Her cap shaded most of her face, but her eyes were still visible.

Those eyes… cold, and completely empty.

step, step…

No apology. No proper glance. She simply walked away without a word.

“Eh..?” Naoya tilted his head—confused by the strange encounter.

...Who is she?

That girl… didn’t feel human, Naoya thought

…

Naoya decided to shrug it off. He was used to weird behavior by now.

His attention went back to his phone.

Tap!

drrr… drrr… He held the screen to his ear—it was ringing.

…

Five seconds…

Fifteen seconds…

Twenty-five seconds—

Drap, drap, drap!  Hurried footsteps echoed from behind him.

“OIII, NAOYA!!!”

A familiar voice shouted from afar.

“…Jusei?”

Jusei came running up to him, out of breath. His sunglasses were slightly tilted on his face.

“Huff… Huff…”

“W-We’ve been... looking everywhere for you, goddamnit…” Jusei grumbled.

“Asahi-san is calling for you.”

...

* * *

Naoya returned to the alley where he’d been attacked.

A few officers were already there, examining the scene.

“Kuroda Naoyaa…”

A blonde girl walked up to Naoya, her long hair swaying with each step.

“…Where have you BEEN!!?” she scolded, pointing right at his face.

“You are such a pain in the ass..."

“...Weren’t you the one who told me to join the sweep team?” Naoya asked, confused.

“…Yeah, but that doesn’t mean you should disappear like that!”

“You left like someone who just got kicked out!” the girl snapped.

“…Asahi-san.”

“I was just following your orders. Simple as that,” Naoya replied calmly.

T-This guy... Asahi gritted her teeth.

“Sigh…”

“Alright, alright… Good work today,” she said, arms crossed.

“Hmph… Come with me.”

Asahi turned around and began walking. Naoya followed beside her.

“So, why did you call me?” Naoya asked.

“…There’s something I want to ask you.”

Drap. Asahi suddenly stopped.

The alley fell quiet—as if anticipating a serious conversation.

“…You know how a Hellgate satanist gains their power, right?” Asahi asked.

“By making a demon contract?” Naoya answered.

“Correct.”

“You also know they can’t always use that power freely, right?”

“…Yeah."

"They need to perform an activation ritual first.”

“What’s the name of that ritual?” she continued.

“…Pentagram?”

“Right... All the rituals they do for power activation are called pentagrams."

"The thing is... do you know where that cultist who attacked you activated their pentagram?"

“Remember—there are three known levels of pentagrams so far.”

“Satanists who attack alone usually only activate a Level 1 pentagram.”

“And those are almost always performed close to where the user is,” Asahi explained, eyes sharp.

“…You must’ve smelled something weird during the attack,” she added.

“…Oh! I forgot to mention it."

"Come with me.”

Naoya led her to a large garbage bin nearby.

bzzzz... A swarm of flies buzzed above the lid. The awful smell was starting to hit them both.

krrk...! Naoya opened it.

It was full of trash. Food waste, plastic bottles, cans—all mixed together.

“M-Mghh..!”

“Ugh—It stinks!” Asahi gagged, pinching her nose.

Krrssk...! Naoya pulled out a white plastic bag from inside and placed it on the ground.

“This is the pentagram?”

“You wrapped it in a trash bag!? No wonder no one found it, idiot!!” Asahi shouted.

“…I was going to tell you."

"But you were the one who told me to get lost,” Naoya replied calmly.

He untied the bag. Inside were shattered black candles and a small ashtray dripping with dried blood.

“I can't believe you…”

“Hey! You guys!!!” Asahi shouted to the nearby officers.

“Huh?”

“What’s going on?”

“We found it!” she called out.

sniff, sniff.

“H-Hooubrb..!” Naoya suddenly felt nauseous.

The smell of those candles was truly revolting.

“N-Nao!?”

…

* * *

A few minutes later…

The officers secured the plastic bag with the evidence inside.

One of them released several micro-robots equipped with surveillance cameras.

These robots were designed to look like small animals—bugs, lizards, and the like.

“With this, they’ll never realize they’re being watched,” said the officer.

...

* * *

Meanwhile, just outside the alley…

“This area hasn’t been scanned by C.A.I.N robots before,”

“These satanists sure know how to find blind spots,” said Asahi.

“...Or maybe they were the ones who removed the robots first,” Naoya replied.

“No way.”

“If they destroyed any, the monitoring team would’ve noticed immediately.”

“...But I’ve got a bad feeling.

Maybe they’ve found a way to bypass the system.”

Asahi lowered her head slightly—the big ribbon on her round cap swayed with the motion.

(sniff, sniff.)

Naoya sniffed the air. His face twisted with disgust.

“Ugh…”

“…What is it?” Asahi looked confused.

“That candle smell’s still lingering…” Naoya said, narrowing his eyes.

“What are those candles even made of?”

“Wait, what!?”

“You don’t know?? That’s basic knowledge for every CDRS soldier!” Asahi burst out.

“…I forgot. I’m only human after all,” Naoya replied with zero remorse.

“...E-Ekh…”

“N-Nao…”

Asahi’s body trembled. She didn’t know whether to be mad, disappointed, or just stunned by her subordinate.

“W-What?” Naoya looked concerned.

“You senile old man!! Can you be a little more professional?!"

“You know what, this is your punishment!”

“Go re-learn the entire history of volt-immune, the types of pentagrams, and how they all work!”

She pointed her finger right at his face.

“E-Eh… but why—?”

“No excuses!”

“I’m gonna quiz you next time we meet. You better be ready…”

…

* * *

Late at night...

Strangely, the sky wasn’t as dark as usual.

The moon shone brightly, even though it wasn’t yet full.

Beeep, beeeep..!

Vroom...! The sounds of busy traffic echoed across the city.

This place never stopped moving.

Tokyo—the city that never sleeps.

Cool breeze blows through the streets, though it carries a sharp chill.

Whoooosh... That breeze brushed past an apartment building.

In Japan—or anywhere else, really—apartment buildings had a familiar structure. Each floor had a hallway, with doors to units lined up on both sides.

And, of course, a quiet elevator tucked away at the far end.

Ding..! Someone stepped out of the elevator and walks into the hallway.

step... step...

The sound of footsteps echoed softly.

“…Damn it…”

“They always overloaded with the tasks.”

It was Naoya.

His face looked drained—he’d clearly had a long day.

Each step he took was heavy, as if being dragged forward.

—Step. He stopped in front of one of the doors.

Naoya pulled a key from his pocket.

Tuck, tuck—

Click! The door unlocked.

“…I’m home.”

…

The first thing he saw was a cozy living room.

A soft couch, a medium-sized table, a simple chest of drawers—nothing fancy, just a normal apartment.

…

Zzzz... Someone's snoring.

Naoya froze, his eyes drifting to the couch.

…

There, a girl was being asleep—peaceful and still.

She looked a lot like him.

If Naoya had short black hair, this girl had long, wavy hair instead.

The dim room lighting gently lit her face, giving her a calm, elegant look.

Naoya walked towards her calmly.

“Hey...!”

“Wake up, Minori!”

Naoya gently shook her.

“You have your own room—why are you sleeping on the couch??”

“U-Uhh…”

Minori slowly opened her eyes.

She sat up, rubbing them groggily.

“Huhh...?”

“What time is it...?” she mumbled.

“Hmm…”

“12:50,” Naoya replied.

“What..??”

Her expression turned glum. One of her eyes twitched, disappointed that her peaceful nap had been interrupted.

Fwump! Without a word, she flopped back onto the couch, facing the backrest.

“...Don’t forget to change and clean up before bed,” she muttered.

“E-Eh…” Naoya was too stunned to respond.

Maybe he shouldn’t have woken her up.

Zzzz... She was asleep again in an instant.

“O-Oh…” Naoya mumbled, feeling a little guilty.

step... step... He quietly walked toward the bathroom.

…

Skrrrchh...! Water flowed from the faucet.

Naoya decided to shower and go through his usual bedtime routine.

…

Bwup! Now in clean pajamas, he sat down on the sofa.

…

It suddenly became silent.

The only sound was the distant noise of traffic outside.

“…”

Zzzz... Minori’s snoring ruined the quiet.

She was sleeping like someone who hadn’t rested in days.

“Sigh…”

…

Naoya thought back to the attack earlier that day.

He looked at his hand—there was a faint purplish bruise.

That was the hand he used to block the satanist’s blade.

“…”

...I nearly died today.

“Hoaaahhmm…” he yawned.

…

He sat in silence for a while, then leaned back against the couch—ready for sleep.

“...Good night," Naoya said.

Ting! Suddenly, his phone lit up and buzzed.

Naoya picked it up and tapped the screen twice to turn it on.

Asahi:

“Hey, are you still awake?”

Typing...

Naoya:

“I was just about to sleep… don’t bother me.”

Typing, slowly...

Asahi:

"You’re the only subordinate I have who dares talk to me like that.”

Asahi:

“Maybe we’ve been friends for long, but I’m your superior now!”

Typing quickly...

Naoya:

“Alright, alright!!”

“What do you want?”

Typing again, slower...

Asahi:

“I wanted to apologize...”

“That’s all.”

Naoya:

“Apologize? For what?”

Asahi:

"I know you almost got killed today.”

“Maybe you felt like I didn’t appreciate you enough, especially when I gave you that research assignment.”

Naoya:

“It’s still nothing compared to what we’ve been through 2 years ago.”

“We face death almost every single day.”

Asahi:

“...That's true.”

Asahi:

“Alright, I won’t bother you anymore.”

“Good night.”

Naoya:

"Wait.”

“Can you send me the link for that research?”

Asahi:

“Are you serious?”

“I didn't mean to force you...”

Asahi:

“But it's actually really important, you know."

"It’s something every CDRS soldier should understand.”

Naoya:

"Just send it already…”

Asahi:

"Seriously…?

“Its always there, on the website we use for patrol reports, how come you don't know that??"

"Oh my god..."

Asahi:

"...Start with the video on the history of volt-immune. That’s my advice.”

“Anyway, I’m going to bed now.”

Asahi sends a cat sticker that says: “Good night!”

…

Naoya set his phone down and took a long breath.

Click! He turned off the lights.

His eyes closed slowly, worn down by sleep.

In an instant, he fell into sleep.

…

It became quiet again.

Everyone had fallen asleep.

Moonlight filtered through the balcony, painting the room with a soft, cold blue hue.

That night sky seemed to wish… that this peace could last forever.

…

* * *

Late night surveillance...

tick, tick. Several C.A.I.N robots clung to the wall of a nearby building, quietly observing the streets below.

These robots came in various animal-like shapes.

Tonight, they looked like spiders.

tick, tick, tick... The tiny machines scanned the area carefully.

Their cameras had long-range zoom and thermal detection features.

But no matter how advanced surveillance tech becomes…

there will always be ways to bypass it.

z-zwwtt..! One of the robots was suddenly lifted off the ground.

Someone had grabbed it from behind—completely undetected by its sensors.

The poor thing wiggled its legs helplessly, but couldn’t move an inch.

…

It was the green-haired girl.

Whoooosh... Her twintail hair swayed in the wind—strands now coming loose, drifting freely.

Her eyes stared blankly at the robot in her hand.

“Huh…”

She let out a small sigh.

Then, she looked up—her head moving in a stiff, unnatural motion.

Something glowing began to crawl from beneath her collar…

Glowing like veins, the strange light crept upward, tracing lines along her skin.

It stopped just beneath her cheek.

Flash..! Her pupils began to shine—unnaturally bright.

…

This girl… she wasn’t human.

...Who is she?

What is she doing in this city?

Could she be… one of the satanists?

...

* * *