Meanwhile, Kishibe, Aki, Himeno, Denji, and Power had already arrived at the entrance of the Aokigahara forest, glancing around warily as the blue rain continued to fall in shimmering sheets.
Nearby, Barem Bridge—still pinned down by the dark gravity field Kang Woo had used to bind him—groaned in frustration. His arms and legs twitched feebly against the invisible weight holding him flat to the forest floor.
Barem glared at the group, his voice dripping with irritation. "Hey! Now that you're all back, maybe one of you could ask Kang Woo to release me from this damn binding already?!"
Before anyone could answer, Denji stomped forward and kicked Barem square in the nuts. "NO! Fuck off! My nose still hurts thanks to you jabbing your finger up my nostril earlier!" Denji barked, his eyes wide and indignant.
Himeno burst out laughing and cracked her knuckles. "Denji, I'm joining you. I don't like Barem at all."
Aki sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Himeno-senpai… you're only doing this because you're bored. And because Barem provoked me—your kouhai. You know Makima-san is not going to like this."
Suddenly, Barem's voice cut through the bickering, sharp and desperate. "Aki—if you release me, I'll tell you why Makima and Kang Woo have to die… I was tasked to ensure it."
Barem's eyes widened as the weight of what he'd just said sank in.
"Oh shit… I slipped out…" he muttered under his breath.
Aki's eyes narrowed dangerously. He turned to Denji. "Denji… what happens if I win the contest of kicking him?"
Denji grinned, baring his sharp teeth. "Of course—you win the rights to his family jewels."
Power immediately jumped in, waving her arms. "I too! I too want to join! Let the Blood Devil stomp his man parts into paste!"
Barem flailed against his invisible bindings, eyes wide with panic.
"Wait—WAIT! I have more info—just LISTEN TO M—"
But it was too late. The four of them lunged forward in perfect, chaotic unison.
Denji kicked first, cackling like a maniac. Himeno followed, delivering a solid knee. Power shrieked triumphantly as she launched her own blow, while Aki sighed and joined in with a swift, precise kick that somehow managed to look polite and violent at the same time.
Barem Bridge howled in agony, his voice echoing through the trees as the group enthusiastically kicked the living hell out of him, like kids battering a piñata at a festival.
Kishibe stood off to the side, watching the spectacle with an utterly deadpan stare. He exhaled smoke from his cigarette and muttered under his breath. "...Kids these days. Fuckin' animals."
Suddenly, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the trees.
Kishibe tensed instantly, his eyes sharpening. The four stooges—Denji, Himeno, Aki, and Power—froze in mid-motion, legs still poised over the groaning form of Barem Bridge. Kishibe's hand drifted to the dagger strapped at his hip, fingers wrapping around the hilt as he stepped forward slowly.
The figure stepped into view—and it was Makima. She looked battered and worn, her black coat streaked with mud. The center of her uniform bore a jagged hole where she'd been impaled by the Aging Devil, though her flesh beneath showed no wound—the injuries had healed, but the fabric was still torn and ragged. Her hair hung in damp strands around her face, glistening with the rain still falling from the sky.
Aki blinked, relief flooding his features. "Makima-san… you're all right!"
But Kishibe held up a hand, eyes narrowing.
"Wait, Aki. Not so fast." He stepped closer, studying Makima's face intently. "First I need to confirm it's you… not some doppelgänger or illusion the Aging Devil cooked up."
Makima stared at him, utterly deadpan. "I hate you, Kishibe. You always mock me every time we meet."
Kishibe lowered his knife. "Yep. That's Makima, all right."
He stepped back, letting out a long breath of smoke.
Aki swallowed, his voice hesitant as he stepped closer. "Makima-san… where's Kang Woo?"
Makima didn't answer right away. She stood silent, her gaze distant. Raindrops slid down her cheeks like silent tears. And though she said nothing, there was a hint of sadness in her eyes that none of them had ever seen before.
From the ground, Barem Bridge, ever the psychopath despite being pinned, managed a twisted grin as he shifted his head toward the group. "I know what happened…" he rasped, voice dripping with mockery. "You killed Kang Woo, didn't you, Makima? Just like you always do… tying up loose ends."
Aki's face darkened. Without hesitation, he kicked Barem Bridge in the nuts again, earning a choked yelp.
"Stay down, before your family jewels end up in Denji's collection." Aki snapped.
But Himeno placed a hand gently on Aki's shoulder, stopping him. Her voice was calm but edged with curiosity. "Wait, Aki… let him talk. Tell me more, Barem."
Barem chuckled, even as he winced in pain, sweat beading on his forehead. "Do you even know what Makima really is, huh? you're just newcomers. You don't have a damn clue. Makima's a devil. And devils always kill their prey when it's weak. It's their nature."
Aki clenched his fists, shaking his head. "You're lying, Barem. How can Makima-san be a devil? She's… she's not like that."
Barem's grin widened, though his voice dropped lower, conspiratorial. "If you don't believe me… ask Kishibe. He knows how Makima operates. That's why he always hates her. Kishibe's not stupid enough to trust a devil pretending to be a savior."
Aki stiffened, the doubt creeping into his eyes. Slowly, he turned toward Kishibe.
"…Is it true, Sensei? Is Makima-san… not the kind person we thought she was? Is she… nothing more than a bad devil?"
Kishibe stood quiet for a moment, his cigarette burning low. He finally exhaled a long stream of smoke and jerked his chin toward Makima.
"Ask her. The person in question's right here, isn't she?"
All eyes swung back to Makima.
Makima stood motionless, the rain falling steadily around her. Inside, her mind felt like it was fracturing apart. Not only have I lost my lover… now I have to deal with this mess blowing up in my face.
She lifted her gaze slowly, expression cold and unreadable. Her voice came out flat, tinged with bitter sarcasm. "You're free to ask me anything you want, Aki-kun. I've already been discarded by this country. I don't have anything left to take pride in anymore."
Aki opened his mouth, then closed it again. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. He stared at Makima, eyes shimmering with confusion and betrayal, the image of his idol shattering in silence.
Himeno stepped forward, her eyes narrowed with wary determination. She tilted her head slightly, her voice calm but edged like a blade.
"Then let me ask, Makima-san. What devil are you? And what's your business with Aki… my kouhai?"
Makima lifted her eyes slowly, locking them onto Himeno with a stare as cold and unwavering as ice. Her voice was quiet, but carried an iron finality.
"I'm the Control Devil."
A sharp, collective intake of breath rippled through the group.
Makima continued, her tone flat, as if reciting a report. "As for Aki… he's a good worker for the Public Safety Devil Hunters. I trained him myself. And if you think my target is Aki—you're dead wrong."
Kishibe stepped closer . "Then who is your real target, Makima?"
Makima eyes flicked to Denji, then back to Kishibe. "The Chainsaw Devil itself. Or to be precise… The chainsaw dog , who lives inside Denji now."
Denji's eyes went wide as plates. He pointed at himself, stammering, "Huh?! Me?! Why the hell is Pochita the one getting chased and not me?!"
Aki, trembling, turned to Makima. His voice was ragged, breaking under the weight of everything unraveling before him. "Then… Makima-san… do you still target Denji? And what happened to Kang Woo? Did Barem say -"
But Makima's voice cut through him,. "Not anymore. And as for Kang Woo… if you're going to stand there and ask me whether I killed him… you'd better choose your words very carefully, Aki. Because I've lost so many things today. Things you couldn't begin to understand. And I'm not in the mood to lose anything else."
Aki recoiled as if struck, his lips parting in a silent breath, unable to respond. The rain continued to fall around them, blue droplets sliding down Makima's cheeks and mingling with the tears she refused to shed openly.
Power, ever opportunistic even in chaos, stepped forward and pointed a finger accusingly at Makima. Her voice was loud and shrill.
"Then tell us the truth. Did you ambush him like you always tried to control me?"
From the ground, Barem Bridge, still pinned by Kang Woo's dark gravity, let out a bitter laugh.
"That's proof right there! You're always like this, Makima. Always trying to control anyone you can't completely own. And when there's a dog you can't tame… you kill that dog."
The words echoed into the silence.
Makima's eyes widened, shimmering as the rain pelted her face. For a moment, her lips quivered, as though she were trying to swallow back the flood of emotion surging inside her.
Then it all broke loose. "I DIDN'T KILL HIM!"
Makima dropped her gaze, shoulders trembling as tears finally spilled free.. "My… utopia… the one I tried so long to find… it's gone."
She took a shuddering breath, pressing a trembling hand against her chest as if trying to hold herself together. "Kang Woo is dead. He's gone… because he chose to make sure this world stayed intact. Because he believed there was no other way."
She looked up, her eyes shining with grief, her expression laid bare for the first time any of them had ever seen. "If you want someone to blame for why he chose that path… then blame me. Because. I'm the one whose actions nearly brought extinction to everything we know—because of the invasion from other worlds. I'm the reason he… he had to make that choice."
A long silence hung over the group, broken only by the soft hiss of rain falling on mud and shattered trees.
Then Power snorted, crossing her arms. "Tch. Tears don't prove anything. Devils can cry too."
Kishibe's eyes narrowed. He jerked his chin at Denji. "Denji. Shut Power up before I slice her throat."
Power's mouth fell open, but instinct kicked in. She snapped her mouth shut and shuffled backward, glaring but silent.
Himeno shifted closer to Aki, her eyes shimmering. She rested a gentle hand on his arm. Aki wiped at his eyes, trying to hide the single tear that slipped down his cheek. Himeno bit her lip, fighting back her own sorrow as she lowered her gaze.