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Cold, hard rain hit against the small boy’s emaciated body. The rain was unrelenting in its fall, but it felt fitting for the boy. Denji held his arms tight to his side as his head looked down at the far too grand grave of his father.
A car window rolled down behind him. Without turning around, Denji knew who it was. He couldn’t bring himself to look away from the grave.
“The bastard hung himself without making this month’s payment…” The gruff voice broke the ambiance of the rain fall. The rain was cold, but welcomed. This wasn’t.
“Kid… I don’t care if you beg for it or whore yourself out. Have 700,000 yen ready by tomorrow.” The man paused to clear his throat. “Or I’ll cut your corpse into pieces and sell you.”
Denji’s eyes stayed set on the grave. He thought about the amount of yen the Yakuza charged him for it. The amount of yen that this grave added to his inherited and overflowing debt. When the car’s noise faded from his ears, he finally looked over his shoulder to see it driving merrily away.
The frown on his face stayed despite the Yakuza’s departure. The rain kept pelting his skin. It was all Denji allowed himself to focus on. There was nothing else to be done. It was the last time he would feel the rain drops’ weight. Maybe it was a good thing, getting wet made him sick. When he was sick, Dad would get mad and-
Maybe it was a bad thing though. The rain fall was comforting when he was inside. The noise would help him fall asleep. Empty stomach and bruises temporarily drowned out.
Denji’s reflection came to an end. From the distance, a mechanical sound made itself known. Denji froze, then turned his body. In the wet grassland was a devil. Denji had scarcely seen devils, but this had to be one. The lone chainsaw on its head spun with ferocity as a low grumble came from its open maw.
“A chainsaw…? I-It’s a devil!” Denji panicked outloud, falling onto his butt and scooting himself away. His eyes began to well up in tears as he took in the unknown threat. A bulky and metallic body was belly against the ground. One black armored arm reached out towards Denji while sporting a chainsaw just like the one on the devil’s head. The sound of revving chainsaws harassed the boy’s ears as the devil extended its arm and dug into the damp soil, inching closer to Denji.
Denji let out a blood curdling scream as the creature’s jaw slammed shut, spiky teeth that would ensure his demise. He lifted himself and ran away, far enough to be safe from the crawling behemoth. The rain was now drowned out by his heavy and erratic breaths.
That has to be the scariest devil I’ve ever seen… Denji thought, his eyes locked on the devil’s body. Being an estimated safe distance away, Denji took time to look over the threat. Upon a quick examination the boy realized how severely injured the devil crawling towards him was. Missing its entire lower half and its left side, only the upper torso and right arm of the devil remained. Even then, Denji was shaking. It was big, and probably strong. It could kill him in an instant.
His eyes widened. The reality of his situation once again dawned upon him. The fright he held in this moment was buried by the cold reality of what fate had handed him. His gaze turned downwards towards his feet. Now, he wasn’t looking at the hulking monster.
His voice was frail and shaky. “If you’re gonna kill me, get it over with!’ He practically begged. “I’m gonna die anyway!”
Let it be at the hands of a devil rather than man. Denji had never found comfort in humanity.
He bit his lip hard, willing himself to stay still. If the devil killed him, so be it. He kept his eyes clenched. And kept his limbs locked. And continued to do so. Denji knew this was taking a while, but didn’t have the strength to go back on his powerlessness.
He stood, waiting, and received nothing.
A cacophony of sad whirls and clanks erupted from the devil, the devil Denji was too scared to open his eyes to. Then it turned to cold hacking, sickly and coarse. It was as if the spluttering of a dying engine was given life. In that life, Denji heard soft wheezes… similar to the ones Mom had made on her deathbed.
He opened his eyes. The beast he had run from had not moved from its position. It laid in the grass, single arm unmoving. A trail of black smoke emerging from its open mouth. It looked brutish and deadly, but it also looked injured and alone.
Denji’s frail heart beat in sync with the devil in that moment, staring at it as if a devil could know everything by a shared glance. As Denji kept his eyes on the devil’s black helm, he felt as if he was being stared at too. For the first time, Denji was comforted. It was by a creature just as low in life as him.
“You’re hurt…” Denji broke the silence. He tried to steady his voice as his right hand traced his extended left arm. “Are you gonna die too?” Without thinking, the boys began closing the distance between him and the devil
It was an easy question to answer, the answer was known to Denji, but he was looking for something. In the sad, screeching coughs that followed his questioning Denji believed it was there.
His pupils expanded. This devil… His dead father’s hanging body. The sweat sliding down his temple.
“Bite me!” Denji asserted too fast for himself to think. The left arm he had been tracing for comfort now extended as an offering as he went into a kneeling position in front of the devil. Denji couldn’t read the devil’s body language – it had no eyes and was practically immobile – but its head began to slowly rise to meet the boy’s desperate and pleading eyes.
“I heard that if a devil drinks blood, its wounds heal! If you don’t wanna die, then bite me!”
The mechanical body creaked in effort as the devil’s neck used any remaining strength to position its mouth next to Denji’s arm. Denji lost some of his composure as he eyed the sharp teeth that decorated the devil’s mouth.
Before the creature could enclose its mouth around the boy’s arm, his voice made the devil stall. “This… this will be a contract. My blood doesn’t come free.”
The starving and injured devil let out a pitiful groan from its engine, one that Denj decided to take as acknowledgement. “I’ll save you… so you save me. A devil like you… I’ll protect you from here on out; and you’ll do the same for me. I don’t wanna die either…”
Denji clenched his eyes shut as the devil’s maw enclosed his arm. His shrilled screams rang out in the open plains. Still, a grin appeared upon his face. One that expanded as the fearsome devil he made a contract with began to regrow its entire body from the boy’s mangled arm. When the devil picked itself up from the ground, standing in front of the awe-striken boy, it was more than double the height of the new contractor.
“Holy shit…” Denji mindlessly uttered as he looked upon the revitalized form of Chainsaw Man. The first thing he noticed, besides the weird flesh scarf, was the four arms that each carried massive chainsaws.
“Definitely the Chainsaw Devil…” Denji once again thought aloud. The devil continued to stare at the boy, making him chuckle awkwardly. “But, uh, if we’re in this together now… you probably need an actual name, right?”
The devil continued standing silently. It was as if the devil did not know what to do. Denji nervously gulped as he decided to put off the name for now. “Okay, can you speak?”
“Vah! Vagyah!” The deep and gargled voice hurt Denji’s ears. The devil could understand him, but not speak Japanese it seemed….
Denji said the next idea that came to mind. “Can you do a trick?”
Instantly, the Chainsaw Devil detached the chains from two of its arm chainsaws. Denji yelped as he felt the two lower arms, chainsaws positioned away from Denji, hold onto him as the devil crouched and leapt into the air. Denji held on tight to the warm chest of the devil, trying to hold back a scream as the two flew in the air. Eventually the two landed, and when Denji was placed on the floor and opened his eyes… he was home.
“You… you got me back to the shed…. How?” Denji questioned.
The devil held one of his arms up to his head, a finger pointing just above the mouth. Denji’s mouth hung open as he tried to understand the devil. “What do you… oh… oh! You could smell my scent here, could you!?” Denji excitedly guessed, and received a pleasant rumble of an engine and nod for his effort. Denji let out a loud and impressed laugh.
“You’re so, so cool! Wow! You could sniff out my home like a dog, and you’re really friendly like one too! Thanks, uh…”
The lack of a name rubbed Denji the wrong way. This devil was likely his ticket to survival, but he didn’t have a proper name to call it, one to show their bond? Denji thought about what he knew of the devil.
He let out a loud laugh. “Alright Pochita, let's show those Yakuza that I’ll have no problem paying off that debt!” Fist pumping his left arm in the air, Denji celebrated this new lease on life.
That was until the boy winced as the pain of his bitten arm hit him all at once. “Shit… I’ll grab some bandages from our house.” Denji thought aloud. As he walked through the door he looked back as he heard footsteps. Pochita’s giant frame threatened to break the doorframe.
“Wait for me outside, okay Pochita?”
The demon from hell gave a reluctant yet understanding nod.
In the abandoned warehouse Denji and Pochita had set up their base in, Denji quickly counted up the cash in his hand. He let out a boisterous laugh as he tallied the total. “Woah, you did it Pochita! You killed that Beer Devil in seconds and we got hella money for it!” Denji couldn’t help himself and jumped up in joy with a fist raised in the air. Pochita let out a happy rev of his engine.
Denji’s eyes sparkled. “You were so cool Pochita! That nasty devil shot a ton of beer at you and you, like, teleported outta the way! Then you crushed its body with your super-strong chains! And… And then you put all five chainsaws in it and ripped it apart! Totally goretastic!”
Pochita had begun learning how to emote more closely to Denji in the few days they’d been together. His body language was improving too, allowing the boy to understand his intentions even clearer.
Even still, Denji felt a small dissatisfaction. He looked down at the money and got an idea. “I know what, we should go get some grub! You worked hard for this money, so I gotta treat you with something!” Denji nodded his head proudly.
Looking over to Pochita, Denji saw the bulky Devil’s limbs shake with anticipation. A quiet rumble bounced around the empty warehouse. “Sounds like a yes to me!”
Denji began his easy march out of the warehouse at the edge of the city, with “the devil that devils fear most” looming behind him.
In the cleanest clothes Denji had ever worn, the boy looked over his shoulder and gave the fearsome devil a wide-toothed smile.
In that moment, if Pochita held any desire for his old life, it was forever ended as Chainsaw Man got lost in that joyful expression. One so pure and full of love that his endless appetite for devil flesh was satiated.
The two entered the busier parts of Tokyo. Many civilians gave worried looks and hushed whispers as they eyed the little boy and the giant devil trailing him. Except, the boy was talking to the devil gleefully. In fact, the boy had begun riding upon one of the monster’s broad shoulders as civilians continued to stare.
Denji looked around from his vantage point, internally smug at the reactions he was getting from those around him. His pompous attitude quickly slipped as he eyed a civilian sneaking into a public phone booth while nervously glancing at the two.
“Hey!” Denji’s shrill voice rang out among the silenced street. “This devil here is my partner, don't call Public Safety on him! We got a contract and everything, so he won’t hurt anyone!"
Murmuring spread out across the street. Debates on what the right move was to do, on what type of contract was made, and how fearsome the devil looked.
“Well,” a motherly voice came from the side of Denji. He turned to look and saw a woman holding a baby in one of her arms. “You’re awfully young to have a contract with a devil… and aren’t they illegal to make?”
Denji’s cheeks flustered red. “Uh— Nuh uh! I made mine legally and… yeah! Pochita, let’s get some pizza, we don’t need this!”
The unusual pair of monstrous devil and little boy continued their walk. The woman stared on with worry as did a few other strangers who were not in a rush this morning. Repositioning her daughter against her hip, the mother spoke aloud. “So that must be the Chainsaw Devil… I’ve heard that it's been killing devils all over Tokyo… To think it’s contracted to a young boy…”
On a television in the window of a store, news of the newly-dubbed “Chainsaw Man” killing multiple strong devils in a matter of moments was broadcasted to the public.
Everything was working out for the newest incarnation of the Control Devil, the one recently named “Makima” by her handlers. Her accelerated training in all forms of relevant knowledge was without fault. As expected with her own goal for perfection in not just herself but all. She let an unusual smile grace her lips as she thought of the sights she clung to, even as Chainsaw Man willed everyone but him to forget. That burden, she would hold with him. The few who remember his actions, and the two who would create that perfect world together. She let out an even more uncharacteristic school girl giggle at the thought, causing the few Public Safety employees around her to stare.
…
That mattered not. At this rate she would be their boss in under a year. She just needed to get past the grunt work for her resume. Makima felt her chains itching to be released as she mentally went over the mission given to her by the higher ups.
“Do you hear that folks? This just in, this devil-slaughtering devil you’ve been seeing has been fully identified! Despite the ludicrous speed it usually travels, folks have spotted it walking alongside a young boy who seems to be contracted with the devil! Upon questioning, it was confirmed from the boy that this monstrous beast is the Chainsaw Devil! And oh my, who would have thought chainsaws could ever look ,that scary! I mean, that armored devil is terrifying! Folks have noticed its humanoid body shape and have taken to calling it “Chainsaw Man” like it’s some superhero! I mean-”
A chain expelled itself from Makima’s finger tip, smashing into the T.V. that a few hunters were gathered around in the break room.
“Hey, what gives!?”
Chainsaw Man. Chainsaw Devil. Here? Already? No. No way. How? He was weakened. She wasn’t ready. She had to go.
In a burst of speed only matched by the strongest human, Makima blazed out of Public Safety headquarters with purpose. Any questioning yells from her handlers were moot to her. Chainsaw Man was here. The Hero of Hell, on Earth. Smelling for that familiar scent, she felt engine oil violate her nostrils once more. Swinging from building to building with chains in a manner reminiscent of her hero, Makima rushed to the scene with disregard of orders… And disregard for the fact her contract with the Prime Minister was not to be made for weeks. She had to act now; Chainsaw Man was hers to claim.
“Alright Pochita, swing right, and now duck! Go for its legs!” Denji commanded as he cheered on Pochita from the side. To the crowd’s amazement, Chainsaw Man was following the boy’s commands closely. Although quickly acting by his lonesome if the opposing devils got too much ground against him.
Chainsaw Man let out a low rumble from his throat as his chainsaws didn’t leave a scratch on the Diamond Devil once again. He was locked in a grapple with the similar-sized golem-like devil while the devil behind the two was charging an attack. Expanding his senses, the newly dubbed “Pochita” eyed the Glue Devil as it transformed its two gluestick arms into a singular mechanical tube.
Chainsaw felt the heat build around the Glue Devil’s newly formed barrel as he decided it was time to move.
Before one could blink, Pochita thrusted his leg into Diamond’s stomach with enough force to send the devil off its feet and through a few buildings. Without wait, Pochita turned to the Glue Devil and was about to dash towards the enemy. That was until his devil instinct started brewing in his gut. Instead, Chainsaw Man dashed to the side as a stream of hot and clear glue erupted where the devil once stood. As it hit a bare building, the glue quickly hardened.
“Huh, its got a hot glue gun!” Someone in the crowd helpfully commented.
“Yo Pochita!” Denji called out while waving and instantly had the Chainsaw Devil’s attention. “You gotta get the diamond guy stuck in the glue! He won’t stay down!”
Without wait Chainsaw Man dashed out of sight and reappeared with a disoriented Diamond Devil held by the leg with one arm. A demonic roar that shook the area was bellowed out as Pochita used the Diamond Devil as a club to brutalize the Glue Devil before it could even respond. The crowd let out shocked gasps as devil blood soared in the sky. The Chainsaw Devil was deafening as the blaring blades and smashing of devils captured the attention of all those present.
When Chainsaw was done, he quickly appeared back to the side of Denji. Denji excitedly gave Pochita a hug as he went over the battle.
“You were so awesome, Pochita! Those devils couldn’t even react to your speed! You took a little while to get going though… you weren’t trying to show off, were you?” Denji playfully questioned with a lighthearted glare.
Chainsaw Man let out something similar to a whine as he looked to the side, making Denji hold his gut as he joyfully laughed at his friend.
The crowd was still looking at the scene the devil left behind. A giant crater in what had been a busy road. A devil smashed to paste beyond recognition. Only one who was present could tell you it was the remnants of the Glue Devil. Atop that paste was an immobilized Diamond Devil. Its soundless screams resulted in no freedom. The devil was unable to move itself as it squirmed like a rat in a glue trap. The crowd tried to match the image with the embarrassed Chainsaw Man that was obediently with the scrawny boy. They could, but only when they once again looked at the features of the Chainsaw Devil to remind themselves what it truly was.
Following a loud yawn Denji planned their departure. “Good job Pochita, this private devil hunting gig is paying real nice. We might be able to buy you a chew toy that can withstand you soon! Let’s get going.” The boy planned to start stepping away but stopped as a shout came from the surrounding crowd.
“Thank you, Chainsaw Man!” A teenage girl cried out. Everyone froze at her words. Denji saw the girl quickly turn red as she tried to hide herself, that is until a middle aged man followed suit.
“Yeah, thank you Chainsaw Man!” He thrusted a fist into the air. “He’s been saving us all from devil attacks!”
Then another voice came, then five at once. Soon the whole crowd was cheering for Chainsaw Man’s actions.
“Alright, alright, thank you everyone!” Denji put on a confident voice, but Pochita could tell his heart was racing. “One at a time now, don’t get too close. I’ll have to ask you to step away ma’am.” He was circling the hulking devil, jumping in front of a person each time one got a few meters too close and motioning them away. Pochtia felt as if he had his own personal bodyguard.
The smug and playful smile on Denji’s face. The words of the people made Pochita warm, but that smile made him feel alive.
“Hey lady!” Denji barked at a woman who got remarkably close. Chainsaw Man identified the woman being in a suit, likely a devil hunter, with crimson red hair and yellow eyes. “No getting close to the merchandise! He’s for looking at only, no touching!” Denji then blinked. “Er– Pochita you are more than merch…. Sorry.”
Then Chainsaw Man breathed in. The scent of vermin clung to the woman. More than that, the stench of a devil was erupting from her all at once. She was a powerful devil, and by the familiar scent Chainsaw could easily identify which devil she was.
“Vagyar! Vagral!” Chainsaw Man snarled, making the once-enthused crowd back away hastily. Denji looked up at his friend in worry.
“Are you okay Pochita? What’s wrong?” His worried voice grounded the devil.
A light laughter came from the woman’s pink lips. “Be a good boy and step aside. I have business with the Hero of Hell.”
The Hero of Hell towered over the small woman, but even then she appeared composed. This was in appearance only however. In reality, Makima’s brain was racing as she stared down her idol. Strong and heated breaths were huffed down at her as Chainsaw Man took in her appearance with barely-concealed rage.
“Get lost, Pochita doesn’t wanna talk with you!”
The two devils continued their staredown. Slowly, Chainsaw Man lifted a finger to his starter and looped it around the chord. He experimentally moved the finger back and forth, threatening a full pull of his starter to the Control Devil.
Makima took in the visage of her hero. Her eyes eventually focused as she stopped taking in that scent of death. “Chainsaw Man… I believe we have much to talk about. Please, stop playing this game and come with me.” Makima stated, not acknowledging Chainsaw Man’s threat.
Denji looked at Makima with upset and wobbly eyes. Pochita saw this. Saw that his first friend was scared of the woman who was threatening to take his devil buddy away.
He pulled his starter. The revving of the Hero of Hell’s heart thundered. People held their ears. Denji was comforted. Makima looked uneasy as she began to properly take stock of the unfavorable situation she was in.
Wordlessly Pochita scooped up Denji and held him against his chest. The two began their dramatic departure.
“Chainsaw Man, you will be mine! No matter what! I love you!” Makima cried out. Everyone watching the scene gasped at the love confession. Denji’s mouth was open in shock. Makima’s face was matching her hair in color. Pochita stared in open disgust.
“Pochita is mine lady, and I am his! Get away you creep!” The little boy claimed ownership of Chainsaw Man. Makima grinded her perfect teeth together.
Before she could raise a finger to shoot a chain, Public Safety personnel came from all over.
She chuckled. “Finally, with this back up, you will fall under my thrall Chainsaw Man…”
Then cold handcuffs wrapped around her wrists.
“What is the meaning of this?” Makima questioned with cold eyes.
“Well…” A nameless Public Safety grunt nervously started explaining. “You ran away from Public Safety while under training with no explanation, and started confronting a private devil hunter… you’re being taken in by force now. The higher ups are not pleased.”
Makima couldn’t help but tremble in rage as the artificial constraint taunted her. She could easily break out, but she couldn’t risk being reprimanded further. However she couldn’t help but complain. “That is a boy with an unbelievably dangerous devil, how is he even a private devil hunter?”
The same grunt sighed. “Look, we just don’t want to deal with the paperwork that comes with private sector problems… and honestly the kid has an OP devil eating out of the palm of his hand that’s killing every major threat… it saves us a lot of work and deaths…”
The Control Devil was taken away in handcuffs. Denji and Chainsaw Man watched the scene momentarily before Pochita leapt into the air, away from the scent of the horseman.
“These burgers are so good!” Denji loudly exclaimed as he was chewing the food they had bought at Family Burger. The two were seated in a booth, with customer and employee alike staring at the Chainsaw Devil as usual. “Can’t believe I’ve been missing out on this shit! Right Pochita?”
Chainsaw Man nodded as he took a bite of his own burger. It tastes better than most devil flesh. Although some devils tasted amazing. He hoped that the Ice Cream Devil would reincarnate on Earth soon…
After Denji gulped down his food with unnecessary speed, he leaned back in his seat and sighed. “What was up with that crazy lady anyways?” His eyes widened as he leaned over the table with a sleazy grin. “Did she have a crush on you or something?”
The fearsome devil waved a dismissive hand and grumbled, getting across the message that he wasn’t interested in talking about the woman. Denji relented with a smile and began snacking on some of his fries.
The blonde haired boy began counting cash as the two were sitting in the booth after eating. Bellies full and minds happy. “We have so much money now…” He said breathlessly. “Maybe we can buy some videogames… What do you think, Pochita?”
“Vagrah!” Pochita exclaimed in an excited tone. Denji had a toothy smile as he nodded. The two left Family Burger and began their walk back to the abandoned warehouse, with Denji planning out which console and games to buy the next day with flailing limbs to convey his thoughts. Pochita walked behind him, a guardian angel, shielding the boy from anything that would threaten to hurt him.
Pochita thought back to the Yakuza scum. The dirt who nearly ruined this young boy’s life. He took time and pleasure in killing them. He made sure it was personal. Denji wasn’t aware of it. Pochita had done the act as the boy slept in the dilapidated shed the night after their contract was formed. It was a dog’s job to protect its owner, and Pochita would do it no matter what. Because despite being collared to the boy, it was the most pure love the devil had ever received. The boy treated him with love and respect. He felt like an equal.
To keep this life with Denji… to keep him safe… Pochita didn’t care which Primal Devil he had to kill. He was ready to take on all of Hell once more for this boy.
If you’re gonna get in our way… then die.