Another three months passed.
During these three months, a fierce battle broke out in Shibuya between the Byakuya Sect and the Imperial Demon Army.
Corpses were everywhere.
Saito coasted through the entire affair, acting familiar with Hiiragi Mahiru right in front of Guren Ichinose. Poor Guren probably still believed that the Ichinose family's Jutsu could keep Saito in check. Little did he know that Saito deserved an Oscar for his acting.
Guren Ichinose came into contact with Demon Cursed Gear and was almost consumed by a demon named Zhiye, losing his sanity. Fortunately, he was awakened in the end by the combined friendship-powered technique of Hiiragi Shinya, Jujo Mito, and Goshi Norito, but he was no longer truly human.
The Imperial Demon Army temporarily absorbed the Moon Demon Company and began research into Demon Cursed Gear.
All in all, it was a remarkably eventful three months.
Qiuyun Yuhe even took the opportunity to pick off a few grunts and learn more about various Jutsu items. It was only right to respect Japan's two largest Jutsu religions; even when facing wounded ordinary members head-on, Qiuyun Yuhe dared not slack off for a single second, terrified of capsizing in a gutter.
It should not be long before Hiiragi Mahiru sought out Guren Ichinose once again. When that happened, Mahiru would leave Asuramaru behind with Guren when she departed. However, having read the script, Qiuyun Yuhe knew that Guren would realize the true importance of Asuramaru rather late in the game.
Therefore, Qiuyun Yuhe wanted to see if there was a chance to swoop in and pick up the leftovers.
...
Inside Guren's apartment, Hanayori Sayuri and Yukimi Shigure were busy in the kitchen. Goshi Norito was reading a manga on the sofa. Guren and Hiiragi Shinya were playing a video game, with Jujo Mito watching from the side.
Summer was drawing to a close. Although a multitude of innocent ordinary people had died in the great battle half a month ago, it had not stirred the slightest ripple in society. This country was already finished, completely controlled in the palms of the Byakuya Sect and the Imperial Demon Army.
Watching his pink on-screen character get beaten to a pulp by Shinya's character with no room for resistance, Guren simply let go of the controls and left his fate to the heavens.
"That won't do at all, Guren. Giving up so easily is going to make me look down on you, you know," Shinya teased playfully.
Guren wore an expression of grim resignation.
"It doesn't matter either way."
"Are you admitting that you're no match for me, then?"
"It's fine, as long as my own strength surpasses yours."
Shinya was momentarily blocked by that retort, chiefly because he genuinely couldn't beat Guren in a fight anymore.
Sensing the sudden silence in the air, Jujo Mito turned on the television to change the subject.
"The curry is ready!" Sayuri's voice drifted over.
"Ah, time to eat." Guren stood up and stretched his limbs. He had been battered by Shinya for an entire hour; far from not caring, he had been desperate for a reprieve.
At that moment, a noise came from the mailbox by the front door.
"That must be an order from Hiiragi Kureto. I'll go check it out." Guren walked toward the entryway. Lately, Kureto had discovered that Mahiru always issued orders to Guren's squad—wherever Mahiru went, Guren's squad followed—even though every single trip yielded zero results.
Guren pulled out a file envelope, his eyes hardening.
There were bloodstains on the envelope!
They were still wet, which meant the orders had not been dropped off by Kureto's men.
A thought occurred to Guren, and he took a deep breath, slowly pulling open the front door.
What met his eyes was the sailor-uniform-clad girl from his imagination—a girl in a sailor uniform drenched in blood.
The girl's eyes had been reduced entirely to pools of black, yet she remained breathtakingly beautiful.
"Mahiru..."
"I'm here! Haven't you all been looking for me? It seems that unless you kill me, your father will be killed by the Imperial Demon Army, oh~ Guren, the one who promised to protect me—are you going to turn your blade against me after all?" Mahiru said playfully, as if she weren't talking about being killed by Guren at all.
"Hey, Guren, the curry won't taste good if it gets cold." Seeming to have noticed something, Shinya spoke up casually, though his Demon Cursed Gear was already half-withdrawn as he walked toward the entryway.
The others clearly realized something was wrong as well.
Mahiru wore a sorrowful, bitter smile.
"As expected... you're still going to kill me, aren't you, Guren?"
Guren stepped out the door.
"Don't go out there, Guren!" Shinya's voice rang out.
Guren ignored him, shutting the door behind him so he could no longer hear his comrades' voices. Then, he looked at Mahiru.
Mahiru did not draw her sword; instead, she spread her arms wide.
"If it's you, I don't care even if I'm killed."
"..."
"My goal has already been achieved, so it doesn't matter if I'm killed. Could you make it gentle, Guren? I'm scared of pain~"
Guren's heart was a tangle of conflicting emotions. He should kill her, because because of her, many people had died! She had been corrupted by the demon beyond all recognition! If he didn't kill her, many people in the Moon Demon Company would die.
Guren drew his sword.
"Come on, kill me, Guren! That way I can live in your heart forever."
The front door flew open once again.
"Guren! Don't go over there!"
"Guren!"
"Idol, get back here!"
"Lord Guren!"
His comrades' voices washed over him.
The blade pierced Mahiru's shoulder, and holding that posture, Guren charged with her straight from the doorway out into the open air.
Guren's apartment was on the twenty-fifth floor. From such a dizzying height, even possessed by a demon, nobody could survive... surely...
As they plummeted, Mahiru's rosy lips parted.
"Why didn't you aim for the heart?"
Guren answered, "I said I would protect you, but my strength wasn't enough. So I'll take responsibility. I'll die with you."
Mahiru broke into a radiant smile.
"I'm so happy."
Guren pulled Mahiru into an embrace.
"I'm sorry, Mahiru."
Mahiru shook her head.
"I should be the one apologizing."
Suddenly, Mahiru counter-maneuvered, pulling the katana from her waist and driving it deep into the wall, slowing their descent.
"Doing this just makes me like you even more."
With those words, Mahiru slammed Guren into the wall.
"Ah!"
Guren felt as though his internal organs had been shattered to pieces, and a mouthful of blood erupted from his lips. But he had no time to care.
"Mahiru..."
Mahiru hit the ground. Her legs should have been broken by the fall, but they regenerated with terrifying speed. She was... no longer human...
"Remember to go back and read the love letter, darling." Mahiru's smile was as bright as a flower.
Hiiragi Kureto must have tracked Mahiru's location. Military personnel were already closing in from nearby—over twenty people, every single one equipped with Demon Cursed Gear. That should have been more than enough to deal with Mahiru.
Yet Mahiru danced through them, effortlessly slicing the men into chunks of meat.
She was... a monster now...
This beautiful monster vanished from Guren's field of vision.
Limping back to his apartment, Guren found that his comrades had already rushed off in pursuit of Mahiru.
Guren opened the blood-stained plastic bag containing the "love letter."
The cover of the love letter read: The Seraph of the End Project.
Flipping it open, he found a list of children designated as experimental subjects:
Amano Yuichiro
Kondo Mikaela
Kimizuki Shihō
Kimizuki Mirai
Saotome Yoichi
Saotome Tsuki
...
...
...
Qiuyun Yuhe [Crossed out]
Only the last name had been crossed out.
Following that were research logs concerning demon curse experiments.
"Hey, hey, Guren, you need power, don't you? Accept me again!"
"Shut up!"
The demon within his body began to churn restlessly once more.
...
Qiuyun Yuhe had watched everything that unfolded from the building opposite, seeing it all crystal clear.
While he really wanted to make sarcastic remarks about Guren and Mahiru's bizarre philosophy of love, he had to admit—Mahiru was genuinely stunning.
Guren, my boy, you've got good taste!