"Bastard…!"
Hayakawa Aki gasped for air, one hand clutching her stomach, the other bracing her weight against the ground as she staggered upright. Her eyes, filled with rage and unwillingness, locked onto Denji.
Denji was panting too, sweat dripping from her forehead, darkening the ground beneath her. She wiped her brow and looked upward, her eyes gleaming with the light of yearning for the life ahead.
"Today was the first time I had hotpot… the first time I tasted real Kobe beef… and the first time I met the legendary…"
She paused, suddenly recalling Renji Kuroda's warning from earlier, then continued with a smirk.
"Hehe, anyway, from now on I can eat, drink, and maybe even sleep with Renji Kuroda. That kind of life is like a dream. Sure, I became a Devil Hunter for him, but so what? Renji promised I could be his dog. What did he promise you? You don't even qualify to be his dog…"
Before she could finish, Hayakawa Aki lunged, tackling Denji hard to the ground. She straddled Denji's waist, gripping her hair with both hands.
"You dare say that! You shameless little mutt! You're not worthy of Renji!"
"Huh?! What are you even talking about?! It's obvious, isn't it? You're mad because you like him too!"
Hayakawa Aki's face twisted in disgust and fury. She couldn't stand Denji—her recklessness, her shamelessness, everything about her grated on Aki's nerves.
Denji wasn't backing down either. She grabbed Aki's ponytail and yanked with both hands. Aki let out a sharp cry as her head was jerked backward, giving Denji the opening to twist her body and pin Aki beneath her.
The two began to brawl in earnest, rolling on the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust as limbs tangled and grunts filled the air.
Around the corner of the alley, Renji Kuroda leaned out, only half his head visible, secretly observing the chaotic but strangely captivating scuffle.
His expression flickered with surprise—followed quickly by something far more amused. Putting everything else aside, watching two stunning women fight like wildcats was… well, undeniably entertaining. A visual feast, even.
Meanwhile, the system's voice echoed rhythmically in his mind, recording every spike in emotional energy.
"Ding~ Detected Hayakawa Aki's anger. +10 points.""Ding~ Detected Denji's irritation. +5 points.""Ding~ Detected Denji's anger. +10 points."
The emotions continued to spike, and points poured in. But after a certain threshold, the system began awarding less per reaction.
+5 points…+3 points…+2 points…
Still, the total climbed steadily, eventually reaching 68 points.
Satisfied that the data stream had slowed, Renji stepped out, planning to break them up before it escalated further.
But—
"Oh oh oh~ Human, you're here! What are you—wuwuwu!!"
A familiar, shrill voice sounded behind him. Renji turned with a start to find Power suddenly at his back. He immediately covered her mouth in alarm, dragging her out of the alley with urgency.
If Power saw this, she'd laugh so hard the whole Public Safety Bureau would hear. Denji might shrug it off, but Aki's pride? That was another matter.
Power squirmed, ready to retaliate with a bite, but the moment she opened her mouth—something strange happened.
A rich, masculine scent drifted from Renji's body—male hormones.
Power, being a fiend, had far sharper senses than a human. And now, with her lips and his palm pressed together in close contact, that scent surged into her.
Stimulating. Overwhelming. Intoxicating.
Her heartbeat quickened. Her cheeks flushed crimson. Her breaths came shorter, hotter. She stared at Renji with hazy, unfocused eyes, her earlier hostility forgotten.
"Ding~ Detected Power's confused emotion. +10 points."
Renji noticed the shift immediately and pulled his hand away.
"Didn't we agree? I'd buy you oden and you'd wait for me. What are you doing here?"
Still dazed, Power trembled as she handed him her phone. Renji checked it—there was a message from Makima.
Back in the alley, Hayakawa Aki had stopped fighting. She shoved Denji off and the two sat on the ground, panting, bruised and dirt-streaked. Aki pulled out her phone, checking messages as well.
…
…
Later, in the Public Safety office…
Power was doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach as she pointed at the battered and disheveled pair of Denji and Aki.
"Hahaha! You two look like you rolled through a landfill!"
Her voice rang out through the office without a hint of mercy.
"Ding~ Detected Power's happy emotion. +10 points."
Although Denji and Hayakawa Aki appeared to be supporting each other—arms draped around shoulders, staggering in unison—the hostility in their eyes told a different story. Beneath the surface of their fragile truce, resentment simmered.
Hayakawa Aki's usual neat ponytail was gone. Her long black hair was a tangled mess, strands stuck together, knotted in clumps. Denji looked even worse—her clothes torn in multiple places, one eye swollen shut, her face bruised and dirty. She looked utterly ragged.
But Denji didn't care one bit. Instead, she lifted a hand toward Renji Kuroda and grinned brightly, her voice casual and carefree.
"Yo, Renji~!"
Hayakawa Aki, catching Renji's gaze, quickly lowered her eyes. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks. She didn't dare meet his eyes.
Suddenly—
"Can you all quiet down? It's a bit noisy, Power."
Makima's voice rang out with effortless authority. At once, the room changed.
Power, who had been laughing unrestrainedly moments before, fell silent as though someone had flipped a switch. Her posture stiffened instantly. She stood ramrod straight, her expression frozen.
The skin on her face twitched slightly, her eyes filled with unease. She didn't dare look directly at Makima. Her gaze flitted nervously, landing on anything but the woman before her.
"Ding~ Detected Power's fearful emotion. +20 points."
Renji chuckled quietly, unable to help himself.
The contrast was too stark. Power, who normally acted like she ruled the world, turned into a trembling kitten the moment Makima spoke. He knew she was afraid of Makima—but this level of reaction was something else entirely.
Makima stepped forward, her tone even and calm.
"Looks like you all get along well enough. So it's settled—Renji Kuroda, Denji, Power—you three will join Hayakawa Aki's team."
Hayakawa Aki looked up, disbelief in her eyes. But then her gaze shifted to Renji, and she remembered Denji's bold declaration of being his "dog." Her expression stiffened, then slowly twisted into reluctant acceptance.
"…I understand," she said through clenched teeth.
Renji, pleased with the outcome, couldn't hold back his laughter.
Everything was falling into place.