Narrator POV.
—Damn… hunting demons like this is exhausting —Isagi dropped his body onto a park bench.
The young man sat there calmly, one hand holding a piece of bread that he tossed to the ducks in front of him. The afternoon sun bathed the area in a warm glow, and for a moment, everything felt normal… too normal for someone who had been fighting hellish horrors just two days ago.
A couple of days had passed since his last encounter with a demon, and although his body still carried some fatigue, his mind was focused on only one thing: leveling up.
And why was he so obsessed with hunting demons if, in theory, his only goal was survival?
Simple: experience.
Isagi wanted to grow stronger, and the best way to do that was by killing demons. That way, if one of those ridiculously powerful monsters ever showed up, he'd be able to smash its face without thinking twice.
To live in peace and keep anyone from taking it away, you have to be strong. Wise words from Garou, the Human Monster.
—So they'll stop screwing around —he muttered under his breath with a sly grin.
Besides, ever since that hellish punishment from the system, he'd learned his lesson: it was better to keep completing the daily missions than to tempt fate with more "punishments." Who knew what kind of torture awaited him if he failed again?
In his free time, he had also been training his control over cursed energy, adapting it to his own fighting style. One of his personal goals was to execute a Black Flash.
He remembered Toudou's words:
"There's a huge difference between sorcerers who have experienced Black Flash and those who haven't."
And he had no intention of staying in the second group. As for the events of the Chainsaw Man world, Isagi had zero interest in getting involved.
—No way in hell I'm becoming one of Makima's dogs —he said, shivering just imagining it—. I'd rather fight a hundred demons than deal with that woman.
When a duck snatched another piece of bread from his hand, Isagi chuckled softly. Even though he lived surrounded by chaos, he enjoyed these brief moments of peace. After all, not everything could be blood, monsters, and explosions… right?
—Sorry, ducks and duckettes, I'm out of bread. —Isagi lifted the empty bag and shook it a couple of times, as if to prove it.
One of the ducks let out a pitiful quack, almost like it was complaining about the unfairness of the world.
—Yeah, yeah, I know. Life's tough. —Isagi replied lazily as he watched the birds slowly wander away from the pond.
When the last duck disappeared into the bushes, a thought struck him like lightning.
—Ah, damn it! I almost forgot. —he exclaimed, lightly smacking his forehead.
This really wasn't the kind of situation where he could forget something as valuable as a skill pack.
—System, open skill pack. —he ordered decisively.
[Ding]
[Silver-level skill pack: grants a skill that is neither too weak nor too powerful. A balanced middle ground.]
[Do you wish to open this pack?] [Yes / No]
Isagi didn't hesitate.
—Yes, obviously. —he pressed the option immediately.
Since the pack already had a preset level, there was no point wasting his luck. He just hoped it wouldn't be something useless, like smelling demons or talking to ducks.
[Ding]
[Congratulations!]
[You have obtained: Danger Sense]
[Description: Allows the user to detect any potential threat in the surrounding area, granting the opportunity to react quickly and appropriately. Functions as a sixth sense.]
Isagi read the description, his grin growing wider by the second.
—Hell yeah… now I've got spider-sense. —he said excitedly, mimicking the motion of shooting webs with his hand—. Perfect for a world where literally anything can kill you.
He crossed his arms, satisfied. Between the serum's regeneration, the Chain of a Thousand Miles, and now Danger Sense, he was starting to feel a lot less disposable in this world full of psycho demons.
—Alright, Peter Parker, move it. The new neighbor just arrived. —he joked with a half-smile before standing up and stretching, ready to keep exploring.
.
.
.
.
.
Isagi stood in front of a shop window, hands in his pockets, staring through the glass. His reflection mixed with the colorful products inside, and all he could think about was how much he missed his old world.
There was no Call of Duty. No Free Fire. And worst of all…
—No Pou. —he muttered with an expression of existential pain.
Entertainment in this era was… different. No video games, no social media, no YouTube marathons. Fun was limited to reading comics, watching movies, or hanging out with friends. In other words: what his old world would call "prehistoric times."
(God… are you testing me?) —he thought dramatically, clutching his chest—. (I left my Pou in my other life. Who's going to feed it now? Who's going to bathe it? Who's going to play with it?)
His expression was pure Greek tragedy as he held back an imaginary tear.
But his melodrama was abruptly cut short when a sharp prick at the back of his neck made him tense. Danger Sense had activated its internal alarm.
—Huh? —Isagi turned his head, his body instinctively going on guard.
A subtle tremor ran through the ground… then the asphalt violently cracked. Something was moving underground at an incredible speed. The people nearby didn't even have time to react.
The ground exploded in a wave of dirt and dust, and from the hole emerged a gigantic centipede—about three to five meters wide, with a length that seemed endless.
Its body was covered in thick natural armor, layered with dark plates that reflected sunlight. Two pairs of reddish eyes darted frantically, accompanied by massive mandibles and several antennae twisting through the air as they searched for their next victim.
Isagi stood still for a second, processing what he was seeing.
—That's fucking disgusting… —he muttered with a look of pure revulsion, brow furrowed—. I'm starting to think I've got a sign that attracts demons. Is it normal for them to show up every four days?
Yeah. He definitely had beef with bugs, and this one ranked in the top three of his nightmares.
His muscles tensed, his mind preparing for the inevitable. It was time to test his sensor, his strength, and his luck… against a demon with way too many legs.
—Hmm… children? No, too immature. Elderly? Nah, they taste awful. —the centipede clicked its mandibles as its forked tongue flicked in disgust—. Maybe a young, beautiful woman and a strong teenager… yes, that'll be the perfect appetizer.
The monster surveyed the people frozen in fear, its many eyes scanning them like items on a shelf. To a demon, humans were just meat and flavor—nothing more.
—How about my fist in a sandwich? —a sarcastic voice cut in.
The centipede snapped its head around with a dry crack, annoyed by the interruption. But before it could even see who spoke, Isagi's fist was already inches from its face.
The punch landed squarely, releasing an explosion of cursed energy that burst like thunder.
The centipede staggered backward, its head snapping violently to the side. A stream of dark blood poured from its nose, dripping onto the asphalt and sizzling on contact.
But it wasn't some slow, clumsy monster. With a sharp buzzing sound, it moved its many legs and launched itself sideways with unnatural agility. Its body blurred into a streak of brown and black, almost impossible to follow with the naked eye.
Suddenly, one of its long antennae tensed and whipped forward, slicing through the air with an ear-splitting whistle.
Danger Sense screamed in Isagi's mind just in time. He ducked with feline reflexes, feeling the antenna pass just above his head. The impact was so strong it created a small shockwave, blasting dust and chunks of pavement into the air.
(God, I love you, Danger Sense… you're definitely in my top three favorite abilities.) —Isagi thought with an ironic smile as he regained his fighting stance.
It's not like he had a huge arsenal anyway: Wind Breathing, Divergent Fist, regeneration, and now Danger Sense.
What a massive repertoire, right?
But it didn't matter. He knew that if that hit had landed, it wouldn't just have hurt… it probably would've sent him straight to reunite with his Pou in the afterlife.
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End of the chapter