Chapter 20

"Sam, get back here!" Himeno knocked on the wall that Sam had just used.

That idiot. He was walking to his death. She couldn't afford to lose another buddy on her job, and they were friends, a bit more than friends. It would be cruel if he ended up dying like all of her other partners. That idea alone was too much for her.

She was genuinely worried about him.

She stretched her hand, called her ghost hand, and tried to rip the wall down. But unlike what happened to Sam, the wall regenerated instantly.

"Don't worry about him," Aki said coldly. He reached into his pocket and offered her a cigarette. "He may have a plan, although I doubt it."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then he'll live on," Aki said, grabbing his sword.

"Wait. Don't dare to use that," Himeno warned. Using that sword meant that Aki would pay from his lifespan to the Curse Devil. He was a precious partner as well. It worried her to see him dying.

"If I don't, we all die," Aki said, not seeming to care if he lived any longer.

-x-X-x-

Sam walked into the new room, out of the influence of the Infinity Devil. He was heading to the area that made him feel more intense.

Now that Denji was engaged in a fight against the Infinity Devil, Sam could sneak up and do whatever he wanted.

He opened the door, and he was almost surprised by the sight.

On the walls, there was human flesh, guts, and heads. They seemed to suffer and groan. He didn't know if they were dead or alive, waiting to be used up as food to regenerate the body of the devil or just to amuse his taste. They could stay there for eternity.

Surely, eternity was a very scary concept. And the devil could have the power to make them live forever.

'I'll put them out of their misery.'

Sam opened the door, and he was in another room. A heart with a mathematical symbol that looked like an 8 (infinity) was drawn on it. It was as big as a human. He could also feel that the fragment of the Gun Devil was in this room as well.

He put his sword on it, and he said, "Infinity Devil! The pain has made you forget something." He then stabbed his sword a bit inside the heart.

"Human, don't you dare push your sword any further," the flesh on the walls joined together, forming a face.

"Or what?" Sam said slowly.

He pushed the sword a little bit, earning a groan from the devil.

"If you think of diverting my attention and then sneak attacking me, I'll have you know I don't fear death," Sam said. 'Holy shit. Give me an Oscar for that.'

"Wait, wait. Seeing that you didn't push your sword yet, I know you want something in return."

"Yes," Sam said. "To be honest, I don't care about the people you killed or my fellow devil hunters."

"And?"

"Let's make a deal." Sam was still looking at the heart.

Infinity was an interesting concept.

If he could trick the devil into making a deal with him, then he would benefit greatly.

When making a deal with the devil, wording could be the edge.

"What's your deal?"

"I'll betray my organization and help you. In exchange, you give me an infinite lifespan," Sam said.

Lifespan was something used to deal with the devils. You could give them 10 years of your life in exchange for something. That way, he could make awesome deals with the devils without losing anything.

"Wait? Are you serious!? You want to live forever? That's like torture for you," the devil replied.

"If I want to die, I can kill myself," Sam shrugged.

"All right then. We have a deal. Help me, betray your friends, and you have your life. But you know what happens when you don't do your end of the bargain," said the devil.

"I know," Sam said.

[Ding. You got an infinite lifespan]

"Now. Take care of your chainsaw friend. He's been hurting me forever."

Sam smirked, and he stabbed his sword forward.

"What!?" the devil said, shocked.

"I never said how I'll help you or how I will betray my people. These are two different things. And I just combined them in the same sentence." He lifted his head, smirking.

He had already planned on betraying the association by taking away the fragment of the Gun Devil for himself.

As for helping the Infinity Devil. He helped him by ending his misery.

"Well played, Devil Hunter. No, you are not a devil hunter. You are a lonely cheap person who is willing to betray his friends. You're just on your own."

"Just die." Sam slashed his sword and retrieved it. He then waved the blood away before sheathing it.

[The Infinity Devil is killed]

[+200,000 XP]

[You leveled up]

[You leveled up]

[You leveled up]

[Level 13]

[+6 AP. + 3 SP]

Damn. That devil was really worth that much.

The howls from the human flesh disappeared. He walked toward one chunk of meat, and he stabbed his hand into it. He grabbed what seemed like a bullet. He then crushed his hand on it. Out of the blue, it vanished into nothingness.

[Mission complete]

[You leveled up.]

[Level 14]

[A strange force has strengthened your Devil Hunter Aura.]

[+100% experience gained when defeating a devil]

[+1 SP. +2 AP]

Sam was quite happy with his gains. Eight Affinity Points and four Skill Points in total.

That was amazing.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed the candy he had. He sucked on it for almost an hour, meaning he could use it for one more hour before it expired. He put it back in his pocket.

He then looked at the window. Arai and Kobeni were done falling on their asses. They looked up.

When they saw his face, Kobeni yelled, "Don't worry. Help is coming soon!"

Sam opened the window, stretched his head out, and said, "It's too late. We're trapped inside, forever."

Arai paused for a second. "If you are talking with us. That means."

"To you, it was a second. To me, it was a year. I survived on the devil's flesh. As for the others." Sam pretended to be sobbing. "They turned into skulls."

"No. Himeno sempai." Kobeni fell on her knees and cried.

As for Arai, he performed a military salute.

All of a sudden, a hand grabbed Sam from his ear. "Well. Well. Look who was ignoring my calls."

It was Himeno. She looked at the window and said, "And why did you say that?"

"I was just messing with them," Sam took her hand off. He looked at Kobeni and Arai. Seeing their dumbfounded looks when they realized Sam was lying, he laughed out loud. Arai sighed in relief while Kobeni shot him an angry glare.

"You didn't have to do that to them. If you ever do such a thing to me, I'll personally kill you," Himeno scoffed.

"You know, as a wise man once said," Sam said.

"What?" Himeno asked as she leaned on the wall.

"It's just a prank, bro," Sam said loudly.

"What an amazing wisdom," she said with a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "Only a man like you can benefit from it."