Drinks

[Word Count: 4376]

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"A welcoming party?" Aki repeated, sifting through the remains of a defeated devil.

"Yeah! We've never gathered everyone from the 4th division before," Himeno responded, puffing on her cigarette. "And it's a chance to celebrate the fall of the Gun Devil—kill two birds with one stone."

Aki paused in his task, Gun Devil's mention catching his attention. Leo's earlier words resurfaced in his mind as he extracted a fragment from the devil's remains.

"I'd win, no competition."

In the end, Leo's claim turned out to be true. Merely moments after an exhaustive night of battling, Leo—or rather the War Fiend—obliterated the Gun Devil within minutes, if not seconds. The aftermath merely consisted of the Gun Devil's torn remnants.

But this raised questions. "Who truly ended the Gun Devil's life—Leo or the War Fiend? And if it was defeated, why did its remnants remain?"

Fragments of the Gun Devil still tainted the world, and the devils that consumed these remains found themselves receiving a less significant boost. With the widespread belief in the Gun Devil's demise, people feared it less. Yet, if the Gun Devil was truly vanquished, why did these remnants linger?

"Aki?" Himeno's voice jolted him from his thoughts, and he found himself gazing blankly at the fragment he held. "Aki!"

Her insistent tone broke through his reverie, and he blinked, snapping back to the present. "If we're doing this, let's plan for next week," he suggested.

"Huh? Why?" Himeno inquired, a puzzled expression on her face.

"If I'm going out for drinks, I'd rather do it with Makima," Aki explained, taking out a cigarette. "I heard she's heading to Kyoto next week for support since Denji got targeted by a devil. So if we're having a party, let's schedule it for next week."

Himeno looked at Aki, momentarily taken aback, as she ignited his cigarette.

"What's the deal with Denji, anyway?" she pondered aloud. "That devil seemed to know something about him. And it's odd that even Makima is concerned about his safety... Do you think she knows Denji's secret?"

Aki didn't respond verbally, but his expression betrayed a hint of curiosity as he closed his eyes.

"Want to try getting her drunk and asking her?"Himeno suggested, exhaling a plume of smoke.

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A collective "Cheers!" resounded through the air as numerous glass mugs clinked together at the center of the table.

Nine individuals sat on their knees, encircling a compact table adorned with an array of dishes.

"It's been half a year since I last went out for a drink," Aki remarked to the man seated beside him.

"Same here. I mostly have a drink or two at home," the man replied.

"Away with you!" Power interjected, pushing the man to her left. "This sashimi is all mine!"

Denji's eyes widened with excitement as he examined the dish before him. "What is this? It looks awesome!!"

Kobeni soon joined the gathering, walking behind Himeno, bringing the total to ten people. "Sorry... I got a bit lost on the way," she murmured as she removed her hat.

"Kobe, Kobe! Sit here!" a woman at the far end of the table beckoned Kobeni over.

"Ms. Makima mentioned she'll be running a bit late," Himeno informed the group.

Kobeni settled next to the brown-haired woman, while Arai quietly sipped from his glass mug.

"Three parfaits and a Shiratama platter, three of those," a man with black hair and glasses placed his order.

"I can't remember the last time I enjoyed a meal this much," Kobeni happily mused, savoring the dish before her.

"You send most of your earnings home, right?" the brown-haired woman inquired with a motherly tone. "Make sure to eat your fill."

"Hands off, you scoundrel!" Power interjected, snatching a plate from the table. "The fried chicken is all mine!"

Arai, seated next to Power, regarded her with a hint of disgust as she fiercely impaled the fried chicken with her chopsticks.

"You didn't bring your fiend, Fushi?" Aki questioned the man beside him.

"They're a bit too intimidating for a setting like this," Fushi explained with a faint smile. "I'm a tad envious of how manageable yours is, Hakayawa."

"Come on, place your order!" a gruff older man with no eyebrows nudged Denji. "You're still young, so choose whatever you want! Dig in!"

"Fuck! I barely read any of this stuff!" Denji exclaimed, his frustration evident as he scanned the options.

"Whaddya mean? You still can't read?" a sudden raspy voice interjected from Denji's right ear. He turned slightly to find a pair of red eyes, surrounded by distinctive rings, locked onto his yellow-brown gaze.

"Hey there," Leo greeted nonchalantly.

The table fell into an almost palpable silence as all eyes shifted to the new arrival, Leo the War Fiend. The weight of the silence was tangible, as nearly everyone—except Denji—encountered the War Fiend in person for the first time after their dramatic appearance in dispatching the Gun Devil.

"You know, bitches like a guy who can read," Leo remarked, slinging his arm around Denji's neck with a mischievous grin. "This whole 'Not being able to read' shtick, it's scaring them away."

Denji's eyes widened in disbelief. "Huh?" His shock was clearly written across his face.

Around the table, a tense silence settled. Before them sat a Fiend with a body formidable enough to take on a Gun Devil twice the size of the original that had terrorized the world years ago.

Fiends were infamous for their instability and ferocity, often driven by the devil that had possessed their host bodies. Yet, there were instances where a trace of the host's consciousness remained, mingling with the devil's nature. Considering that Public Safety had barely waited ten minutes before a devil occupied Leo's body, it was likely that the devil had absorbed much of Leo's former self.

This led to a burning question: Who was Leo, really?

"Yeah!" Fushi added nervously. "My... Our treat."

"Yay, Gun Devil's dead!" Himeno cheered, a bit too loudly due to her alcohol-induced cheerfulness.

An uneasiness settled around the table, except for Denji and Power, who remained blissfully unaware.

Leo's gaze shifted from Denji to sweep over the table, meeting Himeno's slightly tipsy stare. He cracked a smirk. "Who said the Gun Devil is dead?"

A collective gasp rippled around the table—almost collective, as Power simply shrugged, uninterested, while Denji celebrated at the mere hint of the Gun Devil's continued existence.

The scene shifted to a previous moment when Leo had dropped Denji off at Aki's apartment. Denji had tried to explain that he had been with Leo, but Aki, far from calmly, had yelled at him, insisting that Leo was dead and that the Gun Devil had been defeated. However, Denji's focus had zeroed in on the news about the Gun Devil's demise, entirely missing the information about Leo's supposed death. "If the Gun Devil is dead, then I won't get my favor from Makima!" Denji exclaimed.

Returning to the present, Denji was ecstatic about the idea that the Gun Devil might still be alive.

"What do you mean!?" Himeno was about to press for answers, but Aki beat her to the punch, his voice laced with agitation.

Leo's eyes widened in a mock surprised expression. "Ah... looks like I said something I wasn't supposed to," he chuckled once he'd finished speaking, then stood up, releasing his grip on Denji.

"What do you mean!?" Aki's tone grew more insistent, his expression darkening.

Leo chuckled softly, his gaze meeting Aki's. "Who knows, I'm not feeling particularly chatty," he replied nonchalantly, his shoulders lifting in a casual shrug. His smirk deepened. "But hey, some free food and drinks might change my mind."

Aki's eyes narrowed as he regarded Leo with suspicion. He didn't trust the War Fiend's casual demeanor, especially not after the cryptic statement he had just made. The atmosphere at the table grew tense as everyone exchanged uncertain glances.

Kobeni focused intently on her meal, attempting to mask her uneasiness as she continued to eat, as if savoring each bite should this turn out to be her last.

Among those at the table, Aki, Himeno, Denji, and perhaps Power seemed like the only ones willing to directly address Leo.

Aki sought answers, Himeno was fueled by a buzzed boldness, Denji had developed a sense of trust in Leo as a mentor figure, and Power... well, Power was being her usual self.

Clearly feeling the tension, Himeno quickly chimed in with an awkward laugh. "Well, we're celebrating, so drinks and food are on us!"

"Is that so?" Leo's smirk widened as he moved past Himeno and settled into an empty spot at the table. "Well, don't mind if I do."

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Two drinks deep...

"So...? What do you want to know about the Gun Devil?" Leo's voice carried an air of nonchalance as he swirled the liquid in his glass mug.

Aki's eyes looked as if they might pop out of their sockets, while Himeno erupted into giggles at the sight.

"Is the Gun Devil actually alive?" Denji's excitement was evident in his question.

"Yes and no," Leo replied, his tone even. "The Gun Devil has been 'dead' since its initial worldwide attack, leaving only scattered remains."

A collective shock rippled through the table. "The Gun Devil was dead all this time?" was the collective thought.

"Eh? What does that mean?" Denji's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Thirteen years ago, after the Gun Devil's attack, it was discovered unconscious in the Soviet Union. Its body was subsequently dismembered and its pieces were distributed among various countries and devils. The 'Gun Devil' I eliminated was merely the 20% owned by the United States," Leo explained, his lips curling into a mocking smirk.

Denji's confusion only deepened as he struggled to wrap his head around the concept. The truth was, he never attended school, so the idea of percentages was foreign to him, making it difficult to visualize.

"Let me break it down for you, Chainsaw," Leo said, snapping Denji out of his thoughts.

He deftly grabbed a pair of chopsticks, using them to pick up a piece of fried chicken that had appeared at the end of one. A small gust of wind seemed to accompany the chicken's journey across the table.

"Hey! Thief! That's mine!" Power exclaimed.

She made a move to leap across the table and reclaim her food, but...

"Sit." Leo's stern command caused Power to begrudgingly settle back into her seat, eyeing the fried chicken she had momentarily abandoned.

With the piece of fried chicken now in his grasp, Leo tore it into smaller fragments. "This piece of chicken is like a part of the Gun Devil I defeated," he explained, holding up the morsel for Denji's inspection. Denji nodded, his focus locked onto the piece of chicken as he listened intently. "If you truly want to eliminate the Gun Devil, you'll need to locate all the scatted pieces and..." Leo paused, deftly using his chopsticks to gather the torn chicken pieces before swiftly devouring them in a single bite.

"Eat them?" Denji's raised eyebrow conveyed both incredulity and curiosity.

Leo chuckled lightly, his shoulders lifting in a shrug. "If you have the stomach for it, why not?"

As Denji pondered the weighty information, his hand instinctively rose to his chin, a makeshift thinking pose he adopted. This revelation carried substantial implications, especially in light of his unconventional background.

Amid Denji's contemplation, Power's gaze bore into Leo's mouth, her expression resembling that of an irate toddler. With a stab of her chopsticks, she skewered a piece of chicken, nibbling on it with an air of defiance. "Stupid War Fiend... stupid Makima..." Her muttered words intermingled with the rhythmic sound of her chewing, a disgruntled commentary under her breath.

The table's hush after the disclosure provided the perfect auditory environment for Aki to catch Power's muttered frustrations, even as they blended with her noisy mastication.

Shifting his focus back to Leo, who was cleansing his palate with a swig of alcohol, Aki gave voice to the query that likely echoed in everyone's mind. "If the Gun Devil was essentially 'defeated' back then, why wasn't that fact publicly disclosed?"

Leo's gaze locked onto Aki, an odd expression playing across his features. "Are you stupid?" His voice held a mixture of incredulity and a faint smirk. "If you're holding a weapon capable of taking out over a million lives within five minutes, would you undermine its potency by announcing its death? Devils thrive on fear – the more they're feared, the more formidable they become. By maintaining the illusion that the Gun Devil, the 'strongest' devil at that time, was alive and well, you essentially had an insurance policy against conflict – a powerful deterrent against War."

A sinister chuckle escaped Leo as he leaned in closer to Aki, his tone dripping with a malicious undertone. "And now, that deterrent is gone. The risk of War breaking out is greater than ever," he concluded, his voice dripping with ominous implication.

A sense of unease coupled with a touch of trepidation permeated the atmosphere at the table, casting a palpable cloud of anxiety. The unsettling mood even managed to pull Power out of her earlier discontent. As a Fiend herself, she found a peculiar delight in witnessing the discomfort of others.

Amidst the collective tension, Leo, the amalgamation of the War Devil and a Fiend, raised his glass with a nonchalant grin, his words laced with a certain anticipation. "For my part, I'm quite eager to see the potential this situation can unfold."

Power's laughter grew more boisterous in response, a stark contrast to the mounting unease around the table. But in an instant, she felt an intangible weight settle onto her shoulders, causing her laughter to come to an abrupt halt.

"And you, quit starin'," Leo angled his head over his shoulder, locking eyes with a pair of yellow orbs. His voice carried a hint of mockery as he addressed the intruding presence. "It's making me embarrassed."

Makima's imposing presence loomed over Leo, the habitual smile that often graced her lips absent in this particular encounter. The air between them was charged with a palpable animosity, the subtle hostility between them unfurling like an unspoken challenge. Leo maintained his smirk, unflinching under Makima's gaze.

In that charged moment, the entire table seemed to hold its breath, suspended in the unspoken clash between the enigmatic War Fiend and the enigmatic woman who held a certain power over them.

Makima's gaze bore into Leo's with an intensity that could unsettle even the most composed. Her lips remained motionless, her expression a blend of scrutiny and calculation. Yet, her yellow eyes betrayed emotions that were difficult to decipher—anger, curiosity, perhaps even a hint of amusement. The balance of power had shifted, and it was clear that this encounter was far from casual.

Leo's smirk persisted, his posture relaxed despite the palpable tension in the air. He met Makima's gaze with an almost casual defiance, an unspoken challenge hanging between them.

Around them, the other occupants of the table exchanged wary glances, unsure how to react to this unforeseen confrontation. Aki's hand instinctively tightened around his glass, his normally composed demeanor tinged with unease.

Makima's presence remained unwavering, her gaze locked onto Leo's with a firm intensity. The room seemed to hold its breath as the unspoken power struggle unfolded between the two.

Aki's watchful eyes darted between Leo and Makima, sensing the palpable tension in the air. His instincts as a skilled devil hunter were telling him that this confrontation was no ordinary clash of personalities. There was history here, deeper than what lay on the surface.

Himeno, ever the one to sense the currents of emotion, coughed awkwardly to break the tension that had settled upon the group. "Well, this turned interesting," she remarked, attempting to inject a touch of lightheartedness into the situation.

The collective attention of the table shifted from the standoff between Leo and Makima to Himeno's attempt at defusing the tension. Awkward chuckles rippled through the group as they tried to regain a semblance of normalcy.

At last, Makima broke the gaze, her lips curling slightly as she shifted her attention from Leo to the rest of the table. "Apologies for my tardiness," she announced, her tone carrying a note of forced cheerfulness that seemed at odds with the tension that had just unfolded.

Leo, unphased by the shift, offered a snarky invitation, patting the empty spot next to him on the mat. "Have a seat," he quipped. "I just finished tellin' them about the Gun Devil."

"Is that so...?" Makima's smile seemed to waver for an instant as she removed her coat, revealing the distinct aura that surrounded her. The atmosphere turned slightly awkward as she hung her coat, her eyes fixated on Leo's back. He continued to drink, seemingly unfazed by the scrutiny, a perpetual smirk playing on his lips.

The room felt charged, the dynamics between them palpable. Makima found herself in a delicate position. She could leave, but that would only serve to boost her sister's ego. The revelation that Leo was aligned with her sister, the War Devil, was shocking. It explained his knowledge of obscure information, like the Nazis, which had been erased from the human consciousness.

As Makima's thoughts raced, a nagging question lingered: How long had Leo and Yoru been communicating? She possessed a heightened sense of smell that could usually detect the presence of devils, yet in the thirteen years she had known Leo, she had never once detected the scent of the War Devil. The puzzle pieces weren't fitting together, leaving Makima to ponder when and how the War Devil had entered the picture.

Amidst the subtle currents of tension, Makima gracefully took her place beside Leo on the mat. Her posture exuded elegance, yet carried a certain distance. Leo's glass was raised in a playful mock salute, his eyes dancing with mischief.

"Thank you for the warm welcome," she responded, her tone dripping with a saccharine sweetness that held a hint of challenge, her gaze locking onto Leo's.

Leo's smirk remained intact as he lifted his glass in response, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Always a pleasure, Makima," he retorted with a playful tone, his words laced with an underlying edge that hinted at deeper intentions.

As the conversation flowed around the table, with questions and opinions about the Gun Devil being exchanged, Makima and Leo engaged in a verbal dance that was both subtle and intense. Every word held layers of meaning, concealed barbs, and veiled threats that only the two of them truly understood.

At one point, Himeno, slightly tipsy, interjected with a laugh. "Oh, you two are like an old married couple, always bickering!"

The rest of the group chuckled nervously, not fully comprehending the depth of the dynamic between Leo and Makima. The tension seemed to rise and fall, a delicate equilibrium maintained between their roles as allies and their personal animosity.

"Is that so? I suppose old habits die hard," Leo remarked, his gaze never leaving Makima's, his words dripping with innuendo, a clear implication that resonated between them.

Makima's smile remained unbroken as she met his gaze, her words carrying their own layers of meaning. "Indeed, some bonds are resilient, despite one's efforts."

"Eh? Married?" Denji blurted out in confusion, his gaze shifting between Leo and Makima. "But I thought..."

Makima and Leo's attention shifted away from each other to focus on Denji, their shared stare causing Denji to falter.

Denji awkwardly stared down at his plate, realizing he might have stepped into a delicate territory. He might not be the sharpest person, but even he could sense when he had unintentionally touched a nerve.

The spotlight now on Denji, Aki interjected with an awkward cough. "Returning to the topic of the Gun Devil, we've never seen the appearance of devils using the Gun Devil's flesh with such frequency before."

Makima's gaze shifted from Denji to Aki, while Leo let out a snort as he finished his drink.

"Considering the latest incident targeting Denji, it's clear that something is afoot," Aki concluded, his gaze shifting between Makima and Denji. "Do you possess any insights into Denji's situation, ma'am?"

Maintaining her composed smile, Makima reached for her glass and took a sip.

A malicious grin played on Leo's lips as he set down his empty glass. "Ehhh~ You want to know about the 'Hero of Hell'? he teased.

Makima's grip on her glass tightened as she shot Leo a piercing glare, her eyes holding a distinct challenge, even as she took another sip.

"Ah~ I said too much," Leo snickered, playfully tilting his head away from Makima.

"Hero of Hell?" Aki mentally filed away the term, his attention shifting from Leo to Makima as he sought an answer.

The atmosphere brimmed with a sense of anticipation, akin to a curtain about to rise on hidden truths. Makima's demeanor remained composed, her eyes inscrutable despite the simmering storm that lay beneath her exterior.

Leo's gaze twinkled mischievously, fully cognizant of the ripples his words were causing. "Ah~ Did I just let that slip?" he chuckled, his demeanor portraying a hint of faux innocence.

Denji, his curiosity thoroughly aroused, shifted his gaze between Makima and Leo, his expression a mixture of bewilderment and fascination. "Hero of Hell? What's that?"

Aki's attention remained riveted on Makima, awaiting her explanation. The focus of the entire table had shifted to her, the tension in the air almost palpable.

Makima's smile held a hint of restraint, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her glass. "The Hero of Hell is a title that carries historical weight," she began, her tone measured. "It refers to individuals who have demonstrated exceptional power and bravery in the face of extraordinary challenges."

Leo's smirk remained intact as he interjected, his voice dripping with mock admiration. "Oh, come on, Makima, don't downplay it."

Makima's lips curved subtly, her gaze narrowing as she addressed Leo's comment. "Unlike certain individuals, Leo, I prefer to present accurate information rather than indulge in embellishments for dramatic effect."

Leo chuckled, taking her response in stride. "You know all about embellishments don'tcha, Makima."

The simmering tension between the two escalated, mirroring the ever-present smirk on Leo's face. He was treading on precarious terrain, fully aware of the unstable ground beneath him. Despite the brewing conflict, Makima's hands were tied; her primary objective was Chainsaw Man. Any rash move now could hinder her plans of unleashing Pochita from Denji later...

If only she knew...

"If Makima isn't forthcoming about the 'Hero of Hell,' allow me to enlighten you," Leo boldly proclaimed.

Rising from his kneeling position, he stood tall. Makima's intense glare tracked his every movement, even as he intentionally brushed against her shoulder.

Placing his foot firmly on the low table, Leo looked down upon the assembled individuals, all eyes on him.

"The 'Hero of Hell' is a coward," Leo asserted, his words starkly contrasting Makima's earlier description. "A coward and a scoundrel who attacked me while my back was turned. The bastard even dared to take a bite out of me, leaving me slightly weakened."

The revelation hung in the air, a discordant note in the conversation. The table's occupants exchanged puzzled glances, grappling with the abrupt shift in narrative. The tension between Leo and Makima crackled like lightning, an electric charge igniting the atmosphere.

Amidst the charged silence, Makima's eyes flickered with a mix of frustration and controlled fury. She was cornered, caught off guard by Leo's audacious move. For the first time in a long while, her composure wavered, and her fingers tightened around her glass, the subtle creak of strain echoing in the air.

Leo's smirk remained unyielding as he reveled in the effect of his words. He had exposed a crack in Makima's façade, and he intended to widen it further.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," Leo continued, his tone dripping with a mocking edge. "To think that the revered 'Hero of Hell' would resort to such cowardly tactics. A true testament to his character, wouldn't you say, Makima?"

Makima's jaw tightened as her frustration momentarily overpowered her practiced control. Her gaze bore into Leo's, a silent duel of determination and defiance playing out between them. It was a battle of intellect and resolve, each attempting to gain dominance in this high-stakes standoff.

Denji's brow furrowed as he grappled with the conflicting narratives unraveling before him. His gaze shifted between Makima and Leo, his expression a mix of bewilderment and intrigue. Aki, unyielding in his suspicions, maintained an unwavering focus on Makima.

Breaking the tension, Aki spoke up with a firm voice. "If you have information, Leo, you should share it openly. This kind of half-truth only breeds distrust."

"I'd be more than happy to oblige, but..." Leo's phone suddenly began ringing, cutting through the charged atmosphere. "...I've got shit to do."

With a nonchalant demeanor, Leo started to depart, the occasional snicker echoing his confidence. He was well aware of Makima's glare drilling into his back as he slipped on his shoes. As he left, he left Makima with a lingering problem: doubt. Although she had immediate solutions, the existence of Leo and the War Devil meant the problem of credibility would persist, like an ever-looming shadow.

Exiting the bar, Leo stretched his back with casual ease, his gaze drawn to a crow perched atop a nearby building. With a sense of playful mischief, he turned his attention away from the bird and positioned himself with his back against a glass pane.

A mischievous smirk adorned Leo's face as he simultaneously raised both hands, extending his middle fingers in a defiant gesture aimed at the crow. Slowly, he began to walk backward, his gaze locked onto the crow. As he did, his form seemed to dissolve into the glass pane behind him, creating an uncanny illusion of his body disappearing.

"As funny as it might have been to see Himeno throw up into Denji's mouth, I don't think I could've stomached watching it in person." Leo mused within his thought, the mental image evoked a chuckle from him as he continued to merge seamlessly into the glass, vanishing entirely into its transparent surface.