— — — — — — —
The Dimensional Gate linking the Apocalypse World to the Black Bullet World fully opened.
In an instant, over seven thousand Devil Lolis poured out from the gate, swiftly spreading across Tokyo, their crimson eyes scanning the city as they began their search for the Cursed Children.
— — —
Inside the Shelter
Yotsuya Miko approached Lynn, requesting an update on her blessing.
She wanted to contribute to the mission, but before that…
She figured it was about time for a level-up.
Lately, whenever she had spare time, she had been grinding experience by hunting curse spirits.
And now, she could feel it—she had pretty much reached the limits of what a low-class Devil could achieve.
Stripping off her top, she turned her back to Lynn.
---
[Yotsuya Miko]
→Rank: Low-Class Devil
→Race: Devil
→Master: Lynn
→Stats:
•Strength: S999
•Agility: S999
•Endurance: S999
•Magic: S999
→Innate Abilities: [Spirit Sight] (Omitted) & [Spirit Devil] (Omitted)
---
"Good! You're ready to level up," Lynn commented as he patted her back, imprinting her status.
With all stats maxed out at S999, unless she had something like Saeko's Bloodlustskill to break past the limit, this was her cap.
Continuing to grind at this level wouldn't make a difference anymore.
Miko exhaled in relief.
Honestly, she could have leveled up a while ago, but she had held back, wanting to maximize her stats first.
"Master, please level me up!"
Lynn didn't hesitate.
"Level-Up!"
A glow enveloped Miko's back as her new status took shape.
---
[Yotsuya Miko]
→Rank: Mid Class Devil
→Race: Devil
→Master: Lynn
→Stats:
•Strength: I0
•Agility: I0
•Endurance: I0
•Magic: I0
→Innate Abilities: [Spirit Sight] & [Spirit Devil]
—[Spirit Sight]—
•Spirit Vision
•Increased Magic Growth Rate
—[Spirit Devil]—
•Special Attack against Spiritual Entities
•Forced Control over Spirits
•Spirit Absorption
•Devil Transformation (linked to Spirit Absorption, unleashing stored power)
→Development Ability: Spirit Suppression I (Causes fear in spiritual entities when using Spirit Sight.)
---
"Not bad," Lynn nodded, imprinting her updated blessing and handing it over.
Miko quickly dressed and examined her new status.
"Mid Level Devil…"
She had finally caught up to the others.
Clenching her fist, she could feel the surge of newfound strength coursing through her.
Becoming a Mid-class Devil made her way stronger than before.
"Spirit Suppression…"
Her amber eyes flickered slightly.
"Yeah… my Spirit Sight feels different somehow."
Shiina Mahiru watched Miko's advancement with a complicated expression.
She had fallen behind again.
It couldn't be helped—she had joined Lynn later than the others.
Her stats were also close to the threshold for leveling up, but she hadn't quite reached the cap yet.
She needed to grind a little longer.
"Ugh… I wish I could level up soon too," Kanoe Yuuko pouted, floating nearby with her hand on her chin.
Lynn smirked.
He was happy about Miko's level-up and even more so because the Tokyo Plan was still in motion.
Once the plan was complete, the entire Tokyo region would be crawling with Gastrea.
And without a doubt, there would be plenty of Stage IV Gastrea lurking around.
For Saeko and the others, this would be a perfect opportunity to level up.
Saeko might even break through to a High-Class Devil in one go.
Then after updating their blessings, Miko and the others set off for Tokyo to retrieve the remaining Cursed Children.
— — —
Tokyo – In A Shopping Mall
A blind white-haired loli, her face wrapped in bandages, stood calmly.
Around her neck hung a shabby wooden sign, and at her feet sat a cracked ceramic bowl.
"I am a Cursed Child from the Outer Area."
People passing by glanced at the sign, their gazes filled with disgust.
Due to the heavy surveillance in this area, they refrained from physical violence—settling instead for glares and a few muttered insults before walking away.
The white-haired girl, however, remained unfazed. As if oblivious to their disgust, she began to sing.
A sweet, gentle melody drifted through the corridor.
Ding!
A crisp sound echoed from the ceramic bowl.
"Ah! Thank you!"
Her face lit up with a smile, but as she crouched down to pick up the coin, she realized—it was just a soda can pull-tab.
Disappointment flickered across her face.
"Haha! She's still falling for it!"
Two young men walked away, laughing with their arms slung around each other's shoulders.
"She never learns, does she?"
"Yeah, but isn't that what makes it fun? Every time we come here, she's an easy source of entertainment."
"Haha! Damn right! Cursed Children should just drop dead already!"
"Who the hell would ever care about trash like them?"
It was clear this wasn't the first time they had done something like this.
The girl's expression faded back into blankness. She continued singing, hoping that—just maybe—her voice would spark a sliver of sympathy in the hearts of passersby.
But judging by her still-empty bowl…
That hope had already been crushed.
Busujima Saeko stepped into the scene at that moment, her sharp gaze sweeping over the two laughing men.
She licked her lips instinctively.
Their master had left the cleansing of humanity in the hands of the Seitenshi.
However—he had also told them something else.
For the time being, they were free to do as they pleased.
And if that meant killing a few people along the way… well, that was perfectly fine.
After all, when faced with such filth, it was hard to resist taking action.
Shing—
A sharp gleam flashed.
Saeko's blade sliced through the air.
In an instant, both men were cut in half.
Blood splattered across the corridor.
"AAAAAHHH!!"
Screams erupted as panic spread through the mall.
"Eh?"
The white-haired loli, blind and unable to see what had happened, tensed up.
"Is… is it a Gastrea?" she asked hesitantly.
Pat.
A soft hand rested on her head.
Saeko's voice was gentle.
"Little one… do you want to come with me?"
"Eh?"
The girl flinched, her expression uncertain.
"M-Me?"
Saeko thought for a moment before rephrasing.
"How about… becoming my Initiator?"
"Eh—? EH?!"
The girl gasped, her face filled with disbelief.
"M-Me? Even someone like me… is that okay?"
She couldn't understand it.
Why would anyone choose her as an Initiator?
She was blind.
She wasn't useful in any way… was she?
---
Similar events unfolded throughout Tokyo.
The Devil Lolis moved unhindered.
If they encountered humans they didn't like, they simply killed them.
No hesitation. No remorse.
"A-AHHHH!! The Cursed Children are revolting!!"
"They're attacking humans!!"
"I always knew it! They're monsters! We should have exterminated them all from the start!!"
Slice—
Before he could say another word, his head rolled off his shoulders.
A Devil Loli, her wings flaring, flew toward another target.
That man's voice had dirtied her ears.
---
From behind a floor-to-ceiling window, Seitenshi watched as chaos engulfed Tokyo.
Yet, contrary to expectations, there was no sorrow in her expression.
Instead—
She felt relief.
"The fate of humanity… doesn't matter anymore."
---
Tendo Household
Ever since news of Tokyo's uprising broke out, Tendo Kikunojo's brows had been furrowed deeply, never once relaxing.
"The Cursed Children… Are they crazy?"
How could they rebel against humanity?
"I knew it! Those monsters can't be trusted!"
Click—Click—
Suddenly, the sound of crisp footsteps echoed through the halls.
Tendo Kikunojo's eyes flickered with surprise.
An unexpected guest had stepped through the Tendo family's gates once again…
.
.
.