A few minutes later, a truck rolled up to the scene.
This was the vehicle Hayakawa Aki had called to transport the devil's corpse. Dragging a monster that size back on foot wasn't realistic.
Izanagi had a better solution — he could have used his right eye's Kamui to store the corpse in its dimensional space and release it back at the base.
But that wasn't necessary. Kamui's cost was too high to waste on something as trivial as hauling a devil's body.
Alongside the truck, two police cars arrived. Their presence was necessary to control the scene. If someone stumbled upon the blood-soaked tunnel without context, it could cause serious panic.
The truck driver and the officers followed Izanagi and Aki into the tunnel. With their flashlights cutting through the gloom, they caught sight of the Crayfish Devil's mutilated body.
"Whoa... Aki, you really went all out this time," the truck driver whistled.
He had been doing this job for years, regularly helping devil hunters transport corpses. Seeing a slain devil wasn't new to him, yet even he was impressed by this one. The officers beside him, however, seemed far less composed.
The driver examined the devil's jagged shell and oversized claws. "This thing looks like a pain. Never thought you'd take down something like this."
"It wasn't me," Aki said bluntly. "He's the one who handled it."
The driver's eyes shifted to Izanagi.
"You?" he asked, visibly surprised.
Izanagi looked far too young — and far too harmless. With his calm smile and innocent face, he seemed more like a student than a devil hunter. Only his strange crimson eyes suggested something unusual.
"You're kidding... this kid?"
The two officers shared equally surprised glances. More and more young people were turning to devil hunting these days, but to see one strong enough to take down a devil like this was rare.
Izanagi smiled slightly but said nothing.
The truck driver called for extra hands to load the Crayfish Devil's body. They carefully used tools to move the corpse and applied chemicals to suppress the foul stench as much as possible before driving it off.
Izanagi and Aki took a ride in the police car back to the civilian base. The truck arrived around the same time, parking in the underground garage to transfer the corpse directly.
Devil bodies were valuable — often the main source of income from a commission.
Now seated in the base's front lobby, Izanagi and Aki waited for their payment.
"Gentlemen, we've confirmed the body. Please wait while we process your payment," the receptionist smiled.
Aki stayed silent.
Izanagi gave a brief nod. "Got it."
"The young man beside you..." the receptionist started, but Aki quickly cut her off.
"Just a temporary partner," he muttered coldly.
Izanagi noticed the subtle way the receptionist looked at Aki. It was clear she had some interest in him, but Aki's mind was too consumed by his vendetta to notice or care.
"Eh? I thought Hayakawa-kun finally found a friend," the receptionist teased lightly. "And a handsome one at that."
Despite Aki's cold demeanor, she didn't seem bothered at all.
Her words weren't empty flattery. Izanagi's sharp features and warm smile gave him an inviting charm, while his crimson Mangekyō Sharingan added a mysterious touch that naturally drew attention.
Aki ignored the remark. Revenge was the only thing occupying his mind now.
Before long, the base confirmed the Crayfish Devil's body was legitimate, and the payment was processed.
They handed over 400,000 yen in cash — 40 crisp ¥10,000 bills.
The payout was fair. Devils like the Crayfish Devil could fetch upwards of 500,000 or 600,000 yen on the black market. The client profited from selling the corpse after hiring hunters to kill it.
"Oh? Looks like Aki and that other guy are back," someone muttered from across the room.
"Guess they finished the job. Wasn't that commission worth 400,000 yen?"
"I knew Aki was tough... no surprise there."
The murmurs continued as others noticed their return.
Izanagi counted the money and set aside ten bills, pushing them toward Aki.
"Here, your cut."
"I didn't contribute much," Aki refused. "You should keep it."
"Don't overthink it," Izanagi shot back, shoving the bills into Aki's hand. "Just take it."
Izanagi didn't care to debate. He respected Aki, and squabbling over the exact percentage of effort felt pointless.
Aki hesitated but eventually accepted the money without a word.
"Good teamwork today," Izanagi said casually. "Hope we can do it again sometime."
He knew Aki wasn't interested in long-term partners, so he phrased it in a way that wouldn't push him away.
"Yeah," Aki muttered, sounding indifferent.
But in his mind, Aki acknowledged Izanagi's strength. Despite being unfamiliar, Izanagi had proven himself far stronger than expected.
Nearby hunters, overhearing their exchange, murmured among themselves.
"Wait... it wasn't Aki who did the heavy lifting?"
"So that kid's stronger than Aki?"
"Maybe I should try teaming up with him instead..."
The gears in their minds were already turning.
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