Hearing this, Hojo Yoru glanced at Yuuki Asuna, a teasing smile tugging at his lips.
“Yuuki-san, your train of thought is something else.
Most people in your position would be asking if they’re in danger of being targeted by a demon.
But you’re worried about me?
Do you spend too much time playing gal games or something?” He tilted his head, feigning thoughtfulness.
“Let me be clear—you’re definitely cute, but I’m not really the love-at-first-sight type.
You’re not suffering from the suspension bridge effect, are you?”
“Who—who has feelings like that for you!” A flush crept up Yuuki Asuna’s cheeks, warm and unmistakable.
She averted her gaze, crossing her arms with mock indignation.
“I was just showing basic concern!
Stop saying such weird things!”
“Mm-hmm.”
“Looking at you, you’re clearly fine—you didn’t pay any serious price at all.
You’re actually in the mood to joke around…”
“Let me interrupt your tsundere act for a second.”
Hojo Yoru waved a hand lazily, continuing to walk as he spoke in that same light, almost flippant tone.
“Honestly, it’d be more convenient for me to let you keep misunderstanding.
But my moral standards are just too high—I can’t bring myself to deceive a cute girl.
So here’s the truth: I didn’t save you specifically.
I’m a Devil Hunter with the Special Anti-Demon Action Section.
Eliminating demons is literally my job.”
“Eh?
But you’re wearing a school uniform, just like me.
You’re a high school student, aren’t you?”
“Think of it as a part-time job.”
“Uh…”
Yuuki Asuna’s urge to retort was reaching critical mass.
She’d never worked a part-time job herself, but she wasn’t stupid.
Normal high school students worked at convenience stores or ramen shops.
This Hojo-san’s “part-time job” was hunting demons.
That was just…
She looked at him, waiting for her answer, and finally managed a slightly strained smile as she settled on a word.
“Haha…
Well, you’re certainly…
diligent?”
Hojo Yoru shot her a flat look.
“It’s fine to complain, but don’t just say things for the sake of saying them.”
“You jerk…”
Yuuki Asuna bit her lip, stomping her foot in frustration.
She turned her head away with a huff, deliberately speeding up to walk ahead of him.
“I’m showing emotional intelligence here, you know!”
She pulled ahead by about two meters, her steps quick and pointed—but then, almost imperceptibly, she slowed down again.
Annoyed, but not completely annoyed.
Pulling away, but not completely pulling away.
Watching her back, Hojo Yoru couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
She really is cute.
Even setting aside his perspective as a transmigrator, just based on their brief interaction—this Asuna-san was undeniably charming.
Not just in appearance, but in personality too.
It was just…
Hojo Yoru felt that this world was utterly ridiculous.
On the surface, it was a world stitched together from various slice-of-life anime.
Aside from the minor tragedy of his parents passing early, the first sixteen years of his life had been peaceful.
But ever since the appearance of monsters called “demons” half a year ago, everything had changed.
How did a perfectly fine slice-of-life youth story suddenly veer into Chainsaw Man territory?
But after joining the Special Anti-Demon Action Section and investigating for nearly a month, he’d come to realize something: this world had never been normal.
Monsters that looked human but hunted at night.
Eerie legends passed down in mountain villages.
Cameras that could capture spiritual bodies.
Werewolves, vampires, yokai, spirits—they all existed in this world, hidden just beneath the surface of everyday life.
Most people simply didn’t know.
Fortunately, as a transmigrator, he wasn’t normal either.
Two months ago, Hojo Yoru had been walking to the convenience store for an ice-cold cola when a Sea Cucumber Demon suddenly appeared before him.
At that moment, only one thought occupied his mind.
He wanted to eat sea cucumber.
Braised with scallions would be excellent.
A cold salad as an appetizer would be great too.
As if responding to his gourmet desire, he’d awakened a very special power.
Similar to the demon-summoning abilities in Chainsaw Man, but requiring no price and carrying no negative side effects—it was a strange power that consumed only physical stamina to use.
It represented three concepts: Infinity, Cycles, and Devouring.
The Ouroboros.
Delicious Sea Cucumber Demon.
I’ll probably never forget you for the rest of my life.
After that incident, Hojo Yoru joined the Special Anti-Demon Action Section and became a Devil Hunter.
Of course, he never revealed his true ability.
Instead, he claimed to have signed a contract with the “Gluttony Devil,” just like most Devil Hunters, and claimed to have paid the corresponding price to wield demonic power.
The truth was simpler.
The power of Ouroboros was straightforward: after summoning it and devouring supernatural entities, Hojo Yoru received physical enhancements.
He could use Ouroboros in combat, but it consumed too much stamina to be practical.
In other words…
The power Hojo Yoru truly relied on to fight demons was his own—heroic physical strength, precise movements, terrifying explosive force.
All effort and sweat.
Skill and strategy.
And just a little bit of raw stats.
“If you have questions, save them for lunch break.”
Amid their banter, Hojo Yoru and Yuuki Asuna had arrived at the gates of Sobu High School.
He wasn’t sure why Sobu High appeared in Tokyo, but this was a fused world of slice-of-life anime after all.
While many elements were familiar to him as a transmigrator, not every detail aligned perfectly with the original works.
For instance, there was no cross-generational online game called Sword Art Online in this world.
And Yuuki Asuna hadn’t entered the SAO world to become the legendary Flash of the Clearing Corps.
Instead, she’d been trembling before the Bat Devil, revealing her soft, delicate nature.
“Oh…
okay.”
Yuuki Asuna took a deep breath, forcing herself to compose her emotions as she followed him through the gates.
For a high school girl, her mental fortitude was almost absurdly strong.
Having personally witnessed the Bat Devil slaughter dozens of people, nearly died herself, and then watch a classmate casually obliterate the monster—she hadn’t fainted, hadn’t broken down, and had regained her composure in record time.
That level of inner strength bordered on superhuman.
After checking the freshman class assignments posted at the entrance of the teaching building, Yuuki Asuna learned that Hojo Yoru was a freshman just like her—and both were placed in Class 1-A.
When they entered the classroom, the clusters of chatting students instinctively turned to look at the newcomers.
While Yuuki Asuna was still scanning for an empty seat, debating where to sit, Hojo Yoru walked straight toward a window seat in the corner.
Sitting on that desk was a young woman in a white lab coat and tailored suit pants.
Despite her beautiful features, she exuded the kind of decadent, world-weary aura usually associated with a middle-aged salaryman who’d given up on life.
“Yo.
You must be Hojo-san, right?”
The young woman raised a hand in lazy greeting.
With her legs crossed in slim-fit pants and her posture casual—perched on the desk like a small-time thug looking to extort someone—she barely looked like a teacher at all.
“Name’s Hiratsuka Shizuka.
I’ll be your homeroom teacher starting today.” She flashed a grin that was equal parts friendly and predatory.
“Look after me, yeah?”