The Feces Devil was defeated and returned to Hell.
In this battle, thanks to the excellent performance of the Yamai sisters, there were no casualties among the Devil hunters or ordinary civilians.
Except for Power, who lost consciousness.
Her personality was devoured by the Feces Devil and became a part of its body. When it was defeated, the Feces Devil's body was torn into thousands of pieces by the Yamai sisters and scattered in the form of fine snow across the surrounding streets.
Just when everyone thought Power was surely beyond saving, Makima appeared.
After learning the details of the situation from her subordinates, Makima's expression remained unchanged, as if she had no intention of blaming the Yamai sisters.
"So, now Aki-kun can no longer summon the Fox Devil?"
As she digested the events, Makima's first question wasn't about Power, but about Hayakawa Aki's Fox Devil.
Hayakawa Aki hadn't expected Makima to bring this up first.
But he didn't think much of it, nodding in response.
"After I had the Fox Devil spit out the Feces Devil, it seemed to be really displeased with me," Hayakawa Aki explained. "I can't feel the contract between us anymore. With its temperament, I'm afraid it won't lend me its power again."
"It's alright, there are other Devils in the Public Security, go ahead and choose another one," Makima replied.
Then, her tone paused.
Her gaze shifted to the Yamai sisters, and after a moment of contemplation, she tentatively asked, "Would you two be willing to make a contract with Aki-kun and let him use the power of the Wind Devil?"
Upon hearing Makima's question, Hayakawa Aki's expression immediately brightened.
There was a glimmer of expectation in his eyes as he looked at the Yamai sisters.
Yes, if he had to make a contract with another Devil, why not choose these two?
Not only were they friendly to humans, but their strength and abilities were at the top of the ranks. Among all the Devils who had joined the Public Security, they were definitely top-tier.
Others might not know, but after spending half a month with the Yamai sisters and witnessing their battles firsthand, Hayakawa Aki knew just how much power lay beneath the harmless appearances of these two girls.
If he could make a contract with top-tier Devils like the Wind Devils, his combat ability as a Devil hunter would increase several times over.
"Refuse. The power of Wind Spirit Yamai cannot be given to others," Yuzuru Yamai said firmly.
"Mm, Yuzuru and I's goal right now is to reunite our original powers. Sharing our power with humans could lead to irreversible consequences."
Without hesitation, the Yamai sisters rejected the offer.
But the real reason wasn't what they said.
It was simply because they were not Devils.
Devils in this world had the ability to share their powers with others; as long as a contract was made, anyone could use the Devil's abilities.
But Spirits were not part of this system.
Unless Hayakawa Aki had a body like Shido's, capable of sealing the powers of the Yamai sisters, he would never be able to use their abilities.
"Alright, if that's the case, then it's fine."
Hearing the rejection, Hayakawa Aki sighed slightly.
Having lost the Fox Devil, what he now needed most was another Devil who could provide powerful attack abilities, and the Yamai sisters were a perfect fit for that.
But since they weren't willing to share their power, there was nothing he could do. He would have to go to the Public Security and choose another one.
There were many Devils who had joined Japan's Public Security, but each one was picky and had their own terms for contracts.
Aside from those he wasn't eligible to make contracts with, the remaining options were very limited.
Not to mention the added factor of compatibility.
"Aki-kun, don't delay. You can go back to the Public Security headquarters and submit your contract application," Makima said. "Denji, since you didn't participate in this battle and you're in good health, continue your patrol."
"Yes, Makima-sama."
After receiving the orders, the two of them left the scene.
Only Makima and the Yamai sisters were left.
"What about Power... what should we do with her?" Kaguya Yamai asked awkwardly after clearing her throat.
"Don't worry," Makima replied calmly. "Leave it to me."
After sending Hayakawa Aki and Denji away, Makima no longer needed to hide her abilities in front of the Yamai sisters.
Standing still, as the Devil of Control, she glanced around at her surroundings.
Then, she activated her power.
Amid the filth, tiny red fecal clumps floated from all directions, converging together.
Soon, as the last fragment gathered, the feces containing Power's personality reappeared before the sisters.
A look of realization flashed in the Yamai sisters' eyes.
As the Devil of Control, Makima could control anything she subjectively deemed weaker than herself.
Humans, Devils, animals, and even corpses.
Although controlling feces sounded absurd, it was possible.
Clearly, what Makima had done was control Power's feces, causing the scattered fragments to gather in one place.
"Alright, here's the feces containing Power's personality... well, you know what it is," Makima said faintly as she looked at the Yamai sisters, who were visibly uncomfortable.
"The rest is up to you."
After a while, when Power slowly opened her eyes, the clear sky was already covered with the glow of the evening sun.
Her mind was a complete mess, as if it had been struck by a heavy hammer countless times, and her memories were tangled together.
"Hey, you're finally awake."
Kaguya Yamai's face appeared in her line of sight, blocking most of the sunset.
Seeing that familiar face, Power's muddled memories slowly began to clear up as she remembered what had happened before she lost consciousness.
"I... I think I fell for it."
Power tried to struggle to sit up, but her mind and body weren't yet in sync, and she fell back down.
She remembered being caught off guard by the Feces Devil's attack and being affected by its ability.
Suddenly, her stomach had hurt intensely, and the unbearable urge to relieve herself had made her drop her pants in front of everyone.
And then, after she had finished, she lost consciousness.
"Strange, my stomach doesn't hurt anymore."
As Power regained some control over her body, she felt an intense pain in her lower back, making her wince and ask, "But why does it hurt even more back there?"
"Just be grateful you're still alive. Don't worry about the details," Kaguya Yamai patted her shoulder.
"Trust me, you wouldn't want to know the reason."
Power didn't fully understand what had happened, but the overwhelming discomfort left her with no energy to argue.
Kaguya Yamai's words resonated as Power tried to push herself back to her feet.
She knew the true nature of what had happened—she had been completely helpless against the power of the Feces Devil.
As a Devil, she had been humiliated by it.
Meanwhile, the Yamai sisters had been more than capable of dealing with the situation. The only reason Power had even survived was due to their intervention.
Though she felt better physically, emotionally, Power couldn't shake off the strange experience of having her very essence manipulated.
"Thanks," she said quietly, although her gratitude was mixed with embarrassment and confusion.
"Don't mention it," Kaguya Yamai replied dismissively, her usual cocky attitude returning.
Power tried to regain some semblance of dignity. She didn't like feeling vulnerable or weak in front of the sisters.
As she slowly stood up, she realized that her strength wasn't fully back yet, and her thoughts remained jumbled.
She had been through so much in the past half-month and now felt like she was on the edge of losing control, not just physically but mentally.
Her personality was once something solid, her identity clear.
Now, she felt as though that very sense of self had been stripped away by something as bizarre as the Feces Devil's control.
As the shock of the situation slowly wore off, she found herself wondering what this would mean for her going forward.
But even that question didn't come with any easy answers.
The realization struck her as she began to walk alongside the Yamai sisters, that they had their own share of struggles—perhaps even more than her.
Even if she was a Devil, she wasn't alone anymore.
The bond she shared with the Yamai sisters, forged through their constant battles, made her feel like she wasn't entirely isolated from the world.
They, too, had their reasons for staying in this fight, reasons that didn't necessarily align with Power's own goals.
But for now, the Yamai sisters and Power shared the same mission.
That would have to be enough.