Whatever, I'll handle it

"No!!"

"We aren't losing a single person on our team."

Aki Hayakawa gripped his long sword, ready to invoke the curse.

But someone suddenly patted his shoulder.

"I already told you, young people shouldn't throw their lives away. You still have so much left to witness."

Aki Hayakawa whipped around, his pupils widening the instant he saw the person behind him.

"You... you're alive."

"I'm alive? I was never dead. I just went out to find you guys some food."

Meng Fan pulled Aki Hayakawa backward into the safe room.

Then Meng Fan stepped through the window into the room where the Eternity Devil was.

"I'll save my own disciple. I don't need anyone else to do it."

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Fan swiftly transformed into Freddy, the Dream Devil.

His pale body turned dark.

His soft skin became incredibly rough.

Raised veins crawled like earthworms over Meng Fan's arms and thighs.

The sharp blade claws on both hands were even longer than last time.

And the lower portions of the blades were serrated.

That made slicing through flesh even easier.

Whoosh!!

His figure moved.

Meng Fan suddenly appeared right in front of the Eternity Devil.

He moved so fast that human eyes couldn't track any of his movements.

Within seconds, the limbs restraining Denji fell to the floor in chunks.

"My dear disciple, leave the rest to your master."

Meng Fan caught Denji just before he hit the floor.

He turned and tossed him to Aki Hayakawa outside the window.

Then, in his devil form, he slashed his way into the Eternity Devil's body.

For a while, the Eternity Devil's screams rang out nonstop inside the room.

"It hurts!!"

"Stop!!!"

"Sorry, I just can't stop."

Meng Fan grinned.

The Eternity Devil's blood drenched him from head to toe.

Meanwhile, the Eternity Devil's severed limbs kept piling up around him.

"Aah!!!"

The Eternity Devil fled outside in agony.

Meng Fan could have pressed his advantage until the Eternity Devil surrendered and offered up his heart.

But instead, he stood where he was and watched the Eternity Devil escape.

"You let him get away?" Himeno had watched the entire fierce battle from outside the window.

All she could see was the Eternity Devil's limbs flying everywhere.

She couldn't see Meng Fan swinging his blade claws at all.

Even a seasoned veteran like Himeno couldn't begin to match that speed.

"Yep. He's Denji's little experience farm, after all."

Joking, Meng Fan returned to the room where Himeno was.

Everyone's attention was fixed on him.

"Where did you go just now?" Himeno asked.

"My soul went out. My body stayed here."

"You... can leave your body too?!" Arai had heard from Himeno that Meng Fan was powerful, but he hadn't expected him to be this powerful.

"You're way too strong to be called a rookie. You're practically our savior." The previously despondent Arai finally smiled.

Beside him, Kobeni also calmed down considerably now that Meng Fan had appeared.

Both gazed at Meng Fan like adoring fans.

Meng Fan paid no attention to their stares or flattery and walked straight over to Denji. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I was just worried about you, Master."

"Worried I wouldn't come back?"

"Yeah. After Miss Makima, you're the person I care about most."

"Fuck. That would've been fine if you'd left out the first part."

"I care about you more than anyone here!" Power stepped forward and hugged Meng Fan.

"Enough. You talk the most bullshit." Meng Fan pushed Power away and set down the bulging backpack on his back.

"You brought stuff back too?"

"What else would I have gone out for? Of course I went to bring back food."

Meng Fan unzipped his backpack and pulled out a large box of sushi.

Everyone's eyes followed the sushi in Meng Fan's hands as it moved up and down.

Drool was already pooling at their lips.

"Meng Fan, you're the best!" Himeno threw her arms around Meng Fan as he crouched down.

Her breasts pressed tightly against Meng Fan's head.

"Get off! Are you trying to suffocate me?"

Meng Fan shoved her away, then added, "I made this sushi with Tahara Satomi. I've got other things too..."

He reached into his backpack again and pulled out a large bento box. "This is the eel rice I made with Kanna Jobon. A guy named Taishi Nakafune helped out too."

"And these are the mochi I made with Asuka Saito."

"Wow, there's so much." Himeno rubbed her flat stomach excitedly.

Just moments ago, she'd been worrying about food.

Now everyone was waiting like beggars for Meng Fan to hand out meals.

"Master, I want eel rice."

"No problem. This is all yours." Meng Fan handed the eel rice straight to Denji.

"I want mochi, and I want you to feed me!"

"Then you don't get any."

"No, no, no! I was just joking. Give me some mochi."

"I'll give you half out of pity."

"What? Only half?!"

"Wipe the chocolate off your mouth first. I'm guessing you stole everyone else's food."

"Move aside, Power. You're lucky you're getting anything." Himeno pushed Power away and rushed forward herself. "Meng Fan, Aki and I can just have some sushi. We don't need much."

"Take the whole box of sushi. You two must've been the busiest while I was gone."

"Thank you, Meng Fan." Himeno took the sushi box, her face blossoming into a smile. "Aki, let's eat over there."

"Bro." Arai came over with a broad smile, Kobeni trailing behind him.

"What do you two want?"

"Could you give us something to eat?"

"Sorry, there's nothing left."

"Nothing left!!!" Arai froze.

"Yep, nothing left. You can wait a little longer."

"But we're already starving." Arai was practically on the verge of tears.

"Then put up with it."

Meng Fan ignored the two of them and lowered his head to sort out his backpack.

Seeing that Meng Fan really had no other food,

the two could only slump weakly to the floor, back to back.

They clutched their rumbling stomachs and stared at the ceiling.

Their happy expressions instantly gave way to dejection.

"Here, have mine. I can't finish it."

Half a box of eel rice appeared in front of Arai.

"Denji... you..." Arai stared at the half-filled box of eel rice in surprise. He hadn't expected Denji to share his food with him.

"What are you staring at? Go on, eat. Share it with Kobeni."

Denji spoke generously.

There wasn't a trace of resentment toward Arai in his voice.

At that moment, boundless guilt welled up inside Arai.

He raised his trembling hands to take the eel rice.

But suddenly, he pitched forward and prostrated himself on the floor, shouting, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Denji! I'm a useless piece of trash!"

Seeing this, Kobeni also dropped to her knees and bowed to the floor behind him. "Denji, please forgive us. I'll do anything. You can hit me or yell at me."

Their sudden apologies caught Denji off guard.

"Get up. I forgive you."

Power stood in front of them, munching on mochi.

She basked in their bows and apologies all by herself.

"Power, get out of the way." At Meng Fan's shout, Power rolled her eyes and stepped aside on her own.

"Don't apologize. I understand. I might've done the same thing in your place. But we're teammates, after all. We'll need to keep helping each other."

Denji stepped forward and helped them both up.

They kept their heads lowered, unable to meet Denji's eyes.

"Kobeni, here's some sushi for you. Arai can have the eel rice." Himeno handed the bento box to Kobeni.

Everyone's willingness to share made the atmosphere in the room much warmer.

"No need. I actually made two pork rice bentos with Nana Komatsu too."

With that, he took two finely crafted bento boxes out of his backpack.

That sent Himeno into a jealous fit. "Say, Meng Fan, you sure know a lot of women!"