DMC: Being a demon hunter in Japan is not easy

"…What happened…?"

With difficulty, Shizuka opened her eyes, her consciousness slowly returning. Her entire body ached, yet, surprisingly, she hadn't suffered any severe injuries.

"Glad you're awake. It's a snowy day—perfect for hot chocolate."

Desmon's voice greeted her with a cheerful tone, accompanied by a smile that tried to mask the weight of his condition.

The demon hunter extended a hand to her, offering help to get up. But as she looked at him, Shizuka found herself speechless.

Desmon's body was covered in deep wounds. His skin was torn in multiple places, and while his regeneration ability was still working, all his demonic energy was focused on repairing his internal organs. He was barely holding off total collapse.

He was utterly exhausted, far beyond his limits. He had given everything to protect Shizuka, withstand Krampus's assault, and escape that nightmare. He had nothing left to give.

"Your… arm…" She murmured, disbelief and pain mingling in her voice.

Desmon averted his gaze, letting out a small sigh before sitting down in the snow.

"I was thinking of learning the piano, but I guess that's not happening now…"

His left arm was gone—ripped off entirely from the shoulder. There was no escaping that battle without sacrifices, and his arm had been the price of their survival.

He'd always been curious what it might be like to lose a limb. Now, he knew. His flesh had regenerated just enough to seal the wound, but no further. The loss was permanent.

The weight of that reality felt colder than the snow beneath them. Desmon tried to find solace in his usual humor, but the silence that followed was suffocating. The battle wasn't over yet—this was only the prelude to when Krampus would find them and end their lives.

In the vast white horizon, where nothing but an abyss of snow and cold stretched endlessly, the two sat in silence, side by side. The atmosphere was bleak.

"…I'm sorry…" Desmon's faint whisper broke the stillness as he gazed up at the sky.

His own weakness had caused this. If he had been stronger, things might have turned out as they should have. But he had never imagined a demon as powerful as Krampus existed.

And now, because of that weakness, both of them would die in an unknown place, their bodies never to be found.

"Why are you apologizing?" Shizuka asked, gritting her teeth.

Shizuka didn't know what to say. The situation had gone far beyond anything she could handle—she had been nothing but a burden to Desmon.

"I dragged you into this…"

His once-confident, sarcastic tone was now full of sadness and regret, as though revealing his true self.

For someone who had lost everything at a young age, all he could do was run from his past, unable to face the people he had lost.

-This isn't right… This isn't the Desmon I know…

The young man she knew was an idiot who always found a way to have fun no matter the danger. No matter the odds, Desmon faced everything with a goofy grin as he charged straight into the fray.

Shizuka didn't know all that Desmon had endured, but she refused to accept that, even at the end, he'd act like someone she didn't recognize. As an adult and a teacher, her job was always to support the younger generation when they faced difficulties.

But in this moment, what were the right words to say?

"Are you giving up now? What are you, an idiot?" Shizuka asked, glaring at him.

"I don't know what you expect from me…" His voice grew weaker with each word, as though all hope had drained away.

"You're supposed to be a demon hunter—the kind of idiot who always gets the job done. Isn't that what you're so proud of?"

"…You expect too much from me…"

Shizuka gave him a sharp smack on the head when she heard that.

"Maybe I do expect too much from you in this situation…"

There was no way out of their predicament—that much Desmon already knew, resigning himself to die.

"…But you're the one who's made me expect more from you than I ever thought possible! You've always exceeded any expectation I had, even making me feel stupid for worrying about you when you'd just overcome any obstacle with that dumb smile and a random line to go with it!" She spoke her mind sincerely.

Hearing her words, Desmon turned his gaze to her.

"So, here and now, you're going to finish off that demon like you always do so we can get back home before our dinner gets cold, or are you telling me a demon that looks like it came out of a ten-yen children's book is stronger than you?" I didn't hesitate to call out its weakness.

Strong words that could crush anyone in this situation...

...And that's exactly right—these are the best words Desmon could hear.

Anyone else would need words of comfort and reassurance, something to tell them everything will be fine and they can rest. But if you said that to Desmon, it would be enough to break him mentally. The guilt that eats away at him would utterly consume him.

He doesn't need cheap sympathy. What he needs is a reminder of how he's always done things—staying true to that reckless attitude of doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants. Because that's precisely how he's managed to get this far.

A legendary demon with overwhelming power? That thing is weaker than a certain demon hunter Desmon crossed paths with once—a guy who, while absentmindedly eating a strawberry ice cream, gave Desmon a proper beatdown. A memory Desmon will never forget, and one he even treasures.

"Hahaha." Desmon started to laugh. "Are you seriously making me work on Christmas? You're a demon, Shizuka."

The guilt and melancholy disappeared from his face, as though it had never been there. Now, even in his current state, he wore a wide grin filled with confidence and arrogance.

Desmon doesn't need anyone's pity—he needs someone who will tell him to push himself to the brink. Someone who, when he falls, will tell him to get back up on his own. That's how he was raised as a child.

If he can't fight for what he wants, he'll lose everything. And that's not something Desmon is willing to let happen for a third time.

And thanks to Shizuka's words, he remembered that.

"Well, then, it's time to get moving!"

Shizuka stood up and extended her hand toward him.

"That Christmas dinner better be worth it!"

Desmon took her hand, got to his feet, and stretched lightly.

"So, how are we getting home?" Shizuka asked, her mood lifting as she saw Desmon back to his usual self.

"That's quite the dilemma..."

The wounds on Desmon's body began to heal rapidly, returning him to normal—save for his clothes. But being an exhibitionist seemed to be second nature to him by now.

"By the way, if I'm not mistaken, didn't that demon have a strange red sack on its waist?"

Their earlier exchange had been so quick that Desmon hadn't had time to assess all the alternatives, but now, with a calmer mind, a way out of this place seemed plausible.

"Now that you mention it, I think I did see something red on its waist..."

Desmon grinned.

"Great, that's all we need to know. Our goal now is to grab that sack and head home."

"And what about that thing?"

"A demon who apparently hates Christmas? It's obvious Santa Claus should handle demons out to ruin his holiday. Besides, it's not like he hired me directly to deal with it. But if he offers me a good paycheck, I might consider it."

"That makes some sense, but charging Santa Claus...?"

"If he's running a massive gift factory, he can afford it—unless his elves survive on photosynthesis."

At this point, he was just saying the first thing that popped into his head.

As the two debated whether Santa Claus paid his elves or exploited them to the brink of union strikes, a chilling sensation washed over them—a feeling they were all too familiar with.

"Looks like it found us. Less work for me."

Krampus appeared before them, and just as they remembered, a red sack wrapped in chains hung at its waist.

"Think you can handle it?"

"I don't need both arms for this, but I'll need your help with the others."

Shizuka couldn't sense it, but a massive amount of demonic energy spread throughout the area. From the ground, numerous demons began to emerge, resembling the Christmas-themed abominations they had faced earlier.

Only now, there were hundreds of them.

"This just got a lot harder." Shizuka said.

"Kurox will stay with you."

Desmon's devil arm appeared before Shizuka, its greatest strength being its incredible durability and its ability to move on its own. To ensure her safety, Desmon infused it with a large amount of his demonic energy—this wasn't the time to hold back.

"Have you accepted your fate yet?" Krampus asked, flanked by its overwhelming army.

"I reject this so-called destiny of yours. Besides, why should I follow the rules of a demon that looks like it came out of a ten-yen children's book?" He said, brimming with confidence.

"Good answer. Now, die!"

Krampus swung its claws, unleashing the same attack that had left Desmon vulnerable before.

"Tough luck. I can see them now."

Desmon swung Alastor, deflecting the massive cuts that tore apart the ground around him. Though his defense wasn't perfect and he took some damage, these cuts were nothing compared to the ones from before.

A trait of his demonic heritage—the ability to evolve through battle—allowed him to see the previously invisible slashes.

"Interesting, but that's nothing."

"Let's test that, you cheap Santa Claus knockoff!" Desmon took a defensive stance. Using just one arm was harder for him, but he quickly adapted. "Let's do this, Shizuka."

"You don't have to tell me!"

At the same time, Krampus ordered its army to charge at them.

The demons wasted no time, throwing themselves into battle, but Kurox intercepted them with a powerful rush, while Desmon cut through their ranks, swinging Alastor with precision.

Krampus's army was massive, endless in its territory. But Desmon wasn't aiming to win by defeating them all—he only needed to retrieve the red sack strapped to the demon's waist.

"I won't deny it… but damn it, this is fun!"

Shizuka, riding on Kurox and mowing down demons, couldn't hold back her grin. Destroying these twisted caricatures of the holiday symbols she adored brought a twisted sense of satisfaction.

She let herself go, urging Kurox forward as the black motorcycle roared like an untamed beast. The demonic energy Desmon had infused into his devil arm pulsed like a contained storm, ready to erupt with every turn of the wheels. Kurox seemed more formidable than ever, moving with almost supernatural agility, as if anticipating the demons' attacks before they even happened.

If Desmon could evolve in battle, then so could his devil arm. And Kurox, with its untapped potential, was far from done growing.

"Let's go, Kurox! Don't leave a single one standing!" Shizuka shouted, her voice a mix of thrill and defiance.

She had ridden Kurox many times before, though not exactly to fight demons.

With a sharp twist of the throttle, Kurox reared back on its hind wheel, the front rising into a dramatic wheelie. Shizuka held her balance as the front wheel, now charged with demonic energy, spun at high speed, tearing through a cluster of demons in a dark explosion of ash and gore.

Kurox slammed front down, shaking the ground beneath them. It immediately skidded into a tight turn, sweeping through another group of demons. Shizuka barely had time to relish the metallic crunch of the destroyed demons before another wave surrounded her.

Yet she wore a grin, not fitting for a teacher her age, but for a teenager handed a new, destructive toy.

Kurox surged forward again, charging straight into a group of blood-formed snowmen attempting to block their path. At the last second, the motorcycle shifted back, dodging their massive icy claws. But Kurox wasn't done; as the claws slammed into the ground, it accelerated, racing up the demon's arm before smashing into its head, shattering it in a burst of gore.

The image of a woman in a tight Santa-themed outfit riding a black motorcycle as it obliterated the massive head of a snowman demon, flying through crimson mist, was both stunning and surreal. She continued her rampage, riding over more snowmen and delivering them the same brutal fate.

After obliterating several of the towering monsters, a herd of shadowy reindeer awaited her, their razor-like antlers ready to impale her upon landing.

An unavoidable scenario—but Kurox, as if possessed by its own instincts, unleashed bursts of demonic energy from its wheels, creating shockwaves that launched the reindeer away before they could strike.

"I've got to admit… that was pretty intense." She said, exhilarated.

Even so, more and more demons kept emerging, replacing the fallen ones. But that didn't stop Kurox and Shizuka, who continued obliterating the fiends.

Meanwhile, Desmon moved with blinding speed, slicing through every demon in his path with Alastor as he charged toward Krampus, who lazily sent slashes his way.

"Is that the only trick you know?" He taunted with sarcasm, leaping to avoid the swarm of elves trying to grab him.

But the elves, like relentless cockroaches, leapt after him without hesitation.

"Do Santa's elves also share this level of idiocy?" He mused, spinning mid-air with Alastor in hand, turning into a deadly saw that shredded all the elves into pieces.

After completing his massacre, he swung Alastor, deflecting Krampus's attacks that rained down on the remaining demons, which were demons in the form of grotesque toys, only to be torn apart by the force of its cuts.

"Those your workers? Not even a Christmas bonus? You're a terrible boss." He said with a look of mock surprise and amusement.

As he landed, Desmon advanced, deflecting Krampus's cuts and dispatching more demons. But they seemed endless; the more he cut down, the more appeared.

Krampus's minions were no match for Desmon, but their overwhelming numbers turned the fight into a test of endurance. If this dragged on, the demons would have the upper hand. To end it, Desmon had to eliminate the source: Krampus.

"Come on, is that all you've got?" He shouted mockingly.

Since the beginning of their clash, Desmon had been deflecting Krampus's slashes as if to taunt him.

"You're nothing more than a trivial distraction! Don't get cocky!" Krampus's disdainful voice roared, and the energy surrounding it erupted violently.

"ARMAGEDDON!"

"I hate when it does that..." Desmon muttered through gritted teeth.

As the creator of this realm, Krampus had absolute control, and now it was twisting the world to its will.

"Confirmed—you're a horrible boss." Desmon sighed.

The ground cracked open, massive fissures tearing through as lava erupted in fiery bursts, resembling the wrath of raging volcanoes.

But that wasn't all. A fierce storm howled, razor-sharp winds cutting through the air, while the snow transformed into jagged ice fangs ready to pierce flesh and bone. The environment itself seemed hellbent on their destruction.

Left with no choice, Desmon leapt to evade the ice spikes bursting from the ground, only to find himself vulnerable to the raging storm above.

"Taxi...!"

Just as he was about to be torn apart, a black blur moved at lightning speed, swooping in to save him while dodging the lethal attacks.

"You're way too cheerful for this situation, Shizuka," He remarked from atop Kurox as he noticed his master's unusually good mood.

"As if..." She replied, glancing away.

"Childish as ever."

"Oh, you're the last one who should be saying that!''

"Touche."

As the two exchanged casual banter, Kurox plowed through, its wheels crushing the icy spikes with ease while maneuvering through the apocalyptic chaos unleashed by Krampus.

Meanwhile, Krampus's demons kept pouring out and being slaughtered in an endless cycle.

"I can't keep this up forever." Desmon admitted. "I don't have enough energy to maintain Kurox's speed for much longer. We need to end this."

"Got a plan?"

Krampus stood at the heart of it all—approaching it was a death sentence.

"No idea how to get close without getting blown to bits. But you know what they say: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Charge, Kurox!"

"You're insane!"

Kurox spun around in a sharp drift that any professional biker would envy, speeding toward Krampus.

"Maybe a little,,."

Kurox weaved through obstacles, with Desmon deflecting the slashes that the storm rained down upon them.

When they reached a moderate distance from Krampus, with a sea of lava barring their path, improvisation became their only option.

"Well, here I go.''

As a last-ditch effort, Desmon devised a totally logical plan: to launch himself as a projectile.

Without much thought, he leapt off Kurox mid-motion. But just before he descended, the devil arm skidded to a sudden halt. The force was so intense that the rear wheel lifted off the ground, and Kurox flipped into a full 360° spin on its front wheel.

Desmon landed on the rear wheel at the perfect moment. With all that built-up force, the wheel launched him like a bat striking a ball, hurling him straight toward Krampus with overwhelming power.

Even as he shot forward at incredible speed, the explosions of lava and the storm descended upon him.

Balancing Alastor, Desmon deflected the cutting wind as best as he could. Though he succeeded, it came at the cost of numerous cuts. An enormous wall of lava rose before him, the final obstacle in his path.

"This is going to hurt tomorrow..."

With no way to stop or evade, he slammed headfirst into the magma wall.

"What an idiot, dying in such a ridiculous way." Krampus mused.

The battle had been entertaining enough, but watching the demon hunter charge straight to his death was nothing short of dull.

Desmon might be reckless, but he wasn't stupid. From the lava wall, a figure emerged.

-Are devil arms lava-proof? Desmon thought, just before twisting his body while swinging Alastor quickly, mimicking the motion of a saw. With incredible momentum, he managed to cut through the wall of lava. Pushing himself to the limit, he poured all his demonic energy into the attack to make it happen.

"Huh? Interesting." Krampus muttered.

Desmon successfully reached Krampus, landing at the demon's waist and slashing the red sack surrounded by chains with Alastor. Holding it between his teeth.

But as he did, his body froze for just a moment—a second that stretched into what felt like minutes. Quickly recovering, he jumped away from Krampus.

"So that's what you were after. But if you're dead, you wouldn't get to use it." Krampus spoke with a calm voice, as if the artifact didn't matter at all. To him, it was just Santa's sack.

"Figured you wouldn't let me off easy..." Desmon muttered.

This time, Krampus didn't limit himself to just its claws. It raised its entire arm.

Everything around him was about to be obliterated—an attack inescapable and unstoppable at such close range.

Even in an impossible situation, Desmon didn't hesitate. Because right now, he wasn't alone.

A strange figure darted toward him, matching the speed of sound. Only a residual image of Desmon remained as Krampus's attack disintegrated everything, tearing and destroying even the space around them.

In its domain, Krampus was invincible—or so it seemed.

"Nice catch, Shizuka." Desmon said, placing Alastor on his back and showing the red sack.

"You're completely insane..." She sighed, relieved everything had gone well. Now, they just needed to get back home.

"I hear that more often than you'd think." He replied.

-He always manages the impossible... What an idiot. She thought with a small smile.

"Time to..."

"I'm counting on you for the rest."

Before she could finish her sentence, the red sack enveloped her, making both Shizuka and Santa's sack vanish.

"Looks like it's just you and me now, Kurox—or at least it would be, if I weren't so exhausted..."

At that moment, Kurox vanished, sending Desmon tumbling into the snow, rolling several times. With Krampus no longer focusing on its previous attack, the surroundings returned to a stark white horizon.

"I thought you'd run. Seems you're not a coward." Krampus remarked.

Desmon leapt to his feet and ooked at Krampus.

"So, you're Krampus, huh? Is it your fault I never got Christmas presents? Eh, doesn't matter..."

Gripping Alastor tightly, Desmon pointed it at Krampus.

"Indeed, I am Krampus. Grovel and kneel before me!" Krampus's booming voice shook the surroundings.

Desmon smirked, brushing off the demon's arrogance.

"Normally, I don't take last-minute jobs, but some jolly guy in red just hired me. You don't say no to Santa Claus, right? I'd rather not get coal for the next few years."

"I see. Then it's time. I won't waste any more on you."

With only seconds left until midnight, Desmon's job was clear: buy as much time as possible and put an end to Krampus.

An impossible task, but now there was a possibility, which is why he entrusted that task to his companion.

"Hey, ignoring your guest? That's bad manners for a host." He joked, pacing to the side.

"You haven't even managed to hurt me. In your state, you're nothing but dead weight. I have more important matters to attend to."

Krampus turned away as thousands of twisted, horrifying figures of Christmas icons rose from the snow, forming the ranks of its demonic army.

"If that's the case, I have to give it my all, right?"

With almost no demonic energy left, his body battered and pushed to its limits, clothes in tatters, and exhaustion etched on his face, Desmon still wore that ever-arrogant grin as he advanced toward Krampus.

But the army of thousands of demons wouldn't allow him to reach so easily. He was intercepted and overwhelmed by the endless swarm.

"It's over! My revenge and your life will end here!"

Krampus was ready to leave, but at that moment, Desmon's figure tore through the horde of demons, closing the distance between them.

"Never underestimate a man with nothing to lose!"

Using the last remnants of his energy, Desmon leaped, swinging Alastor in an arc that slashed across Krampus's face. Upon landing, he stumbled and rolled through the snow.

"Huh?"

Thick, dark blood poured from the cut. Desmon had managed to wound it.

"Not as tough as you look, huh? Haha..." He taunted, using Alastor as a crutch to try and stand.

But the assault had left him far from unscathed—passing through the demonic army unscathed was impossible, even for him.

"If you truly wish for death and for your existence to end, I'll grant your wish!" Krampus roared furiously.

The air grew heavy, the gravity around them intensifying as though the earth itself sought to crush anyone defying Krampus's will. A towering column of darkness spiraled up from the heart of the battlefield, devouring everything in its path. The demonic energy seemed to consume even the light, leaving behind only shadows and despair.

"Final Judgment!" Krampus declared, its voice resonating with a power that shook the fabric of reality.

From within the infinite column of darkness emerged twisted, shadowy hands, as though thousands of tormented souls clawed their way out to drag Desmon into the abyss, promising an eternal suffering beyond comprehension.

Barely able to recover from his last attack, Desmon felt the crushing weight of gravity press down on him, each movement more labored as his vision blurred under the pressure.

Even so... he managed to rise and dodge the darkness.

But he wasn't alone against Krampus—the demon army surrounded him, intent on tripping him up and feeding him to the abyss.

Against all odds, Desmon did his best to cut down and evade the demons, but his strength and energy were almost entirely depleted.

A monstrous, twisted version of Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer struck him, its horns piercing through his side and immobilizing him for a moment. Desmon twisted his body and decapitated the demon, but the reindeer had accomplished its goal.

"Tch, I guess this is it for me..."

The darkness swallowed him, devouring his body piece by piece. Every inch consumed brought an inconceivable pain, an eternal torment that seared through his very being.

Krampus smiled, as seeing the demon hunter being devoured by the darkness delighted it.

Desmon's legs, torso, and finally his head were engulfed, the darkness erasing him entirely, removing him from existence itself.

There was no way Desmon could win against Krampus. Simply wounding it was an accomplishment, but that was his current limit

After all...

...to defeat a legendary demon...

...one must become...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...a legendary demon hunter.