Volume One, Chapter 57: The Demon God

In no time, Keiji Megumi entered under the tense gaze of everyone present.

“Captain!”

She did not speak, her expression betraying a sense of unease.

This immediately dragged the mood of the team down to rock bottom.

Just then, Megumi broke into a smile, offering her answer: “Mr. Kirisaki will not be taken away.”

Her words stunned everyone for a moment, followed by an uncontrollable surge of excitement.

“Captain, you nearly scared us to death!” Jukui complained impatiently.

“But don’t be too quick to celebrate,” Megumi added. “Director Yoshioka has relaxed the terms, but Mr. Kirisaki can only remain here with the Victory Team.”

As she said this, Megumi glanced at Kirisaki, her eyes tinged with apology.

“It’s fine,” Kirisaki replied with a casual smile, unconcerned. “I’m new here anyway, and have nowhere else to go.”

He spoke the truth; on this planet, he truly had nowhere else to turn.

Seeing Kirisaki’s lack of objection, Megumi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Her greatest worry had been that this visitor from beyond would take offense, souring the relationship.

But now, it seemed there was no cause for alarm.

Kirisaki settled into a chair, his gaze seemingly drifting aimlessly, though in reality he was silently memorizing the markings on the instruments.

Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, a peculiar light flashed in his eyes, and he asked, “May I conduct an experiment here?”

“An experiment?”

Everyone looked up, puzzled.

Megumi considered for a moment and nodded. “Of course. What kind of experiment do you intend? Do you need our assistance?”

“No need.” Kirisaki shook his head slightly, flicked his fingers, and a virtual panel appeared before him.

It was his portable scientific analyzer—capable not only of dissecting every substance found in the universe, but also of performing micro-experiments.

“Amazing!” Jukui exclaimed, rushing over in disbelief. “Is this a controllable operations panel created with projection technology?”

“More or less.” Kirisaki nodded with scientific precision and set to work.

The other Victory Team members cast curious and astonished glances his way.

After all, this was technology Earth had yet to master; their fascination was inevitable.

Kirisaki made no attempt to hide his actions, conducting his experiment openly before their eyes.

Fragments of technology unknown to the Victory Team appeared in midair, merging and splitting in rapid succession.

The dizzying combinations and breakdowns were a shock to all present.

“So this is alien technology?” Norui cried out in awe.

Megumi’s face was equally grave. She had once been responsible for negotiating with extraterrestrial lifeforms, and had longed for this very moment.

Now, it seemed that wish was coming true.

Beep... beep beep beep beep beep!

Suddenly, the command center’s alarm blared.

Norui hurried to his station, inserted his card, and reported, “It’s the Devil’s electromagnetic wave!”

All eyes shifted instantly to the large screen.

Kirisaki raised his gaze as well.

A swirling electromagnetic pulse spanned all of Asia, bearing down on Japan with terrifying might.

“Magnetic field strength is fifty thousand oersted,” Dagu announced.

The atmosphere within the Victory Team became oppressively tense.

Norui compared it to previous data and continued, “It’s identical to what happened in Europe and South America.”

The Devil’s electromagnetic waves had appeared across the world before—some larger, some smaller.

But this time, the strength was a staggering fifty thousand oersted!

“Check the location where the electromagnetic wave first struck,” Megumi ordered.

“Point twenty-seven in Region R,” Norui answered.

No sooner had he spoken than a powerful voice rang out: “Move out!”

It was a deep, commanding sound that made Kirisaki turn instinctively.

He saw a burly man, his face resolute, radiating a soldier’s aura and presence.

“That’s our chief commander, Deputy Captain Munakata,” Dagu’s voice came from behind.

Kirisaki had just turned when he saw Munakata pick up his helmet and leave with the other team members.

In moments, only Megumi and Kirisaki were left in the command room.

They worked quietly, neither breaking the delicate silence.

Soon, a message from Norui appeared on the screen.

They had arrived at the scene and begun their investigation.

“What is the Devil’s true purpose…” Megumi murmured, glancing subconsciously at Kirisaki.

She hoped it had nothing to do with him.

Perhaps it was the experience of facing countless monsters, but Megumi could not help a lingering unease.

Dagu and the others reached the site and immediately began searching for suspicious traces.

At that moment, a circus caught their attention.

On Mount Wutai, the host was energetically narrating his story.

Beside him stood a clown, and another figure…

“An alien!” Rina cried out in alarm.

Dagu, Munakata, and Jukui instantly widened their eyes, all struck dumb.

Just then, the host noticed them and called out, “You gentlemen from the Victory Team over there, would you like to come watch the performance?”

“No, no!” Jukui shook his head quickly, then muttered with smug satisfaction, “He called me handsome.”

Shincheng shot him a sidelong glance, disdainful. “He clearly meant me.”

“No, he meant me!”

As the two argued, lightning suddenly split the sky.

It struck the ground with a crackling sound.

“Beep beep beep beep!!”

Hearing the instrument’s alert, the group tensed and looked up quickly.

Within the electrical sparks, a massive cosmic being slowly revealed itself.

“Oh my god!” Jukui was stunned, collapsing onto the ground.

The ordinary circus-goers panicked, screaming as they fled.

Dagu took out his communicator and reported to Megumi, “Captain, the Devil has appeared!”

At that moment, the cosmic entity known as the Devil released a cloud of purple powder, enveloping those who had not managed to escape.

Those caught within showed expressions of agony, clutching their heads and crouching, moaning in pain.

“Damn it, attacking civilians now!”

Shincheng, furious, grabbed his sidearm and fired wildly at the Devil.

But not only did this fail to stop the Devil—it provoked his wrath.

The Devil’s eyes flashed, and those who had inhaled the powder instantly became deranged, launching attacks on bystanders and the Victory Team alike.

As chaos erupted, Dagu hurried back to the Victory Swallow One.

But just as he prepared to strike, the Devil vanished amid a peal of sinister laughter.