The playground was empty. The laughter of Power and the barking of the dogs had faded into a wet, choking sound. In the real world, Denji’s chainsaw had finally found its mark. As Aki slumped against the ruins of a convenience store, the "snow" stopped falling.
Denji stood in the center of the wreckage, Blood Chainsaw held low, his chest heaving. He wasn't looking at a monster; he was looking at his brother, who was smiling at something that wasn't there while his body systematically erased the neighborhood. The Final Out Gun Devil (Hayakawa Aki)
The world was white, silent, and perfect. Aki Hayakawa was a child again, the weight of the Public Safety uniform replaced by a heavy wool coat that smelled of home. Across the field, Denji and Power were laughing, their faces flushed red from the cold. The playground was empty
For a single, lucid second, the smoke cleared. Aki saw the blood on Denji’s face—not snow, but the cost of a contract fulfilled. He didn't feel the bullets anymore. He just felt tired. As Aki slumped against the ruins of a