After a week, a car stopped at the back of a traffic jam
Nanami was sitting behind the wheel, humming softly along with the song playing on the radio,
while Tanaka sat beside him, his right hand propping his cheek, looking absent-minded
.
Nanami glanced at him from the corner of his eye and asked in a questioning tone: "What's up, Tanaka? You're unusually quiet."
Tanaka startled a little when he heard him, then muttered as he took a breath: "Oh… nothing, just thinking."
Nanami raised an eyebrow, eyes on the road ahead: "That doesn't sound like nothing. You've been acting strange since we met that weird guy… Do you know him?"
Tanaka replied with clear coldness: "And what good would it do you knowing? Really Nanami, mind your own business first please "
Nanami answered without taking his eyes off the road: "You know, if you have a bad relationship with someone in our division, it could throw us all off balance, and unba—"
Tanaka cut him off with a heavy sigh and a tired tone: "unbalance can lead to chaos, and chaos leads to death… I know that, Nanami. It's just… an embarrassing thing."
A short silence followed before Nanami spoke in a lighter tone: "Don't worry. We've known each other for half a year now, moving from division to division, dodging the scythe of death together."
Tanaka gave a faint smile and said: "Let's just say that me and that guy, Rem… we've known each other since school days."
Nanami tipped his head slightly: "Friends?"
Tanaka shook his head quickly: "No, no… I used to bully him."
Nanami frowned, looking at him with surprise: "A bully? He didn't seem to know you."
Tanaka gave a bitter little laugh: "Didn't you see how he walked out of that restaurant? We were on a mission and he left without a word. He doesn't like me, and that's as clear as the sun."
Nanami thought for a moment, then said in a very serious voice: "Oh… I didn't notice that. The only thing I clearly remember from that day was the boiled eggs, it was very delicious"
Tanaka sighed, staring aside at him: "I can see that."
Tanaka placed his hand on his chin, pondering: "But that's strange… although I remember his face well I don't remember his name being Rem, and I don't remember him having any birth mark on the top of his ears."
Nanami raised an eyebrow: "Huh?"
Tanaka continued, staring into space trying to recall: "Hmm… let me remember… ah yes!! His name was Toshi! No, Toshiro! Yes, that's it!"
His voice rose with sudden enthusiasm, making Nanami frown in annoyance. "Calm down, man… what makes you so sure it's him?"
Tanaka smiled a small smile as he explained: "His eyebrows! Thick in the middle, thin at the ends, curving upward. Same with the lines of his eyes—he looked exactly like a cat. We used to call him 'the Lynx'… man, let me tell you, he actually started turning into a lynx little by little—his ears even became like a lynx's ears, haha—"
He stopped abruptly; his voice cut off and the smile vanished. "…oh damn."
Nanami exchanged a look of silent understanding with him while Tanaka sank into a heavy realization: The reason Rem left the restaurant angry… was simply because he heard Tanaka call him "the Lynx" again.
Nanami smiled wryly. "I guess some people never change, huh? You're still a bully, haha. Anyway, don't worry — apologize to him and I'm sure he'll forgive you. We're all grown men after all."
A momentary silence fell Then Nanami stammered: "T-Tanaka, do you remember that crazy old woman who used to wander around the ruins of that apartment which was destroyed completely by the Gun Devil?"
Tanaka answered, surprised: " What's with this weird question all of a sudden."
"Just answer, damn it!" Nanami shouted in a sharp tone.
Tanaka sighed and ran his hand over his head: "Alright alright… damn!" Then he rubbed his forehead as he tried to remember "Hmm… Gun Devil… old woman… oh I remember her, that evil old woman… vile evil witch that sick per-… nah I'm joking, I don't know who the fuck are you talking about."
Nanami bit his lip, trying to suppress the urge to shout or hit Tanaka.
Tanaka quickly raised his hand, covering his face as a reflexive defense: "Calm down! Slow the car down, Nanami!" he shouted, pointing nervously at the street ahead.
The car veered for a moment, its tires squealing on the asphalt before it clumsily returned to its lane.
"Huff… huff…" both of them breathed heavily—Tanaka from fear, Nanami from repressed anger.
Nanami slowly returned his grip to the wheel, his voice still tense as he said: "Anyway, like I was saying, there was an old woman wandering through the ruins of her old apartment, repeating over and over: 'The lynx ate the gun… the lynx ate the gun…' People thought she'd gone insane after her whole family was killed by the Gun Devil, but if it were just shock… she would repeat, say, her son's name… her granddaughter's… her husband's...anything that would connect her to reality. Not this strange phrase."
He paused, then continued in a low voice as if recalling a haunting scene: "But the strangest thing that stuck with me was that the only time she showed a reaction ,when any stray cat came near her ,she'd collapse in panic, scream at the top of her lungs, pull at her hair, and kick the air in terror ,keep in mind this is the same woman who didn't flinch in front of the Devil that killed her a year ago according to witnesses, of course."
Silence followed. Only the engine and raindrops hitting the windshield were heard. Tanaka looked at Nanami with wide eyes of shock, then said hesitantly: "You don't mean Rem is—… come on, that's impossible, right?"
Nanami raised an eyebrow in disbelief and said coldly: "What? I was just telling you a story that came to mind when you mentioned 'the Lynx.' that dude has nothing to do with this."
Tanaka shot him a skeptical look, his voice edged with tension: "You were hinting at it with the way you told the story, Nanami."
Nanami let out a sharp exhale, staring at the road ahead, then said in a dry tone: "Get the fuck out of my car."
_______________
Tanaka sat on the couch, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, smoke rising slowly toward the ceiling. In his hand was an old photo of him with a young woman — his arm wrapped around her with a wide smile, while she leaned into him with a soft smile. He stared at the photo for a long time, scarcely blinking.
All his thoughts were stuck on yesterday's conversation; something inside him still felt unsettled. No… no, this is impossible… but why… why do I feel satisfied? He thought, pressing his hand to his forehead and leaning back on the couch with obvious fatigue.
He whispered softly as if testing the phrase on his tongue: "The lynx… ate the gun…"
The sentence repeated between his lips until it started to crack, then — suddenly — a flash. The image of a bloody scene from the past returned to him. He remembered everything.
That day after the Gun Devil massacre… The corpse he saw — his lover's corpse, who had been pregnant with his child. She lay on the ground, but bullets had not touched her at all. It wasn't bullet wounds that ended her life… but something else.
Claws.
Four deep cut in the neck but not too deep to decapitate another in the stomach — precise, clean, as if whoever did it wanted to make sure both were dead. The doctors said she had been killed by another devil, and the hunters confirmed the same, but Tanaka… knew that was a lie.
If it had been a devil, it would have devoured her… would have taken her body to possess it. But it didn't. He exhaled wearily, pressing his fingers to his temple. "Haaaf…" he sighed covering his face with his right hand 'What the hell am I thinking…?
'Okay maybe Some devils have certain agendas, sure but why defile her?
What did she ever do?
All she did was act like a bitch sometimes, but that wasn't a good enough reason to kill her...Was it one of those pain-cult freaks? Naah…They don't let their victims off that easy. If it was them, they'd have flayed her alive and dumped her on scorching pavement, or forced her to eat embers until she melted from the inside. Those lunatics treat death as mercy and mercy isn't their style..
'
He tried to shift his mind to another topic — Rem. I wonder how he became a Devil Hunter… he was always weak, smiling even while being beaten and humiliated… even when—
The phone on the table rang again — Riiing… Riiing…
Tanaka jumped from his seat, the cigarette falling from his mouth. "Oh shit…" he muttered as he reached for the phone quickly, picked it up, and hit the answer button. "Hello, who is this?"
A rough, heavy voice came through, carrying the tone of a man worn by age and fatigue: "Hello… this is Kondo speaking. Former detective. I saw your post on one of the sites… the one where you talked about that crazy old woman who kept repeating a meaningless phrase that mirrored her madness"
Tanaka smiled sardonically, putting his foot on the table: "Heh, you're funny, man." He was about to hang up.
But the voice on the other end rose quickly, urgent: "Before you hang up… let me finish."
Tanaka paused, silent for a second, then said begrudgingly: " make it quick."
Kondo continued in a halting voice, punctuated by heavy breaths and a harsh cough: "As I said… I was a detective, and I was assigned to a terrifying case — a series of murders of pregnant women. For five full years I hunted the animal who committed them… the monster who disguised himself in a man's body. The killer I liked to call by a simple name… the Lynx the same mysterious name that crazy old lady kept repeating in her phrase"
Tanaka clenched the phone tighter; his chest began to tighten for reasons he couldn't explain.
Kondo carried on, his voice ragged but sharp: "I was a man devoted to my cases, always. Three hundred cases I solved, only one I couldn't close to this day. I lost everything because of it… my health… my wife… even my job itself…" A violent cough followed. "Cough cough… cough…"
Then he recovered his frail voice and said quietly as if the words were being torn from his chest, "Cough—sorry… anyway… when I saw your post about someone finally opening their eyes… I raised my hands to the sky and cried like a child surprised by his father who just came back from a three month business trip with a toy… because I finally felt in my bone and blood that this case might finally close."
Tanaka froze where he was; suspicion and doubt painted his face. "And why do you think that? All I wanted to know was about that old woman… what does the case have to do with this?" he asked in a tense tone. Kondo laughed lightly in broken bursts, his voice sounding exhausted as if each laugh cost him effort: "Ohhh, trust me… she's very involved… very much. You're a Devil Hunter, aren't you?"
Tanaka's eyes narrowed immediately. "What? How—"
Kondo cut him off in a suspiciously cold manner: "I told you… I'm a detective. Things like this became a joke to me a long time ago. Anyway… Devil Hunters played a major role in preventing me from solving this case."
"What!!!" Tanaka shouted, standing up abruptly.
Kondo replied in heavy calm, as if his words were coming from a well of dark memories: "Yes… all of this began two years ago. The day I met the Lynx himself… and the same day I was forced to resign from my job." A long silence fell over the line. Only Kondo's tired breaths and the patter of rain behind Tanaka's window could be heard. Then Tanaka said in a low voice: "Go on…"
______________
Two years ago—
I was standing at a crime scene, just as I did almost every day of my life as a detective.
The corpse of a poor woman lay stretched across the floor, her throat was slashed in the supposed safety of her own home as if she was cattle
She was nine months pregnant, and I immediately knew that she was another one of "The Lynx's" victims.
But something about the scene was different this time.
The body wasn't mutilated into pieces like in previous cases—there was only one strike.
As if the Lynx… had stopped pretending to be a devil.
Maybe he had become negligent, or maybe he simply no longer cared.
After all, not a single inch of progress had been made in the case since his first appearance four years ago.
No one knew anything about him—no name, no face—only that strange nickname given to him by a crazy old woman.
While I was taking pictures, one of the officers blocked a man who tried to push his way into the crime scene, and a heated argument erupted.
The officer said in a controlled tone,
"Sir, I understand your position, but you need to show us your Devil Hunter ID card fir—"
The strange man cut him off calmly:
"I don't mind showing you my card, but I want to see yours first, to confirm you're really police."
The officer smirked at his colleague.
"Sir, that's not how things work."
The stranger replied steadily,
"And who are you to decide what works and what doesn't, my friend?"
The officers exchanged uneased looks, and the strange man added with a threat,
"I'll give you a few seconds to get out of my way… and if you don't, I'll consider myself legally allowed to use force. One…"
I had to intervene, otherwise the chaos would ruin the crime scene.
"What's going on here?" I asked as I stepped toward them.
One of the officers gestured at the man.
"Detective, this man—"
But the stranger didn't wait.
He stepped between them with confident strides.
One of the officers shouted for him to stop, but I raised my hand, signaling them to stand down.
The stranger smiled faintly and reached out his hand to me.
"Oh, finally a civilized person! My name is Rem, third-year Devil Hunter. Nice to meet you...sir.."
I shook his hand calmly.
"Kondō… Kondō Isami."
I examined him carefully. His appearance was truly odd— slouched back ,long hair reaching his shoulders and a weird looking eyebrows
Rem's eyes widened with childish excitement.
"Oooh! Like that guy from the Shinsengumi? Cool! As for me, I'm just Rem. My parents were obsessed with that old cartoon ,what was its name again " he tapped his forehead lightly as if he's trying to remember " ahaa ! nobody's boy reme that what it was called"
I corrected him coolly,
"Kondō Isami was the leader of the Shinsengumi, not just some guy."
Then added more formally:
"Anyway, you said you're a Devil Hunter. What exactly are you doing here? As far as I know, there has been no devil attack in this area."
Rem tilted his head slightly, a faint, unreadable smile on his face
"Are you sure about that?" he said, nodding toward the corpse. "Because, as far as I can see, that poor woman agrees with me… this was definitely done by one of those filthy devils."
My expression tightened. I fought to maintain composure despite how his tone irritated me.
"Sir… it seems you received a false report. Believe me, there is no devil involved in this case."
" s-so .." Rem raised his eyebrows a little, tilting his head again like a child who'd just been scolded .
"So you dont need any help...like ,at all?" he asked while looking like he was on the verge of tears
I replied coldly,
"yes at all. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to return to my investigation while you can return to hunting your savage devils "
There was a short silence.
Then Rem's lips curled into a completely cold smile as he said with his voice low
"Do you know what I think, Mr. Isami? I think the real savages … are all humans beings."
I stared at him for a moment then blinked a couple of times " wha ? " unable to answer before he gave me the next blow.
Rem smiled again, his calm making it even more terrifying.
"And you know what else Isami? What if I told you that I am the one who killed that woman behind you...and every woman in your past cases What would you do then?"
I widened my eyes in shock from the sudden confession then
A long silence filled the air.
I could barely breathe as i met his still gaze
My words stuck in my throat.
Rem shifted his posture; the once relaxed slouch vanished as his back returned to its natural, upright state. The way he stared down at me was terrifying ,I couldn't even lift my eyes to meet his. The mask of innocent playfulness he'd worn moments ago fell away, revealing this vile monster
"And I plan on more… I WILL keep killing more while you waste your time writing reports filled with wishes and empty promises, what do you have to say about this"
He said it with a dead, chilling calm.
I didn't reply.
The silence between us grew heavier than any words.
I finally said dryly,
"And you call humans savages? That's funny."
Rem smiled faintly and spoke quietly:
"There's nothing funny about it… No, actually ...there is something funny and thats How helpless you are right now."
He stepped closer, a strange glint in his eyes.
"Go ahead, pull your gun, hero. Prove me wrong… come on detective come on, come on"
I tried to draw my gun and empty every bullet into him—I swear I tried—but I couldn't even touch my weapon.
All I felt was that any wrong move would get me killed instantly by this man who felt like a towering monster before me.
He spoke slowly, voice dripping with hidden threat:
"Oh, brilliant . If you had pulled your gun, i would have ripped your head off… I really want an excuse to kill you tonight. Do you know what you'll do now, Isami? You'll resign and drop this investigation completely. And if I find out you're still playing detective after today, I'll kill your wife. And if you insist on acting like some tragic hero of justice, I'll kill you too"
He placed his hands on my head, lifting it slightly so our eyes met.
"Understood?"
I nodded, trying to avoid his gaze.
"Good boy," he said, then kissed my forehead before he turned to leave
As if they sensed my fear, the two guards stepped in front of Rem. One of them pressed a hand to his chest, ordering firmly, "Wait—stop right there!"
"No! Stay away from him!!" I shouted.
Cruuunch!
Kondo shut his eyes the instant that sound tore through the air.
A softer voice followed, disturbingly calm:
"I don't like being touched… especially on my chest," Rem murmured as he kept walking forward, unfazed.
Kondo's eyes remained shut, refusing to open. He didn't need to look.
He already knew...knew exactly what had happened to those poor officers after that sickening crack of bone
______
"That's everything, Mr. Tanaka. I was violently humiliated that day to the point where i think being sexually assulted in the street infront of everyone will be less humiliating than what he did to me ...i couldn't do anything mr tanaka. I divorced my wife to keep her safe. My health collapsed from insomnia, and I developed diabetes. I avoided every chance at happiness, terrified the Lynx would come someday and destroy it...And those two poor officers… they were still so young. They didn't deserve to have their necks twisted a full 360 degrees.
Actually ...now that I think about it, no one deserves to have their neck mangled like that.
No one… except maybe… aaah, the Lynx himself."
Tanaka let out a lazy yawn.
"I see… it's really unfortunate that you had to go through that."
Kondō exhaled bitterly.
"Unfortunate isn't enough to describe it Mr. Tanaka. I stained the great name of Kondō Isami with shame that can't be erased… I'm sure he's boiling with anger in the afterlife at my failure."
A faint smirk crossed Tanaka's face.
"Don't worry… he's probably boiling in hell already."
Silence followed.
Then Kondō whispered coldly:
"Like your dead lover… and your filthy child, right?"
The line cut immediately
Tanaka looked at his phone confused then he threw it away and leaned back on the couch staring blankly at the ceiling.
" that was rude "