Digital Devil Story: Warrior of the Demon City

by Aya Nishitani

  CHAPTER 2

  A deafening explosion broke Nakajima's concentration.

  A star-mark-adorned F-14 jet divebombed, slicing through the clouds. Nakajima all of a sudden found himself hovering over a battlefield. Below him was a hair-raising sight.

  An unbelieveably large lump of flesh, a hideous tower of raw meat, was slowly writhing. Its pale green, transparent gelatinous membrane was greedily expanding at its base. Several long black rivers flowed into it. No, what looked like black rivers were actually the hair of the people heading toward the tower. Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people tore off their clothes and proceeded forward completely naked.

  Rapid explosions echoed through the air. The SDF's F14 jets scrambled from the 7th fleet were attacking, targeting the top of the tower so as to minimize injury to the humans below. A rain of bullets from an attack helicopter's machine guns sprayed through the air. Though that ammunition was capable of penetrating tank armor, it was absorbed without any resistance into the body of the ever-expanding otherworldly creature, as if it was laughing at the pathetic attack. It was almost as if it was trying to prove that any attacks against it would be futile.

  Nakajima pictured the blue spheres within his mind. His body was wreathed in a scorching wind, and then in his right hand he gripped the sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi. Gripping the hilt with both hands and holding it forward, Nakajima cut through the air, charging toward the summit of the tower.

  GRAAAAGH!

  Nakajima's attack appeared to have given his target a shock it could not ignore; the demon Set, formerly engrossed in absorbing humans into his own body, turned his attention toward Nakajima and interrupted his mind control of the people he had been manipulating. As a result, the people advancing toward the tower were suddenly freed from their trances. Around the tower, an ocean of ghastly protoplasm spread out, its gelatinous walls crashing down like a tsunami. Far above, the fighters darted amongst themselves and an attack helicopter plummeted to the ground in a ball of fire, having being hit by an attack from Set.

  The hellish sight now standing before the people suddenly brought back to their senses was far too much for them to handle. Instinct overpowered them, and a cruelty far greater than when they had been controlled by the demon possessed them as in their efforts to save themselves they blindly knocked over others, trampling their naked backs and stomachs underfoot. Seeking new victims, an ocean of blood and bile let off a great stench.

  So, you really did come after all.

  Already inside the tower of flesh, a powerful psychic wave assaulted Nakajima's mind. As if trying to shake off the headsplitting pain, Nakajima slashed his sword around. The inside of Set's body was torn up by the sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi surprisingly easily.

  What you are so gleefully cutting up are the bodies of the humans that have become a part of me. Dice them up to your heart's content.

  Set's scornful psychic wave seemed to be almost pleased that a somewhat worthy opponent had appeared.

  Where is Yumiko! Give her back!

  There was no response.

  Instead, it appeared as if the space in front of Nakajima suddenly opened up, and with a sickening sound, there stood a boiling swamp of blood. One of the sticky bubbles burst, and a human hand extended out. As if on cue, one by one, naked, stooped-over humans came crawling out of the swamp dripping with fresh blood.

  Kill us, kill us! End our misery...

  As they pulled themselves out of the swamp, they pulled up their heads with one hand by their blood-matted hair. The faces of those advancing, murmuring as if chanting a spell, were clearly those of Kondo, Takai...all classmates that had lost their lives to the demon Nakajima had summoned, Loki.

  CHAPTER 3

  Meanwhile, in the Colorado Springs American Air Force Command Center, the over 2000 points displayed on the world map taking up an enormous 50-foot screen could not have been enough. The Space Defense Force was tracking Chinese and Soviet satellites with 99.9% accuracy. The Space Defense Force had decided that the 2000 satellites pointed at the surface needed marking, and that was probably less than 40 percent of them.

  The visibly moving points were surveillance satellites launched into low orbit. The slower they moved, the higher their orbits were. At intervals of five degrees, satellites in dead orbit above the equator near North America, Europe, and Japan. Among them, the blinking point at 135 degrees East was Star Scorpion.

  Star Scorpion's job was to catch enemy ICBM launch information from recent surveillance satellites, calculate their trajectories, control defense satellites and laser cannons on the surface to intercept them, and order retaliatory strikes from nuclear submarines. It was like a space defense control tower. However, with the SDI not at full capacity yet, 70% of its abilities sat dormant as the satellite floated in space.

  "The Demon Summoning Program will only control the satellite's computer temporarily. As long as the demon does not destroy the satellite, you should be able to use it again," explained Professor Baker.

  "Don't try to console me. More importantly, we need to make sure that word of this plan doesn't leak out to the Senate. Getting the Senate to recognize the existence of demons would be 100 times harder than getting them to approve an invasion of Nicaragua. And if that summoned demon destroyed the satellite, they'll be screaming over the waste of the 2.5 billion dollars that it cost," replied General Louis, always careful to consider the political implications.

  "2.5 billion dollars is nothing. True, the problem is just with one country, Japan, right now, but it's plain as day that if the demon world keeps expanding, the problem will spread to Asia, Eurasia, and eventually North America. This plan is our last-ditch attempt at stopping that." Feed could not hide his irritation.

  "60 seconds and counting. 50, 40..." The countdown to the program delivery started.

  "20, 10, 9, 8, 7"

  "Stop! A Soviet communication satellite is jamming the signal!" cried a genearl watching a circular display on the console.

  The color drained from Feed's face. But General Louis just shrugged his shoulders unconcernedly and said "Don't worry. It's just the same old reaction."

  "Give me the number of the transmission beam that was jammed," spoke the businesslike voice of another general.

  "Numbers 2 through 40, and 50 through 80."

  "Stop the corresponding beams. Use only beams number 41 through 49."

  "Yes, sir."

  The countdown to transmission began again.

  "...3, 2, 1, starting transmission!"

  The host computer started groaning. Messages checking the status of the transmission scrolled down the display one after another.

  "Program transmission complete. Ready to stand by." The command center stirred with commotion.

  "OK, shut down Star Scorpion's relay functions. The substitute satellite is 145 degrees east, Mark V. Professor Feed, you can start the program any time." General Louis transferred his authority to Feed.

  Gripping his ornate cross, Feed's gaze leapt to the small display. The SDF's RPV still was sending footage of the carnage from Japan. Set's pillar of flesh had already grown to the size of a small mountain, and judging from the whole scene, no movement resembling that of anything alive could be ascertained.

  Nakajima Akemi...I haven't seen you since before I left. Unfortunately I can't afford to wait any longer. All I can do now is pray that the gods bless Yumiko. Clenching his hand into a fist, he had no way of knowing that at that moment Nakajima had entered Set's body and was fighting therein.

  "OK, start the program!" Feed's insides churned as he called out.

  Right at that moment, 35,800 kilometers above the equator, the Demon Summoning Program started running inside Star Scorpion.

  CHAPTER 4

  Without any forewarning, there was an immense change in the atmosphere. At the brink of exhaustion in his fight against Set's psychic waves, Nakajima's spirit was sha
ttered into pieces by an immensely powerful low-frequency rumbling. The mob of zombies that had just crawled out of the lake of blood grabbed their temples with one hand, and their other extended into the air as if seeking help, were crushed in the warping of space.

  Everything was being sucked into the storm of an immense magnetic field.

  I didn't make it in time...

  A new shockwave rocked Nakajima's senses, and he knew that Feed's plan had been taken into action.

  Yumiko...!

  Nakajima had already resigned himself to his fate. Even should Set be transported into space as expected, now that he was unable to have rescued Yumiko from inside him, a conviction to share her fate had at some point overwhelmed him.

  Having come to this resolution, his soul felt light.

  Izanami, it would appear that I will have to test the power that you gave me to the limit.

  As if embracing the blade of the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, Nakajima folded his arms to his chest and concentrated.

  CHAPTER 5

  The enormous tower of flesh fought against a tremendous force it had never experienced before. Its slimy peak jutting into the sky seemed to suddenly stiffen for a momnet, and a terrible roar louder than thunder ripped through the air.

  ZZBH, ZZBH, ZZBH

  The atmosphere shuddered, and the base of the several-kilometers-long tower started hovering off the ground bit by bit. Digging a crevasse large enough to swallow the entire forest, the enormous pillar of flesh gradually floated into the sky, taking houses and the asphalt roads with it as it was sucked into a magnetic field vortex like a whirlwind, a tornado tinged of blood and meat.

  At a point in the sky, the vortex opened in the center. It was a dimensional rip, like a large blot of ink splotched onto the canvas of the summer sky.

  The protoplasmic membrane of the tower rippled with the immensely powerful force tugging on it.

  A flash of light temporarily blinded the eyes of the Self Defense Force soldiers that gaped up at the sight, bewildered. By the time they regained their sight, there was nothing above them but an ordinary blue sky.

  CHAPTER 6

  Accompanied by the glittering of the stars, unending empty space surrounded Nakajima. Below his feet, the endlessly spinning shining blue globe looked up at him. It took him a few moments for him to realize that he was floating in outer space. Nakajima unfolded his arms. In them, he held the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, emitting a strand of light in the blackness of space. Its blade twinkled and throbbed, as if responding to the tens of thousands of stars.

  Suddenly, a sinister psychic wave hit Nakajima from behind. It appeared as if Izanami's robe had given him the power to survive and move about in the vacuum of outer space. Swinging his sword, Nakajima slowly turned around, and found his field of vision dominated by an open, gaping red maw.

  It was that of an incomprehensibly enormous serpent. Though the demon had only possessed a temporary form on the surface of the earth, the natural effect of powerful magnetic field that had forced him into space had given Set a complete body.

  Star Scorpion's 60-foot-long solar cells spread out like wings. Now a giant snake, Set's pale green scales glimmered as he coiled around the beautiful yet functional satellite lying in dead orbit.

  It looks like the insignificant humans had enough knowledge to summon me into this empty space. The voice echoed in Nakajima's mind.

  But the humans will soon know their folly in thinking that they have banished me. Pulling this satellite down with me to the surface is an easy task. And that is not all. Have a look at all the demons that were summoned here into space!

  Beside Nakajima, several pale glowing things that looked like hoods floated aimlessly.

  Soon, they will take on bodies and seek safe haven on Earth. The end of the age of the foolish humans' dominion over the earth will not be long now. Nakajima, whether or not you intended, you have become the knight that blows the trumpet signalling the beginning of the apocalypse. The only path remaining for you is to cast aside your humanity and work for me. It would be a shame to kill you. Think it over.

  Ignoring Set's call, Nakajima focused all of his anger onto the sword he held directly in front of him. The environment of outer space that had given the demon a body had also removed all restrictions on the divine power he had been granted. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi, now an immensely long coil of light, drew an arc like that of a whip emitting red light, and came down onto the body of the enormous serpent.

  Fool, you do not value your life. Set lurched forward.

  Weaving away from the enormous serpent's attacking fangs, Nakajima was enveloped by a miasma like ice. The Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi had already produced many pale sparks striking the body of the serpent coiled around the satellite. Yet the tough scales showed no sign of injury. Not only that, but the ugly faces and disgusting tentacles of materializing new demons floated like ghosts in the space around him.

  The noisy voices of the demons amplified like they were advancing down on Nakajima.

  I'd better do something quick; I don't stand a chance against all these demons if they keep materializing...

  Even those demons that managed to materialize fully had trouble maintaining their existence in the Assiah world without a powerful magnetic field. For Set, who was aiming for a full-on invasion of Earth, destroying Star Scorpion would probably be a heavy blow. And in contrast to Set, who could not leave the satellite, Nakajima appeared to have the upper hand, being able to fly about wherever he willed. However, the longer the battle proceeded without reaching a conclusion, the more clear the difference in latent power between the two became. Nakajima's sword seemed heavy in his tired arms, and even appeared to be gradually losing its shine.

  However, he could not stop fighting. As minor demons from Set's world continued wriggling while trying to enter the Assiah world, an unmistakably familiar voice echoed in Nakajima's mind.

  Nakajima! I'm here! Aim for here!

  Yumiko! Is that you!?

  The instant Nakajima heard the voice, the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi regained a shine like a nova as it tore through the air.

  Stab your sword in the direction of my voice!

  Nakajima quickly noticed a pale, white, phosphorescent glow on a part of the enormous serpent's scale-encased body.

  Yes, I'm inside the demon! If we attack from inside him and outside him at the same time, we might be able to defeat Set...

  Led by Yumiko's voice, Nakajima stabbed his blade toward the phosphorescent glow. But an instant before the tip reached it, the tail of the giant snake forcefully knocked the blade aside and sent Nakajima flying far back. Flipping over and regaining his composure, robe fluttering behind him, Nakajima saw the rolling form of Set uncoiling, as if swimming through the vacuum.

  Foolish girl! To think you would let me know that you still live! Now I no longer have to depend on this irritating machine!

  Set's thick tail crushed Star Scorpion's wings. The satellite in dead orbit with all its accumulated human knowledge stored on it, exposed to space like a broken toy, was burned to metal junk with a flash. Just like the satellite had, Yumiko's powerful biological Magnetite formed a powerful magnetic field capable of summoning a demon. So long as she lived inside him, Set no longer had to depend on the magnetic field generated by the satellite. Nothing could have pleased Set more than learning of her survival.

  Freed from his spatial constraints, Set could now fly freely throughout space. One moment he seemed to be attacking with his foul, enormous mouth, and the next instant he appeared to vanish into the vacuum, reappearing to strike with his thick, heavy tail; dodging alone took all of Nakajima's concentration.

  However, Set's movements appeared to be slowing. Looking closely, it seemed that the minor demons had amassed at one point of the giant serpent's body, clawing at it. Now that the satellite had been destroyed, they had lost the artificially generated magnetic fiel
d and were now competing with each other to cling to Set's body in an attempt to materialize in this world. Dodging the now-slowed Set's fangs, Nakajima quickly dove beneath the body of the snake.

  Now, Nakajima!

  Encouraged by Yumiko's voice, Nakajima stabbed his sword into the throng of lesser demons.

  SPLUTCH!

  For an instant, as if time had stopped, Set's movements ceased. Like thick glass that had been penetrated by a bullet, cracks started spreading over the scales covering the body of the enormous serpent, centering around the sword lodged in its trunk. After an instant of silence, Set's body shattered into tiny fragments and dispersed into space. Reflected in the light of the sword, Yumiko floated off into space, still tied to the Egyptian cross, floating in a mass of scale fragments that looked like snowflakes.

  Yumiko!

  As Nakajima anxiously swam through space, Yumiko drifted further and further away in his field of vision. The swarm of minor demons trying desperately to remain in this world clawed at their last hope: Yumiko and the cross she was tied to. But having used the last bits of her power to defeat Set, Yumiko had no way of fighting them off. At this rate, she would be pulled into the demon world along with them.

  It's all right, Nakajima. It's best this way... Yumiko's voice echoed in Nakajima's mind.

  Don't talk like that! I'll come save you, just hang in there!

  No! Please, don't try to save me! If I am pulled into the demon world with these demons, no demons will ever come to Earth again...

  Wait! Wait!

  Fueled by a determination greater than that of his to fight Set, Nakajima bridged the distance between himself and Yumiko. Nearly within arm's reach, he started wildly swinging the Sword of Hi-no-Kagutsuchi at the demons clinging to her. Its tip grazed the cross, producing pale sparks. At that moment, Nakajima thought he heard cries of joy erupting from the mouths of the demons.