When Hayashi saw the reward, he was honestly surprised.
This can count as food?!
A heart? Really?
Is a heart considered food now?
What is this, "heart sprinkle"?!
The key thing is, this wasn't just any ordinary heart.
Its description said, Chainsaw Demon's Core Heart!
What did that mean?
Hayashi checked the detailed description.
[Chainsaw Demon·Source Heart: This heart comes from Hell, and it is the source of the Chainsaw Demon's power. Once you devour it, you will completely absorb the existence of the Chainsaw Demon. The Chainsaw Demon in Hell will cease to exist and will not regenerate. You will become the new Chainsaw Demon, even though you won't have the Chainsaw Demon's appearance.]
[Note: The original Chainsaw Demon, Pochita, can either be contracted as a messenger, joining the Midnight Diner's watchdog team, or be completely devoured. If you choose the latter, you will completely dominate the other.]
"Devour... existence?"
"Does this mean even the concept of existence will be devoured?"
"This is the source power of the Chainsaw Demon... I see."
Hayashi's original ability was to fully devour "food" and gain all the abilities of the food consumed!
And the Chainsaw Demon's power allows one to devour the sense of existence, making the concept itself disappear!
So, when Hayashi devours the Chainsaw Demon...
His power would be greatly amplified.
Not only would the ability related to food and its existence concept be absorbed, but he could even devour the concept itself.
For example, if he ate a piece of meat in front of someone...
At the moment of devouring, even if someone witnessed it, they would forget that Hayashi just ate the piece of meat!
Unless he chose not to devour the "concept."
Thus, the Chainsaw Demon in Hell would no longer exist.
Instead, the Chainsaw Demon of Earth would appear: Hayashi.
The concept would be replaced!
All prior concepts of the Chainsaw Demon would completely disappear!
It would become a new... no, it would only be the unique one!
"A powerful concept..."
After Hayashi finished reading the ability description, he couldn't help but feel emotional.
This was a new encounter for him.
Otherwise, the Chainsaw Demon in Hell would have continued to regenerate, changing hosts.
Tohru had gone to close the door by this point.
Hayashi took the Source Heart out.
"Thump~ Thump~"
The heart was still beating in his hand.
Like a perpetual motion machine, it never stopped.
Looking at the heart, Hayashi smiled.
"Looks like Makima was right."
"Next time, no matter what, I'll truly have the power of a demon."
Of course, the Chainsaw Demon's previous form no longer mattered.
Once Hayashi devoured it, the new Chainsaw Demon would be him, and everyone's concept and subconscious would be altered!
It was time to devour.
The next moment.
Hayashi gripped the heart and immediately began to refine it!
Actually, he sliced it, turned it into heart slices, and made a dish similar to "couple's lung slices," then devoured it all.
"Thump~!!!"
The real next moment.
Hayashi's heart let out a loud sound only he could hear!
And the loud roar of the chainsaw starting!
"Vroom!!!"
With that sound, it slowly faded away.
Then, there was nothing.
Hayashi clenched his fist, feeling the power. He had gotten stronger.
"Is that it?"
He took out a mirror to check.
There were no stretch marks, no chainsaw, no symbols—nothing.
He was still the same, nothing had changed.
If Makima were to comment, she'd probably say the scent had intensified!
Other than that, nothing else had changed!
So...
This was the true concept devouring.
From now on, everyone would think of the Chainsaw Demon as Hayashi.
Makima had even called him the "Food Demon" before.
Now, with this new ability...
If he were to be called anything, it should be the "Devouring Demon!"
After all, the chainsaw of the Chainsaw Demon wasn't important to Hayashi.
Its attack power wasn't as high as his other abilities.
That's why the chainsaw didn't appear.
After all, the true power of the Chainsaw Demon was the ability to devour concepts.
"It's really amazing," Hayashi remarked.
"The door's locked now," Tohru returned.
She came to the kitchen door, greeted Hayashi, and suddenly sniffed the air as she approached.
"What's wrong?" Hayashi, curious if Tohru could smell anything, asked.
Tohru sniffed the air, then shook her head.
"It's nothing. It's just that Hayashi-san's scent seems stronger, or rather, more unique. It has a new smell."
So, the new ability and identity brought an increased scent, not a change in it.
It was like a mixed fragrance.
"That's good," Hayashi nodded with satisfaction and said directly, "I just gained a new ability, so I got stronger."
"Oh~!" Tohru's mood instantly brightened. "What kind of ability is it?"
"I'm better at eating now!"
"? That... that's pretty amazing!"
"Hahaha."
It was clear Tohru wasn't the type to rain on someone's parade.
Since Hayashi said it, Tohru praised him as well.
Hayashi smiled and rubbed Tohru's head.
"Let's go, how about we play games upstairs? Wanna team up?"
"Really!?"
When Tohru heard that they would play games together, she was excited, but then suddenly became a bit worried.
"But I don't know how to play... Hayashi-san, I won't drag you down, right?"
"What are you talking about?" Hayashi decided not to play competitive games for now. "You're so talented and smart, you'll pick it up in no time. Come on, I'll teach you."
"Waa, Hayashi-san is so nice, long live!"
And so, the two went upstairs to play games.
...
Meanwhile.
Inside the Antique Café.
Even though it was late, the second floor of the Antique Café had gathered all the members.
This time, everyone was there, including the usually reclusive Shikou Renshi.
They were all gathered in a room, standing.
Fumimura, the manager, facing the window, looked outside and sighed softly.
"So, the Copper Tree's executives have arrived today. Don't you think that Hayashi, the new diner manager, is that dragon?"
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