Denji and the others have been trapped on the eighth floor of a hotel. They're going to starve to death if they can't figure out how to escape, but the only option available seems to be making a contract with the Eternity Devil that trapped them, which has said it will let the rest of them go if they let it eat Denji.

After the Eternity Devil portion of the story, the group winds down with some drinking (which Himeno also hopes will convince newbies Arai and Kobeni not to quit - their experience with the Eternity Devil was pretty traumatic). The volume ends with everything going all to hell.

This volume should come with a warning: if you're the sort to feel sympathetic nausea when stories include vomiting, approach this with caution. Or maybe flip forward several pages the instant Himeno kisses Denji. It's full-page awfulness, and Fujimoto milks every ounce of grossness out of it.

I don't know if Denji's age was previously mentioned, but in this volume we learn that he's about 16. Which puts another spin on Makima's efforts to seduce Denji into doing her bidding. Also, in this volume Himeno almost has sex with Denji - granted, she was super drunk, but I can't help but think about her relationship with Aki (who I think was a minor when he became her partner).

Not that there was any time to process any of that, because then the last bit of the volume happened and everything, as I said, went to hell. No punches were pulled, and yet it still wasn't enough. Denji's already proven that he won't let a little thing like "the villain is possibly immortal" stop him from throwing himself into a fight (speaking of which: I enjoyed the psychotic energy of his battle with the Eternity Devil). Still, things look really bad.

I'm interested in finding out how things turn out against this new villain, but here's hoping the series never includes anything like the vomit kiss again. I wouldn't blame readers who are on the fence about this series for stopping here. I, however, own a bunch more volumes, so I'll be continuing on.

Extras:

A four-page bonus comic devoted to Power. After the way the volume ended, the tone switch in the bonus comic just about made me dizzy. It was a relief, but still jarring.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) ( )

This volume has been a bit of an improvement over the first two, but it still has its awkward moments. One of the chapters ends a plot line, and the transition to the new one is pretty awkward. I started the next chapter, and after the abrupt plot change, I sat there going "Wait...that's it?". The new plotline honestly has more suspense to it, so that's interesting. The line is honestly a bit confusing, but it adds more interest into who the hell that one devil is. That f*cking vomit scene was so unnecessary. I felt myself get sick just reading it, even though I speed-read the page to get past it. I have no idea if it was meant to be gross humor, but it wasn't funny and was horrific instead. Still don't really care about Denji, his character development just reads as stereotypical. This is so bizarre since most of the other characters are actually fairly interesting development-wise. ( )

3.25

Well, It is getting better... ( )

As I read each volume of this series, I keep seesawing back and forth between whether I like it or am too annoyed by it. This volume has some lousy dialogue, pacing and transitions in addition to the protagonist being strung along by the women around him with sexual promises. But it also has some shocking developments, a moving sacrifice, and a cliffhanger that demands you read the next one.

I'm going to admit that it has me hooked for now and see where it goes next. ( )