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**Beyond the Happy End** (ハッピーエンドのその先に *Happīendo no Sono Sakini*) is the first chapter of *DEMON'SPLAN*.

## Short Summary

After working and saving up money for ten years, Boro and Carlos finally have enough money to challenge the DEMON'SPLAN: a magical device thaht grants any person it chooses a wish. However, they are framed by a Police Chief in the robbing of the Benton Residence.

Carlos turns himself in, in order to save Boro and the money only to find out that Benton 's DEMON'SPLAN challenge was fake all along.Patron , in posession of the real DEMON'SPLAN, then comes to Carlos' aid, granting him demon powers and thus, Benton and the Police chief are killed by him.

Boro is shocked to find out Carlos is chosen by the DEMON'SPLAN and refuses to let Carlos head towards a path of destruction. The two clash leading the DEMON'SPLAN to choose Boro due to his desire to protect thus granting him demon powers. Patron escapes with Carlos before anything else could happen. Boro exclaims that he will get Carlos back.

## Long Summary

During a huge event in a small town, Boro notes how crowed it is with Carlos responding by saying that Boro is more interested in girls than the DEMON'SPLAN to which he denies. Boro states that he will be the one that gets it and tells Carlos to mark his words. Meanwhile, a masked man curiously examines a DEMON'SPLAN flyer.

10 years ago, the same event took place with Benton offering a paraplegic, the 17th challenger, a chance to try out the DEMON'SPLAN. He states that it is just as the name implies: the DEMON'SPLAN will summon forth a demon that will grant any wish the "chosen one" desires. The paraplegic wishes for his legs to be healed so that he may see the woman he loves one more time. Suddenly, a scaly, three fingered demon's hand erupts from the box; grabbing onto the paraplegic. Moments after, he slowly stands up and gains the use of his legs back. In awe, Benton announces the challenge to those who believe that they are the chosen ones. This is witnessed by a young Boro and Carlos who realized their dream to pursue and challenge the DEMON'SPLAN.

10 years pass by and not another single "chosen one" has appeared. Back in the present day, Carlos tells Boro that the ship will arrive soon and they are greeted by their co-workers after finishing their work break. They ask if Boro and Carlos are working hard for their dream again today and that they should hurry up and take the challenge. Boro states that they just need to hang in there a little longer to save up for their "challenge fee." Their boss bursts out of his office and asks the workers if they have seen today's newspaper to which Boro responds that he does not pay for anything he cannot eat. The boss informs them that some people sneaked into Master Benton's house and robbed it three days ago; warning that is better not be any of them. The workers crack a few jokes in response.

Boro ponders to himself about the town they live in and how they do hard manual labor for a living by unloading imported goods off ships. Carlos calculates and divides the number of boxes between the two. Boro pairs up with Carlos and challenges his co-workers: whoever unloads the most boxes between the team wins and the losing team has to pay for the winning team's dinner for the night. Boro and Carlos win by unloading 6 more boxes than his co-workers, finishing with a total of 439. That night during dinner, Boro gets drunk and complains about how expensive the challenger's fee is for the DEMON'SPLAN. As Boro gets carried away with his fantasies, his co-workers asks Carlos why he puts himself beneath Boro even though they see him as the better man out of the two. Carlos smiles at the drunk Boro then asks his co-workers if they can see the scar running across Boro's face.

Carlos explains that Boro gained that scar when they first met. Growing up a young orphan with no relatives, stealing was a day-to-day necessity for Carlos. During an unfortunate day, he gets caught and is nearly beaten to death. Just as Carlos was feeling like it was the end for him, Boro shows up and protects him with his own body. In a desperate attempt to save himself, Carlos lies and blames the act on Boro stating that it was Boro who told him to steal. However, instead of hating Carlos for selling him out, Boro goes along with Carlos' lie in order to protect him resulting in the two being thrown into jail. Soon afterwards, Boro reveals that he, too, had no family or relatives. They quickly bond over this and Carlos becomes Boro's subordinate.

Carlos expresses his gratitude towards Boro to which his co-workers agree that Boro is a good boss. The group finish the meal and leave for the evening. The bar attendant hears a Police Chief speaking of the DEMON'SPLAN and asks if he is interested. The chief dismisses the idea and states that he is a realist explaining that it is not all bad for the young to be chasing after their dreams.

The next morning, a refreshed Boro asks why Carlos returned home early last night. Carlos explains that he had a lot on his mind and expresses his thoughts about his past along with the good things that happened since he met Boro. Stating that the days off suffering is over, after saving up for 9 years, 11 months and 23 days, Carlos reveals to Boro all the money that they have saved up along the way. As Boro shouts in excitement, they hear a knock on their door. Thinking it was Pets and ready to tease him with the cash, Boro answers the door to a Police Chief stating that the pair are under arrest for being suspects in the burglary at the Benton Residence. In shock, Boro asks what the chief was talking about. The chief tells Boro to quit acting dumb pointing at all the cash over there; stating that they will hear their excuses down at the police station. Boro tries to reason with the police officers, explaining that it was their own hard earned money, only for them to dismiss his reasoning then confiscating the money. An enraged Boro pounces towards the chief only to be struck down, unconscious, from behind by Carlos surprising the police.

Carlos proposes a deal to the police. Revealing that he recognizes the chief from the bar last night, Carlos figures that he must have overheard their conversation, finding out about their money thus resulting in this situation. Carlos offers himself in place of Boro and the money to which the chief refuses. Carlos threatens to take them down so the police agrees. Before leaving, Carlos tells the unconscious Boro that his dreams have been fulfilled and that he is happy ever since the day the met. Boro wakes up to the sound of his co-workers' voices. Confused, he asks for Carlos only to find out that he has been taken in by the police and has been sentenced to death for confessing to the crime. Upon hearing this, Boro dashes out in a desperate attempt to rescue Carlos.

Inside the prison cell, the police chief is surprised by how calm Carlos is. Carlos reveals the chief's intentions of targeting the lowest class of society and that the execution is so that he can set a precedent to make an example to the poor for any of those who dares oppose the rich. The chief states that it is merely to preserve public order. The chief remarks how smart Carlos is and wonders why he would die for the sake of Boro and the money. Carlos explains that his death will not be meaningless as he believes that Boro is the chosen one. After hearing this, Benton appears and wonders if Carlos' friend is going to challenge the DEMON'SPLAN. Carlos wonders to himself as to why Benton would be present. Benton states that he is a reasonable adult and offers the DEMON'SPLAN challenge to Carlos to test whether or not he is worth living. Just as Carlos tears up from happiness, Benton displays another DEMON'SPLAN box and states that Carlos can take that one with him as a souvenir to hell as he has just made a new one the other day. Shocked and in disbelief, Carlos states that he and Boro witnessed it for themselves 10 years ago. However, Benton reveals that what happened 10 years ago was a scam by using a regular person who could walk and siting him in a wheelchair with the DEMON'SPLAN being nothing more than a mere clockwork toy box. A furious Carlos threatens to kill every single one of them.

Upon arriving at the police station, only to see everything in ruins with the police chief and Benton both dead, Boro wonders who could have done this. Carlos, with Patron standing behind him, ensures Boro that everything is alright now that he has silenced all the hindrances. Boro wonders who Patron is. Patron introduces himself revealing that he devotes his life to traveling the world in search of chosen ones and that his entire reason for existence is to transfer the DEMON'SPLAN to its chosen ones. Before revealing to Boro the real DEMON'SPLAN. Carlos explains to Boro how the DEMON'SPLAN they witnessed 10 years ago was a complete lie. To which Patron backs up. He notes that he never have thought that Boro would appear so ordinary. Patron then goes on to explain that the DEMON'SPLAN chooses those who have different and uniquely sincere desires and its host and that for Boro who were born into poverty, it is almost laughable to think that his filthy wants could possibly touch the likes of the DEMON'SPLAN. Stating that being the boss of Carlos is the ultimate joke.

Carlos swings multiple blades at Patron prompting him to back away from Boro. Excited by Carlos' new power, Patron reveals that Carlos' desire for destruction granted him the **Blood Mist Wings** and through this design/plan, desires are turned into nourishment to feed the demon that the person becomes; hence the name of DEMON'SPLAN. Boro struggles to figure out what is happening, in disbelief that Carlos has turned into a demon by becoming a chosen one and wonders what is going on. Carlos expresses that it is not the world that is evil. Instead, it is the rich that spout off about hope so they can reap pleasure from the suffering and sorrow of those the trample and the police and peacekeepers who find convenient ways to conceal their wrongdoings that are turning the world rotten. And further states that flowers will never bloom in rotten soil. Carlos tells Boro that that is why he will remove all the scum of the earth so that he can take Boro to the happy end that lies beyond. Stating that he will be the one to protect Boro, Carlos reaches out to him only for him to swipe Carlos' hand away telling him to wake up. Carlos lands multiple heavy blows on Boro, severely injuring him, and demands Boro to just agree with him. Carlos goes on to explain that he only wants to make a world where Boro can laugh and smile and will do whatever it takes to make that a reality.

Boro reveals that he only wished for a happy end where they could both laugh and smile together so that he will stand up as many times as it takes to stop Carlos as there is no happy end to where he is headed to now. Enraged, the two ready up to clash head on: Carlos summons forth his Blood Mist Wings and generates a blade at hand. Boro charges at him suppressing his fear of death as he will be the one to be Carlos' boss. Suddenly, the DEMON'SPLAN opens up and shrieks as the blood on Boro's forearm begins to harden thus gaining a new power and smashes through Carlos knocking him unconscious. Patron is surprised that the DEMON'SPLAN is crumbling away after choosing and granting Boro the **Red Armor** due to his desire to protect. Patron catches Carlos then creates a portal, stating that it would be a waste to let things end here, before escaping. Boro races towards the two hoping to take Carlos back but ultimately fails. He then recalls the promise he made to Carlos to leave everything to him and exclaims that he will get Carlos back.

## Characters in order of appearance

1. Boro
2. Carlos
3. Patron
4. Benton
5. Pets
6. Tonis
7. Boss
8. Police Chief