Just at that moment, Furuta Nimura, who had been lying on the ground severely injured, suddenly sprang up and launched a surprise attack on Kaguya, who had her back turned to him, with lightning speed.
Furuta's speed was astonishing, akin to a flash of lightning, leaving behind afterimages as he closed the distance in an instant. At the same time, his body swelled abruptly, and a crimson tail-like kagune extended from his back, striking toward Kaguya's defenseless back.
"Watch out!"
Takatsuki Sen shouted anxiously, but it was too late.
He had succeeded.
As expected, what an idiot—completely unguarded.
The corners of Furuta's lips curled up in a victorious smile. However, that smile quickly froze.
A delicate hand extended outward, and five slender fingers grasped the incoming tail kagune firmly in their grip.
"What—?!"
Furuta was shocked beyond belief. The opponent's speed had exceeded his imagination; he hadn't even seen her turn around.
Before him, the silver-haired girl wore a gentle smile on her beautiful face, her bright eyes filled with amusement as they gazed at him.
But to him, that expression was nothing short of mockery. He stomped his foot and retreated swiftly, struggling desperately, his kagune thrashing violently. At the same time, countless feather-like projectiles burst from his body and shot forth like a torrential storm.
Yet, those seemingly delicate hands held his kagune in an iron grip, like a tiger's claw, rendering his efforts futile. No matter how hard he struggled, it was as if his kagune had been fused to her hand.
Moreover, before the sharp crystalline projectiles of his ukaku could even reach her, they were blocked by a layer of black material. The projectiles struck the surface with a crisp "ding-ding-dang-dang" sound, scattering sparks, yet the pitch-black protective barrier remained unscathed.
"You cannot escape." Kaguya said with a faint smile.
Sensing danger, Furuta did not hesitate to sever his own kagune and immediately propelled himself backward.
"How despicable. But honestly, I never expected someone like you to possess any sense of honor." Kaguya scoffed, casually crushing the severed kagune into pieces. "If you had behaved yourself, I might have spared your life. But now? Sorry, I think it's better if you just die."
"Wha—what kind of joke is this?!"
Furuta abruptly lifted his head, his face twisted in fury. With a roar, his kagune swelled violently, enveloping his body in a crimson mass. In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a monstrous figure several meters tall. Upon closer inspection, his form bore a striking resemblance to Takatsuki Sen, though not identical.
"I already told you, you cannot defeat me," Kaguya said with a serene smile, as if stating an undeniable fact. "A truly intelligent person must be aware of the gap between themselves and their opponent. And yet, you dared to challenge me. I can't tell whether it's sheer arrogance or utter foolishness—or perhaps both."
"Is she showing off? She looks so smug."
"Yeah, it seems like it. Her shamelessness is honestly a bit hard to watch."
"Should we remind her?"
"That might not be a good idea. If she gets angry, things could get ugly."
"Then let's just pretend we didn't see anything."
"Keep your voice down, don't let her hear you."
Takatsuki Sen covered her mouth, but her shoulders were trembling as she struggled to hold back her laughter. Beside her, Rize Kamishiro also had an amused expression, her eyes brimming with mirth.
"Laugh all you want now, but when she gets mad, don't expect me to help you."
Why is it that in other anime, no matter how cringeworthy the protagonist's lines are, no one laughs at them? Yet, she only said a few words, and these two girls are already making fun of her.
"See? She's getting embarrassed and angry." Takatsuki Sen chuckled as she glanced at Rize, clearly entertained.
"That does seem to be the case." Rize also laughed heartily, showing no sign that she had been gravely injured just moments ago.
"Bastards! How dare you ignore me like this?!"
A deafening roar suddenly rang out. Unexpectedly, it wasn't Kaguya who spoke, but Furuta in the distance. His massive body twisted in fury, his expression savage. His chest heaved violently with rage, and he panted heavily.
"This has nothing to do with you. Get lost," Kaguya frowned slightly and waved him away in disdain. "You're simply too ugly. I don't feel like talking to you."
She then suddenly realized—wasn't she here to kill this guy?
Just as Furuta was about to explode with rage, Kaguya turned to him, her expression turning serious. "You've really gotten yourself into trouble. Just surrender quietly."
"What a joke! Go to hell!"
Unable to bear Kaguya's "mockery" any longer, Furuta stomped down hard. The ground beneath him shattered and cracked as he launched himself forward like an arrow released from its bow. With another powerful step, he leaped high into the air. At the same time, countless tail-like kagune emerged from his back, transforming into a barrage of spears that rained down upon Kaguya like lightning.
"So fast!"
The once-playful Takatsuki Sen and Rize's expressions shifted instantly. Their eyes could barely follow Furuta's movements—by the time they caught sight of him again, his attack was already descending.
"To have lived this long is already a miracle for you. If you're still shamelessly hoping for more, that would be nothing but a delusion," Kaguya said with a smirk, her tone laced with amusement. "I don't have time to play with you anymore. I have far more important things to do. This game is over. And you—it's time for your release."
As soon as her words fell, Kaguya lightly tapped her foot. Her figure vanished instantly.
Furuta's heart tightened.
Just as he frantically tried to locate her, Kaguya suddenly reappeared before him. Her arm was already raised, aimed squarely at his chest. In a soft voice, she murmured, "Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack."
Furuta's pupils contracted sharply.
What filled his vision was an onslaught of translucent fists, surging toward him like a torrential downpour. The air was ripped apart in an instant, accompanied by a deafening series of sonic booms as the countless fists engulfed him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The thunderous impacts roared in succession. The shadowy fists struck Furuta's body with lightning speed, and the kagune armor encasing him shattered like an eggshell. His body, caught in the relentless assault, trembled violently—like a withered leaf caught in a storm, or a ragdoll being torn apart. Crimson blood sprayed into the air, cascading like a torrential downpour—gruesome, yet eerily mesmerizing.
With a muffled "boom," Furuta's battered body plummeted from the sky, crashing heavily onto the ground.
"So... so powerful..."
Takatsuki Sen's eyes were wide with astonishment. Her voice trembled slightly, and she even forgot to breathe for a moment. She had never expected such overwhelming strength.
The sheer force of the previous attack was evident just from looking at Furuta's twisted, wretched body on the ground. The impact had even generated a violent gale—if they hadn't been standing behind Kaguya, they might have been blown away by the storm.
"Cough, cough..."
Furuta braced himself against the wall, struggling to his feet with unsteady movements. His entire body was soaked in blood, his tattered clothes hanging in shreds, making him look like a beggar. His limbs were grotesquely twisted, with jagged, white bone protruding from his shattered elbow. His chest had caved in, leaving one to wonder how many ribs had been broken.
"You really are tenacious," Kaguya mused, resting a finger on her chin. "Are you perhaps related to cockroaches?"
"Heh... heh heh heh..." Furuta's lips curled into a twisted grin. "Excellent... truly excellent... I've finally found something interesting—"
Before he could finish speaking, his pupils contracted as he instinctively dodged. However, he still couldn't avoid the incoming kick that struck him squarely in the chest. His body shot backward like a cannonball, crashing into an apartment building with a deafening "boom." The already unstable structure immediately collapsed, sending up a massive cloud of dust and debris.
Kaguya retracted her leg, dusted off her hands, and placed one hand on her hip. With a look of disdain, she sneered, "The hell are you laughing at?"
Nearby, Takatsuki Sen and Rize Kamishiro exchanged glances, watching the scene unfold. Rize blinked and said hesitantly, "Uhh... Kaguya... seems a bit scary when she's like this..."
"By the way, why are you two here?" Kaguya turned to them, her curiosity piqued.
"Isn't it obvious? We're here for you," Takatsuki Sen replied after snapping out of her daze.
"For me?" Kaguya pointed at herself, looking baffled. "Since when did I ask you to come here just to get beaten up?"
Takatsuki Sen took a deep breath and explained, "Isn't this where CCG's research facility used to be? It's just nearby."
CCG's research facility...
Kaguya suddenly remembered. She had vaguely mentioned it before—her goal had been to obtain CCG's past research on Rize. That information was crucial for her, as it held the key to understanding Rize. However, there had been an issue—she lacked the necessary Rize for the experiment.
After all, her own blood supply was extremely limited. Even if they drained her dry, it wouldn't be nearly enough. The project required tens of thousands—possibly even hundreds of thousands—of Rize. There was simply no way she could provide that on her own.
Now, things were starting to make sense. Kaguya nodded. "So you guys came here... and ended up running into Furuta Nimura?"
If her guess was correct, that was probably how it happened. After all, Kaguya wasn't the only one after CCG's abandoned laboratory—Furuta might have been even more desperate to seize it. He had likely ambushed Takatsuki Sen and Rize the moment they set foot in the area.
"What else could've happened?" Takatsuki Sen sighed, rubbing her temples. "At first, I thought maybe luck was finally on my side. But now I see—nope. Turns out, it was just an industrial accident."
An... industrial accident?
Who are you trying to fool? Do you take me for an idiot?
Kaguya's eyelid twitched. If a beautiful woman had told her she wanted to "eat" her in a certain way, she might have been delighted. But if the meaning were literal... no thanks. She definitely wasn't into that kind of thing.
At that moment, amidst a thunderous rumble, the ground suddenly began to tremble violently, shaking as if struck by an earthquake. The quaking earth made it difficult to stand, and cracks began to spread across the ground like a sprawling spiderweb. Debris flew in all directions, stirring up thick clouds of dust.
Under the astonished gazes of the onlookers, a towering building collapsed with a resounding crash. From within the ruins, an enormous figure, as colossal as an iron tower, slowly rose, sending forth waves of overwhelming force.
As the dust settled, Takatsuki Sen and Rize looked on in disbelief at the being that had emerged—a titan with a ferocious face and sharp, glistening fangs. Its eyes radiated a savage red glow, exuding a menacing aura, and its body was shrouded in a suffocating presence.
Not only that, but its entire body was covered in thick, crimson liquid that writhed and pulsed as if alive, coiling around its powerful muscles like armor. This was none other than kagune, and the monstrous being before them was a kakuja giant.
"This... how is this possible?"
Rize Kamishiro's face turned pale, while Takatsuki Sen stood frozen, unable to move. The sheer existence of such a creature was enough to render them speechless.
Its size was utterly immense, even larger than the kakuja giant that had previously appeared in the 20th Ward. It was nearly twice as massive. Compared to it, not only did humans seem insignificant—even buildings barely reached its lower legs.
"You damn bastard! I'll skin you alive, grind your bones to dust, and make sure you have no place to be buried!"
Transformed into a kakuja giant, Furuta roared in fury. His thunderous voice shook the heavens and earth, unleashing powerful shockwaves. The sheer force of his voice was piercing, making even Takatsuki Sen and Rize's eardrums ring painfully. Their bodies trembled under the impact, nearly forcing them to their knees.
"Silence."
A voice as clear as a heavenly chime suddenly rang out. Though not loud, it resonated distinctly in everyone's ears, as if whispered right beside them. This pure and crystalline voice was like a cool spring, instantly washing away the harsh, grating echoes of Furuta's furious screams, cutting them off abruptly.
Furuta's massive body froze for a moment, then, overcome with rage, he bellowed, "I'll kill you!"
With that, his colossal arm swung downward, his fist descending like a storm-wreathed hammer, crashing toward Kaguya with the force of a thunderclap.
Takatsuki Sen and Rize could only watch in horror. This devastating punch, carrying the weight of a mountain, was something beyond their ability to withstand.
What should they do?
A strike like this—like a crushing landslide—was completely beyond their power to resist.
Takatsuki Sen clenched her fists, fear surging through her heart.
Are we going to die?
Just as despair gripped them, Kaguya spoke.
"Has no one ever told you? If a person courts death, they will die."
Kaguya shrugged, raising her hand. Her lips curled into a dazzling smile. "Since you're so determined to seek death—"
"Then go ahead and die."
The moment her words fell, a gleaming white bone materialized in Kaguya's palm. In a flash, it shot toward Furuta's chest like a bolt of lightning, its icy gleam flickering for just an instant—
All-Killing Ash Bones.
A chilling gleam of light flashed and vanished.
Furuta Nimura's body froze, and his movements halted as if he had been petrified. Beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. With his heightened senses, he could instinctively perceive the terrifying power emanating from the attack. But when he lowered his head to look, his face stiffened in confusion.
There, embedded in his chest, was a white bone spike, its sharp tip already pierced into his flesh, leaving only the jagged tail end protruding outward. Yet, in Furuta's eyes, this spike was nothing more than a toothpick—no, even smaller than that.
Furuta lifted his head, a mocking expression spreading across his face. He burst into laughter and taunted, "This is your attack? Are you joking? Hahaha! If you're just playing house, you should go back home. This place isn't for you. Or hey, you can play with me instead."
His crimson eyes gleamed with unrestrained greed, and his snake-like tongue flicked out to lick his lips.
"It seems you still don't understand your situation," Kaguya said, the corners of her lips curling up. Her clear, crystalline eyes twinkled with amusement as she continued with a half-smile, "You're on the brink of death, yet you still act so arrogantly. How utterly repulsive. Since you haven't descended into hell yet—"
"Allow me to send you there myself."
With that, she extended a finger and, with a crisp "snap," flicked it.
"Empty threats! Do you think your nonsense can scare me?" Furuta snarled viciously. But before he could continue speaking, his expression twisted in horror, as if he had just witnessed something truly terrifying. "T-this… what is this?!"
The area around the bone spike embedded in his chest had turned ashen gray, as if decayed. His crimson kagune began to wither and flake away, spreading outward in concentric rings like a spiderweb. Within moments, his entire chest had rotted away, leaving behind a gaping hole through which his exposed, ghastly white bones were clearly visible.
Takatsuki Sen and Rize were utterly dumbfounded, their eyes wide with shock, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. They could only stare at the gruesome sight before them in stunned silence.
"You no longer have any place in this world. Die in peace," Kaguya said, waving her hand in farewell to Furuta, who was still struggling desperately. She then turned to leave.
"YOU BITCH! IF I DIE, I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!"
Furuta roared in rage, his massive form shaking the earth with every step. With a deafening rumble, he charged toward Kaguya, crushing everything in his path. The buildings blocking his way were instantly reduced to rubble, walls crumbling and debris scattering in all directions.
Because of his immense size, he closed the distance in the blink of an eye. Raising his muscular, vein-laced arm high above his head, he brought it down with a fierce gust of wind, aiming a devastating blow at Kaguya.
Yet, Kaguya remained utterly unfazed by the incoming attack. She continued walking leisurely, as if taking a casual stroll, without even sparing him a glance.
Just as everyone thought she would be crushed under Furuta's fist—
Furuta's colossal body suddenly burst apart.
Like a sand sculpture collapsing in an earthquake, his entire form crumbled into countless fragments, disintegrating with a thunderous roar. His remains plummeted from the sky, reduced to a cloud of fine dust that rained down upon the battlefield.
Before even a single speck of dust could touch Kaguya, it was repelled by an invisible barrier surrounding her. As the piercing wind swept through, the dust was carried into the air, swirling and dancing like delicate snowflakes.
But who would have thought—this was no snowfall.
This was the pale, ashen remains of bone.
"It looks like the game is coming to an end," Kaguya murmured. She lifted her head, gazing toward the horizon where the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hints of dawn. Her expression was distant, her thoughts unfathomable.
The events of Tokyo Ghoul had been prolonged solely because she had willed it. Otherwise, no matter how much Furuta or the others struggled, they would never have escaped the palm of her hand. This had merely been a diversion—nothing more. Still, at the very least, she had changed the fates of many within this world. That, in itself, was a good deed.
As for the mission assigned to her by the system, it was now nearly complete. All that remained was to finalize the transformation of Takatsuki Sen and Rize, and her objective would be fulfilled. After that, this world would no longer hold any meaning for her.
For some reason, her thoughts drifted to the people from her previous world—the adorable little Hinata, the strong and imposing Esdeath, the gentle and elegant Kurome…
If possible, she really wanted to go back and see them again.
She wondered just how many achievement points she had accumulated by now.
Come to think of it—she really missed them.
"Hey, hey, is our great poet about to recite another verse?"
Just as Kaguya was sinking into sentimental melancholy, an ill-timed voice suddenly rang out. She turned her head to see Takatsuki Sen, standing there with an amused expression, one hand resting on her hip while the other gestured theatrically, as if performing on stage.
How was this even possible?
"Well, I suppose my mission is complete," Kaguya stretched lazily, turned back around, and said with a smile.
"Mission?"
Takatsuki Sen blinked in confusion, tilting her head. "What mission?"
"It's nothing you wouldn't be able to know," Kaguya replied. "I'll probably be leaving this world soon."
"Huh? Are you dying?" Takatsuki Sen blurted out, looking utterly baffled.
"Of course not!" Kaguya shouted, exasperated.
This girl was absolutely impossible.
"Then what do you mean?" Kamishiro Rize stepped forward, curiosity evident in her expression.
"To tell you the truth, I have a secret," Kaguya said solemnly. "I don't belong to this world."
"Oh."
Takatsuki Sen and Rize exchanged glances, their expressions unchanging. "Alright, makes sense."
"Wait, wait—aren't you even a little surprised?!" Kaguya asked, dumbfounded at their reaction.
"What's so strange about that?" Takatsuki Sen responded matter-of-factly.
"..."
Kamishiro Rize tilted her head in curiosity. "Aren't you supposed to be the legendary fox spirit?"
"..."
Kaguya was at a loss for words.
"Alright, enough joking around," Kamishiro Rize smiled. "To be honest, we figured as much a long time ago. You may not be a fox spirit, but you're definitely not from this world. And since you're bringing it up now, I'm guessing you have something to ask of us?"
"We're not idiots, you know." Takatsuki Sen grinned, crossing her arms.
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