[Author's words]
[Sorry for the long wait. Aside from the fact that I was busy with a job this last month, I was also thinking of different ideas for the next arcs. That's why it took me longer than usual to write the chapter. This is the last chapter of this mini arc. I got a little carried away and ended up writing a rather long chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Some facts that appear in this chapter are going to be quite relevant for the following arcs].
*Kenichi's POV*
Kenichi: "Ah~ That was delicious~"
Kirara: "Kyuu~ Kyuu~ Kyuu~ Kyuu~"
After I finished talking to Commissioner Tachibana, I quickly returned home to prepare dinner. Although it was a little late, I managed to prepare something simple but delicious.
I prepared "Transforming Furikake Gohan", a dish that Yukihira Souma prepared for Nakiri Erina during her entrance exam to Totsuki Culinary Academy and which is also the eighth dish on the secret menu of Yukihira Restaurant.
Although they tried to make it look cool by giving it that name, the reality is that it's just an improved version of the regular Furikake Gohan. It doesn't have any complicated science to it; in my opinion, anyone with decent cooking skills should be able to prepare it. But still, the charm of this dish lies in the fact that you can prepare something incredibly delicious with the most common and inexpensive ingredients.
As with regular Furikake Gohan, the basic ingredients are rice and beaten egg. But for the enhanced part, several other ingredients are needed, which are:
-7 Chicken Wings
-Sesame oil (1 tablespoon)
-Dices spring onion
-Grated ginger (1 tablespoon)
-Bonito broth (700 cc)
-Sake, mirin, sugar (1 tablespoon each)
-Light soy sauce (50 cc)
-Pinch of salt
All these ingredients are used to create a broth that, when cooled, turns into gelatin. Once ready, it is cut into small 1 cm x 1 cm squares and added to the rice with beaten egg. The moment the squares come into contact with the rice, they melt with the heat, coating the pieces of beaten egg with a thin layer of broth.
The end result is a simple but beautiful dish of Furikake Gohan. For a moment, it even looks as if the Furikake Gohan is being bathed in a thin layer of shiny gold.
Kenichi: (I still don't quite understand the logic behind the phenomenon of food shining. I would understand if I had used ingredients from the world of Toriko, but instead I used common ingredients that you can find in any supermarket. I didn't even do such a complicated preparation, and for some strange reason, this is the result).
Although my head tells me not to question the ridiculous logic of the anime world, something inside me makes it impossible to ignore these things. I guess it's inevitable; all my life I've believed that illogical situations in anime are normal in this world, but my ability to see alternate realities completely shattered those beliefs.
But despite the incredible appearance and good taste of Transforming Furikake Gohan, it doesn't come close to the taste of rainbow fruit. The taste of that fruit is on a completely different level, plus it has a lot of positive effects on my body; it even helps me replenish the mana I expend at an absurd rate.
Kenichi: (I wonder how good Transforming Furikake Gohan would taste if I used ingredients from Toriko's world. I remember that in that story, even ingredients with a capture level lower than 1 were far superior to those here).
Just thinking that one day I'll be able to eat ingredients like that makes me excited. That's why I'm thinking of taking on the Galala Gator mission after finishing this business with Oga.
Not only will it be a good opportunity to have a challenging fight, but it will also be the perfect opportunity to obtain rewards from Toriko's world. To begin with, the reason I didn't accept the mission right away was because at that time I didn't feel ready to fight the level 8 Galala Gator.
But I'm different now than I was back then, although I still don't think I'm strong enough to defeat him without any difficulty. After fighting the Stray Devils every day, I've gained some experience, so I think I'm ready to take this kind of risk.
Kenichi: (If I don't test my limits or risk my life in a life-or-death battle, I'll never be able to awaken the true potential of the Hanma bloodline).
Furthermore, for the past few days, my level has been stuck at 3. Some of my basic stats increased thanks to the "Sexual Maniac" job, but at this point, it's obvious that the low-class Stray Devils are no longer good opponents to test my skills.
Summoning Goki and Zenki to train is also an option, but at this point I'm still not strong enough to have a decent fight against them. That's why the only option left for me is the Galala Gator.
*Ring~ Ring~*
As I was thinking that, my cell phone suddenly started ringing.
Kenichi: (Hmm? A message from Mr. Issei).
Before leaving Raku's house, I gave Mr. Issei my number, so for a while now, they've been sending information to my cell phone about how they've been taking care of everything related to the councilman. I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I read the messages; in just a matter of a few hours, the Shuuei Clan had already destroyed all the businesses that the councilman and Oga had in the city.
The message they sent me now said that they had already caught the councilman and were in the process of torturing him to obtain any information that was not included in the data I stole from his house.
As for Oga, apparently he was rushed to Sainan General Hospital; he was currently undergoing surgery, but according to the information they sent me, his life is out of danger.
Kenichi: (Although I shared some of my mana to close his wounds, it's surprising that he survived after being unconscious in that state for two hours. Could it be that, as an antagonist, he is also protected by some kind of plot device, just like the protagonists?)
It's true that I didn't want him to die yet, but realistically speaking, this isn't the world of Baki, where characters can survive for hours with their limbs cut off without any problems. The only possible explanation I can think of is that Oga has something special that is similar to the protagonists' aura, which makes him difficult to kill.
Since I had already finished eating and still had to wait for Oga's surgery to finish, I decided to use my free time to check the items I stole from the councilman's house. So I went down to the training room and slowly began to take out all the boxes I had stored in the Dimensional Bag.
I started by checking the boxes containing magical items; I want to leave the boxes containing Treasure Tools for last.
At first, I was somewhat excited at the idea of finding a powerful item or one with some interesting magic, but my excitement quickly faded as I continued to take items out of different boxes.
Kenichi: (Most of these things are only good for having sex!).
Knowing the nature of Oga's family, I expected to find these items, but I never expected there to be so many. Plus, most of them were drugs with high levels of addiction in the supernatural world; no matter how you look at it, they were completely useless items that only served to arouse and addict women.
But even knowing that, I decided it was best to keep them. They may be useless objects, but no one says it's impossible to find uses for them that have nothing to do with sexual things. It's the same reason I still keep the Kilo Kilo no Mi stored away, waiting for the day when I can obtain some kind of technology that will allow me to analyze it and, if possible, replicate it.
I know it's an ambitious goal, but I'm sure it's not impossible. In One Piece, both Vegapunk and Caesar achieved it. Although in Vegapunk's case, he did it using the DNA of Paramecia users, and in Caesar's case, he created defective versions of the Zoan.
It's true that they are not perfect replicas, but the story of One Piece has already shown that, with the right technology, it is possible to replicate the abilities of the Akuma no Mi.
Kenichi: (Besides the fact that the Kilo Kilo no Mi is a fruit with an ability that is useless to me, it is ideal for use as an experimental sample. I can even ask Lala for help when I get to Earth; she may be able to discover something).
Among the items I found, the most interesting were:
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Explosive Ring: Also known as "Amputation Shackles". As the name suggests, these are shackles with small explosives designed to cut off the limbs of the wearer. They have a subjugation spell that makes the wearer unable to refuse the orders of the person who puts them on, and if they refuse to obey an order, the amputation function of the shackles is activated instantly.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Kenichi: (I wonder who the madman was who created these things. They don't even force the wearer to follow orders; they just detect when orders are not obeyed and activate by amputating their limbs. These things were designed solely for torture).
××××××××××××××××××××××
Magical Piercing: A form of piercing that has magical effects on the wearer. They can be used to block the use of abilities, induce lust, increase sexual arousal, or act as markers of ownership. They can be applied to the ears or other regions, but are most often seen applied to the nipples or genitals.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Kenichi: (This thing was definitely taken from some Eroge or Hentai anime. Its ability to induce lust doesn't interest me, but the ability to block the user's abilities sounds interesting; later on, I'll see if I can replicate that ability).
××××××××××××××××××××××
Hypnosis Grimoire: It is a magical grimoire that contains several hypnosis spells. Its spells mainly affect humans and supernatural beings with few mental abilities or few mental defenses. Most of the spells inscribed in it mainly affect women.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Kenichi: (Another item that looks like it came out of a Hentai anime. Although it's a useless item, I can't deny that I'm somewhat interested in grimoires).
Grimoires are powerful artifacts that are scattered throughout the worlds. Some are capable of granting wishes, others cause curses, and some can even contain pocket worlds. They are used both to store information and to inscribe magical spells, which can then be used even by beings much weaker or inexperienced with magic. They are very rare, often collector's items, and without the proper knowledge, they can be risky items that are considered contraband in the human world.
Kenichi: (Although grimoires in general are incredible, this one, in comparison, is practically trash. For starters, most supernatural beings can use suggestive magic. That makes it clear that this thing was created just to do perverted things to women).
××××××××××××××××××××××
Demonic Silvervines: It is a plant that shares the same effects as catnip. In some realms, it is considered a delicacy that can be used in the creation of chocolates. It acts as a powerful drug and aphrodisiac for most women, but works with greater effect on feline supernatural beings.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Cat Paw Grass: Like Demonic Silvervines, it is also a type of catnip that is deeply connected to the Nekomata; it is also known as Nekobitama Grass. Although it also has the effect of inducing lust in feline supernatural beings, this plant works as a cure for the effects of Demonic Silvervines on other women.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Among all the items, these were the only ones that seemed useful; everything else was just junk. I won't deny that I was pretty disappointed.
Kenichi: (To think that these idiots spent several hundred million on all this junk. Now I don't feel so motivated to see what kinds of Treasure Tools they bought.)
I opened the rest of the boxes with skepticism, and in the end, it turned out just as I expected: most of the Treasure Tools stored in the safety deposit boxes were the most common ones. All of them had abilities that most supernatural beings could naturally replicate with magic or Youki.
But among them, I found a few that were somewhat interesting:
××××××××××××××××××××××
Eye of Kontholos (Rank E): It is a blue crystal that looks like an eye. It has the ability to detect when a person is lying by looking through it.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Xian Cha Fei (Rank F): It is a teapot that has the ability to produce aromatic tea after being filled with ordinary water.
××××××××××××××××××××××
The Shadow Fins (Rank D): These are magical boots that allow the user to move instantly through the shadows. Rather than moving between shadows, they allow the user to swim through them.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Mimic Glasses (Rank D): These are glasses that allow the user to copy the movements of others and also grant the ability to read minds. They have a negative impact on the bodies of ordinary humans if worn for prolonged periods.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Rain Bell (Rank D): This is a bell that can summon rain when the user rings it. It can only be used once per area.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Succubus Ring (Rank C): This is a small ring that contains the magical power of a succubus. It allows the user to enter other people's dreams and control what happens in the dream at will; it also has the ability to keep people dreaming for as long as the user wants while the ring is active.
××××××××××××××××××××××
Zettō Kanna (Rank E): One of the 12 Deviant Blades forged by an unknown blacksmith using an alchemical method never seen before. Kanna's blade is straight, sharp, and very difficult to break compared to normal katanas. Unless the proper technique or abnormal force is used, it is impossible to break or bend it. Additionally, it carries a curse known as poison, which makes it impossible for its user to part with it.
××××××××××××××××××××××
These were the only Treasure Tools with interesting abilities, but none of them had combat abilities, so they weren't very useful to me. The only one that particularly interested me was the Mimic Glasses.
It may be true that these glasses can't copy magical abilities or special moves, but they can copy anything else. The only thing that limits them is the user's physical abilities, but that's not a problem for me.
The other Treasure Tool that caught my attention is "Zettō Kanna." It's the first Treasure Tool I've seen that functions as a weapon. From what I understand, it qualifies as a Treasure Tool because its origin, form, and the materials used to create it are unknown.
Kenichi: (I remember this is a katana that belonged to an anime called "Katanagatari.")
The story was about Yasuri Shichika, the seventh leader of the Kyotouryuu school, a combat technique that uses the body as a sword. Shichika lived in exile on a small island with his sister until Togame, an ambitious strategist working for the shogunate, arrived seeking Shichika's help. Togame's mission is to collect the "12 Deviant Swords," which were creations of the legendary swordsmith Shikizaki Kiki, to strengthen the power of the shogunate.
This is basically a summary of the story. Although it wasn't a very long anime, I have to admit that it was quite good; in particular, I really liked the final episode.
The main focus of the story is to gather the twelve different katanas that were created by Shikizaki Kiki. His creations had been very popular during times of war, but the story mentions that only twelve of the many katanas he forged were specially crafted through alchemy, occultism, and other supernatural means. Furthermore, although they are called "Katanas," not all of them are, as they have different shapes; for example, one is shaped like armor, another is a dagger, and the last is a pair of pistols.
The reason for their "Deviant" label is that the people who wield them are prone to being affected by their "poison" and will do anything to keep their katana for themselves, which is the case for most of the bearers who appear in the story. Each of the swords has a distinct characteristic or ability that makes them stronger.
Kenichi: (But even though they are powerful swords, in the end they were all destroyed by the Kyotouryuu technique of the protagonist Yasuri Shichika)
As for Zettō Kanna, I would say it is the most normal katana when compared to the other 11. Its only quality is that it is several times stronger than a normal katana; in fact, I can tell just by looking at it that it is much stronger than the Nichirin katana. But what really caught my attention about this katana is the fact that it is releasing a little bit of Youki.
Kenichi: (I guess this is what they meant when they said that the 12 Deviant Swords have poison; I can feel the anger and resentment with which it was forged. All those negative emotions were fused into the metal in a way similar to a curse.)
If I were an ordinary human, I would be worshipping this katana as if it were a priceless treasure, but having Youkai blood, it doesn't affect me in the slightest. To begin with, no matter how much resentment is accumulated in the katana, Youkai feed on that, so it's impossible for the resentment of a normal human to affect me.
Kenichi: (It's not a bad katana; in fact, it could easily qualify as a Youkai Sword. I can even tell that it's possible to channel Youki through it to launch a variety of different attacks, but personally, I'm more interested in Yasuri Shichika's Kyotouryuu style. Maybe I should try to learn it in the future).
At this point, I could no longer hide my disappointment. If I sold all the items and Treasure Tools, it was possible to get a large sum of several billion yen, but the main reason I stole them was so that they wouldn't end up in the hands of some lunatic. It may be true that they are useless to supernatural beings, but in the hands of some humans, these things become really dangerous.
Kenichi: (Well, what can you do? At least I did the right thing by bringing them back. I think I now understand why all those spiritual weapons from the Sengoku era, which should be worshipped as national treasures in some museum, are stored in the family's secret room).
At this point, I had no expectations left, so I opened the last box with boredom, but the moment I did, I couldn't help but open my eyes in surprise at the Treasure Tool inside.
Aesthetically, it didn't look that impressive; they were just a pair of black full-arm gloves, but the part that caught my attention was the gold-colored metal attached to the back of the hand, and in the center was a beautiful bright blue circular gem.
The moment I looked at those gloves, I immediately took out the Treasure Tools encyclopedia from my Dimensional Bag and started looking for information about it on one of the pages.
The moment I found it and read the description, I couldn't help but smile.
Kenichi: (Who would have thought I'd find a treasure buried among all this crap?)
××××××××××××××××××××××
Name: Skill Eater
Rank: S
Type: Utility
Origin: Unknown (?)
Description: These are gloves that have the ability to copy any skill from a specific target. Each glove can copy only one skill, and if a previously learned skill is replaced with a new one, the old skill can no longer be used.
××××××××××××××××
Abilities: Can copy any type of skill, including unique skills.
××××××××××××××××
Important Information: In order for the ability to be copied, the user must touch the target directly with the glove, and the target must willingly allow the ability to be copied. It is also possible to copy the ability by force, but doing so produces a powerful electric shock that hurts the target of the copied ability (in the case of women, it causes them to climax).
××××××××××××××××××××××
This must be the first high-ranking Treasure Tool I've seen so far. As far as I remember, this is an item that was created by the protagonist of an anime called "Black Summoner."
Essentially, it's just your typical Isekai anime, with a protagonist who is transported to an RPG-style fantasy world, gains abilities, broken magic, and forms a harem of beautiful heroines. This is the usual pattern adopted by most anime in that genre. The only thing that sets Black Summoner apart from other anime in the same genre is that the protagonist, Kelvin, is a battle junkie.
In that story, Skill Eater was an item that Kelvin himself crafted with his Smithing skill, using the remains of an Archdemon named Viktor, who had the unique ability to absorb the characteristics of anything he ate.
In other words, Skill Eater is like an inferior version of Gluttony, Rimuru Tempest's unique skill. When I say it's an inferior version, I don't mean it's a bad item; in fact, if I obtain a skill similar to Kelvin's in the future, it's possible to make several improvements to it.
Just thinking about the different uses I can give it makes me excited. For example, what would happen if I touched Hyodou Issei with it? In theory, I should be able to copy the Boost ability from his Boosted Gear. The same goes for Vali Lucifer; if I touch him, I should also be able to copy the Divide ability from his Divine Dividing.
Both Sacred Gears have several powerful abilities, but these two are their main abilities. "Boost" is an ability that doubles the user's power every 10 seconds, and "Divide" is an ability that divides the opponent's power in half every 10 seconds and transfers it to the user.
No matter how you look at it, these are two truly broken abilities; even an ordinary human could become incredibly powerful with these two abilities.
Kenichi: (The best part is that Skill Eater doesn't steal abilities, it just copies them, so I don't need to feel guilty about taking other people's abilities).
*Ring~ Ring~*
As I was thinking about the different uses I could give Skill Eater, my cell phone rang again, indicating that I had received a new message.
When I finished reading the message, I knew it was time to end everything related to Oga.
I calmly went down the stairs leading to the family's secret room and carefully stored all the items and Treasure Tools I had stolen from the councilman's house. I also made sure to store all the items with abilities I found interesting in my Dimensional Bag.
With everything stored away, I was ready to meet Oga one last time. But just as I was about to leave, I couldn't help but notice a garment hanging on the wall where all the weapons were.
For a moment, I had trouble recognizing it; I even thought it was the garment of one of the characters from Sengoku Basara, but after looking at it more closely, I realized it was similar to the robe worn by Inuyasha.
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Name: Robe of the Fire-Rat (Improved)
Description: This is an improved version of the robe worn by Inuyasha; it was woven from the fur of "Hinezumi (Fire-Rat)." It is more resistant than any ordinary armor, is immune to fire, and has the ability to regenerate if torn.
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The reason why I had trouble recognizing it at first is because they made quite a few modifications to the original design. Now it had many metal pieces added that functioned as armor. Unlike the "Robe of the Fire-Rat (Original)," this one was modified to resemble the clothing worn by Touga and Sesshomaru.
I was fascinated by this new design; moreover, apparently, it wasn't just the appearance. It seems that the original capabilities of the robe were also improved so that the Jigoku no Gouka (Hellfire) could be used for longer.
After seeing this, I came up with a way to make it more interesting.
Kenichi: (It's time to test my skills as a Youkai)
After thinking that, I proceeded to take off my clothes and began to put on the Robe of the Fire-Rat. When I was done, I left the house while summoning Kirara.
*Narrator's POV*
*Location - Sainan General Hospital*
*Hour - 2:00 AM*
The doctors were speechless at the unusual sight before them.
A teenager no older than 18 lay prostrate on a stretcher after undergoing 5 hours of continuous surgery. His physical condition was horrific; his right arm, both legs, and groin were completely shattered, but the part of his body in the worst condition was his lower jaw.
Even the doctors, who were used to dealing with serious accident injuries on a daily basis, could not understand how it was possible to survive such a severe injury. Rather than something caused by an accident, it looked as if someone had deliberately struck him with some kind of hammer or mallet.
But what surprised them most was his incredible vitality. According to the medical data they received, he had been lying on the floor of his room with those horrific injuries for at least two hours before the ambulance arrived.
The human body can tolerate the loss of a significant amount of blood, but excessive loss can be fatal. The average adult has about 5 to 6 liters of blood. The loss of approximately 15-20% of blood volume can lead to hypovolemic shock, and the loss of more than 40% can be fatal.
But that numerical value is taken into account when seconds or minutes have passed. Any human being who has been bleeding for hours has a high probability of dying, regardless of the severity of the injury.
But that was not the case with the teenager who was lying unconscious on the stretcher.
Excluding his injuries and blood loss, his body was in perfect condition; in fact, some of his wounds showed signs of healing on their own. This was something that baffled everyone present. In a normal situation, any doctor would have wanted to perform several tests and analyses to find out every detail about his physical constitution for future medical reference.
But the quick intervention of some individuals who looked like yakuza from old movies made all the doctors look away in dissatisfaction.
All the doctors were residents of Sainan, so they were already accustomed to dealing with matters related to the yakuza or the police. They knew absolutely nothing about the teenager they had just operated on; all they knew was that his name was Masaru Oga, but beyond that, they were completely ignorant of any personal information about him.
As they watched several yakuza and police officers enter the hospital, they could only look on with pity, while a single thought crossed their minds.
"This kid is completely screwed."
With that last thought, they transferred the still-unconscious Oga to a private room that was fairly isolated so as not to involve any other patients in what was going to happen in the next few hours.
*Hour - 3:00 AM*
An hour had already passed since Oga's operation had ended. During that time, under orders from the yakuza and the police, all the doctors and nurses hurried to leave the premises, while transferring any patients who were near Oga's room.
Anyone who saw this scene would be surprised; in less than an hour, all the rooms on three different floors were completely empty.
...
...
...
Being a hospital, it was normal for everything to be quiet at night.
But there was something about this silence that felt strange and, at the same time, unsettling.
Oga: "..."
Oga, who was supposed to still be unconscious, opened his eyes slightly with some difficulty and began to look around with curiosity, doubt, and nervousness, not understanding why he was lying on a hospital bed.
Apparently, Kenichi's assumptions were not unfounded; he only transferred a minimal amount of mana to Oga so that his wounds would close. However, defying all logic, Oga's body began to adapt naturally to the mana, causing his recovery to be several times faster, to the point that it did not take him long to regain consciousness.
This partially confirmed Kenichi's theory. Apparently, Oga had a kind of destiny or luck similar to that of the protagonists and was also protected, to a certain extent, by the plot. Which is not unusual; what would a story be without an antagonist? Even the most normal or childish stories have one; it is an indispensable character for the development and growth of the main characters.
Originally the antagonist of an NTR-genre hentai anime, Oga was perfectly suited for that role. If it weren't for Kenichi's intervention, it is likely that a protagonist such as Raku, Rito, or Jun'ichi would have encountered him, leading to a conflict in which they would end up saving one of the heroines in some way, thereby increasing her affection.
It is similar to the occasion when Kenichi intervened to save Haruna from the delinquents; originally, it was Rito who was supposed to appear in that place to save her and increase her affection.
Completely unaware of the reason why his body was healing so quickly, Oga tried to move, but the moment he did, a great pain spread throughout his body, causing him to scream.
Oga: "Uuuuuuu..."
But no matter how hard he tried, all he could do was let out faint, incomprehensible moans filled with pain. Although he was somewhat confused at first, the reality of not being able to move his right arm, both legs, and mouth quickly turned that confusion into fear.
Furthermore, every time he tried to move, he felt a sharp pain in all his limbs, especially when he tried to speak. He couldn't even move his head to look at his own body in more detail; at most, he could only look at the wall and ceiling of the room. But what disturbed him most was the intense pain he was feeling in his groin area.
Oga: "..."
At first he was confused, but as the minutes passed, memories slowly began to resurface in his brain.
Oga: (I-I was in my room... Yelling at my father... Until he came into my room)
When he finally remembered Kenichi's face, he instinctively raised his left hand and, with a slow, trembling movement, brought it close to touch his own face.
Oga: "!"
As he touched each part of his face, he immediately noticed that his entire jaw area was missing. It was at that moment that he finally remembered everything that had happened.
He vividly remembered how Kenichi suddenly burst into his room while yelling at his father on the phone; he also remembered how he broke both his legs with complete indifference, how he shattered his jaw as if it were a simple snowman, and he also vaguely remembered how he kicked him in the groin to the point that the sound of his testicles breaking could be heard.
Remembering such a traumatic experience, any normal person would have started shaking and crying out of fear.
But Oga was definitely not a normal person...
Oga: (Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!)
Far from being scared, his eyes reflected an intense anger that bordered on madness. The veins began to bulge exaggeratedly on his forehead and his eyes burned with vengeance, as he repeated the same word in his mind like a broken record.
Oga: (That son of a bitch! I won't forgive him! How dare he do this to me?! I am Masaru Oga! I am a king! All people were born to be my toys! That son of a bitch really wanted to play the hero in front of those two bitches! Just wait, when I get out of here, I'm going to fuck them in your face!)
He kept repeating that he was going to humiliate Kenichi by having sex with Ranko and Yukana, but he didn't realize that, after the brutal beating he received, the doctors were forced to remove his genitals in order to stop the bleeding from his crotch. So, far from never having sex again, he wasn't even going to be able to walk again.
Oga: (No, that's not enough! I'm going to do the same thing to his bitch mother and any other woman related to him! I'm going to make them moan with pleasure like bitches in heat while that son of a bitch watches me with anger and helplessness! Hahaha!)
At this point, Oga's ramblings sounded like the mere ravings of a lunatic; he himself witnessed how easily Kenichi had left him in that state, but far from feeling intimidated or scared, he was thinking of different ways to get revenge. That was the nature of the human being called Oga; he truly believed that he was some kind of untouchable king and that all the people in his life were nothing more than toys waiting to be used by him until they broke.
He was truly scum without any hope of redemption; it never occurred to him that all his crimes had been exposed to the Yakuza and the police. From Oga's deranged perspective, all his actions up to now were correct; if anyone asked him what happened, he would definitely say he was the victim without even blinking.
His anger blinded him so much that he didn't even notice that his body began to emit a deep black aura. The more he cursed and hurled insults in his mind, the more the color and amount of the aura increased. At this point, even a normal person without spiritual senses should be able to see it.
Apparently, thanks to the mana he received from Kenichi and his intense hatred, something was beginning to awaken within Oga.
Oga: "!"
But before he could notice this change in his aura or process what was happening, a sudden chill ran through his entire body, giving him goosebumps and making all the hairs on his body stand on end. It was as if his body was unconsciously alerting him to some danger.
Alerted by this slight change in the surrounding air, he immediately looked around anxiously.
Oga: (H-Huh? Fog?)
He was so immersed in his stupid delusions that he didn't notice that, at some point, the entire room had filled with a fairly dense fog that made it difficult for him to see anything.
If it had been ordinary fog, he wouldn't have given it much thought, but there was something unnatural about this fog that made Oga feel nervous; even he couldn't explain what he was feeling, but just seeing the fog and feeling it touch his skin made his body involuntarily begin to shake uncontrollably.
What Oga was feeling at that moment was something primal, something that had been engraved since ancient times in the cells and DNA of all humanity.
That was...
畏 (Osore, Fear).
Throughout time, across all races, cultures, and intelligences, there is one behavior that all of humanity practices despite their differences. When natural forces exceeded human understanding or when faced with threats beyond their control, for some strange reason, humans tend to clasp their hands together and pray to higher powers that are beyond their comprehension.
Something similar, but fundamentally different, happens when they encounter something unknown or perceived as frightening. Even without being aware of the reason, human bodies begin to tremble involuntarily, their hearts beat with unprecedented force and intensity, and cold sweat trickles down their bodies because of fear.
It is almost as if these behaviors, which lack explanation or logic, have been engraved deep within the souls of humans.
Currently, Oga was experiencing that fear firsthand. The fog posed no danger to his life, but the mere act of looking at it caused his body to shake violently against his will; it was a strange and incomprehensible sensation.
Oga: (I-Is it just my imagination, or did the size of the room change... N-No... I must be seeing things because of all this fog).
That's what Oga told himself in his mind to try to escape reality, but it was obvious that the structure of the room had changed. All the walls and ceiling disappeared; the only thing visible was the fog moving slowly and steadily, as if it had a life of its own.
The fog Oga was seeing is the visual form of Osore; it serves as an extension of a Youkai's territory. Its main abilities are to alter perception and psychologically affect the enemy. Some Youkai who have great mastery over Osore are able to manipulate the fog to create illusions or alter the space around them.
It could be said that it is similar to the application of delimited fields or barriers. In the world of magic, delimited fields are spells that create areas with defined boundaries, separating the inside from the outside. These fields can have various functions, such as preventing people from passing through, imposing specific effects within the area, or even completely isolating an area from the outside.
With Osore, it is possible to achieve a similar effect; the only difference is that it requires good control over fear.
In ancient times, Youkai could run freely through cities or villages, frightening humans without any concern, but over the centuries, the number of humans began to increase so much that, in the modern era, Youkai were forced to learn to use these types of abilities to go unnoticed.
Unlike Youkai such as Nurarihyon, who rely entirely on Osore to fight, Youkai such as Touga, Sesshomaru, and Inuyasha did not need to use these types of abilities. They were born powerful and had an abundant supply of natural Youki, so they did not need the fear of humans to strengthen themselves.
Oga: (W-What's going on?)
Oga couldn't understand what was happening, so in order to try to ease his mind, which was on the verge of collapsing from fear, he ended up convincing himself that everything he was seeing was a dream.
Oga: "!"
But just as he had that thought, he opened his eyes in surprise when he saw a shadow that suddenly appeared out of nowhere without making any noise. Although it was quite blurry because of the fog, Oga was completely sure that it was shaped like a person.
The Osore caused the room, which had previously been of regular size, to now appear much larger; that is why the shadow that should have been only a few meters away from the stretcher on which Oga was lying now appeared much farther away.
Oga wanted to speak, but with his jaw shattered, it was impossible. For a moment, he felt relieved to see another person in this terrifying situation, but that relief vanished almost instantly when he saw three other shadows appear behind the first one.
If they were just the shadows of other people, he wouldn't have cared much, but there was something about the shapes of those shadows that made his aching body shudder much more violently than when he first saw the fog.
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
Although the room was eerily quiet, Oga could easily hear the heavy footsteps of those shadows as they approached in his direction.
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
In a desperate attempt to contain his fear, he closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them again, there would be nothing in front of him. But, unfortunately for him, closing his eyes proved counterproductive; the sound of footsteps approaching could be heard clearly in the darkness.
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
*Thud*
The footsteps he heard were getting closer and closer, sending an intense chill through his body. He could even hear his heart beating faster to the point that it was painful.
The confident and arrogant scumbag from a few hours ago was nowhere to be seen. His skin, which had once been tanned, was now completely pale; his breathing was rapid and labored, to the point that it resembled that of an asthmatic. Cold sweat cascaded down his body, his limbs shook uncontrollably, and small tears began to form in the corners of his eyes.
Oga was in such a pitiful state that anyone would feel sorry for him. At this moment, he was a perfect example of the famous expression, "You look like you've just seen a ghost."
...
...
...
As Oga sank into deep despair, at some point the sounds of footsteps stopped and the room fell silent again.
But that did not calm his already agitated heart in the slightest...
He could feel it...
Those gazes that seemed capable of seeing even his soul...
He could even feel the air becoming increasingly cold and intimidating...
There was no doubt about it...
The shadows he had seen a few seconds ago were standing in front of him, watching him.
Although Oga remained firm in his decision to keep his eyes closed and pretend he was just having a nightmare, those stares wouldn't let him; it was as if they could see all his flaws and defects. He held out in that state for a few minutes, until he finally couldn't take it anymore.
Oga: "!"
The moment he opened his eyes, he couldn't help but widen them in exaggeration at what they were seeing.
In front of him were four beings with an appearance that could only be described as monstrous.
The two figures in the back frightened him the most; they were colossal in size, at least 4 or 5 meters tall. Their bodies were black, with red and blue areas on their abdomens. Both had large horns, as well as green star-shaped eye sockets, and their fangs were larger and sharper than any blade or sword.
Just seeing the appearance of these two monsters was enough for Oga to understand that he was no different from an insect crawling on the ground in front of them. With a simple casual movement, either of these two monsters was capable of brutally killing him, and he would be unable to do anything to stop them.
Yes...
The two monsters standing before Oga were none other than Goki and Zenki, the two legendary Oni who caused terror in feudal Japan. They are currently two Shikigamis residing within Tessaiga and have served faithfully under the command of the Saruyama clan. Previously, Kenichi summoned them once to test his combat abilities.
It may be true that they had a monstrous and intimidating appearance, as well as a wild and fight-addicted personality. But both are beings who sincerely respect the strong; that is why, after being defeated, they voluntarily became Shikigamis so that they could continue to enjoy fighting even after death.
Terrified by the appearance of Goki and Zenki, Oga looked away, but as he did so, his eyes met those of another creature staring at him with a look full of hatred and hostility.
Unlike Goki and Zenki, this creature's appearance was more like that of a tiger or a lion; moreover, it was large enough to carry several people. The fur on its body was light blond, it had two tails of the same color, its eyes were red with black pupils, similar to those of cats, and the fur on its neck was thick and fluffy, giving it an appearance similar to that of a lion's mane.
Overall, its appearance was quite cool and beautiful. Even if it looked as dangerous as a lion or a tiger, it was undeniable that its beautiful, shiny fur, combined with the flames produced by its paws and tails, gave it a mystical and fantastic appearance.
Kirara: "GRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!"
For a moment, Oga was so amazed by its appearance that he completely forgot about the sharp fangs protruding from its snout. But when he heard its growl and felt the intense hostility with which it was looking at him, he finally understood that this creature was a monster, just like Goki and Zenki.
The one staring at Oga with hostility was Kirara, Kenichi's Nekomata companion. Although she originated from another world, being a Youkai she also possessed the ability to control the Osore, just like Goki and Zenki. Just by looking at her, it was evident that she felt a deep hatred for the pathetic human lying on the stretcher.
At this point, Oga no longer knew what to do or how to feel; his gaze instinctively shifted to observe the last figure watching him.
This being, unlike the other three, had a more human-like appearance, but Oga did not believe for a moment that it was human. After all, it had long, silvery-white hair, tied in a high ponytail at the back of its head. It also had a thick fringe that fell over its forehead, and two pointed, hairy ears, similar to those of an animal, could be seen on top of its head.
His skin tone was light (almost pale). His eyes were golden, slanted, and piercing, indicating a mixture of seriousness and perhaps a little contained anger. There were also distinctive blue marks on the sides of his eyes; they were similar to the marks left by the claws of predators.
The most striking feature of his appearance was his clothing. He wore what appeared to be a bright red kimono or hakama; over the kimono he wore black armor connected to metal shoulder pads. Both shoulder pads had sharp points or spikes. Around his waist, he wore a red sash (obi) tied in a knot; hanging from the sash were two long red and yellow strips with a design similar to flames. He also wore a cape over his shoulders that closely resembled the fur of a beast, and an antique-looking katana was tied to the side of his sash.
His physique was muscular, and his posture was upright and confident, projecting an air of power and control.
His beautiful facial features made him look like a kind of god, but at the same time, one could also naturally sense the danger and strength that radiated from his body. That, accompanied by his clothing, made him look like a kind of Japanese god of war.
But despite that, Oga didn't think for a second that the person in front of him was a god; the reason was obvious. This person didn't radiate even a hint of love, appreciation, kindness, or divinity; the only thing emanating from his body was hatred, resentment, and murderous intent.
Furthermore, the ears on his head, which resembled those of an animal, along with his eyes that seemed to glow like those of a wild beast ready to hunt its prey, gave him a rather inhuman appearance.
Kenichi: "..."
The person standing in front of the frightened Oga was none other than Kenichi.
After finding the "Robe of the Fire-Rat (Improved)," he realized that the best way to end this matter was to use his Youkai heritage. That is why he used the transformation abilities of the Inu no Daiyoukai to take on this form, which is quite similar to the humanoid transformation that Touga and Sesshomaru had.
Perhaps because he was a descendant of Inuyasha's bloodline, his facial and physical appearance resembled Inuyasha's a little more, but in all other aspects he resembled Touga and Sesshomaru.
Although this form was not as powerful as the full Inu no Daiyoukai transformation or the hybrid form that compresses all the Youki into a more compact form, it is the most stable and controllable transformation Kenichi currently has. In this state, he can control the Youki much more easily and precisely, as well as his physical abilities, and he can even use the Osore naturally, as if it were part of his domain.
For most Youkai, achieving a feat such as controlling Youki and Osore so naturally would require several years of training, and lower-level Youkai would need hundreds of years to control it in a passable manner. But Kenichi achieved it within days of awakening his Daiyoukai lineage; this made the overwhelming difference between the abilities of normal Youkai and Daiyoukai very clear.
To begin with, even among the Daiyoukai, the Inu no Daiyoukai was always special. Most Youkai are born with one or two special abilities; they are not very different from humans who cannot use elemental magic for which they are not compatible. That is why Youkai living in this modern era often learn to use abilities such as Osore, Senjutsu, Youjutsu, or Touki to strengthen their weaknesses.
But the Inu no Daiyoukai never needed such abilities; members of this race never needed to rely on human fear to strengthen themselves. From the moment they are born, they have a wide variety of latent abilities. That is why they are so respected and feared by the rest of the Youkai.
Although the presence of the Inu no Daiyoukai is almost non-existent in Japan today, there are still several groups of powerful Youkai who admire their strength and have unilaterally declared themselves their loyal followers. Even the Saruyama Clan, which should be despised for being made up solely of hybrids, is respected by these Youkai.
If Kenichi delves a little deeper into the supernatural world, it is clear that he will eventually encounter these Youkai, but for now he is indifferent to this fact.
For now, his top priority is to deal with the scum lying prostrate before him.
Kenichi: "..."
Kenichi stared at Oga seriously and indifferently, without saying a word, but it was clear that his eyes were looking at something deeper than his body or his wounds...
...
...
...
After a long silence that only served to increase Oga's anxiety even more, Kenichi spoke for the first time.
Kenichi: "I'm a little surprised you're conscious... It seems my initial assumption was correct; you're not an ordinary human."
Kenichi spoke calmly and expressionlessly, but for some strange reason, his words carried a weight that overwhelmed the already frightened Oga.
Kenichi: "Furthermore, it seems that your body is beginning to produce mana. I suppose you must have a special talent for magic that was awakened the moment I used my mana to close your wounds."
Oga couldn't understand Kenichi's words, but after listening to his voice and looking at his face more closely, he was finally able to find a slight resemblance to the person who had left him in such a deplorable state.
The guy who humiliated him in front of the girls he was trying to corrupt...
The guy whose name he didn't even have a chance to learn...
Kenichi: "It's a real shame... So this is the path you chose."
Despite saying that, Kenichi's expression remained expressionless throughout.
Kenichi: "I thought that after witnessing my strength and going through a near-death experience, you would reflect a little on your actions, but I see I was wrong. Not only have you not reflected, but now you're thinking of different ways to get revenge."
Despite the intense fear he was feeling upon confirming that the person in front of him was the same person who had left him in that state, Oga's fear was quickly replaced by anger, and in the same way, the dark aura manifested itself in his body again, more violently than before.
Kenichi noticed this change, but he didn't think it was important and continued talking.
Kenichi: "The truth is, I don't really care if a piece of shit like you reflected on your bad deeds. This isn't a shounen manga about teenagers chasing their dreams, and I'm not a protagonist capable of changing the mindset and feelings of a psychopathic son of a bitch so that he suddenly becomes a good person."
Those were Kenichi's true thoughts. Although he didn't consider himself a bad person and still had some reservations about killing humans, he wasn't a pure-hearted protagonist like Goku, who was able to forgive Vegeta after he and Nappa killed his friends, hurt his own son, and even killed hundreds of inhabitants of other planets.
[Author's words]
[Let me make it clear that I am not hating on Vegeta; he is one of my favorite characters from Dragon Ball Z. I can even say with confidence that he had one of the best character developments in history. But if we look at him as a person rather than an anime character, we have to admit that, at the beginning of the story, he was a real son of a bitch who enjoyed destroying planets and killing innocent people.]
In shōnen manga and anime, this is a typical cliché: a character who started out as an antagonist redeems himself after being challenged and defeated by the protagonist, and, after various events, ends up becoming an ally who often has better character development than the main characters.
If Oga were like that kind of character, Kenichi would have no problem letting him live, but, as he said, this wasn't a shōnen manga, it was real life.
For Kenichi, Oga was not like those characters; he was simply the usual scumbag from NTR hentai anime. He was nothing more than a piece of shit who would one day try to hurt him and his loved ones. That is why, after carefully observing his aura and confirming his intentions, he came to the conclusion that the best solution was to eliminate him.
As for how he was going to kill him without his soul being dragged to Jigoku, Kenichi already had a method to eradicate his soul and make it cease to exist completely, but to achieve this without any problems, he needed Tessaiga's help.
Kenichi: "While you were unconscious, I made sure to investigate everything related to your family and, at the same time, I contacted the main law enforcement agencies in the city of Sainan. By now, they should have destroyed all traces of your family's influence in the city. All your close friends are being tortured somewhere in the city, just like your father... It's only a matter of time before your family name is completely wiped out of the city."
Oga: "!"
The moment he heard those words, Oga's anger and rage were replaced by disbelief.
He couldn't believe what he was hearing; according to Kenichi's words, everything his family had worked so hard to build over the years had been destroyed in a matter of hours.
Kenichi: "If you had shown even a little remorse for your actions, I wouldn't have minded if you continued to live out the rest of your days in prison, but it's obvious from the look on your face that you don't feel the slightest bit sorry. In fact, I can even tell that you think you're the victim."
As Kenichi spoke these words, he slowly began to draw the katana that was tied to his obi.
His movement was slow and calm, but the sound produced by the katana resonated with great intensity throughout the room.
When he finally pulled it completely out of its sheath, Oga could see an ancient-looking katana that looked completely worn out and rusty. Anyone who saw it would have wondered if it was possible for a katana in such a deplorable state to even cut anything.
But, for some strange reason, the moment Oga saw that katana, his body suddenly began to convulse violently and urine began to flow violently through a tube that had been installed in an area near his genitals, which had just been removed.
There was something about that katana that felt unnatural and caused his body to react violently and desperately.
As Oga's body and mind were close to collapse from the intimidating presence the katana was releasing, to his surprise, it suddenly began to glow brightly.
When the light stopped, the appearance of the katana had completely changed.
What now stood before Oga was a large curved sword, with a design similar to that of a giant beast's fang. It was as big as a person, with a wide, curved blade. The hilt was just the right size to wield with both hands, the guard had a simple design, and the handle was wrapped in white fabric that closely resembled the mane of some beast.
Oga: "!!!"
Oga wanted to believe he was hallucinating. Even though his father was involved with the supernatural world, this was the first time he had witnessed a supernatural phenomenon with his own eyes.
Kenichi: "I see you're surprised, but I don't blame you for reacting that way; even I was quite surprised the first time... It never crossed my mind that there was a world full of supernatural beings hidden from the eyes of ordinary humans."
Unconcerned by the surprise and fear in Oga's expression, Kenichi continued speaking.
Kenichi: "So you better not be too surprised by this; after all, most of the myths and legends recorded in human history are real."
He had no important or profound reason to explain the supernatural world to him, but the more he frightened Oga with his words, the more the Osore meter on the system screen steadily increased, although the amount he received was getting smaller and smaller, which was reasonable; after all, this was the fear of a single person.
Kenichi: "That's why I didn't care much about letting you live. Even if you regret the things you've done for the rest of your life, you're going to die eventually. The moment that happens, your soul will be sent straight to Jigoku. If you're Japanese, you should know that it's a place of torture where souls are brutally killed over and over again for millions or even billions of years, right?"
As Kenichi spoke, the intimidation emanating from his body increased more and more, making the Osore in the air become much denser.
Kenichi: "As I told you earlier, I made sure to research you, so I already have a general idea of the kind of person you are and most of the things you've done. That's why, personally, I'd like to see you torn apart by the Oni of Jigoku over and over again. Do you know the tortures that sinners who end up in Jigoku go through?"
As Kenichi said that, a sinister smile began to form on his lips.
Kenichi: "They are pulverized and crushed with iron clubs... They are forced to tear each other apart with iron claws... They are thrown onto the hot ground and lines are marked on their bodies with black threads. Then, using axes and saws, the bodies are dismembered along the lines marked by the threads... They are forced to carry piles of iron while walking on a tightrope suspended over a giant frying pan. When the sinners fall into the pan, their bodies are boiled and cut up to feed the dogs, and then they are revived again to repeat the same cycle over and over."
Over the next few minutes, Kenichi described several of the forms of torture that the souls of humans who arrived in Jigoku underwent. Every time Oga heard him, his body visibly shuddered.
Kenichi: "Although I would like you to experience that, unfortunately, human resentment is difficult to eradicate, and there are souls that, even after trillions of years of being tortured, still harbor a strong resentment toward the world of the living. These souls have the possibility of returning as vengeful spirits or specters whose sole purpose is to harm the living."
After saying that, Kenichi fell silent for a few seconds with a rather serious expression... Until, finally, he spoke again.
Kenichi: "After seeing your behavior, I came to the conclusion that you are that kind of human, so it is very possible that in the near future you will become a threat to the people of this city. That's why, as a member of the Saruyama Clan... I'm going to eliminate you."
Without waiting for any reaction from Oga, Kenichi stabbed the tip of Tessaiga into his right arm, causing blood to seep out.
Oga: "UGHHHHHHHHHH!!!"
Although Oga couldn't speak, it was clear from his expression that he was in great pain. But Kenichi didn't care; with the same indifferent expression, he activated one of Tessaiga's abilities, causing the blood seeping from Oga's wound to be absorbed by the sword's blade.
By doing so, Kenichi gained complete access to the information stored in Oga's blood.
Kenichi: "Tessaiga So'unga Mode."
Once his mind processed all the memories, he immediately transformed Tessaiga into its So'unga version.
In this state, Tessaiga can use all of So'unga's abilities. The sword, unlike Tessaiga and Tenseiga, is known for being able to summon the souls of 100 dead people with a single swing.
Using Oga's blood as a medium, Kenichi intended to summon the souls of all the people who were his victims. This is one of the applications of So'unga's ability, which is generally used to reanimate human corpses.
Of course, Kenichi had no intention of reanimating corpses; all he wanted to do was summon the souls and have them manifest as ghosts temporarily so that he could offer them a deal.
He simply made a casual cut in the air with Tessaiga, and in an instant, a large number of bluish flames began to manifest in the air as if they were torches. These bluish flames were the visual form that souls usually take when they are sent to the afterlife.
Oga didn't know what those flames were, but there was something about them that made him feel uncomfortable and nervous.
In a matter of seconds, the room was completely flooded with a large number of souls that continued to manifest themselves nonstop.
Kenichi: "I have to admit I'm a little surprised. I understand that you're only a year older than me, which means you're 17. If we discount the time when you were still a baby, that means that in just 12 years of your life, you caused more than 100 people to die directly and indirectly."
The moment Kenichi said that, the souls slowly began to take on different forms... In a matter of seconds, the room was filled with people of different ages and genders.
Oga: "!"
Oga could feel his blood run cold as he watched the ethereal presences begin to manifest before his eyes. What's more, the state of these presences was horrible; their faces were emaciated, their facial expressions showed that they were in great pain, their pupils were empty, and there was not the slightest sign of life in them.
But what alarmed Oga the most was the fact that the bodies of these presences were completely shattered. Most of them were missing limbs, others had broken bones and limbs, and some even had their bodies completely pulverized. If they had had physical bodies of flesh and blood, anyone would have thought they were zombies rather than ghosts.
Ghosts: "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuu..."
These ghosts manifested themselves in the state they were in at the moment of their deaths; that is why they were feeling the same agony and suffering they felt at that moment.
Oga was a piece of shit who felt no affection or empathy for anyone but himself; that's why, even though he was the one who caused the deaths of all those people who manifested as ghosts, he didn't remember their faces at all.
Among the ghosts was even a girl he had had a relationship with just a few months earlier. After being seduced by Oga's words, she was brutally murdered after being raped countless times by Oga's friends, but he, the bastard, was so indifferent that he didn't even remember her.
Kenichi felt disgusted after seeing Oga's memories. Most of the women who appeared as ghosts had died in similar ways. Although obviously not all of them were innocent, several of them had hurt their families and loved ones just to satisfy Oga's twisted fetishes. But seeing the state of their bodies, it was obvious to assume that they had been made to suffer greatly before being killed.
As for the men, although they were not as numerous as the women, there was a wide variety of them, ranging from office workers, vagrants, teenagers, and even young children. Their bodies were in a state equal to or even worse than that of the women.
When all the souls finally materialized as ghosts, Kenichi spoke to them.
Kenichi: "I suppose you must all be confused about being summoned to this place suddenly. Don't worry, I don't plan to make this any longer than necessary... I have called you all here to offer you a deal. Most of you don't know each other, but you all have something in common: you were all killed by the same person."
Kenichi was speaking to the ghosts in a calm and relaxed manner, not expecting any kind of response from them. The souls that had been summoned and manifested as ghosts were completely different from the ghosts that roamed freely in the world of the living. They had spent so many years in Jigoku that they no longer had much of the essence they had before they died; all they had left was their consciousness, their memories, and some of their egos. Other than that, they had nothing, not even the ability to speak or show their emotions; they were like empty shells.
The moment they heard that they had all been killed by the same person, they unconsciously turned their gaze to Oga, and for the first time since they had appeared, their expressionless eyes and faces full of suffering were replaced by an expression full of anger, resentment, and bloodlust.
Seeing their expressions, anyone could tell that if it weren't for the fact that they had no physical bodies, they would have all rushed forward to tear apart the bastard who had caused them so much pain in life.
Oga, who was the target of all that hostility and murderous intent, visibly shuddered and slowly began to unconsciously remember the faces of all the ghosts staring at him with anger.
He did not remember the faces or names of his victims, but there was one thing about them that he did remember.
He remembered those expressions very well...
It was impossible for him to forget them...
After all...
Those were the expressions that made him feel the greatest pleasures of his life...
They were the expressions his victims wore after realizing they were nothing more than disposable toys used to alleviate his boredom; the same looks of anger and helplessness that gave him erections.
The faces of the stupid women who left all their loved ones behind to win his affection, only to realize in the end that he never loved them and they were just toys to pass the time; the faces of humiliation and helplessness of the boys whose girlfriends he stole. Those faces full of despair were the ones Oga liked the most.
Oga: (W-What is this?)
If his body were in perfect condition, he might have enjoyed being looked at that way. But his current situation made it impossible for him to enjoy it, plus he no longer had genitals, so he was never going to have another erection in his life.
Kenichi: "The deal I want to offer all of you is very simple... I'm going to give you the opportunity to kill the son of a bitch who caused you so much suffering with your own hands in exchange for becoming part of my power."
Ghosts: "!"
Oga: "W-Wha?"
Both the ghosts and Oga were surprised after hearing Kenichi's words, but regardless of their reactions, he continued speaking.
Kenichi: "I have an ability called Jigoku no Gouka (Hellfire)... They are basically the same flames used in Jigoku to torture the dead like yours, but having been exposed to the world of the living and having incinerated the bodies and souls of different beings, the flames of my ability are much more powerful; not only are they unquenchable, but they can also burn everything."
As its name suggests, Jigoku no Gouka is exactly the same flame used in Jigoku to torture the souls of sinners. The only difference is that the Jigoku no Gouka sealed in Tessaiga is a flame that was used by a group of gods during a war that took place long ago. During that war, the flames of Jigoku that were used indiscriminately incinerated hundreds of beings of different races, even incinerating the souls of the gods.
The souls that are incinerated by Jigoku no Gouka are destroyed in every sense of the word; they only serve as fuel for its abilities to become more lethal.
Having incinerated the souls of gods along with their divinities, all of Jigoku no Gouka's abilities greatly increased. That is why it is now a flame that can manipulate, to a certain extent, the souls of beings that are incinerated by it.
These are the reasons why centuries ago the Jigoku no Gouka was coveted and feared by the gods of different pantheons. But they couldn't be blamed either; unlike the Longinus-type Sacred Gear, which at that time was only theorized to have the ability to kill gods, the Jigoku no Gouka is literally a flame capable of killing them. Any immortal being would feel nervous if something like that existed.
That is all the information Kenichi was able to obtain from the Saruyama clan's books. But if his theory is correct and these flames are the same ones that appeared in a certain manga he saw with his ability to see alternate realities, it is possible that the Jigoku no Gouka has more abilities. That is why he wanted to take this opportunity to experiment a little.
Kenichi: "You have two options... You can stay where you are and do nothing. If you choose this option, after a few minutes, your souls will return to Jigoku to continue the years of punishment you have left. Once you are done, you will be able to enter the cycle of reincarnation without any problems."
The ghosts shuddered as they remembered the brutal punishments they endured in Jigoku.
Kenichi: "The second option is to let the flames of Jigoku no Gouka incinerate your souls. Unlike the human body, souls usually take longer to be completely incinerated. During that time, I can create bodies made of fire for you that are capable of interacting with the world of the living. Using them, you will be able to touch this idiot."
Now it was Oga's turn to shudder. Although he still didn't fully understand what was happening, he was aware that they were going to kill him.
Oga: (They're going to kill me! I have to get out of here!)
Desperate, he tried to move to escape, but even with his newly awakened magic, which was healing his body at an accelerated rate, he still felt numb from his injuries and operations. Furthermore, the Osore in the air had him completely immobilized.
Kenichi: "You have to take into account that the time you will have these bodies of fire will be limited. Furthermore, during that time, they will feel pain many times greater than anything they have experienced in Jigoku, and souls incinerated by Jigoku no Gouka do not enter the cycle of reincarnation; they simply become fuel for the flames."
Kenichi: "I'm not going to lie; the only one who benefits from this deal is me. I don't plan to force anyone; the choice of what they want to do is entirely theirs."
Although it is often said that revenge is not the solution to solving problems, these were souls in torment who had nothing left to lose. If they chose the first option, they would be tortured again for millions of years until one day they would be able to reincarnate without remembering anything from their previous lives. On the other hand, if they chose the second option, they would have the momentary satisfaction of exacting justice against the man who made them suffer in exchange for feeling extreme pain. Furthermore, after that, they would not be able to reincarnate; they would simply be fuel for the Jigoku no Gouka.
The question now was: What would they choose?
They could choose to ignore their previous life and embark on a new one in which they would have no memory of the past. When put that way, it sounds nice, but the reality is that no one can be sure what their new lives would be like after reincarnation. They could be born disabled, sick, with abusive parents, or even as animals.
On the other hand, if they chose the path of revenge, they could make sure the son of a bitch who killed them paid without having to face any consequences. No one would imprison them, and their punishment time in Jigoku would not increase; they would only have to endure extreme pain for a limited time and then cease to exist.
Although both options were unfavorable to them, they couldn't deny that they were all tempted by the second option. They could simply disappear after killing Oga, without having to suffer for millions of years and without having to constantly worry about their fates after reincarnation.
...
...
...
The silence lasted for a few minutes, until suddenly all the ghosts returned to their soul form and slowly began to be absorbed by Tessaiga.
They had made their decision...
The hatred and resentment they felt toward Oga was greater than any pain the flames of Jigoku no Gouka could cause them.
Oga: "Ugh... Agh... Uuu..."
Oga could only watch in horror, sensing that his life was about to come to an end. He tried to beg, but no sound came out of his mouth. All he could do was cry as tears and snot cascaded from his eyes and nostrils.
Kenichi: "..."
Kenichi simply looked at him with the same indifference as before and, without any hesitation, buried the tip of Tessaiga's blade into the ground.
Kenichi: "Jigoku no Gouka: Kaka Jūman'okushi Daisōjin (Hellfire: Great Burial Ranks of the Ten Trillion Fire Dead)"
*BOOOM!*
The moment Kenichi uttered those words, several columns of fire began to emerge around him. When the fire finally died down, Oga could clearly see, with horror, that his stretcher was surrounded by several skeletons made of bright red fire.
Kenichi decided to name this ability after a certain Captain-Commander of the Shinigami who was known for using a fire Bankai. Although the name was somewhat exaggerated, it was a fact that this Jigoku no Gouka ability worked in the same way as that Bankai; the only difference was that Kenichi was not yet strong enough to summon so many dead people.
Just summoning this small number of people had already consumed a large part of his Youki, and with every passing second, he could feel his Youki being drained steadily and rapidly.
Unlike Kenichi, who could only see them as skeletons made of fire, Oga could clearly see what they all looked like before they were killed, but what really scared him were their expressions.
According to Kenichi's words, at this moment all the souls should be experiencing an inexplicable pain that is thousands of times more intense than any physical wound, but despite that, for some strange reason, all the souls were smiling maniacally and twistedly as they looked at Oga.
The heat he felt was so intense that it burned his skin, but the moment he saw those smiles, he immediately began to struggle, trying to escape; but no matter how hard he tried, it was useless.
Ghost: "Where do you think you're going?"
Oga: "Aaa... Aaaaa... Aaaaaaa... AAAAHHHH!!!"
What followed after that was a completely brutal and bizarre sight. All the souls rushed toward his body and began tearing off every part of him while burning him in the process. Normally, the Jigoku no Gouka is hot enough to incinerate a human body in a matter of seconds, but after obtaining the Fire Demon Slayer Magic, Kenichi's control over fire increased dramatically, which is why he maintained the ideal temperature so that Oga would not be incinerated to death.
Oga: "AAAAAAHHHHH!!! UGHHHHHHH!!! AAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!! AAAAAAHHHH!!! KHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"
Unfortunately for Oga, he unconsciously activated his newly awakened magic. Kenichi didn't know what the magic he awakened was called, but it was easy to see that it was of the healing type.
As the souls tore off his skin, organs, and burned different parts of his body, the magic continued to heal him, causing the pain he was going through to last longer than expected.
At this point, even Kenichi was disgusted by the sight he was witnessing. Even with his Youkai and Hanma lineage, it was still repulsive to see Oga's exposed flesh, blood, bones, and organs, but since he was the one who allowed this to happen, he had a responsibility to watch it all the way through.
If he said he felt good about killing a human, then he would be lying.
Until a few days ago, he was just an ordinary teenager concerned with trivial things like having a girlfriend or helping his friend with his love life, but now, instead of that, he found himself cold-bloodedly murdering a human being.
Regardless of Oga's personality and actions, this was a burden that Kenichi was going to have to get used to bearing. The world was not a kind place that would allow a person with naive thoughts to live a peaceful life.
Oga: "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!"
When Oga's mana was depleted, his body was finally incinerated until only ashes remained, but that was not the end.
Now it was time for him to experience the same pain that all the souls were feeling when they were incinerated by the Jigoku no Gouka.
After several minutes, Oga's soul could no longer resist and ended up melting into the Jigoku no Gouka until there was not the slightest trace of him left.
Kenichi: "..."
Kirara: "GRRRRRR... GRRRRRR... GRRRRRR..."
As Kenichi stood staring at the ashes scattered on the ground with an expressionless face, Kirara approached him, sensing the turmoil in his heart, and began to stroke him with her head.
Kenichi: "Thank you, Kirara... I feel much better now. Thank you all as well, I'm sorry I called you for something so trivial."
Goki: "Don't worry, Kenichi-sama. We are servants of the Saruyama Clan, it is normal for us to support our leader in these situations."
Zenki: "That's right. As long as we're not ordered to do anything cowardly during fights, we're willing to follow any of Kenichi-sama's orders."
Reassured by the support of Kirara, Goki, and Zenki, Kenichi was finally ready to leave.
But just before he did...
*Ding*
*Ding*
=========================
*Achievement System*
The host managed to destroy Masaru Oga's family, a family that was prepared by the will of the world to stand in the way of the protagonists in case the main plot deviated from the original story.
=============
The host succeeded in assassinating Masaru Oga, a possible vessel for the powers of the outer gods of Chaos.
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Rewards:
1. A deeper connection with Jigoku no Gouka has just been formed.
2. The Sacred Gear that was dormant within the host has just been unlocked.
=========================
Kenichi: "Huh?"
Kirara: "Kyuu?"