At the same moment, two of the monster's remaining claws clasped together like praying hands, slamming inward with terrifying force.
"So thrilling!"
"My blood is boiling, this is what a real fight feels like!"
Despite being caught in a deadly crisis, Fushimi Kyo showed not the slightest hint of panic.
Fueled by surging adrenaline, he was instead abnormally exhilarated.
He kicked off hard against the monster's head, wrenching Bloodsong free with great effort.
Just as the crushing attack closed in, Kyo spread his arms wide and allowed his body to fall freely toward the ground.
Right before the monster's palms slammed together, he slipped cleanly through the gap between them.
BOOM!
The monster's hands clapped together
but struck nothing.
However, Kyo was now airborne, with no footing to borrow strength from.
The monster's single eye flashed with lethal intent.
The skin beneath its chest shimmered with flowing light.
In the next instant, countless red crystal-like kagune shot out explosively.
Pfft pfft pfft
Dozens of strikes pierced Kyo's body at once.
Blood sprayed instantly.
The immense impact hurled him dozens of meters away.
Thud
Kyo landed flat on his back, crashing heavily into the ground.
"Hehehe… is that all?"
"Are you dead already? I'm not even satisfied yet!"
Mockery spilled from the monster's mouth
Takatsuki Sen's voice, dripping with disdain.
The flesh atop the monster's head writhed.
That nearly meter-deep gash healed at a visible speed.
In the blink of an eye, the wound vanished completely.
Such monstrous regeneration made anyone who witnessed it shudder in disbelief.
Far away, Kyo lay motionless, eyes closed, as if he had truly lost all ability to resist.
Then
His tightly shut eyes snapped open.
A strange smile curved his lips.
"The rarer the food…"
"…the more precious it becomes."
"Kagune… delicacy!"
"Hand it over!"
"Let me tear you apart and dig out your kagune!"
He slammed both hands against the ground and sprang upright.
Then, without hesitation, he yanked out the kagune spikes embedded in his body
And stuffed them straight into his mouth.
Crunch. Crunch.
He chewed them one by one, swallowing them whole.
"Mmm… delicious!"
"I can't stop, this is amazing!"
A look of utter intoxication spread across Kyo's face.
At the same time
The wounds on his body healed at a visible speed.
In just a few breaths, he was completely restored.
That terrifying regenerative ability was on par with Takatsuki Sen herself.
In the distance, the monstrous one-eyed beast spun in place several times
a visceral display of shock.
"Impossible!"
"What the hell are you?!"
"Humans can't regenerate like this
even Arima Kishou can't!"
"Who are you?! Tell me TELL ME!"
Something that shattered her understanding had appeared before her eyes.
The frustration drove Takatsuki Sen nearly mad.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
Her four beastly claws slammed repeatedly into the ground.
"ROOOAAAR !"
Her furious roar echoed throughout the entire 20th Ward.
Such massive commotion naturally drew attention.
"What is that thing?! That's terrifying!"
"A ghoul?! How could a ghoul be that huge?!"
"Even from this far away, my soul feels like it's trembling!"
"Hurry, report this to the CCG! If that thing goes on a rampage, who knows how many will die?!"
"Why is something like this appearing in the center of the 20th Ward?! The ghouls on TV never look like this!"
"Wait is it fighting someone?"
The park wasn't large to begin with, and the battle was happening in an open plaza with no cover.
Takatsuki Sen's kakuja form was clearly visible to countless civilians.
20th Ward CCG Branch Office
Inside a conference room, Shinohara Yukinori, Amon Koutarou, and Houji Kazuya were holding a small internal meeting.
"Houji," Shinohara asked gravely,
"any new information on that ghoul hunter recently?"
Originally, Shinohara and Amon were to be transferred to the Special Countermeasures Unit in the 11th Ward to deal with the mysterious ghoul organization there.
But after the Seventh Ward massacre over a hundred ghouls slaughtered
The Ghoul Hunter and whatever organization stood behind him had been classified as an S-rank threat.
In terms of priority, it even surpassed that mysterious organization.
Under those circumstances, CCG Headquarters ordered an investigation to begin from the place where the ghoul hunter had first appeared.
And so, Shinohara and Amon had returned to the 20th Ward to work with Houji on the case.
Just then
The office door burst open.
A young woman in professional attire rushed in, panic written all over her face.
"Special Class Shinohara urgent report!"
"A new predator has appeared at Park in the 20th Ward!"
"Preliminary identification
it's the No-Kill Owl!"
"The No-Kill Owl?!"
Shinohara shot to his feet.
His expression instantly turned grave.
The No-Kill Owl had once been an executioner for a mysterious ghoul organization
tasked specifically with eliminating troublesome ghouls and investigators alike.
Later, he betrayed that organization and reined in his killing intent.
From then on, whether facing civilians or CCG investigators, he never delivered fatal blows.
Thus, the CCG dubbed him the No-Kill Owl.
But no-kill never meant no ability to kill.
Any news involving an Owl instantly put the entire upper echelon of the CCG on high alert.
That was a being capable of sweeping through even Special Class investigators with ease.
Back when he served as an executioner, countless investigators had died at his hands.
Anyone who had participated in an operation against an Owl carried deep-seated fear of such a monster.
Shinohara was no exception.
"Is the intel reliable? On what basis was it identified as an Owl?" Shinohara demanded.
"Special Class Shinohara please look!"
The woman handed over a tablet.
Shinohara took it
And his pupils shrank violently.
"Damn it…"
"It really is the No-Kill Owl."
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