116-120

Chapter 116: The Feast Begins 

“Gentlemen, please freshen up and change. Your current attire isn’t quite suitable for the banquet.” 

Tsukiyama Shuu led Riku and Kaneki Ken into a room. The restaurant was massive, naturally equipped with all the necessary amenities. 

“Thanks,” Kaneki said politely, still a bit dazed, unsure how things had escalated to this point. 

“No need to thank me. It’s only proper,” Tsukiyama replied with a refined smile, though inside, his excitement was barely contained. 

“Quite the gentleman, aren’t you, Young Master Tsukiyama?” Riku chuckled—polished on the outside, but a “gentleman” with peculiar tastes on the inside. 

Tsukiyama Shuu had an almost obsessive pursuit of gourmet experiences. Seeing someone as unique as Kaneki, his appetite was likely ravenous by now. 

As for Riku himself, he wasn’t sure. He wasn’t human or ghoul, so he probably wasn’t on a ghoul’s menu. But Tsukiyama, the eccentric “Gourmet,” was probably curious about a never-before-seen specimen like him. 

Riku recalled that Tsukiyama was a bit unscientific himself. This guy could somehow eat his own flesh to heal near-fatal wounds! Without a system to explain it, he likely had some special trick—perhaps eating non-vital parts to regenerate critical injuries. 

“Thank you.” Tsukiyama accepted Riku’s compliment gracefully, his nose twitching as his gaze fell on the case in Riku’s hand. A familiar scent. 

“Is that a quinque?” Tsukiyama asked, intrigued. Was it made from someone he knew? 

He didn’t care if this guy was a “White Dove,” but he didn’t seem like one. No “White Dove” would be this reckless. Besides, if the CCG had found this place, they’d have mobilized en masse, and the Tsukiyama family would’ve known. 

“Yep, a trophy. Young Master Tsukiyama, won’t you be missed at the banquet if you’re gone too long?” Riku nodded, then asked with a hint of confusion, subtly urging Tsukiyama to leave. 

They were both eyeing each other as the main course—enough with the pleasantries. Let’s get the feast started. 

“You’re right. I should return. Please hurry, gentlemen. The banquet will soon reach its climax, and you wouldn’t want to miss it.” Tsukiyama gave a courteous bow, exited the room, and closed the door. Then… he bolted to the bathroom. 

“Hiss! Ha~ Hiss! Ha~” 

After splashing water on his face, Tsukiyama clutched his head, letting out deranged squeals, no longer suppressing his excitement. 

In the room, Riku opened the quinque case and drew out a crimson samurai sword he’d named “Bloodsong.” 

Scales-type kagune like Rize’s weren’t ideal for sword-shaped weapons; they weren’t as durable, and blades didn’t suit their strengths. But Rize’s kagune was special, able to merge four tendrils. Combined with memory metal “quinque steel” and other materials, the sword’s quality was top-notch. 

Riku had no plans to “activate” Bloodsong’s organic properties yet, as he might need it during the day. 

Quinques could be biologically activated, but unlike kagune, they were inanimate. Only rare quinques retained some vitality. They lacked kagune’s growth potential or flexibility but offered stability and consistent abilities. 

Riku’s act of drawing Bloodsong startled Kaneki, who grew even more bewildered. 

“Devil-san, what are we doing?” Kaneki whispered, sensing something bad was coming. 

“Get ready to fight, Kaneki. Can you control your kagune yet?” Riku glanced at him. Since Kaneki had taken his advice, Riku didn’t mind helping him grow—fast. 

And what better way to grow than through combat? Intense, life-or-death battles. 

Since Kaneki was tied to Anteiku, he’d inevitably cross paths with the perverse “Gourmet” Tsukiyama eventually. Better to strike first. 

“Huh?!” Kaneki’s jaw dropped. This was way too sudden! Fighting? He had no idea how to fight! 

Though, he had fought once before—to save his friend Nagachika Hideyoshi from Nishio Nishiki, a senior. He’d won purely on instinct, driven by survival and the urge to protect his friend. 

“Get fired up, Kaneki. Don’t worry—these are just pampered ‘high-society’ trash. Perfect for you to practice on.” Riku had chosen this place deliberately. The guests at the ghoul restaurant were spoiled “elite ghouls” with weak combat skills. 

Sure, there’d be bodyguards in the banquet hall, but anyone willing to guard these “elite ghouls” wouldn’t be top-tier either. Tsukiyama had once invited Kamishiro Rize to join, only to be brutally mocked by her. Plenty of ghouls looked down on these self-proclaimed “elite ghouls.” 

“Let’s go join the banquet.” 

Seeing Kaneki, now dressed in a sleek black suit after freshening up, Riku stood and opened the door. He’d changed too—into a flashy platinum suit. 

With the quinque samurai sword Bloodsong and the thermal samurai sword “Patch” slung across his back, Riku and Kaneki stepped out and were met by a waiter. 

“Sir, weapons aren’t allowed at the banquet,” the waiter said with a polite smile, eyeing the swords. 

“What a joke. Are ghouls supposed to rip out their kagune to attend?” Riku scoffed. Every ghoul carried a “weapon” naturally—wasn’t that obvious? 

“Er… my apologies.” The waiter, stumped, led the way silently. There was no such rule, but he was worried the “main course” bringing its own cutlery might cause trouble. 

Kaneki stayed quiet, sneaking glances at Devil-san. Honestly, he was a bit jealous. 

Soon, the waiter led them to an elevator platform. He activated a mechanism, the ceiling opened, and they ascended to the next floor. 

It was a sealed, dimly lit room. The large doors ahead slowly opened, light streaming in. 

Gulp. 

Kaneki swallowed hard, his body trembling. 

Pat. 

A hand clapped his shoulder. Kaneki looked up to see Devil-san donning the silver fox mask he always kept at his waist. 

“Relax. Just show off your one-eyed ghoul side, and Tsukiyama will protect you with his life.” Riku’s voice came through, puzzling Kaneki. Wasn’t Tsukiyama the enemy? 

But there was no time for answers. Riku strode out of the room, and Kaneki hurried to follow. 

“Ladies and gentlemen! Tonight’s main course has arrived—two rare delicacies!” 

As they stepped out, spotlights snapped onto Riku and Kaneki. 

The host’s voice boomed, and Kaneki finally understood—they were the banquet’s dishes! 

The hall was more like a gladiatorial arena. Ghouls in formal attire watched from the upper tiers, while he and Devil-san were the gladiators. Losers would be devoured! 

Judging by the bloodstains littering the arena, others had likely been eaten already. So this was the ghoul restaurant! 

Clang! 

Riku drew Bloodsong and Patch from his back, but the ghouls didn’t seem alarmed. 

Instead, they were curious. Was this some special performance? 

“Tonight’s program is brought to you by Mr. MM. Let’s welcome Mr. MM!” 

The host continued, unfazed, introducing the boss—Mr. MM, aka Tsukiyama Shuu. 

Tsukiyama appeared, flanked by two female companions, reinforcing the ghouls’ belief that this was a planned spectacle. 

But what happened next left them dumbfounded. There was a program, alright—but not the one they expected. 

Splurch! 

The hulking figure in the silver fox mask hurled a sword, piercing the host’s forehead and pinning him to the wall. 

The host struggled reflexively, caught off guard. 

In an instant, Riku leaped from the lower level to the upper tier, reaching the ghoul. With a swing of Patch, he severed the ghoul’s head. 

For a weakling like this, Riku didn’t need a quinque. The thermal sword Patch’s raw power was enough to kill effortlessly. 

Unlike demons, ghouls’ regeneration was far weaker. Once the head was severed, the ghoul’s body twitched briefly before going still. 

“Is this part of the show?” a ghoul muttered, confused. 

The confusion was short-lived. 

Splurch! 

Riku, wielding both swords, tore into the crowd of ghouls, unleashing a chorus of terrified screams. 

These pampered “elite ghouls,” who hadn’t fought in ages, were powerless against Riku. 

Heads flew, landing in pools of blood. A ghoul’s head was their weak point—once severed, survival was nearly impossible. 

Chapter 117: Your Kagune Is Nice, But It’s About to Be Mine 

Riku swung his dual blades with precision. He hadn’t trained much with two swords, but against these “high-class ghouls,” fancy techniques weren’t necessary. 

“Stop him!” 

The elegantly dressed ghouls shouted in panic, their lavish attire now hindering their movements. 

The bodyguards reluctantly stepped forward, wielding bikaku, koukaku, rinkaku, and ukaku kagune. But they had no confidence. A ghoul’s kagune is a product of imagination, yet most ghouls’ kagune seemed mass-produced, with little variation and no ability to freely change form. 

Two bikaku-wielding bodyguards confronted Riku. Bikaku kagune, located near the tailbone, resemble animal tails. They’re the most balanced, decent in attack, defense, and speed. 

But in a sense, they’re also the most mediocre. “All-purpose” often becomes “all-useless” if the ability isn’t exceptional. 

Clang! 

The bodyguards coordinated well. One swung their bikaku to block Riku’s Bloodsong, a standard bikaku. The other spun, whipping their bikaku—a meteor hammer-like tail—toward Riku’s waist. 

Buzz! 

Riku ignored it. Activating his Sandevistan, the world slowed around him. He stepped forward, passing between the two ghouls. 

His left hand, wielding the searing Remedy, sliced through one bodyguard’s neck. His right, holding Bloodsong, severed the other’s. 

Splatter! 

Heads flew, blood sprayed, staining Riku’s platinum suit crimson. 

“This move’s called Dual-Blade Slash.” 

Riku sheathed his blades and turned to a terrified female ghoul, Lady A. 

Lady A knew Yoshimura Akihiro. The monsters he’d created in his experiments had been entrusted to her. 

“Monster! Stop this monster!” she screamed. 

She had plenty of bodyguards—Yoshimura Akihiro had paid her well to manage his creations. 

Two koukaku-wielding ghouls stepped in front of her as she fled in her cumbersome dress. The Ghoul Restaurant was now in chaos. 

Koukaku kagune, formed from dense Rc cells below the shoulder blades, vary in shape but boast high mass and defense. Against Riku, however, their lack of speed and agility made them sitting ducks. 

He dashed past them in a single step. Before they could react, he sliced through their necks. 

Lady A’s face was pure terror. This monster seemed fixated on her, and she didn’t know why. All she could do was run. 

“Mr. MM!” she cried for help. Only Mr. MM could save them now! 

Splatter! 

But before Shuu Tsukiyama could act, Lady A fell in a pool of blood. Riku kicked her head off with one swift motion. 

It was almost comical—she hadn’t even deployed her kagune. Maybe these ghouls had forgotten how to fight. 

“Mr. MM! Save us!” 

The ghouls in the banquet hall were in disarray, but Shuu Tsukiyama hadn’t opened the exit. 

Desperate, they begged him to either let them escape or defeat this monster. 

“You dare disrupt my banquet…” 

Shuu Tsukiyama’s expression faltered as he watched the chaos unfold. 

His eyes turned blood-red, the whites darkening as he unleashed his kagune—a koukaku. A spiral of blue kagune wrapped around his arm, extending into a long, sharp blade at the end. 

His koukaku was versatile, sharp as a sword for attack and layered like a shield for defense. 

Leaping from his VIP seat, Shuu charged at Riku, his koukaku blade aimed at Riku’s back. 

Clang! 

Riku parried the sneak attack with Bloodsong. 

He hadn’t targeted Shuu immediately, hoping to use him to protect Ken Kaneki. It sounded absurd, but Shuu, the perverse “gourmet,” would likely do it. 

If Kaneki revealed his one-eyed ghoul status, Shuu would want to savor that “delicacy” alone—a guy who’d risk his life for “fine dining.” 

Unfortunately, the terrified ghouls in the hall hadn’t realized Kaneki was with Riku. Blending perfectly among the panicked “high-class ghouls,” Kaneki needed no protection from Shuu. 

“What kind of monster are you?” Shuu growled, glaring at Riku. 

He hadn’t expected his “menu” to be such a tough opponent. 

“Being called a monster by a monster doesn’t feel great,” Riku said with a tsk. 

It wasn’t exactly an insult, but he didn’t love hearing it. 

“Your kagune’s nice. I’ll be taking it.” 

Eyeing the spiral koukaku on Shuu’s arm, Riku made his choice. That koukaku was perfect. 

Riku planned to transplant all four kagune types. His durable body gave him the freedom to experiment without fear of death. For rinkaku, he’d chosen Rize Kamishiro’s. Now, Shuu’s koukaku was his pick. 

“Dream on!” Shuu snarled, fury etched on his face. 

“Lord Tsukiyama! I’ll handle him!” a figure in black with center-parted purple hair leapt forward, looking androgynous and anxious. 

A tentacle covered in spiked scales shot from their back toward Riku—a rinkaku ghoul. 

Rinkaku kagune are known for their rough, scale-like surface, which boosts their attack power. Riku’s Bloodsong had similar faint scale-like patterns on its blade. 

Clang! 

Riku blocked the rinkaku ghoul’s attack. This was Kanae von Rosewald, a survivor of the German branch of the Tsukiyama family. 

“Great, two on one?” Riku said, taking a deep breath. His custom Disaster-Averting Mask didn’t hinder his Breathing Technique. 

Power surged. Riku forced both ghouls back, his eyes glowing red. His shadow sprang to life, morphing into a giant wolf that lunged at Shuu, jaws wide. 

Crunch! 

Shuu blocked with his koukaku arm, but the shadow wolf clamped down, flinging him across the room. 

Splatter! 

Riku hurled Remedy, pinning Shuu to the wall through his throat. 

“Lord Tsukiyama!” Kanae cried, her focus entirely on him. 

A throat wound wouldn’t kill Shuu, but his eyes showed panic and a hint of fear as he struggled to pull out Remedy. The shadow wolf kept snapping at him, preventing any movement. 

Buzz! 

Kanae’s head flew, blood spraying. Her expression held a trace of confusion as it rolled across the floor, still fixed on Shuu. 

A single mistake often decides a fight. 

Riku had targeted Shuu first, knowing Kanae would falter. 

“Too bad your rinkaku’s not quite up to par,” Riku said, stepping over Kanae’s body to claim his prize. 

Then he noticed his leg was grabbed—Kanae’s hands, even in death. 

“…” 

Seriously? Love even after death? 

Riku knew Kanae was female and deeply devoted to Shuu. Unfortunately, Shuu only had eyes for Kaneki. 

Chapter 118: Kaneki Ken's Trial 

Kaneki Ken stood quietly below, blending in with the ghouls, completely unremarkable. Watching the chaos unfold before him, his expression was a bit dazed—nobody had paid him any attention so far. 

Devil-san was weaving through the crowd of ghouls, dual-wielding blades with the most straightforward, no-frills moves, sending the ghouls scattering in all directions. 

Just moments ago, a few ghouls had rushed past him, acting as if he didn’t even exist. They were too busy dodging the silver fox-masked figure, fleeing like he was a god of death, too panicked to notice Kaneki. 

Where was the battle he’d been promised? For a moment, Kaneki felt a pang of disappointment. 

He’d finally mustered up the courage to fight back if a ghoul attacked him, but these ghouls were being utterly crushed by Devil-san without so much as glancing his way. 

In front of Devil-san, these ferocious ghouls were like chickens or ducks, slaughtered without a chance to resist. 

Some tried to fight back, but resistance didn’t buy them any extra time. Take Tsukiyama Shuu, for example—he was still hanging on the wall. 

Honestly, Kaneki couldn’t bring himself to feel sorry for these ghouls being carved up by Devil-san. Had they ever shown pity for the humans they’d butchered and devoured? 

The scene before him was, in a way, dispelling Kaneki’s fear of ghouls. 

Watching these terrified ghouls, he found it hard to feel scared himself. So, ghouls could be afraid too. Ghouls could be killed so easily. 

“Don’t zone out, Kaneki. Your battle’s just getting started.” 

As Kaneki was lost in thought, Riku’s voice cut through, snapping him out of his daze. 

“Huh?” 

Riku’s words left Kaneki confused. Was there really a need for him right now? 

“Listen up, ghouls! Whoever can beat this guy one-on-one gets a chance to live.” 

Before Kaneki could process it, Riku spoke again, addressing the trembling “high-class ghouls.” 

“Devil-san!!!” 

Kaneki’s face paled. No way, this was bad! How many ghouls would be set free?! There was no way he could win! 

At Riku’s words, the “high-class ghouls’” eyes lit up. Seeing Kaneki’s terrified expression, they sensed an opportunity. 

“Have some confidence, Kaneki.” 

Seeing Kaneki shrink back, Riku sighed, though he understood. This kid hadn’t been through much yet, after all. 

“Unleash your kagune and fight them. Think about it, Kaneki—if you lose, a ghoul gets set free. And that ghoul will devour countless humans. Those humans will die because you lost.” 

Riku started piling on the mental pressure, forcing Kaneki to fight. 

This kid wouldn’t change his deeply ingrained personality without enough pressure. 

Of course, too much pressure could break him mentally, so Riku had to be careful. 

“…” 

Sure enough, Riku’s words made Kaneki’s expression twist with struggle. 

He couldn’t bear the thought of so many people dying because of him, but he was terrified of fighting. It left him in an incredibly awkward mental state. 

Talk about not appreciating the situation he was in—Riku was being far gentler than what Kaneki would’ve gone through otherwise. 

Before being “taught subtraction” by Yakumo Oomori, aka “Jason,” Kaneki was the quintessential yasashii (kind-hearted) male lead from a slice-of-life anime, the classic studious good boy. 

That kind of personality didn’t fare well in this world—though, to the ghouls, it was probably pretty tasty. 

“Any ghoul want to give it a shot?” 

Riku ignored Kaneki’s reaction and addressed the “high-class ghouls” again. 

He wasn’t some psycho like “Jason” Yakumo Oomori, trying to turn Kaneki’s hair white overnight. 

But he could teach Kaneki a lesson: if you choose to live as a ghoul, you have to learn to fight to survive. 

“Me!!!” 

Shouts rang out chaotically. Faced with a chance to live, none of the ghouls wanted to miss out. 

They had to seize this opportunity—it was a shot at survival. 

They could all see it: this Kaneki was clearly a rookie, lacking even the courage to fight them. 

They didn’t dare take on the terrifying silver fox-masked guy, but surely they could handle this timid kid, right?! 

“Alright, you’re up.” 

Riku casually pointed at a chubby female ghoul. She stepped forward, thrilled, while the others looked on with envy. 

“Tch, tch, tch…” 

As the ghoul approached, Kaneki was at a loss. The disappointment from not getting to fight earlier was gone, replaced by pure nerves and fear. 

Having set up Kaneki’s trial, Riku turned his attention to Tsukiyama Shuu, still pinned to the wall. 

The “Gourmet” was locked in a standoff with Shadow Wolf, who kept harassing him, preventing him from pulling out the blade. 

Riku approached Tsukiyama, yanking the blade free. Shadow Wolf pounced, tackling Tsukiyama to the ground. Tsukiyama raised his arm, using his koukaku to block Shadow Wolf’s bites. 

“How’s the main course taste?” 

Riku crouched beside Tsukiyama, his voice laced with a hint of mockery. 

With his throat pierced, Tsukiyama couldn’t answer, but the fury in his eyes spoke volumes. 

Shlick. 

“What a load of crap, ‘Gourmet.’ Disgusting.” 

After the casual jab, Riku sliced off Tsukiyama’s head and kicked it aside. 

Flipping Tsukiyama’s body over, Riku noted the ghoul’s kagune had retracted. His gaze settled on the shoulder blade. 

Slice! 

All the medical knowledge Riku had studied came in handy. With precision, he cut open the flesh at the shoulder blade, locating the “koukaku kakuhou.” 

Tearing off a piece of cloth from Tsukiyama’s body, Riku wrapped up the kakuhou. 

“Done.” 

“Ahhh!!!” 

Just as he finished, Riku heard a scream from Kaneki. 

Looking over, he saw Kaneki being chased by the ghoul, covered in wounds. The ghoul had a bikaku, its long tail whipping at Kaneki like a lash. 

“That’s some decent whip work. Looks like she’s had plenty of practice.” 

Riku quipped, having thought this ghoul would be an easy opponent. Who’d have guessed she was into whips? 

“Useless! Stop running!” 

The ghoul wasn’t letting up, but being so pampered, she couldn’t quite catch Kaneki, only managing to lash out with her tail. 

“Don’t just run! Fight back, fight back, got it?” 

Riku settled onto the spectator platform above, starting to coach Kaneki. He was almost fed up watching this. 

Thwack! 

Distracted by Riku’s words, Kaneki took a hit from the ghoul’s tail whip to the leg, crashing to the ground. 

“Hiss~” 

Riku sucked in a breath, covering his Disaster Mask with one hand. He couldn’t watch—this was painful to see. 

The ghoul was ecstatic, her tail whip poised straight, aiming for Kaneki’s head as he lay on the ground, eyes shut in terror. 

Shlick! 

“Bloodcry” spun through the air, slicing off the tail aimed at Kaneki. 

“Well done, you passed. Go wait over there.” 

Riku spoke up, and Shadow Wolf leaped down to the arena, retrieving “Bloodcry” before returning. 

“Next, you’re up.” 

Before Kaneki could react, Riku pointed at another ghoul, who stepped forward, overjoyed. 

If the ghouls had been hesitant at first, after seeing Kaneki’s performance, they were now itching to be chosen. 

“Aaah! Just give up!” 

This ghoul had a koukaku, charging at Kaneki. Its arm, like a massive club, slammed into him. 

Boom! 

Kaneki was sent flying, crashing into the wall and coughing up blood. 

“Nice, you passed too. Wait over there.” 

Riku was quick, immediately granting this ghoul a chance to live. 

“Next.” 

Without hesitation, Riku pointed at another ghoul, giving Kaneki no time to catch his breath. 

Boom! 

Kaneki was knocked flying again, utterly defenseless—or rather, he wasn’t even trying to resist. 

“Good, next.” 

Riku kept going, pointing at another ghoul, piling on the pressure. 

“Devil-san!” 

Kaneki struggled to his feet, panic in his eyes. 

He couldn’t believe Devil-san was serious—were those ghouls really going to be set free? 

“What? Regretting it now?” 

Riku looked at Kaneki, his tone calm, but his patience was wearing thin. 

If Kaneki kept being this useless, Riku wasn’t going to bother with him anymore. 

Empathy for being turned into a man-eating monster and the “main character” glow weren’t enough to make Riku keep babysitting him. 

He had his own stuff to deal with—no time to play nanny. Might as well let Kaneki give up and scavenge human corpses. 

“I’ll fight…” 

Kaneki knew Devil-san wanted him to learn to fight. He knew his performance wasn’t cutting it. 

He could even sense the disappointment in Devil-san’s words, the growing coldness in his demeanor. 

The ghoul who’d just been chosen was stunned. Why did this have to happen right when it was his turn?! 

“Stay down!!!” 

The ghoul swung his bikaku, leaping at Kaneki, hoping to end the fight in one blow. 

Shlick! 

But under Riku’s intense mental pressure, Kaneki finally snapped. 

Four crimson rinkaku tendrils burst out, piercing straight through the ghoul’s body—Rize Kamishiro’s rinkaku. 

“Aaahhh!!!” 

Kaneki roared, his four rinkaku tendrils attacking relentlessly, stabbing in and out, in and out. 

Blood splattered across the arena, drenching the ghouls. Their eyes showed confusion, as if they couldn’t comprehend what was happening. 

The ghouls who’d passed the trial were filled with fear. If Kaneki had fought them like this, they wouldn’t have fared much better. 

“That’s more like it. Believe in yourself, Kaneki. You’re not weak.” 

Seeing this, Riku finally nodded in approval. 

Rize Kamishiro was already highly gifted, and a one-eyed ghoul’s potential was even higher. It wasn’t surprising that Kaneki, once he snapped, could take down “Jason” Yakumo Oomori. 

Chapter 119: New Abilities and a New Title 

“Alright, one more disqualified.” 

As the ghoul crumpled to the ground like a tattered rag, Riku declared its failure. 

Shadow Wolf lunged forward, snapping the ghoul’s neck with a single bite—never wasting a resource. Twenty experience points secured. 

Ding! Experience bar full. Level up to Lv7. Current experience: 9/900. 

Gained 1 attribute point. 

Gained 1 skill point. 

Gained 1 skill optimization point. 

As the system’s chime rang out, a flurry of notifications popped up, and Riku’s eyes lit up. 

As expected, every six levels marked a cycle. The next time he’d get all three points at once would likely be at Lv13. 

This level-up came fast, thanks to that cyberpsycho from the anti-terror unit who handed him a whopping 300 experience points. These weakling ghouls, on the other hand, only gave 10 or 20 points each. That guy, Tsukiyama Shuu, and one other ghoul—Ye von Rosewald—were a bit more generous, dropping 50 points apiece. 

“Next, step up.” 

This time, before Riku could even start the process, Kaneki Ken called out to the crowd himself. 

Panting heavily, he glared at the ghouls. Their faces, once eager, now showed only despair and fear. 

“No challengers left?” Riku asked with a grin, his killing intent practically radiating. 

“If you don’t challenge him, it’s a dead end either way.” 

No sooner had Riku spoken than another ghoul leaped forward, decisively choosing its fate. 

It was clear: facing Kaneki Ken was a far better option than tangling with the monster that was Riku. 

The battles continued one after another. Kaneki Ken had no real combat finesse, but luckily, these so-called “elite ghouls” weren’t exactly powerhouses either. 

This time, the ghouls weren’t underestimating him, but Kaneki’s kagune gave him an edge, and few could stand up to him. 

“What a bunch of scrubs fighting scrubs,” Riku commented bluntly, never one to mince words. 

Still, this level of combat was perfect for a newbie like Kaneki Ken. Right now, he just needed to get used to controlling his kagune. 

“Add one point to Constitution, one to Oni-fication. Hold off on the skill optimization point until we’re somewhere safe.” 

Riku stuck to his usual stat allocation strategy. He held off on using the skill optimization point, wary of it triggering something unexpected. 

With another point in Constitution, his base stat hit 20. 

Constitution reached 20. Special trait unlocked. 

The system prompt caught Riku off guard. So, 20 was a threshold for attributes? And it only counted base stats? 

Available special traits: 

- Rocksteady Lv1: Your body is as tough as stone. 

- Self-Healing Lv1: Your body regenerates from injuries. 

- Tireless Lv1: Fatigue accumulates very slowly. 

The system presented three options, but Riku fell silent as he reviewed them. 

These clearly overlapped with his Oni-fication abilities. In fact, Oni-fication was kind of busted for him right now. 

Self-Healing and Tireless, which you only unlocked at 20 Constitution, were already built into Oni-fication from the start. Talk about overpowered! And the versions from Oni-fication were definitely stronger than Lv1. Oni didn’t just heal fast—eat enough, and fatigue wasn’t even a thing. 

Without much hesitation, Riku chose Rocksteady. 

Sure, it overlapped a bit with his subdermal armor, but a rock-solid body was his own, not some external gear. The armor was more like a sunshade at this point. Besides, Rocksteady was free—why pass it up? 

Oni-fication Lv5: Transformed into an oni by the blood of the Oni King. Strength, Agility, Constitution +9, Charisma -8. Grants Blood Demon Art and Constitution transformation state. 

With Oni-fication upgraded, his Strength, Agility, and Constitution each gained a point, and his Charisma finally ticked up a bit too. 

Riku felt a wave of relief. He was finally starting to seem a little more normal. 

Truth be told, he wasn’t too bothered by the Charisma hit, especially in Night City, where plenty of folks were weirder than him. In a place like that, strength was what mattered—power could even make up for a lack of charm. 

But in worlds like Demon Slayer or Tokyo Ghoul, among regular people, the Charisma penalty was noticeable. With his hulking frame, a menacing weapon in hand, and a face that screamed “bad guy,” he probably looked like trouble incarnate. 

Come to think of it, if Tanjiro and Urokodaki-sensei didn’t have such sharp noses for good intentions, they probably wouldn’t have thought he was a decent guy either. 

“Hm? A new ability from Blood Demon Art?” 

Riku sensed the feedback from the Oni-fication upgrade. His Blood Demon Art: Shadow had unlocked something new. 

“A storage space?” 

Riku was surprised. He summoned Shadow Wolf back to his side and reached out. He could feel it clearly—a 3x3x3-meter storage space within his shadow. 

It wasn’t huge, but it was practical, especially for someone like Riku, who carried a ton of weapons. He’d always struggled with not being able to carry much, especially his living, flesh-based weapons during the day. Now, with this storage space, he could stash them in his shadow during the day and pull them out at night. 

Plus, it made cross-world transport way easier. He could carry so much more than just what his hands could hold. 

“Not bad, not bad.” 

Riku was thrilled with this Oni-fication upgrade. It was just a utility ability, but its practicality was off the charts. 

After finishing his stat allocation, Riku turned his attention back to the arena. In that short time, the ghouls had already given him another 140 experience points. 

At this rate, he’d level up again soon. But as he counted, it seemed like there weren’t quite enough ghouls left. 

“That’s enough.” 

Seeing Kaneki Ken visibly exhausted, Riku called an end to the game. 

Shadow Wolf leaped into the remaining ghouls, tearing through them in the enclosed space. They had nowhere to run. 

Ding! Experience +660. 

As the last ghoul fell, the system’s satisfying chime rang out. This was probably the most experience Riku had ever gained at once. 

Experience: 819/900 

Riku glanced at his experience bar. So close to leveling up—just a few more ghouls short. 

Ding! New title unlocked: Ghoul Slaughterer. 

Ghoul Slaughterer: When equipped, instills fear in ghouls. 

Another system prompt popped up. This new title was proof of how many ghouls Riku had taken down this time. 

“Not bad. Better than Hundred Rat Slayer, at least.” 

Riku was decently pleased with the title, though he wondered if titles could be upgraded. If there was a Hundred Rat Slayer, shouldn’t there be a Thousand Rat Slayer or something? Problem was, killing rats didn’t give experience anymore, so Hundred Rat Slayer was basically obsolete. He hadn’t bothered trying to upgrade it by hunting more rats. 

As for Ghoul Slaughterer, there wasn’t an obvious upgrade path yet, but Riku didn’t mind killing a few more ghouls to find out. 

“Kaneki, pack up the kakuho. Time to go.” 

Riku jumped down from the observation platform to Kaneki Ken’s side. The kid was battered, clearly worn out. 

But the constant fighting had toughened him up mentally. He didn’t look as timid anymore. 

Riku showed Kaneki where to find the kakuho in different types of kagune, helping him collect them. With over a hundred kakuho, Kaneki couldn’t carry them all himself, so Riku stored them in his shadow space for now. 

Chapter 120: Switching Forms 

In the 7th Ward, at the Ghoul Restaurant, Riku and Kaneki Ken stepped out, both freshly bathed and changed into clean clothes. 

The entire Ghoul Restaurant had been completely wiped out by Riku. Even the Tsukiyama family’s servants working on the “surface” level of the restaurant weren’t spared. 

[Ding! Experience points full. Level increased to Lv8. Current EXP: 229/1100.] 

[Gained 1 attribute point.] 

His level had gone up again, but as expected, just like when he reached Lv2, he only got one attribute point this time. 

Before leaving, Riku set the place ablaze. Flames engulfed the Ghoul Restaurant, and it wouldn’t be long before the situation was discovered. 

The two quickly left, heading back to Kaneki’s place. 

For Kaneki, the events of the day were profoundly significant. 

He’d fought relentlessly until he was battered and exhausted—a completely new experience in his 18 years of life. 

On top of that, with the large haul of kakuhou they’d collected, he probably wouldn’t have to worry about food for a long time. 

“You can’t eat too much of this stuff in a short period—it might drive you crazy.” 

Riku took the kakuhou out of Shadow’s storage space and stashed them in Kaneki’s freezer. 

Ghoul cannibalism was common, but consuming too many kakuhou in a short time could mess with your head. 

“I won’t eat unless I’m absolutely starving.” 

Kaneki mumbled, feeling confident he could hold out. Eating once every month and a half shouldn’t be a problem. 

“Then these kakuhou will last you over a decade.” 

Riku teased with a grin. But even frozen, the kakuhou wouldn’t stay fresh for long. 

“Maybe a year at most? Any longer, and they’ll probably go bad. So no need to keep too many, Devil-san.” 

Kaneki was practical about it. Keeping a fridge full of kakuhou actually made him feel a bit uneasy. 

“Alright, I’ll leave you 24 then. I’d suggest getting a high-power freezer—lower temperatures might preserve them longer.” 

Riku nodded, leaving 24 kakuhou in the fridge and keeping the rest in Shadow’s storage space. 

This was a good chance to test if his storage space had any special properties, like preventing decay. 

Living things definitely couldn’t be stored—Riku had already tried putting Kaneki in the storage space, but it didn’t work. 

From the freshness of the kakuhou, though, it seemed promising. The ones he took out looked almost identical to when they were stored. 

Kaneki turned on the TV, which was broadcasting breaking news. The “7th Ward Restaurant Fire” had already made headlines—those raging flames were impossible to hide. 

“The Tsukiyama family’s got their hands full. They’ll definitely want to cover up the truth.” 

Riku glanced at the news. The fire was still being put out, and no one knew what had happened inside yet. 

The blaze would burn everything, including the bodies scattered throughout the restaurant. Few, if any, would remain intact. 

But an investigation would reveal that the bodies weren’t burned alive—they’d been dead long before the fire. 

People burned alive would show signs of struggle, but these bodies were likely as still as could be when the flames consumed them. 

The “7th Ward Restaurant Fire” would soon become the “7th Ward Restaurant Massacre,” two entirely different beasts. 

The Tsukiyama family definitely didn’t want it known that everyone who died in the restaurant was a ghoul—especially since their young master, Tsukiyama Shuu, was among them. 

If that got out, the entire Tsukiyama family might get dragged into the mess. 

And not just them—other high-class ghouls’ families wouldn’t want to be exposed either. 

They still had room to maneuver. The CCG (Commission of Counter Ghoul) wasn’t paying attention yet, so these high-class ghouls could use their influence to sweep this under the rug. 

“Will we get targeted?” 

Kaneki asked, a bit worried. He’d heard of the Tsukiyama family—a prominent conglomerate. 

“Don’t worry, they won’t come after you. You think they’d believe a rookie like you could pull this off?” 

Riku waved it off, telling Kaneki not to stress. 

With all the ghouls in the restaurant dead, no one would suspect a weakling like him. 

“Uh…” 

Kaneki felt a bit embarrassed. It made sense, but it stung to hear. 

“I’m heading out. If you want to learn how to fight, go ask Yoshimura Kuzen. He probably won’t turn you down.” 

Riku opened the door to leave, tossing Kaneki some advice. 

Even though Kaneki fed on ghouls, as long as he didn’t threaten the “Anteiku Café,” Yoshimura wouldn’t care. 

Yoshimura himself had done plenty of cannibalism in his youth—it was no big deal to him. 

Besides, troublemakers like “Binge Eater” Kamishiro Rize or “Gourmet” Tsukiyama Shuu caused chaos in the 20th Ward, and Yoshimura never intervened. 

If Kaneki hunted outside the 20th Ward, Yoshimura would care even less. 

“Got it, Devil-san.” 

Kaneki nodded. Truthfully, he’d wanted to learn fighting from Devil-san. 

But with his timid nature, especially in front of someone as intimidating as Riku, he didn’t dare voice his thoughts. 

Riku left briskly. He knew what Kaneki was thinking, but he wasn’t the right person to guide the kid’s growth. 

He was staying with Kanou Akihiro for now, and if Kaneki, a victim of Kanou’s experiments, saw him, it’d be like enemies meeting face-to-face. 

Kanou couldn’t turn Kaneki back into a human, and if Kaneki saw the Yasuhisa sisters—half-ghouls who could eat human food—he’d probably feel even worse. 

So, it was better for Kaneki to keep growing at the “Anteiku Café.” After today’s battle, the kid’s personality was bound to change a bit. 

Riku made his way back to Kanou Akihiro’s lab in the 6th Ward. Kurona and Nashiro, the twin sisters, were still training hard. 

Hatred was indeed a powerful motivator for growth, but it could also twist someone’s personality—like a certain foolish onii-chan. 

After giving Kurona and Nashiro some pointers, Riku returned to his room and decisively allocated his skill optimization point to [Demonization]. 

[Optimization complete. 

Gained new trait: “Human Mimicry.” 

Human Mimicry: Can actively conceal obvious demonization traits, allowing integration into human society.] 

Another new trait! Its description made Riku’s eyes light up. 

Well, damn. Still a demon inside, but looking human on the outside? 

Riku wanted to test it immediately, but his instincts told him not to be reckless. 

“Let’s try the horns first.” 

A lightbulb went off. He couldn’t mess with his body recklessly, but the horns? Fair game. 

Without hesitation, Riku activated his new “Human Mimicry” ability, focusing it on the devil horns on his head. 

The two goat-like horns slowly retracted, vanishing completely as if they’d melted into his body. 

“It works!” 

Riku was thrilled. He applied “Human Mimicry” to his teeth next, and the sharp fangs gradually shrank back to normal. 

Then came the vertical eye on his forehead. Under the ability’s effect, it closed completely, leaving no trace of its existence. 

They didn’t vanish for good—Riku could bring back the horns, eye, and fangs with a thought by deactivating “Human Mimicry.” 

“Let’s tweak the body.” 

Riku started experimenting. The subdermal armor was a hurdle, but not an insurmountable one. 

The armor wasn’t perfectly seamless—human bodies change shape, so the armor had to have some elasticity and flexibility. 

With patient adjustments, Riku’s exaggerated muscles gradually shrank, making him a size smaller—the limit of the armor’s flexibility. 

Looking in the mirror, Riku grinned. Now that was more like it! He looked way less menacing than before. 

Though still impressively built, he was now within the realm of normal humans—no longer so over-the-top that people would gawk. 

“Strength and speed each dropped by 3 points, but charisma went up by 5.” 

Riku checked his panel. After using “Human Mimicry,” the [Demonization] attribute boosts decreased slightly, but the charisma penalty improved. 

With “Human Mimicry” active, his charisma was now at 12 points. 

What did that mean? It meant he no longer looked like a shady guy at first glance. 

Sure, it was only 2 points above the average human, not enough to make people instantly like him, but enough to pass as a good-looking normal person—a huge upgrade! 

“It’s not quite a complete makeover, but I might as well be a different person.” 

Riku assessed his reflection. 

This “Human Mimicry” state could be his default for socializing. When it was time to fight, he’d switch to his second form: “Demon Mode.”