51-55

Chapter 51: I’m a Good Guy

With excitement lighting up his face at the unknown, Kaneki shifted his gaze toward the girl lying on the ground.

The black beetles that had been entangling the girl were now entirely petrified, assimilated as part of the natural environment.

Of course, before being fully petrified, the beetles had successfully removed the aberrant layer on the girl’s skin.

Now, however, the girl’s clothes had entirely disintegrated, leaving Kaneki devoid of any sense of aesthetic appreciation.

Her skin had been completely devoured by the black beetles, leaving her raw, bloodied muscle and fat exposed to the air.

Only the faint rise and fall of her chest and the weak breaths from her throat proved she was still alive.

Even Kaneki couldn’t help but marvel, “What incredible vitality.”

At the same time, a question lingered in his mind.

According to Orochimaru’s experimental records, an ordinary person would be immediately assimilated into nature upon coming into contact with natural energy.

Yet this Zero Experiment subject had withstood the erosion of natural energy for a longer period and even gained strength far beyond that of an ordinary person during the process.

To address his curiosity, Kaneki delved into all the data in his memory concerning the Zero Experiment subject.

He discovered only one unique trait differentiating this girl from the other test subjects: she was from the Uzumaki Clan.

Her vibrant red hair appeared to be the best evidence of her Uzumaki heritage.

“So… it’s the Uzumaki Clan’s special constitution?”

Kaneki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Unfortunately, his understanding of the ninja world was still too shallow. It seemed he needed to infiltrate a ninja village to gather intelligence.

Orochimaru’s base contained research materials and ninja technique scrolls but nothing about the broader world of ninjas.

While Kaneki was lost in thought, Hidan came rushing over, flustered and impatient.

Seeing that Kaneki had only lost a hand, Hidan finally sighed in relief before his face twisted into disdain.

“Tch, damn it, Kaneki. Looks like you’re not all that strong. Getting injured against a small fry like this.”

Hidan’s gaze swept over Kaneki’s severed hand, his tone dripping with mockery.

“Heh, and yet you were overpowered by a little girl during a strength contest,” Kaneki retorted, equally sharp.

Hidan’s face flushed red with anger as he barked, “Damn it, Kaneki! If you hadn’t stopped me, I’d have sent that woman to meet Lord Jashin by now!”

“That doesn’t change the fact that you’re weaker than a little girl,” Kaneki said with calm indifference, driving Hidan nearly mad with frustration.

As Hidan pondered whether to strike while Kaneki was missing a hand, he suddenly realized Kaneki might retaliate.

Before his thoughts could escalate, Kaneki sighed and shattered his daydreams. “Don’t bother. Even if I lost both hands, I could still crush you with my feet.”

“Huh?”

Hidan froze.

“How do you know what I was thinking?”

Kaneki smirked coldly. “With that tiny brain of yours, I can guess what you’re thinking with half my ass.”

“Damn you, Kaneki! I’ll kill you!”

As Hidan’s temper flared, Kaneki casually patted his head. “Calm down, calm down.”

“Argh!”

Just as Hidan was about to lose it, a muffled groan came from the girl on the ground.

Both men shifted their attention to her, and Kaneki noticed, to his astonishment, that her skin was healing at an incredible speed.

Such rapid regeneration was something Kaneki had never seen in any human before.

Well, except for Hidan.

“So, this is the power of the Uzumaki Clan?”

Kaneki smiled faintly. The wondrous abilities in this ninja world were truly captivating.

The girl opened her eyes and instinctively scrambled back, wincing in pain. She crouched defensively like a wary animal.

“Don’t worry. I’m not a bad person,” Kaneki said, adjusting his glasses and offering a calm, reassuring smile.

Hidan rolled his eyes at the display of goodwill, muttering under his breath, If this guy’s a good person, then I, Hidan-sama, must be a saint!  

The girl’s eyes darted around, taking in the shattered test tubes and destroyed equipment. She cautiously studied Kaneki and Hidan.

The bespectacled man looked clean and scholarly, exuding a gentle kindness that inexplicably drew people in—he didn’t seem like a bad person.

The other, with his slicked-back silver hair and cocky expression, had bloodstains on his clothes and a menacing aura. He looked like trouble incarnate.

In an instant, the girl mentally labeled the two.

“You’re…”

Before she could finish, Kaneki shrugged off his coat and tossed it to her, surprising her. She had braced herself for an attack, only to find the coat draped over her body.

Only then did she realize, to her embarrassment, that she had been completely naked the entire time. Her face flushed bright red.

“Get dressed first,” Kaneki said, turning his back to her as he adjusted his glasses.

In his previous life, Kaneki might have been caught in a storm of lustful thoughts.

But in this life, as something no longer fully human, his desires were dulled. While they still existed, they were muted, mere remnants of instinct.

Now, unraveling the mysteries of this world was far more thrilling than any fleeting indulgence.

As for Hidan? He remained utterly indifferent, consumed by his obsession with killing.

Women?

They’d only slow down his execution spree.

Before long, the girl managed to clumsily put on the coat.

“Thank you. May I ask who you are?”

From her surroundings and Kaneki’s actions, she deduced these two weren’t Orochimaru’s people—a tremendous relief.

Kaneki read her thoughts and reassured her, “Don’t worry. We’re not with Orochimaru. We just happened to pass through and decided to lend a hand.”

“I’m Ken Kaneki. What should I call you?”

Blushing slightly under Kaneki’s gaze, the girl hesitated before replying, “I… I’m Uzumaki Ri’i. You can just call me Ri’i.”

“Is that so?”

Kaneki adjusted his glasses again, his tone calm but curious.

“Ri’i, may I conduct a physical examination on you?”

(End of Chapter)  

 Chapter 52: "I Don’t Mind Becoming an Experiment!"

"Ah, this..."

Uzumaki Rii’s face turned as red as a ripe peach.

“If Miss Rii is unwilling—”

Kaneki hadn’t even finished his sentence before Uzumaki Rii interrupted him.

“No, since Lord Ken saved me... If it’s for Lord Ken, I don’t mind.”

Hearing this, Hidan immediately frowned. What kind of ridiculous lines were these?

Kaneki, on the other hand, remained expressionless. With his only remaining hand, he began examining Uzumaki Rii’s current physical condition.

As Kaneki’s hand rested on her skin, Uzumaki Rii’s face turned even redder.

She stared at Kaneki’s indifferent yet handsome features, momentarily entranced. Even her breathing grew heavier, eventually turning into soft pants.

“Miss Rii?”

“Miss Rii?”

Kaneki shook Uzumaki Rii gently, snapping her out of her dazed state.

“Ah, the examination is complete,” Kaneki said, looking at her pale hands, which were now tightly gripping his own. His tone was calm, almost indifferent.

Only then did Uzumaki Rii realize she had somehow grabbed onto Kaneki’s clothes. She quickly let go and apologized. “I’m so sorry, Lord Ken.”

Kaneki waved it off. “It’s fine. Based on my examination, your body seems fine for now. There’s just some residual natural energy, but your body will naturally metabolize it over time.”

“This level of recovery... is truly astonishing.”

He hadn’t expected Uzumaki Rii’s body to recover so quickly after suffering such severe injuries and being invaded by natural energy.

“That might be due to my unique constitution,” Uzumaki Rii replied softly.

After saying that, her expression dimmed slightly. Having such a powerful constitution as an ordinary person wasn’t always a blessing.

“Lord Ken, have you ever heard of the Uzumaki Clan?” she asked.

Kaneki raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. “I’d like to hear more.”

Uzumaki Rii nodded and began to explain. “The Uzumaki Clan possesses a constitution far beyond that of ordinary people and excels in powerful sealing techniques and sensory ninjutsu.”

“With these abilities, the Uzumaki Clan established the Land of Whirlpools at the end of the Warring States Period, centered around Uzushio Village. They even formed a friendship treaty with Konoha, the leading nation among the Five Great Nations.”

Her face turned wistful as she sighed and continued, “But the good times didn’t last long. Because of our clan’s powerful sealing techniques and unique constitution, and with Konoha’s decline, the Land of Whirlpools was invaded by the combined forces of the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning during the Second Shinobi World War. Our nation was destroyed.”

She looked at Kaneki and said, “You can probably guess what happened after that.”

Kaneki nodded. After a nation’s destruction, a clan with special abilities like the Uzumaki’s would naturally become a target of countless forces, seeking to either steal their sealing techniques or exploit their unique constitution for experiments—like what Orochimaru often did.

After Uzumaki Rii finished recounting her clan’s history, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Hidan broke the silence with a disdainful “Tch,” saying nonchalantly, “Since the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning destroyed them, we should just offer everyone from those countries to Lord Jashin.”

“Offer them all to Jashin?” Uzumaki Rii was puzzled. She’d heard of the God of Shinobi, but who was this Jashin?

Hidan grumbled, “Damn it, Kaneki! I told you we should just destroy an entire village and let the world know Lord Jashin’s name!”

Kaneki shot him a glance. “Idiot.”

Though Kaneki also wanted to spread Jashinism quickly to gain more fame, the problem was that he didn’t yet understand this world well enough. He knew little about the Five Great Nations’ military strength.

If they brazenly went and destroyed a village, what if they encountered a retaliation they couldn’t handle? Even with his immortality and Jashin’s power to create clones, what if this world had a force as devastating as a nuclear weapon? A direct attack on their headquarters could still wipe them out, no matter how many backups he had.

Of course, Kaneki was already preparing safeguards, planning to imitate Orochimaru’s strategy of creating multiple hidden bases. But he needed intelligence before taking action; otherwise, he’d be no better than Hidan.

Hearing their conversation, Uzumaki Rii felt increasingly bewildered. Destroying villages? Worshiping some Jashin deity? These were definitely not good people!

Still, Lord Ken... was different.

Uzumaki Rii blushed again, her thoughts drifting.

Kaneki brought her back to reality. “What do you plan to do now? Find a quiet place and live out your days in peace?”

The question plunged Uzumaki Rii into confusion. Even though she’d been saved and freed from the torment of endless experiments, what was next for her life?

Hidan frowned impatiently. “Isn’t it obvious? Revenge, of course!”

He raised his arms, his eyes gleaming with crazed violence. “Avenge yourself, kill your enemies, and offer them all to Lord Jashin! What could be better?”

“Revenge...” Uzumaki Rii clenched her clothes, still faintly carrying Kaneki’s scent.

“Instead of revenge, I’d rather stay by Lord Ken’s side.”

“Hmm?” Kaneki was surprised. Was his charm really that irresistible?

Suddenly, Uzumaki Rii knelt on the ground, bowing deeply before him. She shouted, “Yes, I want to follow Lord Ken!”

Kaneki frowned slightly, watching her fervent display.

He wasn’t opposed to people pledging loyalty, but he didn’t understand why Uzumaki Rii was behaving so intensely. Even as her savior, her reaction felt excessive.

Shouldn’t her priority be revenge? Why was following him more important?

Could it be the residual natural energy affecting her? Or had his own body undergone some unique change?

Suppressing his doubts, Kaneki spoke calmly. “If you wish to follow me, your current abilities are still lacking.”

Hearing this, Uzumaki Rii’s face fell in disappointment.

But then Kaneki added, “If Miss Rii is willing to become my experiment, that could change.”

Uzumaki Rii’s eyes lit up with joy. She stared at Kaneki’s nearly perfect face, the face that had become a beacon of light in her dark life.

Without hesitation, she declared, “As long as I can stay by Lord Ken’s side, I don’t care if I become an experiment!”

---

*Chapter 53: Crossing the River While Patting Snake-chan’s Butt*

“So, these are the serums Orochimaru uses to help you sense natural energy?”

Kaneki asked casually, staring at the row of test tubes before him.

Each tube was about 30 centimeters long, filled with a transparent, viscous liquid.

Uzumaki Rii nodded, her body trembling slightly as if recalling a painful memory.

Kaneki reached out and gently patted her back. Only then did her emotions stabilize enough for her to reply:

“During the experiments, Orochimaru would apply these serums to us, and the surrounding natural energy would automatically flow into our bodies.”

“Under the influence of natural energy, our bodies would undergo drastic changes, turning into monsters and going berserk.”

“Then... then, those who couldn’t stop their rampages would either turn to stone and shatter, or their monstrous forms would be taken by Orochimaru for other experiments.”

“The clanspeople who came with me... they all died like this.”

Uzumaki Rii said it all in one breath, then collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

It wasn’t that she was too fragile—no one could remain composed after enduring endless experiments and watching their clanspeople die one after another. The sheer weight of it all was overwhelming.

The fact that she hadn’t lost her sanity already was nothing short of a miracle.

Because of this, she saw Kaneki, who had saved her, as her only light. She’d even said she was willing to become a test subject again if it meant staying by his side.

“Don’t worry. From now on, you can choose the life you want.”

Kaneki gently ruffled Rii’s red hair.

Feeling the warmth of his hand, Rii quickly stopped crying. Like a kitten, she nuzzled her cheek against the back of his hand.

“I don’t want to choose my own life. I just want to stay by Ken-sama’s side forever.”

She looked up, her beautiful eyes filled with longing.

“Is that so...”

Kaneki withdrew his hand, realizing he might have just unlocked some unexpected attribute in Rii’s personality.

Though surprised, he replied calmly, “I suppose that’s fine.”

Rii’s face instantly lit up with joy.

“No matter what Ken-sama asks of me, I’ll obey. Even if it’s something like—”

“Alright, that’s enough.”

Kaneki rubbed his temples. Wasn’t this girl crying just moments ago? How did she suddenly start spouting such bold words?

Still, it was clear that Kaneki couldn’t take a girl with little combat ability along with him for now.

With Rii’s expectant gaze fixed on him, Kaneki waved his hand.

The entire base trembled violently. The ground twisted and distorted, and a monstrous serpent covered in black exoskeleton and wearing a white bone mask on its head emerged from the earth.

Rii watched in astonishment as the creature appeared.

Just the portion of its body visible above ground was seven or eight meters long, and its head was an astonishing four to five meters wide.

Thanks to its mastery of the five chakra natures, the demon-faced serpent could use the Earth Style: Hiding Like a Mole Technique to stay hidden underground for long periods.

As for the chakra required to use such techniques? It’s worth noting that chakra is refined from a combination of spiritual and physical energy in a specific ratio.

The serpent’s physical energy alone was equivalent to several elite ninja combined. Coupled with the spiritual energy provided by Kaneki, its chakra reserves far exceeded that of most Jonin.

The serpent slithered over to Kaneki, lowering its massive body submissively and opening its abyss-like mouth.

“Follow the serpent back for now,” Kaneki instructed calmly. “When your strength has grown, I’ll have tasks for you.”

“As you command, Ken-sama!”

Without hesitation, Rii leapt into the serpent’s mouth.

Along with her, the serpent swallowed Orochimaru’s research materials, test subjects, and a number of valuable substances, such as the natural energy serums and rare animal specimens.

Without these serums, Kaneki might not have been able to sense what natural energy truly was.

Unless he could capture a creature capable of absorbing natural energy autonomously, analyze its genes, and conduct countless experiments before transplanting the modified genes into himself or another member of the Evil God’s clan.

“Regardless, this haul is substantial. You didn’t disappoint me, Orochimaru.”

Kaneki adjusted his glasses, a smile forming on his lips.

As for taking in Uzumaki Rii, there was no need for further consideration.

After all, Kaneki did have a research interest in the Uzumaki clan. A beautiful, well-endowed, and unconditionally loyal test subject—why would he refuse?

Once the demon-faced serpent vanished, Hidan, looking bored, approached Kaneki.

“Hey, Kaneki, since we’ve already wrecked this base, where are we headed next?”

He swung his triple-bladed scythe and proudly thumped his chest.

“Why not organize a grand sacrificial ceremony next?”

Kaneki glanced at him, unimpressed. Hidan’s so-called “grand ceremonies” were likely just an excuse for mass killings.

Not that Kaneki had any moral qualms about killing—he simply saw no value in mindless slaughter for bolstering the Cursed God cult’s reputation.

He decisively rejected Hidan’s suggestion.

“Put the ceremony on hold. We have more pressing matters to attend to.”

“More pressing matters?”

Hidan couldn’t fathom anything more important than killing.

A glint of cold light flashed across Kaneki’s glasses as he replied in a low voice:

“In the past few months, I’ve discovered more than one of Orochimaru’s bases.”

“Oh? So you’re planning to wipe out the rest of them?”

Hidan scratched his head, dissatisfied. “Why not just find Orochimaru himself and kill him outright?”

Kaneki raised an eyebrow at the suggestion.

“It’s not that simple to take down someone like him.”

Truthfully, Kaneki wanted to locate Orochimaru’s main body, but the man was exceedingly cautious. Even with all his black beetles and crows searching, Kaneki had only managed to locate two bases in the Land of Rivers.

And even if he did pinpoint Orochimaru’s location, Kaneki wasn’t confident in securing victory.

If just one snake clone possessed such formidable strength, how powerful would the main body be?

This time, Kaneki had only attacked after thoroughly scouting the base with his black beetles.

Unlike Hidan, who acted recklessly, Kaneki was anything but a fool.

Moreover, Kaneki had no intention of eliminating Orochimaru. His research was a valuable resource for Kaneki’s own growth.

As the saying goes, “Cross the river while patting Snake-chan’s butt.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 54: The Future of Ghouls

In a remote sea area of the Land of Rivers, a series of explosions echoed through the air.

A battered cruise ship struggled to stay afloat while a dozen shinobi launched relentless attacks from the surrounding waters.

Bolts of lightning flashed, a colossal beast made of seawater roared, and giant fireballs whistled through the air—all aimed at the cruise ship.

A white-haired boy, none other than Ken Kaneki, leapt from the ship.

Soaring high like a cormorant, two massive kakuja shields sprouted from his shoulders, merging into a solid barrier to block the incoming fireball.

In the next moment, a centipede-like tail kagune shot forward like a spear, piercing the water beast. The immense force caused it to explode instantly.

"That monstrous ability again..."

The attacking shinobi looked grim. None of them would have taken on such a "monster" if not for orders from their village.

Despite Kaneki’s best efforts, he couldn’t fend off every attack alone. Under the barrage of ninjutsu, the ship suffered heavy damage and teetered on the brink of sinking.

Landing back on the deck, Kaneki’s face was dark with frustration.

The group had chosen the ship as their base, hoping it would shield them from shinobi attacks on land.

However, they underestimated their enemy’s capabilities. Nearly all shinobi could traverse water and use jutsu to assault them even in the open sea.

This made their decision to use the ship as a stronghold laughable in hindsight.

On water, the ghouls were at a severe disadvantage—they could only defend reactively, waiting for the shinobi to get close before counterattacking.

It was a harsh lesson on the importance of intelligence gathering.

Had they known shinobi could fight so effectively on water, Kaneki would never have made this decision.

This mistake had put the ghouls in a dire situation.

Fortunately, they were now close to land.

"Everyone, prepare yourselves. Helmsman, steer the ship directly toward the shore!"

Kaneki’s voice was calm and commanding.

It had been months since he became the leader of this group, and during that time, he had earned their trust and authority.

After all, he had single-handedly repelled several attacks from shinobi of the Hot Spring Village.

As soon as he gave the order, the crew sprang into action.

The helmsman spun the wheel, and the massive cruise ship roared forward like a ferocious sea beast charging toward the shore.

But the shinobi wouldn’t let them land so easily.

"They’re trying to move the battlefield to land. Stop them immediately!"

A water-style shinobi channeled chakra, forming hand signs rapidly before slamming both palms onto the sea.

Ripples of chakra spread outward in waves.

"This is my last move; the rest is up to you," he said through gritted teeth.

"Water Style: Whirlpool Technique!"

The sea churned violently under his command, twisting into a massive whirlpool.

The powerful suction dragged the ship away from the shore instead of toward it.

Already battered, the ship groaned and creaked under the strain, its structure on the verge of collapse.

"If this keeps up, the ship will break apart!" one ghoul exclaimed anxiously.

Kaneki remained calm. "Push the ship’s engines to full power. Leave the whirlpool to me."

With that, he leapt off the ship again.

The kagune on his back swelled and pulsated as if boiling, and at last, a pair of enormous gray-white wings erupted from his body. Crimson patterns on the wings gleamed like bloodthirsty eyes.

Kaneki ascended, his wing beats creating air currents that parted the sea. He accelerated toward the shinobi casting the jutsu.

"Stop him!"

The shinobi scrambled to unleash their ninjutsu.

"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"

"Lightning Style: Thunderclap!"

"Water Style: Water Pillar!"

Kaneki deftly maneuvered through the onslaught, his movements as graceful as a dancing moth.

"Die."

Amid the blaze and lightning, Kaneki reached the shinobi. His massive wings swept forward, unleashing a gale that felt like a wind-style jutsu. The force blinded his enemies momentarily.

In a flash, his razor-sharp kagune pierced through the water-style shinobi, killing him instantly.

With the chakra supply severed, the whirlpool dissipated into chaotic ripples, allowing the ship to regain control and charge toward the shore.

Mission complete, Kaneki prepared to retreat, his wings carrying him upward.

But the shinobi were not about to let him escape.

"Water Style: Water Binding Technique!"

From the sea, tendrils of water shot up, wrapping around Kaneki’s wings and immobilizing him.

A middle-aged shinobi emerged from the water.

"Heh, monster, I’ve been waiting for you," he said, his chakra surging as he formed hand seals.

It was clearly a trap—a sacrifice of his comrade’s life to lure Kaneki in.

"Let’s see you dodge this!"

The shinobi unleashed his jutsu.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!"

The turbulent water coalesced into a menacing dragon. With an earth-shaking roar, it slammed into Kaneki.

The sheer force shattered the watery bindings, but Kaneki was flung into the air, blood pouring from his mouth.

Even with his kakuja shield absorbing part of the impact, the jutsu’s power was devastating.

His shield was destroyed, and his body was battered nearly beyond recognition.

He couldn’t hold out much longer.

Summoning his last reserves of strength, he extended several kagune, wrapping them around the water dragon and crushing it with brute force.

The dragon disintegrated with a thunderous explosion, but Kaneki was left gravely injured and utterly drained.

Using the last bit of his strength, he spread his wings and glided toward the shore on the wind.

"Don’t let him escape!" the shinobi leader shouted.

"Yes, sir!"

The shinobi pursued him relentlessly.

Watching Kaneki slip away, the middle-aged shinobi sighed regretfully. "If only the Water Dragon Jutsu required fewer hand seals..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 55: Embrace Glorious Evolution Under the Dark God

Without the whirlpool’s interference, the cruise ship surged ashore at an incredible speed. By the time the pursuing ninjas arrived, the ghouls had long vanished into the shadows—among them, the severely injured Shiraishi Mori.

Currently, nearly a hundred ghouls were recuperating inside a mountain cave.

“Brother, are you alright?”

Shiraishi Rin sat on the ground, her bright eyes brimming with worry.

The battle had broken out suddenly, leaving them with no time to pack supplies. To avoid slowing the group, Rin had willingly abandoned her wheelchair, making it easier for others to carry her as they fled.

Shiraishi Mori leaned against the rocky wall of the cave, his chest a mess of mangled flesh. He gently pressed his hand to his wound, a faint smile on his pale face. “Don’t worry, the bleeding has stopped. Your brother isn’t that fragile.”

His words were not mere comfort for his sister. Ever since his RC cells had evolved through integration with his kagune, his regenerative abilities had reached a monstrous level.

Every time he suffered severe injuries, the RC cells in his body rapidly divided, growing a new kagune sac at the site of the wound.

Mori glanced at his left shoulder.

Initially severed, his left arm had already begun regenerating, with a kakuja-like shell growing at the stump. At any moment, he could extend a full kagune arm.

Despite his physical condition, Mori’s concerns lay elsewhere—on the uncertain future of their kind.

It had been three months since Mori awakened and took leadership of this group of ghouls.

In that time, they had endured six assaults from the ninjas of Yu no Kuni. Each attack claimed many lives. From an initial count of nearly 200 ghouls, only a little over 90 remained.

Even with Mori shielding them, almost half of their warriors had fallen.

Not all had perished, though. Following the relentless assaults, internal divisions emerged.

Some ghouls, unable to endure the ninjas’ pursuit, chose to leave or surrender.

Mori didn’t object. He knew the hatred between ghouls and the ninjas of Yu no Kuni wasn’t something surrender could resolve.

His foresight proved correct. Those who surrendered were mercilessly executed, their deaths serving as twisted displays of retribution.

As for those who fled? They, too, met grim fates. Though their smaller groups made them harder to track, they were far less equipped to resist attacks.

After so many battles, Mori had gained a clearer understanding of their enemies’ strength.

For example, ordinary ghouls were roughly on par with Genin. While Genin lacked advanced ninjutsu, their combat skills and raw power were formidable.

Ghouls like those with tail-type or scale-type kagune had high offensive capabilities but were fragile, often suffering grave injuries from even minor mistakes. Conversely, Genin who were struck by ghouls rarely survived.

Meanwhile, armor-type kagune users had superior defense and could withstand ninja strikes, but their heavy frames made them slow and unwieldy, best suited as shields.

Ultimately, battles between ordinary ghouls and Genin boiled down to speed—whichever side struck first typically emerged victorious.

Chunin posed an entirely different threat, requiring ghouls with at least two or three kagune to counter. Such ghouls, known as "semi-kakujas," were products of desperate survival.

To achieve this state, they consumed the kagune sacs of their comrades during life-or-death battles, undergoing a painful and risky evolution to grow multiple kagune.

Currently, the group had only three semi-kakujas.

Mori himself, whose body was fully integrated with his kagune, was capable of covering his entire form in RC armor. This gave him enough power to battle most Jonin, earning him the title of "Kakuja."

From what Mori knew, Yu no Kuni boasted at least six Jonin. Even at his peak strength, vengeance seemed unattainable.

He lowered his head, coughing up blood.

Even if he entered an uncontrollable berserk state again, he doubted he could defeat so many Jonin alone—let alone account for any hidden aces Yu no Kuni might possess.

As Mori contemplated the future, a subordinate entered the cave with a strange expression.

“Leader, there’s a... talking crow outside. It says it’s an old friend of yours.”

“A crow?”

“An old friend?”

Mori froze for a moment before recalling a night of roaring flames, where crows sang amidst the inferno.

“It’s him...”

A man’s image surfaced in Mori’s mind—a bespectacled, unassuming figure with a calm smile perpetually gracing his face.

Mori’s battle-hardened body began trembling uncontrollably.

To outsiders, this man might seem gentle, but to Mori, he was a living embodiment of a dark god.

He stood above all, as though humanity itself was merely a passing amusement. Good, evil, human—it was all as meaningless to him as characters in a comic book.

After a long pause, Mori’s dry voice finally broke the silence. “Let him in.”

Moments later, a raven appeared before him.

“You are...?”

To this day, Mori didn’t know the man’s name or the connection between him and this bird.

“Names are just labels,” the raven rasped. “You can call me Mr. Crow.”

Mori’s wariness grew. “What do you want, Mr. Crow?”

The raven chuckled, its voice grating yet eerily human. “I’m here to help.”

Those words struck Mori like lightning, awakening buried memories.

The man in the prison had once said the same thing.

Mori’s breathing quickened.

Suddenly, the cave shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck.

Mori’s expression darkened. Such commotion would undoubtedly alert Yu no Kuni’s forces.

But Mr. Crow seemed unconcerned. Amidst the tremors, a massive black serpent, stretching dozens of meters long, emerged from the forest.

Mori immediately assumed a defensive stance, the snake’s presence exuding a menace surpassing even the Jonin of Yu no Kuni.

“This is a gift from the Dark God.”

Standing atop the serpent, Mr. Crow flapped his wings, releasing a bundle of kagune sacs wrapped in viscous fluid onto the ground.

“By implanting these sacs, anyone can gain strength like yours, becoming true ghouls.”

The raven smiled, its body dissolving into feathers as it vanished, leaving only its parting words:

“Whether you use them or not is your choice.”

“This is the great Dark God’s offering to you.”

“To join the Dark God’s glorious... evolution!”

(End of Chapter)