36-40

Chapter 36: The Grand Festival

"How terrifying... That brat has become so horrifying," Hidan muttered, clicking his tongue in amazement as he watched Mori wreak havoc upon the village.

He never expected that the seemingly ordinary kid would unleash such a dreadful power.

Unlike Hidan's teasing tone, Kaneki narrowed his eyes. If Mori continued to be consumed by hatred, he feared the boy would completely degenerate into a monster like Sakamoto.

At this moment, Mori, who had succumbed to his rampage, had transformed into a fearsome, grotesque insect-dragon.

His entire body was enveloped in a dark-red exoskeleton resembling armor. His lower half had morphed into a terrifying centipede stretching dozens of meters, and his hands had become sharp, spear-like scythe appendages. From his back sprouted countless writhing crimson tendrils, swaying like sea anemones.

Crimson eyes radiated an aura of destruction, and with just a few blows, several buildings were reduced to rubble.

The hot-spring ninja who had come for Sakamoto's bounty were no match for him. All their ninjutsu was effortlessly deflected by Mori's indestructible exoskeleton.

Even when they managed to breach his defenses, their attacks inflicted only minor injuries that quickly regenerated thanks to the monstrous vitality of his Kagune.

But this power came with a heavy price...

Mori’s life.

All power has its cost. While Mori could integrate multiple Kagune, the source of their strength was the host itself.

With his current body, he couldn’t sustain such an overwhelming consumption of energy. The Kagune ravenously drained his life force, forcing him to unleash even greater power in return.

Under this life-consuming force, the hot-spring ninja were completely overwhelmed.

Terror and despair were etched onto their faces as Mori, now a monstrous behemoth, slaughtered them without mercy.

"Destruction..."

With a single thrust of his lance-like appendage into the ground, the last of the hot-spring ninja fell lifelessly.

Yet his rage did not subside.

"Destroy... Destroy everything!"

After losing all his loved ones, Mori had no "anchor" left in this world.

He was like a ship adrift on the sea of sin, directionless and without purpose.

Nothing mattered to him anymore. The only thing he wanted was to destroy everything within sight!

"Roar!"

Amid the inferno, the fearsome monster let out a sky-shaking howl, pouring out an overwhelming aura of destruction.

It was a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

With a single sweep of his tendrils, half the village was obliterated in an instant.

Watching this, Kaneki let out a sigh, his face tinged with disappointment.

"So, he lost control in the end?"

Adjusting his glasses, he shook his head slightly.

Experiments are always unreliable, he thought. Failure is the norm.

Still, this experiment wasn’t a total loss.

Discovering two unique Kagune hosts—Mori and Sakamoto—was significant. Their bodies could yield valuable data when dissected.

Hidan noticed the brief flicker of disappointment on Kaneki's face and burst into laughter.

"Well, well, looks like even you can fail, huh?"

Kaneki remained calm, responding indifferently, "Failure? Perhaps. But isn’t failure normal in experiments? After all, aren't you the result of one of the Evil God’s failed attempts?"

"You bastard, Kaneki, I swear—"

Hidan was indignant. This was clearly Kaneki’s failure, so why was he the one getting provoked?

Still, he swallowed his anger, licking his lips. "Hmph, want me to take care of that guy for you?"

Kaneki glanced at Mori, still in a rampage, and shook his head slightly. "No need. With his current life force, he won’t last much longer."

Hearing this, Hidan clicked his tongue in disappointment. "Fine, I’ll go deal with the sacrifices on the ship."

At the mention of sacrifices, Hidan’s expression lit up with excitement.

It had been so long since he presided over such a grand blood ritual, involving hundreds of people.

Surely, the Evil God would be overjoyed.

Amid the flames, Mori finally paused his rampage.

Before him stood the old house where he had lived for over a decade.

For a brief moment, his violent crimson eyes revealed a hint of nostalgia. But that glimmer quickly faded, replaced by another furious roar.

"Destroy..."

"Destroy the world!"

He bellowed, his countless crimson tendrils shooting outward, aiming to annihilate the house that held all his memories.

To destroy the past and—

Take the world with it.

The crimson tendrils streaked through the air like meteors, but abruptly halted.

From the house, a small figure cautiously emerged.

Staring at the tendrils hovering inches from her forehead, Rin froze.

She looked up, and though the monstrous figure before her was unrecognizable, she could feel a faint trace of familiarity emanating from it.

"Is... is that you, brother?"

Rin’s face was filled with hope. When the monster remained still, she slowly extended her tiny hand, gently grasping one of the tendrils.

"You’re Rin’s big brother, aren’t you?"

The warmth of the girl’s touch caused the towering monster to tremble.

In the air, beneath the dark-red exoskeleton, a single tear silently rolled down.

"Rin..."

The monster’s mouth opened, its voice hoarse and broken.

In the next moment, the crimson light in its eyes faded entirely, and its massive body began to collapse.

Like a tower of blocks with its foundation removed, it crumbled.

From the wreckage, a white-haired boy emerged, falling to the ground in front of the girl.

"Rin..."

The boy weakly stretched out his hand.

The girl crawled toward him, wrapping her small arms around her brother, holding him tightly.

Amid the endless sea of flames, rising smoke, and swirling black crows cawing ominously, the two clung to each other.

"What a surprise," Kaneki remarked, adjusting his glasses.

"Indeed, human emotion is the most fascinating subject of all."

Turning away, Kaneki walked toward the ship, where Hidan had finished his preparations.

A massive symbol of the Evil God had been etched onto the ship’s deck—a circle enclosing a triangle. At its center was a towering pile of corpses, along with Sakamoto’s colossal body.

Seeing Mori return to normal, Hidan clicked his tongue in disappointment. He knew that as one of Kaneki’s important test subjects, the boy couldn’t be sacrificed.

"Such a pity. But with these sacrifices, the Evil God will surely be pleased!"

Standing atop the mountain of corpses, Hidan spread his arms wide, embracing the sky with a look of ecstasy.

The blood-drawn symbol on the deck glowed ominously.

Moments later, a pillar of crimson light shot skyward.

"Caw, caw, caw..."

A chorus of crows circled the pillar of light, their cries echoing like a curse.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 37: You've Leveled Up!  

"The Cultivation Game of the Evil God™ reminds you: thanks to your relentless efforts, the reputation of the Cult of the Evil God has increased by 6,436 points!" 

"You've leveled up!"  

"Your soul strength and mental power have greatly improved!"  

Kaneki adjusted his glasses lightly as he read the pop-up message in front of him. If the system hadn't reminded him, he might have forgotten it even existed.  

But still...  

He finally reached Level 2!  

Although Kaneki's expression didn't change much, his body involuntarily radiated a sense of joy.  

And it showed in a peculiar way...  

The blood pool in the temple began bubbling furiously.  

A panicked cultist rushed out of the temple to report: "This is a catastrophe! The Evil God is so happy that the pool is boiling over!"  

Kaneki: ...  

The Evil God (in spirit): How is this my problem?!  

To be fair, even Kaneki didn't realize that his thoughts would manifest in such an unusual manner.  

Regardless, this time the Cult of the Evil God had indeed made a significant impact.  

The Sakamoto Trading Company, after all, was the largest merchant organization in all of Kawa Country. It had countless connections to the nation's elite and influence that extended into neighboring countries.  

Yet such a powerful organization was annihilated overnight.  

And the culprit? A little-known group called the Cult of the Evil God.  

Although the cult had some reputation in Kawa Country, it was mostly hearsay. Nobody expected them to act so ruthlessly.  

Reports claimed that the cult piled the corpses of everyone from the Sakamoto Trading Company into a mountain to perform a grotesque ritual for their so-called Evil God.  

Thanks to the cult's intense religious style and violent actions, they gained instant notoriety, drawing widespread attention.  

This was why their reputation points skyrocketed by over 6,000.  

While Kaneki didn't fully understand how reputation points were calculated, the results certainly left him satisfied.  

After leveling up, Kaneki's system panel updated as well.  

[Cultivation Game of the Evil God™]  

• Host: A blood pool named Shingetsu Kaneki  

• Level: 2 (Next level requires 10,000 reputation points) 

Note: The host's mental power increases with each level.  

• Evil God Reputation: 7,207 

[Ability 1]: Womb of the Primordial Creator  

• Gene Library: Ordinary Human Gene, Leaf-Cutter Mantis Gene, Giant Centipede Gene, Giant Man-Eating Spider Gene.  

• Genes Under Analysis: Evil God Gene (0.91% complete), Water Style Ninja Gene (88.7% complete).  

• Creatures Available for Production: Centipede Kakuja, Spider Kakuja, Mantis Kakuja, Antmen Kakuja, Human Clones, Ravens, Black Beetles. 

[Ability 2]: Blessing of the Evil God  

• Your body has been blessed by the Evil God. Until the Evil God’s demise, you possess immortality. 

[Mission Statement]: I will create a world ruled by the Evil God!  

After leveling up, Kaneki could clearly feel a substantial increase in his soul strength and mental power.  

This was most evident in the progress of the two analyzed genes: Evil God Gene and Water Style Ninja Gene.  

At Level 1, no matter how much mental power Kaneki dedicated to researching the Evil God Gene, the progress bar wouldn’t budge.  

But now, within just a few days, it had leaped to 0.91%. And judging by the current speed, it might even reach 5% in the near future.  

As for the Water Style Ninja Gene, its progress was advancing at breakneck speed.  

Kaneki had nearly fully deciphered the genetic makeup of Kikuchi Miura’s body. However, his ambitions didn’t stop there.  

Kikuchi Miura was only a Chūnin, perhaps Special Jōnin at best—far from meeting Kaneki’s requirements.  

His next plan was to study more Water Style ninjas to further enhance his research.  

For example, during this operation, Kaneki had covertly sent Ravens and Black Beetles to devour and transport the corpses of ninjas from both the Sakamoto Trading Company and the Yun Shinobi Village back to his main body.  

Though most were Chūnin, their strength varied. Kaneki classified them based on their origins:  

• Wandering Chūnin: Rogue ninjas like those under Sakamoto’s command.  

• Small Village Chūnin: Shinobi from lesser villages like Yun Shinobi Village.  

• Large Village Chūnin: Reserved for future studies on the Five Great Nations’ ninja. 

Beyond that were categories for Special Jōnin and Jōnin-level shinobi.  

At present, most of Kaneki’s research material consisted of Chūnin-level ninjas, primarily skilled in Water and Earth Style, with one each specializing in Lightning and Fire Style. Wind Style, however, was entirely absent.  

To better understand the essence of ninjas, Kaneki initiated three new analysis tasks:  

• Earth Style Ninja  

• Fire Style Ninja  

• Lightning Style Ninja 

With his current mental power and the abundance of materials, Kaneki expected significant breakthroughs in both Water and Earth Styles soon.  

Meanwhile, another project intrigued him even more: research on a new type of Kakuja.  

Before leaving Mizuo Village, Kaneki had ordered Black Beetles to devour and transport Sakamoto’s corpse, the remnants of Shiraishi Mori’s body, and a vial of his blood.  

It was clear that the Kakujas in both Shiraishi Mori and Sakamoto had undergone mutations during the battle.  

Kaneki’s goal now was to analyze their tissue and pinpoint the mutated genes. He would then replicate and integrate these useful genes into a new, superior Kakuja.  

As he pondered this, Kaneki glanced at his hand.  

It was time to upgrade his own body.  

Keeping such an ordinary physique as the Evil God's emissary seemed far too mundane.  

"Ah, finally back at headquarters!"  

Hidan stretched lazily, a rare trace of excitement in his tone.  

Not because he was home—he simply wanted to rest. Any talk about "home is where the heart is" was definitely out of the question for someone like Hidan.  

If not for Kaneki's restraint, Hidan would have sacrificed every fake believer in the base to the Evil God already.  

To Hidan, anyone without the Evil God’s blessing was a heretic!  

When Hidan kicked open the headquarters’ doors, the tension inside the base skyrocketed.  

"Welcome back, Divine Envoys!"  

Hidan, oblivious to the nervous atmosphere, strolled toward the newly built dining hall.  

"Delicious pork cutlets, here I come!" 

─=≡Σ((( つ◕ل͜◕)つ 

(To be continued...) 

 *Chapter 38: I Am the True Hound of the Evil God (Part 2)*

Kaneki adjusted his glasses lightly. Originally, he planned to let this identity return for some rest and work on modifying his body, but that seemed impossible now.

Several cultists ran up to Kaneki and respectfully said, "Holy Child, the leader requests your presence."

Although the cultists tried hard to mask it, Kaneki could still sense the tension and unease radiating from them.

Understanding the situation, he smiled gently and said, "Understood, I'll head over now."

Though it appeared that Kaneki had been out completing missions with Hidan these past few days, his surveillance of the headquarters had never relaxed for even a moment.

After all, the *Blood Pool* at the headquarters was Kaneki's true form!

Due to its unique nature, Kaneki couldn’t directly "open his eyes" to observe the surroundings. However, the omnipresent black beetles and crows around the headquarters served as his perfect eyes and ears.

Even the mighty leader of the Evil God Cult, who practically ruled the place with an iron fist, was as exposed as if stripped bare before Kaneki. If he wanted, he could even find out the color of everyone's underwear.

Not that it mattered—Kaneki wasn’t human, but he wasn’t a pervert either.

Controlling his avatar, Kaneki arrived at the leader's room and gently knocked on the door.

"It's you, Kaneki. Come in."

A cold, indifferent voice came from within.

Pushing the door open, Kaneki saw the leader seated on the sofa, a cigarette dangling casually from his mouth.

"It's been a few days, and the leader looks much more refreshed," Kaneki remarked with a smile.

It wasn’t mere flattery; the middle-aged man before him did indeed seem to be in better spirits.

Hearing the comment, the leader froze for a moment and instinctively touched his face.

It did seem true! Ever since Kaneki and Hidan had gone out on a mission, the leader had been eating well, sleeping soundly, and waking up naturally without worrying about sudden explosions. No wonder he felt revitalized!

Noticing the leader's expression change, Kaneki smiled faintly. "It seems Hidan is usually the one disturbing your peace, Leader."

The leader nodded in strong agreement. "Exactly, exactly."

<(￣︶￣)>

"Ahem! I didn’t call you here to discuss that!"

The leader quickly redirected the conversation, his face turning serious. "I summoned you because there’s a very serious matter to address."

"Please, Leader, ask away," Kaneki replied calmly.

The leader narrowed his eyes, staring at Kaneki intensely. "Why did you and Hidan kill Miura?"

In the Evil God Cult, killing comrades wasn’t exactly a grave offense, but Miura Kikuchi had been the second-in-command of the cult. His death couldn’t simply be ignored, even if Kaneki and Hidan were the Holy Children blessed by the Evil God.

"Oh, it’s about that," Kaneki said, adjusting his glasses. "This incident was mostly Hidan's fault."

The leader's expression immediately shifted to one of understanding. As expected, it was Hidan.

"Hidan had just finished eating fried pork cutlets."

"Then he wanted to visit a hot spring."

"Miura, annoyed, tried to teach us a lesson but was outmatched."

"And by the way, Hidan was the one who killed him. It had nothing to do with me."

Kaneki raised both hands, signaling his innocence. Everything was Hidan’s fault.

The leader’s face darkened as he sat on the sofa.

Unbelievable. He had sent them on a mission, and instead, they ate fried pork cutlets, wanted to visit a hot spring, and even disregarded their superior’s authority.

Slamming his hand on the sofa, the leader demanded, "What about the mission? Did you complete it?"

Kaneki scratched his nose awkwardly. "Well… we didn’t complete the mission, but we did eliminate the person who issued it."

That statement nearly caused the leader's brain to short-circuit.

What did he mean by not completing the mission but eliminating the client?

His mind spun until he finally pieced it together. "You’re saying you killed Sakamoto, the employer?"

Kaneki nodded slightly. "Correct."

The leader’s cigarette fell to the floor, and he crushed it underfoot.

"Do you have any idea how much money Sakamoto donated to the Evil God Cult each year? And you killed him?" he roared in disbelief.

The leader couldn’t fathom how these two managed to come up with such a bizarre thought process!

Fail the mission, so kill the client instead?

Genius. Absolutely genius! It was laughable—if only he weren’t so enraged.

"Fine. Excellent. You’ve done brilliantly!"

The leader finally stood up, glaring viciously at Kaneki.

"I wasn’t planning to act so soon, but since you two refuse to follow orders, I’ll move the plan ahead!"

Kaneki raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is the leader planning to make a move against the Evil God’s chosen representatives? That’s quite disrespectful to the Evil God."

Hearing this, the leader’s face twisted in fury. "Silence!"

He pulled out a sharp kunai, his voice trembling with rage. "Enough! I’ve had enough!"

"In this world, only I am the true hound of the Evil God!"

"I was the first to worship the Evil God, so why do you get to stand ahead of me and receive the Evil God’s blessings?"

"This is just a trial given to me by the Evil God."

His expression grew increasingly manic as he gesticulated wildly.

"Now, I will take back what’s rightfully mine!"

Despite the leader’s threats, Kaneki remained calm and warned, "Are you sure about this? Even with my powers sealed, you may not be our match under the Evil God’s protection."

The leader smirked mockingly. "Do you think I’m unprepared?"

Pleased with himself, he declared, "I set the stage long ago. The moment you entered this room, a special incense began permeating your body."

A cruel smile spread across his face.

"By now, your chakra and other powers should be completely sealed."

Kaneki tested it and found it to be true—but this was all part of his plan.

Long before entering the room, his hidden black beetles had informed him of everything.

"Even if you seal my powers, you can’t wield them. You’ll never become a true servant of the Evil God," Kaneki said, stabbing at the leader’s pride.

The leader snapped. "You don’t understand! You understand nothing!"

He began forming hand seals rapidly, muttering madly, "I’ve already found a way to take your power for myself!"

"Only I am the Evil God’s most loyal hound!"

(To be continued)  

Chapter 39: I, the Cult Leader of the Evil God, Am Destined for Greatness!

Kaneki watched with mild amusement as the middle-aged man before him waved his hands wildly, his face alight with a manic smile, the fervor of a dream realized shining in his eyes.

He was curious to see what kind of ninjutsu the Cult Leader would employ to steal his abilities.

Kaneki was equally intrigued by the technique that could rob others of their powers.

"This is a special ninjutsu I prepared just for you," the Cult Leader declared, his eyes glowing with intense zeal in the dimly lit room.

"Return the power of the Evil God to me, Ken Kaneki!"

*"Rebirth of the Undying!"*

With the Cult Leader’s roar, countless brown scales erupted across his body.

His mouth widened with each shout, his pupils transforming into icy, vertical slits like a snake’s, radiating terror.

In an instant, his neck elongated unnaturally, his entire form shifting into a massive brown serpent. The giant snake opened its maw and swallowed the paralyzed Kaneki whole.

Darkness engulfed Kaneki’s consciousness as an overwhelming spiritual force surged into his body, attempting to annihilate the soul dwelling within.

"Transferring his soul into my body, erasing my will, and taking control to obtain the powers granted by the Evil God?" Kaneki’s soul remained utterly undisturbed amidst the assault, as calm as an ancient well.

A few days ago, such an attack might have fazed him.

But since advancing to Level 2 by raising his reputation in the Evil God’s cult, this kind of spiritual onslaught was practically meaningless to him.

Still, Kaneki decided to observe this curious technique further.

He withdrew his soul from the clone's body, allowing the Cult Leader to seize control successfully.

Moments later, the previously dazed and lethargic "Kaneki" snapped his eyes open, his face lighting up with joy.

"I did it! I actually did it!"

The Cult Leader, now inhabiting Kaneki’s body, crawled out of the massive snake’s belly, heedless of the sticky mucus clinging to him.

Giddy with excitement, he examined his hands.

"I really succeeded!"

With a thought, the centipede-like tail at his waist extended instantly, moving with the precision of an arm or leg.

He went on to test the abilities of other kagune, including those of an ant, a mantis, and a spider.

This newfound power sent him into an ecstasy unlike anything he’d felt before.

"This... This is the power bestowed by the Evil God!"

The Cult Leader’s elation gradually subsided after a few minutes of experimentation.

"Ha, so Orochimaru claimed this technique would meet resistance from the target’s soul? I felt nothing at all."

He glanced at his pale, elegant hands, muttering to himself, "Was Kaneki’s soul simply too weak? Or do I have a natural talent for soul manipulation?"

"Or perhaps… the Evil God Himself intervened on my behalf?"

The more he pondered, the more exhilarated he became, faintly convinced he might be some kind of protagonist in this twisted tale.

Suddenly, the room’s door was kicked open.

"Kaneki! Didn’t you say you had something cool to show me? Let’s go!"

The intruder was none other than Hidan, his silver hair gleaming under the dim light.

Hearing Hidan’s voice, the Cult Leader felt a chill down his spine.

But he quickly remembered—he wasn’t the pushover Cult Leader anymore. He was Ken Kaneki!

This body possessed the power to decapitate Hidan with ease.

With this strength, why should the almighty Cult Leader of the Evil God’s cult fear a mere Hidan?

Ridiculous!

Still, he decided it would be wise to fully adapt to this body before dealing with that pesky brat.

Hidan, having barged into the room, immediately noticed the massive snake and the slime-covered "Kaneki" emerging from its belly. His face scrunched up in disgust, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"What’s with the giant snake?"

"Uh…" The Cult Leader hesitated before deciding to tell the truth. "That’s the Cult Leader."

Hidan’s eyes lit up with excitement. "You finally took out the Cult Leader? About time! I’ve been wanting to deal with that old geezer for ages!"

The Cult Leader clenched his fists.

Raising Hidan from childhood had been a calculated move to cultivate a loyal follower, not an emotional bond—but wasn’t this blatant eagerness for his death a bit much?

However, the rising resentment emanating from Hidan caused the Cult Leader’s fists to relax slightly. Perhaps there was still some value in having kept him around.

But then Hidan pulled out his black spear and aimed it at Kaneki’s neck, shouting furiously, "You bastard! How could you do something so exhilarating without inviting me to join?"

The Cult Leader: *Speechless.*

To maintain his cover, "Kaneki" quickly explained, "The Cult Leader attacked me first. I had no choice but to retaliate—"

Before he could finish, Hidan’s spear thrust toward his neck.

(ง ͠ ᵒ̌ Дᵒ̌ )▬▬ι═══════ﺤ

Startled, "Kaneki" leapt backward, activating his newly acquired kagune to enter combat mode against Hidan.

"Hidan, what are you doing?!"

Hidan’s expression darkened, his face a storm of fury.

"Where is Ken Kaneki?"

His voice was calm, but his eyes were as cold and unyielding as an iceberg, concealing a raging sea beneath.

Feigning confusion, "Kaneki" replied, "What are you talking about? I’m right here in front of you!"

At this, Hidan burst into laughter, bending over and wiping tears from his eyes.

"Hahaha! Don’t kid around. Where’s Ken Kaneki?"

Straightening up, his tone turned icy.

Seeing no way out, "Kaneki" abandoned the act.

"Well, since you’ve figured it out, I might as well tell you."

With a flick of his kagune, he said smugly, "Ken Kaneki’s body is now mine. As for his soul…"

"It probably disintegrated under my spiritual assault."

He smirked.

"But I’m curious—how did you know I wasn’t the real Ken Kaneki?"

Hidan gripped his spear tightly, his voice low and frigid.

"That idiot Kaneki would never explain anything to me like some groveling dog."

"And one more thing…"

Hidan kicked off the ground, lunging forward with terrifying speed.

"Don’t use that guy’s body to make such a disgusting face!"

In that moment, the wrath Hidan had been suppressing erupted like a thunderstorm, consuming the room in its fury.

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 40: I Will Create a World with Kaneki

Hidan launched himself forward at lightning speed, the pitch-black spear in his hand hurtling toward the familiar face before him.

He would never allow anyone to insult that damned person!

If anyone had the right to, it would only be him!

The Leader stepped back, his mantis-like kagune quickly intercepting the attack just in time. The spear clashed with the scythe-shaped kagune, creating a cascade of dazzling sparks.

A look of unbridled joy appeared in the Leader's eyes.

This was the power granted by Lord Jashin!

Though he couldn’t yet fully control it, he could already feel its immense strength.

A massive, dark purple shadow swept in from the side, slamming into Hidan and sending him crashing into the wall, leaving a large crater.

But for Hidan, who possessed immortality, such an injury was trivial.

He immediately got back up and, without a word, launched another, even faster assault on the Leader.

The Leader narrowed his eyes, his mantis kagune striking out like red lightning.

This time, Hidan didn’t dodge or block. He allowed the kagune to sever his head clean off.

So, this is the joy of decapitation?

A surge of indescribable exhilaration rose in the Leader’s heart.

No wonder Kaneki loved beheadings so much.

Next, all he had to do was control Hidan's severed head.

Just as the Leader was about to celebrate his easy victory, countless threads suddenly shot out from Hidan’s neck, reconnecting his head to his body.

In the next instant, Hidan’s body moved again, his spear roaring like thunder as it struck out.

A terrifying sense of danger surged through the Leader. He hurriedly dodged to the side, but the sharp spear still pierced his shoulder.

“Damn it!”

He cursed through gritted teeth, then used his tail kagune to send Hidan flying once more.

Clutching his bleeding shoulder, the Leader’s expression turned grim.

“Why? I’ve already mastered his power, so why—”

Before he could finish, Hidan interrupted him.

“His power isn’t something just anyone can wield.”

As he spoke, Hidan twisted his neck. In just a second, the previously severed wound was completely healed.

Gripping his spear tightly, his eyes filled with murderous intent, Hidan demanded, “Where are you hiding Kaneki?”

At Hidan’s question, the Leader broke into a maniacal smile.

“Kaneki? I am Kaneki now. If you dare use your Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood, Kaneki will die along with me!”

Hearing the Leader’s threat, Hidan closed his eyes and spoke softly. “Ken Kaneki, you’re such a pathetic failure.”

He then slowly raised his spear, licking its tip with his tongue. His entire body turned black and white as he coldly declared:

“If he’s already dead, then the entire Jashin cult can accompany him to the grave.”

Blood flowed freely from Hidan’s body, painting a circular Jashin symbol on the ground.

Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood, activate!

Seeing this, the Leader grew tense.

He knew exactly how Hidan’s ability worked. If Hidan succeeded in destroying his body, his own soul would be annihilated along with it!

“Hidan, what are you doing?”

“Don’t you want to save Kaneki?”

The Leader was panicking.

After all, Hidan had already taken his blood. If he used the Curse Technique, there was nothing the Leader could do to stop him!

Hidan sneered at the Leader’s desperation.

“I don’t think that guy would want his body to be controlled by trash like you, let alone be threatened.”

Without hesitation, Hidan raised his spear high.

If it was Kaneki’s body, then he would end this cleanly—by driving the spear straight through the heart.

Seeing Hidan’s resolve, the Leader’s tail kagune shot out, not toward Hidan, but at the ground beneath him.

To activate the Curse Technique, two conditions needed to be met:

1. The cursed person’s blood must be consumed.

2. The caster must stand within the Jashin symbol.

The Leader’s only hope was to destroy the symbol on the ground or force Hidan to step out of its boundaries.

But given his current level of control over the body, how could he possibly match Hidan’s speed?

In an instant, Hidan’s spear pierced through the Leader’s chest.

At the same moment, a gaping wound appeared on Kaneki’s chest, blood gushing out in torrents.

The Leader collapsed to the ground, his face twisted in disbelief.

Despite having acquired such immense power, he was still no match for Hidan.

Why? Why was Lord Jashin so unfair?

But all his resentment faded as his heart was impaled, snuffing out his life.

Hidan’s vengeance didn’t end there.

He gently closed Kaneki’s eyes, gazing at him for a long moment before slowly turning toward the exit.

“If you’re dead, then the Jashin cult has no reason to exist.”

The next second, Hidan kicked open the door.

Two cultists outside barely had time to react before being skewered by his spear.

Double kill.

At this moment, Hidan exuded a chilling aura—a true, murderous intent rarely seen from his usual flippant demeanor.

With his immortal body, Hidan was utterly fearless.

At least, no one in the Jashin cult posed a threat to him.

Thanks to Kaneki’s training over the past three months, Hidan’s combat skills had improved immensely. Combined with his reckless fighting style, Hidan single-handedly annihilated the entire Jashin cult.

Screams, wails, cries for mercy—these sounds combined into a cacophony of despair.

Blood flowed like a river, a crimson stream carrying the souls of the damned into the abyss.

Ravens feasted greedily on the carnage, while the faceless statue in the temple silently observed. The cult’s headquarters had become a living hell.

Hidan, drenched in blood, dragged his weary body into the temple, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind.

Suddenly, he grinned at the statue, the same one worshiped for countless days and nights, and mockingly said:

“So, the mighty Lord Jashin can’t even protect His own chosen ones?”

“In that case, it would be better to—”

A terrifying thought crossed Hidan’s mind, veins bulging as he gripped his spear tightly.

With Kaneki gone, this world had no meaning for him anymore.

Step by step, Hidan approached the statue. Just as his descent into madness reached its peak, the blood pool began to ripple.

A figure emerged, raising an arm in greeting:

“Ohayo, Hidan-kun!”

(-Д-)』(-∧-)

(End of Chapter)