26-28

**Chapter 26: I’m Here to Help You**

In the center of the cruise ship stood a massive arena.

Rows of seats, arranged in a fan shape, spread outward from the middle, where an octagonal cage made of steel bars dominated the scene.

The rusty, thick, and haphazardly constructed steel mesh exuded an unrestrained and wild aura.

The mottled bloodstains on the bars made it impossible to distinguish whether the metallic stench in the air came from the rust or the blood.

Though it was nighttime outside, the cruise ship remained brightly lit.

The moment Chairman Sakamoto appeared with a microphone, the crowd erupted into a deafening wave of cheers.

“Welcome, esteemed guests, for traveling from afar to our *Heaven on Earth*!”

Sakamoto’s gaze swept across the crowd. These people were the elite of the Land of Rivers—individuals whose favor was the foundation of his survival and prosperity as a merchant.

Thus, ensuring they abandoned all worries and experienced ultimate pleasure here was Sakamoto’s utmost priority.

In fact, it was arguably more important than defeating Gato.

“Next, we’ll present an unprecedented beast fight!”

“I’m sure you’ve grown tired of watching wild animals tear each other apart and bored of slaves battling to the death.”

“So, this time, we’re bringing you something you’ve never seen before—a duel between mutants!”

“Stay tuned!”

As Sakamoto’s voice faded, the lights over the audience dimmed, and a spotlight illuminated the rough octagonal cage in the center.

**At the entrance.**

A trusted ninja, Abo, stood holding an iron chain in one hand.

At the other end of the chain wasn’t a wild animal but two people: the parents of Shiraishi Mori.

It was Shiraishi Ao and Keiko Yanagishima, who had just become ghouls.

They were dressed in tattered clothes, with heavy shackles binding their wrists, ankles, and necks. The clinking sound of metal chains echoed as they moved.

Before they stepped into the cage, Abo said coldly, “Remember, you have one hour. Only one of you can survive; otherwise, your son will also be taken for experimentation.”

Hearing the word *experiment*, Shiraishi Ao and Keiko trembled uncontrollably.

Clearly, the memory of their earlier experimentation still haunted them.

They dared not imagine their son enduring that same extreme torment.

“If you don’t die, he will,” Abo taunted, a cruel smile on his face as he released the chains and urged them forward.

Shiraishi Ao clenched his fists, his face filled with unwillingness.

His parched, gray lips parted slowly. “I’m sorry, Keiko. It’s all my fault.”

Beside him, Keiko shook her head gently, her dry hair swaying slightly. She forced a bittersweet smile. “It’s not your fault.”

“An hour from now, just kill me,” she said.

Shiraishi Ao shook his head. “No, if someone has to die, it will be me.”

Keiko looked up at the audience, the nobles adorned in gold and silver, then closed her eyes and said, “Ao, you’re stronger than me. You’re more likely to survive and save our son.”

Opening her eyes, she stared at him intensely. “Living is the most painful thing. Don’t make me bear that pain.”

“Keiko...”

Shiraishi Ao opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.

In the meantime, the audience erupted in dissatisfaction.

“Come on, what’s taking so long?”

“Didn’t they say they were mutants? Where’s the mutation?”

Seeing this, Abo’s tone turned stern. “Hurry up, you two. Get started.”

Keiko gritted her teeth. The next second, her pupils turned blood-red, and eight slender appendages extended from her back, resembling sharp swords, lunging toward Shiraishi Ao.

Shiraishi Ao clenched his teeth tightly, and a massive, dark-purple centipede tail emerged from his waist, blocking Keiko’s attack.

The collision sparked bright flashes and ignited the crowd’s excitement.

“My God, what are these things?”

“As expected of Chairman Sakamoto—he really found mutants!”

“Are these some kind of ninjutsu? Amazing!”

“Fight already! Kill each other!”

As the crowd roared with enthusiasm, servants began weaving through the audience with trays, allowing the nobles to place bets on the match.

As for the fighters’ identities or lives, no one cared.

All these nobles cared about was the fleeting thrill of the moment.

Shiraishi Ao and Keiko launched relentless attacks at each other in this torturous setting.

They had thought about using their newfound power to break through Sakamoto’s defenses and rescue their son and the other villagers.

But even with their abilities, they were no match for the Sakamoto Corporation’s forces.

The various restraints binding them made any rebellion a death sentence—for themselves and their son.

So, after decades of shared life, the two could only burn their lives away to entertain the wicked and secure the faint hope of saving their son.

Meanwhile, as the arena reached a fever pitch, Kaneki stepped into the dungeon.

There, Shiraishi Mori knelt on the ground, his hands clutching his head, his forehead pressed to the floor in utter despair.

“Have you given up already?”

Kaneki stood before the cell, looking down at Mori with an air of detachment.

Hearing the voice, Mori raised his head.

“You’re... the man who came to my house for dinner tonight?”

“That necklace—you left it behind on purpose, didn’t you? What’s your goal? Was it to lure me here?”

The boy stood up, firing off questions, his eyes blazing with fury.

Faced with this interrogation, Kaneki calmly adjusted his glasses and replied, “Yes, I left the necklace intentionally. Whether you came here or not was your choice.”

At this, Mori angrily grabbed his hair, his voice filled with regret. “If I hadn’t come, maybe my parents...”

Kaneki chuckled.

“No matter what you did, their fate wouldn’t have changed.”

“Fortunately, they survived the experiments.”

Hearing this, Mori’s eyes lit up, only for Kaneki to extinguish his hope with the next words.

“But to ensure your survival, they are now fighting each other to the death to entertain the crowd.”

“They’re fighting...”

Mori grabbed the bars, his body trembling violently.

“Why... Why are you doing this?”

He fell to his knees, punching the steel cage with all his strength, but it was futile.

“There’s no why. To them, your parents are just two unusually shaped crickets, mere playthings,” Kaneki said in a flat tone, as if nothing in the world could stir his emotions.

Mori clutched the bars tightly, his palms turning white from the force.

After a few moments, he rasped, “Then what about you?”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you here? To mock me?”

At this question, Kaneki finally smiled.

“I’m here to help you.”

(*End of Chapter*)
Chapter 27: Humanity's Anthem Is the Anthem of Courage!

Hearing this statement, Mori didn’t show a happy smile; instead, his brows furrowed as he stared at Kaneki with suspicion.

“You want to help me? Why?”

Kaneki gently removed his glasses, exhaled on the lenses, and slowly wiped them with his sleeve.

“No particular reason.”

“If you insist on one, perhaps it’s because you’re brave?”

Mori frowned even more deeply.

“Brave?”

What kind of reason is that? No matter how he looked at it, Mori couldn’t see Kaneki as someone who would help just because he admired someone’s virtue.

“More accurately, your courage has sparked a glimmer of expectation for your future in me.”

“Of course, the most important thing is that I’m curious about what changes might occur if you were to implant a `Kagune`.”

Kaneki slowly put his glasses back on. In the dim light, the lenses reflected a chilling gleam.

“Kagune?”

Mori began to piece together a guess, which Kaneki immediately confirmed.

“That’s right. The same thing implanted in your parents’ bodies.”

Kaneki’s nonchalant tone instantly ignited Mori’s anger.

After all, the thing Kaneki spoke of so lightly might have caused his parents unimaginable suffering!

Mori glared at Kaneki, suppressing his inner rage. “That abominable thing—it’s your doing, isn’t it?”

“Abominable thing? That’s not an inaccurate description,” Kaneki replied with a faint smile, nodding slightly to confirm Mori’s suspicion.

“You’re too weak,” he continued.

“Human strength is limited. Only by transcending humanity can one gain greater power.”

He then smirked playfully, producing a `Kagune` in his hand. “So, do you want this… ‘abomination’?”

Looking at the crimson, repulsive organ-like object in Kaneki’s hand, Mori—who had just been burning with rage—quickly calmed himself.

Undoubtedly, Mori’s instincts recoiled from the `Kagune`.

But the problem was this: from Kaneki’s words, he learned that his parents were risking their lives in a brutal arena to save him.

And with his current strength, he couldn’t even protect himself, let alone save his parents.

Thus, the only viable path to rescuing them seemed to be this one.

“Transcend humanity?”

Although Mori had no interest in or agreement with such notions, he displayed unexpected decisiveness at that moment.

“I’ll take it.”

He stood up and coldly asked, “If I consume this thing, will I gain the power to save my parents?”

Kaneki extended a finger and wagged it slightly.

“Nothing in this world is absolute. Even the greatest power needs a qualified wielder.”

“So, I can’t give you a definite answer. If you insist, then I’d say…”

“Maybe.”

Mori scoffed coldly at Kaneki’s cryptic words.

Ignoring his disrespect, Kaneki continued, “A friendly reminder: consuming a `Kagune` carries a certain probability of instant death, a chance of going berserk, or the possibility of becoming a Ghoul that transcends humanity.”

“Everything is uncertain. Decide wisely.”

“Enough with the nonsense!”

Mori ignored Kaneki’s warnings, snatched the `Kagune` from his hand, and stuffed it into his mouth in one swift motion.

Slightly smiling, Kaneki turned and left the cell.

As he walked away, anguished screams erupted behind him.

Moments later, more and more cries filled the air.

Dozens of terrifying presences flared to life, and pairs of crimson eyes illuminated the darkness.

Yes, Kaneki hadn’t handed a `Kagune` only to Mori. He’d given them to the other prisoners as well.

Of course, not everyone accepted his “kindness.”

But many, unwilling to submit to fate and determined to burn brightly in their final moments, made the same choice as Mori.

After all, **the brave take all, while the timid eat dust.**

The prison descended into chaos.

The agonized screams, the shattering walls, and the lingering cries of despair formed a symphony that surrounded Kaneki.

As he stepped out of the prison, he adjusted his glasses with a slow, deliberate motion.

“Humanity’s anthem is the anthem of courage.”

“I look forward to your performance.”

---

Meanwhile, the Octagon Arena was abuzz with excitement.

The spectators, though aristocrats, were ecstatic, as it was their first time witnessing such a unique “performance.”

On the stage, a husband and wife, clearly in love, were forced to use `Kagune`-fueled powers to fight each other to the death.

The emotional and visual impact of such a spectacle left the audience in indescribable delight.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the time is almost up,” announced Ninja Abu, his voice chilling as the specter of death itself.

Mori and Keiko froze, their expressions twisting with bitterness.

Time running out meant one of them had to make the ultimate sacrifice.

“Let’s end this, Mori,” Keiko said resolutely, charging toward her husband.

“Keiko…” Mori gritted his teeth, trembling all over.

Though Keiko appeared to be attacking him, her guard was wide open. A single strike from him would end her life.

Only by doing so could he and their son survive. But even then, he hesitated.

“Don’t waver—strike now!”

Keiko whispered urgently, her voice low.

“If the audience notices anything unusual, everything will be for nothing!”

Under the crushing psychological pressure, Mori finally swung his `Kagune`.

Just as the spectators leaned forward in anticipation of the climax, a violent tremor abruptly stopped everything.

“What’s going on?!” roared Chairman Sakamoto, furious at the disruption.

Before he could get an answer, the arena doors burst open!

Twisted metal gates, crumbling walls, and scattered human remains flooded into the venue like an unstoppable tide.

The scene fell into stunned silence.

Amidst the swirling dust, a towering figure emerged.

It was Mori, who had broken through the prison and slaughtered his way to the arena.

He was unrecognizable now, his body encased in thick black exoskeleton armor. Fresh blood dripped from him incessantly, exuding a terrifying aura of menace.

His glowing crimson eyes shone like those of a monster.

Like a ferocious wolf, his mere presence sent the crowd fleeing in terror.

Mori pushed through the throng, step by step, until he reached the Octagon Cage.

Under the shocked gazes of Mori and Keiko, he gripped the steel bars. The exoskeleton on his arms bulged, and with brute force, he bent the thick bars aside.

Mori exhaled heavily, blood vapor spilling from his mouth.

“Dad…”

“Mom…”

“I’m here!”

*End of Chapter*

**Chapter 28: The Ritual Ceremony**

The pitch-black exoskeleton on Shiraishi Mori's body suddenly swelled, reflecting a dark purple light. With explosive power, he tore apart the steel cage in front of him!

Witnessing this, Sakamoto erupted in rage.

"Where did this monster come from? Kill him now!"

At Sakamoto's command, his subordinates sprang into action. The first to move was the ninja closest to Shiraishi Mori, known as Abu.

"Did you really think escaping from here would be that easy?"

In a flash, Abu appeared directly behind Shiraishi Mori.

After a quick series of hand seals, chakra flowed rapidly to his palms before he slammed them into the ground.

**"Earth Release: Mudslide!"**

The earth beneath Shiraishi Mori's feet transformed instantly into a patch of quicksand.

He pounded the ground with both fists, but it was futile.

The heavy exoskeleton that granted him immense strength and defense also significantly increased his weight.

Faced with the quicksand, he could only watch himself sink deeper.

But his parents standing behind him weren’t going to idly watch.

"Keiko, help Mori now!"

"Got it!"

Keiko nodded firmly, and eight legs protruding from her back shot out, firmly grabbing hold of her son.

Meanwhile, Shiraishi Ao leapt high through the broken octagonal cage. From above, his thick centipede tail Kagune slashed down at Abu like a giant sword.

Abu reacted without hesitation, forming hand seals in an instant.

**"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"**

A massive, sturdy earth wall rose from the ground, blocking the powerful strike.

The violent collision caused cracks to spiderweb across the wall.

Feeling the terrifying force from above, Abu’s expression grew serious.

"In just a few hours, they've gained such power?"

He was astonished. After all, it had only been two to three hours since the Shiraishi couple had their Kagune implanted.

If they fully mastered their Kagune, Sakamoto’s dream of rivaling the ninja villages might not be so far-fetched after all.

As Abu’s thoughts wandered, Shiraishi Ao launched another attack.

His thick, sturdy Kagune smashed through the earth wall, bursting out from the rubble.

Through the rising smoke, several kunai streaked toward Shiraishi Ao. As they neared him, the attached explosive tags detonated instantly.

**Boom!**

The shockwave from the explosion scattered the smoke, followed by intense flames and thick black smoke.

Although Shiraishi Ao had used his Kagune for defense, the fierce explosion scorched and broke several segments of it.

The impact flung him back, landing near Shiraishi Mori.

At the edge of the highest spectator stand, Hidan, wearing a long black coat, dangled his feet in the air, watching the chaos below with a bored expression.

"Mori, looks like that centipede Kagune of yours isn’t much. It broke apart with just one explosion."

Standing beside him, Mori observed the scene below with a cold gaze.

"Kagune strength depends on the host. The more power they provide, the stronger the Kagune becomes."

Hearing this, Hidan snorted. "I thought every Kagune could be as strong as yours."

He suddenly recalled the moment Mori had severed his head with his mantis Kagune, and involuntarily shuddered.

Mori glanced at him with disdain.

Below, more of Sakamoto’s subordinates joined the fight against the Shiraishi family.

A barrage of kunai and shuriken rained down.

To protect his parents, Shiraishi Mori became a living shield, using his hardened exoskeleton to block the onslaught.

Though his exoskeleton was tough enough, the relentless attacks left him with numerous wounds.

"At this rate, they won’t last long," Hidan remarked casually.

Mori adjusted his glasses and replied indifferently, "Shiraishi Mori is just an experiment. If he survives, great. If not, so be it."

His cold gaze suggested that he saw those fighting below not as people, but as insects.

"In any experiment, failure is the most common outcome."

"Tch."

Hidan shot Mori a look. "You’re a real cold-blooded bastard."

"When this experiment is over, I’ll offer all of them as sacrifices to Lord Jashin. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

"Of course," Mori replied without hesitation. "This entire ceremony is for Lord Jashin."

He then teased Hidan, "This kind of sacrificial ritual is far more sophisticated than your usual kill, kill, kill."

"Mori, you bastard! You wanna die?!"

As Hidan prepared to argue with Mori, chaos erupted below.

The audience members, who had been fleeing in panic, suddenly rushed back with terrified expressions.

"Monsters!"

"They’re all monsters!"

Panic-stricken, they screamed.

Outside the shattered arena gates, countless red eyes glowed in the darkness.

A heavy, nauseating stench of blood began flooding the arena.

One spectator, running back inside, was suddenly sliced in half from shoulder to waist.

The female victim’s face froze in shock and disbelief even in death.

"So sweet... the taste of these nobles."

Emerging from the shadows, countless ghouls clad in tattered prison uniforms appeared.

They bore various Kagune, dripping with blood.

The one who had just killed was a female prisoner with a **Rinkaku Mantis Kagune**.

Among them, others like **Rinkaku Mantis**, **Koukaku Ant**, and **Koukaku Spider** ghouls followed.

Though their forms varied, their eyes burned with the same fire of vengeance.

For a moment, the battlefield fell eerily silent.

Sakamoto stared in disbelief. Just moments ago, he had fantasized about conquering the world with Kagune. Now, he faced a terrifying reality.

The stark contrast filled him with rage.

After scanning the area, his gaze locked onto Mori and Hidan, lounging at the edge of the spectator stands.

"Ken Kaneki! What is the meaning of this?!"

"Are you betraying the alliance between the Sakamoto Corporation and the Jashin cult?"

Sakamoto’s furious question was met with Mori’s calm indifference.

"Sakamoto, I haven’t broken our deal. I gave you the Kagune; how you use it is your business."

"As for these people, our agreement never prohibited me from giving Kagune to others."

Mori stood up slowly, looking down at the chaos below with a detached gaze.

It was as if the lives being lost weren’t people, but meaningless numbers.

"Sakamoto, only those who survive this ceremony are worthy of Lord Jashin’s power."

---
*End of Chapter*