1-5

Chapter 1: I Shall Offer the Entire Shinobi World to the Evil God!  

“Is this the underworld?” 

Kaneki slowly opened his eyes, greeted by an endless expanse of swirling black and purple mist.  

The mist surged and churned, emanating an aura of dread. 

Coldness, eeriness, fear, resentment...  

These emotions enveloped Kaneki, a cocktail of negativity binding him tightly.  

“So this is hell, huh? Then where’s the Naihe Bridge? What does Death look like?”  

There wasn’t a hint of fear on Kaneki’s face. If anything, there was a glimmer of curiosity about the unknown. After all, he was already dead—what more was there to fear? At worst, he’d die again.  

Just as he was about to start walking to look for these legendary things, the mist around him began to convulse violently, gathering to form a massive black shadow.  

The shadow was enormous and grotesque—so much so that Kaneki couldn’t think of a single word to describe the heap before him.  

His brows furrowed slightly as a dark red fissure appeared in the center of the shadow. The fissure suddenly burst open!  

A crimson, monstrous eye materialized in front of Kaneki out of nowhere.  

Accompanying it was a violent and bizarre gust of wind. Kaneki stood his ground, feeling as if the wind was distorting his entire body.  

When he turned his head, he was startled to see a face identical to his own, grinning back at him.  

Upon closer inspection, he realized, thankfully, that it was just another head growing from his shoulder.  

Or maybe not so thankfully.  

It got worse. When Kaneki tried to speak, he found that his tongue had somehow relocated to his backside.  

Even worse, his mouth had moved to his abdomen, with colorful entrails spilling out of it.  

His right hand held his left hand, which was gripping his left leg, which was holding his right leg. He looked like a human centipede.  

To top it off, the sole of his right foot had become a nose, with two eyeballs stuffed into the nostrils—not one per nostril, but two per nostril—one of which dangled his beating heart like an ornament.  

What on earth...  

Even Kaneki was left speechless. Was this some kind of new hellish joke?  

Fortunately, this grotesque transformation lasted only a second before Kaneki’s body returned to normal.  

Just as he let out a sigh of relief, the ground beneath him cracked open, revealing a gaping abyssal maw that almost swallowed him whole.  

“Kyahahaha!”  

“Well, it’s been centuries, and now two people have shown up at the same time!”  

“Looks like the Ōtsutsuki clan’s seal is finally starting to break!”  

When the creature mentioned the Ōtsutsuki clan, its voice brimmed with rage.  

Kaneki adjusted his glasses, ignoring the clichéd “kyahaha” laugh. From the statement, he deduced three things:  

• He probably wasn’t dead but had instead arrived in some mysterious place in an unusual state.  
  
• Someone else had arrived here before him.  
  
• This terrifying being had been sealed here centuries ago by a group called the Ōtsutsuki clan.  
  
• This being didn’t seem particularly intelligent. 
  

Sure enough, the massive shadow let out a triumphant “kyahaha” laugh, clearly misunderstanding Kaneki’s stillness as fear.  

“Boy, you’ve been scared stiff by the great Evil God, haven’t you? You can’t even move!”  

Exhaling slowly, Kaneki realized this creature was the so-called Evil God.  

Without hesitation, Kaneki placed one hand on his chest, bowed deeply, and said, “I pay my respects to the omnipotent, supreme Evil God!”  

“Kyahaha!”  

As Kaneki had expected, the Evil God was delighted by this flattery.  

The maw in the ground vanished, replaced by countless mouths emerging diagonally beneath the crimson eye.  

Each mouth was densely packed, filling the air with echoes.  

Perhaps finding this arrangement dramatic, the Evil God spoke again: “What’s your name, boy?”  

“I am Kaneki, O Great Evil God,” Kaneki replied without hesitation, his tone even more reverent.  

This display earned the Evil God’s approval. Compared to the fool who came before, Kaneki was far superior.  

The Evil God, who seemed to have the energy of a hyperactive child, suddenly revealed countless eyeballs within its many mouths. Thousands of eyes focused intently on Kaneki.  

“Kaneki, is it? Let me ask you: would you like to become a follower of the Evil God? Will you offer blood sacrifices in my name and help me break this seal to return to the Shinobi World?”  

Before Kaneki could answer, a translucent interface appeared before him.  

“The Evil God’s Nurturing Mini-Game has been activated!  

“Do you choose to believe in the Evil God?  

Yes: Gain the ability Womb of the Creator. 

No: Your exceptional looks will spare you from death, and you’ll become the Evil God’s concubine.”  

Kaneki froze. Sure, he’d already thought his sense of humor was twisted, but this? This was next-level. Even the Evil God had a contact list now?  

But if he chose “Yes,” he—a morally upright youth of the 21st century—would be aiding and abetting evil. That was...  

Fantastic!  

After only a few seconds of hesitation, the Evil God grew visibly displeased.  

Its massive form bubbled ominously, black orbs forming as if it were stewing in anger.  

Sensing this, Kaneki didn’t hesitate. He dropped to one knee, raised his hands like a devout fanatic, and shouted:  

“O Great Evil God, I shall offer the entire Shinobi World to you!”  

“Kyahaha!”  

The Evil God cackled with satisfaction.  

Compared to the earlier guy who only yammered about killing people, Kaneki’s declaration was leagues better.  

Killing a few people? What was the point?  

Offering the entire Shinobi World—that was the spirit!  

Feeling the Evil God’s palpable delight, Kaneki smiled faintly.  

He didn’t know what the Ōtsutsuki clan, the Evil God Cult, or the Shinobi World were. But that didn’t matter. Talking big? He was an expert.  

After all, making promises was easy—it cost nothing!  

Unaware of Kaneki’s ulterior motives, the Evil God, who hadn’t tasted flattery in centuries, was thoroughly captivated.  

“Very well! I bestow upon you the skills Immortal Body and Blood Reaping Ritual! These powers will make you invincible!”  

Kaneki’s eyes sparkled. He hadn’t expected rewards from both the system and the Evil God.  

As a surge of black mist entered his body, Kaneki felt a profound transformation in every inch of himself.  

But just as he was reveling in this, the Evil God abruptly paused.  

“Is something wrong, O Great Evil God?” Kaneki inquired respectfully.  

“Well… uh…”  

“Let’s stop here for now. Take the Immortal Body—the Blood Reaping Ritual can wait until next time.”  

The Evil God’s tone resembled a middle-aged man trying to dodge his wife’s advances after a long day.  

Though disappointed, Kaneki knew better than to push his luck.  

“Thank you for your generosity, O Great Evil God. I promise to deliver the Shinobi World to you!”  

The black mist churned once more.  

“Kyahaha! Go, then. The day I am unsealed will be the day the Shinobi World falls under my rule!”  

“Yes, my lord!”  

As Kaneki disappeared, the black mist muttered to itself, “I shouldn’t have given that brat Hidan so much. This Kaneki kid is way better—a born lackey!”  

“Offering the entire Shinobi World… what a gem!”  

“Pffft…”  

“Kyahaha!”  

Praise the Great Evil God!  

▒▒▓█▇▅▂∩( ✧Д✧)∩▂▅▇█▓▒▒

(End of Chapter) 

 Chapter 2: You Call Yourself a Servant of the Evil God?

Deep within a secluded mountain in the Land of Rivers, a vast, empty hall lay hidden. At the center of this hall stood an immense statue.

Despite the meticulous detail of its eight limbs, the statue was eerily faceless. This stark contrast created an unsettling and ominous atmosphere.

Even more chilling was the sight beneath the statue: a massive blood pool, spanning nearly ten meters! Filled with crimson blood, it emitted a dreadful, pungent odor.

A middle-aged man, around forty or fifty years old, stood before the pool. Inhaling deeply, a look of perverse satisfaction spread across his face.

Clutching a necklace with a circular exterior and a triangular interior, a hint of madness flickered in his aging eyes. In a raspy voice, he commanded, "The auspicious time has arrived! Bring forth all the sacrifices!"

"Yes!"

As the bishop's order echoed, the surrounding cult members, their faces mirroring his fanaticism, began casting corpses into the blood pool.

Not only corpses, but also various venomous creatures—centipedes, spiders, poisonous snakes—were offered. For this annual ritual to the Evil God, they had prepared for days, and now, the sacred hour had finally come!

The bishop raised his hands in a frenzy, enveloped in a thick, murky aura of blood. His eyes gleamed with a crimson hue.

"Oh, great, omnipotent, eternal Evil God!"

"We offer you our hymns, our tributes, our sacrifices!"

"Cast your gaze upon us from the distant unknown, and bestow your blessings upon us!"

With the bishop's final words, all the cultists knelt, their heads bowing heavily to the ground, and chanted in unison:

"Oh, great! Omnipotent! Eternal Evil God!"

"We offer you our hymns, our tributes, our sacrifices!"

"Cast your gaze upon us from the distant unknown, and bestow your blessings upon us!"

Suddenly, an eerie presence descended upon the temple, as if something in the shadows had glanced their way.

An immense pressure weighed upon their hearts, filling them with terror and, simultaneously, an exhilarating excitement!

The bishop's breath grew heavy, his face shifting from shock to overwhelming joy, then to excitement, and finally, to madness!

The Evil God had finally cast its gaze upon them!

Among all the followers of the Evil God, if anyone truly deserved the divine blessing, it was undoubtedly him!

The blood pool abruptly began to churn, and a figure slowly emerged from its depths.

"It's done! I, your lord, have succeeded!"

"Hahahahahahahaha!"

A burst of maniacal laughter reverberated through the hall.

The bishop's crazed expression froze.

He distinctly remembered that only dead bodies were thrown into the pool, so why...

A young man, seemingly no older than eleven or twelve, stumbled out of the blood pool, his movements erratic, his mouth incessantly muttering:

"I've done it! I, your lord, have finally succeeded!"

"You..."

The bishop's eyes narrowed, then widened in recognition.

"No, you're Hidan, aren't you? When did you get into the blood pool?!"

"Huh? Hidan?"

The other cultists wore expressions of disbelief.

Hidan, drenched in blood, reached up and slicked his hair back with the crimson liquid, revealing a grin.

"Bishop, I'm no longer a mere apprentice of the Evil God, but his most faithful spokesperson!"

He spread his arms wide, unleashing a wildly arrogant laugh.

The bishop, momentarily stunned, finally regained his composure. His face etched with shock, he stammered, "You mean... you've received the favor of the Evil God?"

"Exactly!"

Hidan extended his tongue, licking the blood from his hand. In a chilling tone, he declared, "Now, I am the beloved of the Evil God!"

The bishop stood frozen.

Why?

Evil God!

I was here first!

Before he could utter a word, the blood pool churned once more.

"Hmm?"

Hidan turned his head in annoyance. He hated being interrupted during his moment of glory.

Another figure emerged from the blood pool.

His skin was incredibly pale, almost like a blank sheet of paper. He stepped out of the pool, his upper body bare, his black hair plastered to his skin. He even wore a pair of black-framed glasses.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all. My name is Ken Kaneki, but you can just call me Kaneki."

Where did this guy come from?

The bishop and the other cultists exchanged bewildered glances.

Hidan was an orphan raised by the cult since childhood, but where did this guy come from?

He's so handsome; he doesn't look strong at all!

Before they could speak, the arrogant Hidan glared at Kaneki with displeasure.

"Who the hell are you?"

Kaneki, slowly emerging from the blood pool, offered a gentle smile and calmly replied, "I am the general spokesperson sent by the Evil God."

As expected, Hidan instantly erupted in fury.

He had just declared himself the spokesperson of the Evil God, and now this guy claims to be the general spokesperson?

Isn't this a blatant challenge?

Hidan couldn't tolerate this. He pulled out a jet-black spear from seemingly nowhere and charged back towards the blood pool.

"The Evil God only favors me! You imposter, die!"

Hidan, spear in hand, lunged at Kaneki with terrifying speed.

Facing this onslaught, Kaneki merely pushed his glasses up his nose. Suddenly, an enormous purple centipede sprouted from his waist!

The purple shadow expanded rapidly. In the dim light, Hidan had nowhere to dodge!

Or perhaps he had no intention of dodging at all.

The massive centipede's tail, carrying a gust of wind, pierced through Hidan's chest in an instant!

A horrifying spray of blood erupted from the wound. The centipede wriggled its body with delight, seemingly relishing the moment.

Everyone was stunned by this scene.

Damn, the newly born spokesperson of the Evil God got killed in an instant?

However, the bishop remained relatively calm.

If he were truly the spokesperson of the Evil God, he should...

As expected, instead of pain from being impaled, a joyful smile spread across Hidan's face.

"Hahahahaha, this feels good, so good!"

Hidan stared at Kaneki, a manic grin curving his lips. He was completely ecstatic.

"As a true servant of the Evil God, I possess immortality!"

He finished his boastful declaration and then turned his spear, stabbing it fiercely into the centipede, drawing a large amount of purple blood.

Kaneki frowned and commanded the centipede's tail to swat Hidan away, sending him crashing to the ground.

But this kind of injury couldn't inflict any pain on Hidan; it only made him more elated.

He lifted his spear and, as if savoring fine wine, extended his tongue to lick the blood from its surface.

Blood continued to gush from the wound in his chest, but he paid no heed.

He simply dipped his foot in the blood and drew a circle with a triangle inside on the ground.

This was the symbol of the cult.

Upon seeing this symbol, the bishop's pupils instinctively constricted.

Combined with Hidan's indifferent reaction to being impaled, he was almost certain that this guy had indeed received the favor of the Evil God!

Sure enough, after completing the ritual of drawing and licking blood, Hidan's body underwent another drastic transformation.

His entire body first turned pitch black, then white stripes appeared on his skin, giving him an incredibly eerie appearance!

This does fit the Evil God's theme...

Kaneki, standing in the blood pool, couldn't help but吐槽 in his mind.

Hidan fixed his gaze on Kaneki and spoke in a delirious tone, "Kid, are you ready to face the descent of the Evil God?"

"Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood!"

"And then..."

A crazed smile reappeared on Hidan's face.

"How do you want to die?"

"Shall we start with the abdomen?"

Without hesitation, he plunged his spear into his own abdomen.

The spear pierced through his flesh, but Hidan's face was filled with an expression of intense pleasure.

Kaneki, however, frowned. His centipede tail, which he had named [Red Tail], had inexplicably been injured.

Its thick exoskeleton was cleanly sliced open, and purple blood oozed out.

Does [Death Controlling Possessed Blood] reflect the damage he inflicts on himself onto others?

Kaneki arrived at this conjecture almost instantly.

Because if the location of [Red Tail]'s injury were to correspond to a human body, it would be precisely the abdomen.

This is truly a remarkable ability, what a shame.

In that case...

Under Hidan's watchful eye, the pale-faced young man across from him let out a muffled groan and clutched his abdomen in pain.

Although the reaction was slower than he had anticipated, it was certain that the Evil God had not deceived him!

Of course, Kaneki had just emerged from the blood pool, covered in blood. Whether or not his abdomen was injured and bleeding, no one could tell.

Seeing Kaneki injured, Hidan became even more energized.

"After the abdomen, it's time for the heart!"

He grinned and aimed his spear at his heart, his eyes bulging slightly from the excessive force.

"Are you ready?"

"Thud!"

Under everyone's incredulous gaze, the spear pierced through his heart once more.

"Hahahahaha!"

Even though blood continued to gush from his body, Hidan remained ecstatic.

He spread his arms wide, raising them high, and shouted, "Evil God, this is the first sacrifice I offer you!"

"If the Evil God knew that you only played such circus tricks, he would be very disappointed."

Kaneki's calm voice instantly froze the smile on Hidan's face.

He looked at Kaneki, who casually plucked the now lifeless centipede and tossed it into the blood pool. Then, with a sneer, he said:

"If you think that such soft, harmless self-mutilation, which poses less risk than choking on a piece of cake, can kill me, you might as well return to your mother's womb and apologize to the Evil God."

"What did you say?"

Hidan's face instantly contorted in rage. Just as he raised his spear, preparing to charge at Kaneki once more, a red shadow flashed through the air, cleanly severing Hidan's head from his body.

A foot suddenly appeared, stepping on Hidan's rolling head.

"You call yourself a servant of the Evil God?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 3: That Cat Is Clearly Thirty-Seven Years Old! 

“Damn you, Ken Kaneki! Are you asking to die?” 

With his head pressed under Kaneki’s foot, Hidan let out a roar of humiliation. 

Yet, to Kaneki, this threat sounded more like an impotent scream. 

Kaneki kept his foot on Hidan’s head while casually scratching his ear. 

“So, your name’s Hidan? Honestly, your screeching is even less intimidating than the thirty-six-year-old cat my eighty-five-year-old neighbor owns. Who do you think you’re scaring?”  

Kaneki’s taunt only further enraged Hidan. Even though he was pinned down, he forced out a growl, “Ken Kaneki! I swear I’ll kill you!” 

“Tsk tsk, threats like that… you’re just insulting cats now.” 

Kaneki shook his head in mock regret. Suddenly, two crimson, razor-sharp limbs shot out from his back, deflecting a black spear that had been hurled his way.  

He glanced over his shoulder to see Hidan’s headless body, which had somehow pulled out a long black spear and attempted to ambush him from behind. 

Too bad. 

In an instant, the thin, blade-like limbs on Kaneki’s back lashed out like lightning.  

Anyone familiar with insects might have been reminded of the way mantises hunt—deploying their forelimbs at blinding speed to seize and eliminate prey. 

However, unlike a mantis, Kaneki’s limbs were sharp enough to slice cleanly through flesh.  

Two dark red flashes cut through the air, and the next second, Hidan’s arms fell uselessly to the ground. 

With his balance lost, Hidan’s body collapsed in a heap. 

Kaneki adjusted his glasses, crouched down, and grabbed Hidan by the hair, lifting his head. 

“Not bad for a low-level servant of the Evil God, using such an underhanded distraction tactic. If only your cat-like cries were a bit less pathetic.” 

This condescending remark drove Hidan to the brink of madness. He unleashed a torrent of curses at Kaneki. 

But just as Kaneki had said, his repertoire was limited, and to Kaneki’s ears, it sounded no more threatening than the whimpers of an aging housecat.  

The hall fell silent as everyone watched the bizarre confrontation between these two monstrous beings. Hidan’s colorful insults echoed across the chamber. 

Kaneki weighed Hidan’s head in his hand and smirked. 

“If you can’t come up with anything original, I might have to shut your mouth for good.” 

“I—” 

Hidan fell silent immediately. 

This guy… he’s just too much!  

The Evil God’s cultists around them were equally dumbfounded.  

After all, they were well aware of Hidan’s notorious foul mouth, yet here he was, rendered speechless. 

“Enough!”  

Finally, the cult leader intervened, unable to watch any longer. 

“Stop fooling around, both of you! Come with me.” 

With an air of authority, the cult leader turned and walked away.  

“Oh,” Kaneki said, tossing Hidan’s head aside and preparing to follow. 

The cult leader smacked his forehead and let out a heavy sigh. “Bring Hidan with you!” 

“Oh, right!”  

Kaneki picked up Hidan’s head and tucked it under his arm like a basketball.  

“You useless bastard, Kaneki! How dare you carry me like this!”  

Hidan bared his teeth, attempting to bite Kaneki, but Kaneki pressed his arm over Hidan’s face, immobilizing him. 

“If you don’t shut up, I’ll… let’s just say, I’ll make you regret it.” 

“…” 

Hidan instantly fell silent. 

The entire hall was dead quiet.  

The cult leader heaved a deep, weary sigh, seemingly aging twenty years in that moment.  

He gestured to the other cultists. “You, go gather Hidan’s body and sew him back together.” 

Obediently, the cultists suppressed their unease and began retrieving Hidan’s severed limbs.  

Though they were used to dealing with corpses, it wasn’t every day they encountered one still moving around.  

Given that Hidan claimed to be the Evil God’s chosen, they dared not delay.  

Meanwhile, Kaneki followed the cult leader out of the hall, still carrying Hidan’s head under his arm.  

As he glanced at the cult leader’s back, Kaneki suppressed the urge to attack him.  

After all, as a reincarnator, Kaneki’s soul had entered this world through a bizarre system when he left the Evil God’s mysterious realm.  

That system had determined his new form… as a pool of blood. 

Yes, the blood pool beneath the cult’s sacred statue. Kaneki’s real body was now that blood pool.  

Fortunately, the system had granted him a powerful ability:  

[The Primordial Creator’s Womb] 

…Kaneki didn’t even know where to begin complaining about the name.  

His system interface looked like this:  

[The Evil God’s Cultivation Game] 

• Host: A pool of blood  
  
• Level: 1 (Next level requires 2000 reputation) 
  

Note: Mental energy increases with level, enhancing the analysis and creation of new species.  

• Evil God’s Reputation: 500 
  

Abilities:  

• [The Primordial Creator’s Womb]: As a fragment of the Primordial Creator, you can consume living beings, analyze their genes and abilities, and freely combine them to create new demonic species. All creations are under your control. Note: Gene analysis requires significant mental energy. Creating new species consumes life energy. 
  

Gene Bank:  

• Human genes  
  
• Leaf-cutter mantis genes  
  
• Giant centipede genes  
  
• Giant man-eating spider genes 
  

Analyzing: Evil God’s genes (0.003% complete) 

Creatable Species:  

• Tail Ghoul Centipede  
  
• Armor Ghoul Spider  
  
• Scale Ghoul Mantis  
  
• Human bodies 
  
• [Evil God’s Blessing]: Blessed by the Evil God, you are immortal as long as the Evil God remains. 
  

Summary: I’m building a world for the Evil God!  

This ability essentially allowed Kaneki to absorb genes and abilities, modify them, and produce life forms from his own body—specifically, the blood pool. 

 

It was utterly mind-blowing.  

Kaneki never imagined that after being reincarnated, not only would he turn into a pool of blood, but he’d also end up becoming a "male mom"!  

Adding to the mix, he carried identities like "leader of a cult of evil god worshippers," making his situation incredibly complicated.  

On top of that, increasing the evil god's prestige would allow him to level up quickly. Leveling up enhanced mental power, which in turn sped up the analysis of various genes and abilities.  

As the saying goes, "The rich rely on technology, while the poor rely on mutations!"  

The Kagune series Kaneki just used was a product of his abilities—created on the spot by utilizing insect genes harvested from the blood pool.  

Even this body was crafted using an enormous amount of life energy.  

In essence, being reincarnated as an entire blood pool gave him resources ordinary humans could never dream of. Without this transformation, Kaneki wouldn't have had the life energy needed to create such things.  

As for that so-called "evil god gene," it likely originated from Kaneki’s and Hidan’s bodies. After all, within the blood pool, it was inevitable that bits of skin, hair, and cells would shed and mix in. The blood pool automatically captured those genetic fragments and initiated its gene analysis program.  

Unfortunately, with only these scraps of genetic material, Kaneki estimated it would take the system at least a hundred years to finish analyzing them.  

However, from Hidan’s demonstration of his immortality just now, Kaneki thought of a rather viable plan.  

He’d simply have Hidan bleed into the pool continuously for gene analysis. After all, the guy wouldn’t die—at most, he’d just feel a little weak.  

Worst case, Kaneki could toss him some wolfberries to replenish his blood and then resume the process. No harm done.  

Aside from drawing blood, Kaneki considered harvesting a kidney or two for research.  

As for Kaneki himself, his immortality was tied to his main body—the blood pool—not the avatars he created.  

Naturally, Kaneki didn’t mind. After all, these avatars were expendable. If one died, he’d just spend more life energy to make another.  

Meanwhile, Hidan, who was tucked away in Kaneki’s pocket, suddenly shivered as if sensing some sort of sinister intention. He snapped his eyes open.  

Just as Hidan was about to say something, Kaneki casually muttered, “Poop.”  

Hidan instantly shut his mouth, behaving obediently.  

Even someone as resilient as Hidan, with his so-called immortal body, had weaknesses. Sure, he was immortal, but he was still human.  

And humans had limits. That’s why Kaneki decided: I won’t be human anymore!  

Of course, this wasn’t his choice. He literally wasn’t human anymore.  

It was worth noting that ever since Kaneki stopped being human, his mood had drastically improved.  

“Since I’m no longer human, using human moral standards to judge me is completely unreasonable, right?”  

With this bittersweet yet strangely exhilarating thought, Kaneki followed the High Priest into a room.  

“Take a seat,” the High Priest said, waving his hand to gesture at Kaneki to pick a chair for himself.  

Noticing Hidan, the priest hastily added, “As for Hidan, just put him on the table.”  

“Alright.”  

Kaneki casually plopped Hidan’s head onto the table as though he were setting down an object.  

This nonchalant attitude nearly made Hidan lose it and start cursing again, but he held back.  

“Ahem.”  

The High Priest rubbed his temples. Faced with these two bizarre individuals, Kaneki and Hidan, the speech he had prepared suddenly slipped his mind.  

Still, as the leader of a cult, he had enough composure to quickly recover.  

Looking past Hidan, the priest focused on Kaneki and said, “Since both of you have been blessed by the evil god, it is only fitting that you become the Divine Sons of our cult.”  

“Divine Sons?”  

Kaneki stroked Hidan’s head and nodded slightly.  

“Hey! Are you treating me like your pet or something?!”  

Hidan couldn’t hold it in anymore and blurted out his complaint.  

Kaneki gave an awkward smile. “Sorry about that. I’ve gotten into the habit of petting my neighbor’s 35-year-old cat.”  

“You—!”  

“Enough!”  

The High Priest hurriedly cut off their bickering and shifted his attention back to Kaneki.  

“Especially you, Kaneki. Even though you weren’t a follower of the evil god before, now that you’ve been blessed, you are naturally bound to serve Him!”  

“From now on, stay here. The cult will provide you with ample resources to grow stronger. I hope you’ll help spread the influence of the cult and glorify the name of the evil god.”  

Kaneki nodded.  

“Understood, High Priest. Rest assured, I’ll definitely make the cult thrive!”  

“Good.”  

The High Priest nodded in satisfaction, then turned to Hidan, who was still on the table.  

“Hidan, do you have anything to say?”  

Finally given a chance to speak, Hidan shouted, “Damn you, Kaneki! Your neighbor’s cat isn’t 35—it’s 37!”  

Before Hidan could finish his rant, the High Priest turned and left the room, his back looking slightly more hunched than before. 

 Chapter 4: Damn You, Kaneki! I’m Going to Kill You!

Our revered Cult Leader had just returned to his room, slamming the door shut behind him with a forceful thud. He swiftly yanked off the dark god's necklace from around his neck, his body trembling as veins bulged in his skin, a testament to his overwhelming rage.

Here, in the privacy of his room, he no longer needed to restrain himself. His true face—distorted, vicious, and brimming with violence—was fully revealed.

"Why? Why, O Dark God?!"

Gripping the necklace tightly in his hand, he stared with maddened eyes at the symbol engraved on it—a circle enclosing an inverted triangle. His voice was filled with deranged indignation:

"Why?! I was the first to serve you!"

"I was the one who revived the Cult of the Dark God! Every year, I offered you countless sacrifices. Why?! Why can't I gain your favor?!"

"Fine, I can accept that brat Hidan being chosen. But why even that foreigner? How does an outsider earn your blessing while I get nothing?!"

"I was here first!"

The madness etched on his face gradually gave way to despair. The necklace slipped from his fingers, clattering to the ground as he slid down the wall, utterly defeated.

But suddenly, a spark of light flashed in his eyes, reigniting the madness within him.

"I get it! I understand now!"

"You must be testing me—testing my strength! You want to see if I can take that power from them, isn’t that it?"

"Yes, it must be! That has to be it!"

Hope returned to his eyes, and he began gesturing wildly as if speaking directly to the heavens. "I knew it! Dark God, you wouldn’t abandon me!"

Having seemingly reached a conclusion, the Cult Leader immediately calmed down. However, the madness and danger still simmered in his gaze.

Meanwhile, Kaneki had no idea what kind of internal turmoil the Cult Leader was experiencing.

After the leader left, Kaneki had casually picked up Hidan's head and returned to the main hall.

After all, Hidan’s body was still there.

"Hey, hey! Can you hold my head properly? Carrying me like this—how am I supposed to maintain any dignity in the Cult of the Dark God?"

Hidan’s tone had lost much of its earlier bite, replaced by a reluctant resignation.

Kaneki merely shrugged and replied in an indifferent tone, "Why don’t you just kill them all later? That’ll solve the problem."

Hidan froze for a moment before his eyes lit up.

Yeah!

Why didn’t he think of that? If he killed everyone, no one would be left to remember what happened today!

"Hmph, I have to admit, you’re pretty smart."

Now full of himself, Hidan smugly praised Kaneki.

"Flattered."

Kaneki’s expression remained composed, clearly unimpressed by the compliment.

Hidan felt annoyed by Kaneki’s nonchalance and added, "Given your intelligence, if you submit to me now, I might even consider making you my deputy leader someday!"

Kaneki chuckled, adjusted his glasses, and raised Hidan’s head to eye level.

"Want to know what it feels like to have your body filled with—?"

"Kaneki, you bastard! Is that all you know how to threaten me with?!" Hidan yelled, enraged.

Kaneki shrugged nonchalantly. "To me, you’re no different from a pile of dung anyway."

"I’m going to kill you!" Hidan snarled through gritted teeth.

Still unfazed, Kaneki placed Hidan’s head on the ground and carefully adjusted its angle with his palm.

A sense of dread surged through Hidan. He shouted hastily, "Wait, wait! Kaneki, what are you trying to do?!"

Kaneki’s lips curled into a smirk. "Watch me... perfect penalty shot!"

Drawing back his leg, he swung it forward with power and precision in one fluid motion.

Even a pro soccer player would’ve applauded the kick, executed with near-perfect form.

Unfortunately, Kaneki wasn’t a soccer star.

His target was Hidan’s body, but instead, the head went flying straight into the blood pool.

"[Dark God Gene] (Decoding Progress: 0.004%)."

Kaneki rubbed the back of his neck, pretending it was intentional.

"Hey, you guys over there," he called to the cultists busy stitching Hidan’s body. "Could you fish his head out of the pool for me?"

Startled, the cultists quickly complied. After all, Kaneki was a "Son of the Dark God," someone who casually used Hidan’s head as a soccer ball. They feared their own heads might be next if they disobeyed.

"Damn it, Kaneki! I’m warning you—stop using my head as a ball!"

Hidan continued barking indignantly.

But people are funny creatures.

As the saying goes, if you ask someone for a door, they won’t give it to you. But if you demand the whole roof, they might offer to compromise with just the door.

Hidan was no exception.

At first, he hated having his head chopped off. Now, he’d settled for one demand: chop it off if you must, just don’t kick it around.

Such is human adaptability.

"Put him down. I’ll stitch the head back myself," Kaneki said as he took Hidan’s head.

Suddenly, two bone-like limbs extended from Kaneki’s ribs.

Hidan’s face turned pale. Struggling futilely, he yelled, "Kaneki, you bastard! I knew you were up to no good. What are you planning now?!"

Despite only being partially stitched, Hidan’s body began to move.

Admittedly, Hidan’s body was absurdly resilient. After just a few minutes of stitching, it was already functional.

"Don’t move," Kaneki ordered coldly, his frown deepening.

With that, two mantis-like blades shot from his sides, pinning Hidan to the ground.

"Ahhh!"

Hidan gasped in a strange tone, sending a shiver of unease through Kaneki.

Is this guy a masochist? Kaneki thought to himself, unnerved.

Ignoring the unsettling thought, Kaneki’s ribbed limbs sprang into action, secreting white threads that began stitching Hidan’s head back to his body.

This was the power of [Shell Kagune: Spider]—a gift that allowed him to produce threads for binding prey, though Kaneki hadn’t expected his first use of it would be for stitching heads.

He worked quickly, and within moments, Hidan’s head was reattached.

Dusting off his hands, Kaneki stepped back.

"Damn you, Kaneki, I’m going to—"

Before Hidan could finish, he realized he couldn’t move.

One of the cultists hesitantly chimed in, "Um, Lord Kaneki, it seems you stitched Hidan’s head backward..."

"Really?" Kaneki raised an eyebrow, glancing at his work. "Ah, you’re right."

He hadn’t noticed earlier that Hidan’s body was lying prone on the ground, meaning his head was now facing backward.

"I’m going to kill you! Kill you!"

Hidan’s voice had gone hoarse from screaming.

The cultists watched as Kaneki, without hesitation, summoned a crimson blade and cleanly severed Hidan’s head once again.

Hidan: I’m done with this!  

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 5: Hidan: Seriously, Can Anyone Relate?*

The next morning, Kaneki had just woken up when a cultist came to inform him that the Great Leader had summoned him to the laboratory.

Raising an eyebrow, Kaneki decided against heading straight to the lab. Instead, he made his way to the cafeteria.

As soon as he stepped out the door, a sharp sense of killing intent pricked at his skin like needles.

Without hesitation, a thick, purple centipede burst out from Kaneki's back, coiling protectively above his head.

A black spear, falling from the sky with tremendous gravitational force, pierced through Kaneki’s tail kagune. However, the contracting centipede body trapped the spear mid-attack, rendering it motionless.

“Damn it! You actually noticed, you bastard, Kaneki!”

The exasperated voice from above was unmistakable—it was Hidan.

Without even lifting his gaze, Kaneki knew it was that idiot again.

After all, starting from last night, this fool had already attempted to assassinate him three times.

The only reason it was only three times was that after each attempt, Kaneki would decapitate him, drop his head into the blood pool, and run genetic analyses.

Someone must have fished him out again.

Of course, this time’s outcome was no different.

Thanks to Kagune: Mantis, whose speed was far beyond Hidan’s sluggish reflexes, Kaneki effortlessly neutralized the threat.

A dark red streak of lightning flashed across the sky, and Hidan’s head once again tumbled helplessly to the ground.

Using his centipede tail, Kaneki picked up Hidan’s severed head. With an expressionless face, he mocked, “Before you try to assassinate me again, I suggest practicing on a couple of rabbits first.”

The implication was clear: with your pitiful skills, you probably can’t even handle a rabbit.

Hidan exploded in rage upon hearing this, shouting, “Shinotsuki Kaneki! I’m telling you, if you ever get hurt, you’re dead meat as soon as I get my hands on your blood!”

Kaneki glanced at him, utterly unimpressed.

So, there really are idiots in this world who loudly broadcast their own abilities. Is he just in a rush to die?

Watching Hidan’s ridiculous behavior, Kaneki couldn’t help but think of a certain cackling "evil god." Suddenly, it all made sense.

No wonder the evil god chose this guy.

Not that Kaneki cared. Forget the variety of kagune in his arsenal; even if Hidan managed to get some of his blood, at most, Kaneki would lose a clone. He could simply make another.

In essence, Kaneki’s abilities were the ultimate counter to Hidan’s Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood.

Even in the worst-case scenario, if Hidan somehow discovered his real body, Kaneki’s own immortality would ensure that Hidan’s cursed blood technique remained ineffective.

With this thought in mind, Kaneki casually dragged Hidan’s head along to the cafeteria.

It was peak mealtime. The sight of Kaneki holding Hidan’s severed head caused dozens of cultists queuing for food to hurriedly make way.

“Is that the Child of the Gods?”

“Hidan’s so lucky. The Evil God must really favor him. Even after getting his head chopped off, he’s still alive.”

“Some people really are blessed despite being complete fools.”

The cultists were long accustomed to Hidan, who had grown up among them—a brainless, chatterbox zealot devoted to the Evil God.

Irritated by their stares and murmurs, Hidan redirected his anger.

“What are you looking at? Huh? Never seen a head before?”

“Keep staring, and I’ll chop all your heads off and send you to the Evil God personally!”

Hidan’s relentless tirade silenced everyone.

After all, not everyone had Kaneki’s resilience. As an immortal wielder of cursed power, Hidan had too many ways to make others suffer.

Kaneki adjusted his glasses, a gentle yet inexplicable warmth glinting beneath the lenses. He lightly patted Hidan’s head.

“There, there. Don’t be mad.”

Hidan’s face turned green with fury. “Damn it, Kaneki! How many times do I have to tell you—stop treating me like a pet!”

Still smiling, Kaneki carried Hidan’s head to the cafeteria counter and politely addressed the lunch lady.

“Ma’am, I’ll have half a roasted pig and a bowl of miso soup, please.”

Even after thirty years of working in the Evil God’s cult kitchen, serving hundreds of corpses, the lunch lady—who prided herself on cooking amidst mountains of the dead—froze for a moment upon seeing Kaneki casually holding Hidan’s head.

“What are you staring at? Hurry up and serve the food. I want fried pork cutlets!” Hidan barked irritably.

The lunch lady, unwilling to argue, forced a nervous smile and quickly complied.

Moments later, Kaneki received a generously packed tray from the lunch lady. Bowing slightly, he said courteously, “Thank you.”

The lunch lady, still dazed, stood frozen in place.

Hidan, on the other hand, glared fiercely. “Listen, you old hag! If it tastes bad, I’ll kill you!”

Strangely enough, this threat seemed to calm the lunch lady. Ah, yes—this was more in line with expectations.

Kaneki shook his head in exasperation.

Could the entire cult have masochistic tendencies?

Recalling the system’s earlier ultimatum—either become an Evil God’s follower or its plaything—Kaneki became even more convinced that this Evil God was anything but normal.

Neither, for that matter, were its followers.

Kaneki carried his food tray to an empty spot and sat down.

The rest of the cafeteria gave him a wide berth, afraid of even catching Hidan’s attention.

Hidan’s reputation, at least, had its uses. One benefit was that the lunch lady didn’t skimp—Kaneki’s half roast pig even came with an extra pig’s foot, which delighted him to no end.

Grabbing the pig’s foot, Kaneki dug in.

The Evil God’s cult, he had to admit, served surprisingly good food—far better than his previous life’s college cafeteria.

As he ate, Kaneki suddenly felt a sorrowful gaze on him.

Turning his head, he saw Hidan.

The severed head was propped up on a chair, watching him devour the feast.

“Oh, sorry about that. Forgot about you,” Kaneki said apologetically.

He lifted Hidan’s head, pinched his nose to force his mouth open, and dumped an entire bowl of pork cutlet rice into it.

“Mmmf! Mmmff!”

“See? It’s delicious, isn’t it?”

Clearly, the meticulously prepared meal was a hit—Hidan couldn’t even speak properly anymore.

Satisfied, Kaneki resumed his meal.

Hidan finally managed to swallow the pork cutlet and rice, only to realize it was spilling out of his neck stump.

“Damn it, Kaneki! I’ll kill you!”

Hidan’s enraged voice echoed throughout the Evil God’s base.

Of course, Kaneki was unfazed. Finishing the roast pig with ease, he took out a napkin to wipe his mouth.

Then, using the same napkin, he wiped Hidan’s face.

Pleased with himself, he picked up Hidan’s head and walked out of the cafeteria.

Hidan: Seriously, can anyone relate?

(End of Chapter)