As an S-rated Ghoul, wanted by the CCG, feared by her own kind—Kamishiro Rize nonetheless lived a very comfortable life. The fact she was thriving was testament enough to her terrifying strength.
Today, having elegantly finished "hunting" yet another fool who thought he could lay hands on her, she tidied her clothes with a lady's care—though she couldn't resist licking away the small trickle of blood left at the corner of her lips.
"The recent prey have been so boring. I wonder if someone more interesting will show up…"
Ordinary ghouls hunted only to ensure survival. But Rize's frequency of hunts far exceeded that of normal ghouls, prompting the CCG to suspect she suffered from "abnormal appetite syndrome."
Such disorders existed among humans, and researchers speculated that ghouls might suffer from them as well. But in truth, Rize merely carried a deep psychological shadow: once imprisoned and starved, she developed an obsessive compulsion for hunting beyond ordinary comprehension.
Initially, she simply wanted to hoard "food." Yet, as time passed, other desires began to take root.
Indeed, quantity was sufficient when it came to mere food. The quality of flesh mattered only when one had luxury. But endless, boring hunts couldn't satisfy her twisted desires. Just as she thought this, a figure appeared at the entrance of the alleyway.
"Excuse me, miss… are you alone?"
A navy-blue suit, short and sharp hair, and a resolute expression—undeniably an attractive man. Yet what truly caught Rize's eye was the white suitcase he held in his hand.
"Yes, I'm all alone."
A CCG Investigator—excellent prey. She remembered how amusing those investigators she'd caught previously had been. First, their faces filled with disbelief; then, utter panic as she revealed her true identity; finally, righteous anger and loud shouts as they fought desperately. Yet what she enjoyed most was their transformation once she had them helpless in her grasp:
From condemnation and curses to pleading and pitiful cries~!
Oh, how wonderful~!
The sheer delight in her heart softened Rize's expression further, and even tinted her cheeks faintly red, radiating a disturbingly seductive aura. Right now, she could barely wait to pounce on this young Investigator and tear his body into pieces!
But just as she approached him———
Swish!
With a strange sound, black fabric danced through the air alongside the flash of a white suitcase.
"My, my~ Investigator-san, you're quite impatient, aren't you~? A gentleman shouldn't behave like this towards a lady, you know~"
Her pupils had already shifted into red kakugan, and behind her, her Kagune stirred restlessly.
"If you really were a lady, I'd certainly behave more like a gentleman. Unfortunately, miss, you aren't."
Though his mouth didn't yield an inch, Lancer's internal alarms were blaring madly.
Earlier, he briefly considered pretending ignorance and letting her pass, calling in reinforcements later. But he swiftly discarded that idea upon seeing the blatant "desire" gleaming in her eyes.
Lancer didn't think himself handsome enough to awaken sexual desire in a woman like this. Therefore, it could only mean one thing: appetite.
Faced with a hungry ghoul stronger than himself, feigning ignorance to buy time seemed far riskier than directly attacking. At least by striking first, he held the initiative.
But what he hadn't anticipated was how utterly ineffective his long-planned surprise attack had been. Apart from leaving a shallow scratch on her abdomen, he achieved absolutely nothing else.
This is really bad.
Yet despite that, giving up meant certain death. He might as well gamble—perhaps there'd still be a chance.
His spear slowly withdrew, his right foot crept slightly forward, and his body crouched low into an attack stance.
Strangely, Kamishiro Rize didn't seize the opportunity to strike first. Instead, she casually folded one arm beneath her chest and languidly licked a finger. Her gaze towards Lancer grew increasingly dangerous, and her Kagune, previously unused, now slipped quietly out, swaying gently beside her.
I can't wait any longer.
He'd once laughed at anime villains, mocking their impatient first moves as sure paths to defeat. But now, placed in their shoes, he finally understood their helplessness.
As someone once said, "Death itself isn't frightening; what's terrifying is the wait for inevitable death."
Knowing victory was impossible, yet forced into combat regardless—under such suffocating pressure, if one tried to compete with the enemy in patience, one might collapse before the final blow ever landed. Just like himself right now.
Though he'd defeated dozens of ghouls since arriving in this world, compared to Rize—who slaughtered humans and ghouls alike by the hundreds—he was nothing but a rookie fresh from training.
Lancer didn't understand what real "killing intent" was—he was nowhere near such a high level—but the blood-soaked aura radiating from her Kagune made him nauseous.
[Dash]
A plain and simple maneuver, yet among the most practical spear techniques: aimed directly at the heart!
Ghouls had Kagune and strength far surpassing humans, but they still died. Pierce the heart or sever the head, and even they would fall instantly. Her pretty appearance? Before life and death, such considerations were meaningless!
Lancer sprang forward, feet pounding the earth like an arrow released from a bow, charging straight toward Kamishiro Rize. The sudden burst of strength cracked the pavement beneath him.
Harnessing the momentum, Lancer's spear spun slightly, controlled precisely in his hands. If this thrust struck true, even solid granite would shatter—but——
Screech!
Accompanied by a teeth-grinding screech, the crimson spear collided with the dark-brown Kagune. Yet instead of a direct confrontation, Rize skillfully angled her Kagune, sliding past Lancer's spear with a glancing blow.
The crimson spear scraped across Rize's right shoulder, drawing a thin streak of blood. But at the same instant, her agile Kagune swiftly retaliated, bending in mid-air to aim straight downward at Lancer's chest.
If this attack struck, Lancer would surely be impaled, reduced to nothing but a late-night snack. Yet he'd anticipated this from the start.
His spear swung sharply downward. Rize dodged with ease—but this wasn't over yet. Grasping the spear firmly, Lancer twisted forcefully…
The multiple Kagune tendrils aiming for his heart suddenly tangled together, thoroughly neutralizing her attack.
But even then, Lancer's expression didn't improve in the slightest. After all, humans and ghouls were worlds apart in strength. Everything he'd done was merely delaying the inevitable; death still hovered ominously close, never retreating far enough…