The man's first instinct was to mistake the Sharingan for a kakugan. Hence his momentary freeze.
Ghouls could usually identify their own kind by scent.
This kid smelled completely human. How could he have kakugan?
Unless... some ghouls who lived among humans had their scent masked by constant exposure. Maybe that was the case here...
The man slammed on the brakes, abandoning his attack. "Damn it! I thought I'd found an easy meal, but it's one of us!"
He looked thoroughly disgusted. Ghoul flesh tasted nothing like human flesh.
Their unique taste buds made normal food revolting, and fellow ghouls tasted equally terrible. Only human meat was delicious.
Hunting humans also strengthened them by replenishing RC cells. While cannibalism—"kakuja" behavior—could achieve similar results, the taste was far worse, and few ghouls pursued power that desperately.
Mistaking Byakuya for a ghoul had soured the man's mood completely.
"Get lost! This is my feeding ground. Come near here again and I'll tear you apart!"
His tone was vicious.
"Feeding grounds" were territories ghouls claimed for hunting humans. Stronger ghouls secured larger, better locations. Trespassing on another's territory often meant a brutal fight to the death.
But that only applied between ghouls. Byakuya wasn't one—those rules meant nothing to him.
If I let this slide after being threatened like that, I'd be a doormat.
Without a word, Byakuya channeled chakra and executed the D-rank Body Flicker Technique.
Yes, he had chakra—without it, ninjutsu would be impossible.
The Lv1 Hashirama Cells provided it, along with a portion of Madara's own chakra. Both had merged seamlessly.
In an instant, Byakuya appeared behind the ghoul. The D-rank Body Flicker couldn't cover great distances, but since the man had already closed in, it was enough.
Instantaneous movement wasn't about speed—it was about being impossible to react to. The ghoul never saw it coming.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Byakuya formed the jutsu mentally. Chakra gathered in his throat, and a fireball erupted from his mouth, rapidly expanding into a massive blaze that engulfed the ghoul.
Despite never practicing it, the technique came naturally—as if he'd mastered it long ago.
The Great Fireball was somewhat underwhelming in Naruto—constantly dodged, absorbed, or blocked—but its raw power was undeniable.
The ghoul turned just in time to see the inferno rushing toward him. His eyes widened in terror.
"GYAAAAAAH—!!"
The searing flames drew an agonized scream.
Ghoul flesh was far tougher than human flesh—ordinary weapons could barely scratch them—but even that couldn't withstand the Great Fireball's extreme heat.
The problem was ghoul regeneration. Killing one instantly was nearly impossible. This attack alone wasn't lethal.
Byakuya spotted a crowbar on the ground and grabbed it—the legendary "Physics Sword."
Normal weapons couldn't hurt ghouls, and a crowbar was definitely "normal." But brute force could change that.
He had Madara's taijutsu. Only a fraction, but it would suffice.
Channeling all his strength, Byakuya swung at the ghoul's kagune.
Already weakened by the flames, the kagune couldn't maintain its usual hardness. The blow cracked it.
The ghoul was too consumed by pain to realize the danger. His defensive and regenerative abilities didn't negate his pain receptors.
Byakuya struck again, severing the kagune completely.
He discarded the crowbar and wielded the severed kagune instead.
In this world, the CCG used weapons called "quinques"—manufactured from ghoul kakuhou and kagune. The key was that kagune possessed incredible cutting power and durability.
A severed kagune made an excellent improvised weapon. Far superior to any crowbar.
With one fluid motion, Byakuya drove the kagune through the ghoul's body, piercing the kakuhou—the organ at the kagune's root, a ghoul's most vital point.
The screaming stopped. The ghoul collapsed, barely clinging to life. Death was only a matter of time.
Perhaps in his final moments, he regretted picking the wrong target.
[Ding! Host has defeated a B-rated ghoul. Reward: 5 Fusion Points!]
So fighting ghouls earns points too.
Excellent news. Another path to growing stronger.
Byakuya checked his System panel. The Fusion Points now totaled 87—just 13 more until Lv2.
When that happened, all his abilities would improve significantly. The Sharingan would definitely evolve beyond one tomoe...