Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

Bang!

A muffled impact echoed through the night.

A figure flashed by like a fierce gust of wind, landing a solid kick against Kaguya's sword sheath. The sheer force of the blow sent Kaguya sliding backward for several meters before coming to a stop.

In the dim streetlight, the attacker's figure was revealed.

Standing before them was a person wearing a rabbit mask. Judging by the slender build, it was a woman. She was draped in a flowing cloak and wore a hood that obscured her face beneath the mask, though a few strands of pink hair peeked out from under the hood.

"To think I'd run into a ghoul here… What a surprise," the rabbit-masked ghoul said with a voice that was cold and sharp, carrying an undeniable edge.

The rabbit-masked ghoul didn't waste another moment, lunging forward like a fierce predator. Her speed was impressive, and her movements were as sharp as a blade. Her clenched fist shot out like a blur toward Kaguya's face, carrying enough force to pulverize stone.

However, this level of speed was still far from threatening to Kaguya. With a light step backward, her body floated away like a drifting feather, effortlessly evading the attack. The rabbit-masked ghoul's strike hit empty air, but she quickly adjusted, pressing her attack with relentless speed and ferocity, aiming blow after blow at Kaguya.

In the midst of the onslaught, Kaguya weaved left and right with ease, her body moving fluidly to avoid the ghoul's attacks. Not a single strike managed to land on her.

Finally, as if realizing that her close-quarters assault wasn't working, the rabbit-masked ghoul leapt into the air. She sprinted along the wall before launching herself high into the sky. In midair, a fiery red wing-like formation unfurled from her back. The glowing red kagune flared brilliantly, and with a sharp flash, it released countless crimson crystalline shards that rained down like a deadly barrage.

"It looks like a ukaku kagune," Kaguya remarked with mild interest, watching the scene unfold. "Hmm, I thought it would be more impressive. This attack looks fancy, but it's nothing worth worrying about."

With that, she lightly gripped her sword.

Clang!

The shimmering azure blade was drawn from its sheath in an instant, cutting through the air like a streak of light.

Ding, ding, ding!

In a flurry of rapid collisions, the sharp crimson shards were completely obliterated, reduced to glittering fragments in the wake of Kaguya's blade.

"What?!"

The rabbit-masked ghoul froze in midair, her eyes widening in disbelief beneath the mask. She hadn't anticipated that her projectile attack would be rendered utterly useless, her barrage of shards completely destroyed before even touching her opponent.

"I expected more from an ukaku kagune," Kaguya said with a faint laugh. "But now I see it's nothing special."

"Hmph." The rabbit-masked ghoul let out a cold snort. Without hesitation, she charged back down, her movements as fast as ever. Her fists blurred as they struck out again and again, swift and relentless, aiming directly for Kaguya.

However, Kaguya remained completely unbothered. She dodged with minimal effort, her movements fluid and precise, occasionally using the sheath of her sword to block the ghoul's strikes.

"Hah!"

With a shout, the rabbit-masked ghoul suddenly switched tactics. After feinting with her fists, she twisted her body, launching a fierce kick aimed directly at Kaguya's side.

The real danger wasn't her punches—it was her legs. She was far more skilled in close-range kicks.

As the ghoul's leg neared its target, a faint smirk tugged at her lips. She was certain her attack would finally land.

However, Kaguya simply chuckled softly, her voice laced with mocking amusement. "What a crude and clumsy technique. Only someone from the countryside would rely on such low-level attacks."

Before the rabbit-masked ghoul could process the insult, Kaguya's arm shot out like a lightning bolt. In one swift motion, she caught the ghoul's ankle mid-kick, stopping her attack cold.

Effortlessly gripping her opponent's leg, Kaguya's calm smile deepened.

The rabbit-masked ghoul froze for a moment, as if she couldn't believe what had just happened. In that brief second, it was as though all time had stopped, and her mind blanked out. She couldn't think of what to do next and just stood there, stiff and motionless.

Kaguya bent her body backward and quickly retreated. She barely avoided the kick, the ghoul's foot skimming dangerously close to her face.

Huff, huff…

The rabbit-masked ghoul's breathing grew heavy, her chest rising and falling with each labored breath. Although she tried to suppress it, it was clear she was exhausted. Her earlier relentless attacks had consumed a significant amount of energy, and even her ukaku kagune's assault hadn't managed to land a single blow on Kaguya.

Realizing that she needed to end this quickly, the rabbit-masked ghoul adjusted her stance. Her sharp eyes locked onto Kaguya, and with a burst of speed, she darted forward again, this time even faster than before. She moved like a blur, closing the distance with astonishing agility.

"You must be reaching your limit by now," Kaguya said with a smirk. "I'll admit, for a ghoul, you're pretty capable. But if this is all you've got, it's still not enough to defeat me."

Hearing Kaguya's taunting words, the rabbit-masked ghoul's movements faltered for a split second. A trace of frustration flickered across her face behind the mask, but she quickly steadied herself and continued her attack, putting even more force into her strikes.

However, just as she was preparing for her next move, Kaguya suddenly moved at an impossible speed. In a blink, Kaguya appeared behind the golden-haired girl, who stood frozen in fear. Without hesitation, Kaguya reached out and snatched the girl up, holding her as though she were a ragdoll.

The golden-haired girl's frightened expression made the rabbit-masked ghoul hesitate. Her punches halted mid-air, her eyes widening in alarm.

Kaguya lifted the unconscious girl slightly, her tone playful as she said, "Oh, dear. How cowardly of me to take a hostage. Or perhaps it's just clever?"

"Despicable," the rabbit-masked ghoul spat angrily.

"Oh?" Kaguya tossed the golden-haired girl aside like a discarded toy. Her lips curved into a mocking smile as she said, "I didn't think a ghoul could care so much about something like this. I must admit, I'm a little surprised."

"Hmph." The rabbit-masked ghoul's fists tightened as she glared at Kaguya. Her breathing had grown more erratic, and her shoulders trembled faintly. Perhaps it was exhaustion, or perhaps it was the emotions she was desperately trying to suppress.

"You're willing to go this far," Kaguya said as she took a leisurely step forward, her tone calm but teasing. "You're clearly risking your life to protect this human. Isn't this going beyond just fighting over food?"

The rabbit-masked ghoul stood motionless, silent. Her breathing remained heavy, but her gaze didn't waver. She kept her eyes locked on Kaguya, her tension palpable.

"She's not yours, is she?" Kaguya tapped a finger on her mask, her mocking laughter ringing softly in the alley. "But for a ghoul to fight so desperately for something like this, it must mean she's pretty important to you. After all, ghouls don't have any real attachment to humans… unless…"

"Unless what?" The rabbit-masked ghoul's tone was low, but her voice betrayed a hint of unease.

"Unless," Kaguya said, a sly smile tugging at her lips, "she's your friend."

The rabbit-masked ghoul froze again, her entire body stiffening.

"What kind of joke is this?" The rabbit-masked ghoul's voice was tense, almost trembling. "How could a human possibly be my friend? That's absurd!"

"Don't be so quick to deny it," Kaguya said casually, her expression calm yet mocking. "How often do humans and ghouls become friends? It's not entirely impossible, is it? Besides, you've been trying so hard to protect her—it really makes me wonder why."

As she spoke, Kaguya raised her arm, her five fingers curling slightly. The golden-haired girl, who was unconscious not far away, was instantly pulled toward her, floating through the air as if by an invisible force. In the blink of an eye, Kaguya's hand clamped tightly around the girl's neck.

"Stop!" The rabbit-masked ghoul's voice rang out sharply, filled with urgency.

"Oh?" Kaguya's lips curled into a faint smile. "So, you've finally admitted it, haven't you?"

"What do you want?" The rabbit-masked ghoul growled, her tone tense and guarded.

"If I'm not mistaken," Kaguya said, her tone teasing as her smile widened, "your name is Touka Kirishima, isn't it?"

The rabbit-masked ghoul stiffened, her body freezing for a moment. "How do you know that?" she demanded, her voice tinged with unease.

"It's nothing special," Kaguya replied with a light laugh. "This is well within my abilities. And if I remember correctly, your hair used to be blue, not pink like it is now."

"What are you trying to say?" Touka asked, her voice laced with both anger and suspicion.

"Actually, it's very simple," Kaguya said with a smile. "Before we get to that, though, I'd like to ask you something. Do you know who I am?"

"How could I possibly know who you—" Touka's voice faltered as her gaze fell on the silver-haired girl in the fox mask standing before her. Something seemed to click in her mind, and her eyes widened in shock. "Don't tell me… you're…"

She suddenly recalled the news and terrifying rumors from just a few days ago. A silver-haired girl wearing a fox mask had stormed into Kukulia, leaving the battlefield in chaos. Both the GGC forces and the ghouls of Aogiri Tree had been powerless against her. Even after reinforcements from the headquarters arrived, the girl had walked away unscathed. Not even the so-called "White Reaper," an SSS-rated Special Investigator, could stop her. The sheer scale of her strength was beyond imagination—something out of a nightmare.

Even the manager of Anteiku had remarked that this masked girl might be the strongest ghoul—or being—in the world. Her power was so overwhelming that no one could stand against her. Touka remembered the manager's words vividly and had thought them impossible to believe.

But now, the very person they had discussed the day before was standing right in front of her—as her enemy. She couldn't tell if she was extraordinarily lucky or extraordinarily unlucky.

Kaguya chuckled lightly as she approached Touka. "It seems you've figured out who I am. I must say, I'm a bit surprised. I didn't realize news traveled so fast, even in the 20th Ward."

"What do you want?" Touka's tone grew colder, sharper. "If you're planning to target Anteiku, I suggest you give up now. Even with your strength, we won't submit to you."

"Submit? Such an unpleasant word," Kaguya said, shaking her head with a hint of disdain. "And for the record, I have no interest in Anteiku. It's meaningless to me. Even the Owl—he's nothing more than a kindhearted old man content with the status quo. He may be benevolent, but he lacks ambition."

"Then why are you here? What's your goal?" Touka demanded, her voice low and steady.

"My goal?" Kaguya tilted her head slightly, a playful smirk forming on her lips. "It's nothing complicated. What I want is…"

Kaguya's smile deepened as she uttered her next words: "To join Aogiri Tree."

"Join… Aogiri Tree?" Touka repeated, stunned.

Kirishima Touka froze, a look of shock flashing across her face. She had considered countless possibilities—perhaps Kaguya wanted to use them to attack the GGC forces, or to bring the 20th Ward under her control, or even to demand a large supply of human meat. But never had she expected the other party's request to be this.

"That's right," Kaguya said with a smile. "The reason I came here was to recruit you. Nothing more, nothing less."

"Why me?" Touka asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. "My strength isn't impressive enough to make you take notice, is it?"

"Of course not," Kaguya replied bluntly. "Your strength is indeed weak. I could kill you with just one finger. But you have other… redeeming qualities."

Though Touka fully believed Kaguya could kill her effortlessly, being so openly belittled still stung. Her voice lowered as she asked, "What qualities?"

"That would be…"

Before finishing her sentence, Kaguya's figure suddenly blurred and reappeared right in front of Touka in an instant. With a single motion, she hooked her finger under Touka's chin, tilting it upward. Her lips curled into a teasing smile as she said, "Your beauty."

Touka's pupils contracted. She hadn't even seen how Kaguya moved. One moment, she was several steps away; the next, she was standing directly in front of her.

But that wasn't the most alarming thing. Her kagune—her inner ghoul power—felt completely frozen, as though it had been sealed off. Her body had gone stiff, and she couldn't even move a single finger.

What… is going on?

"Don't bother struggling," Kaguya said with a laugh. "With your strength, you couldn't possibly break free from my ocular technique. Killing you would take less effort than a breath of air."

Her hand fell away, and with it, the invisible pressure binding Touka's body vanished. She staggered backward, quickly retreating to put distance between herself and Kaguya. Though her body was free, the lingering terror of being unable to control her own movements remained vivid in her mind.

"Since you won't force me, then leave," Touka said in a steady but firm voice. "The manager has been kind to me, and my friends are there too. I won't leave the 20th Ward, no matter what."

"So that's how it is? What a pity," Kaguya said with a shrug and a casual smile. "If that's the case, I suppose there's no way to force you. However…"

Touka's eyes sharpened as a sense of foreboding washed over her.

"If I kill them all, then there won't be anything holding you back, will there?" Kaguya said with a soft smile, her tone as light as if she were discussing the weather. She turned as though she was about to leave.

Touka's pupils contracted sharply. She rushed forward to block Kaguya's path, shouting, "How could you even think of doing that?!"

"And why wouldn't I?" Kaguya asked, her voice tinged with amusement. "If you refuse to join me, then the logical solution is to kill the people holding you back. I don't see anything wrong with that, do you?"

"That's… that's despicable!" Touka yelled, her teeth clenched in anger.

"Despicable?" Kaguya chuckled lightly, her smile never wavering. "It's just a means to an end. As long as I achieve my goals, does it matter how I do it? But don't worry—I'll give you some time to think it over. Take your time and give it careful thought. Once you've made up your mind, come and tell me."

She paused, her tone softening into something almost gentle. "Every twilight, when day and night meet, I will appear here."

With that, Kaguya smiled faintly. Her body began to dissolve into specks of starlight, scattering into the ink-black night and disappearing entirely.

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