Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

Hearing those words, Kaguya almost burst into laughter behind her hand.

Too much.

Clearly, it was these ghouls who mercilessly slaughtered innocent humans, yet somehow, they made it seem as if she was the villain instead.

Well, it doesn't matter.

The eradication of the Tsukiyama family was inevitable. The moment they broke the established rules, their downfall was already decided.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

A few sharp kagune crystals sliced through the air, hurtling toward Kaguya with deadly precision.

For such crude attacks, Kaguya didn't even bother to move. She simply flicked her arm, swinging the sheath in her hand. In a series of crisp "clang, clang, clang" sounds, the incoming projectiles were effortlessly deflected to the ground.

At that moment, the figure behind the sneak attack finally revealed herself.

She was a slender young woman with delicate features, dressed in a maid outfit. She had a certain charm, of course—but if not for the crimson hue swirling in her blackened eyes, she might have been considered truly beautiful. However, to Kaguya, who had seen countless breathtaking beauties, this one was still a far cry from perfection.

"It's Aliza-sama!"

"Thank goodness!"

"Aliza-sama is here!"

"We're saved!"

Aliza.

Kaguya's eyes narrowed as she recalled a certain character. Wasn't this the maid from the Tsukiyama family who, in the original storyline, had her head lopped off by the CCG?

Before Kaguya could ponder further, the girl named Aliza suddenly unleashed her crimson Ukaku kagune, dashing forward like a bolt of lightning.

As an Ukaku ghoul, Aliza excelled in speed and long-range attacks, boasting extreme agility that far surpassed most ghouls. Against an ordinary investigator, she could overwhelm them with sheer swiftness, leaving them without a chance to react.

In an instant, Aliza appeared behind Kaguya, her movements swift as the wind. Yet, Kaguya remained perfectly still, as if she hadn't even noticed the attack.

A smirk curled on Aliza's lips.

No matter how many ghouls she's defeated, she's still just another human. If I take her by surprise, she won't stand a chance.

Leaping into the air, Aliza twisted her body mid-flight and executed a spinning kick, her heel slicing through the air like a blade, aiming directly at the back of Kaguya's head.

"It's over."

"Yes, it's over."

However, just as Aliza's foot was about to strike its target, Kaguya's hand shot out like lightning, effortlessly catching Aliza's ankle.

"What?!"

Aliza's eyes widened in shock. She hadn't expected Kaguya to react so easily and stop her full-speed attack with such precision.

"How... how is this possible?!"

With an air of utter indifference, Kaguya let out a disappointed scoff.

"What a letdown," she said, her voice laced with scorn. "I thought the Tsukiyama family would have at least a few powerful fighters. But it turns out they're all just pathetic nobodies. If this is all they've got, then there's really no reason for this family to exist anymore."

"Damn it!"

Aliza gritted her teeth, her face twisted in frustration.

Aliza gritted her teeth and forcefully twisted her body, swinging her other leg in a fierce kick.

"Like a mantis trying to stop a chariot."

Kaguya sneered coldly, tightening her grip before slamming Aliza down hard onto the ground.

Boom!

With a loud crash, Aliza was violently smashed into the ground, causing deep cracks to spread across the surface like a spiderweb. Her mouth opened wide, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

The impact was brutal. Supporting herself with both arms, Aliza trembled, blood trickling from her nose and mouth, struggling to get up.

"With this level of skill, you think you can stop me?"

Kaguya scoffed, reaching out and grabbing Aliza by the neck, lifting her entire body into the air.

Aliza clutched at Kaguya's arm with both hands, desperately struggling, but Kaguya's grip was like an iron vice. No matter how much Aliza resisted, she couldn't break free.

Kaguya's grip slowly tightened.

Aliza's face turned redder and redder, her legs kicking frantically in the air. Her eyes began to roll back, and her body started convulsing.

For some reason, surrounded by a battlefield drenched in blood, a violent and bloodthirsty urge welled up in Kaguya's heart. A desire to destroy, to obliterate, gnawed at her insides. Unnoticed, an eerie purple light gradually flickered in her clear eyes.

"Save Aliza-sama!"

"Kill this bastard!"

"Kill!"

The ghouls of the Tsukiyama family, their faces twisted in desperation, roared as they charged toward Kaguya.

Of course, if their legs weren't trembling so much, their shouts might have been more convincing.

It wasn't that they particularly cared for Aliza; rather, if she died while they survived, they would inevitably face the ruthless punishment of the Tsukiyama family—most likely execution. They were cornered, with no choice but to fight. Whether they advanced or retreated, death awaited them, but saving her might buy them a chance to live.

"Nothing more than a bunch of ants."

Kaguya scoffed, raising a hand and snapping her fingers with a crisp "snap."

Before the charging ghouls could even react, their bodies suddenly froze mid-motion, as if some invisible force had gripped them. The next moment, as if struck by an unseen hammer, they were all flung backward, crashing to the ground with sickening thuds.

In such a situation, even the impressive regenerative abilities of ghouls were rendered useless. They lay on the ground, writhing in pain, unable to get up.

The distant CCG investigators who witnessed the scene were left in stunned silence.

"What... what just happened?"

They hadn't even seen what Kaguya did; in the blink of an eye, the ghouls had collapsed as if crushed by an invisible force.

Inside the command center, even the experienced and battle-hardened Itsuki Marude felt a chill run down his spine. Never in his years of experience had he seen a human wield such eerie and overwhelming power.

"Witchcraft? Superpowers? Or some other unknown ability?"

Nobody could explain what they had just witnessed, but its terrifying effectiveness was undeniable. It reminded them of another powerful existence—the elusive "Owl"—someone possessing strength far beyond conventional means, perhaps even surpassing nuclear capabilities.

Suddenly, a thought struck Marude. His eyes narrowed, and he spun around, staring intently at the screen, his heart racing.

Could it be... is this person...

Just then, as if sensing his gaze, the figure on the screen slowly turned her head. Her stunningly beautiful face bloomed into a bright, chilling smile.

Marude felt his blood freeze.

A chill crawled up his spine, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

Kaguya knew from the beginning that this battle was being monitored. Even without using her heightened perception, it was easy to guess—this was CCG's standard combat protocol. Before initiating any attack, they would always dispatch investigators and intelligence agents to scout the battlefield, ensuring a meticulous plan. Such thorough preparation was the key to victory.

With Kaguya's keen observational skills, she had already noticed surveillance cameras hidden among the treetops not far away. Unable to resist, she turned and flashed a mischievous smile at the camera. Little did she know, in the command center, Marude broke out in a cold sweat upon witnessing her eerie expression.

Aliza struggled violently, her face—somewhat attractive—turning crimson from lack of air. She gritted her teeth, desperately attempting to break free, her slender legs kicking at Kaguya with all her strength.

"Looks like you've been abandoned," Kaguya remarked with a hint of regret. "I originally kept you alive, thinking someone might come to your rescue. But seeing how things are, you're no longer of any value."

Upon hearing Kaguya's words, Aliza's pupils shrank in fear, and she struggled even harder. Her curvaceous body twisted frantically, writhing like a fish out of water. She could feel the intense killing intent radiating from Kaguya's every word.

But just as Aliza desperately fought for survival, Kaguya's fingers tightened.

Crack!

With a crisp snap, the bones in Aliza's neck shattered. Her head lolled limply to the side, her arms dropped lifelessly, and after a few final spasms of her legs, she stopped moving.

"Oops, my hand slipped."

Kaguya smiled slightly, but the insincerity in her voice was obvious. With a casual flick, Aliza's lifeless corpse was tossed aside like discarded trash.

Whether it was Kaguya's overwhelming aura or the news that the top members of the Tsukiyama family had already escaped, the remaining ghouls lost their will to fight. In blind panic, they turned and fled, scrambling away like frightened rats.

However, Kaguya had anticipated this. She had stationed a heavily armed force around the Tsukiyama estate. For the weaker ghouls, there was no escape, and even for the stronger S-rated ones, escaping the encirclement was nearly impossible.

"Since that's the case," Kaguya turned around, her eyes flashing crimson, a sinister grin creeping onto her face. "It won't be a problem if I just kill you all, right?"

The remaining ghouls shuddered in terror.

The operation against the Tsukiyama family was proceeding smoothly. With CCG's elite forces deployed and a large number of investigators armed with advanced Quinques surrounding the estate, very few ghouls could hope to escape.

The Tsukiyama family's leadership was now cornered within the estate, trapped with no way out. Even if they wanted to break through the encirclement, it was nearly impossible under such heavy suppression.

...

"What?"

Akira Mado's voice echoed through the command center, filled with anger. "You're letting a rookie investigator face so many ghouls alone? Are you guys insane?"

"Well..."

Marude scratched his head awkwardly and said, "I did instruct her to retreat, but she ignored the order."

"That still doesn't mean you should let her go alone!"

Akira clenched her fists in frustration.

"You have to understand," Marude explained, "just besieging the Tsukiyama estate has stretched our manpower thin. If we dispatch another squad to assist her, it would further weaken our forces. If we face a desperate counterattack from the trapped ghouls, the casualties would be catastrophic."

Although Marude, as a superior officer, didn't necessarily have to explain himself, he noticed that many investigators were dissatisfied with his decision. So, he decided to clarify the situation.

"If you're not going, then I'll go myself!"

Fuming, Akira turned on her heel, pushing open the door with a loud "bang!" She stormed out and headed straight for the Tsukiyama estate.

Marude watched as Akira Mado's figure disappeared through the door, silently mulling over his thoughts. He hadn't expected this pretty young woman to have such influence, but at the same time, a heavier weight settled in his heart. If his suspicions were confirmed, he had no idea how much chaos it would bring.

"P-please, don't kill me!"

The towering ghoul trembled violently, his legs nearly giving out as he slumped to the floor, pleading with fear-stricken eyes.

Before him, the black-haired girl remained expressionless, ignoring his pleas as she took slow, deliberate steps toward him. Behind her, the walls were covered with crisscrossing blade marks and streaks of blood that had yet to dry. The ground was littered with dismembered corpses, their bodies sliced into neat chunks like raw steak, with crimson blood slowly pooling around them. The stench of blood permeated the air, thick and suffocating.

"If you won't let me live, then I won't let you die easily!"

Finally, the tall ghoul roared with desperation, his trembling face contorting in fury. With a sudden burst of speed, he lunged forward, razor-sharp kagune extending in a deadly arc, aiming directly for Kaguya.

Kaguya's expression remained indifferent. She merely lifted her delicate fingers and snapped them with a sharp "snap."

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled violently, a low rumble echoing through the room.

The ghoul's expression shifted from rage to alarm, his eyes darting around in panic, trying to grasp what was happening.

Without warning, countless razor-sharp stone spears shot up from the ground at lightning speed, impaling the unsuspecting ghoul from below.

Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!

Blood sprayed through the air.

The ghoul's anguished screams were cut short as the stone spears pierced his flesh with brutal precision, skewering him through the chest and limbs.

In the blink of an eye, the towering ghoul had been turned into a grotesque kebab, his body grotesquely suspended above the ground. His wide eyes were frozen in disbelief, his body convulsing violently a few times before finally falling still.

Kaguya paid no attention to the lifeless corpse, now impaled like a skewered piece of meat. Instead, she slowly turned around, her crimson eyes locking onto the darkness lurking in the shadows of the corner...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon: 

Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven