Re:Library

Soft Spoken Brutality Chapter 11

A clicking sound signified the locking of the room. A gasping sigh was heard from the reluctant yet at the same time frenzied Kaneki.

The crimson red adorning his hospital gown wasn’t his nor his companion’s. However, the black eye that was shinning brightly, seemingly mocking the concept of anything seen as ordinarily beautiful. That belonged to him.

The shock and awe, the frenzy and panic. The deep thrumming within Kaneki’s ears. The density of the atmosphere alone seemed to drown the still confused young man.

‘Veel? This is veel right? Rize-san!’ his voice grew to a much more frantic tone ‘please?’

Her smile told him otherwise. However, the human refusal to believe and the power of denial seemed to win out against the truth in his mind.

‘Then pork? It has to be?’ the second came much slower, more uncertain, almost testing his own psyche if it was ready for the truth.

‘Of course, that is why I locked the door and shut the blinds’ with this biting sarcastic remark, she shut down any and all of his protests.

Walking up to him, she wiped her finger in the blood on the plate, his desperate gasping growing more and more frantic by the second.

‘Kaneki-kun. It appears we are one and the same now.’ Her tone was implacable, yet her expression was amused. Despite his upset expression, when the blood dripped down into his waiting mouth, he swallowed.

——————— Time-skip (2 weeks)

Hide didn’t know where his friend was. He wanted to say he did. He wanted to think he did. He was worried, two weeks without a single message or contact.

The young man constantly roamed the 20th ward and patrolled Anteiku. Religiously. There was not a day when the bright orange haired youth wasn’t acting whimsical whilst ‘hitting on’ the waitress at Anteiku. The facade however was common knowledge, yet it was like an open secret. Everyone at the coffee shop felt slightly responsible for the young man and his disappearance, it was under their watch that the ghoul sympathising human met his end at the hands of another of their kind.

Yet spotting Rize-san was a somewhat lucky occurrence for Hide, each time he would go bug her and ask her about his friend and where he was situated. Each time he would be denied. She didn’t know she claimed. She didn’t care she stated. She forgot who he has she said.

Yet his persistence never faltered. Wasn’t that what friends were for?

On the other hand the staff at Anteiku were worried for the young man, for Rize was not know for her legendary temper and impulsiveness for nothing.

Yoshimura in particular had always given Rize a visual warning to patiently wait out the young man. He knew where Kaneki was. He knew what happened. Rize and her unspoken debt to the ward was slowly being paid off, in part through her tolerance of the perceptive human friend.

In her head however this human annoyance was truly gnawing away at her ability to control herself. She hadn’t even known that it was possible for the kakugan to manifest when not hunting, apparently intense anger or frustration can do the trick.

However, hindsight seems to always be 20/20.

Only one saw. No one caught on in time, Hide managed to hide his surprise well enough to leave. Rize only realised what happened once she saw the shocked look on the manager’s face. This time however, no words were exchanged.

———

The staring battle between Kaneki and the plate of ‘meat’ on the counter in front of him was progressing slowly. Torturously so.

“I’m supposed to eat this aren’t I” this exclamation was one of the many that filled his head.

“I accept that I am no longer human, but I refuse to be a ghoul!”

“Eat, eat. Eat!” His hands on his temples. His body curled up on the chair in front of the sustenance he needs. 2 weeks without food, a permanently active kakugan and a merciless benefactor. Kaneki Ken has not spoken to anyone but himself for the last week.

Begging for the first week wasn’t working, neither was crying himself to exhaustion and continuously attempting to eat the human food that he was brought. The futility of his action and his mental fatigue simply shut him down, he refused to acknowledge anyone but himself.

Not that he was allowed to see anyone beyond the one taking care of him. The staring match continued. Until a knocking was heard.

Humans rarely went into derelict or old apartment buildings, it was looking for trouble. All ghouls knew this, what they didn’t know was that some humans ignored this unspoken arrangement, this unlucky building safety inspector being one of them.

“Open the door, I am here to inspect the support beams for this apartment, the whole building is structurally compromised. If this door is not opened, I will be forced to seek a permit to breach into this apartment building.

The inspector rattled on, refusing to acknowledge or listen to the insane rumble of voices inside the place he was so desperate to enter.

“Forced to?” the three syllable phrase pierced the sound of his knocking.

“Yes. Forced to enter, this is for your safety as well as for the safety of the other inhabitants of this building.”

“Forced to?” was repeated again.

Suddenly the door opened, but before the inspector could say anything, he died.

A sick squelch could be heard from the door to the apartment, all the way to the ceiling and ground floor. A hungry ghoul seems to temporarily relinquish sanity, a hungry ghoul who has never experienced hunger before could not even think.

The red tentacles and the bleeding corpse were all that was left of this human. Who, like many in Tokyo, died of random ghoul attacks.

Yet even as the man was being devoured, another liquid mixed together with his blood.

Tears…

Soft Spoken Brutality Chapter 10

Kaneki Ken was tired. Tired was all he was. A hyperbolic assessment of his current physical state.

That was everyone expected to hear.

That was what they all thought.

Yet, that was not the case.

At least not this time.

— —

Waking up in the hospital was a surprise, for me it was surprising because of the part where I woke up. Waking up was never part of the plan. For only the hero was supposed to wake up, especially after fighting desperately till the end. Me? I was the lamb, I live to ensure others don’t die. That was always the belief I held for myself. The bitter end. That was supposed to be it.

Undoubtedly an unpleasant end, filled to the brim with intimidating white men and blood thirsty companions. Yet it was an end that I faced with courage…

The courage of a life time that I had gathered for that one moment of true significance! I was denied. Once more.

—

Ken himself was distraught, yet in his confusion and rage, he failed to notice a key that was missing from the scene.

Pain.

His pain was gone.

This realisation was astoundingly simple, and it was abruptly interrupted.

‘Kaneki kun’

The manager?

Hide?

No.

Rize.

—

It was frustrating.

That was what Rize thought to herself upon entering the room and seeing Kaneki in such a state. That was undoubtedly an annoying sentimentality, one that a powerful ghoul such as Rize often thought was beneath her, for there was always a certain image to maintain. Yet she allowed herself this opportunity to get annoyed, because the colossal stupidity that Kaneki possessed was simply beyond her.

A human, after a ghoul attack not too long ago, goes back to a dark alley during the night. That lack of self preservation was paradoxical and odd, and frustrating, considering her personal investment in the safety of this particular human. Along with an annoying manager’s…

“Hi.” a sickly sweet tone permeated the hospital room, almost cancelling the smell of the antiseptic.

silence.

“Giving me the cold shoulder isn’t the smartest thing, considering how easily I get annoyed.” the tone not so sweet this time.

silence again.

He was really trying her nerves. The underlying annoyance was also laced with some concern. Worry would be putting too much emphasis. Yes, concern.

Exasperated, she sat down next to the young man, continuously looking at him with a stare that would have pierced his heart.

“Rize-san, what are you doing here?” he said, in the most calm and collected voice that he could muster given his current condition. During this point in time, Rize, well she did not know whether or not annoyance was tangible when it was reaching critical levels, controlled herself from indulging in anymore violence.

“I know I messed up, I hope the manager knows that I am truly sorry for the massive problems that I have caused.” This self criticality was exasperating and perhaps even baffling. The desire to scream at him was increasing with each passing second.

“Do you know how much trouble I went through to visit you in this hospital? How about the explanation I had to give to each doctor and nurse. If I truly wanted to. I would have screamed at you upon entering the room!” this outburst was quiet in volume, loud in expression.

His facial features were shocked. To anyone else it seemed like he was deathly afraid. Yet to her she could see the surprise on his features after her outburst.

“The manager would come to see you himself, but unfortunately the amount of doves in the ward increased massively since this little accident…”

The concern everyone showed for his wellbeing was unusual for the hospitalised and injury laden Kaneki, no one except for Hide cared about what happened to him. This was something that he was religiously convinced of time and time again.

“I would thank him in person, but I doubt my presence would be good for Anteiku considering the attack,” smart. Thinking ahead and the logic behind the process impressed the femme fatale. Yet, there was something odd about his logic, not the logic itself, but the presence of it in such controlled state.

Humans are fragile creatures, this can usually be said for their physical prowess and state, yet despite the supposed mental fortitude of the human race, a general assumption that Rize made throughout her life time was that: ghouls and humans are equally mentally handicapped.

Trauma, anger, sadness, happiness, excitement and fear. These emotions, at least in her own humble opinion, were part of both races. No matter how much anyone tried to deny it of course.

Yet something was off, there was another ghoul in the vicinity. Not that it was unusual of course, the permeation of ghouls within society being quite complete and unnoticed by most. This of course did not mean that she would drop her guard, quite the opposite, other ghouls needed to be observed. Especially, with her upbringing. One can never know who is a friend or foe.

Yet the more she stayed, the stronger the presence of this ghoul grew, it was as if he was coming closer. That was the justification she gave for the increasing smell, yet the growing pit in her stomach would dictate that something was wrong. Incredibly so.

‘Rize-san’ he uttered in a small voice. Bereft of the earlier confidence. Fear took its place.

‘Why can I smell the nurse? Why does she smell so good?’ he continued, terrified.

The food she had brought her human companion as a get well gift suddenly took on an entirely new purpose.

‘Kaneki-kun, I have a theory.’ of course she did, and despite her outward calm, this situation excited and terrified her.

‘I want you to eat this. Slowly, chewing and tasting every bite.’ the swift motion in which she gave the young man some random irrelevant pastry was not the key detail.

He retched. He absolutely retched. No doubt about that in her mind existed. Yet, this wasn’t enough. Not to prove something this insurmountably insane.

The unthinkable was the only thing that would be enough.

She would need a human. From where? How? What about suspicion? She is supposed to be on the run.

“Rize-san, you may be a ghoul, but buying bread isn’t that difficult” he chuckled, attempting to lighten the atmosphere. It failed. He did however notice that her expression was forced, making him feel uncertain about what to expect from this beautiful creature.

‘Kaneki.’ her use of his full name made him realise the gravity of this situation. ‘Don’t panic no matter what happens in the next fifteen or twenty minutes’ she stated icily.

‘Promise me’ this reiteration was what sunk the final nail into the proverbial coffin of Kaneki’s last day of normality.

‘I promise.’

Soft Spoken Brutality Chapter 9

Omake. Or is it?

Arima was a genius,

Arima, was a genius?

Arima was a genius.

This title was neither self prescribed nor exaggerated, as due to his job of maintaining the office in the First Ward, the basic requirement of maintain a level of knowledge about what went on in the other wards was essential. Of course, this was part of the role for all investigators with any resemblance of power and authority within the CCG; yet his mechanical efficiency and lack of complaints had always been paramount to his success in the battlefield of bureaucracy.

What many failed to notice about Arima, a fact not unnoticed by the man himself, was his boundless thirst for discovery. This meant he was better prepared for the subjugation of the ghouls he would face during extermination. Yet, there was a more personal side to his curiosity, for something mundane always plagued his life, an inability to break the mould, if you will. This personal curiosity was what drove the man to wake up, what drove him to sleep. For the claims of immortality that others sang and preached about, the CCG’s reaper stalwartly warded against accepting their claims, because the fear of complacency drove him. Thus, curiosity was the perfect counter.

The desk and its mahogany texture… how was it created? This type of question, at first glance may seem daft and pointless, as any such question would simply be laid to the wayside in any other situation. That was an issue; the trivialities lay abandoned and forgotten in the face of mounting importance. Elitism. Disdain for elitism from the elitist.

The stack of reports on the man’s table only served to augment the feeling of utmost importance, along with utmost boredom. Something immediately stood out, and despite all odds, Arima noticed it. He was definitely not supposed to notice it, nor was he supposed to care. Yet, that was a first glance assumption most people made, though not that he would discourage or scold them for it. It did make his job infinitely easier: not having to worry about the internal thoughts of others due to the simplification that was involved when regarding himself.

‘The 20th Ward casualty report,’ he casually muttered to himself. The fact that even the 20th Ward had casualties was quite surprising to the man, yet what surprised him even more was the scene of the crime.

Silently, he picked up his briefcase, now personally interested.

—————

It couldn’t have gotten any worse.

That was a phrase many have used, exaggerating its meaning and effect. On paper it meant frustration with the situation and its devolution; in reality it was a sign of the utmost pain and desolation due to the uttering of this powerful phrase.

Rize Kameshiro was thinking to herself, three days after that fateful night, about how things probably could get worse. The wounds she received are non-existent, long healed due to the nature of her kagune and her voracious appetite (at least when not caught and limited by Anteiku staff). And yet, the current situation was by far and away the first time that Rize had a terrible time for someone other than herself.

Picking up Kaneki, or the discarded remains of the boy, was difficult. The constant reminder of his merits and his interest in her was what mainly kept her appetite at bay. At the same time, there was a spark, a genuine worry for the young man, though whether this feeling stemmed from a sense of duty or some unknown kinship was yet to be determined.

Regardless of all the inner turmoil this ghoul faced, one thing remained constant: her hatred for the low profile she was obliged to keep. The cleanup in the aftermath of the mess left by Ken’s innards along with the manager’s panicked and rage-like state were matters that led to much confusion and frustration on Rize’s part. The collective security of the ward, at least what the manager liked to call it, was much more vital than her own personal comfort or needs.

At least that was what she kept telling herself. Yet the distress was very real, very irritating and very mysterious. The attempt to further dwell on the issue was, however, cut massively short.

‘Have you heard of the news?’ exclaimed an unusually excited dove. ‘This one is definitely too thin on the meat’; a subtle subconscious evaluation, undoubtedly left from her time beyond the 20th.

The other dove and his stoic face gave away no surprise, until a more silent part of the conversation escaped her notice. At least one word was heard, the only one that actually mattered.

‘Arima’

—— — —

Kaneki was in heaven. For that was the only state the explained this new lack of pain. The hope that he would stay that way grew fainter and fainter, until the pain returned…

— — — —

For someone who prided himself on himself on the ability to maintain a calm demeanour, it was obvious to anyone who knew the manager, something was off.

The manager could only somewhat recall the events of that faithful evening. Yet he knew that he had made a massive mistake. Only now he hoped that this mistake wouldn’t cost the brave young man his life.

Another human, a different death.

The guilt was the same however…

——————————————————————————————————— ——————————————— ——— ———————————————

Soft Spoken Brutality Chapter 8

A/N: I’d like to think both Rize and Kaneki are troubled in their own way, only the former doesn’t admit it to herself. Hence why we see so much angstneki

The significant lack of lighting didn’t bother Kaneki, the 20th ward seemed to emanate a sensation of safety and security. Hence walking in the night would not be as detrimental to his health as it would in any other place in Tokyo. Of course subconsciously his feeling of security also stemmed from the knowledge and association with those from Anteiku, for this meant his death; if it came. Would come from someone of the human kind. Perhaps some mugger desperate for another round of drinks, or a serial murderer and maybe even some poor soul trying to feed their family.

Kaneki liked to think he was a happy person, liked to try to convince himself that he was undoubtedly a happy person. Defiantly, a thought remained perpetually plaguing the forefront of his mind, what makes you a good person? This was not the philosophical thought that came with self discovery and a desire to redeem humanity. No, this was a personal question. ‘What made me a good person?’ He would repeat this, second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour.

His mind would simply spin in self consuming circles. Not that Kaneki would let anyone see that, he was devoutly and firmly in the belief that his mind was impregnable, his thoughts a ;sanctum, sewer. None will have touched or should touch. This was his unspoken rule, yet he didn’t want to die. Death would have been a sweet release from the life of simply existing, for what human doesn’t want to share the load that would have broken two mens backs.

Books. That was the answer. The simplicity of being able to borrow an identity, that had always been his answer.

Yet this is why there was lack of grounding of his being in the reality of the world. He had willingly abandoned it since the times his mother was dying, for what need is a painful world in a fragile body, yet the novels he read pointed less at an escape. Instead they were supposed to be a reminder of those who couldn’t chose their fate. The tortured protagonist in Sen Tatsuki’s ‘Black Goats Egg’? He has no choice. He exists and cannot even escape from his existence in the novel. Kaneki can, he can leave and go where he desires.

This was seemingly the sign of the escape being attempted. A purpose in life would bring Kaneki back to reality. Thats what he told himself, thats what Hide told himself, thats what Hide told him. Thats what not dying told him. Yet he’d be dying again fairly soon.

———————————————————————————————————————————————

The manager was for once, unsure of what to do. For there in this ward stood Jason, this was not unwillingness to act. It was uncertainty. A slow throbbing was drowning out the world, as the manager went through all the possibilities of how this may end. For one. Jason was not alone, another, with a certain weird posturing stood there with him. Following the blood trail may have led the manager to one case that he might have to leave for the CCG…

———————— ————— ————————————————————— ———————————

The smell of blood was thick in the air, and the manager would have my skull if I didn’t investigate what the origin of the unfortunate bleeding soul was. Yet the smirk that would have adorned my face was wiped off as suddenly as it emerged, the bleeding wasn’t random. The right amount had been cleaved, this was made to lure a hungry ghoul in.

Suddenly my pondering turns toward the worse, snarling I follow the blood trail. Stuck between fighting this suicidal would be smart ***, and the manager turning his ire toward my being. The choice was incredibly obvious, yet converging on the smell of the blood, I started to smell others.

The manager, Jason, Ken…

———————————————————————————————— ——————————————

Four powerful ghouls stood there, each converging on the location of some poor passerby bleeding out from his neck. A painful way to go. Yet he wasn’t allowed to die. Not until Jason had made sure that Rize was in his possession…

It had taken sometime, but Aogiri Tree had managed to figure out the location of the binge eater, it wasn’t difficult. As torturing the truth out of those trying to keep quiet was this ghoul’s forte. Yet what confused Yakumo was why there were two Rize walking toward him right now. A sister? No, she had no relatives, at least none in this ward. A lover? That would seem a more likely choice, yet Jason smirked at that possibility. Who could have possibly wooed the infamous Binge Eater, he almost wanted to laugh at that possibility.

Nico would have laughed with him, for entertainment in life was always something to be appreciated. Yet he immediately spotted the difference in the two Rize that were walking toward him and his unlikely companion.

The clown faced okama tilted his head toward the weaker of the two. Yakumo grinned and nodded. Cracking his finger, before moving toward the lightless alley.

The manager realised a sense of foreboding what this would mean, yet confronting them there would have been a mistake. For this ward was off the radar of the CCG, Jason would simply have to make some noise, and flee. Perhaps the manager could have finished him, but not without alerting someone.

Instead the man tilted his hat and started progressing to the rooftops above the alley. Jason would know he is here, yet he hoped his presence would discourage any rash movements from the Aogiri ghoul. Of course the world wouldn’t be so kind.

——————————————————————————————————— ———————————

Kaneki simply saw red. The blood wasn’t his own. Until it was.

For in a flash a blinding searing sensation dominated his senses. He couldn’t tell where the pain originated from. Where it ended. Or even if he was in pain to begin with. The pleasant numbness was undoubtedly a poisoning sensation. Pleasantly making him feel out of touch with who or what his assailant was.

‘Its human’ the voice sounded muffled, the sound filtered through throbbing underwater currents.

The next moment he was roughly thrown into the next alley.

‘Rize Kameshiro, you smell just like her.’

‘Be careful, he is quite ‘fragile’’

Once more there was simply a lack of perception or weight to those words, for the wounds he had received previously were much shallower.

Each fibre in his blood stained abdomen throbbed with life, or as much life as it could muster when everything within was escaping wildly. Wildly he thrashed and fought for the realisation of death had unlike before become unwelcome. Yet the hand o n his throat and the blood flowing downwards did not care for such sentimentalities, for the determined cruelty of the man who held him was seemingly second nature. Whilst Kaneki was someone who escaped cruel reality and not embraced it.

Thus his struggle was just like his nature, artificial and concocted. For his life was never of any value to himself, until it was.

Soft Spoken Brutality Chapter 7

Rize’s perspective. 2 days and less before chapter 6.

Leaving the cafe prior would have been a very satisfying or very frustrating experience, a cup of coffee and a sack of meat. Or just the former. Whilst the cafe and their customers were of course strictly off limits, at least when taken at face value, there were always those they knew, or those around the various locations close to the cafe.

Despite the constant reminders by the manager in regards to my eating habits. My perception of his stern demeanour being forced or a facade had led to a practical disregard for anything that he said, hence my attempt at targeting Kaneki. Yet this time I was shaken, a sense of absolute fear had taken control of my extremities. All encompassing, all powerful, overpowering and supremely real. The killing intent exuded by the manager was this time fully directed at me.

“Rize-san, a word if you will” he stated, in a voice that almost seemed forcefully tranquil. Perhaps he doesn’t realise his killing intent and how it has entirely permeated the small zone that surrounded us. If I were to look around, I would surely identify other ghouls hurriedly leaving and even those working at this little sanctuary would have been surprised to see their guardian suddenly stirred.

“Manager, what would be the matter?” I drop all matter of honourifics, as if I am to die, I would do so without grovelling. I also subtly note his intentional omission of the usual warm greeting in favour of our much more. What I was not expecting was a his direction for us to talk inside. An idea sprang into my mind at that very moment.

“Manager.” I deadpan, feigning a sense of confidence, this being my only chance at retaining my life.

“Who stands to lose more from me making a scene?” I hint in a voice with arrogance befitting those fools from the 11th. The manager being of an entirely different caliber of strength, and this being broad daylight, my blind look into the twilight sky being one based entirely on desperation.

What I don’t notice is his tensing, or at least not immediately. “Is that a threat?” was almost whispered. That was part of the high stakes communication that prevents the disclosure of information tries to ensure a misstep on the part of the weaker by reinforcing the gap in strength. He knows my fear, the minute I abandoned the use of his last name meant the shedding of familiarity in favour of caution. Perhaps even terror. This advantage of mine was minute, temporary and most importantly futile.

“It would be unwise of you to cause any more trouble than you already have.” a sense of confusion dawns onto me. My inactivity since entering the ward was legendary for my appetite, yet the manager claims something had already occurred due to my person.

“I see you have returned to reason Rize-san, not the first time you have abandoned it for your own trivialities.” his annoyance being obvious and overbearing, especially considering how much I had miscalculated in regards to his temperament and what that could have cost me.

Silently I followed him, to the sitting room in the back of Anteiku, “please, sit.”

The sound of coffee being poured into antique cups was the only echo that permeated the silent. A current and relative peace that was slowly being approached and threatened by the tension relating to the future of my situation or even life.

“Do you not realise the consequences your actions carry? The people they may affect? The occurrence of the recent past: it has already attracted many unwanted detractors.” I frown; ‘many’? That was something that was most certainly unexpected, if not worrying.

“Manager, I would assume that you are referring to investigators?” my silent hope was that it was simply a few doves, slipping into another ward to redirect their search; that would be incredibly easy. His long face seemed to suggest otherwise…

“Investigators? You know as well as I do Rize-san, that the 20th ward falls well into its own expected boundaries. There are investigators at Anteiku; their families. What would lead you to believe it is investigators that I am worried about?” the no-nonsense tone of voice conveyed the almost sardonic desire to illustrate his irritation. But perhaps my nervousness is finally getting to me, affecting the way I’m perceiving his posture.

————————————

What was increasingly obvious was the disparity of information held by the two ghouls. As one could see the difference in experience was amounting to a significant advantage, at least in this particular interrogation. A facade is something all ghouls, due to the human society they inhabit, possess or are able to utilise; an undoubtedly extremely useful skill.Yet the ability to accentuate emotions and differentiate the skill of the user, that is what truly separated those who thrived from those who survived.

Kuzan; the manager, he was humble enough to understand the necessity of those skills and the implications they carried for himself and those whom he protected.

Yet the path to achieving paramount skill, that required an inordinate amount of patience-

Every calculated movement had to be followed by another statement, one must always be reading their opponent to succeed in the conflict of mind and body. The victor would be one to walk away with a sense of control and superiority; the loser left doubting the integrity of their information and thought process.

Humans who along similar lines had attempted to study this traditionally ghoul art, out of some kind of perverse fascination or spite. They had yet to realise that the ordinary survival instinct that consumes and drives those possessed to extreme lengths, for it is not even second nature. It is so primary, that many lose their original identity in the face of the threat of being discovered.

Rize, her purple hair disheveled, her posture rigid and most importantly her breathing slowed. It was a valiant attempt to get herself under some semblance of control. Yet due to the imposing authority and the critical eye with which he regarded her, his silver hair only contrasting with his dark and sharp eyes.

“I understand your familiarity with the ghouls of 11th ward, even your association with Kameshiro Matasaka in the 6th…” this line of thought was obviously a simple reiteration of the known facts. A matter that wasn’t actually a matter.

“What do you know of the Aogiri Tree?”

———————

The night of chapter 6: Rize’s perspective.

The discussion with the manager, whilst most certainly unpleasant, was perhaps somewhat necessary given the circumstances in which I had become embroiled in. Of course as any ghoul would or wouldn’t know, my temper and patience have their limits; if faced with someone whom it is possible to eat. Yet they do say that danger makes you re-evaluate.

Due to this being the 20th ward, and the manager’s strict warnings about hunting and not causing trouble. I have remained meal-less for an extended period of time. Yet despite the physical discomfort and mental fatigue I experienced, there was a certain feeling of satisfaction, for I had seemingly finally found a place where I enjoy staying more than hating its inhabitants.

Perhaps the manager realised this, yet the man just seems more cruel and callous to me by the minute. I silently smirked, finding irony in the fact that: if any of my thoughts were to be voiced, I would be ridiculed. The manager? ‘Cruel’? Yet undoubtedly that was what he was, for otherwise he wouldn’t put a ravenous ghoul like myself as an enforcer for order.

This was the greatest irony in my life, probably even more than befriending Ken. For I have often played with my food before, yet this is the first time I’m made to ensure no one plays with theirs…

[Vol 2] Chapter 15: The Chaotic Sky

Let’s turn time back a little; It was a peaceful day as three Gryphons were gliding in the sky calmly. Two Gryphons were flying side by side and the other one was slightly behind the rest.

Sheena and Albert were both enjoying the ride and engaged in small talks. “Fua~~ It’s a peaceful day isn’t it? It would be great if we can get through rest of the days uneventfully.” Sheena stretched her arms lazily as she talk.

Albert nodded and agreed with Sheena, “Ah…… it would be great if we can get through the rest of the days uneventfully, so much had happened today. We should really thank Mister Milton for sending us back to the Academy with the Gryphons.” Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 15: The Chaotic Sky →

[Vol 2] Chapter 14: The Will to Survive!

“Huff… Huff… Huff…” A village girl who looked around 16 years old is currently in the woods nearby a small farming village, running with all her might.

The reason she’s running so desperately? It’s because she’s being chased by three Goblins. The villagers had warned her not to go into the woods by herself since it’s been getting more dangerous lately.

She did not heed their warning and went to the woods to play with the wild beasts. Ever since she was young, she had been on friendly terms with the beasts in the woods so she never thought of the woods as a dangerous place to be. Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 14: The Will to Survive! →

[Vol 2] Chapter 13: Falling from Heaven

Meanwhile… on top of the sky between Swinford Town and the Magic Academy… There are three Gryphons gliding peacefully… until…

“Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Someone’s scream broke the peace. From the distant, one can see the silhouette of a cat-kin girl falling from the heaven and shouting at the top of her lungs.

……That’s right, as you have guessed, the one falling is none other than Sylvia. She had fallen from the back of the Gryphon, but how did something like this happen? Let’s turn the time back to a few minutes ago… Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 13: Falling from Heaven →

Martial Void King

[Arc 1] Chapter 16

Chapter 16 – Cheating

Chu Shen walked up the path leading towards the blacksmithing area. Smoke billowed upwards as the clanging of metal rang out. Chu Shen smiled.

He walked into the side of the forge. There was his teacher at the forge, a rare occurrence really. Master Lang typically left the forging to the other blacksmiths or to him.

Because Master Lang was a great inscription master he typically wrote the inscriptions for Chu Shen. After all, his Qi destroyed an inscription when he tried to write one.

His master was forging several throwing knives at once. Each blow with his hammer was extremely strange. It seemed to hit all the knives at once.

Chu Shen stared at the strange sight before smirking. Master Lang truly was worthy of being called a master artificer. There is a difference between a blacksmith and an artificer.

A blacksmith forges weapons but that is all. While they can craft miraculously sharp and strong weapons with Qi or heavenly fire, it will always be worse than an artificer’s creation.

An artificer is an inscription master and a blacksmith. An inscription is a carving laid down by an inscription master that can have various effects. One is helping channel Qi into a weapon or even increasing the Qi’s efficiency and power.

Another effect would be to transform Qi into a different type of Qi. For example, a fireball inscription when powered by martial Qi can shoot a fireball at their opponent.

With the effect of an inscription a weapons combat ability can more than triple. However an artificer is different than both an inscription master and a blacksmith master. The reason for this is actually an extremely simple reason.

An artificer is both. Because an artificer has personally crafted the weapon they lay inscriptions upon, there is no flaw. They know everything there is to know about a weapon they craft and therefore can use an inscription that perfectly suits it as well.

Each weapon has its own personality and each inscription has its own. Only the most perfect union of inscription and weapon will be able to bring out a weapons true potential.

This is why when you compare two equal weapons made by a blacksmith and inscription duo and an artificer, the artificer will always win. He frowned. Of course, since he couldn’t lay down inscriptions because of his Qi erasing the inscription ink, he could only be called a blacksmith instead of an Artificer. He would have given up long ago but this was the best thing he could do with his Qi type

A sudden stop in the clanging of metal shook Chu Shen out of his stupor. Looking up he saw Master Lang standing in front of the throwing knives. Master Lang took out a couple vials stopped with a cork

Chu Shen recognized these vials. Each inscription required materials to be made into liquid called inscription ink. Using their Qi to manipulate this inscription ink the inscription master would then make the inscription.

Master Lang unstopped the vials. A glowing blue liquid floated out of the vial. The liquid collected into several balls of liquid in front of each knife. The liquid started twisting and turning, a powerful Qi permeated the air.

The liquid formed into symbols. These symbols gave off an indescribable sense of power. Finally the symbols were complete, the glow turning golden. The leftover liquid flowed back into the vials and Master Lang stopped the vials.

The symbols hovered mysteriously in the air over the knives. Finally with a gesture of Master Lang’s hand the symbols flew down to the knives. With a flash of light the symbols turned into a circle on the knives handle.

Chu Shen mentally applauded Master Lang’s control of the inscription symbols. It was a simple inscription, basic really.

However, even the most basic inscription took a long time. Only an expert could do it in a matter of moments.

Master Lang collected the knives and put them in a basket. Turning towards Chu Shen he smiled.

“Chu Shen, get in here and start forging. The Lin sect wants some inscription throwing knives for their disciples.”

“Yes master.”

Chu Shen stepped up to another forge and started working on the knives. He grabbed some iron ore and started to forge. As he did he started circulating his Qi according to <Voids Child> technique.

As he did golden lights started floating towards him. These lights was the Qi of the world. The Qi was only visible to those who were currently cultivating. There was a whole lot of lights, it looked like a swarm of lightning bugs.

Suddenly Chu Shen put down the hammer. He stared at his chest in befuddlement. ‘What! Since when did my cultivation speed become this fast! I previously just broke through to the 8th level of the man stage but now I almost instantly reached the middle stage. Just what is going on!’

‘Brat, that cultivation speed is just because of that technique and necklace that I gave you. Previously you were practicing a technique you were unsuitable for, now you will advance more than ten times faster!’

‘Haha, this is great! I really can reach the Emperor stage in five years’

‘I would be ashamed to call you my disciple if you didn’t do it in three.’

‘Yes master. With this cultivation speed, its practically cheating.’

“Chu Shen, keep forging. We still have to make this order.”

“En” Chu Shen nodded in his agreement.

Chu Shen picked up his hammer again. He started forging the daggers. They kept at it, each time he made a dagger his master would put an inscription on it.

Finally they finished forging all the weapons. Over 100 daggers in total were made. The inscription was a simple burst inscription. Qi would be stored in the inscription before being released on impact, creating an explosion of Qi.

It was quite formidable though it had a limit of Qi it could store. It was only useful for low-level cultivators.

Chu Shen grabbed the baskets and took them outside the forge and set them down. Chu Lan would pick them up and deliver them to the Lin sect.

Turning around he saw Master Lang was watching him.

“Chu Shen, your father told me that you are going to the main sect to join them. I have a gift for you, from master to disciple.”

[Vol 2] Chapter 12: Kept in the Dark (Part 2)

After the two mysterious person sit down on the sofa, Mister Milton sit opposite of them, and a maid poured a cup of tea for them. Mister Milton took a sip and started, “So… Regardless of your relationship with Miss Sylvia, I believe your daughter is among the group, along with His Highness the prince. Are you not worried it might end up in a tragedy? I do not believe even the queen would let you off lightly if something were to happen to His Highness.”

The mysterious person said indifferently after Mister Milton’s accusation, “Mister Milton… As the legal parent and guardian of the child, I understand them more than you. If I don’t do something like this, one of these days they will venture into the dungeon, and died a miserable death! It’s still too early for them to enter the dungeon if they cannot even handle something of this level.” Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 12: Kept in the Dark (Part 2) →

[Vol 2] Chapter 11: Kept in the Dark (Part 1)

Hearing his words, I just realized that I was riding on top of him. My face blushed deep red as I jumped up abruptly! That was such an embarrassing position!

The rider was rubbing his forehead as he got up, then he asked me, “Are you alright?”

Even though he was hurt, he still put my well being before him, he’s quite the gentleman. But as I was too embarrassed to face him, I turned my back towards him and looked towards the ground as I covered my blushed cheeks with both hands before I replied, “Nyai… I’m fine, nya~”

The rider scratched his hair and replied indifferently, “Alright, that’s good then…” After that, he moved closer to me and grabbed my waist. Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 11: Kept in the Dark (Part 1) →

[Vol 2] Chapter 10: Beast Form

I shook my head helplessly a few times, and faced an empty space before lifting the card in my left hand…

“Well… Here goes nothing! Implicatus! ⌈¹⌋” I lifted the card in front of me and shouted the activation word taught by Sylvidia.

The card once again released a blinding light that momentarily took away our vision. Everyone present raised their hand overhead to block the blinding light and shut their eyes tightly.

After a few moment later, the blinding light finally receded and everyone slowly opened their eyes as they look toward my direction. Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 10: Beast Form →

[Vol 2] Chapter 9: Weapon’s Secret Revealed!

The appearance of the weapon totally changed… it could no longer be considered a bow nor a long-ranged weapon…

Wait… Can you even call this a weapon? I mean it’s a…

That’s right, what was in my hand… is no longer a weapon…

After a moment of silence, Sheena finally speak up, “Uh… Sylvia, where did your weapon go?”

I felt it the most clearly since I was holding it the whole time when the shape of the weapon changed… this thing in my left hand… is supposed to be my weapon? Continue reading [Vol 2] Chapter 9: Weapon’s Secret Revealed! →