Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

Yes, the silver-haired girl wearing the fox mask was none other than Kaguya.

All she had intended to do was ask for directions, but instead, she stumbled upon a spectacle.

Yet even without much thought, Kaguya could easily guess what was happening: the "Gourmet" Shuu Tsukiyama had kidnapped Nishiki Nishio's girlfriend, intending to devour her. Just as dinner was about to commence, Nishiki appeared like a deus ex machina, heroically attempting to rescue her. Unfortunately, this so-called hero was pathetic, while the villain was overwhelmingly powerful. Predictably, the hero ended up being beaten senseless.

Gazing at the unconscious Nishiki, Kaguya curled her lips disdainfully. If you're that weak, why even bother chasing girls? Utterly pathetic—a disgrace to the art of romance.

Weaklings should learn to accept their limitations. Pretending to be a hero just to impress? What a joke.

"Simply marvelous!"

A voice brimming with excitement echoed through the church. Kaguya's lips twitched, and black lines appeared on her face. This disgusting pervert.

She turned her gaze toward Tsukiyama, who looked as if he had consumed a potent stimulant. His entire body trembled slightly with exhilaration, his expression maniacal.

"This exquisite flavor—it must be a gift from the heavens! Yes, it must be!" Tsukiyama shouted, his crimson-black eyes gleaming. "Otherwise, why would she appear before me? She is mine, she belongs to—"

A black shadow blurred through the air, interrupting his monologue with a heavy kick to his face.

Boom!

A thunderous crash resounded as Tsukiyama was sent hurtling backward, slamming hard into the distant wall.

"While I've tried to understand your unique tastes, I'm sorry," Kaguya said, retracting her leg and smiling faintly. "I simply cannot comprehend your level of perversion. You're utterly disgusting. Repulsive, even. I think it's best if I kill you."

Climbing to his feet, Tsukiyama wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. A strange grin spread across his face as he chuckled, "To see such a cold and ruthless sentiment on such a smiling face—it's simply perfect. I find myself more and more reluctant to devour you."

"You want to eat me?" Kaguya laughed softly. "Should I call that arrogance or sheer ignorance? You haven't even assessed your opponent's strength, yet you dare utter such audacious claims. Clearly, someone needs to teach you a lesson."

"A lesson?" Tsukiyama laughed uproariously, as if he had just heard the most amusing joke in the world. "Fine then, teach me! Show me what you've got!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Tsukiyama stomped down hard, shattering the floor beneath him. In a flash, he charged toward Kaguya, his kagune bursting forth in a spiraling blue blade aimed directly at her arm.

"Let me have a taste first!"

Kaguya remained motionless. Beneath the fox mask, the corner of her lips curled upward. "Why don't you try eating yourself instead?"

Tsukiyama's pupils contracted as his kagune blade pierced through Kaguya's body. Yet, to his shock, there was no blood, no sense of hitting solid flesh.

It was merely an afterimage.

Not good.

A sinking feeling overwhelmed Tsukiyama as he hastily spun around. But it was already too late.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

A clear, crisp voice rang out as a massive ball of searing flames materialized in midair, hurtling toward Tsukiyama like a comet.

Boom!

The deafening explosion shattered the air, sending fierce shockwaves rippling outward. Tables and chairs within the church were sent tumbling. The wooden surroundings caught alight almost instantly, and flames roared skyward as thick smoke billowed.

Emerging from the fiery glow, Kaguya chuckled lightly. "How does it feel to be roasted alive?"

"Damn you!"

A figure leapt from the inferno, swinging a kagune-formed blade downward in an arc. It was Tsukiyama, though he was in a sorry state. His body was covered in extensive burns, particularly across his back, which was charred and exuded the acrid stench of burnt flesh. Thanks to a ghoul's regenerative abilities, however, the damage wasn't entirely fatal.

"Unforgivable!"

Enraged, Tsukiyama roared and furiously swung his arm. His kagune blade splintered into countless afterimages, launching a flurry of relentless strikes at Kaguya.

With a delicate step, Kaguya evaded the strikes like a drifting leaf. Her movements were light and effortless, sidestepping each attack with precision. No matter how ferocious Tsukiyama's onslaught became, she always dodged at the last possible moment, just beyond the reach of his blade.

Though the battle seemed one-sided, Tsukiyama's expression grew increasingly grim. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he realized none of his attacks could land. Kaguya appeared relaxed, unhurried, and entirely unaffected by the supposed danger.

Who the hell is this woman? Tsukiyama's mind raced.

Finally, Kaguya's amused voice rang out. "Is this all you've got? Even with your high-speed regeneration and kagune weaponry, you're little more than a clumsy child swinging a stick."

Frustrated, Tsukiyama bit his lip and doubled down on his attack. His arms moved like a blur, his blade striking so fast it left only streaks of shadow.

But it was futile.

Suddenly, Kaguya disappeared. Her form vanished from sight, and before Tsukiyama could react, a fox mask appeared mere inches from his face.

"You're too slow," she whispered.

Boom!

A resounding impact echoed through the church. Kaguya's palm struck Tsukiyama square in the stomach, causing it to cave inward. Blood spurted from his mouth as he stumbled backward.

"Pathetic," Kaguya said flatly. "With strength like this, you dare make bold claims?"

Without giving him a moment to recover, Kaguya struck again. Her palm slammed into his chest with enough force to shatter ribs. The sickening sound of bones snapping filled the air as Tsukiyama coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Desperate, Tsukiyama raised his kagune blade, aiming for Kaguya's pale neck. Yet before the blade could make contact, a delicate hand caught it effortlessly, immobilizing his arm.

"With this level of skill, you think you can eat me?" Kaguya shook her head, her lips curling into a smirk. "How childish."

She clenched her fist.

Crack!

In Tsukiyama's horrified gaze, his kagune blade shattered like fragile glass. His kagune, renowned for its unparalleled toughness, crumbled in Kaguya's grasp.

"I'm sorry," Kaguya said, feigning regret as she laughed. "I didn't mean to break your toy. But you're just too fragile—it's boring."

Gathering a massive surge of energy in her palm, Kaguya swung her arm forward.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Each strike hit with devastating force. Her pale hand blurred as it delivered a relentless barrage of blows, each impact heavier than the last. Bones shattered under the pressure, and Tsukiyama's body shook violently like a ragdoll. Blood erupted from his mouth in torrents, painting the ground red.

With a final strike, Tsukiyama was sent flying like a broken kite. Yet Kaguya wasn't finished. Raising her hand, she summoned a swirling, inky black sphere—the Tailed Beast Ball. With a resounding roar, the sphere shot forward, tearing through the air like a meteor, streaking toward Tsukiyama's airborne form.

Boom!

A dazzling column of light tore through the dawn sky like a miniature sun, illuminating the earth as if it were midday. A deafening explosion followed, its roar echoing across the entire city. A massive mushroom cloud rose into the air, with rolling smoke and fire shooting skyward. The shockwave, carrying an overwhelming force, reduced everything in its vicinity to rubble, turning the area into a wasteland within moments.

After the violent surge of energy subsided, a scene of utter devastation unfolded. The once-towering church had vanished without a trace, leaving only broken fragments and smoldering ruins. Wisps of smoke curled into the air, mingling with the acrid stench of charred debris.

"Oh dear, I may have overdone it."

Accompanied by light footsteps, Kaguya emerged from the wreckage, surveying the surroundings with a drop of cold sweat sliding down her temple. Letting out a dry laugh, she muttered, "I hope I didn't accidentally blow everyone to bits."

Even though she had deliberately held back, unleashing only a miniature version of her Tailed Beast Ball, the destruction was still akin to a small nuclear explosion.

"You... you maniac! Were you trying to kill us along with him?!"

A weak voice came from behind her, prompting Kaguya to freeze. She hurriedly turned toward the source, waved her hand, and a pile of rubble parted to reveal the battered figure of Nishio. His clothes were shredded to the point of being mere tatters, drenched in blood.

"You survived even this?" Kaguya's face showed genuine astonishment. After a moment, she nodded thoughtfully. "I'm certain now—you must be a descendant of cockroaches."

"Boom!"

As if suddenly struck by a thought, Nishio's pupils contracted, and he shouted desperately, "Kimi! Where's Kimi?!"

"Kimi?" Kaguya blinked, then seemed to realize something. Spinning around, she stared at the now-empty high platform. A cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

Did she just accidentally kill his girlfriend in the blast?

Ignoring his severe injuries, Nishio staggered to his feet and scrambled toward the ruins of the high platform. He stumbled once, nearly falling, but pushed forward with frantic determination.

Kaguya approached, intending to help him, but Nishio shoved her away, shouting, "Get lost!"

Hearing this, Kaguya's expression darkened with fury. "You ungrateful little worm," she growled. She had just saved him, and yet he dared to speak to her like this? Nobody had ever dared to speak to her in such a tone and lived to tell the tale. Anyone who had tried was long buried—graves flattened to ensure no memory remained.

She raised her hand, ready to give him a piece of her mind—or maybe her fist. But when she saw Nishio kneeling amidst the rubble, desperately clawing at the earth and stones with his bloodied hands, she snorted in irritation and lowered her hand. "Fine. Lord Kaguya will show mercy just this once."

Otherwise, with her fiery temper, Nishio would have received a thorough beating.

Watching Nishio frantically dig at the ruins, Kaguya let out an annoyed snort and strode over. Without warning, she kicked him aside. "Move. You're in the way."

Already gravely injured, Nishio nearly lost consciousness from the force of her kick. Yet, as he watched Kaguya, his anger dissipated into confusion. She extended her hand, and with a gentle wave, the debris and rubble seemed to levitate as if held by an invisible force, drifting away to clear the area.

What kind of power is this?

Nishio's pupils shrank. He had never seen or heard of anyone capable of such a feat. Even ghouls at the pinnacle of their strength shouldn't possess abilities of this magnitude.

But his astonishment didn't last long, as he spotted his girlfriend, Kimi Nishino, lying under the rubble near the high platform. With a frantic cry, Nishio crawled over to her side, pulling her into his arms.

Fortunately, due to the force of the shockwave, she had been thrown clear of the collapsing ceiling. Aside from a few surface wounds, she was mostly unharmed.

Kimi's eyelashes fluttered faintly, and she slowly opened her eyes. Her head still foggy, she gazed at Nishio and murmured softly, "Nishiki? Is that you?"

"It's me! It's me!" Nishio grasped her hands tightly, his suppressed tears finally breaking free and rolling down his face.

Seeing the reunited couple embracing each other, Kaguya wrinkled her nose in disdain and waved her hand as if warding off a bad smell. "The stench of love—it's unbearable."

If she had known it would come to this, she would have let them die. Flaunting their relationship so shamelessly in public—didn't they know such displays of affection only led to swift demises?

Deciding to leave the lovebirds to their reunion, Kaguya turned her attention to the wreckage, scanning her surroundings. Yet there was no sign of Tsukiyama.

Did he get vaporized by the Tailed Beast Ball?

It wasn't entirely impossible. Despite being a ghoul with formidable regenerative abilities, Tsukiyama's durability couldn't have been enough to withstand such an attack. It was entirely plausible that nothing remained of him but ash.

Kaguya's eyes caught something, and she walked over. Picking up a mangled, bloodied object, she realized it was a charred human arm. The burnt flesh reeked with an overpowering stench.

If she wasn't mistaken, this was Tsukiyama's arm.

"Looks like he really didn't make it," Kaguya mused. She felt a twinge of regret—she hadn't intended to kill him. She'd had other plans for him. But his unexpected death had rendered those plans moot.

Tossing the ruined limb aside, she sighed. "Oh well, there are plenty of ghouls around. One less doesn't matter."

"Hey."

A weak voice from behind caught her attention. Turning around, she saw Nishio supported by Kimi as they limped toward her.

"Don't call me 'hey,'" Kaguya said, crossing her arms. "Is this how you address your savior?"

"You nearly killed us just now!" Nishio snapped, his frustration evident.

"But you didn't die, did you? Don't be so petty." Kaguya smirked. Reaching into her pocket, she tossed something shiny toward Nishio. "Here, take this. From now on, you're part of the Akatsuki."

"The Akatsuki?" Nishio caught the object—a ring—and stared at it, bewildered. "What's this?"

"You're my servant now. Don't tell me you're thinking of going back on your word?" Kaguya's tone turned frosty.

"I said I'd do it, and I will!" Nishio shot back, his pride flaring. "Don't underestimate me!"

"Good." Kaguya chuckled lightly. "From this moment on, you're a member of the Akatsuki. That ring, engraved with the kanji for 'Shi,' is both your emblem and your proof of identity."

"What do you need me to do?" Nishio asked, his voice steady. He wasn't naive—he knew she must have a motive.

"You'll know when the time comes," Kaguya said with a dismissive wave. "I have other matters to attend to, so I'm leaving now. And remember, don't tell anyone about this—or you'll die."

"Wait—" Nishio began.

But before he could finish, Kaguya's form dissolved into a scattering of shimmering light, vanishing completely.

From the distance, her playful voice echoed faintly. "No need to thank me—I'd feel embarrassed."

"Like hell I'll thank you!" Nishio roared, gripping the ring tightly, his voice trembling with anger. "I just wanted to ask—what does the kanji 'Shi' even mean?!"

In his hand, the ring glinted with the character "死" engraved on its surface—symbolizing "death."

But Kaguya was long gone, and even if she had heard his question, she likely would have dismissed it with an unrepentant smirk.

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