"You're not getting away. None of you. Every last one of you will die here!"
The moment those words left his mouth, the head of the noble ghoul closest to the door was crushed instantly.
In an instant, blood and gore splattered across the once-luxurious walls, staining them deep red.
"Now, do you understand?"
Hayashi flicked the blood and flesh from his hand as he spoke casually, his voice eerily calm.
As if crushing a skull was no different from eating a meal or drinking water.
The noble ghouls recoiled instinctively, fear gripping them after watching their companion's gruesome death.
"Don't be afraid! No matter how strong he is, he's still just one man. If we all attack together, he won't stand a chance!"
"That's right! In the end, he's only human. Our regeneration far surpasses his limits."
"Exactly! If we all rush him at once, we can tear him apart and feast on him!"
In moments, the noble ghouls rallied together, releasing kagune of all types, each glowing scarlet as they sprouted from their bodies.
"Trash, no matter how much, is still worthless..."
Watching the dozens of noble ghouls close in, Hayashi sighed, sounding almost disappointed.
The next instant was filled with the sound of tearing flesh and snapping bone.
Within the span of a single breath, every last ghoul was ripped apart.
All that remained were broken limbs, scattered viscera, and shattered bones littering the ground.
"Do you wish to dance as well?"
Hayashi gripped the throat of the last noble ghoul, lifting him effortlessly into the air.
"P-Please… spare me! I was wrong! I swear I won't do it again!"
The noble ghoul stammered in terror, eyes filled with despair.
Crack!
The next second, his neck snapped like dry wood.
"You don't regret what you did. You only regret that you're about to die."
Hayashi tossed the body aside with a cold glance.
"H-How can a human possibly wield such terrifying power…?"
Standing at the top of the hall, Tsukiyama swallowed hard.
To slaughter dozens of ghouls in a single instant — something even he could never achieve.
How could a mere human, who should be nothing but fragile flesh, accomplish this?
If Hayashi had such overwhelming power from the very beginning… why hadn't he killed him right away?
Could it be…
Was he waiting for Tsukiyama to lead him here all along?
Covered in blood, Hayashi slowly turned his head, locking eyes with him.
Their gazes met for several seconds, and then Hayashi's lips curved into a faint smile.
'He smiled?'
Tsukiyama froze, confusion flickering in his eyes.
Why didn't he strike him down… and instead chose to smile at him?
"Lord Tsukiyama, we must leave! This human is beyond anything we can face!"
At his side, the masked maid Aliza grabbed his arm, urging him frantically.
"Go! I'll hold him off!"
Another maid, Matsumae, stepped forward, releasing a crimson koukaku that spread from her shoulders.
She braced herself, nerves taut, every muscle tensed with fear.
In all her years of service, she had never faced an enemy this powerful.
He looked human. He even smelled human.
But his body was stronger than any ghoul's, and with nothing but his bare hands, he tore through dozens of them like paper.
In that moment, she couldn't even tell whether the white-haired boy standing before her was truly human… or ghoul.
All she knew was this: he was strong. Terrifyingly strong.
But Hayashi, instead of pressing forward, simply found a spot and sat down.
Yes—he sat, as if bored, as if nothing around him mattered anymore.
Matsumae blinked in confusion. She had already steeled herself to buy Tsukiyama's escape with her life… and he just sat down?
As she stood frozen, Aliza's voice called from behind.
Hearing that they had successfully escaped, Matsumae slowly backed away.
When Hayashi made no move to pursue, she finally turned and fled at full speed.
"So many dead… I'd say this counts as a massacre."
Gazing at the field of scattered limbs, Hayashi sank into thought.
[You have successfully completed the mission: Feast of Blood]
[All enemies eliminated. Tsukiyama intentionally spared and intimidated. Mission overachievement. Reward upgraded!]
[Mission reward being distributed...]
At the system's chime in his mind, Hayashi's eyes lit up.
This time, it wasn't a talent or a skill.
It was a weapon.
His very first weapon reward.
What could it be?
Hopefully something powerful—something overwhelmingly stylish.
A spark of anticipation flashed in his eyes.
[You have obtained the weapon: Thousand Demon Daggers (Legendary Weapon)]
[Thousand Demon Daggers (Legendary Weapon): A one-of-a-kind weapon, unmatched in the world. Once acquired, you alone may wield it. To all others, it is unusable.
Background: Forged in the land of divine smiths, guarded by a millennia-old evil spirit. Purely offensive, devoid of defense — unmatched under heaven!]
The moment the voice faded, a violet light flashed across the room.
Hayashi felt a sudden weight in his hand, and when he looked down, a long black blade had materialized.
"So this is… Thousand Demon Daggers?"
He swallowed hard, unable to hide his excitement.
In his past life, he had loved watching Scissor Seven. Among its weapons, none impressed him more than the Thousand Demon Daggers.
And now… he was holding it himself.
"Cold as ice… it feels amazing in my hand."
Running his palm along the scabbard, Hayashi could feel the beast slumbering within.
"It's time… reveal yourself."
He whispered softly, unsheathing the weapon.
Blue patterns shimmered across the steel, etched in the form of evil spirits.
The blade itself was forged of countless fragments, always on the verge of shattering, as though it might break apart at any moment.
Huff…
Closing his eyes, Hayashi gripped the hilt tighter.
As his will connected with it, the beast within awakened.
The hilt began to tremble faintly in his hand.
Then, in an instant, the blade shattered into countless shards, floating in the air around him.
A violet miasma coiled around the fragments, exuding a suffocating aura of raw power.
With a twist of his wrist, the shards sliced through a stone pillar meters away, cutting it cleanly in half.
"Thousand Demon Daggers. Pure offense, no defense… unmatched under heaven."
Caressing the fragments, Hayashi whispered once again.
He could feel his life force draining away into the blade.
Yet no matter how much it consumed, his vitality restored itself instantly.
"With the Horse Talisman, I'll never have to fear being drained dry."
The thought made him chuckle.
The Horse Talisman was practically divine—banishing all external forces, truly broken beyond measure.
Then again… weren't all twelve talismans broken in their own way?
With that, he sheathed the cursed blade.
The moment it slid into the scabbard, the oppressive aura vanished, leaving the air still once more.
Now that the reward was his, there was the matter of what came next.
Looking around at the carnage, Hayashi fell into deep thought.
"Well then… what should I do next?"