[You have successfully completed the mission: Touka's Plea]
After parting ways, the familiar system notification echoed in Hayashi's mind.
[Detected that you shared the same bed with Touka. Mission overachievement. Reward upgraded!]
[Mission reward is being distributed…]
When it came time for the daily draw, Hayashi couldn't help but feel a spark of anticipation.
[Reward: Blood Demon's Wrath (Legendary Skill)]
[Blood Demon's Wrath (Legendary Skill): The final roar of the dreaded Blood Demon, whose might once shook the world.
Upon acquiring this skill, you may choose between active or passive release.
Active Release: Instills fear and spiritual pressure upon enemies in front of you, stripping them of the will to fight.Passive Release: Generates a suffocating aura of blood and carnage, as though surrounded by mountains of corpses and seas of blood, creating immense pressure.
Background: Tens of thousands of years ago, the Blood Demon was born. To hone its power, it slaughtered all living beings indiscriminately, plunging the world into chaos. In the end, humanity banded together to kill and seal it, but the roar of the Blood Demon still echoes throughout hell.]
After skimming through the details, Hayashi nodded slightly.
Sure, the description was long, but the summary was simple.
This was basically… a show-off skill!
It didn't actually deal much damage, but its utility was wide-ranging. For example, if he wanted to avoid a fight but couldn't walk away, one glare would crush the enemy's spirit, shatter their resolve, and leave them defenseless.
Most importantly — it looked cool as hell!
Just imagining a blood-soaked aura swirling around him… how badass would that be?
Hayashi couldn't help grinning at the thought — it was just too damn stylish.
He slipped into an empty alley and decided to test the passive mode.
The moment he activated it, waves of crimson energy erupted from within, spreading through the air.
The aura coiled around him, thick with the stench of blood. Even the nearby walls and pavement seemed to crack under the pressure.
Feeling the crushing intensity, Hayashi was more than satisfied.
As expected of a legendary reward — not a single useless one in the bunch. Each was one of a kind.
Experiment finished, he left the alley and headed to CCG headquarters.
The moment he stepped into the office, coworkers swarmed him again just like last time.
This time, though, they weren't quite as excited—seemed they were getting used to it.
After greeting them, Hayashi returned to his desk, where Suzuya and the twins, Nashiro and Kurona, were already waiting.
"Hayashi, are you hurt anywhere?"
The twins rushed over as soon as he sat down, scanning him up and down with worried eyes.
"I'm fine, not a scratch on me."
Hayashi shook his head, smiling gently. Looking at his subordinates gave him a strange but comforting sense of peace.
"Senpai, you smell weird…"
Suzuya crouched on a nearby desk, leaning in to sniff.
"Weird smell?"
Hayashi raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"How strange… you smell like Miss Touka."
Suzuya nodded seriously, though his eyes gleamed with curiosity and amusement.
"Don't worry about it. Get back to work."
Hayashi's face darkened instantly.
Was this guy a bloodhound or something?
It had been days since he'd even seen Touka, yet Suzuya could still pick up her scent!
"Hayashi—"
Just then, a cold, firm voice called out from behind.
"That voice sounds familiar…"
Hayashi turned, eyes flickering as his gaze fell first on a pair of long, slender legs in black stockings and high heels.
Following upward, he saw a sleek black suit, tailored tight for mobility yet highlighting every curve. Her chest rose high beneath the fitted jacket, exuding elegance and allure.
Her features were sharp and composed, her brows furrowed just enough to radiate seriousness. Short pale-blonde hair framed her face, striking the perfect balance between competence and beauty.
She emanated the aura of a strong, commanding older sister figure.
Hayashi recognized her at once.
"Investigator Akira — you're here?"
Hayashi smiled warmly.
"From today, I'll be working under you. I'll give it my all."
Akira Mado gave a polite bow, her refined face serious.
"From now on, I look forward to working with you, Hayashi."
Hayashi nodded, smiling faintly.
That made four.
He now had four subordinates. The workload could be split evenly.
Which meant he could finally slack off guilt-free. Perfect.
Of course, he kept his expression calm and unbothered.
"Hayashi, I've heard much about you. I admire your strength greatly."
Akira set down the files in her arms, her eyes sharp.
"But forgive me for being direct — your efficiency is far too low.
"With power like yours, you should be executing a systematic plan to sweep through Tokyo's ghoul organizations on a large scale."
As she spoke, she pressed a sheet of paper to the desk and launched into an endless explanation.
"Listen, I can help you structure the plan. All you need to do is—"
Hayashi swallowed hard.
Right—he remembered Akira's greatest trait.
A total workaholic. Obsessively devoted to maximizing efficiency.
Crap. Now that she was here, slacking off might no longer be an option.
Thinking this, he instinctively took a step back.
But Akira stepped forward, closing the gap, pressing on relentlessly.
Just as they were about to be face-to-face, the office door burst open.
A dead-eyed investigator walked in.
After glancing at Hayashi, he spoke flatly:
"Hayashi, headquarters has a mission for you. Contact Investigator Special Arima immediately."
He added, firmly: "At once."
Both Hayashi and Akira rose from their seats.
"As you heard, I've got to go see Arima."
Hayashi waved helplessly, grateful for the escape.
"No matter. We can continue later. We'll have plenty of time."
Akira nodded, a faint, sly smile flashing in her cool eyes.
Gulp—
Hayashi swallowed hard, feeling uneasy.
Leaving the office, he followed the hall until he stood before a massive office door.
Knock—
He rapped lightly, nerves tingling with excitement.
After all, the man inside was none other than CCG's strongest, their ultimate trump card.
"Come in."
The gentle, mature voice floated from within. Hayashi pushed open the door.
The room was blindingly bright at first, forcing his eyes to adjust.
Once his vision cleared, he saw the massive, pristine office, dominated by an elegant desk.
And behind it sat a tall, broad man with silver hair, glasses resting on his face.
His features were refined, almost scholarly.
But those who knew him understood — he was the strongest, most terrifying force in all of CCG.
Hayashi's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
The White Reaper, Kishou Arima!