5TH WARD
Around midnight,
in a shadowy street, muffled screams were heard only to be cut out immediately.
*squash*
"whew~..." I breathed with a sigh as I looked at the ghoul lying dead at my feet,
~you've been at this for a a while grey, I still don't understand why are we here~ Ddraig asked in confusion.
"Come on, isn't it fun? Just two buddies on a killing spree?" I replied with a smirk, ripping out the ghoul's kakuhou and storing it in my ring.
~Well, the fun ended after I lost count around the 23rd one. These are just...WEAK. No challenge, no thrill,~ he grumbled, clearly bored.
I chuckled.
"I know, I know. But remember the saying,
'To awaken the beast, one must rattle the cage?'
well, I'm killing these low-level grunts to attract the attention of the top dogs in this ward."
~Hmm, I see. But didn't he mention that this ward houses a training academy? That would make it nearly uninhabitable for ghouls, right?
which doesn't make sense as we just killed so many of them...~ he said bringing up good observation.
"Your right this is highly non inhabitable wards to any ghoul, well that doesn't apply to the ghouls on leash..." I said as I climbed the nearest building looking over the flashing sirens in the city.
~huh? wait don't tell me...~
"Yep" I confirmed, grinning as I looked down at the chaos. "These aren't ordinary ghouls like the ones from other wards. These are the ones raised by the CCG. Bred specifically to serve as prey for the newly trained cadets from the Academy."
~Their own hunting grounds to train students...hahahaha, Quite the setup, I like it~ Ddraig remarked feeling amused.
"Exactly," I said, scanning the streets as the Doves moved in, searching for the killer.
Me, that is.
"Imagine their frustration when they realize some bastard is killing the 'ghouls' one after another in their secured ward."
~Interesting. But this means the 'top dog' you're trying to provoke from the Academy isn't a ghoul.~
"Yep exactly. It is a message. Also I can delay the academy majorly if I send academy's elite to afterlife...if they believe in any" I chuckle
From my vantage point, the scene below unfolded with the predictable efficiency of CCG operations.
Junior cadets, visibly tense but disciplined, combed through the streets in groups, their flashlights cutting sharp beams through the darkness.
Their instructors barked orders. Voices a mix of reassurance and command meant to steel the resolve of the trainees.
"This will be fun," I murmured, watching the spectacle.
~You seem oddly invested in this, Grey. Do you really think this will work?~ Ddraig questioned.
"I'm not here to kill kids, Ddraig," I replied, brushing the dust off my Hanfu.
"That would be of no use, they can always be replaced if I kill this batch.
Breaking the Academy means breaking their spirit, their Will to hunt.
The cadets need to see their heroes, their instructors, Fall. It's the quickest way to shatter their resolve.
To make them Understand that Even Gods Bleed"
~Hmph. And here I thought you were planning a massacre~
"I do, but not the full blown one you are imagining" I smirked, stepping off the edge of the building and landing silently in the shadows below.
The nearest squad of cadets hadn't noticed me yet. I slipped through the darkness, my steps soundless, my movements calculated.
One cadet—a young girl with short black hair—paused, her instincts sharper than the rest. She turned, squinting into the gloom.
"Something's wrong," she whispered, gripping her quinque tightly.
"Stay focused," the squad leader muttered, scanning the area. "Eyes forward. We have a mission."
I let out a soft chuckle, just loud enough for them to hear. The girl froze, her eyes darting toward the source of the sound.
"Who's there?!" she called, her voice wavering.
From the shadows, I stepped into the glow of the streetlamps, my Hanfu flowing like liquid shadow in the gentle breeze.
My mask, a white Oni adorned with crimson streaks resembling blood—concealed my face, but my eyes glowed violet, while golden, slit-like pupils cut through the darkness with a draconic intensity.
A suffocating aura of malice and dread rolled off me in waves.
"A messenger," I said, my voice was a guttural, draconic growl, resonating deep within their chests, "from Hell"
"wha-?" but before he could utter a word, my blade flashed through the air, slicing cleanly through him. He staggered, clutching at the wound, his body collapsing in a lifeless heap.
The girl screamed, her voice cutting through the night, while the other cadets fell back, their faces pale with terror.
I let out a low, dark chuckle that echoed through the street, feeding the growing dread that paralyzed them.
Suddenly, a glint of movement caught my eye.
*swisss*
Bunch of red shards flew at me from behind.
I twisted sharply, the attack narrowly missing as I faced the source.
The shards shattered against the wall behind me,
A pair of doves emerged from the shadows, clad in investigator uniforms, their quinques gleaming in their hands.
"Stand back, cadets," one of them commanded, his voice steady and firm despite the tension in his stance. "We'll handle this ghoul."
I tilted my head, "come then"
Before they could respond, I lunged, closing the distance in a blink.
My sword flashed in an arc aimed at the lead investigator's throat.
He reacted on instinct, raising his quinque to block, the clash of Organic swords sending a eerie echo in the ally.
The force of my strike sent him staggering back, his feet scraping against the pavement as he struggled to keep his balance.
His partner seized the moment, darting to my side and aiming a powerful thrust at my ribs.
I twisted, my movements fluid and unnatural, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth. Grabbing the wrist holding the quinque, I yanked the investigator off balance and drove my knee into his chest.
He flew backward, colliding with a parked vehicle, falling dead on impact.
"Is that all?" I asked, my voice dripping with disdain as I advanced on the remaining investigator.
He gritted his teeth, fear flickering in his eyes, but he stood his ground. He launched another volley of shards, aiming for my legs this time to limit my mobility.
i grinned as deflected the shards with my sword at unnatural speed,
"Too slow," i said as i stood behind him in an instant, "huh...?"
I smashed the hilt into back of his head. He collapsed in a heap, his Quinque clattering to the ground.
Turning to the cadets, who stood frozen in fear, I spread my arms wide, my aura of dread intensifying.
"Run now ducklings" I commanded, my voice a guttural snarl. "Tell the Academy to prepare their coffins"
The cadets didn't need to be told twice. They turned and fled, their screams echoing into the night.
"You can start the count, Ddraig," I murmured, my voice still heavy,
~Three down.~ laced with a mix of amusement and approval. ~The fear, I can taste it partner~
"Fear is a weapon," I replied, stepping over the crumpled investigator. "And tonight, I'll sharpen it to its edge."
Thus began the peaceful night in the 5th ward, shattered by screams and stained with blood at the academy.