Crack!
A loud, crisp sound echoed through the quiet alley as something snapped beneath Kaneki Ken's feet, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
"…"
The figures leaning against the walls narrowed their crimson eyes, their gazes fixed intently on Kaneki Ken.
Unfazed, Kaneki Ken continued walking, his own eyes unflinching as he met theirs.
"Kill him."
The command came from deeper in the alley, accompanied by sounds that Kaneki Ken recognized.
"Let him go. He's just a passerby. This is a matter between you and me."
Kaneki Ken recalled that voice; he had encountered someone like this while ordering coffee last week. That person had a keen nose and a disturbing readiness to act on such impulses.
Natasha's appearance seemed to dissolve the tension, likely because her own bloodthirsty scent made her seem like one of them, causing the others to hesitate.
Kaneki Ken didn't expect to encounter trouble here.
As the command was given, the figures around him began to close in. Their grotesque appearances—red eyes, slender fingers, and pale skin—revealed they were far from ordinary people.
Kaneki Ken stood still, observing their movements. Xu Mo had once advised him that if confronted with ordinary humans, it was best not to reveal his ghoul nature. But if faced with non-humans, he should act boldly.
Suddenly, Kaneki Ken's dark pupils widened as six dark red, alien limbs sprouted from his back, floating menacingly.
The surrounding figures were shocked, realizing that this seemingly ordinary person was actually something entirely different.
"It's a disaster from the sky, but if you want to kill me, bring it on!" Kaneki Ken declared, his eyes coldly scanning the approaching threats.
With that, he leaped forward like an arrow from a bow, leaving behind black and red afterimages. In an instant, he was upon one of them, who didn't even have time to react before being pierced by Kaneki's appendage.
"Ah!" The victim's scream pierced the night as his heart was punctured, causing him to collapse.
The other figures hesitated, startled by the sudden violence.
"What?" A voice from the darkness was puzzled. The figure was a strong man with scarlet eyes, black hair, a red and black cloak with a three-leaf neckline, and sharp ears.
"Vampire?!" Kaneki Ken thought, recognizing the unmistakable signs.
"I am the lord of vampires, Dracula. Who are you? I have lived for nearly six centuries and never encountered a species like yours," Dracula said, studying Kaneki Ken with curiosity, particularly focusing on the dark red limbs.
Dracula could see clearly in the dark; Kaneki Ken's speed and strength far surpassed his minions.
Kaneki Ken stared at Dracula, his voice calm and deliberate: "You don't need to know my name."
He had no intention of involving himself with anyone unnecessary, but vampires, it seemed, had other ideas.
"How dare you disrespect my lord!" one of the vampires shouted, clearly angered by Kaneki Ken's dismissive attitude.
The other vampires, influenced by this anger, turned from hesitant to fiercely hostile, glaring at Kaneki Ken.
Dracula grinned wider, as if he had heard a great joke, and announced, "Hahaha, not qualified, huh? You're really arrogant, kid."
"Tear him to shreds, my servants!" Dracula commanded with chilling coldness.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The vampires moved faster than ordinary people, their enhanced strength making them formidable. However, to Kaneki Ken, they were no more than minor obstacles.
He deftly maneuvered his dark red limbs, piercing through their bodies with precision.
As one vampire's arm was impaled and severed, blood gushed out, but the wound began to heal almost immediately. The vampire, though pleased at first, suddenly had his head exploded by Kaneki Ken's swift attack, ending his recovery.
With popping sounds, heads and hearts burst, and blood splattered into the air, creating a macabre and beautiful spectacle.
Kaneki Ken, like a bloody Asura, observed the flowing blood with a grim satisfaction, savoring the rich aroma.
Boom!
His organs pulsed violently, akin to a heartbeat, and his RC cells became highly active. This sensation was familiar to him—he had felt it before when consuming the blood of his own kind. He didn't expect vampires to have such potent RC cells.
Unlike ghouls, vampires didn't have concentrated organs but distributed RC cells in their blood. While this made consuming them less efficient, it also hinted at the presence of stronger vampires.
Kaneki Ken smiled, his eyes gleaming with a peculiar light, as if he had discovered a delectable new prey.
Dracula, though not surprised by Kaneki Ken's prowess, felt a mix of desire, bloodthirst, and rage. He had never been treated with such disregard, always toying with mortals.
His pride wounded, Dracula revealed his fangs in anger and roared, "Boy, how dare you belittle me!"
With a speed beyond ordinary, Dracula moved like a shadow in the darkness, his claws flashing coldly as he attacked Kaneki Ken.
Kaneki Ken remained calm, his four limbs meeting Dracula's claws in mid-air, their collision sending sharp, echoing cries through the alley.
He seized the opportunity, using his remaining limbs to strike at Dracula's side, tearing through his shoulders and causing his arms to fall but remain attached.
Dracula's arms dangled, restrained by Kaneki Ken's ruthless precision.