Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

"According to reports from our frontline correspondent, an unidentified mutated species has suddenly appeared in District 1 and surrounding areas. They possess physical characteristics similar to ghouls, with ghastly appearances and terrifyingly swift movements. Their level of intelligence remains unknown, but they exhibit extreme aggression, attacking any living being they encounter. Numerous humans have already been infected, transforming into similar creatures. The number of infected continues to rise, and the situation is rapidly spiraling out of control—"

The television screen trembled violently, as if the recording equipment had crashed to the ground.

The crowd in the broadcast began fleeing in panic, screams filling the air. The previously composed news anchor turned pale with fear, abandoning her microphone and running for her life, completely disregarding her professional image.

Then, in the shaky footage, a grotesque, monstrous figure lunged at the fleeing people. In an instant, sharp fangs tore into flesh, and blood splattered across the screen.

—Transmission cut off.

The atmosphere in the conference room grew grim.

CCG's top brass had all gathered here, forming the strongest lineup within the organization. Yet, despite their expertise, they remained at a loss. They had yet to even analyze the virus's composition, let alone develop a cure.

Meanwhile, several districts away, heavily armed security forces had been deployed along the borders. Even the Ground Self-Defense Force had been fully mobilized, erecting fortified walls to block the advancing wave of mutants.

Within the encampment, thousands of soldiers stood ready, weapons loaded.

Despite the formidable defenses, the looming threat remained daunting. No one knew whether the ghoulish mutants could be completely eradicated, or if the infection would spiral further out of control.

"They're coming! The ghouls are here!"

A scout atop the watchtower shouted.

The soldiers standing along the perimeter wall immediately sprang into action, mounting machine guns and preparing artillery.

Ratatatatatata—!

Amidst the deafening roar of gunfire, machine guns unleashed blazing torrents of bullets, a storm of lead shredding through the approaching horde of ghoulish mutants.

Explosions erupted across the battlefield.

Gunfire, smoke, and blood filled the air.

Disfigured corpses tumbled across the landscape, severed limbs flying in every direction.

Yet, in a high-rise building overlooking the battlefield, two men stood watching the carnage unfold.

"This is what you call your so-called 'completed product'? If that's the case, then I must say, I'm terribly disappointed."

The speaker was a man of stunning beauty, with finely sculpted features as if carved from marble. Though his demeanor seemed careless and unrestrained, the sharp glint in his eyes betrayed his intelligence.

Kichimura Washuu (Furuta Nimura)—a man unseen for quite some time.

"My sincerest apologies for failing to meet your expectations," responded a tall, white-haired man clad in a white lab coat. Bowing slightly, he continued respectfully, "However, due to the extreme scarcity of viable samples, we have encountered significant difficulties in our experiments. The blood sample supply has been critically insufficient, hindering our research. Furthermore, the laboratory at Rue Island was recently infiltrated by unknown forces, resulting in the loss of numerous valuable specimens. Under these circumstances, achieving these results was already an incredible feat."

"Weak. They're far too weak," Furuta scoffed. "These pathetic creatures are no different from ants. They're wiped out with the slightest effort. The experiments I requested from you were not meant to create fodder."

"Please be patient," Akihiro Kanou replied with an unfazed smile. "This is merely the first phase. While we have yet to fully decode the key components in the blood, we have made significant progress. There is a way to overcome the current limitations."

"Oh?" Furuta raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "What method?"

"You only need to wait and see."

Kanou's lips curled into a warm smile—yet in that smile, a chilling sense of insidiousness lurked beneath the surface.

The battlefield was left in utter devastation. Corpses were scattered haphazardly—some were ghouls, others were humans. Blood stained the ground, pooling into dark, coagulated patches. The intense battle had torn apart streets and buildings, leaving the entire area in ruins. The ghouls' bodies were grotesquely contorted, and many of the mutated ones had been reduced to mere shredded remains.

With the arrival of reinforcements from the CCG investigators, the human forces, despite suffering heavy casualties, had barely managed to repel the seemingly endless tide of mutated ghouls. Yet, even after this hard-fought battle, the sense of unease remained.

These mutated ghouls were far stronger than ordinary ones, almost monstrous in stature and power. They did not even resemble one-eyed ghouls but were entirely new, horrific abominations. Some had nearly A-rank capabilities, while others reached SS-rank—their raw strength and sheer numbers had been beyond comprehension.

More frightening still, it had been confirmed that these creatures carried a highly infectious virus. Once a human was wounded or exposed to their blood, they would rapidly mutate into one of them within minutes. This terrifying discovery had sent shudders down the spines of even the most battle-hardened investigators. If this virus continued to spread unchecked, Tokyo would soon fall into complete chaos.

At least, for now, they had been pushed back.

But before anyone could take a breath of relief, the ground suddenly trembled violently.

A deafening rumble shook the battlefield.

The earth quaked, sending cracks splitting through the pavement. Soldiers and investigators staggered, struggling to keep their balance. Some fell flat on the ground as the shaking intensified. Even the reinforced concrete barricades that had been painstakingly erected began to fracture, jagged lines running up their surfaces.

Then—a horrified scream tore through the air.

"L-Look over there! What the hell is that?!"

A soldier, his face drained of color, raised a trembling finger toward the distance.

Everyone turned their heads—what they saw left them speechless.

Their weapons slipped from their hands. One soldier, utterly stunned, dropped his rifle with a loud clang.

Emerging from the horizon was an enormous, towering behemoth.

It stood several dozen meters tall, its colossal form blotting out the sky. The creature's sheer size made it resemble a moving mountain, and compared to it, the humans on the ground were nothing more than insects.

Its body was absurdly muscular, sculpted like a statue of brutal perfection. Thick veins bulged across its massive limbs, pulsating ominously beneath its rough, stone-like skin. Every step it took left behind deep, crater-like imprints in the ground. Buildings, once proud and towering, crumbled like paper in its wake—shattered in an instant by a single casual swipe of its arm.

This thing… What was it?!

The soldiers and investigators stood frozen, their minds blank with shock. Fear took root in their hearts, spreading like wildfire.

If the previous mutated ghouls were already beyond their ability to handle—then how could they possibly defeat something like this?!

As the overwhelming sense of terror reached its peak—

The piercing sound of alarms suddenly blared across the battlefield.

"Emergency alert! Prepare for engagement!"

Shaken from their stupor, the soldiers and investigators scrambled for their weapons, their hands still trembling.

The order to fire was given.

"OPEN FIRE!!"

A deafening roar echoed across the battlefield.

The sound of gunfire erupted like an explosive symphony of destruction.

Thousands of bullets, rockets, and artillery shells were unleashed in a furious storm of metal and fire. The entire sky was lit ablaze with the onslaught of destruction as the rain of lead and explosives crashed against the colossal titan.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The deafening roar of explosions echoed across the battlefield as an unrelenting barrage of artillery, missiles, and heavy ordnance streaked through the sky. Like a deadly rainstorm, they crashed down upon the colossal mutant ghoul, their fiery shockwaves illuminating the darkened skyline.

However, it didn't take long for the human forces on the ground to realize something was terribly wrong.

Even under such high-intensity firepower, the giant ghoul barely flinched. The thick smoke and dust settled, revealing its towering form still standing, unscathed. The barrage, which would have leveled buildings and torn apart steel, had only left shallow wounds upon its grotesque, muscular flesh. The injuries it did sustain healed rapidly, as if mocking their futile efforts.

The soldiers watched in horrified disbelief. Their most powerful weapons, their best technology, had amounted to nothing.

"W-What the hell is this monster…?"

Standing at the command post, Itsuki Marude, the field commander, stared at the live feed in sheer disbelief. The screens showed the mutant titan rampaging through the city, effortlessly crushing tanks beneath its massive feet, swatting down aircraft with the force of a hurricane.

Every countermeasure they deployed proved ineffective.

Even the most powerful armor-piercing rounds had only managed to leave small, inconsequential wounds—a far cry from dealing any real damage.

No matter how fierce their assault, they simply couldn't stop this thing.

Meanwhile, on a distant hill—

A tall, white-haired man clad in a lab coat stood with a pleased smirk, observing the carnage.

Dr. Akihiro Kanou.

"The results have far exceeded my expectations…" he muttered, his voice laced with satisfaction.

This towering mutant ghoul was the culmination of his research—an evolutionary pinnacle achieved after countless human experiments. It was the most advanced product of his twisted scientific pursuits.

For a long time, his experiments had been riddled with limitations. The transformation of humans into ghouls had been largely unstable, and most subjects exhibited only minor enhancements in strength. However—

That all changed when he acquired a single, invaluable blood sample.

The blood he obtained… had unlocked entirely new possibilities.

That blood had miraculous properties, accelerating the growth of RC cells and enhancing the regenerative abilities of test subjects beyond anything previously thought possible. It had allowed mutant ghouls to evolve to a terrifying new level.

This giant ghoul was living proof.

A terrifying predator, capable of self-evolution through cannibalism.

As it devoured other ghouls, its body underwent genetic restructuring, pushing itself to even greater heights.

Even so, Kanou couldn't help but sigh.

There were still… imperfections.

Despite its immense power, this mutant retained serious flaws. It still exhibited signs of instability, and although it had surpassed conventional ghouls, it had yet to reach its ultimate form.

Furthermore—

Kanou frowned.

The blood sample itself had been perfectly stable. Yet, every attempt he made to replicate it had resulted in dangerous side effects. The synthetic versions of the blood induced rampant mutations, leading to unstable mental states and uncontrollable aggression.

Still…

He smiled darkly.

It was only a matter of time before perfection was achieved.

Back on the battlefield—

The mutant titan let out a guttural roar, shaking the very ground beneath it.

Blood-red eyes gleamed with primal hunger.

It charged forward, its enormous limbs smashing through defensive barriers like they were made of paper.

The soldiers could only watch in terror as the beast descended upon them.

"FIRE!! KEEP FIRING!!"

The battlefield was engulfed in a storm of gunfire, missiles, and explosions.

But it was useless.

The creature tore through their ranks, its massive foot slamming down onto a squad of retreating soldiers.

"AAAAAGHH!!"

A single stomp was all it took.

When the foot lifted, all that remained was a pool of blood and pulverized remains—a grotesque mess of crushed flesh and shattered bone.

Such an attack not only failed to inflict any serious damage on it but instead made it even more frenzied.

Watching the rampaging mutant ghoul, the human forces felt a suffocating sense of despair. No matter what they did, nothing worked. Their most powerful weapons had no effect, and the creature only seemed to be getting stronger.

"Damn it!"

Itsuki Marude violently ripped off his earpiece and hurled it to the ground, his teeth clenched in rage.

"Son of a bitch!"

He knew very well—if this mutant ghoul was allowed to rampage unchecked, the entire battlefield would be lost. No—not just the battlefield, but possibly Tokyo itself.

Especially considering that this thing was still mutating. The more it devoured, the stronger it became.

If this monster were to reach a truly uncontrollable level—

Then perhaps all of humanity would…

"Goddamn it!!"

Itsuki Marude slammed his fist onto the table. His face darkened, and his jaw tightened with determination. Without a second thought, he grabbed his Quinque from the corner of the room and slung his coat over his shoulders.

"Investigator Marude! Where are you going?!"

His adjutant immediately stepped forward to block his path, his face filled with panic and urgency.

"Get out of my way!" Marude growled, his voice ice-cold.

The adjutant took one look at his battle-ready stance and immediately understood what Marude was planning.

"Investigator Marude, if you're thinking of going to the battlefield, I absolutely cannot allow it! If you leave now, who will command the operation?!"

"I don't need you to teach me how to do my damn job," Marude replied sharply. "I'll say it one last time—move."

The adjutant grimaced, his hands trembling slightly. He knew what was at stake.

"Please reconsider!" he pleaded desperately. "At this point, we must retreat. This battle is beyond salvaging. We have no means to defeat that thing!"

Marude's face contorted in fury.

"Are you telling me to run like a coward?!"

He slammed his hand against the table again, the sheer force shaking the objects on its surface.

"No! I didn't mean that!" The adjutant quickly waved his hands in denial. "But given the current situation—"

"As the commanding officer, I ORDER YOU to get the hell out of my way!" Marude roared.

The adjutant froze in place, his body stiffened—but despite his fear, he refused to step aside. His determined stance spoke louder than any words.

Just as the furious Marude was about to physically remove his subordinate from his path, his eyes inadvertently flicked toward one of the monitors—

And his entire body froze.

His eyes widened to their limits, as if he had just witnessed something completely unbelievable.

The adjutant, who had been bracing for another argument, noticed Marude's reaction and instinctively followed his gaze to the screen.

And when he saw what was on it—

His pupils contracted violently.

On the display screen, towering over the battlefield, was the monstrous, hulking mutant ghoul—a towering colossus of sheer destruction and brutality.

Yet…

Standing before it, seemingly unfazed, was a single person.

A lone figure, dressed in a sleek black combat suit, wearing a fox-shaped mask.

She stood casually in the middle of the battlefield, her head slightly tilted, her posture completely relaxed—as if the raging war around her was nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

And then—

She smiled.

Beneath the shadow of her fox mask, her lips curled upward, forming an exquisitely playful smirk.

Her voice, carried through the communication feed, was lighthearted and amused, as if she had just stumbled upon a lively festival rather than a battlefield soaked in blood and death.

"Wow, you guys sure are having quite the party here."

"So lively. So chaotic."

She chuckled.

"Is this some kind of early New Year's event?"

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