"So, are you done washing? Do you need me to scrub your back for you?"
Just as Kaguya let out a long sigh of relief, Touka Kirishima's crisp voice rang out from outside the bathroom.
Startled, Kaguya quickly responded, "No need, I can do it myself. You go watch some TV first, I'll be done soon."
Under normal circumstances, Kaguya would never pass up an opportunity like this—especially when it came to back-scrubbing. Who knows, it might even lead to some fun extracurricular activities with Touka. However, as she turned around and met the wide-eyed stares of the beautifully identical twin sisters wrapped in towels, she had no choice but to give up on that enticing thought.
"Alright then, I'll let you finish up first."
With that, Touka's footsteps gradually faded away outside the bathroom.
Kaguya let out another breath of relief before turning back and saying, "What are you two doing here? You didn't even make a sound—I thought you weren't home."
"You didn't tell us in advance that you were coming home, so how were we supposed to know you'd be bringing someone with you?" Kurona Yasuhisa retorted confidently.
"And you even brought home some random woman from who-knows-where," Nashiro Yasuhisa added, stepping forward with a dissatisfied look.
"What random woman? Don't talk nonsense! And even if she were a random woman, you two are no better," Kaguya said impatiently.
At the same time, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. Since when did teenage girls know so much about these things?
"What are you talking about? We are not—"
Just as Nashiro Yasuhisa was about to argue back, Kurona Yasuhisa pulled her back and whispered, "Stop talking. We're already relying on someone else for shelter. The fact that she's willing to take us in is good enough. Otherwise, who knows what kind of fate would await us? So, stop making a fuss."
"But... but..." Nairo turned around anxiously.
Kaguya nodded in satisfaction. As expected of the older sister—more mature and reasonable. However, the next thing Kurone said started to sound more and more off to Kaguya.
"Anyway, since she's taken us in, it's like we're indentured servants from the past. She can beat us, scold us, do whatever she wants. And with her overwhelming strength, there's no way our weak selves could resist. We're completely at her mercy. If she ever gets tired of us, she might just kick us out and sell us to some nightclub or something..." As she spoke, Kurone tightened her grip on her little sister's hand, her eyes turning red.
"Sister..." Seeing Kurone's expression, Nairo's eyes also welled up with tears, on the verge of crying. "But we..."
"Enough, Nairo, stop talking. If we have to blame someone, we can only blame ourselves for trusting the wrong person," Kurone wiped the corner of her eyes and said despondently. "This is just our fate."
Wait, wait, you're talking about me, aren't you? You're definitely talking about me!
Kaguya's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
At that moment, Nairo could no longer hold back. She threw herself into her sister's arms and burst into tears.
Kaguya's heart skipped a beat. Sensing trouble, she quickly clamped a hand over Nairo's mouth, muffling her sobs. But given how quiet the night was, the crying had already echoed through the house.
"What's going on? Did something happen?"
Touka Kirishima's puzzled voice rang out again. Clearly, she had heard the commotion.
"Ah, it's nothing. The water was just too hot."
Kaguya turned her head and pretended to be nonchalant.
She only let out a small sigh of relief after hearing Touka Kirishima's footsteps fade into the distance. Then, turning back around, she snapped, "Cut the act. Spill it—what do you want this time?"
"I thought I put on a pretty good show. How did you figure it out?" Kurona Yasuhisa's sorrowful expression disappeared instantly. Her wide eyes sparkled with curiosity instead.
At this point, there wasn't a single trace of tears left in those beautiful eyes of hers.
"Like I wouldn't know you two by now. So, what is it this time?" Kaguya huffed. "Don't tell me—you blew through all your money again?"
Ever since these two sisters started living with her, Kaguya's expenses had skyrocketed. They had an unreasonable obsession with sweets, particularly those high-end, luxurious desserts that cost ten times more than regular cakes. Even Kaguya herself only indulged in them occasionally.
And the result? Predictable. Thanks to these two brats' extravagant spending, Kaguya's wallet was drying up faster than she could earn money, forcing her to mooch off meals in the 20th Ward just to survive.
"Of course not! You really underestimate us. There's no way we'd waste money like that!" Nashiro Yasuhisa protested righteously.
No, that's exactly what you do, Kaguya thought to herself.
"It's actually nothing big... we just... we just..." Kurone's gaze locked onto Kaguya, and she licked her lips—she was practically drooling.
Seeing their expressions, Kaguya immediately knew what they wanted. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she declared, "Not happening."
"Come on, just once! Just this one time!" Kurone clung to Kaguya's arm, rubbing against her while pouting.
"I said no. No means no." Even as she felt the soft, bouncy sensation pressing against her, Kaguya refused without hesitation.
"Just one time! The last time! Please?" Nairo pressed her warm, fair-skinned body against Kaguya's other side, rubbing against her like a spoiled child. "I can't take it anymore!"
"I said no. Keep this up, and I'll throw you both butt-naked into the street." Kaguya's voice was firm.
Hearing this, Nairo hesitated, her face filled with worry. What if she actually did it? That would be way too embarrassing...
But Kurone wasn't so easily deterred. Crossing her arms, she huffed, "Oh yeah? If you dare throw us out, we'll tell that 'wild woman' you're living with us."
Hey, hey! Don't make something normal sound so suggestive!
Noticing Kaguya's expression darken, Kurone seemed to realize she might have pushed too far. Quickly, she leaned in, pressing her soft body against Kaguya and blinking her big, innocent eyes. In a sweet, coaxing voice, she pleaded, "Just this once, okay? Don't worry, we won't bother you again unless it's really important. You know, rejecting a starving woman is a really cruel thing to do."
"Yeah, exactly!" Nairo nodded eagerly.
Hey! Stop saying things that could be taken the wrong way!
And also—what's with those creepy, pervy expressions on your faces?!
...
As Kaguya stepped out of the bathroom, she felt dizzy and lightheaded, as if the world was spinning around her. Her legs felt weak and unsteady, as if she were walking on clouds. She couldn't help but curse those two little brats in her heart—they had completely taken advantage of her, demanding so much that she was nearly drained dry. Even now, she still hadn't fully recovered.
But at least she had managed to send those two satisfied troublemakers away. They had slipped quietly out of the bathroom, sneaking upstairs like a pair of mischievous kittens and hiding in their room.
Thinking about this, Kaguya instinctively reached out and touched the smooth skin of her neck. The bite marks from earlier had already healed completely, leaving no trace—except for a faint lingering pain. Those two really didn't hold back at all. They truly didn't see her as an outsider.
However, as soon as she thought of Touka Kirishima's delicate face and enchanting figure, a surge of warmth rushed through Kaguya's heart. She immediately forgot the pain, picked up her pace, and quickly walked toward the living room.
Touka was curled up on the sofa, breathing softly, her expression peaceful—she had seemingly fallen asleep.
She must've been exhausted today. Normally, she was incredibly alert, but now she hadn't even noticed Kaguya approaching.
But… wasn't this a perfect opportunity?
Kaguya's gaze fell on the flawless figure wrapped in a bath towel, as well as the long, snow-white legs exposed outside. Her eyes lit up with mischief, and she wiped the corner of her mouth before tiptoeing closer, giggling to herself.
Just as she was about to make her move—
A loud, piercing alarm suddenly tore through the night sky, shattering the silence with an ear-splitting wail. The sudden sound startled Kaguya so much that she nearly jumped out of her skin.
Awakened by the commotion, Touka's eyes snapped open. She sat up on the sofa, looking at Kaguya—who was awkwardly frozen mid-step—before asking in confusion, "What are you doing? Practicing yoga?"
"N-No, it's nothing..."
And just like that, Kaguya's hopes of having a "fun moment" with Touka were completely crushed.
For some reason, a group of mutated ghouls had suddenly appeared in the usually peaceful 20th Ward. These ghouls displayed bizarre symptoms and an unusual level of aggression, unlike ordinary ghouls. Many of them had already lost control, transforming into monstrous abominations with unnatural, grotesque features.
It was late at night, and most of the citizens of the 20th Ward were already asleep. The sudden blaring of the alarm threw the entire district into chaos. Many residents, startled awake, had no idea what was happening and were overcome with panic.
The low-hanging night sky and thick storm clouds made things worse, obscuring visibility. The mutated ghouls lurked in the darkness, making them almost impossible to spot—until they were right on top of their prey.
Fortunately, the emergency broadcast system kicked in, instructing citizens to lock their doors and stay inside. It was far safer to remain indoors than to wander the streets, where those mutated ghouls were prowling for prey.
At the same time, the CCG units were deployed immediately. Within ten minutes of receiving the alert, they had already arrived, forming a defensive line to combat the incoming swarm of ghouls.
However, most of the CCG's elite forces were currently stationed in the 16th Ward, leaving only reserve units and inexperienced trainees to defend the 20th Ward. Many of them were fresh recruits who had never witnessed such brutal combat before. Their hands trembled, their legs went weak, and fear clouded their judgment. Lacking both experience and strength, they were quickly overwhelmed by the relentless wave of ghouls.
"AAAAHHH!!"
A bloodcurdling scream tore through the battlefield.
A young investigator was pounced on by a mutated ghoul, its razor-sharp kagune piercing straight through his chest. His face twisted in agony as blood spurted from his mouth, splattering the ground in vivid crimson. His fingers twitched violently, desperately trying to grasp something—anything.
He struggled with all his might, but it was futile.
The ghoul showed no mercy. It lifted the young man into the air, its jaw unhinging unnaturally wide. The investigator's terrified eyes reflected the grotesque sight of jagged fangs descending toward him. Before he could even scream again—
The ghoul bit down.
Blood splattered, painting the streets red.
His life was over in an instant.
The screams were cut off abruptly.
A female investigator, who had some striking features, widened her eyes in sheer terror. Her body trembled like a leaf in the wind, her limbs going weak. Blood splattered across her face, but she didn't even realize it—her mind had gone completely blank.
At that moment, the mutated ghoul lunged toward her, its crimson claws flashing under the dim light. Its savage face twisted into a grotesque grin, filled with bloodlust.
Under normal circumstances, the female investigator wouldn't have been so helpless. But she was frozen in fear, unable to react—she could only watch as death rushed toward her.
Then—
A streak of red light flashed through the air, meeting the ghoul's deadly claws head-on.
Clang!
A crisp sound rang out as fresh blood splattered into the air. The mutated ghoul's razor-sharp claws were severed at the base, spinning midair before landing on the ground with a dull thud.
Bang!
The ghoul let out an agonized shriek as it was violently sent flying, crashing into the wreckage of a destroyed vehicle. Its massive body twitched as it struggled to get back up.
The female investigator snapped out of her trance. Letting out a startled cry, her legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground.
"If you can't fight, you'll die."
A cold, clear voice came from behind her. She quickly turned her head—only to freeze in shock. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she gasped, "I-It's you!"
Standing before her was a figure clad in a sleek black combat outfit. The form-fitting suit made it clear that she was a woman. But what truly stood out was the Doberman mask covering her face and her glowing crimson eyes—a signature trait of a ghoul.
"You're the Black Doberman!" the investigator stammered, her voice shaking.
She was none other than the infamous SS-rated ghoul known as 'Black Doberman'.
"If you want to live, then get up and fight."
The woman, whose name was Kaya Irimi, shot her a brief glance before dashing forward like a streak of lightning, rushing toward the approaching horde of mutated ghouls.
For human investigators, these monstrous creatures were nightmarish abominations—practically invincible. But for a seasoned ghoul like Kaya Irimi, they were nothing more than oversized cannon fodder. She wove through their ranks effortlessly, her kagune slicing through them like a blade through butter, severing limbs and torsos with deadly precision. In a matter of moments, the battlefield was littered with the corpses of the mutants.
"S-She's incredible..." the female investigator muttered in awe as she watched Kaya Irimi's graceful yet brutal combat prowess.
And she wasn't the only one watching.
At some point, a group of masked ghouls had appeared on the battlefield. Unlike the frenzied mutants, these ghouls were fighting alongside Kaya Irimi, effortlessly cutting down the monstrous creatures. With their unexpected assistance, the CCG investigators finally managed to halt their retreat and hold their ground—at least for now.
The investigators were stunned.
They couldn't believe their eyes—ghouls were fighting against other ghouls. Why? Weren't they supposed to be enemies? Weren't all ghouls supposed to be ruthless, man-eating monsters?
But there was no time to question it.
Another chilling scream echoed from the distance, snapping everyone back to reality. Their heads instinctively turned toward the source of the sound.
What they saw made their faces go pale with horror.
Kaya Irimi also turned, and as soon as her gaze landed on the scene—
Her pupils contracted sharply.
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