24. The Ghouls

"AAAAAHHHHH—!!!"

A scream of unbearable agony echoed through the room.

The man collapsed to his knees, his face twisted in pain, veins bulging grotesquely beneath his skin as if countless worms were writhing inside him.

At this moment, it felt like an invisible hand had seized every blood vessel and nerve in his body—and was violently ripping them out from his lower back.

Blood vessels ruptured in his eyes, turning them crimson. Then—

A massive, dark-purple centipede burst through his flesh.

Its chitinous exoskeleton gleamed like armor, and rows of razor-sharp legs lined its body like scythes—capable of slicing through human flesh with ease.

"This is…"

Sakamoto’s skepticism vanished in an instant, replaced by shock.

He never expected Shiki’s claims to be real.

Just by swallowing that tiny pill, a human body could undergo such a monstrous transformation!

But then—

The waiter’s head snapped up.

His blood-red eyes locked onto Sakamoto.

Without warning, his massive kagune—the centipede-like appendage—swung like a guillotine toward Sakamoto’s neck!

Sakamoto barely had time to react before one of his bodyguards leaped in front of him.

"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"

A thick barrier of earth erupted from the floor, splitting the room in half.

CRACK!

The kagune smashed into the wall, sending debris flying as deep fissures spiderwebbed across its surface.

"President, move!"

Another bodyguard grabbed Sakamoto and yanked him backward—just as the wall shattered.

A dark figure lunged through the dust.

The centipede kagune speared forward like a lance, aiming straight for Sakamoto’s heart—

CLANG!

A third ninja intercepted, his blade wrapped in blue chakra. The strike deflected the kagune just enough—

THUNK!

It missed Sakamoto by inches, embedding itself into the wall instead.

Sakamoto’s fists clenched, his voice dripping with fury.

"Kill it."

"Yes, sir!"

The ninja’s hands flew through seals before slamming onto the ground.

"Earth Style: Quicksand!"

Chakra surged into the floor, liquefying the solid ground beneath the waiter’s feet.

The frenzied ghoul—now completely consumed by instinct—sank into the sand, thrashing wildly. Even as his kagune flailed, hacking at the ground, it was useless.

‘First, he gathers earth-natured chakra, then uses hand signs to inject it into the ground, altering its composition to mimic quicksand.’

Shiki adjusted his glasses, silently analyzing the technique.

Soon, the ghoul was completely immobilized.

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Amid the wreckage, slow applause rang out.

Sakamoto was smiling.

Far from being angry, he looked exhilarated.

"As expected of the almighty Lord Jashin! To think you could truly transform an ordinary human into…"

He trailed off, unsure what to call this thing.

This creature.

Shiki provided the answer.

"You may call them…

Ghouls."

Sakamoto’s eyebrows rose. After a moment, his grin widened.

"Ghouls… A fitting name."

"But I have one question."

Shiki nodded. "Go ahead."

Sakamoto gestured to the trapped creature.

"Mr. Shiki… Do all subjects lose their minds after implantation?"

This was critical.

He’d already seen the raw power of a ghoul—enough to rival a genin in one-on-one combat.

Some might scoff at genin, but to ordinary people? Even a fresh academy graduate was an unstoppable force.

If he could mass-produce obedient ghouls…

He wouldn’t just surpass Gato—he could challenge entire hidden villages.

Shiki shook his head.

"Not all ghouls enter this frenzied state. The effects vary by individual."

Sakamoto’s eyes lit up.

"So it’s possible to create rational ghouls? Ones that follow orders?"

Shiki’s voice remained clinical.

"The kagune amplifies and distorts the host’s instincts. But with sufficient willpower, control is possible."

This was an inherent flaw.

The kagune was, at its core, a parasite—a fusion of mutated genes. And parasites hunger.

It was natural for hosts to become more violent.

(Not that Shiki had this problem. As the Progenitor of all Jashin’s creations, a mere kagune couldn’t influence him.)

(As for Hidan? The man was already insane. Mental corruption meant nothing to him.)

Sakamoto’s excitement grew. He immediately ordered his men to prepare more test subjects.

But then—

A subordinate whispered in his ear.

Sakamoto’s expression darkened—a telltale sign of his infamous temper.

Yet this time, he held back.

He turned to Shiki.

"Mr. Shiki… Did any other Jashin cultists accompany you here?"

Shiki’s eyebrow twitched.

Ah.

It took him less than a second to piece it together.

Shiraishi Mori.

That brat must’ve stolen the necklace and gotten himself caught.

A quick check through his beetles confirmed it—the kid had sneaked into the prison cells.

Shiki feigned ignorance.

"None that I’m aware of."

Sakamoto’s eyes narrowed.

A murderous glint flickered within them.