Chapter 8 - Judgment time
The black-robed ghoul spun 360 degrees in the air, his kagune slashing toward Evan with immense kinetic force.
It was futile.
Evan vanished, reappearing above the ghoul in an instant, as if teleporting. His foot slammed the ghoul's head into the floor, cracking the skull and splattering blood, leaving a crater.
Gecko, realizing the danger, turned to Evan. "You bastard! Who are you?!"
"Your executioner," Evan replied, his calm tone chilling.
"Judgment time. Die."
Evan's figure blurred, his speed surpassing human perception. Even basic physical attacks seemed lightning-fast to ordinary eyes. With magic or senjutsu amplification, he'd be swifter, but these foes didn't warrant such effort.
To Gecko, Evan vanished. When he reacted, the spear of light Gecko clutched had pierced his brain, back to front. His muscular frame collapsed like cotton candy. Noroi, the white-masked ghoul, suffered the same fate, his brain obliterated.
Yet, Noroi's vitality stunned Evan. Despite his head being mangled, he clung to life.
"Be careful! Normal attacks won't kill him," Yoshimura warned from behind.
"Can't die? I don't buy it," Evan said.
Noroi stood, his broken mask revealing a grotesque face dominated by kagune, even his brain. Unlike most ghouls, Noroi's intelligence was minimal, his instincts honed to the extreme. Yet, facing Evan, an oppressive aura from a higher lifeform drove him to flee.
Evan wouldn't allow it. Narrowing his eyes, he tapped into his ki via senjutsu.
All beings possessed ki, ghouls included, with theirs concentrated in their kagune—their essence. Using senjutsu, Evan pinpointed Noroi's kagune core. His figure became a blur, uncatchable.
Light-like strikes rained from above. Noroi's kagune shattered like a burst balloon, his body disintegrating. The spear of light Evan had seized flickered out, its fallen angel power depleted.
"Hiss!" Touka, Yoshimura, and the others gasped, eyes wide.
Such power—annihilating a ghoul wielding fallen angel might in an instant.
"Amazing, Touka," a surviving ghoul stammered. "Is he really your classmate? That strength… he's one of those mythical forces, right?"
The survivors tensed. In a world of supernatural, ghouls were minor threats. Even low-tier fallen angels outmatched them. To them, Evan seemed a titan from those enigmatic factions.
Evan turned slowly, his calm gaze sweeping over Touka and her allies. "Your turn."
Goosebumps prickled their skin. They'd witnessed ghouls empowered by fallen angels slaughtered effortlessly. Against Evan, survival seemed impossible. A faint murderous intent emanated from him.
"Evan… why are you here?" Touka asked, voice trembling.
"I caught a foul stench and investigated," Evan said. "Found garbage, as expected." He eyed them. "Have any of you eaten humans like them?"
Evan held no fondness for ghouls. In Tokyo Ghoul's worldview, Touka's group at Anteiku were "good," but their morality wasn't absolute. Anteiku sheltered reformed ghouls, but Evan would show no mercy if they crossed his line.
"What do we do?" a ghoul whispered, panicking.
They'd seen Evan as a savior, not a judge.
"Wait, Evan!" Touka pleaded. "I swear they've never eaten humans. At most, they've bought blood from the black market to drink—never flesh!"
"How do you prove it?" Evan asked.
"Lord Evan, please," Yoshimura Kuzen interjected, offering a red booklet. "Touka speaks the truth. We've never harmed humans. This is our certification from the Underworld's devils."
Evan took it, scanning the contents. His expression turned awkward.
He pulled out the obsidian badge Rias had given him. "Rias, you're aware of ghouls in your territory, right?"
"Why the sudden question?" Rias's sleepy voice replied. "Before I took over Kuoh Town from my father, I reviewed records. There are ghouls there, but they're harmless to humans, so I left them be. What's going on?"
"Nothing," Evan said, ending the call.
The Anteiku ghouls held an official Underworld permit, likely issued by the Gremory family. No wonder they thrived in devil-controlled Kuoh Town—verified and protected.
Misunderstanding resolved, the murderous intent faded. Touka's companions exhaled, though they remained wary, fearing a sudden attack. Evan, however, stood still.
"Why do these ghouls have fallen angel power?" Evan asked.
Yoshimura explained in detail, recognizing the Gremory crest on Evan's badge—a sign of his ties to the Underworld's pureblood nobles, even if not a devil himself. As ghouls surviving in the margins, Anteiku avoided unnecessary conflicts.
The predatory ghouls, mere cannon fodder in this mythological world, were on the fallen angels' radar, recruited for their schemes. Evan found it intriguing but didn't linger, turning to leave.
The café fell silent. Touka gazed into the dark, rainy night, her expression complex.
---
Evan rode his motorcycle home. The battle was unplanned but fruitful.
Seizing the spears of light had triggered his system's "God Rewards Hard Work" passive, gleaning insights into the power of light. Distinct from magic or ki, it was the of angels and fallen angels, granted by God. Even in their fallen state, their light retained its potency, uniquely effective against devils and malevolent creatures.
At home, Evan seized the chance to analyze this power, aiming to master it. Versatility was strength, and his system thrived on new skills. Yet, even with "God Rewards Hard Work," mastering divine light in hours was impossible. His body also showed strain—his demonic magic clashed with the angelic light, like opposing magnetic poles.
For Evan, this was no barrier. Fire and water coexisted in him. Ordinary people chose one power; he'd master both.
'System, show me your limits,' he thought.