Chapter 1: Good Thing I'm Not Ordinary
Japan, Kuoh Town.
A rainy night resembled an ink-splashed oil painting.
On the pitch-black sky, delicate rain strands swept like brushstrokes, embellishing the silent city with an increasingly enchanting charm.
Lights reflected on the windowpanes, forming halos of luminescence.
Late at night during rain, there were always few pedestrians on the streets.
Especially in areas leaning toward the outskirts.
Only the rain gently pattered against the ground, creating soft rustling sounds.
Amidst this rainy night, a man over 180 cm tall held a black umbrella with one hand while the other was tucked in his pocket.
His dark pupils were sharp and penetrating—anyone meeting his gaze would surely be intimidated by their intensity.
He wore a wide overcoat, beneath which was a hooded long shirt. Even though it was loose, his tall and slender figure was still apparent.
His broad, straight shoulders were dotted with splashed moisture, leading up to a lean and handsome face. His eyes stared straight ahead, advancing like a battleship forging forward unwaveringly.
Compared to the passersby hurrying past him, the young man stood out like a crane among chickens—exceptionally striking.
Renga strolled through the drizzle.
He had spent half the day wandering outside over the weekend and only began walking home after dusk.
Although it had started raining midway, he had checked the weather forecast and prepared an umbrella in advance, so he didn't get drenched.
Not that it would have mattered much if he had gotten wet anyway.
As he walked, Renga suddenly heard a faint cry for help from a nearby alley.
And as he passed by, the cries grew clearer and more urgent.
Focusing his gaze, he saw a beautiful woman deep in the alley.
She wore a ladies' suit with a short skirt and black pantyhose, but due to the rain and some tears, she looked rather pitiful yet striking.
"What's wrong?"
Renga asked, glancing at the girl from the corner of his eye and understanding the situation.
"I... I heard a cat meowing here earlier and came to check, but that cat was really skittish. It startled me, and I fell and twisted my ankle."
The woman looked pitiful, protecting her right leg, which had faint traces of blood.
"L-little brother, could you take me home? My house is just next door, just through this alley."
The deep alley stretched about fifty meters, with only a dim yellow streetlight in the middle, its halo faint as if it could go out at any moment.
"Alright."
Renga nodded.
He then reached out to help the woman up, and she leaned against him in response.
A faint perfume scent wafted into his nostrils, and Renga could even feel a pair of soft mounds pressing against his arm.
"Little brother... once we get to my place, big sister can give you a reward~"
"What would you like?"
"My home is just ahead, almost there..."
"We're here."
Unmoved by her other words, he suddenly spoke up halfway through their walk.
Coincidentally, at that very moment, the streetlights flickered a few times before abruptly extinguishing, plunging the surroundings into darkness where only the outlines of fingers were barely visible.
"What do you mean we're here? Big sister's home is still a bit further ahead..."
Just as the woman said this, the man she was leaning against suddenly released his grip, sending her tumbling into a puddle.
"You..."
In the darkness, anger and confusion flashed in the woman's eyes.
But before she could finish, Renga spoke: "Stop pretending. It's just the two of us here... no, just me and you, you filthy Ghoul."
Hearing this, the woman in the darkness instantly composed herself, her pale face turning cold. "When did you notice me?"
"From the very beginning. And the stench of blood on you is so strong that even the rain and makeup can't cover it."
"You noticed me from the very beginning?"
The woman froze for a moment, then bared her sharp teeth through her parted lips.
"In that case, there's no need for me to keep pretending. But before you become my meal, can you tell me why, if you noticed me from the start, you still walked right into my trap?"
She licked her lips, her appetite growing as she stared at the young man before her.
She even began planning how to prepare this delicious feast.
"...First, I can't ignore a weak woman's plea for help. Second, the one who fell into the trap might not be the prey, but the hunter."
Hearing this, the woman was taken aback.
"Are you an Exorcist? A Cursed Technique User? Or one of those human Doves?"
She began to realize that the young man before her might not be ordinary, but she hadn't chosen her prey blindly.
Whether Exorcists or Cursed Technique Users, they all carried a distinct scent—even the Doves, since the weapons they used were made from parts taken from Ghouls.
Yet she hadn't detected any such scent on Renga.
This meant he was just an ordinary human.