A pitch-black rainy night.
Thunder roared as lightning split the sky.
On an empty, desolate street, a little boy only six or seven years old ran desperately through the pouring rain, crying as he fled.
"Shin, run! Run as far as you can!"
"Shin… Mommy loves you. From now on, you must learn to take care of yourself."
Behind him came a woman's despairing scream.
The boy turned his head
And saw his mother's body pierced clean through by a Kagune, lifted high into the air.
Not far away, another corpse lay motionless on the ground.
It was his father.
Blood mixed with rainwater, flowing slowly into the sewer.
"Run?"
The ghoul sneered, saliva dripping from its mouth as it laughed loudly.
"Do you really think you can escape?"
"Once I finish you, I'll send that little brat to join you."
Thud.
The ghoul casually flung the woman aside, then leapt into the air, pouncing toward the little boy.
Behind it, the Kagune pierced downward like the shadow of death.
"Dad ! Mom !"
Fushimi Kyo jolted upright in bed.
His face felt cold.
Reaching up, he wiped it and found his hand soaked with tears.
"A dream… again."
"And they're happening more and more often."
Since transmigrating into this world, he was awakened almost every morning by the same nightmare.
If his guess was correct, this memory belonged to the body's original owner.
His parents had been brutally murdered by ghouls.
As for how he himself survived, there were no memories left behind.
But with each recurring nightmare, Kyo could feel it
His hatred toward ghouls, and his desire to kill them, were steadily growing stronger.
After getting dressed, Kyo climbed out of bed and went to the bathroom for a quick wash. Then he grabbed two slices of bread from the kitchen, chewing as he headed out the door.
Kiyomi High School, located at the center of the 20th Ward, had over two thousand students.
Just as Kyo reached the school gate, a familiar voice sounded behind him.
"Morning, Kyo!"
He turned around to see Yoriko Kosaka.
"Morning, Yoriko. What delicious stuff did you bring today?" Kyo asked with a grin.
Yoriko was his classmate.
In the original storyline, she was Touka Kirishima's best friend, kind-hearted, energetic, and obsessed with cooking. She loved bringing her homemade food to school to "torture" Touka.
However, due to changes in the storyline, there had never been a girl named Touka Kirishima at this school.
As a result, Kyo had naturally become Yoriko's official taste tester.
Hearing his question, Yoriko's eyes lit up.
"Kyo! Today I made sushi and omelet rolls! And I upgraded the recipe! You have to try them at lunch and tell me how they taste!"
For Yoriko, having someone enjoy her cooking was a huge source of satisfaction.
"Really? I'm looking forward to it!"
Kyo exaggeratedly wiped imaginary drool from his mouth.
"Giggle !"
Yoriko burst out laughing.
The morning passed quickly, and soon it was the final class of the day.
"Everyone, quiet down."
The homeroom teacher spoke from the podium, clapping his hands as he looked toward the classroom door.
"Today, we have a transfer student joining our class. Please welcome her."
Under the students' applause, a beautiful girl with short blue hair stepped inside.
Her bangs covered her right eye, and she wore the standard school uniform.
She walked to the podium and bowed politely.
"My name is Touka Kirishima. This is my first day in this class. Please take care of me."
The classroom instantly exploded with noise.
"Wow, she's so pretty! I wish she'd sit next to me!"
"She's adorable. I think I'm in love!"
"I'm asking for her contact info after class!"
"..."
"Her…?"
Kyo stared at the girl on the podium, his brows knitting tightly together.
Having read the original work, he knew Touka's true identity all too well.
Touka Kirishima
An S-rank Ukaku ghoul.
parents deceased.
Younger brother: Ayato Kirishima.
Uncle: Kyoji Yomo.
Living under the protection of the Anteiku café.
She was kind-hearted, deeply disgusted by her ghoul identity, and desperately wanted to integrate into human society.
The reason Kyo frowned was simple
With his system, he seemed to have zero resistance to the attraction of a ghoul's Kakuhou.
If he lost control in front of Touka, the consequences would be disastrous.
Then, the homeroom teacher's next words nearly sent Kyo straight into the abyss.
"Kirishima, you can sit next to Kyo. That seat is empty."
The teacher pointed directly at the desk beside Kyo.
"I "
Kyo was completely speechless.
Touka walked over with her schoolbag and extended her fair hand.
"I'm Touka Kirishima. Nice to meet you."
Since she was being polite, Kyo naturally couldn't refuse. He reached out and shook her hand.
Her skin felt smooth and cool.
"I'm Fushimi Kyo."
"Touka, hello! I'm Yoriko Kosaka!"
From behind Kyo, Yoriko enthusiastically introduced herself.
Touka smiled in response to Yoriko's warmth.
When Touka took her seat beside him, Kyo felt puzzled.
"That's strange… why don't I smell that special scent from her?"
"Is there something wrong with my nose?"
Yesterday, he could smell a ghoul's Kakuhou from over a hundred meters away.
Yet now, with Touka sitting right beside him, he couldn't sense anything at all.
"System… why can't I smell the Kakuhou scent from Touka?"
Kyo asked silently in his heart.
But the system offered no response, as if deliberately leaving him to discover the answer on his own.
At noon, in the school cafeteria.
Yoriko pulled out a lunch box from her bag and opened it, revealing sushi, omelet rolls, and other dishes.
"Kyo, Touka try it!"
Her face was filled with anticipation.
Looking at the colorful, appetizing food, Touka's expression turned troubled.
"Sorry, Yoriko… I'm not feeling very well today. I don't really feel like eating."
She found an excuse and declined politely.
Touka felt helpless.
Who knew what was wrong with this blonde girl's head? She had insisted on dragging her to the cafeteria at lunch, claiming it was to "strengthen classmate bonds."
Her plan to avoid the cafeteria had completely failed.
Although she had learned from the café manager how to eat human food, her training time was still short.
She couldn't yet do it naturally and flawlessly.
"It looks amazing! I'm digging in!"
Beside her, Kyo picked up a piece of sushi and swallowed it in just a few bites.
He licked the corner of his lips with satisfaction and looked at Touka.
"Are you really not eating? Yoriko's cooking is amazing!"
His gaze burned with curiosity.
He desperately wanted to see whether ghouls truly experienced discomfort when eating human food.
After all, he had never seen it with his own eyes.
"I…"
Struggle flickered across Touka's face.
She recalled the café manager's words
If you want to truly integrate into human society, then you must learn from them. Imitate them. Eat their food. Do the things they do. Only then will you avoid revealing yourself.