[Congratulations, Host! Unlocked Form — Half-Kakuja: Centipede!]
The instant that brand-new power surged through Adrian Vale, his mind blanked for a heartbeat.
It was a strange sensation—like his body and brain slipped out of his control at the same time.
But it only lasted an instant.
Soon, his breathing steadied. His thoughts snapped back into place.
And only then did Adrian realize—
He had evolved.
This was the fourth evolution he'd undergone in the three years since receiving the System.
The first evolution turned him into a half-ghoul and awakened his Rinkaku.
The second evolution strengthened him further, expanding what he could manifest.
The third evolution pushed his Kagune closer to a true "monster."
And now…
Half-Kakuja.
In Tokyo Ghoul terms, a "Kakuja" was what happened when a ghoul crossed a threshold—RC cells and instinct collapsing into something violent and absolute, Kagune forming armor and weapon together. Strength, speed, durability—everything spiked.
But the cost was always the same:
Sanity.
Half-Kakuja was the incomplete stage just before that—enough to grant an explosive leap in combat power, but (in theory) still controllable.
In theory.
Because once you stepped into that realm, losing yourself was never far away.
Adrian's new form was named:
Half-Kakuja: Centipede.
Ken Kaneki's image immediately flashed through his head—white hair, one ghoul eye, and that centipede-like horror that devoured everything in its path.
"So it's that kind of upgrade…" Adrian muttered.
He didn't even have time to test it properly—only that brief moment earlier when he'd "lost control."
He remembered the sensation clearly: something inside him clicked, and his Rinkaku surged out like a flood. For a heartbeat, it didn't just extend—
It linked.
Twisting and locking into a segmented outline, like a centipede-shaped shadow coiling behind him.
Then the feeling vanished.
Back to normal.
Adrian exhaled slowly.
"…Alright. That's new."
And beneath that calm—
hunger stirred again.
Not the ordinary kind.
The ghoul part of him—those RC cells—was still boiling, like it hadn't finished celebrating.
But before Adrian could take a second step—
the outside world had already erupted.
he world turns its guns on Dragon Nation
Outside the Forbidden Zone, the condemnation aimed at Adrian and Dragonia didn't slow down for even a second.
Dragonia's silence only made the crowd bolder.
And gradually, the "problem" stopped being Adrian alone.
The target became the entire country.
"Dragonia is shielding a monster!"
"Want our forgiveness? Get out of Blue Star!"
"Hand over all the resources you obtained from the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone!"
"Those resources belong to all humanity!"
The louder they shouted, the more righteous they believed they were.
For a moment, even Dragonia's famous keyboard warriors were drowned by sheer numbers.
Then—
they snapped.
"So Dad doesn't talk and you think Dad's dead?"
"My bad—kids weren't disciplined. I'll discipline you now."
"Enough barking. Keyboard, come—!"
In an instant, the online battlefield flipped again.
But it didn't last.
A new bomb dropped from across the ocean:
Miracle Nation officially announced it would join the God-Nation Alliance.
The world shook.
Miracle Nation—the so-called "world's No. 1" in tech and military power—had finally stepped in openly.
And within an hour of joining, they released a statement.
Their wording was smooth.
First, they "mourned" the Eastern Isles and Nolan Mercer.
Then they "praised" Dragonia—calling it ancient, great, destined to surpass Miracle Nation someday.
And then, with a sigh, they dragged Adrian back onto the stage:
"Adrian's actions are unacceptable."
"It is regrettable that such a person represents Dragonia in the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone."
"But we believe this is not Dragonia's intent."
"So long as Dragonia publicly severs ties with Adrian and shares all future Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone resources with the world…"
"Dragonia will remain a nation worthy of respect."
In other words:
Cut him off.
Hand over the loot.
Submit—politely.
The God-Nation Alliance cheered.
The Eastern Isles cheered the loudest.
Small nations that had been lurking on the edge suddenly found courage too, jumping in to pile on again.
The pressure surged.
Because this time—
it wasn't just mobs.
It was state power.
The sleeping dragon opens its eyes
Then Dragonia finally spoke.
And the world remembered something it had "forgotten" for too long:
A dragon might sleep.
That didn't mean it was harmless.
Dragonia's Foreign Affairs Department released a short, brutal response—no sugarcoating:
"To the Eastern Isles: are you blind? Everyone saw what Nolan Mercer did, and what he intended to do to our competitor. Adrian retaliated. Where is the 'crime'?"
"To Miracle Nation: who the hell do you think you are? We gave you face before. Without that face, you're nothing."
"And finally—no stray cats or dogs get to point fingers at Dragonia. If anyone dares infringe on our rights…"
"We won't hesitate to use non-standard measures to defend them."
Dragonia doesn't start trouble.
But Dragonia isn't afraid of it.
Across the internet, the translation was immediate:
"Stop yapping. Keep yapping and we'll beat you."
The world went quiet.
Even the God-Nation Alliance paused—like they'd been slapped awake.
And inside Dragonia, something ignited.
Somewhere… Dragonia's "old monsters" stir
At dawn, on a distant coastline, an elderly man in a black uniform stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the brightening horizon.
White brows. White beard.
Spine straight as a spear.
No one dared underestimate him.
When he finally stopped laughing, his eyes narrowed.
"Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone creatures… huh?"
He chuckled again—low and cold.
"What an interesting conclusion."
Elsewhere, on an isolated sea-island, a handsome man in pale robes sat cross-legged on a boulder, long black hair fluttering in the wind. His light-cyan eyes stared into the endless ocean.
After a long silence, he murmured:
"Such turbulence…"
And at Golden Mountain's National Preceptor's Mansion, a monk with a body like forged steel opened his eyes mid-chant.
"Namo Amitābha…"
His gaze turned heavy.
"The Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone… beasts."
One after another—
Dragonia's foundations began to move.
"Adrian Vale is our little angel."
At the same time, Dragonia released Adrian Vale's public record—clean and cold.
Top grades.
Scholarship recipient.
Quiet temperament.
Years of charity work.
Anonymous donations.
A young man who'd lost his parents and still kept going… still kept helping.
The internet went silent.
Then it exploded—this time, in the opposite direction.
"No wonder they call him 'little angel'…"
"And you want us to abandon him?"
"Dream on."
Support surged like a tide.
Because whatever Adrian had become in the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone—
he hadn't harmed innocents on Blue Star.
And more importantly—
he was fighting there for them.
Back in the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone
Adrian had barely finished feeling the new power settle into his bones when the ground began to tremble.
A low rumble.
Then another.
Stronger.
Closer.
The earth bulged upward, cracked, and split apart—like something massive was tunneling beneath it.
A sound followed—wet, scraping, rapid—
like countless legs crawling across stone.
Adrian slowly turned his head.
Then the Will of Blue Star rang across the world:
[Congratulations! Dragonia competitor Adrian Vale has encountered a Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone creature! Analyzing…]
[Name: Giant Thousand-Handed Centipede (A-)]
[Traits: An A- rank Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone creature. Extremely aggressive and cunning. Skilled at using terrain to hunt. Prefers to immobilize prey, then torture it to death. If you fall into its hands, even death becomes a luxury.]
The ground in front of Adrian detonated.
A massive shadow burst upward, smashing through earth and dust like a black spear.
Tens of meters long.
Armored back—dark red.
Countless legs—churning and flashing with cold light.
The centipede raised its head and screeched, the sound sharp enough to stab straight into the nerves.
Adrian stared at it.
His black-red ghoul eye narrowed.
Behind him, something shifted—quietly.
Like a segmented shadow beginning to coil.
And the corners of his mouth lifted, just a fraction.
"Perfect."
◇ BONUS & SUPPORT ◇
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 10 reviews — drop a comment!
◇ 1 bonus chapter for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon → patreon.com/StrawHatStudios