Dimensional Kaguya Ōtsutsuki

Dawn approached, with the shining morning star glittering in the sky. The eastern horizon gradually turned pale, and the clouds became lighter and brighter. Finally, a beam of sunlight burst forth from the edge of the horizon as a red sun rose steadily. The warm rays of sunlight cascaded softly, illuminating the land and dispelling the darkness and chill of the night.

Even the crimson bloodstains and the lifeless bodies scattered across the ground seemed to gain a faint warmth under the sunlight.

When citizens, sleepless with fear, stepped out of their homes, they were stunned by the scene before them.

In the eastern part of the bustling city, the densely packed residential areas and the sprawling skyscrapers had all vanished. In their place was a massive, deep gorge, resembling a vast and jagged canyon. Under the gentle sunlight, its craggy edges appeared all the more menacing.

"According to the latest information from our station," a morning news broadcast announced, "yesterday, the CCG headquarters launched an operation to exterminate the Owl. Following intense combat, the Owl leader has been executed. The remaining ghouls have been dealt with or driven away. Although some damage occurred in the process, citizens can rest assured that the threat has been neutralized, and there is no cause for concern."

When this report aired in the morning, the city erupted in celebration. Countless citizens poured into the streets to celebrate, decorating the city festively as though it were a holiday.

As for the massive canyon in the eastern city, CCG explained that it was caused by the deployment of advanced weaponry, claiming it posed no threat to citizen safety. Due to confidentiality, no further details were provided.

However, amidst the public's jubilation, few paid attention to such explanations.

In reality, within CCG, the atmosphere was far from celebratory. Instead, it was heavy with a stifling sense of gravity.

As investigators of CCG, they were well aware that the situation was not as optimistic as the news suggested. In fact, it could hardly be considered a victory. The operation had cost CCG a significant number of personnel, and while the Owl was indeed eliminated, an entirely new and unprecedented challenge had emerged.

Their initial plan was on the verge of success. They were prepared to declare victory when "Akatsuki" appeared—the silver-haired girl wearing a fox mask. Her sudden intervention shattered their meticulously laid plans.

Her power exceeded the limits of human comprehension. High-ranking investigators could not withstand more than a few moves before being seriously injured, and ordinary soldiers were utterly defenseless, as fragile as rag dolls before her. It was clear that she had not even used her full strength, treating the battle as an ordinary occurrence.

During the operation to exterminate the Owl the previous night, Akatsuki casually unleashed a single strike that turned a quarter of the city's streets into ruins. The investigators still vividly remembered the earth-shaking moment.

Could this truly be divine retribution upon humanity?

Fortunately, Akatsuki did not seem intent on destroying the world—or rather, humanity. After a private meeting with Special Investigator Arima at a café, she left. No one knew what transpired during that meeting.

However, the subsequent developments took everyone by surprise. CCG's leadership made a shocking decision: to announce a truce with ghouls.

The declaration stunned everyone. Cooperation with ghouls, once unthinkable, was now policy. Internally, many struggled to accept the news. Among the ghouls, especially those in Anteiku, astonishment turned into cautious optimism.

The policy included an additional condition: if ghouls were found harming humans in the future, CCG would respond decisively, conducting arrests and executions. Ghouls suspected of posing a threat would be monitored rigorously, and any aggressive acts would face swift retaliation.

Thus, an uneasy and unprecedented peace settled over the city, built on fragile trust and an underlying tension that neither side could entirely ignore.

At the same time, humans were required to provide ghouls with basic survival rights, including the freedom to live without unnecessary interference, provided they adhered to specific rules and did not harm humans. CCG would not intervene in the lives of ghouls unless they violated these conditions, nor would it restrict its own enforcement operations.

This arrangement was seen as a transaction between CCG and the "Akatsuki" organization, symbolizing a fragile pact between humanity and ghouls.

...

In a spacious office.

"Have you clarified everything?" Kishou Arima stood by the window, gazing calmly at the bustling city outside.

"Yes," the young investigator reported. "During yesterday's operation against the Owl, there was no anomaly in the Fifth Squad. They were conducting surveillance in the dining area of the ghoul hideout, following standard procedures."

The speaker was a young investigator newly recruited by CCG, named Hideyoshi Nagachika. Although his abilities were not fully suited for the role of an investigator, his talents in deduction, surveillance, and mimicry earned him an exception, appointing him as an investigator assistant.

"Has she returned?" Arima asked in a steady tone.

"She?" Hideyoshi looked puzzled.

"Liuli," Arima clarified.

"Oh, she reported back this morning and then left," Hideyoshi said, flipping through the documents in his hands. Suddenly, as if recalling something, he looked up, startled. "Do you suspect her, Special Investigator Arima?"

"No," Arima replied, turning to face him. "This matter is classified. Do not disclose it to anyone. Additionally, the surveillance of Liuli's movements ends here. I'll assign you a new task shortly. You can go now."

"Understood."

As Hideyoshi's figure disappeared from view, Arima picked up a file from his desk. On the first page was a photograph of a stunningly beautiful black-haired girl, smiling radiantly. He stared at it, lost in thought.

His mind wandered to the scene at the café, recalling the faint smirk beneath the fox mask.

"Do you truly believe humans and ghouls can coexist peacefully?"

"Do you think centuries of hatred and conflict can be so easily resolved with a few words?" Arima scoffed softly, setting the file back on the desk. Turning toward the window, he gazed out at the cityscape, murmuring to himself, "What an arrogant and naïve individual."

...

Due to the campaign in the 20th Ward, most residents had quietly moved out of their homes. This measure was taken to minimize civilian casualties. Only a few residents, unwilling to leave, remained behind, leaving the 20th Ward much quieter. The deserted streets and sparse crowds spoke volumes about the current state of affairs.

Pushing open the door, Kaguya stepped inside. The café was desolate, lacking Touka Kirishima's familiar greeting of "Welcome," or the irritated "It's you again." It felt unusually lonely.

"As expected, they've already left?" Kaguya sighed, disappointed.

It wasn't surprising. After last night's intense battle with CCG, both the ghouls and the humans had suffered significant losses. Furthermore, the identities of the ghouls had already been exposed. Staying in one place was tantamount to waiting for disaster.

Just as Kaguya turned to leave, a familiar voice sounded from behind.

"Welcome."

Huh.

Were they really this foolish?

Kaguya froze for a moment before turning back. What greeted her eyes was a gentle face—it was Kaya Irimi.

"What would you like today? A sandwich again?" Irimi approached, her tone soft.

"Oh, yes," Kaguya replied, snapping out of her daze. "A sandwich and a cup of coffee, please."

"When did you become so polite?" Irimi teased with a smile. "That's not like you."

If Kaguya hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that the warm and gentle Irimi could be the same cold and composed figure from the night before. The contrast was too stark—who would have thought such a warm demeanor could mask such a commanding presence?

"I thought you would have left by now," Kaguya said, sitting down.

"Why should we leave?" Irimi blinked her lovely eyes and asked with a smile.

"CCG has already designated the 20th Ward as a priority surveillance area," Kaguya said, her gaze fixed on Irimi, her words layered with meaning. "Aren't you afraid of getting caught up in this?"

"Maybe we're just used to being here," Irimi replied, holding a coffee pot. The water flowed steadily over the coffee grounds, filling the air with a rich, aromatic scent. "We don't want to leave."

"Used to it?" Kaguya asked in surprise.

She had always wondered why they chose to stay and fight CCG, even if it meant dying in battle rather than fleeing. Were they fools?

"You probably think I'm a fool," Irimi said, seemingly sensing Kaguya's thoughts. She turned to look at her, a faint smile on her face.

"No, not at all," Kaguya hurriedly waved her hand, laughing nervously.

Can she read minds? How could she know what I was thinking? Kaguya wondered.

"After living here for so long, this place feels like home, so we don't want to leave," Irimi said with a gentle smile.

"That sounds like something only old people would say," Kaguya replied helplessly.

"What did you say? Are you calling me old?" Irimi reached out and pinched Kaguya's cheek with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Ah, it hurts! It hurts! No, absolutely not!" Kaguya quickly pleaded for mercy.

Only then did Irimi let her go. She walked to the counter, brought over a sandwich and a cup of freshly brewed coffee, and placed them on the table in front of Kaguya. "Here you go, coffee's ready," she said with a smile.

"Thank you, Sister Kaya," Kaguya said as she picked up the sandwich and started eating.

Irimi watched Kaguya wolf down her food. Far from finding it crude, she thought Kaguya's actions had a certain innocent charm and smiled knowingly.

"Oh, by the way," Kaguya suddenly remembered something. She turned her head and asked, "Where did Touka go?"

"Oh, you mean her," Irimi said while wiping a glass at the counter. "She said she had to go out for a bit. She should be back later."

"I see."

At that moment, the sound of crisp footsteps echoed through the café. A beautiful girl descended from upstairs. She had misty purple hair and clear violet eyes, her skin smooth and her features exquisite. Upon seeing Kaguya, she paused for a moment, then her eyes sparkled, and a captivating smile appeared on her lips.

Meanwhile, at the top of a distant skyscraper, two figures were engaged in conversation.

"I didn't expect that individual's power to be even more terrifying than we imagined. They were capable of causing such destruction to the city," a man sitting on the edge of the building said, his expression grim. "Such a monster... how can we possibly confront them?"

"It's indeed troublesome, but as long as they're human, they must have weaknesses," Tatara said, gazing out over the bustling cityscape. "And if the experiment succeeds, we won't be entirely helpless."

"What about the blood sample experiments? How is the doctor progressing?" the man asked.

"Progress is going smoothly. It's a substance unlike anything we've seen before. It can greatly accelerate RC cell proliferation. If all goes well, it could potentially increase the quantity of one's kagune severalfold, even tenfold or more—possibly even a hundredfold," Tatara said, his tone heavy. "It's truly incredible. But the current supply is insufficient to fully utilize such a powerful material."

"I figured as much. Asking him to conduct experiments with such a small sample was unreasonable," Tatara said, as if expecting this. "It seems we'll have to act ourselves."

"What do you mean?" the man asked, startled. "Do you want to go collect it?"

"Not me," Tatara replied calmly, turning to look at him. "You."

"What?" the man exclaimed in shock.

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