On Top of the Food Chain

Subaru Shuichi, with his lean build and long silver hair, moved like a wraith through the forest. The first Ghoul lay slain at his feet, a testament to his deadly precision. This was the same Ghoul that had escaped from Naito.

The forest was lush and green, the sunlight filtering through the canopy creating dappled patterns on the forest floor. Subaru's sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, searching for the remaining Ghouls.

Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes. Subaru leaped into action, his sword slicing through the air as another Ghoul lunged at him, his arm augmented with the same energy forming a sharp blade. Subaru parried the strike and, using the momentum, spun around to deliver a fatal blow to the Ghoul's neck.

He didn't have time to catch his breath as two more Ghouls appeared, one with legs covered in a thick, stone-like armor and the other with a spiked tail. Subaru used the environment to his advantage, leaping onto a nearby tree and pushing off to gain height. He came down hard on the stone-legged Ghoul, his sword cutting through its neck. The other Ghoul tried to swipe at him with his tail, but Subaru was too quick, dodging and countering with a swift strike to his heart.

Naito, meanwhile, was engaged in his own battle. He had encountered a Ghoul with massive, clawed hands. The Ghoul slashed at him, but Naito skillfully evaded the attacks, using his sword to deflect and counter. With a precise thrust, Naito pierced the Ghoul's chest, ending the fight.

Subaru continued his relentless pursuit, encountering Ghouls with various augmentations. One had wings between her torso and arms which allowed her to glide between the trees, while another had a horn on its head that it used as a battering ram.

Subaru's agility and skill were unmatched, and he dispatched them one by one, using the trees for cover and leverage. He made the forest his battlefield, felling trees to block attacks and using branches to swing and gain the upper hand.

From a nearby tree, the winged Ghoul lunged at him with a shard dagger, while the horned Ghoul toppled the tree beneath Subaru's feet. As the tree crashed down, both Ghouls closed in on Subaru from different angles.

Subaru deftly parried the dagger with his sword, his right hand moving swiftly. At the same time, his left forearm struck out, slicing through the horned Ghoul's throat with a clean cut. The horned Ghoul dropped lifelessly, caught off guard by the sudden end.

Without missing a beat, Subaru swiftly turned to confront the winged Ghoul. With practiced skill, he neutralized her threat, ensuring the encounter ended swiftly and decisively.

After what felt like an eternity of combat, the forest fell silent. Subaru and Naito regrouped, Naito was panting while it felt like Subaru was unaffected. They ventured deeper into the woods, following a small, cleared path. The air grew thicker, the smell of rotting flesh assaulting their senses.

They came upon a mound of skeletons and bones, a grim reminder of the Ghouls' past victims. The stench was almost unbearable, but Subaru and Naito pressed on, their eyes fixed on a cave a few meters away. The cave was reinforced with wood, leaves, and stones, making it look like a livable structure.

As they cautiously approached, Subaru suddenly felt the whizzing of an arrow. He dodged it effortlessly, but Naito wasn't as lucky. The arrow struck his shoulder, reopening a previous wound. He grunted in pain, but his grip on his sword remained firm.

Above them, a figure appeared, hovering in the air. It was a girl with short black hair, her body augmented with the same translucent energy, but hers was a striking azure. She had manifested an armor that covered her torso and wings that spanned at least two meters. With the sunlight shining behind her, she looked almost angelic, a bow in her hand ready to fire another arrow.

Subaru's eyes narrowed, and he dropped his sword.

He then materialized a dark, double-sided spear adorned with sharp, serrated blades at each end. Its central grip was wrapped in rough leather, promising a firm hold.

As the angelic ghoul drew her bow for another shot, Subaru evaded her arrow with a graceful leap. Realizing that it would be hard to hit Subaru, she aimed at Naito, only to freeze in fear as an overwhelming pressure bore down on her.

Subaru's eyes glowed with a silverish-white intensity, veins on his forearms pulsating with power. His spear was poised to strike, exuding a menacing aura. Panic surged through the Ghoul's mind as she contemplated escape, but Subaru was faster than her. Before she could even turn around, the spear hurtled through the air like a streak of darkness, slicing cleanly through her neck.

The ghoul's head rolled, her body collapsing in a lifeless heap. Subaru landed gracefully, his expression unchanged, betraying no hint of emotion. Naito approached cautiously, eyeing Subaru with a mix of awe and apprehension. "Sir," he began tentatively, "that was..."

"Efficient," Subaru finished calmly, retracting the spear into nothingness as though it were never there. His demeanor was as cold as the steel he wielded moments before. "Let's move," he said, his voice devoid of any trace of the recent conflict.

Naito nodded silently, still processing the swift and brutal efficiency of Subaru's actions. Even though they had been working together for some time now, but Subaru’s actions still awed him. As they disappeared into the shadows, the eerie silence of the aftermath hung heavy in the air, punctuated only by the distant echoes of their footsteps.

***

As Kazuki opened his eyes, pain surged through his body, especially his throbbing back. Lying on the ground, he felt the touch of overgrown grass against his skin, the water tower was in his view standing under an orange-tinted sky. Then, the memories flooded back.

The image of Rika standing behind the railing, her dress and hair dancing with the blowing wind, her indifferent expression, and the cold gaze in her eyes after pushing him flashed in his mind, igniting a fiery anger within him.

"Wait! I'm alive?" The realization struck him suddenly.

"You woke up?" A feminine voice echoed from behind him, and Rika stepped into his view.

"Why did you push me?" Kazuki demanded, fury burning in his eyes.

"To snap you out of it and make you realize what's happening to you," she replied, a smirk playing on her lips.

Kazuki furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Think about it. If a regular human fell from that height, they'd be dead. But you..." Rika leaned closer, her voice lowering, "you're different. What does that tell you?"

Her words sank in, and Kazuki fell into deep contemplation. The harsh reality he had been avoiding now stared him in the face.

He looked up at Rika with a solemn expression. She met his gaze with an indifferent look, a sly smile playing on her lips as her hair danced in the wind.

"You are a Ghoul," a deep, masculine voice interrupted from behind him.

A tall, broad-shouldered man entered his field of vision, dark brown hair framing a charismatic face.

"Who—" Kazuki began, but was swiftly cut off.

"Hey Kazuki, I'm Rika's dad," the man introduced himself warmly, his smile friendly and disarming. "The name is Junpei Akumu."