In her understanding, Takahashi Osamu shouldn’t have been able to shred the ghosts from her 【Book of Ghosts】 so effortlessly.
“Kiryoki,” the Faceless spoke. “Who I am is not important. I have some questions for you. What you need to consider is how to answer my questions properly. That is all.”
“Answer your questions properly?” Kiryoki let out a low laugh, her gaze revealing a vicious edge. “Who the hell do you think you are? Just die!”
As she spoke, Kiryoki poured more energy into her 【Book of Ghosts】, spawning a massive number of ghosts once again. They howled as they charged toward the Faceless.
Ghosts filled the hallway outside the classroom, a thrashing, clawing mass. Anyone else standing here would have been terrified out of their wits.
Driving the horde of ghosts, Kiryoki declared with satisfaction, “Every night, I use ghosts to scare people, letting them feed on fear to grow stronger. With these ghosts, no Mid-Level Reincarnator can defeat me!”
Watching these ghosts, Tsukiyomi Ruri sighed inwardly. These must be the ghosts Leona knew. Even after being turned into puppets for the 【Book of Ghosts】, they still seemed to retain the inherent traits of ghosts.
She controlled the Faceless to strike again, slicing apart all the incoming ghosts and advancing step by step toward Kiryoki.
“Answer my question! Tell me everything you know about the Two Realms Passage!” The Faceless’s hoarse voice carried an undeniable will.
“Die! Just die!” Kiryoki didn’t answer, instead frantically driving the ghosts to attack.
“Answer me before my countdown ends. Otherwise, you don’t need to answer. I’ll send you on your way,” the Faceless said coldly.
In Tsukiyomi Ruri’s eyes, there was no room for mercy. She meant what she said.
“Five… four… three…” Tsukiyomi Ruri had the Faceless count down slowly.
Kiryoki seemed to sense the intense killing intent and sobered up slightly. The situation before her made it clear that she was likely no match for this Faceless.
Without forcing the issue further, Kiryoki immediately turned, dashed to the edge of the corridor, and leaped down.
She wanted to flee.
However, after jumping downstairs, Kiryoki hadn’t run more than a few steps when she found the Faceless already blocking her path.
“Two,” the Faceless stated.
Kiryoki stared coldly at the Faceless, ghosts floating around her.
“One.” The Faceless’s countdown ended.
In the end, Kiryoki had no intention of saying anything to the Faceless.
So, the Faceless controlled by Tsukiyomi Ruri didn’t intend to waste any more words either. The matter of the Two Realms Passage could be investigated later, but Kiryoki didn’t need to exist any longer.
The Faceless swung its scythe, lunging fiercely toward Kiryoki.
Kiryoki activated the 【Book of Ghosts】 with all her might, unleashing every ghost she had. They surged forward, forming a torrent of ghosts before her.
But in an instant, the scythe tore through the ghostly flood with unstoppable momentum, its force undiminished as it slashed toward Kiryoki.
“Stop!”
A loud shout rang out from nearby.
The scythe, of course, did not stop. It continued its forward slash, carving a deep wound into Kiryoki on the spot.
It was only because Kiryoki shifted sideways at the critical moment, dodging a vital spot, that this strike didn’t send her straight out of this world. Of course, this was also because Tsukiyomi Ruri hadn’t been serious and had only used strength equivalent to a casual wave of her hand.
“Didn’t you hear me tell you to stop?” A figure appeared beside Kiryoki, looking towards the Faceless with displeasure.
It was a man dressed like a gentleman—Adachi Tsukasa, a member of the Flame Bird Group. He was the man who had been sent to persuade Kiryoki to join the Flame Bird Group.
Adachi Tsukasa had merely been following routine, finding Kiryoki to invite her to join the Flame Bird Group. He never expected to witness her nearly being killed. If Kiryoki had been slain like this, how was he supposed to explain things to his Commander?
“I don’t care what grudge you have with Kiryoki, but Kiryoki is someone our Flame Bird Group has its eye on. Therefore, you cannot make a move against her. Do I make myself clear?” Adachi Tsukasa said coldly to the Faceless.
Having finished his piece, Adachi Tsukasa immediately averted his gaze, as if the mere mention of the Flame Bird Group’s name was enough to make anyone show respect.
“To think that in such a dangerous moment, it would be you who saved me,” Kiryoki chuckled lowly. “Very well. Perhaps I can indeed consider joining the Flame Bird Group.”
Adachi Tsukasa’s face immediately lit up with joy. Although he personally disliked Kiryoki, the Commander was fond of her. Once Kiryoki agreed to join, the Commander would surely reward him handsomely.
Just as Adachi Tsukasa broke into a smile, he caught a sudden flash of cold light before his eyes. Right after, in front of him, Kiryoki’s entire head dropped to the ground.
It all happened too suddenly, so abruptly that Adachi Tsukasa didn’t even have time to react before it was all over.
Staring at Kiryoki’s headless corpse, Adachi Tsukasa’s pupils constricted. An expression of disbelief on his face, he turned his head to look at the scythe-wielding Faceless.
“You dare kill her? You actually dared to kill her right in front of me?” Adachi Tsukasa was beside himself with fury.
The Faceless glanced at Adachi Tsukasa.
“Didn’t I tell you not to touch her? Why did you still do it?” Adachi Tsukasa roared in anger.
With Kiryoki dead, his mission was a complete failure. He didn’t even know how he would face his Commander’s wrath.
“Just because you say I can’t touch her, I can’t touch her? Who the hell are you?” The Faceless finally spoke.
“Didn’t I say it before? I’m from the Flame Bird Group! And just now, Kiryoki was even about to join the Flame Bird Group. You actually dared to disrespect our Flame Bird Group?” Adachi Tsukasa glared fixedly at the Faceless.
“The Flame Bird Group? And what the hell is that?” The Faceless asked again.
“Fine! Fine! You even look down on our Flame Bird Group, do you? I will report this to the Commander. Just you wait.” Clenching his fists, Adachi Tsukasa turned to leave.
But just as he turned around, he discovered that the Faceless, who had been behind him, was now standing in front of him.
This time, before Adachi Tsukasa could say anything, the Faceless spoke: “Your words and deeds, every single thing about you, disgusts me utterly. So, you can join Kiryoki in the grave.”
Accompanying the words was the cold sweep of the scythe.
Adachi Tsukasa couldn’t react in time. His upper body toppled over and hit the ground with a heavy thud.
Dazed and in disbelief, he turned his head to see his lower half falling in the other direction. The sight, combined with the searing pain that flooded him, forced an agonized scream from his lips.
