Chapter 32 Inhuman

"Heeh, this is a neat skill," Kousuke muttered in amazement while inspecting the chain up close. A faint light flickered in his pupils before he stepped back and looked at the robed figures with a calm smile. There was no fear in his eyes—an expression that somehow eased Yasaka's anxiety, despite her compromised state.

"Who made this chain? I'd like to meet them," he said casually. After all, whoever designed the technique might be an expert in biology. If he could get his hands on someone like that, he might finally begin to understand more about his own body.

The chain worked by blocking specific pathways, effectively rendering its victim helpless. If a mage lost access to their mana, they were basically crippled—it was as simple as that.

That's why Yasaka felt like she was losing her strength. In reality, the chain merely suppressed her Youkai traits, temporarily reducing her to the level of an average human. But for someone born as a powerful Youkai, the distinction would be indistinguishable. To her, it felt like being forced to breathe manually—something so natural suddenly becoming strained.

However, while the effect seemed simple, creating such a tool was another matter entirely. Even if temporary, it could turn a hopeless battle into a victorious one if used correctly. It might have even been dangerous to Kousuke himself—if this was the version of him before he fought the Demon God.

"Huh? I guess you've gone mad from fear," Ookuma scoffed. "Whatever. Just kill him and be done with it."

He didn't care about some weak human—not when he could be fantasizing about the ways he'd break Yasaka for humiliating him in the past.

The robed figures seemed to agree. Without hesitation, they launched a barrage of fireballs at Kousuke, confident they didn't need to look at the aftermath. No human could survive that kind of firepower.

"Wow, second time I've been underestimated like this," a voice rang out from within the smoke. "I must really look weak, huh? Can't be helped."

"I mean, yeah, I expected it... but still." With a casual wave of his hand, Kousuke dispersed the smoke, revealing himself without a scratch. "I really hate this feeling. You know what? You guys are dead."

He vanished from sight.

"W-What?!"

They were stunned. The man they assumed would be squashed like an ant had not only survived but possessed terrifying power.

"Kuh!"

A body flew past Ookuma, slamming into the invisible wall at the edge of the pocket dimension and dropping unconscious. A few seconds later, another followed.

Panic finally set in.

Kousuke moved like a ghost—appearing behind one robed figure after another, knocking them out with precise and powerful kicks. His sheer speed made it look like he had multiple clones. Yasaka could hardly believe what she was seeing. No wonder Tsubaki hadn't seemed worried. Kousuke wasn't just strong—he was overwhelmingly strong.

"Fuck! Who are y—argh!"

Eventually, only one person remained standing: Kousuke.

He slowly turned toward Ookuma, who was drenched in sweat. The bear Youkai finally understood how badly he had miscalculated. The Sacred Gear user had warned him not to underestimate this man… and now he knew why.

"W-Wait! I get it—I messed up, so—guh!"

He couldn't finish his sentence. A heavy force slammed into his stomach, causing him to buckle and vomit everything he'd eaten that day. Drooling and gasping, he looked up—and met Kousuke's eyes.

Those cold, emotionless eyes.

They didn't look human at all.

"Y-You… just what are you?! There's no way you're human!"

"You're just realizing that now?" Kousuke said in a monotone voice. "How about it—do I look like a scary monster to you?"

He took a step forward. Ookuma immediately scrambled back like a cornered rat.

"G-Get away from me, you monster!"

"No can do. You see…"

He grabbed Ookuma's head with a crushing grip. No matter how hard the bear Youkai struggled, he couldn't budge an inch.

"You haven't told me where you're keeping Kunou. You have ten seconds."

"9."

"8."

"7."

Ookuma thought he could buy time, hoping his backup would arrive sooner. Then he saw the eerie smile on Kousuke's face.

"3. 2—"

"She's in the right-side building in the alleyway we were just in!" Ookuma shouted, drenched in cold sweat.

Kousuke lifted him until their faces were inches apart. "Now that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Ookuma thought he was finally free when Kousuke's grip loosened and he dropped to the ground. He grit his teeth, glaring at the man's back as he turned to leave. 'I'll get you back for this,' he swore. 'Worse than what I planned for Yasaka!'

He pushed himself to his feet and begins walking towards a certain direction—then noticed something strange. His vision was spinning… upside down?

'Ah…'

It wasn't his perspective that was off.

It was his head—falling to the ground.

In that moment of dawning horror, despair flooded through him. There had never been any mercy. Kousuke had never planned to let him go.

No amount of regret could turn back time.

Just like life, it only moved forward.

...

"Are you alright?" Kousuke asked, effortlessly tearing apart the chain that had been binding Yasaka.

She stayed quiet for a while, stunned by his ruthlessness. And yet, her heart was pounding—not just from fear, but something else. Something warmer.

With a sigh, she finally looked up at him.

"I'm just baggage, aren't I?"

"What are you talking about?" he replied, tilting his head. "We haven't even rescued your daughter yet, so keep the complaints in your head for now."

"In fact, we still need to figure out how to escape this pocket dimension."

Yasaka bit her lower lip, eyes lingering on Kousuke's back as he began scanning their surroundings. There was no blood on him, no scorch marks, no signs of exhaustion. It was as if the entire fight hadn't even registered to him.

That wasn't just strength—that was dominance.

Her gaze dropped to her hands, trembling ever so slightly. She didn't know if it was from fear, relief… or something far more complicated. She had spent centuries as one of the most powerful Youkai in existence, and yet today, she'd felt more helpless than ever.

And he had saved her.

"...You're not even winded," she finally muttered, forcing a small, almost bitter smile.

Kousuke glanced over his shoulder. "I guess I've been through worse."

"Worse than being swarmed by psychotic cultists and an obsessive creep inside a pocket dimension?" she asked, attempting levity.

His reply was a shrug. "Once got eaten alive by a sandworm the size of a castle. Took me a week to crawl back out. This? This is relaxing."

Yasaka blinked. "...You're joking."

"Am I?" he said, expression unreadable.

He turned fully now, walking back toward her. As he reached out a hand, she instinctively flinched—but only slightly. Enough for him to pause.

"You're scared of me," he said softly.

She quickly looked away, cheeks coloring. "No. Just… surprised."

His hand gently brushed her shoulder. "You'll get used to it."

A moment passed. Then, she looked up at him again, eyes a bit sharper now.

"I don't want to get used to feeling helpless."

Kousuke met her gaze. For once, his eyes didn't look empty—they looked honest.

"Then don't," he said. "Stand up, Yasaka. Your daughter needs you."

That did it.

Yasaka inhaled deeply and stood tall. Her body still felt weak, but her heart steadied. Kousuke gave a small nod, pleased.