61

Chapter 61: Gecko Came Back

"Maybe it's because I've been working out a lot recently."

Ryoma said this with a straight face, clearly spouting nonsense.

"Really? Your body's so unusual… If I were a scientist, I'd be tempted to dissect you just to see how you're put together."

Rize Kamishiro smiled faintly, her playful tone laced with curiosity.

"Alright, I've fulfilled my promise. Now can you get off me?"

Ryoma spoke up, still lying on the bed.

"Why are you in such a rush?" Rize teased. "Let me clean up the rest of the blood first."

Rize leaned down and licked the blood around his wound.

Biting off a chunk of Ryoma's flesh had naturally caused a significant amount of bleeding.

However, Ryoma's wound had already begun to heal — the bleeding stopped almost immediately, and the regeneration was fast enough to be visible to the naked eye.

Rize watched closely, fascinated by the rapid recovery. The speed at which Ryoma's body repaired itself rivaled that of an ordinary ghoul.

If it weren't for the fact that his flesh tasted so distinctly human — and so incredibly delicious — Rize would have found it hard to believe Ryoma wasn't a ghoul himself.

Even the blood she licked now was still rich, potent… and unforgettable.

Once there was no trace of blood left, Rize finally let him go.

Moments later, Ryoma's wound had nearly healed completely.

"By the way, are you going to keep hunting humans tomorrow?" Ryoma, now sitting up on the bed, asked.

"I was thinking about it," Rize said casually. "Sure, it's risky… but it's part of my style."

"..."

Ryoma sighed.

Rize's stubbornness and impulsiveness were frustrating. Even now, after everything, she still insisted on roaming around freely.

He didn't want to keep offering himself up as a way to control her. After all, being bitten — no matter how fast he healed — was still painful. This arrangement felt too much like self-harm.

Rize's lips curled into a sly smile.

"But… if you can keep satisfying me, I might listen to you."

Clearly, her earlier words were just a setup — this was what she had been hinting at all along.

"Yeah, no thanks," Ryoma shot her down. "I'm not a masochist, and I'd rather not keep being your chew toy."

He refused firmly.

This time, the system that had previously rewarded him for this ordeal didn't react at all.

But even if it had, unless it offered something substantial — maybe one or two hundred fusion points — he still wouldn't consider it.

"Then how about this — just let me drink a little blood now and then?"

Rize lowered her request slightly.

Ryoma's blood was still delicious enough to satisfy her cravings, and drinking his blood wasn't as extreme as biting into his flesh.

Besides, if she truly needed to feed, Anteiku still had enough human corpses in storage.

For Rize, it was never about hunger — it was about satisfying her relentless appetite.

"Fine," Ryoma relented. "But only when I decide."

...

The next day...

Over the past few days, Ryoma and Rize had been frequent visitors to Anteiku.

They often saw Ryoko Fueguchi and her daughter, Hinami, in the café.

Ryoma had especially noticed that Hinami would frequently steal glances at him, her gaze lingering as though she were trying to confirm something.

She was clearly drawn to him — no doubt because he carried a scent similar to her father's.

But Ryoma didn't know her personally, so he pretended not to notice.

He spent most of his time quietly drinking coffee or reading books — a simple routine, but it suited him well.

When evening came, Ryoma packed up and left for home.

Around the same time, Touka Kirishima also left early.

She had agreed to accompany Ryoko and Hinami to run some errands.

As they walked toward the door, Hinami glanced back one last time.

Her eyes met Ryoma's for a brief moment before she quickly turned away, flustered.

"..."

Ryoma smiled helplessly.

If Hinami had just come over and asked him directly, he wouldn't have minded explaining things to her.

But for now, he chose to leave things as they were.

He and Rize left the café shortly afterward.

Halfway home, Ryoma suddenly spotted a familiar figure in the crowd.

It was Yakumo Oomori — Gecko.

Oomori's unmistakable figure and distinctive presence stood out, making him easy to identify.

"You saw him too, right?" Rize muttered beside him. "That's 'Gecko,' isn't it?"

"Yeah," Ryoma replied. "You head home first. I've got something to take care of."

"Alright. Be careful."

Rize wasn't worried. If Ryoma had survived her, she doubted Oomori would be much of a threat.

Once Rize left, Ryoma quickly moved to follow Oomori.

Unfortunately, Oomori slipped into a narrow alley before Ryoma could close the gap.

...

Meanwhile...

Yakumo Oomori had deliberately turned down the alley after catching a familiar scent.

"It took me long enough, but I finally found you."

He sneered as he stared down the three figures before him — Ryoko Fueguchi, Hinami Fueguchi, and Touka Kirishima.

Oomori's grin widened.

"Fueguchi Asaki... He dared to work with those CCG dogs and made me lose face. Now it's time for payback."

The three figures stood frozen.

Ryoko's face went pale.

She had never seen Oomori in person, but she knew her husband had tangled with Gecko before.

And now, this man — this dangerous, brutal ghoul — had found her.

Her husband had warned her of 'Gecko's' cruelty. As a high-ranking member of Aogiri Tree, Oomori was notorious for his ruthless treatment of both humans and ghouls alike.

Even Hinami, who didn't fully understand the situation, instinctively sensed the danger. Terrified by Oomori's twisted grin, she clung tightly to her mother.

Touka immediately stepped forward, positioning herself between Oomori and the others.

"Who the hell are you?" she demanded, her tone sharp and her eyes locked on Oomori.

The scent of a ghoul radiated from him — a powerful one.

She had never seen this man in the 20th Ward before, but she knew he wasn't here for anything good.

Oomori's grin only widened.

"Who am I?" he chuckled darkly. "Just someone who's about to make you regret stepping in my way."

T/N: Your favourite translator is back in the game!