A Hymn to Humanity Is a Hymn to Courage!

Hearing those words, Shiraishi Mori did not smile in delight. Instead, he frowned deeply and stared at Simu suspiciously.

"You want to help me? Why?"

Simu gently removed his glasses, breathed on them, and slowly wiped them with his sleeve.

"No particular reason."

"If I had to give one, perhaps it's because you're brave enough."

Shiraishi Mori's brow furrowed even tighter.

"Brave?"

What kind of reason was that?

No matter how Shiraishi Mori looked at it, Simu did not seem like the sort of good person who would lend a hand just because someone possessed a fine quality.

"More precisely, your courage has made me somewhat interested in your future."

"Of course, more importantly, I'm curious what changes will occur if you are implanted with a Kagune."

Simu slowly put his glasses back on. In the dim surroundings, the lenses on his face gave off a cold, sinister gleam.

"A Kagune?"

Shiraishi Mori had already formed a guess, and Simu directly confirmed it.

"That's right. The same thing that was implanted into your parents' bodies."

Simu's casual expression instantly filled Shiraishi Mori with rage.

After all, that thing he spoke of so lightly might have subjected his parents to unimaginable pain!

Shiraishi Mori glared at Simu, suppressing the anger in his heart as he asked, "You brought that damned thing here, didn't you?"

"A damned thing? That isn't exactly an inaccurate name."

Simu smiled and gave a slight nod, confirming Shiraishi Mori's guess.

"You are too weak."

"Human strength is limited. Only by transcending humanity can one gain greater power."

Then he revealed a teasing smile, flipped a Kagune into his hand, and asked, "So, do you need this"

"Damned thing?"

Looking at the scarlet insect egg in Simu's hand, disgusting enough to make him retch, Shiraishi Mori, who had been consumed by rage moments earlier, swiftly calmed down.

There was no doubt that Shiraishi Mori rejected this thing from the bottom of his heart.

But the problem was that he had learned from Simu that his parents were fighting to the death in the Octagon Cage to save his life.

And with his current strength, let alone rescuing his parents, he could not even save himself.

Therefore, the only path left to save his parents seemed to be this one.

"Transcending humanity?"

Although Shiraishi Mori had no interest in such a thing and did not agree with Simu's beliefs, at this moment, he displayed decisiveness beyond Simu's expectations.

"I'll eat it."

He rose to his feet and coldly asked Simu, "If I eat this thing, can I really gain enough power to save my parents?"

In response to Shiraishi Mori's question, Simu extended his index finger and gently shook it.

"Nothing in this world is absolute. Even the greatest power requires a user with sufficient capacity."

"So I cannot answer your question. If I must answer, then I can only tell you"

"Perhaps."

Faced with Simu's cryptic words, Shiraishi Mori coldly clicked his tongue.

Ignoring Shiraishi Mori's rudeness, Simu continued, "A friendly reminder: after eating a Kagune, there is a certain chance that you will die immediately, a certain chance that you will go berserk, and a certain chance that you will become a Ghoul who has transcended humanity."

"Anything is possible. Think carefully before deciding."

"You're so damn noisy!"

Shiraishi Mori ignored Simu's warning, snatched the Kagune from his hand, and shoved it into his mouth.

Simu smiled faintly and turned to leave the cell.

As he walked away, a painful roar erupted behind him.

Then, dense waves of howls began to ring out without end.

Dozens of terrifying presences erupted at once, and pairs of scarlet eyes lit up from the darkness.

That was right. Simu had not given Kagunes only to Shiraishi Mori.

He had given them to the other slaves in the cells as well.

Of course, not everyone was willing to accept Simu's kindness.

But there were also many who refused to submit to fate, who wished to burn away their lives and let their final light bloom.

After all, the brave take all, while the cowardly eat dust.

The prison had erupted into riot.

Painful roars, shattered walls, wandering wails—like a symphony, they surrounded Simu.

He happened to have just stepped out of the prison. Raising a hand, he slowly adjusted his glasses.

"A hymn to humanity is a hymn to courage."

"I look forward to your performance."

The Octagon Cage arena was buzzing with excitement.

The spectators were having the time of their lives. Though they were nobles, this was their first time watching such a special performance.

The two people in the arena were clearly a loving married couple, yet they had no choice but to use the things called [Kagune] to kill each other.

The dual impact on their minds and senses brought the spectators an indescribable pleasure.

"You two, time is almost up."

The voice of Abu the ninja rang through the arena like the God of Death.

The expressions on Shiraishi Ao and Keiko's faces instantly froze, revealing deep bitterness.

Time was up, which meant one of them had to make a sacrifice.

"Come on, Ao."

Keiko spoke without hesitation and charged straight at Shiraishi Ao.

"Keiko."

Shiraishi Ao clenched his teeth, his whole body trembling.

Keiko looked as though she was attacking him, but she had left herself completely open. As long as he swung his Kagune, he could easily kill her.

Only then would he and his son have any hope of surviving, but he still—

"Don't hesitate. Do it!"

Keiko urged him in a low voice.

"If those spectators notice anything strange, everything we've done will be for nothing!"

Bearing that terrifying mental pressure, Shiraishi Ao finally swung his Kagune.

Just as the spectators revealed eager expressions, believing the performance was finally about to reach its climax, a terrifying tremor brought everything to an abrupt halt.

"What is going on?!"

Chairman Sakamoto was naturally furious.

Before he could learn what had happened, the arena gates were violently blasted open!

Twisted iron gates, shattered walls, and several mangled human bodies surged into the arena like a flood.

The entire venue immediately fell silent.

Amid the spreading dust, a burly black silhouette emerged.

It was Shiraishi Mori, who had blasted his way through the prison and slaughtered his way to the arena.

He no longer looked anything like his former self. His entire body was wrapped in thick black exoskeleton, while copious blood continuously dripped from him, radiating a terrifying murderous aura.

A crimson light flickered in his eyes, making him look like a monster.

He was like a ferocious wolf king. The instant he entered the venue, the surrounding crowd scattered like sheep encountering a vicious wolf.

Shiraishi Mori passed through the crowd and walked step by step to the Octagon Cage.

Then, under Shiraishi Ao and Keiko's gazes, he gripped the steel bars with both hands. The exoskeleton around his arms suddenly bulged, and he forcibly pulled apart bars as thick as his forearms!

Shiraishi Mori opened his mouth, and a bloody aura spilled from it.

"Dad."

"Mom."

"I'm here!"

Please keep reading, friends! If you think this book is decent, please take a moment to flip to the last page of the latest chapter. Continued reading will decide this book's fate. Please, I'm begging you all!