A flicker of suspicion crossed his eyes as he cautiously asked, "King of Dark Mist?"
Several seconds later, Xia Shang's low, hoarse voice emerged from beneath the dark, grotesque mask.
"Give me one reason not to kill you." His right hand tightened like an iron clamp around Old Doll Fukazawa's throat.
Fukazawa's breathing became extremely labored. Veins bulged on his neck, blood vessels filling his whites of eyes.
"You first tell me—why did you take Shinobu Tsukiyama? Do you know something?" Fukazawa felt Xia Shang's grip like unbreakable steel—impossible to escape.
"Kagami."
Xia Shang replied calmly with a single word.
"Of course... Just as I suspected." Fukazawa's face contorted. He widened his eyes while both corners of his mouth curled upward. "Hahaha! King of Dark Mist, you truly know much. But now I'm even more curious—where exactly did you learn this term?"
In this near-death state, Fukazawa actually laughed. He seemed utterly unconcerned about his own life—or rather, he firmly believed the King of Dark Mist wouldn't kill him.
...
Xia Shang remained silent, mercilessly increasing pressure.
Crack... Crunch... Fragile cervical vertebrae continuously snapped under his grip—like crushed soda cans.
"You think you possess some value to me—that's why I won't kill you?"
When Fukazawa met Xia Shang's death-like gaze, a chill ran through his heart. His pupils constricted sharply before he hurriedly flattered, "Don't misunderstand! I was just thinking of something amusing just now. Absolutely no intention of mocking you!"
Xia Shang fully understood Old Doll Fukazawa from the original storyline—a master at pretending weak while secretly striking ruthlessly when possible. He shared similarities in that aspect.
Moreover, Fukazawa resembled a venomous snake lying in ambush within darkness—capable of delivering fatal bites at any moment's inattention.
But should he dare bite Xia Shang, he'd soon discover what 'egg hitting stone' truly meant.
"Many within the Aoyama Clan understand Kagami transformation—you're not the only option.
If you wish to live—demonstrate your worth before me."
Like a grim reaper, Xia Shang easily decided Fukazawa's fate.
"C-Could you... loosen up... please? I can't breathe..." Fukazawa glanced downward at Xia Shang's arm.
As the heavy armor covering Xia Shang's body receded inward, his form shrank from three meters down to slightly over one.
Thud! Xia Shang casually tossed Fukazawa aside, speaking indifferently. "I only care how Shinobu Tsukiyama undergoes Kagami transformation."
"Cough cough!!"
Fukazawa clutched his throat, coughing violently.
"The so-called 'Dragon' refers to a ghoul's original primal form."
He paused briefly before continuing. "My original plan involved using Shinobu as the hostess, extracting her kakugan to create multiple test subjects. You may regard them as Dragon Offerings—exactly as implied, sacrifices offered to the Dragon."
Xia Shang narrowed his eyes.
"You mean Kishou Arima was merely a Dragon Offering? Didn't you intend to cultivate him into the Dragon?"
"What nonsense! Does he even qualify becoming the Dragon? He's nothing but a sacrificial offering!" Fukazawa sneered disdainfully.
No wonder in the final battle of the original story, Fukazawa expressed such shock upon seeing Kishou, even exclaiming, 'Surprising indeed—for a mere Dragon Offering to survive till now.'
"Even offerings might achieve Kagami transformation," Xia Shang murmured softly.
Unexpectedly, Fukazawa immediately countered. "Impossible. Sacrifices remain sacrifices. Without Shinobu Tsukiyama, they'll never become true Dragons."
"Continue explaining," Xia Shang acknowledged Fukazawa's correctness.
From the original plot, even after removing Kishou from the Dragon's body, the Dragon didn't die nor dissipate.
This confirmed—the real Dragon wasn't Kishou Arima, but rather Shinobu herself.
"To undergo Kagami transformation requires pure ghoul bloodline as medium, then massive Rc cell accumulation forms the [Dragon Core]."
"Dragon Core?"
This unfamiliar term piqued Xia Shang's curiosity.
"It represents extracted Kagami genes refined from immense Rc cells—the foundation of the Dragon itself. Without it, devouring countless ghouls still won't grant true Dragonhood."
Fukazawa explained patiently.
"The Kagami process proves highly complex. The mentioned elements alone couldn't trigger Shinobu's transformation.
Remember those test subjects I mentioned earlier? I need to use Shinobu's kakugan to create sufficient numbers of test subjects for sacrifice. Only by rapidly increasing primitive cells inside Shinobu could we activate Kagami switch mechanisms.
At that point, Shinobu's Rc cells would accumulate exponentially through chain reaction, forming the embryonic Dragon state."
Fully recovered, Fukazawa stood up. He revealed these details to the King of Dark Mist specifically hoping to regain control over Shinobu.
The recent painful lesson taught him—since brute force failed, he must try softer methods.
His desire for Shinobu extended beyond creating a Dragon—he aimed to transplant her kakugan toward an even bolder ambition.
After listening to Fukazawa's explanation,
Xia Shang nodded slightly.
"Why do all this?"
"Why? Because I wish to destroy the world however I please. Don't you find the idea of annihilating this world quite entertaining?" Fukazawa grinned maniacally.
"Others might believe such claims—but not you..." Xia Shang stared at Fukazawa, shaking his head. "Not a single word convinces me."
"Therefore, before I act—I suggest full honesty."
Beside them, Dr. Kana Akira watched with gleeful amusement.
Equally curious about Fukazawa's true intentions, he knew destruction-as-entertainment existed—but definitely wasn't the sole motivation.
"One more question becomes impolite. Don't you find 'destroying the world' an admirable aspiration?"
"Not really."
Anime and American comics overflowed with world-destroying villains—nothing new. Xia Shang long since grew indifferent, experiencing absolutely zero emotional fluctuation.
Watching Xia Shang approach step by step,
Fukazawa waved his hands frantically. "Let's talk reasonably—no need for violence."
"Speak."
(End of Chapter)