Chương 12: Chapter 12: On The Edge Of Control
Chapter 12: On Thr Edge Of Control
Kaneki's eyes fluttered open, heavy with exhaustion. His body felt different, but it wasn't the soreness he expected. Instead, his muscles buzzed with an unfamiliar energy. His mind was clearer than before, as if a fog had lifted. The System's influence was growing stronger, more apparent with each passing day, but so was his awareness of the world around him.
[System Alert: Host has absorbed Rc Cells. Minor upgrades to strength, agility, and perception.]
The words echoed in his mind, cold and emotionless. It had been days since his last fight, but the hunger gnawed at him constantly. He wasn't sure if it was the System's upgrades or his own growing power that made it harder to resist, but the truth was unavoidable—he needed to feed soon. Otherwise, he would lose control.
Kaneki sat up, his room dimly lit by the moonlight seeping through the blinds. The world outside continued to move, unaware of the internal battle he fought daily. His hand tightened around the bed's edge, knuckles white as he forced himself to stand. The System had been guiding him for days now, directing him to absorb the Rc Cells from the defeated ghouls he encountered. Each time, his strength grew, but so did his hunger.
[System Alert: Hunger levels rising. Recommend feeding within 24 hours.]
He ignored the prompt, pushing it aside like he had so many times before. There had to be a way to suppress the hunger without giving in. He couldn't lose himself to it—not yet. Not when he had barely begun to understand the full extent of his abilities.
Kaneki's thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door. He froze, heart pounding, as a familiar voice called out from the other side.
"Kaneki? You awake?"
It was Hide. His best friend had been visiting regularly since the incident, checking on him without fail. Kaneki was grateful, but the visits always brought with them a sense of dread. Hide had no idea what he had become, no idea how dangerous it was for him to be this close.
"I'm here, Hide," Kaneki called out, his voice hoarse. He forced himself to relax, willing his body to calm down as Hide pushed the door open.
The moment Hide stepped inside, Kaneki's senses went into overdrive. The scent of human flesh hit him like a wave, overwhelming his thoughts. He fought back the urge to move, clenching his fists until his nails dug into his palms. The hunger roared inside him, louder than ever before.
"I brought you some food," Hide said, holding up a plastic bag. "Thought you might be hungry."
Kaneki forced a smile, though the thought of eating human food made his stomach churn. "Thanks, but I'm not really hungry right now."
Hide raised an eyebrow but didn't press the issue. Instead, he sat on the chair next to the bed, his usual easygoing grin in place. "You've been looking better these past few days. Still feelin' alright?"
Kaneki nodded, unsure of what to say. How could he explain that he was barely holding on? That every second was a struggle against the hunger threatening to consume him? He couldn't. Hide didn't need to know the truth.
"I'm managing," Kaneki replied, his voice tight. "It's been rough, but I'm doing better."
Hide seemed to accept the answer, leaning back in his chair as they fell into a comfortable silence. The minutes ticked by, and for a moment, Kaneki allowed himself to relax. But the peace didn't last long. The System's voice interrupted his thoughts once again.
[System Alert: Proximity warning. Host is in close contact with a potential target.]
Kaneki's blood ran cold. His gaze flickered to Hide, the realization hitting him like a punch to the gut. The System was warning him—Hide was a target. It was subtle, but the System had already calculated the risk. If Kaneki's control slipped, if the hunger took over, Hide would be the first to suffer.
"I… I think I need some air," Kaneki muttered, standing up abruptly. Hide looked up in surprise, but before he could say anything, Kaneki was already halfway to the door.
"I'll be back in a bit," Kaneki added, his voice rushed. He didn't wait for a response before slipping out of the room and into the hallway. The air felt cooler out here, less suffocating, but the hunger was still there, lurking beneath the surface.
He made his way to the rooftop, the city stretching out before him in a sea of lights. The hunger gnawed at him, his senses heightened by the Rc Cells coursing through his veins. He needed to feed—there was no escaping it. But he couldn't risk harming anyone innocent. Not Hide, not anyone.
[System Alert: Host is approaching critical hunger levels. Recommend immediate action.]
Kaneki gritted his teeth, his mind racing. There had to be a way out of this, some way to control the hunger without losing himself to it. But the System's cold, logical prompts offered no comfort. It saw things in black and white, efficiency and survival. There was no room for emotion or morality.
For now, he would have to endure. He would find a way to survive without becoming the monster the world feared.
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