Kirishima Touka: "…"
She went quiet for a few seconds,
then organized her thoughts and laid out Anteiku's ordeal as succinctly as she could:
Kamishiro Rize's arrival, the trouble in the 20th Ward, the CCG encirclement, the fierce battle, the manager's decisive order, everyone's breakout, and her own grievous injury and entrapment…
She left out many details, but the despair and urgency still came through in the text.
The group fell silent for a moment.
Yotsuya Miko: "E-eats people—Rize the Binge Eater? Th-that's terrifying…"
In reality, Yotsuya Miko's voice shook a little—she was clearly scared. Even with powers that could be called godlike, she was still, at heart, an ordinary girl.
Couronne: "Rei Ao-kun had already given us a brief rundown on ghouls as a species… but hearing a concrete case out loud still makes it hard to stay calm."
Couronne looked conflicted. Her world had monstrous races that harmed and devoured people too, but ghouls weren't simply 'monsters'—they were more like a variant of humans, demi-humans. The thought of a human-shaped being eating people made her skin crawl.
Misaka Mikoto: "CCG investigators hunting ghouls to protect humans sounds 'just,' but… my feelings are complicated."
Misaka Mikoto: "Especially since you, Touka, don't seem like the type to kill indiscriminately…"
She felt like neither side was entirely wrong: one fighting to survive, the other resisting to protect.
Mabel: "Debating racial positions isn't the point right now, is it? The point is Touka-san is badly hurt, her comrades are in danger, and she needs help."
Compared to the more sentimental types, Mabel was blunter.
Shinoa Hiiragi: "Meh, ghouls are basically like vampires anyway. For now, let's focus on Touka's problem."
Yukinoshita Yukino: "@Kirishima Touka, what exactly are you asking for?"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "Treatment for your injuries, or do you want someone to rescue your manager and the others?"
Yukinoshita Yukino: "You can also choose to change your world."
In Yukino's view, the human–ghoul conflict was hardwired at a biological level and couldn't be reconciled. A one-shot solution would likely require outside power—namely, Rei Ao's.
Touka watched the messages race by, feeling a swirl of emotions.
The chat kept scrolling; the debate over humans versus ghouls didn't stop. Yotsuya Miko's fear, Couronne's unease, Misaka Mikoto's mixed feelings… Those words pricked at Touka's nerves like cold needles.
But she only watched in silence. She was used to it.
The existence of ghouls was an original sin—twisted and contradictory: hungering for flesh, yet struggling to approach human warmth. It usually ended in ruin—or being ruined.
Others' fear and rejection had always been the terms of her survival.
None of that mattered now. What mattered was… how to live. How to keep the manager, her uncle, everyone at Anteiku alive.
She hadn't expected to kick off a debate about humans and ghouls. It made her feelings complicated.
But Yukinoshita Yukino—dragged her back to reality.
Kirishima Touka: "I… I don't know. I just don't want the manager to die, I don't want anyone to die, but I don't know what to do…"
In both her words and in truth, Touka revealed rare vulnerability and helplessness.
Shinoa Hiiragi: "So we've circled back to the starting point."
Busujima Saeko: "At times like this, the simplest, most direct way is to @Rei Ao."
Touka's gaze skimmed past the arguments and stopped on the one name that could solve everything.
Her fingertips, cold and trembling from blood loss, still shaped the words with resolve.
Kirishima Touka: "@Rei Ao, group owner—are you there?"
Almost the instant she sent it, a reply popped up.
Rei Ao: "I've been here the whole time."
Misaka Mikoto: "Hey, hey! So you really were lurking and peeping again!"
Seeing him finally speak up, Misaka couldn't help but sass him. Who reads everything and only talks now?!
Touka's heart lurched. Hope and nerves clenched her all at once.
He really was there.
Kirishima Touka: "Group owner, could you help me, please?"
Her tone clearly carried a cautious plea.
Rei Ao: "Of course."
Shinoa Hiiragi: "Told you he wouldn't refuse."
That was the Rei Ao she knew.
Kirishima Touka: "That's wonderful!"
A rush of joy blew away some of the gloom; she was nearly moved to tears.
But his next words doused her with cold water.
Rei Ao: "Don't celebrate yet."
Rei Ao: "Crossing worlds requires coordinates. Without establishing a link via a transaction, I can't precisely locate and descend into your world."
It seemed like the kind of small thing that shouldn't even need a deal. But reality was reality: great power isn't without limits.
He could traverse different worlds, but without coordinates he couldn't just 'find' a path to a specific one.
Touka understood at once. A transaction… was the necessary bridge.
She didn't hesitate. Compared to her comrades' lives and Anteiku's future, any price was payable. She'd already seen what Mitsuha Miyamizu paid—and it hadn't been beyond bearing.
Touka glanced down at her ruined body and gave a bitter smile. "Who could ever love a monster?"
Kirishima Touka: "So we have to trade? I understand!"
Moments later—
[Ding! Trade initiated!]
[Trade Target]: Kirishima Touka
[Tradd Content]: Let her comrades survive.
[Trade Terms]: "Unlimited body-usage rights."
The moment she sent the request, Touka felt a strange connection take shape in the void.
~~~
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