[Tokyo Ghoul]
Tokyo Haneda International Airport.
Clang, clang.
A government jet belonging to the North American Commission of Counter Ghoul General Affairs Bureau stopped steadily on the runway. After several CCG agents wearing sunglasses disembarked, Vela, carrying a black-and-gold Quinque case, walked down the boarding ramp, lifting her head to gaze at the soft afternoon sunlight.
At the turn of summer and autumn in Tokyo, the golden wind brought coolness, the air was high and the horses fat—just the right season for a grand undertaking.
With one hand shielding her face, her indigo pupils narrowed against the radiating halo of light, tinged faintly with a golden hue.
…This time, I've prepared SS+ grade Quinques for you.
Mm, and everyone will always have one on hand.
Over on [Call of Duty], it's the establishment of the Humanoid Robotics Division and the Service Robotics Division, the [Supreme Control Protocol], Baghdad, the Mesopotamian region—indeed, the Middle East doesn't lack resources, enough for 'you' to manufacture.
But be wary of things like 'Sentinels'… It's not impossible that Mitchell's old company might stab you in the back later. Also, be cautious in production—don't let Atlas trigger some Skynet Judgment Day, a machine crisis, or an Iron Man rebellion.
The data on the Manticore bio-gene programming virus?
I don't need it here. But the "dragonization" of the One-Eyed King, the ghoul virus—I believe Arasaka, Militech (Vela's side), and Atlas should all have interest in the research, each with different technical analytical capabilities.
Prepare fallback options for me: stockpiled, ready-to-use weapons of mass destruction. Small-scale, conventional, and unconventional—have them all. Who knows, in this coming grand undertaking, some unexpected situation might make me decide to heat Tokyo up again, to drop a 'third nuclear'.
Overestimate the enemy.
Hopefully, I won't have to use it…
"Special Class Russell."
At the bottom of the boarding ramp, Akira Mado—formerly Vela's adjutant in the "Russell Squad"—who had been waiting for some time, quickly stepped forward to greet her as Vela descended slowly. Instinctively, she reached out, wanting to take the white dove-patterned overcoat draped over Vela's arm along with the Quinque case she carried.
But Vela pulled her hand back slightly.
"Eh?"
Akira blinked, dazed. "Ma'am?"
Looking at the blonde-haired, blue-eyed figure before her—black stockings, high heels, a pencil skirt, dressed like a mature city office lady—yet showing a faint expression of small grievance, Vela laughed heartily.
"You're already a Rank-1 Investigator, soon to be promoted to First Class and leading your own team. Letting you do adjutant chores again isn't suitable."
In the CCG, assistant investigators were logistical administrative staff doing odd jobs. Rank-3, Rank-2, and Rank-1 were all junior investigators—less officers than employees, climbing by seniority. Only after reaching First Class did one have true officer status, a squad of their own, command authority, and entry into the ranks of senior investigators.
After lightly embracing Akira with the arm holding her coat, Vela looked toward the group of investigators gathered behind her to welcome her.
Well-known faces: Marude Itsuki, with parted hair, hooked nose, high cheekbones, and a perpetually sharp expression when he smirked; Yukinori Shinohara, cropped hair, burly but kind-faced, radiating warmth; Iwao Kuroiwa, with thick brows, stern demeanor, and rarely a smile…
They were all senior investigators Vela had gotten to know and build rapport with during her four months stationed in Tokyo.
They were also supporters of Vela's initiatives: the [High Rc-Cell Synthesized Food for Ghoul Consumption Experiment], the [Ghoul Behavior Harmful/Harmless Distinction Act], and the large-scale Quinque mass production plan.
Even after she left Japan for over half a year to report back in North America, she had maintained steady communication with them.
"What a considerate superior, Russell…"
Marude opened his mouth. Though meant as a welcome and praise, coming from him it somehow sounded like sarcasm… Still, Vela understood his ways well enough not to mind, and directly shoved the black-and-gold case into his hands.
He froze for a moment.
"You hold it."
"Hah?"
Marude's displeasure was immediate.
"Akira's about to be promoted to First Class, not fit to do adjutant work. But me? I'm a Special Class, about to become Bureau Chief—so it's fine for me to do it?"
"Akira needs to build authority. You, Marude, what you need right now is to show your approachability, to connect with the people. I'm helping you."
Vela spoke without looking back.
"Really? How come I don't believe that?"
Though he said so, Marude still took hold of Vela's black-and-gold Quinque case.
After more than half a year apart, with only texts, emails, and online video calls in between, that sense of distance melted away with this casual yet intimate banter.
"So this is your SS+ grade [Black Abyss IV] composite Quinque?"
He tapped lightly on the black-gold case and asked.
"Mm."
Nodding, Vela walked up to Yukinori Shinohara—who was rubbing his forehead and smiling warmly as he watched her interaction with Marude—and extended her hand.
"Long time no see, Special Class Shinohara. Ready for a big campaign?"
"Of course."
After shaking hands, Shinohara's expression quickly grew serious.
"Special Class Russell, during the half-year you were away, the One-Eyed Owl resurfaced. Aogiri Tree attacked several of our branches. That damned beast still knows strategy and timing. Finding and utterly destroying them will be very difficult."
"Difficult tasks—that's exactly what our duty is, isn't it?"
Vela lifted her chin confidently and naturally stepped forward. "Special Class Kuroiwa."
She reached out her hand to Iwao Kuroiwa, who stood tall and exuded a rugged aura.
"You're right. Even Special Class Arima can't be everywhere at once. We do need ace combat power like Special Class Russell here, a fresh force to lead surprise strikes. The One-Eyed Owl—even if I have to sacrifice this old body, I will banish it to honor the spirits of our fallen comrades!"
Lightly clasping Vela's fingertips, the seasoned investigator spoke without concern for saving face.
To him, strength was strength, weakness was weakness—plain to see. Vela was stronger than him. In management, she had trained in multiple tactical and military divisions across North America, even spent time with Germany's GFG. Not only could she handle ghoul cases, but she was also adept in both strategy and combat, capable of leading them in purging ghouls. That was enough.
Factional struggles, petty politics for face and profit—those were beneath his concern.
"There will be a chance. My mission this time is precisely to cut down Aogiri Tree and eliminate that One-Eyed Owl that's troubled us for more than a decade."
Vela spoke with a proud, confident smile—but beneath it, Kuroiwa caught a sharper, colder glint. His years of hunting ghouls told him that it was the merciless blend of enforcer and predator.
Thud, thud.
"All right. Don't spend every day thinking only about killing ghouls. Careful you don't end up like Kureo Mado."
It was Marude.
He leaned against a CCG-marked government car, tapping the hood as he spoke.
"Chief Marude, I know what you say is true, but as his daughter, please allow me to express my dissatisfaction."
Akira Mado, following behind Vela, looked somewhat displeased. She knew his words came from goodwill—it was simply his style. After all, Marude was Kureo Mado's direct superior.
"My apologies. But you really should remind that guy Mado to balance work and rest. Not every time will Russell or Arima be there to save the day."
"I will."
Shrugging, Marude turned to Vela. "Do you intend to chat here all afternoon, Russell? Your welcome-back banquet—at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo—our people are still waiting there. You coming or not?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I go when you're footing the bill?"
Vela exchanged a look with Shinohara and Kuroiwa, dropping the talk of ghoul-hunting. They each entered their CCG government cars. Marude passed the black-gold case back over, and Vela shared a vehicle with Akira.
Vrrr… Vrrr…
The engines roared to life.
The convoy drove toward downtown Tokyo.