Afternoon.
Just as Vela, following the recent ghoul leads and tracking reports compiled by First Class Investigator Kureo Mado, immediately began her first ghoul extermination operation upon returning to Tokyo—
"Ghoul disasters continue to spread rampantly across Tokyo. Early this morning, in a dark alley near Kamata Naka-dori shopping street in Ward 11, several mutilated corpses were found, devoured beyond recognition. Traces of ghoul saliva were confirmed on the bodies. Among them, three male corpses were identified as CCG investigators dispatched on patrol duty."
"At noon, in Wards 1, 4, and 6, along city expressways, multiple shootings and casualties occurred. All three incidents involved taxi drivers. Our station has received confirmation from the CCG spokesperson that the culprit was the ghoul 'Torso,' disguised as a taxi driver and known for desecrating and preying on women's bodies. Investigators have confirmed the elimination of one A-rated ghoul and three B-rated ghouls…"
"In Wards 9 and 10, premeditated ghoul ambushes against investigators have once again taken place. They were all wearing red cloaks marked with the emblem of a long-tailed black bird. Clearly, ghouls are forming organizations to resist CCG raids."
"In Ward 7, the newly transferred Special Class Investigator Vela Adelheid Russell, immediately after her official appointment, began frontline fieldwork. According to eyewitnesses, before their evacuation, the battle had already started, and multiple ghouls with grotesque predatory organs sprouting from their bodies were slain by Special Class Russell…"
...
Closing early, [Antique] café displayed a 'Closed' sign. Inside the residential quarters, the television broadcasted the news.
The kind-faced Manager Yoshimura stood by the table with narrowed eyes, sorting coffee beans and the equipment for grinding, roasting, and brewing needed for business. On either side of him were the café staff.
Some polished cups, while others carefully packed portions of specially prepared pale yellow coffee 'sugar cubes' and block-shaped 'meat pieces.'
As one news report after another about CCG's actions aired, a heavy atmosphere slowly spread.
"I knew it. That woman—just one look, and you can tell she's super troublesome, the difficult type. Fortunately, Manager, following your advice, through scavenging we've already frozen enough food to support everyone in the 'Safe Zone' for half a year."
"Koma, even so, we can't let our guard down. If a fellow ghoul comes seeking shelter, do we help or not? Do we give them food or not? If we refuse, and they hunt in secret, then get tracked or captured by the CCG, they might betray us in anger. What then? In my opinion, the food still isn't enough."
"So what do you suggest? Irimi, I just wanted to encourage Kaneki and ease his nerves, and you have to pick a fight. What, do you want us to stick our necks out? Didn't you see the news about that woman leading a whole wave of North American agents flying into Tokyo?"
"So you'd rather bury your head in the sand like an ostrich, deceiving yourself? Is that your way of solving problems?"
"You—!"
"Enough."
Slamming a tin of coffee beans onto the table, Manager Yoshimura turned, scarlet Kakugan flashing in his eyes as he spoke faintly: "Enji. Kaya."
"Yes."
"Apologies, Manager."
Enji Koma and Kaya Irimi lowered their heads at once, dropping the argument.
"Even we, who try to remain uninvolved, are like this… This won't do."
As his Kakugan receded, Yoshimura shook his head, set aside his cloth, and sighed.
"These are hard times for every one of us. Only by helping each other can we weather the storm."
"Irimi is right—food, no matter how much, is never too much. Scavenging must continue, but with greater vigilance against CCG stakeouts. I'll notify others at the Black Dobers to think of more ways. And Enji is also right—why so downcast? Life must go on. A positive mindset is just as important. Tomorrow, we still have to open shop."
Manager Yoshimura smiled as he glanced toward the frail boy standing quietly to the side.
A boy who, out of wanting to date the 'Binge Eater' Rize Kamishiro, had been dragged into contact with ghouls, and by a series of coincidences, became half-ghoul through organ transplantation from Rize.
Was he fortunate—or pitiful…
Fortunate—not eaten by the voracious Rize Kamishiro, and after receiving ghoul organ transplants, he actually survived and adapted.
Pitiful—from then on, he stepped into hell, dragged into the twisted, bloody world of ghouls.
"Kaneki, where's Nishio?"
Manager Yoshimura asked.
"Eh?"
Ken Kaneki, who had been absentmindedly wiping plates while staring at the news, belatedly replied: "Senpai Nishio Nishiki? Not sure… Even with Senpai Nishino, his personality is still too nasty…"
"This is not the time for him to be showing off."
Manager Yoshimura spoke sternly: "He must protect Miss Kimi Nishino well. Having graduated from Kamii University's Medical Department, she has a high chance of passing the CCG Logistics Division recruitment assessment… If the rumor that Shikorae brought back isn't baseless, perhaps from now on we can bid farewell to scavenging, no longer needing to harm anyone just to survive."
Ken Kaneki nodded heavily.
The joint project between Tokyo's Commission of Counter Ghoul and the North American Commission of Counter Ghoul, the high Rc-cell synthesized food initiative spearheaded by Special Class Investigator Vela Adelheid Russell…
This was intelligence Mr. Renji Yomo had learned unexpectedly while tracking the imprisoned Ryouko Fueguchi and her daughter Hinami.
"Humans, with their knowledge and capacity to learn, are always progressing. If ghouls continue living blindly by instinct, sooner or later they will be exterminated, just like endangered animals in a human zoo—eventually kept only as specimens, protected species, or raw materials for Quinques… Sadly, most of our kin fail to see this. They still narrowly view humans as inferior beings."
Patting Ken Kaneki's shoulder, Manager Yoshimura sighed: "The time left for us is already short."
"Kaneki, aside from adapting to your Kagune and fighting, don't abandon your Kamii University coursework. Right now, you're our café's No.1 scholar—you must keep it."
"Yes! I'll do everything I can."
Knowing the expectations of the Manager and everyone else, Ken Kaneki nodded quickly. He had already decided: since combat was not his strength, picked up halfway through, then he would contribute from another direction.
"That's more like it, Kaneki-kun."
Enji Koma gave him a thumbs-up.
Kaya Irimi also nodded encouragingly: "Do your best."
Their goodwill made Kaneki's eyes flicker faintly with a smile. A little shy, he rubbed the back of his head.
Wait—someone was missing…
Kaneki looked around.
"What about Touka?"
At this time, it should have been the girl's sharp tongue giving a scolding or reminder.
Without the voice of that peer pouring cold water on him, he felt oddly unaccustomed.
At his question, Yoshimura Kouzen's aged face instantly turned especially complicated.
"Ah…"
Closing his eyes, he let out a deep sigh, then looked toward the hallway leading to the stairs outside.
"Do you remember the disturbance in Ward 20 eight months ago?"
At those words, Ken Kaneki froze, instantly realizing how foolish his question was.
"Ayato was killed, and Arata Kirishima was turned into a Quinque. That was her younger brother and father. And the one who holds the Quinques forged from their Kakuhou—Special Class Russell—just arrived in Tokyo yesterday."
Yoshimura continued.
"Touka must turn a blind eye, force herself to stay calm, even prepare mentally to walk her path alone. Cowardice or escape, it doesn't matter—she cannot choose revenge, because she must live. Otherwise, everything will be lost."
Pausing here, Yoshimura murmured softly: "Sometimes, living takes more courage than dying."
Kaneki opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but in the end, said nothing.
"Go."
Yoshimura suddenly said.
Kaneki looked confused.
"Touka needs quiet now, but also words of support and comfort. After returning yesterday, she vomited heavily, unable to expel the human food she had eaten in time. She hasn't slept all night. All of us old folks—she's probably sick of hearing our grand speeches. But you, her peer—you changed from human into half-ghoul. And she needs to learn to change from ghoul into human. If you persuade her, it might work wonders."
"Me? Can I really…?"
"Do your best to try."
Watching Ken Kaneki's figure disappear through the doorway, as the sound of his steps rose up the stairs, Yoshimura Kouzen withdrew his gaze.
"Troubled times."
Sitting down wearily, his face for the first time showed struggle and confusion.
"Aogiri Tree's recent movements have grown too reckless. Attacking investigators on the streets, striking CCG branch facilities in broad daylight… Are they trying to fan the flames into a full-scale war?"
Yoshimura thought of the one within Aogiri Tree—the One-Eyed King. Eto, the One-Eyed Owl.
Eto… half of you is human. Do you truly hate humans so much?
Knock, knock.
Placing the glass container of special sugar cubes into order, Kaya Irimi glanced at Yoshimura, who sat lost in thought, his face weary. "Manager, are we just going to keep hiding like this?"
"If—and I say if—Aogiri Tree really is wiped out by the CCG, and those ghouls who practice cannibalism and actively hunt humans are slaughtered completely, only leaving us scavengers on the margins… With human technology continuing to advance, can we still keep hiding?"
Not bothering to fix his slicked hair, Enji Koma nodded. "Even if we're careful scavengers, as long as we feed on human flesh, one day we'll be exposed."
It echoed Kaya Irimi's concern.
"..."
Yoshimura remained silent.
Because he too didn't know what path lay ahead.
"Man proposes, heaven disposes."
At length, he drew a deep breath. The tight line of his lips finally loosened, his voice heavy and low. "All we can do is fight for life in the jaws of death. Heaven or hell—we don't get to choose."
As the three sat wordless—creak~
"Manager."
A man in a simple high-collared coat, silver-white hair parted neatly, appeared at the doorway.
"Yomo. What did you find?"
"A lot."
Renji Yomo closed the door, stepped into the room, and sat with Yoshimura, Irimi, and Koma around the central table.
"I'll be brief. Shuu Tsukiyama's gourmet restaurant in Ward 7 may have been targeted by the CCG. His feasting has drawn too much attention. Because the related incidents reached the ears of Vela Adelheid Russell in the USA, the Tsukiyama family's social connections and influence in Tokyo's high society are useless now."
"A Ward 7 sweep?"
Irimi asked.
"Not just that."
Yomo shook his head, his tone turning graver.
"That woman has, from the moment she took office, fully restarted all of CCG's suspended investigations—those delayed for various reasons. Including the Tokyo Taxi Association, private and public hospitals, the underground black market, even CCG's own Logistics Division…"
"Wards 4, 6, 7, 14—every place tied to the Tsukiyama family, every ghoul gathering spot that once escaped searches through influence and connections—they're all under watch now."
Enji Koma sucked in a breath between his teeth.
"Of course. She's a troublesome woman. First thing she does is make a big move."
This scale of thorough investigation—not even Kishou Arima could achieve it.
Such action required enormous authority and political influence.
Clearly, pressure was coming from the North American Commission of Counter Ghoul.
"What of Aogiri Tree?"
Narrowing his eyes, Yoshimura asked: "Tatara, Noroi… Eto."
The last name, spoken with something close to grief. "Where are Aogiri's three leaders?"
He asked.
"Unclear."
Renji Yomo gave Yoshimura a long, searching look. "But their movements are strange. The Aogiri members who had entered Ward 20 withdrew recently. They seem to be contracting their forces…"
"Contracting forces…"
Yoshimura sighed again, glancing toward the television news report.
—Special Class Russell in Ward 7—
"Eto, this is the worst choice…"
...
Ward 7.
Light rain.
Inside the cordoned zone.
"What a fine rain. Rain dulls their senses. Isn't this the perfect day to work?"
The hunched investigator with mismatched eyes and a head of white hair, holding a Quinque in hand, spoke with relish.
His answer—
Boom!!!
Before Kureo Mado could even see clearly, a figure spun through the rain, crashing into a drenched roadside trash bin, slamming into the wall so hard the concrete cracked into a jagged pit.
Shattered, dark-red Kagune spilled into the filthy water.
"All the same."
A tall, black-armored figure landed before Kureo Mado, glass from a third-floor storefront raining down behind her.
"Your specialty."
Speaking, Vela flung down two ghouls, their limbs broken, spines bent, faces swollen and bruised.
"With pleasure, Special Class Russell."
Kureo Mado grinned.
He understood her meaning instantly—extracting information.
"Well then, let's see what sort of trash these pieces of garbage will lead us to."