As the holiday drew to a close, Yakuchi Kei 's partner had already been assigned by the CCG.
The information Yakuchi Kei had received indicated he would be partnered with Ui Koori. The phone he received this message on was a flip phone, with almost no other functions besides making calls.
Even if it had other functions, having grown accustomed to smartphones, he had no interest in playing with a flip phone.
Now, Yakuchi Kei needed to go to the CCG Headquarters in the 1st Ward to complete the partnership procedures with Ui Koori, and also to pick up his trophy, his "Quinque."
...
1st Ward, CCG Headquarters.
Yakuchi Kei walked into the CCG lobby and saw that Ui Koori was already waiting for him.
Ui Koori sat there and waved to him.
Beside Ui Koori, Ihei Shirazu and Ihei Hairu were also present.
Although Ihei Shirazu and Ihei Hairu shared the same surname, they were not siblings but distant relatives.
"Associate Investigator Ameno, you should have already received the news. From today onwards, we will be partners," Ui Koori said calmly.
Although Ui Koori was a member of the Zero Squad, it did not prevent him from performing other normal missions. It was only necessary for the entire Zero Squad to gather when important missions arose.
Yakuchi Kei nodded and said, "Understood. I'll be troubling you, Senior Ui, from now on."
"Not at all, no need to be so polite."
Ui Koori said, "According to instructions, we will be assigned to a reconnaissance mission in the 19th Ward. The target of the investigation is an A-Rank Ghoul codenamed 'Hyena.' For an ordinary newcomer, undertaking this mission immediately would be quite difficult, but it shouldn't be a problem for you."
Yakuchi Kei nodded slightly, saying nothing more.
Indeed, as Ui Koori said, generally, an A-Rank Ghoul corresponds to at least a Superior Investigator, while newcomers are typically Second Class or even Third-Class Investigators, at least two ranks below Superior, which is equivalent to challenging above one's rank.
Without an Investigator ranging from Superior to Special Class as a partner, it would be almost impossible for an ordinary newcomer to complete such a mission alone.
For example, an S-Class Ghoul might seem ordinary, but it actually corresponds to an Investigator of Associate Special Class or higher. Usually, only a Special Class Investigator would dare to say they can steadily exterminate an S-Class Ghoul.
An SS Ghoul casually corresponds to a Special Class Investigator, and it might even take multiple Special Class Investigators to match a single SS Ghoul.
As for an SSS-Class Ghoul, there's simply no corresponding standard. The CCG deploying its full force to exterminate an SSS-Class "Non-Killing Owl" with all sorts of debuffs stacked on him was extremely difficult.
At that time, Yoshimura Kuzen, due to not having consumed fresh human flesh for a long time, coupled with the inevitable aging from his advanced age, had a Kakuja form that was significantly smaller than his peak. Furthermore, he was intent on dying and did not kill the Investigators who were his enemies, nor did he restore his strength by preying on injured Investigators. Otherwise, the final outcome of the Anteiku Extermination Battle would have been uncertain.
If earlier, when he encountered Shinohara Yukinori and Iwao Kuroiwa at the Aogiri Tree stronghold, Yoshimura Kuzen had been willing to cruelly kill these two Special Class Investigators, the course of the Anteiku Extermination Battle would have been even more different.
However, this hypothesis is meaningless. The Anteiku Extermination Battle was originally a setup by Arima Kishou and Eto Yoshimura. Even if other CCG personnel were no match for Yoshimura Kuzen, Arima Kishou would have personally intervened to ensure the Suppression War largely proceeded according to his and Eto Yoshimura's plan.
In short, it's clear that an SSS-Class Ghoul is completely not on the same level as a Special Class Investigator.
Arima Kishou raised the upper limit of Special Class Investigators, but that doesn't mean other Special Class Investigators can have the same strength as Arima Kishou.
"First, follow me to go through the procedures. I have other matters to attend to later. I remember you have a 'Quinque' that has already been made but you haven't picked it up yet. Later, Ihei Hairu and Ihei Shirazu will take you to get it."
Ui Koori said to Yakuchi Kei as he walked deeper into the CCG building.
"Okay," Yakuchi Kei replied.
"From today onwards, should I continue to call you Mr. Yakuchi or Associate Investigator Ameno?" Ihei Shirazu asked from the side.
"Either is fine," Yakuchi Kei said casually.
"Then I'll call you Mr. Kei ! I think that's best," Ihei Shirazu was as lively as ever.
Ihei Hairu, on the other hand, hadn't spoken a word the entire time, merely observing from the side.
...
After Yakuchi Kei completed all the procedures with Ui Koori, he officially became a Ghoul Investigator who needed to carry out missions.
[Ding! Host has completed Choice Three, gaining reward: 40 Fusion Points!]
This was a choice that appeared when he filled out the Ghoul Investigator Training School application form earlier. Now he had successfully completed the third choice, which was to skip the "Academy" and join the CCG.
[Ding! Host has formed a partnership with Associate Special Class Investigator Ui Koori, gaining reward: 5 Fusion Points!]
At this point, Ui Koori had matters to attend to and left first. Ihei Hairu and Ihei Shirazu accompanied Yakuchi Kei to the location for receiving his "Quinque," which was the CCG Experimental Building.
Although the name includes "CCG," the Experimental Building actually belongs to GFG, whose full name is the Ghoul Research Organization in Germany.
The "Quinque" used by CCG Investigators are basically researched and manufactured here.
It was Yakuchi Kei 's first time at the CCG Experimental Building, and having Ihei Hairu and Ihei Shirazu lead the way was very convenient.
He found the corresponding experimental staff and received a silver-white briefcase from their hands.
His "Quinque" was contained within it.
"First, follow me to register your fingerprints, because the 'case' has biometric technology. This Quinque will then belong only to you, and only you will be able to open it," the experimental staff told Yakuchi Kei .
Of course, it wasn't just a single thumbprint or finger print that was registered; the entire hand and even the face could be registered. This way, in urgent situations, the Quinque briefcase could be opened very promptly and conveniently.
After Yakuchi Kei had the biometric technology linked to the briefcase, he tried to unfold it, releasing the Quinque contracted inside.
It was a gray tachi, but unlike ordinary tachis, its blade had a fine, "shark-tooth"-like shape, and its texture and weight were also very different from a normal tachi.
"Let's call it 'Thorn,'" Yakuchi Kei immediately named it.
[Ding! Host has obtained a Quinque named by himself, gaining reward: 6 Fusion Points!]
[Ding! Host has accumulated over 500 Fusion Points, unlocking new function: "System Mall"!]