The morning sun filtered weakly through the shattered windows of Hyosan High, casting fractured light across the blood-streaked corridors. After the chaotic fight at the main exit, the group had paused in a makeshift safe room—a small library on the second floor. Cheong-san, ever vigilant, scanned the area for threats while the rest of us caught our breath.
Nam On-jo sat beside Su-hyeok, whispering reassurances, though her wide eyes betrayed lingering fear. Ji-soo and Seok-yoon checked supplies, making sure everyone had water and first-aid. I flexed my kagune, the shadowy appendage responding to every subtle movement in the room. Hunger pulsed strongly, demanding, whispering for release, but I forced it down. Not now. Control… survive… protect.
Cheong-san spoke quietly, his voice firm. "We need to know what we're up against. The government's behind this—they've been experimenting with people, giving them unstable powers. But there has to be evidence somewhere in the school."
I nodded, gripping my kagune tightly. My senses had grown sharper since the basement fight. I could detect faint heat signatures, heartbeat rhythms, and movement even in the shadows. Slowly, unpredictably, my kagune responded to my will more reliably, flicking and lashing instinctively at potential threats while conserving energy.
We moved carefully through the hallways, descending toward the older wing of the school—the wing that had been abandoned before the outbreak. Dust and decay covered the floors, and the smell of rot mingled with faint chemical odors. It didn't take long to find a locked laboratory, partially hidden behind a false wall. Cheong-san pried it open.
Inside, rows of filing cabinets, computers, and storage units awaited. I scanned the room, kagune twitching. "There are files… logs… experiments." I began rifling through them. Many were technical notes, detailing tests on human subjects: attempts to artificially induce kagune growth, controlled infection, behavioral manipulation. My stomach tightened. This wasn't just about survival. It was a calculated experiment by the government. They were testing humans like lab rats—creating unstable ghouls, some of whom were sent to hunt others.
A sudden crash made us all spin. The rival ghoul-human—the same unstable opponent from the main exit—emerged from the shadows. Its kagune flared violently, erratic, unpredictable. Hunger surged inside me, pressing like fire, whispering for blood, for release. My kagune pulsed, responding instinctively.
Cheong-san shouted, "Form a defensive line! Protect the files!"
The rival lunged. Its strikes were fast, brutal, and erratic. I leapt forward, kagune lashing with precision, striking multiple points at once. Hunger screamed at me, threatening to break my control, but I clenched my teeth. Control… must… protect…
The fight escalated. My kagune flicked, struck, and shielded, adapting with each attack. Each swing was faster, more precise, stronger. Slowly, unpredictably, I could feel the beginnings of something greater—a faint glimmer of Kaneki-level potential. Hunger roared, but restraint kept it at bay. The group moved as one, Cheong-san, Su-hyeok, Ji-soo, and Seok-yoon covering all angles while Nam On-jo guided the younger students to safety.
I struck the rival again, this time forcing it back against a row of filing cabinets. It screeched, retreating briefly, but I sensed it would return, stronger, more focused. Hunger clawed violently, urging me to give in, to feed, to lose control. But I forced it down, letting my kagune evolve further with each measured strike.
Cheong-san shouted, "We can't hold it forever! We need to draw it away!"
I nodded, understanding. My kagune extended like a whip, hitting precise points that staggered the rival without lethal force—enough to control the fight and protect the files. Slowly, unpredictably, my kagune pulsed, sharper, faster, and stronger with each movement. The rival lunged again, but this time, I intercepted it fully, striking with controlled power that forced it into retreat.
With the rival temporarily subdued, I turned back to the files. Among the documents, we found evidence of the government's larger operation: plans for widespread ghoul-human experiments, protocols for tracking and hunting controlled ghouls, and even a list of potential targets—our school, students, and even nearby civilians.
Nam On-jo's voice trembled. "They… they've been doing this for years?"
Seok-yoon nodded grimly. "It's systematic. They're the true threat, not just the infected or unstable ghouls. And they're watching."
I exhaled, kagune pulsing faintly beneath my skin. Hunger whispered at the edges of my mind, but control held firm. Slowly, unpredictably, my power was evolving. I could feel the strength building, the potential to surpass anyone, the capability to fight not just the infected or unstable humans, but the corrupt forces orchestrating the chaos.
Cheong-san placed a hand on my shoulder. "We survive. We protect each other. One step, one fight, one day at a time."
I nodded, flexing my kagune. Hunger simmered beneath my ribs, restrained but present. Slowly, unpredictably, I was awakening, mastering a power that could one day rival anyone—infected, unstable ghoul-human, or the government itself.
The files revealed a terrifying truth: the outbreak, the chaos, the unstable ghouls—it had all been engineered. Hyosan High was only a small part of a larger experiment. And as I stared at the rows of documents, the growing power in my kagune, and the lurking threat of the rival ghoul-human, one thought crystallized in my mind:
To survive, to protect my friends, and to stop the corruption, I would need every ounce of control, every ounce of strength. My hunger would need to be mastered, my kagune sharpened, and my instincts honed. Only then could I face the infected, the unstable humans, and the true villain lurking beyond the chaos—the government itself.
Outside, the city waited in silence, unaware of the experiments, the ghouls, and the emerging power within me. Inside Hyosan High, the adventure, the survival, and the awakening had only just begun. Slowly, unpredictably, I felt the power growing, a promise of Kaneki-level potential that might one day make me unstoppable.
And as the rival ghoul-human stirred again, a reminder that the fight was far from over, I flexed my kagune once more—ready for whatever came next.