Infinite: Progressing from Arasaka

"Your arrival, the intervention of international forces, is like the Black Ship Incident more than a hundred years ago that forced open Japan's doors. It makes my and Arima's plans seem utterly ridiculous... We see no chance of success."

Takatsuki Sen laughed at himself.

"The speed of human progress is indeed incomparable to that of my compatriots who have not received much education, are inherently prone to mental illness, and live in poverty."

"I've thought about it time and time again, waiting for you to leave or assassinating you with Mr. Tatara. But, I can't..."

"The 'High Rc cells Artificial Food for Ghoul' project and the 'Legal Ghoul' bill are key to the future survival of Ghoul, and you were the one who pushed for them. So, Arima and I have decided to put on a show in Quilalea that is big enough to 'invite' you here."

She emphasized the word 'invitation' when she mentioned it.

"Interesting."

Vera said slowly, "So, you're going to sign a new era of 'Ghoul- Human Friendship Treaty' with me? You don't mean to say that those rabble are your pledge of allegiance, do you? They're not enough. And I don't need them."

No wonder the number of Ghoul in Aogiri Tree is seriously mismatched with the scale estimated by CCG.

This is a recruitment drive.

Unexpected, yet perfectly logical.

She's been so aggressive in her crackdown on Ghoul, so naturally, the Ghoul with blood in their veins will resist. And Aogiri Tree, as a Ghoul organization that has resisted the CCG and repeatedly thwarted its sweeps and killed Special Investigators, is undoubtedly the leading force in the Japanese Ghoul resistance.

"You can think of it as a greeting gift. I didn't release the monsters from the lowest level."

Takatsuki Sen said, "Thanks to your sweeping policy, many of my compatriots who were determined to fight the CCG to the end... according to your CCG, these are called ghouls who are perverse, aggressive, and hostile to humans, and they have all joined the Aogiri Tree and been wiped out by you in one battle."

"As for the pledge of allegiance."

As the monstrous body of the Kakuja writhed, its gaping maw snapped shut, swallowing Takatsuki Sen's petite upper body whole. "Ha~"

The one-eyed owl exhaled a breath of blood-red air, which tasted of rust.

"That's me! Hahaha—"

The howl suddenly became sharp and terrifying.

"The original intention of [Aogiri Tree] was to create a world suitable for Ghoul and eradicate the twisted root behind it. Now that the 'twisted root' Washuu Clan have been wiped out by you, my only remaining wish is—a world suitable for Ghoul."

"And you will kill me, kill Arima, and become the new 'One-Eyed King'. Those remaining Ghoul who have proven themselves to be law-abiding enough will honor you as king. Whether it's containment and surveillance, or Rc suppression for the people, the Quinque material body... at least you are an enforcer, and you won't exterminate them all."

"Ha?"

Vera was taken aback.

Have I become the One-Eyed King?

This time, she really couldn't hold back anymore.

When did I become a ghoul? I had no idea.

After some thought, Vera roughly understood Kishou Arima and Takatsuki Sen's line of reasoning.

According to them, whoever can lead us will be king.

The "one eye" in the name of the One-Eyed King emphasizes not only his status but also his power.

Of course, if she were a vengeful person like Kureo Mado, with an attitude of exterminating all Ghoul, Vera estimated that Takatsuki Sen and Kishou Arima choose to fight to the death.

Tsk, what's so special about this...

A necessary evil to keep up with the times?

Will there be a great beast to debate the scriptures for me?

It was much easier than she had imagined.

An unexpected delight.

In any case, I'll just consider this SSS+ rank potential Kakuja and the three highly functional Quinque in Kishou Arima's possession as a delayed Mid-Autumn Festival gift to myself.

"Well then, goodbye, Kishou Arima and Takatsuki Sen."

Bang--!

Pfft!

Tower, tower!

One day later.

In front of the Tokyo Ghoul Countermeasures Bureau headquarters building in Ward 1.

[2015 Seoul Metropolitan Area Anti-Ghoul, Anti-Terrorism, and Martial Law Victory and Stability Maintenance Rally]

A bustling crowd, excited investigators, and a flurry of good news—the flashbulbs of cameras were on, capturing a precious moment.

Right in the center, having just finished speaking, was Vera Adelheid Russell— [Martial Law Commander of the International Ghoul Countermeasures Joint Operations Command [Tokyo Metropolis] and Plenipotentiary Special Investigator [USA]]

First on the left, Marude Souta Sai—[Acting Director of the Ghoul Countermeasures Bureau and Commander of the Capital Martial Law Investigation]

From the inside out: Yukino Shinoara [Search Commander of Wards 6, 7, and 8], Iwao Kuroiwa [Search Commander of Wards 4, District 13, and District 14], Kousuke Hoji [Chief of Countermeasures Division II and Commander of Support Forces], Tanaka Maru Nozomi [Branch Chief of Ward 2 and Commander of Wards 3 and 9], Anpu Kiyoko [Chief of Countermeasures Section I and Commander of Ward 1], Chu Hachikawa [Mobile Sweep Countermeasures Squad], Uei Gun [District 4 Investigation Commander]...

First on the right, Dennis Carnegie – [Assistant Inspector General of the International Anti -Ghoul Joint Investigation Team and Commander of the Tokyo Martial Law Investigation]

From the inside out, the order is: Dick Hubbard [Senior Inspector and Commander of Rapid Reaction Team 1], Martin Leonard [Inspector and Commander of Rapid Reaction Team 2], Deputy Commander of the 3rd Marine Division, Commander of the 187th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, Foreign Affairs Representative of the CIA Japan Support Office...

Phew... I mainly wanted to write a plot that no one has probably written before. This little project shouldn't be a bad one; it's about rational characters in Ghoul struggling to survive in the face of harsh reality.

This also fills the gaps in the previous phase regarding the "artificial food for Ghoul with high Rc cells" project and the "Legal Ghoul" bill, which were mentioned many times in the Ghoul.

By secretly leaking the results, when the situation becomes completely irreversible, this may be the key factor in which the scales tip in favor of certain choices.

165

Chapter 165: The Transition to Winning, Winning, Winning Multiple Times, Winning for All.

[Quick Response Unit 1 reports: Kanami Tsukiyama, the current president of the Moonlight Group, has been apprehended.]

[Quick Response Unit 2, Hachikawa Squad: The transport helicopter carrying S-rank 'Gourmet' Shuu Tsukiyama has been shot down in the airspace over Fukushima metropolitan area. Several Moon Clan family guards are currently engaged in combat.]

[District 11, 101st Airborne Report: Senior officer of Aogiri Tree, SS+ level Kakuja 'Giant Mouth' Noro, has been killed!]

[District 14, Kuroiwa Squad Report: The extermination operation against Iori, a member of the Clowns organization and an SS-rank Ghoul 'Information Broker,' has ended!]

[Sector 4, 101st Airborne Aviation Regiment Command: The area leader, SS-class Half-Kakuja 'Faceless Clown,' is currently extracting body parts and bodily fluids to verify his identity...]

[District 24, Uei Squad: Self-Defense Forces and reinforcements from the 3rd US Marine Division and the 101st Airborne Division have arrived and have quelled the underground Ghoul tribe's riot.]

[6th Ward, Shinoara Squad, Suzuya Squad, Quick Response Unit 3: The Ghoul gang 'Apollo Group' has been wiped out, and its leader, Urie, has been killed. Its 'Apollo Forestry Co., Ltd..,' which is disguised as a private company, and the LE Building real estate have been sealed off.]

[The battle to Tatara, an SS+ level Kakuja and one of the leaders of the Aogiri Tree, in the combined forces of District 8 and the Hoji Squad has ended.]

Good news kept coming from the extermination of the ghouls, and the overall situation was settled.

Press conference at District 1 CCG Headquarters.

The military band played soothing violin music.

Having just taken a group photo with colleagues and allies on the steps of the CCG building's main entrance, capturing a moment worthy of being recorded in history, Vera walked towards the podium with a beaming smile.

After all, this was a celebratory champagne-puffing occasion to declare victory and demonstrate to the public the regained credibility and confidence of the Countermeasures Bureau after its "explosion," so Vera changed into a more dignified and formal outfit today.

Her smooth hair, styled into a bun, was tied with a deep red ribbon. She wore North American Ghoul Countermeasures Committee Dress Uniform with gorgeous embroidery, gold metallic ribbons, and tassel epaulettes, matching the rank of Two-Star Major General, Pentagon. She wore riding boots and exuded a heroic and spirited air.

Upon seeing the arrival of the high-ranking leader for the foreseeable future, the de facto ruler of Tokyo Metropolis during the martial law period, the Ghoul investigators, police officers, and Self-Defense Forces officers present all fell silent and saluted.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Aogiri Tree's desperate struggle in Quilalea has been crushed, the One-Eyed Owl has been slain, the most difficult and severe moment has passed, relax a bit."

Vera casually placed her hand on the podium, adjusted the microphone angle, and smiled as she surveyed the now quiet attendees.

CCG, USCCG, CIA, USARMY (Army), USNavy (Navy), USAF (Air Force), USMC (Marine Corps), JSDF (Self-Defense Forces), NPA (National Police Agency), MPD (Metropolitan Police Metropolitan Police Department), TDPPO (Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office)...

It was a massive gathering of political, legal, military, police, and gendarmerie officials.

"First of all, on behalf of Tokyo, Japan, North America, and the world, I would like to extend my highest respect and heartfelt thanks to all those who have suffered from the Ghoul Disaster."

"The results of this anti-ghoul operation are remarkable. Without the hard work and sacrifices of the frontline soldiers, and without everyone's concerted efforts, the anti-ghoul, anti-terrorism, and anti-corruption work against the deep-rooted and frequent Ghoul Disaster in Japan would be out of the question. The task of identifying and eradicating such hypocrites and usurpers as [Washu] and [Tsukiyama] would be even more distant."

After her straightforward and elegant opening remarks, Vera's first words were to affirm and acknowledge the credit.

Eating alone will only breed resentment; it's better to take turns sharing the spoils.

After quickly moving on to the positive aspects, Vera spoke about her fallen CCG colleagues and the casualties among the joint forces.

When weapons are used, people are bound to die.

A rough estimate suggests that the number of direct combat deaths exceeded three digits, with many more wounded to varying degrees. In particular, when encountering S+ rank Ghoul or higher, several search squads and military/police teams suffered heavy losses, with some even being wiped out entirely.

Vera cannot please everyone.

The human body is still too fragile.

Without the SS+ rank [New Ayato-α] Quinque Armor, Vera wouldn't have used such a reckless and aggressive fighting style. In this Ghoul, even a B-rank Kagune could cause her to bleed and be injured if she were accidentally bitten.

Turning the pages of history books from ancient times to the present, both in China and abroad, the arrows that have killed the most generals in the army have always been stray arrows.

Investigators are typically high-attack but low-defense.

"Special Investigator Kishou Arima; Special Investigator Fukashi Kasumi; Associate Special Investigator Chinomu; First Class Investigator Taikanaka, First Class Investigator Shimoguchi... At this moment, we have no time for grief and sorrow, because there is an even more intense and bloody street fighting sweep waiting for us. We should pursue the enemy with our remaining strength and achieve complete victory. This is the best way to pay tribute to and remember them."

Then, she changed the subject.

How can we achieve complete success?

"That means drowning those traitors who betray their own people in their own blood!"

Vera slammed her hand on the table.

"—It's shocking, colleagues! Even with the overwhelming pressure of the anti-ghoul, anti-terrorism, and anti-corruption campaigns, those traitors and corrupt officials colluding with Ghoul still haven't disappeared. The more I investigate, the clearer it becomes to me why Japan's anti-ghoul efforts are never truly eradicated: because the real problem isn't outside, but within the government itself, right there in the Chiyoda Parliament Building and the skyscrapers of Ginza!"

"We will investigate any case related to Ghoul thoroughly, with no upper limit."

To some of the attendees, Vera's words were like a thunderclap, carrying profound implications.

The issue has expanded from purely military anti-ghoul activities to include political and economic aspects...

The true intentions are revealed when the map is unrolled.

The investigations beforehand were all done covertly.

But now that the Moon Clan has been shut down, and all the inside information about the human-eating transactions involved has been obtained, the time is ripe.

That's right, it's about robbing people.

In the past, every time America committed robbery, she was criticized. But this time, the robbery is different. I, Vera, will carry out justice, drive out ghouls, and confiscate the illegal gains from Ghoul and human rape. I will rob them openly, justifiably, and with righteous indignation!

I not only want to earn money standing up, but I also want them to kneel down and hand over their money!

As for whether the investigation into nepotism and corruption will actually uncover any truly difficult individuals, or what if it exceeds the scope of authority? Well, just report to Washington according to procedure, don't make any unnecessary moves or cause trouble, and let the congressional officials at the committee headquarters handle the wrangling.

"To protect innocent people from being killed by Ghoul, and to spare more people from mourning the dead, we must extinguish the rampant Ghoul Disaster, rectify the chaos, and restore Order. This is the mission we have been given."

After saying that, Vera...

Let us strive together.

Snap, snap—

Regardless of what they were thinking, a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted as Vera turned to leave the podium.

Following closely behind on stage was CCG Acting Director Marude Souta, whose face was filled with bitterness.

After Vera finished her speech about the Bureau's successful passage through the darkest hour, she was too busy with official duties to hold a routine press conference. What should be done? Answer: He, the acting director with a background in administrative clerical work, should step in.

After Marude Souta announced the start of the press conference, the reporters, who had been eagerly waiting, immediately launched into a barrage of tricky questions.

"Chief Marude, I heard you were promoted by the former chief Yoshikatsu Washuu? What are your thoughts on your superior of many years being Ghoul?"

"Chief Marude, when CCG investigators are expelling Ghoul, do they consider the lives of civilians?"

"Chief Marude..."