"What are these? A whip and an iron rod?"
Huiqi looked at the Quinques laid out on the research bench and couldn't help reaching out to touch them.
"More or less. Those ghouls were too low-rated to make any decent Quinques. There's a good chance you won't have any use for them."
Jin Toka spread his hands, sounding rather helpless. Making useful Quinques from low-grade kagune was clearly difficult, and Jin Toka was already the best researcher at the institute.
"Tch. I'll save them for the rookies, then. Can you make a useful Quinque from those three new S-rate ghouls?"
"No problem, no problem. S-rates are easy to work with."
Jin Toka agreed without hesitation, his eyes gleaming behind his glasses. He seemed unable to wait to make a new Quinque.
"Try to combine all three ghouls into one. I don't want three different types of Quinques."
Huiqi was a little speechless at Jin Toka's blissful expression, but he still stated his requirements. Surely three S-rate ghouls could produce one respectable Quinque.
"That's a little tricky, but it shouldn't be a problem."
Jin Toka thumped his chest and answered confidently. Several people in white lab coats appeared beside him, pointed at the ghoul corpses by the entrance, then left.
"I'll get started on the research. I'll let you know as soon as the new Quinque is ready."
With that, Jin Toka hurried away.
Huiqi didn't linger at the institute either. On his way back, he unexpectedly ran into someone he didn't want to see.
"Hey, aren't you going to greet your senior? I came specifically to pick you up."
"Hey, hey, hey? Why aren't you answering? That's no way for a toy to behave."
Seeing Huiqi walk away without the slightest intention of turning around, Sen Takatsuki teased him again, then blocked his path.
"Pretending you didn't see me? That's not allowed."
"What are you doing here? How did you get in?"
Huiqi looked at Sen Takatsuki, who had suddenly appeared, with a trace of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't paid attention to who was speaking and hadn't expected it to be her.
"Why can't I come in? Someone's been working so hard to get promoted. Shouldn't I look after him?"
Amusement flickered in Sen Takatsuki's eyes as she held a pen, writing and sketching on a sheet of paper.
"Look after me? Keep your ideas to yourself. They make me sick."
A cold glint appeared in Huiqi's eyes. What kind of care could Sen Takatsuki possibly have in mind? She was only here to see whether anything had slipped out of her control.
"Working so hard. Have you been unhappy lately?"
Before Huiqi could shake Sen Takatsuki off, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
"Kishou Arima..."
He looked back to find Rank 1 Investigator Kishou Arima. The man wore a faint smile, looking as though he was inviting Huiqi to tell him about any problems.
"Nothing to be unhappy about, right? Thank you for looking after Huiqi. I'll make him something delicious when we get home."
Sen Takatsuki and Kishou Arima played off each other beside Huiqi, showing no regard for his feelings. It was as though they were exchanging information.
"That's enough from you two. Neither of you can even cook. I'll prepare something for you myself when I get the chance."
With a mirthless smile, Huiqi knocked Kishou Arima's hand away, his face steeped in icy hostility.
"In that case, I'll be sure to try it when the opportunity comes."
Kishou Arima didn't press the matter any further. After that polite reply, he turned and left.
"I'd like to try your cooking too."
Sen Takatsuki remained, still smiling. But the contempt in her eyes never faded, as though she considered Huiqi's words a joke.
"Heh, heh, heh. You'll certainly get your chance."
Huiqi walked outside with Sen Takatsuki following behind. To an onlooker, the scene even seemed rather heartwarming.
"You have family too... How come I've never heard about them?"
Up above, Kureo Mado caught sight of the pair out of the corner of his eye and unconsciously murmured to himself.
On the way back...
Smack... smack...
Huiqi held a meatball in one hand and ate it bite by bite. His plate was still piled with grilled meat, while Sen Takatsuki sat across from him, looking sulky.
"If you don't like the smell, you can go home first. Nobody's stopping you."
Huiqi grinned at Sen Takatsuki. After speaking, he waved the meatball at her and continued eating at a leisurely pace.
"So annoying. You taste better than those meatballs. I really don't know why Kishou Arima keeps you around."
Sen Takatsuki swung her legs idly, her voice tinged with irritation.
"Too bad you can't have a bite. Just sit there and watch."
Huiqi arranged several skewers into a strange pattern as he spoke pointedly.
"What, you want to eat me instead? Heeheehee."
Seeing the pattern on the table, Sen Takatsuki instantly understood its meaning. It was a symbol commonly used in books to signify a reversal, something authors often used to hint at an ending.
"Hahahahaha! I'm human... How could I possibly eat people?"
Time passed.
Huiqi carried out missions every day. When he had none, he took the initiative to pick up various missing-person cases and ghoul attack files.
Rank 1 Ghoul Investigator... Associate Special Class Ghoul Investigator...
Until a system notification appeared.
[Strength assessment: Special Class Investigator]
An inscrutable smile appeared on Huiqi's face. A long time had passed since that barbecue meal, and his constant stream of missions had resulted in a successful promotion to Special Class Investigator.
"Special Class Investigator Huiqi, take a break. You've been pushing yourself too hard lately."
Special Class Investigator Shinohara looked at Huiqi with concern. He had seen all of Huiqi's recent efforts. Ever since returning from Ward 24, Huiqi had spent every day heading out on missions, never giving himself any time to rest.
When Huiqi had first arrived, he had been as lazy as could be, avoiding missions whenever possible.
"This day finally came... Too bad I didn't kill the Binge Eater."
Huiqi looked at the documents in his hand.
Wanted: Rize Kamishiro Alias: Binge Eater Whereabouts: Drifted into Ward 11; may currently be in Ward 20
"Sigh. In any case, don't be too hard on yourself. You have a wife at home, don't you? I see her visiting you often."
"Don't be like Kureo Mado. He lost his wife, but you haven't..."
Special Class Investigator Shinohara continued speaking with the concern of a senior looking after a junior, failing to notice the expression on Huiqi's face.
"I understand. I treat her very well. After all, our relationship makes progress every day."
At that, Huiqi couldn't help recalling all his moments with Sen Takatsuki. They almost made him laugh. Every day was filled with bickering and secret contests between them.
Now that Huiqi had reached the strength of a Special Class Investigator, it was time to bring this relationship to an end. Once he dealt with Sen Takatsuki, Kishou Arima would be next.
Huiqi set the documents on the desk and picked up the combination Quinque, Assassin 01. Jin Toka had made it from ghouls such as the Kakuja Xin, giving it three forms to handle different situations.
They were an assassination dagger, a combat longsword, and support armor.
Sen Takatsuki... Kishou Arima. I hope you're ready...
Tempered by the system's missions, Huiqi now possessed combat instincts and physical abilities far beyond those of ordinary people. Even if Shinohara, Iwao Kuroiwa, Houji, and the others joined forces, they might not last a minute. His strength was already at the very top of the Special Class.
I'll pick up the pace a little and get into the first part's plot as soon as possible.
Before you continue