The past

Sensing Kureo Mado's searching gaze, Huiqi remained silent for a moment before slowly answering. "An S-rate and an SS-rate ghoul from Aogiri Tree ambushed me together."

"Oh, so that's what happened."

Kureo Mado's disappointed voice reached his ears.

"You should head back to Ward 20 now." Huiqi looked at Kureo Mado. He should have seen the notification on his phone.

"No rush. I'll head back in a bit."

Huiqi said nothing more. He picked up his lunch box and began eating slowly.

That lie was Huiqi's last act of mercy toward Kureo Mado. With his strength, Kureo Mado had no chance of beating a monster like that. At best, he could last three exchanges.

Then he would end up skewered and stuffed into Sen Takatsuki's mouth. His daughter, Akira Mado, would lose her father, and the consequences would be devastating.

Huiqi could already imagine a female version of Kureo Mado emerging.

"Amon, head back first."

"Yes, First Class Mado!"

Kōtarō Amon turned and left, while Huiqi signaled Misaki with his eyes to leave the hospital room as well.

Once the two were gone, Kureo Mado's expression changed. His earlier indifference and nonchalance vanished.

"It was Owl, wasn't it?! Only Owl could defeat you!"

"You're overthinking it. I was ambushed," Huiqi answered with a frown.

"No... impossible. I have to find him! Kill him!"

Kureo Mado trembled all over, his eyes brimming with rage and murderous intent. A heavy resentment seemed to fill the air around him.

"Give it up. You can't do it."

"Can't do it?! Then I'll work until I can!!"

"Haah."

Huiqi sighed. He had never expected the first operation against Owl to affect Kureo Mado so deeply. Even after all these years, he still refused to give up.

"You should take good care of your daughter. If she loses her father... just think about her more."

"Akira Mado... Akira, huh? You're right..."

Memories of happier times kept surfacing in Kureo Mado's mind.

Whenever the CCG had a holiday, the Mado family would gather around the dinner table, sharing their food, laughing, and chatting.

Happy smiles lit up all their faces. That warm, harmonious atmosphere was comforting beyond words.

Back then, Akira Mado often told Kureo Mado and Madoi Mado everything that had happened during her day. No matter how exhausted the couple were from dealing with ghouls, they always came home and responded with smiles.

Every time the couple knocked on the door, they instinctively wondered what interesting things Akira had experienced that day. She also helped with chores, cooking, and anything else she could manage, easing their burden considerably.

Those blissful days were shattered when the CCG issued its orders.

The first operation against Owl.

Before they set out, everyone looked grim and tense. They knew what kind of ghoul they would be facing.

Slaughter, devouring, and death were synonymous with Owl.

"I am Yoshitoki Washuu. It is an honor to command this operation..." A man on the platform delivered the prebattle address.

An hour later...

"Sector K1 cleared."

"Sector T3 cleared."

"Sector P1 cleared."

The combat personnel's reports echoed through the headset. So far, they were making good progress.

"Aaaaargh!!"

"Urgh! Command! A one-eyed ghoul has appeared in Sector M2!"

"Requesting backup! Requesting backup! M2 squad requesting backup..."

Crackle.

Inside the command vehicle, Yoshitoki Washuu wore a grave expression. The appearance of a one-eyed ghoul posed a serious threat to the CCG, and eliminating that ghoul was the primary objective of this operation.

"All squads converge on Sector M2! The One-Eyed Owl has appeared!!!"

"Roger!"

"Roger!"

"Roger!"

Five minutes later...

The headset grew chaotic. Gunfire, the clash of Quinques against kagune, screams, and howls of pain poured through without pause.

"What's happening? Report! Report!"

"Something's wrong with the One-Eyed Owl... our Quinques can barely hurt him..."

The voice abruptly cut off midsentence. Inside the command vehicle, Yoshitoki Washuu clenched both fists, his expression darkening.

"Send more personnel. The one-eyed ghoul must die! We absolutely cannot allow another one like him to appear!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Washuu Member beside him began relaying the orders.

"Madoi! I'm begging you, don't stay behind!!"

"Kureo... take good care of Akira..."

In his memories, Kureo Mado once again witnessed the decision his wife had made before her death.

"Snap out of it. The past is over. You still have a daughter to look after."

Huiqi patted Kureo Mado's shoulder. At some point, tears had covered Kureo Mado's face. He looked pale and haggard, as though every ounce of strength had been drained from him. The endless grief and sorrow in his lifeless eyes made him painful to look at.

"Yes... yes... I still have a daughter. But what about my wife, Madoi Mado? She died just like that... I hate myself for being so weak! If I'd been a little stronger, she wouldn't have been the one left behind..."

"..."

"I hate myself for being useless! I hate myself for being weak! I hate myself for being a coward!"

Only Kureo Mado's self-reproach echoed through the spacious hospital room. Huiqi could feel the anguish consuming him, body and soul.

"You can still hold on to what you have now..."

"No. Look after Akira for me. If I die, let her go on missions with you."

After a moment of silence, Huiqi said, "I'm not her father. I have no obligation to do that. Besides, Akira is almost an adult. You should fulfill your responsibilities as her father."

"Heh, heh... I'm a failure as a father..."

"That doesn't change the fact that you're her father."

"I just hope she won't hate me."

"..."

"Even if I can't defeat the One-Eyed Owl, I'll tear a chunk of flesh off him..."

At that, Huiqi said nothing more. He simply watched Kureo Mado in silence.

"That's enough, then. I'm going back to work."

Click.

As he watched Kureo Mado leave, Huiqi found himself deeply moved by their conversation.

"The fighting between ghouls and humans... family..."

Half a month later...

"Special Class Huiqi, you're cleared for discharge."

"All right."

Huiqi changed out of his hospital gown and put on his CCG coat again.

His first stop would be headquarters in Ward 1. A Quinque was being developed there from the piece he had cut off the SSS-rate One-Eyed Owl.

On the way, Huiqi shared a taxi with a stranger. Both were heading to headquarters in Ward 1, but the other man kept glancing at him, disgust flashing in his eyes from time to time.

A few minutes later.

The taxi stopped outside the Ward 1 headquarters. Huiqi passed through the Rc scanner gate and was about to head to the research department when the man behind him suddenly grabbed his coat.

"The CCG is nothing but a violent organization! You're all scum! You're scum too!"

"Security, drag him out."

Huiqi frowned. The man had been inexplicably hostile toward him ever since the taxi ride. Why had he become even more brazen here?

Several security guards quickly emerged from a side corridor, seized the man, and began dragging him outside. His insults grew louder and louder, disrupting the staff's work.

"What the hell was that about?" Huiqi muttered before turning and leaving.