Misery

"I'm so jealous... she hasn't even graduated, and she can already pick whatever Quinque she wants."

"Yeah, seriously. That Ghoul Investigator earlier definitely wasn't low-ranking. I'd say he was at least First Class!"

"A First Class Ghoul Investigator... he must have tons and tons of Quinques..."

Envious voices rose one after another from the crowd, their jealous gazes converging on one person.

"He's not First Class..."

Akira Mado looked smugly at the others as she twirled the dagger in one hand.

"Not First Class? Then could he be...?"

Seidou Takizawa asked excitedly.

"I'm not telling you."

Ward 10 had suffered severe damage, and its branch had come under attack by Aogiri Tree. Special Class Investigators Shinohara and Huiqi had now been dispatched to lead a counterattack.

Leading Special Class Investigators: Shinohara, Huiqi

Commanding Special Class Investigator: Marute

Personnel: Rank 1 Ghoul Investigators, First Class Ghoul Investigators

The CCG's internal television broadcast displayed the battle plan for Ward 10.

"Sending two Special Class Investigators should be enough. Aogiri Tree has really gotten brazen lately, actually attacking a CCG branch."

"What can you do? It's supposedly a ghoul organization led by the One-Eyed King. More and more ghouls are joining Aogiri Tree. It's not safe out there these days."

"Yeah. Thank goodness we work at Ward 1 Headquarters. I should find time to arrange accommodation here instead of walking home at night."

Most of those discussing it were CCG office workers, but the others capable of fighting were worried too. Many had taken part in killing ghouls and could easily become targets for revenge by their relatives.

"I hope the Special Class Investigators come back safely..."

"The CCG has begun its counterattack against the ghoul assault on Ward 10. We ask everyone to minimize time spent outside for the time being. The CCG will also intensify patrols and investigations in every ward."

The broadcast played on televisions in every household. Sighs mingled with excited voices, the helplessness and grief of humans mixing with the excitement and elation of ghouls.

"Things have really been unsettled lately. Even business is getting harder..."

"Nothing we can do. Let's just hope the trouble doesn't spread to Ward 20." All Yoriko wanted now was for Ward 20 to remain safe. She had lived here for years and had long since grown attached to it.

"Yeah. Anything you'd like to say, Kaneki? You're watching so intently." Enji Koma wiped a cup as he addressed the absorbed Ken Kaneki.

"Me? You mean me, Koma...? I just hope society can be peaceful..."

Ken Kaneki's voice gradually faded through the latter half of his sentence, until no one could make out his final few words.

Everything that had happened since he left the hospital had left Ken Kaneki utterly exhausted. Most importantly, he had not attended Kamii University in a long time, and he could no longer eat human food. All these factors had brought him to the coffee shop.

Now an artificially created ghoul, Ken Kaneki felt powerless. His many years of experience in human society and his education at a prestigious university only made him understand the conflict between humans and ghouls more clearly.

Several minutes later, all of Ken Kaneki's worries and confusion condensed into a single thought.

Am I human or a ghoul? Where in this society is there a place for me to survive...?

"This is Special Class Investigator Shinohara. I've reached Ward 10 and begun engaging the ghouls."

"This is Special Class Investigator Huiqi. The helicopter has reached Ward 10. I expect to engage the ghouls in three seconds."

"Aogiri Tree ghouls have appeared in sector C2. The squad is eliminating them..."

"Ghouls have appeared in sector C1. The squad is fighting them."

"Progress is good. I hope you all return safely."

In the command room, Special Class Investigator Marute watched the computer screen, where numerous green dots had already become intermingled with red ones.

The city was a scene of carnage, with wails and roars echoing everywhere.

Residential buildings, shopping malls, office buildings-gruesome bloodstains spread through every corner. The CCG headquarters in Ward 10 was especially devastated, with extremely heavy casualties all around it.

Corpses lay everywhere. White coats marked combat personnel and black coats marked support staff, and both had suffered widespread casualties.

Among every few corpses lay an Aogiri Tree ghoul.

"More ghouls have appeared in sector C2! Requesting support!"

"Understood! Special Class Investigator Huiqi is on his way."

Marute oversaw the entire situation, issuing one order after another through the headsets.

"Fuck, there's no end to these animals..."

"Watch out! More and more Aogiri Tree ghouls are coming!"

The squad in sector C2 braced for a formidable enemy, everyone standing ready and watching their surroundings. The bodies at their feet were enough to prove how brutal the fighting in C2 had been.

"Hey, let me kill all these scumbags. This dragging around is pissing me off!"

From a high-rise, a blue-haired boy looked down at the scene below.

"Suit yourself."

Beside him, a white-haired man wearing a red mask answered indifferently. His gaze remained fixed on the distance, as though he did not care about the battle below at all.

"Got it."

The blue-haired boy's eyes instantly turned into kakugan, and a pair of ukaku emerged behind him.

The Aogiri Tree ghouls charged fearlessly like a raging torrent, instantly breaking the formation of the Ghoul Investigators who had been standing ready.

Even the lowest-ranked Ghoul Investigators taking part in this operation were First Class. They had extensive experience exterminating ghouls, and every one of them was a capable fighter.

More importantly, these Ghoul Investigators formed the backbone of the CCG. Heavy casualties in this battle would undoubtedly deal the CCG a crushing blow and greatly weaken its overall strength.

If that happened, the CCG would likely struggle to carry out its various investigative missions for a considerable time, severely reducing its ability to monitor and suppress ghouls.

"Damn it, what's going on?! Aren't they afraid to die?"

The Ghoul Investigators who had arrived as reinforcements complained. They had practically never seen this kind of fighting before: crazed ghouls taking Quinque strikes with their bodies, then using their kagune to trade their lives for a kill.

"Everyone, fall back. I'll hold this area. All of you, go reinforce C2."

Huiqi walked heavily to the front of the group, drawing his kakuja-grade Quinque with one hand and bracing for battle.

Huiqi had seen this way of fighting before, and he would never forget it. This was the fighting style unique to the ghouls of Ward 24!

"But, Special Class Investigator Huiqi..."

"Go, now. I'm enough on my own. You'll only hold me back if you stay."

Frowning, Huiqi drove away the people behind him. Keeping the Ghoul Investigators here posed a serious problem, because the ghouls of Ward 24 saw only what they could eat and what they could not. Every new corpse would replenish the enemy.

Suddenly, low growls shattered the brief peace. A fresh group of ghouls converged from every direction, their bodies stained with blood and their faces twisted viciously. They chewed constantly on flesh, making sounds that sent chills down the spine.

Their eyes gleamed with an eerie red light, as though burning with endless greed and malice. Some still had fresh blood trailing from the corners of their mouths and held mangled limbs in their hands, gnawing on them with relish.

The entire scene was steeped in bloodshed and violence, enough to make anyone shudder.

The air reeked of blood, as though this were the entrance to hell. Yet the ghouls ignored it all and continued enjoying their brutal feast.

"The flesh of a Special Class Investigator... must taste delicious."

"Heh heh heh... hee hee hee... hahahahaha."

"I'm full. Let's kill some people for fun... heh heh."

"Don't be stupid... keep them penned up and make them have children. I hear babies have the most tender flesh."