"Calling Headquarters! This is the Ward 11 branch! We're being overrun by ghouls! Requesting reinforcements! Requesting rein-"
A blood-red kagune pierced his chest. Blood sprayed, and his life ebbed away. His grip on the telephone weakened, and his hand slowly fell.
A hand wrapped in bandages smoothly caught the receiver.
"Hello, hello..." A mocking voice came from the bandaged figure hidden beneath a red cloak. "This is the Ward 11 branch..."
The CCG's Ward 11 branch housed a large number of Ghoul Investigators and their assistants, along with many clerical staff. To them, this was arguably the safest place in Ward 11. Almost no ghoul dared come near it.
But today, hordes of ghouls had poured into the building. The two senior Ghoul Investigators stationed there couldn't withstand such an onslaught and were both killed. The remaining investigators and guards fought desperately, but to little effect. Blood gradually stained the entire branch.
The disparity in strength was so great that the battle lasted barely an hour from start to finish. Almost everyone in the branch was slaughtered. Those who remained were merely being kept as playthings, with little time left to live.
Almost no one would have imagined a ghoul organization launching a surprise attack here. This was also the first large-scale terrorist attack launched by ghouls in ten years.
At midnight, numerous telephone operators were still on duty at Ghoul Countermeasures Division One's Headquarters, while Marude anxiously awaited news from the branch.
An hour earlier, he had received the first report that the branch was under attack. But half an hour ago, contact had been lost entirely.
How many people had been in that branch? There were over a hundred armed personnel alone, not to mention the two Associate Special-Class Ghoul Investigators stationed there. Yet they had been killed before they could even report what was happening.
Just then, one operator's telephone suddenly rang. The operator immediately routed the audio through the speakers, and a man's voice came through.
"We've been attacked by a large number of ghouls. All our defensive lines have been breached... urgh..."
With the sound of flesh being pierced, the man's voice abruptly cut off. The telephone fell to the floor, but the call remained connected.
Cold sweat trickled down Marude's forehead. He knew exactly what had just happened. Gritting his teeth, he demanded directly, "Who are you?!"
There was no immediate answer from the other end. Only after a long silence did an indifferent voice reply. "A friendly reminder: that was the last person."
"Beep-" The busy tone sounded as the call disconnected. Whoever was on the other end had no intention of letting Marude extract any useful information.
"..." Marude slammed his fist onto the desk. Ward 11 had fallen far faster than he could have imagined. The ghoul organization that had attacked it was certainly no loose collection of individuals.
This could almost be treated as a war...
"Why did they attack that place..." Marude couldn't fathom what that organization hoped to achieve by occupying the Ward 11 branch.
"Declaring war on humanity?" Marude clenched his fist. He had already notified the Special Countermeasures Squad, along with many available Associate Special-Class Ghoul Investigators...
Meanwhile, everyone at Anteiku remained unaware of the upheaval outside.
In a room above the coffee shop, an eerie chill filled the air. An exquisite blue Ice Blade floated in midair, with cold air constantly gathering around it.
Louis kept trying to push beyond his limits.
"S-rank shouldn't be limited to this..." By now, crystals of an extremely low temperature had spread over Louis's entire body. Only the hand condensing the Ice Blade could still move.
After his system rating reached S-rank, Louis's crystallization ability had improved considerably, and his efficiency at releasing cold air had greatly increased. He therefore wanted to condense a level-five crystal blade, but he simply couldn't succeed.
Was he going about this the wrong way?
But against enemies as strong as he was, or even stronger, his ability to crystallize cold air was of little use. Only close-quarters combat with a blade could prove effective in those situations. That was also how Louis had always fought.
In his haze, Louis seemed to hear someone calling him.
Hinami?
Encased in crystals, Louis slowly opened his eyes. With a crack, the crystals frozen over his body shattered and peeled away.
"So cold..." Only then did Louis realize that the extreme cold had nearly frozen every blood vessel in his body. Even his breaths emerged as streams of frigid air.
Ability backlash? No, his body hadn't suffered any frostbite. Although he felt cold, his thoughts were unusually clear, as though he had entered some transcendent state.
Louis raised his head and looked at the clock on the wall.
One second, two seconds, three seconds... Louis felt as though three seconds had passed before the second hand ticked once.
He spread his hands. Only then did Louis realize that the entire world before him had slowed down...
"Big brother!"
Hinami's next shout finally brought him back completely. Coming to his senses, he clenched his fist, and all the cold air in the room dispersed in an instant.
Without realizing it, his control over his ability had already become remarkably strong...
"Big brother!" Hinami leaned against the door. She had already called several times, and the lack of a response was making her anxious.
She had just been passing by when she felt a bone-chilling draft spilling out of Louis's room. Although cold air often appeared here for no apparent reason, this time the temperature was frighteningly low.
In her alarm, she had called out several times, but still received no response.
Just as she was about to force her way inside, the door suddenly opened.
"Hinami?" Louis leaned against the door, his legs weak. He felt completely drained.
I need something to eat to replenish my strength...
"Are you okay..." Hinami looked at Louis's pale face with concern.
"I should be fine..." Louis examined his palm. His stamina was rapidly recovering, though he had felt exhausted the moment he left that state.
"Really..." Hinami cast a suspicious glance behind Louis, but found nothing unusual. Even the air was no longer as cold as it had been.
"I'm really fine..."
"All right... Oh, a group of people suddenly showed up downstairs. They seemed a little unfriendly at first." Once Hinami was certain he was all right, she finally got to the point.
"A group of people..." Louis froze for a moment, then immediately caught on and used cold air to seal off his scent.
Is it still possible to leave now?
Before you continue