Yakumo Oomori

"Sorry, the manager is out..."

A group wearing gas masks stormed into Anteiku, demanding to see the manager. Their leader was particularly arrogant, grabbing Kaneki by the collar the moment he learned the manager was away.

"Then where did he go?!"

"Hey, what do you think you're doing, barging in here? If you want to talk, at least order a cup of coffee first." Unlike the flustered Kaneki, Touka looked much calmer as she spoke impatiently.

"What did you say?!" Banjō's expression twisted at once, and he looked ready to throw punches.

But moments later, he actually ordered a cup of coffee and sat down, his gas-masked followers standing in a row behind him.

"I thought acting a little more intimidating would help me get information faster..." Banjō sat stiffly on the other side of the table, like a child who had done something wrong.

"That sort of thing doesn't work at Anteiku." Touka sighed helplessly.

After all, with so many powerful ghouls backing Anteiku, few organizations dared provoke it.

"So what exactly are you here for?"

"I... do you know Rize Kamishiro?" Banjō thought for a moment. Having heard that the ghouls here were fairly friendly, he decided to share some information with them.

"My name is Banjo Kazuichi. I'm from Ward 11, and that's where I met Miss Rize. Before she left, she said she was interested in this coffee sho-"

Mid-sentence, he suddenly stopped and sniffed hard. Anger immediately spread across his face. He shot to his feet and grabbed Kaneki's collar again.

"Why do you smell like Miss Rize?!"

"Hey! Don't cause trouble in the shop!"

Banjō's expression changed several times in quick succession before settling into wounded misery, his voice trembling with tears. "So that's how it is..."

"You're Rize's man?!" Mistakenly believing his love had been dashed, Banjō looked like an abandoned kitten, his face full of hurt and anger as he swung a fist at Kaneki.

"N-no, I'm not!" Kaneki frantically dodged. He raised his head to explain, only to slam it hard into Banjō's chin.

Banjō's body went rigid, and he collapsed as though he had taken a devastating blow.

"What?!" One of his followers stared in disbelief as their boss was knocked out so easily.

"So weak..."

"Where did this clown come from?" A hoarse voice rang out. Everyone turned to see a man wearing the Ice Mask coming downstairs with a disguised child.

"What did you say?!" Banjo Kazuichi immediately scrambled back up, ready to teach the man a lesson, but his followers desperately held him back.

"Mr. Banjō! I think he's the Ice Mask who's been active in Ward 20 lately!" The gas-masked follower seemed to have a particularly strong survival instinct, clinging desperately to Banjō's waist to keep him from starting a fight.

Their boss couldn't even beat an inexperienced young shop assistant. How was he supposed to fight the Ice Mask? Wouldn't that just be throwing his life away?

[Identity confirmed! Banjo Kazuichi, S-Rank Ghoul. Kagune type: ukaku. Overall combat power: A+]

An S-Rank Ghoul... yet his overall combat power was absurdly low.

[Ding! Banjo Kazuichi possesses the rare ghoul ability to heal others! As a result, he is not particularly skilled in combat!]

Healing others... Louis paused in surprise. That ability really was rare.

"Lou, where are you two going dressed like that?" Kaneki asked in surprise as he looked at their outfits.

"Big Brother's taking me shopping." Hinami pulled down her sunglasses, revealing her innocent, cheerful face.

Because more Ghoul Investigators had been assigned to Ward 20, Ryouko Fueguchi had gone with Koma to look for somewhere to live in Ward 24, leaving Hinami here alone.

"I thought there was going to be a fight..." Seeing that the visitors weren't Yamori and his group, Louis sighed in relief. He was just about to remove his mask when he spotted a dark figure rapidly approaching outside the window and immediately shielded Hinami.

"Everyone, watch out!"

The glass shattered with a crash, and the intruder charged in, sending Banjo Kazuichi flying with a kick.

"What are you dawdling for, Banjō?" Kirishima Ayato stood with both hands in his pockets, carrying himself as though he owned the place. His tone was utterly arrogant. "Want me to beat you until you cough up blood again?"

They're here already...

Startled, Louis kept his mask on. Instead, he bent down and whispered to Hinami, "Hinami, go upstairs first. Don't come down for now."

The adults would handle this. The child needed to stay out of the way.

"Okay..." Hinami could also tell the newcomer meant trouble, so she retreated upstairs.

"Ice Mask?" Kirishima Ayato noticed Louis standing at the foot of the stairs and walked over with his hands still in his pockets.

"You're at least somewhat useful. If you're willing to join us, we could let you live."

"Where did an arrogant little brat like you crawl out from...?" Louis refused to back down, glaring down at him. "Shorty..."

"Huh?!" Kirishima Ayato was instantly enraged. He pulled his hands out of his pockets, ready to teach the man before him a lesson.

Suddenly, someone stepped out and blocked his path.

"Ayato..." Touka frowned. The siblings' reunion was charged with hostility.

"Yo..." Seeing his older sister step forward, Ayato temporarily abandoned the idea of teaching Louis a lesson. "Long time no see, stupid sis..."

"Where have you been wandering off to, idiot...?" Touka frowned. After years apart, she felt something she couldn't put into words.

"Out getting some real-world experience, of course. I'm not like you, hiding here preaching peace." Ayato seemed completely unafraid of his sister's glare.

"What does a brat like you know?"

"You're the brat. Face reality... idiot..."

Just as the two were about to continue their reunion, the coffee shop's front door suddenly opened.

"Quite a few customers today..."

A bulky, burly man walked in. He wore a white suit and had short yellow hair, red eyes, and a broad nose bridge. There was something deeply unpleasant about his appearance. Behind him stood a slender man with a stubbled face, flamboyant clothes, and an alluring manner.

They're different...

Louis frowned. Both gave off a terrifying aura, completely unlike the ghouls he normally encountered-including Ayato, who had arrived ahead of them.

"That's enough... Ayato..." Yamori walked casually into the shop, looking at Banjo Kazuichi sprawled on the floor after being kicked down.

"Following this idiot did have its benefits..."

"Miss Rize isn't here anymore!" Banjō had barely begun speaking when Yamori kicked him away.

"I wasn't talking to you..."

"Hmm..." Yamori sniffed, as though searching for something. Suddenly, his gaze locked onto Kaneki, who stood off to one side, too afraid to speak.

"What an unbearable stench..." As he spoke, he reached out with his thick right arm and seized Kaneki by the neck.

This was the third time Kaneki had been grabbed that day.

"Nico, taking this one should do it, right?" Yamori turned to his companion, ready to bring Kaneki back to satisfy their desires.

"Whatever you decide..." Nico winked flirtatiously at Yamori. He was merely a masochist and had no interest in tormenting others.