Inside Anteiku, a purple-haired girl in a waitress uniform was quietly wiping down cups at the bar.
"This makes the fourth case this month, doesn't it? What exactly is going on?"
At the moment, all the patrons in the shop were Ghouls, and low murmurs of conversation occasionally rippled through the room as they discussed the matter.
Most Ghouls knew one another. If someone had been killed over a territorial dispute, there would generally be someone among them who knew the story.
What's more, the Doves, the Ghoul Investigators of the CCG, had a notoriously lazy style in the 20th Ward. They almost never went out of their way to eliminate Ghouls.
And if it had been the Doves, the incidents would've already been all over the TV news. They were never shy about bragging about their victories. They wouldn't have stayed quiet, especially when the ones killed were weak Ghouls, barely worth keeping secret.
"Touka-chan, be careful these next few days," said Enji Koma, his tone serious as he warned her.
Kirishima Touka frowned slightly, looking puzzled. "Was it the Doves? Or that lunatic Kamishiro Rize?"
Yoshimura Kuzen, behind the counter, remained focused on brewing coffee, looking as if he wasn't paying the conversation any mind.
Enji Koma shook his head calmly, then murmured in thought, "I don't think it's Rize-chan. That girl's style is more about hunting human men, isn't it?"
"She even used to share her feeding grounds with weaker Ghouls. Sure, she eats a lot, but Rize-chan's not a bad kid, really."
...
Two Days Later.
Sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves, dappled across the paths of Kamii University's campus. Inside the classrooms, students quietly listened to the professors lecturing from the podium.
In contrast, Uesugi Ryu sat at the back row near the window, completely at ease. He was deeply engrossed in a thick book in his hands.
The book was Takatsuki Sen's debut novel, Dear Kafka.
"I didn't expect this novel to be so good. No wonder she's such a famous author," Uesugi Ryu muttered softly as he gently closed the book and lifted his gaze to the window.
At the moment, he was thinking about how to gain entry into the CCG (Commission of Counter Ghoul).
After some research, he found that joining the CCG wasn't especially difficult. One could apply directly to enter the Investigator Training Academy for specialized education and training.
However, for someone like Uesugi Ryu, who was already itching to jump into combat with Ghouls, spending years in school was far from ideal.
Judging by the current timeline, the real story was about to unfold soon and the curtain would rise within just a few months.
Sure, if he performed exceptionally well in the academy, he could graduate early, but even so, it was still way too slow for Uesugi Ryu's liking.
To attract the attention of CCG Investigators, he had even intentionally left behind conspicuous traces when hunting Ghouls, hoping those with keen senses would pick up on them.
Now that he had confirmed Mado Kureo was investigating the incidents, Uesugi Ryu was fairly certain he'd be recruited soon.
After all, Mado Kureo had developed a deep hatred for Ghouls ever since his wife, Mado Kasuka, was brutally killed by the One-Eyed Owl. He had never shown mercy in killing Ghouls.
Once someone like that saw Uesugi Ryu's strength, he would undoubtedly invite him to join the CCG, both to add a powerful ally in his quest for revenge and to boost the organization's overall strength.
Despite his extreme personality, Mado Kureo was actually well-connected. Many First-Class and Associate Special-Class Investigators were either his friends or former partners.
If Uesugi Ryu could gain Mado's recognition, his path to becoming an official investigator would accelerate significantly.
The morning classes ended quickly. Uesugi Ryu slung his shoulder bag over his back and walked home.
...
At the 20th Ward's CCG Branch Meeting Room
Mado Kureo pressed the play button.
The wall-mounted flat-screen instantly lit up, showing two slightly blurry surveillance clips. In both of them, the same figure could be seen: Uesugi Ryu.
"Student Uesugi, care to explain why you appeared near the scenes of two separate Ghoul killings?" Mado asked, reclining on the sofa, one leg crossed over the other, looking utterly curious.
Uesugi Ryu merely curled his lips into a faint smile, the rest of his expression was indifferent.
"Oh, those trash? I'm the one who took care of them. Any problem with that? As far as I know, Ghouls aren't exactly protected under any laws."
Upon hearing this, Amon Koutarou, who had been silently standing to the side, was stunned.
His eyes widened as he looked at the young university student before him. It was difficult to imagine that someone so young could kill multiple savage Ghouls on his own.
However, unlike Amon, Mado Kureo didn't seem surprised at all. He nodded calmly and continued.
"According to the information we have, your father was once a distinguished Ghoul Investigator, but he died in the line of duty."
"Not long after, your mother passed away as well, overwhelmed by grief. Since then, you were raised by your uncle's family."
After saying this, Mado seemed to realize he might have gone too far. With a slightly apologetic tone, he added, "My condolences for bringing up the past... Student Uesugi, I assume you used a Quinque to kill those Ghouls?"
"Do you mind if I have a look?"
Uesugi Ryu lowered his gaze, appearing slightly downcast. Slowly, he took a strange-looking short dagger from his pocket.
"Viper. It was my father's keepsake."
This Quinque had originally come from the system's newbie gift pack, but the system had also arranged a plausible backstory, officially, it was a memento from Uesugi's father, as per the forged identity.
Mado Kureo took the weapon, studied it carefully for a moment, and then placed it on the table.
Suddenly, he leaned forward, pressing close to the tabletop, staring at Uesugi Ryu.
"I'm curious, Student Uesugi... why not enroll in the Investigator Training Academy?"
"You could become a full-fledged investigator in time. Acting solo like this is reckless, it's not exactly a wise choice."
Uesugi Ryu sneered.
"I've got no interest in playing house at school. I just want to kill these parasites."
Mado looked at the youth's hateful expression with a strangely sympathetic look.
"I see. That's... a bit of a dilemma. You see, only licensed investigators are allowed to possess Quinques. Not even family members are permitted."
"If you, Student Uesugi don't wish to enroll, then I suppose there's nothing we can do."
Uesugi Ryu scoffed inwardly. Like hell he's letting me walk out of here. This is just a game of push and pull.
Amon, observing the exchange, couldn't help but let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth.
He understood perfectly well that there was no way his superior would let a talent like this slip away. Mado was simply trying to pressure the boy into giving in.
After all, bypassing the academy and becoming an investigator outright was nearly impossible. No matter how skilled one was, basic education was still required, even if only as a formality.
Uesugi Ryu was done wasting time. He put on a furious scowl and ground out his response in a low voice, as if he had no choice.
"Fine. I'll enroll in the Investigator Training Academy."
Mado Kureo looked at the youth's angry face and couldn't help but grin slightly, a smug, mischievous smirk creeping across his lips.
"Is that so? Hahaha... I imagine it won't be long before that Quinque finds its way back into your hands."
"For now, I'll keep it safe for you."
"I'll handle all the arrangements on my end. Hmm... how about reporting in tomorrow?"
He chuckled as he spoke, his eyes never once leaving the Viper Quinque, glinting with anticipation and curiosity.
...
After Uesugi Ryu left, only Mado Kureo and Amon Koutarou remained in the spacious lounge.
Mado slowly walked over to the window and set the Viper Quinque under the sunlight. Then he bent down and studied it closely.
Sunlight spilled through the window onto the Quinque, casting faint, flickering reflections. It looked all the more mysterious and dangerous.
Amon stood quietly nearby and couldn't help but praise, "To perform that well using only a Quinque of this grade... that boy is truly exceptional."
Mado nodded, clearly in agreement.
He looked up at Amon and explained, "Yes. Small Quinques like this are rarely used in actual combat."
"To take on enemies with such a short and compact Quinque, the user must possess exceptional combat skills, or extraordinary physical capabilities."
With that, Mado turned his gaze back to the Viper Quinque, lost in thought.