After sliding Asuramaru back into its sheath, Hayashi hooked it at his side.
Alright — from this moment on, he was officially a man with two blades.
Finally, he could live the dream: the ultimate dual-sword style. He didn't know exactly how powerful it would be yet, but one thing was certain — it was going to look cool as hell.
He needed to find a good chance to test it out, though. With that thought in mind, he left the area, planning as he walked.
Still, that could wait. Right now, what he needed most was sleep.
It was already late, but he caught the last train home just in time. When he finally stepped through the door, a surprising sight greeted him — Rize was asleep.
That was… rare. Usually, she wouldn't rest until she'd squeezed every last bit of "value" out of him before drifting off satisfied. But tonight, her serene face was touched with a faint blush, a soft smile lingering on her lips.
She looked… happy. Content. It seemed his cooking from earlier had done the trick. Guess a full belly really did make for a good night's sleep.
With that thought, Hayashi quietly washed up and slipped into bed beside her....…
The next morning, the sound of chirping birds pulled him from his dreams. He blinked lazily, glancing at the beautiful woman sleeping peacefully beside him, then at the calm room around him.
Wait… nothing had happened last night? He checked once. Then twice. Then again — completely unscathed.
For someone who'd been living in constant danger of being "devoured by affection", this was a miracle. Maybe this was the secret — if he kept Rize's stomach full, she wouldn't drain him dry. A brilliant discovery, honestly. Definitely worth testing further.
After washing up, he headed out toward CCG Headquarters.
Today, the place was buzzing with energy — people rushing everywhere, voices overlapping in the air.
"What the hell's going on?" Hayashi muttered, eyeing the crowd.
Soon enough, he spotted two familiar faces.
"Hey — Amon, Mado."
They turned as he approached.
"Oh, Hayashi. Good morning," said Amon with his usual seriousness.
"What's with all the commotion?" Hayashi asked, curiosity flickering in his tone.
"It's the commendation ceremony," Amon explained, his voice firm. "A big one this time."
"Commendation ceremony…?"The words unlocked a memory — something mentioned yesterday.
Right.
Today was the day CCG would officially commend those who'd helped recapture the 11th Ward and recover classified documents from Aogiri Tree.
"Hayashi," said Kureo, narrowing his eyes slightly but smiling faintly.
"I heard you took my daughter to the 11th Ward. She's still young — must've caused you trouble."
"Not at all," Hayashi replied with an easy smile. "She's skilled — helped me quite a bit, actually."
And that was true. Without her, things would've been a lot messier.
They chatted casually for a few minutes, swapping a mix of small talk and mission details.
Just then, a young researcher in a lab coat came running up, panting hard.
"Hayashi, First Class Investigator — Dr. Chigyou needs you immediately!"
"Dr. Chigyou?" Hayashi blinked, picturing a certain mushroom-headed scientist. That had to be Kouitsu Chigyou, CCG's top researcher — the man behind most of quinques.
Every investigator had heard of him.
But what could he want with Hayashi?
"What's this about?" he asked, puzzled.
The researcher caught his breath.
"It's the corpse you sent in before — the ghoul called 'Jason.' The Doctor successfully turned it into a Quinque and wants you to come pick it up."
Jason's body… turned into a Quinque? Right. He had requested that ages ago — and completely forgotten about it.
But now? He already had two swords. Why would he need a bulky Quinque on top of that?
He was about to sigh at the thought of another weapon gathering dust in his apartment when, suddenly —a familiar, bouncy, mischievous figure popped into his mind.
"Wait… that's it!"
Hayashi's eyes lit up instantly.
Why not give it to Suzuya?
He'd always wanted a real Quinque of his own but had never managed to get one.
This could be the perfect chance — a gift from him, and a dream fulfilled for him.
Besides… Jason's power would definitely suit his style.
Smirking faintly, Hayashi adjusted his coat and said to himself,
"Guess I'll be playing Santa today."