The next day, Fushimi Kyo went to school as usual.
As for last night's assassination attempt, he had already tossed it to the back of his mind.
"Breaking morning news last night at No. 12, Ueno Street in the 20th Ward, thirteen ghouls were slaughtered. All kakuhou were stripped clean. Regarding this case, citizens are encouraged to actively provide any clues."
"Another three ghoul predation incidents occurred in the 11th Ward. One of the cases resulted in the deaths of two Second Class Investigators. This marks the fifteenth ghoul predation case this week alone. Residents of the 11th Ward are advised to remain vigilant and avoid going out at night if possible."
Walking along the street, Fushimi Kyo glanced at the massive screen mounted on a nearby commercial building, which was broadcasting the morning news.
"The 20th Ward really is great. All you ever hear here is news about ghouls getting slaughtered. That kind of thing is honestly satisfying," someone commented nearby.
"Exactly. I really wonder who this so-called 'Ghoul Hunter' is. He's basically a national hero."
"The 11th Ward isn't even suitable for humans to live in anymore. You could get snatched up by ghouls and turned into dessert any day."
"I had a friend living in the 11th Ward before. He moved to the 20th Ward yesterday. Said it was way too dangerous every night you could hear fighting."
"Is it because the Ghoul Hunter hasn't shown up there?"
"Haha, if the Ghoul Hunter were everywhere, then D-Kyō would be completely safe."
"Not necessarily. Who knows what that organization wants with so many kakuhou? What if they're doing some dangerous experiments? Might be even more destructive."
Listening to the clusters of people discussing these topics, Fushimi Kyo chuckled softly.
"A hero, huh?"
"I guess I kind of count. I've killed so many ghouls if I were an investigator, I'd at least be a Special Class by now."
He indulged in a bit of daydreaming.
But he knew very well that the odds of him ever becoming an investigator were extremely low.
If his true identity were exposed, the CCG would likely mobilize their strongest forces to hunt him down just like what they did to the shop manager in the original story, beating him to death and tossing him into a laboratory.
"Too bad I'm not the shop manager."
"If I can't win, I can always run."
"How could I be like that old man cleaning up the mess his daughter made just to mislead others, willingly revealing the Owl's true form and tanking the siege of so many Special Class Investigators?"
"All for some so-called fatherly love?"
Fushimi Kyo sneered inwardly.
In his view, the shop manager's death in the original story had been utterly meaningless.
The moment he entered the classroom, Yoriko Kosaka excitedly shouted at him:
"Fushimi-kun! How was the girl from last night? What did she look like? Was she pretty?"
The barrage of questions left Touka Kirishima, sitting nearby, utterly speechless.
"Mm. Very pretty," Fushimi Kyo replied with a grin.
"We spent a truly wonderful night together."
"Really?!"
Yoriko's eyes widened.
"So our class heartthrob is officially taken now?"
Her face was full of exaggerated grief, making Fushimi Kyo's expression twitch.
Touka shot him a huge eye-roll.
"Wonderful night, my ass. You killed over a dozen people last night. That's your idea of 'wonderful'?"
Fushimi Kyo walked up to Yoriko and flicked her forehead hard with a finger.
"Keep talking nonsense and I'll flick your head full of bumps."
Faced with his threat, Yoriko clutched her forehead, her face scrunched up pitifully.
"Fushimi-kun values romance over friendship already so fast to kick aside his best friend."
"And you're even threatening me… waaaah…"
The sheer pointlessness of her antics left Fushimi Kyo feeling oddly drained.
Yet, deep down, he felt inexplicably happy.
This kind of high school life was so nostalgic.
Back in his previous life, he had also experienced youthful affection and childhood sweethearts
but all of that was long gone.
Now, in this world where people were devoured alive, he wanted only one thing
Absolute strength.
Strength great enough to crush every person or organization that could potentially threaten him.
---
At the same time, in a secluded alley of the 20th Ward
Kaneki Ken, wearing a hoodie and a cap, staggered forward like a walking corpse.
"Meat… human meat…"
"I want to eat meat. Adult meat. Children's meat. Let me eat it all…"
"No no no, I'm human. I'm not a ghoul."
"I can't eat humans. Only beasts do that."
Two voices echoed relentlessly inside his head, tormenting him to the brink of collapse.
Fushimi Kyo had told him before
If you're in trouble, go to Anteiku. The manager will help you.
But not knowing the manager's true identity, Kaneki couldn't bring himself to believe those words.
In this world, once a ghoul's identity was exposed, the only outcome was brutal extermination by the CCG.
Though he lived in agony and despair, he feared death.
That was why, up until now, he had never gone to Anteiku.
Just then
A figure wearing a black mask stood atop the wall beside the alley, coldly watching Kaneki from above.
He took out a photograph and compared it.
"So it's this guy, huh?"
"Then let's begin the retrieval mission."
As the words fell, his figure dropped from above, landing squarely in front of Kaneki.
Kaneki looked up at the intruder.
One scarlet kakugan flared to life, his expression twisting into something feral. Saliva dripped continuously from his mouth.
One hand was jammed between his teeth, bitten down hard
trying to use pain to keep himself conscious.
"Hm?"
The masked man's eyes gleamed.
"A one-eyed ghoul?"
"No wonder you're worth retrieving."
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