Continuing deeper into the corridor, Ren advanced through three separate interception squads.
Each team had been heavily armed.
Each had tried to halt his progress.
Yet their resistance was meaningless.
Against the overwhelming power of Carnage, their efforts were like insects trying to stop a charging war chariot.
When the brief clashes ended, the corridor was left silent again.
Blood painted the walls.
Fragments of armor and broken weapons littered the floor.
Finally—
His gaze stopped at the very end of the corridor.
An unusually massive alloy security gate blocked the passage.
Unlike other sections of Cochlea, this door bore no labels or warning signs.
Only a sophisticated locking system and an iris-scan interface embedded in the wall.
He stepped closer.
Scarlet liquid flowed slowly from his fingertips.
The substance formed several thin tendrils.
They slipped delicately into the iris scanner's exposed circuitry.
Carnage sneered within his mind.
[…Electronic junk…]
[…primitive technology…]
A few seconds later—
A heavy mechanical click echoed.
Hydraulic locks disengaged.
The massive gate slid open slowly.
Like the jaws of a colossal beast.
A powerful odor poured out.
Disinfectant.
Chemicals.
And the faint smell of blood.
The scent immediately overwhelmed the metallic smell lingering in the corridor.
Inside the Cell
Darkness.
Absolute silence.
Inside this forgotten chamber, time had long since lost meaning.
Curled on the cold metal floor was a lone figure.
Arata Kirishima.
How many years had passed?
Five?
Ten?
Even he no longer knew.
Time had frozen into stagnant despair within this prison.
His once powerful ghoul body had wasted away.
Although not completely broken, it was covered in terrible scars.
Deep surgical marks crossed his torso and back.
They were the result of repeated kagune extractions.
Each breath tore painfully through his weakened body.
A reminder of the role forced upon him—
Not a prisoner.
But a living resource.
The CCG had discovered something extraordinary within him.
His kagune regenerated rapidly.
Even after repeated harvesting.
That discovery sealed his fate.
He became a "kagune donor."
A permanent source of material for quinque production.
Death itself had become an unattainable luxury.
The memory of his wife—
Her gentle smile—
Still haunted him.
Driven by grief and hatred after her death, he had once pursued revenge against investigators.
Even resorting to dangerous cannibalism to strengthen himself.
But before he could achieve anything—
He had been captured.
Alive.
And brought here.
Now—
He believed this prison cell would be his grave.
Then—
Click…
The door opened.
Light flooded the room.
After years in darkness, the brightness felt like burning knives against his eyes.
His frail body trembled violently.
Instinctively, he tried to raise an arm to shield himself.
But even that movement required enormous effort.
Heavy footsteps entered the chamber.
A tall figure stood in the doorway.
Silhouetted by the harsh light.
Clad in a crimson robe.
Ren stepped inside.
His gaze calmly swept across the chamber.
Then settled on the weakened figure on the floor.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each footstep echoed through the silent metal chamber.
Arata Kirishima forced his eyes open.
The light blurred his vision.
But he saw something strange.
No doctors.
No researchers.
No armed investigators.
Only a single crimson-clad figure.
The hood concealed most of the man's face.
But his voice was calm.
"Found you."
Arata's body tensed immediately.
Suspicion filled his cloudy eyes.
Who was this man?
"Mr. Kirishima."
Ren spoke evenly.
"I mean you no harm."
"My name is Ren Kiryu."
He paused briefly.
Choosing his next words carefully.
"…I'm a friend of Ayato and Touka."
The effect was immediate.
Arata Kirishima's pupils shrank.
The names struck him like lightning.
Touka.
Ayato.
Names he had not heard spoken aloud for years.
Ren noticed the reaction.
"They asked me to come here."
He continued calmly.
"To take you out."
He gestured lightly.
"I know words alone mean nothing."
"But you should understand something."
His eyes swept across the man's emaciated body.
"If I meant to harm you…"
"…you would have no way to resist."
"Your body is extremely weak."
Arata fell silent.
He knew the man was telling the truth.
Years of imprisonment.
Repeated kagune harvesting.
Starvation.
His strength had fallen to its lowest point.
If the stranger truly carried malicious intent—
Resistance would be impossible.
But the names of his children had reignited something long dormant.
Hope.
After a long hesitation—
Arata slowly nodded.
Ren exhaled quietly in relief.
A peaceful resolution was far preferable.
"My children…"
Arata's voice was dry.
Hoarse from disuse.
"…Are they alive?"
"They're doing well."
Ren answered patiently.
"Touka currently lives at a café called Anteiku."
"She's attending high school."
"And preparing for university entrance exams."
"She also works part-time at the café."
Arata's eyes trembled slightly.
"She's grown into a strong young woman."
"And Ayato…"
Ren paused briefly.
Choosing a careful explanation.
"…is exploring his own path."
"He has strong ideas about the world."
"And he's very active."
He deliberately avoided mentioning Aogiri Tree.
Arata's eyes grew moist.
Relief washed over his worn face.
For the first time in years—
The crushing weight inside his chest lifted slightly.
Ren continued.
"Right now, a ghoul organization called Aogiri Tree is attacking Cochlea."
"They've released many prisoners."
"The investigators are fighting them throughout the facility."
He pointed toward the corridor outside.
Distant roars and gunfire echoed faintly.
"The chaos is our opportunity."
"This is the best chance to escape."
The last doubt vanished from Arata's eyes.
He nodded firmly.
Struggling to his feet.
His legs trembled from weakness.
Ren stepped forward immediately.
Sliding an arm beneath Arata's shoulder.
Supporting his weight.
Together—
They stepped back into the blood-stained corridor.
Behind them—
The massive alloy gate slowly closed.
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