When Ren Kiryu pushed open the door of Anteiku, the wind chimes above the entrance rang softly.
The clear sound echoed briefly through the café.
Near the window—
Two familiar figures sat facing each other.
Ken Kaneki held a steaming cup of coffee in both hands.
His posture was calm.
His expression attentive.
He was clearly listening carefully to the person across from him.
Opposite him—
Hideyoshi Nagachika gestured enthusiastically.
His bright blond hair caught the sunlight.
His cheerful grin filled the room with energy.
When the door opened—
Both of them turned their heads at the same time.
"Ah, Kiryu-nii."
Kaneki nodded politely.
His tone as gentle as ever.
"Good morning."
Hide immediately waved.
"Morning, Kiryu-nii!"
"You already went shopping this early?"
Behind the counter—
Touka Kirishima glanced up.
Her eyes met his briefly.
Then she nodded.
"Morning."
Her voice was quiet.
Beside her—
Koma Enji smiled warmly.
"Welcome back, Kiryu-kun."
Ren placed the shopping bags at the end of the counter.
"All supplies are restocked."
His gaze swept across the café.
Then stopped at the television mounted on the wall.
The morning news was playing.
A female anchor spoke calmly.
"…Police have confirmed that the series of attacks in Ward 6 last night were carried out by ghouls."
"Investigators discovered multiple kagune traces at the crime scene."
"Authorities suspect an organized ghoul operation."
The screen changed.
Showing blurred security footage.
A distorted figure appeared briefly in a dark alley.
The outline of a kagune clearly visible.
"…This marks the tenth similar incident this month."
"The Commission of Counter Ghoul has announced increased night patrols across several wards."
The relaxed atmosphere inside the café shifted subtly.
Hide leaned back in his chair.
Resting an arm casually over the backrest.
"Speaking of which…"
He scratched his cheek.
"Have you guys noticed something?"
"There seem to be more ghoul attacks lately."
"Ward 21, Ward 22, Ward 23…"
"I've heard about several major incidents this month."
Then he tilted his head thoughtfully.
"But strangely…"
"Our 20th Ward seems pretty peaceful."
He lowered his voice slightly.
Half joking.
Half serious.
"Do you think…"
"…there might be some kind of organization protecting this ward?"
"That's why ghouls from other wards don't come here to cause trouble?"
The words were like a pebble dropped into calm water.
Kaneki's fingers tightened slightly around his coffee cup.
His expression didn't change.
But he lowered his head.
Pretending to blow gently on the coffee.
Across the room—
The others reacted more subtly.
Touka continued arranging the sugar jars.
Though the clink of porcelain was slightly louder than before.
Koma maintained his gentle smile.
As if listening to an amusing urban legend.
"Perhaps."
He said lightly.
"But stability is always a good thing."
The moment passed quickly.
The atmosphere in the café returned to normal.
The television switched to a weather forecast.
Outside—
The morning sun rose higher.
Kanae General Hospital — Special Ward
The smell of disinfectant filled the room.
The door opened.
Yukinori Shinohara stepped inside.
Carrying a bag of fruit.
His tall figure looked slightly tired.
But he still forced a smile.
Inside the room—
Kureo Mado leaned against the hospital bed.
His face was pale.
His body still weak from his injuries.
But his eyes—
Remained sharp.
Obsessively focused.
"Yo, Mado."
Shinohara set the fruit beside the bed.
"You look better than last time."
Mado's voice sounded hoarse.
But his peculiar tone remained.
"Shinohara…"
"You didn't come just to visit me."
His lips curved slightly.
"Something… interesting happened."
Shinohara sighed.
Dragging a chair beside the bed.
"…Yeah."
He rubbed his face slowly.
"We encountered something unbelievable."
"In Cochlea."
He began describing the battle.
The crimson monster.
The grotesque transformation.
The horrifying regeneration.
The massacre in the control room.
And finally—
The word written in blood on the wall.
"CARNAGE."
"…That wasn't a battle."
Shinohara said quietly.
"It was a performance."
"A slaughter created purely to satisfy its own bloodlust."
He paused.
"SSS-rank."
"Without question."
Then he hesitated.
"…Maybe even more dangerous than the One-Eyed Owl."
"Because that thing…"
"Has no goal."
"No logic."
"Just destruction."
Silence filled the hospital room.
Only the steady beeping of medical equipment could be heard.
Then—
Mado suddenly laughed.
"Heh…"
"Heh heh…"
"Slaughter…"
"What a beautiful name."
Shinohara frowned slightly.
"I've seen him before."
Mado continued.
"What?"
"During my investigation of Yakumo Oomori."
Mado's eyes gleamed.
"I saw it pierce through Gecko's body with its tentacles."
He paused.
"If Gecko hadn't already been injured…"
"I probably wouldn't be lying in this hospital bed right now."
Then he looked directly at Shinohara.
"Don't you find something strange?"
Shinohara frowned.
"What?"
Mado spoke slowly.
Like a detective revealing a deduction.
"A monster that powerful…"
"Insane."
"Ruthless."
"Yet there was no record of it in the CCG database before."
"It's as if it appeared from nowhere."
He leaned forward slightly.
Ignoring the pain.
"It attacked Cochlea."
"Caused massive destruction."
"And then left with Arata Kirishima."
He stared straight into Shinohara's eyes.
"So the question becomes…"
"Where did it go?"
Shinohara's brows tightened.
"You're suggesting…"
Mado's answer came instantly.
"The 20th Ward."
His voice carried absolute certainty.
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