After the operation, we had a short debriefing at the CCG headquarters.
"Good job today, guys," Mado cackled, leaning back in his chair with a look of deranged satisfaction. "We really outdid ourselves."
He tossed a blood-stained report onto the table without looking at it.
"Tomorrow, we'll focus our efforts on finding the child ghoul," he continued, voice casual as if discussing the weather. "She couldn't have gotten far. We'll sweep under abandoned bridges, old buildings, sewers—anywhere a little rat might hide."
He stood and stretched, coat swaying behind him. "Anyway, I'll let you all go for tonight. Rest up but. Our job's far from over."
As Amon and I left the briefing room, two familiar faces approached us in the hallway.
"Hey, good work today," said Ippei, clapping Amon lightly on the back. "Yasutomo and I were about to grab some dinner. You guys want to come?"
"Sure, I'm down," Urie replied, walking up behind us from his own meeting.
"I don't see why not," Amon said with a small nod.
We headed out together into the cool night air, walking through the city as the lights flickered to life above. Ippei and Yasutomo chatted along the way—something about baseball or maybe martial arts. I wasn't really paying attention. My thoughts were still back in that alley. Still with Ryoko.
Eventually, we arrived at a cozy little izakaya tucked between two office buildings, its red lanterns glowing softly in the dark. It smelled of grilled meats and soy sauce—warm, nostalgic. The kind of place that momentarily lets you forget the world outside.
Amon and Yasutomo ordered some kind of udon dish, while Ippei went with fried shrimp. I got beef gyudon—simple, filling. Comfort food. As we ate, Yasutomo and Ippei kept talking, mostly to each other. Amon and I sat quietly, the occasional glance exchanged but no words spoken.
Yasutomo, as usual, paid for both himself and Ippei, despite the latter's grumbling. Amon and I paid for ourselves.
The walk back was quieter. Night had fully settled, and the streets were emptier now. Ippei broke the silence.
"So," he said, turning to Amon. "Were there any girls in the Academy with you? You know… anyone you were into?"
Amon didn't even flinch. "They died," he said plainly.
The mood dropped instantly. Ippei's smile faded, and even Yasutomo stopped walking for a moment.
Ippei turned to me next, maybe hoping to lift the energy again. "I heard a rumor about you," he said with a grin. "People are saying you're the next Arima Kishou. That true?"
I gave a tired shrug. "I only spent four months in the Academy before I started fieldwork.. Guess that made people talk."
He whistled. "Man, four months? That's insane."
"I just did what needed to be done," I said. "Nothing more."
But before I could finish the story, the air shifted. A sharp noise—metal slicing through wind—whistled past.
Touka.
Just like in the original story, she attacked without warning. Her kagune flew like shards of glass, deadly and precise. One spike tore through the air toward Ippei—just like before. In the original timeline, he died here.
But not this time.
I was ready.
My quinque was already at my side. In one swift motion, I activated it, spinning it up and intercepting every shard with a loud, vibrating clang. Sparks flew as her projectiles bounced off the blade. I heard her click her tongue behind her mask.
She hadn't expected that.
Amon reached for his weapon but cursed—he had left it behind. The Bureau investigators scrambled, drawing firearms, but they were nearly useless against a ghoul of her caliber.
I stepped forward, locking eyes with her. I didn't want to kill her—I knew who she was now. What she meant to Kaneki, to Hinami, to the storyline.
So I held back.
I aimed low, cutting only into her side—not too deep, but enough to show force. Her legs, I made sure to avoid. She needed them to run. Her kagune flicked back defensively, but she was losing momentum.
Then Mado arrived.
With no hesitation, he lashed out. His quinque Fueguchi 1 snapped through the air and struck Touka across the shoulder. Flesh tore open, and blood sprayed across the pavement. She staggered, realizing now that she wouldn't win this fight. Not like this.
She turned and fled into the shadows.
Mado just laughed after her, voice echoing through the empty street. "See you later, Rabbit."
Mado didn't even have time to taunt the fleeing ghoul like he usually did. He wasn't pleased. His eyes tracked the trail of blood Touka left behind, his expression twisted with disappointment, not amusement.
He turned toward us, annoyed. Before he could speak, I stepped forward.
"Mado-san," I asked, "Did you expect us to be attacked tonight?"
He tilted his head with a sly grin. "I had a feeling. That's why I came to check up on you boys."
"I see…"
"Anyway," he said, brushing nonexistent dust off his coat, "that ghoul was most likely out for revenge. The mother we dealt with earlier—this was probably her ally, or perhaps her daughter's guardian." He laughed. "More ghouls to kill. How interesting."
He chuckled again, his voice sharp and dry like paper scraping glass. "We'll add her to the report."
He looked over the group. "Are any of you injured?"
"No," I replied.
"I'm fine," said Amon.
"I almost got hit," Ippei admitted, "but Urie saved me. I'm good."
"No injuries," Yasutomo added.
"Good, good. I expect to see all of you bright and early tomorrow." Mado turned away, "Stay sharp. I doubt tonight will be the last time she tries something. But we'll make sure next time is the last." He laughed again, a low, mirthless chuckle as he disappeared down the street.
I looked up, my eyes following the direction Touka had escaped into. The rooftops were dark, only the stars above offering any light. She was probably halfway back to Anteiku by now, bleeding, angry, and alone.
Touka POV
"Tch… That shitty mole-faced investigator," Touka muttered through gritted teeth. "I'll show you, you bastard…"
She stumbled through the back entrance of Anteiku, clutching her bleeding shoulder. The pain burned, but she kept moving.
"Touka-san!" Kaneki's voice rang out the moment she entered. "You're hurt—wait here, I'll grab the first aid kit!"
"I'm fine," she snapped. "Don't worry about it."
"But Touka-san—"
"No."
Another voice entered the room, calm and firm. Yoshimura.
"You went after those doves, didn't you, Touka?"
She turned her eyes away, silent, guilty.
"More importantly," Kaneki tried again, stepping forward, "we need to treat that wound."
"No."
"Huh?"
"I said no," Yoshimura repeated, cutting Kaneki off.
"What are you talking about? She's bleeding!" Kaneki's voice rose in disbelief.
"I'm saying," Yoshimura said evenly, "that Touka chose to engage the investigators. She knew the risks. Whether she lives or dies… is now her responsibility."
Kaneki looked shocked. "No way… Anteiku's whole purpose is to protect ghouls in trouble, isn't it?"
Yoshimura's gaze remained calm. "So tell me, Kaneki—do you think the ghouls of Anteiku can stand against thousands of ghoul investigators alone?"
Kaneki fell silent, unsure how to answer.
The manager's words cut deep.
"You've seen a lot already," Yoshimura continued. "You're becoming more decisive. But you still don't fully understand the rules of this world."
Kaneki clenched his fists. "You're right… I don't. I still don't know what's right or wrong. But I do know this—"
He turned toward the door.
"I'm going to see everything with my own eyes… then I'll decide what to do."
Yoshimura smiled faintly. "Then go."
Kaneki caught up with Touka a few moments later, holding out a clean roll of bandages.
"What's this?" she asked suspiciously.
"For your wound," he said.
"I don't need it."
"But you're bleeding—"
"It's none of your business, right?" she snapped. "All you do is stand around. It's irritating, you know. For a mere human."
Kaneki's expression didn't change. "But I'm part ghoul too."
Touka narrowed her eyes. "If you're really a ghoul…"
She stepped closer, voice low and cutting.
"Then why don't you go kill that shitty dove with the mole under his eye for me?"
Kaneki froze.
"You could do it," she said bitterly. "You've got access to Rize's kagune. You've got the power. But you won't, right? You're too weak. Too scared. You don't have the courage to go that far."
Her voice softened, just a little. "I already know I can't depend on the manager… or Yomo-san… or anyone else. I've known that for a while. I've accepted it. I'm a murderer. I understand what that means. Maybe… it'd be better if I died."
She looked away.
"There are good people among humans. But ghouls like Ryoko and Hinami… they get hunted, killed, without even doing anything wrong."
Kaneki stayed quiet for a moment. Then spoke.
"You're right," he said softly. "I can't kill humans. And I don't think investigators are all bad people either. But…"
He clenched his fists again, remembering Ryoko's final moments.
"When someone dies… whether they're human or ghoul… I can't stand it. And if you died, Touka-chan…"
He looked up, eyes meeting hers.
"I think I'd be sad."
Touka's eyes widened, just slightly. "Is that… so?"
Kaneki nodded.
"So in the end, what is it that you're trying to say?" she asked.
Kaneki took a deep breath.
"Teach me how to use my kagune."
Touka blinked.
"I can't kill anyone," Kaneki continued. "But… doing nothing is unacceptable too."