A pure-blood ghoul family founded and rules the CCG?!
"They've strengthened their bloodline through long-term 'ghoul-on-ghoul' cannibalism. They're born kakujamonstrously strong."
Kuzen continued, every word crushingly heavy.
"The CCG's purpose was never to eradicate ghouls. It was to control."
"To control ghoul numbers and maintain a fragile 'balance' that benefits them."
"And at the same time to safeguard their pure bloodline and exalted status."
"Humans, to them, are livestock to be penned and a cover to hide behind."
"Ordinary ghouls, to them, are unstable trash to be culledor food to fuel their 'cannibalism' and make themselves stronger."
Kuzen's gaze swept over the stunned Touka and the others, finally dropping to his aged hands.
"And the V organization I once served is actually a branch arm of the Washuu. It's largely made up of 'half-humans'beings like Kishou Arima."
"V's job, as the 'cleaners,' is to erase any heretical force that might threaten that 'balance,' whether it's an overly powerful ghoul or a human who gets too close to the truth."
The truth crashed over Anteiku like an arctic tide.
"!!!"
Touka felt the cold seep into her bones. Her mind went blank.
All her life, her world had been black and white.
Ghouls hid and hunted to survive.
Humans formed the CCG to fight back.
But now someone was telling her that the human guardian, the CCG, was ruled from the top by the strongest ghouls?
They pen humans like cattle
and send humans and half-humans to butcher any ghoul they can't control?
What kind of twisted, hopeless world is this?!
Humans?
Ghouls?
Who is the enemy now?
Who is a companion?
In that instant, all positions blurred.
Only the suffocating weight of a vast conspiracy remained, leaving them adrift.
"As long as the Washuu still existas long as this warped system of rules they wrote remains"
Eto's icy voice rose again, shattering the deathly silence.
"Then whether we choose to become human or go on as ghouls, we're just living in the same cage they so carefully woveonly in a different pose. The essence never changes."
She looked to Rei Ao, the light in her single eye clear and merciless.
"So mere destruction or simple conversion won't fix the root."
"What I want is revolution. The old rules have to be smashed to pieces."
Rei Ao regarded her, the corner of his mouth lifting in approval.
"You do see things clearlybetter than those who only know how to fight or forever run."
He snapped his fingers, as if settling on a decision.
"In that case"
His gaze moved across Yoshimura Eto, Yoshimura Kuzen, and the silent Kishou Arima.
"Why don't the ones most entangled in this decide exactly how to change this vile status quo?"
Before any of the three could answer, he slowly raised his hand.
At once, a vast, indescribably sacred presence flooded the room!
A brilliant, non-blinding gold radiance gathered in his palm, condensing, shaping
until it became a golden Holy Grailancient in form, etched with countless mysterious runes, and emanating a warm, overwhelming power.
The Grail drifted up to hover in the air, slowly turning as motes of golden light spilled from it.
Within it churned the supreme power of creation and destruction.
Everyone in the shop was seized by this sudden, sacred artifact, their attention utterly consumed.
Each of them could feel in it a power that seemed capable of granting any wishterrifying in its promise.
Pointing to the Grail, Rei Ao said to Eto, Kuzen, and Arima:
"This is a 'Holy Grail' I whipped up. The energy inside should be enough to grant three solid wisheseach one world-shifting."
This wasn't some tainted Grail. It was the real thing.
"The three of you get one wish each."
"Use it to make the wish you believe can truly change this world."
"Rewrite the rules, judge the guilty, create a futurewhatever you decide."
Yoshimura Eto, Yoshimura Kuzen, and Kishou Arima stood frozen.
Their eyes locked on the Grail hanging in the airits inviting glow, its limitless possibilitiesand their minds nearly stopped.
Grant a wish?
Decide the world's future yourselves?
The sudden weight of that choice clamped down on their throats and their thoughts alike.
Chapter 927: Time to take the Deal...
Inside the Anteiku caf.
The air grew heavierand strangely chargedthan ever before.
The golden Holy Grail floating in midair cast a warm, vast light, like a sudden miracle descending into a hopeless world, illuminating the complicated expressions on every face.
Eto Yoshimura, Kuzen Yoshimura, Kishou Arima.
Three people who by rights should be mortal enemies, standing on utterly different sides.
Yet in this moment, because of a shared "opportunity" big enough to overturn the world itself, they set aside old grudges and prejudicesif only for now.
Their eyes were fixed on the Grail.
Minds racing, trying to process this surreal scene,
and to decide how to use these three wishes to carve out a true path of renewal for humans and ghouls alike.
Should they eradicate RC cells entirely?
Reshape everyone's perception?
Or judge the true root of evil?
Each choice was heavy as lead, tied to the fate of countless lives.
While the three of them sank into that grave, pivotal deliberation,
Rei Ao lost interest.
He yawned lazily,
his gaze drifting to Touka Kirishima, who looked a bit dazed after taking in too many shocking revelations.
He rose and, quite naturally, walked over to her.
Ignoring the complicated looks from the others, he took her hand.
"It's stifling in here. Let them take their time."
His tone was as casual as deciding where to stroll after dinner.
"Let's go do what people do after closing a deal."
"Eh? W-wait"
Before Touka could react, Rei Ao tugged her along, half-leading, half-drawing her toward the small room that belonged to her on the caf's second floor.
Renji Yomo's eyes flashed.
He moved on instinct to block them, but Kuzen Yoshimura stopped him with a look.
The manager slowly shook his head, gaze deep.
Things were already far beyond their control. Provoking this mysterious man would be unwise.
Besides the so-called "terms" of that deal
Under her uncle's worried stare, the manager's complicated look, and Eto's cool gaze, Touka's cheeks flared scarlet.
Half pushed, half willing, she let Rei Ao guide her into her room.
Click.
The door closed with a soft sound,
shutting out every eyeand almost as if sealing them in a different world.
The small, tidy room carried a faint, clean scent that was distinctly hers.
The furnishings were simple:
a bed,
a desk,
a wardrobe,
and a small green plant on the windowsill.
Rei Ao looked around the lived-in little space with interest,
then sat down naturally on the single bed with its fresh sheets.
The soft mattress dipped slightly under his weight.
He patted the spot beside him and, with a teasing smile, addressed Touka, who stood frozen at the door like a startled rabbit.
"Not coming over?"
"Or do you prefer standing?"
"!!!"
Touka's heart began pounding like a drum.
Heat rushed to her face until it almost burned.
Her fingers twisted nervously at the hem of her clothes; she didn't dare meet Rei Ao's eyes.
Her voice, barely above a whisper, squeezed out between clenched teeth:
"S-shouldn't we t-take a shower first?"
The instant she said it, she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
Godwhat was she even saying?!
Didn't that make her sound like she was looking forward to what came next?!
Rei Ao's smile deepened, a shade mischievous.
"Oh? You want to shower first"
He drew out the words on purpose.
Then, taking in her adorable urge to shrink in on herself, he suddenly stood.
"Then let's go together."
"Eh?!!"
Touka snapped her head up, eyes wide with disbelief.
Meanwhile,
at the CCG's temporary command center
the atmosphere was as oppressive as the sea before a storm.
Gone was the earlier excitement that had preceded tonight's operation.
Several Special Class Investigators were gathered, faces dark as thunder.
"Report! We've lost the tracking signals for 'Crow,' 'Demon Ape,' and 'Black Dog'! It's like they vanished into thin air!"
One investigator forced the words out.
"Vanished?"
"How could three SS-rated ghouls vanish at the same time?!"
a Special Class barked, slamming a fist onto the table.
Another investigator, pale, added, "And when we arrived at the area where Special Class Arima fought the 'Owl,' there were only traces of the battle left. Special Class Arima and the 'Owl' both were gone!"
The news made everyone's hearts sink.
Kishou ArimaCCG's undefeated Grim Reaperwas missing?
Could it be that even he had fallen to the legendary SSS-rated ghoul, the Owl?
The terrifying thought spread like a plague through the room, bringing a chill and panic that bit to the bone.
Just then, the squad led by Kureo Mado returned.
Every face was as dark as ink,
especially Mado himselfhis snake-cold eyes full of humiliation and stunned disbelief.
"First Class Mado, what happened on your end?"
a Special Class asked with a frown.
Mado's voice was hoarse, forced out between clenched teeth.
"The S-rated ghoul 'Rabbit' was taken away by a man who suddenly appeared."
"A man?"
"Y-yes"
Mado recalled that uncanny scene in the alley; his body still twitched at the memory.
"He appeared in a way I can't explain. He he only said two words: 'Kneel.'"
He swallowed hard and went on:
"And then all of us were crushed to our knees as if by an invisible mountaincompletely unable to resist!"
"In the end we could only watch him take the target away!"
"What?!"
"He made every investigator kneel with one sentence?!"
"How is that possible? Some new kagune ability?!"
The command room erupted.
~~~
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Chapter 928: The Deal of Eto Yoshimura
After hearing Kureo Mado's report, every Special Class Investigator wore the same look of shock and disbelief.
This was far beyond anything they understood a ghoul could do.
Aside from successfully capturing the extremely dangerous "Binge Eater," Rize Kamishiro, their high-profile sweep tonight had been a complete fiasco.
Multiple key targets escaped.
Special Class Arima suddenly vanished.
And an incomprehensibly powerful unknown entity had appeared.
The gloom of failure and the dread of the unknown weighed heavily on every member of the CCG.
Yet in the depths of that suffocating confusion
something changed.
Though it was still the middle of the night, the world outside the windows suddenly blazed with lightwithout the slightest warning!
"W-what is that?!"
"Sunrise?"
"No, it's only three in the morning!"
Everyone in the command roomindeed, everyone awake in Tokyo, across the entire worldstared in astonishment out the window, up at the sky.
There, in the pitch-black night, a sun was slowly rising?!
A "sun" pouring out a dazzling, comforting radiancewarm, yet without any scorching heat.
Its light swept away the darkness in an instant, making the whole world bright as day.
"Is is this a miracle?!"
"What on earth is happening?!"
People reeled, stunned and at a loss.
And that was only the beginning.
Next, three vast, steady voiceseach seeming to carry the power of supreme lawrang out clearly in the depths of every human mind across the globe.
No matter the language, no matter the place, everyone understood at once:
[Rule One: RC cells shall now cease to exist. All ghouls shall be transformed into human bodies.]
[Rule Two: All knowledge of the existence of ghouls and the CCG shall now be erased. The world shall return to the ordinary.]
[Rule Three: Among the forces of ghouls and the CCG, those whose hearts incline toward evil shall receive the judgment they are due.]
As the final words fell, that sun hanging in the night sky flared once moreone last gentle yet irresistible lightspilling like liquid silver over every corner of the world.
For a moment, time itself seemed to stop.
An invisible, sovereign power of rules began to turn, rewriting the foundations of reality.
Inside Anteiku.
Kuzen Yoshimura, Renji Yomo, Kaya Irimi, and Enji Koma all felt their bodies changeclearly.
The ever-present craving for flesh was gone.
The power of the ghoul within them ebbed like a retreating tide.
Their kakugan faded back to normal; the faint swelling of rc sacs beneath the skin vanished entirely.
They were becoming human again.
At the same time, their memories of ghouls, the CCG, those bloody battles began to bluras if gently rubbed out by an eraser
Only their deepest bonds, and the trust they felt toward the manager and others, remained.
Kuzen stared at his hands, now the color of a human's once more, and tears streamed down his face.
"Ukina we finally"
Eto Yoshimura and Kishou Arima, as they felt the power of the rules pass over them,
also sensed a second forcecold, targetedan adjudication sweeping through.
But it seemed they were not deemed "hearts inclined toward evil."
The power only probed them, and did not deliver punishment.
A brilliant excitement flashed in Eto's eye.
It worked!
The wish from the Grail had truly been grantedlike something done by a god.
Time skip: the next day afternoon.
In Touka Kirishima's room.
Sunlight spilled through the gap in the curtains; the air held the faint scent of what had passed.
Touka lay limp on the bed,
her throat a little hoarse, dried tear tracks at the corners of her eyes.
Rei Ao stood by the window, refreshed, sipping water.
"I-is it over?"
Touka asked weakly, with a hint of post-ordeal pleading.
Rei Ao set down the glass, turned, a mischievous smile on his face as he walked toward her step by step.
"Over?"
"Touka, it seems you still don't quite grasp what I'm capable of."
As he spoke, he reached toward the pale ankle peeking from the covers.
Touka's expression collapsed into one of utter despair.
How long was this going to go on?
Just then
Knock, knock, knock.
A crisp rapping at the door.
A cool, slightly husky woman's voice followed, cutting through the charged, tender air.
"Rei Ao-sama, it's meEto Yoshimura."
