Chapter 53: Mado Kuero
"I've partnered with a quasi-special investigator from the Zero Squad, and we're heading to the 19th Ward tomorrow to investigate ghouls."
After returning ho that evening, Ryoma explained his situation to Rize Kamishiro.
"You said the Washuu family has raised many half-humans, right? And their physical abilities far surpass those of ordinary people. I wonder... could Arima Kishou, the so-called strongest CCG investigator, be a half-human too?" Ryoma asked.
"Yeah," Rize replied casually. "And he's more than just that."
Rize's tone turned serious. "He's also a cleaner for V. There's probably a lot of half-humans in the Zero Squad under him too."
"That's exactly why you need to be careful," Ryoma warned. "If Arima catches wind of you, things could get ssy fast."
Ryoma wasn't just speculating — he knew from the original tiline that the Washuu family would eventually send Arima to capture Rize. Her adoptive father, Kamishiro Chika, had died because of this pursuit.
Although Arima often seed to "slack off," especially in his prolonged cat-and-mouse ga with Aogiri Tree in the 24th Ward, Ryoma knew better. Arima never overlooked crucial orders. If Rize was discovered, Arima would eliminate her without hesitation to avoid suspicion from the Washuu family and V.
"Got it," Rize muttered, sounding slightly annoyed. "You're the one who should watch your back."
"Yeah," Ryoma chuckled. He could still hear the concern in her voice.
---
Tokyo, 19th Ward
Ryoma wore casual clothes, while Ui Koori was dressed in a formal suit rather than his typical white investigator's uniform.
Both carried disguised Quinque suitcases — special cases designed with biotric locks that could eject their Quinque in seconds if needed.
"According to reports, 'Hyena' has been responsible for more than a dozen confird kills — possibly more. Recently, he caused a case with over five casualties, bumping his threat level to A-rank."
On their way to the CCG's 19th Ward branch, Ui briefed Ryoma on the mission details.
"Hyena's kagune is believed to be koukaku. It's powerful, but like most koukaku types, it's relatively brittle. He's frequently seen around..."
Despite arriving in the ward, they didn't imdiately start the investigation. First, they had to report to the local branch — otherwise, CCG wouldn't officially recognize their activity.
---
Inside the 19th Ward Branch, all the investigators greeted Ui respectfully.
"Vice-Captain Ui!"
His presence imdiately drew attention. As the vice-captain of the Zero Squad and a rising star in Arima's unit, Ui's reputation was well-known throughout the CCG.
anwhile, Ryoma went unnoticed — an unknown rookie who had just joined.
Monts later, a familiar face appeared — a white-haired man with sharp features, a hunched posture, and a Quinque case slung over his shoulder.
Mado Kureo.
Ryoma's gaze sharpened. Following behind Mado was Amon Koutarou.
Mado... and Amon...
Ryoma imdiately realized where this tiline was heading.
"Mado First Class, Amon First Class," Ui greeted.
Mado glanced at Ryoma. "Is this your new partner? Looks decent."
"He's a solid one," Ui replied. "He perford impressively during his internship."
Ryoma introduced himself calmly. "I'm Kanzaki Ryoma, a newly appointed Second-Class Investigator."
"Second-Class, huh?" Mado said with a grin. "Work hard — you might beco an excellent investigator one day."
With that, Mado and Amon continued on their way.
Despite his casual deanor, Ryoma knew Mado's reputation — a seasoned investigator who was notorious for his ruthless tactics when facing ghouls.
Yet with his subordinates, Mado was professional and dependable — an experienced veteran who took his ntorship seriously.
But... if this tiline matches the original events...
Ryoma frowned. Mado was likely investigating the Fueguchi family — a peaceful ghoul family whose tragic fate deeply impacted Kaneki Ken's journey.
[Ding! The host has activated a task and unlocked the God-Level Choice!]
[Option 1: Stay uninvolved and let events unfold as they should. Reward: 1 Fusion Point.]
[Option 2: Assist Mado Kureo and Amon Koutarou in eliminating the Fueguchi family. Reward: 10 Fusion Points.]
[Option 3: Intervene and stop both 'Gecko' Yamori and Mado Kureo from killing Fueguchi Asaki. Reward: 50 Fusion Points.]
Of course... this event would trigger a mission.
Ryoma weighed his options. His own investigation mission was already demanding enough — trying to juggle both situations would be risky.
Stopping Gecko and Mado simultaneously wouldn't be easy. While Gecko was brutal, Mado's experience made him incredibly dangerous as well.
Despite being ranked First-Class, Mado's actual strength rivaled a Quasi-Special investigator.
After all, Mado had successfully subdued the SS-rated "Corpse Collector," Kirishima Arata — a feat that warranted a promotion. He refused the rank, though, believing Special Class investigators faced too many bureaucratic restrictions.
This dedication to fieldwork was why Touka's killing of Mado had instantly raised her threat rating to S-class — the standard level for soone capable of defeating a Special Class investigator.
If Ryoma interfered to protect Fueguchi Hinami and Fueguchi Ryoko, he'd risk exposing himself. The CCG had zero tolerance for investigators protecting ghouls — it was a direct violation of the Ghoul Counterasures Law.
Even if I hate that law... I can't risk making reckless moves.
For now, Ryoma put that dilemma aside. He had his own mission to focus on — tracking the A-rank ghoul Hyena.
---
After checking in at the CCG branch, Ryoma and Ui began their investigation.
Their target had earned the nickna Hyena due to his habit of wearing a hyena-like mask, similar to how Touka was known as Rabbit.
"Let's keep it quiet for now," Ui instructed. "We'll blend in with the locals — no need to draw attention. Keep your eyes peeled for anything unusual."
Ryoma nodded. Even without activating his Sharingan, his enhanced perception gave him a sharp edge over ordinary investigators.
It didn't take long for him to spot sothing suspicious.
"Senior Ui," Ryoma whispered. "That man over there — see the yellowish stains on his sleeve? It looks like body fat residue."
Ui followed Ryoma's gaze, his eyes narrowing.
"Good eye," Ui muttered. "Let's move carefully — we might have found our Hyena."
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