Chapter 70: 13s Jason
When Ryoma returned to his seat, Rize was still quietly reading her book, barely glancing up as she spoke.
"What did they want?"
"Nothing much," Ryoma answered smoothly. "They asked about the 'Gecko' incident. They were caught up in his attack yesterday, so I explained that I expelled him."
"That's all?" Rize asked, her tone casual but her gaze sharp.
"That's all," Ryoma confirmed.
Rize said no more, returning her focus to her book.
Downstairs, Touka resumed her role as a waitress as if nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Hinami looked noticeably happier, and the sadness that once lingered on Ryoko's face seemed to have lifted.
It was clear that learning Asaki Fueguchi was still alive had brought them some relief.
...
After Ryoma eliminated Gecko, CCG investigators swiftly arrived to handle the aftermath. Yakumo Oomori's corpse was transported to the CCG's experimental facility in the 1st Ward for examination.
Though there were burn marks at the scene and on Gecko's body, the investigators didn't question it too much.
Fire-based Quinques were rare, but not unheard of. Since no one had witnessed Ryoma's battle, they simply assumed he possessed such a Quinque.
In fact, the nature of an investigator's Quinque was classified information, something investigators were strictly forbidden to reveal.
Even when Koutarou Amon partnered with Kureo Mado, Mado had expressed curiosity about Amon's Quinque. However, Amon refused to disclose it — an investigator's weapon was their greatest edge, and exposing its traits could prove fatal.
Once Oomori's body arrived at the experimental building, the staff began dismantling the corpse and harvesting his kagune for Quinque production.
...
Kureo Mado and Koutarou Amon arrived at the facility shortly after.
Having previously failed to capture Gecko themselves, they couldn't ignore the fact that a junior investigator had succeeded where they had failed.
By the time they arrived, Gecko's body had already been processed — only his kagune and other materials remained.
"This... this guy had three kagune?" Mado muttered, his eyes narrowing.
Originally, all available intel had indicated that Gecko possessed only one kagune — standard for most ghouls.
The researcher nodded. "Yes, his body had reached the stage of becoming a half-kakuja. That information wasn't in our records."
"Three kagune... That's practically kakuja territory," Mado murmured. "And Kanzaki still managed to kill him... impressive. No wonder Ui sees such potential in him."
"To take down a half-kakuja... that's no ordinary feat," Amon added. His respect for Ryoma grew stronger.
"Gecko's death means we're done here," Mado said. "We should focus on our next assignment — District 11."
"Ward 11?" Amon's expression hardened.
"Yeah. Word is the 'Aogiri Tree' has completely taken over that ward," Mado explained, his tone grim.
"Things are going to get ugly."
For Mado, the growing threat of the Aogiri Tree meant one thing — more Quinques to be made. His obsession with crafting powerful weapons stemmed from his unrelenting desire for revenge — revenge on the One-Eyed Owl, who had slaughtered his wife.
For Mado, Quinques weren't just tools — they were his path to vengeance.
"Get ready, Amon," Mado warned. "The enemies we're about to face... they're unlike anything you've dealt with before."
"Understood!" Amon answered firmly, his resolve unwavering.
...
With his vacation over, Ryoma headed to CCG headquarters in the 1st Ward to formally accept his commendation — and claim his new Quinque.
His success in defeating Gecko had earned him significant recognition, and now he was receiving both a promotion and an official award.
In addition to verbal praise, Ryoma was presented with a badge — the White Single Wing Badge.
This emblem, modeled after a dove's wing, was awarded to investigators who had successfully eliminated an S-rated ghoul.
There were two higher-ranking badges in this system:
The White Double Wing Badge for eliminating an SS-rated ghoul.
The White Dragon Wing Badge for defeating an SSS-rated ghoul.
The White Wing Badge system also included the Osmanthus Badge, which was awarded based on the total number of ghouls an investigator had eliminated in a year.
These badges came in three tiers: Osmanthus, Silver Osmanthus, and Gold Osmanthus.
After the ceremony, Koori Ui was waiting for Ryoma just outside the hall.
"I still can't believe you took down 'Gecko' on your own," Ui remarked, smiling faintly. "The last second-class investigator to receive the White Single Wing Badge was Arima. And now you've done the same."
"To be honest," Ui continued, "Gecko wasn't even an ordinary S-class. After the autopsy, they confirmed he was a half-kakuja. Considering that... your achievement is even more impressive."
"Nah, you're giving me too much credit," Ryoma replied modestly.
"Don't sell yourself short," Ui laughed. "Anyway, your new Quinque — '13's Jason' — has been completed. Let's head to the lab and check it out."