As expected of a CCG investigator, I was up at 7 sharp for the morning meeting.
"Ughh… why do I have to wake up so early?" I muttered, dragging myself into the briefing room.
"Now, now, Urie-kun, don't complain," Mado chimed in, way too energetic for someone who looked like a sleep-deprived raccoon. "Waking up early is just one part of being a CCG investigator. You'll get used to it—eventually." His usual grin was plastered across his face like he'd slept a full 12 hours. I hated that.
He clasped his hands behind his back and started pacing like he was about to give a sermon."Amon-kun and I have been assigned to the 20th Ward."He paused and turned to me. "The 20th has a few nasty ghouls in it. Care to name a few?"
"Uh… the Binge Eater and the Gourmet?"
"Good job! Someone's done their homework," Mado praised, nodding in approval.
I gave a slight nod back, trying to look cool.I only knew that because of the anime… I thought to myself, already regretting not brushing up more on the real files.
"Anyway," Mado continued, "as a Rank 3 investigator, your job is to support Amon and me. Observe, learn, and don't get killed. Think you can manage that?"
"Yeah, I can do that," I said confidently.
"Good to hear! Now—I've got a little present for you, Urie."
He walked over to a nearby table and picked up a white briefcase, polished and pristine. He handed it to me with a dramatic flourish like he was giving me the keys to a new car.
"This is your new quinque. It's called Tsunagi. One of the mass-produced models for rookies."He leaned in close, eyes wide, voice low."It's a C-rank. Basic, but reliable. Take care of it—because if you break it…"He tapped a cold finger on my chest."…I'll break you. Hahahaha!"
I gave a half-hearted laugh. With Mado, it was impossible to tell if he was joking or dead serious.
"Now," he said suddenly, clapping once. "Since ghoul scum usually only come out at night, we most likely won't be doing any combat today. Just reconnaissance and information gathering."
He turned toward the hallway.
"Today, Urie-kun, we go over case files!"
I sighed internally.Office work. Great.
After five hours of mind-numbing office work—printing documents, filing case reports, reading outdated profiles, and trying not to die of boredom—Mado finally walked over to my desk.
"Urie, time to go. Our work here for the day is done."
"Alright." I stood up, slipped on my suit jacket, and followed him out of the building.
We got into a black SUV waiting just outside. Amon was already sitting in the back seat, arms folded, looking serious as ever. Not a word was said during the thirty-minute drive. From the 1st Ward all the way to the 20th. One highway, a few quiet turns, and a lot of tense silence later, we pulled up outside a small, worn-down pet store.
"Alright," Mado said as he stepped out. "We're here. Let's go."
I followed behind him, clutching my briefcase tightly. Amon moved in sync with me, just a step behind. We slipped around the side of the pet store, ducking into a shadowed alleyway. Mado moved ahead of us, signalling for us to stop with a casual wave of his hand.
He kept walking, calm and confident, his posture loose like he was just out for a stroll. Then—like a switch was flipped—a man with shaggy, medium-length grey hair lunged out from another alleyway.
It happened in less than a second.
The man jumped at Mado with murder in his eyes—but before he could lay a finger on him, Mado moved like lightning.
Slick—SHUNK—SLICE.
Blood splattered the alley walls as Mado severed the man's arms and legs in four clean, fluid motions. No wasted energy. Just precision. The ghoul dropped to the pavement in a screaming heap, flailing in agony.
I stood frozen. Even Amon didn't move—he just watched with that unreadable look he always had. Mado, on the other hand, crouched next to the ghoul, his face eerily calm.
"Article 12, Clause 1 of the Anti-Ghoul Act," he said in a cold, rehearsed tone, like reading from scripture.
"A species against which special precautions must be taken, known as 'Ghouls,' is distinct in that it has been confirmed they can produce both Kakugan and Kagune."
The ghoul whimpered, trying to crawl away even without limbs.
Mado continued:
"Article 12, Clause 9, in relation to the target group designated as Ghouls:There are no legal protections afforded to individuals identified as Ghouls."
He stood back up, brushing off his coat like nothing happened.
"That's the law," he said with a faint smile. "And the law is absolute."
I clenched my fists around the handle of my briefcase.That was… terrifying. Efficient. Ruthless.This wasn't the anime anymore. This was real.
And I had just gotten my first taste of what being a CCG investigator really meant.
"Target neutralized," Amon said flatly.
I stood there like an idiot, hands shaking slightly at my sides.
"First time seeing a live one go down?" he asked, glancing over.
"...Yeah." I didn't lie. What would be the point?
"You'll get used to it."
And it horrified me.
I'd never killed anyone before. I'd never seen someone die in front of me like that. Not like that. Not with limbs severed, blood gushing, a look of raw terror etched across his face
I didn't know if I was really prepared for the reality of this.
The blood. The violence. The smell of iron clinging to the air like smoke after a fire.
I thought I was ready. I trained. I excelled. I pushed myself harder than anyone else. But standing there, watching Mado dismantle a living being like it was just another task on a checklist… it shook me.
Is this what it takes to survive?
Because if it is… then I'll have to be okay with it. I'll have to.
If I want to live…If I want to be stronger than him—than Arima, even…Then I'll have to embrace the ugliness of this job. Swallow the horror, wear it like armor.
"Alright," I whispered to myself, barely audible. "What's next?"
"Nothing."Mado's voice snapped me back to reality. He'd already pulled out his cell phone, fingers moving across the keypad with robotic calm.
"Body retrieval will come and get this," he said, as casually as someone ordering a pizza."We're gonna continue on our patrol."
I stared at the mangled corpse for a second longer. No dignity. No ceremony. Just another mess for someone else to clean up.
Mado turned, walking down the alleyway like it was just another Tuesday.
Amon followed.
I took one last look… then picked up my briefcase and walked after them.
Each step felt heavier than the last.