Chapter 366: Hunting Geckos and Kuink
[TL/N: New Book -
Anime Group Chat in a Doomsday World!]
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"What?! Uta is actually a member of the Clown Organization?"
Renji, usually the picture of calm composure, widened his eyes in shock and let out an incredulous exclamation.
"Hmm?"
Roma responded with a playful smile.
Her godlike acting skills allowed her to shift effortlessly—one moment, she exuded the regal authority of a queen overlooking her subjects, and the next, she transformed into a mischievous little girl begging for sweets.
"This…"
Kaneki blinked, his surprise evident.
He knew Uta.
Just a few days ago, Touka had taken him to Uta's workshop to have his own mask made.
What he didn't expect, however, was that Uta—soft-spoken, kind, and undeniably likable—would be a member of the Clown Organization.
From what Roma had mentioned earlier, the members of this organization had bloodstained hands.
But then again...
Kaneki had long since adjusted his expectations of this chaotic world.
"It doesn't matter. If you trust the members of your Clown Organization, they can join the Different Dimension group."
Kaneki used his remaining 10,000 points to purchase 19 units of life essence from the dimensional merchant.
Each unit of life essence, capable of altering ghoul genes, cost 500 points. Since Kaneki had opted for a portable form of the essence—at an additional cost of 100 points per unit—he now had 400 points left.
Of course, these numbers weren't his primary concern.
To date, nine people, including himself, had already used the essence of life: members from Anteiku + Shuu, and the unexpected newcomers—Ryoko Fueguchi and her daughter, Hinami Fueguchi. The latter two had sought refuge in the safe zone after being threatened by a ghoul from the Aogiri Tree Organization.
With 10 units of life essence remaining, Kaneki had enough resources to bring all the Clown Organization members into the fold.
After finalizing the plans for this expansion, Kaneki shifted his focus to Ryoko and Hinami, who had remained silent throughout the discussion.
With the creation of their dimensional organization, dedicated to countering ghouls, life as they knew it would change drastically.
Gone were the days of simplicity and peace.
From now on, violence and survival would define their lives.
It was a bitter irony.
Dr. Fueguchi—Ryoko's husband—had been coerced into working for a powerful ghoul from the Aogiri Tree, forcing his wife and daughter to flee to the safe zone for safety.
Now, though reluctant, the Fueguchi family had been swept into the interdimensional organization.
Given Dr. Fueguchi's expertise and reputation, Kaneki saw him as a valuable addition to their group.
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"Gecko from the Aogiri Tree? I know him!"
As the group strategized on how to locate Gecko, a casual yet sly voice cut through the conversation.
"Huh?"
Kaneki turned in surprise, only to see Roma casually stuffing three lollipops into her mouth.
"You know him?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Of course!" Roma nodded enthusiastically, a mischievous grin spreading across her face.
"One of our Clown Organization members is currently embedded within the Aogiri Tree. He has a good rapport with Gecko."
"If you want," she added with a smirk, "I can help you get in touch."
Pulling out her phone, Roma's playful demeanor didn't falter.
"Oh?"
Kaneki responded with a soft smile.
"If that's the case, that would be perfect."
Roma's grin widened as she tapped out a message. "For the price of delicious food, this is a small favor."
With that, she crushed the lollipops in her mouth with a loud crunch and swallowed them, making exaggerated chewing sounds. Her hands moved swiftly, typing out the message on her phone.
Moments later, a notification chimed.
The speed of the response highlighted Roma's absolute authority over the members of her organization.
She opened the message, glanced at it briefly, and then turned her phone toward Kaneki with a sly smile.
"What a coincidence, Boss Kaneki."
"That Gecko seems to be stirring up trouble again. And guess what? It's related to the doctor you mentioned."
"If I'm not mistaken, that doctor must be Dr. Fueguchi, right?"
"What did you say?!"
As Roma's words landed, Ryoko abruptly stood up, her earlier fear of Roma completely forgotten. Without hesitation, she snatched the phone from Roma's hands.
Her eyes scanned the message, and tears immediately began streaming down her face.
"Dad…" Hinami whispered in shock, running over to her mother's side with worry etched on her face.
Plop!
Ryoko suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Kaneki, tears falling freely.
"Boss... Chief…"
"Please! Save my husband!" she begged, her voice cracking with desperation.
"That Gecko... he's a monster, a merciless demon!"
Her initial hesitation about joining the organization was now completely eclipsed by her concern for her husband's safety.
Kaneki gently helped Ryoko to her feet, meeting her tearful gaze with calm reassurance. Then, turning to Hinami, who was staring at him with hopeful eyes, he offered a comforting smile.
"Don't worry," he said softly.
"Nothing will happen to Dr. Fueguchi."
"Please trust me. Also, no need to be formal to me. Just call me Kaneki."
Kaneki was fully aware of Ryoko's vulnerability. Though her vitality as a ghoul far surpassed that of ordinary humans, her combat abilities were minimal. It was only natural for her to be consumed with worry at the thought of a powerful ghoul targeting her husband.
Hinami, however, displayed a different reaction. With her bright, trusting eyes, she stepped forward and declared firmly:
"I believe in Brother Kaneki!"
To Hinami, Kaneki was nothing short of a miracle worker—someone who had changed her once grim life. He had made it possible for her to eat human food and live like the children she'd seen on television.
In her eyes, there was nothing Kaneki couldn't accomplish.
With newfound resolve, Hinami had already accepted her place within the interdimensional organization. She had no doubt that Kaneki would rescue her father.
Kaneki smiled at her determination but didn't say more. Instead, his gaze shifted to Roma.
"Roma, contact your subordinate. Tell them to delay Gecko for as long as possible."
"Also, have them gather detailed information on the Aogiri Tree Organization and send it to you."
The discussion had already given Kaneki a clearer picture of the ghoul organizations in Tokyo. Among them, the Aogiri Tree stood out as one of the most formidable and enigmatic groups.
Their objectives remained a mystery, as their members seldom gathered in large numbers, making information about the organization scarce. But with Roma's connections, this was an opportunity Kaneki couldn't afford to miss.
The Aogiri Tree...
They were the first target of Kaneki's interdimensional organization.
"Understood!" Roma's crimson eyes glimmered with excitement as if envisioning the bloodshed to come. She grinned and nodded.
After giving Roma her orders, Kaneki turned his attention to the rest of the group.
"Shuu," he said, "your task is to prepare the mobile vehicle. As the eldest son of the Tsukiyama family, this shouldn't be a challenge for you, right?"
Shuu flipped his hair dramatically and replied with his usual flair:
"Leave it to me~"
With that, he turned and exited the conference room gracefully.
Kaneki continued, issuing instructions to the others:
"Touka, Renji-san, Ryoko-san and Hinami…"
"The four of you will accompany me to Dr. Fueguchi's residence to hunt down Gecko."
"Understood!"
The four responded in unison, stepping behind Kaneki, ready for action.
Finally, Kaneki addressed Enji Koma and Kaya Irimi.
"You two, reach out to your former subordinates immediately."
"Anyone who still dreams of peace will be welcomed. I'll provide them with life essence so they can embrace a new beginning, just like we did."
Both Enji and Kaya, powerful SS-rated ghouls, nodded with excitement.
It turned out that the two individuals were the former leaders of the ghoul organizations "Apes" and "Black Dobers" in District 20.
When the store manager arrived, the two had a change of heart. Realizing the sinful nature of their past lives, they disbanded their ghoul organizations and became employees in the 20th District café.
"Thank you, Chief Kaneki!"
Upon hearing Kaneki's words, the two responded with visible excitement.
Although their organizations had been disbanded, they had maintained contact with their former subordinates over the years. Thinking that these subordinates might now enjoy the delicious taste of human food, just as they had, filled the two with genuine joy. At the same time, they felt deep gratitude toward Kaneki for granting them a new lease on life.
"You're welcome," Kaneki replied with a kind smile before continuing,
"Manager, I'll need your help with expanding our interdimensional base."
"With more people joining, the current space in 20th District is getting cramped."
"You're familiar with District 20, so I'll leave these arrangements to you."
"Don't worry," the old store manager assured him, his calm demeanor instilling confidence.
Kaneki turned to Roma next.
"Roma, once you've collected information about the Aogiri Tree, summon your subordinates to 20th District."
"When the time comes, I'll use life essence on them, one by one, so they can experience the same joys as you have."
For someone with a twisted personality like Roma, Kaneki understood that peace and stability were not motivations she would appreciate. For her and the other forthcoming members of the Clown organization, Kaneki promised something far more alluring—a future filled with intrigue and excitement.
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Despite being new to leadership, Kaneki felt a natural sense of control.
After issuing his orders, the interdimensional organization swiftly began to mobilize. Alongside the driver, Shuu, Kaneki led a group of six toward Hinami's home.
Kaneki didn't expect much in terms of fighting prowess from Ryoko. On the other hand, though Hinami was just a young girl, Kaneki sensed a strong vitality within her. He was confident that, given time, Hinami would grow into a formidable individual capable of amazing feats.
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After traveling for several blocks over a few hours, a luxurious car pulled into a rundown residential area.
As the car came to a halt, six masked ghouls stepped out.
"This is the place, right?" Kaneki asked.
Donning a custom mask created by Uta, Kaneki followed Hinami and Ryoko toward an old, dilapidated warehouse.
The area was littered with discarded building materials, their weathered state marking them as long-forgotten trash.
Seeing this scene, Kaneki felt a pang in his heart. He glanced at Hinami, struggling to reconcile her innocent, endearing demeanor with the harsh reality of her upbringing in such a desolate environment.
However, as he considered the gruesome truth that Hinami must have consumed significant amounts of human flesh and blood to survive, he silently discarded the notion of her innocence.
"This twisted world truly needs to be cleansed," he murmured before striding purposefully toward the warehouse.
Beneath his heightened senses, Kaneki detected the presence of two uninvited guests inside.
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Inside the warehouse, Dr. Fueguchi sat injured and trembling before two figures. He stared at them in terror and stammered,
"If I do as you say... will you let me go?"
Ordinarily, an injured ghoul like him would have attacked the humans to feed and heal himself. But now, he was utterly powerless to retaliate—because his wounds had been inflicted by the two humans standing before him.
They were CCG(Commission of Counter Ghoul) investigators, the "White Doves" feared by ghouls—Kureo Mado and Koutarou Amon.
Both men were senior investigators known for their strength. Not only could they handle ordinary ghouls with their bare hands, but they were also armed with the powerful quinque, a biological weapon crafted from ghoul kagune.
In humanity's long struggle against ghouls, technology had eventually turned the tide, enabling humans to create quinques—tools capable of leveling the playing field against their monstrous adversaries.
Each quinque possessed unique powers depending on the kagune it was derived from. Investigators could wield their quinques with precision, much like ghouls controlled their kagune. However, the biological nature of these weapons meant they retained a faint ghoul aura, which could mentally destabilize weaker-willed investigators.
Even top-level investigators remained cautious when using them.
At this moment, Mado and Amon stood coldly before the wounded ghoul, their quinque cases in hand.
Mado hunched forward, his twisted grin deepening as he placed his suitcase against Dr. Fueguchi's chin.
"That's right," he hissed in a voice dripping with malice.
"If you lure out the ghouls you're protecting, we might just let you and your family live."
His hoarse, snake-like voice was the only lifeline Dr. Fueguchi could grasp in his desperate situation.