43

Chapter 43: Double Standard Ryouma

[Ding! The host defeated a "B-Class Ghoul" and received a reward: 5 Fusion Points!]

[Ding! The host defeated a "B-Class Ghoul" and received a reward: 5 Fusion Points!]

[...]

Just like yesterday, the internship task was focused on expelling ghouls.

However, Kanzaki Ryoma didn't kill every ghoul—some were captured alive and would be sent back to CCG Headquarters for interrogation.

The approach depended on the situation. CCG investigators were not required to kill ghouls unless absolutely necessary.

According to Article 13, Paragraph 2 of the Ghoul Countermeasures Law:

> "Unnecessary harm to ghouls is prohibited."

In simple terms, unless a ghoul posed an immediate threat, investigators were not supposed to kill or torture them.

However, many CCG investigators completely ignored this rule.

For example:

Mado Kureo—he killed any ghoul on sight, regardless of whether they were a danger or not.

Tokage Gomasa—he tortured the ghoul Jason so severely that it broke his mind completely.

And despite this, neither of them ever faced punishment.

Why?

Because another clause in the Ghoul Countermeasures Law stated:

> "Any entity identified as a ghoul shall not be protected under any legal jurisdiction."

Simply put—ghouls were not considered people.

So no matter how brutal or unethical an investigator's actions were, CCG would never punish them.

Kanzaki also didn't mind killing ghouls—but only when necessary.

If a ghoul needed to be killed, he would do it.

If a ghoul could be captured, he saw no reason to kill them.

He wasn't pretending to be some righteous hero.

It was just a practical mindset.

After all, it wasn't as if he was against ghouls in general.

Look at Rize Kamishiro—he was clearly biased in her favor.

Honestly? He had double standards about this, and he didn't even try to deny it.

Because, in the end, everyone is a little bit biased.

A perfect example—Kirishima Touka.

She killed two innocent CCG investigators in cold blood.

Yet, almost no one in the audience hated her for it.

In fact, people still loved her character.

Even Kaneki Ken wasn't innocent—when he became the Dragon, he devoured half of Tokyo.

So if we really applied strict moral judgment, almost no one in this world would deserve to live.

And frankly? Kanzaki found that kind of thinking exhausting.

---

By the time their internship session ended, Kanzaki and Suzuya Juuzou had once again performed the best out of everyone.

Right behind them were Yasuhisa Kurona and Yasuhisa Nashiro.

---

At the entrance of the 24th Ward, Ui Koori addressed the group:

"Tomorrow will be the final day. Once we're done, your assessment will be complete."

"Understood."

Kanzaki nodded.

Of course, they had known from the start that this internship would last only three days.

But that only applied to the 24th Ward.

Internships in other areas could last much longer—it all depended on the nature of the investigation.

The 24th Ward was the most dangerous, which meant their training was high-intensity but short.

Unlike other districts, where ghouls were better at hiding, here they were everywhere.

This was a warzone.

---

Before leaving, one of the other trainees suddenly asked:

"Ui-sama! If someone wanted to join Squad Zero, what would they need to do?"

This particular student idolized Arima Kishou and dreamed of joining his elite force.

However, rather than asking Arima himself, the boy had chosen Ui Koori—probably because Ui was more approachable.

Ui sighed lightly before responding:

"At minimum, you need to be a First-Class Investigator—ideally, a Rank 1 or higher."

In other words?

Most Squad Zero members were at least Senior Investigators.

Quasi-Special Investigators had a better chance of getting in.

But the reality was even harsher than Ui had said.

Because joining Squad Zero wasn't just about rank.

Arima Kishou personally chose every member.

And there was a deeper secret—one that even Ui didn't know.

---

For years, Squad Zero had only two human members:

Ui Koori

Hirako Take

Everyone else? They were all Half-Humans.

And their true purpose was to serve the Washuu Clan.

Even though CCG itself was created by the Washuus, all the humans in the organization were outsiders to the real power.

So even if this boy trained for years, he would never make it into Squad Zero.

He just didn't know it yet.

After hearing Ui's answer, the boy's enthusiasm deflated.

"...I see. Well, I'll do my best, then."

His tone was frustrated.

Reaching Rank 1 was already a nightmare.

For someone like him? It felt impossible.

---

Kanzaki once again took the same train as Kurona and Nashiro.

Unlike yesterday, the sisters seemed unusually exhausted.

"...Maybe you were right."

Kurona suddenly muttered.

"Hmm? About what?"

Kanzaki tilted his head slightly.

Kurona hesitated, then spoke in a softer voice:

"Back then… you said I 'lacked love'… I thought about it."

Her tone was strangely weak.

She suddenly continued:

"Do you know why Nashiro and I were so hostile to you at first?"

Kanzaki shook his head.

He could guess that Kano Akihiro played a role in it.

But the fact that Kurona was opening up about it now was unexpected.

"It was because of 'Father'..."

Kurona finally admitted.

"We wanted to earn his approval. If Nashiro and I took first and second place together… then 'Father' would be proud of us."

Kanzaki didn't respond right away.

Because Kurona didn't mean their biological father.

She meant Kano Akihiro.

She and Nashiro had long since accepted him as their real father.

Even though he was using them.

Even though they were nothing more than tools to him.

...

Kanzaki finally spoke.

"You worked way too hard today. You're exhausted. You should rest."

But before Kurona could reply—

Her head suddenly tilted sideways—

And landed gently on his right shoulder.

And at the same time—

Nashiro did the exact same thing, leaning against his left.

Their breathing had slowed.

They had both fallen asleep.

Kanzaki, now trapped between them, just sighed.

"...This is getting ridiculous."