51

Chapter 51: Thorn

At the end of his holiday, Ryoma's new partner had been assigned by the CCG.

He received a notification on his work phone — an old-fashioned flip phone with hardly any functions besides making calls. Having grown used to smartphones, Ryoma found the device unimpressive, but it served its purpose.

His new partner was Ui Koori. Today, Ryoma was heading to the CCG's 1st Ward headquarters to meet Ui, finalize their partnership, and collect his new Quinque.

...

1st Ward — CCG Headquarters

Upon arriving at the CCG hall, Ryoma spotted Ui waiting for him.

Ui sat calmly, raising a hand in greeting. Beside him were Ihei Shio and Ihei Hairu — distant relatives who shared a surname but weren't siblings.

"Ryoma, you must've received the news. Starting today, we're partners," Ui stated coolly.

Although Ui was a member of the elite Zero Squad, that didn't prevent him from taking on standard assignments. The Zero Squad was only called together for critical missions.

"Got it. I'll be counting on you from now on, Senior Ui," Ryoma said politely.

"No need to be so formal," Ui replied. "According to orders, we'll be investigating an A-rank ghoul codenamed Hyena in the 19th Ward. Normally, this mission would be difficult for a rookie investigator, but for you... I doubt it'll be a problem."

Ryoma nodded without comment.

As Ui mentioned, A-rank ghouls were usually targeted by senior investigators at minimum. Rookie investigators, typically ranked as Second or Third Class, were far below that level — taking on an A-rank alone would be like challenging an opponent several tiers above.

For instance, S-rank ghouls — considered formidable even by CCG standards — generally required Quinx Squad members, associate special investigators, or stronger to handle.

SS-rank ghouls could rival special investigators in strength and often required multiple high-level agents working together to subdue.

As for SSS-rank ghouls... there were no standard combat protocols for handling them. Even with multiple handicaps, the CCG had barely managed to subdue the One-Eyed Owl.

When Yoshimura Kuzen was defeated, he was already weakened — he hadn't fed on fresh human flesh in years, his kakuhou was smaller than its prime, and his age had taken a toll on his abilities. Moreover, Kuzen willingly restrained himself during the fight, avoiding fatal blows against investigators and rejecting the opportunity to recover by devouring the wounded. Had he fought at full strength, the outcome of the Anteiku Raid might have been very different.

If Kuzen had killed Kuroiwa and Shinohara during their earlier encounter at Aogiri Tree's base, the outcome of the war would have changed drastically.

That said, the Anteiku Raid itself was never intended to be a true extermination mission — it was part of a carefully coordinated plan devised by Kishou Arima and Eto Yoshimura. No matter how formidable Kuzen had been, Arima's intervention ensured the battle unfolded according to plan.

In short, the strength gap between an SSS-rank ghoul and even the strongest special investigators was staggering.

Arima's overwhelming skill had set an unrealistic standard — not even other special investigators could match him.

"Let's finish the paperwork first," Ui instructed. "I have other business to handle later. Since you haven't claimed your Quinque yet, I'll have Shio and Hairu take you to the CCG lab afterward."

"Understood," Ryoma said.

"By the way," Shio chimed in, "Should I keep calling you 'Ryoma-san' or go with 'Second-Class Kanzaki' now?"

"Either's fine," Ryoma replied casually.

"Then I'll stick with 'Ryoma-san' — feels friendlier that way," Shio said with a grin.

As usual, Shio's lively energy contrasted sharply with Hairu's quiet demeanor — Hairu simply stood by, observing silently.

...

Once the paperwork was completed, Ryoma's role as an official CCG investigator began.

[Ding! The host has completed Choice 3 — Reward: 40 Fusion Points earned!]

This reward came from Ryoma's earlier decision to skip the academy and enter the CCG directly.

[Ding! The host has formed a partnership with Ui Koori — Reward: 5 Fusion Points earned!]

Once their business was finished, Ui excused himself to attend to other matters. Meanwhile, Shio and Hairu led Ryoma to the CCG Experimental Lab.

Although it carried the CCG name, the lab itself was run by the German Ghoul Research Institute (GFG), the organization responsible for developing Quinques.

...

For Ryoma, this was his first visit to the CCG lab. With Shio and Hairu guiding him, navigating the facility was straightforward.

Before long, Ryoma reached the designated room, where a technician handed him a sleek silver suitcase.

"Come with me to register your biometrics," the technician instructed. "The Quinque case is locked with biometric security — once you've registered, only you will be able to access it."

Fingerprint scanning was just the starting point. The system also allowed palm recognition and even facial recognition, ensuring fast and reliable access during emergencies.

After registering his data, Ryoma opened the suitcase to inspect his new weapon.

Inside lay a gray-bladed sword — its jagged, serrated edge resembling shark teeth. The weight and texture felt vastly different from an ordinary blade.

"...I'll call it Thorn," Ryoma declared.

[Ding! The host has successfully named their Quinque — Reward: 6 Fusion Points earned!]

[Ding! The host has accumulated 500 Fusion Points — System Mall unlocked!]