54

Chapter 54: End Of First Mission

The man Ryoma had spotted was tall and thin, clad in a black coat.

At first glance, he seemed no different from the passersby around him. However, the faint yellow stain on the back of his clothing caught Ryoma's attention — a detail too small for most to notice, but Ryoma's sharp insight made it stand out.

It wasn't an ordinary stain. Whether it was animal fat or — more concerning — human fat, it was enough to raise suspicion.

"Really? Let's tail him. Try not to draw attention," Ui whispered.

Both men kept their distance as they followed the suspect.

After a while, the man in black turned into a narrow alley.

Even more suspicious.

"Stay sharp," Ui muttered.

Ryoma took the lead, stepping forward cautiously. The moment he rounded the corner, three jagged scales shot toward his forehead — swift and lethal.

His Sharingan swirled to life.

The red glow of his three-tomoe Sharingan flickered briefly in his eyes, and in that instant, the attack seemed to slow. The scales' trajectory became clear, like seeing frames of a slowed-down film.

Prediction.

With a sidestep, Ryoma narrowly avoided the incoming strike.

The scales retracted slightly — the attacker's kagune unmistakably belonged to a koukaku user. Judging by its structure and pattern, there was no doubt in Ryoma's mind — this was Hyena.

"Ryoma!" Ui's sharp voice rang out.

Reacting fast, Ui triggered his suitcase mechanism. Two Quinque cases shot out — one landing at Ryoma's feet.

Catching it in one hand, Ryoma allowed his Sharingan to fade. Revealing it to Ui wasn't an option yet.

The Quinque unfolded in his grasp — the familiar blade of Thorn now gleaming in his hand.

Opposite him, Hyena glared from beneath his ghoul mask — shaped like a snarling hyena.

"Failed already...?" Hyena growled. His voice was low and guttural.

Realizing his sneak attack had been thwarted, Hyena knew these weren't just average CCG rookies.

He turned to flee — but Ryoma wasn't about to let that happen.

Before Hyena could retract his kagune, Ryoma twisted his wrist and thrust Thorn sideways, skewering the retracting kagune before it could escape.

The jagged koukaku shards splintered under the Quinque's blade, locking Hyena in place.

"Dammit!" Hyena cursed, yanking at his immobilized kagune.

"Not happening."

Ryoma adjusted his grip, twisted the blade downward, and drove it deep into the concrete ground — effectively pinning Hyena's kagune in place.

Hyena's face twisted with panic. Despite struggling with all his strength, his kagune remained trapped beneath Ryoma's blade.

In that instant, Ryoma rushed forward.

His heel snapped up in a high roundhouse kick, striking Hyena square in the skull.

The ghoul's head jerked to the side, but his durable body withstood the blow — he staggered, dazed but still conscious.

"Tsk, ghoul's endurance are seriously a pain in the ass..." Ryoma muttered.

But he wasn't finished.

Drawing his backup Quinque — the dagger Leech 1/76 — Ryoma swiftly circled behind Hyena. With precise timing, he plunged the blade into the base of Hyena's kagune, severing its connection point.

"Aghhh!"

The ghoul howled in pain, his body faltering.

In that moment, Ui arrived.

In his hand was his A-rank Quinque, Kura no Sawa. Its spear-like shape gleamed as Ui activated its mechanism — the spear split into flexible segmented blades, resembling ice shards.

With a powerful swing, Ui's Quinque slashed through Hyena's neck.

Blood sprayed, and the ghoul's severed head rolled across the pavement.

Even with a ghoul's regeneration, decapitation was fatal. Combined with his earlier injuries, Hyena stood no chance.

[Ding! The host has defeated an A-rank ghoul — Reward: 10 Fusion Points.]

[Ding! The host has completed the first mission assigned by the CCG — Reward: 10 Fusion Points.]

"Well done," Ui praised. "That was fast. Honestly, your reflexes aren't what I'd expect from a new investigator. This mission was easier with you around."

He glanced down at the now-exposed koukaku.

"Looks like his kagune's intact. That should meet the requirements for crafting a new Quinque. You might be eligible for an A-rank weapon soon."

"Sounds good," Ryoma replied with a nod.

In truth, he cared little about obtaining a stronger Quinque right now. His mind was on something far more urgent — the fate of the Fueguchi family.

If events followed the manga's original timeline, Gecko (Yamori) was supposed to kill Fueguchi Asaki, Hinami's father.

However, there was always the possibility that Mado Kureo — who was in the area — might alter those events.

If Fueguchi Asaki was still alive, Ryoma knew he had a chance to intervene.

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A/N: In the manga, Gecko (Yamori) was the one who killed Fueguchi Asaki, while in the anime, Mado Kureo stumbled upon the scene and finished him off instead. This story follows the manga's version of events.