71

Chapter 71: Three Modes Of 13s Jason

On their way to the CCG experimental building, Ryoma Kanzaki and Koori Ui walked side by side, casually discussing various topics.

"By the way," Ui said suddenly, "do you remember those twin sisters who interned with you before?"

Ryoma paused for a moment, recalling the familiar faces of Kurona and Nashiro Yasuhisa.

"Yeah... What about them?"

"They've gone missing," Ui said with a serious expression. "Ever since their internship ended, they haven't reported back to the CCG. At first, we assumed they were just late, but it's been too long now — and no one's heard from them."

"...I see."

Ryoma's expression remained calm, but inside, he knew exactly what had likely happened.

So Kurona and Nashiro have already disappeared...

If things were unfolding as they had in the original timeline, the twins were now in the hands of Akihiro Kanou — transformed into artificial half-ghouls.

But this time, Rize Kamishiro was still alive and well — meaning her kakuhou hadn't been extracted for Kanou's experiments.

Did Furuta find him a replacement? Ryoma wondered.

It was possible. Furuta's obsession with creating the "Dragon" meant he would explore every option available. If Rize was no longer viable as a donor, Furuta may have turned to someone else from the Washuu bloodline.

No matter what... Kurona and Nashiro probably couldn't avoid that fate.

"It seems you don't know anything either," Ui said. "For now, we'll just have to keep it on our radar."

"Yeah... let's hope they're okay," Ryoma muttered.

Changing the subject, Ui added, "By the way, your performance against Gecko... it's earned you some attention. With that level of skill, you could be promoted to First Class, maybe even higher."

"But..." Ui sighed, "strength alone isn't enough. There's a process — written exams, interviews, and service records."

"It's fine," Ryoma said casually. "I'm not in a rush."

"Good attitude," Ui chuckled. "I was worried you might be frustrated about it."

...

Before long, they arrived at the CCG's experimental building.

Unlike before, when Ryoma had only met with a standard researcher, this time he was greeted by Chigyou Kouitsu, the chief Quinque researcher.

Standing before them was a man in a white lab coat, sporting a distinctive green bowl-cut hairstyle and a thin mustache.

"This is Dr. Chigyou," Ui introduced. "He's the top Quinque specialist here."

"Dr. Chigyou," Ryoma greeted politely.

Chigyou grinned lazily, one hand resting casually in his coat pocket.

"Ah, Kanzaki, right? Come on in — your new Quinque's ready."

Ui waited outside the lab, since Quinque creation details were strictly classified.

Inside, Chigyou led Ryoma to a sealed storage chamber. With a press of a button, the secure compartment opened, revealing a long, crimson sword with streaks of deep purple running along its blade.

Ryoma blinked in surprise — this was nothing like the scythe-like Quinque he remembered from the original timeline.

"This... isn't what I expected," Ryoma muttered.

"Yeah," Chigyou grinned smugly. "This is my finest work in a long time. Go ahead — give it a try."

Ryoma reached out and grasped the hilt. The weapon was heavier than it looked, but thanks to his enhanced strength, it felt comfortable in his hands.

"This Quinque's a bit special," Chigyou explained. "Since Gecko had three kagune — koukaku, rinkaku, and ukaku — I merged all three into a single weapon. This form you're holding now is the koukaku mode — durable and ideal for defensive combat."

"Three forms..." Ryoma murmured.

"Exactly," Chigyou said with a satisfied smile. "Try switching modes."

Following Chigyou's instructions, Ryoma concentrated and willed the Quinque to shift.

The crimson blade twisted and reformed, expanding into a large shield-like structure. The shield was anchored by the original sword's core, with axe-like blades protruding from each side.

"This is the rinkaku form," Chigyou explained. "Tough and heavy — excellent for defense and overpowering opponents."

"Now switch to the third form."

With a flick of his wrist, Ryoma activated the final transformation. The shield contracted back into a sword — but this time, the blade's tip split open, resembling a gun muzzle.

"This is the ukaku form," Chigyou said. "It can fire hardened kagune projectiles — ideal for long-range attacks."

Ryoma examined the weapon carefully. Each form had its own strengths, giving him versatile combat options.

"This... is amazing," Ryoma admitted.

"Glad you like it," Chigyou chuckled. "Once I register your biometrics, it's all yours."

After finalizing the registration process, Ryoma returned the Quinque to its suitcase form.

"So... what do you want to name it?" Chigyou asked.

"...I'll keep the name '13's Jason,'" Ryoma said after a moment's thought.

Despite its new form, the name still felt fitting — a reminder of the twisted ghoul it had been forged from.

"Good choice," Chigyou said with a nod.

As Ryoma left the lab with his new weapon in hand, he couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence.

This S+ grade Quinque — with its adaptable forms and powerful capabilities — had just made him far deadlier than before.