A strip of yellow tape marked "No Entry" had been stretched across the mouth of the alley, where the stench of blood hung in the air.
People passing by kept glancing over with curious eyes. Maybe a murder had happened. That was the sort of look they wore.
The ones blocking the entrance and stringing up the tape were all in white coats. They weren't police. They were Ghoul Investigators. So this was a Ghoul-related incident.
Workers in coveralls with the CCG logo on their chests carried an unidentified bundle out on a cart and loaded it into a van. It was a black plastic bag with room for two or three people inside.
Something had torn somewhere, and part of the contents had leaked out.
Once the onlookers realized it was a human eyeball, everyone who had been peering in with curiosity gagged and ran off.
Hitokawa sat on the steps facing the alley, staring blankly at the scene.
Then one of the investigators walked over to him.
Hajimoto Shinichi. Hitokawa's superior.
"Good work reporting it, Hitokawa-kun."
"...Who did it?"
Hitokawa asked bluntly, his voice dry and to the point.
He already looked worn down, as if a day had aged him by years. Hajimoto let out a small sigh and spoke.
"The exact test results will come later, but from the quick comparison we've done, it's highly likely to be the 'Insect Ghoul' from the last attack. Headquarters at the CCG has designated the bastard 'Insect' as of now, set the rating to A~, and ordered us to devote all our efforts to immediate extermination."
"..."
"And... we found traces of Insect near Takaki Koma-kun's residence as well. It's probably the one who abducted him. We found a small amount of blood believed to be Koma-kun's, but the quantity was low. There's a strong chance he was taken alive."
"..."
"You look exhausted from everything hitting at once. Leave the rest to us and get some rest today."
"..."
"Hitokawa-kun?"
Hitokawa said nothing, only staring at the alley where CCG personnel moved in and out in a hurry.
"...Did you look inside that trash can?"
"No. By the time I got here, they were already collecting the bodies. The forensics team took photos of the scene, but I haven't looked at them yet. Is there a problem?"
"...They arranged it like some kind of art piece."
"...What?"
The word "art" made Hajimoto's brow twitch slightly.
"The moment I opened the trash can lid, I saw the faces of people I knew. They'd ripped out their necks, then twisted their faces into forced expressions. Joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure. They'd floated those faces in a pool of blood and stuck the torn-off limbs around them like decoration. It looked like some cheap third-rate piece of trash art."
Hitokawa let out a hollow laugh, covering his face with one hand.
Were the tendons standing out and the hand trembling because of rage, or fear?
"I don't go to art museums, and I don't have the aesthetic sense to recognize that sort of thing, but... seeing that disgusting work, I think I understand what kind of mood the bastard was in when he did it. Hajimoto-san, that thing is completely insane. Unlike other Ghouls, it's not 'eating to survive'—it's a madman whose goal is to show off the beauty he creates! And that madman kidnapped my friend!!!"
Thud! His bare fist slammed into the concrete steps. Skin split and blood ran, but Hitokawa couldn't spare it a glance.
Perhaps understanding the miserable state of mind behind his clenched teeth, Hajimoto lowered his head for a moment before continuing.
"I'm just as worried about Koma-kun. The extermination team will move soon. We can't keep watching after four professional investigators have already been taken out. A large-scale search operation will begin shortly..."
"Hajimoto-san."
Hitokawa stood up. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he clenched both fists and faced his superior.
"Please take me off that operation."
"What?"
Hajimoto's eyes widened at the unexpected request.
He had assumed that Hitokawa, more furious than anyone over Koma's abduction, would be the first to throw himself into the operation.
His expression hardened coldly as he asked again, "What are you talking about? Take you off the operation?"
"I know that as a Ghoul Investigator, I have to follow orders. ...But the golden time for a human abducted by a Ghoul is 24 hours."
Senior Ghoul Investigators always stressed that in cases of abduction by Ghouls, rescue had to happen within 24 hours.
Human abductions by Ghouls happened often. The main reasons were safety, efficiency, and above all, the 'freshness' of the prey.
If they attacked every time they were hungry, they often had to flee while leaving behind large portions they couldn't finish.
Some of the more cunning ones preferred to abduct a person and slowly eat them limb by limb instead.
Depending on the individual, the Ghoul would lay hands on the abducted human within a maximum of 24 hours.
Whether they killed the victim or kept them alive with only their limbs cut off, the Ghoul's first move always happened within 24 hours.
"If we wait for the extermination team to move, we won't make it in time. If we fail, he dies. If we succeed, Koma still loses an arm or a leg. I can't gamble on that."
That was something he, Hitokawa Tomoru, could never forgive.
And more than that, that little kid desperately searching for her dad might lose her mind for real this time.
When Koma was lost, Hitokawa's hatred would turn toward the Ghoul. But Eto's hatred would turn toward the world.
No one wanted that ending.
Knowing full well how unreasonable it was, Hitokawa bowed deeply to Hajimoto.
"With the current CCG, you can exterminate Ghouls, but you can't save my friend. Please. Please allow me to act alone!"
"..."
Hajimoto remained silent. Hitokawa did not lift his head.
If he was refused, he was prepared to throw himself to the ground and beg until his forehead bled.
"...I owe a debt."
"...?"
At the voice, which sounded almost like a lament, Hitokawa slowly raised his head.
Hajimoto was looking up at the sky as if searching for something, then spoke.
"I owe a debt to the Takaki family. Takaki Harima-san, Koma-kun's father, lost his life trying to save me, and because of my weakness, I took Koma-kun's father away from him. If Koma-kun is in danger now and I can do nothing about it... I'd be too ashamed of myself to ever lift my face again."
"Hajimoto-san..."
"24 hours. For exactly 24 hours, I won't care where you go or what you do. I'll block any interference from above at my level. But if 24 hours pass and you still have nothing to show for it, then come back with your resolve set."
Leaving those words behind, Hajimoto turned back toward the scene. As if no more needed to be said.
"...I'll definitely come back with results."
Hitokawa nodded seriously and took out his phone.
He had already made up his mind, but actually putting it into action made him hesitate.
To think he'd have to borrow the hand of something he had considered his lifelong enemy. Still, he steeled himself and pressed the call button.
CCG alone wouldn't be enough. Just finding the insect Ghoul that had vanished into thin air would take more than 24 hours.
So to track down the bastard hiding in the Ghoul world, he needed someone with influence in that same world.
When the call connected, Hitokawa muttered in a low voice, "The culprit is a Ghoul wearing an insect mask."
"...Yes."
Eto gave a short reply and ended Hitokawa's call.
She was in a gift shop in the middle of the city.
The clerk at the counter had mistaken her for a little kid buying a present and gave her a warm smile.
"Here's your change. But you're buying a funny mask, aren't you? Are you having a party at home?"
Taking the change and the paper bag, Eto answered with a childlike grin, "Not at home, but there is a party."
"Oh my, really? Have fun."
"Yes. Thank you."
She bowed politely and left the shop.
Clutching the paper bag in both arms like a child delighted to have gotten a gift, Eto walked quickly through the crowd and soon turned onto a road with fewer people.
At that moment, Eto's atmosphere changed.
Her face could not be seen. The moment the eyes of others disappeared, the mask she had taken from the bag was already covering her face.
But the feeling around her had clearly changed.
Even with the mask on, it was as if she had taken it off instead; the cold she had hidden spread outward in all directions.
"Yeees... really..."
A voice that seemed to burn leaked through the gaps in the mask.
A character mask popular with children. A mask modeled after an "owl." From the right eye of that character mask, a sinister dark red light flashed.
"...It's going to be a party with blood splashing everywhere."