Night settled quietly over the 20th Ward.
At 8:05 PM, in the shadowed alley behind Anteiku, Ren arrived exactly on time.
He had changed clothes.
The café apron was gone.
Instead he wore a dark casual outfit—simple, unremarkable, and perfect for blending into the city's night.
Under the dim streetlight, his silhouette looked almost like part of the shadows themselves.
Footsteps approached.
Steady.
Light.
From the entrance of the alley appeared Touka Kirishima.
But tonight she looked different.
She wasn't wearing the practical dark clothes she usually wore during café work.
Instead—
She wore a dark purple dress.
The fitted design emphasized her slender waist, while the skirt moved lightly with each step. Her pale calves were visible beneath the hem, and she wore low-heeled black boots.
The night breeze moved several strands of her short hair.
For a moment—
Ren was speechless.
"…Why are you dressed like that?"
Touka immediately rolled her eyes.
"What did you expect?"
Her tone was flat.
"Should I patrol the streets wearing my café uniform?"
"That wouldn't attract attention at all, right?"
He paused.
Then nodded slightly.
"…Fair point."
Touka clearly had no interest in discussing fashion.
She turned immediately.
"Follow me."
Her figure slipped into the deeper shadows of the alley.
He followed silently behind.
The patrol began.
And continued.
And continued.
But nothing happened.
The streets of the 20th Ward were strangely quiet tonight.
Inside his mind—
Carnage was becoming increasingly irritated.
[Boring…]
[This is boring…]
[It's been days…]
[I haven't tasted blood in days…]
The symbiote's voice vibrated with restless frustration.
[You promised…]
[You promised there would be carnage…]
"Calm down."
Ren responded internally.
But even he had to admit—
The patrol had been uneventful.
Almost suspiciously peaceful.
Ahead of him—
Touka slowed slightly.
Her brows tightened.
She stopped.
Then turned her head toward him.
"What do you think?"
"…Our neighborhood security seems excellent?"
Ren answered after a moment.
Touka stared at him silently.
Then suddenly—
Carnage's voice exploded in his mind.
[Wait—]
[Over there…]
[Fresh…]
[Fresh blood…]
[A feast…]
At almost the same moment—
Both Ren and Touka turned toward a narrow alley branching off from the street.
Without speaking—
They moved.
The smell of blood became stronger with every step.
Soon—
They reached the source.
Moonlight barely illuminated the scene.
The alley looked like a slaughterhouse.
Blood splattered across the concrete walls.
Dark red pools spread across the ground.
Shredded clothing lay scattered everywhere.
Fragments of flesh—
Pieces of bone—
Even a broken smartphone lay half-buried in the blood.
There was no complete body left.
Only remains.
The unmistakable aftermath of a ghoul feeding.
The air carried a sweet metallic scent.
And another smell.
A very familiar one.
"…It was Rize Kamishiro."
Ren spoke quietly.
Touka's gaze met his.
"…Again."
Her voice was cold.
"How many this month?"
"The seventh."
Her tone was filled with restrained anger.
"She's the reason the 20th Ward has become such a mess."
The smell of blood filled the alley.
Touka exhaled slowly.
Trying to suppress the disgust rising in her chest.
She turned away from the scene.
"We need to deal with—"
Carnage interrupted.
[Someone's coming…]
[Very close…]
[Three of them…]
[White doves…]
At the exact same moment—
Touka's eyes snapped toward the alley entrance.
Three figures appeared under the moonlight.
White uniforms.
Weapons ready.
Investigators from the Commission of Counter Ghoul.
The man leading them looked to be in his early thirties.
His posture was rigid.
His sharp eyes scanned the alley like a hunting hawk.
In his hand—
A long quinque blade reflected the moonlight.
Behind him stood two younger investigators holding pistols.
Their expressions were tense.
"I am Second-Class Investigator Kishiya of the CCG."
His voice was calm.
Authoritative.
His gaze moved between Touka, Ren, and the gruesome scene behind them.
"We received reports from nearby residents."
"Unusual sounds."
"And the smell of blood."
He paused.
His eyes lingered on Touka's dress.
Suspicion was obvious.
"What happened here?"
Inside Ren's mind—
Carnage scoffed.
[Tsk…]
[Annoying insects…]
[Their instincts aren't bad…]
Touka remained silent.
Her muscles were tense.
Her eyes cold.
Ren stepped slightly forward.
Positioning himself subtly between Touka and the investigators.
"Thank goodness you're here!"
His voice carried convincing fear.
"It's terrible!"
"We were just taking a walk tonight when we heard strange noises coming from this alley."
"We thought someone might be hurt, so we came to check…"
He gestured toward the horrific scene.
"And then we saw this."
His expression showed genuine discomfort.
He had deliberately framed them as ordinary civilians who had stumbled onto the scene.
Hoping to direct the investigators' attention entirely toward the massacre.
But Investigator Kishiya's gaze remained sharp.
He studied Ren carefully.
Then Touka.
Then the scene.
"In an abandoned industrial area?"
"Late at night?"
"And with a young woman dressed like she's attending a dinner party?"
His suspicious eyes settled on Touka once again.