"[Retrieve the package; it contains valuable material that can be used by another subject!]"
In the middle of the alley, a Ghoul lay lifeless with a large hole in its heart. Kenzo's right hand, on the other hand, had slight bloodstains, but these stains were gradually wiped away by the curtain of blood that surrounded him, eventually erasing all traces of blood from his body.
After a few brief minutes, a dozen figures with crow masks appeared around Kenzo, who remained expressionless. His gaze turned toward the deformed crow mask at the center, and he asked, "What's the situation, Viper?"
"A high-class female Ghoul of Class S has entered District 20, and her way of devouring her victims is highly concerning for our stability. But as we've been investigating, her background is far from normal because she didn't enter District 20 alone." Viper walked inside following Kenzo as he sought a more secluded spot.
"Are there issues behind her?" Kenzo inquired as he lit a cigarette.
There are special cases in which both the Three-eyed Crow organization and Anteiku do not immediately get involved, and that's when other districts, along with external organizations, become entangled. In these cases, jobs are done much more cautiously, with planning and a strategy to avoid being directly associated with Anteiku or themselves, known as the farmer crows.
Although they don't typically distribute their product outside District 20, they do so at a much better price than usual and only deal directly with organizations that are worth maintaining good relations with. However, these organizations only turn to the Cuervos Agricultores when they perform a ceremony and need very well-prepared product.
Maintaining an adequate diet, members of the three-eyed crow consume what they need and complement it with coffee. Those who eat until they are full are the S-ranks, who are elite warriors, and the A-ranks, who can aspire to become S-ranks through cannibalism.
Lower-ranking members are responsible for protecting clients, mobilizing product, cutting the product, and distributing it according to customer needs. Among them are non-combatants who work in crematories, where they replace bodies with ashes, unnoticed by anyone.
Many others are undertakers who recover bodies of those who commit suicide and others who want to dispose of a corpse conveniently. Of course, the last option is if the body is fresh and there's a reasonable amount of money for that process.
It can be cruel, but there is absolutely no human sentiment involved. Humans are food for Ghouls, and for the three-eyed crow organization, they are their main product for now.
It's said "for now" because they are looking for a way to replace human meat with artificial, but that's a distant dream, and no one knows exactly when it will be achieved.
"The V organization may be involved. We are still investigating, but we won't take action against that female Ghoul until we have more information. Her activity is aggressive, one victim per day, and unfortunately, she's drawing a lot of attention from the CCG," Viper was careful in this regard because Kenzo's main, very brutal, and cautious enemies are the CCG.
Kenzo didn't halt his movements, smiled coldly, and said, "How many Ghouls from organization V entered?"
"About a dozen. Security cameras have identified ten of them, and their movements revolve around the female Ghoul who was nicknamed Glutton... You must have heard rumors about her. She's been here for a few days, but we wanted to have a complete report before the new recruitment started."
Viper wanted to be very careful on this topic because Kenzo could be very sensitive about it, and he might even lose his composure. He knew that his boss was a cold man, usually adhering to the rules and not making significant moves because that would weaken them.
But the fear and respect he had for his boss were due to the admiration a young Ghoul gave him when he was recruited personally. Kenzo was that kind of leader, serious and composed, but there was much more hidden within him than he usually showed.
"Send me a complete report. I want to know who this crazy woman is causing disturbances in my district... Also, I want all lower-ranking crows to stay in the shadows. We'll restrict the work, alert the bodyguards, and food collectors." Kenzo said, becoming serious in this unexpected situation.
"I'll order that immediately, and also..." Viper nodded while entering all the information into an electronic tablet, but just as he was about to say something, Kenzo intervened.
"I want only Crows of Rank A and S to stay on watch. We'll keep a low profile and won't interfere until the strike team is ready. This time, I will move personally. We must act carefully and not alert the beehive." Kenzo's words were cut off by the silent Viper, who stopped moving.
Viper wasn't very tall, and at first glance, he had a somewhat androgynous appearance. His physical build was quite small, so his features were rather subtle and youthful without the mask. But Kenzo, who saved him from a group of Ghouls chasing him, gained his loyalty just by feeding him and his sister.
Being an organization that required extreme control to make it work, he knew each of his S-class and higher-ranking subordinates, so it wasn't difficult to know that he had something more to say.
Kenzo directed his calm gaze at Viper and asked in a subdued voice, "What's going on?"
"His blood scent seems stronger than usual. Has he done something recently that would make him stand out? That sweet blood scent is mixed with that of a Ghoul, but it's subtle and can only be sensed with a keen sense of smell." Viper thought for a moment but finally mentioned what was bothering him.
Kenzo sniffed his body and said, "That is a problem. I knew it would happen, but not this soon... Although I don't need to feed on human food, I have to maintain my human meat diet to keep my combat abilities at their best. I suppose my Ghoul cells are becoming stronger, and it's becoming difficult for me to conceal my scent."
Over 11 years ago, he awakened as a Ghoul, his irises turned red, and his sclera black. The desire to consume human flesh filled his every muscle, and his Koukaku-type Kagune fully manifested over his body. It was a terrifying morning, but fortunately, he knew how to remedy the situation, and he resolved it quickly.
However, after eliminating a quite powerful Ghoul with an Ukaku-type Kagune and devouring it, he experienced a kind of mutation within his blood, and his Ghoul scent disappeared from his body, so he stopped bothering to bathe. During that time, he could control his strength, but it was complicated because of the mutation. So, he began to eat human flesh, and only then could he control his power, which had fused with his body.
When Kenzo achieved that level of perfection with his Kagunes completely in sync with his body, he decided not to resort to cannibalism, as his scent was a great advantage in his early years as a Ghoul.
This strategy worked very well in establishing his organization, the Crow of Three Eyes, and he began calling himself the Master Crow. However, he knew that at some point, his strength would be so great that he couldn't help but sweat the scent of a Ghoul from his body.
"You know I have a sensitive nose, so nobody should find out, at least not for a few more months." Viper turned his head toward the distance and advised, "But due to your constant interaction with those in the café, they might already know or find out much faster than expected."
Kenzo nodded, walked back to the main street where three black cars were parked quietly at the side of the main avenue. His eyes turned towards the people walking with their partners, spouses, and children. A world destined for destruction, it will be much more challenging than he imagines to maintain balance, especially now.
"Putting that aside, the V organization, like all other districts, regards us poorly. This could be a surprise factor in our favor if they show an interest in this place after killing those intruders." Kenzo's eyes grew cold as he warned, "Although we want peace in this place, I'm sure in the districts they control, violence is permitted."
"Bringing the war to their doorstep..." Viper understood what Kenzo meant, indeed, a brilliant idea worthy of an incredibly successful leader.
Kenzo walked towards the central black car, and a man in a black suit opened the door. "Take me close to the café, then return and rest. Things are getting more interesting."
"Yes, sir!"
The people without masks were Ghouls hidden in their beautiful black suits, all of them working in a private security company providing their services to entrepreneurs.
Having removed his mask, Viper revealed his beautiful blonde hair and pale blue eyes. With a calm look, he pulled out a file with various documents and said, "Although it's not everything we know, knowing that I was going to meet you, I wanted to bring this and hand it to you."
Taking the file with numerous documents, Kenzo furrowed his brow as he perused the detailed report prepared for her after disrupting the order in District 20.
"I can see it was almost everything..." Kenzo saw the comprehensive report and felt proud of his organization. They were getting closer to perfection with each step.
Now, looking at the Gluttonous Ghoul, whose real name is Rize, she's a slim girl with long, straight, bright purple hair, purple eyes, and an hourglass figure. Like other Ghouls, she blends into human society, often wearing stylish, form-fitting outfits suitable for a young woman, demonstrating a preference for dresses.
In all the photos Kenzo found, he knew that this woman was a very dangerous viper he had to be extremely cautious of. A misstep, and his identity as the Master Crow of his mysterious organization would be exposed, at least within the Ghoul world.
"Master Crow, you mustn't involve yourself in this minor issue; the Crows will handle it for you, and you won't risk being discovered. Tell me, do you want us to kill her?" Viper couldn't hide his worried expression, despite his efforts.
Kenzo smiled a bit and said, "Something doesn't add up. I want to know why she is of interest to the V organization and determine if her value is important for finding a weapon to use if necessary."
Reading the files, Kenzo discovered that unlike some Ghouls, Rize is independent and acts on her own without following any rules. She typically uses her attractiveness to lure victims, who always fall into her traps. She doesn't seem to have any ambitions, constantly seeking to kill her boredom in any way.
"If she is a Ghoul, she should visit some coffee places, and the most famous one in this district is Anteiku, known only to Ghouls. I will eventually get to know her." So Kenzo said, "Select a strike team; we'll move when the V organization takes action against Rize... However, before we act, we need to know what they want from her, and then we'll proceed."
"Your orders are my will, Master Crow..." Viper couldn't do anything when Kenzo made a decision, so he had to accept it, although it was somewhat risky. Nevertheless, he didn't fear for Kenzo's safety but for those who would be their enemies.
While Kenzo hated the V organization for killing his mother, his ambition and coldness went beyond his emotions. His control over his plans could be so extreme that nothing escaped him, so he couldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment. He would eventually eliminate the V organization, and an incredibly attractive opportunity had just presented itself.