After school in the late afternoon, the CCG branch confirmed that the shoe found near the crime scene by Byakuya matched Minami's.
However, the CCG didn't hastily conclude that she was the ghoul known as "Lantern" They simply passed the information on to Byakuya and Arima, entrusting them with the follow-up investigation.
"Although it's possible Minami is 'Lantern', we can't jump to conclusions" Arima remarked during a casual dinner.
"I agree. Let's keep observing her for a while" Byakuya replied with a slight nod, keeping his almost-certain suspicion to himself for now.
At that moment, the loud roar of modified motorcycles echoed from outside the restaurant.
Byakuya immediately recognized it as the work of Aki and her gang of delinquents.
"Arima, I need to step out for a moment…"
Grabbing his backpack containing his quinque, Byakuya left without further explanation.
"Please, the bill!" he called out, remembering to pay before rushing out.
Arima quickly followed.
"Byakuya, we need to stick together" he said, adhering to the CCG's protocol of keeping partners together during missions.
...
Out in the streets, Aki and Ryou rode a motorcycle, while two other gang members—one with a mohawk hairstyle and another almost bald—rode a second motorcycle.
Aki, vastly different from her school persona, wore slippers, casual clothing, and sported a hairstyle reminiscent of a typical delinquent.
"Hey, stop those bikes!"
Several police cars chased after them, sirens wailing.
Unbothered, they sped up, laughing and shouting, completely ignoring the authorities. Little did they know, they'd attracted the attention of something far more dangerous: a ghoul.
Meanwhile, Minami was walking down a nearby street with her backpack when the noise of the motorcycles grated on her nerves.
Watching them speed off, her eyes turned cold, and a faint but unmistakable murderous intent flickered in her expression.
She despised people who wasted their lives recklessly, acting like fools. To her, the world would be better off without them.
The gang managed to shake off the police, hiding in a narrow alleyway.
"Wow, that was amazing! Those cops didn't stand a chance!"
"Let's mess with them again later!"
The other gang members laughed, still high on adrenaline.
Coincidentally, Taishi happened to be passing through the same alleyway. Spotting the familiar bikes, he sighed.
"You're at it again…"
"Taishi, what's up with you lately? I heard you've been going to school regularly" the guy with the mohawk asked, confused.
"Yeah, what's going on? Did something happen?" the other added, concerned.
"Taishi's been so boring these days…" Aki complained, though she harbored her own suspicions—perhaps Taishi had a crush on Minami.
"If something's wrong, let us know. We've got your back" Ryou said sincerely.
Taishi felt touched by their concern. Even though he disapproved of their reckless racing, he couldn't bring himself to criticize them harshly.
Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell them anything about Minami.
Just as he was thinking of an excuse, a strange figure appeared behind his friends.
Dressed in a wide white cloak and wearing a pumpkin-shaped mask, the figure looked small yet unnervingly eerie.
"Who are you?" Taishi asked, feeling uneasy.
The others turned and noticed the figure as well, their demeanor shifting to alarm.
Without answering, the figure began walking toward them.
"What's your deal? Looking for trouble?" the mohawk guy challenged, picking up a metal pipe.
But before he could react, the pipe was sliced cleanly in half by a pink, tail-like appendage—a kagune of the rinkaku type, known for its balance across attack, defense, and speed.
"A… a monster!"
The mohawk guy fell to the ground, paralyzed with fear.
"Run!" Taishi shouted, realizing the danger.
The others hesitated, but then bolted in another direction. Taishi, however, couldn't leave his friend behind and turned back to help him.
The ghoul moved faster. Its kagune was about to strike when an arm grabbed the mohawk guy and pulled him out of harm's way.
"Just in time…"
Byakuya had arrived, saving the delinquent.
Simultaneously, Arima appeared behind the masked figure. The ghoul quickly reacted, attacking Arima, who dodged each strike effortlessly.
Sensing it was outmatched, the ghoul turned and leaped onto a rooftop, vanishing into the night.
"It's gone" Arima noted, joining Byakuya.
"It doesn't matter. The pieces are coming together" Byakuya replied calmly.
...
[Ding! Quest completed: 'Protect Fura Taishi and his gang from being harmed by Uruka Minami!' Reward: 10 attribute points.]
[Quest 2 completed. Quest 3 unlocked.]