[Quest 3: Alter Uruka Minami's Fate]
[Quest Reward: +20 Attribute Points]
Byakuya speculated that completing this third mission might mark the end of his current quests. Changing Minami's tragic end was a mission that wasn't too difficult in theory but posed considerable challenges in execution.
"Hey... Can someone tell me what just happened back there?!"
Taishi, still shaken, asked in a panicked tone.
Byakuya's thoughts about the system were interrupted as he turned to Taishi. He calmly explained, "You've heard of ghouls, right? The one you just encountered was no ordinary ghoul. It was highly dangerous."
"Ghouls…?"
The realization struck Taishi and his delinquent friends. They had never encountered ghouls before—being sheltered by the CCG and their school's protective environment.
Faced with the earlier life-threatening situation, their minds had gone blank. Now, they fully grasped that without the timely intervention of Byakuya and Arima, they would've likely been devoured by that ghoul.
"Head home and rest. Tomorrow, just attend school as usual."
Byakuya advised Taishi before walking off with Arima.
There was no reason for Byakuya to constantly guard Taishi and his group. Besides, after tonight's encounter, Minami, who operated as the ghoul known as "Lantern" was unlikely to make another move anytime soon.
Minami was sharp enough to realize that Byakuya and Arima were far from ordinary students. Their exceptional combat skills, combined with their synchronized transfer to the school, made it clear—they were likely CCG investigators.
"Why… How can you two be so composed after such a terrifying incident?"
Taishi asked, still baffled and awestruck.
These new transfer students, Byakuya and Arima, hadn't shown an ounce of fear during their battle with a ghoul and had even driven it away with ease. Who exactly were they?
"..."
Neither Byakuya nor Arima responded. They kept walking with stoic expressions, their identities as CCG investigators still under wraps.
...
On their way to the subway, Byakuya glanced at Arima.
"I'm heading back to the apartment in the 2nd Ward. What about you, Arima?"
"Anywhere works for me. By the way, how did you predict 'Lantern' would attack the delinquents tonight?"
Arima asked flatly.
"Part intuition, part deduction."
However, Byakuya secretly knew that the real reason was because he knew the script.
"At the end of class, we had already narrowed down Minami as a prime suspect. When we mentioned joining Taishi's delinquent group at the classroom door, I noticed her watching us. My instincts told me her gaze wasn't just disdain— it was hating"
Byakuya continued, "That alone didn't guarantee she would attack tonight, but it was enough for me to act on the possibility and be there to intervene."
In truth, Byakuya's Mangekyou Sharingan had picked up on subtle cues in Minami's body language that confirmed her intent to strike.
"I understand now…" Arima nodded slightly.
His respect for Byakuya grew. That level of intuition was frighteningly precise. It wasn't surprising that Kaiko, the enigmatic leader of the "V" Organization, was interested in this investigator.
"Alright, see you at school tomorrow."
Byakuya said, preparing to part ways as they neared the subway station.
"Don't be so quick with your goodbyes."
Arima responded calmly.
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Byakuya raised an eyebrow.
"I've been assigned to live in the same apartment complex as you in the 2nd Ward. It's more convenient for us to coordinate during missions."
Arima explained matter-of-factly.
Byakuya immediately realized this wasn't a coincidence. Arima had likely been placed there to monitor him.
The odds of this were high. After all, Arima was the apprentice of "V"'s leader, Kaiko. There was no way the organization would pair the two of them together without a reason.
Arima's behavior was also slightly suspicious. While CCG protocol did emphasize that partners should act together whenever possible, Byakuya's impression of Arima from his memories was that of someone who didn't always follow the rules.
For instance, in the original story, Arima was known to have dozed off mid-battle or used an ordinary umbrella to fend off a ghoul when he forgot his quinque.
If Arima was indeed sent to monitor him, Byakuya knew he needed to be more cautious moving forward.
For starters, he couldn't let Arima find out that Eto was the One-Eyed Owl.
While Arima cooperated with Eto in the original timeline, that was a much later version of him—disillusioned with the world and his life as a cleaner. At this point in time, Arima's allegiance to "V" might still be unwavering.
If this version of Arima chose loyalty over cooperation and exposed Eto to "V", her current weakened state would ensure her demise.
...
Sitting on the subway, the two exchanged casual conversation.
"You know, even when we were both in the Sunlit Garden, I don't recall us crossing paths much" Arima remarked.
"True. My memories of you from back then are vague as well" Byakuya replied.
In reality, those memories were fabrications implanted by the system. Byakuya had never truly experienced life in the Sunlit Garden.
"Arima, you've always been a genius among geniuses. Your strength rivals or even surpasses that of a special investigator. But you seem rather indifferent about promotions, don't you?"
From the implanted memories, Byakuya knew Arima was the most outstanding half-human in the Sunlit Garden.
Despite being in his physical prime, Arima remained a Second-Class Investigator. Byakuya speculated that Arima might have intentionally slowed his career progression—perhaps he was reluctant to become a "Cleaner" for the V Organization.
The so-called "Cleaners" were nothing more than assassins, tasked with eliminating threats to the V Organization.
Byakuya suspected that Arima's current mission wasn't just about partnership—it was surveillance.