Kishou Arima was exactly as his reputation suggested—undefeated, a living legend within the CCG, and the undisputed strongest ghoul investigator.
Many within the CCG viewed him as an idol, and the combat instructor standing before Kanzaki Ryoma was no exception.
"Alright, I'll leave it to you then, Instructor," Kanzaki said.
Having the instructor assist with securing an internship placement would make the process much smoother.
"Well, given your ability, I doubt you'll have any trouble passing," the instructor replied. "That said, don't push yourself too hard. Performance is important, but your safety comes first."
While excelling in the internship would benefit Kanzaki's future prospects, the instructor prioritized his well-being.
Since they weren't speaking in private, Kurona and Nashiro Yasuhisa overheard everything.
The twins frowned and stepped forward.
If Kanzaki performed exceptionally during the internship, it would only widen the gap between them. They couldn't allow that to happen.
"Instructor, Nashiro and I want to participate as well," Kurona declared.
"You too?" The instructor seemed mildly surprised. "Well, if three of you want in, I'll try to secure the spots."
Typically, first-year students in the Ghoul Countermeasures Training Academy and second-year students in the Ghoul Investigator Training School were only sent on internships near the end of their respective programs. Early internships were rare, requiring special approval due to the limited spots available.
At that moment, a thought crossed Kanzaki's mind.
In the original timeline, Juuzou Suzuya had already accompanied Arima on missions in the 24th Ward before officially joining the CCG.
Since Juuzou was a student of the Academy, he would start as a Third-Class Investigator upon graduation. If not for this restriction, his abilities alone would have easily qualified him as a Second-Class Investigator from the start.
After a while, the Quinque training session ended.
Before leaving, Kanzaki turned toward Kurona and Nashiro.
"You two have been hostile toward me from the beginning, haven't you?"
The "beginning" he referred to was before he had even provoked them with, "If you're bad at it, practice more." He had sensed their animosity even before that moment.
"…"
The Yasuhisa sisters remained silent, unwilling to answer.
The fact that they refused to speak only confirmed that there was a reason.
Kanzaki considered the possibilities. Could it be related to Akihiro Kanou?
At this point in the timeline, Kanou had already taken over their family home and turned its basement into his secret laboratory.
Unaware of the truth, Kurona and Nashiro still referred to Kanou as "father."
In reality, he saw them as nothing more than test subjects for his artificial one-eyed ghoul experiments.
Since they didn't want to talk, Kanzaki wasn't interested in pressing further.
—
Thanks to the instructor's connections, Kanzaki and the Yasuhisa twins quickly received confirmation of their participation in the internship.
Their coursework was adjusted accordingly. Instead of general theory classes, they were now focused on practical lessons tailored for ghoul extermination—learning about ghoul weaknesses, kagune classifications, and predatory habits.
Additionally, students assigned to internships were placed into a special classroom.
This gave Kanzaki the opportunity to see who else would be joining them.
Besides himself and the Yasuhisa twins, the group included Juuzou Suzuya and two unknown male students.
Juuzou was instantly recognizable—short white hair, crimson eyes, a childlike appearance that almost made him look like a girl.
He sat cross-legged in the classroom, idly threading a needle through his own arm, completely unfazed by the pain. The stitched scars crisscrossing his pale skin gave him an unsettling appearance, but he seemed to be enjoying himself.
It was exactly as Kanzaki remembered him.
The atmosphere in the room was… awkward.
The Yasuhisa sisters and the two unknown boys kept their distance from Juuzou, deliberately avoiding sitting near him.
This wasn't surprising.
Due to the influence of Tokage Gomasa, Juuzou had been framed for a series of cat killings—an act that had actually been committed by Toru Mutsuki.
Since Juuzou had always been detached, indifferent, and unwilling to defend himself, he became the perfect scapegoat.
Kurona, Nashiro, and the two boys had all bought into the rumors and harbored a deep prejudice against him.
The only person who didn't avoid Juuzou… was Kanzaki.
—
The lesson proceeded as usual.
By the time class ended, one of the short-haired boys attempted to initiate some camaraderie among the group.
They exchanged introductions, getting to know each other.
Everyone except Juuzou.
Even without the false accusations, Juuzou's eccentric behavior was enough to make others uneasy.
When it was Kanzaki's turn, the boy greeted him politely.
"So you're Kanzaki? Looking forward to working with you."
Kanzaki smiled and returned the gesture.
But instead of stopping there, he turned toward Juuzou and extended his hand.
"My name's Kanzaki Ryoma. Looks like we're teammates now," he said.
Juuzou blinked, pausing mid-stitch.
He tilted his head, staring at Kanzaki's outstretched hand as if trying to decipher its meaning.
After a brief hesitation, he reached out—
Only for Kurona to suddenly step forward, her voice cold.
"I'd advise you to stay away from him," she said flatly.
"A guy who kills kittens for fun isn't worth trusting."
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