Tokyo Ghoul: HELL YEAH! MADARA TEMPLATE!!

Ryoma didn't spare a second glance at the ghoul's lifeless body.

Tossing aside the severed Kagune, he picked up the crowbar instead.

He had no intention of leaving any traces of himself at the scene. The last thing he wanted was for CCG or the police to investigate how a ghoul was killed without a Quinque.

Of course, technically speaking, his actions were completely legal. Ghouls weren't protected under human law, and their deaths were rarely investigated in depth—especially when it was assumed that another ghoul was responsible.

As long as there were no obvious clues left behind, a dead ghoul wouldn't stir up much trouble.

And the Kagune?

It would naturally decay and disappear without the host's RC cells to sustain it.

That was precisely why CCG's weapons, Quinques, required not only the Kagune but also the Kakuhou—the organ responsible for producing RC cells. Without it, a Kagune was useless in the long term.

Still…

"Maybe I should find a way to make my own Quinque."

As Ryoma exited the alley, the thought lingered in his mind.

Right now, having a reliable weapon was essential. Fighting ghouls with only basic taijutsu and fire-style jutsu was manageable, but it wasn't efficient.

However, obtaining a Quinque meant joining CCG—the Commission of Counter Ghoul, Tokyo's specialized task force dedicated to exterminating ghouls.

Only official investigators, ranked at least Second Class, were allowed to carry their own Quinque.

CCG's investigator hierarchy was strict, ranging from Third Class at the lowest to Special Class at the highest. There were also Assistant Investigators, but they were essentially non-combatants with no real authority.

"Maybe I should check out CCG sometime soon…"

---

20th Ward – Movie Theater

After meeting up at Antique, Ryoma and Kamishiro Rize made their way to the theater.

This world seemed to be set in the early 2000s—flip phones were still the norm, and smartphones hadn't taken over yet. Without easy access to streaming services, people still flocked to movie theaters.

They bought their tickets and chose middle-row seats.

Ryoma wasn't particularly interested in the film itself, but since this was a date—at least on the surface—he played along.

No matter how monstrous she was, Rize was still a girl.

A cruel and sadistic one, but a girl nonetheless.

Halfway through the movie, Ryoma realized something.

The film's story was eerily familiar.

The protagonist was a girl who had been mistreated by her family, used as nothing more than a tool to make money. Her parents favored her older and younger brothers, disregarding her entirely.

As the plot progressed, a male lead was introduced. It was clear that he would eventually help the heroine escape her oppressive home.

It reminded him of Rize.

Ryoma knew her real backstory—far worse than the film's protagonist.

She had been born into the Washuu Clan, the most powerful ghoul family in Japan.

Unlike the usual logic of bloodline-based power, the Washuu valued human heritage over pure ghoul ancestry. The more human blood a ghoul possessed, the higher their status in the family.

Rize, with her pure Washuu ghoul blood, was considered inferior.

She wasn't allowed to inherit the Washuu name and was instead cast out to a place called Hyakuya Garden.

She was stripped of her identity, denied her birthright.

Her fate?

To be a breeding tool.

A "childbearer."

Her sole purpose was to give birth to the next generation of high-status hybrids.

If it weren't for Furuta Nimura, who helped her escape, she would have never broken free from the Washuu Clan's grasp.

Even now, they were still hunting her down.

That was why she kept moving.

Why she continued to act recklessly, killing and eating humans without restraint.

But her arrogance could only last for so long.

Even if she was strong, she wouldn't be able to evade the Washuu Clan forever.

---

As the credits rolled, Rize stretched lightly and sighed.

"That was actually really good. I can see why people talk about it so much."

Ryoma glanced at her.

There were faint traces of tears on her face, as if she had been moved by the film's emotional scenes.

But he knew better.

It was all an act.

He gave a neutral comment, "It was good, but the male lead was too indecisive. He hesitated too much."

Rize chuckled. "Yeah, if he had just run away with the heroine earlier, they could have avoided a lot of trouble."

Since this was a night screening, it was already past 9 PM by the time they left the theater.

As they walked through the dimly lit streets, they casually continued discussing the movie.

Then—

Two girls in school uniforms passed them.

Ryoma's gaze flickered toward them.

Kirishima Touka.

She walked past them with her classmates, but for a brief moment, she hesitated.

Her eyes lingered on Rize.

Then on Ryoma.

There was a subtle frown on her face.

"…?"

Rize noticed Touka's reaction but didn't say anything.

Touka, on the other hand, kept walking, but after a few steps, she turned back slightly.

Her gaze was cautious, suspicious.

She knew what Rize was.

And now, she had seen her walking late at night with a human boy.

That wasn't normal.

"Touka, what's wrong?"

Her classmate's voice pulled her back.

Touka hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

"Nothing," she said flatly.

But as she walked away, her frown deepened.

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