The night was as dark as ink.
It wrapped around the massive city of concrete and steel like a thick, suffocating fog.
In the distance, neon lights blinked between skyscrapers—
like dazed ghost eyes casting a cold, artificial glow onto the empty streets below.
Gone was the buzz of daytime.
Late-night in the city was a completely different world.
Quiet... and dangerous.
Deep inside a narrow back alley, piled high with broken boxes and trash bins—
"Shhhhkk!"
The silence was suddenly torn apart.
A small figure shot past like a phantom.
She wore a white rabbit mask that covered only the top half of her face,
two glowing red eyes gleaming in the darkness.
But the real eye-catcher—
was what was behind her.
A pair of strange wings—massive, butterfly-shaped, made of countless crimson crystal blades that looked like they were burning.
They vibrated at insane speeds, letting out a faint but sharp whine.
Using the wings' explosive power and agility,
the girl zipped through the maze of alleyways,
changing direction so fast she left only a red blur behind.
Her breathing was a little heavy—
but her gaze stayed razor-sharp and calm.
Tap, tap, tap…
Tight, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the alley entrance.
Trained. Controlled. Intense.
Touka's eyes narrowed.
Without hesitation, she folded in her kagune wings.
In one swift motion, she slipped into a narrow, shadowy crevice between two buildings, completely covered by the shadow of a massive billboard.
Her crystal wings retracted like a living thing,
softening and vanishing seamlessly beneath her coat.
Her presence disappeared entirely.
Almost at the same time, two men walked into the alley.
They wore crisp white trench coats
and carried sleek silver briefcases.
Their eyes were sharp, scanning the alley with military precision.
"She's gone…"
One of them spoke quietly, pressing a finger to his earpiece.
"Target isn't the SS-class 'Binge Eater.' It's an Ukaku-type ghoul. We lost track in Ward 20, Sector E7. Requesting orders."
"Expand the search. Prioritize abandoned buildings and sewer access."
"Be alert—the target is extremely fast and aggressive."
A calm voice replied through the comms.
The two men exchanged a glance, then turned and headed off without wasting a second.
Their footsteps faded into the distance.
…
In the shadowed crevice, the girl held her breath for a full five minutes.
Only when she was sure they weren't coming back did she exhale slowly.
She lifted off her rabbit mask, revealing a sharp, striking face—
delicate features, flawless pale skin like fine porcelain.
Short, dark-blue hair curled slightly at the ends, giving her a neat, quietly defiant look.
Her eyes, now a deep indigo instead of crimson, still held a hint of coldness from the fight…
and a flicker of frustration.
Her pale lips pressed into a tight line.
Staring in the direction the agents had gone, she muttered:
"SS-class… 'Binge Eater,' huh. Makes sense now."
Those guys were CCG agents—the Commission of Counter Ghoul.
To ghouls, they're known as "Doves."
Doves are elite investigators backed by the government, equipped with powerful weapons called Quinques—made from the kagune of ghouls they've killed.
Their mission: eliminate ghouls that threaten humans, keep order.
To ghouls, they're merciless predators.
And the girl—Touka Kirishima—
was one of their targets.
…
In this world, ghouls are a subspecies of human who can only survive by feeding on human flesh.
They're stronger, faster, they heal ridiculously fast, and can manifest biological weapons called kagune using RC cells in their bodies.
They look almost exactly like regular humans—
except when feeding or fighting, when one or both eyes turn blood-red. The kakugan.
Ghouls blend into society, locked in an endless game of cat-and-mouse with the CCG.
Touka's wings are a form of Ukaku kagune—
a kagune type that grows near the shoulders, shaped like wings or projectiles.
Fast, long-range, insanely explosive—but burns out fast.
"Tch. Doves are such a pain."
Touka muttered under her breath, her voice cool and laced with teenage defiance.
She slipped the mask into her coat pocket,
tidied up her collar and hair, and stepped out of the alley.
She had something important to report.
…
Back in familiar territory.
After shaking the Doves,
Touka moved through a few quiet side streets like she knew them by heart.
Eventually, she stopped in front of an old, low-key two-story building.
Warm yellow light spilled through the first-floor windows, casting a soft glow onto a simple wooden sign:
"Anteiku Coffee."
Ding‑a‑ling.
The bell over the door chimed as she stepped inside.
A wave of warmth and the scent of roasted coffee beans and old books
washed over her, wiping away the cold and the adrenaline.
The place had a cozy, old-school vibe—
dark wood furniture, walls of books, smooth jazz flowing in the background.
This was the unofficial safe house for ghouls in Ward 20—
Anteiku Café.
Behind the counter stood an elderly man in a pristine server's uniform, gently wiping a coffee cup.
White-haired, glasses, calm and refined.
This was Yoshimura, the manager of Anteiku—
and secretly, the legendary SSS-class ghoul "Non-Killing Owl."
He looked up and smiled kindly.
"Welcome back, Touka. Everything alright?"
"Yeah."
She nodded. Her voice was still cool, but her tension had clearly faded.
There were three other people inside:
Renji Yomo, her uncle.
Gray-white hair, sharp features, and always serious.
An SS-class ghoul with the codename "Raven."
He gave Touka a small nod from his corner booth.
Enji Koma, tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a plain black suit.
He looked easygoing, flipping a coin out of boredom, but his smile had an edge. His codename: "Devil Ape."
And finally, Kaya Irimi—
stylish, mature, with wavy black hair and a sleek dress.
She glanced up from a fashion magazine,
her lips curving into a warm, teasing smile.
"Welcome back, Touka-chan."
"Rough night out?"