"NHK breaking news: Last night, multiple hospitals in Chiyoda Ward reported cases of stolen corpses. Police are actively pursuing the theft gang and have issued a bounty, urging citizens to provide leads. Now for live coverage..."
In the apartment near Ikebukuro Station where Luo Shu lived.
Kisara, carrying three steamers of dumplings, tilted her head as she watched Luo Shu on the sofa viewing the news and asked curiously:
"The theft gang mentioned in the news are the Ghouls you're investigating, right?"
"Indeed." Luo Shu responded calmly from the sofa.
Hearing this, Kisara placed the dumplings on the dining table and asked, somewhat puzzled:
"Weren't those corpses arranged by us? Why is it on the news?"
"Because we need to notify the Ghouls, Kisara-chan."
Mira Tsubakihara, wearing loose pale white pyjamas that accentuated her figure, sat sleepily at the table and yawned:
"Through media channels, we're informing Ghouls hiding in Tokyo about the large quantity of corpses obtained."
"Since it's official news, most Ghouls won't question the source of the upcoming food distribution. Am I right?"
"That's correct. It's part of the All-You-Can-Eat Plan."
As he spoke, Luo Shu switched the channel to the weather forecast. Seeing light rain predicted for today, he turned his gaze to Mira Tsubakihara:
"By the way, Mira-san, you've been pulling all-nighters quite frequently recently."
"Hmm? Have I?" Mira Tsubakihara tilted her head, deliberately acting cute: "I feel like I'm getting plenty of sleep."
Luo Shu's mouth twitched before he said flatly:
"I didn't say you lacked sleep, Mira-san, who keeps causing explosions in the Astronomy Club at midnight."
Seeing she couldn't charm her way out, Mira Tsubakihara stuck out her tongue:
"Because there are so many interesting ideas I want to try out."
Luo Shu couldn't help but retort:
"Aren't you researching jewellery enchantments? How does that lead to explosions?"
"Hmm... Because I was researching techniques to combine bombs with silver jewellery?" Mira Tsubakihara tilted her head, seeming even a little unsure herself. "But judging by the materials, gemstones seem more lethal, don't they?"
'Are you Rin Tohsaka? Studying gem magecraft...' Luo Shu barely suppressed the urge to comment, sighing instead:
"Fine, just be careful with it."
Having said that, Luo Shu shifted his gaze to Kisara:
"Kisara, what about you? Any burdens from your awakened abilities?"
At this point, Luo Shu couldn't help but recall the abilities Kisara had awakened last night after becoming his subordinate.
[Apostle of Desire (Hero Class)]
[A Demon Class that manipulates and exploits living beings' emotions and desires, drawing nourishment from them. They serve as the earthly envoys of the Demon King Asmodeus.]
[Core Abilities: Desire Manipulation, Desire Incarnation, Malice Perception, Cognitive Manipulation, Complete Demonification.]
To be honest, Luo Shu was somewhat surprised that an awakened ability could directly manifest as a Class.
But considering Kisara was a pureblood among demons, and given the line in the Class description about being 'Asmodeus's earthly incarnation,' Luo Shu strongly suspected that this Apostle of Desire might actually be a precursor Class to Asmodeus's.
According to Luo Shu's research from the Mysticism Encyclopaedia, beings above the Demigod Rank almost invariably possess their own Class, differing only in strength.
Those without a Class can only advance to the most basic Demigod Rank at most. Even after advancing, they remain the weakest Demigods, unable to progress further unless they eventually condense their own Class.
In some ways, this so-called Class resembles what Luo Shu understands as divine offices - a necessary condition for Demigod Rank beings to advance further.
From this perspective, it seemed perfectly natural that Kisara, as a descendant of Asmodeus, would awaken the Class he pioneered during her system ability awakening.
However, given that Kisara had less than a week's worth of real memories, Luo Shu was deeply concerned she might lose control of her abilities.
"Any burdens?"
Kisara tilted her head slightly after Luo Shu's question, looking somewhat guilty as she replied, "Not really, I suppose."
Could she really say the burden was her increasing urge to push Luo Shu onto the bed and devour him?
But she'd always had such thoughts - they hardly counted as burdens.
Seeing Kisara's expression, Luo Shu found it highly suspicious but chose to believe her: "Good. If you experience any discomfort, remember to tell me immediately."
"I will." Kisara nodded with a smile, then suddenly changed her tone, eyes twinkling as she asked, "But Shu-kun, that lady called Sharon in the system's internal communications - is she that Sharon? I don't think we've ever met."
Hearing this, Mira Tsubakihara immediately perked up, her tone dripping with implication: "Oh? Besides little Utaha and the completely non-combatant Eriri, there's another hidden rival?"
Faced with their probing gazes, Luo Shu's mouth twitched: "Sharon's currently handling Ghoul surveillance. You'll meet her in a few days. Why are you so interested in Sharon anyway? That's not normal."
Kisara and Mira exchanged glances before declaring in unison: "That's a secret!"
Luo Shu's face twitched before he sighed: "I don't understand you two."
Whether he truly didn't understand was something only Luo Shu knew.
After sighing, Luo Shu turned off the TV and moved to the dining table for breakfast. Kisara asked curiously: "Any plans for today?"
With a playful tone, Luo Shu replied: "A noon meeting at the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters in Sakuradamon. Heh, let's hope those esteemed gentlemen can be efficient for once."
...
Meanwhile, in Beika Town, Anteiku had hung up its "Closed Today" sign again.
From his office chair on the second floor of the Mouri Detective Agency, Kogoro Mouri could see the long queue downstairs just by standing up.
Ran Mouri, feeling slightly better after taking cold medicine, looked at her father by the window and asked: "Dad, isn't the café closed today? Why's there such a long queue?"
Kogoro Mouri casually replied, "Heard they're running some promotion. Too many applicants, so they had to close shop and only serve registered customers."
"Really? Touka never mentioned this to me." Ran Mouri looked puzzled as she turned to her father.
"Hahaha, I heard it from Aunt Murata next door."
Kogoro Mouri scratched the back of his head and let out his signature laugh:
"Anyway, it's good that the café's doing well. At least we don't have to worry about them defaulting on rent now."
"Dad."
Ran gave him an exasperated look before saying:
"Never mind, I'm running late. I need to get to school. Take care of things at home."
"Leave it to me." Kogoro gave a thumbs-up.
After Ran left, Kogoro stared intently at the crowd on the street, his expression grave:
"Ghouls?"
"If a non-human species of this scale starts causing trouble, it'll be no different from war."
Kogoro took out a cigarette and lit it:
"Let's hope nothing major happens."
...
At Anteiku.
Renji Yomo silently carried five crates wrapped in sturdy cardboard from the container parked directly at the back entrance and placed them behind the counter next to Touka Kirishima.
Still feeling unwell from recent adjustments, Touka deftly sliced open a crate with her fingernails, retrieving black bags which she handed one by one to the Ghouls who had received the message.
The Ghouls, collecting their meals, remained equally silent. Though many eyed the crates with longing, Yoshimura's stern expression and palpable killing intent deterred most from acting out.
Queuing obediently meant receiving food, but causing trouble would mean facing pursuit from an SSS-rated Ghoul.
Any Ghoul with half a brain could weigh those odds.
And as it happened, Yoshimura had only notified those Ghouls who still retained some rationality.
Though most were scum who—as even Touka knew—wouldn't last more than a few days, the small minority among them were the innocents Yoshimura was willing to work for Luo Shu to protect.
Even if these so-called innocents were exceptionally rare.
As Touka's mind wandered, a soft voice called out.
"Touka."
Snapping back to attention, Touka looked up at the small brown-haired girl wearing a black hairband, held by a couple.
"Hinami." Touka greeted the girl softly.
Then her gaze shifted to the adults holding Hinami Fueguchi's hands:
"Dr. Fueguchi, Ryōko, you came too."
"Touka." Ryōko Fueguchi looked at her hesitantly.
The family had seen the news about the Tokyo Metropolitan Hospital corpse theft incident, and now Anteiku had suddenly announced food distribution for starving Ghouls.
It was hard not to connect the two events.
"Don't worry, everything will be fine." Touka's smile was strained.
The news about the corpse theft and rewards for tips was all a lie—the authorities wouldn't bother them because they were now effectively working under them.
But just as Touka finished speaking, police sirens blared outside.
The long queue immediately erupted into chaos, and even inside, Enji Koma's loud reprimands could be heard.
Soon, Juzo Megure entered the shop, his face dark, leading a group of armed officers who pushed through the tense crowd.
"The Metropolitan Police Department received a tip that someone here was distributing stolen hospital corpses."
Touka Kirishima froze, taking several seconds to regain her composure before turning to Yoshimura:
"Manager."
"...I underestimated human nature."
Yoshimura sighed softly, his gaze sweeping over the queue of Ghouls, only to find most had lowered their heads in silence.
He shook his head and approached Juzo Megure, presenting his business card:
"I'm Yoshimura, manager of this café."
Lowering his voice, Yoshimura whispered a few words, prompting sudden understanding from Megure:
"Oh, the charity aid activity was already filed with the Metropolitan Police Department? I see, it must have been a false report then."
"Still, as a precaution, we'll need to inspect your distributed food."
At this, Megure gave Miwako Sato a meaningful look.
After a brief inspection, Sato reported no issues.
"Seems this was indeed a malicious report. Manager Yoshimura, I won't disturb you further."
With that, Megure departed as abruptly as he'd arrived.
Yoshimura lifted his gaze once more to the waiting crowd.
Meeting those desperate, hungry eyes made breathing suddenly feel much harder.
"Manager, shall we continue?" Touka approached, not bothering to lower her voice.
"...Let's continue." Yoshimura nodded, his eyes shifting to the Fueguchi couple, who were shielding their daughter.
Forcing a smile, he said:
"Dr Fueguchi, as you can see, we're rather short-handed here."
"Ah, I understand." Dr Fueguchi nodded hastily, patting his wife. "Ryōko, take Hinami to help at the back. I'll assist with distribution here."
"Understood."
As Ryōko Fueguchi led Hinami towards the back, Touka's lips parted slightly - she'd grasped Yoshimura's meaning.
Surveying the endless queue snaking through the café, she muttered under her breath:
"Perhaps... there'll be far fewer names on the whitelist than I imagined."
'You report us when police come, stay silent when they're here, then expect food after they leave - so we bear all the risk, is that it?'
'Those with young children staying quiet out of fear, I can understand. But how many Ghouls actually have families?'
'Alone and seeing us overwhelmed, yet not daring to offer help?'
'This race... is utterly rotten.'
As Touka stewed in these dark thoughts...
...
In Adachi Ward's abandoned warehouse.
Takatsuki Izumi, wrapped in bandages and a crimson cloak with only her left eye visible, stood surrounded by Aogiri Tree's twelve executives on the second-floor walkway. Her cold gaze swept over the warehouse packed with Ghouls as she declared:
"The rules are simple."
"Only the last ten survivors among one thousand may share one hundred portions of food."
"Now... show me your worth!!"
As her words faded, the gathered Ghouls' breathing grew heavy.
The next instant, the warehouse echoed with frenzied roars and the wet tearing sounds of blades piercing flesh.