Midnight. Fog blanketed a massive bridge, only faint dots of light visible through the haze.
Upon that bridge, two silhouettes could be vaguely seen.
One was tall and lean, clad in white robes, wearing a half-red mask. His eyes were cold, his long white hair flowing, his whole figure radiating an oppressive aura within the fog and night.
This was none other than Tatara — the senior executive of Aogiri Tree, its number two figure, and the only ghoul from mainland China in the entire series.
Beside him sat a much smaller figure — petite and cute, wrapped entirely in bandages, face hidden under a purple hood. Even though her voice was altered and her body wrapped, the powerful aura and pressure she gave off could not be concealed.
The contradiction between such overwhelming pressure and such a small, cute figure formed a striking contrast.
This was Eto — the leader of Aogiri Tree, a SSS-rated One-Eyed Owl. Even within Aogiri, almost no one knew that her other identity was the famous novelist, Sen Takatsuki.
"Eto, our men have confirmed the cause of Jason's death." Tatara's cold voice cut through the fog.
"Oh? Is that so?" Eto sat at the edge of the bridge, her little legs dangling and swinging carelessly, as if uninterested in the matter.
"He was purged alone by a mere rank 3 investigator while searching for the Binge Eater." Tatara continued, voice low and calm.
"A rank 3 investigator?" Eto's interest finally stirred, a flicker of emotion in her tone.
After all, rank 3 investigators weren't even provided quinques. For one to single-handedly eliminate an S-rated ghoul? That was unprecedented.
"His name is Hayashi. He has since been promoted to First-Class Investigator." Tatara's red kakugan glimmered with cold light.
"This one is extremely dangerous. In the future, we may very well cross blades with him. We must assign more to gather intel on him."
Eto gave no direct response. She simply continued to swing her legs lightly.
"Hayashi, huh?" She murmured the name softly in her heart, a vision of a white-haired, red-eyed youth surfacing in her mind.
"So you're the one who killed Jason, boy?"
Eto chuckled, the sound ethereal and melodic.
If he was the one who killed Jason, then everything fell neatly into place.That would also explain why he carried such a thick trace of Rize's scent.
So he really was that strong?
Her interest in him deepened.
"You've been working hard, boy~ I wonder what other amusements you'll bring me in the days to come?"
...
The next morning, warm sunlight poured through the window, filling the living room with light.
A new day, a beautiful day, had arrived.
"Hayashi, thank you for cooperating with my research. I feel like I've made great progress in my experiments." Rize stood at the window in loose pajamas, her mood radiant. Sunlight graced her delicate, refined face, giving her the aura of a graceful wife.
From a neighborly big sister to a mature and alluring woman — the transformation had occurred in just one night.
And it wasn't only her mind that had matured, but her body as well.
"Experiment or not, don't ever do it again!" Hayashi lay weakly in bed, his body completely drained.
He had thought the Ox Talisman's physical boost would let him endure anything. Reality had taught him a bitter lesson.
That night had been brutal, forcing him to experience firsthand just how insane a ghoul's recovery — and Rize's appetite — really were.
Even a god would leave limping after a hundred rounds in a single night.
After that night, Hayashi had grown. He had become a man.
The sunlight filtered through her white pajamas, outlining her curves. Hayashi's lower back ached at the sight, his face twitching.
"That won't do~" Rize shook her head lightly, wagging a finger at him.
"As a researcher, I must constantly conduct experiments, constantly study. And of course, the process of experimentation is absolutely essential, you know?"
Her lips curled, licking at their fullness, eyes shimmering with satisfaction.
"Forget that. I need to tell you something important." Hayashi cut in quickly, seeing where her excitement was headed.
"To make sure our lives don't get disrupted by problems later, we need some ground rules. Three of them." He sat up, raising three fingers.
"Ground rules?" Rize tilted her head slightly, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
"That's right. And you have to follow them. No exceptions." Hayashi nodded firmly.
"First: No wandering around outside, no random feeding. Second: Don't expose my identity as an investigator. Third: Don't provoke other investigators or ghouls."
"Those are the three rules. Understand?"
His gaze locked onto hers.
"You're trying to restrain me?" Rize's elegant face clouded with displeasure, her eyes narrowing.
Raised within the Washuu clan, the one thing she despised most was being bound by rules. That was why she had always acted so recklessly, venting her past suffering through violence and indulgence.
"This isn't about restraining you. I just don't want anyone interfering with my peaceful life." Hayashi shrugged, calm as ever.
"Of course, you can break them if you want. At worst, I'll just slaughter everyone who comes after us."
He said the cruelest words with the calmest tone.
"Is that so?" Rize paused, weighing the pros and cons in silence.
"But don't worry. Even if you don't go out hunting, you won't starve. I'll do my best to keep you full." Hayashi emphasized do my best. Who knew how much she could eat? Feeding her endlessly was impossible.
"If that's the case, then I can agree to your request." Rize nodded, then added with a sly shift in tone:
"But on one condition. Grant me a request, and I'll obey those rules absolutely."
"What kind of request?" Hayashi's interest sparked.
"Simple. You just have to cooperate with me in my experiments~" Her eyes gleamed with hunger as her tongue slid across her lips.
For her, tasting forbidden fruit the night before had been like opening Pandora's box — like stepping through a mysterious door into a world she couldn't leave behind.
Hayashi stared at her tall, graceful figure in silence.
After a moment, he answered slowly:
"Deal."