CCG Headquarters, inside the highest-level conference room.
The air was heavy. Around the enormous oval conference table sat six Special-Class Investigators. Their expressions were solemn, their gazes focused on the man seated at the head of the table, CCG Bureau Director Washuu Yoshitoki.
"According to multiple intelligence reports, Aogiri Tree has been unusually active recently and appears ready to make a move."
Washuu Yoshitoki's steady voice broke the silence. "Everyone, what are your thoughts?"
Low discussions rose within the conference room.
Opinions were put forward one after another, mostly standard strategies such as increasing patrol personnel, strengthening control over each ward, and raising alert levels.
These suggestions were steady, but nothing innovative. Facing that massive ghoul organization, even the top investigators could not avoid caution and conservatism.
After the discussion regarding Aogiri Tree temporarily came to an end, Washuu Yoshitoki abruptly shifted the topic, his tone becoming more solemn.
"Next, another matter. Regarding the Twelfth Ward."
Before he finished speaking, the massive screen behind everyone suddenly lit up.
Under the pale light, several high-definition photographs appeared one by one. The first showed the interior of an abandoned building. On a mottled concrete wall, a huge English word was smeared in dark brown, dried blood: CARNAGE.
The second showed a gloomy abandoned warehouse. The setting had changed, but on the same filthy wall was the same shocking blood-written word: CARNAGE.
The third. The fourth. Different locations, yet the same horrific scene. The blood-written word appeared repeatedly on the screen like a cold brand, carrying a strong aura of death and provocation.
"As you can see."
Washuu Yoshitoki's voice pulled everyone back from the visual impact.
"A large-scale massacre has recently occurred in the Twelfth Ward. The victims are almost all ghouls."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across each Special-Class Investigator's extremely grave expression, and emphasized his next words.
"However, our investigators have also suffered heavy losses. Several colleagues have died in the line of duty, including three First-Class Investigators."
A suppressed intake of breath echoed in the conference room.
"What is most unsettling is this."
Washuu Yoshitoki lightly tapped his knuckles on the table.
"According to the scene investigation, First-Class Investigator Sato, who was killed in the abandoned building in the west of the city, was judged to have been killed instantly. In most cases, there were barely any signs of a proper fight."
A deathly silence enveloped the entire conference room. What it meant to instantly kill a First-Class Investigator was something everyone present understood clearly.
Washuu Yoshitoki leaned forward slightly and delivered the final conclusion, each word carrying tremendous weight.
"After comprehensive evaluation, this unknown target ghoul is extremely dangerous. It is preliminarily judged to possess at least SS-rated threat level, or higher."
"The codename is temporarily designated as 'Carnage.'"
As the meeting concluded, the CCG implemented a series of actions targeting Carnage.
First, the scenes were sealed off. Advanced instruments scanned every corner, capturing any RC cell residue. High-precision sampling was conducted on every CARNAGE blood inscription on the walls to analyze the blood source.
In addition, a rapid response unit composed entirely of elite First-Class Investigators was formed under the direct command of Special-Class Investigator Ui Koori.
They were stationed at a temporary command post on the edge of the Twelfth Ward, ensuring that upon receiving a report of Carnage's appearance, they could reach any location within the ward in five minutes.
"Sigh."
Ui Koori looked at the report in his hand and let out a breath. All blood inscriptions were confirmed to be from the victims. The RC cell residue concentration was abnormally high, and its fluctuation pattern did not fully match any known kagune type.
The clues were fragmented, which only highlighted Carnage's mystery and danger even more. Carnage had to be found as soon as possible. Otherwise, the next time the blood-written word appeared, it might not be confined to the Twelfth Ward.
While CCG Headquarters was overwhelmed by the name Carnage and turned the entire Twelfth Ward upside down, the true center of the storm, Amano Hiro, had quietly returned to the Twentieth Ward.
In stark contrast to the Twelfth Ward, where the air was thick with blood and panic, the Twentieth Ward, especially the area where he lived, still maintained a surface-level calm and normalcy.
He pushed open the door to his apartment. The familiar, slightly cool scent greeted him, washing away some of the bloodiness and hostility clinging to him from days of slaughter.
"Phew."
He exhaled lightly, fatigue lacing his breath, and casually tossed his coat onto the back of the sofa.
After several consecutive days of high-intensity hunting and cleansing in the Twelfth Ward, even with a body fused with Carnage, he felt a trace of mental exhaustion. It was a numbness deep in the marrow, not physical depletion.
He threw himself onto the soft sofa. The moment his body sank into it, his muscles finally relaxed.
The living room lights were off. Only the neon lights of the city outside filtered through the blinds, casting shifting light and shadow across his face. He picked up the remote and pressed the power button.
The television screen lit up, broadcasting local news. The female anchor's clear and precise voice sounded especially distinct in the quiet room.
"Breaking news. At approximately eight tonight, the landmark building in the Twentieth Ward, the Akawa Building, was invaded by an unidentified ghoul. The ghoul is suspected to be the extremely dangerous individual known as 'Binge Eater.' The incident has resulted in heavy casualties. The scene remains chaotic, and the CCG has urgently dispatched investigators to handle the situation."
The footage switched to the chaotic scene outside the Akawa Building. Flashing police lights, panicked crowds, and faint sounds of destruction from inside the building.
Although the footage had been processed, the atmosphere of terror still pierced through the screen.
Amano Hiro remained lazily reclined on the sofa, but his pupils subtly contracted in the dim light.
"Binge Eater. Akawa Building."
He repeated the key words softly. Fragments of memory belonging to him as a transmigrator surged and pieced together in his mind.
This was not a random ghoul attack. It was a clear coordinate, a signal marking the beginning of the story.
As someone who knew the plot, he was well aware that this was not merely a news report. It was the arrival of a crucial turning point. The main storyline had begun.
A faint expression of interest and understanding crossed his face.
Originally, he had planned to rest for a while after returning and observe the timeline to confirm the start of the main plot. Now it seemed his brief rest would have to end early.
Beneath the calm surface of the Twentieth Ward, the true undercurrent had finally begun to surge.
The main storyline was about to unfold. Should he silently watch events develop and drift with the flow, or break the original course and push upstream? It was a question worth considering.
Consider it my ass. He had transmigrated and possessed a cheat-like weapon of mass destruction like Carnage. As long as he lived in a way that pleased himself and kept his mind clear, that was enough.
As for the main storyline getting thrown into chaos, let it be chaotic. With sufficient strength, even chaos was of no consequence.