She rubbed her cheek, wiping away the blood.
Had she been even a fraction of a second slower to pull back, the blade that burst from the floor would have pierced her right eye. The realization made her heart sink.
I was too careless!
The fact that she was facing a Ghoul Investigator, rather than another Ghoul or Arima, had caused her to let her guard down.
Intrigued by the mention of another [One-Eyed Ghoul], Eto had allowed a sliver of her suppressed presence to leak when she landed. She had never imagined an investigator would be keen enough to catch it.
The presence of the investigators on the floor below began to diverge.
One woman, two men.
The woman who had launched the initial attack moved away from the area.
The two men, however, headed toward the vertical passage that led up to Eto's floor.
Two of them are coming this way!
In her current condition, she might be able to handle one, but facing two or more investigators was far too dangerous.
Eto began to move, desperate to escape the area.
She detoured from her original path, weaving through the shadows to avoid the investigators.
After navigating three turns of the maze-like sewer, Eto suddenly came to a halt.
"...?!"
The presence of a Ghoul Investigator. Right in front of her, as if blocking her path, she felt a sudden aura.
Judging by the footsteps, there was only one.
When did they—?
Deciding this route was compromised, she tried to slip into a side passage, but she stopped after only a few steps.
"...This way too."
Another investigator had already split off to block the side route. They were preemptively seizing every possible exit, tightening the net around her.
It felt like a driven hunt.
They're investigators, so they must have a map. They probably know the layout of this entire area by heart.
The map Koma possessed had been obtained from Hitokawa, a Ghoul Investigator. It was only natural that others would have them as well.
With far less information than her pursuers, Eto knew that running blindly would only lead her into a dead end.
Should I just force my way through?
It seemed a better alternative than waiting to be cornered.
One of the approaching investigators, in particular, didn't seem suited for combat. She could tell by the tense rhythm of his footsteps and the unnecessary rigidity of his muscles. Even in her current state, Eto felt she could subdue him or slip past without taking a single scratch.
Just as she leaned toward a forced breakthrough, Eto shook her head.
It was too deliberate.
Even if they were herding her, sending a combat-weak member alone smelled like a trap.
—If, by some chance, you end up in a confrontation with Ghoul Investigators, choose escape over fighting. The history of conflict between humans and Ghouls is long. Over that time, every aspect of their operation has been specialized for hunting Ghouls. Not just combat, but everything from luring to trapping. If you approach thinking you can win, you're essentially begging to be killed.
Hitokawa had told her that once.
And every time she sparred with him, she felt the truth of those words.
While Ghouls often relied on the overwhelming power of their Kagune to crush their enemies, investigators avoided pure contests of strength, instead drawing Ghouls into terrain that favored the human. It was a frustratingly effective way to fight.
She had encountered one investigator today who ignored those rules and simply smashed through with brute force, but that was clearly the exception, not the rule.
If this was a trap and that man was the bait, then where was the hunter?
Where is that woman?
The female investigator who had cut Eto's cheek had completely vanished from her sensory range. While she couldn't pinpoint her location, there was no way a professional would simply stand by and watch.
She was likely hiding somewhere undetectable, waiting for Eto to take the bait before springing the trap.
A frontal breakthrough was a poor move, yet she lacked the geographical knowledge to flee effectively.
In that case...
It was risky, but it seemed like the only viable option.
Eto exhaled deeply, then inhaled until her chest and abdomen were swollen tight.
She clamped her mouth shut and held her breath. Her abdominal, thoracic, and neck muscles constricted, driving the internal pressure to its absolute limit.
The compressed air finally exploded from her lips.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa―――――――――――――――――!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A high-pitched shriek that sounded as if it would tear her vocal cords apart.
The sound ricocheted violently off the concrete walls, sweeping over the two investigators closing in on her.
"Tch! My eardrums are gonna blow! What the hell was that?!"
Marude grimaced, clamping both hands over his ears.
He was already irritated that he, the weakest combatant, had been tasked with herding the Ghoul; this sudden noise was the last thing he needed.
Meanwhile, Kureo, approaching from another passage, frowned at the sudden scream.
"What is this? A warning? No, it doesn't sound like that..."
It was different from the screams of a cornered Ghoul.
Usually, such cries were filled with desperation, but this sound seemed designed specifically to carry as far as possible.
Aaaaaaaaa――――...! Aaaaaaaa――…!
The echoes of the sound striking the walls reached his ears in rapid succession.
Kureo's eyes widened. He hurriedly brought his radio to his lips.
"Marude! Chase the Ghoul! Now!"
Kssshh!
"What?!"
Startled by the sudden shout, Marude immediately began to sprint.
As he ran, the lingering echoes of the scream continued to flow into his ears.
Marude wasn't stupid.
Between Kureo's urgency and the nature of the sound, he realized exactly what was happening.
"She's using echolocation to map the terrain?!"
It was a feat for bats, but not impossible for a Ghoul with senses far superior to a human's.
And just as he suspected, Eto had found her exit.
In only one direction, the sound did not bounce back; it continued to spread outward.
Having read their intent, Eto kicked off the ground and leapt away from the charging investigators.
During her flight, she spotted the mangled corpse of a Ghoul.
Eto stripped the blanket covering the body, wrapped it around herself to conceal her identity, and vanished. At that moment, an investigator rounded the corner.
It was Marude. Having taken the more direct route while Kureo circled around to box her in, he had reached her first.
As he turned the corner, he saw a figure wrapped in a blanket fleeing away from him.
To ensure she didn't escape, he leveled his automatic-rifle-type Quinque.
"Stop right there!"
Ratatatat!
The rifle spat fire, unleashing a barrage of Quinque rounds that resembled [Ukaku] feathers.
However, the bullets only tore into the wall where Eto had already disappeared. Kureo arrived a moment later, breathless.
"The Ghoul?"
"She got away!"
Marude pointed toward the corner. Kureo gripped his Quinque, preparing to give chase.
But Eto had no intention of letting them follow.
KWA-GA-GA-GA-GA-BOOOOM!
Eto unleashed her Kagune, slamming it into the ceiling and bringing down a rain of concrete debris.
Looking at the now-blocked passage, Kureo clicked his tongue in annoyance.
"Tch! You little flying squirrel!"
"Wait! I'll find a detour!"
Marude pulled out his map, but Kureo shook his head.
"I don't think we have the luxury of time."
"What? ...Ah."
Marude turned and saw red eyes glowing in the darkness.
There were dozens of them. They were swarming from all sides like a pack of wild dogs drawn by blood.
It was a horde of Ghouls, drawn in by Eto's massive scream.
They were mere small fry and posed no real threat, but clearing them all out would take significant time.
"We're pinned down... Damn it. She played us."
Marude cursed, realizing that while they thought they had the Ghoul cornered, they were now the ones trapped.
The Ghouls nearby were mindless, but they weren't particularly strong. They shouldn't be a problem.
Having shaken the investigators, Eto sprinted through the passage to put as much distance between them as possible.
Based on the way the sound had traveled, she should soon emerge into a wider area.
"...!"
As expected, the tunnel opened up. It was a space narrow between the walls but expansive in all other directions.
In the center lay a pipe so massive it served as a road. Without slowing her pace, Eto leaped from the exit and landed lightly atop the pipe.
Then, her expression froze.
"Hello? You got here faster than I expected."
Leaning against the wall, waiting for her, was a female Ghoul Investigator. It was Mado Kasuka, the one who had vanished from Eto's senses.
Kasuka had been casually gazing at a pendant; she closed the socket and pushed herself off the wall.
Her movements were light and natural, as if she were greeting a friend for a casual outing.
However, the bloodstained Quinque in her hand told a different story.
She read my movements...
Eto, her face still hidden by the blanket, bit her lip.
The woman had predicted from the start that Eto would avoid a fight and flee. That was why she had positioned herself here, at the most likely escape route.
Perhaps the goal had been to drive Eto here all along. Had Eto not countered their trap with her own, she would have been surrounded by all three investigators at once.
Seeing Eto crouched in a defensive stance, Kasuka gave a bitter smile.
"Don't be so hostile. I only attacked at first because I thought you were just another mindless Ghoul. You're sane, aren't you?"
Kasuka was certain Eto was capable of reason, judging by how calmly she had avoided the initial attack.
"I'm different from you, but I understand your plight—to be born into a body that forces you to hurt others against your will. It might be absurd to ask for your trust on our first meeting, but why not come quietly? You'll be sent to Cochlea, but I'll do my best to ensure you're treated as well as possible."
Kasuka spoke softly, cautiously extending her hand.
Eto was the one who faltered. She had never encountered an investigator who spoke with such genuine warmth to an enemy.
When Eto remained silent and hesitant, Kasuka let out a sigh.
"I sympathize with you, but I am a Ghoul Investigator. I cannot simply overlook your existence. One Ghoul let slip today could destroy a peaceful family tomorrow. Therefore..."
Srrrk.
The rapier-shaped Quinque slid forward with a metallic ring, its tip leveling at Eto's throat.
In an instant, the friendliness vanished, replaced by a cold, shimmering killing intent.
"If you refuse, try to run, or choose to fight, I will discard every shred of sympathy and end your life. That is my duty as an investigator."
It was like a sudden, biting north wind following a moment of warm sunlight.
Eto knew she was sincere. If Eto surrendered, she would be restrained but protected; if she resisted, she would be erased.
"...."
Faced with this ultimatum, Eto could not find the words to respond.
Kasuka took the silence as an answer and nodded, her expression darkening.
"I see. If that is your answer... I'll make sure it's as painless as possible."
Taht!
Kasuka kicked off the pipe and lunged at Eto.
As the blade flashed toward her, Eto's face twisted in sheer frustration.
My voice won't come out!!
The aftermath of her scream had completely wrecked her vocal cords.
Kasuka had no way of knowing this. Eto was in no position to comply with the demands anyway, but being unable to say a single word before the attack felt inexplicably unfair.
Regardless, Eto unleashed her Kagune to meet the strike.
KAAANG!!!
"...."
Arima stared silently into the distance.
He had faintly detected Eto's scream echoing through the tunnels.
Though he didn't know the voice belonged to Eto, it had caught his attention.
With no clear exit and no other Ghoul tracks to follow, he had considered pursuing the sound, but he stopped abruptly.
"Grrr...!"
"Kihit! Kihihihi!"
Ghouls. They were clearly mindless, likely driven mad by cannibalism.
They were swarming around him from every direction.
Arima raised an eyebrow, intrigued by their sudden appearance.
"Smell. Smell. Smell. Hkkhh!"
"Drip. Blood. Drip. Looks delicious!"
"Human? It's a human! Human blood!"
Listening to their guttural mutterings, Arima realized why they had gathered. They had been lured by the scent of blood.
Since Arima himself was completely uninjured, his gaze shifted to the only other suspect.
"Oops! This is bad. I guess the Ghouls picked up my scent and came running."
Takaki Koma held up a cut finger with a shameless grin.
The wound was fresh, and a shard of glass lay nearby.
Like Arima, Koma had heard Eto's scream and, in a desperate bid to manage the situation, had cut himself to lure the Ghouls away from the path.
"You know I'm just a civilian who can't fight, right? I'll leave the cleanup to you!"
Hiding in a corner, Koma gave a bold thumbs-up, his face a mask of faux-innocence.
"...."
Arima felt no threat from the gathering Ghouls, but looking at Koma's shamelessness, he felt a sudden, unprecedented urge to hit someone.