[RC Cell Suppressant (5/5):]
A premium pharmaceutical solution capable of aggressively dampening the concentration of RC cells within a ghoul’s biological system, forcing the target into a severe [Debilitated] state.
[Enchanting Table:]
A high-tier reality-altering station capable of imbuing permanent metaphysical traits or active combat status-modifiers into any item or piece of gear categorized below S-Grade.
Scanning the direct, concise summaries on his interface, Kenji opted to leverage the Enchanting Table immediately to analyze its mechanical execution.
The system allowed the structural manifestation of the table to either materialize physically in the real world or remain entirely localized within his virtual mental overlay.
Choosing the latter spared Kenji from drawing any unnecessary tactical surveillance from the CCG personnel operating around the perimeter.
[Ding!
System detects viable compatibility: The A-Grade consumable [RC Cell Suppressant] can be used as an imbuing catalyst.
Target object identified: [Gilded Cloud]!]
[Ding!
Imbuing sequence completed successfully!
1x unit of A-Grade asset [RC Cell Suppressant] has been consumed.
Weapon [Gilded Cloud] has been permanently altered!]
[Gilded Cloud (Enchanted):]
Classification: B-Grade One-Handed Longsword / Katana
Durability: 101 / 130
Enchantment Modifier: Every successful kinetic slash or puncture delivered by this blade inflicts a flat 1% RC Cell Suppression modifier onto a ghoul’s biological structure.
This effect is mathematically cumulative.
Upon stacking to a threshold of 30%, the target ghoul will immediately default into a catastrophic [Debilitated] condition.
As the sequence concluded, Kenji looked down at his blade, watching a faint, mesmerizing shimmer of ethereal white light track across the steel before dissolving into the edge.
His expression grew increasingly eccentric.
Was his baseline system literally modeled after a video game?
From the highly structured combat status debuffs to a crafting interface that heavily mirrored the mechanics of Minecraft, everything about his current reality made him feel as though he was running a highly advanced sandbox campaign.
With this specific status modifier integrated into my weapon, even if I cross paths with a catastrophic SSS-rate apex predator down the line, I’m no longer lacking a clean victory vector.
Twirling the blade through a smooth, silent flourish, Kenji sheathed [Gilded Cloud] into his belt and began organizing his immediate macro strategy.
At this exact moment, his raw physical attributes comfortably cleared the baseline parameters of an SS-rate ghoul, positioning him on the exact same tier as a CCG Special Class Investigator.
However, when factoring in the sheer, unadulterated combat mileage, muscle memory, and localized spatial instinct integrated into his soul by Toji Fushiguro’s blueprint, his true operational performance was vastly superior to his paper stats.
He finally possessed the fundamental leverage required to navigate this chaotic world entirely on his own terms.
Specifically, with his weapon now carrying a built-in anti-ghoul biological countermeasure, he held an innate, crushing advantage against the dominant predators of this setting.
The only remaining operational parameters he needed to govern were keeping a low strategic profile to avoid triggering premature scrutiny from SSS-rate threats or the hidden shadows of the Washuu Clan, and closely monitoring his weapon’s mechanical wear.
”System, what is the protocol for restoring weapon durability?”
[Ding!
Weapon durability parameters can be fully restored by procuring the services of a master blacksmith or an expert weapons artisan native to this localized world.]
Kenji blinked in mild surprise at the system’s prompt, his eyes instinctively drifting across the ruined lobby until they locked onto Mado Kureo, who was currently staring off into space.
If his memory served him correctly regarding the canon timeline, Mado Kureo was widely recognized within the CCG as an absolute, borderline-fanatical authority on the R&D and maintenance of Quinque weaponry.
In a world where Quinques represented the absolute pinnacle of anti-ghoul technology, a man who engineered those biological weapons practically held a master’s degree in weapons smithing.
Given that the CCG regularly processed and integrated the biological Kakuhou components of high-tier ghouls into functional armaments, repairing a standard B-Grade steel katana should be an effortlessly trivial exercise for a technician of his caliber.
It would be highly tactical to establish a working relationship with Mado Kureo.
Furthermore, I need to secure an independent supply chain for heavy firearms and ammunition…
On the other side of the ruined third floor, Shinohara Yukinori, trailed by a vanguard of tactical operators, finally came face-to-face with the solitary child who was radiating an explosive, deeply entrenched hostility toward their unit.
The boy possessed a shock of messy white hair and an incredibly delicate, porcelain face.
Yet, his tiny frame was completely covered in jagged, horrific surgical scars.
It was Juuzou Suzuya.
”Special Class Shinohara, the moment this subject localized our unit, he exhibited hyper-aggressive, predatory behavior.
We already have two operators down with minor lacerations…
Should we…” The subordinate investigator made a clean, swift cutting motion across his own throat.
From a purely cold-blooded, institutional perspective, this was the most logical operational cleanup protocol.
Children raised within the isolated social structures of ghouls were notoriously incapable of being rehabilitated into human civilization.
Their psychological matrices were fundamentally shattered, and their dietary baseline was built entirely on human flesh.
Yet, Shinohara simply stood his ground, maintaining steady, deeply empathetic eye contact with the feral boy.
After a long, heavy silence, he slowly shook his head.
“Belay that order.
Leave this child to me.
I will assume full personal custody of him.”
”Associate Special Class Mado, I understand you run the primary R&D division for Quinque weapons at the laboratory.
Is my intelligence accurate?”
Kenji’s voice broke the silence as he casually walked up to the brooding investigator.
Mado Kureo blinked, momentarily caught off guard.
He certainly hadn’t anticipated this enigmatic, lethally independent young man taking the initiative to strike up a casual dialogue with him.
”Quinques?” Kureo murmured, processing the query.
He slowly reached into his trench coat, pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and offered one to Kenji.
After clicking a lighter open and providing a flame, Kureo looked up through the rising smoke.
“I believe I haven’t had the distinct honor of learning your name, sir.”
”Kenji.”
”Are you of continental heritage, Mr.
Kenji?
That particular name structure is quite a rare anomaly here in Japan.”
”Something like that.”
Sensing Kenji’s distinct lack of enthusiasm for personal data-mining, Kureo smoothly abandoned his investigative angle, seamlessly pivoting back to the initial topic.
“I do possess a rather extensive…
personal obsession with weapon engineering.
Was Mr.
Kenji looking to commission a customized Quinque asset from the CCG’s foundries?”
Under standard institutional protocol, Quinques were strictly classified military assets restricted entirely to internal CCG distribution.
Even within the bureau, the manufacturing grid couldn’t guarantee an asset for every single employee; weapons were strictly meted out based on an investigator’s verified rank.
But when standing face-to-face with a martial anomaly of Kenji’s caliber, established regulations were naturally malleable.
”Not at all,” Kenji replied, smoothly unbuckling his sword.
“I simply figured that since Associate Special Class Mado is an elite specialist in high-tier metallurgy and engineering, you might possess the skill set required to help me refurbish the structural integrity of this blade.”
With that, Kenji extended [Gilded Cloud] forward.
Kureo’s eyes immediately widened into sharp pinpricks the moment they locked onto the snow-white steel.
“What an absolutely exquisite piece of craftsmanship!”
He carefully took the blade, raising it to eye level before gently flicking the flat of the steel with his fingernail.
The katana instantly produced a sharp, perfectly resonant, crystal-clear chime that vibrated through the air.
”To forge a weapon capable of achieving this precise tier of molecular density and balance without integrating a biological Kakuhou matrix…
This is completely unprecedented!
Fascinating!” Kureo’s voice was a volatile cocktail of scientific excitement, manic surprise, and deep academic bewilderment.
After turning the blade over several times, Kureo looked up, his tone turning eager.
“Mr.
Kenji, would you permit me to transport this asset back to the CCG laboratory division for a comprehensive structural analysis?”
”No.”
Receiving such a blunt, immediate rejection didn’t bother Kureo in the slightest.
He smoothly adjusted his parameters. This story is hosted at g.com.
“Fair enough.
In that case, once our operational shift concludes tonight, perhaps Mr.
Kenji would honor me with a visit to my private workshop?
The core alignment of this blade is indeed under immense structural stress.”
”If your engagements are limited to standard S-rate targets, this steel will hold its own.
But the exact microsecond you lock horns with an SS-rate or a cataclysmic SSS-rate threat, this weapon lacks the structural reinforcement to survive the kinetic backlash.
It will likely fracture and become entirely unusable after two or three high-intensity engagements.”
”Conveniently, my private sanctuary houses a modest cache of highly specialized, exotic alloy materials.
I can personally restore the durability matrix of this blade and potentially amplify its structural thresholds.
Free of charge, of course.
Would that align with Mr.
Kenji’s schedule?”
Hearing the technician’s proposal, a distinct gleam sparked within Kenji’s eyes.
”Absolutely.
Count me in.”
Whether the blade became marginally stronger was secondary; the absolute highlight of the transaction was that it was entirely free of charge.
He had dropped into this parallel world with absolutely zero financial capital to his name, relying entirely on whatever loose cash he could salvage from the pockets of the unfortunate ghouls he slaughtered.
But that pocket change was entirely insufficient for his long-term logistics.
He was actively planning to locate a black-market broker to purchase a heavy firearms array.
Being able to completely restore his primary weapon while preserving his limited liquid capital was an efficiency win he wasn’t about to pass up.
”Haha!
Kureo, it looks like you and this gentleman are hitting it off remarkably well!”
Shinohara Yukinori’s booming voice echoed as he walked down the central staircase, extending his right hand toward Kenji with standard military warmth.
”I gave a brief summary earlier, but let me introduce myself properly.
Shinohara Yukinori, Special Class Investigator of the CCG!”
Kenji extended his hand, giving Shinohara a brief, firm handshake.
“Kenji.”
Observing Kenji’s detached, freezing demeanor, Shinohara couldn’t help but marvel internally at whatever conversational wizardry Mado Kureo had deployed to get this guy talking so casually.
”Ah, right, Mr.
Kenji.
Regarding the operational details of tonight’s raid…
you single-handedly eliminated four high-profile S-rate targets, along with a substantial number of C-rate combatants.”
”The CCG maintains a highly supportive, incentivized policy for independent operators executing anti-ghoul actions.
The bureau will be issuing a highly substantial financial bounty for this operation.
Would you prefer the funds processed directly into a designated bank account, or would a physical cash distribution at the district branch suit your parameters better?”
The exact millisecond the word bounty left Shinohara’s mouth, the cold, detached aura radiating from Kenji dissolved instantly.
His tone transformed, carrying a remarkably cooperative warmth.
”There’s no time like the present.
Let’s head over to the branch and finalize the distribution right now.”
Watching the young man undergo a complete, instantaneous personality inversion, Shinohara blinked in sheer bewilderment, staring at Kenji for a long moment as a sudden, deeply human realization dawned on him.
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