”So this time, the higher-ups want us to go to the 20th Ward?” Mado Kureo asked, knitting his brows.
Amon Koutarou nodded from the side.
“Yes.
A ghoul codenamed ‘Mother and Daughter’ and another codenamed ‘Rabbit’ have appeared in the 20th Ward.
We need to go follow this lead.”
”I get it.
But let’s go a few days later.
I still have things to do right now.”
Hearing this, Amon Koutarou nodded politely.
“Alright, then I won’t disturb you for now.”
Seeing that Amon Koutarou was about to leave, Mado Kureo called out to stop him.
“Stay and have dinner with us.”
With that, Mado Kureo smiled at Kenji, who was sitting on the sofa, and said, “Mr.
Kenji has been asleep all day, so you probably haven’t eaten either.
I think I just heard your stomach growl.”
Kenji: “…”
Mado Akira looked at Kenji, feeling more and more puzzled by him.
Once Mado Kureo and Mado Akira headed to the kitchen, only Amon Koutarou and Kenji were left in the living room.
The two weren’t familiar with each other, so they could only sit there staring at one another.
Kenji actually felt quite a bit of sympathy for what Amon Koutarou went through.
A perfectly fine investigator with a bright future would end up being turned into a ghoul, looking neither like a human nor a ghost.
On the other hand, Amon Koutarou’s feeling toward Kenji was just like how he would treat a senior.
After all, even Mado Kureo, whom he respected deeply, was completely polite to Kenji, so he naturally didn’t dare to be disrespectful.
After about an hour, Mado Kureo and Mado Akira walked out carrying a massive pile of dishes.
Before long, the dining table was completely covered with delicious food that looked and smelled amazing.
There was a plate of fried tempura, a plate of sashimi, a sushi platter with all kinds of flavors, and a large bowl of miso soup.
To accommodate Kenji, they had even specially made a Chinese dish, Kung Pao Chicken.
The main food was rice, paired with beef curry.
”Mr.
Kenji, this Chinese dish took quite a bit of effort on my part.”
Kenji was a little surprised that an old man like Mado Kureo actually knew how to cook, so he couldn’t help but look at him a few more times.
“You actually know how to make Chinese food?”
Looking at Kenji’s skeptical face, Mado Kureo lowered his head and stroked the golden ring on the ring finger of his left hand.
A hint of nostalgia showed in his eyes as he smiled gently.
”My wife used to love cooking, especially Chinese food.
This Kung Pao Chicken was also her favorite Chinese dish when she was alive.
Back then, to make her happy, I ran all over the Chinese restaurants in Tokyo just to learn it.”
”But ever since she passed away, I haven’t made this dish for many years.
Mr.
Kenji, go ahead and try it, see if it suits your taste.”
After Mado Kureo finished speaking, the atmosphere at the dining table became a bit heavy for a moment.
Mado Akira sat in her spot staring straight at that Kung Pao Chicken, her eyes reflecting the image of a woman, as if she was remembering something.
Hearing this, Amon Koutarou clenched his fists, a flash of pain showing on his face.
To him, Mado Kureo was both a teacher and a friend, and his past truly made him feel sympathetic.
Kenji picked up his chopsticks and took a piece of chicken, which was coated in a reddish-brown, thick sauce.
”It’s really well made.
It tastes like home.”
Kenji gave a flat review, and hearing this, Mado Kureo seemed to let out a sigh of relief.
”That’s good.
After so many years, I still haven’t forgotten.” Mado Kureo muttered to himself, though it was unclear whether he meant he hadn’t forgotten his wife, Kasuka, or the recipe for Kung Pao Chicken.
After finishing the meal, Amon Koutarou and Mado Akira cleared the dishes, while Kenji and Mado Kureo went to the workshop.
Kenji pulled out a cigarette and felt all over his pockets but couldn’t find a lighter.
Click!
Mado Kureo reached over with a flame to light the cigarette for Kenji.
Only then did Kenji take a nice puff.
”You can have this lighter.
It’s a lighter I’ve cherished for ten years, don’t lose it.” Mado Kureo tossed the lighter in his hand to Kenji, who caught it and looked down at it.
The lighter was completely silver, with no pattern on its metal body.
It was a Zippo lighter, and some parts of it had already worn smooth from handling.
”Ten years?
Then it must have quite a story.
You’re just willing to give it to me like this?”
Mado Kureo gave a flat smile.
“Yeah, ten years.
Time really flies.
Giving it to you is just because I don’t smoke anyway, so keeping it really is useless.”
Kenji rubbed the lighter in his hand.
Don’t smoke?
Then how did it get so worn down from handling?
Was it really that he didn’t smoke, or did he constantly take it out to look at it and remember someone?
Kenji didn’t know.
”If there’s a chance, I’ll avenge your wife for you.” Rubbing the lighter, Kenji left only this single sentence.
“When will the sword be ready?
You and Amon Koutarou are going to the 20th Ward, right?
Once the sword is done, I’m leaving too.
I’m preparing to go to the 24th Ward.”
”The sword will be ready tomorrow.
Also, the 24th Ward is very dangerous…” Hearing about the 24th Ward, Mado Kureo’s body gave an unnoticeable shudder.
Ten years ago, his wife died in the 24th Ward, killed by the One-Eyed Owl.
”You don’t need to worry about me.
Take care of yourself.
‘Mother and Daughter’ and ‘Rabbit’ are very dangerous, don’t go down out there.”
After saying that, Kenji turned and left, starting to contact Ozawa Izumi to have him prepare the items again.
After all, all of today’s supplies had been left behind by him in the 11th Ward.
Seeing Kenji leave, Mado Kureo pulled his thoughts back and continued repairing Flowing Cloud.
”How does Mr.
Truly strange.” After thinking it over, Mado Kureo still didn’t understand, but he secretly gave himself a warning in his heart.
After all, Kenji’s strength was incredibly powerful, ridiculously so.
Since even he told him to be careful, it was better to pay attention.
Early the next morning, Kenji saw Mado Kureo sitting in the living room with completely bloodshot eyes.
In front of him was the repaired Flowing Cloud.
Picking up Flowing Cloud, the system panel appeared right on time.
Flowing Cloud (Enchanted): B+ grade single-handed long blade weapon
Durability: 150/150
Seeing the panel which was a bit different from before, Kenji was somewhat surprised.
“How did you do it?”
Mado Kureo poured himself a cup of coffee and rubbed the space between his eyebrows, saying, “Originally, I planned to blend in a Bikaku to repair and strengthen your weapon, but I discovered that your weapon seems to have a massive suppressing effect on RC cells.”
Speaking up to this point, Mado Kureo changed his tone.
“You also know that the weapons used by our CCG investigators are all made from the Kakuhou of ghouls, right?
And their forms can change.
The more powerful the ghoul, the richer the RC concentration inside the Kakuhou, and the more powerful the Quinque made from it will be.”
”But your weapon suppresses RC cells.
Normally speaking, it’s completely impossible to use a Kakuhou to strengthen your blade.”
”However, I happen to have a lot of rich research in this area myself.
The CCG headquarters has also been trying to find ways to use Kakuhou from S-rate and above ghouls to make weapons.
Although the weapons are made, not everyone can use them, because the RC cell concentration is too high and might easily cause a backlash.”
”So I tried to blend an SS-rate Kakuhou into your weapon.
This way, it perfectly uses your weapon to suppress the RC cells, plus I layered it with a special metal, completing the repair and reinforcement of your weapon.”
”Compared to before, your weapon will be a little heavier, but that shouldn’t be an issue for you.
Additionally, your weapon will become much harder and won’t break easily, because I used a Koukaku to blend into it.”
Hearing Mado Kureo’s explanation, Kenji finally understood in his heart.
No wonder the weapon’s durability value had gone up by a huge chunk.
However, what caught him by surprise was that Mado Kureo actually managed to get an SS-rate Kakuhou to fix his weapon.
Mado Kureo took a sip of coffee and then continued, “I’m willing to help you like this only because I feel your thoughts are the same as mine.
Perhaps the things I can’t accomplish, you can.
The 24th Ward is very dangerous.
Even the CCG hasn’t completely cleared that place out; there are many S-rate and SS-rate ghouls inside.”
”Furthermore, ten years ago, there was already an SSS-rate ghoul in there, codenamed the One-Eyed Owl.”
”So you must be careful.”
Seeing Mado Kureo care about him so much, Kenji’s impression of him shifted quite a bit.
Originally, Kenji just treated this world as a mission and a game, but he also discovered that the people in this world were all flesh and blood, full of real feelings.
Therefore, he needed to try even harder to wipe out the ghouls.
Picking up his weapon, he turned and left.
As soon as Kenji pushed open the door, he saw a brand new pickup truck parked by the roadside.
Clearly, Ozawa Izumi had already arranged everything.
Pulling open the car door, he slammed on the gas pedal.
The pickup truck sped along the road, heading straight for Tokyo’s 24th Ward.
And that place was also known as the ghouls’ home base.
Kenji’s approach was also very simple, and that was to kill!
Grow stronger from the slaughter, and then return from the slaughter!