"Rip and Tear… until it is done!"
The man frowns, looking up at the blackness above him. Who was he? What was he doing in this place? What was his name, what did he look like? These questions flash through his head as he watches images drift around him. Like scenes of a movie, events, moments and instances waft across his vision. It was as if he was watching the life story of another. A sudden force pulls him upwards as a light explodes above his head…
Breathe…
He opens his eyes while taking in a thirsty breath of air, clutching at the sides of the cool metal around him. Cold air whips his matted hair across his face as an icy feeling courses through his veins. But he feels no cold. He feels no pain. Then, all of a sudden, a voice manifests itself somewhere right above his prone form.
"Doctor Li, he's awake!" A loud crashing noise accompanies the sound of splintering wood as a huge tree crashes, burning to the ground unseen by those eyes. Another pair of feet shuffle over to where he lay as he lays motionlessly, his breath now coming in shallow pants. "We don't have time to wait for him to get his bearings. It's either him or us Hanzo!"
The first speaker, Hanzo, shakes his head loudly. "We can't just leave him for the investigators. You've gone through all this effort to bring him back to Sanctuary to just hand him over to the investigators!" The man's eyes crack open an inch, blurry and distorted images coming into focus as well as two men. One young and lithe with black hair and pale, sweaty skin and the other old and wrinkled…
Doctor Damien Li gaps in surprised horror as a group of suited individuals crest the top of the rise they had just dragged this casket along, cases in their hands and light grey overcoats over their shoulders. Hanzo scowls as he jumps in front of the Doctor. "Ghoul Investigators… Doctor. You need to take him and get to Sanctuary. I'll hold them off here". Doctor Li goes to protest before Hanzo shoves him back towards the casket with the waking man inside.
Li tuts before beginning to drag the large metal container further up the forested hill. Hanzo watches his charge prepare to depart and turns to once again face their pursers. As they all release their Quinque's in unison, he frowns at their faces. "These guys are Japanese… The CCG? Why would they be all the way out here? Tsk. What a bother…" He tenses his entire body as he releases his Kagune, both Kakugan glowing with his resolution to fight.
The investigator who was seemingly the squad's leader raises his eyebrows as he notices that the ghoul before them was a Bikkaku type. He tuts. "Damn it's a Bikkaku. Rank 1 Erashi, you're up!" The young Rank 1 woman nods, biting her lip as she raises her B rated Bikkaku hammer and leaps towards Hanzo, both human and ghoul Bikkaku wielders clashing and struggling to gain the upper hand over the other.
Erashi swipes at Hanzo from below but the ghoul foresees the surprise attack and uses his Kagune, now split in half, to encircle Erashi in a pincer movement. The lead investigator frowns and motions with two fingers on his right hand. "First Class Yoshi, back the Rank 1 up, Associate Special Class Ato, you flank left". His subordinates nod their affirmation and move like water through their assigned tasks. First Class Yoshi uses his A rated Rinkakku Quinque as a flexible sword that slices off both Kagune as Hanzo swears and leaps back, watching keenly as he is slowly surrounded by the investigators.
He sniggers ruefully, regenerating his Kagune quickly and lashes out with all his might, utterly pulverising First Class Yoshi's Quinque in his Kagune's iron grip before the squad leader and Associate Special Class Ato lunge towards him from both sides, Ato firing deadly shards from his S rated Ukkaku rifle and the leader slashing mercilessly at his Kagune and body with his own SS rated Koukaku blade.
Hanzo falls to his knees as his body fails to continue regenerating before Ato stands before him, Quinque aimed at his shaking forehead. "Special Class Katsume, what are your orders?" The squad leader, Katsume, frowns. "Our mission is to follow that elder ghoul. Take no prisoners got it?" Ato nods, his finger readying on his trigger. Hanzo closes his eyes, tears welling up uncontrollably.
Damn it damn it Damn it! There are still so many things I want to do, so many things I want to hear and see but… I'm not strong enough to see them am I? This is the end…
Doctor Li watches from 30 metres further up the hill as Hanzo is accepting his inevitable death, He starts to take a step towards the investigators when something grasps his wrist. Turning his head, Damian Li's eyes widen as the sleeping man now looks up at him with cold grey eyes. He slowly pulls himself up, moving to climb out of the casket he had lain in. Li attempts to push him down but the man is far too strong and rises to a sitting position, staring at the scene playing out below them. Li wipes his sweating brow. "Look I don't know who you are, but you're too important to be killed fighting investigators here that I do know".
The man ignores him and opens his mouth, gargling sounds choking themselves out. "Who…am….I…?" He turns to Li who shrugs. "I don't…" he's cut off as the man steps out of the casket and takes a step forward, clenching his fists…
Associate Special Class Ato's finger tenses on the trigger of Warati, his Quinque as he prepares to execute the ghoul kneeling before him. He smiles. This would go a long way towards his promotion to Special Class. This guy was at least A rated. Maybe even S rated. A sudden noise from further up the hill catches his attention, allowing him to narrowly dodge the black Kagune that flashed past his head, missing his neck by inches.
Special Class Katsume swears as the same Kagune splits in half and another Kagune limb is lashing out at him with incredible speed, giving the seasoned fighter only moments to parry the attack. The Kagune splits off yet again and this time impales First Class Yoshi through the ribcage, rupturing his insides and bursting his heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.
Katsume regroups with Ato and Erashi as they watch the robed form approach them through the evening gloom. Hanzo looks behind him at his supposed saviour and darts into the tree line at the edge of the mountain path to meet up with Doctor Li behind him. Ato probes his neck where one of the Kagune had nicked his skin and was now bleeding profusely. He frowns. "Who's this guy?..."
The man was now wide awake, his hood obscuring his face as he releases even more black Kagune, each limb lashing out at the investigators from all angles as they attempt to counter with their Quinque. Katsume swears again as his leg is slashed at by a stray Kagune and his blood sprays into the darkening air. "Rank 1 Erashi, Ato, begin setting up a defensive perimeter in case I lose control of the situation". Ato nods warily, noting that his superior was considering not being able to handle this ghoul. Special Class Katsume is one of the most able fighters the CCG has… and he's concerned? "The S rated procedure sir?"
Katsume shakes his head. "No… The SS rated one…" He raises his Quinque quickly to his chest as the ghoul thrusts directly at him with his Kagune, splintering the hilt slightly. Erashi is shaking as she gets into position with her Quinque at the ready. As she watches the fight, she bites her lip again. She was due for promotion to First Class in two weeks but still… Why her? An SS rated ghoul out here?
Ato lays a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Stay calm. I've never fought an SS rated ghoul either but it won't help the Special Class if we panic here, got it?" Erashi nods, wincing as the ghoul slams all his limbs into Katsume at once, sending the investigator flying into a tree trunk. Ato leaps forward in the heat of the moment to protect his boss, Quinque already transforming into its defensive mode. The ghoul steps forward and grasps the shield with his bare hands, crushing it into hundreds of pieces.
Ato fires at him, the ghoul cocking his head to avoid the projectiles but one catches him on the hood, tearing the fabric away from his head. The ghoul's single Kakugan glints in the moonlight and his stark white hair and grey eyes strike fear into the very core of Ato's being as his torso is separated from his legs, falling to the ground and gargling out his final words as blood pours profusely from his mouth. "One… Eye…."
Katsume roars in anger, his Quinque slashing the One Eyed Ghouls Kagune in half. He stands above Ato's corpse, panting and blooding dribbling from his own mouth. "Heh… I never imagined you'd be a One Eye… I can't defeat you can I?" The One Eye stares at his prey emotionlessly as he spawns yet more Kagune and throws them up in the air. Katsume grins and uses this opportunity to thrust forward and out with his blade, utterly severing the ghoul's torso from his body just as he had done to Ato.
As his torso flies through the air, millions of tiny Kagune attach the two halves of his body and it quickly mends itself. The Special Class investigator's eyes widen in horror. "You're a monster… What the fuck?-" He's unable to finish the sentence as the One Eyes Kagune cuts his Quinque cleanly in half and pierces his neck. He turns shakily towards Erashi and takes one step forward, smiling. "Tell them… the official rating… SS+ " Farid Katsume's final words were cut short as the ghoul begins slashing the now dead investigator mercilessly until his body is nothing more than a bloody pulp.
The ghoul walks over to the sobbing form of Rank 1 Erashi and stares down at the young woman, cocking his head. She glares up at him in return. "Don't you ghouls feel anything? You just slaughtered three great men!" His cold, dead eyes strangely reflect only pain and loss, past memories and darkness. He opens his mouth to speak, his rich, melodic voice striking Erashi as strange coming from a killer. "I… fell nothing…." He continues watching silently as she gets to her feet and flees the way they had come back towards the village. Back towards safety…
Hanzo and Doctor Li approach slowly and the One Eye raises his eyebrows at them. "You said I couldn't fight… It's a good thing you were wrong…" Li is speechless, and Hanzo begins dragging the man up the hill by the arm. "How did you do that? You dealt with those investigators effortlessly, and one of them was even a Special Class!..." He turns to the Doctor. "Will Sanctuary even let him in? The law says that no ghoul with a rating above S can enter. And S rated ghouls are the elite of the strike force. There are only 9".
Li shrugs as he pushes the metal tomb the ghoul had slumbered in behind a clump of thick vegetation. "Who knows? Perhaps the council will see reason and allow him entry, just like that Japanese one… An SS rated ghoul hmm? This is concerning. The CCG will send more investigators here so we need to get to Sanctuary by dawn…" Hanzo turns to the man, frowning. "So what are we supposed to call you then? Do you have a name?" He winces as fresh memories flood his head.
"I… don't remember… Fuck it hurts to try… I think… someone called me Zero once…" Doctor Li nods approvingly. "Zero is a fitting name. Since you can't remember, you're starting from zero… Noe let's get moving. These mountains are difficult to traverse and we have a ways to go yet…"
A lone ghoul watches as the group of three ghouls moves through the mountain range. He had witnessed the battle earlier and had become curious. It had been a long time since a ghoul that powerful had appeared in these lands… The watcher wore a deep blue robe with an intricate design on its back. His equally rich blue hair had faded a small bit with age, but he still possessed most of his youthful appearance. Ghouls didn't age is quickly as humans after all.
Taking off from the top of the tree he stood on, he raced west towards the highest mountain in the range, hoping to arrive back at Sanctuary before they did…
The taxi drove out slowly onto the huge bridge connecting the 1st Ward to Rue Island. The woman inside gazes upon the glorious sight of the CCG's Headquarters with mixed feelings of both relief, anxiety and sadness. Sadiah Erashi had lost her entire squad to a single ghoul high in the Xing Province Mountains in Western China and was now reporting to HQ on the incident.
Erashi sighs as the taxi slows to a halt and she steps out of a door opened by the driver. She pays him before strolling across the lush gardens of the CCG's "King's Park" and into the main lobby. There she is greeted by the receptionist, Watari Mashimto, who tells her he's sorry for her loss. The investigator nods in thanks and the elder man instructs her to go up to the top floor, the Directors Office.
As she enters an elevator, an older investigator joins her as the two of them stand in silence. After a while, the man turns to her as he realises who she was. "Ah, Rank 1 Erashi. I heard about the rest of your squad… I'm sorry.." Erashi smiles politely and turns to the man. "Thank you, Special Class Schneider. I assume you'll be sitting in on this meeting also?" Noro Schneider nods, folding his arms. "From what you told us on the phone this is…. A troubling occurrence".
The elevator grinds to a stop and the two investigators step out into the large hall of the Directors anteroom. A secretary pushes both doors open to allow the investigators through into a large office. Several investigators stood in the room already, in front of a large desk with a man sitting behind it, his fingers poised in an arch steeple. Commander and Director of the CCG Kuki Urie raises his eyes to the newcomers as he beckons Erashi over to his side.
Noro gives her a reassuring pat on the shoulder before joining a tall, slender woman to the right of Urie's desk. Hiyori Arima glances at her husband from the corners of her eyes and raises her eyebrows in question. "She'll be fine. I think she's calmed down enough to give a full report dear". Hiyori says nothing but nods and turns along with all the other investigators as Urie stands.
"Ladies and Gentlemen. Today this Special Investigators Conference is joined by Rank 1 Erashi, member of the late Special Class Katsume's squad. Miss Erashi? If you wouldn't mind recounting the events for us?" Erashi nods nervously. "Yes Sir. As you know, three weeks ago the CCG was contacted by one of our agents in Beijing regarding a suspicious event". As she says this, Urie presses a button on his desk and a large holographic profile of an aging Chinese man appears in the air.
"Doctor Damien Li is a renowned scientist in the field of Biology and Intensive Care. However, this agent had discovered a time where Li had been seen eating human flesh. Once we suspected he was a ghoul, Katsume Squad was sent into Beijing to capture the Doctor and his bodyguard, S rated ghoul "Hanzo". The Doctor and Hanzo escaped the government lab they were holed up in with a truck with only one item of cargo on board. A metal container".
Some of the Special Class investigators frown at this. Where was this going? Erashi takes a breath and continues. "We pursued them west until we eventually entered Xing Province to a village called Nijan'tol. After confronting the ghouls and their cargo in the village, their truck was destroyed and we pursued them up into the mountains for half a day before the ghouls stopped to check on the container. Special Class Katsume, Associate Special Class Ato and First Class Yoshi engaged Hanzo in combat and quickly had him on the verge of execution when… he appeared".
She gulps before continuing. "The cargo that the Doctor and Hanzo had been trying to bring into the mountains was a ghoul. He engaged the others and…. Slaughtered them… The Special Class's last words to me were…. SS~ rate, One Eye…"
Urie jerks up from his seat as he stares in disbelief at Erashi. Special Class Arima frowns. "Are you certain that it was a One Eyed Ghoul? Damn it… An SS~ rated too…" She turns to Urie. "Director. What do you make of this?" Urie slowly sits back down into his chair and lays a hand over his eyes. "This is cause for concern… The CCG hasn't encountered a ghoul deserving of anything above an S rating in almost 30 years now. The bastards even a One Eye… Fuck".
Associate Special Class Tooru Mutsuki lays a comforting hand on Urie's shoulder. "Calm down Urie. It won't help if you get worked up like this…" The Director nods, rising and placing both of his hands on his desk as he stares intently at the group of 10 Special Class Investigators gathered before him. "We need to contain this… Special Class Noro and Special Class Arima's squads will be sent into Xing Province to eliminate this threat as soon as possible. Understood?" The other, less senior and experienced Special Class's nods in affirmation. Noro and Hiyori had fought against many very powerful ghouls in their heyday, making them the only logical choice for a ghoul of this calibre.
As the Special Class Investigators begin to leave, Urie sits back in his chair and sighs. "SS~ rated huh?... It's about time I got a real challenge in leadership isn't it, Amon?" He stares up at the picture of the long departed previous Commander and Director, vanguard of the modern CCG. Urie smiles, a thrill rushing through his body that he hadn't felt since he was a young man of 22. "This should be interesting…"
"A powerful foe appears before the CCG! What lies ahead for the investigators?"
End: Tokyo Ghoul Crimson 01
A/N: Welcome back to the final entry in my Tokyo Ghoul Trilogy :D
I hope this will brighten up your summer in more ways than one. As usual, don't forget to rate and review and in case you're late to the party, go read my first two stories first here:
Tokyo Ghoul: Pulse, s/11774728/1/Tokyo-Ghoul-Pulse
Tokyo Ghoul: Zenith, s/11898275/1/Tokyo-Ghoul-Zenith
Next time: Sanctuary