One Eyed King Rebirth 2

by HunterXKiller87

Vent is an Otaku, his favourite Manga? Tokyo Ghoul. What happens when he is summoned into Gamindustri? Why him exactly? Also, what happens if he's summoned right when ASIC has taken over? Not everything is as it seems...

11. Chapter 11 - Ghoulish Explanations

Chapter 11 - Ghoulish explanations

"It appears that the 5 of you have succeeded in securing the power of Planeptune's Mascot…" Histoire complimented with a smile. She, along with the five heroes were in the main hall of the Basilicom, discussing their next move. IF had filled her in on what had happened, from arriving at the Dungeon to leaving it after retrieving the Mascot's power. Then, her smile fell and a complicated expression formed on her face, "however…"

The brunette Guild Agent nodded her head with a stern and grave frown, already knowing what the Oracle was thinking with regards to this new information. "Yeah… it's been confirmed on our end that ASIC is aware of the Mascots' existence as well." She spoke with worry seeping from her words. It was just as bad as they feared, ASIC must have had access to information that had long since been forgotten by regular libraries, or their Deity must have been helping them despite not being able to fully manifest its physical form in this world. Just like what Vent had predicted.

Sometimes she wished he was wrong.

Compa added in another bit of concerning news, "That mean guy said that they would be going after Lastation's Mascot next." She said, clutching her hands over her chest and shuddering at the mental image of the dual Kakugan eyes that Tatara possessed. She had seen several scary monsters in her time in Gamindustri, but none of them had eyes as twisted and predatory as those did.

Usually, monsters didn't look as threatening as the stories told they were. In fact, some of them looked rather... weird, enough to detract from the scary factor. There was a reason why so many Adventurers had little difficulty dealing with the random monster encounters they have on the roads, while normal civilians were unable to even scratch them. It was kind of sad, if one thought about it, but people generally didn't train to defend themselvesd in case of monster attacks, preferring to let the military or the CPUs do it instead so they could live peacefully.

But these Ghouls... Every time she remembered that encounter with Tatara, her body experienced countless uncontrollable shudders, like she was bare naked in the middle of the coldest of Lowee habitats. She never felt so frightened when she saw that twisted, evil stare that man had, his black and red Kakugan eyes staring down into her soul like she was nothing more than an ant to him, an ant with no other place but beneath his boot. It was an experience normal Gamindustri monsters could never provoke as intensely as that man could, and Compa hoped she'd never come across him again. Even that though was not soon enough, in her opinion, and what was worse was that, if Vent's expressions of anxiety he was sporting right now were any indication, then the whole Ghoul Situation was actually way worse than what she initially realised.

For IF, Compa suspected that she had similar fears to her when thinking about that Ghoul known as Tatara, but not only that, she also feared how easily they were defeated. Compa could recall it all with vivid clarity, like looking through a high quality camera as the events played with a video-like format within her mind's eye. She could vividly see how fast that appendage that came out of the Ghoul was, how it easily sliced through IF's arm and her own legs like a hot knife through butter. That alone showed both her, and likely IF and Nepgear, how powerful it was, how it was built to be a lethal weapon.

Poor Nepgear, Compa realised, glancing to the CPU Candidate who stood beside Vent. She didn't look like she was affected by what she had seen, but Compa knew that was not the case at all. After all, Nepgear's mind was still vulnerable, it hadn't completely recovered from the trauma that had been forced upon her in the Gamindustri Graveyard. To make things worse, she had to help fight monsters to save the world, and though she may wish to from the depths of her being, the trauma was still there. This Ghoul encounter would likely make that trauma worse, considering how brutal the Ghouls seemed to be.

"We should chase her quick, or she'll get there ahead of us again!" Nepgear said with urgency in her voice. What they had just went through was nothing short of a miracle. If Vent hadn't been there to stop that man, she didn't know what would have happened but chances were that it would revolve around them bleeding out in that forest or to be eaten by the monsters there.

At her words, IF recalled a detail she, along with the others, wanted to look into and turned to Vent with a certain gleam in her eyes that only showed when she wanted to know something badly, and would stop at nothing to get it, "on that note, Vent spill it, how do you know that guy from ASIC? He seemed to know of you well enough." She asked him but it was more like a command really.

One that he was adamant about obeying. Vent sighed and crossed his arms under his chest. Fortunately for him, his Kagune had fed well as they left the Dungeon, and with the increase in RC Cells he looked much healthier than before. While he could have had some normal food like a regular human being, his Ghoul side allowing him to cannibalise the monsters was a far more efficient source of RC Cells. "Well, to start off I'll have to say this: Tatara is a creature called a Ghoul, and a powerful one at that. In terms of power, he would be equal to several CPU Candidates in strength, but his true strength lies in his calculations. He's more of a commander than a fighter." He told them, recalling how much of a standing that Tatara had once in Aogiri Tree's ranks.

He remembered his first introduction in the Manga, how cold he was to Kaneki by dismissing him, even when he was revealed to be a One-Eyed Ghoul from Rize Kaneshiro's organs. He remembered every time he had made an appearance, in each of those instances he never put much effort into moving about, just standing there and letting the enemy come to him. He stood with the posture of a commander leading his troops, although it was shown how little he cared about them. Nevertheless, Tatara had shown plenty of times how he had been a lethal tactician, especially when he fought the Investigators in the sequel: Tokyo Ghoul RE, Unveiling his trump card that literally heated things to the extreme.

Just thinking about those chapters in the manga sent his nerves into overdrive.

Histoire blinked several times at this information, glancing between the girls whom were all giving Vent worried and anxious looks. She didn't like the tense atmosphere, nor did she like being left out of the loop. These 'Ghouls' seemed to be the problem, and from what she had heard from the girls, they were a problem indeed. "I am unaware of these 'Ghouls', could you explain to them and why would they be a match for a CPU Candidate?" she asked with worry. If what he said was true, an enemy that could match their Candidates in strength would be a dangerous foe to have.

For a moment, Vent remained quite, his eyes shining in a way that spoke volumes about the anxiety he was under. However, it didn't last as he began speaking in a calm, collected and almost resigned manner. "Alright, I'd better explain in detail: Ghouls are a species of human that are superior to a human in every category: speed, power, etc. They are as close to humans as possible: They normally have the same physical appearance and intelligence as a human with the exception of diet, mentality, and inner biology. In essence, they are the predators of humanity."

Compa hummed to herself as they digested this information. It seemed that her earlier thoughts were correct, after all. These Ghouls were indeed more vicious than she had initially thought, and from what they had seen from Tatara that was likely to be an understatement. "What do you mean by predators of humans?" she asked him, although part of her felt that was an obvious question. Still though, she wanted to know the answer.

Vent shuffled in discomfort at that one. Back when reading the Manga, he didn't have to explain this or have experience with cannibalistic monsters. But now that he had fought one himself, and it was Tatara no less, he was having trouble keeping his composure. "Well, that's because Ghouls can't eat human foods like rice or pudding. It's due to an enzyme that is in their bodies, which makes all that food taste like shit to them, and can be poisonous to them." He explained while gripping his elbow joints. "Instead they have to have a special cell called RC Cells, and they exist in 2 sources: Humans or other Ghouls. Essentially, they're Cannibals."

A collection of horrified gasps came from the girls as their faces lost all colour. "C-C-CANNIBALS?! YOU MEAN THEY EAT PEOPLE?!" IF shrieked in horror and mortification. Images of such an even filled her mind, and she barely resisted the urge to throw up her stomach's contents. Those images were of things that she did NOT want to see, ever.

Cannibals. In basic terms, this was used to describe people who eat other people. According to what he'd seen, Vent had assumed that Cannibalism was unheard of in Gamindustri. True, monsters attack and eat people, but they were monsters, they needed to eat to survive. It was their instincts, how they were built fundamentally. All things eat, this can be said for any living organism. However, the prospect of people eating each other must have never even processed their minds, hence why they had such a reaction. Honestly, Vent didn't expect such a reaction, sure there would be shock and fear, but he didn't expect it to this extent.

Nevertheless, if they were this bad on the prospect of Cannibals, the whole story is going to be a wild ride. The male nodded, his lips set in a firm line. "yeah, but there's more. When a ghoul enters an extreme state of hunger, they will suffer very painful headaches and lose all reason, causing them to become driven by instinct alone. They will feed on any available source of human meat to end this state… even that of close friends. The pain and hunger drowns out all reason." He recited some of the words he'd seen Touka tell Kaneki in the earlier chapters of the Manga, and suddenly they felt like they were much more heavy than before.

"No way… that's…" Compa couldn't believe it, and neither could Nepgear who looked like she had seen her worst nightmare come to life. Or rather, that fear had always been there, but with the reveals that were coming, it was gradually breaking out of its shell.

With urging from Histoire to continue so they could get this over with quickly, Vent continued. "Ghouls have a high physical capability and are four to seven times stronger than the average human: They are able to send the average human flying if they strike with enough force, and can penetrate a human's body with their bare hands. They are also able to jump several meters high. If that's not bad enough, they also have enhanced senses. They can smell people or meat from afar and tell humans and ghouls apart by their scent. They also have a heightened sense of hearing that even allows some ghouls to discern individual footsteps far away."

Now came the part he was, admittingly, eager to explain as Vent released his Rinkaku. 2 Tentacles stabbed the ground beside him while the others looked like they were trying to sharpen each other's tips. "But their main power lies within a special organ in their bodies called a Kakuhou. With this organ, RC cells harden and break through the skin to form their main weapon: The Kagune, a muscle protrusion that's commonly described as their 'claws.' These Kagune take a variety of forms, and can be manipulated depending on how intelligent the Ghoul is. The size of one is determined by the amount of RC Cells inside it while the shape is determined by one's imagination. Ghouls also have an identifying feature known as a Kakugan, an affliction manifesting in the eyes as red irises surrounded by a black sclera. A ghoul's Kakugan can appear either by their own will, due to hunger or from using their Kagune."

Taking a moment to breathe, Vent paused to let that information sink in, his Rinkaku pausing its ministrations. He could see that the information was having an impact on these girls, but he had to continue, and he was only explaining the basics here. "Ghouls have a high regenerative ability: Small wounds and fractures heal in a matter of seconds to a day. Larger wounds take longer to heal, but will usually heal after a few days, as long as the ghoul has an adequate food supply. Ghouls can quickly metabolize their food to boost their regeneration in a pinch. This regenerative ability varies among individuals, with some ghouls exhibiting the ability to reattach severed body parts or regrow detached limbs. In extreme cases of regenerative ability, some powerful ghouls can even heal severe brain injuries, reattach their severed head or upper body, and regrow large sections of their bodies."

Images of Noro, a Ghoul who could reattach his head and torso like it was no big deal, and Kanae who could do something similar with her head, filled his mind. there were theories that Kanae had been experimented on when she was tortured though, implanted with stronger RC Cells from either Noro or the One Eyed Owl's Kagune, empowering her regeneration abilities. Nevertheless, these two were perfect examples of how powerful a Ghoul's healing ability could become. Hell, even Seidou's healing was impressive to be able to regrow an entire arm when it, along with the shoulder, was destroyed and his heart damaged.

Yeah, Ghoul regeneration could be pretty OP.

"These Ghouls…" Nepgear spoke, making Vent pause his explanation as he turned to her. She was shaking like a leaf in horror at the explanation being given, as she remembered the sheer strength shown by Tatara back when they fought him. And from what she had seen from Vent and heard, she guessed that he had been holding back a LOT of his power when he sliced through IF and Compa. That thought alone sent chills up her spine, phantom sounds of flesh being torn resonating through her mind, and she was expected to fight against creatures like that? "They sound like they're near invincible. And utterly terrifying…"

The male nodded, and decided to deliver some good news, after all the dread they were excluding some good news would help greatly. He placed a Tentacle on top of her shoulder to ease Nepgear's thoughts. He did the same for IF and Compa, and contrary to popular assumptions, the girls did indeed relax at the feeling. Perhaps it was due to the fact that it was a familiar Kagune, or that it was Vent's, whose to say? "Though powerful and durable predators, ghouls are still far from immortal. Despite their superior physical status, ghouls age at the same rate as humans. All ghouls, though resistant to damage from man-made objects, are vulnerable to damage or modifications made to their mucous membranes, such as nostrils, eyes, ears, and lips. Generally, a ghoul will die if it suffers massive trauma that proves fatal before its innate healing ability can stabilize its condition. The most damage that can be inflicted to a Ghoul usually comes from other ghouls, as they have the physical strength and the use of their Kagune that can deal heavy damage to a Ghoul."

IF hummed at that, looking down while engaging her brain to try and process what was being told. "I see… so if we have a strong enough weapon we can effectively fight them, right?" she asked, getting a nod from the teen. "Then Nepgear should be alright, she has her HDD weapon if we were to encounter them again. But the rest of us will have to figure out a way to fight them ourselves."

It made sense in her mind, while Nepgear and Vent were capable of defending themselves, the former because of her being a CPU Candidate who could strike hard with her HDD form, and the latter due to his Kagune having the same 'toughness' as their enemies, herself and Compa would be next to useless if their weapons couldn't do jack shit to them, plus they didn't have a lot of Skill attacks that could be useful, as while her DEMON FLAMES was damaging, it took a lot of her energy, plus Ghouls could potentially escape the blast radius it had. Compa, well, she was self-explanatory.

While he wanted to ensure that he was the only one who fought the Ghouls, considering his condition, Vent could see the logic that was being applied here. He wouldn't always be able to win against them especially the stronger Ghouls like Tatara, so they would need their own means of protection against them. Perhaps he could look into that for them as well, since he had the most knowledge on Ghouls right now.

"This all sounds amazing yet scary and all… but what does this have to do with that mean guy knowing you? And, where do you fit in with all of this, Ven-Ven?" Compa suddenly asked after a moment of silence passed by them. The male's eyes widened in surprise at her question, and while it was a good one he had hoped she wouldn't bring it up. Nevertheless, he had gotten this far, so might as well go all the way.

Taking a deep breath while feeling all eyes on him again, Vent prepared himself both physically and mentally for what he was about to say. "Well, he likely knows OF me because of rumours circulating about how someone with a black and red eye managed to solo some robot dude, but I'd say the real reason is because he knows I'm… unique. Remember when I told you about Ghouls having 2 Kakugan eyes?" he asked them, getting nods from the girls. "Well, there's instances where that's not entirely the case. There are several methods, but there are Ghouls called 'One-Eyed Ghouls' who are stronger than the average Ghoul, but their most iconic feature…" the male then reached up and pulled down his eyelid before activating his Kakugan, showing his mismatched eyes to them. "They possess one Kakugan."

After seeing how they recoiled slightly at his gesture, Vent smirked as he stood straight and pulled his hand away from his eyelid, his Kakugan reverting to normal. This elected relieved looks from the girls, even Histoire had looked anxious before."One-Eyed Ghouls are special because they're both Ghoul and human, a Hybrid if you will. They are stronger than both species due to Hybrid vigour, possessing the best traits of both Ghouls and humans. They have the enhanced physical abilities, senses, Kagune and regeneration. That's what I am, a One-Eyed Ghoul." He told them, shuffling nervously. "Unfortunately One-Eyed's can't eat human foods, at least if they aren't natural, so they're more like Ghouls than humans."

Histoire rubbed her chin as she processed this information. This was not something she or HER had expected when bringing Vent into their world, these Ghouls sounded like a real menace to society, and yet it was no fault of their own how they were built. Gamindustri was filled with non-human citizens all across the Nations, so it would be hypocritical to prosecute the Ghouls based on that. It all depended on circumstance really, and that was not something that should be taken lightly.

Their resident Nurse-In-Training took this information in, registering hat last bit before a new question was brought up in her mind. "Hey wait, when we talked and ate together you didn't seem so discomforted there, and you showed that you truly enjoyed the taste of my cooking, so… does that mean that you were lying and that I was hurting you?" she asked, tears gathering in the corners of her eyes at the thought. If so, she wouldn't have gone mad at him, because how could someone just up and say something like their diets were only restricted to one thing and that thing happened to be other people?

"Actually it seems I'm one of the exceptions, for some reason I'm able to eat human food still and thus can live like a normal human. No idea why but I guess it proves that Natural born One-Eyed's can do so unlike artificial ones." Vent replied, before blinking as another important fact came to him. "Oh yeah, I should probably explain that. You see, there's 2 ways for a Hybrid to be made: naturally through coitus," all of the girls blushed at the thoughts that sentence made for them. "Or through a surgery where a Ghoul's organs are implanted into human bodies, effectively transforming them for good. Naturals like me seem to be able to eat human foods, but artificial ones can't, they lose that ability for life."

They took a moment to process that, their minds lowing to a halt when they did. Judging by the tone Vent had used, it was clear that most artificial hybrids were usually forced into the role, without given a chance for a normal life. They were stripped of their humanity and forced to live as monsters, eating at their own kind just to survive. Chills ran down their spines at the thoughts running through their brains. What would it be like, for someone to just suddenly be forced to become a Hybrid, to suddenly lose your ability to eat human foods and thee enjoyment of simple pleasures? To be forced to eat your own kind for survival… that was a horrible fate to have befall yourself.

"So let me get this straight, your saying that it's possible that we not only have ASIC to worry about, but Ghouls too?" IF questioned with a strained tone. She didn't think this could get any worse than it already had. Though, karma would likely try to mess with her since fate loved to do that when things were the most stressful. "Man, can't we catch a break? We just got Gear back, and now we learn this?" she spoke… no, was IF whining? Vent hadn't seen IF whining before, so it caught him by surprise. Nevertheless, he didn't like it almost immediately after seeing it. It didn't feel natural, it didn't feel… right, to see her like that.

But before he could respond to her comments, even though the last one wasn't directed at anyone, Nepgear beat him to it. "It's alright, IF. We have Vent with us, and he's strong enough to fight them, and when push comes to shove we can rely on him and me if it boils down to it." She said while rubbing the Guild Agent's shoulder in an effort to comfort her. They couldn't tell whether or not their efforts were successful however, but it did seem that she was getting better from her motivational speech.

'Okay, I am really digging this confident Nepgear. She just has to keep it up and we'll save the CPUs in no time flat.' Vent thought to himself as he watched this interaction. He couldn't help but feel a surge of pride flow through him, pride at seeing Nepgear finally showing some passion for what they were striving for. Histoire's words echoed in his mind, that Nepgear needed to have friends who relied on her so she could be brave. He still didn't get it, but Vent did feel like he was starting to,, just a little bit, anyways. He doubted that he could ever truly grasp the thought of relying on others, but perhaps he didn't need to? Perhaps this was something relevant to only Gamindustri.

Said Oracle also seemed to share his sentiment, even if she didn't realise it as she aimed an approving, motherly gaze in Nepgear's direction. "It seems that your passion has been re lit, Nepgear." She noted, smiling like a mother would when their child shows them how good their school grades were after a hard day's work. She had her hand on her cheek while her head was leaning on it for support, a powerful look of happiness shining brightly in her eyes.

Nepgear looked up from her consolation of her brunette friend and chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of her head in a timid manner. She wasn't used to such compliments from the Oracle, and it showed with her mildly anxious expression. At least it was mild, compared to the full on train wreck she was before. "Um, well, I'm still fighting off some fears, but I should be fine now." She said while her friend got to her feet. She may look alright, but there were some still clawing at her mind. For a while, she felt that she'd be fighting them for a WHILE, but with her friends by her side, then she could prove that she was as good as her sister.

"Excellent." Histoire responded with pride, glad that the Candidate had her resolve again. It reminded her so much of what Vent was like when he first came to Gamindustri, to the point where she could see the resemblance between them. "I suggest you do as I said then, and head over to Lastation next. If what we know is accurate, they will already have started their search there. Regain the Shares ASIC took from us and find the other Mascots. Oh!" Her eyes widened when a detail that previously skipped her mind, appeared in a flash through her memory reminding Histoire of its importance. "I forgot to give you an important piece of advice."

Advice from the Oracle which is a tome containing the world's History? That would be extremely helpful, Vent summarized in his mind as Compa decided to interject into the conversation between them. "What is it?"

"CPU Candidates reside in both Lastation and Lowee. I recommend that you seek their aid on your journey as well."

'Huh? Only those two? She didn't mention Leanbox when she said that CPU Candidates resided in those other nations. Does that mean that Leanbox has no Candidate or CPU? Well shit, I predict that ASIC will have a field day there.' Vent thought in surprise, caught off guard by this information. If what his predictions told him was true, Leanbox would be the biggest hurdle to navigate through the entire journey to find the Mascots.

"That would make them Noire and Blanc's younger sisters…"

"CPU Candidates… other girls like me…"

Compa and Nepgear had their own comments and opinions about this info, and when Vet heard the latter he detected a slight tone of… awe? Excitement? Maybe a little bit of both, which explained what she felt about meeting those girls as clear as crystal to him. She likely hadn't heard of these Candidates before now based off her initial reactions to the subject, so she must have been thinking she was the only one of her kind, a lonely existence. That was… a grim subject to think about indeed. Vent hoped that those encounters would go smoothly, but given Nepgear's shy and timid personality that likely wouldn't happen. He'll have to prepare to step in if the need arises.

"Each situation has their own situation to deal with so they may refuse at first." Histoire continued her explanation while giving them an intense stare to show how crucial her next words were, "… but making contact is vital. After all, I'm sure they share your desire to save their sisters."

Glancing down at one of her phones that IF had just pulled out, she checked the time and gave a frown."We'll have to wait till tomorrow to do this then, it's getting pretty ate and I bet we'd do better fully rested and with full stomachs." She advised them. As if on cue, Nepgear's stomach began to grumble, expressing its desire to have food inside it. The Candidate blushed crimson in embarrassment, holding her stomach as if to shield it from the eyes of those watching her.

"Well, the Nep-stomach has spoken." Compa said cheerily, maybe a little too cheerily. Truth was, the revelations about Vent's true nature had rattled her and filled her with the intense desire to make sure he tasted her cooking and found it to be the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted. "Alrightie everyone let's go over to my house. I'll whip us up some grub."

---

That night, Vent and the others stayed at Compa's house, experiencing her cooking first hand. The male had already done so several times after particularly exhausting Quests but no matter what he still couldn't get used to how good the cream haired girl was. It was like she had gone to a school that was solely focused on cooking and had many cooking battles to determine how great a standing they had in the school's society.

Nevertheless, the male savoured this experience to the fullest, for he could tell just from how Compa looked at him that what he had said unnerved her, no, it rattled her deeply. To her, it would seem that hurting someone with something she loved doing was like a knife to the gut to her. Someone as cheery and innocent as Compa couldn't comprehend the fact that something she put her heart and soul into, something that made lots of people smile and laugh in happiness, could actually be a deadly poison that caused agony and misery to some.

A part of him felt guilty for it, since it felt that it was partially his fault for telling them about the Ghouls and their… dark diet. No matter what he just couldn't get those thoughts out of his head, thoughts that said he was the one who hurt her which made a bitter taste form in his mouth. Vent never liked those who hurt innocents, it was part of his nature as a Vigilante. So, to feel that his own nature was causing another distress was the ultimate blow to his pride as a decent person.

Afterwards, the others had decided to head to bed. Compa's house had several guest rooms that she would use whenever she would take in patients to be treated, among other things that Vent heard Compa talk about with her friends back in the living room. The male had decided not to join their chatter, opting to go outside and sit on the rooftop, looking up at the starry sky above.

That was what he was doing now, while also leaning against the rooftop with his hands behind his head. "Hmmm… the stars here are so clear, so… numerous. This is bliss… much better than my world…" he muttered to himself, frowning when he recalled the pollution that his world was dealing with. He didn't like it, but that was the way society worked, there were so many things that humans refused to give up that caused pollution in the air.

Slightly arching his back upwards, Vent allowed his Rinkaku to manifest, its 6 Tentacles curving around him so that their tips were pointing at his face, as if they were 'looking' at him. The male then adjusted himself so that he was comfortable and didn't press needlessly on his Tentacles before reaching out and rubbing one of them on the head. The Tentacle shuddered at his touch, much to his surprise and amusement.

Part of him felt really weird, touching his Kagune like this. It felt like he was touching himself, without the clothes or skin to hide the muscle underneath. Even the armour plates felt organic, something which made sense considering they seemed to be made from condensed RC Cells. 'You know even if the girls can never see me the same way again, at least I got the opportunity to live my dream of being a One-Eyed Ghoul.' He thought to himself, chuckling in bitter amusement.

"What's got you so cheerful, Ven-Ven?"

His eyes widened when he heard Compa's voice, and his Rinkaku swiftly got into a defensive stance. Siting up the male looked to where the voice originated, seeing Compa poking her head out from outside a window. The male's brow arched at this, "uh, not much, just thinking about things. Anyways, I should be asking you that, shouldn't you be, you know, congregating with your pals in the living room?"

"Iffy's fallen asleep on the sofa with Ge-Ge, so we're the only ones up." She replied cheerily. "Iffy has such a cute sleepy face, and Ge-Ge does too. It makes waking them up feel almost like bullying in a sense." Compa then pulled herself out, and with the skill of a master parkour expert, managed to get herself onto the Rooftop through her window. The male had to marvel at her abilities, he doubted many others could boast of the same agility.

Seeing that there was no danger, his Kagune relaxed, along with his posture as Vent slumped his shoulders before falling back with his arms at his sides. Compa had decided to sit beside him while they looked to the stars together. "Really? Well, with what they went through they deserve it. They're gonna have a long journey tomorrow so they'll need all the sleep they can get." He remarked, his mind flashing all the images of the girls when they learned the truth about their new enemy.

"What about you, Ven-Ven? You need your rest just like anyone else mister. It's not healthy to neglect your sleep." Compa lectured him sternly, a hand on her hip as she waved a finger in a manner similar to one being told by their parent or parents. She was taught that sleep was the most critical ingredient in the body back in med school, and so she would be damned if she wouldn't sink it into her patients.

The male glanced at her from his spot on the rooftop, his Tentacles mimicking his head's movements as they all looked at her. "No need, I only need to sleep for a few hours, perks of being a Hybrid and a Vigilante by night." He explained, before raising a hand and allowing a Tentacle to rest its tip in his palm, which let him stroke its armoured plated.

It seemed that the reminder of his 'condition' was enough to spark memories in the cream haired girl as she seemed to tense at the mention of it. This did not go without his notice, which was like a Hawk's in comparison thanks to his enhanced senses. "You know you don't have to hide it from me Compa, I know I must disgust you with what I do, and what I must continue to do for the goal we both share." He informed her, not looking into her eyes. He didn't need to, Vent already knew she was afraid, afraid of him or to be more specific his Ghoul side. The side of him that had almost killed her.

"U-um, that's… well, um…" Compa stuttered, eyes darting around to find something interesting to look at, anything other than the boy before her. She knew it wasn't right to be afraid of him, not when he had done so much for her, and their friends. But when she thought about his Ghoul side, she immediately got the memory of having her legs cut off by Tatara, the memory of seeing her friends nearly get cut to pieces by that spindly Kagune. No matter what, she couldn't get those images out of her head, and it frightened her beyond belief, made worse by both what Vent had told them and the fact that they would have to face them again.

In her eyes, Ghouls were seemingly different in many ways from the average monsters, although with the ASIC having those newer monsters enter the food chains around Gamindustri she didn't know what the average monster was like anymore. But she did know one thing, and that was that they seemed to pale in comparison to Ghouls, not just in weaponry but in abilities. Sure monsters have strong abilities, but Ghouls and humans were so difficult to tell apart because they physically are identical, which means they could be living within their society in secret constantly eating and killing people with nobody being the wiser. Such a creature had never been recorded in the Guild Bestiary before, so they were not prepared for such a monster.

"You know; I may not know much about all this 'relying on others' business…" the words the male spoke broke Compa from her musings while also getting her attention. She looked up at him in confusion while tilting her head, prompting Vent to continue as he lifted one knee to his chest to rest one of his arms on it. "But from what I've seen from Nepgear it does a load of good for you girls so I'll say this. You don't need to be afraid, I'll make sure those Ghouls will never touch you again, and not just me, but Nepgear and IF too. They might have similar fears to you, so confide in them and you'll do fine."

The entirety of his speech Vent never once switched his gaze from the sky to anything, but when he did finish his gaze met hers for the first time since his blatant unravelling of her true feelings about Ghouls. His mismatched eyes bore into hers, electing a flinch from the girl, "I mean, you've gone this far without fear, so going the rest of the way shouldn't be too hard, right?" he asked while raising a brow and smirking in amusement.

Hearing his words, Compa began to think, and soon enough she realised he had a point. She had gone this far in their quest to save Nepgear and the others, so why should she falter now? Sure things have gotten tougher, no, a LOT tougher, but was that really so unexpected? ASIC was a large organisation, so things like this? They were well within ASIC's power. They just had to work around it…

Just like they always did.

"I… you right Ven-Ven… I feel a lot better after hearing that. Phew…" she released a breath that she didn't realise she had been holding, feeling a lot of her anxieties and fears leave her system through that sigh, which was a welcome relief to the young Nurse-In-Training. Afterwards, she opened her eyes, now clear of fear of the male before her, and she gave a small heartfelt smile, "thank you, that really, really helped…"

If this was what it felt like to be complimented for, then Vent loved it. He had gotten more praise for what he did than when he was back in his own world. Maybe that was because of… other factors, but it still felt good. The male aimed a grateful smile towards Compa with a nod, "no problem. Since we're fighting together, it'll help if you're not afraid of me." He mused with an amused eyebrow raise, getting a small giggle from the girl as they looked up at the stars above them.

This whole situation, with him and Compa sitting on the same roof, combined with what they had just discussed, made Vent think of a song, one he liked listening to aside from Unravel. "Hey Compa, wanna listen to a song? I think it's fitting for what we're doing here." He asked her, quickly pulling out his phone and some headphones. He didn't want to wake the others, but he did want to make sure she listened to the song.

"Hmm, okay, sure." Compa replied with a nod. She wanted to know more about him, so listening to the songs he listened to would give her a better idea for his character. Putting the earphones into her ear buds and connecting them to the phone, Vent searched and found the song titled 'Otherwise Soldiers' before pressing play:

It's time to strap our boots on

This is a perfect day to die

Wipe the blood out of our eyes

In this life there's no surrender

There's nothing left for us to do

Find the strength to see this through

We are the ones who will never be broken

With our final breath

We'll fight to the death

We are soldiers, we are soldiers

Woah, woah, woah whoa

We are soldiers

I stand here right beside you

Tonight we're fighting for our lives

Let me hear your battle cry

Your battle cry

We are the ones who will never be broken

With our final breath

We'll fight to the death

We are soldiers, we are soldiers

We are the ones who will not go unspoken (not go unspoken)

No, we will not sleep

We are not sheep

We are soldiers, we are soldiers

Yeah

We stand shoulder to shoulder

We stand shoulder to shoulder

We stand shoulder to shoulder

You can't erase us

You'll just have to face us

We stand shoulder to shoulder

We stand shoulder to shoulder

We stand shoulder to shoulder

You can't erase us

You'll just have to face us

We are the ones who will never be broken (never be broken)

With our final breath

We'll fight to the death

We are soldiers, we are soldiers

We are the ones who will not go unspoken (not go unspoken)

No, we will not sleep

We are not sheep

We are soldiers, we are soldiers

Yeah

Woah, woah, woah whoa

We are soldiers

Woah, woah, woah whoa

We are soldiers

Woah, woah, woah whoa

We are soldiers

The song ended there and Compa had to stop herself from shuffling from side to side at the beat it had. It was a very upbeat song, and the lyrics just screamed about pushing through when the times were tough. Opening her previously closed eyes, Compa turned to Vent as she unplugged her ear buds. "That was a great song, Ven-Ven! I could see why you think it'd be appropriate for this situation; it really gives you the courage to move forward." She praised, getting a chuckle out of the male.

"Yep, it's a song tribute to those who die in wars, teaching us that no matter how bad things are getting, one has to push forward if they want to reach their goal. It gives us resolve, determination and the desire to win." He explained, taking his phone and earphones back. "Found this masterpiece while surfing the net. It's played by a band called 'Otherwise', which was formed in my world's 2003."

Compa hummed at the new knowledge about Vent's world, still playing it over and over in her head. She knew what he meant by how much it fit their situation. "Iffy would like this one, she likes bands who have a beat to them." She mused to herself as she reflected on every band that IF had shown her along their many years of knowing each other. While she didn't like others knowing, IF did have a side of her that liked things that could make her dance to them, and this song seemed to be one she could relate to on top of that.

"Yeah, that does seem like something IF would have as part of her personality. She oddly reminds me of a tomboy, she's definitely not your average damsel in distress." Vent mused with a wry smile, humming thoughtfully as he recalled the missions that he had undertaken with the Guild Agent. It was enough for him to see that IF preferred to be on the front lines fighting the good fight rather than being trapped in a castle waiting for someone to save her. He admired that about her, to the point of respecting the hell out of her as a soldier.

At this, Compa smiled knowingly as she too thought about her friend. "Yep, Iffy's definitely not a princess type, she's more of a 'hands-on' type of girl." She remarked blissfully.

'… That almost sounds like a sexual innuendo, I think…' he thought, not entirely sure how to take that comment. Combined with how he had heard it made for a pretty awkward feeling to surge within his chest. Putting it down to Compa's innocence, Vent pushed on from that subject entirely. "… anyways, aside from our resident Merc, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Why did you want to become a nurse?"

"Eh?" blinking owlishly, Compa felt unprepared for the question that he had asked her unexpectedly. Momentarily caught off guard, she tried to regain her composure, her surprised face lasting a few moments. Then, it shifted to a melancholy one as she looked down at the ground below, trying to form the right words to answer that question. "W-well… remember when I told you about my grandfather when we were at the Café?"

Vent nodded, recalling that conversation. She had told him her grandfather had raised her in the stead of her parents, and fortunately for him he wasn't so oblivious that he didn't notice the signs, and thus didn't pry into that can of worms. It sounded too personal for that setting anyways, so he never bothered bringing it up again. Now though, it seemed that topic was finally coming to light.

"Well, my parents were killed by monsters shortly after my first birthday, so I don't really remember them." He had to clench his fists at that, not liking how a kind girl like her lost her family that young. "Then my Grandfather took me in, raising me like I was his own. Life was perfect for me despite my parents passing up till when I was 11, when my Grandpa's illness began. The doctors said that it was a terminal illness, and that he would only live for 3 to 2 years at most."

Compa began to shake a little but when he gave her shoulder a comforting squeeze, she aimed a grateful smile to him as a reward for his troubles before continuing, "Afterwards I made sure to learn everything I could of nursing, helping my grandfather around the house, making sure he got his medicine and giving him the appropriate foods. He called me his little nurse at the time, which made me so happy. I didn't want him to go, you know. So, when he finally did pass away, I was heartbroken, and the next couple years were very lonely… then, I met Iffy, and Nep-Nep, and Ge-Ge and all the other CPUs. They made my life happy and joyful again, so life turned out well in the end."

Staring at the girl beside him, Vent had to admit one thing: this girl had guts, to keep going through odds like that and turn out how she is today. And it was stuff like that he respected. So few had the guts that Compa and IF displayed, it was pitiful. "I see… well then Compa, I'm glad that you have such a strong determination. Never give up your dream, ya hear? That willpower will get you there. Also, I may not know him and you may have heard it already but apologies about your grandfather. I would have liked to meet him one day." He said, sighing wistfully. He'd have loved to meet her grandfather, so he could praise the man for raising Compa the way he did. After thinking this, Vent flipped onto his feet before heading back down through the window that she had used earlier. His words echoed into the bight outside. "In any case, we should head inside now, it's late and we have a long day tomorrow."