The cool sea breeze rushed along the waters of Tokyo bay.

"There's another corpse." Yoshimura said next to him, a worried expression etched itself on his wrinkled face. "It doesn't seem like we're in Japan at all… This reminds me more of the Middle East."

Yomo, despite his stone gaze, had a similar feeling crawl up his chest. Ever since Aogiri came about, every dark alley along the street turned into a warzone between ghouls and doves.

And with Aogiri trying to take hold of all the wards in Tokyo, it usually resulted into fights between ghouls as Aogiri took over territory from opposing ghouls. Forcing them under their will.

"Yomo-kun." The manager asked. "Did you collect any information on them?"

"Yes." He replied. "I captured one of them and made him talk."

Yomo continued. "They are a gang of ghouls who call themselves 'Aogiri Tree'. He didn't know who exactly the members were, but he said there were a fair amount of them." He then paused as a cold expression covered his face. "He also said… The one leading them is…"

"… The One-eyed king."

The manager tensed for a moment at his last words. Perhaps his speculations were correct and the manager really knew who this One-eyed king was.

He took a breath as he readied himself, contemplating how he was going to fully explain what happened.

"And one more thing…" The manager turned to face him. "It's about Kaneki."

(Kaneki POV)

"Kaneki…"

It was just pure irony.

It was almost a tragic comedy even. It was funny how his words came to be played out by whatever deity resided above the clouds.

He could feel it. The avid tension in the air as recognition filled the eyes of the woman who laid merely an arms reach away from him.

He could remember now why he found the confidence to ask her out on a date in the first place. Even amongst the torture she's been through, her violet locks streamed down her porcelain skin; like no harm even came to her.

There was without a doubt that Rize Kamishiro was a beautiful and dangerous woman.

"Kaneki..." The girl before him spoke up dryly, eyes wide with recognition as she stared at him.

She almost looked harmless, wearing the clothes provided to her by Matsumae; she looked like an innocent normal girl who's barely started out her life.

"There's a glass of water next to you." He pointed his head towards the glass laid on top of his desk. "You should drink it before you ask any questions."

Rize blinked before turning her head as she grabbed the glass of water and nearly gulped down its contents in an instant.

He watched as she placed the glass back onto the desk rather forcefully. Her head tilted down, bringing her locks to cover most of her face. "More." She said, as she started to breathe deeply.

Kaneki sighed as he handed her another glass of water, which she chugged down just as fast. He watched as she directed her eyes towards his, with a look of animosity evident on her face.

"I can see why they call you the Binge Eater now." Kaneki spoke up, as he sat down on the chair placed in front of his bed.

The moment he sat down, he suddenly felt Rize's body tense up; the glare on her face increasing in intensity, and he knew she was planning something.

Kaneki then leaned a little closer to her, and much to his expectations, the girl before him sprang into action.

He merely sat still as Rize flared her kakugan to life, a hungry smirk appeared on her lips as she tried to take him out then and there –

– only for nothing to happen.

He watched with satisfaction as a look of panic and surprise etched itself onto Rize's face. She continued to struggle, trying to force her kagune to release itself, much to her disappointment.

"What did you do to me!?" Rize said as her expression turned feral. She struggled against her restraints, as her eyes immediately turned back to their original color, unable to be maintained due to her current lack of RC cells.

He expected this reaction from her. "You really don't remember anything, Rize?"

Her gaze didn't change and Kaneki gave out a long sigh. "Let me jog your memory then." He closed his eyes as he felt the familiar rush as his lone kakugan flared to life.

In an instant, Rize froze. The tension in her body relaxed as her eyes froze, the previous look of animosity melting away into a look of horror.

A lone tear streamed down her face as her mouth began to quiver. Then, her body quickly tensed up as she screamed out, gripping her head with her hands as she brought her face closer to the bed.

He watched as Rize shattered into a mental breakdown. He could only imagine what memories flashed through her mind.

He could understand her current state, as he, himself, has been through a similar situation. The torture he had to go through was as scarring mentally as it was to him physically. He doubted he ever recovered from the insanity he had to go throug… he merely coped with it.

But Rize…

Rize had been in captivity with Kanou for months. And he hardly doubted that Kanou was the type to induce his patients in a painless procedure. Just the thought of being trapped inside a machine as it extracted your innards for months… It was no wonder she nearly lost her sanity the last time.

Although, Rize seemed to be more stable than her prior state. Perhaps it was due to her shortened captivity as he rescued her as soon as possible… Or the fact that Yomo intentionally deprived her of food…

He didn't know, and he wasn't willing to find out. But with the fact that Rize tried to kill him earlier, it probably meant she wasn't as crazy as he thought.

Kaneki tried to call out her name, which only led to no responses from her. She just sat there, hugging her knees as close to her as possible, leaning against the bed rails as if it was her only form of protection.

She was unresponsive. Her face was painted with a crazed expression, and he thought he might have broken her with his little display.

The once fierce, infamous Binge Eater was now in a weakened state before him. Her body revolted, as she gripped the sides of her head like her life depended on it. Her eyes, now filled with utter madness and fear, as she stared into emptiness.

Kaneki honestly didn't know what to do with the situation. He wanted to have a conversation with the woman who literally dragged his life down to hell, but instead he invoked a violent PTSD breakdown.

He stared at her, looking down at her form as he wondered what the hell he was going to do. He, himself, was familiar with this, as he has had his fair share of mental trauma.

And if there was one thing he learned it was that the first thing he needed to do was snap back into reality.

He carefully and gingerly stretched his arm out unto the girl's shoulder as he began to give it a gentle rub. Much to his surprise, Rize began to relax, and he continued his approach.

A few seconds later the girl's breathing began to ease, and he swore he heard a few words come out of her mouth.

He leaned in closer to make out what she was saying, bringing his head merely a few inches away from her own until he could make out what she said.

"So…" Kaneki tensed as he suddenly felt her head jerk up revealing two blackened eyes staring right at him. "Delicous!"

In an instant Rize wrapped her arms around Kaneki's neck and began to bite down hard unto his shoulder.

Kaneki grit his teeth in pain as Rize frenzied on his shoulder. He immediately tried to push her off, but like a tick, she wouldn't budge; so he tried something else.

His kagune spawned from his back and began to forcefully wrap itself around Rize's hands as he pinned her firmly to the wall next to the bed and off him.

Kaneki panted deeply as he held unto his mutilated shoulder, but much to his relief it began to patch itself up; his muscles weaving themselves back together like thread.

Now, that was the second time a girl lost her mind right after biting down unto his shoulder. He really should be more careful next time.

He glanced at Rize once more, this time without letting his guard down. She consumed a lot of his flesh and blood, and he was sure as hell those handcuffs won't keep her in one place anymore.

Rize slowly tilted her head up to face him. The madness that clouded her vision was no longer there as sanity took over once more.

She gave him an analyzing look. Despite her movements being restricted, she still appeared just dangerous. He was honestly wondering what the hell the woman was thinking right now.

"Well…" Rize gave him a mocking smirk. "I didn't know you were a ghoul, Kaneki. And a half-ghoul above all else. Can't say I'm not interested in you right now."

He replied with his own. "Sorry I'll pass. Last time we went on a date, you tried to kill me."

Rize grunted at him. "Touché."

"So, you remember then." Kaneki paused letting his words sink itself into her thoughts. You remember what happened."

As soon as those words left his mouth, the fierceness in Rize's eyes visibly dropped. She was good at hiding it, but he could see her hands shaking a bit. Now that he came to realize it, it didn't help that he was currently restraining her.

"E-Everything." Rize spoke up, the ice and quiver in her tone reverberated around the small room. "The worst part about it was… He made sure to make you feel everything."

Rize's words caused Kaneki's heart to sink. Suddenly the room turned into black and white checkers for a moment. Suddenly he was in that chair again.

Kaneki shut his eyes hard and shook the thought away. 'Not anymore.' He said to himself as Rize's broken form returned to his vision.

"You know what else I remember?" She continued. "I remember hating you, Kaneki. I hated you so much for what happened to me! I blamed you for everything!"

Rize's screams didn't falter him one bit. He just calmly stood there and took every single thing she told him, expecting those exact words to leave her mouth.

"I thought I lost my fucking mind!" She began to laugh bitterly. "I didn't know how much longer I could keep up my sanity… I swear if I even stayed there for even a few more days I would've lost it all!"

She then paused for a few moments, taking deep breaths as she tried to recompose herself. He couldn't help but relate to Rize's feelings. After all, he's been through them himself.

For the days that he was in Jason's chamber, for the days that he was tortured relentlessly. He couldn't deny that he already lost his mind. And if there was one thing that Jason did, that hurt him the most, it was breaking everything he was and everything he stood for.

Rize let out another deep breath. "That kagune." She slowly raised her head up, briefly examining the red tendrils wrapped around her arms before looking straight into his eyes. "That's mine isn't it? You're one of Kanou's experiments."

Not knowing how to respond to her, Kaneki kept his stern gaze and merely nodded at her question. As soon as he did so Rize let out a maniacal laugh that echoed around his home. "So, you're the first one. The prototype! I ruined your life, just as you did to me!" Rize paused for a moment as she tried to regain her breath. "Why the hell did you rescue me? You must fucking hate me too, right?"

"I don't."

Rize's laugh died out with his words. It was as if his answer was so strange and unbelievable that she couldn't comprehend such things to come from him.

"You're kidding…" Rize said, giving him a studying look. "Shit… You're serious?"

"I am." Kaneki replied. "Ever since I met you, my life has been twisted in such a way that it has become impossible for me to go back to my old life. I was tortured, cut in as many ways as possible, and for once in my life I had to live knowing that each day could be my last."

He stopped for a moment, closing his eyes as he remembered everything he's been through so far. The long journey of tragedy he's been through. The pain he's experienced living as a ghoul.

He's always told himself. If he could take it all back, if he could change anything, if he could make his life normal again… Would he?

Even if he went back a little earlier in time, even if he could go beyond meeting Rize, even if he could change everything entirely... If someone were to ask him, had he known everything that would've happened after...

He still would've met Rize on that fateful day.

After all, she was the person who made him who he was.

"I could never have brought myself to hate you." Kaneki's lone dark eye returned to its grey as his kagune dispersed itself into the air. "After all, without you I never would've found a place I could finally call home."

If someone were to ask him, what point in his life did everything change forever, someone would assume that it was when he first woke up in that hospital.

They weren't wrong.

But if they were to wonder of what point in his life made him who he was; what point gave him the most scars… It was this moment.

Kaneki knew that he was stronger than he once was, at this point in time. He knew that he wasn't the same college bookworm that he was when all this began. He knew that even if he wasn't on par with his strength from now, he was still strong on his own right.

But why was he still so scared?

Perhaps it was because of the many new variables he has introduced , perhaps because he was scared that things were slowly diverging from what he already knew.

But he guessed it was because, in a few hours, nothing would ever truly be the same.

In a few hours, the future will never be how he knew it would be.

"Onii-chan!" Hinami spoke up, perking her head upwards as she called his attention. "What does this word mean?"

Kaneki blinked his eyes as he recollected himself. He leaned downwards so he can catch a glimpse of what Hinami was pointing out. His eyes matched with the two symbols written on her book.

"That's a daffodil Hinami-chan." He said smiling as he ruffled her hair.

"Daffodil?"

"Yeah." He then pointed to the image of the yellow flower right at the corner of the page. "I learn a lot about hidden symbolic meanings in Kami. The daffodil represents new beginnings, or more frequently, uncertainty."

Kaneki shook his head at his explanation. It was as if some cosmic power was mocking him about his situation.

"What the hell are you teaching Hinami now?" He heard Touka say from behind him, followed by her footsteps as she pushed him to the side, looking at what Hinami was reading.

Kaneki raised his hands harmlessly. "Just helping Hinami read her book about flowers Touka-chan." He then looked around the café to realize that it was near empty, if not for the three of them. "Business sure is weak today."

Touka sighed as she adjusted her bangs. "Yeah, ever since dove activity went off the charts we've been getting fewer and fewer customers." She then looked down as she shook her head. "Folks probably think it's much safer to hide within their homes than risk stepping out and running into a dove. So much for being the most peaceful ward these days, huh?"

A gentle hand laid itself on Touka's shoulder, as Kaneki gave it a gentle squeeze. "Hey, I already told you, it's not your fault. We just have to lay low for a while, alright?"

It still held a bit of melancholy in it, but Touka gave him a small smile at his words. He smiled back, as he saw, in her eyes, the trust she had in him, despite his lie.

It was only a matter of time before things go down the drain.

As the bell rang, signaling the arrival of customers, the remaining staff of the café quickly turned their heads to greet the new guests.

Kaneki turned around, to see his old friend Banjou, a sinking feeling crept down his chest, quickly taking over the warm happiness he felt from seeing his friend once again.

Touka instinctively stood in front of Hinami protectively, as Banjou and his companions entered the café. Her muscles tense, and ready to spring into action, despite her calm composure.

Kaneki took the initiative and took a few strides forwards to greet the newcomers into the shop. "Welcome to Anteiku."

Banjou stood threateningly above him, making himself look more intimidating with their obvious height difference. But despite that, Kaneki knew more about him than Banjou could even imagine. But remembering how he was, if it was the old him here right now, he would've been scared shitless right now.

"Is the manager here?" Banjou said threateningly.

"I'm sorry, sir." He looked behind him, noticing the obvious glare Touka was sending out to Banjou, and decided to take the matters into his own hands. "The manager isn't here at the moment. Why don't you take a seat, and we can serve you and your friends a cup of coffee, if you'd like?"

"Yeah, no thanks."

This time Touka took a step forward, her face showing that she was not happy with the situation at all. "Then sir, if you have no business here, would you like to leave a message for the manager instead?"

Banjou flinched, his face suddenly turning a little crimson as Touka spoke out to him. "Oh... you're a girl." Kaneki smiled at his old friend's banter, he knew he had a soft spot for women. Banjou then began to scratch the back of his head. "Yeah… There's something I wanna ask him… and you two."

Kaneki closed his eyes for a moment, knowing the next words to come out of Banjou's mouth.

"Do you know Rize Kamishiro?"

He opened his eyes to find Touka staring at him, she bit her lip and he could practically read the worried expression on her face.

He gave her a look that told her not to worry about it, and he turned around to face Banjou and his group. "Let's go inside." He then took Hinami's hand and gently brought her with him, as he began to ascend the staircase. "Follow me."

As the group began to follow Kaneki to their usual meeting room, he momentarily stopped in front of Hinami's room and opened the door for her, signaling her to come inside.

He gently ruffled her hair and gave her a small smile. "Everything's goinh to be alright. Just stay here for a while, ok?"

Hinami's face turned into a pout, but she nodded anyways; and went into her room, as he closed the door gently.

As the group, with the exception of Hinami, entered their meeting room and took their respective seats among the sofas, making themselves comfortable, Kaneki couldn't contain the avid feeling in his chest that something bad was going to happen.

"Let me see your eyes." Touka spoke up.

Banjou closed his eyes before opening them revealing two black scleras on his eyes. "Satisfied?" His eyes then reverted back to normal. "My name is Banjou, I was with Rize-san in the 11th ward."

"Was Rize your girlfriend?" Kaneki decided to speak up, realizing he could play the entire ordeal into his hands, as he knew the history between the two.

The reaction was instant. Banjou's face immediately turned into a tomato, and his tough-acting demeanor shrunk as followed.

"Uh-uh." Banjou tried to recollect himself from his stutter. "N-no... But she is someone special to me!" He exclaimed, slamming his fist down the table.

"So it's kinda like a one-sided love huh?" Touka commented mercilessly.

Banjou's calm demeanor dropped even more after that. Kaneki swore he heard Banjou's heart shatter into a thousand pieces at Touka's remark.

Kaneki's head snapped towards Touka's direction. She casually shrugged her shoulders at him, as he gave her a small glare before turning back to Banjou and his companions.

"Sorry about that." Kaneki scratched the back of his head, not knowing what to make out of the situation.

Banjou sighed before taking in a lot of air as he puffed his chest. "N-no… It's ok. She's right."

"Banjou-san…" One of Banjou's companions spoke out, her voice evident with sympathy as she said so.

"I met Rize in the 11th ward." Banjou said sadly. "She was smart, beautiful, and fierce. It was hard not to admire her… Although she left not too long, said she got bored..been looking for her ever since."

The room was silent for a few moments as they processed Banjou's words. Kaneki then stood up and placed a hand on Banjou's shoulders.

"You probably have a lot of things you want to tell Rize." He then gently took a few steps back, not wanting Banjou to act impulsively at his next words. "The thing is, I met her when we went out to go on a date here in Anteiku."

Immediately the room went tense, Kaneki could feel Banjou's blood boiling, so he didn't let the silence linger for too long. "The thing is, she was baiting me out, so she could eat me."

This gave out looks of confusion from everyone in the room; except Touka, who stood up almost instantly. "Kaneki!" Touka exclaimed, wondering what the hell went through Kaneki's mind.

He turned around to face her and gave her a look that asked her to trust him, before turning around to face Banjou's group. "You see… I'm actually human." He then closed his eyes, feeling the rush in his body as his lone kakugan flared to life.

He slowly opened his eyes, earning gasps from Banjou and his friends. "But ever since that date with Rize, I turned into something you can call a half-ghoul." He stretched his arm out to Banjou. "Tell me, how do I smell like?"

Banjou, still surprised and shocked at Kaneki's news, took a few moments to process his request before taking a sniff at Kaneki's scent. "You smell just like Rize!"

"I do but not quite." A lone red tendril spawned from his back earning another gasp from Banjou and his friends. "When Rize tried to eat me, a rather fortunate incident occurred. Ever heard of the steel beam accident here in the 20th ward a few months ago?"

Banjou took a while to think about his words, before his eyes widened in realization. "Judging by the expression on your face, I guess you pieced two and two together?" Kaneki asked to which Banjou nodded.

"The steel beams crushed Rize, and the doctor who did this to me, transplanted her kakuhou into my body. Ever since then, I've been like this." Kaneki said grimly, studying the expression on Banjou's face after he released the bombshell on the poor guy.

He watched as Banjou's hands started to quiver, and Kaneki could guess what the guy was thinking in his head.

"So Rize…" He swallowed as a lump formed on his throat. "Is she…"

"Dead?" He said the words, and he could see the dreadful expression on Banjou's face. "No, she's alive."

He felt a hand on his shoulder as Touka pulled him to face her. A confused and outraged look was etched into her face, as she herself couldn't believe what he just said.

He was then pulled, yet again, as he felt Banjou's hands gripping his shirt, forcing him to direct his attention back to him. "Do you know where she is?!"

"I do." Kaneki said calmly. "But first I need you to tell me something, and I can promise you that I can take you to her."

Banjou then released his grip from Kaneki's shirt feeling guilty for his impulsiveness. "I-I'm sorry… Alright, what do you want to know?"

"You went here because Aogiri is looking for Rize-san, right?"

"Y-yeah. How did you know that?" Banjou gave Kaneki a questioning look. "A few days ago, this crazy doctor came in, along with these two black and white chicks."

Kaneki tensed up as he immediately recognized who Banjou was referring to. If that was the case, then that could only mean that Kanou kept to his word; and that could only mean one thing… but he needed to confirm it first.

Banjou placed a hand on Kaneki's shoulder. "You have to get out of here. I overheard my boss talking about how they had some business to do here, and they were going by the numbers."

Banjou looked straight into Kaneki's eyes, and they both had the same idea in their minds. "I think they were talking about you, Kaneki."

Kaneki froze as his world began to turn upside down. How could he be so reckless and careless with his decisions? How could he have expected things to be the same, despite all the new variables he introduced?

Rize wasn't supposed to be rescued yet, but he was so prompt up at being the hero. He wanted to play the messiah, the man who can save the world; when he let go of the one thing that could've given him an edge.

He knew exactly how everything would play out.

He expected this to be the turning point of the cards of fate, the point wherein he'd make the largest change for the future, the point in time where he couldn't turn back anymore… but he was wrong.

The moment he woke up from that hospital, he already changed so many things. And now…

And now he endangered everyone.

He heard loud footsteps from behind him, and when he felt the hand being lifted from his shoulder he saw Touka angrily gripping unto Banjou's arm.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Touka exclaimed at the larger man. "Kaneki ain't got shit to do with Aogiri!"

Kaneki was momentarily fazed at Touka's sudden over protectiveness. It was nice knowing that she cared this much for him. But he had to take responsibility for his actions.

"Touka-chan." He said gently, despite the weighing feeling on his chest.

Touka merely ignored him as she stood between him and Banjou.

He then grabbed both of her arms and gently spun her around to face him. "Touka-chan…" He read her eyes carefully, he saw the look of worry and concern she gave him, despite her rash demeanor. "He's right."

Before any words could come out of her mouth he beat her to it. "I went after the man who did this to me. I made a huge mistake, I've endangered everyone now…" He looked down in shame and worry before looking up to her eyes. "I found Rize. Tortured, experimented on like an animal. I brought her with me back here, and I think they're coming for her, too."

Kaneki gripped his fists until blood started to leak out from where his nails dug into his skin. He needed to fix this. He couldn't let his friends, his family, take the consequences of his miscalculations. Kaneki needed to act, and he needed to act now.

Kaneki walked towards the shelf where he kept his stuff before work began, and hastily removed his apron, and just as quickly took out his modified quinque and holstered it on his belt.

It seemed that tragedy followed him wherever he went, whenever he went, no matter whatever he did.

"Touka-chan." He said gently as, much to her surprise, he placed a hand on her cheek. "I need you to call everyone and tell them to get here as soon as possible."

He then felt a stinging sensation on his left cheek. Touka had just slapped him – rather hard, at that. "And what the hell are you going to do, huh? You're going after her, aren't you!? I don't care how strong you think you are, Kaneki! You can't possibly think that you can take on Aogiri!"

He guessed he deserved that. All he's been doing ever since he got there was cause them pain and worry. He placed a hand on each of her arms and began gently rubbing circles with his thumbs. "You know, you still look pretty when you're mad."

He knew it was an improper situation, but he wouldn't take back the flustered look on Touka's face for the world, right now. Seeing and touching the woman he loved, even if she couldn't remember what he remembered, even if she didn't share the memories that he shared with her… It still gave him strength.

And he knew that he had someplace to come back to. That's why he had to protect his home. "I'm not that foolish, Touka-chan, I never saw myself as invincible." He gazed at her for a brief moment before turning around, knowing he couldn't bear the look on her face, if he kept gazing at her longer. "They'll come for me, no matter what. And I don't know if I can take them all on, or how long I can keep at it. But I do know one thing..."

"Banjou-san, can I trust you to keep them safe?" Kaneki said as he faced the door and readied himself for what was about to come.

"I-I have to go with you! But…" Banjou wavered, and Kaneki could guess what went through his mind.

Banjou knew he wasn't strong enough.

"Don't worry. Leave everything to me." He then opened the door leading out the meeting room, and turned around to face them for a second. "Keep them safe, and stay here. The doves are going to rain down the 20th ward."

It was a longshot. And he might as well have put a bullseye painted on his back, but if Banjou was right and it wasn't just Ayato and Jason coming for Rize this time then…

He had to split their numbers.

Doing so will definitely break whatever peace the 20th ward currently had but… If he doesn't atleast try something then…

His friends, his family, might die.

Before he could make his way through the front entrance, he heard footsteps follow from behind him and Touka came running down the staircase, holding her rabbit mask in her hand.

"Kaneki!" He looked towards Touka, his heart nearly sinking at the helpless look she had on her face. "Let me go with you! I can help!"

"Take me with you…"

A sad smile crept unto Kaneki's face as a nostalgic feeling swept through his chest. 'You never really changed Touka-chan.'

"I know you're strong, Touka… but this is my responsibility. I can't let you get hurt for my mistakes." He then looked behind him to find Hinami, taking a small peek from her room. "Someone has to take care of Hinami."

It nearly broke his heart to see her the way she was right now. She knew he made sense, and as his words reached her, he could tell that she knew he was right.

Touka grit her teeth and closed her eyes in frustration. "You better come back…" He heard her say beneath her breath. "Or you might as well be sure as hell that I'll be coming for you!"

As Kaneki opened the doors and the familiar chime of bells was heard across the empty café, Kaneki turned around for a moment, taking a glance at Touka for one last time.

"I promise." Was all he said as the doors closed leaving Touka alone watching him run off the distance.

He didn't lie.

Or, at least, he hoped not to.

(Kurona POV)

"Sure is a pretty sight, isn't it?" Nashiro asked her as they stared at the sunset that buried itself beneath the tall buildings of the 20th ward.

"It's quite hard to appreciate such a scene in a place like this, Shiro-chan."

The two of them currently stood atop a rooftop, their contrasting hairs dancing against the wind flying past them.

"Well, should we get started, then? It's the right address, right?" Her sister asked her, as she studied the piece of paper between her fingers.

"It is. I made sure to check, and it's not like papa has ever been wrong. And besides…" Kurona felt her lone kakugan burst to life as her senses extended even beyond her reach. "I can smell her. She's close by."

"While we're at it, why don't we trash Onii-chan's place too?" Her sister spoke up once more as a vengeful smile etched itself unto her face. "After all, he did destroy our home."

"Sounds good, Shiro… It sounds wonderful." A lone crimson tendril burst from her back as she slipped her mask on. The spiteful tone in her voice muffled against the material of her mask. "I'm sure Papa would be glad to find his little experiment back into his hands after all."

Almost in sync, the twins leaped through the air as they headed straight for their current target. Glass shattered as they kagunes simultaneously broke through the glass doors of the balcony.

And as the dust cleared in their wake, they found their target picking herself up from the floor as she looked up at them with hateful eyes.

"Papa never said you could go anywhere Nee-chan." Nashiro said coldly as she raised her kagune at Rize. "We'll be taking you back now."

"Whether you like it." Nashiro screamed as she leaped into the air, as her lone kagune poised itself ready to strike. "Or not!"

What?! Did I hear someone scream at me for making them wait a month for yet another cliffhanger?! Yes... Yes I did. So here's the good news and the bad news. Bad news is: Hey look at that another build up chapter that ends with a cliffhanger. Good news is: This was suppose to be half of the original chapter but I realized that, damn this shit is long af, so I decided to split the chapter into two(also because i tend to be lazy to write so it kills two birds with one stone), so expect the next one to be updated, not in a month, not in 2 weeks but...Wait for it...

Around next week! sounds great right? So I hope it doesn't dissapoint.

Before I start this short rant lemme just say this real quick... HOLY shih tzu almost a thousand follows and faves not to mention 200+ reviews? Damn you guys put this fic on the top page real quick. And for that. You're all a bunch of awesome people, like seriously man I say this every chapter but I just can't help but appreciate the fact that people actually like what I'm making. So thank you so much for that, and I do hope you guys continue to support us in this ever so-late updated fic.

And well shit. TG is finally coming to a close, and I have to admit it kinda made me put some more effort into writing the next chapters in honor of the amazing story it gave to us. And I know a lot of you guys hate the action scenes in the anime adaptation but I have to admit they got the drama going pretty well at the very least. There's more to come on winter but for now I'll try to fill in for that TG craving while we wait. So yes, this fic will go on for quite sometime, possibly the entire year or so.

But enough of that, thank you for the continuous support everyone! Don't hate me for the upcoming cliffhangers!

Disclaimer: Tokyo Ghoul belongs to Ishida Sui