AN: Here is an update, hope you enjoy it.

If you have any specific questions or suggestions, please feel free to PM me.

Thanks for reading and please do leave a review, or feel free to PM, I am usually much better at answering those!

This chapter was betaed by Treelicker

Disclaimer: I do not own Tokyo Ghoul or My Hero Academia.

( - )

(Last Time)

Pushing his sodden white hair out of his eyes, he looked up, only for his eyes to nearly pop out of their sockets in shock as he caught sight of his extended hand.

His arm looked like it was melting.

The flesh covering his forearm was drooping, and he could feel his bones flexing too as his body stumbled forward.

Pushing himself onto his feet, he suddenly felt very unstable.

Raising his hand, he could only watch in shock as his hand began to wobble like it was made from rubber.

Reaching out with his other hand, he plucked at the skin, only to stare as his flesh stretched.

What the fuck was going on?

( - )

Chapter 5

( - )

(With Haise)

Taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, Haise sat on his bed transfixed as he stared at his bare arm. Flexing his hands experimentally and rolling his wrists, he focused on the way his fingers and joints moved.

His flesh was still damp and warm from his recent shower but otherwise, it felt pretty normal. Reaching out with one hand he pinched some of the flesh on the back of his other hand and tested it out.

It felt… odd.

Tugging the skin with a bit more force, he felt his throat constrict slightly as his heart rate began to pick up while he watched the skin stretch abnormally far. It was unnaturally springy.

Releasing the trapped flesh and watching it snap back to normal, he took another steadying breath. It was fine. He wasn't in pain. And, as he had learned after walking out of the shower, he could still move about properly too.

It didn't seem like he was going to collapse into an amorphous blob of stretchy flesh and spongy bone – or even worse in a mound of smelly green sludge like the hobo he'd happened upon earlier – anytime soon.

It was unnaturally springy. Releasing the trapped flesh and watching it snap back to normal, he took another steadying breath.

For the moment he still retained a humanoid state, his bones still supported his weight, and his skin wasn't sagging or sloughing off of his form. He could also still walk about and pick up things too.

He exhaled loudly and stood up.

His heart was still pounding away in his chest, but his fear was thankfully receding as he continued to check things off on his mental list.

Looking around the red-lit room, he let out another sigh.

In the end, he'd ended up booking a love hotel for a night. A bit of cash, and an awkward verbal exchange was all that was needed to get him a room. One with an ensuite bathroom, television, and a double bed with far too many dials and buttons in its frame.

It would do for the moment.

Pushing himself up onto his feet, he did a few bounces to make sure he was still stable and then headed back into the bathroom.

Unwrapping the fluffy white towel from around his waist, he hung it on a nearby towel rail and then did an about-turn and headed back to bed.

As he did so he passed a floor-length mirror. Pausing as he saw his reflection, he swiftly changed direction and moved to stand in front of the mirror.

He didn't look all that different from before. He was still pale and lean. His eyes were still the same placid grey they had always been, and his hair was still dark black with several odd streaks of white.

Mussing up his damp hair, he stepped closer to the mirror and continued to eye his reflection warily. Reaching out with his hand he pinched his cheek and tugged it.

Just like with the flesh on the back of his hand, his cheek stretched, first a few inches, and then as he continued pulling, it continued stretching nearly a foot further. It was almost like he was made out of rubber.

Releasing his cheek, he watched it snap back to normal. The action sent a ripple across the rest of his face. Rubbing his cheek, he scowled. This didn't make sense. Then again, nor did it make sense that he was apparently in another world. Haise's eyes narrowed at that thought.

Frowning, he reached out for the mirror and pressed his fingers against it. It was time to experiment. Leaning forward, he used his fingers to brace himself as he continued to exert more pressure. They remained stable.

Pushing a bit harder, he felt a bit of pressure begin to build up and saw a slight crack form on the mirror.

Pulling his hand back, he stared at it for a moment and then reached out again and did the same, only this time he focused his mind on making the fingers in his bones bend. Slowly but surely his fingers began to flex under the pressure.

First in the normal human way as they shifted a centimetre back, and then in a distinctly inhuman way as they continued to flex until eventually, they were pressed flush against the back of his hand, sandwiched in between his hand and the mirror.

Exhaling, he regulated his breathing and pulled his hand back again. Like before, his fingers snapped back into their initial position.

It seemed he had some semblance of control over this… phenomenon. Taking solace in that realisation, he backed away from the mirror and collapsed onto the bed. The changes his body had gone through must have something to do with eating that sludge person.

Although his primary job, while he had been working at the CCG, had been to hunt down dangerous ghouls. He had still learned a few bits and pieces along the way. Even though he was no expert in the subject of ghoul physiology, he had learned that ghouls that cannibalised other ghouls often underwent… mutations.

More often than not, these mutations increased the mutated ghoul's overall threat level and power, even as it caused a deterioration in their mental faculties.

His eyes narrowed at that thought.

Ghouls that ate humans didn't undergo mutations as their physiology was specifically designed to digest humans. Including the limited amount of RC cells present in their bodies. Which they then stored in their kakuhou - an extra organ unique to ghouls.

Ghouls that ate other ghouls, however, did start to mutate, as their physiology didn't allow them to properly digest their own kind in the same way. Ghouls had far more RC cells than humans, ten times more at the least. And it was the ingestion of these cells, especially in massive quantities, that caused the mutations.

Or at least that was how he thought it worked. Admittedly, he never ended up studying the phenomena and had instead only learned about it in passing or through first-hand experience fighting mutated ghouls.

Mulling that over in his mind, Haise looked up at the ceiling and locked eyes with the reflection looking back at him from the ceiling mirror.

Considering the majority of the humans in his new world had evolved or mutated to have superpowers, or Quirks as they colloquially called them. It was possible that his body, his physiology, didn't fully digest elements of superhuman bodies in the same way that it did with normal humans. But instead, like with ghouls, absorbed some elements into his kakuhou. That or maybe his regeneration allowed him to adapt to the alien material his body couldn't properly process?

Honestly, he wasn't sure. It could be one or other of them, both of them, or it could be neither. In truth, it was only a theory.

But, considering the gelatinous state of his latest meal's body, and the new changes his own body had undergone after he ate the sludgy human, it did make sense.

Sort of.

Maybe.

He shook his head at that thought and put his arms behind his head.

For now, there was nothing he could really do about it. It wasn't like he could go to a hospital and ask to get checked out. He had no identity papers for one. He was effectively an illegal alien. And for another, he had only just fled a hospital, and had committed several crimes since.

Including apparently dining on a national hero.

Hero in the literal sense.

He winced as his traitorous mind reminded him of the main news story of the day that he had seen while playing around with the room's television – thankfully it didn't just show porn.

Of all the dead bodies he could have eaten. Fate had to be a bitch by making his randomly chosen meal a beloved national icon. One who's 'desecration' had caused outrage across not just the city, but throughout the entirety of Japan, and even further abroad.

He struggled to hold back a wince at the absurdity of his poor luck.

He had been so desperately hungry that he ended up cracking open some of the bones so that he could slurp out the marrow, so it was a definite possibility to say the least, that he ended up leaving at least some DNA evidence behind.

Whether it be spittle or flecks of flesh from where he'd chewed on the bones, he almost certainly left behind a trace that could be used to track him down.

Fortunately, as far as he knew, his DNA had not been placed on any database and no samples were hanging around to be tested.

So even if they did find some biological traces he had left behind –and considering the seriousness of the situation he expected an extremely thorough investigation that was almost a certainty– he was most likely safe so long as he didn't give any samples up.

Which in turn meant no hospitals, police stations, or anywhere else that might take DNA or ask probing questions.

Keeping that in mind, Haise twisted about on the bed and got under the covers. His mind was still running over all that had happened, and the sheer bizarreness of the situation.

Feeling sleep tugging determinately at his consciousness, the last thought he had before his bone-weary tiredness took him, was a question. If he had somehow gained a mutation based on the sludge man's Quirk, was it possible he'd done the same from Yoroi Musha? And if so, what even was the iconic hero's Quirk, and how had his body adapted or mutated in response to it?

( - )

Taking stock of his situation the next day. Haise, now well-rested and showered, was in a much better state of mind than previously. He was still a little stressed, all things considered. But he wasn't as tired, and hunger was no longer gnawing at him.

Packing his meagre belongings into his backpack, he decided to head off. Leaving only sweaty sheets, and a used towel as the only sign that he had inhabited the room before he dropped off his key card at the reception and hurriedly left.

Due to the nature of the establishment, his shifty behaviour didn't even draw a raised eyebrow.

Exiting onto the quiet backstreet, Haise quickly rejoined one of the main thoroughfares and blended into the crowd.

The first thing he needed to do was find some more permanent accommodation and a way to get some fake identity papers.

If the Japan of this world was anything like his own, then he would need papers to get a job, rent an apartment and simply just live his life. Without them, he would be stuck living in the shadows, hiding from the authorities and working shifty jobs for even shiftier people.

But first, he needed to find a way to get said papers. Which unfortunately meant that for him to live a good honest life, he would first need to get his hands dirty and delve into the criminal underworld. Or rather, using the local terminology, he would need to descend into villainy.

Grimacing at that thought, Haise continued to follow his feet, his eyes flicking back and forth taking in the sights and the people passing him. Both those that looked normal and those that would probably fit in at a freak show.

He didn't have anywhere in particular he was walking to, nor did he know where he truly needed to go. Instead, he was just walking and keeping his eye out for any unsavoury activity.

To find the people he needed to, he first needed to find a lead, a way into the underworld. Which meant he needed to find a street-level thug or dealer. Someone he could easily bully into introducing him to his superior, who he could in turn use to meet their superior.

It was a bit of a ham-fisted approach, but considering his resources, it was also probably the best he could do right now.

Keeping that thought in mind he continued to plod along, walking through busy high streets and quieter back alleys, all while keeping his eyes peeled for any sign of antisocial behaviour.

It wasn't fun work, but it was at least familiar. When he had been working at the CCG, they often did this kind of thing.

While investigating recent disappearances or rumours of a ghoul, they would often have to walk the streets, interviewing people and looking out for signs of ghoul activity. After all, as he himself could attest to, ghouls could almost seamlessly blend in with humanity. Which made tracking and killing them very difficult.

Fortunately, over time the CCG had come up with advanced training techniques and strategies that they could pass on to new investigators to help aid them in their work.

Wetting his lips as he walked down another alleyway, Kaneki shifted the backpack about on his back, deliberately causing the loose coins within it to jingle. One such strategy, and a favoured one by many, was to set yourself up as bait.

Which is exactly what he was planning to do.

Keeping his head down and his shoulders hunched, he deliberately tried to make himself small and less threatening. The meeker and weaker outwardly he appeared. The more his posture and presence would scream out victim to those watching. And so the higher the chances were that he would be victimised by a thug.

Doing just that, Haise started down a new side road, with his shoulders hunched and head down.

He could hear breathing from nearby, and smell a cacophony of smells including body odour, mildew, and the smell of metal. It wasn't anything so obvious as freshly spilled blood, or evil laughter, but it was something at least.

Passing between two large high-rises and walking alongside a litter-strewn patch of greenspace, he soon came to an underpass. It was dark and gloomy, even during the middle of the day. The light that was set into the roof had long since either stopped working or had been vandalised.

Wetting his lips, he could taste the scent of adrenaline in the air. His ears also picked up heavy breathing.

Calming his heart, he stepped into the shadowy underpass. There was nobody there.

Narrowing his eyes as he walked forward, he heard the faint echo of his footsteps and the slight splash of water. It must've rained at some point during the night or early morning.

Raising his head, he once again scented the air. He could still smell sweat and he could still hear breathing, but with the way sound seemed to travel in the underpass, it made it difficult to lock onto the source.

Gritting his teeth in irritation, he reached the other end of the graffitied and poorly maintained underpass unscathed. Things had not gone to plan.

As he stepped out of the underpass and continued up the steps which led back up to the street, however. He soon found himself flinching back instinctively as he was momentarily blinded by the sunlight streaming through two nearby skyscrapers.

The sunlight had hit him just as he made it halfway up the steps. The blinding rays dazzled him and made his heightened vision –which had long since become adapted to the darkness– go bright and spotty as his eyes rapidly tried to adjust to the sudden and intense change in lighting.

As this was happening, the would-be attacker decided to make his move.

It was quite a good plan, all things considered, Haise thought as he immediately reacted. His attacker was making use of his surroundings, the direction, and the intensity of the sunlight in relation to the underpass.

It was not a bad ambush at all. Plus, his attacker's timing was good too as he rushed with the intent to knock him down the stairs, dazing him if not knocking him out completely. After which he would probably be dragged back into the covered and dark underpass, once again completely out of sight of any casual observers, so he could be divested of his belongings and whatever else his attacker wanted to take.

His attacker had no doubt done this before.

He had likely lingered here, or in other places similar to this one, and waited for his victims to step out of the dark underpass and emerge into the 'safe and sound' light. Only for him to make his move and force them back into the darkness where he could do who knows what.

Unfortunately for his would-be mugger though, this time he had chosen the wrong victim. Reaching out as he fell back, Haise grabbed onto his attacker.

The man's skin was odd. It felt rough and coarse, almost scaly. But its texture was nothing in comparison to what it looked like. The man's flesh was an odd, mottled colour, and was made up of hundreds of patches and blotches of different shades of grey. All of which seemed to shift and change constantly as Haise dragged him down the steps with him.

It reminded him of a chameleon. A perfect Quirk for an ambush predator.

Scowling, Haise tightened his grip on the man and twisted him around so that as they fell, he was the one on top and his attacker was the one on the bottom, and so the one that would take the brunt of the impact as they crashed down the stairs and landed in a puddle of water at the bottom.

It had taken all of five seconds.

Pushing himself to one knee, Haise made sure to dig his other knee into the man's sternum, pinning him in place.

"Get off me!" The man beneath him wheezed.

"Stop struggling," Haise said bluntly, ignoring his bluster and flailing arms as the other man tried to push him aside.

"Fuck you!" The man snapped out, making a swing for his head.

Catching the errant arm by the wrist, Haise gripped it tight. Tight enough that he could feel his wrist bones creak and groan.

"Stop struggling," Haise repeated. "If you don't, I'll start by breaking your wrist. And then I'll continue breaking until I reach your shoulder. After that I'll begin work on your other arm, and then so on and so forth until you either start cooperating or you die."

The man froze in fear, his pupils dilating.

"Good," Haise said simply. "Now turn off your Quirk."

The man obeyed, his skin turning back to a pale, pallid white, and his hair darkened to black. Eyeing him up and down, Haise frowned. He was younger than he thought. Either in his late teens or early twenties. He had a thin build. It wasn't too dissimilar to his own, although less muscled and toned.

He was also pretty ugly. With pock-marked skin, eyes that were a little too close together and crooked teeth. "Please don't kill me," the young man stuttered out. He looked scared.

"I won't, so long as you don't make me kill you," Haise replied with a gentle smile.

He didn't release his wrist, nor did he let him up. He would need to do so eventually, as they were still out in public, and somebody could come across them at any time.

"What's your name?" Haise asked simply.

"Benimaru," the named Benimaru replied. He looked completely and utterly emotionally defeated.

"I'm going to let you up, Benimaru," Haise said. "When I do, you will remain here. If you try to run, I will break your legs. Do you understand?"

He nodded curtly.

"Good," Haise released his hand and stood up. In response, Benimaru lay still, his dark eyes fixed on Haise waiting for his next instruction.

"Are you a part of a gang?" Haise asked as he reached down and none to gently dragged Benimaru to his feet.

The kid shook his head in the negative. Haise held back a growl of irritation.

"Do you know of any criminal gangs in the city?" Haise continued, trying a different tack.

Benimaru's eyes shifted from side to side nervously. He looked confused for a moment, before eventually nodding.

"Good," Haise said. "I need to get in contact with someone who can get things for me. Things that aren't necessarily legal."

"Drugs?" Benimaru asked. "I know a Trigger dealer if that is what you're into? If you let me go, I'll take you to him and get you a discount."

'And also no doubt try and lead me into a trap too', Haise thought, his eyes narrowing a fraction.

"I don't need drugs, or weapons or anything like that. I need identity papers." He said simply.

It was a measured gamble sharing what he was after with an untrustworthy street thug. But at the same time, without giving him more information it would be difficult to get the contact he needed.

Besides if his mugger did cause trouble, he could just eat him. A slight smile played around Haise's mouth at that thought. He wasn't hungry at the moment, but he had a growing sense of curiosity as to just how his body would mutate if he did end up eating Benimaru. Would he gain the ability to camouflage his flesh? If he did, then such an ability would be invaluably useful.

"I can think of someone that can help," Benimaru said quickly, his eyes dilating and his pores releasing a rancorous stench that Haise had long since associated with fear.

Some of his internal musings must have shown on his face.

"Who?" Haise asked, drawing his mind back to the present and pushing his bloodthirsty thoughts away for the moment.

"I don't know him personally, but I know a guy who does. The guy you want to speak to is Giran. He's a villain, like… A proper one. But not a violent one, he deals in information and in brokering deals and getting other villains what they want. You know, like weapons, drugs, and henchmen. You name it, and he can sort it out." Benimaru said quickly, his eyes bulging as he tried to convey his honesty and good intentions.

"Good," Haise said, his eyes locking with Benimaru. "Arrange a meeting."

Benimaru winced.

"I… it's not that simple. I don't know him. And he's not the kind of guy that just anyone can meet with. I can pass on your name and that you want to meet. But whether he does or not…." Benimaru said, his voice hitching as he felt the full force of Haise's gaze.

"Then you better hope your friend comes through for you," Haise said simply. "For now, though, let's go back to yours and wait for an answer… unless you have a problem with that?"

Swallowing down what he was about to say, Benimaru seemed to think twice before shaking his head.

"Good," Haise repeated, his head coming to rest on the younger man's shoulder and squeezing. "Lead the way. And just remember; if you betray me…."

"I won't," Benimaru reassured him quickly. "You can trust me."

"Somehow I doubt that" Haise bit out dryly as he released the man's shoulder and allowed him to lead the way.

His meeting hadn't gone completely the way he had wanted to, but at least he now had a way forward.

( - )

(At the police station)

"So, what can you tell me, doctor?" Naomasa Tsukauchi asked as he stared down at the thankfully covered remains of Yoroi Musha.

"The remains were cannibalised as you suspected," The doctor replied. "The bite marks fit the pattern of a non-mutated human. We've managed to get samples of saliva and what we believe might be flesh from the inside of the perpetrator's mouth. They've been sent off to the lab for testing. If they're Japanese, then we'll certainly get a match."

Naomasa nodded his head.

Japan, like most of the other developed nations, had a highly advanced biometric database cataloguing the DNA, faces and fingerprints of every single citizen and visitor in the country. These samples were statutorily taken at birth or upon entrance to the country and were routinely updated in line with National Law. No one was exempt.

This meant that if the person that had exhumed and eaten Yoroi Musha was a Japanese citizen or a legal tourist, then they would be easily identified.

His lips twisted bitterly. As if it would be that easy. Already he suspected that the labs would come back with nothing.

"I can tell you this though," the doctor continued. "Whoever did this would have to have a strong constitution. Yoroi Musha was embalmed, which meant that whoever ate him also ingested a lot of other toxic materials. I'd suggest checking the hospitals for recent admissions. Look for people with stomach issues or who have been poisoned. If that turns up nothing though, then you can at least be sure that whoever it is has a Quirk that would allow them to consume poison and live."

"It is a start, I'll add it to the profile," Naomasa nodded. It was a useful bit of information, as it meant he could use both the national and international Quirk databases to narrow down suspects. "But right now, we'll be focusing on villains Yoroi Musha captured, and on the relations of said villains. This kind of heinous act, it feels… personal to me."

"Possibly," the doctor shrugged.

Before anything more could be said, they were interrupted by the arrival of one of Naomasa's subordinates.

"Sir," Ino said promptly as she stepped into the room, pausing only long enough to give him a salute and the doctor a nod. "We've found something."

"Doctor, let me know if you find anything else." Naomasa nodded his thanks. "Yamanaka, with me."

"No problem," the doctor replied.

"Yes sir," Ino nodded, falling in step with him.

"What did you find?" Naomasa asked bluntly as soon as they left the lab.

"Some officers on patrol, in liaison with Death Arms, found another body. It is some kind of mutant-type Quirked individual. The age and gender is unknown. But based on where they found them and the condition they are in, the officers on the scene suspect someone tried to eat them. Additionally, officers also found what they think are the remnants of Yoroi Musha's stolen costume. They're bringing them in now to be tested." Ino rattled off quickly.

Quickening his pace, Naomasa nodded. "Let's go, this sounds like a lead. Contact the police station in that ward and have them increase their patrols. Also, contact the heroes, we might need some additional support."

"Yes sir," Ino nodded. "The media have been pushing us for answers too. At the moment most of the bigger news stations are sticking to the basic story we gave them. But some of the smaller ones have started speculating and are putting forward theories and misinformation on social media. These stories and theories are gaining traction, and have started spreading like wildfire online. PR have been in touch and they're concerned that things will start to escalate if we don't do something."

"I hate journalists," Naomasa grumbled. "Fucking parasites the lot of them. But either way, I'll speak to the higher-ups and come up with a story we can share."

"Right," Ino nodded.

"For the moment though we need to focus. If we're not careful the trail might run cold. And I'll tell you right now, this is not a case we can just casually fuck up. If we fail here, then we can all kiss our jobs goodbye." Naomasa grumbled.

"Then let's not fail, sir. Let's nail this bastard." Ino said grimly.

Naomasa wet his lips. Ino made it sound simple, but he suspected that this case would be far from simple. This case was high profile.

No, that was an understatement. The case was massive and had already attracted international attention. The fact that they had already started drafting in heroes and additional resources from across the country was evidence enough of that.

From what he had heard, politicians, and his politically conscious higher-ups had started getting involved, and even All Might had taken a personal interest.

This was a make-or-break situation.

As in, if he succeeded it would make his career, but if he failed then he could kiss his job and reputation goodbye.

No real pressure though….

( - )

AN: Thanks for reading and if you have any suggestions or questions feel free to PM me.

Catch you later.

Greed720.