After Eto had confessed to you, even if not in the stereotypical way, you had started to feel more motivated. What little training you did with her seemed far less arduous.
Your current training mainly consisted of you trying to gain more control over you kakuja, as you went into a blind rage if it was activated involuntarily, caused by the repressed anger you still had locked in the back of your mind, all of it pent up over the span of the few days that it took for the CCG to kill both of your parents. But perhaps with Eto's support and care you could tap into the full potential of your kakuja properly, as a tool to avenge your parents, and protect Eto. You had made some progress with it, being able to activate it voluntarily, though it still resulted in you being consumed by your anger.
You had made two promises. Firstly, you wouldn't let yourself your anger consume you again, at least not completely. And second, you wouldn't give up and would keep going, to protect Eto.
Even though a feeling of impending despair nagged at the back of your mind. A fear of losing Eto. The possibility of losing her scared you, but you paid it little mind for now. At least you could still protect her.
Some days later, on a pleasant late Thursday evening, you were sitting at your usual spot at the couch, reading one of the books Eto had written, specifically the "Dropped Box". It happened to contain some familiar themes, such as the protagonist longing for their father. It was familiar to you, that longing for one's parents, which also reminded you of your yearning for those peaceful days before CCG. But thankfully, that feeling was nowhere close as gnawing as it used to be when you thought you were alone in this harsh world.
Not that there weren't hardships, but they seemed only momentary now that you could always look forward to Eto's loving kisses and warm hugs.
Your thoughts were quickly interrupted by the sound of a door opening. You looked over to the door and saw Eto who had returned from another session of signing books for his fans.
"How'd it go?" you asked her, "Smoothly, I presume?"
"Quite so, as usual." she said.
"Any plans for today?" you asked.
"Not at the moment." she replied. You gave a nod and went back to reading the book. While you didn't mind a bit of calm and some time for the two of you, it did slightly bother you that all training you had received for the last several days had been very easy. You did still want to bury that someone who had killed your parents under six feet of dirt, after all. And the feeling of no process annoyed you.
"Any idea on the whereabouts of any CCG agents that were involved with the murders of my mum and dad?" you continued, "You know me, I have a bone to pick with that agent who killed 'em and all that."
"Like I said, not at the moment." she replied, "Haven't gotten any clues on where to find them. And I can assure you, it isn't easy. Just finding that lady who you turned to minced meat took a bit of luck and time to find."
"Alright." you replied to her, putting your hands up in defeat, "If it ain't easy, it ain't. Didn't know."
"And besides, don't you have anything else on your mind than just how you'll disembowel him?" she replied as she sat on your lap, "Such as 'When was the last time I kissed my amazing girlfriend?'" Once she said that, you gave a small smile as you obliged, kissing her. After a moment, she pulled away before hugging you.
"I know that you're not going to rest until you've cut down those responsible for their deaths," she told you, "But don't think it's a war you have to wage alone. I'll make sure you'll get your revenge, but I don't want you to try and take on the entirety of the CCG all by yourself. Because no one can do it alone."
You sighed deeply before you hugged back.
"Maybe I should enjoy what I have with you while it lasts." you replied to her, "Somehow I feel like that I might lose you at some point, just like them."
"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere." she replied, nuzzling into the crook of your neck.
"I don't know, it's just-" you were cut off when she suddenly raised her head from your shoulder and placed her hands on your cheeks and lifting your face
to look directly at her.
"Look at me." she said. You could only look at her with a look of both surprise and awe as you saw how her usually calm look was now very stern and confident.
"Neither of us is weak. Most of CCG's agents have no hope of beating us, so even if we were to be backed to a corner, we would still have each other." she said, "You remember your first field mission, right? I was there to make sure you made it out."
"Because you want to have me in one piece, in both body and soul." you replied, quoting her almost to a T.
"And you'd do the same for me, right?" she asked.
"Of course. Firstly, I owe you too much to let you get hurt." you replied calmly, "Second, I promised to keep on going, for you. And that includes making sure you're safe. And third, you know I love you, and I know you love me. That's more than enough of a reason for me."
Her expression quickly changed to her usual kind and loving one as she snuggled up against you. She did have a way of keeping you motivated.
Then, a phone rang in Eto's room.
"Excuse me." she said, giving you a quick peck on the cheek before making her way to her room. You heard her speak to whoever was at the other end, but you couldn't make out any words.
She soon came back from her room, with a devious smirk on her face.
"Guess what~" she said. You simply raised an eyebrow, unsure what got to her.
"I've got the person who arrested your parents."
Your face shifted to a more stern, serious look.
"Continue." you replied.
"Tonight, he's apparently going to have his retirement party." she said, "I think you could crash his little party. It would send them a message about you."
"So, you want me to bare my teeth to them? Give them a scare?" you asked her.
"The CCG has more than likely notified your kakuja, but I think they could use a little demonstration." she said.
"Sounds good, as long as I get to settle the score." you said, "When will I begin?"
"Later on tonight, like I said." she replied, "But before that bloodlust clouds your mind..."
She gave you a loving kiss, and proceeded to give you another hug. After a moment, the two of you pulled away.
"I think it's better you spend some time not thinking about murder." she continued as she laid you down on the couch.
Sometime later, in the early night hours...
You were taking a shower, preparing for your little "visit" to the investigator's retirement part. The last few hours had kept you distracted from your plans of slaughtering the man responsible for the incarceration and execution of your parents.
Once you got out of the shower, you wrapped a towel around your waist. You stepped out of the small bathroom and made your way over to the couch, where you found your clothes, neatly folded on it. Eto was sitting on the couch with a cup of coffee in her hands.
"Ready to go?" Eto asked.
"Almost." you replied. Then a small thought passed your mind, "So, why exactly did you want to spend a few hours like that?"
"Better than you quietly seething with rage on the couch." she replied, "Remember, I need you mentally stable, not as a murderous animal. At least not in here."
"Point taken." you replied, understanding her reasoning.
"But I suggest getting dressed now." she said, "There's a red car outside. He'll take you to the address where they're having the party. Remember, we're sending a message, so remember to give one."
You gave her a nod as you grabbed your clothes. Soon after you were fully dressed, and proceeded to wrap your cloak over you, grabbing your mask from a nearby table before stepping out of the apartment. You then made your way down to the street, where you found a red sports car, with a man with an argyle flat cap on his head. You walked over to the car and knocked on the window. The man unlocked the doors, and you sat down to the seat next to him.
"(First) (Last), I presume?" he said in a calm voice.
"Correct." you replied. Without any more words, he started up the car and the two of you drove away towards your mission.
Once there, the man parked a small distance away from a nearby bar.
"They're in that bar over there." your driver said, "I'll be waiting here, so just come on back once you're done."
You gave him a nod before stepping out of the car. Once on the street, you took your mask and put it on. You made your way to the door, and activated your kakuja. It felt much easier than usual, probably because you knew you could let off some steam. As the crimson armor started to coat your torso, thighs, arms and partially your head, you hissed through your teeth as everything turned into shades of red. Soon enough, your armor was all set, with your talons ready to shred all who stood in your way.
Inside the building, the investigators were having a good time, with many of the men and women inside sharing drinks and talking about their lives. One of the friends of the retiring investigator was about to walk over to the exit, behind which you stood.
"Yeah, I'm just gonna go now guys, I've got a long shift tomorrow." he said as he walked over to the door, "So see you guys la-"
His sentence was cut off by you kicking the door so hard that it flew off its hinges, sending it and the investigator flying over to a nearby wall, against which the man was smashed against before his body was crushed by the door's weight.
You simply let out an inhuman roar as you dashed in, claws at the ready.
The investigators were quick to react, taking out their quinque that they happened to have with them, mostly because they had come to the party in a hurry.
But, unfortunately, it was for naught. Their blades could only chip small parts of your seemingly impenetrable armor while your talons tore through their flesh. You kept mowing through them, swiftly cutting down each one as they came.
Though a few of them tried to block or team up on you, your armor's toughness, sheer strength and berserker rage overwhelmed them. Your claws tore through shields, flesh and sinew alike in a red mist of rage and retribution.
You simply kept cutting away at their ranks with reckless abandon. One by one, they all fell by your hand.
You stormed through the three-floor disco bar, the music in the background as frantic as the fight that went on.
In just a few moments, the whole bar looked like the aftermath of a slasher movie.
The floor was slick with blood. Bodies littered it, all of them cut up into ribbons and pieces.
You stood in the middle of it, your armor's talons coated in blood. You felt slightly calmer, more in control, but not by much.
You let out one more snarl of animalistic rage, declaring your victory over the sizable group of ghoul investigators.
...
Then you noticed a man with graying hair sitting on one of the many booths in the bar. He seemed strangely calm. You stomped over to the man, snarling at him as he simply stood there, as if resigned to his fate. But before you could slash at him, he spoke;
"Can't a man at least have a few last words before he dies?"
You stood there, motionless. While you had some semblance of control, you were still only barely holding back your remaining rage.
"And besides, couldn't you think for a moment. What would the ones close to you think of this?"
You were both irritated and confused at what he was saying. But his remark about close ones got your anger to boil over, resulting in you moving to loom above him while letting out another hiss.
"What would you know about loss?" you spoke through your teeth.
"I know plenty. And also know plenty about guilt." he replied, "A job's a job, but once you realize that you've killed innocents, you grow weary of it all. That's why I quit."
"Are you saying that YOU are the one who arrested (Father's Name) and (Mother's Name)?!" you nearly shouted, grabbing him by the collar of his coat and smashing him against the wall, "And who also was responsible for their deaths?!"
"Yeah, I was the one who arrested them, and also the one who executed them." he said, "But like I said, that's why I retired early. Once I got to know that they had a kid, the realization hit me like a truck. The ghouls I had arrested and executed to that point were ones that killed humans. Heartless ones. But those two had a kid and hadn't killed one person in their life."
As he continued to speak, you noticed that you were not really angry anymore. You also noted that your kakuja was still there, talons and all. You decided to put him back down to let him finish his monologue.
"You know, for all the years I served the CCG, I thought ghouls were a heartless, murderous lot." he continued, "All of them out for human blood. But ruining that kid's chance at a decent living made me understand that amidst all those bloodlust-driven maniacs, there were ones that didn't want to hurt humans. That's when I said enough was enough."
"So, you're saying you feel sorry for those who suffer injustice at the hands of the CCG?" you asked him in a much calmer voice, "That you're sorry for them, despite their crimes?"
"Yeah." he replied before having a violent coughing fit, "And besides, when you have advanced cystic fibrosis, you can't really continue doing this job."
"But you said that you feel sorry for the kid whose parents you had killed?" you said, looking at him with a sense of pity.
"Yeah, and I'd pay anything to just say I'm sorry. Not that you understand." he said, his tone of voice shifting to a more melancholic one.
"Actually, I do." you said as you decided to remove your mask, "And apology accepted."
"Huh, lucky me." he said with a small cough after a small moment, "At least I can die with a clear conscience."
"So, what now?" you asked.
"Aren't you gonna kill me?" he said with a smile, "And besides, you have a reason to. And like I said, I don't have much time left in the first place."
"I suppose I could kill you as an act of mercy." you said, "But I'd prefer to do it painlessly with you, since you seem to understand the sort of torment some of us ghouls have to put up with."
"I think that'd be good enough of a sendoff for me." he replied, rummaging through the pockets until he pulls out a pistol, cocks it and extends his hand to you, "So knock yourself out."
You morphed your other hand's talons away and took the gun from his hand, placing it against his temple.
"A shame it's gonna end like this." you replied, "I came here expecting that the guy who killed mom and dad to be a monster like the usual CCG agent, and instead I found a human I can actually respect."
"No need to go all soft on me, kid." he replied, "Just stay strong. Maybe some day innocent blood doesn't need to be spilled, ghoul or not."
"I hope so." you said, "But until then, I'll keep fighting against CCG. And besides, I've got a promise to hold."
"You do that." he said, "And before you do the deed, what's the promise you made?"
"I'll keep on fighting. For her." you replied.
"You have a girlfriend or something?" he asked.
"Yeah, I do." you replied with a small smile.
"That's good. Treat her well." he said.
"I will." you replied, "Goodbye."
"Goodbye." he said as he closed his eyes. You then pulled the trigger, promptly ending his life. You then placed the gun on the table.
You felt strangely serene for a moment. In the midst of all the carnage and despair, you had found hope. You had seen you were not alone, thanks to Eto, and that humans could actually feel compassion for humans, thanks to this man.
...
It felt unjust that people had to murder people like your parents, especially if it was against their intentions. Your rage had always been directed at the CCG for being an organization of self-righteous freaks and cold-blooded monsters, but now you felt angry for the fact that they made people like this investigator kill innocents. You clenched your fists.
"I'll show them." you said to yourself, "I'll show them alright. I'll break them. Not for favoring humans, but for making innocents dirty their hands in their stead."
You put your mask back on, and started to make your way to the exit. But before you could, you heard and felt a gunshot hit your back. You turned around to look at the one who shot you. It was a young man, who had eyes just about as full of rage as yours. He had seemingly been in the toilet or somewhere else during your slaughtering, and had survived because of that.
"You did this, didn't you?" the young man said, his rage barely contained.
"Yes, I did." you replied, "But the lot of you, save for the man for whom you threw this party, deserved it."
"Says the one who deserves to die himself for killing innocents!" he yelled as he activated his quinque and swung it at you. You simply caught its blade in your hand and quickly broke it in half.
"Innocents?" you said with poison in your voice, "Not very innocent to kill non-aggressive ghouls and saying it's for the good of the human race while crying out in defiance when I kill your friends who had their hands stained with the blood of the innocent."
He threw punches at you, which you didn't even flinch at. You simply delivered a powerful jab to his stomach, emptying his lungs and incapacitating him.
"You're the one who kills people for excuses like hunger and revenge!" he spoke as he clutched his abdomen.
"Do not speak of me being the monster here when you and your friends would kill a mother, a father and their son for the simple fact of being ghouls!" you said angrily as you grabbed him and lifted him in the air.
"And for such blindness and insolence, I will break you." you said as you raised him above you before violently throwing him downwards and delivering a knee directly to his back. A loud and sickening crack could be heard as his spine broke. You then dropped him on the ground, leaving him there to helplessly lie amidst the blood and bodies of his colleagues.
You deactivated your kakuja, the armor swiftly disintegrating into thin air. You felt relieved that you had finally gained full control over your kakuja. No longer would you be consumed by rage, and you could finally use your power as a tool to avenge your parents and protect Eto. You finally could take on CCG with no fear.
This surge of newfound confidence, however, was quickly replaced with exhaustion from all the killing. You took it as a sign to take your leave.
You made your way to the car again, and the driver opened up the door for you as you came closer. You sat down in the car, letting out a sigh as you closed the door.
"How'd it go?" he asked.
"Good enough." you replied, "Now, back to the apartment please."
He drove you back, and once there, you exited the car.
"Thanks for the ride." you said to the driver as you left.
"No problem." he said, "At least you didn't leave blood all over like this one other guy."
You made your way to the apartment and knocked on the door. Soon enough, Eto opened the door.
"Welcome back." she said with a smile. You smiled back as you stepped inside, closed the door and removed your mask and cloak.
You let out a content sigh as you sat on the familiar couch.
"So, how did it go?" she said as she leaned towards you from the chair next to the couch.
"Killed all of them, except this one kid. Broke his spine." you replied.
"So, did you get revenge?" she asked.
"Not really." you said, "If I wanna get the ones responsible for the deaths of my parents, I'd have to take down the entirety CCG."
"How come?" she asked, "Was killing the guy not the answer?"
"It wasn't." you replied bluntly, "Turns out the guy quit 'cause he regretted killing mom and dad. Also because of a terminal case of cystic fibrosis."
"Oh, is that so?" she replied.
"Doesn't mean that I didn't achieve something. I think I've finally gotten full control over my kakuja." you replied, "And with that out of the way, I can finally get something done."
"Alright, what's your first goal?" she asked with a curious look.
"First off, I'm gonna hit the hay." you said as you yawned.
"But before you fall asleep on me, did you leave something for them to find? Remember, " she asked.
"I did mention what I left behind, right?" you replied, "I think a bar that looks like a slaughterhouse and a young investigator"
"That will suffice." she said with a smile.
"Good." you said as you lied down on the couch, "'Cause I need some rest after that. It was easy, but venting out all that anger still did a number on me."
But before you could shut your eyes, you noticed that she had moved on top of you, straddling you.
"Wanna sleep somewhere more comfy?" she asked with a smirk.
"Why not?" you replied as she stood up and led you to her room.
As the two of you fell asleep in each other's hands, the lights of the city shone in the darkness.
While you were resting in Eto's loving hands, a group of investigators had come to the bar to check on their colleagues, who were not answering their phones.
"Jesus christ, what is this shit?" one of them said. Another one was puking her guts out. One of them had started to look through the footage on the security cameras the bar happened to have, while a fourth one was talking to the bartender who had scampered into the back room to hide.
"You need to see this." the one looking through the security footage said to his associate. Her friend leaned over to look, and watched in fear as he saw you cutting through the partygoers with no remorse.
"What kind of a ghoul could do that?" he said.
"That isn't any average ghoul." she said, "This is a kakuja, the deadliest kind of ghoul. These guys stood no chance."
"Hey! This guy's still alive!" one of them shouted from the bar, "Somebody call an ambulance!"