"That's really incredible, nineteen years old and already a Second-Class Investigator. Investigator Uesugi might be the youngest Second-Class ever, just like Arima Kishou back in the day!"
"Right? I heard that he exterminated ghouls even before officially becoming an Investigator. He wasn't even at the Academy for two weeks before starting his internship."
"A total genius. But I also heard it was Senior Investigator Mado who recommended him!"
"He managed to take down an A-rated ghoul during his internship... Seems like he's another powerhouse. But to be selected by Senior Investigator Mado... well..."
The office was abuzz with chatter.
Among the junior Investigators, Mado Kureo didn't have the best reputation, so discussing the gossip surrounding the Main Bureau's Investigators was a small source of amusement amidst their routine work.
Just as the conversation grew livelier, a figure entered briskly from the corridor.
Noticing the arrival, someone loudly and deliberately cleared their throat.
In an instant, the lively atmosphere froze. Everyone immediately returned to their desks, pretending to be absorbed in their work.
After all, slacking off during office hours while gossiping, especially when the subject of that gossip was right there, was hardly commendable.
"Good morning, Second-Class Investigator Uesugi!"
Voices echoed one after another as the staff all stood up to greet him with warm smiles.
Uesugi Ryu nodded in return. Of course, he had heard every word they'd said earlier, word for word, but he didn't mind.
Thanks to his outstanding performance during his internship, Uesugi Ryu's training period had been significantly shortened.
Just one week after eliminating Hannya, the Main Bureau officially announced that Uesugi Ryu had passed his evaluation and was now a full-fledged Second-Class Investigator.
This rapid promotion had everything to do with Mado Kureo's support.
The credit for eliminating the A-rated ghoul Hannya had been largely pushed onto Uesugi Ryu by Mado. Without that, it would've been impossible for him to be promoted so quickly.
After receiving his identification documents and Investigator tools at HQ, Ryu returned to the 15th Ward.
At the moment, all the Senior Investigators already had fixed partners, so no official assignment had been made for Uesugi Ryu yet.
As a newly promoted junior Investigator, regulations prohibited him from conducting operations alone.
But rules were one thing, reality was another. In truth, most Senior Investigators operated with small squads rather than a single partner.
After all, the number of high-ranking Investigators was limited, Special-Class Investigators could be counted on two hands, but Second-Class Investigators were everywhere.
Only those junior Investigators who were exceptionally skilled and showed great potential were assigned individual mentors.
For now, Ryu would continue following Mado Kureo on assignments until a suitable partner could be arranged.
That said, the CCG had approved a week of vacation for him following his promotion.
The organization wasn't some heartless, exploitative machine. This break was a way for new Investigators to unwind and better prepare themselves for the duties ahead.
In fact, anyone who defeated a high-rated ghoul was eligible for time off. But for people like Mado and Amon Koutarou, rest was simply not in their vocabulary.
Uesugi Ryu planned to spend a few days back in the 20th Ward. Ever since Hannya had been eliminated, ghouls in the 15th had been remarkably quiet.
The past few days had consisted mostly of staying at the local branch office, tracking leads and reviewing case files, Ryu was starting to feel like he'd grown roots in his seat.
Mado, Amon, and Ryu were all Investigators attached directly to the Main Bureau.
Typically, that meant they weren't stationed in any one district permanently. Depending on the changing circumstances across the wards, they would be reassigned as needed.
When Ryu walked into the office, he saw Mado and Amon both already seated in front of their computers.
Mado was staring at a file, frowning slightly. Hearing the door, he set down the documents and looked up with a teasing smile.
"Second-Class Investigator Uesugi has returned, I see!"
Ryu smiled helplessly. Mado wasn't rigid, he had a tendency to make jokes when the mood suited him.
"Since there aren't any available Senior Investigators at the moment, I'll still have to trouble you, Mado-san!"
Mado nodded, then said, somewhat uncharacteristically: "Enjoy your last bit of vacation, Ryu."
"I have a feeling things will get very busy, very soon."
He then glanced over at Amon. "You too, Amon-kun. No point in just staring at data all day, you won't get anywhere like that."
Amon frowned slightly. "Mado-san, did something happen?"
Mado smirked. "There've been an increasing number of Investigator attacks centered around the 11th Ward. It won't be long before something big happens."
Ryu already knew what he was referring to. Amon, on the other hand, looked grim as he nodded in acknowledgment.
Ryu walked over to his desk and powered on his computer.
Even vacation had to be taken strategically, why not coast through the day at his desk and start the real break tomorrow?
"Ryu-kun, are you free right now?" Amon suddenly asked.
Still browsing for games on the office PC, Ryu looked up in surprise. Amon stood before him, his expression unusually serious, with a hint of hope in his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm free now. What's up?"
Amon's lips curled into a refreshing, straightforward smile. "Nothing really. I was planning to go train at the gym. Are you interested?"
Ryu nodded. "Sounds good. Actually, I've been wanting to spar with you."
Amon's physical strength was no joke, his stamina alone was monstrous. After all, this was a man who once did 7,000 push-ups on someone else's balcony.
Amon nodded firmly. "Alright."
The local CCG branch had all sorts of training facilities. Without delay, the two headed for the gym.
Inside the ring, the two of them clashed like gusts of wind, blow for blow, each strike landing clean and fast, the sounds of fists and palms echoing nonstop.
After a heated exchange, Amon guzzled down his water, drenched in sweat. Beads of perspiration streamed down his chiseled face, soaking his clothes.
"Ryu-kun, your physical strength is insane!" he laughed, still rubbing the spot where Ryu had landed a blow. "Getting hit by you felt like I got kicked full-force by a ghoul."
Despite the soreness, his eyes couldn't hide the envy.
Combat techniques could be trained over time, but physical aptitude? That was mostly innate. Once you hit your ceiling, no amount of effort would raise it by much.
Ryu smiled modestly. "But your martial technique is way sharper. I've still got a long way to go compared to you."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he dropped into stance once more, ready to begin the next round.