In the vast hall, the floor was paved with exquisite black-and-white interwoven marble tiles.
These tiles stretched out like an enormous, mysterious chessboard, emanating a faint, bone-chilling coldness.
At this moment, the white-haired elder sitting at the highest seat was lost in deep thought.
Not far below, Washuu Yoshitoki stood respectfully in silence, though he could not conceal the tension borne from the oppressive atmosphere that pervaded the room.
After a moment of hesitation, Washuu Yoshitoki spoke slowly:
"Now is the time when we most need manpower. Aogiri Tree's movements are growing bolder by the day."
"I believe we can overlook his lack of seniority and promote Uesugi Ryu to First-Class Investigator."
He paused briefly before adding:
"Furthermore, I personally believe that Uesugi Ryu is unusually dedicated to being promoted."
"Even during his personal leave, he went out of his way to another ward to eliminate a ghoul organization. I interpret that as a sign of his ambition."
Need alone wasn't a sufficient reason to promote someone within the Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG).
After all, as investigators, they were bound to follow orders regardless of their title.
Even without a promotion, Uesugi Ryu would still have to carry out his duties.
Throughout Washuu Yoshitoki's speech, Washuu Tsuneyoshi, arms folded before his chest, didn't spare him even a single glance.
Though he always appeared rigid and stern, Washuu Tsuneyoshi was far from a stick-in-the-mud; it had been by his personal recommendation that Suzuya Juuzou became an investigator in the first place.
After a brief silence, he finally responded in a calm and measured tone:
"Indeed... To successfully eliminate an SS-rated ghoul, and dismantle an S-rated ghoul organization, these merits alone are sufficient to support his promotion."
With that, Washuu Tsuneyoshi gave a slight nod in acknowledgment before slowly closing his deep-set eyes.
Washuu Yoshitoki, seeing this, understood immediately. He bowed lightly, then silently turned to depart.
Despite being father and son, the two appeared remarkably distant. At that moment, they resembled a ruler and his retainer more than a family.
As Washuu Yoshitoki's figure receded into the distance, the hall once again returned to silence, though the invisible pressure still lingered heavily in the air.
Meanwhile...
With steady footsteps, Uesugi Ryu once again passed through the grand and solemn entrance of the CCG's research building.
Sunlight fell upon his figure, outlining a tall, refined silhouette.
Standing beside him, Suzuya Juuzou lifted one hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sun as he stared with wide-eyed curiosity at the imposing building.
"Wow! This place is huge! I can't wait to see when my new quinque will be ready, this is so exciting~!"
He chirped, his voice crisp and delighted.
Uesugi Ryu kept both hands leisurely in his pockets and replied in a calm tone:
"So, Juuzou, what kind of quinque do you want to have crafted?"
After all, he'd technically snatched away the weapon Juuzou would've had in the original timeline, and Uesugi Ryu was curious whether the iconic scythe would still appear.
The Kakuhou of Oukami, the ghoul Juuzou recently helped him kill, was a Koukaku-type, just like Yamori.
Yamori's kagune had been sharp and spiked, whereas Oukami's Koukaku was heavier and thicker in form.
Each type of kagune could produce different kinds of quinques depending on the characteristics of the Kakuhou and subtle biological differences.
As a result, a wide variety of personalized and distinctive quinques could be crafted.
Previously, Yamori's kagune had been forged into a razor-sharp scythe under Suzuya Juuzou's supervision.
Now, faced with Uesugi Ryu's question, Juuzou lightly shook his head, he hadn't yet decided what he wanted the weapon to look like.
Normally, it would have been Shinohara Yukinori who escorted Juuzou here to craft a new quinque.
But since Uesugi Ryu happened to be picking up his own today, he volunteered to help out in Yukinori's place.
As they walked toward the lab, the soft chime of mechanical notification echoed in his mind:
[Congratulations, Host, on your promotion to First-Class Investigator!]
[Reward acquired: 3 Attribute Points, 2 Lottery Draws.]
Uesugi Ryu's lips curled into a faint, satisfied smile. (〃￣︶￣)
The system was faster than CCG's official procedures.
Still, he was a little surprised to be promoted so smoothly, it had happened a lot quicker than he expected.
From Second-Class to First-Class, Amon Koutarou, the academy's top graduate, had taken nearly five years to reach that rank.
Uesugi Ryu had achieved it in just four months since joining the CCG.
Trailing behind him like a nimble cat, Juuzou curiously scanned the surroundings.
Noticing a subtle shift in Uesugi Ryu's expression, he glanced over and asked:
"Almost there, huh? A new Quinque, how exciting!"
Uesugi Ryu sighed, his voice tinged with anticipation.
They reached the lab door where Uesugi Ryu pushed it open and led Suzuya inside.
Inside, the laboratory was spacious and well-lit, filled with state-of-the-art instruments and machinery.
Surprisingly, Dr. Chigyou, head of the research division, wasn't present. Only Inoue Tomoya and a few regular researchers were busy at work.
Hearing the door open, Inoue looked up, and upon seeing Uesugi Ryu, his face lit up.
"Long time no see, Ryu! Everything going well?"
Uesugi Ryu smiled and gave a slight nod in greeting.
"Not bad. This here is Investigator Suzuya."
He stepped aside to introduce the silver-haired youth beside him.
Inoue Tomoya's interest piqued. He scrutinized Suzuya curiously, then extended his hand.
"Whoa, those tattoos are amazing!"
Juuzou cheerfully corrected him with a grin:
"They're not tattoos, they're body embroidery~!"
He extended his right hand for a light handshake.
Uesugi Ryu didn't waste time with pleasantries, he was eager to get home and allocate his new points.
After receiving his own new quinque from Inoue, Dr. Chigyou happened to return as well.
Juuzou then had a short discussion with the doctor, expressing his preferences and requests.
Eventually, he settled once again on the scythe design.
With their business concluded, the two didn't linger. Uesugi Ryu, now carrying two freshly issued quinque cases, set out on the path home.