Ken Kaneki remained kneeling on the cold pavement.
His left eye had already transformed into a horrifying crimson kakugan.
His entire body trembled violently.
Heavy, ragged breaths escaped his throat.
His gaze—filled with a feral hunger he could barely comprehend—was fixed on the human corpse lying nearby.
It was as if every instinct in his body was urging him to devour it.
Yet his mind resisted desperately.
Nearby, Touka Kirishima knelt down.
She picked up a severed human hand from the ground.
Blood slowly dripped from her pale fingers.
She raised the hand calmly and held it in front of Kaneki's face.
"Do you want it?"
Her voice was quiet.
Almost indifferent.
Kaneki's right hand shot forward instantly.
His fingers trembled violently as they reached for the flesh.
In that moment—
The hunger inside his body overwhelmed everything else.
His pupils dilated.
Greed.
Primal and uncontrollable.
But just as his fingertips were about to touch the hand—
His left hand suddenly grabbed his own wrist.
With astonishing force.
He pulled it back violently.
His body collapsed forward.
His forehead slammed against the pavement.
His teeth bit down so hard on his lower lip that blood began to seep out.
Tears spilled uncontrollably from his eyes.
Large drops fell onto the cold ground.
Nearby—
Ren watched silently.
The transformation from a normal human into a ghoul—
Was something few people could endure without breaking.
Kaneki was no exception.
His body had already changed.
But his mind still clung desperately to humanity.
Inside his mind—
Carnage whispered coldly.
[…Futile…]
[…All resistance is futile…]
Touka watched Kaneki closely.
"Why aren't you eating?"
Her gaze lingered on his single ghoul eye.
"A one-eyed ghoul…"
"That's rare."
Suddenly—
Her pupils contracted.
Recognition flashed through her mind.
"Wait."
"Aren't you the human who was with Rize Kamishiro that night?"
Her violet eyes immediately shifted toward Ren.
Seeking confirmation.
He nodded quietly.
That was enough.
Touka understood everything.
But before she could ask more—
Kaneki suddenly screamed.
"Help me…!"
His voice shattered with desperation.
"Please… believe me…"
"I'm human!"
His gaze fell again toward the severed hand.
His body trembled violently.
"…But why…"
"…Why do I want to eat it…?"
"If it hurts that much…"
Touka pushed the hand toward him again.
"Then eat."
Kaneki froze.
Then violently slapped the hand away.
"No—!!!"
"No—!!!"
"No—!!!"
He curled up on the ground.
His screams echoed painfully through the alley.
"How could I eat this?!"
"I'm not a ghoul!"
"I'm human!!"
…
Eventually—
Touka lost her patience.
Without hesitation—
She forced a piece of flesh into Kaneki's mouth.
The moment it passed his throat—
Something inside his body awakened.
An overwhelming sense of deliciousness spread through him.
Every cell in his body responded.
But his mind reacted violently.
"Ugh—!"
He collapsed to his knees.
His body convulsed uncontrollably.
His hands clutched his throat.
He began retching violently.
Physical satisfaction.
Psychological horror.
The two forces tore him apart.
"Why…"
Kaneki sobbed.
Tears streamed down his face.
"Why are you making me eat this…"
"…human flesh…"
"How can I swallow it…?"
He raised his head.
Blood and tears mixed across his face.
One eye was human.
The other—
A ghoul's crimson kakugan.
"I'm human!"
"And you monsters…"
"…are completely different!!"
Ren clicked his tongue quietly.
"Oh boy…"
Inside his mind—
Carnage laughed.
[Here it comes…]
The word monster struck Touka like a blade.
Her head snapped upward.
The purple hair covering her right eye shifted briefly.
For an instant—
Her violet eye flashed with fury.
Then—
She moved.
Without warning.
Her leg whipped forward like steel.
"Bang!"
The kick slammed directly into Kaneki's abdomen.
His body flew through the air.
Before he could even hit the ground—
Touka was already in front of him.
She grabbed his head.
And smashed it against a rusted ventilation grate.
"CLANG!"
Metal twisted.
Blood splattered.
Her fist slammed into his face.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Each punch heavier than the last.
Finally—
She lifted him by the collar and threw him away.
Kaneki's body crashed against the wall several meters away.
Then dropped heavily to the ground.
"Pff—!"
Blood spilled from his mouth.
Carnage sounded delighted.
[…Magnificent…]
Ren sighed helplessly.
This had gone far enough.
He stepped forward and grabbed Touka's wrist before she could attack again.
"That's enough."
"If you keep going…"
"You'll actually kill him."
Touka stared at Kaneki's broken body for a moment.
Then she snorted coldly.
And shook his hand away.
Ren walked over and crouched beside Kaneki.
"Kaneki."
"…Are you okay?"
Kaneki slowly lifted his head.
His voice trembled.
"…Ren-nii…"
"What should I do…?"
Ren looked directly into his eyes.
"I know this is hard to accept."
"But you have to face reality."
"You're not human anymore."
"Ren-kun is correct."
A calm, gentle voice suddenly echoed through the alley.
Everyone turned.
Standing quietly at the alley entrance was Yoshimura.
"Manager?"
Touka's eyes widened slightly.
Ren simply nodded.
"Manager."
Inside his mind—
Carnage muttered rudely.
[Old man…]
"Show some respect."
He replied internally.
Carnage grumbled.
[Next time…]
Yoshimura walked slowly toward them.
The blood and corpses scattered around the alley seemed completely ordinary to him.
His gaze rested gently on Kaneki.
"You are suffering."
"Come with me."
Touka frowned.
"Manager… why?"
Yoshimura raised a hand.
Silencing her.
His calm gaze passed over Touka.
Then Ren.
Finally—
Kaneki.
"Mutual assistance among ghouls…"
"…is our principle."
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