Capítulo 34: The Beginning of The End

Kichimura Washuu had eventually taken his brother to the 24th ward to meet with Shiki and have him also undergo the ghoulification procedure. It was a strange experience for Kichimura to witness both men meeting for the first time, they both regarded each other with curiosity upon their meeting. Shiki and Muri looked nothing alike, Shiki was much taller while Muri was somewhat bulkier, Shiki's hair was ink black in color and styled in a messy samurai man bun while Muri's hair was dark and styled in a side part, Shiki's face had more defined and mature features while Muri had the same handsome young adult face as Mura. The only similarity between both men was the golden color in the irises of their eyes. It was only through having both together in the same room that Mura could really tell the minute differences between the hues of their eyes. Shiki's serpent-like golden eyes had a metallic hue and glinted like the sharp edge of a deadly blade. Muri's golden eyes were bright and shone like stars in the sky. Both men carried themselves differently with unique auras enshrouding them. Muri carried himself confidently with a fiery, defiant air about him like he was always looking for a way to prove his might, similar to that of a lion. Shiki on the other hand was very laidback with a very easygoing and approachable air about him as though he was an open book you'd enjoy being around. However when you observed a bit more closely, you noticed a dark, insidious and dangerous aura that could awaken at any moment. He had the aura of a crouching predator constantly observing its prey and waiting for its moment to strike.

While both men were facing off with each other and getting to know each other, Kichimura ran off to go check on his beloved Rize. He noticed that she looked healthier now that she was out of her coma but she wouldn't speak to him and seemed to ignore his presence no matter how many times he spoke or prodded at her. Her eyes were blank as though her mind was no longer there and had completely broken down. Kichimura kept trying but she seemed to have become a vegetable with no emotion in her gaze even as he held her chin up while gazing into her blank purple eyes. "Don't worry my dear Rize, I know you're in there somewhere. You can't play dumb forever." Kichimura whispered with a creepy smile on his face. Kichimura noticed a hint of surprise and fear flash past Rize's eyes when she saw Muri and Shiki walking together towards her though almost immediately after her eyes returned to their previous blank state as though what had just happened was just an illusion. Kichimura grinned with sickening glee at the chance that the Rize he knew was still somewhere in there as he caressed her cheek and lips. He leaned in and planted a slight kiss on Rize's left cheek, then he planted one on her right cheek, one on her forehead and finally one on her lips. Kichimura kept his lips pressed against Rize's cold unmoving lips for a few seconds before separating and gazing into her eyes to see if there was any reaction. Rize's face stayed the same throughout the course of his actions and showed no reaction that signified she was even aware of the fact that he was there or he was touching her. Her eyes merely kept blankly looking straight with some involuntary blinking. Kichimura stared straight into her purple eyes one more time as his eyes flashed with maliciousness before he stood up and walked towards Shiki to inquire about her mental condition. Shiki merely stated that she'd suffered too large a trauma from the pain she'd experienced during the procedures and had thus entered a vegetative state with no indication of when her mental state would fully recover. Shiki explained Rize had fully recovered in all physical absence but her mind had yet to do the same and seemed to still be fractured. He said he had no idea when she'd fully awaken but he'd contact Kichimura the moment she did, till then Mura was free to come visit her anytime. Kichimura left Muri with Shiki to undergo the procedure after discussing their future plans before heading back above ground to cover for his brother's absence. Muri had taken four days leave from the CCG with the excuse that he needed to take a break, explore the city, and relax a bit before the upcoming citywide operation. The higher ups were initially reluctant to agree to the request but eventually acquiesced when the CCG Chairman, Tsuneyoshi Washuu spoke in favor of allowing it after Arima had put in a good word for Muri The big operation was beginning in less than a month so Muri was given leave to go have a short vacation as long as he kept himself safe and returned in time for the final preparation before the beginning of Operation Spring Cleaning.

After leaving the 24th ward, Kichimura made his way over to the V organization headquarters where he had set up a secret meeting with Kaiko, his superior and high ranking member of the organization. They were discussing their plans to overthrow and completely annihilate the Washuu Clan head Tsuneyoshi Washuu, and the entire main family branch of the Washuu Clan. Kichimura walked into the room where the meeting was taking place to find Kaiko sitting alone with his iris-less eyes gazing at him. Mura greeted his former mentor before they sat down to discuss the status of their ongoing plans of treacherous rebellion and revolution. There'd been a growing resentment among the V organization and members of the Washuu Clan side branch families. The resentment had long been brewing from the way they were treated by the main branch who used them like disposable pawns and soldiers in their war against the other ghouls for absolute dominion over Japan. Washuu branch family members were normally bred to be sent out of Tokyo to manage the Clan's properties in the other parts of Japan while the main branch kept control of the CCG and other central properties. Exceptions were made for children who proved themselves to be talented in combat who were then raised in the Sunlit Garden and brought up to fight for the main Washuu family branch. Other exceptions were the female branch family members who were raised to be bred and sometimes raped by the male main branch members so as to maintain the purity of their ghoul bloodline. Sometimes the women would be engaged to be married to one of the males in the main family branch where they'd be expected to bear strong and healthy children to continue the main family branch lineage. Other times, the women were forcefully impregnated and raped if the males were not willing to marry them. Rize was one of the females being raised to be raped and impregnated by their father, Tsuneyoshi Washuu, the Clan head. This was the reason why Kichimura had helped her escape the Sunlit Garden when they were children. Of course, she then went on to roam Tokyo on a flesh-eating binge after abandoning Mura and forgetting about him but Kichimura felt it was alright since she was now in a place where he could always find and hold her.

Kichimura was a member of the side family branch being born a bastard of the Clan head. And unlike his combat genius of a twin brother Kichimuri, he'd always been more gifted in the areas of socialization and interpersonal relationships. He'd always been good with people and during his time in the V organization, he'd easily made many connections and had gotten fellow operatives comfortable enough to trust him with their complaints about their superiors, the main family branch. As the bastard son of the Clan head, Kichimura as well as his brother did not receive any special treatment and were nothing more than soldiers to their father. They weren't in line to inherit anything from him and would be abandoned or killed the moment they stepped out of line. Even Kishou Arima, as his half-brother was in a similar situation as a bastard despite the fact that he was the top combatant for the organization. Arima would never inherit anything from Tsuneyoshi Washuu and only his remarkable achievements as a ghoul investigator had allowed him the chance to have the relationship he currently had with his father, the Chairman of the CCG. Only the legitimate son of Tsuneyoshi, Yoshitoki Washuu was considered as the main family branch lineage and was set to inherit everything including the post of Washuu Clan head and CCG Chairman. Kichimura has figured all this out early on and had utilized the brewing resentment among the V organization against the main Washuu Clan family branch to forge an alliance dedicated to overthrowing them. His biggest recruitment recently came in the form of his former mentor Kaiko who was a very high ranking member of the V organization and had long standing connections with many crucial members of the covert organization. Kichimura had succeeded in recruiting him by tempting him with the ghoulification procedure and its benefits. Kaiko was an anomaly as a half-human with a shortened lifespan who'd miraculously lived way past his 30s. Much wasn't known about him but the fact that he was a half-human who was getting close to his 60s. He'd trained many of the agents in the organization back when they were rookies first coming in and had formed long lasting connections with them even as they went on to climb the ranks of the organization. Kaiko could be said to be the most influential among the agents which made him all the more important to Kichimura when it come to gathering more allies and overthrow the Washuu Clan main lineage. Kaiko has long been discontent with the Washuu Clan and having the V organization be their war dogs. He was loyal to the organization itself not the clan and had come to Kichimura to hear if his plans had any chance in succeeding in its goal of overthrowing the Washuu main lineage. It was only when Kichimura threw out the bait of the ghoulification procedure which could possibly cure their shortened lifespan that Kaiko became fully committed to their alliance and fully invested himself in their shared ambitions. Kaiko's resolve was further strengthened when Kichimura showed him the positive results of the procedure by showing him his new kagune. With Kaiko's full cooperation it became much easier to turn the V organization against the Washuu main lineage.

Kichimura and Kaiko discussed their plans to wipe out the Main branch of the Washuu Clan shortly after the beginning of the citywide ghoul eradication operation codename "Spring Cleaning". With most of the CCG combatants sent out to the city and too busy trying to eradicate every ghoul they could find, it would be an ideal time to attack and wipe out the Washuu Clan. During the months leading up to the operation, the Washuu Clan had called back all their personal combat forces to protect their compound. They knew they were open to attack during this period but they felt safe with the V organization and their personal force securing them. The Clan head had even called back Matsuri Washuu, his grandson and Yoshitoki Washuu's son from overseas at Germany where he was stationed to help out with the ghoul eradication efforts there. The entire main Washuu Clan was currently being assembled in their compound as well as the side branch families that were subordinate to them. Kichimura intended on fully eradicating all of them during the opportune moment when they were all together with less security than they realized. Before that could happen however, Kichimura needed to fully take over the V organization. This was rather simple considering he had Kaiko on his side who had widespread influence across the organization. Kaiko just had to declare loyalty to Kichimura's cause and the rest of the organization would follow. Of course there was a small minority that were truly loyal to the Washuu Clan and would try to stop the organization's rebellion. This was why Kichimura had designated their first course of action to be fully assuming control of the V organization and wiping out all who opposed them in its ranks. Afterwards they would move onto the Washuu Clan who without the protection of the V organization were vulnerable to a complete massacre. Their main target was the Washuu Clan main lineage consisting of Tsuneyoshi Washuu, Yoshitoki Washuu and Matsuri Washuu. These three were the central lineage of the entire clan who formed the line of succession. With them gone, the right to inheritance could be taken by any of Tsuneyoshi's illegitimate children or other family and clan members. This was why Kichimura intended on wiping out the entire place, he fully intended on inheriting the post of CCG Chairman, clan head and control of the V organization so as to make use of them for his own designs. After discussing all there was to discuss regarding the plan with Kaiko, Kichimura was led to another hall where a secret gathering was taking place consisting of many in the V organization who were allied with Kaiko. Kaiko brought Mura along to get him further acquainted with those at the different ranks of the V organization with influence thus raising Kichimura's prestige in the organization to another level thus allowing him to easily take over once the Washuu Clan was out of the way. Kichimura had already contacted the Clowns through his persona as Souta to aid him in the Clan eradication mission so they could take the blame and remove all suspicions on Kichimura when he assumed the CCG Chairman position. Kichimura had already discussed the details of his entire plan with his twin brother Kichimuri and they'd both agreed Kichimura would be more efficient as head of the organization. Muri was more of a free spirit who thrives off combat and would not appreciate being seated behind a desk everyday leading the organization. After the successful gathering, the agents who allied themselves with Kaiko and the rebellion, left convinced of Kichimura's capabilities and were assured they'd be in good hands with him as the new leader. In the weeks leading up to the start of citywide operation "Spring Cleaning", Kichimura led Kaiko to Shiki where he also underwent the ghoulification procedure as well as some of his most trusted subordinates. Gradually more of the top ranks in the V organization secretly became artificial half-ghouls and became more powerful with their own kagune. The weeks leading up to the start of the CCG's most ambitious operation ever were filled with anticipation and final war preparations as an atmosphere of agitated bloodlust settled over Tokyo.

Meanwhile, shortly after her discovery of the other woman, Itori had used her connections and network to dig up information on her. Itori discovered the strange woman who'd been hanging unto her Shiki was named Sen Takatsuki. She was an acclaimed best selling author in the horror genre who'd in the past year released another best selling horror masterpiece that dabbled in psychological and romantic themes. Itori got all this information as she focused on digging up dirt about her new rival for Shiki's affections. When none turned up she investigated her entire background to find she was just a normal human author who made enough money off her book sales to afford an above average lifestyle in a luxury secure apartment. Itori began to stalk Sen as she left her apartment and followed her everyday observing everything she did to construct a basic habit of routine for the home-wrecking green haired author. Itori wanted to find out the people she interacted with daily as well as if she had any friends or family who could possibly be an issue. Itori did this for a few days before feeling she'd gotten enough information she could about the whore. Sen spent each day at home and would head out in the late evening to a cafe where she'd have dinner and a snack while typing on her laptop for a few hours before heading back home. The only time that routine changed seemed to be whenever Shiki came over. She seemed friendly enough when interacting with the people she came across on the street daily but Itori didn't give a damn about that. During this period of time while Itori had been stalking Sen Takatsuki, Shiki had been holed up in his lab putting the finishing touches on a project he said would be key to their victory over the CCG and the catalyst for the unification of humans and ghouls. Itori had understood but with his continued absence she'd ended up spending most of her time in the 20th ward and had even rented a place to live close to Takatsuki's apartment building. Itori kept a close watch on all of Takatsuki's activities, stalking and following her from a distance as she waited for an opportune time to take her out with no witnesses. Finally her chance came one night when a gruesome truck accident on the streets and walkways had caused Takatsuki to take a path through the alleys on her way home from the cafe. Itori felt excited as she followed the author and waited until they were all alone before dropping down from the roof in front of her. "*Shrieks* who are you? I don't have anything worth stealing. Please don't hurt me." The short green haired woman Sen Takatsuki screamed like a frightened bunny as she backed away from the menacing Itori who'd suddenly appeared before her. Itori sneered with derision at the short green haired young woman cowering before her. She felt contempt and hatred for this woman clearly not worthy of her beloved. She was going to make her disappear so mysteriously Shiki wouldn't be able to find out with hundred percent certainty that she was the culprit. He could always suspect Itori's involvement in the disappearance of Sen Takatsuki but he'd come to realize she did it for his own good and love her all the more for it. "You trifling whore. How dare you try to lay your hands on my beloved Shiki when you're nothing but an insignificant human ant. I'm going to enjoy killing you and bathing in your blood." Itori said with a malicious grin as she released her large kagune and approached the cowering green haired author. Sen Takatsuki's facial expression morphed in abject fear and horror at Itori's words as well as the monstrous tail like appendage growing behind her with sharp-tipped finger-width flagella wriggling about in the air at the end. Itori attacked immediately with her kagune by whipping it across Sen Takatsuki's face. Itori controlled her attack to have the tip of her kagune flagella rip across Sen's face and horrifically disfigure it. Screams filled the isolated alley as Sen cried out and fell to the ground from the attack. Itori didn't give her a break and began to use her flagella kagune to whip across her back and limbs. Itori giggles with glee as she deftly used her kagune to cause non lethal damage to her victim, she ripped through skin and broke bones but avoided doing damage to internal organs such as the brain heart or lungs. She inflicted as much pain as she could without dealing a lethal blow. Itori took a little time to derive pleasure from torturing her prey before she wrapped her kagune around the barely moving bloodied body of Sen Takatsuki and brought it towards her so she could admire her handiwork. Itori observed the grotesque marred face of Sen Takatsuki caused by her sharp tipped flagellum as well the bloodied wounds running across her body and ripping her clothes. Itori approved of her handiwork and felt it was time to end it since she'd wasted enough time in the alley, Sen Takatsuki's screams may have attracted someone. Itori brought Sen face to face with her and looked into her green eyes, "Maybe in your next life you'll be more careful of the men you associate with. Any last words, you whore?" Itori said with a condescending sneer. Sen Takatsuki didn't say anything but Itori felt she noticed a hint of amusement in her gaze. Annoyed, Itori pierced her right hand into Eto's chest, she was about to grab hold of her heart and rip it out when she felt something grip her wrist. "Poor girl, so obsessed with holding unto something that doesn't belong to you. How pathetic, it seems you're done messing around. I thought you'd at least entertain me a bit more with your condescending jealous rage which was why I let this charade go on for so long. You really disappoint me. Don't worry, when you're gone I'll be there to keep Shiki company so he doesn't miss you too much." Shocked and confused, Itori glances at her wrist to find Sen's hand gripping it before looking up to find Sen Takatsuki smiling at her. Sensing danger, Itori immediately released Sen from her kagune and tried to put distance between them when she felt her arm being ripping off from her shoulder. Itori managed to make it away from the suddenly unfamiliar Sen Takatsuki however it'd resulted in her losing an arm. Itori watched as Sen landed on her feet and bit into Itori's amputated arm while she began visibly regenerating from all the wounds Itori had inflicted on her. "Who or what are you? You're supposed to be human." Itori asked the woman currently feasting on her severed arm. Sen grinned as she stopped eating Itori's arm and wiped her bloody mouth with it, "Disgusting. Mm? You're talking to me? Oh who I am is not important, you should be more worried about how you're going to leave this alley alive." Sen said as she burst forth towards Itori while growing a large muscular appendage that grew from her shoulder along her arms and past it. The appendage was large with a sharp scythe-like edge and a very sharp point at the end. Itori tried to defend with her kagune by piercing her flagella at the incoming Sen. However Sen Takatsuki merely tore through everything with her muscular scythe-like appendage. Itori slammed her large kagune at Sen only for her to flip over it and land right before Itori. Itori felt rage but mostly fear as she backed up and tried to recall her kagune and pierce through the woman before her. Before she could do anything though, tori could no longer see Sen Takatsuki before her. She felt a breeze on her neck and a presence behind her, "Maybe in your next life you'll be more careful of the men you associate yourself with." Itori heard Sen whisper into her ear and she unsuccessfully tried to speak. Itori stumbled as she suddenly felt the world spinning around her only to suddenly stop with the first thing in Itori's line of sight being her headless corpse. Itori felt confused at the situation as she began mentally screaming for Shiki to come rescue her. She couldn't comprehend the reality of what was happening to her as she watched her headless body slump onto the floor and bleed out. She kept believing this was a nightmare even as Sen Takatsuki walked over and pierced through her skulls with her pointed appendage. The last thing that went through Itori's mind as she died was the vision of her idyllic future with Shiki. She died with a smile on her face.

Eto used her kagune to pick up the orange haired headif the female ghoul who'd just tried to kill her as Sen Takatsuki. Eto had sensed she was being followed and observed for the past few days so she'd stuck to her human routine in case she was being investigated by the CCG. Turned out it was Itori, the female acquaintance of Shiki. Tatara had told Eto about Itori when she'd arrived at the Aogiri Tree headquarters to meet Shiki a few months ago. Eto didn't spend a lot of time underground so Itori had never met her before and only knew of Eto in her cloaked disguise. Only a handful of people had seen Eto's true appearance as a ghoul. It seemed despite the fact that Itori was reportedly acquaintances with Shiki, she was actually more than that and had gotten jealous after somehow finding out about her. Itori seemed to have been unaware of Sen Takatsuki's true nature and identity as a ghoul. Eto felt relieved her true identity of a ghoul posing as a human hadn't been exposed. It would be a bother abandoning her life and significant financial assets as a best selling author when she wasn't ready to do so yet. Eto glanced at the smile on the face of the woman she'd just beheaded and killed before chuckling as she dropped it on the floor. Eto continued chuckling and crushed the skull beneath her feet as she walked towards the headless corpse laying on the floor a distance away from her. She used her kagune to rip the body into pieces and remove any traces of the woman's identity. Afterwards Eto groaned as she looked down at her ripped and bloodied clothing. "I overdid it with the charade, I can't go home like this." She stuck to the alleys and made her way to the dry cleaning store on her way home where she normally kept spare clothes for such occasions. She broke into the closed store through a secret entrance she'd found long ago and stripped down before throwing her bloody clothes into the washing machine. She picked up her spare clothes she kept hidden in a plastic waterproof bag in the vents. Eto walked naked to the store's restroom where she wiped off the blood on her body. Eto was acquainted with the owner who was a elderly woman that ran the dry cleaning store by herself and lived in the apartment building a few blocks down. Eto used the store for her dry cleaning and got friendly enough with the owner to know there were no cameras in the store. The only security measures were a couple of padlocked gates. Eto cleaned herself up and walked out of the restroom dressed in her spare clothes. She left the store and made her way to her apartment where she found Shiki lounging around in her living room. "Where've you been, I just finished my project and I felt like celebrating. Did something happen to you?" Shiki said with a charming smile on his face as he turned to face the approaching Eto. Eto smiled as she shook her head sideways. "Nothing really, I was just inconvenienced by a minor accident. I had to take the long way home from the cafe." Eto said as she climbed unto Shiki's lap facing him and hungrily kissed him. Both embraced each other as they indulged in the warmth of their bodies. Soon enough, Shiki picked up Eto as he cupped her ass and carried her off to the bedroom for hours of foreplay and rough sex. Eto had a malicious glint in her eyes as she luxuriated in Shiki's embrace, she would never let anyone else have or take her beloved Shiki from her. No matter what it took or how many lives it would cost, Eto would safeguard the affections of her lover Shiki for herself and herself alone. Eto smiled in blissful happiness as she felt Shiki's hot rod thrust into her depths while gazing deep into his mesmerizing golden eyes. She didn't care what it took, she'd kill for this man.