บท 15: Side Story: Takashi Asano #1
Side Story: Takashi Asano #1
Takashi Asano had seen Tokyo's darkness, but nothing like this. Every face he passed might be hollow, every pair of eyes a vessel for something twisted. Something that made him do the unthinkable—work with a ghoul.
The memory replayed in his mind: an alley bathed in shadows, the ghoul standing over him, extending a hand to help rather than strike. Part of him recoiled at the thought, but another part knew the truth: something far more dangerous was out there, something that could make even ghouls afraid. And if a ghoul like Kaneki had come forward to warn him, then Asano couldn't ignore the threat.
He had to know more.
Asano made his way to a quiet cafe tucked into a corner of 12th. He chose a table by the window, scanning the street as he waited for his contact. He'd been digging through the CCG's files on disappearances and unusual behavior, but formal reports had become scarce. Most of what he gathered was whispered rumors, pieces of a disturbing puzzle he couldn't put together yet.
A young officer approached, slipping an envelope into Asano's hands. "Investigator Asano, that's all we could get. The higher-ups are starting to ask questions."
Asano nodded, tucking the envelope into his coat. "Tell them it's part of a special case," he said evenly. "This is bigger than the usual ghoul hunt."
The officer gave him a hesitant look before disappearing back into the city's stream of faces. Asano sighed, the weight of every glance following him. He could feel the eyes, hear the whispers—a rogue investigator poking his nose into things he shouldn't. But he'd seen enough to know he couldn't afford to stop now.
Opening the envelope, he found files on more disappearances and reported cases of people acting strange, their eyes empty and their movements unnaturally precise. 12th, 13th, and 14th Ward were hit hardest, though official reports downplayed the details. But Asano had witnessed the truth firsthand—the blank stares, the hollow faces. The parasite's presence was more than real, and it was growing.
His phone buzzed with a brief, coded message from Kaneki: "12th Ward. Possible parasite host. Midnight.
Asano felt a surge of adrenaline. This was his lead, his chance to get closer to the truth. Slipping the files back into his coat, he left the cafe and walked into the cold night, his steps quickening as he felt himself slip further away from the path the CCG had set for him.
---
12th Ward was quiet at midnight. Asano waited in a shadowed alley, his senses on edge. Every instinct told him to draw his quinque, to be ready for anything, but he forced himself to stay calm.
"Finally showed up," a low voice muttered from the shadows.
Kaneki stepped into the faint light, his expression as wary as Asano's. Their alliance was uneasy, but both of them knew the parasite posed a danger greater than their distrust of each other.
"12th Ward," Kaneki said quietly. "The parasite's influence is spreading faster here. I encountered a host last night—stronger than before."
Asano's brow furrowed. "Stronger how?"
Kaneki's expression darkened. "It's adapting. The parasite isn't just taking over bodies; it's learning from them, growing stronger with each host it takes. And it's not stopping."
The chill running down Asano's spine felt different from fear. This was a realization—a weight pressing down on him as he began to understand just how deep this problem went. The parasite was evolving, and with every host, it was becoming harder to track, harder to kill.
"What about the CCG?" Kaneki asked, his gaze lingering on Asano, sharp and suspicious. "Are they taking this seriously?"
Asano clenched his fists. "They're cautious… for now, I'm acting alone."
Kaneki's expression shifted, and Asano saw a flicker of something—was it judgment? Pity? He couldn't tell. But the look in Kaneki's eyes only fueled Asano's frustration. He was risking everything to expose the parasite, even if it meant working with a ghoul, yet here he was, meeting suspicion from the one ally he had.
"There's a host nearby," Kaneki said, his voice breaking through Asano's thoughts. "I can feel the parasite's presence. It's… strong. Stay close."
Asano nodded, his hand steady on his quinque. Together, they slipped through the shadows, each step a cautious dance, tension hanging thick between them. The silence stretched, broken only by their quiet breaths, as they moved in sync toward the end of the alley.
There, at the end of the alley, stood a man, his back hunched, his eyes glowing faintly red with the parasite's influence. Asano could feel the weight of the creature's gaze even from here. A familiar dread coiled in his gut as he recalled the lifelessness in the eyes of other hosts he had encountered.
Kaneki's kagune unfurled first, a silent signal, and Asano readied his quinque, the two of them falling into a tense but practiced rhythm. They were allies out of necessity, bound together by a force they couldn't face alone.
As they advanced, the man straightened, his body twisting with unnatural speed. He lunged forward, his movements jerky but terrifyingly precise. The parasite had granted him strength, and his strikes came at them with unrelenting force.
But Asano and Kaneki fought back, matching the host's movements, their combined strength overpowering him. Each strike was a step closer to subduing the host, to freeing another life from the parasite's grip. Finally, with a final, coordinated strike, they brought the host to his knees, the red glow fading from his eyes.
As the host collapsed, Asano felt a grim satisfaction, a victory that only brought more questions. The parasite was still out there, lurking, learning, growing stronger with every encounter.
Kaneki straightened, meeting Asano's gaze. "This won't end here," he said quietly. "The parasite is evolving. If we don't find its source soon…"
Asano nodded, feeling the weight of his decision settle over him. He'd crossed a line tonight, breaking his oath to the CCG, but he knew, as he looked down at the fallen host, that he couldn't turn back now.
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