4 Chapter 3: Caught Red-Handed

In the evening, on my way back home. I remember the mother and daughter pair probably going to be staying at my place.

No, I insist they stay because they are going to be my allies that I recruit for my budding Ghoul group.

I drop by the department store to buy pillows, futon and blanket because I didn't have extra for them and it's awkward if only I get to sleep comfortably.

I definitely don't feel hurt that the money I was saving for my PC was used. It's a worthwhile investment.

The walk back is a little awkward too, carrying the stuff I bought by foot back home.

When I returned home, the door was still intact and I opened it with my key. They are still inside thankfully. I worried they would leave when I was at work.

"Hello, I am back."

"Welcome back, onii-chan!"

"Welcome back."

The daughter seems excited as she jumps up from the floor and walks to the door to greet me. I give her a head pat that seems to satisfy her as she returns to her mother.

After I unload the stuff I bought on the floor. I look over to them and the mother is expecting me to say something by her look.

"Oh, right. We haven't introduced ourselves. My name is Rei, Rei Sasaki."

"My name is Ryouko Fueguchi and this is my daughter, Hinami Fueguchi. Thank you for saving us last night." Ryouko stood up and bowed deeply, a Japanese culture kind of thing when they are feeling very grateful.

"Don't mind it. What I did last night was in the heat of the moment, I didn't think much about it."

"I insisted. I am very grateful for your intervention in saving me and my daughter."

It takes a few minutes to make her stop and listen to what I have to say.

"Anyway, I assume that both of you are on the run and didn't have a place to stay?"

"Yes?" The mother sounded confused by my question.

"Great, then you can stay here for now. Here, I bought you two things to sleep on." I said and pushed stuff I bought into her hand.

"No, we don't dare to impose on you after saving us. We will leave soon…" The mother sounds reluctant and hesitating.

Ryouko looks over to her daughter with many thoughts running in her mind.

"Are you worried about the Hunter from last night?" I asked.

Ryouko flinched and turned her head to me before she slowly nodded.

"Then don't worry about him. I will give you two places to stay and food to eat." I try to persuade her with an offer only an idiot would say no.

"No, we can't. I am thankful enough for saving us. I can't accept more than that. I cannot repay your favor back." She was hard headed and rejected the offer.

"No, I insist you stay." I said and looked over to her daughter as her eyes also followed. "Being on the run from the Hunter without any shelter is dangerous for not only you but also your daughter."

I felt bad for basically guilt tripping her using her daughter.

"Why? Why are you insisting us to stay?" She felt suspicious by my insistence.

How am I going to explain to her that I wanted to recruit her into my group to survive a future conflict that involves the Hunters.

Meanwhile, Ryouko sensed my gaze that landed on her. I was looking at her while imagining her Kagune that has good defensive potential but she mistook my gaze for something inappropriate.

Looking at me who didn't lack strength from my display last night and didn't lack food as I readily have in my fridge. She instantly assumed I saved her for her body. Well, it's not wrong but for context, I wanted an able body to fight.

Ryouko then looked at her daughter. She felt very guilty for being unable to protect her and provide for her. She had been always relying on her husband that she can't even hunt for food. If there is another man that can fill in for that role. She is willing to do the sacrifice.

(😂 No, no. This isn't what it looks like. Please keep away the pitchfork and torch. Or was it? 😳)

"I actually want to form a group…" I said.

"I… am willing." Ryouko said simultaneously.

"Great." I was surprised by her quick response although the tone she used is a bit weird. As if she was ashamed but also relent at the same time.

"Huh? A group?" Ryouko seems to register what I said and sounds oddly surprised by it.

"Ahaha… I thought… No, nevermind." She wanted to say something but stopped and shut her mouth.

"But, a group? For what?" She was confused why I would want to form a group as Ghoul are generally not very social and prefer to stay away from one another except for a partner or family.

"To have a better chance of survival against Hunters." I shrugged.

"My eyes opened last night that Hunters are very strong and just one Ghoul has a small chance to win against an encounter with a Hunter. So, I decided to form a group that can fight against the Hunter with numbers as our advantage." Well, this is the truth but not fully of course.

Ryouko nodded and accepted my answer. Also accepted my offer to join my group as the first member along with her daughter as the second member with me as the leader.

"But, I am not good at fighting or even hunting for food." She admitted.

"It's fine, you can learn it slowly. There's no better time like the present. It's for you and your daughter's own good if you learn how to fend for yourself." I made up inspiring words to end the conversation.

"Now, if there's nothing else. I have to go out for a while. Will be back by midnight."

I said as I still need to visit Akira's place to fetch my share. But my real real purpose was to hunt for Kakuhou to increase my chance of survival in the future.

———

Following the mask marker on the map, I eventually arrived on a hunting ground for another Ghoul.

I stalked them for a while, trying to get information about their Kagune before initiating a fight. Information gathering is the basics of any tactic.

After confirming both have Koukaku type Kagune, their disadvantage would be their heavy and bulky Kagune which I should overwhelm with speed.

I am trying to take one out with a surprise attack to remove their advantage in number.

Sneaking closer until I was a meter away to be directly above them. I peeked and when they are distracted by a human that wander into their vicinity

This is the opportunity. I jumped on them silently until the very last moment before my Kagune shoot out and carve into one of their back, ripping out the Kakuhou before he even get the opportunity to spread his Kagune.

The second one was so shocked that his partner died and my Kagune continued to extend and stab the second one into the wall. My hand swiftly stabs his heart and rips it out, leaving him to gasp for breath as his Ghoul regeneration extends his suffering longer than necessary.

It was surprisingly easy to kill them as both were too shocked to even give a proper response and by the time they did, I was already done killing them.

I ate the Kakuhou on the spot before hunting for another hour and made my way to Akira's place at 10:30 and then returned home before 12. I got a total of five Kakuhou tonight and still can't get over how easy it was to kill those Ghoul.

When I went to meet Akira, he noted that I carry a heavy scent of blood but I managed to convince him I was training my Kagune and the smell came from my own injury.

Perhaps it's a good idea to invest in my gear. Something like a waterproof coat that I can wash off on the go would be nice. I can reduce the smell of blood on myself.

———

At 11:40 pm, I returned home with my portion of meat which I gave to Ryouko and Hinami. Eating 5 Kakuhou leaves me full and will last for a few days.

When taking my shower, I noticed a visible improvement on my own Kagune which now has metallic sheen on the exterior and forming gray plates along its length and the tips grow thinner like a slightly curved blade's edge.

(Use your imagination. I can't find any image.)

Besides that, the Kagune also became more robust and metal-like solid. Entering the level of hardness of a Kokaku. This is after consuming 7 Kakuhou. I wonder what level of improvement I can achieve in the future as my Kagune already felt very strongly that my fight with other Ghouls was basically just a one-sided slaughter.

(His Kagune alone can carry him to Rank A.)

After a decently long shower, I went to lay on my bed. Thoughts about the future drifted into my mind.

To form a group, I need enough food to feed everyone and a base to settle. What I have right now is definitely incapable of achieving that anytime soon. To obtain those resources and facilities, money was definitely the first that came to mind.

Even as Ghoul, I cannot run away from the constraint of money as money runs the human world.

While yes, an abandoned place like Akira's is an option. But having an active group that operates around an 'abandoned' place is very suspicious and will attract the Hunters. Blending in with the human is safer.

As for the food issue. There isn't lack of death around the world in daily basis either from accident, suicide, gang fight, etc. Wouldn't collecting those corpses be easier than risk killing living people that will attract attention?

With money, a place can be bought. Humans can be hired to procure those corpses through maybe a gangs or something.

"Onii-chan!" Hinami suddenly jumped on me and made me catch her by reflex.

"Hinami! It's rude to disturb him while he is busy." Ryouko quickly chasitize her daughter and apologizes while dragging her rebellious daughter away.

I found it endearing that she warmed up to me very quickly and saw me as her brother figure. It didn't help that she also revered me as her hero who saved her and her mother from the evil Ghoul hunter.

"Nah, It's okay. It's my fault for not noticing both of you and getting absorbed in my own world." I sit on my bed and look at the two.

"So, what were you trying to tell me just now?"

"Ah, I want to say thank you for giving me and my mother a place to stay and food to eat." Hinami exclaimed with both her hands raised to the air.

"Oh, you are welcome." I smiled warmly and patted her head.

After that, she returned to her mother's side and slept while I also went back to my bed after turning off the light.

Returning to my previous thoughts, I made a plan for the future while slowly drifting to dreamland. But Ryouko suddenly called for me with a whispering tone.

"Whatever your reason might be, I am also thankful for saving me and my daughter. I am very grateful for your care. Whatever task you have for me, I will try my best to do if I can protect Hinami's happiness."

"Alright. We can talk about it tomorrow." I said and the room returned to silence as everyone including me fell asleep after a while.

———

Next day, Ray woke up early and he went to work as usual while Ryouko and Hinami stayed in the house.

Coincidentally, Akira dropped by to check on Ray that he found was acting suspicious last night and he was worried.

So, with a spare key. Akira entered Ray's apartment to investigate but found two Ghouls living inside his house.

"Who are you two and what are the two of you doing in this apartment?" Akira interrogated after shutting the door close.

Ryouko remembers Ray's reminder to not talk to anyone that knocked on the door but Akira directly entered with a key. Which means, Akira should be someone close to Ray.

When his questions weren't answered, Akira got a little impatient and raised his voice which made Ryouko quickly bring Hinami behind her.

Perhaps guilty that he scared Hinami, Akira paused and his expression softened a little and he scratched his head.

"Look. I am Rei's buddy and I just wanted to know why there are two unknown people in his apartment. That's all I want to know."

While Ryouko was still hesitating, Hinami peeked from behind her and said.

"Onii-chan saved us from evil hunters and gave us a place to stay."

"He what!"

Akira felt his heart sank when heard Rei fought against a Hunter. Any encounter with a Hunter is disastrous because once they discovered a Ghoul in the area, they won't stop until they kill the Ghoul and Hunters are known to be relentless.

He can't believe Rei would do such a risky thing that could impact the whole group yet stay silent about it. He can't even comprehend the reason why Rei would do such things.

The Rei he knew is very reclusive and would never go out his way, doing such a risky thing without a reason. Even if Rei has a reason, he still doubts Rei would be daring enough to do it because he had never gone out his way to do it.

Now, he is sure something has changed about Rei. He took out his phone and immediately dialed Rei's number.

*Tuut* *Tuut* x3

"Akira? Why did you call me?" Ray answered the call confusedly.

"You have something to explain to me, Rei. Why did you do such a thing without telling us? Me?" Akira asked with a tone of anger mixed with disappointment.

"What are you talking about?

"I'm talking about fighting a Hunter, Rei. Do you not know the severity of your action to the rest of the group? To Kiko and me? You put us at risk without even consulting us at all." Akira surprisingly isn't angry and only disappointed.

"..." Ray stayed silent because he didn't have any answer to give.

"I don't care what you are doing right now. Get back here and we need to talk or else you and our group are done."

Ryouko, who heard the conversation, felt guilty that she caused trouble to her savior. Hinami however is still young to understand but she did understand that Akira is angry with Ray because of them.

After the call, Akira just stands in the apartment and waits for Ray to return. He actually isn't angry about Ray saving Ryouko and Hinami. But angry that he got involved with a Hunter. He would no doubt get into a panic attack once he learned later the Hunter is a First Class Hunter and the infamous Mad Hunter Mado

———

Almost 40 minutes later, Ray returned to his apartment and clearly returned in a rush as he was panting slightly.

Then he entered his own apartment, Akira stared him in the eye.

"You better start explaining." Akira said.

Not knowing what to say, Ray just straight up told the truth. He saved the two because he thinks Ryouko's Kagune is good and he planned to train her into a capable fighter.

"You risk yourself just because of that?" Akira's disappointment deepens after hearing his excuse.

"You could have recruited any other Ghoul without getting involved with a Hunter."

"No, you are the one that didn't understand. Recruiting any random Ghoul has risk as I do not know where their loyalty lies. For her, I know that keeping her daughter happy and safe will earn me her loyalty." Ray defended.

Akira fell silent because it's a sound argument. He also didn't recruit any random Ghoul because of this and both Kiko and the previous Rei were saved by him, that's why he could trust Kiko and Rei.

"Fine then, if it's the Hunter you are so worried about. Then let me take the responsibility if the Hunter is coming."

Had enough arguing, Ray said he will take the responsibility of this matter and finally shut Akira up.

Akira then sighed.

"It's not that I am angry about you fighting the Hunter. But you didn't consult me and Kiko first before making such a risky decision. We are a team, remember? Whatever we do will benefit each other and the risk we bear together."

"But, not like this. Doing everything in silence and keeping us in the dark."

Akira fully softens up and starts advising what Ray did wrong. But Ray isn't Rei. Naturally he wouldn't like the team mentality inside him as Akira and Kiko are basically strangers that he is pretending to know well just to keep his identity as Rei who he took over after the reincarnation.

Ryouko also is relieved that everything ends up well and she also knows Ray's friends are good people. Hinami is also happy that no one is upset and angry anymore.

—————