15 To the academy

In one night a video was posted on major social networks.

The video consisted of a CCG investigator chasing and attacking a woman in an alley.

The woman just ran away from the investigator's blows while he laughed and mocked the woman.

The video is cut when the woman arrives at a dead end.

After the cut appears a masked figure talking, his mask has a big smile and two uneven eyes and his voice is extremely strange, constantly changing volume, tone, sometimes even tongue.

-H̸̝̣̳͑̑è̸͇̘͘l̶̥̤̼̆̀̄l̵̖̑̍ó̸̡͉͜͝ ̵̙̔p̶̡̞͍̿e̵͇̥̙̿͘o̸̠̙͌̕͠p̸̩͉̚͜l̴̛̮͂ẽ̷̝̬ ̷͚̾̏f̶̗͑̑r̵͓̈́́o̴̯͊͐̕ḿ̸̧̘̫̈́ ̶̥̤͗T̸͇̍ȍ̴͔k̶͖͕̑͝ͅŷ̴̺̘ǫ̸͊̇̉.̸͙̻̙̓̍.̴̛̖̙͖̑̿.̸̡͍͖̔̂t̵͖͕̎̿̆h̴̥̉̋ǐ̶͕̗́͌s̴̹̈́͝ ̵̗̍ĭ̴͍͆́s̷̨̰̍̓̃ ̵̘͎̒ą̷͕͉͐ ̶̧̩̗̔̍͝C̷̛̤̓̈C̶͙̩̆̓̐ͅǴ̵̢̛̰̥̏ ̵̢̒̄͛i̶̺̱̺͌n̴̠̏͒v̸̞̱̲̔̿͌e̵̤̝̦̽s̸͇̳̏t̵̖̊i̷̝̍g̶͈͇͍͝a̷̡͔͈̓ț̶̺̱̋͆͝ó̸̝͚͗ȓ̵̬͇̬͒.̸̞̇̿̍.̷̡͐̄.̵͙̥͉́͑͐

The video replays and the masked figure points to the man who has a sadistic smile on his face.

-...c̸̛̺h̶̲͌a̴͇̓s̴̳̒ǐ̸̼ṇ̴̎g̷̨̑ ̵̙̍ǎ̵͓ ̶̪̓s̷̰͋u̶̙͌p̸͉̏ṕ̸̹o̸̖̕s̶̥̎e̵̩̋d̵͓͌ ̵̘͐g̶̩͆h̸͎̊o̶̩͘ȗ̴̥l̷̗̚ ̵͈͝t̵̨͗h̷̺͋é̴̯ý̴̮ ̸̱̄b̶̼̉e̷̠̔l̸̗̿ḯ̸͓e̴̠̓v̸͔̏ȇ̸̠ ̴̺͗i̷̺̚s̴̮͝ ̷͈͘"̵̛͇B̴̢̈ȋ̶͓n̴̢̎g̸͔̀e̶̳͝ ̴̫͊e̶̳̎a̶̰͂t̸̙̔ẽ̷̡r̸̰͝...

The figure points to the woman who just runs away with a look of despair on her face.

-...Ì̷̬'̵̯͘m̶͕͘ ̸̺̀j̵̗̓u̸̗͆s̷͉̎t̸̠̓ ̵̺̂h̴͔̿ě̸̮r̴͝ͅe̷̺͝ ̷̘͝t̷̹̾ȏ̵̹ ̷̖̓s̸̱͌h̴͋͜ò̷̞w̶̗̕ ̵͚̎ý̸̱o̵͖̅ǘ̵͔ ̵̮͑w̴̮͝ȟ̴̨a̸̤̽t̶̥̋'̸̧̈s̷̠̀ ̶̗͐n̴̲̆o̴̩͆t̸͈͑ ̴̩̚s̷̜͒e̵̹̕ȇ̷͍n̷͕̐.̸̲́.̷͚̓.̵̲̓a̷̭̐n̷͉̉d̸̙́ ̷͓͆a̸͔̕s̸͔̄k̵̨̍ ̴̝̎a̷͎͛ ̶̦̄s̶͆͜î̶̱m̵͖͑p̶͆͜l̷͔̆ȇ̷̩ ̵͉͆q̴͖́ú̷̝ē̶͕s̸̯͗t̷̩̉ĩ̵̪ő̶̲n̶̙͊.̵̜͆.̴͕̽.̶̹̏

The figure pauses the video with the investigator preparing a last attack on the woman who is standing helpless.

-...W̶̞̊h̵͉̋ä̶͉́t̷͉̅ ̴͉́ì̸̘n̵̳̓v̵̬̌ê̵̥s̶̯̚t̴̖̐ȋ̶̗g̸͈̾a̶͔̚t̷̥̅ó̴̖r̴͘ͅs̴̼̈ ̴̨̀r̶̾ͅe̷͚̔ā̴͓l̶̛̰l̴͍̂ȳ̶̳ ̶̭͆d̸̹̍o̴͈͌?̷̘͐

And the video ends.

When people first see the video, curiosity comes out so they went to check it out and found that the old man in the video was in fact an investigator.

Then came more investigations into the compulsive eater mentioned in the video.

The public found out that there were still attacks going on from this ghoul, but they were all far from the 20th ward, all far from where the investigators were, and then everyone's first question came.

"Why was he there until now?"

And people looking further into the ongoing CCG operations discovered something even more interesting.

Nothing.

I didn't have information on any investigation, on any ghouls, on any investigators.

The CCG never revealed anything to the public, only in major operations because they emptied the action areas.

Only politicians and police officers were aware of what the CCG was really doing.

The people were scared and angry.

Afraid of being simply accused of being a ghoul and attacked by investigators.

After all, people thought the woman in the video was human.

And angry that they can't know anything about the CCG's operations.

There were also those who believed the video was fake and just ignored it.

And in the end those who didn't care.

And the CCG's response to all this?

It was just silence.

They pulled the investigators out of the 20th and continued their search for the compulsive overeater, who was now suspected of being the Jason of the 13th.

But everyone still wanted an answer from the CCG.

The identity of the author of the video, the masked one, was also searched for, but nothing was found.

His name, Gender, age, nothing was known.

He never answered any questions.

He just made the video, posted it and disappeared leaving chaos to reign for the CCG to resolve.

So he got that name.

CHAOS.

But what has CHAOS been doing since then?

================================

-You did it on purpose didn't you?

I ask Eto dryly after arriving at her house for the first time since she "hired" me as an employee.

-Which?

she asks curiously.

I point to her house which was worse than the last time I came.

-How can it be worse than last time? I had it clean last time!

The house itself looks the same as last time, papers and pillows thrown all over the place but this time also the stains of what appears to be paint on the floor.

-....how did you make this mess?

I ask starting to straighten things out, Eto looks slightly guilty before answering.

-I had started to write a new book...then I lost my muse and got mad...

-And breaking pens relaxes?

I ask casually.

-No, but going out is eating a little, yes!

She exclaims excitedly.

"So she killed some people huh..."

-Well...is there any reason for me to be here besides tidying up your house?...I kind of have to go to the gym today, you know? To get the information you want...

She interrupts me.

-I know, I just want to congratulate you on your cute theater it seems it worked but...

"She couldn't have forgotten that conversation?"

-...I haven't forgotten you want the details then? Start talking.

He says as he sits cross-legged on the floor.

I sigh.

-I don't have much to say, the CCG left the 20th, the Fueguchi family is still alive, Jason is considered the compulsive eater, everything worked out, the end!

I speak and clap my hands.

Eto gives me a dry look.

-I want to know how! Her plan was based on using human sympathy to save ghouls! This is nonsense!

She screams pointing at me visibly indignant.

I start to laugh.

-Uh lady leader of a terrorist organization... don't you know the least bit about manipulating the masses?

She pouts and I laugh even harder.

-Hey! The only thing I need to do is kill! Why manipulate my intention and be free and eat?!

She tries to speak threateningly but...

- takes the pout off your face to try to pass for a cruel leader.

She blushes.

-But I understand her point, it doesn't matter any sympathy from the public especially with the CCG still hunting you indiscriminately, so in fact, currently the only solution for you would really be violence.

Eto nods and asks.

-Why didnt you just kill the investigators and blame Jason?

I freeze.

- You... didn't you think about it?

This time I blush.

Eto starts to laugh.

-Hey, in my defense, it wouldn't have been fun....

I mumble but Eto continues to laugh.

-Okay... I really hadn't thought...

I wait for Eto to finish laughing and speak.

-But my plan itself was just to make the investigator look like the villain of the story...

Eto looks on with interest.

-...in the video and seen only an armed man chasing a panicked woman, not even a ghoul, just a woman, meaning people in general will already be more inclined to have sympathy for the woman...

Eto nods.

-...and then with the things I said, everyone was curious and in this case the lack of transparency of the CCG will help me, as they do not usually take cases to the public, people will be afraid because they are in the dark and will ask for information with they.

-But if they deliver, your plan won't fail?

-Yes, but then Jason's bait, if the CCG responds saying that the woman was a ghoul, the public already knowing that she is not the compulsive eater, and the question will come "why aren't you after the real threat?"

-In Jason's case.

I nod in agreement.

"And they teriamd have to get their men out of this peaceful area and send them to Jasons.

-That's actually arrived, the number of investigators in the 13th has increased a lot, Jason is very angry about it...

-Is he causing you problems?

I ask playfully.

She snorts.

- Let him try.

-And in the end my goal was a success and as a bonus the CCG still has a slight headache.

-But how did you know that people would put pressure on the CCG?

-For the same reason people hate ghouls.

-Like?

I sigh.

-People are afraid of the unknown Eto, for the average ghoul people are unbeatable and unrecognizable monsters, thank the CCG for that...

She grimaces slightly at this.

-...and now who is being feared for the same reason and the CCG, and how people don't know who can ghoul since only the CCG really has the method of identifying them without the ghoul itself revealing itself...

-I don't think anyone will simply activate their kagune in the middle of the street.

Eto comments laughing and I laugh too.

-...and the CCG is literally a giant building or is an easier target to unload your doubts....

-People can complain to her directly.

Cheerful applause for Eto.

-Congratulations!!!

She huffs and looks thoughtful before smiling excitedly and whispering.

-You turned the hate and fear that the CCG makes the ghouls pass on to themselves...

She stares at me with wide eyes.

-...that was amazing!

Eto rushes towards me quickly and hugs me tight enough to be intimate, but not enough to hurt me.

I freeze in shock.

Eto is hugging me.

Not trying to eat me.

Not threatening me.

Hugging me.

And the worst thing is that it's very nice.

"And now what do I do?"

Hug back?

Do I look like this?

But before deciding, Eto pushes me out of his apartment.

- You have to go to the academy now! We'll see each other later.

And she closes the door before I can do anything.

"But what happened here....?"

I stand at Eto's door confused.

"....but now I have to go..."

I start heading towards the gym hoping that the rest of the day will be more normal.

================================

"Why?"

I think looking at the teacher I'll have at the academy.

"Did i do something wrong...?"

"I mean I did a lot wrong...but still..."

The teacher is an old hunchback who is missing one of his arms.

"...after Eto hugged me I wanted a normal day..."

-Hello everyone, I will be your main teacher during your time here at the academy...

The old man starts talking and the other students in the room look shocked at his presence here.

Even though I know it's for an entirely different reason.

-...Mado kureo.

"I shot this guy a few days ago!!!"

I exclaim mentally keeping a slight smile on my face.

-Yes, before you ask, I'm the video investigator...

Some people whisper something under their breath.

-...and that video is real, yes...

More voices join the murmurs.

-...but it is manipulated, everything was a trap made by CHAOS to take me and my field partner out.

Everyone is silent and mado sighs.

-And who is this CHAOS mado-sensei? And why would he do that?

Mado sighs again.

-We don't know his motives, but I know he's human, which only makes it harder to know why he was helping those mon...

He pauses.

-...those ghouls...

"Ohhh that's interesting....did he change his mind?"

He slams his hand down hard on the table and speaks seriously.

-But it does not matter! You are here to learn how to hunt ghouls! Not listening to gossip and setting the stage for a damned anarchist!

"Why would I be an anarchist?"

And after that inspiring speech he starts teaching the class.

I must admit that he is overall a good teacher and incredibly understanding of the slower ones, always explaining again when necessary.

He started off talking about ghoul biology, which is similar to human and the blah blah blah that I already know.

But then he said interesting things, like the fact that ghouls need human flesh or RC cells to support themselves, RC cells being present in other ghouls, mainly in kagune.

"But it's the coffee? Where does it come in?"

And the kakunes themselves are made up of RC cells that are released from an organ called the kokuhou which is basically a sac inside the ghouls.

And that it is also from this kokuhou that investigators do their quizzes.

The bell rings to end the class.

"This was more interesting than I expected"

I think while leaving the room, but before leaving Mado sees me and talks to me.

-uhn... aren't you the kid from the other day?

"Ahhhhhh"

I put a smile on my face.

-Yes it's me Mado-sensei.

I bow slightly and start to leave the room, he picks up his things and follows me.

"Does he have to follow me anyway?"

-You know, I'm surprised you're here, you don't look like much.

"Oh you old man...."

-hahaha but we don't judge abilities by appearance don't you Mado-sensei?

He nods his head with a more respectful look at me.

-from the fact sir...?

We arrived at the entrance hall which is quite large and with a constant movement of researchers and students.

"Are you technically already investigators or not?"

-Ryo konton.

I say my name calmly and listening to him looks thoughtful and then surprised.

He opens his mouth to speak but before that I hear a familiar voice behind me.

-Senpai?

Only one person would call me that.

"But there's no way...."

I look back and see a young white-haired androgyne looking at me curiously, when he sees mine he smiles and starts running towards me.

-Senpai!

I look at him in shock and scream.

-Juuzou?!