Byakuya had finally arrived at CCG's 23rd Ward Branch.
This was where the investigation team for the 24th Ward mission had gathered.
"I'm Uchiha Byakuya, Second-Class Investigator from the 2nd Ward Branch. My assigned Quinque is B-rank."
He kept his introduction brief and professional.
It was standard practice to mention one's Quinque rank,
But revealing its name or abilities—even to colleagues—was generally discouraged.
Byakuya was still dressed in his usual black trench coat.
The only difference was the new "White Dove" emblem pinned to his chest, a symbol of CCG Investigator status.
His Quinque briefcase was placed nearby.
There was no need to carry it around at all times while inside a CCG facility.
The Mission Briefing
"I'll be leading this expedition."
The speaker was Marude Itsuki, their commanding officer for the operation.
"Get some rest tonight. We move out tomorrow morning."
"Our objective is to explore deeper into the 24th Ward—gather as much intel as possible."
"We still know too little about what's really down there."
With that, Marude dismissed them all.
The investigators were now free to spend their time however they wished; either staying at the branch or returning to their temporary lodgings.
Byakuya decided to stay at the branch.
He wanted to use CCG's database to gather intel.
After all, this was ten years before the original Tokyo Ghoul timeline.
No matter how much he knew about the future,
His knowledge of this era was limited.
Just as Byakuya was about to look for a public terminal, a voice called out from beside him.
"Investigator Uchiha, may I take a look at your Quinque?"
The one who spoke was Mado Kureo.
At this point in time, Kureo was still under 30 years old.
He wore a black suit, his face thin but not yet haggard.
Unlike the obsessed and broken man from the original timeline,
This version of Mado Kureo still retained some of his youth and composure.
Even so—Asking to see someone else's Quinque right away?
Byakuya couldn't help but think, "So he was already obsessed with Quinques even this early, huh?"
"Ah, right—almost forgot to introduce myself."
"I'm First-Class Investigator Mado Kureo."
Kureo added.
Byakuya considered it for a moment.
Letting Kureo examine a B-rank Quinque wasn't a big deal.
Had it been A-rank or higher, he might have hesitated.
He was about to hand over his Quinque case when a woman's voice interrupted.
"Ignore him."
Byakuya turned to see an attractive woman in her early thirties.
She had delicate features and shoulder-length short, blond hair and was dressed in a white combat uniform,
She carried herself with the authority of an elite investigator.
This was Mado Kasuka;
Their strongest fighter and the Associate Special-Class Investigator leading the squad.
"He's always been obsessed with Quinques."
"But a Quinque is an investigator's most important weapon—you shouldn't casually hand it over to anyone."
She said, her voice firm.
"Understood."
Byakuya nodded without protest.
Right now, he was still just a "normal" Second-Class Investigator.
Obedient, disciplined, and loyal to his superiors.
Between a First-Class Investigator and an Associate Special-Class Investigator,
There was no question whose authority took priority.
"Ah… well…"
Faced with Mado Kasuka's firm rejection,
Mado Kureo awkwardly scratched his head.
Even though she was his wife;
She was also his superior officer, not to mention, she had once been his instructor at the Academy.
And on top of that; He was the one who married into the Mado family.
Originally, Kureo held a different surname,
But when he married Kasuka, he took her last name instead.
The reason?
Kasuka thought it was too much of a hassle to change her surname after marriage.
Kureo, being head over heels for her, simply went along with it.
Thus, the former instructor and her student became husband and wife.
That was also why Kasuka was not only stronger than Kureo
But ranked significantly higher in the CCG.
That said; Kureo's potential was not to be underestimated.
In the original timeline, he would go on to achieve great success in the CCG,
Racking up enough merits and achievements to be eligible for promotion to Associate Special-Class—or even Special-Class.
However, he refused every promotion,
Believing that rising too high in rank would place him under stricter CCG oversight; which would, in turn, hinder his pursuit of revenge against The One-Eyed Owl.
Ultimately, his obsession with Quinques and his hatred of Ghouls led to his downfall.
In a desperate battle, he was finally killed by Touka Kirishima and Hinami Fueguchi.
"Get Some Rest."
"Mado First-Class, make sure you get proper rest tonight."
"Tomorrow, once we enter the 24th Ward, we must be fully prepared for anything."
Kasuka reminded him strictly.
Even in public settings, she always addressed him formally.
"Yes, ma'am."
Kureo could only nod reluctantly before leaving.
His curiosity about Byakuya's Quinque remained,
But he had no choice but to drop the subject.
"Same goes for you, Investigator Uchiha—rest well. See you tomorrow."
Kasuka told him before heading off to handle other duties.
For the rest of the day, Byakuya divided his time between:
Mealtime and sleep
Reviewing all available public intel on the 24th Ward
Getting acquainted with the rest of the squad
The entire investigation team consisted of over twenty members.
The lowest-ranking investigator present was Second-Class.
Their commanding officers were:
Special-Class Investigator Marude Itsuki (Squad Leader)
Associate Special-Class Investigator Mado Kasuka (Vice Leader)
Even with such a strong lineup,
There was still a palpable tension in the air.
Before deployment, each investigator was required to submit a written will.
This was a standard protocol for any high-risk missions.
The CCG made sure that if an investigator fell in battle,
They would at least leave behind something for their family.
That Night – Writing his Will.
Byakuya sat at his temporary lodging, his gaze resting on a blank sheet of paper before him.
Frankly, he had no idea what to write nor who to write to.
He had no family in this world.
If he died,
His will would be pointless.
After thinking for a long while, ruminating.
He finally wrote down just a few simple words.
[Wishing Dear Kafka a successful release.]
[To: Sen Takatsuki]
At this moment, the only person he could call a "friend" in this world—Was Eto Yoshimura, or rather, Sen Takatsuki.
Of course; as long as he didn't die, the CCG would never deliver this letter to Sen Takatsuki.
Nor would they ever open it.
So, in the end, it didn't really matter what he wrote.
Daybreak set in and the investigation team deployed.
The moment Byakuya set foot into the 24th Ward,
A familiar mechanical voice echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Quest Completed!]
[Quest 1: Successfully Join the Investigation Team & Enter the 24th Ward]
[Reward: +10 Attribute Points]
[Ding! Quest 2 Activated!]
[Quest 2: Repel the SSS-Rated Ghoul "The One-Eyed Owl."]
[Reward: +100 Attribute Points]
...
(Original Author's Note: Some sources list Mado as a Third-Class Investigator at this time, but since the manga never confirmed it, I've decided to rank him as First-Class. Given that he's qualified to participate in a 24th Ward operation, he should at least be Second-Class or higher.)