In terms of raw power, at just 16 years old, Arima Kishou already possessed the strength of a Special-Class Investigator.
The ages 16 to 20 were considered the peak physical years for half-humans yet even at 19, Arima was still only a Rank 2 Investigator.
It wasn't until Yoshimura Kuzen, known as the "Non-Killing Owl", attacked the 2nd Ward's CCG Branch and with no one else in the branch capable of stopping the SSS-rated ghoul, that Arima was finally forced to fight, wielding two borrowed B-rank Quinques against the Non-Killing Owl.
As a result; not only did he repel the Owl, he even severed both of its arms, however from that point on, Arima's half-human body began its decline.
By the time he officially became V's "Cleaner" and was promoted to Special-Class Investigator, his body was already past its prime.
Putting all the pieces together-Byakuya had a theory:
Arima had deliberately slowed down his promotions to delay being handpicked by Kaiko as V's Cleaner so that for as long as possible, the number of lives he was forced to take would remain as few as they could.
2nd Ward, Night.
Tokyo wasn't that big.
The subway ride from the 13th Ward to the 2nd Ward didn't take long.
As of now, Arima and Byakuya lived in the same apartment complex.
Though, of course they were on different floors and in different rooms.
Byakuya had just gotten home when-
"You're as punctual as ever, Takatsuki-sensei."
Yoshimura Eto had arrived.
"Well, I do want to make sure my manuscript gets published smoothly."
She replied flatly as she stepped inside, kicking off her shoes as usual.
Eto didn't bother with slippers either, just her plain white socks against the floor.
For the next hour, the two of them edited and refined her novel together.
Eto eventually started feeling a little tired, so she flopped down onto Byakuya's bed to rest.
After all; She had only ever slept in the run-down hideout of Aogiri Tree.
She had never experienced such a comfortable bed.
Even though they were alone together in a room, Eto didn't have any wariness or reservations.
Why?
Because her strength allowed her to be this careless, that was also why Eto felt like this bastard investigator was actually decent; he never abused his power to take advantage of her.
"So, today was your first official day as an investigator, wasn't it? How was it?"
Still lying on the bed, Eto suddenly asked.
"Not bad, I already found the target on the first day of me infiltrating the school."
Byakuya replied.
"That fast? So has the ghoul been captured yet?"
Eto pressed further.
"Not yet, she was fast and decisive; she escaped before we got the chance-"
"But..."
Byakuya narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Takatsuki-sensei, you seem very interested in CCG investigators?"
"Well, of course; I want to do some research for my next book."
Eto's words were half-truths as well as half-lies.
"A story about ghoul investigators is pretty rare material, you know~"
She really was preparing for her next novel.
Her previous work, 'Dear Kafka', was already fully completed; it was time to start outlining the next one.
"By the way, you just said 'she'..."
Eto suddenly smirked.
"So the ghoul is a girl?"
Yoshimura Eto tilted her head slightly, clearly intrigued.
In Japanese, the pronouns for "he" and "she" have different pronunciations which is why she caught onto Byakuya's wording.
"That's right."
Byakuya nodded.
"Not only that but she's also a student in my class; The best student, in fact, she's a model student, well-behaved and the top of her class."
Eto raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? She's ghoul, yet she still manages to be the perfect little student?"
She chuckled lightly.
"But no matter how 'good' a ghoul tries to be, they still see humans as food; I suppose that's why she ended up on the CCG's radar, right?"
"Exactly."
Byakuya replied matter-of-factly.
"A few days ago, there was a predation incident caused by her."
"Though none of the victims died, some lost an arm, others lost a leg; five people in total; with that many casualties, the CCG has to respond."
His tone was even, composed; he spoke as if merely stating facts, not making a judgment.
To him, this information wasn't classified, it was simply a matter of whether or not he chose to share it.
Normally, CCG investigators wouldn't disclose this sort of thing to civilians so as to avoid unnecessary panic or complications.
But Eto was hardly an ordinary civilian.
The latter's gaze flickered as she set her notebook on her lap, she kept tapping her pen against it.
"For research purposes, I'd like to know, Uchiha-san; what do you think of this ghoul?"
Her interest wasn't feigned this time.
She sat up slightly, clearly invested in the topic.
Byakuya closed his eyes for a brief moment, gathering his thoughts.
Then, he opened them again;
"She... truly wants to integrate into human society, she wants to be an ordinary girl, just another student studying hard for her future."
"But at the end of the day, she's still a ghoul; She can't suppress her predatory instincts-"
"She can't erase her nature-the part of her that craves blood and flesh; That's her true self."
He exhaled slightly.
"And at the same time; She's also the quiet, well-mannered top student of our class."
A duality, a contradiction; two versions of herself, both of which were equally real.
Eto tapped her notebook some more, contemplating.
"So in the end, you're still going to exterminate her, huh?"
She smirked, watching Byakuya's reaction.
"Not necessarily."
Byakuya responded simply.
Eto raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? What do you mean?"
"Unless a ghoul has committed unforgivable atrocities-I follow a different principle; if I don't have to kill, I won't, at most-I'd have her sent to the ghoul detention facility."
The CCG had many different types of investigators.
Some believed all ghouls deserved death, they killed on sight, regardless of morality.
From a purely human standpoint, that approach was understandable.
"The ghoul detention facility, huh..."
Eto mused.
She had raided one of those facilities not long ago and what she found inside was... interesting.
Some ghouls were treated decently but others; they were tortured to the point of madness.
It wasn't exactly what she'd call a good place.
Byakuya continued, unfazed.
"But for ghouls who genuinely wish to live alongside humans-I'd rather help them learn self-control, help them resist their instincts and then; I'd send them to the 20th Ward."
"I've heard the 'Manager' of that ward advocates for peace between humans and ghouls."
Silence.
Eto's expression shifted.
She knew exactly who he was talking about.
Yoshimura Kuzen.
Her father; The former "Cleaner" of V and the strongest purebred ghoul, the SSS-rated ghoul known as the "Non-Killing Owl."
Wherever Yoshimura chose to be, he was undoubtedly the ruling power of that district.
And Byakuya knew; He knew that the Manager of the 20th Ward was an unusual case, a ghoul who chose not to kill.
A ghoul who had created a sanctuary for others like him.
Eto didn't respond immediately.
Her fingers lightly traced the cover of her notebook.
"..."