Kaiju No.8: Devour and Evolve

Upon hearing this, Hosaka Tsungoro merely chuckled indifferently.

"Don't worry. That kid has big ambitions. There's no way he'd join an organization like the CCG that thrives in the shadows," he said with a tone of mockery.

Because parasites, like the Ghouls, exert an intense psychological pressure on humans, they are naturally categorized as monsters. The CCG is also a highly secretive organization, rarely interacting with outside groups.

Hosaka Tsungoro had spoken with Drake Myers a few times and knew well that this young man's ambitions wouldn't allow him to simply work under someone else.

However, in today's Sakura Nation, creating a new force of influence isn't an easy task—especially with the overwhelming presence of the Defense Force.

In the Dark Alley

Drake gripped his longsword as he faced off against low-level Ghouls. His attacks were swift, precise, and merciless.

These weak Ghouls were nothing more than cannon fodder, akin to residual beasts spawned after a monster's death. They held no real value and didn't even warrant a notification from his system.

Following the route provided by Kureo Mado, Drake pressed forward. In just thirty minutes, he reached a dimly lit bar.

Without hesitation, he pushed open the door. Inside, a scattering of patrons sipped their drinks in utter silence, with no one daring to break the mood.

Suddenly, explosive rounds came flying through the front door, tearing into the interior.

This place was a Ghoul stronghold—and more importantly, it was the base of operations for "Gecko." Beneath it lay an underground arena.

As the explosions continued, the Ghouls inside revealed their true forms without hesitation. In an instant, the space was filled with Kagune (Ghoul predatory organs) slicing through the air.

Kureo Mado was infamous for leaving no survivors when dealing with Ghouls. Supported by heavy weaponry, the entire bar was reduced to rubble in just 30 seconds.

The sounds of explosions and agonized screams filled Drake's ears. Shaking his head, he stood guard by the back door. Sometimes, having heightened hearing wasn't an advantage—it could be downright irritating.

Anyone who tried to flee met swift death at his hands, but none of these kills triggered any system notifications.

Elsewhere, every other exit was guarded by CCG members.

Kureo Mado knew that the stronger Ghouls would inevitably escape into the underground arena. Drake's task was simple: deal with the fleeing Ghouls.

"Too weak!" Drake muttered coldly, raising his longsword.

At the Tachikawa Base

Watching this unfold, the Defense Force members were left speechless.

This kid—without even wearing a battle suit—displayed such terrifying strength.

The Defense Force rarely interacted with Ghouls, as Yokohama's Ghouls tended to keep a low profile. Furthermore, the Defense Force and the CCG were entirely separate entities.

Under normal circumstances, the CCG wouldn't allow the Defense Force to intervene in their operations. But since this was an S-class Ghoul, Kureo Mado had no other choice.

"What level of monsters are these Ghouls equivalent to?" someone couldn't help but ask.

"They're small fry, not exceeding Level 5," Hosaka Tsungoro replied after reviewing the CCG's data.

A true S-class Ghoul would be comparable to a Level 9 or 10 monster.

As a member of the Defense Force, Hosaka naturally thought dealing with them would be simple. Watching Drake fight, Hosaka couldn't help but admire his talent.

The boy had mastered his Six Styles with remarkable proficiency.

Such a talent would be wasted on the CCG. In Hosaka's view, the Defense Force was far stronger than the CCG, whose members were mostly ordinary humans relying on Quinque weapons. Those tools were pitifully weak, only effective against minor threats like small monsters or low-level Ghouls.

In contrast, Defense Force members, equipped with battle suits, had significantly enhanced capabilities.

The Aftermath of the Battle

After about ten minutes of fighting, the bar was in ruins. The stronger Ghouls had already fled underground.

When Kureo Mado and his team arrived, the bar had been completely destroyed. Ghoul corpses littered the ground amidst shattered furniture, glass, and other debris.

"Good work," Kureo Mado said as he stepped over a Ghoul's corpse toward Drake, his expression calm.

To him, these monsters deserved no mercy.

"Just doing my job," Drake replied coolly.

"The real challenge is still ahead," Kureo Mado said, his gaze fixed on the debris-strewn floor in the center of the bar.

As he prepared to issue orders for an underground assault, a sudden transmission came through:

"Gecko has escaped! The underground arena is now meaningless. Any remaining targets are insignificant. Don't waste firepower. CCG operatives, keep a lower profile!"

Kureo Mado froze in place, silent for several moments.

Drake, with his keen hearing, caught every word of the communication.

Unbelievable. Did the system just trigger an auto-protect mechanism? It seems Gecko's luck hasn't run out yet.

A New Threat Emerges

"Alert! Alert! A giant monster has appeared in Yokohama's G District! Preliminary classification: Level 8. It resembles a saber-toothed beast and possesses immense destructive power!"

The alarm blared, echoing above the ruined bar.

"All operations are halted! CCG operatives, return to your posts immediately," Kureo Mado ordered sternly.

This sudden warning gave him a perfect excuse to end the mission, sparing him the trouble of explaining the botched operation to his colleagues.

What's going on? How did this happen so suddenly?

Compared to Ghouls, the threat posed by a giant monster was far greater.

Even Amon Koutarou and Akira Mado looked visibly dissatisfied. Meanwhile, the rest of the team left in frustration.

Hosaka's Warning

"Hey, kid. If you're not busy, head back to your place," Hosaka Tsungoro's voice crackled through Drake's earpiece.

"That monster just so happens to have landed near your apartment. Kid, I don't know if your luck is amazing—or just plain awful!" he teased.