I blinked, trying to clear the haze in my mind. My surroundings were unfamiliar, and the dull throb in my skull reminded me that something... strange had happened. It took a moment before my brain started to piece things together.
Right, I died.
But that wasn't what bothered me. It was where I was now.
I sat up slowly. The room I was in was bare—familiar, yet foreign. The sterile white walls, the neatly made bed, the faint scent of disinfectant in the air. There was no mistaking it. This wasn't just any ordinary room. I was in the CCG Academy. The ID card I found on my person confirmed that much.
There was no record of my mother, and my father had already passed away long before I arrived. I had no family to turn to.
My mind raced. Who would I encounter when I leave this room? I didn't even know what day it was, but my eyes fell on the clock. Saturday... around 9 AM.
I exhaled with a small chuckle. Well, at least I got lucky with the weekend. No classes today, no immediate threats—at least, not right now.
I shook off the lingering fog in my mind and decided I needed to familiarize myself with my surroundings. No use sitting around, waiting for something to happen.
I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, the cool floor sending a shiver up my spine. With a quick glance at the jacket Urie had apparently been wearing before I ended up here, I threw it on, tugging it over my shoulders before heading out the door.
The moment I stepped into the hallway, I was greeted by a long corridor of identical doors stretching out before me. These must be the other students' rooms, I thought to myself,
Without any clear direction, I picked one way and started walking, my footsteps echoing off the walls in the silent hall. The fluorescent lights above flickered faintly as I passed each door, my mind racing to piece together the situation.
A few paces later, I spotted a sink with taps, the faint smell of soap wafting through the air.
As I continued down the corridor, it seemed to stretch on endlessly until, finally, I reached the end. Before me stood a set of metal stairs that led outside. The fresh air hit me as I stepped onto the landing.
Looking around, I took in my surroundings. The academy was massive, and the building I stood in was surrounded by greenery—neatly manicured lawns and trees lining the edges of the campus. The distant hum of city life was almost drowned out by the peacefulness of the area.
In the distance, I spotted two other large buildings. One was clearly the female dormitory, a structure that looked just as tall and imposing as the one I'd just left. To the right, the main faculty building loomed ahead, along with a gymnasium,
slowly but surely. I made my way down the metal stairs, my boots clanging lightly against the steps. The cool air hit me again as I reached the ground, and I adjusted my jacket, taking a deep breath. I could hear the distant sounds of movement and activity, likely students either practicing or just going about their routines.
Without wasting any more time, I headed toward the gymnasium. It wasn't too far off, a large, imposing structure that seemed to have everything
I needed—a place to test my physical limits, figure out what I could handle, and maybe even get a feel for how much I could push myself in this new body.
As I approached the gym, I noticed the glass windows on the front, offering a glimpse into the spacious interior. It was bright and well-lit, with a range of equipment visible from the outside—weights, mats, punching bags, and even what looked like a track. It was the kind of place you'd expect students to be training hard, pushing their boundaries, trying to improve themselves.
I could only imagine how much I'd need to train in this world, especially with the kinds of threats that loomed just beyond the campus. But for now, figuring out where I stood physically seemed like the best first step.
Pushing open the door, I stepped inside, the familiar scent of rubber mats and sweat immediately filling my nostrils. The gym was vast, echoing with the sounds of weights clanking and feet pounding the floors. Students were already scattered around, some lifting weights, others practicing martial arts or running on the track.
I took a deep breath, stretching my arms out and rolling my neck. Time to get to work.
First things first, I decided to start with push-ups. As expected from an academy student, my fitness level was nothing short of elite. I dropped to the floor and began, cranking out twenty push-ups without breaking a sweat. My body moved fluidly, each push-up almost effortless. But as I reached thirty, a thought crossed my mind: This is probably where the original Urie would start to struggle.
With the added physique of Yorichi, however, fatigue wasn't even a consideration. I felt as though I could keep going indefinitely, but I wanted to focus on something more. Total concentration breathing, that's what they used in Demon Slayer, right?
I paused for a moment, trying to recall how it worked. Breathe in until your lungs are full, hold for five, then breathe out for five... Simple enough, but when I actually tried it, it was harder than I thought.
I inhaled, filling my lungs, and held it—one, two, three, four, five. Then I exhaled slowly, trying to maintain control. Okay, let's try again. I repeated the cycle, focusing harder this time. Breathe in, hold... breathe out... The rhythm started to settle, and with it, my mind sharpened.
By the time I was back to my push-ups, I was in a smoother, more controlled state. My body felt almost unstoppable. I managed another thirty push-ups, bringing my total to around sixty. I felt like I could do more... But something inside me told me it was time to mix things up. I didn't want to just keep doing push-ups. There were other exercises to try, other muscles to test.
Okay, let's see how fast I can run.
I stood at the starting line, my muscles primed and ready. The clock at the top of the gymnasium ticked down, the anticipation thick in the air. With a deep breath, I set my gaze forward. Go.
I exploded off the line, my legs moving with a speed and power that felt almost unnatural. Each stride was effortless, my body gliding forward as if I was meant to run at this speed. I felt like I could outrun a tiger—or maybe even an A-ranked ghoul, though I knew that was a bit far-fetched. Still, the sensation was surreal. It felt like I could run forever, my legs carrying me without even the slightest hint of fatigue.
As I neared the spot where I had started, I glanced at the clock again. The numbers blurred for a moment, and then I saw it.
Nine seconds?!
I froze for a moment, unable to process what I had just seen. Did I really run the 100 meters in nine seconds?
That was the world record. Impossible.
Everyone in the gym had stopped what they were doing. Eyes turned toward me, wide with shock. I could feel their stares, the disbelief hanging in the air. I was still trying to wrap my head around it myself, but there was no denying what I had just done.
My body... it was stronger than I thought.
Maybe I have somewhat of a chance of surviving here.
I decided that was enough exercise for the day. I didn't want to draw too much attention before I had a better understanding of my situation. With that in mind, I left the gymnasium and headed outside. As I walked, I noticed the others returning to their routines—lifting weights, practicing their forms, or just chatting with each other. I felt the eyes of some lingering on me, but I kept walking, making my way beyond the campus grounds.
The outside world was a mix of quiet streets and small shops. A few corner stores lined the sidewalk, and the hum of the city was a comforting background noise. The clock on my phone told me it was around 1 PM, so I decided to pop into a café for a break.
Inside, I ordered a cappuccino and a slice of carrot cake. I settled into a cozy corner, enjoying the calm ambiance. I'm glad I'm not a ghoul, I thought to myself as I took a sip of the warm coffee. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to enjoy food like this.
But then, as I chewed on the cake, another thought crept into my mind. Do I still want to go through with the Quinx project? Sure, I'd be able to eat normal food, but the risk was always there. What if I lost control? At any moment, I could snap, end up bugging out and attacking someone, or I had the option to remove my frames and become a half-ghoul. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.
As I continued eating, I let my eyes wander around the café. The patrons were a mix of people, chatting and sipping their drinks. I couldn't help but wonder: Which ones are ghouls and which are humans? I'd have to be more careful, especially before I unlocked the "transparent world" and could differentiate between the two. For now, I needed to exercise caution. Stick to daylight hours for now. At night, only the CCG Academy is safe.
I finished my meal and headed up to pay. After paying the bill, I stepped back outside, the cool air hitting my face as I left the café. Maybe I should visit Anteiku, I thought. The events of the story were just starting to unfold, and even though the main characters were a few years older than me, I should be able to interact with them under the guise of a junior seeking advice. I could even approach Kaneki to discuss books. After all, he was only two years older than me—he should be 19 by now, and I was 17. I wondered if the steel frame incident had already occurred.
Maybe I should take his place, I thought, gain Rize's kagune.
But I quickly dismissed the idea. What a stupid thought. Who would willingly want to take Kaneki's place? The trauma, the constant battle for control—No, I'm not that desperate.
Still, the thought lingered in the back of my mind. But my chances of survival would go up if I had Rize's abilities. I could imagine the power it would give me—the strength to survive this world. The CCG wouldn't know unless I made a huge mistake and outed myself somehow. After all, the scanners didn't detect Washuu ghouls.
Maybe it's not as bad an idea as I thought, I mused. But even as I entertained the thought, I felt the weight of it. Taking her kagune, becoming something I'm not...
I shook my head and pushed the thought away. Focus on surviving, not becoming someone else.