First-Class Investigator

"That's not exactly the case. You're only a Second-Class Investigator for now, but with your skills, you're fully qualified to wield an S rated quinque" Marude remarked.

Even Kureo, who was usually so focused on quinques, was at a loss for words this time. Seeing Kasuka still alive and nearly unscathed filled him with an uncontrollable sense of relief and joy.

"Mm..." Byakuya didn't say much. He knew, however, that his physical abilities were still far from where he wanted them to be.

Of course, by "far from enough" he was comparing himself to the legendary investigator Kishou Arima. Ten years ago, during the original timeline, Arima was only nineteen and a Second-Class Investigator himself, yet he used two B rated quinques he had on hand to sever an arm, complete with the kakuhou, from the Non-Killing Owl an SSS rated ghoul.

This severed arm, which included the kakuhou, was later turned into the SSS rated quinque Owl Without the kakuhou, a quinque can't be made, which is why quinques aren't produced in vast quantities. Finding a ghoul's kagune is relatively easy, but obtaining the kakuhou is much harder.

Byakuya still found it astonishing that Arima could have cut off the arm of the Non-Killing Owl with a mere B rated quinque. The only plausible explanation was that Arima's physical strength was so exceptional that he could avoid damage to himself and ensure that his quinque remained unbroken, and that the Non-Killing Owl who never went for the kill, had held back.

All these factors combined enabled Arima to achieve this extraordinary feat.

In short, Byakuya's abilities still had a long way to go.

'While the basic abilities of my mangekyo sharingan are indeed useful, my body needs to keep up as well" Byakuya reflected.

'I'll need to allocate my stats more carefully in the future, balancing both RC Cell Count and Physical Strength'

This fight with the One-Eyed Owl was a crucial lesson for Byakuya in recognizing his weaknesses—such insights can't be gained from theory alone.

Though the mangekyo sharingan's Kamui techniques are incredibly powerful, they have their own restrictions.

Take Susanoo, for example. Although he possesses Mangekyo in both eyes and can theoretically use Susanoo, his current RC cell count would exhaust him instantly, so it's something he can't consider for now.

For now, he sees the Kamui techniques "Intangibility" and "Space-Time" as the most practical.

"Intangibility" requires little explanation, it's absolute defense in its truest form, though it only lasts five minutes. With the dual mangekyo, it may last longer, but this minor limitation is the only drawback of "Intangibility".

As for "Space-Time" it allows him to instantly transport himself to the Kamui's dimension or other locations. It can even be used offensively to sever a part of an enemy by tearing space itself.

In short, Kamui offers both absolute offense and defense, though purely in the physical sense. There's no magic in the world of Tokyo Ghoul.

Its main downside is the energy drain, making Byakuya hesitant to use it lightly.

Fortunately, even without relying on Kamui, he possesses significant combat strength, thanks to the base abilities of the mangekyo and his half-human physique.

Meanwhile, Kasuka had finished briefing Marude on the incident. The rest of the search squad was busy gathering Byakuya's broken quinque, planning to bring it back to the CCG.

With their work done, Kureo embraced Kasuka and began to cry. No one disturbed them, as everyone understood his feelings…

[Ding! Host successfully completed Quest 3: Escort Kasuka Safely Out of the 24th Ward]

[Reward: 10 Attribute Points]

Once Byakuya and Kasuka safely left the 24th Ward, the system notification sounded.

Now that quest 3 was complete and no quest 4 had been activated, it seemed the hidden quest chain had come to an end.

Although the search mission itself was incomplete, the team had withdrawn to the CCG due to their encounter with the One-Eyed Owl.

Returning to CCG's headquarters in the 1st Ward, Byakuya received well-deserved recognition for his exceptional service: repelling the One-Eyed Owl and protecting Kasuka Mado, an Associate Special Investigator.

These achievements led to a promotion, elevating him from Second-Class Investigator to First-Class Investigator. If he'd actually defeated or killed the One-Eyed Owl, he might have been eligible for promotion to Associate Special Investigator. However, his young age and limited experience made the current promotion a better fit.

In no time, Uchiha Byakuya became renowned within the CCG, much like Kuroiwa, who had previously dealt a serious blow to the One-Eyed Owl.

Those who can face SSS rated ghouls are practically destined to advance to Associate Special or even Special Investigators. In fact, in the original story, Kuroiwa eventually became a special investigator.

...

Elsewhere, the forces within V were beginning to take note of Byakuya.

"A lone investigator pushing back the One-Eyed Owl? How did we miss such potential in this Byakuya?" wondered Kaiko, the V leader.

"His family history may explain it" said Yoshitoki Washuu, the head of CCG. "His parents were killed by 'V' when they tried to flee the organization with him. Surviving that, perhaps he learned to conceal his abilities and lay low"

In the V organization's courtyard, Kaiko and Yoshitoki continued discussing.

"If only we'd seen his potential earlier, I could have trained him like I did with Arima" Kaiko sighed.

"It's not too late, Kaiko. He could still become a valuable asset."

"True. I have a brilliant idea. Let's pair him with Arima. Then we'll see if my student, Arima, is more skilled or if this young man's hidden abilities surpass even that. 'V' needs a strong 'cleaner' right now" Kaiko suggested.

"Working with Arima, huh?" Yoshitoki agreed.

"Byakuya is a First-Class Investigator, and Arima is still Second-Class, so they meet the pairing criteria. It's a great plan"