Chapter 3 - In the Shadow of Battle
The rain continued. Its monotonous noise enveloped the city, mixing with the hum of distant cars and the occasional cries of birds. Thin drops tapped on the windows of the CCG training center, leaving small, endlessly flowing tracks on them. It was cool inside the building, but it smelled of new paint, dust, and steel - the smell that accompanied every recruit joining the ranks of hunters.
Kaneki Ken stood in a long line of recruits, listening attentively to the instructor. In the few days since his acceptance, he had already learned a lot - the basics of handling weapons, basic combat tactics, the procedure for protecting and evacuating casualties. However, now the most important stage began - practice.
The instructor, a man in his late sixties with wrinkles on his face and a stern gaze, stood before them and spoke briefly and clearly.
- Today, you will face a real threat. Ghouls are not like training dummies. They are alive, they are aggressive, and every decision you make is a matter of life and death. Remember that, recruits.
Kaneki listened, feeling the tension begin to boil inside him. His Accelerated Learning skill was working, absorbing the words and sensations. He felt his brain working faster, his body becoming more responsive.
Suddenly, an alarm cut through the silence. The hall was filled with the hum of hurried footsteps and voices.
"Get out!" the instructor ordered, his voice like a thunderclap.
The recruits, including Kaneki, lined up and walked outside into the steady rain. They were being directed to an address - an old apartment building on the outskirts of the district, where, according to intelligence, a Class B ghoul was holed up.
Along the way, Kaneki noticed the cold faces of his comrades, faces without hope and with a fierce determination. Each of them knew what awaited them.
As they approached the house, the atmosphere thickened. The wet asphalt glistened under the streetlights, reflecting the dark shadows of the buildings. A sharp squeal and a hoarse groan could be heard from a second-story window. The smell of blood pierced the damp air.
"Be on guard," the instructor warned.
Suddenly, a ghoul jumped out of the shadows. He was thin, his skin was gray, his right arm was burned and mangled, but his eyes were burning with desperate fury. His movements were sharp, almost animalistic.
Kaneki felt his heart begin to beat faster. He slowly stepped forward, watching. His gaze focused on the ghoul's movement patterns — fast, but with clumsy attempts to defend himself.
"Don't let your emotions get the better of you," the system's voice sounded in his head, "analyze weaknesses."
He noticed that the ghoul was leaning too heavily on his left leg, his right arm was practically useless.
Kaneki lunged forward, dodging the first attack, and hit the ghoul's knee with his quinque. He howled, but did not retreat.
At that moment, she appeared - Haruka Yamabe. A medic. Her white coat stood out against the gray gloom of the street. She was holding a medical bag.
"Careful!" she shouted as the ghoul attacked Kaneki with renewed fury.
In battle, every moment was critical. Kaneki managed to calculate the move ahead, remembering the training and hints of the system. He understood that he could not make a mistake.
He delivered a series of precise blows: one to the shoulder, to take the arm out of play, the second - to the neck. The ghoul fell to the ground.
Kaneki dropped to one knee, feeling the adrenaline gradually fading. The ghoul's blood was spreading across the asphalt.
Haruka approached, taking out bandages.
"You're crazy, Kaneki," she said quietly, not looking away.
"I have to be like this to survive," he replied.
As Haruka bandaged his hands and examined the small cuts, Kaneki understood that this moment was not just a fight. It was the beginning of a new life. The system updated, informing about rewards and the opening of new functions.
This chapter should create an atmosphere where the reader will feel not only the dynamics of the fight, but also the psychology of the hero, his fears, aspirations and internal struggle.
Chapter 3 - In the Shadow of Battle (continued)
The rain was falling harder, the drops rolling down the hood of his jacket, creating a melody like the ringing of bells. Every sound seemed deafening in this tense moment before the battle. Kaneki stood in a line of recruits, their faces blurred by the gray light of the lamps and the flickering rain.
The instructor, a gray-haired and stern man, raised his hand, calling for attention. His voice was hard but steady, like a rock that the waves were hitting.
"Today, you will see what it means to be a ghoul hunter. This is not a game. Not for anyone. Every action you take can cost your life, or your comrades. Do not let fear paralyze you, but do not give in to frivolity. Remember this." Kaneki felt the tension begin to rise in his chest. His heart beat steadily and quickly in his chest. "Accelerated training," the system reminded quietly. He could almost see the neurons in his brain flickering with light, tapping into knowledge and reactions that had previously seemed out of reach.
"Alert!" the instructor's sharp voice interrupted his thoughts.
The column of recruits immediately began to move. Kaneki stood up straight, trying to ignore the wet clothes clinging to his body and the cold that penetrated to his bones.
As he walked to the scene of the incident, he felt the gazes - not of curiosity, but of cautious anticipation. Many thought he was weak, because only a few days ago he had come here as a newcomer. But the system and his cold determination created a strength in him that no one had yet seen.
As they approached the building, the thick smell of blood and decay penetrated the damp air. Screams and wheezing could be heard from the windows.
"Remember, a ghoul is not just a monster," the instructor said. "It is a beast, wounded and dangerous. Act quickly and decisively.
Suddenly, a ghoul jumped out of the darkness. His eyes glowed yellow, and his injured arm hung from his shoulder like a bag of bones. He rushed at Kaneki with wild fury.
The whole world narrowed to the sound of his own breathing and the movement of his opponent. Kaneki dodged at the last moment, barely managing to assess the speed of the attack.
"Vulnerability analysis: right arm is damaged, support on the left leg is weak," the voice of the system sounded.
The inner voice and instincts intertwined into one. Kaneki delivered a sharp blow with his quinque to the ghoul's knee, causing him to stumble.
At that moment, Haruka appeared. Her gaze was cold-blooded, but there was concern hidden in it.
"Don't let your emotions get the better of you!" she shouted, throwing him a medical bag.
Kaneki felt the adrenaline burning away his fatigue. He knew that one miss and it was all over. His blows became more precise, each next one calculated and merciless.
The ghoul collapsed, and Kaneki dropped to one knee, trying to catch his breath.
"You're crazy," Haruka said, coming up to him and examining his hands. "But I think this is exactly the kind of person this war needs."
Inner doubts flared up in Kaneki's chest for a moment. He remembered his old self - an ordinary guy from another life, and realized: there was no room for weakness here.
The system reported:
The task was completed. 50 coins received. Access to "Training modifiers" was opened.
Kaneki looked up at the night sky through the rain. The road was long. He knew that there were still many battles ahead. But now he was ready.