Kaiju No.8: Devour and Evolve

Location: Yokohama, Outside the Monster Cleanup Company

Drake Myers stepped out of the vehicle, accompanied by Muraoka Yutaka and Ino Ara.

The sharp-eyed staff of the cleanup company immediately spotted him, and one of them bolted back inside to spread the word.

After all, Drake wasn't just an ordinary employee anymore.

A regular human taking down a kaiju? That was the kind of feat that made legends.

A Warm Welcome

The company's manager, affectionately called "Uncle Te," hurried out to greet him.

Kafka Hibino and Reno Ichikawa, who knew Drake well, had already shared the gist of his exploits with the staff.

It was widely assumed that Drake would soon join the Defense Force as one of its official combatants.

Of course, Kafka deliberately left out any mention of his own connection to Kaiju No. 8. He had been keeping his distance from Drake lately to avoid exposing his secret and causing trouble for his friend.

"The kid sure knows how to keep things under wraps!" Uncle Te said with a grin, clapping Drake on the shoulder.

During the initial investigations, Uncle Te had been terrified that one of his employees might turn out to be a kaiju or some other unknown entity, potentially leading to a complete overhaul of the company.

Thankfully, those fears proved unfounded. Instead, the company's reputation within the industry had only improved.

Parting Ways

"Sorry for causing the company so much trouble," Drake said sheepishly, scratching his head.

The staff laughed it off, brushing aside the incident.

They chatted and joked, treating Drake as one of their own even as they acknowledged that his path now lay elsewhere.

Before parting, the company generously handed Drake a year's worth of salary in advance—a gesture he graciously accepted.

Settling In

After saying his goodbyes, Drake searched online and found a reasonably priced apartment.

It wasn't much, but it had the essentials for a fresh start:

Location: Conveniently close to Yokohama General Hospital and a massive construction site.

Style: Typical Japanese tatami rooms, compact but functional.

Drawbacks: High rent and limited space.

Muraoka and Ino helped him move in and set up, earning themselves a round of drinks and dinner.

A New Routine

That night, Drake found himself unable to sleep.

He spent some time at the building's gym, though the equipment offered little challenge for his enhanced physique.

From his apartment window, he gazed out at the quiet street below, illuminated by the soft glow of moonlight.

Since the emergence of Kaiju No. 8, the frequency of kaiju attacks in Yokohama had decreased.

While most of the kaiju that appeared now were Level 5 or higher, the Third Defense Division handled them efficiently.

Swordsmanship and Sparring

Drake's interactions with Soshiro Hoshina had been productive.

Though Hoshina was a skilled swordsman, their sparring sessions confirmed that Drake had no formal training.

Instead, his combat style relied on raw instincts, agility, and physical prowess.

This only reinforced Hoshina's belief that Drake wasn't from a traditional martial arts lineage but had honed his skills through sheer necessity.

Observing the Streets

Late at night, Drake noticed a battle unfolding on a nearby street.

Below, Ghoul Investigator Kureo Mado was wielding his Quinque, a unique umbrella-like weapon that could transform into a single-handed blade with three tentacle-like extensions.

Assisting him were:

Kotaro Amon: Armed with a bulky Doujima 1/2 Quinque, a heavy weapon resembling a grindstone.

Akira Mado: Present but unarmed, as she was still in a support role within the CCG.

Despite their lack of familiarity with Yokohama, the CCG agents worked efficiently, taking out several small-time ghouls with ease.

From his vantage point, Drake watched the fight unfold with detached interest.

Strategic Insights

"These are just small fry," Drake muttered to himself.

"If they want to investigate the ghoul presence in Yokohama, they'll need the support of the Third Defense Division."