The application form offered two choices.
The "Ghoul Countermeasures Institute" or the "Ghoul Investigator Training Academy"—both trained investigators.
The core difference: standard training versus elite training.
The Institute had a one-year program for regular investigators, focusing on handguns and rifles. Graduates became Rank 3 Investigators assigned to branch offices in Wards 2-23.
The Academy—commonly called "the Academy"—offered two years of elite training, emphasizing quinque usage alongside firearms. Graduates earned Rank 2 status and were assigned to Ward 1 Headquarters.
Each had pros and cons: shorter duration and lower difficulty but less depth and lower starting rank, versus doubled time and higher difficulty but better training and higher starting position.
None of that mattered to Byakuya—he planned to skip the whole process.
Wait a year or two? Not happening.
He selected the Academy anyway. Strategic reasoning: Academy students received training quinques.
With a quinque, building an impressive combat record would be much easier.
Application submitted, he'd just wait for a response.
...
The CCG worked fast. The next morning, a paper letter arrived.
Opening it confirmed his acceptance.
Approval was easy—paying tuition got you in. Government programs kept fees reasonable. The real question was whether you could graduate. The CCG needed a steady supply of new investigators.
Given the circumstances, Byakuya could request a leave of absence from Kamii University until Academy graduation. His academic standing wouldn't suffer.
He transferred tuition that day, used his Academy credentials to file for leave, then headed to the Academy in Ward 1.
Ward 20 to Ward 1 seemed far numerically, but Tokyo wasn't that big. Less than thirty minutes by subway.
The Academy looked like an ordinary university externally, except for the unusually high walls topped with electric fencing.
Not to prevent students from escaping—to keep unauthorized people out.
Government facility. Security standards differed from normal schools.
"Hello, I'm a new student here to register."
Byakuya presented his credentials to the guard.
"Go ahead. She'll show you around."
The guard waved him through, pointing to someone waiting nearby.
Byakuya looked. A young woman in professional attire stood there: glasses, attractive features, holding a stack of documents. His guide, apparently.
"You're Amaha Byakuya, correct? I'm Suzuki, the Dean's secretary. Pleased to meet you."
Her tone was cool but polite.
"Yes, I'm Amaha Byakuya. Likewise."
"Follow me."
Suzuki led him inside while explaining: "Since you're entering mid-term, keeping up with your class will be difficult. You'll have to manage on your own—you made this choice knowing the challenges..."
She covered a lot of ground.
Byakuya learned both the Academy and the Institute operated from this facility.
Different curricula, shared training grounds.
Suzuki showed him around, introducing various locations.
During the tour, Byakuya spotted familiar faces.
Kurona Yasuhisa. Nashiro Yasuhisa. Juuzou Suzuya. Tooru Mutsuki...
He suddenly remembered—at this point in the timeline, these individuals were indeed "Investigator Trainees." After graduation, they'd become official CCG investigators.
"That covers everything essential. Any questions, come find me. You can join your class starting now."
Suzuki finished and left him to his own devices.
Checking the schedule, Byakuya found a theory class starting in minutes—fundamentals of ghoul investigation.
He headed to his assigned classroom. Everyone there was a fellow trainee from his intake.
The instructor had just arrived and introduced the new student.
"We have a new classmate today. I hope everyone will get along with him."
The instructor gestured for Byakuya to introduce himself.
Byakuya wrote his name on the blackboard with practiced ease, then gave a brief introduction: "I'm Amaha Byakuya, from Ward 20. My hobby is reading. I aspire to become a ghoul investigator. Thank you."
"Good. There's an empty seat over there—please sit, Amaha-san."
Unlike university, this was a fixed classroom with assigned seating. His intake only had a few hundred students—easy to divide into classes without the rotating lecture halls of a university.
"Understood."
Byakuya nodded and walked to the indicated seat.
Back row, window seat. Quite nice, actually.
Coincidentally, Kurona and Nashiro Yasuhisa were not only in his class but sat directly in front of him and to his right.