Multiversal Wanderer: Starting in Naruto-Chapter 55: Storage of Anteiku Shop

"You're not human anymore, you half-baked ghoul—accept it already!"

Touka's words echoed like a blaring siren in Kaneki Ken's mind. Even so, as he sat in the calm, quiet atmosphere of the café, his thoughts were a complete mess. Maybe it was everything he'd gone through in the past two days. Now, he looked strangely calm—detached.

He hadn't expected to return to the Antique Café, and definitely not like this. This time, he wasn't here to see the girl he liked—he was here because Touka dragged him in, trying to find him a place to stay.

"Ghouls are pitiful creatures. We can only feed on human flesh and blood," the kind-faced manager explained patiently. "The craving for human flesh isn't a choice—it's our instinct. And you... you can't eat regular food anymore. If you try, your body will reject it violently. Without human flesh, you'll grow weaker and weaker."

Kaneki sat in stunned silence as the reality sank in. He'd been human just days ago. Now, he didn't even know what ghouls ate. He was completely clueless—running on pure instinct. If Touka hadn't found him by chance, he probably would've been hunted down by the CCG already.

"Still," the manager continued, "there is one thing ghouls can still enjoy: coffee. We can't eat, but we can drink coffee just like anyone else."

The manager brought over a steaming cup, its warm aroma wafting through the air. Kaneki took it with trembling hands and almost spit it out when the scalding liquid hit his tongue.

But despite the burn, something about the bitterness and warmth grounded him. In that single sip, something in Kaneki stirred. It reminded him of his humanity. His eyes welled up. He wasn't completely lost yet.

"You can work here, if you want," the manager offered with a soft smile. "Learn how to make coffee. This café is more than a shop—it's a home. We're like family here."

With Touka's help—tough on the outside, but soft underneath—Kaneki began to feel like maybe, just maybe, his life wasn't over yet.

Ding.

The bell over the café door rang. Their first customer of the morning had arrived.

"Welcome!" Kaneki greeted automatically.

It was Su Xiuyu and his group.

Kaneki recognized them instantly. They were the ones who had shot and killed Rize that night. In a twisted way, it was because of them he survived. If they hadn't intervened, Rize probably would've eaten him alive.

Just thinking of Rize made his head throb. The high of her charm, the horror of what followed, and the betrayal of his new reality—it was all still raw. Still, he knew one thing: he was lucky to be alive.

"Would you like something to drink?" Kaneki asked politely. "And... thank you for what you did that night."

"Oh? You actually remember?" Su Xiuyu raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised. Back when Kaneki was human, he was timid and weak. Su Xiuyu hadn't expected him to even process what happened, let alone remember.

"I remember... bits of it. Thank you again. Um... sisters?" Kaneki looked awkwardly at the two girls beside Su Xiuyu, unsure how to address women with such insane combat power.

"No need to thank us. We were just passing through," Mito said casually. Chisato gave a small nod. They hadn't been there to save Kaneki—they just happened to show up.

"Still, I owe you my life. This cup's on me. What kind of coffee do you like?" Kaneki asked, determined to express his gratitude somehow.

"Latte," Su Xiuyu replied without thinking much.

"Alright, one moment."

Kaneki started grinding the beans with practiced care. After the group finished their drinks, they quietly left, leaving more than enough money on the table.

"Do you know those people?" Touka asked, eyeing the group as they walked out.

"Yeah... I saw them that night. They saved me from Rize. Those two girls are insanely strong. If it weren't for them, I'd be dead."

He smiled bitterly, a mix of gratitude and pain in his voice.

Touka frowned. Something felt off. Everything seemed too convenient. But the manager had made it clear—don't mess with Su Xiuyu or his group. And given what she'd seen, Touka wasn't stupid. Those girls took down Rize, the glutton herself, with ease. Su Xiuyu's crew wasn't the type you crossed.

---

"Mom, where's Dad?" a soft voice asked.

"Dad's busy with work, Hinami. Be good, okay? We're moving soon, and Daddy will meet us at our new home."

Fueguchi Ryouko gently stroked her daughter's hair, though her heart ached. Deep down, she knew the truth—her husband was probably gone. It had been over ten days since Yakumo Oomori showed up and dragged him away.

She didn't have the strength to fight. Neither did Hinami. Neither of them had ever hunted. They were ghouls who didn't even dare to kill. In this world, that made them weak—cowardly even.

But what choice did they have?

Ryouko knew they couldn't go on like this. The hunger, the instincts—they were growing unbearable. She had to take a risk. If she didn't find somewhere stable soon, they would starve.

"Excuse me, is this the Anteiku Shop?" she asked, voice trembling.

"Yes, it is. Please come in. How can I help you?"

Kaneki opened the door to see a weary mother and daughter standing outside. Something about their haggard appearance tugged at his heart.

"Is the manager here? I'm sorry to bother you..."

"Yes. Please, have a seat. I'll go let him know."

The manager came out shortly after, kneeling to gently pat Hinami's head.

"You've been through a lot. If Oomori's involved, you're definitely in danger," he said gently. "Stay here. You're welcome at the Anteiku Shop. Things will be hard for a while, but you'll be safe."

He already knew the truth—Ryouko and her daughter didn't have the ability to hunt. They'd never survive out there.

As the two of them thanked him again and again, the others started cleaning up a long-unused room in the back of the café. It was dusty, cluttered, but with a little effort, it could be home.

And for people like them, sometimes just having a home was everything.

-------

The Fueguchi mother and daughter had finally settled down at the Anteiku coffee shop. Fueguchi Ryoko worked quietly, while little Hinami brought a cheerful presence that warmed the hearts of those around her. In the company of the child's innocence, even Kaneki Ken found temporary peace, letting go—if only briefly—of the torment between his human and ghoul selves.

One day, while her mother was working, Hinami suddenly caught the scent of her father. Her eyes lit up, and without saying a word, she dashed out of the coffee shop, disappearing into the crowd.

The timid Hinami, filled with hope, tried to track her father's scent in the bustling streets. Her small feet kept running, her nose sniffing the air, pushing farther and farther away.

"Has anyone seen Hinami?" Fueguchi Ryoko's voice trembled as she began questioning everyone inside the cafe. But no one had noticed when Hinami slipped away. The city had been unstable lately, and her sudden disappearance set everyone on edge. Touka, Kaneki, and several others immediately scattered into the streets to look for her.

The worst-case scenario loomed: if Hinami ran into the CCG... death was the only outcome.

As the sky began to darken, Kaneki finally spotted the little girl. Relief flooded his face as he rushed over and wrapped his arms around her. Hinami's eyes sparkled with joy when she saw it was him. She opened her mouth to speak, to tell Kaneki that her mother was also nearby in an alleyway—but before she could say more, Kaneki's eyes locked on two white suits.

CCG agents.

In the alley, Fueguchi Ryoko stood cornered by two CCG investigators. She summoned her kagune with a shaky bluff, knowing escape was impossible. And then, as her eyes landed on Kaneki and Hinami behind the two agents, her heart sank.

She knew it was over.

"Do ghouls even cry? Look at you—how pathetic," sneered Mado Kureo. His voice was ice cold, full of disdain. To him, ghouls didn't deserve empathy. They didn't deserve to exist.

From his case, he drew his Quinque. As soon as Ryouko saw it, her eyes widened in horror. She recognized the scent—it was unmistakable. Her husband's scent. This was the weapon forged from his body. Her tears fell freely now, not from fear, but from grief. Her husband had died by this man's hand... and now, she would too.

She wasn't afraid of death. But Hinami—her sweet, innocent daughter—would be left alone. That was the true tragedy.

She gave her daughter one final look, eyes filled with love.

Take care of yourself, Hinami... Mommy can't stay with you anymore. Kaneki, please... protect her.

Though she didn't speak aloud, Kaneki understood everything from the look in her eyes. He tightened his grip on Hinami, covering her mouth gently to stop any sudden cries that might alert the investigators.

His body trembled uncontrollably.

He was terrified.

More afraid than he had ever been before.

Afraid of being exposed. Afraid of losing the fragile peace he'd just begun to rebuild. He couldn't move. Couldn't help. Couldn't do a thing.

Hinami sobbed silently in his arms as they watched Mado plunge the Quinque into Ryouko's chest. She fell without resistance, blood pooling beneath her motionless form.

Neither Kaneki nor Hinami could bring themselves to move.

"Tch. Crocodile tears from a damn ghoul," Mado muttered, yanking the weapon out. He prepared for the final blow—

Clang!

A shuriken whizzed through the air and pinned Mado's Quinque to the alley wall.

Up on a nearby streetlamp stood Uchiha Chisato, glaring down at the scene. She couldn't stomach it any longer.

Mado's eyes narrowed. He recognized her immediately. She was one of those freakishly strong people from last time—the ones who weren't ghouls, yet still destroyed investigators like nothing.

"Why are you interfering?" Mado asked, masking his unease. "This is legal CCG work. That thing is a ghoul. We're just doing our job. This has nothing to do with you."

"She's just a weak, harmless mother," Uzumaki Mito said coldly, stepping into the alley. She had seen the whole thing—Kaneki and Hinami hadn't even moved from the entrance.

"Innocent? There's no such thing as an innocent ghoul," Mado snapped. "They feed on humans. Every last one of them deserves to be eradicated."

"We should fall back," whispered Amon quietly to Mado. "We're not a match for them. Don't provoke a fight we can't win."

"This woman's only ever fed on suicide victims. She's never taken a life," Mito argued calmly. "She's just trying to protect her daughter. Let her go."

"I refuse," Mado said coldly, his eyes burning with hatred. "Even if I have to fight you all, I'll never spare a ghoul. Not one."

"You really expect us to believe she's never harmed a human?" Mado spat. "Don't make me laugh. Ghouls are monsters."

He turned to Amon. "Get ready—we're taking them down."

He activated his Quinque, lunging forward.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Chisato voice rang out.

A massive fireball roared through the alley, exploding against Mado with devastating force. The alley shook from the blast.

Mito rushed forward, grabbing Ryouko's bloodied body and pulling her to safety. With practiced precision, she began using the Mystic Palm Technique, her hands glowing green as she worked to heal Ryouko's wounds. The injuries began to close, but the woman remained unconscious—her body completely drained.

"Kaneki, get her out of here. Take Ryouko and Hinami back to the safe zone. She's stable for now, but she needs rest."

"T-Thank you. Thank you so much..."

Kaneki, still trembling from fear and guilt, broke into sobs as he bowed gratefully. Fueguchi Ryouko had lived. Hinami hadn't lost her mother. Somehow, they'd gotten a miracle.

"Go. Now. We'll handle the CCG side," Mito ordered.

"Right. Please... come by the coffee shop sometime. Let us thank you properly," Kaneki said before guiding Hinami and Ryouko away as quickly as he could. The noise from the fireball would draw CCG backup soon—they needed to move fast.

Mado lay in the alley, smoke rising from his scorched uniform. He had taken the fireball head-on and was blasted off his feet. Luckily, his Quinque absorbed a lot of the impact. Chisato had held back, using the bare minimum chakra for the Great Fireball Technique, ensuring it wouldn't be fatal.

Still, Mado was in rough shape. Burns covered his arms and chest, and he panted heavily on the ground.

What rattled him most wasn't the pain—it was the fact that a girl had spit flames from her mouth. Flames stronger than grenades. It didn't make sense.

What kind of monster is she?

His worldview—already fractured—cracked a little more.

And he realized something terrifying:

Even now... he was out of his depth.

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Do you want to read Advanced Chapters?

Visit this link:

Påtreon.com/Fanficlord03

Change (å) to (a)

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Check my Discord!

https://discord.gg/VvcakSux