"..."
Seeing the Black Dog take the hit to protect the old woman, Hirako fell silent, his gaze shifting to Hachikawa.
But Hachikawa showed not a hint of guilt. Only hatred for the Black Dog was visible on his face.
"Associate Special Class Hachikawa... really is as reckless as the rumors say..."
Itou Kuramoto's expression turned awkward.
Having taken the full force of Hachikawa's ukaku Quinque attack, Irimi's Black Dog mask shattered, and she'd sustained significant injuries.
As an ukaku-type ghoul herself, Irimi's characteristics included high speed and explosive power, but relatively low durability and stamina.
And now that she was wounded, her bodily functions were impaired, causing her speed and explosive power to drop significantly as well.
"——Up until now, have all the choices I've made been the right ones...?"
Irimi questioned herself internally.
"Are you alright? Were you protecting me? You..."
The old woman, having collected herself, spoke to Irimi with concern.
"...Shut up."
Irimi lay on the balcony, covering the wound on her face with her hand.
"...Damn it! And here I'd been conserving my kagune for more important situations, but now..."
Irimi laughed at herself mockingly. "Heh, environment really is terrifying. Even my head isn't working properly anymore."
Her plan had been to conserve her strength and save her kagune while dealing with these four investigators, then still have energy to help the Manager.
But for the sake of one old woman, she'd completely derailed her own plan...
"...Forget it. Looks like my time has come. If I'd known, I would've had one more cup of coffee."
No longer holding back, Irimi fully released her ukaku kagune.
But it was too late. Her injuries prevented her from fighting at full strength.
If she'd gone all out from the start, she might have already won by now...
"Kuramoto, defensive pattern 7."
"Right side, attack arriving in 0.3 seconds."
"Hachikawa, fire."
"Left side, attack arriving in 0.1 seconds."
"Hachikawa's shot arriving."
"Center, watch above."
"..."
Just as Arima had once trained Hirako while fighting alongside him, Hirako was now using the same method to train his subordinates while coordinating with Hachikawa and Hogi in combat against the Black Dog.
Due to her severe injuries, even with her kagune fully released, Irimi was far weaker than when uninjured.
Finally, Hirako landed a nearly fatal blow, critically damaging the Black Dog's kakuhou.
Irimi immediately lost combat capability, her body collapsing limply.
"Ah... today I finally get to die..."
Irimi actually seemed at peace with it.
"I've finally been waiting for this day..."
Hachikawa glared at the fallen Black Dog with a vicious, twisted expression.
"...Associate Special Class Hachikawa."
Hirako spoke up. "According to the Ghoul Countermeasures Law, 'civilian safety should be given top priority.' I have concerns about your actions just now."
"...Such a stickler for rules. If you want to put it that way, 'Ghoul Investigators should adapt to circumstances as needed'... there's that clause too, isn't there?"
Hachikawa's tone was impatient. "As long as I can kill the Black Dog, what's one old hag who doesn't have long to live anyway... Besides! It's her own fault for not evacuating or staying hidden properly."
"..."
Hirako remained silent.
Itou Kuramoto moved to take the old woman somewhere safe.
"This is the moment I've dreamed of. Now then..."
Just as Hachikawa was about to finish off the Black Dog, Hirako interrupted again.
"Associate Special Class Hachikawa, I'd like to raise one more point. She's the leader of the Black Dobers. She likely possesses highly valuable intelligence. I believe we should apprehend her first and let the higher-ups decide how to proceed."
Hachikawa's veins bulged at Hirako's interference. This guy just wouldn't let up.
"...Hirako, are you sympathizing with her?"
"No... that's not what I mean."
"Listen here—if she ends up living a long life in Cochlea like the 'Priest,' I couldn't stand it."
Hachikawa's voice turned cold. "I've waited ten years for this day. My mentor, my subordinates... she killed them all. All ghouls should be exterminated. So then..."
He pulled down the collar covering his mouth, revealing the horrific damage ghouls had inflicted—his mouth area had been gnawed away. "First Class Investigator Hirako, do you have any more objections?"
What made it even more tragic was that his mentor and subordinates had been killed during a "Black Dobers Suppression Operation" years ago—specifically because they'd tried to save a civilian in the exact same situation as that old woman...
As the sole survivor of his squad, he'd changed dramatically after that incident.
That's why, facing a similar civilian situation this time, he hadn't hesitated at all.
But Hachikawa didn't share this story...
"...No."
Hirako's expression remained unchanged.
Behind him, Itou Kuramoto muttered very quietly, "Wow, that's scary... and it was Squad Leader Hirako who did the work..."
"Mutt... you're fit to die in the street like a stray dog."
Hachikawa's Quinque was already charging as he sneered down at the Black Dog. "Farewell, mutt."
But at that very moment, a figure suddenly descended from above.
A man wearing a white mask and Akatsuki robes landed before Hachikawa. His eyes were unmistakably the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
Hachikawa's expression shifted to alarm—the figure before him was clearly a ghoul!
Another enemy?!
Byakuya immediately activated Susanoo, a kagune arm reaching out to grab Hachikawa.
This is... a kakuja?!
Hachikawa froze in shock. The appearance of a kakuja threw him into panic—even the formidable SS-rated Black Dog wasn't a kakuja!
Facing what looked like a "kagune arm," Hachikawa couldn't react in time. He was seized like someone crushing an ant.
The grip focused particularly on the Quinque in Hachikawa's hand.
CRACK!
Hachikawa's Quinque shattered instantly, his arm suffering severe fractures. He was then hurled into a wall with enough force to punch through it.
[Ding! The host has defeated an "Associate Special Class Investigator." Reward: 30 Fusion Points!]
The CCG had evacuated civilians from this area beforehand. Apart from that old woman—probably hard of hearing due to her age and unable to hear the alarm—the surrounding buildings were all empty. So Byakuya didn't need to worry about harming civilians.
"..."
The sudden appearance of such a mysterious and powerful enemy made Hirako and the other two afraid to make any rash moves.
Itou Kuramoto and Hogi Ayumu in particular were breaking out in cold sweat. This was a worst-case scenario they'd never imagined—how could they possibly face a kakuja-level ghoul?!
"Who are you...?"
Irimi's eyes went wide. She couldn't recognize the masked mystery man shielding her.
Just as Hirako assumed the enemy was about to attack and took his combat stance—
—the figure didn't spare them a glance. Instead, he deactivated what appeared to be a kakuja form, turned around, picked up the Black Dog, and departed.
Before they could react, he had vanished with the Black Dog, leaving no trace.
Irimi looked at the man holding her in his arms, unable to discern any familiarity through the mask and those blood-red eyes.
Byakuya had deliberately altered his scent to avoid being identified by any Washuu ghouls—after all, Yoshitoki Washuu was the Commander-in-Chief of this operation...
Irimi couldn't help but ask: "Who the hell are you anyway? If you don't tell me, I might have to report you for indecent assault..."
...
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