"What are you standing around for? Run!"
Kuroiwa, lying on the ground, still had the strength to shout.
Thanks to New Proto's protection, he was mostly unharmed from the fall.
The surrounding investigators finally snapped back to reality and fled in every direction—managing to escape before the building completely collapsed.
Meanwhile, Squad Zero's nimble half-humans used the collapsing debris to safely reach the ground. Kishou Arima at their head needed no mention.
Some ordinary investigators weren't so lucky, but they were all fully equipped—not with New Proto-class kakuja Quinques, but still with decent protective gear.
In the chaos, "Byakuya" rescued Manager Yoshimura and had another Wood Clone carry him away.
Of course, the one who'd summoned Susanoo was also a Wood Clone. His main body was elsewhere—something small had come up...
Even so, this Wood Clone capable of manifesting the third-stage Susanoo was more than enough to dominate the entire battlefield.
"Who are you...?"
Yoshimura was still conscious.
He was an SSS-rated Non-Killing Owl after all—his vitality was extraordinary. He simply couldn't continue fighting for now.
But he didn't recognize Byakuya, having never seen him look like this.
"Manager, I've come to save you."
Byakuya spoke.
"...Amaha-kun?"
Yoshimura was surprised.
He hadn't expected Amaha-kun to make such an entrance. And that enormous kakuja-like monster from just now—was that also Amaha-kun...?
"Let's not discuss this now. I'll take you to where Irimi-san and Koma-san are."
Byakuya said.
One problem remained: the CCG had formed a perimeter around all of Ward 20. Apart from the underground passage, ghouls couldn't escape Ward 20 from any surface position.
He'd already had the surviving Devil Ape and Black Dobers ghouls abandon the underground passage, since the V14 route was the only way through—and Kishou Arima had been guarding it until just now.
That meant they needed to "clear a path" somewhere on the surface. Another Wood Clone was already executing this task.
And the method of "clearing a path" was quite direct and brutal...
By now the One-Eyed Owl had also landed safely. Falling from great heights meant nothing to her.
But she was momentarily at a loss, because her plan had been completely disrupted. She didn't know what to do.
She'd recognized Byakuya already. Never mind that outrageous kakuja form—she didn't understand why he was interfering with her.
But she quickly noticed Yoshimura had disappeared. Now she roughly understood why Byakuya had interfered...
"..."
Kishou Arima also fell silent looking at the Susanoo.
Eto had mentioned Byakuya's strange "kakuja" form and "half-ghoul" identity, so he barely recognized him. But this exceeded not only Eto's expectations—it was beyond his own as well.
Even anticipating that Byakuya might interfere with this "performance," he never could have imagined Byakuya's "kakuja" could be this powerful.
A single stroke cleaving an entire building—such combat power exceeded everyone's comprehension.
Now not just Eto—even Kishou Arima didn't know what to do.
"Emergency report! Emergency report! A kakuja-like colossus several dozen meters tall has suddenly appeared at the One-Eyed Owl's location!!"
When Byakuya's Susanoo cleaved the building, emergency news had already reached Yoshitoki Washuu and the command post.
The command post fell deathly silent. Every investigator was stunned—including Deputy Commander Marude.
A kakuja dozens of meters tall that could slice through a building with one sword—they'd never imagined facing such an enemy!!
"Director... wh-what do we do...?"
An investigator beside Yoshitoki asked helplessly.
"You're asking me... I also..."
Yoshitoki was questioning his very existence.
The moment the dozens-of-meters kakuja appeared, he knew they'd completely lost this operation.
But he couldn't comprehend it. Those completely unexpected mysterious ghouls—especially this dozens-of-meters kakuja—where had they come from?!
The Washuu clan could essentially be called the strongest ghoul family. Yet today, unknown ghouls far beyond their comprehension had appeared, shattering his entire worldview.
...
Just as Eto was at a loss, she suddenly sensed overwhelming danger. Looking up, she saw a deep blue giant sword swinging down at her.
Eto scrambled to dodge.
Is that guy serious?!
But before she could celebrate evading that strike, a deep blue giant hand burst through a wall from the side. Combined with the dust cloud from the building's collapse obscuring her vision, she had no time to dodge before being grabbed.
Byakuya manipulated the giant hand to seize her. The originally fearsome, massive One-Eyed Owl now looked like a baby chick being pinched in his grip.
"Care to dance too?"
Byakuya asked coldly. In truth, Eto's treatment of Shinohara and Suzuya had been too excessive, so he simply wanted to teach her a lesson.
Then the Susanoo hand gripping the One-Eyed Owl began to squeeze.
No matter how tough the One-Eyed Owl's kakuja shell was, it couldn't withstand Susanoo's power.
"GAAAAAHHH—!"
The One-Eyed Owl let out a bizarre shriek as her kakuja shell was gradually crushed with audible cracking sounds.
Just before completely crushing the One-Eyed Owl, Byakuya stopped applying pressure—though he still held on without releasing her.
The One-Eyed Owl continued struggling in agony, but no matter what she did, she couldn't break free. She couldn't budge the Susanoo at all!
Investigators near and far watched with jaws dropped. That enormous kakuja... was fighting the One-Eyed Owl in what looked like ghoul-on-ghoul violence...?
"..."
Kishou Arima could only stand there watching. Given the current situation, there was no way he could rescue Eto.
All he could do was wait and see how Byakuya would treat Eto...
...
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