Because this mysterious power was far beyond Yoshitoki Washuu's understanding, he had no time to react. In an instant, countless fragments pierced his face and body.
However, that level of damage and pain was insignificant to Yoshitoki Washuu.
What filled his face now was shock. He hadn't even seen how his opponent had attacked. It was as if an invisible force had reflected everything back at him.
Could it be... those strange eyes?!
Yoshitoki Washuu stared fixedly at Byakuya's Rinnegan. Those were not eyes any normal human could possess, and they filled him with an inexplicable sense of fear.
Even if Byakuya's eyes had transformed into a pair of Kakugan, or even a single one-eyed variant, he would not have felt such panic.
Whether ghouls, half-humans, or half-ghouls, all of those still fell within his understanding.
But the Rinnegan was completely beyond Yoshitoki Washuu's comprehension. Humans have always feared the unknown, and ghouls, who originated from humans, were no exception.
"What exactly are those eyes of yours?!"
Yoshitoki Washuu couldn't help but ask in alarm.
"What are they...? Why don't you guess?"
Byakuya replied expressionlessly.
Before his words had even finished, he raised his hand and activated the power of the Rinnegan once more.
Universal Pull!
At that moment, Yoshitoki Washuu suddenly felt an invisible force of attraction. His body was pulled uncontrollably toward Byakuya.
"What?!"
Yoshitoki Washuu's expression changed dramatically.
Overwhelmed by a strong sense of danger, he immediately transformed into his Kakuja form.
Because Kagune and Kakuja forms are hereditary to some extent, often passed down through family lines.
Although a Kagune's shape can be altered through imagination, the changes cannot be too fundamental.
Moreover, ordinary ghouls do not possess Eto Yoshimura's level of creativity or control over their Kagune. No matter how much she altered hers, it still closely resembled Yoshimura Kuzen's.
As such, Yoshitoki Washuu's Kagune and Kakuja form were of the same type as Rize's.
The appearance of the Kakuja varied somewhat according to body size, but the Kagune itself remained largely identical.
However, none of that really mattered.
Even after transforming into a Kakuja, Yoshitoki Washuu could not escape the pull of Universal Pull. In this world, any ability of the Rinnegan could simply be described as absurdly overpowered.
"This is bad!"
In an instant, Yoshitoki Washuu transformed into a humanoid Kakuja similar to Rize's.
Yet he never expected that even in this form, he would still have absolutely no power to resist. He couldn't control his own body at all.
At the same time, numerous members of the Washuu clan rushed in from all directions.
The moment Yoshitoki Washuu shattered the table, it had effectively served as a signal.
Once that signal was given, the clan members knew it was time to act.
Just as Byakuya pulled Yoshitoki Washuu toward him, Matsuri Washuu arrived with reinforcements.
Byakuya immediately raised his other hand.
In truth, he didn't even need to raise his hand; merely focusing his Rinnegan on a target was enough. Raising his hand was simply a habit.
In an instant, Matsuri Washuu was also caught by the terrifying attraction of Universal Pull.
"What's going on?!"
Matsuri Washuu was horrified.
Before he could even understand what was happening, Byakuya used Universal Pull to slam him directly into Yoshitoki Washuu.
At the very instant before impact, Matsuri instinctively transformed into his Kakuja form in a desperate attempt to survive.
BOOM!
The two Kakuja collided!
Had it been an ordinary collision, their tremendous defenses would have protected them.
But this collision was empowered by Universal Pull's gravitational force. It was on an entirely different level.
The armored shells of both Yoshitoki and Matsuri shattered across large sections upon impact, and the collision left them both dizzy and disoriented.
The remaining Washuu clan members behind them were completely dumbfounded.
The family head and heir had been defeated just like that?
They hadn't even seen what had happened!
"I already gave you a chance. You simply chose not to value it."
Looking coldly at Yoshitoki and Matsuri, Byakuya spoke calmly.
Suddenly, his body began to float upward, ascending directly into the sky.
Yoshitoki, Matsuri, and the other clan members instinctively looked up at him.
The important question wasn't that he could fly.
It was what he intended to do...
The power of Almighty Push blasted apart the ceiling above him as Byakuya soared into the heavens.
...
"Mom, what's that?"
"Is someone in the sky? He's actually flying?!"
"Maybe it's a human-shaped kite? Some kind of prank? But looking closely, it really seems to be a person..."
"..."
Many civilians in the streets of the 1st Ward noticed a figure suspended in the distant sky.
The investigators surrounding the Washuu estate, being the closest, stared upward at Byakuya in utter shock.
"G-Grand General... what is he doing?"
Koutarou Amon asked, completely dumbfounded.
"..."
Kishou Arima gave no answer, because he had absolutely no idea what Byakuya was thinking either.
On top of a distant skyscraper, Eto Yoshimura and Akira Mado also noticed him.
Eto had not even finished telling the story of Kuzen and Yuna when she suddenly saw Byakuya floating in the sky and continuing to rise higher.
"What is that guy trying to do?"
Eto asked in astonishment.
If even Eto didn't know, then Akira certainly had no clue.
Meanwhile—
High above the ground, Byakuya surveyed the area below.
He noticed that the Washuu estate covered an enormous area.
After all, the Washuu family held a position akin to rulers of Japan, and there were no residential buildings nearby. Even the skyscraper where Eto and Akira stood was some distance away.
The last concern in his heart vanished.
"Feel pain. Think about pain. Accept pain. Know pain. Those who do not know pain can never understand true peace!"
Under the gaze of countless people, Byakuya suddenly declared these words to the world as he continued rising higher and higher.
Because he believed Nagato's words carried profound truth.
Only war and suffering could make people yearn for genuine peace.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi could only erase the ghoul race.
Humans would still continue killing one another.
But he possessed the power of a god.
He could become this world's nuclear deterrent.
Even if it was only a relative peace, it still held meaning.
As for the Washuu family...
They were merely a pawn through which he would make this world experience pain.
Before anyone could grasp the meaning behind his declaration, Byakuya came to a stop high in the heavens and slowly spread his arms.
"From this moment onward... let the world know pain..."
"Almighty Push!"
...
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