Hiro looked at Yukinori Shinohara kneeling on the ground and at Iwao Kuroiwa, who was hurriedly stripping away New from him.
This should have been the duel between Yoshimura and them. Now the course of events had changed because of him.
Suddenly, a trace of mischief rose in his heart. He wanted to tease them.
"What a shaky weapon," he said slowly, his voice low and full of theatrical gravity.
"This world is always filled with plunder and Carnage. We struggle to convince ourselves that this is the law of nature.
But we have no reason to take the lives of others. The act of seizing life can only be called... sin."
Halfway through, Hiro nearly failed to maintain the serious tone.
These were originally the manager's lines. Now coming from his mouth, every word seemed to mock him as the very embodiment of sin.
Hiro knew very well what kind of person he was. He was not utterly depraved, but he was not far from it either.
Kuroiwa suddenly raised his head. "You... what do you mean?"
Hiro ignored him and continued in that deliberately profound tone, "If souls truly exist... it seems they have no intention of lending you their power."
While he performed, in the shadows of the distant bridge, Eto and Tatara quietly observed everything.
"He... is very strong," Eto sat at the edge of the bridge, her legs swaying gently in the air. "Do you think he could be the 'Carnage' you mentioned, Tatara-san?"
"Possibly," Tatara answered as concisely as ever.
The two fell silent again, with only the night wind brushing past.
Until Eto spoke once more. "It's about time, isn't it?"
Tatara gave a faint nod. "Yes."
As their words fell, the quiet night sky was suddenly pierced by countless wingbeats.
Flocks of birds took flight from the areas surrounding the battlefield, scattering in all directions.
On the rooftop, Hiro watched the startled birds. The demolition had begun.
It seemed Aogiri Tree's cadres had already withdrawn. It was time for them to leave as well. This area would soon be reduced to rubble.
He returned to Rize's side and naturally wrapped an arm around her waist. "We should go."
Rize blinked slightly. "Now?"
Hiro glanced at the faint shifting shadows in the distance. His voice was calm but unquestionable. "The time has come. Explosives are planted beneath this building. It will soon become ruins."
Rize's pupils contracted. "So this entire battle... was a trap by Aogiri Tree?"
"Exactly. Their main objective is not here." Hiro slowly spread his wings.
He lifted into the air with Rize. With a single beat of his wings, countless sharp spikes formed along their edges.
Then he spun swiftly in midair. The spikes poured down like torrential rain, covering every area of the rooftop.
Yukinori Shinohara, kneeling on the ground, saw the overwhelming attack and hurriedly warned Iwao Kuroiwa, who was stripping away the New armor. "Iwao, watch out!"
Kuroiwa had no time to turn and block. He could only shield the back of his head and use his body to cover Shinohara.
Clang. Clang.
With New's defense covering his back, he was not injured there, but several spikes pierced through his arms and legs. Blood flowed out relentlessly.
After completing this final strike, Hiro made a sharp turn in the air and flew toward the bridge, his figure quickly merging into the night.
As Hiro and Rize disappeared into the sky, a violent tremor suddenly rose from deep underground.
The entire building groaned under unbearable strain. Walls cracked. Steel beams twisted.
Inside the temporary command vehicle, Kureo Mado sensed the disturbance at once and instantly realized this was likely a trap prearranged by Aogiri Tree.
He roared into the communicator, "All units retreat. Immediately. Move!"
The public channel erupted in chaotic footsteps and shouts.
"Get out!"
"This way!"
"Watch above!"
But the collapse came too quickly. Those who had not yet escaped were buried beneath cascading concrete. Piercing screams echoed intermittently through the ruins.
————
On the distant bridge, Eto watched the rising smoke from the battlefield, gently swinging her legs. "No one important came."
Tatara nodded silently.
Tilting her head as if discussing the moonlight, Eto asked, "Tatara-san, how many do you think died this time?"
"About two hundred."
Eto let out a soft laugh, her voice carrying innocent cruelty. "Then for these two hundred people, we must work even harder to kill."
Tatara replied as calmly as ever, "Yes. Let's go."
......
As they spoke, the distant building was completely reduced to rubble. Amid the pile of broken stone, Iwao Kuroiwa struggled to push aside the concrete slab pressing down and helped Yukinori Shinohara crawl out.
Hearing a familiar voice beside him, Yukinori Shinohara forced his heavy eyelids open and saw his partner's concerned gaze.
"You're awake?"
Shinohara struggled to sit up. The intense pain throughout his body made him draw in a sharp breath.
"Sorry. I lost consciousness for a moment." His voice was hoarse as he focused on the other man. "Iwao, your injuries...?"
Kuroiwa leaned against a broken slab and glanced down at his own gruesome wounds. He pulled out a faint smile. "Looks worse than it is. Nothing vital hit. I won't die."
Shinohara coughed out a mouthful of dust. "It was a trap."
"Yes."
"Damn..."
The two fell into brief silence. Kuroiwa suddenly asked in a low voice, "Shinohara, that ghoul just now... why didn't he kill us?"
Shinohara's gaze grew complicated. He could not understand it either, nor those meaningful words.
"Let's leave here first," he finally said. "The casualties are probably severe."
Kuroiwa nodded and carefully supported him. "Your injuries need immediate treatment."
Inside the temporary command vehicle, Mado's roar nearly overturned the roof. "Casualty report. Give me exact numbers!"
An adjutant stumbled in, his voice trembling. "Survivors... probably only one third."
Mado slammed his fist onto the console, shattering the communicator instantly. He stared at the ruins on the screen and forced three words through clenched teeth.
"Aogiri Tree."
...
A dark red shadow tore through the air. At the instant it was about to crash into the bridge, the wings snapped once, generating a downward current.
The bullet-like speed abruptly reined in, as if pulled by invisible ropes, and finally landed steadily on the bridge surface.
Hiro gently set Rize down from his arms, without the slightest haste.
The ferocious dark red armor covering his body writhed and receded like a living thing, quickly withdrawing back inside him and revealing his original form.
Hiro swept his gaze across the empty bridge and sighed inwardly.
He had intended to speak with Yoshimura Eto and Tatara, but they had already left.
"What's wrong, Hiro?" Rize noticed the subtle change in his expression. "Were you looking for someone?"
"I planned to exchange a few words with Aogiri Tree's leader," Hiro withdrew his gaze, his tone returning to calm. "It seems that will have to wait until next time."
The night wind was slightly cool. He naturally draped an arm over Rize's shoulders. "Let's return to the 20th Ward."
"Alright." Rize responded obediently.