"Do you still remember the promise we made?"
Cradling the white-haired boy's handsome face, Eto's eyes gleamed with a teasing light.
"Of course I remember."
Holding the tiny green-haired girl in his arms, Hayashi nodded lightly.
"In that case, let's have a nice, uninterrupted talk."
Eto smiled softly as her kagune wrapped around the two of them, sealing them inside.
The investigators nearby froze at the sight.
To be honest, they hadn't been able to understand the fight from the very beginning. All they saw was Eto laughing maniacally as she slammed her massive arms into the ground again and again.
And Hayashi—his movements were too fast for the naked eye to follow. They could only catch faint afterimages.
Then came the wounds multiplying across Eto's titan-like body, her injuries worsening.
After that, no one could see anything at all.
All they knew was that her huge kagune body crumbled into pieces… and from within, a small bandaged girl leaped out and wrapped herself around Hayashi.
But they were too far away to see her appearance clearly.
And now, moments ago, her scarlet kagune had wrapped around the two of them completely.
With the earth-shattering battle finally ending, the silence gradually settled. The courtyard looked as if it had been hit by artillery — shattered, ruptured, destroyed.
Everyone stared mutely.
What just happened?
Did Hayashi solo the One-Eyed Owl?
The thought flashed through everyone's mind.
The One-Eyed Owl — an SSS-rated ghoul who had terrorized the CCG for decades—had been defeated alone?
Was that something a human could even do?
Everyone had been training their whole lives, yet this guy alone was apparently cultivating immortality?
But it wasn't just CCG investigators who were shocked.
Even Aogiri Tree members staring from the rooftop had gone pale.
Eto's strength as their leader was unquestioned.
Yet they never imagined their boss would be defeated by a single person.
And that same person had earlier defeated one of their senior cadres — solo.
Human? Really?
With combat power like that, they'd believe it even if someone told them he was a ghoul.
The shock was too overwhelming. Both investigators and Aogiri Tree members stood frozen in place.
But then—everyone suddenly realized a very serious issue.
Eto had wrapped Hayashi inside her kagune.
From the outside, no one could see what was happening. They couldn't even tell if either of them was alive or dead.
Which meant…
Who actually won? Who lost?
Just as that thought crossed everyone's mind and silence fell—
A booming voice suddenly echoed through the yard.
"Investigator Hayashi has successfully stalled the enemy leader, the SSS-rated ghoul known as the One-Eyed Owl."
"Do not waste this chance! Units 1 through 4, establish a perimeter! Everyone else—charge inside!"
"Tonight, don't let a single fly escape!"
Marude barked orders through the mobile command truck's loudspeaker.
At his signal, the investigators snapped out of their stupor.
"Advance! Move in!"
With quinques in hand, they rushed in from the front and back entrances.
"Go! We must make use of the chance Investigator Hayashi bought us!"
Amon charged in front, hefting his massive Quinque.
"Block them! Don't let the Doves in!"
Regaining his senses, Ayato's eyes turned cold. His crimson kagune blossomed behind him like a twisted rose. He jumped down from the rooftop, followed by other Aogiri members.
Aogiri Tree and the CCG clashed instantly.
Inside the kagune cocoon, a different kind of battle was unfolding.
Before long, the fight between the strongest ghoul and the strongest human came to an end.
"I didn't expect your strength to be this overwhelming."
Hayashi exhaled sharply, surprised despite himself.
"I didn't expect your stamina to be this good either… You really surprised me, boy."
Eto pressed against his chest, her face still flushed.
"Fighting you is incredible. Inside here… and out there."
Hayashi ruffled the little girl's green hair, smiling faintly.
"I've never felt this exhilarated before."
"I've never found the real world this beautiful—or intoxicating."
Eto tilted her head up, her gorgeous, lazy eyes burning with obsession.
"If time allowed… I'd love to explore the essence of battle with you a few more times."
Hayashi nodded, a trace of regret flickering in his gaze.
"Relax. Everything has a first time—and countless more after that."
"Go finish what you need to do. Once it's over… we'll have plenty of time."
Her pale, slender fingers traced across his chest.
"I'll be waiting for you… always."
After a moment of silence, Hayashi rubbed her head and nodded.
A seam opened in the kagune, and he slipped out.
Outside, CCG and Aogiri Tree were engaged in chaos. No one noticed his exit.
"Alright. Time to check inside the mansion."
But just as he was about to enter, Hayashi spotted a familiar figure.
Tatara limped out of the crater, clutching his arm against the mansion wall. His regeneration wasn't weak, but his injuries this time were far too severe.
If Eto hadn't intervened earlier, he would've died.
"Stupid human… I'll make you pay for this one day!"
Tatara gasped for breath, his usual composure long gone. His clothes were shredded, his body mangled, his presence faint.
He could barely walk, let alone fight.
He needed to escape first. Revenge could wait. Ten years wasn't too long.
As he painfully dragged himself away—
A familiar voice cut through the air.
"Tatara, where do you think you're going?"
Hayashi leaned against the wall, a faint smile on his lips.
"You promised Eto you'd let me go. You're not planning to go back on your word, are you?"
Tatara halted, speaking calmly. Normally, he'd never lower himself to say such humiliating things.
But right now, survival came first.
Live now, kill later.
"I have two principles," Hayashi replied. "The first is that I never go back on a promise."
Tatara was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected Hayashi to be a man of reason and integrity.
Though in his mind, that just meant he was naïve. Humans were stupid. One day, this man would die by his hands.
Tatara smirked coldly, killing intent flashing in his eyes.
"But… do you know my second principle?"
Hayashi's voice sounded again.
"Your… second principle?"
Tatara looked up, confused—
And saw a thin line of blood appear across his throat.
Before he could react, his head slid off his neck.
"My second principle is…"
A smile curled at Hayashi's lips.
"I am the principle. And principle belongs to me."