If Lancer had gained any insight about the art of the spear during his recent training, it was this: the hardest moment is always the instant of the attack itself.
Indeed, every technique has a follow-up move, but those exist solely to cover mistakes. And because the spear was a long weapon, its openings after an attack were even greater than shorter weapons. In other words, at the very moment he attacked, he was at his most vulnerable. Yet, he knew clearly—if fear of enemy retaliation stopped him from attacking, then the only possible outcome was defeat. Even so, now he felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness—an illusion that he simply couldn't defeat this enemy.
All three of the skills he learned at the training camp had already failed. Dash was useless against her; Triple Thrust had enough speed but lacked power, unable to pierce her Kagune; and though Charged Strike landed, the minor wound it inflicted on Rize was negligible compared to the damage he took in return. Indeed, the cost-benefit ratio was absurdly skewed against him—her earlier abdominal wound had already completely healed. With regenerative abilities far surpassing ordinary ghouls, Kamishiro Rize didn't fear prolonged battles in the slightest.
He still had his last remaining trump card, his secret technique. But once he used it, either his enemy or himself would surely die.
Frankly, Lancer had no confidence he could win…
His gaze wavered briefly, then suddenly he found himself locking eyes with Kamishiro Rize.
What kind of eyes were those?
Blood-red eyes were usually terrifying. Yet Rize's eyes, though equally crimson, carried a disturbingly alluring quality. But at this moment, what Lancer felt most keenly was coldness.
Those seductive eyes held nothing but madness.
"Investigator Lancer!!"
Just then, a shout from behind broke Lancer free from the strange feeling, followed immediately by rapid gunfire ringing out from behind him.
Undoubtedly, it was the backup squad finally arriving.
The original plan called for multiple squads to surround the enemy and attack simultaneously. But when the Rank 2 Investigator who arrived first saw Lancer's miserable state, he immediately gave the order to open fire without hesitation.
Indeed, the original objective was capturing Jason—but sacrificing Lancer was never part of the plan.
Lancer was among the most promising Investigators they'd recruited recently. Given time, he could surely hunt down countless ghouls, so there was no way they'd allow him to die here!
This was something every team had agreed upon before the operation began. Thus, when the squad leader saw Lancer standing bloodied, clothes shredded, covered in wounds from head to toe, he instantly ordered an attack. As he drew his Quinque, the Rank 3 Investigators behind him quickly switched their ammunition to specialized bullets—Q Bullets.
Due to limited resources and risks of equipment falling into ghoul hands, the CCG couldn't equip every Investigator with a Quinque. Rank 3 Investigators typically never had access to them. However, they did have other weapons.
Precisely—Q Bullets!
Mass-produced anti-ghoul bullets—Q Bullets.
Once they confirmed Rize's Kagune type, they swiftly loaded "Bikaku Bullets," specifically effective against Rinkaku-type ghouls, and opened fire in unison.
Indeed, Rank 3 Investigators occupied the lowest rung of the CCG hierarchy. They didn't have Quinques. Many among them were just ordinary people, doing ordinary jobs, and sometimes even dying ordinary deaths at the hands of ghouls. Yet undeniably, it was their existence and sacrifices that enabled the CCG to suppress ghoul activity in most districts.
Perhaps the higher-ranked Investigators handled most of the dangerous ghouls, but without the sacrifices of Rank 3 Investigators, society couldn't possibly remain stable—after all, patrols, evacuations, and citizen guidance all depended on them.
At this moment, several Rank 3 Investigators fired together to cover the Rank 2 Investigator rushing forward.
Holding a katana-shaped Quinque, the Rank 2 Investigator swung forcefully at Kamishiro Rize. It was a simple, no-frills attack—kendo's basic overhead strike, the "MEN"—yet accompanied by a fierce shout, it carried a powerful momentum, as if determined to cleave his enemy in two.
Yet Kamishiro Rize merely regarded him with contempt. Her mood right now was thoroughly unpleasant.
Logically, she should be ecstatic at the chance to indulge in slaughter. But the thought of these small fry interrupting her private hunting ground, disturbing her precious, high-quality prey, utterly disgusted her!
Thus, she abandoned her earlier playful, teasing manner of fighting. Instead, her Kagune coiled tightly behind her, then shot forward ferociously.
Crack!
The investigator's Quinque blade, crafted from a Koukaku Kagune, snapped cleanly. The drill-like Rinkaku Kagune, now sharpened by Rize's bloodlust, thrust toward his chest mercilessly.
Bang!!
But right then, accompanied by a loud crash, a dark crimson spear slammed into the Investigator's side first. Sent flying by the spear, the Rank 2 Investigator crashed into a car parked at the roadside, rolling several times before finally sitting up, struggling. Yet he gazed at Lancer with no resentment—only profound gratitude.
Yes, Lancer's nearly full-strength strike had certainly fractured at least one of his ribs. Yet if Lancer hadn't knocked him aside just then, he'd surely have been pierced cleanly through by Rize.
Suddenly, screeching tires and roaring engines echoed through the gunfire, greatly raising everyone's spirits. The reinforcements had finally arrived!
But Rize furrowed her brows slightly.
Although her poor reputation among ghouls meant she knew little of Jason's conflict with the 20th Ward Investigators, her instincts clearly warned her she'd stumbled into serious trouble.
Licking her lips reluctantly, she cast one final, regretful glance at Lancer before decisively turning to leave. Delicious prey stood right before her eyes, but she wasn't foolish enough to throw her life away. Who knew if a Quasi-Special Class Investigator, or perhaps even that man, was among the reinforcements?
Yet just then, she sensed an incredibly dangerous aura behind her. Her body instinctively twisted sideways, but it was already too late.
SCREEEECH—!
Accompanied by a horrifying tearing sound, a dark crimson spear pierced straight through one of Rize's Rinkaku Kagune tendrils, momentum undiminished as it embedded itself deeply into a nearby wall.
Since the beginning of her notorious career, Rize had certainly been defeated before. She'd even come close to death numerous times. But she'd never suffered such humiliation—attacked from behind without even knowing who struck her! What shocked her even more, however, was what she saw when she turned around.
The attacker wasn't one of the reinforcement Investigators, but rather Lancer—who now staggered forward, finally collapsing toward the ground.
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T/N: fuck it, we balling with capitalizing them