Ward 11, CCG Branch.
Large numbers of ghoul investigators in Ward 11 had been hunted by Aogiri Tree. Even the CCG branch itself had fallen, with only a handful of investigators still fighting desperately.
Before Aogiri Tree occupied Ward 11, the local ghouls had been relatively well-behaved.
Especially after the high-level ghouls of Ward 11 went after Rize and got massacred for their trouble, the relatively kind but weak Banjou had become Ward 11's leader, making the local ghouls even more docile.
This had led the CCG to allocate relatively few resources to Ward 11. Facing Aogiri Tree's sudden occupation, they had no means of resistance. The highest-ranked investigator stationed there was merely First Class.
Aogiri Tree had sent only a single executive—Noro—and he'd slaughtered his way through the entire CCG branch. The two strongest executives, Eto and Tatara, were watching the show from a high platform outside the branch.
"Mon... monster!"
The surviving investigators screamed in terror while frantically firing their pistols at the ghoul before them—a ghoul who wouldn't fall no matter how many times they shot him.
He wore a white mask printed with a teeth pattern and was draped in dark red robes. His build was massive.
This was Noro, one of Aogiri Tree's executives, an SS-rated ghoul.
Noro currently served as Ward 11's acting "manager."
He strode through the branch like a one-man army. No amount of bullets could make him take a single step back.
By now, every investigator in Ward 11 capable of wielding a Quinque had been killed. Only the Rank 3 investigators and investigator assistants remained—personnel who could only be equipped with firearms loaded with Q Bullets.
Noro's regeneration was extraordinarily terrifying because Eto had already transformed him into a "kagune monster" using her kakuhou. His entire body was composed almost entirely of Eto's kagune, fused with his own, giving him immense power.
These Rank 3 investigators and assistants were nothing but lambs to the slaughter before him.
Noro endured countless bullets while using his massive kagune—its tip shaped like a mouth—to devour the investigators one by one.
Screams of agony echoed continuously throughout the CCG building.
At that moment, a surviving investigator hid in an office, drenched in cold sweat and cowering in terror. One hand held a pistol while the other tried to contact CCG headquarters via phone.
The headquarters liaison happened to be standing by for news from Ward 11. The call connected almost immediately.
"This is CCG Headquarters."
But before the liaison could finish his first sentence, Special Class Investigator Marude Itsuki, who stood nearby looking anxious, snatched the phone away.
"This is Marude. What's the situation?"
Marude's voice was urgent.
"AAAAAH—!!"
Instead of a response, a scream came through the phone, followed by the sound of the device clattering to the floor.
Marude's brow furrowed deeply. This was bad.
After a moment, it sounded like someone had picked up the phone.
"That was the last one."
The voice on the other end spoke coldly, as if announcing Aogiri Tree's victory to Marude, before hanging up.
"Damn it!"
Marude was furious.
He hadn't expected Ward 11 to fall so quickly. Aogiri Tree's strength exceeded all his expectations.
Now the surrounding wards were also in jeopardy. They needed to launch countermeasures against Aogiri Tree in Ward 11 immediately!
They were currently at a harbor, surrounded by shipping containers. Even the investigators stationed here had been completely wiped out.
"How brutal..."
Looking at the grim scene before him, Yoshimura's expression was heavy with emotion.
"This was done by a ghoul organization calling itself 'Aogiri Tree.'"
Yomo removed his crow-like mask and shared what he knew. "What's particularly noteworthy is that their leader is called the 'One-Eyed King.'"
"One-eyed..."
Yoshimura's expression grew contemplative.
Clearly, he either already knew or had long suspected that his daughter was Aogiri Tree's leader.
However, he didn't know that Aogiri Tree's true "One-Eyed King" was actually Kishou Arima...
"Yomo-kun, let's return to Anteiku."
Yoshimura and Yomo didn't linger in Ward 11. After briefly surveying the situation, they headed back to Ward 20.
But as luck would have it, just as they left Ward 20, Aogiri Tree's people had already arrived.
First to reach Anteiku were Banjou and his three subordinates.
Banjou strode into the coffee shop looking fierce and imposing, though in reality he was weak as could be.
He first scanned the customers inside, then spotted Rize.
His face immediately lit up with joy, but when he noticed the young man sitting beside her, his expression darkened.
Back in Ward 11, Banjou had secretly harbored feelings for Rize. Seeing her sitting with another man made him quite unhappy.
"Rize-san!"
Banjou immediately walked over with large strides.
Rize had no intention of acknowledging Banjou because she was currently playing a "who blinks first loses" game with Byakuya. They'd been staring into each other's eyes for several minutes now.
But Banjou had to come over and interrupt them.
Rize immediately shot him an icy glare, her fierce expression looking like she was about to kill him on the spot. "Get lost."
"Yes!"
Banjou, who'd been looking murderous and ready to settle scores with the young man, instantly cowered and obediently sat down nearby.
After all, he knew just how vicious Rize could be.
His three subordinates stood behind him, not daring to make a sound either.
Rize ignored Banjou and continued gazing at Byakuya.
Banjou couldn't help but carefully examine the young man beside Rize. The incredibly striking sweet fragrance emanating from him was unmistakably human.
He assumed this young man was merely Rize's "prey"—she was probably just toying with him a bit before eating him eventually.
But what happened next made Banjou's jaw drop.
Having been interrupted by Banjou, Rize felt like she was about to crack.
It seemed she'd decided to cheat.
Rize leaned closer and closer to Byakuya until their noses were almost touching—and she still didn't stop, as if she intended to kiss him directly...