The CCG Headquarters strategic conference room was filled to capacity.
Washuu Matsuri sat at the head of the table, with every Special Class Investigator currently serving in the CCG seated on either side.
"Everyone," Washuu Matsuri's voice broke the silence, "the location of Aogiri Tree's main base has been confirmed. Tokyo Bay, Rushima."
His gaze swept across every face in the room.
"This battle is destined to bring bloodshed and sacrifice. But unless Aogiri Tree is completely annihilated, Tokyo will never know true peace.
Today, we will settle everything on Rushima."
He stood up, and the electronic screen behind him lit up with the operation map.
"I will personally command the Rushima landing force."
His voice was firm and decisive.
"The operation to annihilate Aogiri Tree begins now. Move out."
Everything depended on this battle. The Washuu Clan no longer had any way to retreat. Public opinion was growing worse by the day.
Instability had already begun to spread within the CCG. They had reached the point where action was unavoidable.
He could only hope this operation would destroy both Carnage and Aogiri Tree in a single stroke. Otherwise, the end of the Washuu Clan would have arrived.
...
Before dawn had fully broken, Amano Hiro was still sleeping soundly with Rize in his arms when the phone on the bedside table suddenly began vibrating.
The noise made him frown. Half asleep, he reached over, picked up the phone, and squinted at the screen.
It was a message from Eto.
[Hiro, the CCG's main force is heading this way. Get here quickly.]
The short message instantly drove away the last traces of his drowsiness.
[Be there soon.]
He quickly replied with three words and casually tossed the phone aside.
"Rize."
He gently patted the smooth skin of her back.
"Wake up."
"Mm...?" Rize answered vaguely without opening her eyes, snuggling further into his arms.
"What is it, Hiro...?"
"The CCG is here."
As he spoke, Amano Hiro had already thrown back the blanket and sat up, reaching for his clothes.
"Eto sent word. They're almost here. We need to go."
Hearing that, Rize immediately woke up as well.
"Alright."
Neither of them wasted any time getting dressed.
They did not wash their faces or brush their teeth.
A ghoul's physique was different from a human's. Their skin did not get oily, nor did they have bad breath. At a time like this, those little details were hardly important.
After zipping up his jacket, Amano Hiro looked out at the gray-blue sky outside the window.
"Let's go."
With Rize beside him, Amano Hiro flew at full speed and reached the vicinity of Rushima in no time.
From afar, he could already see the CCG's large transport ship approaching across the sea.
There was only a single ship, with no escort vessels accompanying it.
"Tsk."
Looking at the ship, Amano Hiro could not help muttering to himself.
"A full-scale war between Aogiri Tree and the CCG. The name makes it sound pretty intimidating. Anyone who didn't know better would think this was some massive military campaign."
In reality, even if both sides were combined, by the standards of human warfare, it would amount to little more than a village-sized armed conflict.
This wasn't the same situation as in the original story where Aogiri Tree was forced onto the defensive.
Thanks to his involvement and all the effort spent expanding it, Aogiri Tree had only around six to seven hundred core combatants at most.
Even with the CCG deploying nearly everything they had, they probably only had a little over a thousand fighters, certainly no more than fifteen hundred.
Altogether, a "great battle" involving just over two thousand people was honestly rather underwhelming.
The large transport ship in front of him had more than enough room to carry them all. It was probably still quite spacious inside.
A thought even crossed Amano Hiro's mind.
Why not just fly over there and sink the ship? Simple and efficient.
The idea only lingered for a moment.
Doing that would certainly make a bigger splash, but it would not be nearly stylish enough. It would completely fail to achieve the effect he wanted.
"Forget it."
He curled his lip and stuck to the original plan.
Accelerating in an instant, his figure became a blurred crimson afterimage. In the blink of an eye, he shot across the sea, flew straight into Rushima's airspace, and landed steadily on the open ground before the central building.
...
The CCG fleet, having deployed nearly all of its available forces, approached Rushima through the morning mist.
Ninety percent of the CCG's combat strength had been mobilized. Every Special Class Investigator had been deployed, including Arima Kishou's S3 Squad.
According to their intelligence analysis, Carnage was very likely a member of Aogiri Tree.
Therefore, this operation could not afford the slightest reservation.
On the deck, investigators performed one final inspection of their equipment. The hum of Quinques mixed with the sound of the waves.
Standing inside the transport ship's command room, Washuu Matsuri watched the island gradually come into view through the window.
As the transport ship slowly drew alongside the island, Washuu Matsuri gave the order to the assault force waiting on deck.
"All personnel, begin the landing operation. Success is the only acceptable outcome in this battle. Failure is not an option."
"Yes!"
Before long, every CCG unit had landed on the island.
Under the command of their respective leaders, they advanced in a broad fan-shaped formation, steadily closing in on the island's central district.
As usual, Shinohara Yukinori and Kuroiwa Iwao operated as a team.
Houji Kousuke and Ui Koori combined their squads into one force.
Suzuya Juuzou was assigned to Kiyoko Aura's team.
Meanwhile, Arima Kishou and his S3 Squad advanced independently along a separate route.
Aside from Arima's S3 Squad, whose members remained expressionless and calm as though they were strolling through their own backyard, the atmosphere among the other teams was extremely tense.
No one dared lower their guard. Every step was taken cautiously.
Yet as they continued deeper into the island, a growing sense that something was wrong began creeping into everyone's mind.
It was too quiet.
There were none of the expected ambushes, nor had they encountered a single ghoul. Even the rustling of the wind through the trees sounded unusually clear.
"Iwao."
Shinohara Yukinori lowered his voice as his Adam's apple bobbed.
"This... isn't right."
Kuroiwa Iwao nodded, his sharp gaze sweeping over the surroundings.
"Yeah. It's far too quiet."
...
Elsewhere, within the S3 Squad.
Hirako Take gently turned his head and spoke quietly.
"Arima-san, this situation... is rather strange."
Arima Kishou never slowed his pace. Behind his glasses, his eyes remained fixed calmly ahead.
He could not figure out what Amano Hiro was planning, but that did not affect what he intended to do.
"It doesn't matter."
His voice remained flat.
"Continue advancing."
One after another, the various squads realized something was wrong and began reporting the eerie silence to the command ship through their communicators.
Reports came in over the radio.
"This is Shinohara. We've reached the central building area. No resistance encountered."
"Ui Koori reporting. No enemy contacts along the route."
"Suzuya Juuzou Squad here. No resistance at all."
Washuu Matsuri's brow furrowed deeper and deeper.
It was too quiet.
Unnaturally quiet.
"...Continue the search. Don't overlook a single corner."
Could it be that Aogiri Tree's main force wasn't here?
A terrifying thought suddenly struck him.
Could they have gone to attack CCG Headquarters instead?
He had just reached for the communicator to contact headquarters and confirm.
Bang!
The command room door was violently thrown open.
Washuu Matsuri spun around and looked toward the doorway.
Standing there was Special Class Investigator Marude Itsuki, pistol in hand.
Behind him stood First Class Investigator Urie Kuki and two fully armed subordinates.
The dark muzzle of the gun was aimed directly between his eyebrows.
"Special Class Investigator Marude."
Washuu Matsuri's voice turned cold.
"What... is the meaning of this?"