As soon as Amano Hiro landed, he saw a sea of people gathered outside the manor.
Eto quickly walked over.
"You're here fast, Hiro."
She grinned and lowered her voice.
"Since everyone's here, why don't we settle your status first? Hold your coronation?"
Amano Hiro paused briefly before smiling.
"Sure. Let's do it."
Surrounded by the crowd, he was led to the large chair in the center of the hall.
It was less a throne than an enormous chair with a rough, rugged design. Without any ceremony, he turned around and sat down.
Rize quietly took her place at his right.
Below him, Aogiri Tree's executives stood in ranks on both sides. Noro, Tatara, Kirishima Ayato, and the others were all present.
Behind them, more and more members streamed into the hall. The spacious room was soon packed to the brim, and the air itself seemed to grow warmer.
Eto turned to face everyone and raised her voice.
"From today onward, this man is the new One-Eyed King! He will lead us into the future!"
The ghouls below remained silent.
No one looked surprised and no one objected.
His strength spoke for itself. The title of Carnage had not been earned for nothing. If he was not worthy, then no one in this world was.
Looking at the sea of faces below him, Amano Hiro spoke.
"My goal is very simple. I want to create a world where ghouls and humans can coexist."
His voice was not loud, but it carried clearly throughout the hall.
"A world where every ghoul no longer has to hide in fear or suffer from hunger and hardship.
A world where everyone can have a happy family and live a peaceful life."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
"I'm finished speaking. Who agrees? Who objects?"
The hall fell silent for a brief moment.
Then someone moved first.
Like a field of wheat bending before the wind, the entire crowd dropped to one knee in perfect unison.
The next instant, deafening cries erupted toward the heavens.
"One-Eyed King!!!"
Looking at the rows of kneeling followers, Amano Hiro nodded in satisfaction.
He raised a hand, quieting the cheers before continuing. His voice was calm, yet carried unquestionable conviction.
"I know some of you don't believe what I just said. You think coexistence is nothing but a fantasy."
He leaned forward slightly, his eyes sweeping across everyone.
"That's alright. Before long, you'll see that world with your own eyes.
You don't need to think too much. You don't need to worry about which path to take."
He paused before saying each word clearly.
"Thinking is the King's responsibility. What you need to do is simple. Follow me."
His voice suddenly rose, ringing clearly in everyone's ears.
"So long as you walk beside me, there will be no enemy before us!"
Leaning back against the chair once more, he spoke casually, yet every word carried tremendous weight.
"Today, we'll use these CCG investigators to open your eyes and show you exactly what a King is."
...
Inside the transport ship's command room.
Marude Itsuki held his pistol steadily in his right hand.
In his left hand was a brand-new novel.
Takatsuki Sen's latest work, *bileygr King*.
His voice echoed clearly through the confined command room.
"I investigated the Washuu Clan in my own way. This book says the Washuus are 'ghoul collaborators'..."
He paused, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
"It was wrong. You aren't collaborators with ghouls.
You are ghouls yourselves."
As he spoke, Urie Kuki and the two accompanying investigators silently activated their Quinques.
The three of them formed a triangular formation, cutting off every possible escape route for Washuu Matsuri. Killing intent filled the room.
Without the slightest hurry, Washuu Matsuri adjusted his glasses.
Behind the lenses, his eyes remained perfectly calm.
"Without any conclusive evidence, you've decided to point a gun at the Bureau Director's head, Special Class Investigator Marude?"
Marude Itsuki was gambling.
Years of secret investigation, countless scattered clues that all pointed toward the same conclusion, together with the intelligence Urie Kuki had uncovered, had sharpened his instincts like never before.
He trusted his own judgment.
"These are the words of an old friend of mine."
Marude Itsuki's finger rested steadily on the trigger as his deep voice filled the room.
"I've always hated that kind of reasoning.
But this time... I trust my instincts."
Bang!
The gunshot exploded through the room.
Yet the expected spray of blood never came.
At virtually the exact instant the shot was fired, Washuu Matsuri's body shifted slightly to the side with astonishing speed.
The bullet grazed past his temple before burying itself deep in the metal wall behind him with a loud clang.
Silence engulfed the command room.
Only the smell of gunpowder slowly spread through the air.
Inside the cramped room, the atmosphere seemed frozen.
Washuu Matsuri slowly straightened himself.
The last trace of the human disguise on his face disappeared completely.
He adjusted his glasses and behind the lenses, a pair of crimson Kakugan suddenly lit up.
The eerie red glow reflected off the metal walls, bathing the entire room in blood-red light.
"What a disappointment, Special Class Investigator Marude."
His voice remained composed, but now carried an inhuman chill.
"To think you would point a gun at your superior."
His gaze shifted toward Urie Kuki.
"And you too, First Class Investigator Urie.
I truly had high expectations for you."
Urie Kuki stared fixedly at those glaring Kakugan.
The last shred of hope in his heart vanished completely.
Carnage had not lied to him.
The beings who stood at the top of the CCG and controlled everything truly were the greatest obstacle preventing any possibility of peace.
"Stop saying such disgusting things."
Grinding his teeth, he raised his Quinque as it emitted a low hum.
"A mere ghoul... should just die quietly!"
Marude Itsuki never looked at Urie.
His eyes remained locked on Washuu Matsuri, the hand holding his pistol as steady as a rock.
I guessed right.
The thought flashed through his mind, yet it brought him no joy.
Instead, an icy chill climbed up his spine.
All these years.
The countless investigators who had sacrificed their lives.
The rivers of blood that had been shed.
The slogans they had revered as sacred, "Exterminate ghouls and protect humanity."
Every bit of it had been an elaborately constructed lie.
All of them.
Every investigator.
They had been nothing more than tools the Washuu Clan used to achieve their own goals, tools they could discard whenever they wished.
He slowly exhaled a long, heavy breath, as though emptying years of accumulated doubt and anger from his chest.
Then his gaze sharpened, and he spoke with absolute resolve.
"Attack!"
...
The order arrived from the command center, and every squad immediately increased its pace, rapidly advancing toward the island's center.
Before long, the different units reached the central area from multiple directions almost simultaneously.
Before them stood a manor built in a rugged architectural style.
Its silence felt strangely unsettling.
Through squad communications, everyone already knew about the bizarre situation they had encountered along the way.
They had met no resistance whatsoever.
If any enemies remained, then they could only be hiding inside this final stronghold.
The Special Class Investigators leading the assault exchanged glances.
No words were necessary.
They already understood one another.
Shinohara Yukinori took a deep breath and tightened his grip on his Quinque.
"Maintain formation," he ordered in a deep voice.
"We're going in."
With that, he took the first step forward.
The investigators behind him moved immediately after, following in silence.
Like an unstoppable river of steel, they slowly advanced toward the manor's wide-open entrance.