"The No-Kill Owl?"
Both Amon Koutarou and Houji Kazuya wore confused expressions.
It was the first time they had ever heard that name.
But judging from Shinohara Yukinori's reaction, it was obvious
This was an extraordinarily troublesome existence.
They had countless questions, yet they knew now wasn't the time to ask.
"Special Class Shinohara, please formulate a response as soon as possible," the woman reported urgently.
"According to civilian reports, it doesn't seem to be simple predation."
"It appears… it's fighting someone."
"Fighting someone?"
The No-Kill Owl was an SSS-rated ghoul.
Back then, the only one capable of dealing with him was Arima Kishou himself.
Anyone else facing him was nothing more than cannon fodder.
Who in the world could possibly restrain such a monster?
After all, with that level of strength, if the Owl truly wanted to hunt, there would be no need for full kakuja transformation at all.
Yet from the images
The Owl had fully transformed.
Which meant one thing.
He was facing an opponent worthy of it.
"Prepare the helicopter!"
"Associate Special Class Houji, First Class Investigator Amon come with me!"
"Waiting for reinforcements from headquarters will be too late."
Shinohara's voice was low and resolute.
"Yes!"
Houji and Amon responded in unison.
"Special Class Shinohara, what about me?" Takizawa Seidou asked anxiously.
"You stay and guard the branch," Shinohara replied firmly.
"The No-Kill Owl is classified as an SSS-level threat."
"Even the shockwaves from that battlefield could kill you."
Then Shinohara turned to Amon.
"Amon have you mastered the weapon Mado left you?"
"I can already wield it perfectly," Amon answered without hesitation.
"Good. Let's go."
He took two steps forward, then suddenly stopped.
Turning around sharply, Shinohara looked at them both.
"This time… every one of us must be prepared to die."
"Are you afraid?"
"Not afraid!"
Inside the park, Fushimi Kyo and Takatsuki Sen had completely abandoned any semblance of a standoff.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Kyo's body turned into a chain of afterimages as he rushed straight toward Takatsuki Sen in her kakuja form.
"Dragon's Nest Flash!"
At close range, he unleashed an unending barrage of slashes.
Every single strike was aimed at that one crimson eye.
"AAAAAH !"
Kyo's fighting style was utterly shameless.
Takatsuki Sen screamed in rage.
Her four arms swung violently, trying to smash him like a fly.
But now, the petite Kyo fully exploited his speed advantage.
He slipped past every attack with ease
Leaving countless wounds across the monster's head.
"Nine-Headed Heaven-Rending Slash!"
Seizing the opening, Kyo delivered a terrifyingly powerful strike, aimed straight at the single eye.
"DIE!"
Takatsuki Sen suddenly straightened her massive body.
One claw clenched into a fist and smashed downward toward Kyo.
"Break!" Kyo roared.
Nine arcs of blade light merged into one
And struck directly against the monster's fist.
The beast let out a soul-rending scream.
Crack crack crack!
A series of dull explosions echoed from within its arm.
Starting from the fist, the entire arm shattered inch by inch
Until more than half of it disintegrated into fragments, scattering across the ground.
Completely enraged, the monster's body trembled violently.
Countless kagune shot outward like a storm blotting out the sky.
At the same time, it leapt forward, three remaining claws tearing toward Kyo
Like a ferocious eagle diving upon its prey.
"You won't hit me!"
A feral grin spread across Kyo's face.
"Nether Flash!"
His body dissolved like smoke.
He evaded every kagune strike.
Then he lowered his center of gravity, sprinted forward, slid beneath the monster
And drew his blade in a deep, arcing motion.
"Amakakeru Ryū no Hirameki!"
A streak of white steel flashed across the monster's abdomen.
RIP !
Bloodsong carved a gash nearly two meters long across its belly.
Scalding blood splashed across Kyo's face.
The two passed each other.
Kyo straightened, extended his tongue, and licked the blood from his lips.
"Exhilarating!"
That smug satisfaction lasted less than a second.
A howling wind erupted behind him.
BOOM!
A massive tail lashed violently into his back, sending him flying dozens of meters.
He smashed straight through a tree thick enough for two people to hug, then crashed heavily into a flowerbed.
"Damn it idiot."
"Careless."
"How did I forget she can perfectly control her kagune?"
"I've seen this exact ability in the anime!"
Kyo cursed himself internally.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself upright.
To his surprise, aside from mild numbness and a tightness in his chest
He was practically uninjured.
"…I really have become a monster too."
"This body is just ridiculous now."
After a brief pause, he began walking back toward Takatsuki Sen in the plaza.
"ROAR!"
"You're still alive?! You're still alive?!"
"I'll kill you, I'll kill you!"
The massive wound on the monster's abdomen had already healed completely.
That single eye burned with murderous intent as it locked onto Kyo.
Thud-thud-thud-thud
At that moment, the heavy thrum of helicopter blades echoed across the night sky.
Kyo knew instantly
The CCG had arrived.
There was no way a battle this blatant wouldn't attract their attention.
The monster glanced toward the distant sky, then back at Kyo.
"A bunch of trash," she sneered.
"Doesn't matter how many come, they'll all just die."
"Before they arrive…"
"I'll tear you apart first."
Takatsuki Sen's voice was thick with fury.
"Tear me apart?" Kyo shot back coldly.
"I don't think you can."
Still
He knew there was no point in continuing this fight.
A solo battle against Takatsuki Sen was far too difficult.
There was no way to decide a victor in a short time.
If this dragged on, CCG headquarters would fully mobilize
And that would be real trouble.
Besides, he had already gained a lot from this fight.
He had begun digesting his rapidly increased strength.
He had also roughly gauged the upper limit of his current combat power.
"Bastard, I'm going to kill you!"
In the distance, Takatsuki Sen slammed her four claws into the ground again, preparing to charge.
This fight had been suffocatingly frustrating.
Who was she?
The leader of Aogiri Tree.
The undefeated One-Eyed Owl.
And yet
She couldn't even take down this nameless brat.
How was she supposed to accept that?
Just then
A white-clad figure flashed into existence between the two combatants.
It was Tatara.
"Eto," he said calmly.
"That's enough."
"Our objective has already been achieved."
"It's time to withdraw."
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