The 2nd Ward's CCG branch had been completely sealed off following the Owl's invasion to prevent civilians from getting caught in the conflict.
By the time the support squad arrived, they were met with a chaotic battlefield and numerous injured investigators who had yet to be evacuated.
Though their injuries varied in severity, none of them were fatal. Even if their treatment was delayed, they would survive.
However, the support team had no time to tend to the wounded-they had to press forward and confront the One-Eyed Owl lurking in the depths of the facility.
A short while later, they reached the heart of the battle.
Countless investigators had already fallen before the Owl. Despite their severe injuries, the elite squad led by Associate Special-Class Investigator Kimura was still fighting desperately.
"Associate Special-Class Kimura, you've done enough. You should rest now."
Uchiha Byakuya stepped forward, his expression calm as he spoke.
His gaze locked onto Yoshimura Kuzen. As expected, in his kakuja form, the café owner's body was even larger than that of Yoshimura Eto.
"First-Class Investigator Uchiha, we'll leave the rest to you."
Kimura let out a sigh of relief, forcing a tired smile.
They had finally held out long enough for him to arrive.
None of them realized that had it not been for Yoshimura's deliberate restraint-his careful efforts to avoid killing them; They would have been annihilated long ago.
Byakuya nodded slightly, gripping the two quinque cases in his hands as he strode toward the One-Eyed Owl.
Even in the face of an SSS-rated ghoul, he showed no trace of fear.
The One-eyed Owl-or more accurately, Yoshimura Kuzen-stared at the young investigator before him, struck by a sense of familiarity.
Wasn't this the same human boy who had wandered into Anteiku just a few days ago?
At the time, he had not expected the young man to be a CCG investigator, let alone the strongest combatant among them.
"Associate Special-Class Mado, should we provide support to First-Class Investigator Uchiha?"
Seeing Byakuya charge toward the Owl alone, Shinohara Yukinori turned to Mado Kasuka for guidance.
However, she shook her head.
"No need. Let's observe from the sidelines. If we act recklessly, we'll only hold him back."
Having personally witnessed Byakuya's battle against the One-Eyed Owl in the 24th Ward, she knew full well that his strength was on an entirely different level.
She had barely managed to survive that fight herself; How could the others fare any better?
"Yes, ma'am."
Shinohara was stunned.
They were both First-Class Investigators, yet Associate Special-Class Mado openly admitted that aiding Byakuya would be a hindrance.
Just how terrifying was this young man's power?
At this moment, Byakuya had already drawn the quinques from his cases: Tsukikage and Fūrei, both A-rated.
Though one was a longsword and the other a rapier, he wielded them in tandem without issue.
He unleashed a surge of power and speed, launching himself at Yoshimura Kuzen.
But the ghoul's kakuja arms-massive and even larger than Eto's-easily blocked his strikes.
Though A-rated quinques possessed significantly greater cutting power than B-rated ones, they still fell short against Yoshimura's overwhelming regeneration.
Even if Byakuya's attacks inflicted damage, Yoshimura's healing outpaced it.
If Byakuya's offensive strength was rated at 80, then Yoshimura's regenerative ability was at least 100 or more.
At this rate, it was impossible for him to overpower the Non-Killing Owl through conventional means.
For example, just moments ago, Byakuya had severed Yoshimura Kuzen's kakuja arm at the elbow joint.
Before the severed limb could even fall away, it had already regenerated completely.
This was why, despite having fought against a large number of investigators, Yoshimura still appeared completely unscathed.
Even in the original timeline, when his body had significantly deteriorated with age, his regenerative ability had been strong enough to endure the full force of at least two Special-Class Investigators.
In the battle of Anteiku's Extermination, he had essentially allowed himself to be killed, yet even then, the CCG had to mobilize their full forces and struggle immensely to take him down.
It was no exaggeration to say that Yoshimura Kuzen was the most powerful pure-blooded ghoul in the open world, at least, undisputedly so on record.
"If attacking the kagune is useless, then I'll have to target the kakuhou instead..."
Byakuya made up his mind.
He had no other choice. If he couldn't even inflict damage, there was no chance of driving Yoshimura back.
At that moment, Yoshimura swung his massive kakuja arm from the right, slashing toward Byakuya.
Having already predicted the trajectory with his Mangekyō Sharingan, Byakuya swiftly dodged the attack.
As Yoshimura's arm was still raised, he seized the opportunity.
With a precise, reverse-grip upward slash of his katana-Tsukikage, he struck under Yoshimura's arm-right at the kakuhou, the core from which the kagune was produced.
The kakuhou was a ghoul's greatest weakness and also the hardest part of the body to regenerate.
This strike landed perfectly.
Yoshimura's expression changed slightly as the wound on his kakuhou slowed his regenerative speed.
However, with multiple kakuhou across his body, a single injury was far from enough to truly hinder him.
Without hesitation, Yoshimura retaliated with a barrage of long-range feathered projectiles from his kakuja, aiming to incapacitate Byakuya rather than outright kill him.
Generally, ukaku projectiles were considered lightweight attacks.
However, in the hands of Yoshimura and his daughter Eto, they functioned more like shotgun blasts, varying in form and effectiveness depending on range.
At long range, they were razor-sharp blades.
At mid-range, they became heavy, high-velocity black bullets.
At close range, they transformed into lance-like spikes that could shatter quinques upon impact; Even koukaku-type quinques, which were known for their defense, would struggle to withstand them unless they were at least S-rated.
Fortunately, Byakuya had already foreseen this.
With a perfectly timed backward leap, he evaded the deadly projectiles entirely.
Meanwhile, the watching investigators were left stunned.
Just observing the battle from a distance was enough to make them break out in cold sweat.
Byakuya's movements had been nothing short of breathtaking, dodging a lethal attack, then immediately counterattacking the kakuhou in a way that seemed both reckless and calculated.
Only someone with absolute confidence in their own skill, precision, and reflexes would even attempt such a maneuver.
The angle was simply too difficult, and the risk of being caught at close range by the One-Eyed Owl was too high.
At that moment, Kimura, Mado Kasuka, and the others had a sudden realization.
Had the Owl… been holding back against them earlier?
Because if these spear-like kagune were used on them, their quinques would have been shattered instantly.
Wait!
Mado Kasuka, Kimura, and the rest suddenly came to another realization:
Was Byakuya actually trying to defeat the One-Eyed Owl?
That explained why he was fighting so aggressively.
But… their mission was supposed to be stalling for time, not outright victory!
Yet Byakuya, having evaded Yoshimura's spear-like attack, charged forward once more; His blade aiming directly for the kakuhou again.