"You want to go with me?"
Eto looked slightly surprised.
What was this guy planning to do?
"Yeah. Actually, I have a lot of respect for Kuzen-senpai, since I injured him last time, I'd like to visit and check on him."
Byakuya found an excuse to explain himself.
Since Yoshimura Kuzen was the previous "Cleaner," calling him "senpai" wasn't really wrong at all.
Though his main goal was to ensure Kuzen and Eto met face-to-face, he genuinely wanted to check in on Kuzen as well.
"But my book won't be published that soon, right?"
Eto asked.
She wasn't very familiar with the process, but she knew publishing took quite a bit of time.
"Yeah, it'll take at least another two or three months."
Byakuya said. "But I don't think we need to wait until after it's published to see Kuzen-senpai."
"That may be true, but I don't want to see him until I can stand on my own."
Eto shook her head slightly.
"Alright, then let's keep refining the manuscript. Before we finish the publishing process, we'll make sure we have the best final draft possible."
Byakuya respected Eto's decision, so he didn't press further.
"But before that, there's something else."
Eto suddenly spoke seriously.
"We need a One-Eyed King for Aogiri Tree; I originally planned to take that role myself, but I don't have the strength to back it up-not compared to you and that blue-haired guy."
"Since you're the new Cleaner, you should be even stronger than him. I want you to take the throne of the One-Eyed King."
"But… you're a half-human. Your lifespan is too limited. That's why I think we need to prepare the throne for the next One-Eyed King."
She was the only known naturally born half-ghoul, yet she lacked the overwhelming strength expected of the One-Eyed King.
Meanwhile, Byakuya was the strongest half-human she had ever encountered, but his short lifespan made it hard to believe he could change the world in such a short time.
So, in her view, their best hope lay in preparing for the next One-Eyed King.
"The next One-Eyed King, huh…? I don't think that'll be necessary."
Byakuya replied calmly, his expression completely at ease.
"As long as we work together to change this world, there's no need to wait for the next One-Eyed King to be born."
He knew full well that, in another ten years, the One-Eyed King's successor-Kaneki Ken-would rise to take the throne.
But he had no intention of waiting that long.
With his trump card, Double Kamui, changing the entire world wouldn't be difficult.
In fact, it would be easy; He didn't need ten years.
"You sound so sure… even though you're just a damn lolicon."
Eto was surprised by Byakuya's unwavering confidence.
She still had her doubts.
Could she, this damn lolicon, and that blue-haired guy really change the world before their short half-human lifespans ran out?
But at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a strange sense of trust toward him.
Maybe it was because of the overwhelming air of mystery surrounding him.
She even suspected that, up until now, this guy still hadn't revealed his true strength.
I might as well trust this damn lolicon!
"You guys from Aogiri Tree should have already relocated to your next base, right?"
At that moment, Byakuya asked.
"Yeah, we moved to the 24th Ward. That place suits us the most and developing Aogiri Tree there is the best long-term plan."
Eto answered truthfully.
After all, she had already recognized Byakuya as the first One-Eyed King of Aogiri Tree; If she couldn't even trust her own king, then what was the point?
So she had no reason to hide anything from him.
"I see…"
Byakuya had already formed a plan in his mind.
In the original story, Arima, as the Cleaner, led the Zero Squad in a never-ending game of whack-a-mole against Aogiri Tree in the 24th Ward.
It looked like he was busy, but in reality, he wasn't actually doing anything at all.
Kaiko couldn't question him, because the labyrinth-like structure of the 24th Ward made it impossible to properly track their movements.
Using the 24th Ward as Aogiri Tree's base was, in the long run, the smartest choice.
Byakuya could even take advantage of this, on the surface, he would be leading the Zero Squad to hunt down Aogiri Tree, while in reality; He'd just be playing whack-a-mole while secretly working on his own plans.
V couldn't monitor him deep within the 24th Ward.
Afterward, Eto stayed to refine her manuscript with Byakuya, as usual.
Late at night.
Now that they had both taken off their "masks" around each other, Byakuya no longer bothered escorting Eto back like before.
Or rather, why would the SSS-rated "One-Eyed Owl" need an escort in the first place?
But just as Eto was about to leave, she suddenly remembered something and, with a mischievous grin, teased Byakuya.
"Lolicon-san, how come you're not sending me home this time?"
"You're really piling up the nicknames, huh…"
Byakuya couldn't help but complain.
Lolicon, Lolicon Editor, Damn Lolicon, Damn Lying Lolicon…
Now there was even a "Lolicon-san."
He had already lost count of how many nicknames she'd given him, and every single one of them was related to "lolicon."
"Did I get any of them wrong? They're all based on solid evidence."
Eto seemed to enjoy messing with this lolicon investigator.
Despite constantly calling him that, her tone was never filled with disgust or contempt-if anything, she seemed to be having fun.
"I'll admit, it's hard to argue against that."
Byakuya maintained a serious expression, not even the slightest bit flustered.
"But I do need to clarify something: I'm not a lolicon; it just so happens that the person I like kind of fits the bill."
It wasn't his fault that he had transmigrated ten years before the original story's timeline.
Even if he had arrived in the canon timeline, where Eto was 24 years old, the person he liked would still be her, without a doubt.
So he wasn't joking when he said this.
Though, if he had ended up in the original timeline, the Eto of that era definitely wouldn't be this easy to get along with.
"Uh…"
Hearing those words, Eto was momentarily stunned, and a faint blush crept onto her adorable face.
Because his meaning was obvious.
"The person I like"-
Who else could he possibly mean but her?