"Sure. By the way, she's been working at 'Anteiku' lately, maybe we should visit her at home one day instead."
Uchiha Byakuya agreed casually.
"Oh? You even know where she lives?"
Yoshimura Eto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yes."
Byakuya nodded.
Of course, he didn't actually know.
But if he asked Arima, he could easily find out.
"Ohh~"
Eto now felt even more determined to go.
Another night passed.
Still, nothing happened.
1st Ward, Sunlit Garden.
"Regarding the investigation on 'Aogiri Tree' and 'The One-Eyed Owl,' Arima and I have made some progress."
Byakuya and Arima were reporting to Washuu Yoshitoki.
"Let's hear it."
Yoshitoki asked.
"We've discovered that 'Aogiri Tree,' led by 'The One-Eyed Owl,' is currently active in the 24th Ward, I suspect that the leader of 'Clowns' has also joined Aogiri Tree."
Byakuya fed Yoshitoki a convincing lie.
"Then you and Arima should go investigate the 24th Ward, Find Aogiri Tree's exact location,
and if possible, capture 'The One-Eyed Owl.'"
Yoshitoki instructed in a serious tone:
"As for the 4th Ward, there's nothing left but a bunch of scattered weaklings, they won't be a threat anymore."
"Understood. We'll depart for the 24th Ward tomorrow."
Byakuya nodded.
Both he and Arima left their wills at the CCG headquarters just in case.
By tomorrow, the operation would officially begin.
The Next Day.
Byakuya and Arima entered the 24th Ward together.
As they ventured deeper, Byakuya suddenly spoke:
"Arima, your S-rank quinque hasn't been completed yet, has it?"
"Not yet."
Arima shook his head slightly.
"Then take my 'Tsukikage' and 'Fūrei' for now, in this place, your only priority is your own safety."
Byakuya handed a briefcase containing Tsukikage and Fūrei to Arima.
He didn't need Arima to actually do anything in the 24th Ward.
As long as Arima remained here, it would create the illusion that both of them were fully occupied.
"Mm..."
Arima almost immediately understood Byakuya's intention.
Byakuya was about to go do something on his own.
As for what exactly it was, Arima didn't need to know.
His only role was to cover for Byakuya;
to make V and the Washuu Clan believe that both he and Byakuya were focused on the 24th Ward.
However, Byakuya still explained his plan to attack Cochlea to him.
Arima had no objections.
He knew Byakuya always had his reasons for doing things.
So he didn't ask any further.
After that, Byakuya and Arima quickly split up.
Byakuya changed into his "Red Night Obito" attire; the red tiger-stripe mask and matching outfit.
Even his hairstyle transformed slightly.
At this point, his entire appearance was bound to his alternate identity as 'The One-Eyed King.'
Meanwhile, Arima only needed to wander around the underground maze of the 24th Ward for a while.
If any ghouls were stupid enough to attack him, he could easily take them down and claim it as "investigation results."
[Current Attribute Points: 429]
[Ding! Attribute points allocated successfully!]
[Physicality +10.0]
[RC Cell Value +229]
[Attribute Points -329]
On his way to rendezvous with the Aogiri Tree members, Byakuya used up most of his remaining attribute points.
However, he deliberately kept 100 points in reserve.
Because it was time to purchase the "RC Cell Storage Device."
This item cost 50 attribute points, leaving him with 50 points as backup; just in case.
His RC Cell Value had now exceeded 1,000,
reaching the same level as a normal ghoul.
Byakuya could even feel subtle changes in his sense of taste.
At this point, he likely could no longer consume normal food.
Without the RC Cell Storage Device, his only option would soon be to eat human flesh.
Alternatively, he could of course request RC Suppressant Injections from the CCG but that would obviously expose him.
"Half-humans do not naturally produce RC cells."
If he suddenly started increasing his RC Cell Value, it would immediately raise suspicions.
[Ding! Purchase successful!]
[Item acquired: "RC Cell Storage Device"]
[Attribute Points -50 | Remaining: 50]
Once the purchase was complete, the item appeared directly in his System Inventory.
With just a single thought, Byakuya transferred a portion of his RC Cells into the Storage Device.
His visible RC Cell Value dropped to 500,
while the remaining 550 were safely stored inside the device.
At any time, he could freely withdraw and use them.
Byakuya realized he hadn't checked his system stats in a while, so he took a quick glance.
[System Panel]
[Host: Uchiha Byakuya]
[Race: Half-Human]
[Affiliations: CCG Special-Class Investigator, Sunlit Garden Half-Human, "V" Organization Cleaner, Aogiri Tree's "One-Eyed King"]
[Age: 18]
[Physique: 50]
[RC Cell Value: 500 (+550 stored)]
[Current Attribute Points: 50]
[Inventory: Tiger-Stripe Mask, RC Cell Storage Device]
By the time he finished checking,
Byakuya had arrived at Aogiri Tree's base in the 24th Ward.
A significant portion of Aogiri's forces
had already followed Eto to the 13th Ward as a distraction, meant to divert the CCG's attention.
Even tatara and Noro had gone with her.
Originally, Eto had wanted them to stay with Byakuya, since he would be facing direct combat.
She hoped to minimize his risk.
However, Byakuya rejected this decision.
So Eto had no choice but to follow his wishes.
At the present moment;
The remaining Aogiri members immediately dropped to their knees upon seeing their King.
Even the new recruits who had never met him before had already been warned by the older members.
"Begin the operation..."
Byakuya lowered his voice, then led the ghouls out of the 24th Ward, advancing toward the 23rd Ward's ghoul prison; Cochlea.
Since Cochlea was built far from any residential areas, their movements went entirely unnoticed by civilians.
The first defensive perimeter outside Cochlea was handed off to the Aogiri members.
Byakuya himself focused his gaze on Cochlea's rooftop.
Quickly, he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan!
A momentary distortion of space and in the blink of an eye, he appeared directly on top of the prison.
This was Cochlea's true entrance.
Right after, Byakuya continued, Third Power; Susanoo!
A massive skeletal blue ribcage materialized around Byakuya, along with two giant spectral arms.
Under the influence of RC cells, his Susanoo had completely solidified; taking on the properties of an actual kagune.
Crack!!!
Byakuya forced both of the giant arms forward, gripping Cochlea's upper gates and began prying them apart like wood.
RUMMMMMBLE!!!
Inside Cochlea, the investigators on guard suddenly heard a deafening sound from up above.
They looked up, only to stare in shock as two colossal blue hands began ripping apart the facility's most fortified gates!