"Attack together. His strength is not to be underestimated."
Kaiko ordered the surrounding members.
More than twenty operatives in black cloaks instantly lunged toward Byakuya.
Even Kaiko himself wielded a cannon-shaped Ukaku quinque, likely an SS or even SSS-rated weapon, brought out specifically to deal with Byakuya.
At that moment, Kaiko aimed his quinque at Byakuya and fired a high-density RC projectile.
Byakuya was surrounded on all sides by the operatives, theoretically leaving him with no escape route.
The RC projectile packed immense power, appearing visually like a massive shockwave upon launch.
Yet, Byakuya remained unfazed, glancing at his watch with indifference.
Sensing that the timing was right, his sharingan suddenly emerged, and a spiraling dimensional rift opened before him.
Just as the RC projectile was about to strike him, he shifted himself into the Kamui dimension.
Right at that moment, the projectile exploded on impact, blasting a massive crater into the ground. The resulting debris, dust, and shockwave obscured the battlefield completely.
Kaiko and the other operatives lost sight of Byakuya amidst the chaos.
Raising a hand, Kaiko signaled for his men to hold their positions. He wasn't entirely sure of Byakuya's status yet.
Just before the blast, he had seen Byakuya standing still, making no attempt to dodge. It was as if he had chosen to take the hit head-on.
Did the kid freeze up? Or was he truly that reckless?
Kaiko's quinque was an SSS- rated Ukaku weapon—no ordinary human body could possibly withstand its power.
Even a kakuja wouldn't be able to take more than a few hits.
Logically, Byakuya should be dead.
As the dust settled, there was no sign of Byakuya anywhere. Not a single trace.
"Not even a corpse left behind... maybe some remains got buried under the rubble..."
Kaiko muttered to himself.
He had never used this quinque directly against a human body before, but considering its SSS-tier power, the outcome wasn't surprising.
Still, what puzzled him was why Byakuya hadn't even attempted to dodge.
With his abilities, avoiding that attack shouldn't have been difficult. At most, he would have suffered some minor collateral damage before eventually being overwhelmed.
That had been Kaiko's expected scenario.
"Maybe he just accepted his fate..."
Kaiko murmured.
Under those circumstances, escape was impossible. Surrendering might have been the quickest way to die painlessly.
However, in reality, Byakuya was safe inside the Kamui dimension.
He was already preparing to find Furuta and Rize, ensuring that they could be entrusted to Matasaka.
"What a waste... Losing Byakuya as an asset... I suppose Arima will be the next Cleaner."
Though Byakuya had turned traitor, Kaiko's trust in Arima remained unshaken.
In his eyes, Byakuya had always been reliable—until today, when he threw everything away for Furuta and Rize.
Arima, on the other hand, had no such connections.
The V always needed someone to handle their dirty work.
And there was no better choice than Arima.
"We can return now. The traitor has been eliminated."
...
Furuta and Rize weren't fast enough.
By the time Byakuya found them, they had only just made it to the 3rd Ward, already gasping for air.
Exhausted, they hid in a secluded alleyway to rest.
Huddled together, they curled up in the darkest corner, knees drawn to their chests.
"Rize... do you think we'll ever see Brother Byakuya again?"
Furuta asked in a low, despondent voice.
"Who knows? But Brother Byakuya is strong. He should be able to survive."
Rize was comparatively calmer.
"I hope so..."
Furuta wasn't so sure.
He understood better than Rize just how terrifying V was.
Byakuya was alone. If they had ganged up on him, escaping would have been nearly impossible.
Just then, they heard approaching footsteps.
Their bodies tensed immediately.
They didn't dare to breathe, let alone speak.
Furuta's heart pounded in his chest, beating so loud he swore it echoed in the alley.
His mind kept praying that it wasn't the Washuu clan.
Rize, her face pale, instinctively pressed closer to him, as if seeking safety in proximity.
Thump! Thump!—
Furuta could hear both their heartbeats, along with the footsteps growing nearer.
It's over!
He realized the person was heading straight for them.
If it was V, their escape had failed.
There would be no second chance—Rize would be imprisoned forever.
And Byakuya… he was already missing, possibly dead.
They had failed him.
The next second, they saw the tip of the stranger's shoe.
But in their fear, they failed to recognize how familiar it looked.
"Rest a little longer, then we'll keep moving."
Hearing that voice, Furuta's eyes widened in shock.
"Brother Byakuya?!"
"Shh…"
Byakuya raised a finger to his lips. "The danger isn't over yet. Stay alert."
Furuta immediately shut his mouth and nodded frantically.
"Brother Byakuya, you're really okay! I thought we were caught..."
Rize let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm fine. Those guys won't find us for now. Let's get to the 6th Ward."
Byakuya said firmly.
"Understood."
Perhaps due to the surge of adrenaline, Furuta no longer felt tired. Rize, too, seemed reinvigorated.
Byakuya led them through the city, keeping their presence completely concealed, and they soon arrived at the 6th Ward.
However, finding Matasaka was another challenge.
To make things easier, Byakuya decided to bait a ghoul.
After quickly subduing one, he said coldly, "I won't kill you, but you're going to take me to your boss"
Before the terrified ghoul could respond, another voice cut in.
"No need for that. I'm right here."
Matasaka had already arrived.