A mission to repel "The One-Eyed Owl"?
They really weren't holding back on the difficulty for him, huh?
Byakuya had already planned to prevent Eto from killing Mado Kasuka but fighting her head-on had never been part of his plan.
He had only intended to rescue Kasuka and retreat; not to engage in battle.
However, since the system's quest demanded it…
If things came to it, he might as well see how far he could push himself against an SSS-rated Ghoul.
The Underground Labyrinth – 24th Ward
Technically speaking, the 24th Ward wasn't even a formal district.
It was, in reality, a vast underground maze; excavated by Ghouls themselves.
Nearly half of Tokyo's underground was considered part of the 24th Ward.
Its true depth was unknown.
Rumors claimed that deep within, lay the stronghold of countless powerful Ghouls.
Because of its inhospitable nature, it was impossible for normal humans to survive there.
This was why CCG had never established a branch inside the 24th Ward unlike in the other 23 districts.
Instead, all they could do was send investigation teams to scout and gather intel on this mysterious labyrinth.
The CCG had discovered multiple entrances to the 24th Ward, but the one bordering the 23rd Ward was the most frequently used.
This entrance was the safest; at least in terms of known intelligence.
Previous investigation teams had already explored portions of the maze, allowing for some navigational familiarity.
Thus, instead of risking unknown pathways, the CCG always stuck to the same entry point thus mnimizing the chances of being ambushed.
At this moment, Byakuya's unit had officially entered the 24th Ward.
"Everyone, stay alert."
Walking at the front of the formation,
Marude Itsuki issued a stern warning.
"A Ghoul could attack at any moment."
The other investigators nodded grimly.
They knew all too well how dangerous this place was.
Nobody dared to take their safety lightly.
Byakuya was no exception.
He had always been cautious by nature.
Even possessing the double Kamui didn't make him reckless.
As he scanned his surroundings; he took a closer look at the maze's walls.
If his memory was correct…
These walls were actually formed from Rc cells; just like how CCG's Quinques were crafted.
The difference was: Quinques were a CCG innovation while the 24th Ward labyrinth was a Ghoul-engineered structure.
Since CCG and the Ghouls had entirely different technologies, they had never been able to analyze or counteract the maze's composition.
This was also why CCG's investigations had been so difficult.
Since breaking through walls required excessive energy and resources, they had to painstakingly map out the tunnels through exploration alone.
Just then; Byakuya spotted movement ahead.
A figure crouched on the ground, loudly gnawing at something fleshy and raw.
It was obviously a Ghoul.
And yet;
Aside from Byakuya, no one else had noticed it yet.
The team continued forward.
Finally, when they got close enough, Marude suddenly halted in his tracks.
"Stop!"
His sharp command made everyone freeze immediately.
"Prepare for combat."
Marude's voice was heavy with tension.
Hearing the sudden noise, the Ghoul looked up sharply.
It immediately abandoned the half-eaten human corpse it had been feeding on.
Then, in a panic, it turned and bolted deeper into the tunnels.
At the same time, it began to shout frantically:
"Doves! Doves are here again!"
Its urgent cries echoed throughout the underground corridors.
"Just our luck."
Marude sighed.
"We barely entered, and we're already about to be dragged into a fight."
In the 24th Ward labyrinth, encountering a ghoul almost always meant facing an overwhelming assault from multiple ghouls.
This was the main reason why past CCG investigation teams had suffered such heavy casualties.
It was inevitable—after all, the 24th Ward was the nest of ghouls. No matter what, they would eventually run into them.
"Don't act recklessly. Wait for my command before making a move," Marude Itsuki ordered, his gaze locked on the depths of the labyrinth ahead.
The rest of the team remained on standby, gripping their Quinque cases tightly. The tension in the air was so thick that they could almost hear their own hearts pounding.
Aside from Marude, the calmest people in the group were Mado Kasuka and Uchiha Byakuya, followed closely by Mado Kureo.
A few moments later, just as expected, more than ten ghouls surged out from the depths of the maze.
"They're here! Equip your Quinques!" Marude immediately commanded.
Everyone swiftly unlocked the biometric locks on their cases, equipping their respective Quinques.
Each Quinque came in a unique form, as no two were identical—the original Kagune used to create them had belonged to different ghouls, each one a unique being.
Uchiha Byakuya had positioned himself toward the middle-rear of the formation. Given his rank, he couldn't be on the front lines like Marude, a Special Class, or Mado Kasuka, a First-Class.
In an instant, the ghouls lunged viciously toward them, nearly breaking through the formation.
One of them rushed directly at Byakuya, locking onto him as its target.
"Watch out, Second-Class Uchiha!" Mado Kureo called out.
Perhaps because Byakuya was a newcomer—both to the CCG and this investigation squad—Kureo seemed to be keeping an eye out for him.
Even in the original timeline, Mado Kureo had been known for looking after his colleagues, especially his subordinate and partner, Amon Koutarou.
However, his kindness only extended to humans—when dealing with ghouls, his hatred and brutality knew no bounds.
Byakuya sidestepped the ghoul's attack and countered with his Quinque, "Erik", driving it straight through the ghoul's neck.
Higher-rated ghouls had extraordinary regeneration, so even a severe wound like this wasn't necessarily fatal.
But the ghoul Byakuya had encountered was clearly of a lower level—after struggling for a brief moment, it died completely.
[Ding! The host has defeated a "B-Rated Ghoul." Reward: 3 Attribute Points!]
As expected, it was just a B-Rated Ghoul, and taking it down was effortless.
"Thanks for the warning, Mado-senpai," Byakuya said politely.
He had already foreseen the ghoul's movements perfectly, making any warnings unnecessary.
But he chose to respond with gratitude—after all, Mado Kureo had meant well.
"Impressive…" Mado Kureo commented, genuinely surprised by Byakuya's combat skill.
His level of technique and precision was undoubtedly a product of that place—the Sunlit Garden.
After a brief moment of distraction, Kureo refocused entirely on the battle.
In the end, the skirmish concluded without any fatalities.
Some investigators had sustained injuries, but thanks to the presence of Marude Itsuki and Mado Kasuka, the team had been able to handle the low-rated ghouls without suffering any major losses.
Byakuya himself had defeated three B-Rated Ghouls, earning a total of 9 Attribute Points.
"Let's rest here for a moment. Medics, tend to the wounded as quickly as possible. We'll continue once everyone is ready," Marude ordered.
As Byakuya sat on a large rock to rest, Mado Kureo came over and sat beside him.
"Second-Class Uchiha, you did well back there. It's a shame you're only equipped with a B-Rated Quinque. Once we return, I'll put in a request for you to get an A-Rated Quinque."