"Wasn't 'The One-Eyed Owl' spotted in the 13th Ward today?!
How is 'Aogiri Tree' still this strong without her?!"
"Damn it! This has to be an SSS-rated Kakuja-"
"Does 'Aogiri Tree' have another ghoul of this level besides 'The One-Eyed Owl'?!"
"Looks like our intel on 'Aogiri Tree' was way too lacking...And this one... is 'One-Eyed' too."
The Associate Special-Class Investigators all wore grave expressions.
Last time, 'The One-Eyed Owl' had led Aogiri Tree's first assault on this prison fortress.
Back then, they had fought her alongside the Warden, and with great effort, they had barely forced her to retreat.
Yet now this strange, unknown ghoul felt even more terrifying than 'The One-Eyed Owl' herself.
Without speaking, the investigators instinctively moved in unison; launching a coordinated attack on Byakuya.
Each of them wielded S-rated Quinques-
a mix of Ukaku, Rinkaku, and Bikaku types.
Originally, they had a Koukaku Quinque as well, but after the thing nearly being shattered, its wielder was too injured to continue fighting with them.
"I'll cover you-GO!"
One of the Associate Special-Class Investigators raised his Ukaku Quinque and fired another barrage of projectile blasts at Byakuya.
The shots streaked through the air like cannon fire; fast, deadly, and powerful; it was a solid suppressive maneuver.
As the explosions erupted, dust and smoke instantly filled the area, obscuring everyone's vision.
"Now!"
The remaining investigators seized the distraction and charged in with their melee Quinques, rushing forward.
They assumed the enemy's vision would be impaired; that he would hesitate for even at least a split second.
But they had underestimated him.
BOOM-!
The arm of Byakuya's Susanoo lashed out like a whip.
Before they could react, two investigators were seized-their bodies lifted high into the air before being hurled across the battlefield.
CRASH-!!
They slammed into the ground, their Quinques scattering and falling free from their grasp.
Byakuya crushed their fallen weapons beneath his Susanoo's massive foot, severing their will to fight.
At the same time, Byakuya's Mangekyō Sharingan locked onto a third investigator.
A sudden wave of distortion warped through the air as if the surrounding space itself had twisted.
Before the investigator could understand what happened; his Quinque snapped in half.
CLANG-
The broken weapon clattered to the floor as the investigator stood frozen, completely stunned.
His weapon... had broken on its own?!
His mind blanked.
For a brief moment, he forgot how to even react.
Without a Quinque, what could he actually do?
He was just an ordinary human.
Unlike Arima Kishou, most investigators couldn't really fight unarmed.
Especially not against an enemy of this caliber, an SSS-rated 'ghoul.'
Even Arima himself wouldn't stand a chance
without his Quinques.
Now, the only one left standing was the Ukaku-user in the backline.
Byakuya didn't even bother acknowledging him.
He pressed forward.
His goal was the Control Room.
The Susanoo was the perfect fusion of absolute attack and absolute defense.
But it had one particular flaw; the RC cell consumption was simply too high.
So he couldn't afford to waste time.
Even with his current RC cell levels, he couldn't sustain Susanoo for long.
Boom!!!
Byakuya smashed through the Control Room doors.
The supposedly indestructible blast-proof doors of the Control Room were instantly breached.
Byakuya stormed inside as his Susanoo's massive hand immediately lunged for the Warden.
The Warden however, was no ordinary investigator.
As a Special-Class Investigator, his reaction speed was far beyond normal.
His gaze sharpened and with a swift leap to the side, he barely evaded the attack.
Rolling back onto his feet, he immediately unlocked his Quinque case.
This was his strongest trump card; a Rinkaku-type, SS-rated Quinque.
The current Warden of Cochlea was a Special-Class Investigator whom Byakuya had no memory of.
To be precise; this was someone he had never even seen in the original story.
"You're not 'The One-Eyed Owl'-Who the hell are you?"
The Warden didn't attack immediately.
For someone to breach this deep into 'Cochlea' so quickly; they had to be far stronger than 'The One-Eyed Owl.'
And yet, the CCG's records had no mention of a Kakuja-level ghoul like this.
From a realistic standpoint, the Warden knew this meant Cochlea was doomed.
"..."
Byakuya ignored the question.
Instead; Susanoo's massive fist slammed straight into the Control Panel.
CRACK!!!
The entire system shattered.
The Warden's heart instantly sank.
"Shit-!!"
But there was nothing he could do.
The damage was irreversible.
[Ding! Host has successfully completed "Mission 2: Assault 'Cochlea' in the 23rd Ward and release the First Clown King, 'Dodgy Mother' Hoito Roma."]
[Reward: +100 Attribute Points]
[Mission 2 Complete. Activating Task 3]
[Mission 3: Defeat the SSS- rated First Clown King, 'Dodgy Mother' Hoito Roma and recruit her into 'Aogiri Tree'.]
[Reward: +100 Attribute Points]
The moment the prison system was destroyed; every cell door in Cochlea unlocked at once.
That naturally included Hoito Roma's.
The next second; Byakuya vanished.
Or rather, he had teleported into Kamui's Dimension.
Inside the pocket space, he deactivated his Susanoo and removed the red tiger-stripe mask.
In an instant, 'The One-Eyed King' had transformed back into a CCG Special-Class Investigator.
Meanwhile, at the CCG Headquarters in the 1st Ward, an urgent directive was issued; calling for Arima Kishou and Uchiha Byakuya to head to Cochlea immediately.
Arima set off at once; he already knew the full plan.
By the time Arima arrived at the prison, Cochlea was already in ruins.
Countless freed ghouls were rushing toward the exit; not to fight but to flee.
They barely cared about the Investigators, because they knew; if they stayed too long, the CCG's reinforcements would arrive, and they'd lose their only chance to escape.
Byakuya had already reappeared outside Cochlea and had now linked up with Arima.
Arima wasn't surprised to see him.
His expression remained calm as he spoke.
"It's time to move."
"Yeah…"
There was no need for more words.
They both knew what needed to be done.
Their objectives were first; protect the CCG personnel still inside.
And second; capture some "unlucky" ghouls as scapegoats, so they could report back to the CCG and 'V' without suspicion.
At the same time, another figure emerged.
The 'One-Eyed Owl' had arrived.
Or more precisely; The One-Eyed Owl was now blocking the main escape route.