A tall, hooded figure slowly stepped into a dim, narrow alley. It was nearly dusk, and the sun dipped toward the horizon, casting a burnt-orange hue across the sky.
Yet this fading light failed to reach the secluded alleyway, tucked far from the bustle of the city center.
The surrounding area consisted of short, aged buildings, quiet and forlorn. The alley had open ends leading in different directions.
The hooded man stood tensely in place, clutching the handle of a black travel bag with both hands.
His head remained bowed, his eyes hidden beneath the hood's shadow, darting side to side as he vigilantly scanned his surroundings.
From time to time, he twisted his neck, stiff with tension, as if trying to shake off the anxiety.
Suddenly, a shadow plummeted from the sky.
In the blink of an eye, a black-clad figure landed soundlessly before him. The person, wrapped in ink-dark garments from head to toe, seemed to melt into the darkness itself.
Most eerie of all was the exquisitely detailed Hannya mask adorning the figure's face. The grotesque expression on the mask sent a chill down the spine.
Not a trace of identifiable features could be seen.
Upon seeing this figure, the man in the hood visibly relaxed. He exhaled sharply, tension draining from his shoulders.
"Boss! You're finally here. The Doves have started cleaning up again lately."
Hannya let out a cold chuckle. "You idiot."
The man flinched at the scolding, utterly confused. Cold sweat began pouring from his brow like a leaking faucet.
"How... how could that be? I triple-checked! I haven't been anywhere near the Doves lately..."
He stammered out a defense, but before he could finish, an unspeakable sight unfolded before him.
A vivid crimson Kagune flared to life behind Hannya, blazing like fire. With a single flap of those wing-like appendages, the man's head was severed cleanly from his shoulders. It flew through the air, trailing blood.
"Yare yare, this 'boss' sure runs a tight ship."
At that moment, another figure strolled into the alley from the opposite end, a large case in hand.
Hannya's expression darkened. With a sharp grunt, he kicked off the ground and bolted toward the far end of the alley.
"Amon!" Mado Kureo shouted.
Like a thunderclap, Amon Koutarou dropped down at the exit, his towering frame blocking the escape. Gripping an enormous Quinque, he brought it crashing down toward Hannya.
But to their surprise, Hannya had already anticipated the attack.
With a light step backward, he evaded the crushing blow with effortless grace. A deafening BOOM echoed through the alley, dust and stone erupting in all directions as the solid ground beneath cracked into a spiderweb of fractures.
"Heh. How laughable. You think such weak attacks can hit me?"
"You so-called Doves really are the same, all tedious and incompetent!"
Hannya scoffed, his voice laced with derision.
He knew perfectly well that CCG Investigators usually worked in pairs. If one appeared, the other was surely nearby.
His Kagune swelled behind him, the vivid red hue flowing like blood through veins. With a sudden twist of his body, countless cone-shaped projectiles shot from his Kagune like arrows from a bow, raining down on Mado Kureo.
Mado didn't flinch. He drew his Quinque and blocked the barrage with calm precision.
Seizing the moment, Hannya turned to flee.
With a sharp kick against the wall, he launched himself into the air, soaring upward.
"Adieu!" he taunted, waving mockingly as he soared, the leer on his mask seemingly laughing at their helplessness.
What he didn't see, focused as he was on his escape, was the figure quietly positioning themselves inside the building next to him.
From the second-floor window, a pale-blue beam of light erupted without warning, slicing through the air like a blade of divine retribution.
Startled, Hannya's eyes widened behind the mask, disbelief flashing in his gaze. His Ukaku-type Kagune unfolded in an instant, shielding his front in a desperate defense.
But Ukaku's defenses were weak.
The beam pierced the winged Kagune like paper, plunging straight through his abdomen with a thunderous thud. Blood sprayed through the air as his torso was violently ruptured.
He tumbled from the sky, crashing to the ground with a heavy impact.
Back at the window, Uesugi Ryu lowered his weapon and let out a soft chuckle.
His sniper-type Quinque glowed with a soft crimson hue as a thin trail of smoke rose from the barrel.
"Truly 'adieu,' what a Prophet," Ryu muttered with a smirk. "Got you good, huh?"
He glanced down at the weapon, running a hand affectionately along its frame.
On the ground, Hannya coughed up a mouthful of blood, writhing weakly.
His vital organs were obliterated, and most of his torso had been blown apart. Even for a Ghoul, such wounds were fatal. Only their unnatural vitality kept him alive, barely.
Had he been human, he'd be long dead.
Ryu leapt from the window, landing lightly beside the collapsed enemy.
Mado Kureo smiled and gave him a nod of approval. "Nice work. You took that trash down in one shot."
Beside him, Amon's tense expression softened slightly. "Good. We finally took down that slippery bastard."
Uesugi Ryu bowed his head slightly. "Mado-san, you flatter me."
And for once, it wasn't false humility. If he couldn't land a clean shot at that distance, he might as well uninstall himself.
Then, Ryu's gaze fell on the dying Ghoul at his feet, his eyes filled with quiet anticipation.
After all, this was a live XP package, waiting to be claimed.