Within that decrepit, dilapidated building, the echo of heavy and chaotic footsteps reverberated through the air.
If one listened closely, they could discern that the sound came from over a dozen figures, each one wearing a grotesque, wolf-faced mask, converging rapidly from all directions toward the rooftop of the building.
This abandoned construction site, deserted, easily concealing, and filled with complex terrain, was a natural choice for ghouls to hold secret gatherings.
The rooftop, in particular, was selected as the meeting point for one simple reason: ease of escape. For ghouls, securing a route to retreat was always of paramount importance.
Yet even among ghouls, there was no true unity.
Conflicts over interests broke out frequently, especially when it came to the most hotly contested matter: feeding grounds.
At this very moment, in the darkness so thick it swallowed light, dozens of ghastly Kakugan glowed blood-red like eerie flames, casting a bone-chilling light.
A tall, thin man sat calmly atop an abandoned crate.
The wolf mask upon his face had a distinct bluish hue that made it particularly eye-catching, he was the leader of the organization: Wolf of the Owl.
Before this gaunt man stood over a dozen ghouls, each dressed differently.
But without exception, they all wore the exact same style of white wolf mask, only the colors differed.
The tall ghoul furrowed his brows beneath his mask, his eyes scanning the assembled figures.
After a quick mental count, he frowned slightly: according to their plan, there should be twelve members here, aside from the two stationed outside on perimeter watch.
But clearly, that wasn't the case.
Still, he didn't comment, after all, in a ghoul organization like this, casualties and disappearances were anything but rare.
He could deal with it after the meeting.
However, none of them noticed it.
From the shadows behind them, something was lurking.
A hazy, indistinct silhouette, hidden and ghostlike.
Wolf of the Owl members sniffed the air subtly.
Several keen-nosed ghouls below began shifting uncomfortably, clearly sensing something too.
"This scent… is that a human? It smells good… but there's something else. Something… strange. Is that a DOVE?!"
The leader's eyes narrowed in disbelief as he looked sharply toward the stairwell in the distance.
And then, Suzuya Juuzou appeared, striding forward slowly with an unhurried pace.
In his hand was a green longsword soaked in blood, with fresh droplets still trailing from the edge.
He looked relaxed, perhaps even a little drowsy, letting out a small yawn.
Then, smiling brightly, he waved at the stunned ghouls and cheerfully called out:
"Minna-san, good evening\~"
"What the hell?! A ghoul investigator!?"
The gathering instantly devolved into chaos.
Tension exploded like a powder keg.
"It's just one stupid girl, kill her!"
Juuzou's appearance truly was indistinguishable from a young woman's, so the mistake was understandable.
The tall ghoul leader narrowed his eyes, unease rising in his chest. He glanced at a nearby window, then raised a hand with a gesture.
"Kill her!"
At his command, four ghouls charged forward like ravenous wolves, unleashing various types of Kagune behind them.
The leader's gaze flicked back toward the corridor, and he stood up from the crate, every muscle in his body tense, clearly preparing for a strategic retreat.
But before Juuzou even clashed with the four charging ghouls, a chilling sense of death prickled at the back of the leader's neck.
He spun around in alarm, throwing up his Koukaku, a massive, teal-colored wolf-tail-like Kagune, to block.
Too late.
A blade flashed like lightning, slicing through the air.
In an instant, the oversized Koukaku was cleaved in two, and the blue wolf mask upon the man's face went soaring into the air along with his severed head.
Blood erupted like a geyser, spraying high into the air.
It rained crimson, a literal blood rain.
The ghouls who hadn't yet joined the fight stood frozen in horror.
The moment they witnessed the leader's head fly, fear overtook them completely.
No one had any will to fight left.
They turned and ran in every direction like terrified prey.
In the center of the carnage stood Uesugi Ryu, his face emotionless like a marble statue.
He swung his gleaming blade with a fluid motion, swift and merciless.
With that one swing, his body vanished into the shadows, moving faster than the eye could follow, leaving behind only a faint blur.
Before the fleeing ghouls could take another step, Uesugi Ryu materialized among them like a phantom.
He bent low, gripping his sword with both hands as a bone-chilling aura radiated from his entire being.
A crimson arc flashed across the rooftop.
In an instant, blood sprayed in all directions, and severed limbs went flying through the air.
Uesugi Ryu, still dressed in his signature white investigator coat, was now painted in red.
But he didn't mind, after all, it was issued by the CCG. He'd just toss it out later.
He twisted his blade and decapitated one of the wounded ghouls.
The ghoul's final scream echoed endlessly through the hollow building, blood-curdling and sharp.
At the edge of the rooftop, the two perimeter ghouls, witnessing the massacre, fled in blind panic.
They split up, racing in different directions.
In their minds, only one thought remained:
Run faster than the other.
Uesugi Ryu's lips curled into a slight smirk, barely noticeable, but brimming with cold amusement.
His eyes locked onto the slower of the two runners. Like a storm, he shot forward in pursuit.
The targeted ghoul could feel the overwhelming killing intent closing in.
He broke into a cold sweat and began muttering curses, but fear had already swallowed his reason.
Desperate, he veered off course, running toward his companion's path.
But no matter how he zigzagged or struggled, he couldn't escape.
Uesugi Ryu's blade fell without hesitation.
A flash of silver and the ghoul's life ended instantly.
His companion had just reached the edge of the rooftop, and without pausing, leapt off.
Mid-air, he laughed in delight, as if he had escaped death.
"Too early to celebrate."
The voice came from above.
The fleeing ghoul looked back instinctively, and what he saw shattered all hope.
Uesugi Ryu grinned slightly.
In his hand, the Destroyer had already materialized.
He took aim.
The ghoul's eyes widened in disbelief.
BOOM!
A thunderous shot rang out and the enormous projectile tore the ghoul to shreds mid-air.
Chunks of flesh and blood exploded in the sky, raining down onto the earth below in a sick parody of rainfall.
From the barrel of the Destroyer, a wisp of smoke slowly rose.
On the other side of the rooftop, Suzuya Juuzou's fight had already ended as well.