The remaining kagune tendrils wrapped around Uesugi Ryu's greaves like they had gone mad.
The kagune scraped across the metal surface, carving out bright sparks as the screech of friction pierced the ears.
With a wet thud, the dark red armored boot stomped down onto Hoito Roma's lower abdomen.
The ground beneath her waist exploded outward like a spiderweb.
Uesugi Ryu slowly twisted his spiked boot, grinding nearby organs and flesh into pulp.
Black blood seeped from Hoito Roma's ears, yet her smile only grew more unhinged.
She suddenly threw her head back and let out a hoarse scream. Sharp black kagune formed into claws and latched onto her remaining right arm.
"You crushed me into paste, you bastard!"
The claw slashed out, leaving four dark streaks in the air. Uesugi Ryu's greave brushed past the edge of the attack as he stepped back half a pace.
A dull, hydraulic-like burst came from the muscles in his right leg, and his armored boot lashed out like a blur.
Hoito Roma hurriedly raised her claw to block.
At the instant the metal boot collided with the kagune, countless cracks spread across the surface of the black claw.
Like a ragdoll struck by a battering ram, Hoito Roma was sent flying, trailing a sonic boom.
Before she even hit the ground, Uesugi Ryu had already shattered the earth beneath his feet and appeared beside her.
"Time to take that mask off."
His five fingers clamped down on her last intact arm like a hydraulic vise. The muscles in his shoulder surged as he tore.
With a familiar ripping sound, Hoito Roma's final arm was ripped off. Pale bone fragments were exposed to the cold air.
She let out a pained grunt.
Uesugi Ryu casually brought his fingers together like a blade, his left arm cutting through in a blood-red arc.
His sharp claws tore open Hoito Roma's throat, and crimson blood poured out.
"Sa...yo... ha... ha..."
Hoito Roma's shattered vocal cords forced out broken breaths. Her collapsing kagune was already turning into crystals and dispersing.
Uesugi Ryu drew his twin blades again. At the moment they swung, the nearby streetlights twisted and wavered like melting candles.
Behind the warm glow of the lights was a horrifying scene like a rain of blood.
The last thing Hoito Roma saw was her own body, split into thirteen pieces, falling freely against the snowy backdrop.
That same smile still lingered on her lips. Only then did she seem to realize that she had died.
"Killed by someone like this... how interesting..."
With a dull crack as her skull hit the ground, her blood-stained teeth still moved.
That frozen smile looked like a shattered porcelain doll, black-red blood seeping from the cracks.
The blood on her face stained the white snow beneath her into dark red and black.
Uesugi Ryu flicked the blood from his blades. Two semicircular arcs of blood marked the snow, where scattered blossoms of red bloomed.
The founder of the Clowns, the SSS-rated ghoul Dodgy Mother Hoito Roma, was dead.
[You have killed an SSS- rated ghoul]
[Talent activated. Soul strength insufficient. Automatically stored in the soul space.]
[Energy +417]
Energy: 3/100 (Remaining draws: 6)
Looking at the frozen smile on Hoito Roma's face, a trace of helplessness flashed in Uesugi Ryu's eyes.
For someone like her, killing her was almost a reward.
"Next, it's time for this farce to end."
Uesugi Ryu looked into the distance. The snow was falling heavier.
After this battle, everything would be different. He now had the power to flip the table.
The Washuu, the Clowns, Aogiri Tree. All of them were nothing more than ghosts beneath his blade.
This fight had ended quickly. It could even be called a one-sided slaughter. Uesugi Ryu had simply been adjusting to his surging strength.
Yoshimura Eto had escaped, but she and Arima Kishou had put on a complete act.
After being caught off guard by Uesugi Ryu earlier, Yoshimura Eto was not in good condition.
If Arima Kishou had let her escape completely unscathed, it would have been too suspicious, so he left her with one kakuhou.
"Furuta Nimura, you've got some nerve. Clowns... I'll deal with all of you soon enough."
A cold light flashed in Uesugi Ryu's eyes, killing intent surging within.
It was fortunate he had been cautious and arranged for Mephisto and the Yasuhisa sisters to protect Mado Akira in advance.
Otherwise, if something had happened, it would have been troublesome.
The Molten Abyss armor gradually calmed down, eventually returning to its red-black suitcase form.
Compared to before, when it violently devoured Uesugi Ryu's flesh, the modified version was only slightly restless.
As Uesugi Ryu continuously supplied it with mana, it quickly settled completely.
He let out a breath of hot air. His entire body was drenched in sweat.
His black shirt clung tightly to his body, outlining his well-defined muscles.
The intense heat radiating from him melted all the snow within a one-meter radius into water.
Uesugi Ryu took out his earpiece from the system space and put it on.
He tapped it lightly and said calmly,
"This is Uesugi. The SSS-rated ghoul The Non-Killing Owl has been driven off. The SS-rated ghoul Dodgy Mother who escaped from Cochlea has also been killed by me."
"The One-Eyed Owl escaped. That's all."
Uesugi Ryu's voice suddenly came through the speakers.
Marude Itsuki, who had been tense the entire time, finally relaxed and let out a long breath.
Uesugi Ryu had been out of contact for quite a while. Wearing that heavy armor made it difficult to use a Bluetooth earpiece, and if it were damaged by heat, it would be troublesome.
The battle had been extremely intense, and Marude Itsuki had been fully focused on command, too busy to spare attention.
But deep down, he had still been worried about Uesugi Ryu.
Hearing his report, a relieved smile appeared on Marude Itsuki's face.
"Understood. As expected of you. And... good work."
He knew very well how important Uesugi Ryu had been in this battle. He was the greatest contributor to this war.
At the same time, good news kept coming from other parts of the battlefield.
"Aogiri Tree is already collapsing on all fronts. Looks like this time it's a complete victory for the CCG!"
Marude Itsuki gestured an OK sign toward Mado Kureo, indicating that Uesugi Ryu was safe.
Mado Kureo nodded and returned to directing operations.
On Uesugi Ryu's side, he simply responded with a quiet "Mm" before ending the call.
At this moment, Arima Kishou approached, holding his two Quinques.
Stopping in front of Uesugi Ryu, he asked calmly,
"Associate Special-Class Uesugi, are you alright?"
Looking at Arima Kishou, Uesugi Ryu showed a faint, unreadable smile.
He waved his hand.
"I'm fine. What about you, Arima-san? Everything alright?"
Arima Kishou's expression did not change at all.
"Everything is fine."