In the silent corridor, the echo of footsteps rang out continuously.
Arima Kou's leading shadow was stretched long by the sunlight, his little finger twitching nervously with each step.
As he walked forward, he turned slightly toward Uesugi Ryu and revealed a fake smile, offering a "kind" reminder.
"Special-Class Uesugi should also carefully consider your wording."
"If your body is truly unwell, then I believe the Chairman will certainly be understanding."
"Perhaps he might even dispatch the top medical team to conduct a comprehensive examination for you."
Uesugi Ryu looked at Arima Kou indifferently. The man had been chattering nonstop along the way, truly irritating.
Arima Kou held a black briefcase in his hand. As for who it was for, there was no need to say.
His steps paused slightly, then he extended his hand and passed the briefcase to Arima Kishou.
"Arima-san, this is what the Chairman has entrusted to you."
Arima Kishou took the briefcase and gently placed it on the ground.
His gaze fixed directly on Arima Kou's face.
Being stared at like this by Arima Kishou, Arima Kou felt an inexplicable chill. He asked with some confusion.
"Arima-san..."
The sharp whistling of a fist tearing through the air cut off his words. Arima Kishou's punch slammed into Arima Kou's abdomen.
The fabric of his suit burst into web-like folds under the heavy blow, and Arima Kou's body bent instantly into a bow shape as if struck by a hammer.
Before his scream could even escape, a cold, pale hand tightly covered his mouth.
With a slight twist of the wrist came the crisp sound of a neck snapping, like breaking a dry branch.
With a crack, Arima Kou's neck was directly twisted off.
Arima Kishou supported the corpse and slowly laid it down onto the marble floor.
Saliva stretched into thin strands across his pale hand. The way Arima Kishou wiped his hand on the corpse's collar was like cleaning a surgical instrument.
For a moment, the corridor became extremely quiet.
Arima Kou's face still carried traces of shock and confusion, but no one cared about this noisy man.
If he had been a bit more obedient, relying on the Arima surname, he might have been able to cling to life.
Uesugi Ryu dug his little finger into his ear, immediately feeling that the world had become quieter.
"Beautiful. Next, let me meet the long-awaited Chair...man."
He stepped over Arima Kou's corpse, hands in his pockets, and slowly walked forward.
Arima Kishou picked up the briefcase again and followed behind Uesugi Ryu.
Even after just killing a member of his own kin, he remained expressionless.
Whether under the Washuu or under Uesugi Ryu, the role he had always played was that of a killer.
The door to the Chairman's office was gently pushed open, the intricate patterns on it highlighting this supreme authority's nobility.
Carrying the briefcase, Arima Kishou slowly walked to stand before Washuu Tsuneyoshi. He slightly bent forward, lowering his head, his eyes fixed on the ground.
Brilliant sunlight streamed through the lattice windows on both sides into the somewhat dim office.
The window frames cast birdcage-like shadows onto the floor, like invisible cages.
Arima Kishou stood right within this cage formed by shadow and light.
Above Washuu Tsuneyoshi's head, the Roman numeral clock emitted the dull sound of gears meshing.
"Uesugi Ryu has been brought here. He is waiting outside the door."
Washuu Tsuneyoshi nodded slightly, his tightly shut eyes slowly opening.
"Let him in. You should also be ready at any time."
Arima Kishou did not turn to bring Uesugi Ryu inside.
He suddenly shifted a few steps to the rear-left, as if avoiding something, his entire figure blending into the shadows.
At this moment, his bent posture straightened, and he raised his head, meeting this man in power eye to eye for the first time.
Washuu Tsuneyoshi's graying brows furrowed slightly. This was the first time he had seen Arima Kishou like this.
In his view, Arima Kishou had always been an obedient blade, but now it seemed the direction of that blade had changed.
Washuu Tsuneyoshi did not care about Arima Kishou's offense. He remained seated on the long chair, a ripple passing across his otherwise calm face.
"You're also a traitor, Kishou?"
A faint smile suddenly appeared on Arima Kishou's iceberg-like face.
His lips parted slightly, as if softly chanting.
"He's here."
In the next instant, the two doors at the entrance were kicked open by a tremendous force, carrying a violent gust of wind as they smashed toward Washuu Tsuneyoshi in the center.
"Good afternoon, you old bastard!"
A voice tinged with mockery and provocation suddenly rang out, echoing throughout the empty room.
Facing this situation, Washuu Tsuneyoshi remained expressionless, showing no sign of panic.
Even though he had not fought for many years, he was not some old man on the verge of being buried.
The abundant supply of food had kept his body in peak condition.
Bone-like kagune suddenly burst forth from his back, and the two wooden doors flying toward him were cleanly sliced apart.
The ebony doors shattered into large fragments that crashed into the windows behind him, followed by the cracking sound of glass shattering.
At this moment, everyone moved.
Washuu Tsuneyoshi rose from the long chair, multiple kakuhou on his back swelling simultaneously.
Uesugi Ryu crushed the remaining ebony door as he stepped into the room, the sound of his combat boots grinding the floor abruptly stopping.
A figure in a black suit, Kaiko, suddenly darted out from the doorway, the long blade in his hand aimed straight at Uesugi Ryu's throat.
Arima Kishou's quinque rapidly unfolded. With a burst of smoke, an enormous blade appeared in his hand.
SSS-rated quinque Owl!
Crimson kagune crystals shot out from the blade, perfectly intercepting Kaiko's advance.
Kaiko stomped on the ground, forcefully changing his trajectory. Anger flashed across his ugly face.
"Arima, you damned traitor!"
In the blink of an eye, Washuu Tsuneyoshi entered his kakuja form.
Dense white bones formed a full-body armor that enveloped his tall frame, reaching a height of three meters.
Two white curved blades appeared on the arms of the kakuja shell.
Arima Kishou advanced with his blade and clashed with Kaiko, their weapons grinding against each other and bursting sparks like molten lava.
Between master and disciple, who would come out on top?
A golden light flashed in Uesugi Ryu's eyes. The overwhelming pressure caused Washuu Tsuneyoshi's bone armor to emit a strained wail.
[Presence activated. Conducting an intelligence check on Washuu Tsuneyoshi!]
[(Our side) Intelligence and mental resistance check passed!]
[Host's intelligence far exceeds the opponent. Washuu Tsuneyoshi's all attributes reduced by 27%!]
When those burning golden pupils locked onto their target, spiderweb-like cracks suddenly spread across the surface of the bone armor.
Washuu Tsuneyoshi's pupils shrank sharply, shock appearing on his face.
As if unable to withstand such terrifying pressure, the kakuja shell involuntarily retreated.
Its feet crushed the black-and-white tiled floor, and Washuu Tsuneyoshi's body trembled uncontrollably.
For the first time in his life, the king of the Washuu Clan, the noble family head, experienced what fear truly meant.
"You're the first to experience this. Keep me entertained for a bit."
Uesugi Ryu let out a light laugh as he looked at the retreating Washuu Tsuneyoshi. He did not take out his quinque, seemingly intending to fight barehanded.
The half-visible black dragon tattoo at his shirt collar suddenly expanded.
Illusory black dragon scales spread from his torso toward his limbs and head.
The dragon's eyes on his chest emitted a faint crimson glow, as if it had come alive, ready to devour its prey.