Different battles

"Ice Mask..." Yu Fura's heart sank as he watched Ice Mask suddenly leap onto a section of the Ice Wall. He knew what Ice Mask's appearance meant.

"Relax. Your partner only passed out." Louis wiped the dagger in his hand, considering his next move. "If you spare my companion, I'll consider sparing yours."

At Yu Fura's feet lay Nishiki Nishio, beaten within an inch of his life. Wounds covered his body; all he needed was one final blow.

Seeing Yu Fura still hesitate, Louis snapped his fingers. The Ice Wall shattered at the sound, clearing the obstruction from view and revealing Shizuri sprawled on the ground.

"She's still breathing..." When Yu Fura saw Shizuri's chest still rising and falling, with no obvious wounds on her body, he finally let out a breath of relief.

After a moment, he kicked the half-dead Nishiki Nishio into the nearby planting strip, then faced Ice Mask with the Black Tachi in hand.

"Not using her to threaten me was the smartest choice you could have made."

"I know, I know." Louis waved impatiently. "Keep fighting even if both your hands are cut off. Given your CCG regulations, even if I threatened you with her, you'd probably finish off my companion without a second thought."

"How cold-blooded."

Louis jumped down from the Ice Wall, gripping the sharp Ice Blade in his hand. Now it was time for the two of them to fight.

"Wait." As Ice Mask drew closer, Yu Fura suddenly spoke up.

He did not lower the bloodstained tachi in his hand.

"Can you tell me why you don't kill Ghoul Investigators?" Yu Fura frowned, asking the question that had occupied his thoughts for the past few days.

Whether during the operation to capture Ice Mask or the subsequent Rabbit attack, Ice Mask had deliberately tried to prevent the conflict between the two sides from escalating.

"Answering this question shouldn't put you at any disadvantage. So please, tell me."

Under Yu Fura's gaze, Louis thought for a moment.

"It's not that I won't kill Ghoul Investigators. I just don't like pointless slaughter. If you ever realize that killing ghouls is actually meaningless, you'll probably make the same choice I did."

"Meaningless..." Yu Fura frowned. He did not understand what Louis meant.

Two completely opposed species, unable to find a reason to kill each other?

Though he did not understand, their brief conversation could go no further. Their companions were still fighting and needed their support.

"Let me make this clear first. If I beat you, I'll kill you outright. No mercy." With that, Yu Fura pushed off the ground and charged at Louis, tachi in hand.

"Who knows..." Louis focused again and repeated his earlier trick. The instant Yu Fura approached, a mass of tiny crystals burst out with a bang, whistling through the air and swirling around Yu Fura to block his vision.

"What is this..." Yu Fura was startled by the unfamiliar move.

Louis used the same trick again, his speed surging as he slipped silently behind his opponent under cover of the miniature blizzard. He intended to use the move that had taken down Shizuri against Yu Fura.

He reached out, but before his palm could touch Yu Fura's skin, a black blade thrust out of the ice-crystal storm, heading straight for his forehead.

Just as I thought...

Louis tilted his head, barely dodging the strike.

Against an experienced Ghoul Investigator with such quick reactions, a sneak attack like this was of little use.

Looks like I'll have to settle for straightforward, brutal close combat.

Louis dodged Yu Fura's attack and drew the two Level Four Ice Blades he had formed earlier from his waist.

Now he could only defeat Yu Fura head-on.

The fiercest battle was between the strongest fighters on either side: Touka and Kureo Mado. This was also their first clash.

Touka was incredibly fast, able to attack from several angles in a short span of time. But Kureo Mado was no pushover either. Wielding his Quinque with only his left hand, he blocked her attacks flawlessly.

"A ghoul with a burst-type ukaku..." A hint of amusement flashed through Kureo Mado's eyes. He noticed that Touka's attacks were growing slower.

"You really are different from the other vermin. Your speed, strength, and technique are all quite impressive."

A smile curled his lips. Now that he had figured out Touka's attack patterns, he intended to strike back.

The tip of the jointed kagune whipping through the air suddenly changed direction, thrusting straight into Touka's path.

"What?!" Startled, Touka hastily adjusted her posture in midair, but it still grazed her arm.

"But compared to Ice Mask, your attacks are far too predictable!" Kureo Mado now had a rough grasp of Touka's strength. Switching from his defensive approach, he changed his fighting style. White Bone Blades extended from the sides of the kagune's joints, taking both its reach and destructive power up a notch.

Caught off guard by the sudden change in his weapon and attacks, Touka suffered several more cuts as she scrambled to evade him. Fresh blood stained the Quinque's white blades.

As the blood touched it, the Quinque seemed to come alive, actively devouring it.

Even Kureo Mado looked at the Quinque in his hand with some surprise. After consuming the blood, it seemed to have grown more powerful.

"What a pain..." Touka stared at the Quinque in Kureo Mado's hand, feeling thoroughly frustrated. Yet she could not retreat. The others were still fighting, and she could not let this Ghoul Investigator interfere with them.

Apart from Nishiki Nishio, Kaneki had taken the worst beating of anyone there. In his battle against Amon, Kaneki's continued refusal to release his kagune had left him beaten to the ground early on. With the last shreds of his consciousness, he clung tightly to Amon's leg, refusing to let him leave.

"I can't let you... get in the others' way..."

Amon frowned. Seeing Ice Mask and Rabbit again had filled him with rage. He wanted to hurry over and take revenge, not waste time struggling with Kaneki. He immediately raised the Hammer-Type Quinque and drove it straight into Kaneki's back.

"Mr. Kusaba had never killed a ghoul. You had even less reason to kill him..."

After taking one heavy blow after another, Ken Kaneki's consciousness began to blur. He suddenly remembered what Louis had just told him.

"If you can't kill someone, destroy the weapon they use to kill. You can do that now."

"I can't..." Kaneki looked at his hands, then at Amon's retreating back. He knew he could not defeat Amon on his own.

"Food is the fuel, and the kagune is the engine..."

"I'll have to borrow Miss Rize's strength..."

Kaneki abruptly clenched his fists and stood up. He rushed toward Amon and lunged at him while his guard was down.

Hearing the movement, Amon whipped around. His momentary carelessness allowed Kaneki to close in, and a sharp pain immediately shot through his shoulder. The ghoul had bitten straight into it.

This is bad... Fear entered Amon's eyes. He had not expected this ghoul wearing an eyepatch to possess such regenerative ability. In just a few seconds, he had regained the ability to move.

His opponent had concealed his strength. He was not nearly as weak as he looked.