During the Aogiri Tree extermination operation, because Kaneki Ken was busy grinding in the 24th Ward, the famous scene of "beating the brother-in-law half to death" never happened.
However, the sibling duel between Kirishima Touka and Kirishima Ayato was now unfolding at a different time and place.
Hidden in a corner with his Phantom Clone ability and fully cloaked, Uesugi Ryu leisurely observed the spectacle unfolding before him.
On one side, Kaneki Ken vs. Kamishiro Matasaka, on the other, Kirishima Touka vs. Kirishima Ayato, two intense one-on-one battles were raging.
Unfortunately, for now, only Uesugi Ryu had the privilege of spectating. Leaning casually against a wall, all he lacked were some sunflower seeds and peanuts.
"Touka-chan!"
Seeing Touka being pummeled by Ayato, Kaneki panicked and shouted, but he was too tied up himself.
Kamishiro Matasaka's fierce offensive left him barely hanging on, unable to break free, only able to hold his ground with great difficulty.
The husband and wife were getting beaten up simultaneously, a rather miserable sight.
Just then, a deep voice rang out coldly:
"One-eyed brat, what are you looking at?"
Before the words even finished, Kamishiro Matasaka darted forward like lightning, his fist swinging straight at Kaneki.
Kaneki's heart skipped a beat. For some reason, Kamishiro Matasaka's speed had suddenly skyrocketed. Caught off guard, Kaneki instinctively raised his arms to block.
Crack.
A sharp crack rang out, his right arm bent at an unnatural angle.
Kaneki let out a muffled groan. Having never endured Jason's torture in this timeline, his pain tolerance had yet to reach its peak.
At that exact moment, Kanou Akihiro leisurely walked out from a nearby elevated platform, a mysterious smile on his face as he spoke:
"Kaneki-kun... it's been a while."
As his voice faded, the wall below slowly parted, revealing a tightly bound figure, Kamishiro Rize.
She was completely nude, her eyes empty and soulless like a hollow shell.
Upon seeing his daughter in such a state, Kamishiro Matasaka's expression grew dark. A torrent of rage surged within him. But he forcefully reined it in and halted his attack, waiting.
Meanwhile, Ayato, who had been gleefully gnawing on Touka's Kagune, stopped eating. He slowly straightened, then lifted his foot and stepped down hard, grinding Touka into the ground beneath him.
"Miss Rize is still just as beautiful. Compared to before, her eyes look much more... serene now."
Gazing at Rize after so long, Uesugi Ryu let out a quiet sigh.
He had to admit, Kamishiro Rize, even in this state, stirred sympathy.
Truly a femme fatale with maxed-out charisma.
From the corridor behind Kanou, Yoshimura Eto, hiding in the shadows, twitched her nose, sniffing the air, trying to catch Ryu's scent.
But there was nothing.
Meanwhile, Kanou Akihiro continued chatting casually with Kaneki, enthusiastically elaborating on his "world-as-a-birdcage" ideology, hoping Kaneki would accept it.
Uesugi Ryu scratched his ear in boredom. Blah blah blah, what's he going on about now...?
Suddenly, a black shadow zipped across the room.
CRASH.
The reinforced glass shattered into countless shards with a crisp shatter. Smoke billowed before slowly fading.
A figure wearing a raven mask stepped forward, it was Yomo Renji.
He gently scooped up the frail Rize in his arms. As he turned and removed the mask, his gaze met Kaneki's.
"Ken..."
Before he could finish, Uesugi Ryu, already cloaked, had silently snuck up beside him.
Then, bang!
With a powerful flying kick, Ryu sent Yomo flying. He had no time to react.
Seizing the moment, Uesugi Ryu stepped forward, reaching out and tightly gripping Rize's slender neck, lifting her high into the air.
Rize, already weak beyond measure, could only let out a faint whimper. Her already pale complexion grew even more ashen, her body convulsing in reflexive pain.
Seeing this, Kanou Akihiro's expression instantly turned ugly.
Panic surged through him. Rize was his only specimen, his treasure.
The so-called "donor supply" Aogiri Tree had promised was just an empty promise.
Only Kamishiro Matasaka, who had been informed beforehand, remained calm. The others all showed clear shock.
Kaneki panicked and cried out:
"Ryu, Wait! Don't do anything yet!"
He still had things he wanted to say to Rize.
But Uesugi Ryu was not here to save Rize. His intentions were crystal clear.
Seeing this, Kamishiro Matasaka's expression finally changed. The calm mountain-like demeanor vanished completely. His leg muscles tensed, and he sprang toward Uesugi Ryu.
But Ryu had no intention of listening to Kaneki's plea. He sneered.
"Tch. So noisy. You talk too much."
With that, the blade in his hand plunged straight into Kamishiro Rize's face.
Splurt.
The blade slanted diagonally through her left cheek, plunging deep into her brain.
The crimson energy coating the blade surged into the wound, instantly reducing her fragile brain to pulp.
Rize convulsed violently, her body writhing as blood streamed from the wound. Her mouth let out a harrowing, inhuman scream that echoed throughout the space.
Matasaka arrived in a flash.
Seeing him rush in, Uesugi Ryu's gaze turned cold.
With one hand, he yanked Rize by her chest, flung her straight toward Kamishiro Matasaka.
Matasaka halted mid-charge, arms outstretched, and caught Rize gently.
The chill of her rapidly cooling body flooded into his arms. A deep, animalistic groan of sorrow escaped his throat.
Uesugi Ryu smiled faintly, "benevolently" offering comfort:
"Come now, don't be so heartbroken. If anything, I did her a favor. I've always been... a gentle soul, after all."
That wasn't entirely a lie, Rize had long since gone mad. Even if she were rescued, she'd only be kept like a pet, no different from the walking dead.
Matasaka had never been able to protect his adopted daughter. Her death was only a matter of time. Dying by Ryu's hand was quick and clean.
Kaneki, watching this unfold, wore a complicated expression. Things had gone beyond the point of no return.
With a heavy sigh, he turned and dashed toward Ayato's direction.
Kamishiro Matasaka slowly knelt down, gently laying Rize's corpse on the ground.
He had never liked wearing a shirt in battle, he said it interfered with reading opponents' movements. But now, he bitterly regretted it.
His adopted daughter had died naked before his eyes.
He didn't even have a shirt to offer her that last bit of dignity.
Just then, a chilling aura exploded from Kamishiro Matasaka's body.
His iconic handlebar mustache swayed in the breeze, and his crimson Kakugan locked dead-on to Uesugi Ryu.
His eyes burned with unfiltered murderous intent.
Uesugi Ryu slowly raised his long blade, its glinting edge pointing straight at Matasaka's face.
At the same time, he covered half of his own face with one hand, fingers lightly twitching, as if moved by this touching scene of father-daughter love.
"Ara~ How touching, truly."
Then he dropped his hand and pulled down one eyelid, sticking out his tongue in a mocking face.
A twisted grin spread across his face.
"Well then, why don't I send you two lovebirds on your way together?"
Seated high above, Yoshimura Eto hugged her knees, silently watching it all unfold. Her eyes flickered thoughtfully, her thoughts unreadable.
Kamishiro Matasaka didn't utter a word.
Behind him, his orca tail-like crimson Kagune began to shimmer ominously.