Facing Ayato, everyone could feel the overwhelming pressure.
This was completely different from the ghouls they had just encountered—this was a true Bronze Tree executive.
"Black Rabbit, an S-rated ghoul."
"According to headquarters' intel, he's a Ukaku-type. Strong and extremely troublesome."
Akira murmured softly, her brows slightly furrowing.
"S-rated?" Ihei licked her full red lips, excitement glinting across her beautiful face.
"One… two… three…"
Perched on the lamppost, Ayato's indifferent gaze swept across them.
"The 11th Ward already belongs to Aogiri Tree. The doves here were all slaughtered.And yet, the CCG still dares send so many to their deaths. Pathetic, foolish inferior creatures."
With that, Ayato jumped down, his eyes cold.
At the same time, dozens of Aogiri Tree members in hooded cloaks leapt from the surrounding rooftops, forming a circular perimeter.
"Hayashi, we're surrounded. Their numbers are overwhelming."
Gripping her quinque whip-sword, Akira steadied herself.
Beside her, Kurona and Nashiro swallowed nervously, their hands trembling slightly.
"So this is how Aogiri Tree welcomes guests?"
Sweeping his gaze lazily over the encirclement, Hayashi's eyes glimmered with faint amusement.
"Guests? Don't flatter yourself. To us, humans are nothing but food. And doves? Not even food. Just pests… toys to be crushed."
Ayato sneered, arrogance dripping from his expression.
"Kill them. Crush these insects."
His order rang out, and Aogiri Tree members lunged forward.
"You'd better not all die too quickly. That would be far too boring." Ihei raised her quinque blade, a gentle smile playing at her lips.
"Three on the left, four on the right, two behind…" Akira counted sharply, eyes narrowing coldly as she swung her weapon. Beside her, the twins raised their quinques, though their nervousness was evident.
As the circle tightened, the distance closed rapidly.
Just as the clash was about to erupt, Hayashi gripped the hilt of the Thousand Demon Daggers.
In a blink, the blade shattered into countless shards. The fragments spread wide, elongating into deadly edges encircling the area.
"In your eyes, investigators are insects?"
Hayashi chuckled softly, his tone calm.
"In mine, Aogiri Tree are the real insects."
Crack!
The sharp sound rang out, and suddenly every Aogiri Tree member froze.
None of them even realized what had happened—until their heads rolled from their shoulders and their bodies collapsed.
Blood sprayed like fountains, raining across the street.
The ground, walls, and buildings were painted crimson, and the very air grew heavy with the stench of iron.
"What… just happened?"
Even Ihei was stunned, unable to process the scene.
"As expected." Having witnessed the Thousand Demon Daggers's power before, Akira didn't appear surprised, though her eyes tightened at the carnage.
"Hayashi!"
The twins' eyes shone—not with shock, but with awe.
The most shaken was Ayato himself.
In his eyes, dozens of subordinates had been wiped out in less than a second.
Not even Arima could've slaughtered them so quickly… could he?
Ayato's gaze fell on the sword. He had seen it split into hundreds of glowing shards, then, in the blink of an eye, every subordinate lay decapitated.
"What kind of kagune-made weapon is this…? It's unnatural." His brows furrowed. He had never seen such a bizarre weapon—one that split into fragments and attacked from all directions.
He would need to be careful, or else he might not survive this.
"Come. I've cleared the stage. Now, it's just between you and me." Hayashi flexed his neck lightly, amusement flickering in his eyes.
"Arrogant insect. I'll show you the cost of your pride!" Ayato's eyes flashed crimson, his kagune bursting forth.
Scarlet wings sprouted from his back—dazzling, deadly. Blood-red projectiles fired at blinding speed.
Hayashi drew the sword across his body. The shards shot out, intercepting the attacks, shattering them midair.
In an instant, the two clashed dozens of times. Windows shattered, walls cracked, and the streets quaked with the force of their blows.
"Die, bastard!" Finding an opening, Ayato surged forward at frightening speed, his hand forming a blade aimed straight at Hayashi.
"Pointless tricks." Hayashi smirked, tightening his grip. The shards of the Thousand Demon Daggers snapped back at lightning speed.
Ayato barely managed to leap away—too late. His arm dissolved into a cloud of blood mist.
"What… what is that weapon? What kagune could produce something so unnatural?" From several meters away, Ayato clutched his mutilated stump, unease flickering in his expression.
If he had been a fraction slower, his entire body would've been shredded.
"Thousand Demon Daggers. Pure offense, unmatched under heaven. You cannot defeat me. Killing you is as simple as eating or drinking." Hayashi's voice was calm, lifting the blade slightly.
"But before that, I'd advise you to prepare yourself... because with the next strike, I'll cripple your legs. You won't be running anywhere."