"Hiss—"
Ren rubbed his aching cheekbone.
Touka's punch had landed perfectly.
"You knew this would happen," he complained inwardly.
"Why didn't you stop her?"
Carnage replied lazily.
[…Sorry…]
[…I thought you were enjoying it…]
"Enjoy my ass…"
He cursed silently.
He could have dodged.
But he deliberately chose not to.
He wanted to test the limits of his symbiote-enhanced body.
The result was clear.
Even with Carnage's reinforcement—
A human body still couldn't match a ghoul's raw physical strength.
However—
The improvement was still obvious.
At least Touka's punch hadn't sent him flying.
If Carnage had taken full control—
That would have been a completely different outcome.
…
"This is the place."
Touka's voice cut through his thoughts.
Ahead stood a Gothic-style church.
The large wooden doors were tightly shut.
From inside—
The sounds of violent combat echoed outward.
Crashing.
Impact.
Shouting.
Carnage analyzed quietly.
[Four people…]
[One… nearly dead…]
Touka stepped forward.
"The door is locked."
Her Touka Kirishima's kakugan activated instantly.
Her ukaku kagune spread open behind her like crystalline wings.
Several blood-red crystal projectiles fired toward the door.
CLANG!
Sparks flew.
The heavy door didn't budge.
Touka's expression hardened.
Her kagune gathered energy again.
"I'll break it."
But before she could fire—
A hand gently stopped her.
"I'll handle it."
Ren stepped forward.
Behind him—
Two thick crimson tendrils burst out.
They shot forward like spears.
CRACK!
The tentacles pierced straight through the steel-reinforced door.
Then—
They pulled outward violently.
"BOOM!"
The massive door tore apart and collapsed inward.
Touka watched silently.
Something stirred deep inside her chest.
A mixture of shock.
And something else.
Envy.
If she had possessed power like this back then…
Her fists tightened slightly.
"What are you thinking about?"
Ren's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"…Nothing."
Touka shook her head quickly.
"Let's go."
He didn't press further.
They entered the church together.
…
The interior was dim.
Moonlight filtered through stained glass windows.
Candles flickered along the walls.
Ren casually put on the mask he had commissioned from Uta.
The scene inside was brutal.
In the center of the ruined hall—
Nishio Nishiki lay collapsed on a shattered wooden table.
His injuries had never fully healed.
Now he had been beaten nearly to death.
His breathing was faint.
At the far altar—
Kimi Nishino was bound tightly.
Helpless.
Meanwhile—
In the center of the church—
A fight was unfolding.
More accurately—
A one-sided beating.
Every desperate attack from Ken Kaneki was effortlessly deflected.
His opponent moved with graceful precision.
Shuu Tsukiyama.
Kaneki's body was bruised and bloodied.
Tsukiyama's elegant suit was barely dirtied.
Suddenly—
Tsukiyama kicked forward.
THUD.
Kaneki flew across the room.
His body slammed into a stone pillar.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
Tsukiyama calmly turned toward the entrance.
His kakugan gleamed in the darkness.
"Well, well."
A smile appeared.
"More guests."
"Miss Touka."
"And…"
His gaze shifted to the masked figure.
"This mysterious gentleman."
Behind Ren—
Crimson tentacles silently appeared.
He prepared to intervene.
But suddenly—
Touka grabbed his wrist.
He looked at her.
Confused.
In his mind—
The simplest solution was obvious.
Rush forward.
Beat Tsukiyama into the ground.
But Touka spoke first.
"Leave him to me."
Her voice was quiet.
But her eyes held something unusual.
A faint—
Almost pleading determination.
Ren paused.
The tentacles slowly withdrew.
He didn't understand.
But he respected her choice.
Carnage whispered in confusion.
[…What's wrong with her…]
He said nothing.
Instead—
He walked toward Nishio.
…
Nishio lay in a pool of blood and broken wood.
His face was pale.
His breathing weak.
Almost nonexistent.
"Kiryu…"
He barely opened his swollen eyes.
"…Save…"
"…Kimi…"
"Don't worry."
Ren gently pressed his shoulders.
"She's fine."
"You'll all be fine."
Hearing those words—
Nishio's tension finally snapped.
His head tilted.
He lost consciousness.
"Damn."
Ren quickly checked his pulse.
Still beating.
He exhaled slowly.
Not dead.
Just severely injured.
Meanwhile—
The battle in the church intensified.
Somehow—
Kaneki had stood up again.
Now he fought alongside Touka.
Touka's ukaku attacks struck like crimson bullets.
Kaneki attacked recklessly.
For a moment—
Tsukiyama seemed pressured.
Ren almost believed they might win.
Then—
Everything changed.
Tsukiyama dodged Touka's feathers.
Then calmly wiped blood from the corner of his mouth.
Kaneki roared and charged again.
A cruel smile appeared on Tsukiyama's face.
His arm moved like a blur.
THUD.
His hand pierced straight through Kaneki's abdomen.
"Cough—!"
Blood sprayed from Kaneki's mouth.
His body collapsed.
Tsukiyama slowly withdrew his arm.
Then—
He licked the blood from his fingers.
His eyes widened with manic excitement.
"Delicious…"
His voice trembled with obsession.
"The most delicious thing in the world…"
"Even better than I imagined!"
His laughter echoed through the church.
His kagune wrapped around his arm.
Forming blue armored spirals.
Then—
He turned toward Touka.
Touka reacted instantly.
She fired several crystal projectiles.
But Tsukiyama was faster.
He moved like a phantom.
His left arm deflected the crystals.
His right arm—
Wrapped in armor—
Pierced forward.
Straight through Touka's waist.
"Ugh—!"
Pain robbed her voice instantly.
Tsukiyama smiled calmly.
"A pity."
"Your role ends here, Miss Kirishima."
Then—
He flung her aside.
Touka's body crashed onto the stone floor.
Blood spread across the ground.
Staining the church red.
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