"Kirishima… Shin?!"
The shocked voice of Yukinori Shinohara echoed across the battlefield.
Even through the heavy visor of his armor, the disbelief in his tone was unmistakable.
The man being supported by the crimson-robed intruder was unmistakable.
Though years of torture and imprisonment had reduced him to a gaunt shadow of his former self—
The blue hair.
The scarred face.
The unmistakable presence.
There was no mistake.
Years ago, Shinohara and Kureo Mado had captured the infamous SS-rank ghoul known as the "Corpse Collector."
That ghoul was Arata Kirishima.
And the armor currently covering Shinohara's body—
The Arata prototype armor—
Had been created using kagune material harvested from him.
Now that very donor stood before him.
The armor began trembling faintly.
Not violently—
But subtly.
As if resonating with its original source.
For a brief moment—
Time seemed to stop.
"Father…?"
The stunned voice of Ayato Kirishima echoed through the chamber.
"Ayato…"
Arata's voice trembled.
Hoarse.
Weak.
But unmistakably filled with emotion.
Ayato stood frozen.
His mask hid his expression.
But his shaking shoulders and clenched fists betrayed everything.
Years of anger.
Loneliness.
And grief.
Arata tried to move forward.
But his weakened body failed him.
He would have collapsed—
If not for the steady support of Ren Kiryu.
The moment of hesitation lasted only a heartbeat.
Then Shinohara's combat instincts took over.
He instantly understood the situation.
Arata Kirishima had been extracted from containment.
The unknown rescuer possessed terrifying strength.
And the ghoul fighting him—
Was Arata's own son.
Reason overrode hesitation.
Shinohara moved.
His massive body exploded forward.
The enormous quinque Oniyamada No.1 rose again.
Its target—
Ayato Kirishima.
The blade screamed through the air.
"Watch out!"
Arata shouted hoarsely.
But someone else had already reacted.
Ren Kiryu vanished.
Like a phantom.
His crimson robe blurred into an afterimage.
In the blink of an eye—
He appeared between Shinohara and the Kirishima father and son.
"Mr. Shinohara."
His calm voice cut through the battlefield.
At the same moment—
Scarlet matter erupted from his sleeve.
It twisted violently.
Forming a massive claw covered in grotesque bone-like spines.
The claw surged upward.
Not dodging.
Not deflecting.
But grabbing directly toward Oniyamada No.1.
CLANG—!!!
The collision produced a deafening shockwave.
Sparks exploded.
Debris scattered across the metal floor.
The crimson claw gripped the blade tightly.
Stopping its descent.
Shinohara's advance halted.
From beneath the hood—
A cold glint flashed in Ren Kiryu's eyes.
"We shouldn't interrupt a father and son reunion."
His claw tightened.
Then shoved forward violently.
Shinohara was forced back several steps.
Heavy armor scraping across the ground.
The crimson claw dissolved again.
Flowing back into Kiryu's arm like liquid.
He raised his hand slowly.
Scarlet matter surged again.
Restless.
Violent.
"Now…"
He said quietly.
"Your opponent is me."
Shinohara steadied his stance.
He could still feel the numbness spreading through his arm.
Even the reinforced armor trembled faintly.
Through his visor—
His eyes locked onto the mysterious enemy.
The pressure this opponent radiated—
Was unlike anything he had felt before.
"Then I'll arrest you all."
Shinohara replied calmly.
He raised Oniyamada No.1 again.
Assuming a defensive combat stance.
"And lock you inside Cochlea."
The moment his words ended—
He charged.
His armored body surged forward like a war machine.
Oniyamada No.1 pierced forward.
A devastating thrust aimed directly at Kiryu's chest.
The air shrieked under the pressure.
Yet—
Ren did not move.
A faint smile appeared beneath his crimson hood.
Just before the blade struck—
WHOOSH
His right arm exploded into crimson mass.
The substance hardened instantly.
Forming a twisted spear.
The spearhead struck precisely against the tip of Oniyamada's blade.
CLANG—BOOM!!!
A violent shockwave erupted.
The ground warped.
Metal plates bent under the force.
Shinohara's charge stopped instantly.
He grunted under the pressure.
Muscles straining.
Even Oniyamada's blade began cracking near the tip.
Realizing brute force was failing—
Shinohara changed tactics immediately.
He swung the massive blade sideways.
Deflecting the spear.
At the same moment—
His armored fist slammed toward Kiryu's head.
But Kiryu anticipated it.
The spear liquefied instantly.
Transforming into a crimson shield covered in jagged bone spikes.
BANG!!!
The punch struck the shield.
The shield didn't move.
Instead—
The spikes dented the quinque steel of Shinohara's gauntlet.
Before Shinohara could recover—
Kiryu attacked.
The shield slammed forward.
Shinohara staggered backward.
At the same time—
Thin crimson tendrils shot from Kiryu's left hand.
Wrapping around Shinohara's ankle joints.
His balance broke.
In that instant—
An opening appeared.
The crimson shield reshaped again.
Becoming a massive execution blade.
The blade carved a deadly crimson arc toward Shinohara's neck.
Fast.
Precise.
Merciless.
Shinohara felt the killing intent instantly.
His pupils shrank.
He tried to block.
Tried to move.
But the tentacles locked his footing.
His body was off balance.
He couldn't react in time.
For a split second—
A single thought flashed through his mind.
This is the end.
He saw the blade descending toward his neck—
And imagined blood spraying across the battlefield.
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