A loud boom echoed through the air, causing Itsuki Marude's expression to change as he witnessed the buildings in the commercial district shaking and debris falling all around. The once busy area was now a chaotic scene, with investigators and members of the Aogiri Tree organization caught off guard by the explosion.
It was clear that the buildings were on the verge of collapse.
Eto Yoshimura had planned this attack meticulously, burying bombs underground before the battle even began. She didn't intend to win the war outright; instead, she aimed to lure the CCG into deploying a large force.
"Everyone, retreat! Get out of here!" Marude rushed out of the command post, urgently shouting to his officers. Those who didn't move quickly enough risked being hit by falling debris or getting trapped in the ruins.
"Quick! Fire the signal flares! Inform Lin Yi to retreat immediately!" Marude thought of Lin Yi, who was still locked in combat with the Owl. He issued the command without hesitation.
Lin Yi was considered the CCG's next Arima Kishou, and losing such a skilled combatant would be a significant blow.
Three signal flares shot up into the sky from the CCG's side, briefly illuminating the night.
Meanwhile, on the rooftop...
The shaking of the building disrupted the battle. The entire structure tilted at a dangerous angle, making it difficult for anyone to maintain their balance.
Nevertheless, Lin Yi pressed on, attacking relentlessly.
"Bang!" Another clash occurred as Yoshimura forced Lin Yi to retreat.
"It seems we'll have to pause this battle for now," Yoshimura remarked, surveying the surroundings. He wasn't worried about himself; with his formidable defense and regenerative abilities, even if he were buried under the ruins, he would only suffer minor injuries.
However, Lin Yi, despite his strength, was still a human being. He couldn't ignore the current situation.
Yoshimura's kagune sprouted from his back as his legs bent like springs, preparing to launch an attack.
But before he could strike, Lin Yi leaped into the air, abandoning his balance and rushing towards Yoshimura with his sword raised.
Their eyes met in mid-air.
Yoshimura raised his hand to block, but just as the blade was about to strike, he retracted his kagune and protected his right hand.
With a swish, blood splattered as Lin Yi cleanly severed Yoshimura's arm. Lin Yi reached out to catch it, but his own balance was disrupted, and he plummeted towards the ground.
Yoshimura, injured but showing no signs of anger, didn't linger. He used his legs to propel himself, turning into a streak of red and disappearing into the darkness.
As the battle raged on, the collapsing building posed a hindrance. The entire group tilted at a 45-degree angle, making it nearly impossible to stand firm.
Marude anxiously paced around, praying for the rooftop battle to conclude successfully. Suddenly, he heard commotion from the crowd behind him and quickly turned around.
He witnessed Lin Yi descending from a considerable height. In a surprising display, Lin Yi kicked a falling boulder in mid-air, executed a turn, and plunged his blade into the wall, turning his descent into a slide.
He landed smoothly on the ground.
"How did it go, Lin Yi? What about the Owl?" Marude approached hastily, his eagerness evident in his every step.
Regardless of the overall outcome of the war, killing the Owl would make everything worthwhile.
"The building collapsed, and I didn't pursue. He managed to escape," Lin Yi replied nonchalantly, showing no signs of exhaustion. He tossed Yoshimura's severed arm onto the ground, fully aware that Yoshimura had held back in the end.
Through this battle, Lin Yi gained a clearer understanding of his own strength. He realized he was on par with an SS-rated ghoul. If he were to engage Yoshimura in a life-and-death battle using his Jörmungandr strongest form, it would be uncertain who would emerge victorious.
He wasn't as carefree as he had once portrayed himself to be.
However, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence.
Before Lin Yi's appearance, the battle was led by two special investigators, Yukinori Shinohara and Iwao Kuroiwa, along with Koutarou Amon and Take Hirako, two first-class investigators. They also had the assistance of a new Quinque prototype. Despite their combined efforts, they suffered a crushing defeat.
Single-handedly defeating an SSS-rated ghoul was an accomplishment achieved by only one person in history.
That person was Kishou Arima.
No one doubted Lin Yi's words. After all, the severed arm in his hand was undeniable evidence.
It was impossible for the Owl to have willingly severed his own arm like that.
In the hearts of the people, Lin Yi had already reached the same level of strength as Arima.
The war had come to an end.
Yet, there was no joy in the hearts of the people. The casualty rate was high this time, with more than half of the officers injured and one-third of them dead. Many were crushed under the falling debris.
Marude felt deceived, realizing that this war couldn't be considered a victory.
Meanwhile, Lin Yi gained a resounding reputation through this battle. It was rumored that the CCG's higher-ups held an all-night meeting and ultimately promoted Lin Yi to the rank of special investigator.
He was also appointed as the head of the 20th Ward.
Although he had the autonomy and authority to act in the 20th Ward, he hadn't had the chance to return there since coming back to headquarters. Instead, he was immediately given new orders.
Eto Yoshimura's plan had succeeded. Using a small force of ghouls as bait and leveraging the pre-buried bombs, they dealt a heavy blow to the understaffed CCG forces.
The Aogiri Tree took advantage of the situation and successfully captured the 9th and 10th Wards surrounding the 11th Ward.
As the newly appointed special-class investigator, Lin Yi became a disposable labor force. However, his efforts alone weren't enough.
Unless they launched a large-scale war similar to the one against the 11th Ward, it would be nearly impossible for him alone to completely eliminate the ghouls in those areas.