"That's… it? It's over? Just like that… in a single moment?"
"Seems like it. That 'Dragon' completely stopped moving, looks like it's dead."
"But those humanoid monsters still roaming the streets… I guess the CCG and those ghouls can handle them."
"Meanwhile, the military we deployed didn't do jack… In the end, it was the ghouls who saved us humans?..."
"..."
A strange, indescribable feeling took root in many hearts at that moment.
The ghouls were supposed to be their mortal enemies.
And yet today, it was the ghouls who had saved them.
Of course, they had all assumed that Uchiha Byakuya was a ghoul himself.
Little did they know, Byakuya couldn't be considered either human or ghoul.
As a half-human, Uchiha Byakuya's physiology had undergone a complete transformation due to exposure to the Dragon's toxic gas.
His lifespan was now on par with an ordinary human's, but his strength hadn't diminished in the slightest.
The same held true for Arima Kishou.
Up in the air, Yoshimura Eto had transformed directly into the "One-Eyed Owl", and she held Byakuya tightly in her arms within her Kakuja body.
Although it was a bit cramped inside the One-Eyed Owl, Byakuya didn't feel uncomfortable.
At most, it just wasn't as cozy as being inside his Susanoo.
Currently, Eto's Kakuja form had reached around seven or eight meters in height, and this still wasn't the limit of the One-Eyed Owl.
As long as Eto continued cannibalizing or kept absorbing RC cells somehow, her Kakuja could continue to grow.
Although the One-Eyed Owl didn't have the same overwhelming pressure as Byakuya's Susanoo, in the eyes of the Children of the Dragon, she was still a terrifying giant.
More accurately, they were now Dragon Orphans, since the original Dragon, their mother was dead, and they were now left behind like forsaken offspring.
"Eto, those Dragon Orphans are made out of pure RC cells. You should try absorbing them,"
Byakuya suddenly spoke up, giving Eto a suggestion.
Though his body was still weak, his physique stat was high enough that he had already recovered quite a bit, he was far better than he had been right after deactivating Susanoo.
If Donato Porpora could reach such terrifying strength by devouring Dragon Orphans, there was no reason Eto couldn't do the same.
"Really? Then I'll give it a try."
If Byakuya hadn't brought it up, Eto honestly wouldn't have thought of that.
The One-Eyed Owl made mincemeat out of the Dragon Orphans; slicing them down like chopping vegetables.
Her kagune arms were her most frequently used weapons. With a casual swipe, she decapitated one of the spawn, then shoved its entire body directly into her mouth.
Devouring them whole was the most direct and effective way to absorb RC cells.
And sure enough, Eto felt the RC cells within her own body begin to multiply, clear proof that it was working.
Without hesitation, Eto began massively absorbing the cells of the Dragon Orphans.
Her Kakuja form slowly began to grow larger as she did so.
Before long, all the Dragon Orphans on that street had been devoured by the One-Eyed Owl. Only a few managed to escape.
But rather than chase them down to absorb more cells, Eto turned and immediately headed back toward the 24th Ward's "Safe Zone."
Although Anteiku should theoretically be fine, there was always a chance that something unexpected could happen. Eto needed to hurry back and check the situation.
Even though the Dragon, the original body, was already dead, the Dragon Orphans had not ceased their movements.
The ones near the Safe Zone were no exception.
Individually, the Dragon Orphans weren't particularly strong, but their sheer numbers were overwhelming as countless swarmed all across Tokyo.
The moment one batch was killed, another immediately surged forward.
However, these creatures possessed a rudimentary intelligence from the beginning. After sensing that their original body had perished, a fear instinct kicked in, and they began hesitating, some even trying to retreat for survival.
And then-
"BOOM!"
The massive One-Eyed Owl descended from the sky.
The moment it landed, the sheer impact shattered the ground beneath it, crushing two of the Dragon Orphans underfoot.
After absorbing a large quantity of RC cells from the Dragon Orphans earlier, Eto's Kakuja form had now grown to nearly ten meters tall.
Without hesitation, the One-Eyed Owl grabbed the two creatures it had just stomped on and swallowed them whole.
Yoshimura Kuzen, witnessing Eto's transformed Kakuja form, couldn't help but be shocked.
His current Kakuja form was actually modeled after Eto's original One-Eyed Owl, but at this point, the changes in Eto's transformation were far too drastic.
Not only had her form evolved significantly, but her size had completely surpassed his own, making it impossible for him to mimic her anymore.
That said, the Washuu Family's threat had already been eradicated. There was no longer any need for him to disguise himself as One-Eyed Owl.
Besides, he had to admit that Byakuya was far more capable of protecting Eto than he was.
The sudden arrival of the One-Eyed Owl completely shifted the tide of battle.
Not only was she rampaging through the battlefield, slaughtering the Dragon Orphans en masse, but she was also devouring them and continuously growing stronger with every bite.
Seeing this, the Dragon Orphans, who were already feeling fearful, now fully gave in to terror and began desperately attempting to flee.
Yet Eto did not pursue them. Instead, she immediately returned to the Safe Zone, heading toward their group.
"Where is Byakuya-kun?"
By now, Yoshimura Kuzen had already deactivated his Kakuja form. Seeing Eto's arrival, he couldn't help but ask.
"He's with me."
With that, Eto slowly opened the massive mouth of the One-Eyed Owl.
Since her Kakuja form had become so enormous, her petite body was easily able to emerge from the creature's mouth.
As she stepped out, she still held Byakuya securely in her arms.
"Looks like he really went through a lot…"
Yoshimura Kuzen could immediately tell that Byakuya was in rough shape.
"Yeah… Let's let him rest properly for now."
Eto's tone carried a hint of distress, a rare show of concern.
"I'm actually fine now. You guys don't have to worry about me."
In reality, Byakuya's condition had already improved significantly compared to before. At the very least, he could move around normally without issue.
As long as he got a good night's sleep, his body would be fully recovered by tomorrow.
His gaze swept over the Safe Zone, checking on their allies.
Fortunately, none of them had sustained any serious injuries.
The only ones hurt were a few unknown ghouls from different factions, just some ordinary ghouls who had suffered minor wounds. But thanks to their ghoul regeneration, they'd be fine.
"Either way, you need to lie down and rest properly!"
Eto suddenly spoke in a firm, no-nonsense tone, grabbing Byakuya and leading him into the coffee shop.
Once inside, she gently laid him down on the couch and then, without hesitation, positioned her own lap as his pillow.