On a subway line heading toward Chiba.
Kaneki Ken, Nagachika Hideyoshi, and the Kirishima family were crowded together.
The Kirishima family were not combat personnel; neither Kirishima Arata nor Kirishima Hikari had reached the level of strength they would possess later on.
What's more, they had to protect Kirishima Touka and Kirishima Ayato, so they had no way of participating in the "Battle to Defend Tokyo."
Included among them were Mayu and Suzuya Juuzou, who were also following along with the Kirishima family.
"Hikari-san, thank you guys, really, for bringing both me and Hide along."
At that moment, Kaneki Ken turned to Kirishima Touka, who was sitting beside him, and said.
Almost everyone had left Tokyo using various means of transportation, and since there was still plenty of time, the subway train that Kaneki and the others were taking wasn't all that crowded.
"No need to thank us, you're a good friend of Touka-chan."
Hikari replied with a smile.
"So you're willing to call her by name but not me?"
Touka said with a slightly dissatisfied tone.
"Uh… isn't that kind of… improper?"
It wasn't that Kaneki Ken was unwilling, rather, he was just embarrassed.
"What's improper about it? We're clearly already friends, calling each other by name is totally normal, right?"
Kirishima Touka responded immediately.
"N-no, that's not what I meant…"
Kaneki scratched his cheek lightly,
and said with some awkwardness: "How should I put it… it's just kind of embarrassing, that's all…"
Upon hearing this, Kirishima Touka froze for a moment, then immediately understood.
Her face turned slightly red.
"Huh?! You're disgusting, you know that? It's not like I meant it that way or anything."
"Eh?! Disgusting?!"
Kaneki was instantly startled.
"Yeah, it is kinda disgusting."
Nagachika Hideyoshi, sitting beside them, teased Kaneki on purpose.
Kaneki, however, took it seriously: "Got it…"
His expression turned serious, he didn't want to be laughed at for being so shy about something like this.
"Touka, how's this then?!"
"It's fine, it's fine."
Hearing Kaneki call out her name so seriously and loudly, this time it was Touka who felt a little embarrassed.
Watching this scene, Arata and Hikari looked at each other and smiled.
Seated on the other side, Mayu noticed that Touka's side seemed kind of entertaining,
but she and Juuzou had already been calling each other by name for a while.
Mayu was the cheerful and outgoing type, even though they hadn't known each other very long, she'd already started calling him "Juuzou".
As for Suzuya Juuzou, he only knew that Mayu's name was "Mayu"; he didn't even know her surname, so he didn't really have a choice.
Two days passed.
All of Tokyo now felt like a ghost city.
A once bustling and prosperous metropolis,
but the streets were completely deserted.
It was like the calm before a storm.
Byakuya and Eto were sitting leisurely in Anteiku Café, sipping coffee at ease.
But that was because they both possessed an overwhelming confidence born from their absolute strength.
Yoshimura Kuzen, Shinohara Yukinori, and the other café staff were all acting like usual,
including Uruka Minami, who was also present.
Although Minami was currently the only person left in Anteiku who wasn't even SS-rated, she still wanted to fight alongside Arima Kishou.
Before the great battle arrived, Byakuya explained to Yoshimura Kuzen and the others what kind of powerful enemy they would be facing.
"So basically, the enemy we're about to fight
is the 'Dragon' from the underground world, right?"
Undoubtedly, Yoshimura Kuzen had heard some rumors about the "taboo" of the Washuu family, but he hadn't expected that something so dangerous was actually "slumbering" beneath Tokyo's underground.
"Mm, once the Dragon reemerges into the light of day, it will release dragon toxin gas and spawn Dragon Orphans, As long as you're cautious about that, there shouldn't be a problem."
Byakuya reminded them.
In the original story, "Dragon Orphans" were originally referred to as "Dragon's Children," and it wasn't until Rize, who formed the core of the "Dragon" had died, that those monsters began being called "Dragon Orphans."
In fact, the dragon's toxin gas doesn't affect ghouls all that much. For half-humans, it's even considered a "gift," enabling them to gain a lifespan equal to that of ordinary humans.
However, once humans inhale too much dragon toxin gas, they will transform into ghouls.
As for Furuta Nimura from the original story, in essence, it was because he absorbed the cells of the "Dragon Orphans" that after undergoing a kakuja transformation, he took on that monstrous form.
So in truth, Furuta was still a normal ghoul, just driven mentally unstable after being repeatedly tortured. It wasn't the RC cells of the "Dragon Abandoned" that drove him insane.
And it was clear that Roma Hoito's death had a profound impact on Furuta.
Because when Roma Hoito was killed by Kuki Urie, Furuta instinctively cried out to as if some psychological trauma had been triggered.
Even Furuta's kakuja form, after absorbing the Dragon cells, greatly resembled Roma Hoito's "Dodgy Mother."
"One can only say, worthy of being the 'One-Eyed King'? Your understanding of the 'First One-Eyed King' is truly deep."
At this moment, Roma smiled and praised.
She openly revealed that she knew Byakuya's true identity. After all, this was no longer a secret unknown to the world, so saying it out loud didn't matter anymore.
But she was being sincere, despite having once met the "First One-Eyed King" herself, even she didn't understand him as thoroughly as Byakuya seemingly did.
"So that means, when the time comes, all we need to do is protect the 20th Ward?"
Yoshimura Kuzen asked Byakuya.
"That's right."
Byakuya nodded.
He certainly didn't want the manager and the others to take risks. If they stayed within their own defensive line and fended off the Dragon Orphans, it would be far safer.
For a faction like the 20th Ward, where nearly everyone was SS-rated, dealing with the Dragon's Children wasn't too difficult.
The real challenge was the Dragon itself, but that was something he would handle personally.
"And when the time comes, the dragon toxin gas will allow half-humans, including myself and Arima, to possess lifespans equivalent to normal humans. So Minami-san, make sure to protect yourself well."
Byakuya deliberately said these words to Minami.
Upon hearing this, the latter's eyes instantly widened, her heart brimming with joy. She nodded vigorously and replied,
"Okay!"
Arima-kun's lifespan was undoubtedly something that had always troubled her.
To think that such a concern would be resolved in this way.
Just then, Eto suddenly nudged Byakuya's side with her elbow.
Byakuya turned his head toward her with a. puzzled look.
He saw Eto take out an apple from her arms. "You know, there's a theory that the forbidden fruit Adam and Eve stole was actually an apple. What do you think, should we use this as our token of love?"
"Token of love…"
Byakuya felt slightly stunned.
Taking advantage of his momentary daze, Eto suddenly leaned in close.
Their lips touched.
Perhaps, this was the true "token of love."