Inori looked at him with a hint of exasperation, raising her wine glass as she warned him calmly.
"It's not that I want to keep stringing you along, but don't get yourself killed by that guy before our deal is done. Unlike Kaneki-kun, he doesn't have such a good temper."
Tsukiyama Shuu's face flushed with a morbid tint of red as he licked his lips with his tongue.
"I could taste it... but that's what makes it exciting."
Inori let out a soft sigh and handed over a small vial to Tsukiyama.
"Do whatever you like. Just don't drag me into this. The Tsukiyama family still has some credibility, right?"
Tsukiyama carefully tucked the vial into his pocket, then downed the last of the crimson liquid in his wine glass with greedy satisfaction.
"A gentleman always keeps his word. Thank you for the treat."
The wine glass reflected his tall figure and the neon lights behind him. Tsukiyama slowly stood up and spoke nonchalantly.
"I think it's time I paid Kaneki-kun a visit. After spending a few days in that dump, his scent has become even more intoxicating."
With that, he turned and left the bar.
Nico, wearing a light-blue cardigan and pink-rimmed sunglasses, emerged from behind the bar cabinet. Stroking the tuft of beard on his chin, he commented,
"Such an elegant gentleman~ He's even got me feeling a little fluttery."
Inori ignored Nico's nonsense and spoke with a teasing smile:
"He managed to seriously wound Eto... Even though it was inside Cochlea, that's still impressive. At this rate, we ghouls might really go extinct~"
Nico chuckled at her joke. As a member of the Clowns, he was well aware of the Washuu family's existence and knew Inori was just jesting.
Leaning against the bar and staring at the neon lights above the rooftop, he muttered,
"Things are getting interesting. The Clowns can't afford to sit this one out."
Inori twirled a strand of her orange-red hair around one long finger.
"Kaneki-kun, Uesugi Ryu, Arima, Eto, Yoshimura... they're all monsters. Looks like the real show's about to begin."
...
"The blood test report looks normal. All data points are close to a half-human's. So he's at the pinnacle of human genes?"
Washuu Tsuneyoshi flipped through the report in his hands, a glint of curiosity flashing in his eyes.
There were many humans with outstanding physical abilities, like Kuroiwa Takeomi, whose strength surpassed that of ghouls, or Suzuya Juuzou, whose speed and reflexes also fully outclassed them.
Though rare, it wasn't unheard of for humans to excel in a specific area. There was nothing surprising about that.
But Uesugi Ryu was an all-rounder, every single metric hovered near half-human levels.
If the test results were accurate, that meant his genetics were exceptionally strong, it meant that he was basically a perfect human.
Arima Kishou's gaze flickered as he adjusted his glasses thoughtfully.
In truth, Yoshimura Eto had already discussed Uesugi Ryu's odd behaviors with him in detail.
Judging by all the evidence, Uesugi Ryu was far from the simple human this report had suggested.
"But how did he manage to tamper with the results under such tight surveillance?"
Arima couldn't help pondering inwardly, growing more intrigued by the man called Uesugi Ryu.
Washuu Yoshitoki nodded. "The surveillance footage checked out. This report should confirm Uesugi Ryu's humanity. Next, we-"
Before Yoshitoki could finish, Washuu Tsuneyoshi cut him off.
"His bloodline isn't bad. Get his genes. Fuse his bloodline with a mother ghoul and observe the offspring."
Washuu Tsuneyoshi had long been obsessed with creating ghouls that could pass as perfect human beings, essentially One-Eyed Ghouls.
Despite extensive research, he had never succeeded in creating another one. Ironically, Yoshimura Kuzen had accomplished this miracle simply by mating with a human.
Since Uesugi Ryu's genes looked promising, it was worth attempting to create another One-Eyed Ghoul.
Even if that failed, the Washuu family could benefit from establishing a powerful new branch line.
At Tsuneyoshi's words, Yoshitoki's expression twitched subtly. He didn't need instructions on how to obtain genes, such things were child's play for them.
"Yoshimura Kuzen has resurfaced. Send Kaiko to interrogate him about the One-Eyed Ghoul. If he doesn't talk, dispose of him."
Washuu Tsuneyoshi understood Kuzen's personality very well.
He hadn't said a word all these years. Even if confronted by Kaiko, he'd likely play dumb. Still, they had to try.
Arima Kishou stood silently to the side, dressed in his signature white coat, his face impassive as ever.
Washuu Tsuneyoshi slowly turned his head toward him, his gaze intense.
He crossed his arms over his chest, radiating authority.
"Arima, the one in Cochlea should be the One-Eyed King, right? Tell me your assessment."
Arima nodded slightly but his face remained stoic.
"Kamishiro Matasaka escaped with the One-Eyed King. When I arrived, they were heading toward the 24th Ward."
"The One-Eyed Owl was severely wounded. Uesugi Ryu cut out one of their kakuhou. They likely won't make a move again anytime soon."
In essence, Arima's words revealed little as he merely stated the facts.
Still, Washuu Tsuneyoshi didn't seem displeased.
After all, a sword didn't need thoughts, it only needed to cut efficiently.
After a brief moment of thought, he issued new instructions.
"Arima, once the Owl Suppression Battle is over, transfer Uesugi Ryu to the Zero Squad. Find a chance to test his loyalties."
"If he checks out, have him replace you as the new guardian of the 24th Ward."
"I understand."
Arima agreed without hesitation. He had been meaning to assess Uesugi Ryu anyway, to determine where he stood on the ghoul issue.
Friend or foe, it was something that needed to be made clear. Allies should be recruited. Enemies... eliminated.