After killing Matsumae, no new mana flowed into Uesugi Ryu's body, which surprised him. He glanced at the system panel.
[You have killed an SS-rated ghoul]
[Innate Talent: Soul Devour activated – permanent mana increase...]
[Abnormality detected in innate talent. System diagnosis in progress... Excessive soul consumption may result in abnormal mental state in the host!!!]
[Forcibly interrupting skill activation...]
[Innate Talent: Soul Devour (Undergoing Awakening)]
Uesugi Ryu's footsteps came to a halt, a flicker of surprise flashing across his face.
"Awakening?"
He hadn't expected such a bonus reward, and for a moment, felt delighted. As for the missed bit of mana, he wasn't concerned. His current mana reserves were more than sufficient. He didn't care about a few scraps.
The Soul Devour's method of increasing mana worked by devouring souls.
Currently, Uesugi Ryu had nearly one thousand mana points. If the conversion from intelligence to mana still followed the usual logic, then possessing that much mana would require at least 90 intelligence points. And yet, Uesugi Ryu's intelligence stat was a meager 11.
He had sensed something was off during earlier combat, which was why he had frantically burned through the excess mana flooding into his body.
"I wonder what changes this awakening will bring..."
With that, Uesugi Ryu turned and slowly walked away.
...
Saiyonji Concert Hall Rooftop.
Yasuhisa Kurona and Yasuhisa Nashiro were doing their best to hold off Kaneki Ken.
"Hey, Auntie, quit stalling! Hurry up and jump!"
"You're a ghoul, right? A fall from this height wouldn't even hurt you!"
Seeing that Madam A was still hesitating, Yasuhisa Kurona called out to her coldly.
Madam A stood trembling on the edge, staring down below with wide, frightened eyes. She swallowed hard, her face filled with terror.
Years of pampered, peaceful living had long since dulled her instincts as a ghoul. She recalled how, before meeting Kanou Akihiro, she would often go hungry to the point of being emaciated and frail.
"C-Can you just wait a sec...? L-Let me at least release my... kagune first..."
Madam A stammered as she clumsily tried to summon her kagune.
At that moment, Kaneki Ken frowned slightly. The kagune traits of the two before him were unmistakably similar to those of Miss Rize. No doubt, the mastermind behind them was Kanou Akihiro.
Just as Madam A prepared to jump, Kaneki moved.
He rotated his body, four long, sharp red kagune whipping outward from his back and shielding him. With a swift motion, he struck Yasuhisa Nashiro away.
Finally gathering her courage, Madam A squeezed her eyes shut and let out a shrill scream as she leapt from the rooftop.
But it was already too late.
Having broken through the sisters' blockade, Kaneki lunged to the rooftop edge and swiftly extended a kagune. It latched onto Madam A's leg and ruthlessly dragged her back.
Seeing this, a cold gleam flashed in Yasuhisa Kurona's eyes. She and Nashiro exchanged glances, if Madam A was going to be captured, they'd kill her first.
Just as the three stood locked in confrontation, the clack of boots echoed from the stairwell.
Kurona immediately pulled her sister to the edge of the rooftop, preparing to flee at a moment's notice. At a time like this, it could only be an investigator.
The half-open door slowly revealed the tall figure of Uesugi Ryu.
"Yo, seems lively up here."
Uesugi Ryu stepped leisurely out of the shadows with a longsword in hand. His dark golden eyes gleamed unnervingly in the dim light. The faint smile on his lips carried an inscrutable air.
Everyone present was a familiar face.
"Ladies, sa-shi-bu-ri da na." (Long time no see.)
Upon seeing him again, a trace of panic flashed through Kurona's eyes. She also suddenly realized where that earlier strange sense of unease had come from.
"Nashiro, we're leaving."
Yasuhisa Nashiro gave Uesugi Ryu a curious glance, weren't his pupils a different color last time?
Without another word, the sisters leapt off the rooftop, vanishing into the darkness below. Just before disappearing, Nashiro gave Uesugi Ryu a small wave, an awkward gesture of acknowledgment.
"So rude," Uesugi Ryu said, shaking his head in resignation. He made no move to pursue them.
As for what to do with the Yasuhisa sisters, he was still undecided. Sentiment had little influence here, what mattered was benefit.
Uesugi Ryu had always viewed Washuu with caution, and conflict between them was inevitable.
His ties with Eto were already beyond repair. And with Akira around, cooperation was off the table.
He didn't fear Washuu's retaliation, but the people around him couldn't withstand it. Which meant he had to build power of his own.
His cooperation with Kaneki Ken was partly based on that need. The Yasuhisa sisters had potential as one-eyed ghouls, and they didn't carry too much baggage. Taking them in as bodyguards wouldn't be a bad deal.
Uesugi Ryu turned his gaze toward Madam A, who was still wailing, and began walking toward Kaneki.
The cool night breeze lifted Kaneki's white hair. He stood quietly, wearing his signature single-eye mask, his expression conflicted.
Meeting again now, on opposite sides, was a poignant twist of fate.
"Ryu..."
Stabbing his sword into the ground, Uesugi Ryu smiled casually and teased, "Nice mask. Kinda cool. Got any leads?"
The upside-down Madam A fell silent, even her sunglasses couldn't hide her fear. In her mind, she screamed:
"Why are a ghoul and an investigator chatting like friends?! Shouldn't they be fighting right now?!"
Her last glimmer of hope, escaping during a clash, was crushed. Her heart sank into despair.
She had seen something she should never have seen: ghouls colluding with investigators. She was as good as dead.
Tears streamed down her face at the thought of her impending fate.
Kaneki relaxed slightly and turned his gaze toward Uesugi Ryu's golden eyes.
Those flowing-gold irises were no contact lenses. The longer he stared, the dizzier he felt.
"Those two must also be Kanou's experiments. I'll find him and get the answers myself."
Kaneki said nothing about Uesugi Ryu's strange eyes, simply shifting his gaze away quickly.
Uesugi Ryu nodded slightly, his gaze now falling on Kaneki's crimson kagune.
"So? Wanna spar a little?"
Kaneki fell silent for a moment, then gently shook his head. He lifted his hand and pointed to the upside-down Madam A.
"Maybe another time. Hard to fight when I'm dragging her around. Someone's gonna get hurt."
As for who that "someone" was, well, anyone with a brain could guess.
Uesugi Ryu raised an eyebrow, then chuckled softly and said indifferently:
"Just break her legs. She'll heal up in no time anyway."
Madam A, who had been pretending to be unconscious, could no longer stay still.
She abruptly opened her eyes and forced a pitiful smile onto her face.
"No, please! I swear I won't try to escape! Please don't break my legs!"
At that moment, a soft ping came from the Bluetooth earpiece in Uesugi Ryu's coat pocket.
He frowned slightly, retrieved the earpiece, and fitted it into his ear.
"First-Class Investigator Uesugi, emergency situation!"
"There are two ghouls in the storage area holding civilians hostage. They're currently facing off with our personnel. What are your orders?"
Uesugi Ryu ran a hand through his hair, clearly annoyed.
"Understood. I'll be on-site shortly."
He glanced at Kaneki and said, "Forget it. You go on ahead."
Kaneki nodded, grabbed Madam A, and leapt off the rooftop.