I am a female swordsman.

“It represents humanity, it represents ghouls, and it represents the One-Eyed King who is somewhere in between. When combined, it becomes the Throne.” Eto, with an innocent childlike spirit, sat on the ruins, kicking his legs happily as he spoke in a strange tone.

After a moment's thought, Huang Quan realized that the throne Aite mentioned must be an abstract concept.

"I, as a ghoul, did everything a king should do, but I lack the strength a king should possess. He has the power of a king, but for some reason, he is unable to do what a king should do."

"These things mean nothing to me, ghouls."

"Really? [Sword Demon] Huang Quan, are you telling the truth?" Ai Te asked with great interest, noticing Huang Quan's flat and monotone voice.

This question silenced Huang Quan.

The words of ghouls are meaningless; all ghouls should die. The best end for these man-eating demons is death. This is what Yomi thought, and she tried her best to do so. However, as her power grew and her perspective broadened, Yomi wondered if there was a way to completely eliminate the ghoul threat.

Kill them all? What method can be used to completely eliminate them?

Reconcile the conflict? As long as ghouls can only feed on humans, the conflict is irreconcilable!

Is this distorted dynamic balance destined to remain forever? Having come to this world, possessing greater power and even a broader perspective than the native inhabitants of the ghoul world, surely I can do something about it.

"The human throne is the most special, but also the most important. To be honest, for us, having you sit on the human throne is the worst thing that could happen. So initially, we all wanted you dead..."

Upon hearing this, Huang Quan raised an eyebrow. She already knew that she was infamous among ghouls.

With unwavering will, decisive action, and ruthless attitude, most importantly, she possesses a visibly growing strength. Having long anticipated that the [Sword Demon] might pose a significant threat to the ghoul race, Eto had considered whether to nip this potential threat in the bud.

But Aite is no longer the same person she was thirteen years ago.

The establishment of 【Bronze Tree】 no longer stemmed from the narrow and barbaric ideas of the past.

After seeing that Huang Quan was qualified to ascend the throne, Aite completely extinguished her last thought. Instead, she eagerly anticipated Huang Quan ascending the human throne and looking down upon the boundless darkness hidden in the shadow of his pure white wings beneath the dazzling light!

"...For us, change inevitably brings growing pains. You are like a sharp razor. Though you will pierce us until we bleed profusely, you will also cut away our own rotten and diseased flesh! Now, do you understand? [Sword Demon] Huang Quan!"

Let's shout it out with abandon!

Yoshimura Eto leaned back, arms outstretched as if embracing the whole world, and this shout filled with strong will moved Huang Quan.

That's insane...

For the sake of belief—no, it should be said, for the sake of faith. The power of faith is immense and pure. Huang Quan herself has faith, and the unwavering determination to live and die for it. In this respect, she and Huang Quan are strikingly similar, and even resonate with each other to some extent.

Huang Quan realized what Aite was trying to express.

After going around in circles, it all comes back to the CCG!

Eto Yoshimura's intention was for Yomi to see Washuu's true colors and contribute to destroying this twisted birdcage. Although she participated in this feast as a human "King," the final result was enough.

“I am not going to become a king, and I have no interest in the throne.”

"Why……?"

“I am different from ‘him’. My understanding is that a king who regards all his emotions and desires as the will of the whole is a tyrant’s act. I would rather be a fool and listen to other people’s true voices.” Huang Quan refused frankly, admitting that she was indeed tempted when she realized Aite’s will.

If he accepted Ete's proposal and ascended the throne as a human, he would surely be able to change the world. This tempting suggestion was not something Huang Quan could accept.

Indeed, as Huang Quan said, she may have the power to become a king.

However, he lacked the magnanimity and vision expected of a qualified and wise king.

He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened. Huang Quan didn't consider herself particularly wise, but she did have some insight into self-awareness. If she became queen, she would inevitably be a ruthless and cold-blooded tyrant! Could a tyrant wielding immense power truly make the world a better place? At least Huang Quan lacked that confidence.

"But if you refuse the Throne, it means you might die..."

Whether or not Huang Quan ascends the throne, she is never truly safe.

CCG, ghouls, malice knows no bounds.

"You'll have to ask the sword in my hand first!"

Aite wanted to offer some more advice, but seeing Huang Quan's unwavering stance as a swordsman, she abandoned the idea. This was Huang Quan, the Sword Demon, a figure both hated and admired by her enemies; she had made her choice.

"In that case, [Sword Demon], may your chosen path lead to success. As for me, it's time to step down from this stage."

Behind her petite figure lay the shattered exterior of a building, and Yoshimura Eto's eerie, ghoul-like eye slowly calmed. A beautiful, wing-like membrane unfurled behind her, and aided by the relentless wind, she flew away like a strange, enormous bird. Before departing, Eto gave Yomi a deep look.

If I hadn't chosen the path of the "King," and instead continued on in the name of the Sword Demon Yomi...

This is the path of a hero!

Can Huang Quan become a hero? Let's wait and see!

The battle in the 11th Division came to a complete end with the arrival of Mado Kureo and his reinforcements. [Aogiri Tree] core members Tatara and Eto led their men to escape, with Amon Kotaro in pursuit. However, the overall battle was far from over; rather, with the arrival of reinforcements, it had only just begun.

Chapter 105 Dawn

Section 11, 21st floor

The darkness was thick and profound, an indescribable, deep black, as if some terrifying demon lurked within. With the power system destroyed, the bright incandescent bulbs that maintained emergency lighting slowly went out. Faintly, the sounds of wild beasts howling and bursts of gunfire could be heard from below.

Marutei lit a cigarette, feeling the smoke flow from his mouth to his lungs.

Yellow Springs, third class...

Do they really have that much strength?

Recalling the exaggerated display of power Huang Quan had created when they had just retreated, it was as if a grown man was wantonly beating and ravaging an innocent child. Even compared to that kid, Kishou, Marude felt that his strength was probably not far off; no wonder the Washuu Association was so enthusiastically supporting [Sword Demon].

But is that really the power that humans should possess?

Whenever one recalls the unconscious rampage of the [Sword Demon], who indiscriminately unleashed sword light without regard for friend or foe, fighting alongside such a self-destructive individual would be an extremely difficult task.

As Marude Tetsuji pondered, time ticked by.

Fortunately, the surviving investigators from the 11th Division didn't encounter any more ghouls afterward. As if they had completely vanished, Tatara and his Aogiri Tree members disappeared without a trace. In this slightly uneasy wait, the commotion downstairs gradually subsided.

A chilling calm descended.

This seems to suggest that the battle between [Sword Demon] and [Aite] has been decided. So, who emerged victorious?

Pat, pat, pat!

He didn't know how much time had passed—perhaps very short, perhaps very long—before Special Commissioner Marute heard steady footsteps coming from the end of the dark corridor. He felt a little short of breath; perhaps his collar was too tight today. Special Commissioner Marute awkwardly reached out and adjusted his tie.

Marude's clearly nervous gesture made the investigators surrounding him hold their breath.

*Thud!*

From the darkness, a blurry figure emerged first, walking forward unhurriedly. The heavy combat boots felt like they were stomping on their hearts; they were the standard combat boots of the CCG's White Dove, meaning the person before them was a third-class Yellow Springs warrior!

As if confirming everyone's inner suspicions, Huang Quan's trustworthy sword, accompanied by her calm and composed voice, pierced through the darkness like a crow breaking the silence with a flapping of its wings.

"I am a third-class investigator from the Underworld, we..."

Huang Quan glanced behind him, as if reviewing his journey from the first floor, enduring countless life-and-death trials, and finally fighting his way here with his sword. Looking back on the past should theoretically be very fulfilling, but Huang Quan only felt a blank, hazy feeling in his mind, as if none of it concerned him, nothing to be excited or proud of. That was all.

"...Special Inspector Marute, we are safe."

Yes, we are safe.

Temporary...

………………

On the night the 11th Division was attacked, the 11th floor of the division...

Huang Quan stood on the edge of the completely shattered glass wall, letting the strong wind in the darkness blow her soft hair back slightly. Looking around, District 11, which had not yet had its power restored, was like a sinister ghost town, where man-eating monsters could lurk everywhere. Occasional flashes of light and the sound of gunfire indicated that a purge was underway.

What a thrilling and exhilarating battle!

Click!

A harsh, oppressive sound suddenly came from behind. Huang Quan turned his head slightly, his bright, clear, scarlet eyes shining with a captivating brilliance in the darkness.

"Only black tea is left, is that alright?"

With a snap, Huang Quan took the bottled black tea from her partner, twisted the cap, and took a big, satisfying gulp. The familiar astringent taste of the black tea invigorated her. It wasn't that the tea was particularly delicious, but Huang Quan had always enjoyed drinking black tea before she transmigrated, and this brand tasted almost exactly the same as the one she used to drink.

Equally inexpensive, equally ordinary.

"You..."

Amon Kotaro looked at Yomi and couldn't help but smile bitterly. Ignoring the fact that the ground beneath his feet was high enough to smash him into a pulp, he boldly sat on the outer edge just like Yomi.

You don't seem very happy.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Ah, it's unusually serious, like you're about to chop someone up." Amon Kotaro used a phrase that Yomi was very familiar with as a reply, which successfully caused a slight fluctuation in Yomi's calm expression.

No matter who she's in front of, Yomi always presents a cold and aloof demeanor, like a flower on a high mountain, making her seem both beautiful and dangerous, yet unapproachable. However, those who know her well, like Amon and Mado, know that if they get close enough to understand Yomi, they'll discover that beneath her seemingly indifferent indifference lies a heart that's not much different from that of an ordinary person.

Huang Quan was indeed in a bad mood.

Sato second class.

Afterwards, Huang Quan learned from the survivors of Sato's squad that Sato had been killed instantly when Eto ripped out his heart while trying to throw the sword to him. The bodies of Sato and almost everyone else who died on the 19th floor were never found, and their whereabouts remain unknown.

Huang Quan knew that the claim of her whereabouts being unknown was just a way of taking care of her.

The truth is that those corpses were torn apart by the aftershocks of her and Aite's battle. There's no reason why the aftershocks of sword energy capable of destroying the 19th floor hall couldn't shred a bunch of flesh.

"Hey, Amon, you're 27 years old, haven't you thought about getting married yet? Get married and have children like Special Class Kuroiwa, otherwise you might regret it."

Second-Class Investigator Sato, he's quite lucky. He just went on a blind date last month and is already planning to get married and officially retire from frontline work. Isn't that a kind of luck? He can leave without any ties, and his wife and children won't be heartbroken for him. That's truly...

That's outrageous!!!

Huang Quan unconsciously tightened his grip on the outer edge, his white knuckles twisting the metal edge into a contorted shape.

"I used to have a girlfriend. She was beautiful every time she smiled. If it weren't for that accident, I think I would have married her. My only goal now is to exterminate all ghouls. Marriage is secondary; we can wait until we change this twisted world!"

"Yamon-kun, can we really change this twisted world?"

"Eh?...While it might be a bit presumptuous, I think we [Crows] can do it. At least when it comes to ghouls, we're experts. You, me, and Mr. Mado together are unstoppable!"

As the first light of dawn broke on the horizon, Huang Quan reached out and tousled her flowing silver hair, a cryptic smile playing on her lips. The image of the silver-haired, crimson-eyed beauty atop the precarious building, bathed in the first rays of sunlight, was breathtakingly beautiful. Even Yamen, who had known Huang Quan for a long time, couldn't help but be deeply moved by her beauty.

The darkest hour has passed.

Dawn arrived quietly.

Chapter 106 Which One is Huang Quan?

Day 2 of the Battle of the Bronze Tree in District 11