Rainwater dripped from Kishou Arima's white hair onto the café floor. The moment he stepped into Anteiku, every ghoul in the room tensed.
Touka Kirishima moved in front of Ken Kaneki, her voice cold.
"What is CCG's strongest investigator doing here?"
Arima ignored the hostility and walked straight toward Yoshimura.
"That man has declared war on the entire country. Four F-15Js were destroyed by him moments ago."
Yoshimura's eyes narrowed.
"So?"
"We need a temporary ceasefire," Arima said. "At least until this crisis ends."
Silence settled over the café.
Kaneki rubbed his hands nervously.
"Is he really that strong?"
Arima turned to him.
"Stronger than you think. He wiped out the CCG elite with a single move."
Touka scoffed.
"So the CCG finally knows fear."
"Touka," Yoshimura said sharply, then faced Arima. "What do you want from us?"
Arima reached into his coat and set a USB drive on the counter.
"This contains evidence of the Washuu Clan crimes. If I fail, make it public."
Yoshimura accepted it, expression unreadable.
"You plan to face him alone?"
Arima turned for the door.
"I am the White Reaper. This is my responsibility."
Before he could leave, the entire café shook violently.
Cups crashed.
Shelves rattled.
Arima looked upward.
"It's begun. The United States forces should be over Tokyo now."
Kaneki rushed to the window.
His face drained.
"Are those missiles?"
High above Tokyo, five F-35s cut through storm clouds.
Inside the command center, Colonel Williams stared at the radar.
"Target locked. Prepare AGM-158 launch."
Five missiles streaked toward Sol Mirek's apartment.
Inside, Sol stood by the window, scarlet eyes reflecting their approach.
A grin touched his face.
"Not one army cares about civilians. How disappointing."
The missiles halted in midair, frozen a hundred meters from the building.
Sol raised one hand.
His fingers curled.
"Return to sender."
The missiles reversed.
Faster.
Deadlier.
The pilots panicked.
"Evade, now!"
Too late.
Five explosions bloomed across the sky.
Fire swallowed the fighter jets.
Shockwaves shattered glass for kilometers, but every falling fragment was crushed into dust before reaching the streets.
In the command center, silence.
Colonel Williams sank into his chair.
"My God… what are we fighting?"
At the Prime Minister's underground command center, alarms erupted.
"Report! The target has vanished. Radar and satellites have lost him!"
The Prime Minister's face darkened.
"Activate Tokyo emergency evacuation. Full military readiness."
One minister hesitated, then muttered,
"Based on his actions, he seems unwilling to harm civilians. If needed…"
He swallowed.
"We may use civilians to pressure him."
No one in the room objected.
On the streets of Shibuya Crossing, panicked citizens flooded the roads.
Then a black figure appeared in the center of the crossing.
Sol.
He looked over the frightened masses, amused, almost casual despite the chaos.
His voice carried across the intersection.
"Everyone, leave Tokyo immediately."
A pause.
"In twenty four hours, this city becomes a battlefield."
Panic erupted.
People screamed.
Some ran.
Others froze.
A few stared at him as though witnessing something divine.
An office worker fumbled his phone, dropping it with shaking hands.
"Is he serious?"
Sol ignored the reactions.
He raised his right hand.
Invisible psychokinesis spread outward, gently pushing crowds toward safe routes.
"This isn't a request."
His smile sharpened.
"It's a warning."
Nearby surveillance cameras captured everything.
The footage streamed live into the Prime Minister's command center.
The Defense Minister dropped his coffee.
It spilled across a map of Tokyo Bay.
The Health Minister's voice trembled.
"He wants to evacuate the city. Don't let him succeed. The people are our last bargaining chip."
The Prime Minister slammed the table.
"Mobilize every available transport route. Full evacuation plan now."
Then another order followed.
"Block all roads leaving the city. Use emergency broadcasts. Tell the public this is a terrorist hoax."
The Chief Cabinet Secretary hesitated.
"If civilians stay when war starts…"
"Then they remain hostages," the Defense Minister snapped. "Twenty million shields."
In the shadows, Tsuneyoshi Washuu spoke.
"Evacuate senior officials and key assets immediately."
The Prime Minister nodded.
"Cabinet members and the Imperial Family move to the Nagano bunker."
A pause.
"As for the public, curfew. Nobody leaves Tokyo."
Orders spread at once.
Armored vehicles sealed major roads.
Sirens screamed through the city.
At Shibuya Crossing, Sol sensed it all.
His scarlet eyes narrowed.
"Well… that's disappointing."
His voice was quiet.
Yet those nearby trembled.
A young mother clutching a baby fell to her knees.
"Please… my child…"
For a moment, Sol's expression softened.
He crouched in front of her and touched the baby's cheek.
He spoke with gentleness.
"Stay near me."
A playful smile returned.
"No one touches what I decide to protect."