Washuu Tsuneyoshi's body crumbled into dust from the head down.
The patriarch of the ghoul family, who had controlled the CCG for over a century, vanished without a sound, not even managing a final scream.
Silence filled the command center.
Everyone stared in shock.
The Prime Minister slumped in his chair, lips trembling, unable to speak. The Minister of Defense instinctively reached for his pistol, then froze when Sol glanced at him.
"Anyone else?" Sol asked lightly.
His tone was soft, yet it pressed down on the room like crushing weight.
No one moved.
Red warning lights flashed across pale faces. Aside from the low hum of machinery, the room was quiet enough to hear uneven breathing.
Sol walked to the control panel and pressed a button without hesitation.
Across Tokyo, every emergency broadcast system activated at once.
His voice echoed through the streets.
"The countdown has started. Anyone who doesn't want to get caught in the war, head to Ward 20."
Then he disappeared again.
The officials were left frozen, struggling to process what had just happened.
---
Over the next few hours, Tokyo descended into a strange mix of chaos and forced order.
The government continued denying everything, calling it terrorism and urging citizens to remain indoors.
But too many had already seen the truth.
They had seen Sol in Shibuya. They had seen soldiers fire on civilians.
Trust collapsed.
At the same time, evacuation efforts intensified.
Yoshimura and the Anteiku group worked without rest.
Touka and Kaneki led teams through underground routes, guiding civilians past military blockades toward Ward 20.
"Stay close, this way!" Kaneki said, helping an elderly woman to her feet. "It's safe ahead."
She clutched his sleeve, trembling. "You're… ghouls, right? The news says you're monsters."
Kaneki's Kakugan flickered briefly. "We're just trying to get everyone out alive."
Elsewhere, Aogiri Tree members joined in, moving with silent coordination.
Ayato swept through barricades, his Ukaku slicing through obstacles as he cleared paths.
"Move!" he shouted. "Don't stop!"
---
Back in the underground command center, authority was falling apart.
The Minister of Defense watched the surveillance feeds, face dark.
Crowds were pouring toward Ward 20 in massive waves. Military lines were failing.
Then another report came in.
"The United States Seventh Fleet has entered Tokyo Bay. They're requesting orders."
The room went still.
The Minister's expression hardened.
"Authorize the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group to deploy tactical nuclear weapons."
Shock rippled through the room.
"Minister, there are still millions of civilians in the city!" someone protested.
"Anyone siding with terrorists is no longer a civilian!" he snapped. "This is war. Sacrifices are necessary."
The order was issued.
---
Out in Tokyo Bay, aboard the USS Ronald Reagan, General James stared at the authorization.
"They actually approved this?" his adjutant muttered.
General James remained silent for a moment.
Then he gave the command.
"Execute. Target Ward 20."
---
At the edge of Ward 20, Sol stood atop a building, sensing the disturbance long before the missile appeared.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"So they went that far."
He raised his hand.
The barrier expanded instantly, covering the entire ward.
Moments later, a nuclear missile cut through the sky, its trail burning across the horizon.
People across Tokyo looked up in horror.
Screams spread through the streets.
"Everyone underground, now!" Yoshimura ordered.
Just before impact, Sol appeared high above the city.
He lifted one hand.
A massive, invisible force took shape, stopping the missile midair.
Time seemed to freeze.
All eyes locked onto the sky.
A single figure, holding back a nuclear strike.
Sol tilted his head slightly, unimpressed.
"This is what you came up with?"
With a small flick of his wrist, the missile reversed direction.
It shot back faster than it came, locking onto its origin.
---
In Tokyo Bay, alarms screamed across the fleet.
General James stared at the radar in disbelief.
"That's not possible…"
A blinding explosion erupted over the sea.
The USS Ronald Reagan and its fleet were swallowed in nuclear fire.
The shockwave rolled toward the coastline, tearing through the bay.
Yet Ward 20 stood untouched, shielded completely by Sol's barrier.
---
Smoke and fire lingered over the ocean.
The coastline was devastated.
Sol hovered above the city, coat shifting in the wind.
He looked down at the crowds below.
His voice spread across Tokyo once more.
"Twenty three hours left."
No one doubted him now.
The government's narrative collapsed completely.
People flooded toward Ward 20 in overwhelming numbers.
---
Inside the Prime Minister's residence, the Minister of Defense stared blankly at the screens.
Soldiers were abandoning their posts.
Control was gone.
"It's over," he muttered.
He raised his pistol.
A gunshot echoed through the command center.
No one reacted.
Officials scrambled to escape, abandoning everything in a desperate attempt to survive.
---
At the edge of Ward 20, over a million civilians had gathered.
Yoshimura and Kaneki organized the flow, maintaining order as people entered the barrier.
"Stay in line, follow directions!" Yoshimura called out.
Touka patrolled from above, shutting down disturbances before they spread.
Strangely, fear toward ghouls had faded.
Gratitude replaced it.
A mother holding her child broke down in tears. "Thank you… we wouldn't have made it without you."
Kaneki rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "We're just doing what we can."
Then a lone figure approached the crowd.
Arima Kishou.
He walked forward without hesitation, IXA resting on his back.
Touka landed in front of him, wary. "What do you want?"
"I'm here to surrender," Arima replied. "And to help."
Yoshimura stepped forward, studying him. "What's left of the CCG?"
"It's finished," Arima said simply. "Most investigators fled. The rest chose to stand with the civilians."
His gaze shifted to Sol, suspended in the distance.
"He's done what none of us could. The Washuu family's control is gone. The truth is out."