"Alright then..."
Eto nodded in agreement after thinking for a moment.
But if that's the case, it meant she wouldn't be able to extract RC cells from humans in this world. That raised a problem: how exactly was she supposed to replenish or enhance her RC cell reserves here?
"In that case, it looks like the only way for me to replenish RC cells... is to return to our original world."
She sighed as she spoke.
"Not necessarily. I have another method that could work," Byakuya replied.
He remembered that in the Tier 2 system shop, there was something called RC Cell Concentrate—a consumable item that could even be used on others. That thing wasn't just for replenishment—if used properly, it could significantly accelerate Eto's growth.
The only requirement was having enough attribute points.
Fortunately, Byakuya had accumulated a fair number of points, and he didn't have any immediate use for them himself.
"Really? Just don't tell me you're planning to offer up your own flesh or something..."
Eto eyed him suspiciously.
"That's not what I had in mind... though, now that you mention it, it actually wouldn't be a bad idea."
Byakuya paused, giving it serious thought.
His physique and RC cell concentration were now at sky-high levels. For a ghoul or half-ghoul like Eto, devouring even a small portion of his flesh could be exponentially more effective than consuming ordinary humans.
"If you really don't mind... then yeah, it could work," Eto admitted, a bit surprised herself. She had only made the comment in passing, not expecting him to actually consider it.
"Though I think bloodletting might be more... manageable. If you expect me to tear off a chunk of your flesh, forget it—I'm not into that kind of masochism," Byakuya added casually.
"We can talk about this later. Look at that—more of those Pure Titans are pouring in."
Eto's gaze shifted toward the gaping hole in the outer wall.
She didn't really want to gain strength that way. Hurting Byakuya was something she instinctively wanted to avoid. If it were just blood, that might be acceptable.
Byakuya nodded and moved to handle the swarm of Titans closing in, buying more time for the civilians to evacuate safely.
At the same time, it was a good chance to continue increasing the activation progress of his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
He didn't need to use flashy methods like Susanoo to deal with this batch of Titans—that would be overkill and a waste of RC cells and ocular energy. It was also bound to stir chaos in an already unstable situation.
So instead, he relied on the dual-space manipulation of his Kamui technique.
With a focused gaze, Byakuya began warping and twisting the necks and napes of multiple Titans, effectively killing them in rapid succession.
[Ding! Host has defeated a Pure Titan. Reward: 5 Attribute Points!]
[Ding! Host has defeated a Pure Titan. Reward: 5 Attribute Points!...]
Apparently, the reward scale for attribute points in this world wasn't the same as in the Tokyo Ghoul world. If they were based purely on combat capability, a Pure Titan wouldn't even be worth 2 points, let alone 5.
Even though Titans kept pouring in through the breach, he didn't bother with them unless they were Abnormal Titans. If any showed up, he'd have to take them out immediately, as they posed a serious threat to civilians.
In the Shiganshina District, many members of the Garrison Regiment had already suffered heavy losses in the early clash with the Titans.
It wasn't until the arrival of Eto that they finally caught a break.
"Is that really a Titan? It looks nothing like the others…"
"Has to be. I mean, it's huge—easily ten meters tall. The smallest Titans are around three."
"But that one's got some serious combat power. It moves like it's wearing armor and wielding weapons! It killed those Titans like it was nothing."
"Good thing it doesn't seem interested in us. Hopefully, it wipes out the rest of them!"
Eto's appearance — both its monstrous form and immense power —left the soldiers awestruck.
With Eto drawing attention away from the human forces, the Garrison Regiment redirected their efforts toward evacuating survivors and maintaining order. The more chaotic the situation, the slower the evacuation.
But to be honest, the Garrison Regiment was never built for actual combat. Most of the time, they just drank and slacked off. Compared to the elite Survey Corps, whose survival rate outside the Walls was abysmal even with training, these guys were hopelessly outclassed.
Still, just as hope began to spark in their hearts, the strange Titan suddenly vanished.
Even though the area had been cleared of Titans for the time being, they knew it was only a matter of time before more came pouring in. So they picked up the pace and continued the escort.
Between Eto and Byakuya, two full waves of Pure Titans had already been eliminated.
Most of the Titans attract by the Female Titan's scream had been wiped out. The Titan horde seemed to be over—for now.
"We should move to the other side of Wall Maria."
Byakuya turned to Eto.
"You're going after Grisha next, aren't you?" she asked, reading him like a book.
She could tell from his earlier actions—especially saving the Yeager family—that his next objective would be stopping Grisha.
"You really know me too well," Byakuya said with a hint of admiration.
"You're right. I have to stop Grisha. I can't let him devour the Founding Titan. And I definitely can't let him pass its power and the Attack Titan's to Eren."
Doing so would mean the original timeline was still intact.
He had already crossed into this world—if he let things play out like the source material, what would've been the point?
"So, you're going to break the narrative entirely and rebuild from scratch? That's probably the best approach" Eto agreed.
Together, the two of them joined the stream of refugees heading through the gate of Wall Maria.
...
Once inside Wall Maria
The first thing they saw was a large river. This area wasn't residential—nearly all the refugees had to board boats to be taken further into the interior.
It was here that Byakuya and Eto once again ran into Eren, Mikasa, and the others.