Fantasy Library, Ch 111-115

Chapter 111: Are You Serious?

As Diodora’s wild and maniacal laughter echoed through the air, pitch-black energy erupted from his body, enveloping him entirely.

“Die!”

He thrust his hand forward, conjuring a circular magic formation in his palm.

Demonic power surged from within, forming countless magical bullets that rained down in a relentless barrage upon Kaiser.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom…!”

Explosions thundered across the mountains, shaking the entire peak once more.

Like a volcanic eruption, a cloud of dust billowed into the sky, while the violent shockwaves ravaged the surrounding forest. Trees were uprooted, either sent flying into the air or toppling over in place, creating a scene of sheer devastation.

Yet, if one observed carefully, they would notice a small patch of land at the center of the bombardment, untouched amidst the chaos, as if a sanctuary had been carved out in the midst of destruction.

A wave of radiant white energy surged outward, forming a protective barrier that shielded this small space from the onslaught.

At its core stood Kaiser, gripping Gravisheath, unmoving, not even bothering to dodge. His Touki continuously surged outward, forming a protective field that blocked every single magical bullet.

Each projectile carried immense destructive force, comparable to real artillery shells, capable of blasting apart massive chunks of terrain. No ordinary flesh and blood being could possibly withstand such an assault.

Yet Kaiser did.

Not with his body, but with his sheer Touki, rendering Diodora’s attack completely meaningless.

“W-What…?”

Diodora’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief.

“How is this possible? My magic is considered exceptional even among high-class devils… How can he block it so effortlessly?!”

In response, Kaiser let out a sharp, derisive laugh.

“Exceptional among high-class devils? Are you serious?”

He finally moved—not to retaliate, but to casually stroll forward, as if taking a leisurely walk.

“Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom…!”

Diodora continued his relentless barrage, magical bullets pelting Kaiser’s Touki, detonating upon impact.

His aura flared even more fiercely under the assault, yet not a single attack managed to penetrate his defense.

Step by step, Kaiser advanced.

“I haven’t encountered too many high-class devils,” he remarked, his tone casual, “but I’ve met Rias Gremory. I’ve seen just how powerful her magic is. I know the scale of her destructive power.”

“Like you, she’s a high-class devil from a pure-blooded family. You even share the distinction of having a current Maou as a blood relative.”

“But she’s younger than you, yet far stronger. In both quality and quantity, your magic doesn’t even come close.”

Kaiser was simply stating facts. There was no exaggeration, no falsehood in his words.

When it came to magical reserves, Rias far outclassed Diodora.

She possessed incredible potential—so much so that she had nearly reached full independence at a young age. While she had an unfortunate tendency to rely too much on her natural talent, that itself was proof of her genius. She was leagues above the average high-class devil.

Given her gifts, even if she didn’t train diligently, she would naturally grow into an ultimate-class devil in just a few years.

And then, there was her Power of Destruction—a trait that made her a force to be reckoned with.

Compared to her, what was Diodora?

Kaiser smirked, delivering his verbal assault.

“You can’t even beat a fledgling little girl, yet you have the gall to claim you’re exceptional among high-class devils?”

He continued forward, ignoring the ceaseless explosions bursting against his Touki, his mocking laughter echoing.

“Your magic? Compared to Rias Gremory’s, which carries the very essence of destruction, it’s like a gentle breeze—at best, it gives me a bit of cool air.”

“If this is enough to threaten me, then how would I even survive in this world?”

“And yet, with this pathetic level of power, you had the nerve to spout big words about making me remember this day with my soul?”

“How do you even have the face to say something so ridiculous? Idiot!”

Kaiser’s relentless mockery was like an invisible assault, each word striking directly at Diodora’s ego.

“D-DIE! DIE! DIE!!!”

Driven into a frenzy, Diodora screamed, unleashing even more magical bullets in blind rage.

A violent detonation erupted, consuming the entire mountain peak in an earth-shattering explosion.

The summit shattered, fragments breaking apart as a tidal wave of debris surged downward, an avalanche of rubble crashing toward the ground like an impending cataclysm.

“BOOM!”

At that moment, a violet light descended from the sky, slamming into the mountain, amplifying the devastation.

“RUMBLE…!”

An immense gravitational force spread across the entire area, crushing everything on the mountain—boulders, trees, even the very land itself—downward under an inescapable weight.

“GAAAH…!”

Diodora, still inside the crumbling mountain, had conjured a defensive magic barrier, but the sudden, overwhelming pressure slammed him into the ground, leaving him sprawled out, battered and helpless.

“Hundred Burial Cascade!”

Before he could even react, an erratic surge of magical energy—like a rushing aurora—crashed into him, sending him into a spiral of pure agony.

“AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH—!”

Diodora let out a bloodcurdling scream, feeling as if his entire body was being crushed beneath an unbearable gravitational force. Every fiber of his flesh, every bone in his body creaked and groaned under the pressure—some even shattered, causing him to spurt blood as he was violently flung through the air. His crimson lifeblood splattered across the sky and the ground below.

Boom!

Just before he could crash into the earth, a figure bathed in white light streaked through the air at an astonishing speed. The sheer force of its movement sent boulders and debris scattering, and in the next instant, a fist came crashing down upon his face.

“Gah—!”

Diodora coughed up a mouthful of blood as the devastating punch sent him flying once more.

However, before he could be completely flung away, that glowing figure reached out, grabbed him by the collar, and yanked him right in front of its face.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One blow after another landed mercilessly.

A series of punches, brimming with Touki, rained down upon Diodora’s once-handsome face, tearing apart his skin and leaving it a bloody, mangled mess.

This was judgment without mercy.

This was cold, ruthless punishment.

Kaiser’s expression remained utterly emotionless as he unleashed hell upon Diodora, showing no signs of stopping. Each strike not only inflicted physical pain but pierced straight into Diodora’s heart, filling it with terror.

“Somebody—h-help me!”

Unable to withstand Kaiser’s unrelenting beating, Diodora abandoned all pride and screamed for aid.

Zing!

The next moment, numerous magic circles materialized in the air around them, glowing ominously. From within, figures rushed forth.

“……?”

Kaiser instinctively halted his assault, narrowing his gaze as he looked at the figures charging toward him. His brows furrowed deeply.

They were women.

All of them stunningly beautiful yet eerily identical in their lifelessness.

Each bore a unique face, yet all radiated the same sense of purity. There was an unmistakable familiarity to them, something reminiscent of Asia Argento.

They did not feel like devils.

Rather, they felt like former nuns—former members of the Church.

However, despite their beauty and purity, their eyes were empty, devoid of light or soul. Their expressions were blank, their faces lifeless, as if their hearts had already died, leaving only empty husks behind—mere puppets performing the will of another.

“……”

Kaiser fell into silence.

His gaze upon Diodora turned colder—so cold, in fact, that murderous intent began to seep from his being, just like before.

Boom!

Without a word, Kaiser delivered a crushing punch to Diodora’s abdomen.

A sickening splurt of blood erupted from Diodora’s mouth—this time, mixed with fragments of his ruptured internal organs.

This time, Kaiser did not bother grabbing him.

Diodora’s body was launched like a human cannonball, smashing violently into the remains of the shattered mountain.

“Gravisheath.”

Coldly, Kaiser called forth his weapon.

From a great distance, the scythe came hurtling through the air, landing precisely in his grip.

Meanwhile, the women who had emerged from the magic circles encircled him, moving in unison, preparing to attack.

BOOM!

Before they could make a move, Gravisheath pulsed with violet light, unleashing another wave of immense gravity upon them.

“—?!”

In an instant, the women collapsed under the weight of the force, their bodies pressed against the ground, utterly immobilized.

“Watch over them.”

Kaiser ordered, his tone as frigid as ice.

As he drove Gravisheath into the earth, its Urm-Manadyte core pulsed ominously, as if responding to his command.

Releasing his grip on the weapon, Kaiser’s Touki surged once more.

In the next instant, his figure vanished—streaking through the air like a beam of light, arriving at the base of the ruined mountain in a mere blink.

“Stay back! Stay away from me, you lowly human!”

From within a deep crater, Diodora’s frantic shrieks rang out.

Simultaneously, countless magical bullets shot forth, pelting Kaiser head-on.

This time, the barrage was far greater in scale and power than before. The projectiles had clearly been charged over time, increasing their destructive force exponentially.

As they struck him, the radiant white aura surrounding Kaiser wavered, trembled, and thinned, a portion of it shaving away under the impact.

And yet—

Kaiser’s expression never changed.

He remained unmoved, enduring the attacks without hesitation, pressing forward.

Step.

Step.

He walked into the crater, his presence looming over Diodora.

“D-Don’t! Don’t come any closer!”

Diodora’s body was in ruins—his face bruised and swollen beyond recognition, his entire form drenched in blood.

Yet even as he trembled in terror, he desperately threw up his hands, forming more magic circles, unleashing wave after wave of magical bullets.

For the first time, his once arrogant, mocking gaze was filled not with scorn—but with pure, unfiltered fear.

“I said stay away from me!”

His voice cracked as he screamed, as if trying to ward off the nightmare that was closing in on him.

At that moment—

Shing!

A streak of light cut through space.

A flash of silver tore across the battlefield, moving at impossible speed—

And pierced straight through Diodora’s body.

From his back, the glowing tip of a spear emerged.

“—”

Diodora froze.

His magic faltered. His body stiffened.

Before him, Kaiser stood still, his face blank, his eyes colder than absolute zero.

His hand gripped the shaft of a lance, its blade embedded deep in Diodora’s chest.

And with one final, piercing gaze, he twisted the weapon.

Chapter 112: You’re Nothing but Trash

“AH—AAAAAH—!”

As the searing pain from the gaping wound in his body surged through him, Diodora let out the most miserable, agonized scream of his life.

It was the suffering of a soul on the verge of annihilation—a level of pain beyond anything a normal being could endure.

“AAAAAAAHHHH—!”

He collapsed to his knees, his hands instinctively reaching for the spear impaling his body.

But the moment his fingers touched the shaft, an intense burning sensation erupted through them—smoke began to rise from his flesh, as if it was being purged.

And then—

His entire body began to smoke.

Like a condemned soul subjected to holy purification, his very existence recoiled against the weapon.

“T-This spear…! D-Don’t tell me…?!”

A terrible realization dawned upon Diodora.

His pain-filled eyes widened in horror as he stared at the spear that had pierced him.

“True Longinus.”

Kaiser gripped the sacred spear, keeping it firmly embedded in Diodora’s body as he coldly spoke, his words as merciless as his gaze.

“The strongest Longinus.”

“The highest-tier of all holy relics.”

“The legendary spear that pierced the Son of God himself.”

“Even scum like you must have heard of it, right?”

One would have to be insane not to know its name.

For ordinary people, that might not be the case, but for the major factions of mythology, the True Longinus was a name etched into history.

No angel, fallen angel, or devil could be ignorant of its existence.

After all, these three factions were part of the same mythological system—they all came from the same faith.

A weapon capable of piercing God—a spear that was the very definition of “God-killing.”

There was no way anyone in these circles wouldn’t recognize it.

And that was exactly why Diodora was so terrified.

“Y-You… You’re the wielder of the True Longinus…?!”

His voice trembled with pain.

“N-No… NO! This can’t be real…!”

“I was pierced by the True Longinus?!”

“D-Does that mean… I’m going to disappear?!”

For devils, weapons imbued with holy power were their natural nemesis.

A single slash from a holy sword was enough to cause severe injuries and cripple a devil’s strength.

And if a holy sword were to kill a devil—

Then that devil would be erased.

Body and soul.

Their existence would vanish into nothingness.

No corpse.

No remains.

Just pure obliteration.

And now—

Diodora had been run through by the highest-tiered holy weapon of them all—the legendary True Longinus.

This wound was fatal beyond measure.

“Y-You can’t kill me! You can’t kill me!”

Diodora’s mind collapsed under fear, tears streaming down his bloodied face as he wailed in desperation.

“I am the heir of House Astaroth! The blood relative of the current Beelzebub!”

“If you kill me, House Astaroth and the Maou won’t let you go!”

“The Underworld won’t let you go!”

This wasn’t just idle bluffing.

Diodora’s lineage wasn’t ordinary.

As a pure-blooded noble, as the heir to a high-ranking devil house, as a direct relative of a Maou—he wasn't someone that could be killed without consequence.

Stray devils could be slain at will—no one cared.

But a noble devil?

A pure-blooded member of an esteemed house?

Every pure-blood devil was a precious asset, a treasured heirloom of the Underworld’s noble lineage.

And Diodora was not just any noble—he was the direct successor of House Astaroth.

He was among the most high-ranking young devils of his generation.

If he were to die without reason, House Astaroth wouldn’t stand for it.

Beelzebub wouldn’t stand for it.

The Underworld itself might view it as an affront.

If Kaiser killed Diodora, Kuoh Town would never know peace again.

But—

“Your threats mean absolutely nothing to me.”

Kaiser’s voice was cold and absolute.

“I told you from the very beginning, didn’t I?”

“You were going to die here today.”

His tone was not that of someone who had suddenly made a spur-of-the-moment decision.

It was not an emotional outburst.

No—

It was clear.

Deliberate.

He came here with the sole intention of killing Diodora Astaroth.

“W-Why…?”

Diodora shuddered, his voice shaking as he screamed through his suffering.

“I never even knew you before today! Why are you so determined to kill me—?!”

Until now, Diodora hadn’t thought about it.

He had assumed that Kaiser was just a fool who had walked into his own death.

He never even considered the possibility that he might be the one dying instead.

But now, he was forced to think about it.

Why?

Why was this person so intent on killing him?

To this—

Kaiser only gave a cold, merciless reply.

“You think I don’t know what you’ve been doing in the shadows?”

Kaiser stepped forward.

As he did, the True Longinus’s spear shaft retracted, forcing Diodora’s body to collapse forward.

“Diodora Astaroth.”

“You are the heir to House Astaroth, a noble pure-blooded devil.”

“But you are also one of the most vile, loathsome creatures to walk this earth.”

“You have a very particular taste.”

“You have an obsession—a preference for women associated with the Church.”

“Especially those who are devout believers.”

“Especially those who have deep ties to the Church’s headquarters.”

“To you, they are nothing more than prey.”

Kaiser’s voice was deathly calm, yet his words carried the weight of a death sentence.

“The women you just summoned…”

“They’re your Evil Piece servants, aren’t they?”

“They were once well-known nuns, perhaps even saints from various regions, weren’t they?”

“And your favorite pastime was seducing them—deceiving them—crafting elaborate lies to lead them to ruin and despair, wasn’t it?”

Kaiser didn’t know exactly what Diodora had done to these women.

But the way they stood before him now—empty-eyed, lifeless, like walking corpses—spoke volumes.

Their spirits had been shattered beyond repair.

They no longer reacted to their surroundings.

They had become completely numb to their own circumstances.

And yet—

Once upon a time, they had been just like Asia.

Pure-hearted, devout, kind believers.

It was precisely because of this that Kaiser could no longer contain the raging bloodlust within him—nor did he wish to.

“I’ve seen plenty of evil in this world. I’m no saint, and I don’t go around hunting down every piece of filth that exists.”

“But you happened to show up right here, right now.”

Why had the heir to House Astaroth, the blood relative of the current Beelzebub, come to Kuoh Town?

The answer was simple.

“Asia Argento.”

“She was your next target, wasn’t she?”

Kaiser’s voice was icy, revealing the one truth Asia could never be allowed to hear.

“You set your sights on her—you wanted to make her your next victim, to break her, to lead her into despair.”

“That injured devil she just so happened to encounter… That was you, wasn’t it?”

“It was you who deliberately appeared before her.”

“It was you who staged that act, manipulating her kindness—luring her into healing you in public, ensuring that she would be branded a witch by those around her.”

Diodora had planned everything.

He had allowed Asia to be taken by the Fallen Angels’ rogue exorcists.

He had known what Raynare was planning.

Yet he had chosen not to intervene.

Instead, he waited, intending to use that situation to tighten his grip on Asia.

If Raynare’s plan had gone exactly as intended, and Asia had been sacrificed in her ritual, then Diodora would have stepped in at the last moment—

Killed Raynare himself.

Reincarnated Asia as a devil.

And once she became a devil—

She would have been his.

She would have belonged to him.

He could have done whatever he wanted to her.

“But unfortunately for you—”

“You never expected someone like me to show up, did you?”

“You never thought Raynare would end up captured by me, and that she would personally deliver Asia into my hands instead.”

“In fact, you probably didn’t even know who I was at first.”

“But the moment you saw a Fallen Angel following my orders, I bet that was when you started wondering.”

Kaiser took another step forward, gripping the now fully retracted True Longinus, still embedded in Diodora’s body.

He looked down at the kneeling devil, his lips curling into a cruel smirk.

“So tell me—”

“Were you planning to retreat? To go investigate who I am first, before coming back to take Asia?”

“Too bad.”

“I already knew about you.”

“I knew about the filth you’ve been hiding.”

“I was already prepared, waiting for two whole days—ready to hunt you down the moment you revealed yourself.”

To that end, Kaiser had even borrowed the Hero Faction’s network of informants—

He had enlisted their spies to track down Diodora’s movements.

And the Hero Faction had delivered.

They had found Diodora’s exact location.

They had relayed it to him through a magic formation.

From that moment forward—

Diodora’s fate had already been sealed.

“You ask me why I insist on killing you?”

Kaiser’s Touki surged once more.

“Because you deserve to die.”

“The moment I learned you existed, I knew you had to die.”

“And after seeing what you did to these women?”

“Now there’s nothing that can change my mind.”

“Today—you die.”

By the time Kaiser finished speaking, Diodora could no longer form words.

His body trembled violently, his mouth hanging open.

The smoke pouring from his body grew thicker.

His form was starting to vanish.

“I… I am… of House… Astaroth…”

“I… am… a Maou’s… bloodline…”

The devil, tormented by unspeakable agony, mumbled mindlessly—his gaze vacant.

“No.”

Kaiser’s response was sharp, absolute.

“You’re nothing.”

“You’re just trash.”

And with that final judgment—

Kaiser ripped the True Longinus free.

SPLURT.

A massive burst of blood erupted into the air.

FWOOSH—

Diodora’s body ignited instantly.

His flesh burned away, turning to ash in seconds.

His entire existence crumbled.

Kaiser simply stood there, watching it unfold.

He did not blink.

He did not look away.

He did not flinch.

Diodora Astaroth was erased from the world.

And once the very last trace of him had vanished—

Kaiser finally turned away.

Not a single soul would know that a pure-blooded devil had just ceased to exist.

But soon—

The entire Underworld would hear of it.

And from this moment forward—

Kuoh Town would never know peace again.

Chapter 113: An Unexpected Visitor

After leaving the crater, Kaiser did not immediately return to Asia and Raynare.

Instead—

He made his way toward Gravisheath.

Even now, the scythe remained plunged into the ground, its gravity field still suppressing Diodora’s Evil Pieces—the women he had enslaved.

One by one, they lay sprawled across the ground, unable to move.

Some had even lost consciousness from prolonged exposure to the overwhelming force.

Kaiser gazed at them silently.

And for the first time since this battle began—

He hesitated.

“…What am I supposed to do with them?”

Unlike Diodora, whose sins were unforgivable—

These women were victims.

They had suffered.

They had been broken.

And now—

They had no future to return to.

Diodora was dead.

The women he had tormented and enslaved were finally free from his grasp.

But what now?

If Kaiser simply let them go, left them to fend for themselves, could they even manage?

Even if they could, where would they go?

They had already been reincarnated as devils. Returning to the Church was impossible.

And if they returned to House Astaroth, their fate wouldn’t be any better.

After all, they were Diodora’s Evil Pieces—his personal servants.

If their master had died out in the open while they returned unscathed, there was no way House Astaroth would let them live.

But if they didn’t return to House Astaroth, what then?

Would they simply leave the Underworld altogether?

Then they would become Stray Devils.

And considering Diodora’s status, if his Evil Pieces defected, House Astaroth would absolutely send enforcers to hunt them down—if only for the sake of their family’s reputation.

No matter what, they were as good as dead.

Kaiser’s brows furrowed.

“Would the only option be to seek refuge with the Fallen Angels?”

The thought irritated him.

Naturally, he never even considered sending them to Khaos Brigade.

The Khaos Brigade was still a terrorist organization.

These mentally and emotionally broken women would only suffer if they were sent there.

They couldn’t go back to the Church.

They couldn’t return to the devils.

And sending them to Khaos Brigade would be no different from throwing them into a pit of fire.

That really only left the Fallen Angels—

“…No, wait.”

Kaiser suddenly stopped.

“There’s one person who could actually help them.”

The moment those words left his lips—

A light chuckle rang through the air.

A soft, teasing voice drifted into his ears.

“Oh? Don’t tell me the person you’re thinking of is that Rias Gremory, the one you stole a kiss from?”

—!

Kaiser snapped out of his thoughts instantly.

His grip on the True Longinus tightened, his instincts flaring.

“…Who’s there?”

With a swift motion, he raised his spear, the holy aura intensifying, golden radiance gathering at its tip.

“Relax, relax.”

The unseen figure reacted immediately to the spear’s divine energy.

Clearly, they didn’t want to risk a direct confrontation against the True Longinus.

“Whew—”

Suddenly, a cloud of black mist drifted in with the wind, swirling before Kaiser.

As the mist dissipated, a silhouetted figure emerged from within.

The moment Kaiser’s gaze fell upon the person, he froze.

Standing before him was—

A mature, stunning beauty, radiating an alluring, intoxicating presence.

She was draped in a black kimono, its hemline dangerously short.

Worn loosely, it hung off her shoulders, as if threatening to slip off at any moment.

Her exposed skin was smooth as silk, so pale it almost seemed to glow in the moonlight.

She was immaculately proportioned—a slender waist, yet a generous bust and curvaceous hips, her body exuding a lethal mix of elegance and seduction.

But what stood out the most—

Were the cat ears atop her head.

And the two long, black tails swaying lazily behind her.

“…It’s you?”

Kaiser’s surprise was evident in his tone.

“Meow?”

The woman’s cat-like golden eyes gleamed with curiosity.

“Oh my, do you already know me?”

Of course, Kaiser knew her.

“You’re a Nekomata—one of the legendary cat yokai.”

His voice was sharp, but his gaze remained locked onto her.

“And not just any Nekomata—you’re a Nekoshou.”

Nekoshou—the strongest and rarest bloodline among Nekomata.

The yokai race was one of the few neutral factions, unaffiliated with devils, angels, or fallen angels.

They were known for their mystical arts, their ability to wield illusionary magic, and their unique transformation abilities.

Among them, Nekomata were famous in folklore—cat demons with two tails.

But Nekoshou—

They were on a completely different level.

Unlike regular Nekomata, Nekoshou possessed exceptional natural talent, rumored to even have access to Senjutsu—the mystical techniques of the sages.

They were an upper-class yokai species, renowned as elite warriors.

And the woman standing before him—

She wasn’t just any Nekoshou.

She was one of the most infamous ones in history.

“…And you’re also a Stray Devil.”

Kaiser’s expression darkened.

“The one who murdered her master, fled the Underworld, and even after the devils sent hunting squads after her, defeated them all and escaped.”

“The SS-ranked Stray Devil.”

“…Am I right?”

The woman blinked—

Then grinned playfully.

“Well, that certainly saves me the trouble of introductions.”

Her lips curled, and in an almost lazy, yet enticing motion—

She licked her lips.

Then, raising a delicate hand, she playfully mimicked a cat’s paw gesture.

“I’m Kuroka.”

Her voice purred, dripping with amusement.

“Like you said, I’m a very—very—dangerous Stray Devil, you know~?”

“Nice to meet you, nya~!”

—

There was no denying it.

A mature, dangerously seductive beauty—purring like a cat, making playful gestures—

It was almost criminally cute.

Even Kaiser had to admit—

It was distractingly effective.

But he did not let it cloud his judgment.

He quickly composed himself.

“Alright, Miss Extremely Dangerous Stray Devil—”

“Why are you here?”

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed.

This woman—

Kuroka.

She was Rias Gremory’s servant’s older sister.

The older sister of Koneko Toujou.

And—

She was also a member of Khaos Brigade.

Did she sense the presence of a fellow Stray Devil here and simply come to say hello?

As Kaiser entertained that thought, Kuroka’s next words completely shattered his expectations.

“Nyahaha~ I came to visit my little sister.”

Kuroka tilted her head, licking the back of her hand like a true cat.

“Since I left the Underworld and abandoned the devils, I don’t really have anywhere to go~ So I just drop by to see my cute little sis from time to time, just to kill some time, nya~”

Kaiser immediately understood something.

“This cat… hasn’t joined Khaos Brigade yet.”

In the original events, Kuroka had only joined Khaos Brigade after accepting an invitation from a certain silver-haired rival character—

But that person wasn’t even part of Khaos Brigade yet.

Which meant Kuroka was still a free agent.

At this moment, she was simply a fugitive Stray Devil, avoiding capture while keeping a silent watch over her sister.

And as for how she knew about Kaiser’s little incident with Rias Gremory…

She was probably keeping an eye on her sister when she just happened to overhear some… interesting gossip.

As for why she had shown up here—

It wasn’t hard to guess.

Kaiser had caused an absolute spectacle in broad daylight, even fighting on the streets. There was no way the commotion hadn’t drawn attention.

Kuroka had likely been attracted by all the chaos—and decided to check it out.

With that realization, Kaiser felt somewhat relieved.

But at the same time—

She was definitely suspicious.

“You—”

He was about to speak—

But Kuroka cut him off first.

“Nya~ No time for idle chatter, Kaiser~”

She flashed him a playful smile, but there was an undeniable sharpness in her gaze.

“It’d be best if we got out of here right now. Otherwise—”

“—We’re going to be surrounded.”

—?!

Kaiser’s eyes narrowed.

The moment she said that, he immediately sensed it—

Faint but steadily approaching presences—

Several powerful energies stirring in the distance.

It wasn’t just Kuroka who had been drawn in by this battle.

The scale of this destruction was far beyond his previous fights.

They had nearly leveled an entire mountain.

And unlike before—

This time, the battle had begun in broad daylight, right in front of civilians.

The chaos wasn’t something that could simply be covered up.

At this point, it wasn’t just Rias Gremory who might come looking.

The Church.

The Fallen Angels.

Even other devils—

Any of them might send agents to investigate.

That realization made Kaiser’s frown deepen.

“Worried about all the people headed this way, nya~?”

Kuroka tilted her head, her golden eyes gleaming mischievously as she saw through his thoughts.

She smirked.

“Want me to lend you a hand?”

Kaiser immediately grew more suspicious.

This cat—

Why was she offering help?

First, she had revealed herself voluntarily—

And now she was proactively trying to assist him?

It all seemed… way too convenient.

Was there a catch?

As he tried to process the situation, Kuroka simply giggled.

“You’re not saying no, so I’ll just take that as a ‘yes’ nya~”

Before Kaiser could even object, she waved her hand.

And then—

The scenery around them began to distort.

Within seconds—

They were no longer in the same place.

Kaiser, Kuroka, and the unconscious devil women were now deep within a dense forest, far from the battlefield.

“…Spatial teleportation?”

Kaiser immediately realized what had happened.

Kuroka—

She had manipulated space itself.

This wasn’t like devils’ magic circles—which simply opened a door between two locations.

This was something far more advanced—

A direct distortion of space itself.

The sheer difficulty of such a feat was on a completely different level.

“—?!”

Suddenly—

Kaiser’s nose twitched.

A strange scent filled the air.

Immediately, he covered his mouth and nose.

There was something in the atmosphere.

A foreign substance.

A hazardous gas.

“…Was this your doing?”

Kaiser’s eyes sharpened as he snapped his gaze to Kuroka.

“Oh my, noticed so soon~?”

Kuroka placed a finger to her lips, as if genuinely impressed.

Then, she simply laughed.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry~”

“It’s just some miasma, nya~”

Her tone was lighthearted, as if she had done nothing more than spill a drink.

“People tend to chase me a lot, you see~”

“So I set up these little defensive barriers just in case—”

“It’s nothing serious. Even if a human breathes it in, it just causes a tiny little… side effect~”

A bad feeling suddenly welled up in Kaiser’s chest.

“…Side effect?”

His expression darkened.

“What side effect?”

Kuroka’s smile widened mischievously.

She clasped her hands behind her back—

And with obvious amusement, she purred her response:

“Arousal.”

Chapter 114: A Difficult Type to Deal With

"……"

At this moment, Kaiser's mouth twitched uncontrollably.

What the hell was up with this cat?

Releasing an aphrodisiac miasma in a place like this… was she out of her mind?

Sure, Nekomata were known to be quite lustful, but they weren’t some kind of succubus that fed on male vitality—was this really necessary?

Kaiser almost drew his spear. (In more ways than one.)

"Meow-haha!"

Kuroka had been watching Kaiser closely, and when she saw his face change expressions as dramatically as a Beijing opera performer, she burst into laughter.

"Your reactions are so funny, nya! I thought the wielder of the True Longinus would be all serious and uptight."

After all, it was the highest-ranking holy relic, the strongest among divine weapons, revered as a treasure by the Church, and directly tied to God. In most people's minds, it should be in the hands of a saint or a great hero—someone recognized as truly worthy.

"My apologies for not being serious enough." Kaiser shot back without hesitation. "But you’re hardly one to talk."

"I never claimed to be serious, nya." Kuroka responded shamelessly, flashing a playful grin. "After all, I’m a youkai~~"

As she said this, her body suddenly vanished into the miasma.

Kaiser reacted instantly, his holy spear striking out sharply to the side.

Shlck!

The deadly spear pierced through Kuroka’s figure completely.

But in the next second, her body dissipated like an illusion.

"How heartless, nya~"

The real Kuroka appeared behind Kaiser, wrapping her soft arms around his neck. Her entire body pressed against him, her curves warm and fragrant, particularly her upper body, which was nestled firmly against his chest.

"Even though I just helped you, you didn’t hesitate at all before trying to stab me with that spear."

"Even though I’ve already left my former faction, I was still a reincarnated devil once. A Nekomata and a devil. If that spear had actually hit me, I probably would have died, nya~"

"You didn’t even hesitate—were you really trying to kill me?"

"You’re such a cruel man, nya…"

Her lips brushed against Kaiser’s ear, her breath carrying an intoxicating scent as she spoke in a teasingly seductive tone.

Kaiser didn’t immediately respond. His gaze turned sharp.

Perhaps he had underestimated this Nekomata.

He had a rough idea of Kuroka’s strength.

She was the most powerful and rarest type of Nekomata—a Nekoshou. A battle-oriented species, a naturally born high-class youkai.

In terms of talent, she was likely no weaker than Rias—perhaps even superior.

As a youkai, she possessed innate abilities that other species lacked.

As a reincarnated devil, she had also mastered powerful demonic magic.

At the same time, she was skilled in Senjutsu—the art of controlling ki.

Senjutsu, unlike Youjutsu or Magic, was an advanced technique that focused on the manipulation of ki, the fundamental essence of life.

Aura, the energy that overflowed from one's body, was commonly used as fuel for various abilities and Sacred Gears, but most people only used it in crude and inefficient ways.

Senjutsu, however, refined ki as a power source and even allowed for control over external energy in the environment.

Though ki itself had no direct offensive capabilities like demonic power or light power, everything in nature possessed ki—all living beings, plants, even certain objects that carried strong spiritual energy.

Senjutsu allowed its users to perceive the flow of ki, manipulate it, and even influence the ki of others.

Those who mastered Senjutsu could enhance their bodies from within, disrupt an opponent’s flow of ki, and even seal off an enemy’s energy, making it an extremely effective method of indirect combat.

In other words, Senjutsu was the art of controlling life’s natural flow.

Practitioners of this technique could even—just like Kaiser—naturally convert aura into Touki, using it for battle.

Naturally, those who could control the flow of ki at will were also highly skilled at hiding their own presence. When combined with illusions and Youjutsu, their ability to deceive an enemy’s perception and senses was unparalleled.

That was how Kuroka had remained hidden until now, watching Kaiser brutally execute Diodora without being detected.

It was also how she had tricked him just now, making him strike at a mere illusion.

Without a doubt—Kuroka was a genius.

She had mastered Youjutsu, Senjutsu, Demonic Power, and even spatial and illusion manipulation.

She was an existence comparable to an Ultimate-Class Devil in strength.

The fact that she had been able to kill her own master, escape the Underworld, and repeatedly fend off devil pursuers was proof that she hadn’t survived on luck alone—her abilities were the real deal.

Kaiser had already known this.

But perhaps, he had been too careless.

An Ultimate-Class Devil… that’s not exactly an opponent I haven’t faced before.

With the True Longinus in hand, Kaiser was confident he could even challenge a Maou-class opponent.

So, when facing someone of Ultimate-Class Devil strength, he hadn’t felt the need to take it too seriously.

But now, he realized—

He had been arrogant.

It was true that Kuroka wasn’t quite as strong as him, but her skills were incredibly diverse.

Unlike other Ultimate-Class Devils who mainly relied on raw power, she was far more cunning, utilizing illusions, disruptions, and trickery—making her an opponent far more troublesome to deal with.

Kaiser was undoubtedly stronger than her.

But it seemed that he wasn’t particularly adept at dealing with this kind of opponent.

Unlike Amagiri Ayato, who had mastered the realm of Shiki, allowing him to perceive external changes with extreme clarity, Kaiser had no such sensory abilities at present.

And this was the result—being toyed with by a Nekomata of Ultimate-Class Devil strength.

However, perhaps this was also because Kuroka bore no hostility, malice, or intent to kill.

If she had attacked him with genuine killing intent, he probably wouldn’t have been caught off guard like this.

Then there was the miasma surrounding him. While Kuroka had claimed that it only had mild effects on humans, Kaiser felt that it was slowing down his movements.

This cat was as shady as they came. Who knew what kind of tricks she had pulled behind the scenes?

"Boom!"

A sudden surge of Touki erupted from Kaiser’s body, forcefully pushing Kuroka away.

"Oh my, such powerful Touki."

Kuroka didn’t seem to mind being thrown off. She simply widened the distance between them and looked at the Touki surging around Kaiser, showing not a hint of concern. Instead, her smile grew even more delighted.

"As expected, you may be human, but you're incredibly strong. You’re not just some useless fool who relies solely on his Sacred Gear to fight."

"…What exactly are you trying to do?" Kaiser finally asked. "You appeared out of nowhere, helped me for no reason, then brought me here only to mess with me. Don’t tell me it’s all just for fun."

Kuroka didn’t seem the least bit affected by his questioning. She simply kept smiling.

"Well, it is fun, nya~."

Her playful grin took on an almost mischievous allure.

"I'm just interested in you, that's all. I won’t do anything to you."

Then, her smile darkened.

"At least… not yet."

In that instant, the once-lazy and carefree aura around Kuroka underwent a drastic transformation.

It became sinister.

It became eerie.

The Touki she emanated grew increasingly menacing, exuding an overwhelming sense of malice.

If anyone were to witness Kuroka in this state, they would undoubtedly regard her as an extremely evil and dangerous individual.

But Kaiser was no longer deceived.

"Cut the act."

His expression remained calm as he spoke.

"I already know that you’ve mastered Senjutsu, allowing you to control ki at will. Even if you deliberately release your ki and alter its nature to appear evil, I’m not going to let that make me overthink things."

Upon hearing this, Kuroka's aura momentarily faltered.

"…Tch. You’re no fun at all, nya~."

Looking somewhat dissatisfied, she quickly dropped the facade, and the sinister aura around her faded.

"If you want someone to mess with, go find someone else. Like your sister."

With that, Kaiser stopped paying attention to her.

He crouched down, examining the unconscious women lying on the ground, noticing that their condition had worsened.

"Is it because of the miasma?"

He looked at the thick mist that still filled the area.

Kuroka had claimed that this miasma was meant to deter the devils pursuing her.

That was likely true. After all, the devils in Diodora’s peerage had clearly been affected by it.

"Send us back to Kuoh Town," Kaiser commanded without even looking at her. "Somewhere secluded will do."

"Oh?"

Kuroka flicked her tail, then giggled.

"But what if I don’t feel like helping you anymore, nya?"

Kaiser didn’t say a word.

But the holy spear in his hand suddenly emitted a surge of divine energy.

Upon seeing this, Kuroka instantly knew that this time—he wasn’t joking.

"Alright, alright, geez."

Raising both hands in mock surrender, she sighed.

"I may be a bad girl, but since I already went out of my way to help, I suppose I’ll see it through to the end."

With a snap of her fingers, the space around them distorted once more.

In the blink of an eye, the dense, miasma-filled forest vanished—replaced by the outskirts of Kuoh Town.

Kaiser and the others had successfully left the forest.

After finishing the teleportation, Kuroka turned to him with amusement in her gaze.

"So, are you planning to take these women to see Rias Gremory now?"

Kaiser didn’t answer.

Instead, he withdrew his True Longinus and summoned Gravisheath.

Manipulating gravity, he lifted the unconscious women into the air.

Then, without a word, he took flight—heading toward his next destination.

Watching him go, Kuroka chuckled silently to herself.

And then, she followed.

Chapter 115: Occult Research Club

Kuoh Academy.

A private institution that had undergone reforms in recent years.

Several years ago, it had been an all-girls school, but it was later converted into a coeducational academy. Although the number of female students still vastly outnumbered the males, the presence of male students was enough to show that its enrollment rate had significantly increased.

Behind the main school building, nestled among the trees, stood an old structure.

This was the Old School Building, the academy’s former main building. Now abandoned, it was no longer in use.

On the surface, it appeared old and worn down. However, upon closer inspection, one would realize that the building was still structurally intact. The walls and windows were in perfect condition, showing no signs of long-term neglect.

Even the interior was spotless.

Despite being abandoned, the hallways and unused classrooms were clean, free of dust or cobwebs, clearly indicating that someone regularly maintained the place.

And deep within the second floor of the building—there was a single occupied classroom.

A sign hung on the door.

It bore the name—Occult Research Club.

This place… was a clubroom.

Anyone who pushed open the door and entered would immediately notice mysterious symbols inscribed on every corner of the room. A magical circle was drawn on the floor’s center, exuding an eerie aura, reinforcing the supernatural atmosphere of the space.

The interior decor was rather vintage, consisting of only a few sofas and a desk. However, it also contained a tea station and even a shower room—making it quite a well-equipped facility.

At this moment, several individuals were gathered within the room.

It was none other than Rias Gremory and her peerage.

"Here, have something to drink."

Akeno Himejima pushed a tea cart forward, gracefully preparing tea for her junior club members. Her Yamato Nadeshiko demeanor was on full display.

"Thank you, senpai."

"…Thank you."

Sitting across from each other on the sofas, Yuuto Kiba and Koneko Toujou accepted the tea, giving their thanks as they sat with a small table between them.

"President."

Akeno also placed a cup in front of Rias Gremory, calling out to her softly.

However, Rias did not respond.

She remained seated at her desk, gazing out the window, seemingly lost in thought.

"President."

This time, Akeno raised her voice slightly, finally pulling Rias out of her daze.

"Ah… sorry, I was spacing out."

Rias snapped back to reality, her gaze falling upon the cup of hot tea in front of her. She turned to Akeno and gave a small nod of gratitude.

"You haven't been yourself these past two days," Akeno remarked with mild concern. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Kiba and Koneko also turned their eyes toward Rias, their gazes filled with silent concern.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little tired."

Rias shook her head, lifting the tea to her lips. As she took a sip, she sighed softly and continued,

"A lot has happened recently. There's a lot on my mind. I'm not completely drained, but… I can't shake this unease."

Akeno immediately understood what Rias was referring to.

"…Is it because of him?"

Her voice dropped slightly, as if murmuring to herself.

Rias didn’t immediately confirm it.

Instead, she thought about that man’s face—and the moment she recalled that incident, a surge of frustration welled up within her.

"Kuoh Town has always had its share of supernatural activity, but it was never anything major."

"All the factions that reside here—including us—have always maintained an unspoken agreement to control these occurrences, ensuring that they don’t disrupt the normal lives of humans."

"But ever since he arrived… that balance has been broken."

In recent days, supernatural incidents had not necessarily increased in frequency. However, their impact had become far greater than before.

Previously, everyone operated in secrecy, ensuring that their actions never made too big of a scene. But now, it seemed that every other day, something was being destroyed—something obvious—something that drew attention.

The outskirts of Kuoh Town had been hit by what seemed to be a meteor strike, causing large-scale destruction…

The foundation of the abandoned church had completely collapsed, sinking the entire area into the earth…

And today—

One of the town’s main streets had been the site of unexplained phenomena.

Many people had witnessed strange, supernatural events—figures suddenly flying into the sky, bizarre explosions erupting in midair, and even what appeared to be falling shooting stars.

The chaos had escalated to the point where an entire mountain had nearly collapsed.

These incidents weren’t just affecting the supernatural world anymore.

Even in the ordinary human world, the disturbances were becoming too large to ignore.

Now, the government had sent geological experts to Kuoh Town, investigating various areas that had suffered large-scale destruction in recent weeks—including the site of today’s collapsed mountain.

Several locations had been sealed off, declared restricted zones.

News reports were constantly covering the strange happenings in Kuoh Town.

The entire nation’s eyes were now drawn to this small town.

And behind the scenes, things were growing even more complicated.

Devils, Angels, Fallen Angels, the Church…

All factions had started to turn their attention toward Kuoh Town.

Even other mythological pantheons had sent individuals here in secret, surveying the situation from the shadows.

Kuoh Town was no longer just a simple town.

It had become a chaotic gathering place—a battlefield of clashing forces.

Particularly among the three major factions—Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels—tensions were rising.

Conflicts had begun to spark.

There were already signs of friction, disputes brewing beneath the surface.

And in some cases… actual battles had already broken out.

Even Rias’s own peerage had encountered Fallen Angels over the past two days.

Although neither side had suffered casualties, both had taken losses.

There was no helping it—Kaiser had completely wiped out Raynare’s stronghold.

Although Raynare’s status among the Fallen Angels wasn’t particularly high, the sudden disappearance of multiple Fallen Angels, along with the total destruction of a rogue exorcist organization under her command, had inevitably drawn the attention of her faction.

The Fallen Angels had dispatched people to investigate.

And coincidentally, Rias had been at the scene of the incident that day—leading to her becoming a suspect in the eyes of the Fallen Angel faction.

For thousands of years, Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils had been locked in an endless cycle of conflict—fighting, killing, and incurring heavy losses against one another. Their grudges ran deep.

Each side loathed the others.

Each side wished for the others' destruction.

And now, with members of all three factions gathering frequently in a small town like Kuoh, it was only natural that tensions would rise and clashes would occur.

Fortunately, the three factions had officially called a ceasefire, temporarily entering a period of peace and recovery. Large-scale wars were a thing of the past, and meetings between them no longer had to end in immediate bloodshed.

Otherwise, given how often they had already come into conflict, a major battle would have been unavoidable by now.

To prevent unnecessary disputes, Rias had even received a direct warning from the Gremory family and the current Maou.

They had instructed her to scale back her activities.

Just today, a massive supernatural disturbance had occurred in Kuoh Town—violent storms, explosions, meteor-like phenomena, and even a mountain collapse.

All factions had dispatched their people to investigate, including Rias’s side.

However, instead of personally heading out, she had only sent familiars to gather information.

Even though she hadn’t personally intervened, dealing with one incident after another was starting to feel exhausting.

Rias had no choice but to accept the situation with frustration—though she was seething inside.

And the cause of it all…

She ground her teeth in irritation, thinking about him.

"Today’s incident… unless I’m mistaken, it definitely has something to do with him."

She spoke with absolute certainty.

Akeno Himejima, Yuuto Kiba, and Koneko Toujou all nodded in agreement.

They also found Kaiser to be the most suspicious individual.

He had already been involved in the previous incidents—why would this one be any different?

And besides, he was still holding a captive from the Fallen Angel faction, openly claiming he had "business" with her.

What exactly was he planning? They still had no idea.

They had already sent out familiars to track him, but even after all this time, there had been no updates on his whereabouts.

"If this continues, won’t the major figures from each faction start arriving in Kuoh Town?"

That was Rias’s biggest concern.

If high-ranking individuals from various factions truly descended upon Kuoh Town, there was no telling what kind of chaos would follow.

After all, these figures were all monsters—beings who had survived since ancient times.

Many of them had deep-rooted grudges against each other.

If they met, it was only a matter of time before fights broke out.

And if those fights took place here in Kuoh Town…

The destruction wouldn’t be limited to just a few collapsed mountains.

The entire town could be reduced to rubble.

"No, we need to take action."

Rias abruptly stood up.

"At the very least, we need to find out exactly what is causing all these disturbances in Kuoh Town."

Just as she finished speaking—before Akeno, Kiba, or Koneko could respond—a voice suddenly cut through the air.

"So you want to know what’s been happening?"

"That’s simple. I can just tell you."

The voice didn’t come from inside the Occult Research Clubroom.

It came from outside the school building.

"!?"

Upon hearing that all-too-familiar voice, it wasn’t just Rias who reacted—everyone in the room stood up at once.

"President!"

Kiba instinctively reached for the sword at his waist.

"…Enemy."

Koneko slipped on her gloves, preparing to fight.

"Rias."

Akeno’s expression turned serious as she addressed her master directly.

"It’s him!"

Rias’s face darkened.

She bit her lip—then rushed out of the Occult Research Clubroom.

The others immediately followed.

And soon, they arrived outside the school building—

Where he was waiting.

(End of Chapter)