Chapter 182: The Cat-Eared Intruder in a Black Kimono—Kuroka's Visit
Countless flickering lights surged into her body, pulsing with power. Rias could feel her magical strength growing—no, swelling—beyond her previous capacity, expanding in bursts. In the blink of an eye, she had surpassed the limits of her former self.
She had broken through the rank of High-Class Devil. Her energy reservoir expanded, then filled, then expanded again, as though driven by some unseen force. It was as if a dam had ruptured within her, releasing a flood. Her very body, the vessel of Rias Gremory, experienced explosive evolution.
Was this what it meant to possess the power of a Devil King?
Her strength continued to climb until she sensed a threshold nearby—no, just out of reach. Only then did the acceleration halt.
Could that next boundary be... the realm of the True Gods?
"This... is this the power of the Demon God Baal?"
Rias muttered hazily, her consciousness shimmering like heat on pavement. If she were to face Kokabiel again—the one who had explosively increased his strength just days ago—she was certain she could now defeat him.
Of course, she couldn't yet wield Baal's power as he had—to instantly annihilate Kokabiel in a single, dazzling strike. That level of mastery still eluded her.
Huh?
"A Sacred Gear? Or... a fifth or sixth-tier Divine Relic?"
She blinked in surprise. Her usual school uniform was gone, replaced by a regal outfit suited to a Demon God. The garments shimmered with energy—too refined to be mere cloth. They radiated enchantment, armor-like and imposing. Yet the feedback she received confirmed: this wasn't just gear—it was a Divine Relic.
Suddenly, footsteps approached the chamber.
Rias hastily suppressed the spilling energy, undoing her Demon God form.
At that instant, the floor beneath her crumbled into powder.
She stumbled and fell forward—colliding with someone.
Instinctively, her hands reached out, grasping at a waist. Slipping slightly, she unintentionally tugged at something, which triggered an unexpected release.
Meanwhile, her attire—which had absorbed high-concentration energy—reacted like fabric exposed to centuries of solar radiation. Disintegrated. Incinerated. Gone.
Then... the door creaked open.
Chapter 183: Kuroka's Shock—Nowhere to Hide
Koneko Toujou was flustered. Agitated. Her feline instincts on edge.
It was as though her fur had bristled. And the reason? A visitor whose presence unsettled her more than any monster ever had.
A woman in a jet-black kimono stepped into view. Mature. Elegant. Black-haired. Cat-eared.
And not decorative ones. No, these were real—flesh and fur—authentic symbols of the Nekomata race.
That woman was her sister.
Koneko froze.
Her older sister, Kuroka, had come for her.
The same sister who had once been marked as an SS-level wanted criminal. The one who had slaughtered the High-Class Devil who had adopted them both. The one who vanished afterwards, leaving Koneko to bear the consequences alone.
If Rias hadn't stepped in to rescue and shelter her, Koneko might not be here at all.
"What are you doing here?!"
"Just popping in to see my darling little sister, meow~" Kuroka replied playfully, her fingers mimicking cat paws as she giggled.
But Koneko felt no joy. No relief. No warmth. Only anger.
Kuroka knew why.
The death of their adoptive guardian was no simple crime. There were hidden truths.
That 'adoption' was little more than exploitation. Their rare Nekomata blood had piqued academic and magical interest—potential specimens with untapped power.
When Kuroka's abilities blossomed, their guardian's gaze darkened. His attention shifted toward the younger sibling.
Kuroka couldn't allow that.
She had watched her power spiral out of control before, watched it kill. Their parents had perished conducting reckless experiments on Nekomata magic—treating their own children as materials. Kuroka hadn't shed a tear.
Then came the sponsor behind those same experiments—the High-Class Devil who adopted them. His obsession deepened. He reached for Koneko.
That was the final straw.
Power surged. Rage ignited. Kuroka killed him in a storm of black fire.
Why didn't she take Koneko with her? Why abandon her?
Because back then, Kuroka couldn't trust herself. Her power was too wild. Too unstable. She feared she might hurt Koneko next.
Koneko never knew the full story... or maybe she did. Maybe she understood just enough to hurt.
"You need to leave. Now."
Her voice was cold. Detached. Frost bit through the words.
Rias had investigated the incident. Koneko had pieced some of the truth together.
But that didn't erase the abandonment.
They had promised to face every hardship side by side. Kuroka had broken that promise.
Afterwards, Kuroka had committed darker acts, sinking deeper into shadow.
Why was she here now?
Not for reunion. No, it had to be related to the Three Faction Summit. Or worse—him.
Koneko trembled. If Kuroka provoked him, she could die.
"Oh no~ Such harsh words. You really hurt your poor sister's heart, meow~"
Koneko didn't respond. She grabbed Kuroka's wrist and dragged her down the hallway, away from prying eyes.
Too conspicuous. Too risky.
They arrived at the abandoned clubroom within the old school building—long forgotten by students. With Gaspard forcibly enrolled, even the ghostliest corners remained empty until afternoon hours.
Koneko opened the door and shoved her sister inside.
"Why are you really here?"
Kuroka tilted her head and grinned.
"Meow~ Okay, I'll bite. I'm here to investigate a man."
From within her kimono, she produced a photograph.
Koneko's pupils contracted.
"No. You can't. You must not investigate him!"
"Why not, meow?"
"If you value your life... don't go near him. Don't challenge him!"
Koneko's voice quivered with urgency.
"So tell me, White Yin. If you know the truth, just say it. Save me the trouble and risk."
Koneko bit her lip, glaring.
"Come on, what's his deal, hmm? Just tell your sister—meow~"
Kuroka hopped onto the podium, swinging her legs lazily, utterly unconcerned.
Her carefree demeanor only amplified her sister's anxiety.
Who was that man?
Why would approaching him mean death?
How could Koneko be so sure that even someone of Kuroka's caliber—possessing near Devil King-level power—would die?
Was he connected to that freakishly powerful entity, the Demon God Baal, who had recently nearly killed Vali?
All available intelligence suggested a link.
The man had first appeared in the nation where Solomon's royal tomb had encountered an anomaly. Word had spread that Solomon's Ring—the mysterious 727th Sacred Gear, known to contain fragments of the seventy-two pillar demons—had been stolen.
Solomon had once attempted to elevate the seventy-two pillar devils to godhood. The Ring was key.
Had someone used the Ring to forge Demon God Baal?
Was the man in the photo... him?
But that raised another question: if Kuroka had uncovered this much, surely the Church and Angelic factions knew too. So why had they remained silent?
Perhaps they already knew exactly who he was.
As the sisters argued, they were being watched.
Unseen by them, cloaked by subtle magic, two figures stood less than five meters away.
They couldn't move. Too risky. Any shift might expose them.
They had originally set a complete isolation barrier, but once Rias suppressed her aura, the barrier was lifted. Then came the surprise guests—forcing a swift, minimal concealment spell.
And now, they simply observed as Rias sprawled across someone nearby, inadvertently releasing an energy.
Rias, regaining composure, glanced mischievously at him—her lips curling into a sultry smile.
So even angels aren't immune to temptation, she mused.
His restraint had cracked.
Her allure had pierced it.
With a mischievous grin, she reached out to toy with him—her little revenge for being teased.
Chapter 184: Kuroka's Shocking Realization—No Escape
Kuroka chuckled as her younger sister pouted fiercely.
So stubborn. So tsundere. Yet so deeply concerned beneath the surface.
Her real reason for investigating?
She had claimed it was on Vali's behalf. But the true directive had come from Azazel.
Vali's "betrayal" was nothing but an act—crafted to help him infiltrate the Chaos Brigade more efficiently.
Though that act had nearly cost him his life when he dared to battle Demon God Baal directly.
Vali had always craved battles with the strong.
Now the investigation aimed to uncover Baal's origin, fearing it might signal a larger invasion from another world.
"White Yin, is he the same Demon God Baal that appeared a few days ago?"
Kuroka's voice was steady, probing.
Her sister didn't answer. Her expression was