" I'll be introducing them soon, Rias," Kaito said with a slight smile on his face.
"I'm sure they'll be happy to meet her."
"I'm looking forward to meeting your Queen, Kaito," Rias said with a curious smile on her lips.
Akeno, on the other hand, kept her characteristic smile, but there was something more behind her expression, as if she were processing the situation differently.
"I hope we can fight together one day."
Kaito then stood up, moving toward the door of the Occult Research Club. "Now, I have to go. I'll take care of a few things before introducing them formally."
"See you soon, Kaito," Rias replied, watching him leave. Akeno and Koneko exchanged quick glances, still reflecting on the conversation.
Kaito left the club, the sound of the door closing softly behind him.
...….
Thalia was sitting on Kaito's couch, holding the remote control in her hand, flipping through the TV channels with disinterest. The noise of the programs went unnoticed until a soft sound caught her attention.
Shh... shh...
She looked to the side and saw a sleek black cat sitting near the window, watching her with piercing eyes.
"What are you doing here?" Thalia murmured, leaning slightly to get a better look at the animal. She frowned, confused, as she didn't remember seeing the cat before.
The cat simply blinked slowly, as if it didn't care about her presence.
Thalia set the remote aside and stood up, walking toward the feline.
"Where did you come from, little one?"
Thalia crouched down, extending her hand to pet the black cat, but it took a small step back, keeping its eyes fixed on her. It seemed to study her with unusual attention. Thalia chuckled softly, amused by the cat's curious behavior.
Suddenly, Ddraig spoke in her mind.
'Thalia, that cat... it's not a normal animal. There's something more to this creature.'
Immediately, Thalia jumped back, startled by Ddraig's revelation. Lightning began to crackle in her hands as she assumed a defensive stance, her gaze locked on the cat.
"Who are you? What are you doing in Kaito's house?" Thalia exclaimed, her voice filled with suspicion as she kept her focus on the feline.
The black cat, instead of fleeing or being intimidated, remained in place, calmly watching her. Suddenly, the animal's body began to glow softly, and an unexpected transformation occurred.
Before Thalia's eyes, the cat transformed into a tall woman with long black hair, cat ears, and a tail. Her playful and teasing gaze was the first thing Thalia noticed.
"Hehe, calm down, warrior. I was just playing with you," the woman said with a mischievous smile on her lips.
"I'm Kuroka, nya."
"You still haven't told me what you're doing here," Thalia replied.
"Hehe, calm down, warrior. I was just messing with you," Kuroka responded.
"I heard Kaito was back, so I came to check on him, nya."
Thalia raised an eyebrow, still suspicious. "You know Kaito?"
Kuroka laughed softly, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Yes, I do, nya. We have an interesting past, let's say. But what about you, warrior? It seems like there's something special between you and him, right?"
"I'm his Queen. And you, what is your relationship with him?" Thalia asked.
"I was his first," Kuroka said with a malicious smile, leaving the words hanging suggestively.
Thalia narrowed her eyes, sensing the insinuating tone of Kuroka's statement. Lightning still crackled in her hands, but she remained firm, not wanting to fall for the cat-woman's easy provocations.
"First in what way?"
Before Kuroka could respond, the door to the house slowly opened, and Kaito entered with a calm expression, but visibly surprised to see Kuroka there.
"Kuroka?" Kaito said, raising an eyebrow as he closed the door behind him. He approached slowly, his eyes shifting between Thalia and Kuroka, sensing the tension in the air.
"What are you doing here?"
Kuroka grinned widely, moving gracefully toward Kaito as if the previous tension hadn't existed.
"Oh, Kaito, dear, I was just having fun with your Queen. You know how I am, right, nya?"
"Do I?" Kaito replied with a slightly ironic smile. "I have trouble understanding human women, let alone a Nekoshou. Thalia, this is Kuroka. I invited her to my Peerage before I met you, but she refused."
"It's just that I'm a hard-to-get kitty, nya," Kuroka replied with a provocative smile, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
Thalia, with her arms crossed and a skeptical expression, looked Kuroka up and down, assessing her carefully. Her eyes analyzed the Nekoshou's provocative attire, but she showed no sign of intimidation.
"I find that hard to believe."
Kuroka laughed softly, her feline tail swaying slightly behind her, clearly enjoying the situation.
"You'll find that not everything is as it seems, Thalia. We still have a lot to learn about each other, nya."
Thalia narrowed her eyes, still suspicious, but remained calm. "As long as you don't cause any trouble, I don't see why we can't get along."
Kaito, watching the interaction, remained silent for a few moments, pondering how these two strong personalities would get along.
"Let's keep things calm, please," Kaito said, breaking the silence. "I don't want any trouble right now."
Kuroka just winked at Kaito, as if already planning her next provocation, while Thalia took a deep breath, determined not to fall for the Nekoshou's easy taunts.
Kaito looked at the two, clearly sensing the tension in the air but not delving further into the matter. He began to head upstairs toward his room but paused halfway up.
"You two, try not to destroy the house," he said with a half-playful smile. "And Kuroka, the invitation to join my Peerage still stands."
Without waiting for a response, Kaito continued up the stairs, leaving Kuroka and Thalia alone in the living room. The soft sound of his footsteps echoed through the house as the two women exchanged glances.
...…
At night, Kaito was lying in his room, reflecting on recent events. The battle against Ares, the divine energy he had absorbed, and the tense relationship between Thalia and Kuroka.
Suddenly, his hand began to glow softly, indicating a magical communication. A hologram of Rias materialized in his palm, her voice echoing urgently.
"Kaito, can you come to my mansion? I need your help."
Kaito stood up slowly, recognizing the seriousness in Rias's tone.
"Is it urgent?" he asked, already preparing to leave.
"Yes, it's important. Can we meet there?"
"I'm on my way," Kaito responded, ending the communication and focusing his magic. A magic circle glowed beneath his feet, and within seconds, he disappeared from his room, leaving only the silence of the night behind.
...…
Kaito materialized in the center of Rias's mansion, the magic circle fading beneath his feet as he observed the surroundings. Rias, Koneko, Akeno, and Xenovia were present, each with serious and tense expressions, clearly involved in an urgent situation.
"Kaito, you're finally here," Rias said, her expression still tense.
"We have a big problem on our hands."
Kaito surveyed the room, noticing the seriousness in everyone's posture. He approached Rias, waiting for the explanation.
"What happened, Rias?"
"Freed Sellzen is back, Kaito. He was recently spotted, and now he's allied with Kokabiel." Rias replied.
Just the mention of Freed made Kaito's blood boil.
"Freed Sellzen... that bastard finally came back," Kaito muttered, clenching his fists in anger.
Xenovia, who was standing beside Rias, stepped forward, her expression marked by frustration and guilt.
"I was careless," Xenovia admitted, her voice filled with regret. "Kokabiel distracted me, and that's how he managed to kidnap Irina. She tried to fight, but... we couldn't stop them in time."
The room fell silent for a moment as everyone processed the gravity of the situation. Koneko, standing beside Akeno, remained quiet, observing everything with her serious and calculating eyes.
"I'll help deal with this," Kaito said. "Freed won't escape this time."
"Thank you, Kaito. Your help will be crucial in this situation," Rias said.
Kaito just nodded.
Rias abruptly interrupted the conversation, her expression becoming even more serious.
"My familiar just sent me a message," Rias said, activating communication magic in her hand. The hologram of a winged creature appeared, transmitting the vision it had captured.
The image showed Irina and Kiba lying unconscious on the ground in a dark alley. Both appeared gravely injured, their clothes torn and stained with blood.
"Irina..." Xenovia murmured, clenching her fists, visibly worried.
Rias, wasting no time, looked directly at Kaito, her eyes glowing with urgency.
"We need to rescue them, Kaito. We can't leave them at the mercy of Freed and Kokabiel."
Kaito, already mentally preparing for the mission, simply nodded, his expression firm and determined.
"Let's go now. We can't waste any more time."
Rias made a quick gesture with her hand, and a magic circle appeared beneath everyone's feet. In an instant, they were transported directly to the location where Irina and Kiba were.
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