Xenovia, Koneko, Rias, Akeno, and Kaito materialized on the street, surrounded by the oppressive silence of the night. The dim streetlights illuminated the scene, revealing Irina and Kiba, lying on the ground and severely wounded, under the care of Rias's familiar. Xenovia immediately ran to Irina, while Rias, accompanied by Koneko and Akeno, went over to Kiba.
"Rias, they're still breathing," Akeno said, her voice soft but tense, as she examined Kiba.
Rias, kneeling beside her Knight, looked at Kiba's battered face, anger rising within her.
"Whoever did this will pay."
Kaito, on the other hand, approached slowly, his eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. His expression was serious and calculated, aware that the true enemy was still nearby.
A sound echoed through the street, and suddenly, Freed Sellzen appeared, stepping out of the shadows with his manic grin and eyes full of madness.
"Well, well! Look who showed up for the party!" Freed sneered, raising his holy sword, the cold gleam of the blade reflecting the light from the streetlamps.
"This time, I'm going to end you," Kaito said, his voice low but filled with determination as his eyes locked onto Freed.
Freed just laughed loudly, shaking his head as if amused by Kaito's threat. "Oh, this is going to be fun! Let's see if you really have what it takes to defeat me this time, little Devil!" He then pointed to the sky, and the tension in the air heightened.
"Kaito, look!" Akeno shouted, pointing upwards.
Kokabiel appeared, hovering above them with his massive black wings spread wide, an aura of power emanating from his body. His arrogant gaze fell upon Rias and her group.
"Welcome, Gremory. Thank you for joining this little gathering," Kokabiel said with a wicked smile, his voice dripping with disdain.
Rias, still kneeling beside Kiba, felt her blood boil. "Kokabiel... you did this to Kiba! I won't forgive you for hurting them!"
Kokabiel shrugged as if he didn't care about her rage. "They are merely pawns in the game, Gremory. And you? What are you going to do about it?"
Kaito took a step forward, his eyes moving from Freed to Kokabiel.
"Rias, take care of Freed. I'll handle the fallen angel," he said, his voice cold and steady.
"You're going to take care of me?" Kokabiel laughed, flapping his wings as his overwhelming presence seemed to dominate the environment. "Don't be foolish, Devil. I'm one of the leaders of the Grigori. You don't have the power to defeat me!"
Kaito, without responding, simply ignored him, closing his eyes for a brief moment. When he reopened them, his translucent fairy wings manifested on his back, and his body began to glow with an ethereal light mixed with demonic magic.
"Let's see who can't be defeated," Kaito murmured as his wings beat gently, lifting him off the ground.
Kokabiel just smirked maliciously. He slowly raised his hand, and a spear of light formed in his palm, shining intensely with celestial power.
"Oh, little Devil... Let's see how much you can handle," Kokabiel said, hurling the spear at Kaito with devastating force.
Kaito, realizing the spear was about to hit his friends, knew he couldn't dodge.
He transformed the ring on his finger into the Vendetta shield and positioned himself firmly in the path of the attack.
The spear of light collided with Kaito's shield.
CLANG!
The impact was overwhelming. Kaito was pushed back by the force of the explosion, his feet dragging across the ground, but the shield held up.
"Impressive, Devil. You actually withstood my attack?" Kokabiel said.
"I'm not here for your compliments, Kokabiel," Kaito retorted, holding the shield steady. "I'm here to end you."
Kokabiel laughed darkly, descending a bit closer to the group.
"So, how about an opportunity? Tomorrow night, right here, with everything you have. I'll give you a whole day to prepare."
Kaito opened his mouth to refuse the challenge, but before he could speak, Rias intervened.
"We'll accept!" Rias said, her voice firm.
Kaito looked at her in surprise, clearly not expecting that response. "Rias, why—"
"We need time to prepare, Kaito," Rias replied, her eyes determined. "And this is the perfect moment."
Kokabiel smiled, pleased with Rias's decision. "See you tomorrow, then," he said, disappearing as he had arrived, with Freed laughing madly as he followed.
As Kokabiel and Freed vanished, Kaito approached Rias, who was next to Kiba, visibly concerned about the situation.
"Kaito," Akeno said, interrupting the moment. "The real reason we're fighting tomorrow is so we can prepare a strong enough barrier. We can't risk this battle affecting humans."
Kaito sighed, knowing Akeno was right. "You're right, Akeno. Tomorrow, we'll prepare everything. I'll take care of Kokabiel."
Kaito then deactivated his fairy transformation, and with a gentle gesture, teleported away from the battlefield.
"Thank you, Akeno," Rias said, with a slight smile of gratitude.
Akeno simply nodded in response, satisfied with the outcome.
"Xenovia," Rias said, turning to the exorcist. "Take Irina to my house. We'll help treat her."
Xenovia, initially reluctant to accept the help of Devils, looked at Irina's condition and, realizing there was no choice, agreed with a nod.
With a magic circle beneath their feet, Rias, Akeno, Koneko, Kiba, Xenovia, and Irina teleported to the Gremory mansion, leaving the battlefield empty.
...
Kaito materialized in his room, the magic circle disappearing beneath his feet as he let out a weary sigh. He went downstairs intending to rest a bit but was surprised by the scene he found in the living room.
Thalia and Kuroka were sitting together on the couch, watching TV and chatting as if they were old friends.
'This is... unexpected,' Kaito thought, surprised to see them in such a casual situation. He walked over to the couch, curious to see how the two were getting along.
"You two seem pretty comfortable," Kaito said, approaching slowly, an eyebrow raised in amusement.
Thalia shrugged without taking her eyes off the TV. "Kuroka and I were just getting to know each other better."
Kuroka smiled mischievously, flicking her feline tail behind her. "Hehe, don't worry, Kaito. We're getting along just fine, nya~."
Kaito shook his head, trying to suppress a laugh. "As long as you don't destroy the house, it's fine."
He plopped down on the couch beside them, watching the TV program, but his mind was still focused on the battle that awaited him the next day.
"Thalia," Kaito said, turning to her.
Thalia turned, curious. "What is it?"
"Tomorrow, I need you to fight against an exorcist," Kaito said.
"Of course, Kaito. I was needing some action anyway," Thalia replied with a confident smile, eager for the fight.
Kaito then turned to Kuroka, watching her closely as he pondered the possibility of pressing her to join his Peerage.
'Should I press Kuroka?' he wondered. 'If I ask directly, how will she react?'
Kuroka noticed Kaito's gaze fixed on her, and a mischievous smile appeared on her lips.
"What's up, Kaito? Lost in my beauty, nya? Are you interested in playing with your kitty?"
Kaito took a deep breath, the light sound of his breath echoing through the room.
"How strong do I have to be?" he asked, his voice serious and direct.
Kuroka, momentarily confused, raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"
"How strong do I have to be for you to join my Peerage?" he clarified, his gaze locked onto hers, maintaining his posture.
Kuroka blinked a few times, surprised by the question, but soon a cunning smile formed on her face.
"Oh, Kaito, you really want me to join your Peerage, huh? Let's see if you can impress me, nya."
Kaito sighed, regretting having entered that conversation, while Thalia let out a low laugh, clearly amused by the situation.
"I'm serious, Kuroka," Kaito said, straightening up on the couch, his eyes fixed on hers. "I've already killed a god, and tomorrow I'm going to fight one of the strongest fallen angels. I'm sure I don't lose to you. So, answer me: how strong do I need to be?"
Kuroka's teasing smile faded for a brief moment, and she looked at Kaito with unexpected seriousness.
"I'm a wanted fugitive, Kaito. Rank SS. Having me in your Peerage will only cause trouble for you," Kuroka said, her voice lower but full of weight. "How strong do you need to be? At least the strength of Sirzechs Lucifer."
Her words echoed through the room, creating a heavier atmosphere. Thalia, who had been relaxed until then, fell silent, sensing the gravity of the situation.
Kaito observed her for a few seconds before responding, absorbing what he had just heard. He knew Kuroka wasn't exaggerating. Having someone as wanted as Kuroka would have serious implications.
"I understand," Kaito said, crossing his arms and letting the information sink in. "However, that won't stop me, and reaching Sirzechs's level is a challenge I'm willing to face."
Thalia watched everything in silence, respecting the exchange between the two but clearly intrigued by the relationship between Kaito and Kuroka.
Kuroka chuckled softly, flicking her tail playfully. "I'll be waiting, nya."
With that, the atmosphere in the room calmed down, but the tension between Kaito and Kuroka remained, now covered by a layer of mutual respect.
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