Days later, Hermes returned to the Hall of Olympus. He entered hastily, his eyes reflecting a certain tension as he approached Zeus's throne.
"Father, I investigated as you ordered, but... I found no conclusive evidence. None of the gods show any signs of guilt. It seems we're dealing with something far more complex than we expected."
Zeus's face darkened, his eyes sparking with fury. "You found nothing, Hermes?! Nothing?" His voice reverberated through the hall, causing the walls to tremble.
"Unfortunately, father, no concrete evidence was discovered. I suggest we continue the investigation and try other approaches. Perhaps we should look in another direction... maybe toward Thalia, as Hera mentioned," Hermes suggested.
Zeus took a deep breath, his anger clearly present in his expression.
"Thalia..." he muttered. "Hermes, do whatever is necessary. Investigate my daughter, find anything that might connect her to this incident. But be clear, I don't want premature accusations. Just bring me information."
"Yes, father. I will do as you command." Hermes quickly departed, leaving the hall in an uncomfortable silence.
Zeus watched Hermes leave, his mind swirling with Hera's words. He was seriously considering what his wife had said about Thalia. The thought that one of his own creations might be involved left him uneasy.
Later, Zeus returned to his quarters. The weight of fatigue bore down on his shoulders as he pushed the doors open. Upon entering, he found Hera seated in a chair, a smug look on her face.
"Hera." Zeus closed the door behind him, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "Don't look at me like that."
Hera crossed her arms, keeping a firm gaze on Zeus. "Like what? I'm just waiting for you to finally accept the obvious, my dear husband. Maybe your daughter isn't as innocent as you think."
Zeus shook his head, frowning. "There's still no proof, Hera. I won't condemn her without certainty."
Hera gave a slight smile, rising. "We'll see, Zeus. We'll see." She left the room, leaving Zeus alone, lost in thought.
Zeus took a deep breath, gazing out at the horizon through the window. The burden of being the king of the gods seemed heavier than ever at that moment. 'Thalia... why did it have to be you?'
...
At the Hyoudou residence, Thalia was sitting on the couch when her phone vibrated.
Vrrr, vrrr
She picked up the device and saw it was a message from Emily, a witch friend from the city of Nightshade.
Emily: "There's a man here asking about you. I don't know who he is, but he's definitely not human."
Thalia read the message, feeling a chill run down her spine. She quickly replied with thanks.
Thalia: "Thank you, Emily. I'll stay alert."
At that moment, Kaito was coming down the stairs. Thalia was focused on her phone, while Kuroka and Xenovia were talking in another corner of the room.
"Kaito, we need to talk." Thalia called, her voice laden with evident concern.
Kaito stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking at her with curiosity. "What's wrong, Thalia?"
Thalia showed him Emily's message, her face serious. "It seems someone is looking for me. Someone who isn't human."
Kaito frowned as he read the message.
'Probably a Greek god. But who? Could it be they've already discovered Thalia? If so, it's only a matter of time before they find me too.'
Kaito sighed, clearly uncertain what to do. He knew that, eventually, the Greek gods would discover Thalia and, next, come after him. The situation was becoming increasingly complicated.
Kuroka, who had overheard part of the conversation, approached, her tail swaying slightly. "Nya, maybe we should consider seeking the Chaos Brigade. They might offer some protection. Plus, we could try talking to Ophis."
Kaito looked at Kuroka, contemplating the suggestion. The idea of involving the Chaos Brigade was far from comforting, but he knew they didn't have many options. The mention of Ophis piqued his interest.
Kaito nodded, making a decision. "I'll go with you, Kuroka. Let's talk to Ophis."
....
At the Occult Research Club, Rias and Akeno awaited Grayfia's arrival. The room was silent, only the sound of wind outside filling the space as the two talked.
"Shouldn't we call Kaito to join us?" Akeno suggested, her gaze fixed on Rias, who seemed deep in thought.
Before Rias could respond, her phone vibrated.
Vrrr, vrrr
Rias looked at the screen, surprised to see it was a message from Kaito.
Kaito: "I had to travel again and won't be able to speak with you."
Rias frowned, clearly surprised and irritated. "Kaito... now of all times?" she muttered to herself, feeling frustrated.
"The second time he's traveled without prior notice." Rias complained, looking at Akeno. "It seems he always has something more important."
Akeno merely smiled gently, trying to calm Rias. "He must have his reasons. But I understand your frustration."
Before they could continue the conversation, a magic circle appeared on the floor, the Gremory family crest shining brightly.
Grayfia materialized at the center of the circle, her posture as imposing and calm as ever. "Rias-sama, Akeno. I hope I'm not late."
Rias took a deep breath, ending the conversation about Kaito, as she turned to Grayfia. "No, Grayfia. You arrived at the right time."
.....
Kaito, Kuroka, Thalia, and Xenovia materialized in a forest in Japan, one of the Chaos Brigade's hideouts. The forest was dense, and only the sound of leaves in the wind and the occasional bird song broke the silence.
Kuroka pointed to a secluded house, partially covered by vegetation. "She stays there alone. Remember, don't speak too loudly and show her respect, nya."
They began to walk through the forest towards the house, their steps silent as they approached the place.
When they reached the door, Kaito tried to sense Ophis's magic level. He closed his eyes, focusing, but what he felt was overwhelming, a presence so vast it seemed infinite.
Kaito fell to his knees on the ground, his face pale.
THUD!
"Kaito!" Thalia exclaimed, running to him, her face showing clear concern.
"Are you okay? What happened?"
Xenovia, although more restrained, was visibly worried, staying close to Kaito.
"Kaito-sama, can you stand?"
Kuroka was puzzled, her gaze shifting between Kaito and the house. "Nya, what happened to him?"
Kaito felt as if he were in the presence of a colossal force, an invisible giant whose mere presence was enough to crush him. It was as if he were facing something too vast to comprehend, an entity that made even the gods seem insignificant. He was an ant, and the house harbored an overwhelming presence, a being whose magnitude could not be measured.
Kaito took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "Her... magic is immense. I've never felt anything like this before." He struggled to stand, with the help of Thalia and Xenovia.
Kuroka watched with a mix of concern and surprise. "I told you not to underestimate Ophis. She's the Infinite Dragon God, nya."
Kaito took a few more deep breaths, trying to steady himself.
Kuroka approached the house's door and opened it slowly, the creaking echoing through the forest. "Let's go in. She usually stays isolated in the last room to the right. She's expecting you, so just follow my instructions, nya."
Kaito looked in the direction Kuroka indicated and sighed. He began to walk carefully toward the designated room, his steps cautious as he approached.
Before Kaito could reach the door, it opened by itself, revealing Ophis. She stepped out of the room, and Kaito saw her for the first time. She was a beautiful young girl with long black hair down to her hips and equally black eyes. Her ears were pointed, but her long hair made this feature hard to notice. Her deep black eyes had slit pupils like those of a reptile.
Kaito held his breath upon seeing Ophis. Despite her childlike and harmless appearance, he felt the overwhelming power emanating from her, as if he were standing before something beyond comprehension.
"Finally, you've come." Ophis's voice was soft and emotionless, her eyes fixed on Kaito.
"I... apologize for the delay." Kaito said, his voice carrying hesitation. He lowered his head in respect, feeling the weight of Ophis's presence. "I needed to prepare myself before coming here."
"It doesn't matter." Ophis replied in a straightforward manner, her expression remaining unchanged. "You have power. And maybe you can help me."
"Help? How could I help you?" Kaito asked, looking up and observing Ophis with curiosity.
"I want to overthrow the Baka Red," Ophis said clearly and bluntly. "I want my home back. The Dimensional Gap belongs to me. The Great Red took my place, and I want it returned."
Kaito frowned, absorbing Ophis's words. "The Great Red... Dimensional Gap?"
"The Dimensional Gap is the place of silence, a space between dimensions. It's my original home, but the Great Red, the Dragon of Chaos, took it from me. He and I have equivalent power, and he occupies my place with no intention of leaving. The Great Red is an entity as powerful as I am, and that place should be my refuge. I want you to remove him from there, so I can return."
Kaito felt a chill run through his body upon hearing this. Fighting someone with the same level of power as Ophis... the idea seemed absurd. Ophis's presence alone was overwhelming enough to bring him to his knees, and now she wanted him to face another being just as powerful as her?
'I should have thought better before joining the Chaos Brigade. This isn't just dangerous; it's practically suicide. Maybe I should have planned a different approach, something less direct... but now I'm involved up to my neck.'