[Kiba Side]
Descending further, we reached another open space—the second of the castle's four underground levels.
Waiting for us were—
"They're here, as master predicted," one said.
"The famed Gremory clan," another added.
"They'll be good prey for our enhanced selves."
Clearly stronger than the soldiers above, they wore casual clothes but exuded intense pressure. Fewer in number, but—
"Direct subordinates of the coup leaders. Not purebloods, but heavily endowed with vampire traits," Azazel muttered.
Stronger foes the deeper we go.
I conjured a holy-demonic sword. "I'll take the lead."
As the fastest here, excluding Azazel, I could disrupt them for the others to strike.
But—
"No, leave it to us!" Xenovia and Irina said, rushing past me.
They closed the gap, slashing with Durandal and a mass-produced holy-demonic sword.
"Damn, holy swords!" a vampire hissed, turning to mist to dodge the initial strike. But the duo unleashed holy waves from their blades.
"Tch!" Another vampire transformed into bats, narrowly escaping.
"Extend!" Xenovia morphed Durandal into a whip-like form, striking a vampire.
I was感動ed—Xenovia used technique, not just Durandal's raw power, tapping Excalibur's abilities!
"Yuto-senpai, why are you teary?" Gaspar asked.
"Don't mind me, happy tears," I replied.
But my expression hardened. The struck vampire was injured, but the holy sword's damage didn't spread.
Vampires, like devils, are weak to holy attacks. Even shallow cuts should erode them with holy power. Not here.
"They've gained resistance to holy power via the Grail," Azazel noted.
Xenovia and Irina exhaled. "Even a light swing of Durandal not affecting vampires? Annoying," Xenovia said.
"But we can win. Each hit adds up. The issue is time," Irina added.
We could defeat these enhanced vampires, but their holy resistance was a hassle. My holy-demonic sword would likely fare the same. In this confined space, flashy attacks were risky, so we'd need to chip away.
With time short and evil dragons likely below—Crow Cruach, Lilith, maybe Grendel due to Khaos Brigade's involvement—should we all engage to minimize fatigue?
As I weighed options, Koneko stepped forward. "Leave this to me."
Closing her eyes, she breathed deeply. "Something my sister taught me will help here."
A faint white light enveloped her small frame, syncing with her aura, radiating energy.
The light swelled, and when it faded, a woman in a white kimono stood—older-looking, with cat ears and a twin-tailed cat tail.
She spoke, "By gathering nearby natural energy and syncing it with my aura, I forcibly mature."
Koneko's voice.
This is Koneko?
Several of us—Asia, Xenovia—were stunned.
Rias explained, "It's a senjutsu technique to temporarily grow Koneko by absorbing external energy, letting her wield nekomata powers freely. She calls it Shirone Mode."
Forcibly matured via senjutsu, taught by her sister.
"Koneko-chan's chest got bigger," Asia noted.
"Yeah, as big as Kuroka's," Xenovia said.
"Issei-kun would love this!" Irina added.
Asia and Xenovia looked conflicted, staring at Shirone Mode Koneko. I agreed—Issei would be thrilled.
"Koneko-san… like that!?" Reivel, same year as Koneko, alternated glances between Koneko's chest and her own, shocked.
Don't worry, Reivel—Issei would find you cute too.
Miu patted her shoulder. "It's fine. Onii-chan thinks you're adorable. You'll grow too, and with Koneko, he'd be extra happy."
"Right! I'll grow bigger than Koneko! I'll drink milk daily!" Reivel declared, fired up.
Shirone Mode Koneko glided forward silently, raising her right hand to summon a large wheel engulfed in white flames.
"Fire Wheel, a nekomata ability," she said.
Fire Wheel—a yokai that guides the dead to the afterlife, another nekomata form. For vampires risen from the dead, it's a lethal strike. But would it work on Grail-enhanced ones?
Azazel mused, "The question is if it affects them."
Koneko summoned multiple Fire Wheels, launching them at the vampires. They spun rapidly, chasing their targets.
"No big deal!" a vampire sneered, dodging—only for the wheels to shift trajectories, relentlessly pursuing.
One hit a vampire, engulfing them in white flames.
"Argh!" They turned to ash, screaming.
The others were shocked. "Why!? The Grail made us immune to flames!"
Koneko replied coldly, "No matter your enhancements, it's futile. These flames burn the dead until nothing remains. Using senjutsu, I convert natural energy into purification power. It's not about weaknesses—it burns your very existence unless your core truth is rewritten."
Purification power. Koneko's training with her sister reached this level?
Azazel grunted. "Opposite of Saji's black flames, which curse negatively. These purify positively."
Purification could harm devils like us too.
Miu asked, "What about Ignis's flames?"
"Pure firepower. Insane enough to burn souls, but only a fraction of her true power. What even is she?" Azazel sighed.
Koneko's and Saji's flames are scary, but the otherworld goddess might be the true terror.
[Ignis at That Moment ☆]
"Achoo!" Ignis sneezed.
"Rare for you. Cold? Do you get colds?" I asked.
"Who knows? Maybe someone's calling me. My spotlight!" she chirped.
"Probably the ancestors. Their SM's wearing off, so they're getting rowdy," I said.
"Leave it to me! My ultimate whip will send them to heaven!" she boasted.
"They're already dead. Residual thoughts."
"Oh, right. One thing," she said.
"What?"
"I'm always panty-free ☆," she teased.
"I know."
The otherworld goddess was, as always, in top form.
[Ignis at That Moment ☆, End]
"Attack!" a vampire shouted, abandoning evasion to strike Koneko.
The moment his fist touched her, he turned to ash.
"I am purification itself. Touch me, and you vanish," Koneko said.
Her Fire Wheels systematically reduced each vampire to ash.
"Damn it!" the last one screamed, vanishing.
Koneko exhaled, fatigue visible. "Issei-senpai… I grew. Shame you can't see… but one day, I'll be your bride in this form—"
Her light faded, reverting to her small self, collapsing.
I caught her, hearing her soft snores.
"First real use. Drained her stamina. With practice, she'll last longer with less strain," Azazel analyzed.
Issei, Koneko's made huge strides.
"Good job, Koneko," Rias said, stroking her head.
Thanks to her, we cleared this quickly.
Carrying Koneko, we headed to the next level.
[Kiba Side Out]
"This passage leads to the castle's underground," Elmenhilde said, consulting a blueprint from the Tepes government.
We fought through coup soldiers, racing through the war-torn town to reach the hidden passage's entrance—originally an escape route, now ironically used by us. A blow to the government that we and Carmilla knew of it.
No time to dwell on that.
After listening to the battle's sounds, I said, "Elmenhilde, you're joining Carmilla's forces?"
"Yes, by Queen Carmilla's orders."
"Tia, go with her. You'll clear the outside forces quickly," I said.
"Sure, but what about Crow Cruach down there?" Tiamat asked.
True. The team's heading to the ritual chamber at the lowest level, passing multiple floors. Stronger foes are likely deeper, with Crow Cruach near the chamber. Lilith's possible too, but I'd rather not face an Ophis lookalike being used by Rizevim.
Still, we fight if we must.
Elmenhilde handed me the blueprint. "Take this. The passage should get you there, but just in case."
"Thanks. Alice, let's go."
"Got it. Time to join Miu-chan and the others."
We parted from them, heading down the passage.
[End]
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