Kuroka couldn't understand why the Yoru that Vali had described as barely reaching Maou-class strength had suddenly become so powerful—powerful enough that she couldn't even resist.
She couldn't figure out the reason, but she knew one thing for certain: her plan to take her sister away was now practically impossible. In fact, whether she and her companions could even escape safely was now uncertain.
"Kuroka, prepare to retreat! This guy isn't easy to deal with!"
Just as doubt filled her mind, Bikou's voice came from the other side.
Catching the iron staff that Bikou swung toward him with one hand, Yoru saw Kuroka turn to run—only for him to slam his sword into the ground. In an instant, a series of ice walls erupted upward, sealing off her escape route.
"Leave… Did you get my permission first?"
"Damn it! I'll fight you to the death, nya!"
With her retreat fully cut off, Kuroka turned back in frustration and charged at Yoru again.
"Too noisy. Cats are much cuter when they're quiet."
Raising an eyebrow, clearly finding this little game no longer amusing, Yoru released Frostmourne from the ground and then raised his hand toward the sky.
Kuroka's expression froze—literally. She realized she could no longer control her body. The flow of her blood had slowed, and it was gradually starting to congeal.
This was the first time Yoru had directly applied his power inside a person's body, directly manipulating their blood. The results were impressive.
Of course, the main reason for this success was that Yoru's power far outclassed hers—otherwise, it wouldn't have been so effective.
"Kuroka! What's wrong with you?!"
Seeing his companion suddenly freeze in place, Bikou shouted in confusion. He tried to yank his staff back, but the force holding it was far beyond what he'd expected.
"For Koneko's sake, I can let you two go… but Kuroka stays."
Not even looking at Bikou behind him, Yoru spoke as if stating an obvious fact.
"Forget it—we're not abandoning our comrade!"
It was Arthur who spoke, struggling to his feet. The man known as the strongest Holy Sword user on Earth was in a miserable state—half his body coated in frost, even his eyebrows turned snow-white.
"How touching. But do you really think you're in any position to bargain with me right now?"
With a firm grip on the staff, Yoru swung Bikou up into the air and smashed him to the side, then stepped forward and seized the immobilized catgirl in front of him.
"Don't move. And don't even think about trying to break free from this state. If something happens, I can't guarantee your safety."
Kuroka's defiant expression showed she was trying to force her stiffening body to move again, but Yoru gave her a friendly reminder.
This wasn't a simple binding or magic spell that was holding her still—it was the overwhelming force of Yoru's power freezing every drop of blood in her body. If she tried to struggle, the frozen blood would pierce through her from the inside, killing her instantly.
"What… what did you do to my body?!"
"Nothing much. I just froze all the blood in your body, that's all."
Yoru replied casually, a faint smile on his face as he watched her disbelieving expression.
"So… you'd better stay still. If the frozen blood pierces through you, not even I can save you."
Hearing this and imagining the horrific outcome he described, Kuroka shivered involuntarily, looking like a frightened kitten—her timid demeanor strangely adorable.
Meanwhile, Bikou, who had been flung away, barely managed to right himself in midair before crashing into Arthur, sending the two battered men tumbling together again.
"Don't get me wrong—I don't care whether you leave or not. But if you want to live, go now. Once the Underworld's army and the Maou arrive, no one will be able to save you."
At Yoru's cold words, Arthur and Bikou exchanged bitter smiles before struggling to their feet.
"Go! Don't worry about me—he won't dare do anything to me!"
Seeing their hesitation, Kuroka spoke up.
"But—"
"Relax. No matter what, she's Koneko's sister."
Yoru's words seemed to decide things. Bikou reluctantly summoned his Somersault Cloud and left the forest with Arthur.
"Yoru, are you alright?!"
Not long after Bikou and Arthur fled, Rias's concerned voice called from behind. With a loud crack, the barrier Kuroka had set up shattered.
"We've found the young soldier."
The speaker was the demonic dragon Saint Tannin, who landed before Yoru with Rias and her group on his back.
"I'm fine. You guys got here quickly."
Turning to greet Rias, Yoru saw that not only she and Sona had come, but also two Maou—Sirzechs and Serafall.
"You're okay, Yoru? Rias told me this is Koneko's sister? Did the Khaos Brigade try to launch an attack?"
"It's nothing. They are indeed from the Khaos Brigade, but it seems this was just some foolish big sister's stunt to see her little sister."
"What are you saying, you brat?!"
Hearing herself described like that, Kuroka tried to bare her fangs at him—but since her body hadn't fully thawed, even moving was a stiff, difficult effort.
"I told you not to move. Didn't you understand me?"
Yoru shot her a sideways glance, then flicked his finger against her forehead.
"Nya-ow!"
She cried out pitifully, watery-eyed, though she couldn't even lift her hands to hold her aching head.
"So… this is Koneko's sister?!"
Rias looked at Kuroka in surprise.
"That's right. The highest-level wanted 'Stray' devil—Kuroka of House Toujou."
It was Sirzechs who spoke, stepping down from Saint Tannin's back to face her.
"Hmph. To be worth so much of the Maou's attention—what an honor. Since I've fallen into your hands, I'll let you deal with me however you want."
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