Why weren't they hypnotized? Because Zeroy's blade was faster. The moment she sensed the man's intent to use his power, she interrupted him in advance.
Though Zeroy thought, with the level of power inside him, even if he had managed to use it, it couldn't have affected her or Patchouli anyway.
With the man's death, the hypnosis on the mother and daughter was lifted.
Their first sight upon regaining consciousness was a bloodstained room, and the headless corpse inside it.
The two immediately broke into terrified screams.
"Patchi."
"..."
A flash of magical radiance—and the mother and daughter's cries ceased, replaced with the sleep of infants.
So this man had already hypnotized them, yet still chose to play out a coercion scene?
That was fine.
If not, by the time Zeroy arrived, he probably would have already succeeded.
At the same time, a ball of light drifted from the man's corpse.
The instant it left its host, it tried to flee into the void, but Zeroy's quick hand caught it.
Pinched in her grasp, the light finally transformed into a ring.
[Longinus · Ring of Mind Enchantment]
So it was a Longinus after all.
"Emmm... though why would the God of the Bible make something like this?"
No sooner had Zeroy voiced the question than she fell silent.
Right, her thoughts had been derailed by what had just happened.
Though not particularly powerful, the Longinus was highly functional. The way the man had used it was a total waste.
With the ability to easily hypnotize others, such power could accomplish many things.
"So this is a Longinus?"
Patchouli leaned in curiously.
"Mm. Longinuss are extraordinary powers housed within chosen humans—"
Most were artifacts created by the God of the Bible, forces beyond ordinary measure residing in select humans.
Nonetheless, the functions of most Longinuses could at best influence the human world.
Like the one Zeroy now held.
Yet for every weak one, there were powerful ones, capable of threatening devils, fallen angels, even gods.
"Normally, you can't seize a Longinus just by killing its host. You need a special ritual or method."
It wasn't that Zeroy had a good memory, it was simply that the original storyline had devoted significant space to this detail.
If Longinuses could be stolen by simple murder, the fallen angels in the story would have killed one of the heroines outright, rather than going through the trouble of kidnapping her.
"But it seems this isn't something we need to worry about."
The Main God must have given Reincarnators a special buff to let them kill and seize Longinuses.
"Let's clean up here and move on."
...
The soft golden glow of dusk streamed through the tall Gothic windows of the Occult Research Club, draping the old oak floors in mottled light.
Bookshelves brimmed with yellowed grimoires, the air carried faint mana fluctuations, and crystal lamps in the corners shed a dim violet glow, underscoring the room's quiet mystery.
Standing at the center was Akeno Himejima. Her long black ponytail shimmered like silk in the setting sun. Graceful and tall, her uniform outlined a perfect figure, and her eyes carried an uncharacteristic weight.
Hands folded before her, her tone was calm and solemn: "I just received a message from the Duke."
"Oh? The Duke?"
Rias Gremory lounged against a carved armchair, her fiery crimson hair spilling like flames, reflecting the sunlight in dazzling brilliance. Her curves were flawless, her uniform skirt parted slightly to reveal long legs, radiating an innate nobility and allure.
As the president of the Occult Research Club, she bore another hidden role: heir to the noble House of Gremory in the Underworld.
And before her stood her servant, Akeno Himejima.
Rias arched a brow, blue eyes glinting with curiosity. "What does the Duke want with us?"
Akeno's dark gaze was tinged with gravity. "It seems a stray devil has entered this town."
"A stray devil..." Rias's azure eyes narrowed, a cold gleam flashing.
She straightened slowly, tapping slender fingers against the armrest in a steady rhythm. "Are we certain? A simple runaway, or..."
"Just an ordinary stray."
"I see..."
Stray devils were once servants of devils, like the bond between Rias and Akeno.
However, a stray devil was a servant who betrayed its master—striking them down, harming them, or acting against their will. Many turned stray for indulging in wanton slaughter of humans against their master's orders.
Angels and devils had long since agreed to protect humanity, for it was in both their interests.
Harming humans at will was forbidden.
Yet strays abandoned themselves to desire, enslaved by it, seeking only the thrill of butchering humans.
And this town, Kuoh, was Rias's territory.
She would not allow anyone to harm its people or disturb its order.
It was her duty to protect it.
"Then let tonight's mission be the extermination of this stray devil."
"Understood."
Akeno lowered her eyes, accepting the command.
"Though one more thing. Recently, in Europe, there's been talk of a mysterious blonde killer. Has the president heard of this?"
"This is the first I've heard."
Rias didn't care much—Europe was far away.
And just a blonde murderer? That was hardly her concern.
Albeit since Akeno raised it, it must mean it wasn't so simple. So she held her patience to listen.
"About ten days ago, a blonde killer appeared. Her methods are brutally cruel, and she quickly became infamous. The murder scenes she leaves are always drenched in gore. Victims are often dismembered, decapitated, even torn completely apart."
"..."
Rias's eyes narrowed again.
A dangerous lunatic...
"And she always leaves notes behind—things like [Pests, deserve death] or [Sinners, executed]."
"Eh... Were all the victims criminals?"
Rias blinked, guessing. If that were the case, then it wasn't really a problem. Not a dangerous lunatic at all.
"That, I don't know."
Akeno shook her head.
"Although higher-level devils have already fallen to her hand. Not just devils—fallen angels, priests, Longinus wielders—various races and identities, all butchered gruesomely. And even their souls mysteriously vanished."
"..."
"According to reports, the blonde killer has come to Japan. Judging by the locations of the killings, she's headed our way. And at her speed, she must already be close."
"...Why are we only learning this when she's already at our doorstep?"
...
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