Chapter 183: Kuroka's Inescapable Shock!
Seeing her younger sister's puffed-up angry expression, the older sister Kuroka smiled even more happily.
Her sister was still the same - saying one thing but meaning another, actually quite worried about her older sister deep down.
As for why Kuroka was investigating—on the surface, it seemed like she was investigating on behalf of Vali, but in truth, this was something Azazel had instructed Vali to do.
Outwardly, it looked as though Vali had betrayed Azazel, but in reality, it was all just an act—meant to help Vali infiltrate the Khaos Brigade more easily.
It's just that, during this act, Vali nearly lost his life for real.
This guy truly yearned to face strong opponents, directly confronting the abnormal Bael and nearly dying in the process.
Investigating this abnormal Bael was also driven by concern over potential schemes, worrying it might be connected to otherworldly invasions.
"Shirone, is he the abnormal Satan Bael who appeared a few days ago?"
Kuroka continued asking, but the younger sister before her remained silent, gazing back expressionlessly.
So, she curved her seductive lips.
"Mhm, yes~"
She replied with a light laugh.
No matter how calm she appeared, Kuroka still detected a faint trace of unease.
"Is King Solomon's ring in his possession?"
The questioning continued, yet the younger sister remained placid, showing no reaction.
"Ah, it really is with him, meow~"
Kuroka couldn't help but gasp in surprise, and finally, her sister's expression shifted—her gaze turning sharply intense.
"Boom—!"
The lectern Kuroka had been sitting on moments earlier instantly shattered, blasted apart by her younger sister.
This was Shirone's way of preventing further detection of her emotions, so she resorted to direct action.
The next second, another pounce came, resulting in Shirone throwing herself into her embrace like a spoiled child.
"L-Let go!!!"
"No way, meow~ It's been so long since I hugged Shirone~"
She tightened her embrace around Shirone, burying her head against her chest.
Of course, this wasn't actually her younger sister acting spoiled and wanting a hug—she had used a spell in that instant to immobilize Shirone, making it difficult for her to move.
"Shirone, you know what?...."
After that, Kuroka didn't probe for information but instead chatted idly with her sister.
Finally—
"Hey, Shirone, how about coming with your sister?"
These sudden words made Koneko tremble.
"N-No!"
This time, she showed a shaken expression because she knew that if her sister made such a decision, she, powerless to resist her sister now, would be forcibly taken away.
She didn't want to be separated from the President and Akeno-senpai like this.
If it were before, she might have agreed to go, because the President and the others were no match for her sister, and she worried that her sister might harm them.
"Why not? What use is staying by their side? The world is about to become even more chaotic, and they will undoubtedly be at the forefront. Don't you think you'll just hold them back, Koneko?"
Kuroka's words made her sister's body stiffen.
"Don't you want to control the power that belongs to you? Your sister is so strong now, meow, all because I've mastered it. If you come with me, I'll teach you how to use it, meow~"
She continued to tempt her sister like this.
In the past, Kuroka never intended for her sister to face that power, nor did she have any plans to take her sister away.
She was different from her sister—she was a wild cat, fond of freedom.
As for her sister, she was the kind of cat suited to being kept as a pet, so being adopted by the Gremory family would ensure a stable, normal life, and she would feel at ease.
But now, things were different. Not only were there internal issues in this world, but there were also external invasions. The Gremory family would inevitably be drawn into this turmoil.
Once war broke out, they would surely be on the front lines, so she wanted to take Shirone away.
"So? Shirone, as you are now, you'll only hold others back, you know~"
"I..."
Koneko bit her lip, her eyes filled with frustration.
But the truth was just as her sister said—she had always felt that her power was the weakest among the President's servants, the least helpful.
Someone as weak as her might end up burdening her master in the future.
"I... I'll go..."
"That won't do, Koneko~"
A gentle voice interrupted Koneko's words, startling Kuroka slightly.
Looking to the other side of the room, the air shimmered, and two figures appeared.
One was the princess of the Gremory family, and the other was the man she had been trying to gather information on.
They were actually inside here, and she hadn't noticed at all—proof that the other party possessed concealment spells far superior to her own.
She didn't think the Gremory family's princess could pull this off; it must have been this man. She could sense the magical fluctuations retracting into him and vanishing as the spell was dispelled.
"Give Koneko back to me, Kuroka!!!"
"Give it back? Hehe, if you have the ability, then take her back, nya~"
The moment the words fell, the space in Kuroka's vision distorted—she was using a spatial technique to immediately teleport herself and her sister.
In the blink of an eye, the surroundings were no longer the dim room of the old school building but a forest.
However, before the visual scene could fully stabilize, while the space still rippled slightly, it suddenly surged violently again. Two figures appeared, causing Kuroka's expression to change abruptly.
The other party had forcibly intruded into her Space Transfer and tracked her—an utterly insane act.
Yet, they had done exactly that.
There were only two possibilities for such a feat: either the other party knew this spatial technique of hers, or their power was overwhelmingly superior.
And the situation pointed to the latter, meaning the other party's strength was at least at the Maou level!
Therefore, before the figures could fully materialize, Kuroka activated the spatial technique for teleportation once more.
As her vision shifted again, the space began to stabilize slightly before surging violently once more.
Damn it!
Then she would keep teleporting, again and again!
After five consecutive attempts!
"What!"
This time, Kuroka froze in shock. After this teleportation, the other party had arrived simultaneously with her.
Moreover, this time it wasn't a violent pursuit but the use of the exact same spatial technique to follow her?
No, to be precise, during the third and fourth attempts, she had faintly sensed a familiar technique, though incomplete—like when she was first learning this ability.
Now, by the fifth attempt, they had fully mastered it.
"This Space Transfer is indeed more convenient, efficient, and stable than the spatial teleportation techniques of Devils," the subject of investigation remarked.
Wh-what a joke!
That man had learned her technique on the spot?
What kind of monstrous genius was he!
"Then capture her. If you let her escape now, I would be very disappointed, Rias."
"I won't disappoint you."
Rias, responding seriously, fixed her gaze on the SS-ranked dangerous individual opposite her—Kuroka Toujou.
The moment the words fell, she transformed into her Devil form.
The clothes originally constructed with Magic Power to conceal her form were instantly replaced by attire befitting the aura of a Devil.
Thus, once the transformation was complete, the magically constructed garments could vanish.
Immediately after, she felt slightly uncomfortable.
It was akin to someone suddenly having something splashed on their body and then putting on clothes without cleaning up, leaving a sticky, unpleasant sensation.