In the evening, when Tachibana Koneko came to the Inaba Household, Inaba Tsukiyo appeared at Kuoh Academy.
Perhaps because she had visited before, Inaba Tsukiyo entered the academy very smoothly and quickly arrived at the Occult Research Club, finding Rias and the others.
Rias and the others were very surprised by Inaba Tsukiyo's arrival. Inaba Tsukiyo usually never came voluntarily; apart from their invitations, this was Inaba Tsukiyo's first time coming.
Inaba Tsukiyo did not hesitate and immediately told Rias and the others the purpose of her visit, and recounted what had happened that day.
"You mean, when you went out today, you encountered an Exorcist in Kuoh Town? The other party detected the devil aura on you, and then invaded your residence?"
Almost everyone showed surprised expressions, especially Rias, whose expression was very grim.
Kuoh Town was, after all, Rias's territory. Even if there was an abandoned church here, there shouldn't be church Exorcists in this area.
She hadn't expected that an Exorcist would do such a thing right under her nose. According to Inaba Tsukiyo, that guy named Fried had already killed many humans who had come into contact with devils.
The three factions—devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels—had all suffered significant losses in the great war back then, almost all falling into a state of insufficient fighting power.
It was precisely for this reason that all three parties entered a truce, and at the same time, were reduced to relying on humans to continue their existence.
To compensate for the losses in manpower during the Great War, all factions are looking for ways to replenish their numbers.
The Devils have developed a method to convert other races into Devils, thereby making up for their dwindling numbers.
The Gods, on the other hand, are cultivating Exorcists through churches in various parts of the human world to find talented individuals.
Given the relationship between Devils and Gods, Exorcists naturally became the Devils' number one enemy, and the power of light wielded by Exorcists is like a deadly poison to Devils.
"Hmm. But that Pervert Priest, Fried, claimed to be a Rogue Exorcist. Is his Rogue Exorcist like a Rogue Devil, someone who violates church regulations?"
"Rogue Exorcist… I see, that explains why you could smell such a strong scent of blood on him. So he's a Rogue Exorcist."
Rias nodded knowingly, and the club members' expressions grew serious.
A Rogue Exorcist refers to someone who feels genuine joy when killing Devils.
Such Exorcists, to satisfy their desires, will disregard church regulations to hunt Devils or harm humans who have close contact with Devils, satisfying their inner cravings in this way.
Often, if such Exorcists are discovered by church personnel, they are secretly dealt with. However, a guy like Fried likely escaped the church's judgment and became a subordinate of the Fallen Angels, almost exclusively hunting Devils or humans who have had contact with Devils.
After all, when betraying the Gods, these Exorcists would be stripped of their power of light. To regain the power of light for hunting Devils, they would turn to the Fallen Angels, thereby acquiring power once more.
"Rogue… Exorcists and even Devils… Heh heh~ It seems no matter the faction, there will always be a group of restless individuals. Especially those who claim to be righteous, yet commit acts like Devils."
But some Devils care about others; although they don't say it aloud, they express their concern through their words and actions. They are not straightforward individuals.
(Ereshkigal: Hmm? Why do I feel like someone is talking about me?)
"Tsukuyo…"
Tachibana Koneko noticed Inaba Tsukiyo's abnormality and worriedly grasped Inaba Tsukiyo's hand, looking at her with concern.
"It's nothing, Koneko. I'm just a little emotional, that's all. I didn't expect to encounter such people; it feels a bit strange."
She rubbed Tachibana Koneko's head, shook off the irritation in her heart, and said to Rias,
"My purpose in coming here, besides informing you about the opponent's news, is also to tell you that this person… I will handle him."
"What?"
Rias didn't expect Inaba Tsukiyo to say such a thing, looking at Inaba Tsukiyo with a stunned expression.
Even the others didn't expect Inaba Tsukiyo to say such words. For a moment, they all stared blankly at Inaba Tsukiyo, and the Occult Research Club suddenly fell silent.
"That's not it. You should know this is my territory. Since that Priest hunts humans who have contact with Devils, it means he might target humans who frequently summon us and have made contracts with us. If I don't deal with this matter myself, then I would be too negligent."
Rias's first reaction was to refuse Inaba Tsukiyo, after all, this was her territory.
Since it was her territory, such an incident happening in her domain should be resolved by her side.
If others knew about this, it would be a considerable blow to her reputation.
"Heh heh~ I think you seem to have misunderstood something, Lady Rias."
Suddenly, Inaba Tsukiyo let out a faint laugh, and her address to Rias became respectful.
However, everyone present could feel a significant change in Inaba Tsukiyo at that moment, especially the oppressive aura emanating from her.
Except for Tachibana Koneko, almost everyone felt this oppressive aura.
(Himejima Akeno: Still not as good as Koneko, huh.)
"My purpose in coming here is merely to inform you of this matter. I have no intention of seeking your consent, you know."
Her reason for coming this time was simply to tell Rias that she was going to deal with Fried, and while she was at it, eliminate all the Rogue Exorcists led by Fried. She had no intention of seeking Rias's approval.
The reason she told Rias was merely to have her clean up the scene afterward, to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"You…"
Rias didn't expect Inaba Tsukiyo to say such words. This was completely different from her usual polite speech. At this moment, she was like an autocratic tyrant, allowing no room for discussion.
"I hope you can understand, Lady Rias. Someone has already bullied me; if there's no response, doesn't that mean I'm easy to bully? Although this happened in your jurisdiction, I wish to handle this matter personally. After all, this is also why I let that Pervert Priest leave."
"Let the opponent leave… Did Tsukuyo not kill the opponent, but wanted him to escape? Waiting for all the Rogue Exorcists to gather together, and then eliminate them all at once?"
Tachibana Koneko had a thorough understanding of Inaba Tsukiyo. The fact that Fried, who came looking for trouble, could leave alive, besides the opponent being strong enough, could only be because Inaba Tsukiyo let him go.
Inaba Tsukiyo usually doesn't get angry easily, but once she does, she becomes terrifying, completely the type to smile while taking you down.
"Hmm. I left something on that Pervert Priest. As long as I follow the trace of that thing, I can find their gathering place."
Inaba Tsukiyo injected a tiny amount of energy into the opponent's body. The sole purpose of this energy was to act as a coordinate, transmitting Fried's location to Inaba Tsukiyo.
As long as he was within the sensing range, Inaba Tsukiyo would be able to find his location.
Rias was somewhat conflicted. The reason Inaba Tsukiyo wanted to take action personally was to personally retaliate against Fried, who was asking for trouble. There might also be a part of her that despised the actions of these Rogue Exorcists and wanted to eliminate them herself.
But… was it really okay to let Inaba Tsukiyo do this?
Rias looked at Himejima Akeno, wanting to see if she had any good ideas.
Himejima Akeno thought for a moment and realized this was an excellent opportunity.
Although Inaba Tsukiyo's attitude was very firm this time, she also knew that this was Rias's territory, and her actions would put a little pressure on Rias.
However, this also indirectly made Inaba Tsukiyo owe Rias a favor. In this world, a debt of gratitude is the hardest to repay, especially for someone like Inaba Tsukiyo; she would definitely remember this matter.
As long as Rias followed Inaba Tsukiyo's actions and set the regulations, then they would essentially be tied to Inaba Tsukiyo. They wouldn't need to rely on Tachibana Koneko's relationship to connect with her, but rather establish a good relationship as a collective.
"Well then… I won't disturb you anymore. Koneko. I might be back late today. I've already prepared dinner. It doesn't matter if you wait for me or go to sleep first. I'll be back as quickly as possible."
Ignoring the gazes of the others, Inaba Tsukiyo gently hugged Tachibana Koneko, speaking in a doting tone.
"Are you really sure you don't need my help? I'm very strong now, and dealing with those Rogue Exorcists is no problem."
So what if the power of light wielded by Exorcists restrains Devils? They still need to use the power of light.
It's no problem as long as the battle ends before they can use their power. Tachibana Koneko was very confident in completing this task, and she also wanted to help Inaba Tsukiyo.
"Thank you, Koneko. But this time's enemies are just some insignificant fellows, and we've rested for so long; it's time to get some exercise."
"…I understand. Then Tsukuyo, quickly deal with those malicious guys. I don't want these guys to affect our lives."
"Since Koneko has already asked me so, of course, I must fulfill it."
Inaba Tsukiyo smiled sweetly and nodded to Rias and the others.
"This time… I might have to trouble you all a bit."
After leaving those words behind, Inaba Tsukiyo departed the Occult Research Club under the gaze of everyone, and as she walked out, a portal appeared before her.
On the other side of the portal, Mikazuki Munechika and Father, having been prepared for some time, were waiting for Inaba Tsukiyo's arrival.
"Let's go, and take them out as quickly as possible."
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