Kuro stared at her silently for a few seconds. Then, calmly, he caught Kama's hand before those mischievous fingers could go any further.
"You really don't know shame."
"Fufu~" Kama let out a soft giggle, not looking even slightly embarrassed by the scolding. "Isn't that part of my charm?"
Kuro massaged his temple lightly, as if he was already too used to the Goddess of Love's behavior.
"Absolutely not."
"Eeh~"
Kama casually lowered her hand again, clearly still wanting to tease him further.
"Come on, Master-san~ just for a little while is fine~"
But before her fingers could move again, Kuro immediately grabbed her wrist.
"Stop inciting me."
His tone remained calm, but firm enough to make Kama pause for a moment.
Even so, Kama only chuckled softly in satisfaction, as if his reaction alone was already entertaining enough.
Then she slowly sat up from her reclining position, moving directly onto Kuro's lap.
Their distance became so close that the faint sweet scent of Kama's body was clearly noticeable in the quiet morning air.
One of her hands rested lightly on Kuro's shoulder, while the fingertips of her other hand gently traced along his jawline, as if playing with something she found interesting.
"Aww~ come on, Master-san…" she whispered softly.
The corner of Kama's lips curled upward—sweet yet deeply teasing, like honey deliberately left to drip slowly.
"It would be so much fun…"
Kuro closed his eyes for a moment, taking a short breath like someone trying to hold onto the last thread of patience.
That expression only made Kama's smile grow little by little. Then, without saying much, Kuro moved.
With a single smooth motion, their positions were reversed, leaving Kama seated on the sofa while Kuro stood directly in front of her. It wasn't rough. It wasn't rushed. But it was clear enough to signal that the conversation was over.
Kuro's dark eyes opened again. His gaze remained as flat as usual. Without saying anything further, he turned and walked out of the living room.
Kama stayed silent for a few seconds, watching the man's back as it gradually disappeared. Then, slowly, a small smile returned to her face.
She let her body fall lazily onto the sofa, her silver hair spreading softly across the backrest like ink spilled over dark fabric.
"Hehe…" Her laughter was light and sweet. "Your heartbeat did rise a little just now, you know?" She closed one eye while smiling faintly at the ceiling. "Master-san is just too adorable…"
But rather than looking disappointed, Kama's gaze seemed even more intrigued—as if she had just found a game that was becoming more interesting the harder it got to read.
***
Once outside the house, Kuro immediately headed toward the Tohsaka residence. His steps remained as calm as ever. Not rushed, not anxious—just steady.
He walked through the early morning streets of Fuyuki City, passing quiet sidewalks where only a few people had begun their daily routines, as if he were simply enjoying the atmosphere.
But beneath his expressionless gaze, his mind was clearly working far more intensely than usual. Since acquiring all of Gilgamesh's Authority the previous night, Kuro had also inherited various abilities tied to the King of Heroes.
Clairvoyance. Even Sha Naqba Imuru. That ability had drastically changed his perception of the world. Now, the world was no longer as simple as "what is happening."
He could see possibilities. Branches of the future layered over one another like transparent threads stretching in every direction. Some were faint and fragile. Others were so clear they felt almost inevitable.
Not only that, but the ability also allowed him to understand identities, structures, and phenomena in a short time, as if his mind were being forced to process information on a level far beyond that of a normal human.
Even without invoking the True Name of Sha Naqba Imuru, the output of this ability could be drastically enhanced by activating the Sharingan.
Because of that, Kuro considered it a kind of evolutionary extension of the Sharingan before reaching the Mangekyō stage.
As if the ability expanded the Sharingan's perception to a far more absolute level—not only seeing, but understanding possibilities, structures, and underlying flows in a much deeper way.
And among the countless possibilities he had seen since morning, one thing kept drawing his attention.
Something interesting. Yet at the same time, something that could potentially become a major problem. That was why Kuro chose to head to Rin's house.
In truth, his decision to stay at home earlier wasn't simply for rest. He had been waiting for the right timing. Because in his vision, time itself had a small influence that could significantly change the final outcome.
Being slightly too early could trigger unnecessary complications, while being slightly too late could also push everything in an undesirable direction.
So Kuro chose to move now. At the very least, among all the possibilities he had seen so far, this path was one of the least troublesome.
Soon enough, Kuro arrived in front of the iron gate of the Tohsaka residence.
As the Tohsaka family was a magus lineage and part of Fuyuki City's elite, their home was located quite far from residential areas.
The surrounding area was filled with lush green trees, giving the morning air a refreshing and peaceful atmosphere.
A gentle breeze flowed through the leaves, carrying a calmness that lasted only for a few seconds.
Just before Kuro could press the intercom beside the gate, a flash of red light suddenly shot toward him.
BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!
A barrage of Mana Bullets shattered part of the iron fence before raining down on his position without pause. Explosions echoed through the morning air, sending shards of metal flying in every direction.
However, Kuro didn't even move an inch.
A vibranium shield appeared in front of him, instantly blocking all the attacks.
The mana detonations shook the air briefly before being absorbed and disappearing into the black metal surface like ripples sinking into still water.
Unfortunately, the iron fence around it did not share the same durability.
Dust and metal fragments filled the air, obscuring the front of the house for several seconds.
"Hee~" A familiar voice echoed from within the dust. "It feels good that your abilities haven't weakened at all, Goldie." Her tone was relaxed, yet filled with quiet curiosity, like someone observing an interesting toy.
"No… wait. Who are you?"
As the dust began to clear, Kuro slowly shifted his gaze toward the upper floor of the Tohsaka residence.
Behind an open window stood a very familiar figure—Tohsaka Rin. However, something about her felt different.
Not only her aura, but also the way she stood, the way she looked, and the faint pressure in the air around her—like the heat before a summer storm.
If Rin's eyes were usually a clear blue, they were now a deep, sharp blood-red, carrying an unfamiliar coldness.
Kuro himself did not move at all. His expression remained as relaxed as ever, as if the half-destroyed gate was nothing more than a minor morning disturbance.
"Oh… I get greeted with Mana Bullets right away?"
His tone was light, almost as if commenting on the weather. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
"Quite rude, Rin-sensei…" he said calmly. "Or should I call you Ishtar now?"
The moment that name was spoken, the atmosphere subtly shifted. The figure at the window narrowed her eyes slightly.
No response. Only a sharp, wary gaze fixed entirely on Kuro. A moment later, her body moved gracefully out through the open window. She descended slowly, floating in the air with such natural elegance that gravity seemed like nothing more than a suggestion.
The morning wind stirred gently as her feet finally touched the ground in front of Kuro.
"You're clearly not that annoying Goldie I refuse to name," she said, squinting her blood-red eyes.
Her gaze slowly scanned Kuro from head to toe, like someone trying to understand an unfamiliar object that had suddenly appeared in front of her house.
"And… what is that aura of yours?" she continued with a slight frown. "It feels like a failed god incident."
Kuro remained silent for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh.
"Such rude speech for a goddess."
"A goddess like me has no obligation to care about human feelings."
Ishtar scoffed lightly, crossing her arms in front of her chest. Even so, her blood-red eyes continued to observe Kuro without blinking.
It was clear that her curiosity was far greater than any real hostility she might have had.