Rias shouted loudly toward the area ahead, where lightning and thunder clashed.
"Come with me to the Underworld!"
This was a matter of great importance. Rias had to consider the entire Devil society. She needed to bring Kaiser back so that her brother and the other Maou could handle the situation.
Regardless of the fact that he had killed the successor of the Astaroth family, the matters concerning the Khaos Brigade and Ophis also had to be decided by the Maou.
Kaiser was a crucial witness and a source of intelligence. There was no way they could simply let such an important person escape.
She had to bring Kaiser back to the Underworld.
"You’re quite decisive."
Kaiser, maintaining his Gravity Field, was a bit surprised but not shocked.
He understood how significant the Khaos Brigade’s affairs were. He also knew how earth-shattering Ophis’ existence was. Adding to that, he had just killed the heir of the Astaroth family. There was no way Rias and the others would let him go so easily.
"Do you really think you can take me to the Underworld?"
Kaiser looked at Rias and her group of four as if they were just a bunch of children, then suddenly smiled.
"Well then, let’s finish the fight we didn’t complete last time."
As he spoke, Kaiser swung Gravisheath, activating its ability.
A surge of purple light spread outward, causing the atmosphere to roar. The terrifying gravity pressed down like an invisible mountain.
Scarlet Aura ignited around Rias. Raising both hands, she gathered a massive sphere of Demonic Power imbued with the Power of Destruction and unleashed it forward.
The crimson Demonic Power clashed with the purple gravitational waves, creating a deafening explosion yet reaching a deadlock.
The immense gravity sought to crush the crimson Demonic Power, suppressing it to the ground. However, the Power of Destruction within Rias’ attack erased the gravity itself, causing both forces to counteract each other.
"Thunder of Heaven! Resound across the skies!"
Akeno Himejima seized the opportunity, extending her fingers. Sparks of electricity flickered at her fingertips before she launched them into the rotating magic formation in midair.
The next moment, the lightning that entered the formation seemed to amplify dozens of times, transforming into thick pillars of thunder that rained down toward Kaiser.
Under the immense power of the descending thunder, even the gravitational barrier above Kaiser’s head trembled violently.
The blade of Gravisheath vibrated slightly, seemingly displeased and irritated.
Kaiser looked at Akeno with slight surprise.
He knew Akeno was strong, almost on par with Rias and not far behind a High-Class Devil. But now, judging purely by offensive power, she could indeed rival a High-Class Devil.
Setting aside Rias, who wielded the Power of Destruction, if compared to Diodora, Akeno wasn’t lacking in any way.
"But it’s just lightning. If you added Light Power to form Thunder-Light, perhaps you might actually surprise me."
Kaiser’s words made Akeno’s face change, her usual gentle expression turning sour.
However, Kaiser’s attention had already shifted away from her.
A figure suddenly dashed toward him like an afterimage, moving at extreme speed.
Yuuto Kiba wielded a sword exuding an ominous aura, his entire being seemingly fused with the blade as he lunged at Kaiser, thrusting forward.
The blood-tinged blade of Gravisheath flashed, clashing against Kiba’s sword and deflecting it.
Failing the first strike, Kiba didn’t falter. He let out a shout and continued his assault, his sword turning into streaks of slashes as he repeatedly struck out.
"Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—Clang—"
The ominous sword and the blood-glowing scythe clashed repeatedly, sending sparks flying with each impact, dazzling yet dangerous.
Faced with Kiba’s rapid and relentless attacks, Kaiser didn’t move at all. He simply stood in place, casually swinging Gravisheath, effortlessly deflecting every strike.
"Not bad." Kaiser looked at Kiba through the sparks and commented, "Your swordsmanship may be slightly inferior to Kirin and Amagiri, but in terms of speed, you surpass them. Overall, your strength is about the same."
"If it were the old me, I wouldn’t have been able to handle your attacks so easily."
"But the current me is different."
As he spoke, Kaiser’s Gravisheath swung out in rapid succession—three consecutive strikes in less than half a second.
First, he swung downward from above.
Then, he slashed upward from below.
Finally, he executed a diagonal cut toward the front.
The speed was so fast that Kiba couldn’t react.
The first strike knocked Kiba’s sword away.
The second strike shattered his sword completely.
The third strike slashed across Kiba’s chest, leaving a deep wound.
Kiba winced in pain, his body retreating rapidly, leaving a trail of blood.
Both Rias and Akeno cried out in alarm.
They wanted to step forward and help, but Kaiser had already activated Gravisheath’s abilities—two of them at once.
One was the Gravity Field clashing with Rias’ Power of Destruction.
The other was the Gravity Barrier blocking the lightning attacks.
If the first was removed, the Gravity Field would spread across the battlefield, pinning everyone down.
If the second was withdrawn, the redirected lightning would strike back at its caster.
This left Rias and Akeno unable to stop their attacks. They could only continue pouring Demonic Power into their offensive spells, struggling against Gravisheath’s gravity.
As for Koneko Toujou...
She was completely out of the fight.
The reason was simple.
Before her stood a figure that haunted her nightmares.
"You can’t go any further, Shirone."
A sultry black cat girl had appeared out of nowhere, blocking Koneko’s path with a seductive smile.
Seeing this person, Koneko, who always had an emotionless expression, showed a severe and visible reaction for the first time.
"Kuroka... Nee-sama...?"
Her voice trembled. Her body quivered. She staggered backward, her inner turmoil evident.
Koneko looked at Kuroka in fear, her lips trembling.
Kuroka, seemingly understanding Koneko’s confusion, gazed at her quivering little sister with an intensified seductive smile.
"Of course, because of that man—Nyaa~."
Upon hearing this, Koneko’s eyes widened.
"Could it be... Nee-sama, you also...?!"
The girl had clearly misunderstood, assuming that Kuroka had joined the Khaos Brigade, becoming one of Kaiser’s allies.
Kuroka, having observed the situation from the shadows, naturally knew about the Khaos Brigade and thus understood her sister’s thoughts.
She didn’t bother explaining.
"Well? The man your sister has her eyes on is quite strong, right?" Kuroka’s voice was sticky and sultry, her charming eyes half-lidded. "Even though he’s just a human, he’s so powerful and unique. If I could get his genetic material, I could probably give birth to many excellent kittens, don’t you think?"
"By coincidence, after witnessing him ruthlessly kill that trash Devil, I fell for him at first sight—Nyaa~."
"So, I won’t let you go, Shirone."
"If you were to be killed by your future brother-in-law, even I would be sad—Nyaa~."
Kuroka chuckled as she spoke, and if Kaiser had heard her, he would definitely have twitched at the corner of his mouth.
Others would likely feel the same—stunned by this black cat’s words.
She wasn’t surprised at all.
After all, reproduction and passing on their lineage was something deeply ingrained in the genetics of the Nekomata.
The stronger and more exceptional an individual was, the more they would attract the interest of the Nekomata.
They longed for powerful genes, desiring to give birth to healthy, strong, and exceptional offspring, which was why they often went into heat.
As Kuroka’s younger sister, Koneko was also a Nekomata—a Nekoshou—and was well aware of the instincts of her kind.
For that very reason, she did not doubt Kuroka’s words.
However, in the next moment, the world around her spun wildly, and she suddenly collapsed to the ground.
It was only now that Koneko realized it.
She... seemed to have been poisoned.
"You’ve gotten weaker, Shirone."
Kuroka sighed in disappointment as she gazed down at Koneko.
"You were always weak—without my protection, you wouldn’t have survived—but as the strongest Nekoshou, you should at least be capable of using Youjutsu and Senjutsu, right?"
"If you had used Senjutsu and sensed the flow of Ki in the environment, you would have noticed the poison I released in secret."
"The way you are now... you’re a disappointment to your big sister."
Upon hearing this, Koneko struggled to breathe, her voice trembling in pain.
"I... won’t be like you... I won’t... be a slave... to power..."
For a fleeting moment, Kuroka’s eyes flickered with a complex emotion.
Then, she sneered coldly.
"How foolish. Power is power. Without it, you’ll only become someone else’s plaything. After everything you’ve been through, you still don’t understand?"
Whether Koneko could still hear her or not, Kuroka didn’t seem to care.
She turned away, her voice drifting lightly through the air.
"Forget it. Talking to you in this state is a waste of time."
"Just stay here and watch with me."
"Your big sister doesn’t want to see you get skewered by that spear, nya~..."
Koneko never heard the rest of her words.
She lost consciousness, her body collapsing to the ground, unable to rise again.