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"Looks like your sister's working under a misunderstanding."
Anos said it lightly, almost teasingly.
Kuroka really was awkward.
She cared deeply about her little sister, yet she never chose the right way to show it.
Traveling the world, surviving among powerful beings, forming her own rigid sense of right and wrong she had come to believe that whatever she decided must be correct.
Objectively speaking—
Aside from ignoring Koneko's wishes, keeping her close was indeed one of the safest options available.
"Senpai, please don't worry. I won't drag you into this. I'll explain our relationship to my sister."
Koneko's voice was firm.
She was afraid Kuroka might misunderstand and lash out at Anos.
"Is your sister really that violent?"
Anos shook his head slightly.
He had already run the calculation.
Even if they didn't show up, Kuroka wouldn't kill Rias.
At worst…
She might rough them up.
Seeing that he didn't seem particularly concerned, Koneko felt she needed to make him understand just how dangerous her sister truly was.
"Senpai… you don't really know about us, do you? Like the form you saw before my sister and I are both nekomata. When we were young, before we could fully transform, we lived together."
"I see... Then why did you separate?"
He asked gently.
He already knew the answer.
But he wanted her to speak.
Right now, Koneko's heart was in turmoil.
Under his steady gaze, she began.
"When we were young, we wandered constantly. Hunger, cold… that was normal."
She paused.
"But thinking back, maybe that was when we were happiest."
"Later, a High-Class Devil took us in."
"After reincarnation, my sister's nekomata talent awakened completely. In a short time, she surpassed her master's power."
Her fingers tightened slightly.
"And then… she lost control, she killed him, she became a Stray Devil."
"An Ultimate-Class Stray Devil, even the Underworld's enforcement squads couldn't capture her."
Anos reached out and gently stroked her white hair.
He felt the faint tremble beneath it.
He knew the truth.
The devil had been a degenerate.
He had set his sights on Koneko.
Not metaphorically.
Blackmail. Breeding intentions. Control.
Kuroka had endured a great deal silently, even ignoring illegal experiments within that household, just to keep her sister safe.
But when that devil touched Shirone—
He crossed the final line.
Kuroka killed him.
That was the true story.
"After that… I met Buchou and her brother, Sirzechs."
Koneko continued, calmer now under his touch.
"Once my sister fled, the Underworld considered disposing of me. They said I might go berserk too."
"It was Rias-buchou who took me in. With Sirzechs-sama as guarantor, I became her peer. I've stayed with her ever since."
Her voice softened.
"But now… my sister has come back."
Golden eyes shimmered faintly.
"Senpai… let me go alone, If she takes me, she won't hurt you or Buchou."
She had already made her decision.
Sacrifice herself.
End the conflict.
"No."
Anos' eyes sharpened slightly.
"I'm going with you."
"Why?"
She stared at him in shock.
Did he not understand how terrifying Kuroka was?
If they clashed—
He could be injured.
Or worse.
"We're heading to Kuoh Academy first," he said calmly. "As for seeking Maou's assistance we'll skip that option for now."
"Why?"
She had intended for him to go to the Underworld and request Sirzechs' help.
"Do you think your sister would give us the time?"
He met her gaze.
"She knows how you act, If you arrive too early, she'll take you immediately."
"If we wait for the Maou, by the time he arrives, she might already have taken Rias."
"Either way, we lose initiative."
"So we go. Immediately."
That was reason one.
There was also a second reason he didn't mention.
A purple treasure chest had appeared at Kuoh Academy, The activation condition gave him a solution—
One that wouldn't require revealing his full strength.
In his current state, he couldn't activate the divine core again.
Other methods would draw too much attention.
This was the cleanest approach.
"Trust me, Koneko, I have a plan."
He leaned closer and whispered it into her ear.
Her eyes widened.
"Senpai… you…"
Her heartbeat quickened.
If they used that method—
It might actually work.
"It'll require some preparation, Let's head toward Kuoh first."
He gently patted her head again.
This time, she nodded without resistance.
She chose to trust him.
If it failed—
She would go willingly.
She wouldn't resist.
She wouldn't let anyone else be harmed.
The girl named Toujou Koneko made that silent decision.
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