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Back on Anos' side—
Seeing Kuroka concede, the holy blade in his hand dissolved into scattered particles of light.
"Hahaha! Kuroka, you really took a big loss there!"
Bikou laughed without the slightest sympathy.
What did Kuroka's getting embarrassed have to do with him? He had done his part. Choosing the caster path meant risking being taken down at close range.
"So," Anos said with an easy smile, "Koneko can stay, right?"
"I see it now…"
Kuroka had not had time to process earlier.
Now she had.
"You can't maintain that level of power for long, can you? Otherwise, you would have come at me much sooner."
There was more to it than that.
She understood that his actions had also been meant to clear the misunderstanding between the sisters.
She just refused to acknowledge it.
"So?" Anos shrugged lightly. "Isn't that how your Hero Faction operates? Why not have Vali use Juggernaut Drive all day and see what happens?"
Vali's base strength alone was not overwhelming. During the first assault on the peace conference between the Three Factions, he had only manifested four demonic wings.
Without his Sacred Gear, he was not yet at the pinnacle of Ultimate-Class.
Relying on a Sacred Gear for burst output what was wrong with that?
And Anos was not reckless.
He used Ittō Shura the same way he used Absolute Dichotomy activate, strike, deactivate.
Controlled usage prevented complete collapse.
Unlike Ikki Kurogane, Anos' fusion with the Ark Sphere granted him perfect bodily control. He could disengage before reaching total burnout.
Vali could interrupt his Juggernaut Drive as well.
Hyoudou Issei could not.
That was the difference between talent and control.
"Vali?" Kuroka's eyes narrowed. "You know Vali is one of us?"
She had never revealed that.
"I know enough," Anos replied casually. "Strange bits of knowledge tend to drift into my head."
"Crack—"
Before Kuroka could respond, a sound echoed across the sky.
"Crack—crack—BOOM!"
The sky fractured.
Shattered like glass.
A golden-haired figure descended through the broken space.
At his waist rested a blade—
Not merely a holy sword.
The Holy King Sword, Caliburn.
Arthur cleaved through space itself and arrived.
"Arthur-oniisama? Why are you here?"
Le Fay's eyes widened.
She had thought her brother was still scouting the outskirts of Kuoh.
Had he seen something?
Or was he warning them to retreat?
Arthur had intended to signal withdrawal.
Then he saw his sister.
Bound.
"BOOM!"
A terrifying surge of sacred power erupted from Caliburn, crushing the ground beneath his feet.
Who dared bind his sister like this?
And with such… questionable ropework.
"…."
Koneko silently loosened the remaining rope around Le Fay.
"This isn't what it looks like!" Le Fay hurried over, summoning her staff midair.
Thirty seconds later—
The holy pressure gradually faded.
"I see…"
Arthur exhaled slowly.
In short, his sister had not been harmed.
He was simply personally displeased.
Why should his sister sacrifice herself for that black cat?
He wanted to praise her selflessness.
He also wanted to scold her for trusting a stranger so easily.
But in the end—
Seeing her bright, reassured smile, all his words dissolved into a long sigh.
"Kuroka, Bikou, it's time to go, A powerful presence is approaching."
Once he grasped the situation, Arthur spoke immediately.
"Oh? That fast?" Kuroka frowned.
Arthur was not one to exaggerate.
If he said someone dangerous was coming—
Then someone dangerous was coming.
"Hahaha! A retreat under pursuit sounds fun!"
Bikou leapt onto his Somersault Cloud at once.
He did not mind being chased.
"Cheh!"
Kuroka glanced at Anos.
Seeing no intention of pursuit, she activated her magic and moved beside Arthur.
"Everyone's here, We're leaving."
Arthur wasted no time.
Caliburn tore open space once more.
"Shirone!"
Just before stepping through, Kuroka suddenly shouted.
"Yes, Sister?"
Koneko's voice trembled faintly.
The outcome was decided.
She could stay.
But now that she knew the truth behind her sister's actions—
The wall between them had vanished.
Parting again still hurts.
"Shirone! Don't you dare do it with that man casually! If you get pregnant, that's a disaster!"
Kuroka declared with utmost seriousness.
"…."
Arthur closed his eyes briefly.
For a moment, he felt an odd sense of kinship.
Black cat or not—
An overprotective sibling was an overprotective sibling.
The space closed.
They were gone.
"…The man Sister meant is… Senpai, right?"
Koneko stood frozen.
There was only one possible candidate.
"Do it… and pregnant…"
Her thoughts spiraled.
A faint blush spread across her cheeks.
And deep within her golden eyes—
Something flickered.
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