Although Rhode had taken Asia from the Church and claimed it was a mission from the higher-ups, the experience of being excommunicated had still been a massive psychological blow to her. The fact that no one had seen her off had also left her feeling deeply depressed. Although Rhode's arrival made her believe this was a trial for her, Asia sometimes wondered if she was just lying to herself. But now, seeing these words of encouragement and the photos of those who had recovered their health thanks to her, the nerves that had been taut for so long finally relaxed completely.
"That's wonderful, Asia. Your friends haven't forgotten you," Lavinia said, stroking Asia's hair.
"Yes... I knew they wouldn't forget me. They just couldn't communicate with me directly for some reason. So this must be a trial given to me by God; I must complete it well!" After saying that, Asia clasped her hands and began to pray.
Lavinia looked at Rhode. "Do we need to train today?"
"Let's go."
The two went to the outskirts of Kuoh Town again. Once the girl had set up the barrier, Rhode continued to strengthen his control over the Incinerate Anthem. The progress bar for the Balance Breaker was rising steadily.
This training session lasted longer than the first. Following Lavinia's guidance, Rhode began more refined training. It took about two hours. The continuous output of magic and mental energy left Lavinia quite tired; she fell asleep in the car on the way back. Rhode carried her in his arms into the living room, only to find two unexpected guests at home.
One was Akeno Himejima, and the other was Koneko.
Because of seeing her sister again, Kuroka was very excited. However, to avoid exposure and causing trouble for her sister, she remained in the form of a black cat and kept her presence masked to the minimum. Since Koneko had been suppressing her Nekomata bloodline, hadn't learned the flow of Touki, and hadn't mastered Senjutsu, she naturally couldn't sense Kuroka's presence. Taking advantage of this, Kuroka familiarly jumped into Koneko's arms, enjoying her sister's petting.
When Rhode entered, Koneko was happily stroking Kuroka, while Kuroka was meowing with excitement like she was on a sugar high. Seeing Rhode return, Koneko's hand paused.
"Mr. Rhode, you're finally back. We came to see you early this morning but were told you weren't home," Akeno greeted him immediately. However, her expression turned strange when she saw Lavinia in his arms.
Their clothes were a bit messy, and Lavinia's face was flushed. Coupled with her deep sleep, it looked exactly like they had just finished a "vigorous discussion" about life's big questions. She hadn't expected Rhode to be so adventurous in private. Was the house not enough? Did he have to go to the wild too? Moreover, Akeno knew Lavinia was a close friend of her cousin, Suzaku. Could it be that her cousin had also...
At this thought, Akeno quickly shook the messy ideas from her head. Maybe it was just simple combat. Yes... combat.
"Mr. Rhode, I thought long and hard about what you said to me last time. Although I don't want to admit it, you were right. We really shouldn't be thinking only of ourselves in such a situation. Rias needs us most right now. If we keep being depressed, we'll be failing her for saving us back then."
Hearing this, an image of Akeno and Koneko waving their arms and shouting that they could never repay Rias's kindness popped into Rhode's head.
However, Rhode was a bit surprised. "You actually figured it out so quickly?"
"It's really just a matter of making a decision. To this day, I still don't acknowledge Baraqiel as my father, but that has nothing to do with me. The power of my bloodline cannot be changed. Since that's the case, I want to use this power to help Rias. I want to prove that I am different from that guy!"
"Koneko feels the same way. She will use her power to prove that she won't kill her master, but will instead help her."
"A teachable student indeed." Rhode smiled. After all, when he first watched the original story, he felt their emotions were quite twisted. He hadn't expected them to figure it out in just a day. Although they hadn't completely untied the knot in their hearts, it was much faster than the dozen-plus volumes it took in the original.As expected, whenever something fails to move forward or progresses at a snail's pace, it's simply due to a lack of pressure.
"It's good that you've figured things out, but why have you come to see me?"
At his words, a look of hesitation and embarrassment appeared on Akeno Himejima's face.
"Even though this bloodline power is something inherent to us, this is the first time we've ever tried to use it. Honestly, we have no idea where to start. Mr. Rhode, do you have any ideas?"
"Well... I'm neither a Fallen Angel nor a Nekomata. I'm afraid I..." Rhode trailed off. His understanding of the Power of Light and Senjutsu was practically non-existent.
"Of course, if you are willing to help us train, I will provide compensation. I've managed to save up quite a bit over the years," Akeno added quickly.
As peerage members, they received a salary. Coupled with the various requests they took on their own time, her personal savings were actually quite substantial. She had been struggling with how to quickly convert her potential into actual combat power when she remembered Rhode's offer to help. With a "give it a shot" mentality, she had brought Koneko along.
"But then again," Rhode reconsidered, "while I can't help you directly, if you're sincere about seeking guidance, those three are Fallen Angels. They should share some similarities with you."
"And what about Koneko...?"
"As for Koneko, remember when I told you I was in contact with her sister?"
"Yes, it gave us quite a shock at the time. After all, her sister is a notorious Stray Devil."
As she spoke, a thought flickered through Akeno's mind. Could Koneko's sister actually be here? However, she quickly dismissed the idea. How could a Stray Devil on the highest wanted list have the gall to show up in Devil territory? It would be no different from turning herself in.
Perhaps Rhode simply knew the habits and systems of the Nekomata because he knew her sister. After all, the "Touki" or "Qi" used by Youkai could also be cultivated by humans, even if the difficulty was exceptionally high.
"Koneko's sister is actually right here."
The moment Rhode finished his sentence, Akeno and the currently cat-petting Koneko froze completely. The latter quickly snapped her head up, her ears pricking as she scanned the room. Her usually cold, stoic face was now a mask of pure shock.
"Where is she?" Akeno asked instinctively.
"Right there in her hands," Rhode said, nodding toward Koneko.
Koneko's body felt as if it had been petrified. Confusion, shock, and utter disbelief warred in her eyes. It was a "Shocked Cat" moment for the ages!
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (144 Chapters – Ongoing)
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