More significant though is that evasion skill with that huge body! Even though he’s a huge monster, he can really move! That’s right, now that I think about it, during the game of tag with me, he was able to quickly whoosh around despite his huge body. So a Dragon King has high specs in every kind of ability! [No, Tannin was still holding back the power of his breath there.] Seriously, Ddraig!? That was holding back? [It’s because, if he unleashed his true breath, not just the party hall, but we, too, would disappear. He’s thoughtful in his own way. Even with that, though, the number of people who can stop Tannin are limited.] I was being pursued on that mountain by such an amazing person!? That’s scary! After the mass of fire faded away, the form of Bikou emitting smoke from his entire body appeared in the air. “Ahaha! Not bad! Former-Dragon King!”
He was actually laughing! His armour and clothes were burned, but his main body was fine! He survived being engulfed by such powerful flames! As expected of Son Goku! “Hmph! I was wondering what kind of person this Son Goku was! You seem quite happy to have received an attack from me, Tannin!”
“The name’s Bikou! Nice to meet you, Dragon Boss!”
“Kukukuku. You talk like a true monkey. Do you really understand who you have made your opponent right now?”
“I’m also descended from a legendary demon, you know. I can’t afford to lose so quickly.”
“In any case, I’ll be your opponent, monkey. Meanwhile, Miss Rias and Hyoudou Issei will defeat that cat. —They’re the master of the Sekiryuutei and the Sekiryuutei, you know? You’ll have to overcome them.”
Even if you say something like that! This onee-san in front of us can’t be beaten by me and Buchou! “Hahahah! You’ve really gone out big! I’m fine just by myself!”
“Don’t speak so arrogantly, monkey. You’re just a single monkey. You won’t be any trouble! Besides, what happened to the pig and demon sage? Did you break up with them?”
“You mean the descendants of Hakkai and Gojou? Hahahaha! They, including the people of my family, are all conservatives! Every last one of them is satisfied with the current state of things! However, I love things that are fun! That’s why I happily accepted the invitation to join the [Khaos Brigade] and now act together with the Hakuryuukou Vali!”
“Hmph! Your temperament may be the closest to the first generation of Son Goku, but what are you scheming with the Hakuryuukou? According to rumour, only your unit is permitted to move separately from the rest! I also heard that you’re the only team that didn’t accept Ophis’ [snake]!”
“If you’d like to know, beat me!”
“Watch what you say, damn monkey! This place is the hell-like Underworld, called the [world of the dead]! Know that this is the best place for small fry like you people to repent!”
Don! Dogon! Ossan and the monkey began to fight fiercely with each other in the air! Well, since it seems like ossan will beat that monkey, I’m relieved, but the problem is…
“Nyan♪”
Koneko-chan’s onee-san! She was giving a bewitching smile, but there was a dark ominous aura permeating her whole body that even I could feel! Sensei’s aura was also black, but his had more of a feeling of vice than evil. This one here was completely evil! I could feel a strong malice and killing intent directed at us! “…Nee-sama. I’ll go with you. So please overlook these two people!”
—!? Koneko-chan had suddenly blurted out such a thing! “What are you saying—”
I started to speak out, but,
“What are saying!? Koneko! You’re a servant of my group! I won’t allow you to do as you please!”
In a flash, Buchou tightly embraced Koneko-chan! However, Koneko-chan shook her head. “…It’s no good. I understand best nee-sama’s power. Nee-sama’s power rivals that of an ultimate-class devil. For Buchou and Ise-sempai…Even with the power of a former-Dragon King, I don’t think you can capture my sister who excels in both genjutsu and senjutsu…”
“No, even so, I absolutely won’t hand you over to that person’s side! To this nekomata that didn’t try to help Koneko-chan who cried so much!”
Onee-san smiled at Buchou’s anger. “It’s because a youkai cannot help another youkai. However, this time, I simply want Shirone because I want another piece under my control. I can understand Shirone’s power better than a red-haired onee-san like you, you know?”
Koneko-chan shook her head at onee-san’s words. “…No…I don’t need that kind of power…I don’t need a dark power like that…I don’t need a power that brings misfortune to people like that…”
She started to tremble and shed tears. Buchou hugged Koneko-chan even more tightly. “Kuroka…You who had been blinded by power left a wound on the heart of this girl that won’t disappear for her whole life. After you killed your master and left, this child saw hell. When I first met her, there were no feelings left in her. Koneko was betrayed by you, who was her only family to her, lost a future to rely on, and was despised and abused by other devils, to the point where she was going to be disposed of…She saw many harsh things. That’s why I will show her many fun things! This girl is Toujou Koneko, [Rook] of Rias Gremory’s group! My important servant devil! I won’t let you put even a single finger on her!”
Hearing that, Koneko-chan—began to overflow with tears. Buchooooooooooooou! I cried at Buchou’s love! Even though I wasn’t Koneko-chan, I greatly wept! Because receiving words overflowing with such love is more than servants like us deserve! This is why Buchou is the best! The woman I fell in love with is the strongest! “…I don’t want to go…I am Toujou Koneko. Kuroka-neesama, I don’t want to go with you! I want to live with Rias-buchou! To live!”
Koneko-chan cried that out! That was a declaration that could also be called her way of breaking off her relationship with her sister. Alright! When you say that, I can’t pull back either! I’ll protect Koneko-chan! After hearing that, onee-san briefly showed a bitter smile, and then gave a derisive laugh that seemed to freeze my whole body. “Then, die.”
Suu. A thin mist-like substance sprung out from onee-san. It gradually spread and reached us. And the fog didn’t stop there, and continued to cover up the whole forest. The mist was really thick. I could confirm it in front of me. However, there was an ominous air about it that made me dreadfully shudder. When we came into contact with the fog—. “—Ah.”
Ton. At that moment, Buchou knelt down next to me! Eh? What happened? “…This is.”
Next Koneko-chan also dropped to her knees while covering her mouth! Wait, did Buchou and Koneko-chan receive some kind of attack? “Hmm, so this mist doesn’t work on you because you’re the Sekiryuutei, huh? It’s a poison mist which only works on devils and youkai-nyan. Because the poison is thin, one suffers a little while it spread throughout the body. I won’t kill you quickly. I’ll kill you all gradually-nyan♪”
Before I had realised it, onee-san had sat down on a high tree branch and was looking down on us!