Chapter [89]

"Now it's up to you, Freed."

Hahaha! Hahahaha!

Freed laughed maniacally, his eyes full of madness as he spun the sacred sword in the air.

"I won't die! I can't die! I'll kill all of you!"

Kaito looked at him with a disappointed expression, unaffected by Freed's manic demeanor.

Thalia, beside him, watched the scene in silence, waiting for Kaito's decision.

Kaito snapped his fingers.

CLACK!

Freed stopped laughing abruptly. His body began to tremble, and he put his hands to his throat, desperately trying to breathe.

"Ah... Aagh! What... what's happening?!"

Kaito continued to stare at him, his eyes fixed, as Freed began to choke, struggling to find air.

"Not so funny now, is it?"

Kaito murmured, his voice cold as he controlled the air around Freed, cutting off his circulation.

Freed fell to his knees, his eyes wide with terror, struggling helplessly against the invisible force suffocating him.

Freed continued to writhe, the madness in his eyes slowly fading as he collapsed to the side, his body still thrashing in a desperate attempt to survive.

Thalia watched the scene, her gaze fixed on Freed. She showed no sympathy for the exorcist, only the certainty that he was finally being punished for his actions.

Kaito, still controlling the air around Freed, watched as the exorcist struggled helplessly against the fate he himself had sealed.

"Goodbye, Freed," Kaito murmured as the exorcist finally stopped moving, his body now still on the ground, eyes open with a vacant, glazed look.

The warehouse fell silent for a moment, only the distant sound of dripping and the rustling of trees remaining.

Kaito raised his hand, and the ring on his finger began to glow softly. In seconds, the ring transformed into the spiritual spear Vendetta, which he held firmly. His eyes fixed on the Excaliburs scattered on the ground, the sacred swords that had been used in the ritual.

"These swords shouldn't fall into the wrong hands again."

Kaito approached the Excaliburs, raising the spear Vendetta and, with precise strikes, began to destroy them one by one. Each sword struck by the spear shattered, its sacred blades breaking into pieces as sparks flew through the air.

With a final blow, Kaito destroyed the last of the Excaliburs, the fragments of the swords now scattered across the warehouse floor.

"Let's go, Thalia. We need to get out of here before others show up."

Thalia nodded, stepping away from Freed and moving closer to Kaito, her eyes still vigilant as she stood beside him, waiting for the next move.

Kaito concentrated his energy, and a glowing magic circle appeared beneath his feet, enveloping Thalia as well. The light surrounded them both, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the abandoned warehouse, leaving behind the bodies of the mages, the destroyed Excaliburs, and the blood mingling with the dirt.

Kaito and Thalia materialized in the living room of Kaito's house, the magic circle slowly disappearing beneath their feet.

"We're back," Kaito said, letting out a slight sigh as he looked around the room.

Kuroka, who was lying on the couch, lifted her head and looked at them with a teasing smile.

"Hehe, you're back quickly, nya. How was the fun?" Kuroka asked, swishing her tail.

Kaito just shook his head, letting the spear turn back into a ring on his finger.

"It went as expected. Nothing more than an obstacle removed," Kaito replied.

Thalia threw herself onto the couch next to Kuroka, letting out a long sigh.

"I think we deserve a break now," Thalia said, closing her eyes for a moment.

"You two are almost equally lazy. Thalia, you're becoming as lazy as Kuroka," Kaito said, looking at them with a slight smile.

"Hehe, lazy, nya? I call it enjoying life, Kaito," Kuroka opened her eyes and grinned mischievously, swishing her tail.

"If that means resting after a successful mission, then I'm happy to be lazy," Thalia retorted with a smirk, without opening her eyes.

Kaito shook his head and sighed, feeling the weight of accumulated exhaustion. "I'm going to my room. I need to rest and take care of some things."

Without waiting for a response, Kaito turned and went up the stairs, leaving Thalia and Kuroka to tease each other on the couch. Arriving in his room, he closed the door behind him and allowed himself to relax a bit, breathing deeply as he looked around the calm environment.

Kaito sat on the bed, reaching out to summon a holographic communication screen. The bluish light illuminated his face as he waited for the connection with Rias to be established.

"Rias, I need to tell you what happened," Kaito began, looking directly at her. "Freed and Valper were about to complete a dangerous ritual using the Excaliburs. If they had succeeded, they would have become an even greater threat to all of us. Thalia and I acted quickly to prevent it."

Rias closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath, clearly trying to control her emotions. "You should have told us. We could have faced this together. I know you want to protect everyone, but you can't just act alone without considering the risks." She opened her eyes, her expression still tense.

"I know, Rias. And I didn't do this without thinking. Freed was about to gain enough power to cause us a lot of trouble. Thalia and I managed to handle them before it became a bigger problem. Plus, I destroyed the Excaliburs to ensure they wouldn't be used again," Kaito replied, keeping a steady gaze, though he understood her perspective.

Rias stared at him for a few moments, the silence between them stretching. Finally, she sighed, releasing some of the tension. "At least you both came back safely... but we need to be on guard with Kokabiel. We don't know how he'll react when he finds out the Excaliburs were destroyed."

Kaito nodded. "You're right. Kokabiel isn't someone to be underestimated. I wanted to make sure Freed didn't have the chance to become a bigger problem before our confrontation with Kokabiel."

Rias shook her head, still with a concerned expression. "Kaito, you need to understand that you're not alone. We're all in this together, and we need to plan our actions. We can't risk something happening to you... or to Thalia."

Kaito sighed.

"I appreciate your concern, Rias, but if I had followed your plan, it would have been much more dangerous."

Rias frowned, evident anger in her gaze. "Do you think acting on your own is the best way to protect us, Kaito? Don't you realize how much this puts everyone at risk?"

"There's no need to continue this discussion. I've said everything I wanted to. If Kokabiel shows up, let me know," Kaito looked at her, his eyes remaining firm.

"Do you really think this is enough? That simply asking me to let you know will solve everything?" Rias narrowed her eyes, clearly irritated.

"You contradict your own argument by trying to lecture me. I thought your greatest concern was your Peerage," Kaito raised an eyebrow, his voice growing colder.

Rias fell silent, processing Kaito's words. 'Is he right? Am I letting my emotions interfere with the group's focus?'

"Fine, Kaito. I'll let you know if Kokabiel shows up." Finally, Rias took a deep breath, letting go of the accumulated tension.

"Thank you, Rias. Goodbye." Kaito nodded. He ended the communication, the holographic screen fading, leaving the room silent once more.

....

The warehouse was in ruins, the smell of blood and metal hanging in the air. Kokabiel, with his black wings extended and his arrogant gaze, appeared, hovering just above the scene. He descended slowly to the ground, his eyes observing the scene with a mixture of coldness and amusement.

"So, it seems our little Devils decided to play without inviting me," Kokabiel said, his voice echoing through the empty warehouse. He walked slowly through the place, passing by the bodies of the mages and Freed, who lay scattered, eyes glazed and lifeless.

"These Devils do have some courage..." Kokabiel murmured, leaning down to observe Freed's frozen face, still showing an expression of horror. He laughed, a low and sinister laugh, as he straightened up, lightly flapping his wings. "I think it's time to return the favor."

Kokabiel raised his hand, a sphere of light forming between his fingers. The sphere shone intensely, lighting up the warehouse with a cold and menacing glow. "You dared to interfere with my plans... thought you could get away unpunished? No... I'll make sure you understand the price of your audacity."

He hurled the sphere at the ground, causing a small explosion that scattered debris of wood and concrete. The energy radiated through the warehouse, and the wreckage began to catch fire. Flames licked the bodies and walls, turning the warehouse into an even greater scene of destruction.

"Get ready, Devils," Kokabiel smiled, a cruel gleam in his eyes as he watched the fire grow around him. "I'll bring you to my personal party... and this time, there will be no escape."

With one last look at the devastated scene, Kokabiel flapped his wings and took off, disappearing into the dark sky. He knew exactly where to go and how to make sure those Devils understood the price of challenging him.

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