The mahogany door of the Occult Research Club room clicked shut behind Thomas. The soft sound of the lock mechanism resonated loudly in the quiet corridor, as if marking the end of one chapter and the beginning of another far more perilous one. He walked with measured steps, the friendly teacher's mask still firmly in place, but inside, his mind raced, analyzing every second of the recent meeting.
The meeting had been an elegant trap. An invitation disguised as a plea for help, an interrogation wrapped in casual conversation, and a physical test hidden behind feigned carelessness. Each member of the Gremory peerage had played their part perfectly.
They knew, the conclusion struck him with cold certainty.
They might not know the details. But they knew he wasn't merely "Thomas Hill," the English teacher from overseas. They sensed something was wrong. His physical strength in restraining Koneko, however minimal his attempt to disguise it, was an anomaly they couldn't ignore.
A cold frustration began to creep into him. His initial plan to passively blend in while searching for weaknesses had utterly failed. He had underestimated them, seeing them only as a group of superpowered teenagers. A fatal mistake. They were predators highly vigilant of their territory.
That night, in his anonymous hotel room, Thomas no longer felt agitated. His frustration had transformed into something sharper and clearer, a cold focus. He stopped pacing and stood before the window, gazing at the flickering city lights of Kuoh like an artificial galaxy.
The slow, cautious game of chess was over. He couldn't win that way. It was time to flip the chessboard and start playing by his own rules.
He reached for his encrypted phone. His fingers moved with new speed and decisiveness. The time for hiding was over. The time for precise hunting had arrived. He typed a series of new commands for Viser and Seris, commands that reflected a complete shift in his strategy.
"Mission changed. Cease all general surveillance. Low-level Stray Devil hunting is no longer relevant."
"Full focus on surveillance of all Gremory and Sitri peerage members. I want data. Their daily routines, their habits outside of school, the paths they take home."
"Your task is to find one individual. One person with a consistent pattern, one person who is often alone, even if only for a moment. I need a vulnerability, however small, in their formation."
"This is top priority. Do not fail."
He pressed send. There was immense relief in the action, the relief of having abandoned a passive stance and reclaimed the initiative. He would no longer wait for threats to come. He would create the threats.
The following days at Kuoh Academy were a perfect acting performance. He multiplied his charm, becoming the most helpful teacher, the most understanding mentor. He knew he was being watched, especially by Koneko and Sona, but he welcomed it with a smile. Let them watch him. The more normal he appeared, the deeper his disguise.
He waited. Each day felt like a week. He needed a clue, a name, an opportunity.
The opportunity came on the fourth day. As he was explaining the difference between "will" and "going to" in Issei's class, the phone in his pocket vibrated.
He casually walked to the back of the classroom, pretending to observe a student's work, his eyes quickly glancing at his phone screen. The message was from Viser.
"Master, we found it. A pattern."
His heart beat a little faster.
"Not from Gremory, they're too solid. But from the Student Council. Target: Momo Hanakai. Bishop of the Sitri peerage."
Thomas continued to read, every word in the message feeling like a piece of gold.
"Her routine is fixed. Every Friday afternoon after the council meeting, she goes alone to Pâtisserie Claire on Sky Avenue. She sits at the same table, orders the same cake. She's there for a full hour."
Then came the most important sentence. The sentence that sealed the girl's fate.
"Security: Zero. She is completely alone."
A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on Thomas's lips. That was it. A crack in the armor. A weakness born of routine and a false sense of security.
He locked his phone and returned to the front of the class, resuming his explanation with newfound clarity. Outwardly, he was the dedicated Hill-sensei. But inside, the predator had locked onto its target.
His frustration was gone. His doubts had vanished. All that remained was a cold focus and sharp anticipation.
Momo Hanakai, the cheerful Bishop. Her magical power would soon be his.
Friday arrived with an anticipation that felt like static electricity under Thomas's skin. Throughout the day at Kuoh Academy, he was the epitome of a perfect educator. He taught with infectious enthusiasm, patiently helped struggling students, and even shared lighthearted jokes with other staff in the teachers' lounge. Not a single one of his behaviors deviated from the "Thomas Hill" persona he had meticulously built. His mask was perfectly in place.
As soon as the last bell rang, he finished his administrative tasks with swift efficiency. He politely declined invitations from several other teachers to go for drinks, stating he had some personal errands in the city. Personal errands. A very simple phrase for a hunting plan.
He arrived at Sky Avenue shopping mall thirty minutes early. The place was a bustling temple of modern consumerism. The noise from the crowd, pop music playing from loudspeakers, and bright lights from storefronts created perfect camouflage. He stepped inside, not as a shopper, but as a predator entering its prey's territory.
Pâtisserie Claire was on the second floor, an elegant sanctuary dominated by soft cream and gold colors. Glass displays showcased artistically precise cakes, looking like edible jewels. The air was filled with the sweet aroma of sugar and butter. Thomas chose a small table in a somewhat secluded corner. From there, he had a clear line of sight to the entire cafe, especially to a table near the window that seemed ideal for someone wanting to read quietly. He ordered a black espresso, merely as a prop, and waited.
Precisely at two past four, the bell above the door chimed.
Momo Hanakai entered, exactly as Viser had reported. She was still wearing her Kuoh Academy uniform, her bright silver hair tied into two pigtails that swayed as she walked. Her face exuded a cheerful and carefree aura. She greeted the staff with a familiar friendly smile, clearly a regular customer, before ordering a slice of strawberry shortcake and tea.
As Momo walked towards the window table, the same table he had predicted, Thomas focused his Spiritual Sense. He could feel the girl's aura. Unlike Akeno's stormy aura or Rias's ocean of destruction, Momo's aura felt like a gentle, shimmering river. It was pure magical energy, but calm and unwary. She was truly relaxing.
Momo took out a pink-covered novel, placed it beside her cake, and began to eat with an expression of pure happiness. She was the perfect prey, completely unaware of the predator's presence.
Now, Thomas began to plan. His mind analyzed every possibility with cold precision.
Option one: A direct approach here. Immediately rejected. Too many witnesses. The staff knew him. A sudden change in behavior would instantly trigger alarms among her powerful friends.
Option two: An ambush in a public place like a restroom. Too messy and unpredictable. Not his style.
Option three: Following her and seeking an opportunity. This was the only logical choice. He would let her enjoy her time. Then, he would follow her on her way home and look for the perfect blind spot. A quiet alley, a dimly lit parking lot, or an empty pedestrian bridge. A place where he could isolate her for a few crucial seconds.
As he continued to observe, a new detail caught his attention. Between reading, Momo occasionally reached for her phone, smiled, and typed quickly. She was clearly communicating with someone. Most likely Sona or another member of the Student Council.
This was a significant complication. His target had an active and open line of communication. If she disappeared too suddenly, if her messages abruptly stopped, a warning would be immediately sent. His window of time to act, from the moment he incapacitated her until he had her under his control and could order her to send an "everything's fine" message, became very narrow. This made the hunt more challenging, and therefore, more exciting.
An hour passed. Momo finished her tea, reluctantly closed her novel, and began to pack up.
This was his cue. Thomas quickly placed some bills on the table to pay for his coffee, then stood up and walked out of the cafe a moment before Momo. He didn't go far, just blended into the crowd near the escalator, pretending to browse shop windows.
A few minutes later, Momo Hanakai exited Pâtisserie Claire, stepping cheerfully towards the escalator, completely unaware that a pair of predatory eyes were now locked on her.
The reconnaissance phase had ended. The hunting phase was about to begin.