As for whether Katerea would agree, Rhode felt that after a bit of "reasonable persuasion," any smart person would know which choice to make.
He didn't care about the others in the Old Satan Faction. His philosophy was that the more people involved, the messier it became. Besides, descendants like Shalba or Creuserey were unlikely to abandon their unrealistic fantasies just because of a few words from him.
Judging from her current attitude, Katerea didn't seem completely impossible to talk to. Of course, as a legitimate hardliner, she would never choose to join the "family" of the current Devil King government. She wasn't as unscrupulous as Rhode, who would join an enemy camp on a whim.
So, Rhode planned to complete the mission in a different way.
If he could win over Katerea, he could smoothly complete the mission, get the rewards, and add a reliable friend to his inner circle. It was a total win-win! If he really couldn't pull it off, Rhode would just have to let it go. He wasn't losing anything anyway.
What? Moral integrity? What's that?
Rhode had a very flexible set of moral standards: double standards, strict with others, and lenient with himself.
At that thought, Rhode perked up instantly. Seeing Rhode suddenly start laughing, Katerea's expression became a bit subtle. In the short time they had spent together, she saw that this man indeed possessed extraordinary courage—even after seeing the might of the Legitimate Devil King Faction, he remained perfectly calm.
He was just... a bit slow in the head.
"Rhode, what are your thoughts?"
"Katerea, I support your vision, but your plan is riddled with holes. There is zero chance of it succeeding!"
"To be blunt, the army you are so proud of is absolute trash compared to the Three Factions!"
Rhode was direct, completely unafraid of being killed. Katerea froze for a moment. When she snapped back to reality, the magic power in the room swirled like a tsunami. Decorations flew everywhere in the violent storm of magic. Rhode quickly generated a gas barrier around himself just in time to avoid getting hit by flying debris.
"You dare call my army trash?! What do you think I have been enduring all these years for?! My army is a hundred times stronger than the cowardly forces under Serafall!"
Katerea was livid. She had been building her forces in secret during her exile, joining the Khaos Brigade and begging Ophis for power. Yet this man, whom she had just met, said her plan was full of holes and her army was garbage!
Katerea released her full magical power, trying to force the man before her to submit and kneel. However, Rhode was not only unaffected, but a smile even played on his lips—he actually laughed out loud.
This act almost made Katerea snap.
But Rhode didn't continue to provoke her. In a xianxia novel, this would be an advisor's fatal remonstrance, but that relied on the ruler actually possessing undeniable strength. Katerea wasn't even at the Devil King level. She only obtained power beyond the original Devil Kings for a short time by using Ophis's "snakes." Yet, she would eventually be driven to self-destruction by an Azazel using a Sacred Gear.
In xianxia terms, Katerea was at the peak of the "Qi Condensation" stage. But anyone who has read those novels knows the gap between the peak of Qi Condensation and the Foundation Building stage is like heaven and earth—and the gap only widens the higher you go.
With her current strength, she was just barely qualified to sit at the same table as Kokabiel.
"I know you're anxious, but don't be in such a rush."
Rhode's leisurely attitude infuriated Katerea. Her chest (slang: Mt. Fuji) rose and fell with her anger, making it hard for Rhode to look away even behind his sunglasses.
"Give me one reason, or don't expect to walk out of here alive."
Katerea tried her best to calm down. Rhode treated her threat as hot air. She wasn't even at the Devil King level; how could she stop him?
"If you don't believe me, walk me through your plan."
"My plan... Hmph! Are you trying to trick me into talking?!"
Katerea almost spilled it but caught herself. She thought Rhode was a mole sent to steal their "perfect" battle plan! She thought she was being clever.
"Fine, if you won't say it, I will."
Rhode just thought she was "all assets and no brains." Who tries to trick people like that? If someone actually attempted it, they'd either be an amateur or the target would have to be an idiot.
Then, Rhode laid out their plan right in front of her.
The Old Satan Faction knew the meeting was set for Kuoh Academy. They had contacted Vali, the White Dragon Emperor, bribed him to join them, and planned to get the spatial coordinates for the school. They also intended to have Walburga and the witches sneak in to find Rias's servant with the time-stopping Sacred Gear. Once the time stop was activated, they would move their army in for a decisive strike.
Basically, they found a traitor and planned an inside-outside job.
As he spoke, Rhode also felt Rias's actions were baffling. Even though she knew her shut-in servant's Sacred Gear was incredibly dangerous, she still left him alone at the school. The fact that Gasper possessed the Forbidden Balor View was common knowledge. Keeping that ticking time bomb at the school during the meeting was asking for trouble.
If he were Rias, he would have sent the shut-in to the safest place in the Underworld, giving him three meals and games to play.
As Rhode internally facepalmed over Rias, Katerea was stunned. Only a few high-ranking leaders knew the full plan. The actual details weren't even supposed to be told to the subordinates until the last minute.
She had never met Rhode before. How did he know?! Could there be a traitor among the Legitimate Devil King Faction?!
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High School DxD : Reincarnated into the Multiverse, but it's High School DxD (216 Chapters – Ongoing)
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