—In the face of that desperate devastation, his cheerful smile and voice were anything but fitting.
The kimono was burned beyond recognition, and the left side of his face was charred black, yet Cecilus peered down with the same attitude as always. It was far too abnormal.
He wasn't the only one. —Right now, everyone still alive on this island was abnormal.
Any sane person had surely died already.
Cecilus before him, Todd pursuing them,
Every single one of them was unhinged. That was the only reason they could shamelessly keep on living.
And so— "S-Sce..."
"You look like you've had a rough time of it too. That lizardman over there is dead as well. At this rate, the deer girl and all your other friends from the 'Great Spirit Alliance' are probably wiped out, aren't they?"
"—!"
"Oh my, perhaps you haven't accepted his death yet?"
Cecilus read Subaru's emotions through the trembling of his eyeballs.
In that instant, fury surged. How was it that this man could read minds like that, yet couldn't sympathize in the slightest with how Subaru felt right now?
How could he so carelessly say that someone was dead? Subaru, who had just been told that Heinkel was dead—what was he supposed to feel?
"How could you just say it so lightly?"
"He is dead. Thoroughly and completely. ...That said, it's not a bad death, his expression."
"He's... dead... and yet..."
"You think there's no such thing as a good or bad death? I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree on that. If there's such a thing as a good life, then there's such a thing as a good death. It's tasteless to intrude on how the bereaved feel about it. The lizardman died a good death. That expression on his face is proof of that."
"————"
"A face that fulfilled its role—that's the kind of death I aspire to have myself."
Subaru had nothing to say to Cecilus's rapid-fire words.
It wasn't that he'd been talked around—he simply felt it was pointless. He didn't want to see Heinkel's face, and he didn't think for a second that he could ever understand Cecilus.
So there wasn't a single shred of reason for him to entertain what Cecilus had to say.
"Well now, meeting like this is quite the coincidence, but I'm actually in a bit of a bind myself. I'm in the middle of a fierce battle with a half-naked woman rampaging through the island."
Cecilus straightened from his bent posture and continued talking on his own, as was his way.
It didn't take a genius to figure out who the opponent in question was—it was Arakiya.
Arakiya, who had begun a massacre at Todd's behest. The only endearing thing about Todd was that she lacked outstanding combat prowess, but teaming up with her eliminated even that flaw, making him a perfect evil.
He hadn't been seen since decapitating the head of the sword slaves and turning it into a water balloon, but it turned out Cecilus had been the one holding her back.
Even after rotting away, a "Divine General" could only be stopped by another "Divine General."
"That said, as you can see, I'm struggling pretty hard. Man, I've gotta hand it to her—there really are people out there who can fight me head-on. I always thought the path to the Divine Sword was one you could only climb alone."
"...Why..."
"Hm? What's that?"
"Why... do you look like you're having fun...?"
Those words came out as an outlet for the agony wringing his soul dry.
Yes, it was nothing more than lashing out. In this hell of a situation, on this island where Veltol, Tanz, Idra, Heinkel—all of them—had died, Cecilus's smile was infuriating.
How could he smile? What was so funny about any of this?
"Why...!"
"Oh no, you've got it backwards. It's not that I'm smiling because I'm having fun—I'm creating a situation where things become fun because I smile."
"—Huh?"
"In this cruel world, everyone pursues their own ideal of happiness. Their methods differ vastly—everyone has their own philosophy—but whichever path you take, you must uphold a creed worthy of that choice. And the creed I uphold is this very way of being."
As he spoke, Cecilus touched his scorched left cheek with his right hand. Carbonized skin crumbled and fell away, yet even amidst unimaginable pain, his smile didn't waver.
He wasn't relying on the trick of not feeling pain—Cecilus simply kept smiling.
"As the leading actor on this world's stage! Rather than approaching the script, I shall make the script come to me. If you ask why I smile, that is the answer I shall give."
"————"
"For whom do I smile? For myself, of course. —So that no matter when or how I am watched, I shall never feel shame before those Observers above."
"————"
"So tell me, Barusu—what creed will you hold?"
Half his body burned, yet his smile never faltered—Cecilus's philosophy.
Subaru couldn't understand it in the slightest, yet he felt something like a strange, unshakable faith—something that made him hesitate to trample it with raw emotion.
Cecilus had used the word "Observer" before, too.
He'd said it as if someone—or something—something not of this world, was watching them.
To be able to spout things like that in a situation like this—he was the real deal, and surely nothing could break him.
And so— "Oh, looks like break time's over."
Even as he said this, and Arakiya descended onto the lower corridors, his smile didn't disappear.
Arakiya, wreathed in flames—she, against whom no sword slave could have stood a chance—had a broken branch in her hand, and the eyepatch covering one eye was gone.
Unwilling to let anyone see beneath her eyepatch, Arakiya covered her left eye with her free hand. Her face, usually expressionless, was twisted with extremely complex emotions.
"Cecilus...!"
Gritting her teeth, Arakiya glared at Cecilus. Her eyes flickered between rage and confusion.
Behind her, wings of flame beat and fluttered, and her fire swayed and blazed in tandem with her emotions, flooding the corridor with savage heat.
The smell of burning air filled the nostrils, and everything around her began to catch fire.
The corridor walls and floor, candlesticks and doors—and even Heinkel's fallen corpse— "—!"
"Will burning to death here together serve as fitting retribution for that expression on his face? That was rather unlike me. Stay or leave—do as you please."
Seeing Heinkel's body begin to ignite, Subaru's expression changed. Cecilus's voice drifted down toward him. Subaru planted his arms against the floor, slowly peeled his body away from the increasingly hot ground, and rose to his feet.
His head throbbed. He didn't have enough blood. The helplessness was crushing his chest.
Even so—why was Subaru still standing? Why wasn't he biting down on the "medicine" tucked behind his molar, ready to die right here?
"Until we meet again on this side of the river."
Not even sure why he was running, Subaru turned his back on the burning corridor.
He ran, he dragged his feet, he moved at an agonizingly slow pace.
If only he'd been faster—maybe if he'd had this speed back then, Idra and Heinkel, Veltol and Tanz—they wouldn't have had to die. Tortured by that thought, Subaru kept running, kept fleeing.
△▼△▼△▼△ "Well, Barusu has left us too."
"————"
"My, my—seems I'm quite unpopular."
Sensing the halting footsteps grow distant, Cecilus gave a wry smile and closed one eye.
The woman wreathed in fire was glaring daggers at him. He understood that her fury was directed at him, but the source of that anger eluded him.
It didn't feel like she was angry simply because they were enemies, nor because he'd stopped her from killing sword slaves.
Surely, there was another reason entirely.
However— "I have a special talent for making just about anyone I interact with angry. In keeping with that reputation... I haven't the faintest idea what it's about this time!"
"You—how far are you going to keep this up...?!"
"Hmm, so you think I'm joking? For reference, could you point out exactly where I'm being disrespectful?"
"You—what even is that... appearance?!"
Glaring at him with crimson eyes, she pointed at his form.
As if that was fair—she was the one who'd burned half of him to a crisp.
"But I don't think that's what you really mean, is it? Unless I'm very much mistaken, perhaps there was some kind of connection between us?"
"You're joking—"
"There wasn't, but I have no proof that would convince you if I insisted. Still, when I think about it that way, various things do seem to line up."
As he spoke, Cecilus twirled the eyepatch he'd taken from her during their fight around his upright finger, nodding.
He genuinely couldn't recall the memories before the sword slaves ran rampant on the island. As he'd told Subaru before, this was the truth. He also hadn't given it much thought. But here, at the very moment he'd begun to suspect there might be something, this woman had appeared with a knowing look.
If she existed within his lost memories, that was somewhat tantalizing. An opponent of this caliber—with a bit of hope, perhaps...
On the path toward the Divine Sword— "That's how it always is... nobody tells me anything...!"
"Oh my?"
But as Cecilus pondered, the woman's voice shook with frustration. Rage and confusion grew, tinged with deep bitterness.
The flames on her back shifted from red to blue, changing color. Nice taste, he thought.
And with that stylish transformation, she exhaled painfully— "The princess, the lord—they're all hiding things... I'm always..."
"Left in the dark and struggling?"
"—!"
His careless remark had hit the bullseye. Her expression stiffened.
Looking at her flickering crimson eyes, a hazy attachment flickered somewhere distant—or maybe not. In the end, his relationship with her remained unclear.
"Well, if we were on good terms, you wouldn't be trying to kill me. I'll surmise that our relationship was quite hostile. It fits the situation perfectly!"
"Cecilus...!"
"Long stories bore the audience. Let's move the stage along. Regrettably, I have no answers for you, but perhaps it will ease the burden on your chest."
Concealing the pain in his half-burned body, Cecilus gripped the eyepatch he'd been twirling and faced her head-on.
His posture made clear—he wanted to end the conversation and move to a dialogue beyond words. After a moment of silence, she slowly lowered her left hand.
Confronted by her lightless red eyes on the other side, Cecilus gave a wry smile.
"Come at me with everything you've got. —You never cook the yolk on your sunny-side-up eggs all the way through."
"—!"
"Huh? Something just slipped out, didn't it?"
Rubbing his own head in puzzlement, Cecilus tilted it to one side.
But that only seemed to earn him even more of her fury.
"————"
With explosive force, blue flames erupted and began to scorch the island's lower level.
Without a moment's thought for self-preservation, Cecilus himself transformed into "Blue Lightning" and dove straight into the inferno.
△▼△▼△▼△ "Hah... hah..."
Feeling the heat-scorched air against his back, Subaru fled desperately from the lower level.
He was fleeing—yes, fleeing. Not resisting, not struggling—fleeing.
A strategic retreat, a courageous escape to fight another day—he couldn't make those excuses.
Because there was nothing ahead to connect to.
Everyone was dead. Nobody could be saved anymore.
They'd risked their lives to get him out, and he couldn't do anything.
He'd thought he could handle everything. Every single thing.
In truth, when he'd survived "Sparcima" twice and rescued his allies from the Great Spirit Alliance, as well as Heinkel's companions—he'd believed he could overcome any obstacle.
What a grotesque misunderstanding. What arrogance.
In the first place, Subaru had died countless times. He'd succeeded only because dying gave him a chance to try again. Now that the resets had stopped working, this was the result.
If he were truly capable, he would have been able to handle everything without dying even once.
Like that terrifying existence,
Without the authority to die and restart, yet possessing the strength to overcome every situation through his own power.
Todd, like Subaru, lacked outstanding combat prowess—so why couldn't Subaru do what Todd did?
Because he couldn't do it, Subaru had caused the deaths of so many— "Damn it...!"
Bursting out of the island's lower level and into the open air, the frustration swelled until he could no longer contain it. Subaru slammed his fist against the outer wall he'd collapsed against and cursed himself for his weakness.
Small fists. Weak body. Useless brain. A worthless authority. If he started counting the reasons for his defeat, the list would go on forever.
Rather—what did he even have, this good-for-nothing brat with his lousy eyes— "—!"
Muttering curses, Subaru froze. The sudden sound clamped down on his scream before it could escape.
A sound, at a moment like this—the worst possible images flooded his mind. That Idra, who'd desperately fought to hold Todd back, had been caught.
However— "Lord... Schwart..."
"—Tanz?"
The hoarse voice that followed the sound brought surprise rather than fear.
Weakly, barely drawing breath, the one calling Subaru's name was Tanz—who'd been thrown from the corridor by Todd's hand, her fate unknown ever since.
She was dragging her feet, soaking wet, wearing only a white undergarment after shedding her kimono. One of the two horns growing from her head was broken off, and she was in tatters.
And yet— "Lord Schwart, I'm so glad... you're safe..."
Her round eyes trembled with relief, and Subaru felt a pang of anguish from the bottom of his heart.
Looking at her drenched state, it was clear she'd been thrown into the lake from the upper level. The lake—a body of water rumored to house ferocious aquatic beasts. The broken horn was proof that things hadn't gone smoothly.
It would have been natural for her to cry out—hurting, scared, begging for help, clinging to an adult.
But Tanz had found Subaru and her eyes had softened with "thank goodness."
She was smiling at him—this Subaru, who couldn't do anything— "—Ah."
It was in that instant that his legs gave out and Subaru collapsed where he stood.
The tension snapping, the mind that had been screaming suddenly went quiet.
He wasn't relieved that Tanz was alive.
It wasn't a sense of achievement at finding some way forward, nor had he shaken off his fear of Todd.
—He had simply run out of patience with himself.
"Lord Schwart...?!"
Seeing Subaru drop to his knees, Tanz's face went pale and she rushed over.
Her run was strange—maybe she'd injured her foot. Looking closely, the side of her wet white undergarment was also slowly staining red.
Despite bearing what looked like a painful wound, she was worried about Subaru.
The moment he realized he couldn't meet even Tanz's expectations—his strength left him.
Resignation took hold of his heart.
"————"
It wasn't pain, and it wasn't fear.
What truly despair-ed
It was being unable to live up to the expectations placed on him. The wishes others had for him.
That was the deadliest poison that plunged Natsuki Subaru into deepest despair.
"Lord Schwart, please pull yourself together... The others—Idra and Heinkel, are they..."
Reaching his side, Tanz touched Subaru's shoulder and asked about the other two.
She hadn't called Veltol's name. Of course not. Tanz had witnessed Veltol being killed right before her eyes. And about the other two who weren't here—she surely had a bad feeling.
That premonition was horribly, hopelessly accurate.
"Both of them... are dead..."
"—!"
"Idra and Heinkel—they shielded me..."
Everyone was dead. Not only had he been unable to save them—he'd been saved by them.
Veltol, Idra, and Heinkel—all three had died protecting Subaru. Tanz had nearly died because she'd tried to protect him while he couldn't move.
Everyone died because of Subaru.
Everyone was killed because of Subaru.
This catastrophe on the sword slave island—all of it was Natsuki Subaru's fault.
"Lord Schwart, we need to leave this place. We have to hide somewhere, right now—"
"It's no use hiding. ...They'll find me right away anyway."
"Even so! Are you just going to stay here and wait to be killed? Then what did the people of the 'Great Spirit Alliance' give their lives for?!"
"————"
Subaru shook his head. Tanz, unable to move him, cried out in frustration.
Her tearful plea didn't warm Subaru's heart—it only brought a cold, hollow sense of certainty.
Yes—the Subaru they'd risked their lives to protect was useless.
In other words, all three had died for nothing. All of them, because they'd tried to shield Subaru.
He'd failed to meet their expectations. He'd lied to them and deceived them.
That lie—he should never have told it. If he couldn't see the lie through to the end, if lying couldn't bring anything back, then he shouldn't have lied at all.
Then the three of them wouldn't have tried to die in his place.
Not for the Emperor's son. Not for Natsuki Schwart. For nothing more than Natsuki Subaru.
Speaking of which—there was one more person he'd lied to with that same lie.
"Lord Schwart! You can't stay here—"
"...It was all lies, Tanz."
"————"
"I'm not the Emperor's secret son. It's all lies. I am the child of a wonderful, incredibly cool father—but I'm not... the Emperor's child."
Hanging his head, Subaru confessed—the easy lie he'd relied on, the false expectations he'd fabricated.
If only he'd done this sooner—no, he should never have told such a lie in the first place.
"————"
Tanz's round eyes grew even rounder. She was speechless at Subaru's confession.
Of course. Even Subaru himself cursed what kind of lie he'd told in a situation like this. If she flew into a rage at being deceived, it would be no surprise at all.
Rather, if Tanz killed him with her own hands, that would be understandable.
Everyone else, too—they'd lost their chance to punish Subaru, the deceiver, with the rightful anger they deserved.
Then if Tanz did it now— "...Lord Schwart."
"————"
"Let's move. Quickly. I'll carry you."
"What..."
Subaru, eyes shut braced for whatever rebuke was coming, raised his face at Tanz's words.
Tanz pressed her thin lips together and reached for Subaru's arm. She was serious—she was going to carry him out of here. At that, a voice escaped Subaru's lips.
"Wait."
He'd told her everything. He'd said it was all lies.
"Didn't you hear me!? I'm—"
"I heard that you are not His Excellency the Emperor's secret child. We can discuss the rest later—"
"There's no later—! It has nothing to do with the Emperor! If that's the case, then there's no reason left to save me..."
There was nothing. He'd merely pretended something existed when it didn't. That was Subaru's sin—and it had cost three lives.
"—Lord Schwart, is that truly what you think?"
A small hand touched his shoulder. Subaru, who'd been about to brush it away, froze.
Before him, Tanz had crouched down and was staring straight into his eyes. He couldn't look away, and the meaning of her words wouldn't register.
What was there to think about? It was all simply the truth.
"You truly believe that Veltol, Idra, and Heinkel risked their lives to protect you—all because of the lie you told?"
"B-Because... because I'm the Emperor's child—"
"All of us believed that. But do you really think those three—the cowardly, craven, lying lot of them—bet their lives on loyalty or patriotism to the Empire?"
If Subaru were the Emperor's secret child, he'd be an imperial prince.
Therefore, as subjects of the Empire, the three of them protecting Subaru would be natural. But rethinking Tanz's words—slowly, carefully— Heinkel, the coward who'd tried to run away to save himself.
Veltol, who'd schemed to outwit everyone around him and survive.
Idra, who'd manipulated others by inflating his own image through lies.
None of them felt like people he could get along with. The three of them probably felt the same way.
And yet, in the end, all three had risked their lives to shield Subaru. To protect him. To let him escape.
Why was that? Because the three of them believed Subaru was the Emperor's secret child.
But if—what if—that wasn't true?
"Why...?"
"Because you were the kind of person who properly reached out to those three."
"————"
"Talking with them sincerely, giving real answers, trying to understand them... It was because you, Lord Schwart, stood by their side like that."
When Subaru voiced his confusion, Tanz told him this without looking away.
She was trying to teach him the answer—why Subaru had done what he'd done, why the three had tried to save him.
But Subaru couldn't understand what Tanz was saying.
Because— "That's... obvious. I didn't do anything special."
Talking with people you worked with, trying to understand them—that was just normal.
There were things he'd failed to do, of course. Things he'd tried to do but couldn't finish. But everyone did those things naturally—standing by someone wasn't anything special.
"I understand how they felt. I, too, was saved by Lady Yorna. She reached out to me. Surely, those three felt the same."
"————"
"Just that alone—that can give someone a reason to lay down their life. ...That's what I believe, anyway."
That was a cruel thing to say.
If it were only about Subaru, he could have flat-out denied it. But Tanz had spoken of her own experience—what Yorna had done for her.
Yorna Mischig—the demon city's matriarch, where countless races lived. The kindest woman Subaru had ever known in the Empire.
Saying he was like Yorna—that was outrageous. That comparison was far too generous.
Tanz was overestimating him by a mile.
But— "————"
But what about those three? Heinkel, Veltol, and Idra?
Subaru probably knew more about those three than they themselves realized.
Heinkel's self-loathing. Veltol's wrongful conviction. Idra's fall from grace.
He knew it all.
He knew that they'd all come to this island because painful things had happened, because they had nowhere to turn.
He'd thought it was too unfair. He'd thought those three deserved a chance.
He'd thought—they couldn't just die here and have it be over.
"I wanted to save everyone."
"You were being saved. They risked their lives to protect you, Lord Schwart."
"No, that's not... that's not what I mean..."
Maybe Tanz was right.
Maybe, more than Subaru thought, those three had genuinely considered him a comrade.
Maybe Subaru had, in some small way, saved their hearts.
But hearts alone weren't enough.
Saving their hearts and calling it done—that wasn't acceptable. He wanted to save everything.
Subaru wanted to save those who were on his side. Those who were kind to him. Everyone—body and soul.
If he couldn't do that, then he wasn't the son of Kenichi Natsuki—no.
"—I don't want to accept this."
Screaming helplessly as the world died around him, as everything ended.
Before he knew it, the sword slave island was wrapped in black smoke. The island floating on the lake was burning, burning, spreading outward, as if trying to snuff out every life it held.
"I won't... I refuse to accept a conclusion where nobody can be saved."
He wouldn't bow to a world where everyone was made to throw away their lives for nothing.
He refused to accept it. And therefore— "—I won't lose to you."
"Winning or losing is irrelevant."
The man who appeared, axe resting on his shoulder, head tilted—the voice behind it was Todd.
△▼△▼△▼△ Shouldering a blood-soaked axe, the man materialized with a sway. For an instant, he could almost be mistaken for someone else.
His trademark bandana was gone, and with his orange hair let down, his appearance was drastically different from what Subaru remembered.
However, those eyes—green irises that couldn't hide their malice—left no doubt as to his identity.
"Todd..."
"You've got quite the luck. The corridor caught fire, so it took me longer to catch up. I told Arakiya to use water, but..."
"————"
"Seems like she's got her hands full too. Useless at the critical moment."
Todd spoke with the same irritable tone, and with his hair down, the cheerful air he'd projected at their first meeting was gone. In its place was only a bone-dry, hollow aggression.
Even that aggression might have been an act—Todd's signature deception, lying and using those around him whenever necessary.
"Don't come any closer..."
Tanz stepped forward, picking up a nearby stone and glaring at Todd.
With her inhuman strength for a child, even a simple thrown rock could be a lethal weapon. But against Todd, it felt far less reassuring.
Todd, unfazed, narrowed his eyes.
"Toss you into a lake and you still won't quit. You going to give me the same lecture as the others?"
"...If you mean the people of the 'Great Spirit Alliance'—"
"I don't like your eyes either. I don't plan to underestimate a cornered, desperate opponent either. That makes us both stuck, which is troublesome."
Todd ran a hand through his hair. That gesture conveyed that he'd lost his bandana to Idra.
She hadn't beaten him or wounded him—she'd simply taken the bandana.
But because of that, Todd was warier of Subaru and the others.
"What... what is it you want?"
"—? I just want to go home."
Todd's answer to Tanz's question was that simple.
Not a trace of mischief or cruelty—Todd stated his desire flatly. Just wanting to go home—that was all.
And that was probably not a lie.
"—!"
"Tanz, don't talk to him anymore. I'll handle this."
Subaru stepped in front of the fierce-eyed Tanz, fixing Todd with a steady gaze.
Facing two battered children, Todd shrugged.
"I've got nothing to say, kid."
"Keep an eye on my opening and take advantage—indulge me. Or are you scared of a half-dead kid?"
"Terrified. A kid who keeps provoking you even in a situation like this? Scary as hell."
Todd didn't take the bait. His guard didn't loosen an inch, and he wouldn't hold back just because his opponent was a child.
Truly, a thoroughly dangerous opponent—no wonder they'd been cornered. But Subaru thought this too: that cautiousness, that cleverness, that refusal to overconfidence— "You try to do everything on your own, don't you?"
"—Nobody can do everything. I know my own abilities."
"You came with Arakiya, with allies, but you don't trust any of them."
Todd's attitude showed zero consideration for Arakiya.
It wasn't that he trusted her strength and believed she couldn't lose—it was that regardless of strength, he simply didn't care about her.
It wasn't just Arakiya. Todd treated everything around him the same way.
That was why his actions, his thoughts, and his ideals all revolved solely around himself.
"I won't lose to you."
"This isn't about winning or losing. If you want to die, fine—your victory."
"My loss wouldn't be mine alone. It'd be Tanz's loss, Heinkel's loss, Veltol's loss, Idra's loss—the loss of everyone in the 'Great Spirit Alliance.'"
That was absolutely unacceptable.
They were the "Great Spirit Alliance"—they fought together, resisted together, and aimed for victory together.
So they would win. —Together, all of them, they would claim victory.
"————"
Kneeling on the ground, nearly dead, Subaru placed his hand on his chest.
Todd furrowed his brow at those words but, wary of Tanz, couldn't make a reckless move. Of course, if Subaru made any visible move, Todd would act to stop it.
But Subaru stayed kneeling, not moving. He couldn't move.
"Todd."
And there was no need to move. —He needed only one word.
"—I'm using 'Return by Death.'"
After a brief hesitation, Subaru said it.
Knowing what would happen if he spoke those words, hand still pressed to his chest, Subaru uttered them clearly.
And then— "...What?"
After a moment of blankness, Todd's frown deepened.
He didn't understand what the words meant. The same bewilderment radiated from Tanz. Reading both their reactions—and the absence of pain in his own chest—Subaru realized what was wrong.
Even though his body had shrunk, the memory of agonizing pain should have been unforgettable.
The moment he spoke those words, the calamity should have descended—the black shadow that ruled over the frozen world, the unbearable pain given as punishment for breaking the taboo.
It didn't come. Why? —The
The
Instinctively, without realizing it, Subaru had understood.
Just as birds never forget how to fly. Just as fish never forget how to swim.
Natsuki Subaru never forgot how to use his authority.
Whether it was because he'd been transported to the Volachia Empire, or because of the advancing regression—it didn't matter.
He could have noticed sooner. Much, much sooner.
During "Sparcima" and during the massacre, the fact that the released gladiatorial beasts—the magical beasts—hadn't swarmed Subaru was proof that the Witch's hand had released him.
That was when he screamed.
"I'm using 'Return by Death'!"
"—You—"
"I'm using 'Return by Death'! 'Return by Death'! Do you understand? 'Return by Death'!"
—'Return by Death' must never be disclosed to anyone.
Because the unbearable pain penalty, and worse—the possibility of a soul-crushing despair connected to it.
He wasn't hoping to exploit that mechanism to kill whoever heard him.
He hadn't even covered Tanz's ears. He'd given Todd information he didn't want to share.
But his target wasn't Todd, and it wasn't anyone else on this island.
"I'm using 'Return by Death'!"
Raising his face to the sky, Subaru shouted toward the overcast heavens above the rising black smoke.
His battered body felt his own shout reverberating through his insides, agonizing. He felt like he was dying. But the pain Subaru was bracing for—the pain he sought—wasn't this.
Cecilus had left behind those rambling words—about not feeling shame before the Observers.
Subaru doubted Cecilus and he were thinking of the same entity. More likely, Cecilus's words were nothing but delusion. But that delusion had made him realize something.
If there was a being watching Subaru—just as Cecilus's imagined Observers were watching—if that being was still watching without looking away, then this despairing, loveless loop would never occur.
"I'm using 'Return by Death'!"
I'm here. Find me.
He knew it was wishful thinking. But he wanted to save everyone.
Natsuki Subaru's authority alone wasn't enough.
And therefore— "...Find me,
"—I love you."
The instant he spoke the name— "————"
The world suddenly lost all color. The deafening ringing in his ears faded into nothing.
His limbs wouldn't move. His tongue was parched and tingling. He couldn't move his eyes, couldn't breathe. A compulsion forced all of this upon him—a slow, heartbeat-disrupting threat.
—From the pitch-dark, a beloved "Witch" appeared before him, clad in a dress woven from obsidian shadows.
"I love you."
As she spoke those words, the Witch's black, malevolent hands extended toward him.
They caressed Subaru's cheek, slid gently and lovingly down his neck, traced his collarbone, descended past his sternum, and arrived at the place of promise.
I love you. I love you. I love you.
Whispering a familiar refrain of love, those fingers pierced through Subaru's—this child's—chest wall, and tenderly enveloped the organ of life cradled within.
I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.
Surely, Subaru had lost his mind.
The countless whispered words of love, the fingertips that cradled his heart while contradicting every word, the world-ending agony that awaited beyond—all of it was something he'd yearned for.
And therefore— I love you. I love you. I love you.
—Even the abhorrent words of love that filled the world could not break Natsuki Subaru.
△▼△▼△▼△ The world regained its color, the vanished ringing returned, sensation flowed back into his limbs and the tingling in his tongue subsided. Gasping raggedly, time around Subaru resumed.
"Ugh."
Todd and Tanz likely didn't understand why Subaru clutched his chest and groaned.
But they would have noticed the change that followed immediately.
"What the—?!"
Todd's eyes sharpened, his expression rigid with alarm as he scanned his surroundings.
The cause wasn't something visible—it was a sound. A chorus of howls. The magical beasts still alive on this sword slave island were roaring in unison, as if on cue.
And not ordinary howls—screams of frenzied, maddened rage.
"—!"
In a flash, Todd's survival instinct fired. He immediately realized the cause was Subaru.
Even Todd couldn't have understood what Subaru's cry of "Return by Death" meant. But he cut that out of his calculations and immediately moved to kill.
Guarding against Tanz's counterattack, Todd's body charged toward them with savage speed.
Tanz hurled the stone in her hand straight at Todd. It flew directly at the center of his torso.
But— "Damn it—!"
Todd grunted in pain, biting down as the stone struck his left arm.
Tanz's aim had been the biggest target—the torso. Todd hadn't dodged it; he'd sacrificed his left arm to minimize damage.
Without hesitation, Todd raised his axe in his right hand and swung it down toward Tanz's small body.
But Subaru wouldn't allow that.
"Lord Schwart?!"
Tanz screamed as she was shoved sideways from behind.
It was Subaru who'd pushed her—this small body shielding her. The sweeping axe passed through where Tanz had been, but in her place was Subaru.
For a fraction of a second, Todd's pupils contracted—but the axe's momentum didn't stop. It continued its arc.
The blade, closing in slowly, would blow Subaru's head away—in that instant— "—?!"
A hard impact and a heavy shock rang through the air, and Todd's body went flying.
Todd was sent tumbling, scrambling to his feet immediately. But blood dripped from his split mouth, and his knees buckled badly.
"What... just...?"
Todd's eyes rolled as he tried to process what had happened.
Subaru pointed a finger at him— "—Invisible Providence."
He explained, with careful deliberation, what that blow to Todd's undefended jaw had been.
"Next time, I'll blow your head off."
"————"
Withdrawing the pointing hand, Subaru raised his middle finger and declared.
Todd, blood pouring from his shattered jaw, narrowed his eyes. Then, just when Subaru expected a retaliatory strike for his broken jaw— "————"
Todd kept his gaze locked on Subaru and slowly retreated. The moment his back hit the rising black smoke, he vanished into it without hesitation.
The instant he judged the situation unfavorable, he abandoned everything and chose to flee.
"Well, I figured that would happen, but..."
"Lord Schwart!"
Seeing Todd disappear, Tanz rushed to Subaru's side, her face ashen. Before she could take his hand, Subaru crumpled to the ground.
He'd been on the verge of death just getting here. Jumping down with Idra and Heinkel—multiple bones must have been broken.
And using the long-dormant "Sloth" authority had put an unbearable strain on his brain, blood trickling from his nose ceaselessly.
But whether the nosebleed stopped or not hardly mattered anymore.
Todd's final axe blow had shattered Subaru's right shoulder and was still embedded in it.
The only reason he hadn't lost consciousness was that his life force had already receded beyond the reach of pain.
"Lord Schwart, Lord Schwart...!"
Sobbing, Tanz clung to him. Subaru felt a deep sense of guilt.
He had to leave behind this girl—who, in her small body, had earnestly stood by him, desperately trying to keep him alive.
But— "Take... this..."
"—A cursed tool?"
From his chest, Subaru produced a black sphere and pressed it into Tanz's hand.
There wasn't really a plan behind it. He just needed to leave something—anything—with Tanz. Even if Subaru died right now.
"Cecilus... is... over there... with Arakiya..."
"I... I understand...! I understand, I understand, so please..."
"Todd... don't worry... about him anymore..."
Knowing Todd's personality, he wouldn't attack again after such a painful blow. That was what made him infuriating—and at the same time, trustworthy enough to exploit.
Listening to Subaru's desperate words, Tanz held back her sobs and stayed close to him.
Right to the very end, she was doing everything she could for him.
But that was wrong.
The order was reversed.
Tanz had been kind to him first. She'd made Subaru reconsider everything.
She'd reminded Natsuki Subaru that he didn't have to give up—that he could still fight.
And so— "...Next... time."
When Subaru murmured that quiet vow, Tanz's eyes widened.
But to her, it must have sounded like the last stubborn will of a dying man.
With tears pooling in her eyes, Tanz steeled herself. Her small hand, her slender fingers, gently wrapped around Subaru's trembling hand.
And then— "Yes. That's right, Lord Schwart. Next time, we won't lose."
Tanz spoke through her tears, careful not to sully Subaru's final wish.
They hadn't been on the same page. But their shared desire—to save one another—was perfectly in sync.
That was enough.
Holding that sufficient feeling, and the emotion of this moment, Natsuki Subaru— "—I'll save... everyone."
I swear it.
With that resolve as his final thought, Natsuki Subaru's life burned out— △▼△▼△▼△ —A dark, dark world, dark beyond all reckoning.
A realm where nothing existed but shadow, where light never pierced, where prayers and wishes could never reach.
It was always a cursed wasteland that gnawed at the heart, imposed helplessness, and brought lamentation and sorrow.
But at this moment—as if waiting for him— "————"
The darkness, too vast to overcome alone, was swallowing everything, ready to carry it away.
Beset by helplessness, abandoned by everything around him, on the verge of giving up on himself—conviction that there was nothing left he could do had burned through him.
—I love you.
"It's not... everything. But I understand."
There wasn't all that much one person could accomplish on their own.
He wasn't that extraordinary a person. He made mistakes. His resolve bent and twisted.
But— —I love you.
"I do understand. —I really do."
There were things you only understood after nearly letting go.
And at the same time, it became unclear how to hold onto the feelings you'd had until now.
But because he wanted to understand—because he truly believed that—he held on.
The most important thing—he understood that, properly.
"Thank you. —I'm heading out."
To that land, the final shore where all life would be crushed—Natsuki Subaru would descend once more, so that he would not lose again, so that the precious things within him would never be trampled.
—He would descend again.
△▼△▼△▼△ —Rumble, rumble—the rocking of the carriage drawn by swift horses pressed against his back.
It wasn't a comfortable journey.
Not uncomfortable in terms of ride quality—comfortable in terms of ease. As far as the ride went, this was likely among the finest treatment the Empire could offer. He didn't feel particularly grateful for it.
The luxury carriage's discomfort lay in the scarcity of windows and the fact that he wasn't holding the reins. Both were concessions to vulnerability, so it was a matter of personal preference.
Simply put, he disliked relying on others and being slow to respond.
The carriage itself was fortified with earth-magic protection, and for perimeter security, those with senses far more acute than his were handling it.
"Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose—minus the whole unwilling journey part."
In a nation where the strong were revered above all, a "General's" treatment was extreme, to say the least.
He supposed this treatment placed him on the strong side, but the courtesy itself was more curse than blessing.
His personal theory was that unless you were literally at the top of the world, being thought strong brought more losses than gains. Being thought weak was far easier to work with.
That was precisely why this kind of treatment made him uncomfortable.
"—Bored?"
A voice suddenly called from above. He slowly opened his closed eyes.
The voice belonged to someone on the roof. The carriage interior was empty except for him. He preferred it empty—other people made him feel stifled—but this uncivilized companion was a bit much.
Not that talking would change anything. Education and discipline—someone else could handle that.
He didn't plan to spend much time with her either. As for her revenge, which she apparently intended to pursue earnestly—he'd just pin it on a convenient enemy and call it done.
"You listening?"
"I heard you. I was just thinking. What about you—did you actually remember the instructions?"
"With me, it doesn't matter."
She sounded indignant, but her trustworthiness was questionable.
A "General" who dumped decisions on subordinates—on mere corporals, no less—because thinking was too hard? He'd never heard of one. He'd been told to stop using polite language, so he'd complied, but he had no idea what she was thinking.
She was probably attached to him. If she was a female version of Jamal, that would explain it.
What was annoying was that she seemed like she'd be even harder to dispose of than Jamal.
"The island's in sight. You ready?"
"As long as the Prime Minister's letter hasn't been intercepted, the rest is just having the Governor-General do as instructed. An easy job with no conflict necessary."
From atop the roof, Arakiya asked this while watching the carriage cross the drawbridge.
Subaru confirmed, checking the letter in his coat. Yes—an easy job. Just relay the orders.
But if it were truly just a delivery, there would have been no need to send Arakiya.
That was the only detail that nagged at him.
"Supposed to be easy, anyway..."
"...The objective is the total annihilation of the island. Can you do that?"
"If the Governor-General cooperates and agrees to activate the Cursed Law."
Gustavo Morello, the Governor-General overseeing the sword slave island, had imposed an absolute code called the "Cursed Law" to control the gathered slaves.
The Cursed Law activated when a marked subject violated its rules, confiscating their life without appeal. A remarkably convenient tool.
It was created by a "Curse Tool Master," one of the "Divine Generals," using a cursed tool as its linchpin. The activation conditions were simple— "—Anyone who exceeds the prescribed distance from the cursed tool dies."
"...The island people will be fine?"
"Roughly, the entire island should be within the safe zone. Either way, if the seal isn't removed, trying to sneak off will kill them. Scaring them onto the drawbridge also prevents escape. It's a sufficient deterrent for keeping everyone inside."
In fact, if even one slave were executed by the Cursed Law as an example, no one would dare verify it. Nobody was that suicidal.
You didn't even need to see or interact with the target for the curse to activate. As an island-specific restraint, it was impressively engineered.
However, if anyone realized the Cursed Law couldn't be used freely, it would immediately become a catalyst for rebellion.
"Well, when the time comes for total annihilation, we just need to throw the cursed tool into the lake."
The lake surrounding the sword slave island was deep. So deep that only an elaborate drawbridge could reach shore—an isolated, impenetrable island.
If the cursed tool were thrown into the lake, by the time it reached the bottom, it would be well within activation range.
In the worst case, if the Governor-General proved uncooperative, they could recover the cursed tool and hurl it in.
"Being prepared for the worst is always important—including the tool's hiding place."
He didn't need pride complicating the job.
Ideally, the Governor-General would cooperate quietly and without fuss. Finish the job, complete the mission, and return home as quickly as possible.
"Katcha..."
The long separation had only intensified his attachment after even a brief reunion.
It was cruel—a single drop of water on a parched throat. He wanted to drink until his stomach burst. That was only human, after all.
Finish the job as quickly as possible and return to the capital. For that— "—I'll sacrifice anything."
The moment he shifted that internal wedge toward the brutal end— "Todd, something's off."
Hearing his name called, the man—Todd—raised his face.
The voice lacked earnestness, but that was typical for her. Still, as a "Divine General," her abilities were not to be underestimated, and her judgment was sharper than any ordinary person's.
She was pointing toward the destination gradually drawing closer—the sword slave island. The carriage was halfway across the drawbridge, about to move onto the island side. In other words, they were on the verge of entering enemy territory.
And then— "—Stop!"
"Huh?"
"Now! Stop! Reverse!"
Todd shouted the instant he spotted something on the path ahead through the window.
The driver hesitated. Todd clicked his tongue, vaulted onto the driver's seat, snatched the reins, halted the carriage, and frantically commanded the swift horses to turn.
Then, ignoring the dizzy driver, he turned back toward the roof— "Arakiya, watch the island! If there's any movement, shoot without hesitation!"
"—Understood."
"The mission from the Prime Minister—"
"————"
"Ah—uh—"
Arakiya complied obediently; the driver blathered about duty. Todd glared at the latter with narrow eyes.
The driver shrank under that gaze. Good. If he'd kept talking, Todd would have thrown him into the lake.
It was fortunate the return driver hadn't been eliminated, and noticing the anomaly before fully crossing the drawbridge was Arakiya's doing. —It appeared events were already in motion.
"Todd."
"The Prime Minister's concerns seem to have been warranted."
Todd replied to her brief address by reversing the swift horses, heading back the way they'd come.
If the drawbridge was raised, they'd be trapped. The far bank's drawbridge—and those controlling it—might not be on their side.
After all— "—They're well prepared and waiting. The opposing force is led by someone seriously dangerous."
"Can we win? Even with me there?"
"Yeah... no."
Listening to Arakiya's tense voice, Todd shook his head.
A chill ran down his spine— "—We're not facing an opponent we can beat. Not today, at least."
△▼△▼△▼△ "...I knew they'd turn back, but wasn't that cutting losses a little too fast?"
Watching the carriage reverse without hesitation at the midpoint of the drawbridge, Subaru sighed.
The speed of the decision was equal parts exasperation and admiration, but it was within expectations. If Todd had intended to ambush them, he'd have lured them onto the island first.
But in that case, both sides would suffer casualties.
Having witnessed the catastrophe of a full invasion, Subaru couldn't risk that kind of gamble.
—They'd already taken the biggest gamble imaginable, after all.
"Lord Schwart, the envoys..."
"Yeah, they've pulled back. Having that kind of reception lineup waiting would raise eyebrows. That's why I put on the show."
"I see... I'm relieved we didn't have to face the 'Second.'"
A kimono-clad girl appeared beside Subaru, who was shielding his eyes to watch the drawbridge. Tanz pressed a hand to her chest, savoring the success of their plan.
Both horns on her head were intact, and her childlike, flawless skin bore not a single mark.
She was the picture of perfect, healthy Tanz—completely unscathed.
"...Um, Lord Schwart?"
"Hm?"
"No, it's just... why are you stroking my head..."
"Oh—sorry, sorry. Force of habit."
Subaru apologized at Tanz's bashful question, realizing he'd been unconsciously patting her head. But he didn't stop.
Continuing to stroke her hair, Subaru watched as Tanz pressed her lips together and endured it.
Her reluctant expression was so adorable that Subaru decided he'd keep going unless she pushed him away.
"—How long are you gonna keep that up!? This ain't the time for kids to be canoodling!"
"Whoa—"
A booming voice came from directly behind, and Subaru's hand froze. In that interval, Tanz scurried away, and Subaru scowled as he turned around.
In his line of sight, the lizardman—Heinkel—wore a strained expression, looking desperately at the two people beside him.
"Why do I have to get looked at like that!? I just said what everyone's thinking! Right?!"
"There's a matter of timing and tact. Though I suppose I'm hardly one to talk about tact."
"You're still better than him... Show some restraint, lizard..."
"Gyaaah?!"
The two on either side of him—Idra and Veltol—betrayed Heinkel, leaving him speechless.
To Heinkel's reaction, Idra gave a wry smile, and Veltol snorted. Seeing the three of them standing together, Subaru felt a swell of emotion.
Reading Subaru's gaze, Idra frowned— "Schwart, that somewhat sentimental look in your eyes is making me uncomfortable..."
"It's nothing. I'm just thinking—we've made it this far."
"—?"
Subaru rubbed the space beneath his nose, and Idra tilted his head in confusion. But beside Idra's reaction, Veltol crossed his mighty arms and muttered, "I get it..."
While flexing the fearsome tattoos covering his body, Veltol glared toward the far end of the drawbridge— "You drove off the Emperor's envoys... That means there's no turning back for us now. Right...?"
"—Not exactly, but that's close enough."
"Not exactly...!?!"
Veltol, who'd been the most understanding-looking of the bunch, broke character and stared wide-eyed. Subaru grinned at this, feeling proud of the gap between his own feelings and their impressions.
The three of them—no, everyone—knew nothing. But that was fine.
Subaru would remember everything.
And— "—It seems the judgment has been rendered."
A heavy, solemn voice accompanied a figure turning from the end of the drawbridge, where he'd been waiting for the envoys.
Having watched the envoy carriage turn back and cross to the far shore, this man—who had a terrifying visage like a demon—looked at Subaru with a serious expression.
The massive man approached with overwhelming presence. Behind Subaru, Heinkel and the others seemed to shrink from the pressure. Subaru shrugged.
"Now will you believe me?"
"There is no refusal. This is the fulfillment of the decree His Excellency the Emperor bestowed upon me. In other words—"
"In other words?"
"All sword slaves of Ginunhaives, the sword slave island—grant me permission to place you under my command. —Your Highness Schwart."
As he spoke, Gustavo Morello pressed all four of his fists together before his chest in a formal salute—the administrator of the sword slave island, in all his majestic grandeur.
The guards exchanged glances and assumed the same posture in unison.
"I don't like it..."
Veltol muttered, displeased.
When Subaru turned, Veltol closed one eye and tilted his chin up— "Just because a bunch of slaves decide to follow, doesn't mean you can just decide that for us... Even if you're the Governor who runs the island..."
"Veltol Lugh, I will note your opinion. But there are things that supersede individual will. Don't forget—I have ways of making you listen."
"Try it...?"
Veltol snorted. Gustavo's eyes held a quiet, unyielding will. Before the two could lock horns— "Governor, don't jump the gun. And Veltol—you're not choosing your words carefully. That's why there's a misunderstanding."
"So what if there's a fight? I don't care—"
"Other people care! Geez! Governor, we ain't gonna stand around looking scared while taking orders from you—that ain't our style!"
Idra held Veltol back as Heinkel stepped forward, speaking with perfect timing.
Though Heinkel couldn't even meet Gustavo's eyes when the situation was against him, not a hint of that weakness showed. He gestured grandly toward Subaru— "We're going with Schwart, no fancy threats needed! Right, you guys!?" We ain't scared, right!?"
"Don't make me laugh, lizard!"
"Who's scared—who?!"
"Oh yeah! Let's go, our Imperial Prince!"
"That's it! Leave the old coot in the dust and build our own empire!!"
Heinkel's booming call, answered by a chorus of voices.
From all around—no, from across the entire island—the shouts of sword slaves who'd come to see off the envoys rose in unison.
Mixed in with the hot-blooded voices were Orson's group—Heinkel's allies—and, remarkably, even the old man Nur, who'd stepped outside the healing ward.
A truly unified Ginunhaives, the sword slave island.
"...Thank you."
Listening to the cheers swelling around him, Subaru pressed his hand to his chest and murmured.
Gratitude—to his comrades around him, and to himself, and above all to those who'd given him this chance.
Then, cupping his cheeks with both hands, Subaru raised a bright, clear expression— "So, we're heading out—but what about Cecilus?"
"Ahh, well now."
Cecilus's shadow spiraled down from above in response to Subaru's tilted-head question. Landing with a light sound, it was Cecilus—having watched the events unfold from his vantage point.
His body was no longer charred. In the same state as before the burning, he surveyed Subaru and the large crowd around him.
"...This is quite the upset. I never imagined you'd pull something like this off—I have to say, truly commendable. But there's just one thing I'm wondering about."
"Oh? What's that?"
"You went around making your case so thoroughly, recruiting everyone to your side—that was impressive, I'll grant you that. But here's the thing. —You didn't recruit me."
Cecilus asked, hands hidden in his sleeves, with an expression of genuine bewilderment.
The smile he always wore was gone. Seeing that face, Subaru raised his eyebrows briefly, then nodded with satisfaction.
Indeed—Subaru hadn't recruited Cecilus.
Gustavo, Heinkel, Veltol, Idra, Orson and the others, old man Nur, Rex, Mirzac, Kashu, Moizo, Diloy, Krigkin, Codro, Fenmel, even that hardheaded lone wolf Joslo—Subaru had won them all over.
But he'd skipped Cecilus.
Because— "—I wanted to see that look on your face."
Cecilus had made Subaru whiff at every critical juncture so far.
Subaru wasn't stupid enough to cross a dangerous bridge just for petty payback, but after careful consideration, this—whether it worked for good or ill—was the one approach that would hit Cecilus hardest.
And indeed, seeing Cecilus's eyes go wide at those words, Subaru said— "If you come with me now, I'll put you to work. So—want to come?"
"Hahahaha—ahahahaha!!"
Shouldering his axe, Subaru winked—a deliberate appeal from the top down. The moment Cecilus heard the invitation, he threw his head back and burst into thunderous laughter.
Cecilus stamped his feet and howled with laughter. After a prolonged fit, wiping tears from the corners of his eyes with a finger— "No way! No way, no way—you'd have ME—me,
"...So? How about it?"
"Of course I'll come! I'd like to say being managed like this is annoying, but the fact that you've completely beaten me at my own game is incredible! Ah, how magnificent! Delightful indeed!"
Cecilus clapped his hands overhead, riding Subaru's scheme at full speed. Subaru let out a breath of relief at the man's wholehearted enthusiasm, then stroked his chin.
Actually, he'd thought this from the very beginning— "That 'Barusu' thing—it really doesn't click with me."
"Oh my, a crosswind! Having answered 'let's go,' I'd hate for this to be the breaking point—but what would you have me call you instead?"
"Let me think..."
Cecilus leaned in eagerly. Subaru considered for a moment, rolling "Barusu" around in his mind a few times. Then an idea struck him—and it wasn't bad at all. Subaru grinned mischievously— "—Boss."
"————"
"From now on, call me Boss."
He hadn't meant to sound cocky, but playing along with Cecilus's narrative-obsessed brain was surprisingly enjoyable.
At Subaru's answer, Cecilus let out a long "Oh my"— "Boss, Boss, Boss Boss Boss... That has quite a nice ring to it! I haven't the faintest clue what it means, but I don't dislike it—no, I rather like it."
"It means leader. Fitting, right?"
"Indeed, Boss! Then—let us begin!"
With that spirited laugh and those energetic words, Subaru nodded.
Then, surveying Cecilus at the forefront, Heinkel and Veltol from the Great Spirit Alliance, Idra and the sword slaves, Gustavo and the guards he'd brought along— After an agonizing, grueling ordeal, united as one— "—Let's go, everyone! We're heading to the capital to smack that bastard old man across the face!!"
"Ohhhh—!!"
Subaru's rallying cry was answered by the entirety of Ginunhaives itself.
Feeling the violent surge that seemed to rock the lake carrying the entire island, Subaru noticed Tanz's gaze fixed intently on him.
"Relax, Tanz."
To her—the only one who truly knew Subaru was not the Emperor's lost child—Subaru gave a firm nod and set his resolve. From the western lands, straight to the capital.
As the son of Kenichi Natsuki, and as himself—the person his comrades believed in—he would press onward.
And so, from this moment on, Natsuki Subaru— "—This time, we're the ones who win."
—Would be reborn as the strongest entity to have set foot in the Volachia Empire since his otherworldly summoning.