Collapse was surging in.
The shower of fresh blood — every single drop of it a merciless hand of destruction — ravaged the city.
The spots where blood droplets touched lost their cohesion more readily than a blade laid to paper. The propagation of destruction toppled buildings, and the aftershock of their collapse spread outward, leaving the cityscape in ruins.
"AAAAAAAAH—!!"
"—!"
Knowing it was futile, Subaru nonetheless forced air from his lungs and kept running at full speed.
But this picturesque city of water was famous for the waterways that crisscrossed it in every direction.
Put simply, even securing the shortest escape route by running in a straight line was easier said than done.
A massive canal spread out before the two runners, threatening to swallow them whole along with the destruction bearing down from behind.
"Shit!"
"It's do or die, but… Subaru, hold on!"
When Subaru cried out upon realizing their path was cut off, Emilia made an instant decision. The moment Subaru grabbed her outstretched arm without hesitation, cold air engulfed the surrounding atmosphere.
A brief incantation from Emilia, and simultaneously, dozens of tiny motes of light rose into the air.
A simultaneous cast — Emilia's own mana channeled through ice magic, combined with the power of the minor spirits.
"Everyone, please!"
Emilia commanded the minor spirits, and from the motes of light, blue radiance surged across the ground.
In the next instant, the ground beneath their feet turned white in a flash, and after a brief shimmer, a world of silver stretched out before them. The street froze solid, the soles of their shoes skidding wildly, and Subaru nearly screamed.
From that stumbling posture, his body was suddenly yanked forward.
"Whoa!? Emilia-tan, that's amazing! You're so smart!"
"It's hard to control, so don't let go of my hand!"
Subaru raised his head — his left hand was linked with Emilia's right. And in her raised left hand, Emilia grasped an icicle that had been launched forward.
She had frozen the ground and used the propulsive force of the launched icicle to boost their escape speed. What was even more remarkable was the frozen course the minor spirits had carved out.
At the edge of the massive canal ahead, a ramp-like curve had formed — like a ski jump — and the two of them glided along it at full acceleration, soaring over the canal.
"Yeeeaaah!"
On the far side of the canal, another ice course materialized, and their skates touched down seamlessly, continuing their glide — Subaru couldn't help but admire Emilia's skill.
"Nice, Emilia-tan! You've blown me away all over again!"
"But I can't figure out how to stop! What should we do?"
"Wait, what?"
Emilia had already released the icicle, but the remaining momentum alone was more than enough to turn them into paste if they hit a wall. Emilia's ice magic couldn't conjure a soft cushion to absorb the impact for two people.
While they were talking, a wall loomed in their path. Just before the imminent collision, Subaru felt Emilia's hand grip his tightly, and he made his decision in an instant.
"Emilia-tan! Place a curve!"
"A… a curve?"
"A wall that bends gently! Like, swoooosh!"
At Subaru's desperate shout, Emilia's magic obeyed without hesitation.
A gentle curve appeared in the sliding pair's path, and following its arc, their bodies veered away from a head-on collision and made a wide turn.
"Keep the curve going — don't let it break off! Keep circling!"
"Circling, circling!"
The wide arc continued, the unbroken wall of ice flowing into a spiral.
From directly above, it would have looked like a mosquito coil — the ice wall spiraling inward until, by the time they reached the center, the acceleration had finally dissipated and they came to a natural stop.
"Phew… we somehow managed it by burning through all of Emilia-tan's mana…"
"More importantly — that attack from earlier!"
As Subaru caught his breath, Emilia clapped her hands and shattered the ice wall. Watching the ice fragments dissolve into mana particles, Subaru squinted toward the trail of destruction that had been bearing down on them and felt a chill run down his spine.
The cityscape had been completely transformed, centered on the tower where Regulus had been standing.
The devastation at the core, where the fresh blood's influence had been strongest, was particularly horrific. As the circumference of the destruction expanded, the damage became more uneven — but even so, far fewer buildings remained intact than ones that didn't. This was truly an attack of absurd proportions.
The assault in their direction had crossed the canal and reached this side. The fact that it had narrowly missed Subaru and Emilia was due to a combination of luck and their desperate flight — no.
"Reinhard!"
The building where Regulus had been standing moments ago was now empty.
In its place, thick smoke billowed from the surrounding area, accompanied by the sounds of tremendous destruction.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Ripping apart the water dragon's corpse and scattering its blood, Regulus grinned.
Below, two tiny figures could be seen fleeing desperately through the streets.
Truly minuscule, truly insignificant, utterly trivial.
Chuckling to himself, he waited for the city to be ravaged by the scattering blood, and for the wave of destruction to catch up to the two fugitives.
A fitting rain of blood for a whore and a rapist to die under.
"Scatter! Spray everywhere! All of you wretched sinners who toyed with my heart!"
"—Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't allow that."
The moment he voiced his triumphant rage, that voice reached his ear from impossibly close, and Regulus flinched.
Glancing to the side, he caught a flash of red hair at the edge of his vision, its flames seeming to intensify with the wind.
"You're utterly absurd, you know that?! How obsessively do you have to interfere in other people's love lives?!"
"If the method is legitimate, the other party's wishes are respected, and you can promise to step aside gracefully upon rejection — then I'm more than happy to cheer you on."
Regulus's furious shout was met with Reinhard's unshakable composure and a mocking smile.
That unflappable confidence was infuriating enough, but what truly seized Regulus's mind was a bewildering suspicion — specifically, Reinhard's legs, which had carried him here in one unbroken leap.
His right calf had, without question, just exploded.
It hadn't been torn clean off, but from the ankle down, it was connected by little more than a single layer of skin — a state far removed from combat readiness, barely capable of even walking.
And yet he had somehow recovered from that condition, which meant— "Insufferable, truly. So it's not just swordsmanship — healing magic is a breeze for you too? With every talent under the sun more than anyone else, just how many hearts have you trampled? Crushing people's feelings without even trying — you must feel wonderful about yourself!"
"Allow me to clarify one misunderstanding of yours."
Midair, Reinhard twisted his body, the wind howling around him.
The spinning roundhouse kick he unleashed tore through the atmosphere, striking the water dragon corpse Regulus had been wielding — reducing what was already nothing but a lump of flesh to scattered giblets— "What!?"
"But with that momentum, the leg that had destroyed the corpse used the twist of the ankle to scoop the water dragon's remains from Regulus's palm. With skillful footwork, the carcass was handled gently and tossed onto the roof of a half-collapsed building.
And then— "That's convenient. —Time to execute the next test. Operation J."
"What!?"
The instant Regulus ground his teeth at Reinhard's sanctimonious act, the hilt of the Dragon Sword slammed into his temple once again. Struck hard, Regulus's body was sent hurtling from the top of the tower.
Sent in a diagonal plunge toward the ground, Regulus heard that voice at his ear once more— "Allow me to test something."
"—!?"
Reinhard launched himself at the same angle, catching up in an instant. Mid-fall, he seized the upside-down Regulus by the foot, and with a violent wrench, carried him along.
Reinhard then leaped in the same direction as the fleeing Subaru and Emilia, Regulus in tow. An overwhelming gale, and an acceleration that would have ripped an ordinary person's foot clean off.
"What exactly are you—!"
"Nothing particularly special."
As he spoke, Reinhard halted and swung Regulus's body overhead.
The rough treatment of a child grabbing a doll by the leg and shaking it for sport. Just as Regulus's fury was about to explode at the indignity, the true nature of Reinhard's maneuver became clear.
Swinging Regulus around, Reinhard smashed him into the shower of falling blood droplets.
The very same blood rain that could destroy buildings made of stone — Regulus's own attack.
If Regulus's power granted invincibility to anything his attack touched, then perhaps the blood might shatter even the invincibility shielding his body. That had to be the reasoning.
If so, it was a naive thought.
"What, try to beat my own attack with my own attack? I don't know how gifted you think you are, but do everyone a favor and drop that habit of unfairly belittling others. There's no way I, of all people, could be taken down by something that ridiculous!"
"This has no effect either—"
The blood droplets that touched Regulus's body simply bounced off as ordinary droplets.
Naturally. Their priorities were fundamentally different.
At the same instant, Reinhard instinctively released Regulus's foot.
Sharp instinct, that one. If he'd maintained contact a moment longer, Regulus would have ground his palm into a pulp — enough to render him unable to grip a sword.
The momentum from being swung dissipated. Regulus landed on the street and once again faced Reinhard. Reinhard narrowed his eyes in caution.
"It seems I can no longer be touched again."
"You've got a good nose for it. But I wonder — would you like to suffer the same way as before?"
"Next time I'll be careful with my breath and even my line of sight as well. If there are other precautions I should note, do tell."
"Disappear from my sight RIGHT NOW!!"
Regulus lunged, both arms extended, charging at Reinhard.
Reinhard dodged with an almost unbelievable speed, sweeping wide in a large arc. Maintaining considerable distance, he began delivering strikes in the classic one-hit-and-retreat posture of the Dragon Sword.
"Just darting around endlessly…!"
"I'm terribly useless when a problem can't be solved by cutting. I'm ashamed of myself."
"You haven't even drawn that sword once!"
Regulus flailed his hands wildly at the darting Reinhard.
But no such haphazard attack could ever reach the hero Reinhard. More than that — Reinhard's blue eyes remained alert even to Regulus's cunning attempts to blow his breath as a feint. Neither side could land a decisive blow, and the stalemate continued.
"Huh?"
But then, an outside party intervened without warning.
Regulus had been standing face-to-face with Reinhard, when an icicle surged up from directly beneath him, attempting to pierce through his body.
However, the ice stake that emerged from beneath his sole was crushed underfoot before it could even reach the surface, shattering to pieces without being given the chance to fully materialize.
Glancing sideways, Regulus spotted a silver-haired girl across the waterway, extending her hand in his direction. The ice magic was undoubtedly her handiwork.
Rage boiled in his gut.
"Every last one of you — just understand already! That's not how it works! Every single one of you was born with different gifts! You can't beat me, you can't reach me — I am a complete entity unto myself! Accept how lacking you are, be content with it, and die!"
Dealing with these impossibly stubborn people was endlessly tiresome.
The absolute gap could never be closed. Why couldn't they understand that?
"—Plan A has failed. What comes next?"
Stamping his foot and cracking the street, Regulus had no bandwidth to hear Reinhard's muttered remark.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ "No good! It really doesn't work — that attack didn't work either!"
"No good, huh? So the theory that the soles of his feet are a weak point is out too…"
Following Subaru's instructions, Emilia had targeted the soles of Regulus's feet — but the icicle was crushed beneath his boots, and there was absolutely no sign that any damage had gotten through.
『Operation J didn't work either. Sorry — I wasn't strong enough.』
A telepathic message came from Reinhard via the Blessing of Telepathy, and Subaru was beyond being surprised by the man's extraordinary abilities. A closer look revealed that the wound on Reinhard's right leg had already sealed itself, but honestly, Subaru wouldn't have been shocked even if it had been torn apart and reattached.
After all, Subaru himself had experienced having a leg torn apart and put back together.
"The idea behind Plan A — that if his invincibility covers everything, the point of contact with the ground might be excluded — turns out to be wrong too. If contact points weren't exempt from the invincibility, he'd just sink straight into the ground."
And if Plan J — using Regulus's own invincible attack against him — hadn't worked either, that hypothesis could be crossed off the list as well.
Plan I had already been ruled out too. In truth, nearly every theory about the weaknesses of this seemingly absolute defense had been shot down.
"There has to be something else — something! What's the weakness of an enemy who looks invincible… what is it?!"
Hand pressed to his mouth, Subaru spun his mind as fast as it would go.
He'd been racking his brains both before and after engaging Regulus, but what other means could possibly defeat the holder of what seemed like the ultimate shield?
Various bits of subculture knowledge raced through Subaru's mind as he desperately tried to arrive at an answer, but nothing panned out.
"Am I thinking about this wrong? Is the approach completely off?"
Maybe what he needed wasn't a method to bypass the invincibility.
Something more fundamental — what exactly was Regulus's power?
"Subaru, what else can I do? What should I be doing?"
Emilia turned to the deep-in-thought Subaru and asked.
Across the canal, Reinhard and Regulus's fierce battle continued, and she was frustrated that she couldn't lend her strength to that fight.
Emilia, Reinhard — both trusted and placed their hopes in Subaru.
And it wasn't just the two of them. His companions fighting at the other control towers, the city's residents who had responded to his broadcast — all of them felt the same way.
"————"
Think. Think. Think think think think think think.
Though it dredged up unpleasant memories, Subaru recalled everything — from his first encounter with Regulus through to this very moment: Regulus's actions and words, his own provocations, Regulus's counterattacks.
There had to be something. There had to be a reason. It didn't have to be about Regulus alone. It could include the other Archbishops of Sin — there had to be something. They were all trash — he knew that. But beyond even that— "The stars… their names."
"Subaru?"
All at once, Subaru realized.
He had arrived at this same thought before — and dismissed it as nonsense.
But now, reconsidering — was it really a hypothesis worthy of discarding?
Regulus. Capella. Alphard. Sirius. Petelgeuse.
With this many names tied to the stars assembled like this, could it really be dismissed as coincidence?
Remember the Water Sprite Pavilion. Remember
In this world, influences from the world Subaru had lived in existed everywhere — to a degree that couldn't be laughed off. How could he possibly think there was no connection between the
Petelgeuse — Betelgeuse. The 'Hand of Zeus.' The 'Invisible Hand.' Regulus — Leo, the Lion. The 'Little King.' And he had one other name.
The 'Little King' — a title that suited him perfectly, but— "Emilia, I need to ask you something."
At Subaru's quiet voice, Emilia's eyes widened, and then she nodded.
Feeling her earnest gaze on him, Subaru closed one eye.
"When he had you by the neck — at that moment…"
"Yeah."
"Was Regulus's hand hot or cold?"
"————"
At Subaru's question, Emilia's eyes went wide.
Then she touched her own slender neck, paused for a beat, and answered.
"No. Now that I think about it… I felt nothing. No heat, no cold — nothing at all."
Hearing Emilia's answer, Subaru held his breath.
Smashed into the canal and yet his breathing remained undisturbed. Attacks on his soles didn't work. Attacks on him directly didn't work. His defense left no opening to exploit in either offense or defense.
If this wasn't simple 'invincibility' — then…
"Reinhard!"
Across the great canal, calling out to the hero locked in combat with a madman.
Amid the ceaseless exchange of blows, Reinhard nonetheless looked toward Subaru.
Making sure his voice would carry, Subaru shouted: "—Check whether his heart is still beating!"
Subaru's cry made both Emilia and Reinhard's eyes go wide.
And Regulus— Regulus— ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Once the simultaneous assault on all four control towers was confirmed underway and each faction's attack teams had departed, Otto too set out from the city hall to fulfill his assigned role.
"Honestly, I think you really should stay behind… but the Witch Cult's demands regarding the 'Book of Wisdom' — we do need to pin down its location. You drew the short straw, Otto-kun."
Those were the parting words Anastasia had offered as Otto left.
In truth, even Anastasia would have preferred for Otto to remain at city hall. This was a crucible — each faction clashing head-on with an Archbishop of Sin, Subaru included.
As the city hall served a command-post function, there was no such thing as having too many brains to process the incoming intelligence.
However, leaving the retrieval of the 'Book of Wisdom' in someone else's hands was easier said than done.
They were cooperating now to stand against the Archbishops, but once the immediate crisis passed, they would return to being adversaries. When that happened, she wanted to ensure the true power of the 'Book of Wisdom' remained hidden from the other factions.
Truthfully, she would have preferred not to reveal the Book's capabilities at the negotiating table either — but Subaru and Garfiel were hardly the type to appreciate such double-dealing.
Feeling like his own personality was the problem, Otto sighed.
"Just when did I start running around like this for other people's sake…"
Hand on his gray hair, Otto brooded over a question he had revisited many times over the past year.
His position in life was unexpected. His relationships were unexpected. His current feelings were unexpected.
If his family knew he was doing this, what would they think?
"Maybe once this is settled, I'll write them a letter…"
Muttering a line that Subaru would undoubtedly flag as a 'death flag,' Otto made his way toward the third ward.
The Archbishops were concentrated at the control towers — according to their analysis, Witch Cult followers shouldn't be deployed in the city. Shouldn't be.
"Haa… haah—"
Clutching his chest, Otto felt his pulse quickening.
The Witch Cult. The Archbishops of Sin. Witch Cult followers — for Otto, these words were bound to memories of terror.
His encounter with the Witch Cult a year ago, the very meeting that had brought him together with Subaru, was inseparable from the memory of having his life nearly taken. The horror of the Archbishop he had faced then was something he still could not forget.
The eyes of a madman who thought nothing of taking human lives.
The fanatics who served that madman, surrendering their flesh and blood of their own volition.
The utter, crushing silence when he had wished — truly wished — for someone, anyone, to save him.
Nothing had ever terrified him so deeply. Nothing had ever hollowed him out so completely.
Compared to that fear, even the battle with Garfiel, even confronting the Bowel Hunter, even encountering hordes of mabeasts — none of it came close.
The Witch Cult's shadow over Otto's heart was that deep and that dark.
And despite being so terrified, those dark hands would not release their grip.
Emilia, who bore the taint of resemblance to the '
Garfiel, who poured everything he had into his fists to protect his family.
Frederica, living with the weight of her brother's legacy and the burden of her station.
Petra, treated as a child yet carrying herself with grace for everyone's sake.
He loved them all.
He had never intended to settle down anywhere, yet before he knew it, this place had become impossibly comfortable.
Even knowing that he would have to face something terrifying, he couldn't bear to leave their side.
To protect this place — if standing beside them meant he had to crush even the embodiment of fear itself, to reach out and mend every part of this world beyond their grasp — then that was what he wanted to do.
And so— "Somehow, I have to fulfill my role."
Entering the third ward, Otto spoke those words aloud on the street.
Directly ahead, standing in his path, was a small figure.
Beyond the stone bridge over the waterway lay a plaza, and the small figure stood there.
Other shadows could be seen scattered around the vicinity as well.
But at this moment, Otto's eyes were fixed solely on that one small silhouette.
Sound had vanished. It was terribly, awfully quiet — nothing could be heard.
Living creatures holding their breath, desperately trying to conceal their own existence.
And so, when the figure before him slackly lowered both arms and raised its face, long scorched-brown hair falling in disarray, his heartbeat remained remarkably calm.
"Welcome, big brother."
"————"
"The Witch Cult's Archbishop of Sin, 'Gluttony' division — welcome to Rai Batenkaitos's feeding ground!"
Baring a mouth full of teeth, the Archbishop of Sin who should not have been here laughed with a ghastly grin.