Subaru was hit by a gusting wind that felt as if he had been punched directly in the face.

“――――ッ！”

The violent wind slammed against his body, making him feel weightless, as if he were about to be thrown over the driver’s seat into the darkness. His outstretched fingers grasped for anything but found nothing, plunging him into the unprotected dark―― just before that happened,

“――Ruku-kun!”

With a fierce grip on the back of his collar, Subaru’s posture was abruptly forced downward. He was slammed back into his seat, and catching sparks at the edge of his vision, he saw Rem stretching out her hand toward his neck while pulling on the reins with her other hand.

A look of terror crossed her perfectly composed profile, and with sharp eyes directed toward the oncoming wind,

“――ッ！！”

She opened her mouth, revealing sharp canine teeth, and let out a ferocious bark.

Yet, even her piercing resolve was swallowed by the howling wind before it could reach Subaru.

However, the mana that filled the atmosphere heard her unvoiced shout.

As Rem unleashed a spell that seemed to erupt from her, mana converged, activating a magic that would reshape the world.

A spear of ice, roughly the size of Subaru’s body, materialized. In an instant, three such spears formed in mid-air, their sharp tips aimed into the darkness.

After a brief moment of stillness, the ice spears were shot forward with incredible speed, resembling arrows.

The ice spikes, moving at a barely perceivable speed, locked onto their dark target and struck―― piercing the surprisingly close end of the endlessly dark expanse.

Immediately after that,

“――Huh!?”

He felt his collar being gripped again, but this time he was violently pulled upward. The seat from which he had withdrawn now receded, and Subaru’s body shot straight toward the night sky without any chance to resist.

Leaping over the driver’s seat, he was launched into the air, watching as the dragon cart he left behind shrank away beneath him.

Falling. Not a mere fall from a horse, but from a dragon―― as that thought flitted through his mind in a moment of escapism, Subaru witnessed something.

A massive force, like a tidal wave, shattered the dragon cart into tiny pieces.

The solidly built wagon was torn apart as if it were nothing but a scrap of paper, and the large Earth Dragon that had drawn it also shattered under the impact―― spilling blood and guts onto the highway, transforming the wooden debris and body fragments into mincemeat.

Overwhelmed by the surreal sight, Subaru’s mind went completely blank.

He even forgot that he was currently suspended in mid-air. The horrific scene unfolding before him brought him back to reality with a jolt.

“Go left――!!”

A girl’s voice nearby barked out, snapping him back to his senses.

In an instant, his body fell without any control onto the hard floor. A dull pain shot through his shoulders and waist, but before he could voice his protests, he was tossed about by the centrifugal force of a sharp turn.

As he rolled, he barely managed to grab onto something rope-like with his fingertips, halting his near fall. After taking a moment, Subaru lifted his head and looked around, realizing that he was on Otto’s dragon cart.

He had latched onto a part of the tarp-covered cart’s fasteners. Subaru tangled the dangling rope around his wrist, trying to stand against the wild swaying. Just then,

“Don’t get up, Subaru-kun! You can’t! The Earth Dragon’s protection is gone. Rem and Subaru-kun can’t move properly!”

Sharp words of warning from Rem cut through the chaos as she also struggled to maintain her balance, driving her right hand into the floor for support. Even her impressive physical abilities were tested in this severe shaking.

The intense vibrations he felt were due to the loss of the Earth Dragon’s protective benefits. With that protection gone, many challenges like wind, noise, and shaking overwhelmed them, making it increasingly difficult for Subaru to stand.

Once he understood that and saw Rem’s figure, he finally grasped the situation.

In other words, Rem had saved Subaru by leaping from the flying dragon cart to Otto’s.

If her judgment had been delayed for even a moment, the two of them would have shared the fate of the dragon cart. Limbs torn away, becoming one with the ground in a gruesome fashion.

Shivering in fear, Subaru grounded himself on the edge of the cart, raising his voice above the wind and noise.

“W-what the hell happened!? What on earth is this…”

A strange occurrence had unfolded in a matter of mere seconds. The density of the situation made his head spin.

“Don’t you get it!?”

But Otto, looking back with ashen-faced dread, shouted back at Subaru.

His voice trembled with despair as he yelled,

“Night fog is rising! There’s only one kind of being that swims in the sky with a giant body!”

His words trembled with a distinct hopelessness.

With hesitation, he shook his head as if refusing to accept what he was about to say, desperately gasping for air with trembling lungs, Otto called out with all his might.

“――It’s the White Whale!!”

—

The name “White Whale” had only been heard before in the first world, past, and future.

The creature rumored to shroud itself in mist and block the paths on the roads. The appearance of the White Whale on the Leafhuis Highway was precisely why the first world had opted to take a detour on their return journey. It could be said that, because of it, they were unable to reach the village in time to prevent the tragedy that had unfolded at the mansion.

However, he had never encountered it directly himself, nor had he heard its name since. Yet now it was,

“Could it really appear at this moment!?”

As of half a day prior to leaving the Royal Capital, there had been no reports of the White Whale’s emergence.

Rem had not mentioned it; more to the point, Otto, who should have avoided the White Whale at all costs, was still using the roads. The thing was— the White Whale appearing was clearly after they had set out.

No, worse yet, it could very well be that it had appeared on the road at this very moment.

The timing lined up perfectly.

In the first world, Subaru and the others had set out on the third day. At that time, the roads had been closed due to the appearance of the White Whale. And now it was the middle of the second day’s night—if word spread about the White Whale in the morning, the roads would likely be shut down by tomorrow.

In other words, tonight was their only chance of encountering it.

“Could it really be happening in Lugnica right now…… to run into the White Whale… oh, Dragon, Dragon. Please save us, please save us…”

In a daze, Otto muttered, like a prayer for salvation.

Totally devoid of fighting spirit, Subaru felt a chilling reality settling in: he could feel the truth in how merchants feared the White Whale.

In the previous world, Otto had described the White Whale as an omen of doom for merchants. At that time, Subaru had internally dismissed it as an exaggeration, yet seeing Otto in such a state of despair as they faced the mist brought forth an involuntary realization of just how immature his previous thoughts had been.

With trembling lips and a vacant expression, Otto still struggled to command the reins as his Earth Dragon had gone into a frenzy, kicking the ground with abandon and accelerating regardless of its remaining stamina.

Feeling the tremors running through his entire body, Subaru turned his gaze toward the darkness. Searching for the White Whale, but the pitch-black surroundings enveloped the world entirely. The night was already dark, and without light, even his hands felt precarious. Additionally,

“I somehow feel sticky… the fog is rolling in.”

He felt something akin to cold sweat trickling down his brow; with an outstretched palm, he was met with a wet sensation that made him grimace.

In a night with so little light, the emergence of fog meant visibility was despairingly low. In reality, even the light from the crystal lantern brightening beneath the neck of the running dragon was obscured by the night fog, reducing its efficacy by half.

“Rem! Can you see the White Whale!?”

“It’s too dark! I can’t see anything! …But!”

As Subaru scanned around him—behind, to the side, above—searching for any sign of fish, Rem’s pained reply came, possessing the air of her being lost in thought.

Concerned, he looked at her, but even from her silhouette, deep in the fog, he couldn’t decipher her expression.

The terror of not being able to see the White Whale, the source of their current predicament, merely intensified his fear.

The first time Subaru thought he saw a white whale’s eye, it had been larger than any circle he could make with his arms wide open.

Just counting one eyeball, that implication meant the White Whale truly had a size that rivaled that of an actual whale.

“But Rem’s preemptive strike should have hit. …It’s possible it might have retreated.”

Was he too optimistic?

The power of the ice spears launched from Rem’s chant was among the most potent magic Subaru had seen, deadly enough for him to have died at least thrice from just a single strike.

Surely, even a giant of such size should flinch if seriously wounded.

“What about the other dragon carts…”

“They’ve scattered and fled. When the fog appeared, they all split up and ran for it. If they’re lucky, they should manage to escape the White Whale and emerge from the fog.”

Indeed, there were no other carts running alongside them.

The other dragon carts that had been trailing behind had evidently scattered as per that guideline.

Internally, Subaru’s frustration mounted. They had lost their secured escape routes. The plans to flee the villagers had collapsed once again. If only there hadn’t been fog, he could have devised other preventative measures against various threats.

“Worrying about it won’t help. For now, let’s just get through this fog…”

Feeling ill from the violent shaking that churned his insides, Subaru focused on the problems that lay ahead. If they lost their dragons, he would need a plan for rescuing Emilia and the others before finding a way to save the villagers. The loss of precious time was already significant.

At that moment, directly in front of Subaru’s eyes, which were fixed on getting out of this tight situation—was the path ahead of the dragon cart.

“――――！！”

A mouth lined with enormous, stone-mill-like teeth was rapidly approaching, threatening to swallow the dragon cart whole.

A roar deafened him, and its overwhelming sonic violence sent the Earth Dragon into a panic. It stumbled, scraping along the ground, and the wheels of the cart lifted, tilting the cargo area at an alarming angle. An oil jar burst through the canopy, and as Subaru clung desperately to the edge, he was nearly thrown off.

Holding on for dear life, he glanced forward―― clearly, the filthy teeth of the White Whale were now vividly illuminated in the darkness.

And in that moment, Subaru belatedly realized the foolishness of his earlier beliefs.

Encountering the White Whale and wandering in the deep night fog; there was no time to spare pondering what awaited after escaping the fog. Right now, the real question was how they could survive this moment.

“――Raaahhhh!!”

The moment its jaws capable of easily swallowing the dragon cart loomed near, a powerful roar erupted, and with a shockwave, the wooden floor of the cart exploded.

Launching himself forward like a bullet was Rem in her fury. From beneath her flowing White Prim cloak, her demonic form revealed sharp horns. As she swung a chained iron ball she had pulled from somewhere,

“――Run left!!”

“Left, left, left, left, left!!”

The iron ball crashed down upon the White Whale’s upper jaw, splattering thick, dark blood while forcing its mouth to crack slightly closed. Otto’s dragon cart, unfaltering in its control of the Earth Dragon while evading the enormous face, rushed past, spitting venom.

The cargo area of the running dragon cart came too close to the gigantic body, unable to fully dodge, making contact and producing a terrible screech as it scraped against the hardy rock surface, causing it to crumble and fly off. As the cart lost a wheel, it tilted dangerously, nearly flipping over.

Naturally, Subaru, caught atop it, found himself on the verge of being flung into the abyss.

Would he die?

With the delayed judgment of the situation about to condemn him to a cruel fate of dismemberment, a building roar reverberated amidst the din of chaos, and a swift metallic chime sounded, pulling him from certainty with pain as he was yanked from beneath and pulled forward.

And then,

“ENNNNJOYYYYY――!!”

The moment the iron ball lifted Subaru, Rem, holding it firmly in her right hand, struck at the connector between the driver’s seat and the cargo area with her free left hand, severing them just before the cart could drift away.

At that moment, the Earth Dragon tugged mightily, letting out a bellow of effort as the large freight vehicle was flung backward by Rem.

A mass large enough to toss a small cottage struck the side of the passing White Whale. A sound of cracking wood echoed, and the flailing tail of the White Whale slammed into the ground, sending up a spray of dirt.

Whether it had taken damage or not, he could not tell. However, it was indisputable that the White Whale still lived. Above all, its massive form pivoted mid-air, glaring back at them.

“D-Did we… do it!?”

Even if he hadn’t understood what had happened, he at least understood that most of his dragon cart had been lost. The dread of making such sacrifices lingered in Otto’s voice as he struggled to voice his questions, laced with desperation.

A thundering roar. An unending rumble of the earth. The looming pressure of despair pressing in from behind. All of these were present, even understanding that it amounted to nothing but a hollow dream.

“Why… why is it so fixated on us…? There are plenty of hunting choices out there, right!?”

Screaming in frustration, Otto cursed his own misfortune.

Despite there being eight other candidates to choose from, the absurdity of it targeting him filled him with exasperation. Subaru felt the same, but watching Otto rant and curse made him hesitant to voice the same displeasure.

A pawn, or perhaps a meat shield―― even in a confrontation against the Witch Cult, Subaru had considered how best to employ them, even if just a little.

Furthermore, there was no room for pondering such frivolities.

The threat of the White Whale continued to loom behind them, its speed through the sky surpassing that of the Earth Dragon. It was merely a matter of time before the Earth Dragon, having lost its burden, would be overtaken. If they lost the Earth Dragon, not a single hope for Subaru and the others to escape unscathed remained.

He had to think. Was there anything? Anything to save them?

Yet even as he sought a plan, nothing came to mind. It was impossible to find hints in the state of invisibility expanding before them in the deepening night fog.

Then, while Subaru wasted more precious time mulling over nothing, the demon girl stepped forth with her own conclusion.

Brace yourself! With every lurch, Subaru clung to the body of the cart as Rem quietly approached him. Feeling the vibrations just as intensely as he was, she moved gracefully, closing the distance to Subaru, and then,

“Subaru-kun. Please take this.”

“Wha—!? Are you saying there’s something that can save us right now…?”

Was there a ray of hope? Slightly lifting his gaze, Subaru found himself pressed with a heavy pouch. He grimaced at its weight, quickly recognizing it as a bag filled with gold coins based on the feel of its exterior.

What use could that gold serve at this moment?

With trepidation, Subaru watched Rem as she insisted upon giving him that pouch, his smile faltering at the prospect of relying on something as absurd as throwing coins to turn the tides.

“R-Rem…? I know the power of coin throwing can shift power balances, but that’s only… in a game context…”

“Rem will descend to the earth and intercept it. Meanwhile, Subaru-kun, please leave the fog with this person,” she communicated clearly, determination shining through her voice.

Caught off guard by Rem’s unexpected words, Subaru fell silent. Even as Rem turned her head slightly,

“Otto, please look after Subaru-kun. The promised reward is in his hands. Please escape from the fog and report the White Whale’s emergence,” she conveyed firmly.

“C-Coin…!? This isn’t the time! My life is worth more than gold right now!?”

Otto desperately pushed on, losing track of their prior exchange. Yet, even so, the urgency of needing to run the dragon cart shone through as he began to loosen his lips in relief.

And Subaru couldn’t let it go unnoticed. Telling them to announce the White Whale’s arrival meant,

“You… Rem, you don’t plan to come back alive, do you!?”

Rem’s expression darkened with a somber determination.

In a world still wrapped in this perilous darkness, for some reason, her pale face stood out vividly to Subaru.

“I won’t let you go, I won’t let you go! If you die, then I… I will!”

Dropping the coin pouch at his feet, Subaru yanked Rem closer to him.

He pulled her petite frame into his embrace, refusing to let go of the one who desperately tried to leave. If he released her, she would run out of the shadows, risking her very life.

That he had to prevent at all costs. Because otherwise,

“Ah…”

As tears of passion threatened to spill, Rem murmured soft sighs against his embrace.

Looking down at the discordantly euphoric sound that did not fit the situation, Subaru saw Rem gazing up at him, smiling dreamily.

“Rem was born for this very moment, wasn’t she?”

“What…?”

Subaru couldn’t finish his question.

A jolt hit the back of his neck, and a sensation akin to the world flipping over suddenly struck him.

Rem, extending her arms in a reflex to pull him closer, delivered a sharp chop to the back of his head. His strength drained, and he collapsed against Rem’s body.

“W-Rem… what are you…”

His vision turned hazy, and his consciousness wavered, making it difficult to lift his head as he desperately clung to the girl.

Amidst his struggle, Rem gazed at him with an expression of loving patience, whispering close to his ear as his consciousness began to slip away.

“You’re okay. Rem will always be behind Subaru-kun.”

――You don’t have to do anything. Just stay behind me.

Before departing, in the morning, he’d told her those very words.

So, fulfilling that promise, she would stand to protect the back of Subaru, she would stand.

“That’s not… I didn’t mean to…”

His consciousness fell away.

Fading. Out of reach.

For a moment, it felt as if he was held tightly.

Against his forehead, a gentle and soft sensation brushed against him, quickly departing.

And that would be the last thing he remembered.