Felt felt a sense of liberation from despair the moment her body rode the wind and burst through the entrance.

Behind her, in a world where she had no chance to look back, the battle still raged on.

The air filled with the chilling sound of a harsh clash, then the sound of flesh being crushed by steel erupted, and the dull thud of blunt weapons splitting the air was accompanied by occasional frantic cries of “Hyah!” and “Fwah!” as people tried to dodge.

The fighting continued.

Even if Felt had escaped and left everything behind.

“What am I thinking? I should consider myself lucky to have gotten away. Right?”

It was clear that if she had stayed, her life would have been lost.

Against a woman who could take down even Old Man Rom in a single blow, Felt had no chance of retaliation whatsoever. The same went for the silver-haired half-elf, as she had no way to contend without the support of spirits.

As for Subaru, he was in an even worse state.

He looked completely like a rookie, devoid of any battle experience. His fingers were clean, showing no signs of ever having held a weapon, and his pretty black hair and skin suggested that he had never sustained an injury.

In other words, he was sheltered. He had no cause to consider fighting.

If he had brought along some ridiculously expensive magical item, that would make complete sense.

She could just think it was a fitting outcome. That someone so completely naive tried to play the hero just because of a bit of chivalrous spirit, only to get in over their head—she could laugh at such recklessness.

“That’s right, let’s get out of here. I can’t stay in this town any longer. There’s a dangerous person around. Before they set their sights on me and I can’t escape, I need to hurry and—”

As she navigated through the Poor District, she should choose the paths only known to the locals. They were narrow and small, akin to animal trails, but perfect for an escape route.

No one should be able to catch her, small and quick as she was. If she prioritized her own life, that would be the best course of action.

Subaru, who might already be dead, played the part of a hero and let her escape, so it would only be fair for him to be at peace if she managed to get away.

It should have been certain, yet—

“—Is anyone, anyone there?!”

Even as her brain urged her to take the narrow path, Felt found herself rushing towards the main street of the Poor District. With a panicked expression, her breath ragged, Felt’s gaze was scattered.

She glared at a shabby house, vaulted up the wall, paused atop a fence, and spat.

It couldn’t just be anyone.

It had to be someone capable of opposing that murderer—Elsa.

If it were anyone, there had been shadows of people along the way she’d run, but Felt was certainly not a favored presence in this land.

Moreover, there was no one who would welcome someone like her who was burdened with trouble, other than Old Man Rom.

And if she left Old Man Rom as he was, he would end up killed.

Subaru, who had tried to help Felt escape, was likely in grave danger now.

It was a strange feeling. She couldn’t understand it, and Felt desperately rubbed her eyes, as they were becoming misty.

It wouldn’t matter if that boy, whom she had just met, died. With his affluent appearance and silly statements, he acted foolishly without a thought.

But he had gotten angry on Felt’s behalf when she was about to cry because of Elsa’s words, and now, even at the risk of his own life, he was acting as a stepping stone to keep her alive.

It was an incomprehensible feeling. However, it was precisely that feeling that made Felt want to keep running.

She sensed something from that boy’s actions. Because of that feeling, because it sought warmth, Felt ran, brimming with a passionate urge to scream.

And after passing through numerous streets, she found herself—

“—Please, help me!”

“I got it. I’ll help you.”

She had encountered a fiery young man, and fate trembled.

※※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※　※

“…Reinhardt, huh?”

“That’s right, Subaru. It’s been a while. Sorry for being late.”

With his knees weak, Subaru turned his head just enough to see Reinhardt, who smiled apologetically.

Despite having fallen from the roof, nearly five meters, his steps were completely unhampered. Even while brushing off the dust, he exuded refinement, and Subaru sensed a glimpse of his true nature, which was unlike the fool he had encountered in the alley.

Reinhardt redirected his attention ahead, looking at the dark-clad beauty who was directing hostility towards him. Suddenly, his blue eyes narrowed as if recalling something.

“Black hair, black attire. And a curved sword unique to the northern region—those features are unmistakable. You are known as the ‘Intestinal Hunter,’ aren’t you?”

“What kind of ridiculously sinister moniker is that…?”

“It’s a title derived from the distinctive way you kill. You’re quite the famous figure among those deemed dangerous, even mentioned in the Royal Capital. Though they say you’re just a mercenary.”

Reinhardt responded to Subaru’s murmuring with a serious demeanor, fixing his transparent blue gaze upon Elsa. She squirmed under his stare.

“Reinhardt—ah yes, the knight among knights, hailing from the ‘Sword Saint’ lineage. Impressive, isn’t it? To have such a thrilling adversary. I really must thank my employer.”

“There are many things I want to ask. I recommend you surrender.”

“Do you think a hungry carnivore can resist the allure of dripping, prime steak?”

She licked her thin lips seductively and gazed at Reinhardt with a look of rapture.

He responded with a troubled gesture, scratching his cheek while saying, “Of course.”

“There’s no helping it. Subaru, stay a bit back. If possible, get that old man to safety. Afterwards, it would help if you stayed beside that person.”

“Understood. …That woman looks like a monster, so don’t let your guard down, okay?”

“Fortunately, monster hunting is my specialty.”

With a casual remark, Reinhardt began walking without a hint of hesitation.

He didn’t even touch the sword at his waist, moving forward bare-handed.

Subaru gasped at his nonchalance, but was soon astounded when the battle began.

“—Shh!”

With a sharp breath, Elsa unleashed her kukri knife at Reinhardt’s neck.

The silver flash aimed unrestrainedly at Reinhardt’s slender neck, stifling the air around with lethal intent. Reinhardt remained completely defenseless, not even unsheathing his sword or attempting to dodge.

The blade was swung down, and Subaru imagined Reinhardt’s head flying off. Blood sprayed as if in a cartoon, making it seem like it fell in slow motion.

Such a vision haunted him. However—

“I’d rather not be too rough with a woman…”

With a slightly lowered tone, Reinhardt politely stated a preface, and then—

“Excuse me.”

His step punched the floor apart, sending a shockwave that propelled Elsa away.

The blast reached Subaru, leaving him dumbstruck as the gust of wind swept over him.

What had appeared to be an ordinary front kick had produced enough force to shake the buildings. Elsa’s body was flung like a leaf, using the wall to break her fall, landing with astonishment plastered on her face.

“N-no way… What the hell was that?”

He had used the term “beyond normal” many times, but now Subaru was seeing the reality that those definitions were wholly inadequate.

The term “beyond normal” was indeed meant for the strikingly handsome man before him.

Compared to him, running like the wind, swinging blunt weapons like twigs, possessing a breathtaking combat sense, and wielding overwhelming magical strength—everything paled.

“Just as the rumors say… no, more than the rumors, you truly are extraordinary, aren’t you?”

“Hope I can meet your expectations.”

“Are you not going to use that sword at your waist? I’d like a taste of that legendary sharpness.”

Elsa pointed recklessly at Reinhardt’s sword, wishing for a serious clash with him.

However, Reinhardt shook his head in response to her hopes.

“This sword can only be drawn when necessary. The fact that the blade isn’t unsheathed means now is not the time.”

“You’ve underestimated me.”

“This is personally troublesome for me. So—”

With a flick of his gaze, Reinhardt surveyed the inside of the Thieves’ Repository. Then he discovered a battered two-handed sword among the fallen treasures leaning against the wall.

Kicking it up with his foot, he caught it effortlessly and lightly swung it to check its balance.

“I’ll use this to deal with you. Is that satisfactory?”

“—No! Oh, how lovely. Just lovely. Do entertain me, will you?”

As Reinhardt gripped his weapon, Elsa spun to make the first move.

In an instant, four throwing knives shot out from her rotating body, aiming at him. When she had targeted Felt, she had held back as well.

Though the knives had less speed than the fake Satella’s ice shards, their varied trajectories sabotaged evasive maneuvers. In other words, the only way to defend against the knives was to parry them.

“Of course, I’ll take advantage of any gaps created.”

With the spring-like agility of a mechanical doll, Elsa leapt high, using the ceiling to turn upside down, and propelled herself toward Reinhardt in a second jump.

Even if he parried the knives, he had to fend off the subsequent Elsa.

The combination of four and one attacks bore swift variations, for which Reinhardt stood ready with his sword held in front.

“Sorry, but—flying weapons won’t reach me.”

Instantly after murmuring that, Subaru witnessed the laws of physics bend before his eyes.

The throwing knives lined up directly in Reinhardt’s path—their trajectory suddenly changed, flying past him and targeting the unoccupied wall instead.

It didn’t look like some special magic was at play, nor did it seem like Reinhardt had swung his sword at unfathomable speed. It was as baffling as the previous situation where he had taken Elsa’s initial strike to no effect.

“Arrow-dodging protection—!”

“It’s something I was born with… don’t consider it unfair.”

The knives failed to serve as a distraction, and the ensuing clash transformed into a head-on duel.

Elsa, using her jumping velocity to strike, faced off against Reinhardt, who lifted his sword from below.

Despite being a momentary exchange, Subaru perceived that fleeting scene in glorious detail.

It was Reinhardt’s every movement that was refined, and it seemed otherworldly as he demonstrated a godly skill that lit the room with a glow even the crudest blade stolen from the Thieves’ Repository possessed.

Thus, he poured every ounce of power from the sword, the blade striking true at the hilt of Elsa’s kukri knife—despite the clash of steel, it snatched away the blade with an absurd cutting power.

As Elsa found herself on the ground, she could do nothing but gaze at the end of her weapon.

The blade had been severed, leaving only the hilt behind, while the detached blade—

“If you’ve lost your weapon, I recommend surrendering.”

As Reinhardt sheathed his blade, he turned back, grasping the blade he had retrieved.

He tossed the blade with a twist of his wrist, embedding it sharply into the wall without looking. Subaru could hear the sound of Elsa swallowing hard.

“This is truly out of the ordinary. I can’t even muster the energy to joke around.”

He let out a strained remark and hurriedly distanced himself from the battlefield.

He moved closer to Old Man Rom, dragging his bulky frame to a wall.

“Old Man Rom, Old Man Rom. Hey, baldy, are you alive?”

“Ugh… who is… baldy…?”

“Who else could it be? My life’s goal is to not turn into a baldy or a fatso, and you, my friend, are my number one cautionary tale.”

He smacked the old man’s feeble head, releasing a sigh of relief.

Aside from the serious damage to his head, this old man should be just fine. His memory might turn out to be unfortunate, but as long as he was alive, it was merely a minor issue.

“Is that person going to be okay?”

As Subaru relaxed, a false Satella approached, asking about Old Man Rom.

She let her long silver hair fall over her back and checked the state of the fainted old man’s wounds, murmuring, “This needs treatment,” as she began to gather a faint blue glow in her palm.

“Hey, just letting you know, this old man was part of the gang that stole your badge.”

“That’s why. I’ll ensure he recovers safely so I can reverse the favor and extract information from him. He’s not likely to lie to someone who saved his life. This is just for my benefit as well.”

Did she need to justify her actions with a convoluted excuse like that?

With a wry smile at her roundabout reasoning, Subaru shifted his gaze back to the battlefield.

He couldn’t see Elsa’s expression, still kneeling, but Reinhardt seemed to have judged she no longer held the will to fight. He stepped closer to her with the battered sword still lowered in his hand, showing a certain lack of caution.

Such confidence in his ability stood as a testament to his skill, but complacency always bred the worst outcomes. Some warning bells rang in Subaru’s mind, and just before Elsa’s body sprang into action—

“Watch out, Reinhardt! She’s got another!”

A second kukri knife drawn from her waist barely missed Reinhardt’s red bangs.

Now alert, Elsa turned her black gaze to Subaru.

“You caught on pretty quick.”

“Had some personal experience!”

With an unimpressive, non-boastful quip, she seemed to dismiss it as mere nonsense.

“But two fangs aren’t all there are. Would you be willing to engage me in a rematch?”

“If I cut off all your weapons, will that satisfy you?”

“If I lose my fangs, I’ll use my claws. If I lose my claws, I’ll use my teeth. If I lose my teeth, I’ll use my bones. If I lose my bones, I’ll use my life. —That’s what a battle maniac is.”

“In that case, I’ll take that sign down.”

Taking the third knife from her waist, Elsa readied herself for dual-wielding as she leaped again.

The blades intertwined, striking sparks as they clashed. Using one blade as a starting point, the other rushed to strike from Elsa’s arm.

The curving blade aimed for Reinhardt’s neck but failed to reach him, deflected by the long leg that kicked high. Elsa staggered backward from the impact, using that momentum to leap against the wall, propelling herself to the ceiling and then kicking off to another wall.

A spider woman, as Subaru had called her, evaded Reinhardt’s strikes, skipping gravity to keep her movements unpredictable.

While Reinhardt stood firm, not moving from his spot to intercept her, the hit-and-run strategy became relentless, and it felt endless.

“Is Reinhardt seriously struggling to find a way through her defense…?”

With a level of skill that transcended ordinary limits, Elsa was nothing like when she had only had a single knife.

It was akin to a boss character’s second form. Her biology had changed to an unrecognizable degree.

In response, Reinhardt’s displayed protective prowess—and whatever he had yet to comprehend—kept him in the realm of the supernatural too.

Their clash was assuredly the struggle between heavenly beings. Yet even so, a part of Subaru felt a sliver of optimism that Reinhardt might still be superior in strength.

“…He’s holding back for us.”

In response to Subaru’s internal inquiry, the fake Satella healing Old Man Rom murmured.

“Huh?” Subaru exclaimed, glancing sideways at her as she bit her lip awkwardly.

“Since I’m using spirit magic, he’s unable to give it his all. At least until this person’s treatment is complete…”

“What’s the cause-and-effect relationship here?”

“If Reinhardt truly intends to fight, the ambient mana will shun me. —The treatment is nearly finished. When I signal, call out to him.”

“Ah, okay.”

It was a somewhat unclear explanation, but Subaru, albeit confused, accepted her request.

The blue glow continued to heal the bruises and small bleeding wounds on Old Man Rom’s head. Gradually, traces of blood and injuries vanished before Subaru’s astonished gaze. As the false Satella let out a sigh, she completed the healing.

After she wiped away the scars, there were no remnants of the blow that had robbed Old Man Rom of consciousness.

As Subaru breathed “Wow,” impressed by the feat, the girl tapped his shoulder.

“Please.”

“Got it. —Reinhardt! I don’t get it, but go for it!”

As Reinhardt had been on the defensive, Subaru shouted the report of the treatment’s completion.

Reinhardt glanced back momentarily, meeting Subaru’s gaze for a brief moment before nodding slightly in response.

“—What are you going to show me?”

“The swordsmanship of the Astraea family—”

Reinhardt replied with a solemn brevity to Elsa’s question.

And just afterward, Subaru felt a sensation as if the space within the Thieves’ Repository was distorting.