— It took a few seconds to swallow that statement and chew on its meaning.

“Raid is, Roy Alphard…?”

Subaru’s thoughts were thrown into disarray in a different way from the pain he had forcibly taken from his companions.

The dullness of his mind came from the pain and suffering he had seized, yet he couldn’t afford to remain passive in this situation.

Even if his brain were to melt out of his ears in a few hours, he couldn’t stop thinking.

“——–”

He focused his gaze on the figure standing proudly before him, the red-haired swordsman — undoubtedly the most troublesome presence in this Pleiades Watchtower, Reid Astraea.

Julius stood beside him, gripping his knight’s sword, his expression betraying no signs of deception as he fixed his gaze on Raid.

This was a character not one to joke in a life-and-death situation. Previously, he had been Subaru’s assessment of Julius, who had forgotten everything, and that made the situation serious.

The certainty behind Julius’s words indicated that they were undeniably true.

“Raid being ‘Gluttony’ means…”

Raid had once been one of the five obstacles residing in the Watchtower, an existence that held an ambiguous position in terms of marking the line between friend and foe.

Now that his existence was clearly identified as one of the adversaries—

“So, you… persistently and obsessively pursued us…?”

“—Hey, hold on, you. That’s one hell of a misunderstanding, isn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“Don’t joke around, you. Hey, you. You must be believing something as boring as a clown impersonating another fool, right?”

Hearing the trembling voice of Subaru, Raid’s face twisted in clear displeasure.

Subaru couldn’t understand the meaning of that reaction.

— The Archbishop of Gluttony, Roy Alphard, manifests in the form of Raid.

Having just witnessed Louis Arnebe’s transformation, Subaru concluded that the power of Gluttony, which steals the combat power along with the form of its target, was represented in the raid before him.

However, Raid’s reaction was overtly displeased.

It was not a cowardly act of desperately trying to hide his identity but rather something more straightforward — a childish indignation seemed to be at play.

The true meaning behind that was—

“I’m me, naturally. It’s because I refuse to bend that I’m here like this. Isn’t that right? You want to argue otherwise?”

“——–”

Raid touched the eyepatch over his left eye and bared his sharp fangs at Subaru.

In response, Subaru held his breath and frowned, trying to decipher the true meaning of Raid’s statement.

Then he realized a particular possibility and went breathless.

“No way, Julius…”

“Yeah, you’re probably right in your assumption.”

While keeping his gaze fixed on Raid, Subaru let out a raspy voice. Julius nodded slightly, the handsome man rubbing his own bloodied cheek with his shoulder, wiping away the stains as he continued.

“Earlier, I worded it poorly. Let me correct myself. — The person in front of you, that body is Roy Alphard’s. However, the spirit is different.”

“— The spirit.”

“Roy Alphard devoured Reid Astraea’s ‘memories,’ seizing control over his spirit. Therefore, he has come here unrestricted, descending from the second layer.”

“——–”

Subaru, who had regarded this as utterly absurd, was left dumbstruck at Julius’s affirmation.

How could such a thing happen? Subaru — no, everyone else in the vicinity, including Emilia and Beatrice, widened their eyes in disbelief.

Certainly, everything made sense with Julius’s explanation.

Originally, Raid should not have been able to move freely inside the Pleiades Watchtower as a test proctor detached from the second layer. However, the reason he was roaming freely within the tower was that he had obtained that freedom by riding on the actions of Gluttony amid the chaos leading up to this moment.

Yes, yes. This solves all the incomprehensible circumstances surrounding Raid.

— However, it was just too outrageous of a truth to close his mouth over.

“So, dragged by those ‘memories,’ you’ve lost sight of your original self?”

“More simply put, it’s that the stronger ego has prevailed. — No one can outdo their self-centeredness.”

Subaru and, a little later, Beatrice and Ram reached the same conclusion.

While it may sound blunt, Ram’s words accurately conveyed the truth.

“But there is still a question…”

That was, why had the existence of the devoured Raid not been erased from everyone’s memory?

Up until now, those who fell victim to Gluttony, like Rem or Julius, had their existence wiped from the memory of anyone but Subaru.

In fact, Subaru had confirmed during the last loop that Emilia’s existence had disappeared from Ram and the others. Thus, why wasn’t the same thing happening to Raid?

“As a principle, it can be said that ‘Gluttony’ devoured not Raid’s ‘name,’ but strictly his ‘memories.’ A deceased person cannot be devoured for either ‘memories’ or ‘name.’ That was Roy Alphard’s assertion.”

“— Huh!? You witnessed Raid getting devoured?”

Sensing Subaru’s skepticism, Julius narrowed one eye. He qualified with a simple “Yeah” and looked at the crumbled wall he had passed through.

“When you instructed to ascend to the second layer, that was when I arrived. I just happened to walk in on Roy Alphard negotiating with Raid. Whether to be called a negotiation is questionable, though…”

“What do you mean by ‘questionable’?”

“Because Raid was defenseless. — Perhaps Gluttony was excluded for some reason from the ‘testing.’ Therefore, as the examiner, he was unable to attack the opponent.”

“Hah! You’re only half-right, half-wrong!”

Raid interjected into Julius’s hypothesis. He cracked the joints in his neck and dug his claws into his chest.

“Certainly, they weren’t participants in the ‘test’, but they could have done it if they wanted to, right? It just would mean the Raid you know wouldn’t be here now!”

“You can take over someone else’s ego. Were you so sure of that?”

“I won’t let you make just the good points. If you want it, you’ve got to risk everything, and that’s where the fun is. That little pipsqueak didn’t quite understand that, though.”

Regardless of the fact that he obtained a body, Raid spoke coldly regarding Roy, showing no interest in the circumstances that involved Gluttony.

But indeed, what lay before him was the reality. — Roy Alphard’s ego had overshadowed Reid Astraea into oblivion.

“If you’re saying you’ll consume me, savor me, then you need a big enough stomach to handle it. That didn’t exist in him. So, I ripped through his belly. Just that.”

“Just that, huh…”

Beyond the unending nausea and mounting weariness, Subaru felt a headache beginning to wash over him.

In concise terms, what happened to Raid could be boiled down to—

“He came back to life… a resurrection of the dead, is that what it is?”

“It can be said that was the result. Although it is a miraculous occurrence that can only happen when the situation interferes with the deceased’s ‘memories’ and meets an entity holding such capability.”

“Miracle…”

Witnessing a lost life resurrected after four hundred years could be termed a somewhat ironic manifestation of a miracle, even if Julius meant nothing of the sort.

He had no intention of decrying the fact of resurrection itself —

“— Um, can I ask you just one thing?”

“Huh?”

Just as they managed to organize the occurrence, Emilia, who had been silent since their encounter with Raid, raised her voice.

After all, Emilia had been hesitant to interrupt for fear of disrupting the flow of conversation. Now, having observed the discussion reach a pause, she directed her amethyst-colored eyes at Raid.

And then—

“You… Reid, you came back to life, right? So now, you can leave that place, and while that’s really amazing, congratulations on that…”

“Yeah, thanks. Now, I can finally have a proper place to settle down with you, gorgeous. Make sure to serve me tonight. As for everything else… ah, don’t worry, I’ll set that up later.”

“—? Are you inviting me out? But I’ve only gone on ‘dates’ with Pack and Subaru, so I’m sorry. Also—”

For Subaru, that was a conversation he couldn’t ignore, but he currently had no energy to address Emilia’s mention of ‘dates.’

Unbothered by Subaru’s inner thoughts, Emilia adjusted his body that she had been carrying.

“Even though you can finally be free, could you please stop interfering with us? Maybe you don’t know, but we’re… really busy right now…”

“Don’t make me say it, gorgeous. I basically understand everything happening here. I mean, this little brat’s too damned knowledgeable. —Ugh, I don’t like it.”

Raid muttered in irritation as he grabbed his exposed belly.

It seemed that it wasn’t just about coming back to life; Raid appeared to have the authority to look into Roy Alphard’s memories — essentially, corroborating a bit of the power of Gluttony.

However, it seemed that he inherently detested what went against his own aesthetics,

“What an absurd thing to meddle in since you’ve got nothing of your own. The kid vanished due to being ignorant of the limits and that’s just fate, right?”

“… Just between us, now that you’re free, wouldn’t it be better to challenge the vast ocean of the world? It might feel like you’re postponing a problem, but if that’s the case—”

“You’re just avoiding a fight, aren’t you? It’s pathetic enough already to die in such a state of being carried by a woman. Are you overlaying shame on shame?”

“——–”

Subaru’s attempts to improve the situation while avoiding a confrontation ended in failure.

Most likely, had anyone else offered that suggestion, it wouldn’t have resonated. In the end, even with his newfound freedom, Raid still intended to uphold his role as the examiner.

Or perhaps, it wasn’t a fixation on the title of being an examiner but rather a fighting pride where he wouldn’t let an opponent go once they resolved to cross swords.

In any case,

“—Well. If you won’t move, there’s nothing to be done.”

It was a response laden with the nuance of disappointment, bolstering Emilia’s resolve to attack Raid.

“I’m sorry.”

That single phrase was directed not at the opposing Raid but at Subaru, who was perched on her shoulder, a realization that struck him one second later.

Because one second later, Subaru’s body was placed down from Emilia’s shoulder and gently tossed onto Beatrice beside them.

— In the moment, Emilia lunged through the corridor like a bullet, striking the ice sword against Raid.

The atmosphere rang with a high-pitched sound of shattering ice, and a beautifully cruel ice blade swept through the misty corridor. Every attack aimed at inflicting lethal damage without holding back — once Emilia resolved to attack, there was no hesitation. Subaru had understood this well enough from their previous battles.

“—Hah!”

That slash, which Subaru could barely follow with his eyes, was a near ambush, yet Raid effortlessly deflected it with the arm he drew from his flowing garments, wielding chopsticks.

It wasn’t the first time Subaru had seen him wield something like chopsticks as weapons. But no matter how many times he witnessed it, it was difficult to accept. This was indeed abnormal; that recognition had not changed.

“That guy…! Emilia-chan!”

“S-Sebastian! You can’t take risks! Stay still, alright?!”

Subaru cried out, anxious for Emilia’s safety, as Beatrice, who had quickly caught him, urged him to calm down.

Kneeling in the corridor while being supported by her small frame, Subaru forced his eyes wide open.

Meanwhile, Emilia continued with her ice-clad warfare, dancing like a fairy amidst the sparkling diamond dust while switching her ice armament to counter Raid’s chopsticks.

While he effortlessly parried her blows with his whimsical technique, Raid echoed with a “Hah!” as he laughed like a shark.

“Hah! You’re quick to catch on, gorgeous! But do you understand? Your ‘test’ is already over, you know?”

“If that’s the case! Make sure everyone passes, too!”

“Hey, hey, what kind of reasoning is that? There’s no reason for me to do that.”

“I’m begging you!”

“A plea with no cuteness in it. For now, strip, will you?”

Although he wore a serious expression, Raid had no ear for Emilia’s endearing request.

Like the initial strike, he swiftly brushed aside the subsequent flurry of attacks with his flamboyant chopstick techniques. In the face of that abnormal sword skill, Subaru found himself at a loss for words.

Of course, it was known that Raid was an extraordinary wielder of martial arts.

However, the Emilia who fought fearlessly against Gluttony and the Giant Scorpion possessed overwhelming power compared to any garden-variety warriors. At the very least, Subaru would never surpass Emilia if there were a hundred of him. — Yet to Raid, that power was literally child’s play.

Emilia’s life-and-death counterattack seemed like child’s play to Raid.

Just a few exchanges later, Emilia met her defeat pierced by Raid’s chopsticks. The difference in their prowess was so glaring it was evident even to mere onlookers.

Yet—

“—A reason for me to withdraw? That’s easy.”

“Hah!?”

“It’s simply because you’ll lose face here by losing poorly against Ram and the others.”

The petite Ram jumped into the battlefield from behind Raid.

— She had taken the back of Raid.

That alone was more than startling, but what was more daunting about Ram was not only that.

Emilia’s unrelenting assaults against Reid Astraea had no quarter, and Ram adjusted her timing with godlike intuition to match the fighting style driven by Emilia’s sense.

It was something Subaru couldn’t discern — the quick first shot by Emilia — it was as though Ram had anticipated that, or more precisely, she must have indeed known it.

“——–”

Shortly after, Ram’s outstretched fist struck into Raid’s side.

At the moment of impact, a sound of flesh and bone grinding resonated, and Ram’s white fist plunged deep into Raid’s insides, causing the ground beneath them to crack beneath Raid’s sandals.

“It hit…!?”

Subaru instinctively tightened his embrace around Beatrice at the sight.

He wanted to cheer, yet beyond that, he struggled to vocalize anything. Instead, there flared a heat of blood within him. For this was undeniably the first damage inflicted upon Raid from what Subaru could gather.

“Haaaah!”

A punch that belied the fragility of her petite arms was storming against Raid. He continued to receive the awaited blows to his exposed half.

This wasn’t just a state of being reckless but also of being unable to defend against Emilia’s fierce onslaught due to the need to parry Ram’s hits with both chopsticks.

Therefore, his massive body was pushed back by the magnitude of her punches.

And with that, Emilia threw her ice daggers crafted from her hands, arcing slashes that were parried away by Raid’s chopsticks, and he fell backward, sprawled out in a large ‘X’ on the ground.

“Did it work…?”

Subaru uttered, aghast at Raid lying on the ground.

Having successfully defended against Emilia’s follow-up with his last gasp, all the preceding attacks from Ram had been consumed without resistance. Each blow had a resonance with consequence, and naturally, it wouldn’t be without toll for Raid.

Though it was true that Emilia had fought valiantly, it seems Raid misjudged Ram’s prowess.

Thanks to the effect of ‘Col Leonis,’ the later layers had remained unimpeded and allowed Ram to seize the spirit of his opponent before Raid brought out his true strength.

“—Hah! I can tie him up now and incapacitate him! Emilia-chan! Freeze him up…!”

For a moment, firm in his conviction yet unable to grasp the totality of victory, Subaru hastily indicated for Emilia to bind Raid.

With that, he intended to call out to Ram for her valiant support when—

“…Subaru, when did you regain your composure?”

“Huh?”

Unexpectedly, Beatrice, who had been supporting him, now asked that question.

Upon receiving it, Subaru belatedly grasped that he was standing on his own feet, directing Emilia with orders. — The excruciating pain that had consumed him like a curse had abruptly vanished.

“—Hah!”

Just as he fathomed the meaning behind that revelation, Ram’s body quivered unsteadily.

Ram, facing away from him, leaned, unable to support herself anymore as she fell to her knees.

“Ram!!”

“Kuh!”

Unable to brace herself, Ram collapsed like a puppet with its thread cut. The instant desperation grabbed hold of her, someone was leaping in to catch her, watching for an opening to re-enter the fray: Julius.

Supporting Ram’s limp body, Julius’s face froze in realization.

The reason— lay in Ram’s pallor and the blood, sickeningly staining his clothes.

From the wound on her abdomen, where clouding up blood was steadily pouring out, the loss of blood had posed a severe threat to her life. However, the issues didn’t end there.

The greatest issue was that Subaru’s state had recovered in tandem.

In other words—

“The effect of ‘Col Leonis’ cut out…”

“—Ah, so I finally managed to cut it. You’re not making this fun at all, are you? Just hiding behind a woman, right? You’re not even fit to be a fish fry!”

“———-”

In front of the dumbfounded Subaru, Raid surged back to his feet, thrusting down his legs with vigor. He casually brushed off his backside and then pivoted his arm, gripping the knight’s sword tightly around his shoulder.

Raid displayed no signs of experiencing any damage from Ram’s earlier hit whatsoever, and it chilled Subaru to the bone, but more so, what had unsettled him was the words that had come right before.

— Raid had stated that he cut something. What on earth was that?

“The tiresome joke, of course. That belly of yours is torn and bleeding, yet you’re not feeling pain or distress? You mocking me or something?”

“Ugh…”

“If you want to go toe-to-toe, I’ll fight you on perfect terms. But this? You need to understand this isn’t right. You’re not seeing this woman; she’s going to die before she bleeds out.”

Subaru’s gaze turned toward Julius, who was holding Ram. Under that gaze, Julius tilted his head faintly.

“His words are valid. Lady Ram’s wounds aren’t trivial. At present, she is in critical condition.”

“—!”

“The fact that the bleeding isn’t stopping implies some drug disrupting the clotting of her blood. Moreover, it’s likely a reaction to her body having overexerted itself.”

Each of Julius’s analyses stabbed painful chasms into Subaru’s chest.

He failed. — Subaru’s ‘Col Leonis’ had been a series of selfish failures.

“———–”

Recovering Ram while crafting a situation for her to fight.

That was not a mistaken judgment, but to downplay the wounds she had suffered — No, the mistake lay in having her disregard those injuries.

If Subaru were to absorb the pain and suffering, Ram wouldn’t be able to recognize the severity. If Ram herself acted undamaged, Emilia and the others would have had no way of knowing.

“It’s akin to sensation-sharing magic like ‘Neckt,’ but it is different. Something more; a different force was at play. And you slashed that.”

“I excel in cutting things I cannot see. Well, doing it by sheer intuition is tough, and it can take me some time. I’ve been hit pretty hard myself. ”

Raid boasted that he had endured Ram’s ferocious attacks through a storm. Yet the events that occurred didn’t show any real damage dealt to him.

The mechanism behind that was also articulated by Julius, who gently glanced down — at the fissures on the battlefield scarred by chaos,

“He must have dissipated every strike by redirecting Ram’s attacks to the floor using his footwear.”

“I employed a method favored by a familiar woman named Trisha.”

Raid lightly laughed, poking the ground of the corridor repeatedly with his sandals.

Hearing their conversation, Subaru felt a chill run through him as he gazed upon the cracks in the corridor. The numerous wounds formed in the ground bore testament to the fact that Raid had successfully redirected the force of Ram’s attacks elsewhere.

By whatever means, he had evaded the force of the impacts. — It could have been described as the pinnacle of martial arts.

“…Hah.”

The truth was that when Ram had initially inflicted a blow, Subaru had witnessed the remarkable cracking of the ground. That applied to all the subsequent strikes as well.

All of it — was to—

“To cut off the link between me and Ram? But how the hell could he even—”

“I told you already, didn’t I? I’m here to cut whatever I want and move to where I’m meant to be, to embrace the lady I wish to hug. — I’ll cull mindless games like cutting through the air.”

Raid declared blithely.

Cutting what couldn’t be seen. Or severing nonexistent threads. The true strength of an existence called ‘Sword Saint’ may very well be laid out before him like that.

“But when I struck up above, you were writhing in pain!”

“The conditions differ from then, gorgeous. As I said, I’m here for a fight over this ‘test.’ If it’s a fight, I’ll go harder than for ‘test,’ right? Am I wrong, you?”

Shattering Emilia’s protests, Raid snorted as he readied his chopsticks. In a stance akin to wielding cutlery to merely serve his meals, he focused his vibrant blue eyes onto Julius.

“So, understand my words, you. Yes, you. You are the one.”

“—To settle this by sword. That’s your intent, isn’t it?”

“Oh, indeed. Just saying, if it’s anything other than a sword, I’d let it slip past, you know? Whether you want to be hit or hit by magic, it doesn’t matter. If you want to win against me…”

Raid tapped his own chest, pointing out his heart.

Meaning it could only be concluded by stopping his breath, that was a clear indication of his demand for a duel.

That was akin to confirming the combat card Subaru had proposed was indeed correct—

“Why are you so fixated on me?”

“Huh? You think I’m fixated on you? Get lost. I despise the kind of pretty boy who can only talk big. Just what makes you think I’m so bound to you?”

“Then…”

“—The one binding me here is you, isn’t it? Do you truly think I could back down from this and feel alright with it?”

“———–”

In response to Julius’s inquiry, Raid’s answer wasn’t outright clear.

He himself seemed the type to see no value in articulating every single thing. Thus, his responses were vastly moments of sensations and difficult to grasp.

However, for those who understood what was apparent, that was the most distinct answer possible—

“—Tch, a bothersome fellow has come indeed.”

Before Subaru had the chance to digest that answer, Raid clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction.

And the reason for that annoyance came from the depths of the corridor where Subaru’s group had flowed in— no, a white glare surged toward them like an assault.

“Subaru!”

Just as the white gleam threatened to evaporate Subaru, Emilia’s ice sword broke in to intercept. The sound of cracking ice resonated while the deflected light plunged into the corridor ahead — a long stinger was vanishing in tatters.

That effectively meant a baptism from the ‘Sage’s’ tower—

“—Shaula.”

“——–”

From the depths of the corridor, red compound eyes rose, revealing a gargantuan scorpion with multiple legs. Its jet-black exoskeleton and fearsome pincers portrayed its ominous presence intact.

However, the figure of Rai, who should have been battling it, was nowhere to be found. If he had lost to the giant scorpion and been eliminated, that would be glorious. However—

“Simultaneously, Raid and Shaula…”

“S-Sebastian…”

Trapped between two formidable foes, the precarious situation made it impossible for Subaru to act carelessly. Lowering her voice, Beatrice called out to him, fear painting her face.

Noticing Beatrice’s expression of fear, Subaru felt his chest tighten.

He wanted to dispel her anxiety with words, so he searched for fitting phrases.

“Beatrice, it’s alright. For now, we haven’t found any measures, but it’s fine! There’s still time to remedy…”

“That’s not it! It’s not it at all! — Is it coming!?”

“Coming?!”

Seeing Beatrice’s frantic response, Subaru gazed back toward the giant scorpion.

In terms of threat, Raid was here, and the giant scorpion was there. The terrifying foes already gathered together— what more could possibly come—

“—No way.”

“Didn’t I say so? A bothersome guy has shown up, didn’t I?”

A thought traversed through Subaru’s mind, reinforced by Raid’s affirmation.

His tone suggested genuineness, as if he found the situation hard to digest.

— In the next instant, a shock unleashed a violent tremor from beneath their feet, shaking the Pleiades Watchtower.

“——–”

Without exaggerating, Subaru’s world was flipped in a moment of disconnection from reality.

Helplessly blown away, Subaru found himself within the fantasy landscape vividly shifting around him.

Suspended in mid-air, Emilia kicked off an ice platform she had created and began batting away the barrage of tail spikes that charged at her group— no, specifically at Subaru.

Julius, already navigating a tilting world, was rushing toward Raid while initiating fierce combat by thrusting his knight’s sword against the legendary swordsman.

Meanwhile, Beatrice jumped to Subaru, who cradled Ram.

“—Murak!”

The instant she chanted, Subaru broke into a realization that he was encased not by the pure shock but by a sensation akin to free-floating. Freed from the shackles of gravity, he felt thrust into a world of weightlessness.

The spinning universe that upturned him felt trivial under those circumstances.

Each of them did what they could best—

“—Hah!”

As if mocking those finest moves, a voluminous mass of pitch-black shadow enveloped the tower entirely.

“——–”

A massive compression roared through, warping the Watchtower that resembled a piece of stone not to be trifled with. This was destruction borne of shadows that should not carry any mass.

An impact that could hardly be defined as mere obliteration strode through like a natural disaster, engulfing even those deemed superhuman with ease.

Emilia, who was valiantly holding off against the giant scorpion with her magic and combat skills.

Julius, who stood against a legendary swordsman, readying himself for confrontation, and Beatrice, who had utilized her small frame to cast protective magic to shield Subaru, all were snatched away in a blink.

In a moment slower than a heartbeat, the shadow that surged up ensnared them and then vanished from sight.

“——–”

Without a sound, without echo, the figures of Emilia and the others vanished.

What could one name that moment of instantaneous disappearance that happened to them ? Subaru found no suitable words within himself.

Yet there was one thing that was clear.

“—I failed.”

*“—I love you.”*

The acceptance of reality coincided with the whisper of a dark, suffocating love.

Like a whisper in his ear, or a kiss upon his mouth, or an embrace that enveloped his entire being, or a caress of the soul, the love’s words were delivered in the most terrifyingly direct manner.

He promptly understood. The greatest of the five obstacles — had arrived. An encroaching shadow that consumed all.

“——–”

It was the third time Subaru had seen this shadow, and every time he encountered it, he had lost his life.

This certainly wouldn’t be an exception; the moment this shadow appeared and reached him—

“—Hey, what are you thinking about sleeping through this?”

In an instant, the encircling oppressive darkness that surrounded Subaru was swept away in a single flash of strike.

“—This can’t be real.”

“Open your eyes wide and look close. What’s fake about it, huh? Are you awake? Open your eyes and look well, what about me is a lie?”

As he casually swung the knight’s sword, it was Raid who cleaved through the shadows. In his grip was not chopsticks, but a knight’s sword — Julius’s sword, and he exhaled noticeably through his nose.

The irony that a sword had been wielded with greater skill than that of its original owner was astonishing, yet there was no time for any observations.

Because in that instant, Raid’s sandals kicked up, launching Subaru’s body.

“Urk.”

Within the narrow corridor, the buoyant body was sent flying without hitting any ceiling or walls.

The structure of the Watchtower had already collapsed, losing sight of where the walls ended and where the ceiling began. The surrounding world was an abyss of blackness, a vast expanse of shadow.

Nothing made sense anymore. — No, within his arms, the warmth shifting with life protested its presence.

“—Hah.”

Only the heat from Ram, who lay unconscious in his arms, declared its existence.

“—Hah.”

Exerting force on his molars, he bit his lips, infusing himself with vigor.

In that moment, as everything turned black, Subaru had nearly despaired, pondering if he should simply surrender to this end.

But that was something unforgivable when faced with the life of one who lived so fervently.

“—Not yet, there’s still something.”

Even in such a dire situation, there must be things worth gaining.

Having already survived the encounter twice, myriad shadows devoured him, taking his life. Yet in both those instances, the ends had come too abruptly for him to comprehend.

And that chance emerged now through Ram’s feeble outcry for survival.

“—Hah.”

Inside the same shadow, he found himself grinning at the feral laughter of Raid.

No, he wouldn’t offer thanks.

His solar plexus throbbed painfully, and the very fact that the window of escape had narrowed down to a mere reprieve was due to Raid’s unwarranted interference.

Therefore—

“I’ll definitely take you down. —The ‘most exceptional’ knight I know.”

“At that, wouldn’t you be better off showing off your own style till the very end, little fish?”

Below him, Raid gripped the knight’s sword reverse-handed as he aimed at Subaru. The distance might be vast, but for Raid, a few meters were no challenge at all.

Locked in hostility, with his focus set squarely on Subaru, Raid was met with a surge of encroaching blackness looming behind him. Even that was indifferent to the presence of Raid’s sword aura.

Though he had no recollection, at that moment, perhaps Subaru had witnessed it once more.

That which was said to have transpired four hundred years ago during the legendary tale of the ‘Witch’ and the ‘Sword Saint.’

Yet completely disregarding that, irrational destruction and violence, called ‘death,’ was drawing near Subaru—

“At least…”

He wished they would remain alive for even just one second longer.

Embedding that desire into his heart, Subaru wrapped his arms around Ram’s body.

In the next moment, a torrent of light that was not of a sword flash engulfed Subaru—

“`

 

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