The battle began, and the first strike came from the Giant Scorpion.

“——–”

Its red compound eyes gleamed, and immediately after, a white light burst forth from its swung tail.

What’s terrifying is that this deadly blow was delivered silently, without even a battle cry. The Giant Scorpion released death with an emotionless resolve.

That white light carried many unpleasant memories. To be specific, during my more than fifteen attempts within the tower, I had been killed by this about half the time.

But if you are killed that many times, you inevitably learn something.

For example—

“The initial speed and the warning signs of the attack…!”

The compound eyes and the tail stinger each shimmered subtly brighter at the moment of attack. Such a delicate change that it might be mistaken for mere coincidence; this was the survival instinct that Subaru had grasped through life-and-death trials.

To make the most of it, Subaru, while holding Beatrice, chose to close the distance to the Giant Scorpion intentionally. Because—

“The initial speed is the slowest…!”

While saying this, he twisted his body to evade the erupting white light.

Though he said it was slow, it was still much faster than a clumsily thrown ball by a high school baseball player. Fortunately, his eye for selection was sharp. After all, without it, surviving would be impossible.

Some wise person once said that life is about trial and error. However, that wise person likely didn’t consider situations where one’s life was at stake.

But without what is lacking, one can only keep failing. It is the truth. And Subaru, fortunately, had the ability to trial and error in life-and-death situations—’luck’ if you will.

Utilizing that, he sought the threads of survival. —This is Natsuki Subaru’s arena.

“Sorry I can’t live up to your expectations, me!”

To the other version of himself that yearned for the all-powerful Natsuki Subaru, he sincerely apologized for being only able to fight in such a grimy way. However, within his arms, Beatrice, in an equally dire dance with death, snorted with disdain.

“What are you saying? I wouldn’t say there was ever a time when Subaru didn’t live up to my expectations.”

Beatrice delivered a heartwarming compliment. With a swift motion, she lifted her hand and, from her delicate lips, chanted the dark magic that twists the laws of gravity—”Murak.”

Once, the Giant Scorpion had been subject to the effects, plummeting far below. As its jet-black shell stiffened, it braced itself not to suffer the same fate again.

However—

“If you stop moving, I’ll have my way with you!”

Subaru’s concentrated assault on the halted Giant Scorpion began.

Meily issued a total assault, commanding the grotesque creature known as the Winged Earth Dragon, with wings fused into horns. They flew fearlessly toward the Giant Scorpion like bullets unafraid of death, battering its hard shell again and again, leading to a symphony of impact and splintering sounds.

As the chain of impacts caused the Giant Scorpion to writhe, it raised its massive claws in response.

“——”

In return, the incarnation of nightmares—the Centaur, “Hunger King”—launched another fierce attack.

The shrill cries of an infant exploded across the Pleiades Watchtower’s balcony, while the grating roars and explosive flames violently engulfed the space near the sky.

“——”

At the heart of the flames, the Hunger King violently thrust its flaming spear. The searing tip was a fatal strike capable of piercing even iron-like armor.

In sheer combat power, the Giant Scorpion held the upper hand, but that didn’t imply that its attacks were entirely futile. When struck, it hurt. That’s natural for any living creature.

Getting hit means pain. Getting hit.

“——”

Thus, the Giant Scorpion embodied the notion of ‘if you don’t get hit, it’s no big deal’.

It blocked the flaming spear with its pincers and flicked it away, severing the Hunger King’s arm in the process. As the Hunger King attempted to regenerate from the wound, the injury was mercilessly seared by its own flaming spear, bubbling and sizzling, halting its writhing.

Burning the wound prevents healing, and an unnecessary lesson was learned there. Then, the Giant Scorpion’s tail pierced through the motionless body of the Hunger King, and the massive creature exploded from within.

“——”

Blood and flesh were scattered, and the ferocious Hunger King’s life was extinguished.

The Winged Earth Dragon, shattered into pieces, also met its demise when its head fused with its horn got crushed. Using life so dramatically was a behavior that would naturally draw the label of the odious and vile.

One might think it’s fine since it’s a beast, but that would be a mistake. However, Subaru did not intend to preach the idea that there are no distinctions in life.

Life has value. Undoubtedly, there are differences in value.

The weight of life is distinctly felt when it comes to individuals who matter to oneself versus those who don’t. He did not intend to hide that distinction under a facade. Thus, to win, he would use the beasts’ lives.

And—

“Overlooking me isn’t right, but it’s wrong!”

After tossing aside the beast’s vanguard, Subaru stamped hard on the red-paved floor. While holding Beatrice with his left arm, he gripped a whip in his right hand, ready for a big swing.

Using the corpse of a former strong enemy, the blasphemously finished Guilty Whip—Natsuki Subaru’s fastest strike cut into a portion of the Giant Scorpion’s shell.

With a thunderous sound, the Giant Scorpion glared at Subaru. There was no sign that the strike did any damage, nor was there even a hint of pain.

But that was fine. The goal wasn’t to inflict damage. That’s why the Giant Scorpion likely delayed responding to Subaru until later than the other beasts.

That judgment was correct yet incorrect.

“Get outta my way—!!”

As the whip entwined around the Giant Scorpion’s shell, Subaru pulled it up with all his might, causing the massive creature’s body to lift under the weight of its own momentum. The effect from Beatrice’s dark magic remained, indicating that the giant beast’s weight was drastically reduced.

The Giant Scorpion attempted to dig in, but it was in the worst condition, its footing slick with blood and guts. Subaru seized the moment to hoist it up with a flamboyant motion.

To an onlooker, it might seem like Subaru’s monstrous strength was spinning the giant beast around. With Beatrice’s assistance, the cavalcade unfolded, swinging the Giant Scorpion to its limits, spinning it, and then launching it.

“Get blown away—!!”

With tremendous force, the Giant Scorpion twirled through the air.

In that moment, as it spun fiercely, the Giant Scorpion aimed its white light at Subaru with deadly precision. Yet, it was all deflected by Beatrice’s outstretched hand.

Creating a violet crystal in mid-air, she shot down the white light head-on. In the meantime, as Subaru released the whip from the Giant Scorpion, it was sent soaring into the air once again.

“This buys me some time…”

He thought, as he found hope through this precarious move. But before he could finish that thought, Subaru’s eyes widened.

Right in front of him, the Giant Scorpion performed an astonishing acrobatic feat.

“——”

With a sweeping strike, it severed its own tail at the root. Bloodied and blackened, the severed tail flew away, and from that very place, the last burst of white light was released.

That white light captured the tailless Giant Scorpion and hurled it with tremendous force toward the balcony of the watchtower. In a desperate maneuver, the Giant Scorpion returned, accompanied by a shockwave, plunging its pincers into the floor to halt its momentum while glaring at Subaru.

“What the hell kind of trick was that?! But if you’ve lost your tail, that’s only an advantage for us…”

“——”

As it landed, the Giant Scorpion’s tail began spurting dark crimson blood. However, that did not mean that the wound had deepened. On the contrary—. The tail that had been severed began to regenerate.

Not only that, but the cracks formed in its shell from using its own body as a projectile also began to bubble and heal.

“It’s tough, it heals, and it’s gaining traits unlike Shaula?!”

While healing was one thing, Shaula had a soft body and a dull mind. However, all those traits were thrown aside, and the Giant Scorpion relentlessly aimed at Subaru with overwhelming annihilatory power.

Whipping its regenerated tail around, the stinger was unleashed in a scattered manner—not linked to any specific attack—making it an absolute nightmare of an assault for Subaru and his companions who were weaker in numbers.

“Woooaah?!”

“Ugh… Subaru, we might have to jump!!”

There’s no escape from the white light fired their way. If so, their direction of escape must be upward. Acting quickly, Beatrice deactivated the Giant Scorpion’s magic and reactivated it on Subaru.

Will the magic work? Trusting his partner, Subaru kicked off the ground and leapt high into the air. Just as the white light struck below, shattering the balcony beneath him.

“That was a close call…!”

“But that’s not a free pass…!”

Subaru barely evaded lethal danger, but there was no time to breathe a sigh of relief.

Earlier, just like what he had attempted against the Giant Scorpion. By escaping to the sky, he would lose both his footing and his path of retreat—only to be crushed by an attack.

“Beako! The second original spell—!”

It was a trump card that could only be used three times a day, but he couldn’t afford to waste it. As Subaru held her tightly, Beatrice quickly reached the same conclusion.

In an instant, they began preparing the special procedure, granting Subaru a crucial period of invulnerability—

“——”

“Whoa?!”

“What the?!”

Just before the technique activated, Subaru and Beatrice were suddenly snatched away from the side. At that instant, the white light grazed their former spot, nearly vaporizing them.

The figure that saved them from the crisis and shielded them from the Giant Scorpion’s pursuit was—

“T-thank you! What the hell just happened… ugh?!”

“Is that so?!”

Clinging to something rubbery, Subaru, astonished, looked down at his precarious situation. Beside him, Beatrice simply frowned deeply.

Because the one that had saved them from the Giant Scorpion’s attack and was now diligently protecting them was a beast covered in dark blue scales and a menacing appearance—the Hunger King.

“When I first laid eyes on you underground, I never imagined we’d be fighting together in a climactic duel!”

“——”

At Subaru’s boastful remarks, the Hunger King responded with an infuriatingly grating voice. As if to mock that reaction, a second Hunger King appeared by the first. Clinging to its back with a small form was Meily.

“You were just about to expose your trump card, weren’t you? Be more careful! Because your trump cards—with both my brother and Beatrice—are a lifeline for my sake!”

“Nice save! Nice follow-up! Good job, Meily! Can we reposition the battlefield like this?!”

“So you want to change the place, huh? I can manage that…”

“Then please! For now, there are too few escape routes here!”

Looking around, Subaru decided to abandon the fight on the cramped balcony. Numerous corpses of beasts lay scattered; chaos was likely to erupt at any moment.

Thinking of the efficiency of that decision, Meily nodded and gave a rap on the Hunger King’s back, commanding it. After hearing the request, both Hunger Kings accelerated—leaping outside the balcony, they began to scale down the watchtower wall with incredible vigor.

“W-whoa—?!”

“Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa?!”

With an unanticipated, tumultuous display, both Subaru and Beatrice screamed while clinging to each other. At the same time, Meily’s ability to command even the Hunger King left them in awe.

“——”

With the Hunger King providing firepower and the Winged Earth Dragon soaring through mid-air, down below lay a massive Sandworm, Courtesan Bears, and a multitude of other beasts that became allies, greatly expanding the strategic options.

Utilizing the delaying tactics, they would aim to buy more time for Subaru.

“A variety of attack methods! Meily! I think you and I might actually be better suited together than I anticipated!”

“Stop it! I absolutely hate it when Petra-chan and Beatrice-chan glare at me!”

While racing vertically down the watchtower, Meily clung to the back of the Hunger King, shouting interactions with Subaru’s tongue-in-cheek remarks. Frustrated by her earnestness, Subaru’s slightly fragile male heart ached. But now was not the time to dwell on trivial wounds.

“If we fall into the sea of sand, round two begins! It’ll come after me! For now, the others shouldn’t be able to intervene… maybe?”

“But we both know that not having a decisive blow is the same, right? If we keep dodging forever, we can’t earn a win, can we?!”

In the Augria Sand Dunes, where beasts kept crawling out endlessly, their rabid supply didn’t dwindle but consistently multiplied. What that guaranteed in return was endurance, not decisive success.

“——”

A glance revealed Meily wiping the sweat from her forehead, and her breathing became slightly ragged.

That was the tension of being on the battlefield, yet it also seemed to carry some feedback from controlling the beasts. It was something Subaru, without a blessing, couldn’t grasp, but overusing such a blessing could just as easily lead to toxicity.

“I heard Otto jokingly say that the world felt like hell when the blessings couldn’t be controlled…”

That single poignant comment from a drunken Otto wasn’t something to simply brush off.

If, just as Otto said, the blessing was a burden, then Meily also had her limits in this battle. If she collapsed in the midst of chaos, Subaru’s defeat would follow.

This means that this fight is—

“Depends on how much I can pamper and care for Meily—!”

“That’s an extremely disconcerting operation you’re talking about!”

Just as Subaru declared, Beatrice raised an eyebrow, and an impact surged through both their bodies. That was a confirmation of the Hunger King’s landing at breakneck speed, marking the end of the descent.

In other words, it was evidence that they had broken through the watchtower’s vertical wall, returning to the sea of sand.

“Come what may, I’ve been standing right next to it, but… stepping down here feels completely different.”

“What’s it feel like?”

“The worst. Deserts are full of sand, and I hate them. We’ve had a lot of those sand levels in games, and I just remember disliking them.”

In some game systems, simply walking in extreme heat would decrease a character’s HP. This sea of sand had no relation to scorching heat, but good memories were still lacking.

Especially when surrounded by a multitude of beasts, it only worsened matters.

“Even knowing they won’t attack…?”

Even though he knew they wouldn’t act, there was an atmosphere that was overwhelmingly complaisant, terribly sweet-smelling, matched by the fierce pungent scents of beasts. The unbearable air surrounding the sea of sand was, one could say, among the worst in the world. Whether familiar or alien, the abundance of beasts might tempt researchers—but for Subaru and the others, it was plain discomfort.

“So then, what about my question’s answer?”

Next to the shivering Subaru, Meily, riding atop the Hunger King, leaned in. To her query, Subaru glanced up at the watchtower.

“You’re right; we can’t deal with Shaula… we can’t deal with that Giant Scorpion at all. So all the keys are with Emilia-tan.”

“…You’re talking about that silver-haired sister we met earlier?”

“Exactly. Emilia-tan and the fifth rule are the key to everything.”

To a doubtful Meily, Subaru nodded and extended his palm to her. The fingers he raised counted five, which were the rules placed upon the challengers, Subaru and company, in this Pleiades Watchtower.

“‘You cannot leave without completing the ‘exam.’ The stipulations of the ‘exam’ are non-negotiable. Disrespect toward the library will not be tolerated. The tower must not be destroyed. And…”

“And?”

Meily had likely heard up to the fourth rule.

However, she was unaware of the fifth rule. The reason was that Shaula had tried to conceal it; only Shaula herself and Subaru, who experienced ‘Return by Death,’ were privy to that rule.

The fifth rule that Shaula had kept sealed away was—

“—‘Breaking the ‘exam’ is not forbidden. The rules of this tower can be broken.’”

The ‘exam’ binds the actions of the challengers, including Subaru and the others. However, at the same time, it binds the actions of the examiner, Shaula.

Shaula is bound by the rules of the tower. Thus, even if she didn’t want to kill Subaru and the others, she couldn’t escape the cause that had turned her into the Giant Scorpion.

If it binds her for over four centuries—

“—Something’s coming!”

Right after Beatrice’s warning, a tremendous plume of smoke erupted directly in front of Subaru and the others.

Instead of rushing straight down the tower, it was the massive shadow that had descended from the balcony above, creating a powerful shockwave.

The sounds of heavy pincers grinding against each other reverberated from the smoke. Slowly revealing its figure, the Giant Scorpion’s compound eyes focused not on the multitude of foes surrounding it but solely on Subaru.

“Beako! Meily! Buy some time! Our victory hinges on Emilia-tan’s success!”

“Got it!”

“How much is that, exactly?!”

“Emilia-tan’s highest speed!”

Emilia always gave her all and put in her utmost effort.

Thus, it was inconceivable that she would compromise or slack on the issues before her. The results she delivered would always reflect the maximum achievable power she could provide.

Believing and cherishing that, Subaru could steadfastly hold his ground here.

“Here we go, destiny—no, let’s smash the tower’s system!”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

“I see, so you’re doing this for…?”

“Yes! Exactly! Subaru told me that once we reach the top of the tower, we’ll surely find a way to rewrite this situation!”

While confidently affirming, Emilia fueled her running legs with strength. In her arms, she cradled the shrinking form of Echidna.

Initially, Emilia had been guiding her along, but she had become impatient and, at one point, lifted Dreidna, who went along with it afterward.

In truth, it was much faster this way and spared them from burdensome effort.

“Hey, don’t you have to conserve your stamina? Who knows what awaits us?”

“What? Don’t worry about me! Anastasia’s body is so light, so it feels no different with Echidna in it. It’s comfy!”

“Whether I’m present or not doesn’t matter to Ana’s weight… No, that’s not what I meant.”

Emilia could sense the slight awkwardness in their conversation, feeling the discomfort of being in close quarters with Echidna—as she gazed at Emilia’s unfamiliar half-elf beauty.

One of the comrades stripped of their ‘name’ by the power of ‘Gluttony.’ Their circumstances should be entirely similar to Julius’s, yet her behavior was vastly different. It might be the difference in mentality inherent to them. Or perhaps, the difference in the support system they received.

“Are you not terrified that you’ve been forgotten?”

“It’s super scary and lonely. But right now, I don’t have time to wallow in despair. Right?”

In response to a casual question, Emilia offered a resolute answer. That strength of conversion may have demonstrated her mental toughness, although it might also stem from other facets.

Emilia had said it—because Subaru remembered her, she wasn’t anxious.

It was a dreadfully simple and whimsical sentiment. Yet, it also seemed like a truth.

“——”

The reason that Natsuki Subaru remained unaffected by the powers of ‘Gluttony’ remains unclear. To be precise, it didn’t mean he was immune to it entirely. It was his unexpected encounter with ‘Gluttony’ that caused him to lose his own ‘memory.’

Thus, one couldn’t outright claim it was merely his peculiarity that caused all these events. In other words, perhaps there were ways to protect both ‘memory’ and ‘name.’

If they could achieve such a feat, then there was also the possibility of remembering both Anastasia and Julius—.

“——”

Thinking of Julius’s feelings of being forgotten, who could blame him for being shaken? Yet, seeing the strength in Emilia, one couldn’t help but ponder—it’s about questioning where the difference lies.

That difference was represented by those present beside them. The disparity in the people striving to support them.

Perhaps if Julius had had someone to stand by him, he would’ve held strong. And just as it was with Emilia, there should have been someone for him.

“I…”

What he should do, the answer escaped Echidna’s grasp.

This seeming confusion was perhaps the first time he had been so racked with uncertainty in the entirety of his life as an artificial spirit.

“Echidna?”

“—It’s nothing. More importantly, is it true? You made it through Raid Astraea’s two-layer ‘exam’?”

“Yep, it’s true! Honestly, how could such a thing be forgotten? Explaining this is going to be super hard.”

While puffing up her cheeks adorably, Emilia’s achievement of overcoming that ‘brute’ was astounding.

In such circumstances, it was hard to believe she was lying, and her personality was incompatible with deceit. Hence all of it was likely true. For a brief moment, the manner in which she dealt with the Giant Scorpion on the balcony indicated she was no ordinary power.

Thus, the remaining question was—

“If we reach the top of the tower, we can resolve the situation. What grounds do you have for that?”

“Subaru heard the fifth rule from Shaula. From that, Subaru thought of some possibilities, so it must be right.”

“That really sounds like an unfounded leap of faith, but…”

“If doubts will see things stall, then we’ll keep going. But I believe in Subaru, which is why I can keep going with you!”

With a crystal-clear gaze directed at her, Echidna found herself rendered speechless. Witnessing that reaction from Echidna brought a edifying smile to Emilia’s lips.

“See, my knight is gonna work super hard!”

The pride in her knight’s endeavors filled Emilia’s demeanor, making Echidna feel oddly sentimental as she reached for Anastasia’s thin chest, letting out a sigh.

“——”

This feeling was risky, she sternly reminded herself.

It was extremely irrational and out of place. At least, it wasn’t something that ought to be felt in this very moment. Ideally, it would be forgotten entirely, or at the very least, she would try to hold it within during this scenario.

“—That Subaru is relying on me!”

To believe in the one next to her, trusting in herself and the one accompanying her, was nothing short of envy.

Forget about this moment, she scolded herself; she needed to focus on resolving the predicament first.

“——”

With elegant movements, Emilia’s long legs surged up the stairs, her presence bursting forth upward. Upon reaching the end of what felt like an immeasurable stretch of stairs, a dizzying silver radiance sparked.

In her direct line of sight, expanding between the two of them was a knight, Julius Euclius, his long purple hair flowing and his white uniform stained with blood.

And facing him was—

“Guh, ku—!”

“Hey hey hey! You think that you can manage me like that? Don’t underestimate me! Are you here to play? If you want to play, put some makeup on. Then I can stomp you down and mess with you, you know?”

The embodiment of violence, Raid Astraea, unleashed a terrifying onslaught of strikes with his two chopsticks, performing an ethereal death dance in the arena of the second layer.

It was painfully evident even to an amateur that the clash transcended human understanding, yet alas, Julius was still at a disadvantage.

“——”

While fending off innumerable slashes and kicks, Julius spun his knight’s sword, striking through the gaps for counter-attacks.

His sharp technique gleamed like flashing light, but despite the eyepatch covering one of his eyes, Raid easily dodged the thrust while yawning.

“Hah!!”

In an instant, as Julius widened his eyes from the counter-thrust’s evasion, a casually raised foot struck him directly in the torso, knocking a groan from Julius as he staggered back.

At that moment, two chopsticks descended from above in a brutal overhead slash—

“Scatter, you idiot!”

The vertical wave of impact displayed in the air slaughtered the atmosphere and cleaved through space, almost ripping apart reality itself.

Even with them being chopsticks, the overwhelming beauty of the strike left those uninformed utterly spellbound—a pinnacle of swordsmanship, the ultimate conclusion had become manifest.

“——”

To behold such beauty rendered opponents speechless—might even alleviate to fatal consequences should one be entranced.

But evading that beautiful strike in the nick of time, Julius leaped sideways, with the edge of his mantle evaporating just too late to avoid being caught in the blade’s arc within the increasingly distorted barrier of the tower’s interior.

Moreover—

“Hey hey, if you thought dodging would absolve you, you’ve gone soft, haven’t you?”

“——”

Simultaneous to the mocking smile, the atmosphere slipped and distorted, producing a fierce gale.

In an instant, Julius, who had just leapt, braced himself as he was dragged back into reach of Raid’s sword.

It was incredible how the cut air seemed to regenerate, pulling Julius back into range of the next blow.

In a fraction of a second, with his movements restricted, Raid’s punch shot straight at him—

“—That’s far enough.”

In an instant, a serene voice split through the fray like a silver bell.

Yet, contrasted against the sound’s melodic richness, the manner of entering the ongoing brawl was as forceful as it could be, turning heads as Echidna appeared, unintentionally leaving the onlookers speechless.

“Ahh?”

“——”

With a perplexed expression, both Raid and Julius turned their gazes upward to the object that appeared above them.

That object was an immense shard of ice, large enough to fill the ceiling above.

A colossal break of destruction formidable enough to shatter a dragon chariot fell toward the knights.

In an instant, the pairs’ movements diverged sharply; Julius leaped away to evade the incoming blast while Raid grinned viciously.

And then—

“HAH!!”

With a ferocious smile, Raid lifted one of his chopsticks against the falling ice chunk. As the chopstick’s apex collided with the ice’s falling point, they entered a miraculous equilibrium, bending from the force.

Afterwards, using the remaining momentum, Raid stomped down on the floor strongly, channeling the shockwave through the chopstick, causing it to snap while running a crack all through the ice.

“…What a pain in the ass you’ve become.”

Spitting those words, Raid remarked as the crack quintupled, swiftly shattering it into fragments.

Falling shards rained down on Raid, who slowly turned around, noticing Emilia gaze—her palm outwards, facing him.

Meeting her eyes, Raid observed with surprise, wide-eyed.

“Well, you’ve been real aggressive. I’m not against that kind of girl, you know…? Hah?! What’s with you, damn! You’re mad cute! How come there’s such a babe right in the heart of this sea of sand? You come on over here and face me, got it?!”

“I apologize for butting in. But you need to allow Julius to win against you…”

“Eh?”

Raid’s self-centered complaints elicited Emilia’s response as she narrowed her brow. Seeing the discomfort crossing his face, it also left Julius anxiously scanning her sudden entry.

While fleeing the trajectory of the chunks of ice hurled their way from Emilia, Julius maintained a cautious distance from Raid but remained suspicious of Emilia’s arrival. He turned to her with his yellow-hued eyes.

“Though I recognize this assistance, Echidna—who exactly is she? What is her identity?”

“I also find it tough to clarify her background. But in short, she’s a person on the same level as you, Julius.”

“What…?”

Julius stared at Emilia inquisitively as her features permeated through his awareness. His slight widening of his eyes implied realization regarding her elven characteristics and its concurrence with a name drawn heavily from his own knowledge.

“A silver-haired elf, with deep violet eyes… No, it was highly improbable such a distinct entity would suddenly appear within the tower. Then… could it really be that she’s—”

Seeing the uniqueness of that appearance and the absence of such impressions in his mind, combined with the unfolding tower’s situation, Julius unearthed his anomalous misgivings.

Finding the conclusion independently, eager to clarify, Julius looked deeply into Emilia’s eyes, asserting, “Then, you too…?”

Both lamented figures stripped of their names by the force of ‘Gluttony’ instantly grasped the situation together. Once established, a sense of assurance seemed to bloom in Emilia’s association with Julius.

He instinctively shielded the path of Emilia and Echidna from behind before confronting Raid again with his knight’s sword raised, thanking, “I appreciate your assist from earlier. However, given the context of current tower situations, I can hardly comprehend why both are here. What’s going on outside, and what’s become of the lady Rem and the ‘Taygeta’ library?”

“Everything is being compiled. The aim is to clear it all at once. The brainchild is Natsuki-kun, with the allies rallied around the tower.”

“Natsuki? But he—”

As he interjected, the mention of Subaru’s name caused Julius’ brows to furrow in confusion.

To his understanding, Subaru had challenged Raid’s ‘Book of the Dead’ within ‘Taygeta’, and as it stood, his consciousness had returned ambiguously. After being told by Beatrice that recovering was unlikely, he was indeed contending against Raid in an attempt to solve the chaos in the tower.

Therefore, it was naturally impossible to link any of that to Subaru having awakened their reckoning concept.

Yet—

“I hate to interrupt your friendly chatter, but don’t you dare ignore me while you gab away!”

With a resounding thud echoing through the chamber, Raid charged in with another strike of his chopsticks aimed at Julius. Although he lost one chopstick, a second remained, and lacking chopsticks merely meant using his hand-knife instead; Raid’s combat capabilities somehow remained untouched.

“Ugh!”

As the sharp impact rang through him, Julius struggled to regain his stance, focusing diligently on defense. Meanwhile, with a sneer, Raid pointed a finger at Emilia, having sensed her scan for an opening.

“I don’t know what you’re gunning for, but don’t think I’m gonna let you have your way, got it? Your target is only this half-baked novice here… huh?”

As he spoke, Raid abruptly cocked his head, still pointing his finger at his eyepatch.

He touched it with his finger while grumbling to himself, “What gives? Why can’t my hand move? If I wasn’t suddenly in love, it must be that… You’ve broken through the ‘exam’, haven’t you?!”

“Yes, that’s right! You lost by touching my chest with those chopsticks!”

“Whoa! What a splendid way to lose! It’s such a waste to not remember it, you’re unbelievably cute!”

Raid’s remarks indicated something binding him was failing to capture Emilia. This meant the restriction of her fulfilling role had vanished.

In other words—

“Julius, I’m—”

“Then you may go. You, who shares my state—this beautiful being with no name.”

Turning only slightly, Julius interjected Emilia as she tried to speak, placing his knight’s sword in a guarding position.

To Emilia’s astonishment, he held an encouraging smile.

“You have your role to fulfill. I know it’s not to lend me power. So that’s alright. Please, be steady.”

“—— Okay, you as well!”

Receiving Julius’s encouragement, Emilia prepared to run forth. The Hunger King did not attempt to stop her, allowing her to pass by as the one-eyed, red lion watched her leave.

As Emilia approached the innermost part of this second layer, she found herself at the base of a staircase leading upwards and paused to look back.

“Emilia!”

“——”

“My name is Emilia, just Emilia—. Let’s be sure to meet again!”

Leaving her name behind in that moment, Emilia dashed eagerly up the staircase. After noticing her back vanish from sight, Echidna exhaled deeply, once, then twice.

Her role from here was to ascend while Emilia’s role was to—

“Are you planning on going nowhere? You shall witness my struggle.”

“If you’ll permit me, then. No, that’s not it. It’s as determined as I conclude is necessary.”

“——”

With only a quick glance at Echidna, Julius tightly sealed his lips. Watching the tempest of emotions swirling across his profile, Echidna drew in a minuscule breath.

Then—

“Even if I can’t do much, I would’ve dealt with this as Ana would. No matter where I stand within this tower, my position is unclear. I will stand behind you of my own volition, because…”

“——”

“—because you are Anastasia Hoshin’s knight. Right?”

Believing in something intangible requires immense courage.

Compared to believing in something tangible, the power needed to trust something unprovable is not something one can quantify to procure safety.

Yet relying on that uncertainty, Echidna spoke to the figure before her.

“——”

Listening, Julius lowered his long-lashed eyes solemnly. He quietly exhaled softly, then—

“It seems I can draw unexpected strength from this. From knowing someone once shattered, trusts me—to expect something from me again.”

“Julius…”

For Julius, the footing he lost felt insecure.

For Echidna, the bond he once knew felt vague.

Relying on these fragile threads, they must forge ties different from the ones that were meant to connect.

And yet, in this moment, they shared a singular view.

Thus—

“—Julius, I have a message for you.”

“A message?”

“Ah. Throughout the tower, everyone is fighting. So—clean up quickly, and go support the others, or so it’ll be said.”

“——”

From that, there was a sense of encouragement within Julius as he processed the message conveyed to him. After digesting the contents, his response was prompt and decisive.

“Hah.”

Though short, it held an edge akin to a razor-sharp breath. No, it was something else.

It was a smile. Julius drew a breath from deep within before breaking into a smile. Were anyone else aware of this, it would indeed be remarkable.

Julius Euclius flashing a smile amidst a battle.

“—If he can break free of his shell, then I certainly cannot afford to lag behind.”

That was a quiet yet fervent pledge of resolve.

With his knight’s sword held high, Julius reflected on himself in its blade while facing down the looming threat. Raid appeared disinterested, showing a bored expression.

“Are you finally riled up?”

“With all due respect, I always approach battle with solemnity.”

“No, no, that’s not it. I reckon you already knew this without me needing to mention it, huh?”

Grinning, Raid raised his left hand, flipping up the eyepatch over his eye. With his unbidden blue eye, the pinnacle of swords was directed towards the challenger with an enthusiastic sense of violent intent.

An aura of blade energy so overwhelming it could slay the timid with mere gaze. Yet, Julius confronted that sharpened glare head-on, while behind him, Echidna stiffened her stance.

Watching them endure the assault of that sword energy, Raid grinned broadly, and then—

“Call me ‘Stick Slayer’ Raid. Just remember that!”

“——”

In combat, exchanging names before clashing steel was an acknowledgment of equality. How much value Raid placed on that custom was unclear, but the person on the receiving end of such formalities perceives matters way differently.

Breathing in deeply, calming himself, Julius mentally grapples with the excited surge rising within him.

“I am Julius Euclius. A knight of the Lugnica Kingdom, candidate for the Royal Selection of Lady Anastasia Hoshin. I renounce pretending to be a nameless knight.”

He declared his ‘name’ with pride, determined to etch it into the world itself.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

Leaving Julius and Echidna on the lower layer, Emilia ascended the staircase.

With remarkable alacrity, propelling herself forward, she dashed up the steps with unrelenting zeal at a rate beyond ordinary range, consuming her interior thoughts.

“——”

With her jaw clenching, Emilia adorned her beautiful profile with utmost anxiety.

Below, she left behind two companions. She worried for Julius and Echidna; Raid was fearsomely strong, rough, and had a filthy mouth. Her two companions risked injury, both physically and emotionally.

Certainly, Emilia’s anxiety didn’t end solely with Julius and Echidna. She wondered if Subaru and Beatrice could truly contain Shaula with Meily. Would Ram fulfill her role? Could Patrasche protect Rem, especially now that she needed to rebuild relationships after losing her ‘name’? The seeds of apprehension threatened to choke her, almost making her want to cry at any moment.

But she kept her feet moving. And held back the tears. The twitch in her nasal cavity festered a struggle of holding back.

“Nothing is over yet…!”

What she could trust and what she felt trusted toward her galvanized Emilia’s resolve through each direction.

Anxiety loomed heavy, a multitude of worries weighed upon her. But the absolute belief surrounding her persistence filled a reservoir against such fears.

“—Look! Light!”

Desperately they surged toward the exit, Emilia’s violet eyes caught sight of white illumination. She recognized it was the end of these long stairs as the way into an unknown first layer.

The moment she did, Emilia kicked down on the floor with purpose and accelerated further.

And—

“-There it is!”

With a blazing transit, Emilia broke through the light, nearing the end of the staircase. In that split second, she found not the first layer she expected.

“Eh…?”

Stunned, Emilia halted in place, dropping her voice as she stared ahead. That was to be expected, given that what appeared in her violet eyes reflected a familiar landscape, and not the continuation of the watchtower.

Walls had vanished, the ceiling had disappeared, and the view sprawled out before her, revealing a striking blue sky—she stood not within the confines of stone but outside. Having scaled the second-layer stairs, Emilia had soared straight to the rooftop of the tower.

“Is the first layer the outside…? We’re above the clouds…”

Atop the tower was an open, broad area, void of any dividers, and with no railing along the edges. Thus, once nearing the edge, she could easily look down below.

It felt surreal—clouds she normally considered far-off, brushed against the tower, and as Emilia perceived herself standing amongst or possibly upon the clouds, she drew in a breath.

At such heights, it was the first time Emilia had ever been. Yet even she, seized by astonishment, had her senses dictated by another perception.

“—”

That still presence, far too imposing to be missed, evaded recognition.

“—.”

Shifting her gaze from the heights of her rightful place and holy surroundings, Emilia gradually turned around to take in a breath.

Even when despair loomed, as she faced losing her ‘name’ and summoning forth being forgotten by the world, Emilia held tight against the instincts wedged in her heart. —But even she was rendered speechless.

So monumental was the presence before her—she found herself dumbfounded.

For the reason was—

“You are…”

“—You who have reached the summit of the tower. A universal supplicant stepping into the first layer.”

The deep voice resonated, an echo thrumming against her soul; she felt the tremor in her voice as it quivered from utterance.

Who could now condemn Emilia for being unsteady? It was impossible, for all existence must bow before this one—this being, Roaming within unseen radiance across the heavens.

The name of that being was—

“—I, Volcanica. By the ancient pact, I shall question the intent of those who ascend to my heights.”

Its form, covered in brilliant azure scales, was an enormous dragon—Volcanica regarded Emilia from upon high, speaking with a presence potent enough to consume her very essence.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

Outside the watchtower, the battle between Shaula transformed into the Giant Scorpion and Natsuki Subaru and allies commenced.

In the second layer of the watchtower began the re-engagement of the violent embodiment, Raid Astraea, and Julius’s fierce swordplay.

In the first layer, the formidable presence awaited to encounter Emilia unexpectedly.

And within the spiral staircase connecting layers four to six—

“Ugh, seriously! We’ve claimed what we’ve stolen, and the sensations are inadequate for us to wield, huh?!”

Annoyed, a boy grumbled as he raked his chestnut locks. As he furiously brushed down, a beautiful sword of ice emerged, crafted from his hands.

The unique power reconstructed from the stolen ‘names’; while its appearance looked fantastic, the delicate adjustment of mana proved to be far too challenging to execute flawlessly—especially intertwined with other ‘memories,’ making it increasingly challenging for Roy and Lui to combine their abilities.

“Yet, we’re skilled enough to manage all the rest.”

The three siblings bearing the powers of ‘Gluttony’ shared divergent methodologies for employing their abilities. Among them, they took pride as ‘Gourmands,’ and certainly felt the nagging impulse to lecture their siblings. —Their strengths intertwined with a creeping sensation of superiority; however, expressing advice was awkward for them.

“It’s tough to communicate with cute Lui and that punk Roy though… Ok! If they claim they can’t handle anything, then I’ll make good with all the divine dishes in this tower! It’s a full-course meal, baby! Eat up, feast on, gulp it down, zest it up, finish it off, pile it up! Gluttony!”

Gnashing at the ice-heavy blade within, the gluttonous—Rai Batenkaitos resolved not to leave behind a single target from the tower on his grand feast.

Luckily for him, the circumstances were a little forgiving. It only remained to decide the order and what would be the main dish—

“—And you think you have the right to choose? How entirely naive of you.”

“——”

As he was berated from above, Rai ceased gnashing at the ice and raised his head. Left there on the stairway between the fourth and fifth layers were deep purple eyes glaring at him.

Those eyes bore the color of blood and flames, yet wrapped a cruel heat—directed with pitying disdain toward Rai’s overwhelming hunger.

And then—

“I heard you tore apart the bond between Ram and Rem’s sisterly love. —Die screaming like a pig.”

“`

 

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