“—What exactly is this ‘Ritual of Blood’?”

“For the People of Shudrak, who hold pride and pacts in high regard, it is a tradition that cannot be ignored. For more details, I’ll let them explain it. But more importantly…”

Abel glared at me sharply, merely skimming the surface of Subaru’s question.

The silver-haired girl from Shudrak had gone to relay Abel’s message to their chief, Mizelda, leaving only Subaru and Abel in the room.

In other words, we had limited time for our clandestine conversation.

“Let me hear it. You mentioned you were captured outside the forest. How were you treated?”

“… The scars on my shoulders and back are proof of that. Also, I had to do menial chores.”

To be precise, the chores and the punishment were from different rounds, but under Abel’s intimidating presence, Subaru simply answered.

Upon hearing this, Abel narrowed his eyes, glanced at Subaru’s left hand, and remarked,

“The fact you’re not mentioning your fingers suggests this is a different matter. Surely, the woman you were chasing after caused them?”

“Ugh… What does that have to do with anything?”

“It’s proof that you’re foolish enough to be enamored with a woman who could break your fingers.”

That sentiment wasn’t quite suitable to describe Subaru and Rem’s relationship. Still, there was no obligation or time to dwell on it.

Abel quickly shifted focus from the state of Subaru’s left hand and pressed on.

“Since you did chores, you must have seen the camp. What was the layout like? Rummage through your memory for that.”

“There were a few tents and I could at least count the number of people… Hey, what’s this about?”

“Do you not understand? It’s quite simple. What you saw—”

Abel bombarded Subaru with questions, causing a frown on Subaru’s face.

But before Subaru could respond, the sound of multiple footsteps approached the cage again.

That was Mizelda being dragged along by that girl—

“I heard from Utakata. You’re saying that you will undergo the ‘Ritual of Blood’?”

Mizelda, with her hair dyed red, placed her hand on the head of the girl—now known as Utakata—clinging to her leg. She shot a serious glare towards Subaru and Abel.

It was a fierce aura equivalent to that of when Subaru had trampled on their pride as warriors earlier.

“Where exactly did you learn about the ‘Ritual of Blood’? It should be a rite known only among us, the Shudrak.”

“Don’t make me laugh, young chief of Shudrak. Do you truly believe that in this world, your legends are unknown to anyone? Secrets leak with the presence of a mere two humans. Stop wishing for such naive illusions of unity.”

“——”

“Your precious ‘Ritual of Blood’ is no exception. I happen to know what kind of ritual it is and what has transpired in the past.”

Mizelda’s gaze hardened, and Abel’s words began to heat up in response.

Not only Mizelda’s expression but those of the Shudrak surrounding her also stiffened, as Subaru swallowed hard in his heart.

Currently, only Subaru remained baffled by the content of the ‘Ritual of Blood’ being discussed, acutely aware that it was significant to Mizelda and her people, and that they were not welcoming Abel who disregarded that sentiment.

Thus, to prevent further confusion, Subaru raised his voice, “Um!”

“Sorry to interrupt your excitement, but could you explain this ‘Ritual of Blood’ to me? It’s probably something that concerns me too, right?”

“… Why do you think so?”

“Well, I was just threatened by that masked guy back there. Something along the lines of whether I could sacrifice everything. Obviously, my answer was no.”

“Then you…”

“The only thing I can gamble is myself. You might be overestimating your influence there.”

The kind of statements about sacrificing everything are usually reserved for powerful individuals.

Unfortunately, Subaru and Abel, trapped here by the People of Shudrak, and having no way out, had no chance to make such grand choices.

That’s why the stake must be only what he holds in hand. Right now, it’s solely Natsuki Subaru.

“Still, as Abel mentioned, I also need to hear what Mizelda and the others have to say. Repeating what I said before, I have to at least get something out to protect my important belongings.”

“… I see. Looks like you’re qualified to undergo the ‘Ritual of Blood.’”

Mizelda murmured softly in response to Subaru’s plea to somehow make the conversation work.

These words surprised Subaru, making his eyes widen, while Abel gave a slight throat-clearing noise. However, someone reacted excessively to Mizelda’s murmur.

That was the blue-haired woman standing next to Mizelda in the group.

“Sister! Are you serious? Are you really taking their words to heart…?”

“It’s not that I took it to heart, Talitta. I just thought it was a shame to dismiss them outright.”

“Sister…”

The woman called Talitta lowered her head at Mizelda’s words.

It seemed they were sisters. Now that it was mentioned, the strong intensity in their eyes was indeed strikingly similar.

With that, Mizelda cast a renewed gaze towards Subaru and said,

“You’ve heard about the ‘Ritual of Blood.’ It’s a ceremony passed down in Shudrak since ancient times, meant for one to establish themselves within the clan. It’s also referred to as the Coming of Age ceremony.”

“The Coming of Age… Ah, so it’s that kind of thing. But we aren’t exactly…”

“The fact that you are not of the People of Shudrak is something everyone is already aware of without prompting. Do not waste time on such foolishness. What matters is the essence of the ritual.”

Learning that it was a ceremony for adulthood among Shudrak caused Subaru to hesitate, and Abel couldn’t help but show exasperation. He grimaced at the way Subaru put it, yet Subaru soon understood his intended meaning.

The essence of the Coming of Age ceremony is to affirm a challenger as an equal within that group. In other words, the essence of the ‘Ritual of Blood’ is—

“To serve as a rite of passage for being treated equally by the people of Shudrak…”

“Exactly.”

Abel confirmed Subaru’s thought, crossing his arms and turning to look at Mizelda. Upon receiving that gaze, Mizelda lowered her chin and stated,

“Should you wish to challenge the ‘Ritual of Blood,’ be prepared.”

“What happens if I withdraw? Are you truly going to release us now? I’m afraid I do not possess such naive thinking while held captive. And it goes the same for me, Natsuki Subaru.”

“Eh!?”

Amid the heated exchange between the two, Subaru, now unwillingly part of the enthusiasm, was taken aback, while Abel seemed unconcerned.

Even amidst that pace, when Mizelda asked, “What will you do?” Subaru replied,

“… I’ll do it. If there’s no other way, I’ll undergo the ritual and have them listen to me. Just make sure it doesn’t take days to complete.”

“You’re right. We don’t wish for that either. In that case…”

“Sister, what about the Elgina?”

Subaru, having made the determination to undergo the ritual, was met with Talitta’s assistance to Mizelda, who pondered at her suggestion. After pondering deeply, Mizelda declared,

“Very well. The ‘Ritual of Blood’ will present the greatest challenges during its undertaking.”

“The greatest challenges… what would that entail?”

“—Elgina.”

Subaru gulped at Mizelda’s repeated mention of that term.

Upon hearing this, Utakata seemed to flinch, and the women of Shudrak became enshrouded in a certain tension.

The reaction of these proud warriors was more than enough to evoke Subaru’s concerns.

However—

“Neither you nor I can afford to retreat. Are you prepared?”

“You talk as if you control everything. Just because you owe me a favor, doesn’t mean you can have your way…”

While he was grateful for the chance to atone for his failings and create an opportunity for the women to hear their story, all that consideration faded here.

“To my knowledge, there are no good people among those who hide their faces!”

“Circumstances dictate that, but— It is disrespectful, yet I will not deny it.”

In stories, when a figure hidden beneath a mask appears, it is highly likely that character is related to the protagonist. In this case, Subaru is in the protagonist position, but—

“Abel is thinner than my father and has a different voice. More importantly, there is no way I would mistake my father.”

“… It seems you’re discussing something trivial.”

“It’s not trivial; it’s about my dad. He’s annoyingly cool!”

“——”

Perhaps it was not a subject of interest, as Abel’s gaze noticeably cooled.

In truth, Subaru only said such nonsensical things to draw parallels to the old space warfare movies, thanks to the introduction of that hidden figure. It might be best to view them as merely a masked character.

Meanwhile, Mizelda was issuing instructions to her fellow tribesmen.

“Abel and Natsuki Subaru, I will take you down to Elgina. Prove that you can successfully complete the ‘Ritual of Blood!’”

With this declaration, the cell opened, and Subaru and Abel were led outside.

△▼△▼△▼△

Once outside the cell, Subaru and Abel walked surrounded by the People of Shudrak, without being blindfolded or restrained.

The dense forest loomed ahead, and moving through it felt like wandering blindly through darkness. Subaru stumbled more than once, each time being aided by the Shudrak people around him.

“Oops, sorry. I’m at it again…”

“It’s alright! I’m strong, so I’m just fine!”

A woman with yellow-dyed hair helped steady the nowleaving Subaru, her demeanor and soft features lending a warm, welcoming air. She was a rarity among the Shudrak, but it was quite comforting.

“How’s your injury feeling? I treated you after all, you know?”

“Ah, so you were the one who helped? It’s okay, still a bit painful, but better now.”

“Ahaha! What a honest person you are!”

Her laidback laughter was quite uplifting. In fact, given that she had treated his injuries, Subaru was doubly grateful.

Being with such an open and kind-hearted woman gradually relaxed Subaru. However, he couldn’t help but notice that she was always carrying a bone-in piece of meat in one hand.

“Huh? Are you hungry? Do you want some meat?”

“Ah, no, I’m alright. It’s not that I’m not hungry, but if I eat, I won’t be able to move.”

“Ahaha, that’s true! Plus, if you’re too full, you’ll suffer when you die!”

“Haha…”

While munching on the bone-in meat, this sweet-looking woman was still a member of Shudrak.

Nonetheless, there was no sense of animosity coming from the Shudrak people guiding Subaru.

Both Mizelda and the others appeared unencumbered by the initial failures of the negotiation since they had decided to accept Subaru and Abel’s willingness to undergo the ‘Ritual of Blood.’

In other words, regardless of the outcome of the ritual, they had successfully mended their impression of him.

If this continued, even if the ritual didn’t yield favorable results, they might still be willing to return to the negotiating table.

“—You have a face that suggests you’re having some convenient thoughts.”

“… Don’t read my thoughts based on my facial expressions, would you? Are all Imperial people like that?”

“I have no interest in the cause of your annoyance, nor do I care who you are comparing me to. However, it is taught among those of the Empire to carefully observe others in order to survive. There’s bound to be a difference from those of the Kingdoms.”

“Observe others, huh…”

Subaru considered Abel’s comment, feeling a sense of admiration within.

It was a lesson that a multitude of people lacking exceptional combat abilities should keep in mind, not just those from the Empire. In fact, Subaru needed to gain critical insight into those around him to seize the rare good fortune that was often denied to him.

This was an essential lesson he had to continuously keep in mind.

“By the way, don’t you think about escaping while you still can?”

As Subaru mused, Abel whispered to him.

With the sheer coldness in that statement, Subaru narrowed his eyes in surprise.

“Could you stop with the weird temptations? It’s not like I haven’t thought about it, but I’m not doing it.”

“Oh? Why not? Right now, you have more opportunities to escape than when you were inside that cell. If you can create the right opening, you might well evade the Shudrak.”

“Well, I might’ve run wildly in anger back then, but…”

At Abel’s saboteur-like words, Subaru glanced around once more.

The forest’s darkness was thick, and he could not see farther than a few meters ahead. Plus, the direction and distance back to the camp were unclear—there was no future should he decide to flee.

Besides, all the Shudrak surrounding him were much more adept than Subaru, who was currently at a disadvantage with his injured hands.

“—? Is something wrong?”

“You’re probably enchanted by my beauty. I’m the prettiest in the village!”

“Wah! I’m getting flustered now!”

The woman beside Subaru spoke with Utakata about his scrutinizing gaze.

The woman, shaking her head vehemently, blushed quite cutely, but she held her ground. Certainly, if Subaru attempted to escape, he would be subdued in a heartbeat.

Moreover—

“If I run away, what do you think will happen to you?”

“—I see. So you’re that kind. A pathetically stupid heroic ambition to be cast aside.”

“What did you just say?”

With that cutting remark, Abel turned away, leaving Subaru stunned.

It struck a nerve, eliciting Subaru’s reflex to lash back at Abel’s concealed profile. Yet even before he could interrogate the legitimacy of Abel’s intentions, Mizelda’s footsteps leading the way came to a halt.

“This is it.”

“Here? But I can’t see a thing…”

Even as she lifted a torch to illuminate the surroundings, the most he could see was barely a few meters ahead, merely resembling the continued forest view.

“What the hell is here…?”

“Just go and see.”

“Whoa—!?”

Peering into the darkness, leaning forward, Subaru stumbled forward when Talitta, who had been behind him, gave him a gentle push.

Having lost his foothold, he lost whatever planted certainty he had.

“That sensation… Not again!?”

As his voice unconsciously slipped, Subaru found himself staring at the ground—more precisely, a steep slope beneath his feet.

The ground beneath him disappeared, and with no means to grip anything, he found himself sliding down the slope.

He raced down the slope, managing to catch his breath at the bottom.

“Whew, that was close… and to have that happen without a moment’s notice!?”

“Get out of the way!”

As he barely managed to stop, he felt a sudden jolt and ultimately fell forward. Looking back resentfully, Subaru noticed it was Abel that had collided with him.

It seemed he too had been shoved onto this steep slope, similar to Subaru.

“By the looks of it, this isn’t the bottom of a pit… Is this where the ritual takes place?”

“Indeed. Now, let’s see what else gets thrown in. You mentioned ‘Elgina,’ right?”

“Do you happen to have any idea what it might be?”

“El means large, but… hmm.”

While Subaru and Abel conversed, something was thrown in. Rolling towards Abel was a wrapped cloth.

From within that wrap peered forth—

“Looks like my belongings and your junk.”

“That’s my equipment too!”

What had been tossed in were the gears that had been taken from both Subaru and Abel.

Among them was the Guilty Whip, and of course, the knife Subaru had received from Abel, which had now found its way back to them.

Abel also quickly donned his sword and cloak.

“Now, what could this be…”

“Uta is watching! Do your best!”

As Subaru retrieved his equipment in response to Abel’s question, a shrill voice answered him. Glancing upwards, he saw Utakata waving her arms from atop the slope—she must’ve been the one throwing their equipment.

Neither Mizelda nor Talitta raised their voices at Utakata’s act. Perhaps this level of assistance wouldn’t disrupt the proceedings of the ritual.

And at the same time—

“Now, I wish you the best of luck!”

“Seriously?”

The earlier woman with yellow-dyed hair cheerfully smiled, her laid-back demeanor masking her confidence as she began to block the mouth of the entrance with a massive boulder.

It wasn’t mistaken; that earth-shaking sound confirmed it.

That truly unbelievable amount of strength—now it was apparent who had crafted that sturdy makeshift cell.

As the entrance was sealed, Subaru and the others found themselves dropped into a valley that measured roughly twenty meters across.

With the entrance blocked behind them and darkness sprawling before them, any thoughts of bolting through were easily dismissed.

“Natsuki Subaru, how much can your arms move?”

“Huh? My arms… as you can see. My right won’t raise, and I can’t grip strongly with my left. Of course, fine movements are impossible…”

“Put it on your better finger! We don’t have time!”

Abel threw a single ring at Subaru from his possessions. Instinctively catching it, Subaru set that ring upon his left middle finger at Abel’s unyielding instruction.

It was a ring embedded with black jewels, possessing an unusual combination of sophistication and an intimidating aura.

“What is this?”

“It’s a ring that seals magic. Make sure to kiss it before you use it. It has limits, but it can spew fire.”

“Huh? Magic? Kiss it? What are you talking about…?”

“—Incoming!”

Abel swiftly drew his sword as Subaru struggled to keep up with the rapid pace of events. Following Abel’s lead, Subaru grabbed his whip in a hurry.

Thus, once they were ready for whatever might come—

“… Come on, this is a joke, right?”

With their backs against the blocked slope, standing beside Abel, Subaru was left staring at a shocking sight before him.

Crawling slowly from the darkened ground, a glossy mass of green scales revealed its form—an enormous serpent.

This was the magical beast he had encountered twice already in the Badheim Forest.

“Wait, you don’t mean ‘Elgina’…?”

“—!!!!”

As Subaru held his breath and cautiously scrutinized the serpent, it opened its huge jaws and released a tremendous roar that seemed to affirm his fears. The impact of the wild gust wrapped around Subaru, causing him to stiffen.

Elgina = Giant Serpent, and the ‘Ritual of Blood’ throws you against the most difficult challenges.

If that were the case, the wall Subaru and Abel had to seize and break through was—

“Let’s go, earn your proof as warriors! The eyes of the Shudrak are watching!”

“Yaaah! I knew it would be like this!!”

Mizelda’s lively voice echoed down from above the cliff, resonating in contrast to the cheer of the crowd made up of the other Shudrak members— “Wah—!” they shouted in joyful excitement.

All eyes were on them as they faced off against the giant serpent—

“—Here it comes, Natsuki Subaru!”

“I see it! Damn it, I’ve been tested over and over again!”

And with that, the great serpent writhed, initiating the ‘Ritual of Blood.’

△▼△▼△▼△

—The magical beast *Elgina* residing in the Badheim Forest.

According to Abel, El indicates “large,” so the word serpent applies to the *gina* part.

Perhaps it was also a distinctive name used by the People of Shudrak.

In any case, proving it and contributing to cultural anthropology’s history would have to wait.

“Right now, I’m prioritizing dealing with the enemy before me!”

With its mouth agape and sharp fangs bared, the massive serpent lunged at Subaru. Its length was over ten meters, behaving like a colossal tree running amok in the forest.

Its girth was akin to multiple logs bundled together, with a tail that could unleash potent damage just by grazing through.

As usual, magical beasts tend to have a physicality intent on killing humans.

“Beatrice—”

Calling out to his partner, who wasn’t present, Subaru grit his teeth.

Upon encountering unexpected circumstances, Subaru had always relied on his partner Beatrice’s judgment and responsiveness to handle things swiftly.

However, in this scenario, his lack of responsiveness manifested as a weakness for Subaru.

“First…”

“Fool! Is this really the time to be dawdling around?”

Just after he’d realized he messed up, Subaru felt a sharp grip pull at his hair from behind. With a cry of surprise, he was unceremoniously dragged, falling forward.

With a violent snap, the beast’s fangs descended towards Subaru, producing a mind-splitting sound as the air exploded around him.

“Ohooo—!!!”

Caught in that cacophonous blast, Subaru was tossed around helplessly, yet even amid that chaos, he couldn’t afford to roll around indefinitely. Avoiding death once was far from rare, losing that chance would be foolish.

So he stood up in urgency, attempting to distance himself from the serpent when—

“Get down, idiot!”

“Ugh!”

Subaru felt his head pressed to the ground. Looking up, he saw Abel covered in dirt, forcing Subaru beneath the shelter of his cloak.

However, it was a small cloak. There was no way both of them could suit up together comfortably, and thus, Subaru found himself sprawled over Abel.

“What…! I see, you’ve activated ‘Invisibility’!”

“Indeed. If we hold our breath, the creature won’t find us. Still, it’s unfortunate. If the ‘Ritual of Blood’ isn’t merely a trial of strength, it would be easier to manage.”

As they both closely monitored the giant snake, Abel’s eyes were mixed with anger and regret.

Given Abel’s displeasure, Subaru came to realize his thoughts all too well.

Clearly, the ‘Ritual of Blood’ varies with each occasion.

There must have been circumstances where battles against magical beasts were not the only option. But what had befallen Subaru and Abel was the path of confronting the great serpent to establish their proof as warriors.

“Here we are, with my hands immobilized, and Abel’s swordsmanship only at second-rate… What a mess.”

“Second-rate, you say? Just look at you. Running about with no arms to support your body at all.”

“There’s still some anger left to voice… By the way, about that ring you threw earlier?”

In the haze of dust swirling about them, Subaru raised his left hand to show Abel the ring.

The one that had been hastily tossed by Abel. This ring of vague functionality containing some magical potential he had yet to fully grasp.

“How exactly do you use this?”

“I spoke about its use. Kiss the jewel and claim yourself as its bearer. It’s like using magic at the core.”

“What in the world? This is sounding like some light novel weapon…!”

Half-doubting while peering at it, Subaru winced at his own baffling inquiry. Meanwhile, Abel was holding watch over the movements of the giant serpent shrouded in smoke.

Although he had looked relaxed while in prison, in the face of a strident threat like this he could not conceal his growing tension. After taking a deep breath, he gripped his sword’s handle tightly.

“Even if we get closer, it’s unclear whether we could penetrate those scales. We’ll have to strike at unarmored areas… the eyes or mouth, or perhaps target regions with thinner scales if we intend to land a blow.”

“Creating that opening would be difficult. How do we do this…?”

“You create that opening. What did you think this pairing is for?”

“I was intending to say that getting asked to be the bait is infuriating…”

Nevertheless, dividing their roles was practically the only feasible choice given their gear and condition.

Subaru would serve support while Abel focused on offense—a somewhat typical arrangement. As always, being relegated to a support role was just part of Natsuki Subaru’s lot.

“The magical beast hasn’t caught sight of us yet. Use the ring’s flame to draw its attention. Make your move from there.”

“Yeah, I get that—”

It’s standard in battles to use resources at the outset for the best possible impact.

Fortunately, the smoke created inadvertently by the magical beast would be leveraged, employing the environment to fry the enemy.

Just as Subaru began contemplating that, he suddenly felt a shimmer of concern.

The source of concern was the magical beast *Elgina*.

The serpent’s massive form was akin to the size of an anaconda, but its threat level was elevated due to its intent to actively target humans.

And, if this opponent was a snake-like magical beast, and its attributes were aligned to that of actual snakes…

“—!”

At that moment of revelation, Subaru instinctively pressed his lips against the ring. He then lifted the ring above his head, targeting the direction Abel was focused on with narrowed eyes.

Before any inquiry could form on Abel’s face about his actions, Subaru opened his mouth—

“—Goar!”

In an instant, flames erupted from the serpent’s nose that had aimed at Subaru and Abel, tearing through the smoke.

△▼△▼△▼△

The *pit organs* referred to are the heat sensory organs of snakes.

The snakes that often dwell in forests or rocky shadows, being primarily nocturnal, inherit the ability to determine prey locations even within darkness. These enable them to detect the temperature of prey, facilitating swift tracking and capture of their targets.

This principle spawned various applications, such as thermal imaging technology, giving snakes their natural killer essence within the shadows.

And unfortunately, it appeared this great serpent also possessed pit organs.

“———”

As the great serpent stealthily approached, it was met with flames scorching its snout. With a terrible scream, it flailed its head back, prompting Abel to title his sword immediately.

Seizing the opportunity without hesitation, Abel aimed his most penetrating thrust towards the beast’s neck, striking just behind its vulnerable throat and aiming to ride the knife through its scales—

“Damn…!”

Abel grunted, feeling the shocking force jolt his arm.

Only piercing shallowly through the scales, his attack was woefully unproductive. He had delivered a significant blow, but it mattered little now.

“That’s one shot—!!”

As he glared back at the retreating serpent, flames enveloped it.

In the instant, a crimson flash erupted in the wet, humid air as the serpent’s tongue tasted the burnt flesh it had just recoiled from while turning its yellow eyes toward Subaru, opening its jaws to roar again.

“Damn it—”

The moment the battle began hadn’t even lasted a full minute, yet Subaru and Abel’s chances of victory felt palpably nonexistent. Abel could not break through its scales, and Subaru was similarly at an inherent disadvantage due to his condition.

In truth, they had no hope against such overwhelming ferocity.

“Goar! Goar! Again, GOAR!”

Toward the serpent poised for another attack, Subaru wildly waved his left hand, unleashing a flurry of magic.

With each incantation releasing light, the ring’s flames leapt at the magical beast, transforming the terrain surrounding the battlefield while momentarily dividing the two opponents.

“Hey Mizelda! This thing is—”

Seeking to voice his concern, Subaru drew breath.

Up above him, the observing People of Shudrak—all of them fixated their bows on Subaru and Abel.

“——”

With blank expressions, the cold, merciless stares of the Shudrak people bore down upon them.

What was evident was that Mizelda, Talitta, the cheery woman with yellow hair, and even Utakata—none wavered in the slightest as they coldly eyed Subaru and Abel.

“—Oooh!”

“Once this ritual begins, there’s no retreat from the ‘Ritual of Blood.’ Unless we defeat that creature, not only will your desires go unfulfilled, but you might well forfeit your lives!”

Subaru froze under their icy gazes as Abel declared.

The chilling difference in perspectives was one he had felt since being brought to Volakia and had experienced countless times throughout the Empire’s territories. —Those people could share laughter one moment and be fully prepared to kill in the next.

Looking towards Utakata, he’d gleaned that perspective had likely been ingrained in her since childhood.

Questioning the merits of that outlook there would serve no purpose.

This wasn’t a stage for presenting one’s beliefs or defeating an enemy through logic.

What was needed was to align with their customs and win the ‘Ritual of Blood.’

“It’s impossible to penetrate its body’s scales. If we cannot pierce its heart, should we target its eyes or mouth, or perhaps aim for thinner scaled areas instead?”

“Although brain spots are universal weaknesses among creatures, that might also prove difficult. In that case, our victory condition would have to extend slightly higher.”

“—Higher?”

It began to dawn on them that delivering fatal wounds was too ambitious to expect.

Thus, another possible victory avenue must be forged. If this was a lair of the wild beasts, perhaps they could threaten with dragon eggs as leverage, underhanded though it might be. Yet that wasn’t the case for them here.

So instead, they had no option but to target common weaknesses found within magical beasts.

“If we break its horn, the beast will submit to the one who broke it. —That’s our only option.”

“What’s the plan?”

“As previously proposed, I’ll be the bait, while the suspicious masked man takes on the offensive.”

“Suspicious? There’s only a noble masked man here!”

Subaru retorted amidst the playful banter with Abel, inhaling deeply before letting it out.

They clearly shared their victory conditions and solidified what needed to be accomplished.

Watched over by the frigid gazes of the People of Shudrak behind and above, Subaru and Abel braced themselves to challenge the great serpent that claimed dominion over the forest.

Though they felt they neither belonged nor coveted the proof of a warrior at all—

“If that’s what I need to reach that girl you spoke of, then I’ll seize it.”

Subaru resolved himself, all thoughts of Rem in the clutches of the Imperial forces urging him onward.

“———”

The shadows parted for him as the gigantic serpent blared forth in rage.

With the giant serpent before them, Subaru thrust out his left hand after a breathless moment. That insight spurred from observing the beast revealed the serpent’s yellow eyes that must have sensed its prey, repulsing its head to the side.

The smallest flicker of flame couldn’t inflict considerable damage, but at least it could draw the snake’s attention to kindle a spark of aversion.

That caution worked against it. Now, with no ring on Subaru’s left hand—

“Focus on the upper part, not the face!”

He hurled the whip from his grasp.

In preparation with the dragon’s summoning techniques Krista had ingrained in him, he had mastered the use of both hands similarly well, although he chose to use his dominant left—now greatly prioritized over right which couldn’t lift above shoulder height.

With the whip’s end aimed not for the monster’s scales but instead targeting the upper section, it sought to ensnare one of the thick branches above, propelling Subaru upward.

“—!!”

He launched skyward, evading the oncoming jaws of the serpent that snapped below.

Had he not folded his knees at that moment, his body would surely have been caught within those massive jaws, losing everything from the thighs down.

“—Sister! That guy is escaping!!”

“Not at all—!!”

As Subaru climbed up and circled about the valley formed for battle at higher ground, Talitta, bowed in surprise while preparing her bow, raised an alarm. Mizelda restrained her, lowering her hand.

With shining green eyes alight, Mizelda powerfully declared,

“It’s not fleeing! They’re fighting!”

Mizelda’s cheers echoed throughout the battlefield as she watched the serpent engage in combat.

In a dizzying swirl, Subaru twirled in the air, resembling an amusement park ride where one flew around and around as it came into view. Thus he aimed for the cliff edge with his ring.

“Goooaaaarrrrrr!”

The shout broke the sound barrier as flames blasted forth from his ring.

As Subaru’s voice erupted, the flames poured down from his right hand, igniting the surrounding vines and branches at the ridge, leading to a ferocious fire’s blaze engulfing the valley in spectacular flames.

“Kyah—!?”

“Wah, wah, wah! Utakata, that’s dangerous!”

“Ah, sister! Are you really okay with this!?”

Watching the blazing spectacle from the battlefield, the People of Shudrak began to stir restlessly.

Utakata clung to the yellow-haired girl, pleading with her sister to grant permission to shoot Subaru without hesitation. Nevertheless, Mizelda was oblivious to all, focused solely on the flame-licking wrath the battlefield unleashed.

“Nice! This is looking good!”

“All of you—AHHHHHHHH!”

Her cry and Subaru’s last defiant shout overlapped catastrophically.

The igniting flames intensified, inciting an eruption as the fireball blasted, causing the cliff to break apart, forcing the serpent to evade the coming rocks.

However—

“——”

The magical beast backed away cautiously, realizing it lacked a path for retreat.

The valley was now engulfed in flames, the burnt timber igniting as the brightly tinged inferno overshadowed the need for torches.

More than that, the sheer scope of the flames being unleashed—

“The purpose was undoubtedly to induce a fear of the heat. —But such methods no longer function against it.”

Abel had hidden them with the *cloak of invisibility*, causing the serpent to lose track of him.

“———!!!”

Realizing the threat looming closely, the serpent’s eyes flared with gleaming hints of malevolence. Yet, above it, Subaru’s presence cloaked reluctantly in steam had now dulled the heat’s clarity. All that remained was a vision of Abel’s hidden form.

With complete clarity, only one option remained—the path of the lesser flames that roamed cheerily would shift the great serpent’s attention away.

And that had been the phony escape route Subaru conjured by opening his trap with fire—

“Haahhhhh—!!”

In that moment of realization, Abel dove off the cliff towards the serpent’s head.

The arc from his sword pictured a crescent as it slashed toward the strangled horn born of the creature’s head. It entered at the center of the horn obliquely, making way to slice through entirely—

“———!!”

The horn unclasped under the mighty blow, revealing the creature’s fury as it lost its grip over its own senses.

As the serpent shrieked in agony, relief only receded as it dragged its head to the side in desperation, only to fail to escape the description of despair.

—Yet, this should have been the warrior’s strike.

“Gah—”

The wild head twitched, dodging the blades of Abel’s sword, the attack stalled at the horn, only continued when a flick of the tail swept through to slam Abel sideways.

The impact hurled him away, sending Abel spiraling through the engulfing flames of the valley without so much of a glimpse backward, even as he coughed blood from his throat.

“Cough… damn… I’m not getting away with this…”

The serpent’s visage turned towards Abel, collapsed on the ground, eyes glowing and burning as it zealously charged.

A hungry chomping mouth opened wide, drawing near to swallow Abel whole as—

If caught in that maw, there wouldn’t be time to contemplate danger.

“My ‘Return by Death’ would—”

Yet there was nothing left but an instinctual thought to be drowned in laughter.

However, in the Pleiades Watchtower, having retraced his steps through the *Book of the Dead*, Subaru recalled his recent experience— as he lured in the beast.

That was indeed a moment when enlightenment dawned within.

“Eh, I—”

Those words fell on the fringes of memory, as he had returned too long out of mind.

 

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