— Three days had passed since the second “Spalca” and the subsequent grand banquet, and it was hard to decide which of the two to base the main event around.

During that time, nothing notable occurred on Gladiator Island.

What surprised Subaru was that there hadn’t been the third “Spalca” held with the new gladiator candidates brought in, nor were there any normal duels scheduled at all.

Normal duels served as a kind of practice match for the gladiators to keep their skills sharp before the actual events.

However, practice matches could be deadly if one let their guard down, and there were dangerous individuals who could inflict casualties even while being cautious.

Unlike “Spalca,” since it seemed difficult for Subaru to interfere in those duels even if they faced punishment, he felt relieved.

“The guards seem unusually tense. Maybe they’re just scared of us brothers?” Hiaine commented, interpreting the atmosphere on Gladiator Island over the past few days rather positively.

This lizardman was evidently delighted to have had his comrades rescued during the second “Spalca,” and since then, his familiarity with Subaru had dramatically increased.

Although Subaru was the one who called him brother first, it was mutual from Hiaine’s side too.

“Well, I can’t say it feels bad,” Subaru admitted, bemused by Hiaine’s rather straightforward personality, but he was genuinely welcoming of Hiaine’s attitude.

Everyone prefers to get along with ease rather than be on edge with each other. Most notably, there had also been changes in the attitudes of Vaits and Idra.

Vaits approached Subaru with an air of solid trust, while Idra approached with a sense of respect – a similar tone could be observed in both men’s interactions with Subaru.

This shift in attitude seemed to be positively influencing the other gladiators on the island as well.

And so—

“Hey, Schwarz! You’ve got a sharp gaze today!”

“You’re brimming with fighting spirit!”

“The guards are in despair! At this rate, the Gladiator Beasts will be gone!”

In this manner, Subaru found himself greeted by a ridiculously growing number of friendly voices.

Just like with Hiaine’s impression, Subaru welcomed it. The more people he could converse with, the easier it became to gather the information he desired.

For the time being, without having to worry about Gustav’s “Curse Rule,” the most wanted piece of information for Subaru was—

“—The control tower for the drawbridge.”

The only means connecting the island to the outside world was the operation method and entry to the control tower for that drawbridge.

“The control tower itself is positioned where anyone can see it, but I can’t get in…”

The control tower sat grandly at the base of the island’s drawbridge.

Although there didn’t seem to be any guards stationed, the entrance was locked with a grand key, and without acquiring that key, the large metallic doors wouldn’t budge.

Over the past few days, he had been searching for the key’s location but it appeared that Gustav operated the drawbridge himself, so there was a high chance the key was in his possession.

“Hmm, facing Gustav is a bad bargain.”

The truth was, Subaru didn’t even have a solid grasp on Gustav’s strength.

With four arms and that appearance, it would be surprising if he were weak, especially since he was charged with managing Gladiator Island and maintained authority over a pack of rough gladiators.

Of course, after fighting him once, it would become clear whether Gustav was strong or weak, but—

“I really don’t want to stir up trouble with Gustav…”

Positionally, Subaru and Gustav were at odds as gladiator and manager, but personally, Subaru didn’t dislike Gustav.

In fact, compared to the many individuals who had proven to be hard to communicate with in the Empire, he believed Gustav to be a rare person who hadn’t raised his voice at Subaru even once and could converse properly.

At the very least, he was far more preferable than Fake Cecilis who hovered ambiguously between friend and foe.

So, ideally, Subaru wanted to find a way to sneakily steal the key from Gustav.

“That said, wandering openly around like Sessy to get close to Gustav isn’t ideal.”

With the restraints of the Curse Rule now lifted, in a way, a duty-bound Gustav would no longer pose a threat to Subaru. However, Subaru wasn’t bold enough to brazenly search for the key’s whereabouts or ask around carelessly.

Subaru’s worst-case scenario was being imprisoned somewhere by Gustav, who might see him as an annoyance, effectively restricting his actions.

If that were to happen, Subaru would have no choice but to rely on his last resort hidden behind his molars.

“So I guess I’ll just have to start probing carefully.”

Scratching his head, Subaru muttered this while grimacing at the uphill battle ahead of him.

To gather information about the drawbridge, Subaru was focusing on the people on the managerial side—namely, the guards who were keeping an eye on the gladiators.

Though the guards, serving under the top boss Gustav, were fewer in number compared to the island’s gladiators, their demeanor radiated a strong imperial soldier vibe, lacking any subtle weaknesses Subaru could exploit.

It seemed Gustav’s training and supervision had reached them, as even a child like Subaru couldn’t loosen their vigilance by merely approaching them; if anything, their alertness intensified. It felt like any past experiences with Fake Cecilis, who was even more obnoxious, played a role in this.

Regardless, getting information from the guards was extremely difficult.

Whether or not Gustav had informed them of Subaru’s plans, they would direct their penetrating gazes at him from anywhere he might be. Feeling a bit uncertain now, Subaru thought he might have acted rashly after all.

Although he was trying to uncover the truth about the Curse Rule, he had unknowingly provoked Gustav’s wariness.

“If only I had received a punishment for something else… no, there’s no point in saying that now.”

While reflection was essential, regret didn’t yield any productive results.

Regret was nothing more than a personal wish. Unfortunately, Subaru didn’t have the luxury of feeling sorry for his own foolishness; he couldn’t afford to waste even a single second.

If he was swatted away by one guard, he would have to target ten or even a hundred.

“Right, as they say, ‘The key to flirting is quantity.’ Though this isn’t flirting.”

With clenched fists, Subaru steeled himself by borrowing words from experts in a different field.

Just then, as he trailed off, walking around the island in search of guards to annoy, Hiaine spoke up, “You sure are wound up, Schwarz…”

“Wait, is that you, Vaits?”

Approaching Subaru with a low voice, it was Vaits, leaning back against a wall and sitting on the ground.

The location was near the passageway connecting to the Gladiatorial Arena. However, the arena was locked outside of “Spalca” and duel timings, and the corridor was blocked off by iron bars.

Thus, on a day like today, it was nothing more than a dead-end passage.

“What are you doing in a place like this? Playing hide and seek?” Subaru inquired, puzzled.

“Not sure what that is, but probably not… just came to check what’s going on below…” Vaits responded.

“Below? Ah, you mean that place.”

Glancing over in the direction Vaits gestured, Subaru recalled the door leading to the island’s underground, located right beside the passage leading to the gladiatorial arena. As you might expect, since the island floated on a lake, the basement didn’t connect to anywhere.

Technically, it did connect to the outside, but—

“It’s just directly connected to the lake; the purpose is to dispose of bodies.”

“The gladiators and beasts that died in duel… all mixed together… If we lost, we would have ended up as fish food too…”

“Yikes.”

“Fish food refers to the aquatic magical beasts dwelling in the lake.”

They were said to be awfully ferocious, and while the leading cause of death on Gladiator Island was duel-related, the second cause was likely accidents or fleeing—still, getting eaten by those magical beasts.

Without the drawbridge, Subaru would become fish food as well.

“Are you listening…? About the gladiator who escaped from the island before…”

“Huh? Oh, yeah, I’ve heard. Because of that incident, the previous manager got fired, and Gustav was appointed as the new manager.”

“The cruel conditions have improved… but the status of gladiators has become far worse. What do you think…?”

“What do you mean…?”

“Should we just accept being in this position as gladiators and remain subjugated…?”

“――――”

Hearing Vaits’s words, Subaru instinctively checked to see that no one was around.

Vaits’s statement was crossing a fine line for gladiators on the island. If the malicious guards overheard, it would give them ample justification to punish him.

Additionally, since Vaits was technically on the same “unity” level as Subaru, he was likely being scrutinized more harshly than other gladiators.

“Uh, Vaits, you might want to refrain from saying such careless things. I’m fine, but I wonder how others might feel about it.”

Subaru subtly tried to correct Vaits’s thinking.

If Subaru got tangled up in the next “Spalca,” there would be ways to deal with it if it only involved him. However, if Vaits was involved, the difficulty would skyrocket.

But against Subaru’s consideration, Vaits continued, “Why do you think I came down here… It’s to lend you a hand… I want to avoid spending more time as a gladiator here… I owe you one…”

As he said this, Vaits slowly rose to his feet.

He then directed a serious gaze at Subaru from his face covered in tattoos. Subaru felt a chill run down his spine under that penetrating stare.

It created an atmosphere that couldn’t be brushed off as a joke.

“Vaits, I—”

“I know who you are…”

“Huh?”

“But that doesn’t matter… Don’t lump me together with that optimistic Hiaine… I have no interest in the crown you bear… I’m just here to lend you my strength. Remember that…”

To know his identity sent shivers down Subaru’s spine. But what followed Vaits’s words sent an even greater shock through his entire being.

No matter who Subaru was, Vaits said he would return the favor and lend him strength.

That sentiment was incredibly—

“…That makes me feel more secure, Vaits.”

“Hmph…”

Vaits turned away, snorting at Subaru who raised a thumb and smiled. Even that lacking in straightforwardness was classic Vaits, so Subaru took that positively.

Vaits came down to check the status of the underground to assist Subaru in finding a way to move the drawbridge — the means of escape.

In the end, it felt like that was the conclusion he’d come to, returning to the initial method of relying solely on the drawbridge.

Just as Subaru concluded this—

“—This trembling!”

“The drawbridge…?”

A tremor resonated deep in the ground, causing Subaru and Vaits to exchange glances as they reached the same conclusion.

There could only be large mechanisms that shook the entire Gladiator Island, and with Subaru and Vaits blocking the passage connecting to the arena, there was naturally only one suspect left: the drawbridge.

“More newcomers are…”

The onset of more arrivals indicated that the next “Spalca” was about to commence.

Sensing a dryness in his mouth, Subaru muttered while Vaits observed him. In response, Subaru managed to flash a reassuring smile in an attempt to ease the worry.

“—Let’s go take a look…”

Whether it was due to the effect of that smile or not, Subaru couldn’t quite discern Vaits’s mood as he turned his back to him. With Subaru following silently behind, they made their way from the lower depths of the island to the middle, then headed towards an elevated area where they could overlook the drawbridge.

“If possible, I’d like to see how the tower’s entrance opens and closes…”

“Lord Schwarz, over here!”

“Tanzer!”

As Subaru rushed up the stairs, panting and wiping sweat from his chin, Tanzer, who had arrived at the elevated area first, waved at him, and Subaru and Vaits joined her.

Tanzer glanced at Vaits nervously, saying, “I see you’re with Lord Vaits.”

“We just happened to meet down below while discussing some embarrassing matters. What about you, Tanzer?”

“…I was looking towards the tower. It seems the key is indeed in Gustav’s possession.”

“Uh, I thought so.”

Tanzer was aware that manipulating the drawbridge was crucial for escaping the island. She had been informed about the Curse Rule, so she and Subaru were plotting their getaway together.

Meanwhile, Vaits interjected, “If we can take the key… should we go for numbers…?”

“That’s a rash plan! Acting recklessly like that will get us punished by the Curse Rule!”

“—Huh?”

“Right…”

Subaru countered Vaits’s simplistic suggestion with a rebuttal derived from the Curse Rule. Tanzer’s eyes widened in surprise, prompting Subaru to silence her gently with a finger to his lips.

The truth about the absence of the Curse Rule was something he hadn’t yet revealed to anyone aside from Tanzer. Sure, Fake Cecilis knew due to his presence, but in actuality, the latter had no friends to share it with, so it didn’t spread.

Nevertheless, Subaru deemed it a truth far too dangerous to publicize.

“The reason the gladiators have been kept docile is partly because of the Curse Rule.”

The lack of massive complaints about their treatment combined with the fact that challenging the rules would mean death from the curse was why the gladiators on Gnunhaive remained submissive under Gustav’s control. Should word get out that the curse was absent, perhaps others like Vaits would start considering rebellion.

If that occurred, it could turn into an all-out war between the gladiators and the management side.

From a numbers perspective, they might win, even if there were casualties, but—

“The guards have all kinds of magical beasts under their control, so the damage could be catastrophic.”

It wasn’t just the guards’ strength that posed a problem; it was also the magical beasts under their command that added to the threat.

Since the Gladiator Beasts fighting in “Spalca” were all beasts raised by the guards, there were still plenty of lions and mice the group had fought hard against waiting in the wings.

Therefore, it would be troublesome if Vaits acted on impulse here.

“However, Lord Schwarz, isn’t it a bit unrealistic to wait for you to defeat all the Gladiator Beasts in ‘Spalca’?”

“That would also mean it’d be hopeless… and if the Gladiator Beasts are restocked, that would be disheartening. I’m not drawing up such a plan.”

“In that case…”

“I’m considering various ideas, so it’s fine. You don’t have to believe me, but please trust my determination to meet someone I wish to see.”

Including his secret from Vaits, Subaru expressed this sentiment, causing Tanzer to go quiet. She averted her gaze slightly, then continued with, “You mean you wish to meet your family…?”

“Huh? Well, yeah, they’re important to me, but there’s also someone I like.”

Subaru’s response came with a tilt of his head upon hearing the somewhat awkward question.

Tanzer seemed to have more to say at that moment, but before she could, Vaits said, “Look…”

He pointed towards the drawbridge, and both Tanzer and Subaru followed his gaze.

The drawbridge was activated from both sides, bringing new inhabitants toward Gladiator Island.

“I wonder what kind of people the newcomers are…? You don’t think they might be acquaintances of Vaits and Idra, do you?”

“Anyone I know could die and I wouldn’t be bothered…”

“That’s a creepy and somewhat lonely thing to say—”

Just as Subaru was about to ask for clarification, he distinctly saw a carriage crossing the drawbridge.

The carriage, pulled by a dark tempest horse in armor, showed some differences from the one three days ago, particularly regarding the demeanor of the passengers on board.

While Hiaine’s allies, Orson and the others appeared compliant in their carriage, the current passengers were of a different nature. Someone was standing atop the roof of the carriage.

A brown-skinned woman, slender in build, stood tall on the swaying roof of the carriage—

“—?!”

As Subaru’s eyes landed on her face and the distinctive features of her appearance, he suddenly stifled a scream from deep within his throat, quickly crouching down.

He hid behind the railing, shrinking his body as much as possible.

His heart raced intensely, and the sound of flowing blood seemed to explode in his head.

“L-Lord Schwarz? What’s wrong all of a sudden…?”

“Ah…”

“Ah?”

“T-that woman is bad news.”

Next to Subaru, crouching alongside him, Tanzer’s eyes widened in surprise.

However, Subaru didn’t have the capacity to consider Tanzer’s shock.

“That woman… is she…?”

Upon overhearing Subaru’s murmur, Vaits leaned against the railing, looking toward the drawbridge. It seemed he recognized the person atop the approaching carriage roof, but he couldn’t identify who she was.

Subaru, on the other hand, understood her true identity, realizing that this was the worst possible timing.

The carriage and the person atop it, at least, were not candidates for the upcoming “Spalca.”

Because that woman’s identity was—

“—The name escapes me, but she’s one of the Nine Divine Generals.”

That silver-haired, eyepatch-wearing woman had wreaked havoc back in Gwararu, being overwhelmingly strong.

△▼△▼△▼△

“The visitors this time aren’t gladiators; it seems they are messengers from the Imperial Capital.”

These were the words of Idra, who relayed overheard information while watching the carriage’s arrival from the elevated platform.

Subaru, along with the others, had observed the female figure on the carriage’s roof—a figure entirely out of a nightmarish scenario for them.

“That woman just looked over here and met my gaze…”

While crouching down in surprise, Vaits, who had been observing the departing carriage over the drawbridge, trembled with disbelief at what he had just witnessed.

Though they might have been about a hundred meters apart, merely feeling her gaze was remarkable. If Vaits could spot her, Subaru was glad he had been concealed by crouching down.

Of course, even if she were to see Subaru now, he doubted she could actually recognize him.

“The half-beast dogwoman and one of the Nine Divine Generals… she’s likely one of the Nine, Arakia.”

“Tanzer, do you know her too?”

“…She was one of those who targeted Lady Yorna of the Chaos Frame. Although I haven’t seen her directly, they say she engulfed a whole district in flames.”

“N-no way, that’s a heavy jest. Right?”

The alarmingly serious voice of Tanzer sounded almost laughable to Hiaine. However, there was no one in the area capable of dismissing it with mere laughter.

In particular, the shock that hit Subaru was immense.

“The plain strong ones are the most troublesome for me.”

If the opponent were someone with a detectable weakness or someone Subaru could think outside the box with, there might be a prospect of victory.

But facing an enemy with a completely insurmountable strength made forming any strategy impossible. Simply put, it was because they were strong.

To easily crush any well-laid plans Subaru had prepared—that was the privilege of the strong.

“Lord Schwarz, let’s not be overly pessimistic. Since they’re messengers from the Imperial Capital, it’s probably not a matter of coming to deal with us. To automatically label them as foes is—”

“Too early, huh? Yeah, yeah, that’s true. But…”

“——”

“When I consider the worst-case scenario, it’s hard to shake this feeling of dread.”

Embracing his slender arms, Subaru answered Tanzer, who was trying to offer him some encouragement.

He appreciated her sentiment, and she likely didn’t want to think of the possibility of opposing one of the Nine Divine Generals. To put it mildly, she was at the same level of strength as Yorna, if not stronger.

Trapped on this island, there was no way to deal with an opponent of this overwhelming caliber.

“But why would a messenger come here at a time like this…?”

“Hiaine, don’t you get it? The Empire is currently split in two!”

“Huh? Oh, oh! Dammit, that’s what’s happening…!”

By the side of the pondering Subaru, Hiaine and Idra exchanged serious expressions in their discussion.

Subaru could find himself wandering in confusion regarding the flow of their conversation, but at that moment, he couldn’t afford to engage with it.

In fact, it was more likely that his anxieties were exaggerated.

“For now, I don’t assume that Tanzer and I would become the target of that woman…”

“It’s Arakia.”

“There’s no way Arakia would involve herself with us, right?”

Even if they stood out somewhat within the island, it was unlikely the story had spread outside to the extent they might be recognized, and even if they were, their current identities presented no reason for concern.

Even if Orbart or Abel might have an intention to act, there was no reason to pay attention to Subaru or Tanzer.

“Then what in the world could the purpose of a messenger from the Imperial Capital be in coming to the island?”

“If I were to hypothesize… perhaps something related to the island’s exhibition?”

“Exhibition… so the original role of Gladiator Island, huh?”

The significance of Arakia’s visit resonated with Vaits and Tanzer as they considered plausible possibilities.

The island’s exhibition was the original duty of Gnunhaive, presenting gladiatorial fights as entertainment to spectators arriving from outside.

An unfortunate event, but it served to suppress the dangerous desires of the Empire’s citizens.

“If it’s for an exhibition, then we might have to fight again… But, doing it now when revolts are erupting everywhere, are they really going to hold an exhibition?!”

“Precisely because it’s during such chaos that the Empire may see it as a need to tighten its resolve to remain robust…”

“The Emperor’s thoughts, huh…”

Hiaine’s shocked words, Idra’s persuasive insight, and Vaits’s grave murmurs caused all to turn their gazes toward Subaru.

As if they expected him to hold the answer.

But he didn’t possess it either; he could only turn his head sideways.

“I think both Hiaine and Idra have valid points. But still…”

“But?”

“I’m not so sure the Emperor genuinely cares about what’s happening here…”

The one issuing orders from the Imperial Capital was a figure Subaru recognized to be a fake.

Both the real and the fake had been present within the Chaos Frame, but given the uprising, it was unlikely that Abel had somehow resurfaced without Subaru’s knowledge.

Therefore, as for instructions emanating from the Imperial Capital, they must come from the false emperor. It was hard to believe that Vincent, who could think almost identically to Abel, would be wasting his time dispatched here.

“There’s undoubtedly an underlying reason for all this.”

In the first place, there existed no explanation for why they would send one of the Nine Divine Generals, Arakia, to an island so remote, seemingly abandoned in this world during this time.

“But it is said that Arakia didn’t arrive with a large entourage, correct?”

“Ah…”

“I only caught a glimpse from a distance, but a single carriage arrived with perhaps only five or six people in tow. It drew attention primarily because of one general in it.”

“Is that so?”

With her gaze lowered, Tanzer echoed Subaru’s doubt, wondering what their intentions were not just for the future.

It was true that considering their reasoning could simply lead to one waiting for the storm to pass.

“Alternatively, what if we sneak onto the carriage they arrived on and slip out from the island…?”

“Hiding in a carriage? I thought we already did that back in the Chaos Frame.”

“Even using the same technique isn’t a problem if it works time and again…”

Subaru and Tanzer took Vaits’s proposal seriously, yet before they could delve further, Hiaine chimed in, exclaiming loudly, “Wait, wait, wait!”

The gray-scaled lizardman voiced with urgency, demanding their attention, “You’re seriously considering leaving the island? You’ll die!”

“If we stay here, eventually we’ll be pushed into some battle and end up dead—come on, you coward…”

“But this isn’t just about today or tomorrow! Schwarz… we have our brothers here!”

“I don’t plan to stay forever either. In fact, I have no intentions of overstaying my welcome.”

Hiaine, who had a mouthful of small teeth trembling in shock at Subaru’s stance, possibly believed that life on the island could be better since the “Spalca” could provide a sense of safety or security.

If they could survive the trials and become gladiators, the environment might not be as dangerous as death outside its bounds. Subaru could see why Hiaine would feel such a way.

“Listen, you brats! Idra! You two…!”

“Just like Lord Schwarz, I also have my reasons for not wanting to stay here much longer.”

“I… I’ve been considering how to escape if possible…”

They responded to Hiaine’s concerns, as Tanzer and Idra shared their reservations. While their differing takes exhibited their openness, both were undoubtedly dissatisfied with Gladiator Island.

Hiaine apparently couldn’t wrap his head around that.

“There’s a limit to being reckless, you know?!”

“I’m really sorry for causing you trouble, Hiaine. But you should ponder this too—whether it really makes sense to stay here any longer.”

“———”

With a look reminiscent of witnessing something fearsome, Hiaine cast his gaze toward Subaru and the others.

However, he shouldn’t stop thinking, and if he could concentrate just a bit more, Hiaine might come to realize that the comfort of staying was merely a temporary illusion bought at the cost of many sacrifices.

“But what are we going to do about the Curse Rule?”

After abandoning the instinctive dismissal, what Hiaine next brought up was the core of the issue.

The unseen chains binding the gladiators on Gladiator Island—what held so many of them stagnant within the island was that very Curse Rule that could seal their fates.

It was something Vaits had mentioned earlier.

Although Subaru was reluctant to divulge that this rule had been nullified, until that point, Hiaine would continue to harbor doubts about their sanity.

So for now, Subaru contemplated easing that tension as best he could.

“I’m going to find a way to deal with the Curse Rule. Actually, I’ve managed to get a hint about that too.”

“—Huh!? Are you saying… the Curse Rule?”

“Right.”

Subaru was beginning to feel self-indulgent again, but he nodded confidently in response.

The revelation not only caught Hiaine off guard but visibly shocked both Vaits and Idra as well. Tanzer, who already knew the truth, remained silent, watching the situation unfold.

While he couldn’t share the complete truth, Subaru standing tall would serve as encouragement for the others, lifting their uncertainty. Thus, he couldn’t allow his anxieties to show.

Even if he still didn’t know Arakia’s purpose as a messenger.

“I’m sure I’ll find a way to leave this island. So—”

That was meant to be the conclusion to his plea for their support.

However, Subaru’s words never came to fruition.

In fact, whether they halted for lack of significance or simply ceased, he couldn’t determine.

“—Huh.”

A faint gasp escaped him as Hiaine’s eyes seemed to bleed and he collapsed.

“———”

With a sickening thud, Hiaine’s large figure toppled to the common room floor, immobile. He didn’t shift at all, his body shaky only from convulsions.

He resembled a cicada; a cicada flipped over on a road in the middle of the scorching summer.

It was as if Hiaine was imitating the dying movements of a cicada.

—But Hiaine wasn’t the only one.

“…Ah.”

A soft noise contrasted sharply with Hiaine’s heavy thud as Subaru turned around in disbelief.

There lay Idra, Vaits, and Tanzer, all convulsing similarly in a heap.

“Tanzer?!”

His mind became a whirlwind of incomprehension as he reeled.

Instantly, he dropped to assess Tanzer’s condition. Flipping her over, Subaru saw she lay lifelessly, her head lolling while blood flowed from her eyes.

Blood dripped down also from her nose and ears, pooling steadily on the floor beneath them.

“Ugh.”

Subaru’s throat audibly twitched, and he dropped Tanzer back down, hurrying to check the others.

All four were fast lifeless from bleeding brought forth from their eyes and noses, completely motionless.

“What…?”

Why, amidst everything, were the gladiators, the guards, and every other soul here suddenly dead, all indiscriminately?

It felt too sudden, with no warnings issued beforehand.

“Why…?”

Everyone had vanished, abruptly, without warning.

It was an impossible reality for Subaru to grasp, one he couldn’t comprehend, and it left him without direction to voice his thoughts.

Toward whom? The sky? Was he meant to beseech the water?

“What—”

“—Hey there.”

Just as Subaru felt an uncanny response to that peculiar voice, someone unexpectedly answered.

The moment everything had rapidly dissolved into death on the island, he stood amidst a chilling presence, someone capable of freezing Subaru in place.

“What are you doing in a place like this?”

The man, dressed in black bandana, casually cracked his neck as he spoke.

Sporting bright orange hair pulled back into the bandana, he was a slim silhouette clad in the attire of an empire soldier.

At a glance, he might seem friendly. But that was an enormous misapprehension; it was dangerously incorrect. Do not be deceived.

Every bit of that seemingly congenial face and the absurdly amicable voice constituted a façade.

The name of this man, whose true nature was malicious—

“—Todd.”

He was a name that surfaced effortlessly from Subaru’s memory even as they had grown increasingly harder to access.

And it mattered just because—

“—So you know my name, huh?”

With a call sign, the man flexibly shifted his demeanor while closing the space between them.

He rapidly encroached towards Subaru, who tried in vain to escape Todd’s advancing shadow, yet it was futile as his wearied body resisted further movement.

Almost immediately, Subaru’s back struck the wall, being pushed against it with aggression.

“Ugh…”

“Not familiar to me. A face once seen is never forgotten, yet you’ve been overshadowed. —No.”

Forced against the building wall, Subaru felt the rough surface scratch against his cheek as he squirmed in discomfort. Todd drew closer, burying his nose in Subaru’s hair.

The unsolicited close contact made Subaru uneasy.

“You smell similar to someone I know—a frightening person.”

A chill ran down Subaru’s spine as his sentiment began to coincide.

Whoever that was Todd mentioned now felt eerily tied to him. A sense of detest bubbled up within him.

A face he wished to avoid encountering—yet here it lingered within the island’s shadows.

“Why are you here?”

“Why have I killed everyone, you ask? I’ve no need to answer that. To me, it’s a surprise you still draw breath. Though I suppose it might end up only being a matter of time regardless.”

“—Urgh.”

Todd’s voice whispered accusingly in his ear as something cold brushed against Subaru’s neck.

It was the cold, deadly blade of an oversized knife Todd had drawn from his waist.

The type used for skinning large beasts, it chakra-penetrated until pain flickered across Subaru’s mind.

At that moment, toddler or not, it would likely make no difference.

But—

“—There remains the slightest possibility.”

That, against all odds, Todd might choose not to kill Subaru here—no, he might choose to place him under the threat of interrogation, seeking out some answer.

If that were to be the case, it would lead to a point beyond recovery.

Abandonment leads to despair.

So, with his last resort, he might—

“Wait.”

Agony and pressure squeezed the spaces around his head as he struggled for clarity amidst the discomfort. Inch by inch, with blood still streaming down from his nose, Subaru reached behind his molars.

At that moment, Todd thrust his finger forcefully into Subaru’s mouth.

“—Urgh.”

Relentlessly invading his mouth, Subaru gagged hard as his insides surged upward.

Without the slightest concern, Todd kept shoving inside, dragging forth what had bloated in Subaru’s stomach.

“…What the hell is this? Is it poison?”

“———”

“Hey hey, what kind of kid are you? Hiding poison in your mouth means you were counting on a last resort, right? How reckless of you to want to die.”

As he wiped his finger clean on Subaru’s soiled clothing, Todd’s expression rejected such foolishness entirely.

He seemed genuinely unable to fathom the idea of one contemplating self-harm.

“Indeed. You see, I wouldn’t mind as long as you finish the job.”

“What’s that supposed to mean…?”

“Oh yes, if you wish to end your own life, I have no issues letting you do that. It’d save me the trouble of soiling my knife.”

Proof of that was when Todd shrugged and returned the “drug” parcel into Subaru’s mouth.

Conveniently placed atop his molars, if he were to bite down hard, that wrapping would rupture. This meant the contents would spill out, leading to Subaru’s demise—this Todd knew.

“I’m indifferent either way. If you choose to die, it suits me just fine.”

As the grip around his shoulder tightened, Subaru was abruptly turned to face him.

Todd was standing right in front of him, and Subaru found his back pressed harshly against the wall.

Tempted to strike back, his muscles weakened, growing numb from the chilling influence creeping through him.

Gradually, the same fate that befell Tanzer and the others began to consume Subaru.

Subaru couldn’t comprehend why it descended over him, nor why time crawled at such a slow pace.

“Time’s up, self-harm, knife.”

“———”

The end result had been nigh unchanged, with Todd brandishing three fingers, demanding Subaru choose his fate.

An excruciating silence settled where disdain knotted Subaru’s gut.

Tanzer, Hiaine, Vaits, Idra—they were gone.

Orson and Old Man Nur, the guards—everyone, they were dead.

Why was Todd still alive? Why was he also facing his own demise?

“—Ugh.”

As the torment dug deeply into his chest, Subaru bit down fiercely upon his molars.

The packaging ruptured, seeping the “drug” into his mouth. It pooled into his mouth, flowing down, spilling, and—

“—Ugh!”

Without intention of taking anyone down with him, Subaru spat the blood pooling in his mouth directly towards Todd, cleansing his clothing in the process.

Though he hadn’t aimed for it, no tricks followed. Instead, Todd jumped aside, narrowly avoiding the onslaught.

Thus, the blood splattered onto the ground as Subaru collapsed.

He fell, fell, and kept falling, infinitely down.

“A, u, ah! Ohhhh…!”

His body quaked wildly as the poison rushed through like raging currents.

Blood spilled forth from his nose and ears with endearing strength, warming his face as it swelled unevenly against the impending feeling of bursting.

His entire being writhed, bones creaking—as though every inch of him whimpered.

“Don’t do it!”

The heat of the red fluid seeping from him felt akin to being plunged into a boiling pot.

Immersed in a seething cauldron, he was subjected to a stream of stings—each like a needle probing, skin being scraped raw.

The only result was a desire to succumb.

A bout of craving engulfed him, compelling him toward death.

“You’re losing your mind.”

He squirmed restlessly like a fish pulled from the water, tangentially moving toward the inescapable embrace of death.

From his perspective drowning in pools of blood, Todd murmured something indistinct.

Yet, no words could reach Subaru’s thoughts; it was incomprehensible, ungraspable.

Everything fell apart, knowledge bypassed him—nothing but fading, fading—

“—Ugh.”

The sting continued buried within his skull while Subaru struggled against the cycle of poison accumulating persistently around him.

While the sentence, “Choose,” resonated heavily in the caverns of his mind, his consciousness murmured, again faltering.

“You might feel fine—but it’s not comforting, is it?”

Meanwhile, the world around him spiraled white as he faded from reality.

Even so, a betrayal remained—that exquisite feeling, pain and struggle, fluid coursing about, crimson droplets, blood, blood, blood, blood, blood…

Then the sounds shattered in abrupt succession.

“Smash!”

Fresh blood dripped anew from blurred sight, spraying across the outside world where the transparent veil of reality lifted before him.

The ironic laughter floated around, nothing compared to the psychotic thrill that spun out of control in this chaos.

Suddenly dull, now zealously so—with screams echoing through sorrowful ramifications.

“I know who you are…”

“———”

“But it isn’t relevant… don’t mix me with that smooth-tongued Hiaine… I have no interest in your crown… I’ll only lend you strength. Keep that in mind…”

The searing pain ignited, his body ablaze with agony, stripped down as they peeled apart.

That moment of suffering was abruptly threaded by the juxtaposition of a chilling abyss grasping at his soul.

And so—

“Ah…!”

“Schwarz…?”

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

It became apparent the ongoing presence lingered within hold, beckoning out the remnants of tormented existence from his body.

He shouted, louder than countless echoes, seeking to eject the contagion that refused to leave.

That made it crystal clear. Within himself lived potent threads of poison contingent that yearned only for his demise.

For each minute had ever reminded Subaru with every somber moment—there was never an exit unaffected or benevolent.

“Rah…!”

The death he had witnessed, the pulse of mortality growing faint and fluttering.

Unrelenting the drug’s essence slithered forward and bore consistency against the fabric of darkness, leaving Subaru with his final fight.

Yet again, the last remnant tethered itself tight below.

Gripped and gasping against reality, Subaru roared against the phantom stands—chosen pathways, haziness, and lingering threats—that surrounded him endlessly.

“Wha…!”

Once more, that blaze crept up through each nerve ending of despair, poisoning its will with unyielding threats dipped in blood.

Everything faded into oblivion, silenced as loss embraced him wholly.

“It’s… going dark.”

“Choose otherwise, choose otherwise…”

In this world caught in a void between essence and void, with a bang echoing into the oblivion representing unjust outcomes, the white fog erased every image until only black remained.

“I know who you are…”

Welcome to your end.