――And so, once more, time returns to the battlefield where dragons and tigers clash.

At the southern gate of the Imperial Capital Rupugana, Garfiel bursts in from the first peak of the star-shaped fortress, colliding fiercely with the “Cloud Dragon” Mezoleia.

In the distance, an unusually thick mass of clouds gathers in the sky, perhaps evidence that the “Cloud Dragon” is rampaging, or perhaps it’s just preparing for its grand performance.

In any case, the die has been cast, and the battle to achieve the desired outcome has begun.

Entrusting Garfiel with the role of the vanguard, I first had him hold down Mezoleia’s head because the mobility and offensive capability of the “Cloud Dragon” posed the greatest obstacle in the campaign to conquer the capital.

The existence of a “Dragon” capable of escaping to high altitudes and attacking from ultra-long distances makes it impossible for all but a select few with extraordinary combat strength to withstand even a single blow.

If they were to unleash such attacks recklessly, it would become the worst possible tactic for the “Rescue Squad of the Volakia Empire from Destruction.” — I had Garfiel put an end to its eyes.

However, holding down Mezoleia doesn’t mean things will go smoothly afterward.

If we make a mistake, there are other “formidable foes” that could inflict catastrophic damage in a single move.

And so――,

“Ooohraaah!!”

In stark contrast to his crude battle cry, the twin blades danced through refined trajectories.

His swift movements and the skillfully adjusted stance lent power to his strikes, forcefully rebuffing the spear thrusting toward him and destabilizing the opponent.

In that moment, his white blade aimed to sever the opponent’s neck with a deadly gust――,

“Idiot, don’t kill him!”

“Uwahhhh!?”

At the sudden shout halting his movement, Garfiel’s blade wobbled instinctively.

The blade that was supposed to sever the enemy’s neck instead cut through his left arm, severing it at the shoulder. The enemy, struck, staggered back but wielded his spear with only his right arm, preparing for the next assault.

Yet, that spear would not reach any of our allies.

“——’Lord White Cloud’ Gaoran Peishit”

“———”

A quiet yet distinct male voice uttered both the title and the name.

In that instant, the enormous form of the undead, adorned with a long white beard, halted its movement, which was supposed to deliver the spear. Three small shadows hastily slipped into the undead’s embrace, not wanting to miss the moment.

In that split second, the undead and I locked eyes. — Its eyes, once the light of life, were now void of color, replaced by blackened whites encircling golden pupils, entirely distinct from those of the living.

And then――,

“Gaoran Peishit!!”

“Iiaaaii”

A star named Spica devoured Gaoran Peishit’s role, cautiously peeling back the remnants of that existence which once belonged to the living, confirming its proof of life.

As Spica sped by, waving her small hand, the body of Gaoran Peishit — no, the undead — transformed into dust behind her.

“———”

As it disintegrated, it planted its spear firmly in the ground, leaving behind a salute to the man who had called its name.

I cannot comprehend the sentiments that spurred a fading soul to do such a thing.

“Atlem Nevi, Diphon Trevora, Gaion Talfour, Rescar Brain, Niorf Trad, Yaren Swalker, Belam Joiit――”

The same voice that had called out Gaoran’s name continued to read off other names in quick succession.

Though it felt like a rapid-fire listing of names at random, that was not the case. These were the true names of people who once lived.

One by one, the names of the undead surged forth to impede the “Rescue Squad from Destruction” moving through the capital.

The undead, now altered beyond recognition, were named without mistake by the black-haired Emperor — Vincent Volakia, guiding the path of “Star Eaters.”

And what’s infuriating is――,

“A little cool, isn’t it, damn it!”

“Then, I can’t have Betty’s Subaru losing either!”

With an imposing appearance, Abel confidently took charge, while Beatrice pulled Subaru, whose cheeks had twisted in annoyance.

Among the undead wandering the Imperial Capital — no, the corpse city now transformed into Rupugana, Beatrice, shimmering in her glamorous dress, continued to lead Subaru with unwavering love.

With the hand she held tightly with Subaru, she faced the advancing dead with her adorable lips and sweet voice, weaving magic.

“El Minya!!”

At her incantation, a dark purple crystal generated from Beatrice’s palm soared through the air, disarming the undead of their hands, feet, and weapons, debilitating their combat abilities.

Despite being a special technique of Beatrice against the undead, it would be counterproductive to shatter the opponents’ strength entirely.

Thus she made a careful adjustment, using the power of her charming companion to carry Subaru forward. Then, she tugged hard on Spica, who was connected to her left hand.

“Here we go! Atlem Nevi, Diphon Trevora, Gaion Talfour, Rescar Brain, Niorf Trad, Yaren Swalker――”

“Uah! U! Uu! Aah! Uau! Uuu!”

Subaru matched each name that Abel shouted, meticulously linking each undead with their respective faces as hostility radiated from them, without missing a beat with Spica.

Understanding her role, Spica reached out to the oncoming undead, sometimes tracing through time, piercing, hammering, or tossing them aside, activating the “Star Eater” ability――.

“Last! Belam Joiit!!”

“Iiaaaii!”

Coming straight at Subaru with a blow aimed at his forehead, the undead wielding the blade — Belam Joiit’s pale, wrinkled face met Subaru’s, who bit his back teeth in determination.

The blade stopped just short of his forehead because Belam’s right arm had crystallized from the shoulder down to the waist, rendered inert by its own will.

Thankful for Beatrice’s supportive shot, Subaru felt Spica’s hands touch Belam’s chest.

And slowly, the figure of the overjoyed undead contorted into dust.

“Bu, haah…”

Having witnessed the neutralization of Belam and the surrounding undead, Subaru exhaled deeply.

The chaotic skirmish, reminiscent of the intense days on Gladiator Island, left him panting. As he caught his breath, Spica peered over his shoulder, asking, “A-ah?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. How about you, Spica? Anything off?”

“U! Ah-u!”

Responding to the query, Spica put on a serious face, puffing out her chest with confidence to assure Subaru of her vitality. Watching her with keen eyes, Subaru felt assured that “Star Eater” wasn’t causing harm to Spica, making him clench his fist at the progress of their plan.

As Subaru’s side profile caught Abel’s narrowed black pupils, he stated,

“I’m frustrated, but it seems your reading was spot on.”

“I don’t see why you’d be frustrated, but what’s the deal?”

“It’s quite simple. — The main force of the enemy’s army is directed toward the fortress city, leaving behind only a fraction of the undead and troops unsuited for war in the capital.”

“…Yeah. What’s left are the ones that can’t move as a unit. They’re all strong, and it’s annoying, but for us, it’s a tailwind under the bad imperial style.”

Subaru agreed with Abel, who had observed the situation in the capital.

Indeed, as Abel mentioned, the main bulk of the undead army surrounded Fortress City Garkla. The remaining group, holed up in the sturdy urban fortress, drew the enemy’s attention — the more they struggled, the less the unfavorable numerical disadvantage in the capital would matter.

The essence of this operation was to strike the imperial capital’s leaders in a blitzkrieg while the fortress city kept the enemy’s focus.

However, while the enemy in the fortress city prioritized “numbers,” the ones in the capital focused on “quality.”

Starting with Mezoleia, the “Cloud Dragon” that spread wide over the skies of the capital, the remaining defensive forces were all unprecedented beings, each one a warrior of exceptional skill.

That’s why――,

“—a dual-layered feint attack targeting all peaks simultaneously.”

At Subaru’s words, Abel and the others tightened their expressions.

Currently, Subaru and the team stood at the northwest of the capital — near the fifth peak. I heard that the significant collapse of the star-shaped barrier was a result of Garfiel’s contributions in the Imperial Capital’s battle.

It’s hard to predict just how much more capable Garfiel will become in a mere short time, but the entry point he created was filled with Subaru & Beatrice with Spica and the odd, mismatched combination of Abel and Jamal— a distribution that seemed unreliable in terms of combat power, yet was indeed the best configuration.

Without this combination, the “Rescue Squad from Destruction” would surely fail.

Yet, even if they managed to reach this shape, it was merely the starting point.

“The primary arrow is us, and the destination is undoubtedly that enormous Crystal Palace. If anyone else tries to engage Sphinx, it’s merely for escape, and it’s meaningless.”

For a long, long time, they had rampaged through two nations, the Kingdom and the Empire. If we let Sphinx, the main perpetrator of the “Great Calamity,” slip away, who knows what sort of calamity would be planned next?

To defeat Sphinx, who has turned into an undead, there’s simply no means but to rely on Spica’s “Star Eater.”

Yet――,

“Then, before any unnecessary interference swarms us, let’s charge straight to the Crystal Palace and take out the enemy boss! Then, with your declaration, Lord, we reclaim the capital!”

“Uuuh!!”

“That would be ideal, but it won’t be that simple.”

“Oh?””Ahh-uu?”

With swords pointed at the Crystal Palace, Jamal and Spica shared their enthusiasm. The two of them halted in their momentum, turning back to Subaru, who shook his head slowly.

“It’s impossible to go straight to the Crystal Palace. Not only that, but we can’t even get close to the castle carelessly.”

“You mean you’re shaking in your boots……”

“I have no reason to be cowardly, what awaits us, I wonder?”

“—A curse. Just getting close to the castle renders us unable to act.”

Cutting off Jamal’s grinding teeth, Subaru responded while placing his hand firmly against his chest, recalling the unavoidable, unbearable pain.

As long as that interference existed, they couldn’t approach the castle. — Not to mention, no one could conduct any proper activities within this capital.

“How can you speak so confidently when you haven’t even been through it? Huh?”

Naturally, not everyone was ready to accept Subaru’s explanation at face value.

Jamal was chief among them. Unlike Emilia or Beatrice, he lacked the trust to simply believe Subaru’s thoughts without inquiry.

And the same could be said for Abel.

There was no mutual trust between Subaru and Abel akin to that shared with Emilia.

That’s why he――,

“Your actions, which seem reckless or torturous on the surface, hold an intention you’ve devised.”

“Your Excellency!?”

“Stand down, Jamal Aurelie. There won’t be a third time. Follow these people — follow him.”

Emperor Vincent Volakia didn’t trust Subaru directly but rather judged based on the logic and intent behind his actions.

At the layered orders from the Emperor, Jamal opened his single eye wide, silencing himself, before striking his forehead with the hilt of his dual swords. Repeatedly bashing until blood oozed from his forehead.

“—Understood. I won’t let it happen a third time.”

With a cleared expression of hesitation, he deeply bowed.

At Jamal’s response, Vincent nodded, and Beatrice glared, saying,

“Why are you injuring yourself like that!? Heal it up quickly!”

“Huh!? Damn it, you little brat, don’t do unnecessary things! This is my oath’s…”

“With one eye gone, what happens when blood gets in that eye? Don’t you think about the future? Betty’s got it rough with all of you idiotic decisions!”

As they bickered loudly, Beatrice quickly healed the wound on Jamal’s forehead.

Beside the uproar, Abel turned to Subaru and said,

“Now that we can’t ascend to the castle, shall we just silently wait for others to move time and create a path? Surely, it can’t be that way?”

“You’re saying it in a way that sounds like we’re just watching. …Our battle has real meaning too.”

In response to the inquiring gaze, Subaru placed his hand on Spica’s head beside him. Spica, the focal point of their strategy, looked back at him with an inquisitive “u?” And Subaru nodded back at her.

Charging ahead into the Crystal Palace with a mind empty of thought would be suicide. However, there was no way for Subaru’s side to act against that “curse.” For now, no one could step foot in the castle.

Still, if we wanted to confront Sphinx inside the castle, there was only one way.

“For that――”

Just as Subaru began to speak, a sudden crash reverberated through everyone’s eardrums.

Multiple buildings collapsed, sending clouds of smoke and rubble scattering as the streets were remade. Instinctively, they turned toward the sound, finding Beatrice and Jamal standing protectively in front of the defenseless Subaru and Abel, glaring at the smoke before them.

Then, beyond the smoke that had drawn the wary gazes of everyone, an entity emerged――,

“…As expected, being the Emperor’s guard isn’t an easy job.”

Upon seeing the silhouette emerging through the smoke, Jamal grimaced, uttering so.

At Jamal’s words, no one among Subaru and the others could interject in disagreement. Whether great or small, the sensation he felt was shared among them all.

“——Oooooooh”

As if a wind swept through a dark, deep cavern, the eerie entity dragged itself forward into the imperial capital. It might have once taken a human form, but the state of its limbs had deviated so far from default that it resembled a child drawing haphazardly for the first time — a display of innocence and disorder.

With an abnormally long right arm, branching at the joints like a beast’s tail, its short left arm clawed at the ground to propel its torso forward. Conversely, its seemingly frail legs, although four in number, served no purpose and dangled limply, dragged along by its limbs.

Its body’s thickness varied greatly in places like the chest, abdomen, and shoulders, yet one thing was certain: on the part that resembled its head, there was a singular large golden eye――.

“——Subaru.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Called by Beatrice, Subaru nodded as if to silence further words.

This wasn’t the first encounter with such a bizarre being. It was a reunion with that abomination they thought they had finally dealt with in the dust explosion――.

“——Oooooooh!!”

Before he could wipe the cold sweat from his brow about the fact, the defective undead opened its fissured mouth and let out a massive roar.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

――Thus, the time Subaru and Abel’s group faced the aberrant existence had come.

Before too long after the capital’s siege, the “Imperial Capital Rupugana” had once more become a battlefield.

The struggle surrounding this empire had not altered in essence despite its shift in strategy. It was a decisive battle aimed at the ruler of the beautiful castle towering deep inside the capital, the Crystal Palace.

This held true not just for victory conditions but also in how the battle would unfold — namely, that the fight for the five peaks of the star-shaped fortress encircling the capital would determine the outcome.

Thus――,

“Not yet! The ‘Impossible Ifluze’ starts from here, you bloody dragon!”

Ignoring the pain in his body, the boy burned with all his might to respond to the unwavering trust placed in him and challenged the myth.

“The heavenly observers will witness this. — To see what choice the world makes.”

Feeling flamboyant and cheerful, he danced on the border of his true self and the mask he wore, cutting through the two suns swollen with stubbornness.

“——At last. At last, I am once more able to meet you.”

Carrying uncontainable joy in her voice, the girl dressed in a kimono with deer horns appeared, bringing snow to the plight of the precious person she awaited.

“I won’t allow you to wander off anywhere again. You need to talk to me properly, Brother Bal!”

Tightening her sunny expression, the girl resolved for a cruel reunion as she gazed at the flying dragon rider soaring through the skies with the help of a sorceress.

And then――,

“What a nasty practitioner there is. — There’s no love in it.”

The abhorrent beast clad in a black kimono with black fur opened its golden eyes, which had been slanted downwards, before the far more dreadful curse that eclipsed its very existence.

The decisive battle of the capital, the siege of the five great peaks, and the fight to drop the stars had genuinely begun.