— Time rewinds before Cecilus Segmunt slew the Star-Cutting Blade.

“That’s why there are people more eager than me out there. As long as they aren’t stronger than me, it shouldn’t be a problem.”

“If they’re stronger than Halibel…”

“The only one definitely stronger than me is the kingdom’s ‘Sword Saint.’ Everything else depends on compatibility and situation.”

Subaru felt both a sense of security and dread from Halibel’s gentle answer.

It’s the same with Cecilus; having strong allies confidently flaunt their power is reassuring—as long as they’re in the top tier of strength, even more so.

Yet, that very top-tier strength was made all the more astounding by the extraordinary prowess of Reinhardt, who could guarantee being ‘absolute.’

“You lot seem pretty relaxed for just chatting, huh?”

Amid Subaru and Halibel’s exchange, a disgruntled voice of Abel interrupted.

Wielding the “Sun Blade,” leading the group, he slashed through any undead that charged at them, leaving a trail of flames in his wake.

Originally, Abel struggled fighting against child Subaru; witnessing him move with the grace of a top-tier warrior while using the “Sun Blade” was truly extraordinary.

Honestly, seeing Abel gracefully dance about as he kicked the ground was enough to make my brain glitch from the dissonance.

“Disturbing knaves! Don’t just make the Emperor fight all the time!”

“Shut it! That’s what you get for hiding your trump card. And it’s not like I’m having you do everything—”

Before Subaru could finish his retort, the ground trembled, cutting him off.

“—”

The cause of the tremor was two undead dropping from the sky.

A massive figure and a tall one landed in a manner that blocked the path, raising their weapons behind a scowling Abel and a glaring Subaru, ready to make them pay for their folly on the battlefield—

“‘Strongarm’ Rondando!”

Abel stabbed the undead that popped up right behind him with the “Sun Blade,” igniting its existence and, with his calm black eyes, called out the name of the undead lurking behind Subaru.

Receiving that name, Subaru turned to see an ominously overdeveloped man standing behind him, fist poised to launch an ambush, which Halibel managed to block with a single finger.

He didn’t overpower him in a brute strength contest.

“Don’t be pessimistic; you’re strong. You just let them get away from you.”

With Halibel standing on her toes, the street beneath her rippled like a water surface from the shock. That displayed both the raw power of “Strongarm” and the stark difference in rank compared to Halibel.

Regardless, whether it was comforting or not, she was providing assistance.

“Rondando!”

“Ugh!”

On the still form of “Strongarm,” Subaru pressed his palm next to Spica’s, taking away its role as an undead. In a blink, the now confused Rondando, overcome by hostility, blinked as dust swirled away from his fingertips, freeing him from his imposed mission.

To Subaru, it looked like the face of Rondando appeared relieved, though it was merely his wishful thinking.

“Better ending than being burned alive, right?”

Beatrice, holding Spica’s other hand, understood Subaru’s sentiment.

With her kind thought for her partner, Subaru replied, “Yeah,” squeezing her small hand in return, before looking up at the face of the werewolf beside him.

“Halibel, you saved me! Thanks!”

“Yeah, yeah, as the Emperor said. I need to work at least somewhat instead of just letting sleeping children lie.”

Halibel smiled at Subaru’s gratitude, puffing on her pipe.

Though the unconscious Jamal rested in her werewolf arms, for someone who boasted such skill, Halibel was incredibly modest about her performance.

While poor Jamal would be missed, he certainly was not a necessary asset to fill the gap he left.

“If you’re satisfied with the work equivalent to Jamal’s, that would be a problem. You, being an extraordinary presence, need to work harder just like everyone else.”

“Just not things I didn’t say…”

“The wolf tamer sure is a handful. But being expected to do so much is motivating. If I push too hard and die, the werewolves might inadvertently perish too.”

“Not to say it lightly, but if Halibel were in a situation to die, I suspect it’d lead to the world’s demise too…”

Not an exaggeration at all; that’s how grand of a scale this battle truly was.

As always, Subaru struggled against the daunting problems standing before him, diligently handled them, and desperately tried to collaborate with his friends to overcome challenges.

“Don’t make an ordinary citizen fight against the world’s enemies… What is it, Spica? That look?”

“U-uh…?”

“Spica seems to imply that given she became Beatrice’s partner and knight of Emilia, knowing this is already too late.”

“There’s no way Spica would know about such intricate affairs of the world!”

Subaru rebutted Beatrice’s deliberately misleading translation. Nonetheless, it didn’t seem wrong in the larger picture, as Spica had just tried to look at her hands, unable to do so with both linked to the little girls. How frustrating.

Halibel, meanwhile, watched with merriment through her thin eyes, as if weaving like thread—

“—Enough of this playful banter.”

With a voice that sliced through the air, Abel interjected coldly.

However, this time, there was no one to voice objections, Subaru included—because they had finally reached their destination, right in front of them.

“—The Crystal Palace.”

The colossal castle towered majestically; even from a distance, its grandeur captivated.

No wonder it’s heralded as the world’s most beautiful castle.

“…What an outrageous castle.”

Beatrice tightened her grip on Subaru’s hand, murmuring in awe not for its beauty, but out of quiet fear.

When Subaru glanced at her, questioning the true meaning behind her words, her distinctive patterned eyes shimmered.

“Collecting such a rare and pure magical crystal in such abundance isn’t normal. Even if one turned the Empire upside down, this would be impossible to recreate.”

“Well, even so, it’s right here, isn’t it?”

“…That’s why the missing magical crystals must have been artificially created. No wonder there’re so few spirits willing to lend a hand in the Empire.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

With an annoyed expression, Beatrice elicited chills in Subaru as she continued.

Simply put, magical stones are condensed masses of mana, with those of higher purity termed magical crystals. Beatrice’s grim description upon seeing this majestic Crystal Palace suggested many spirits had been sacrificed to make it.

“Creating magical crystals artificially is possible if vast amounts of colorless mana are provided and condensed. Denying that this palace was completed through such processes would be untrue.”

“Both Subaru and Beatrice are obviously on the same page—it’s clear you detest the Empire.”

From Abel’s declaration and Beatrice’s reaction, it became evident that a multitude of spirits had perished in the making of this castle. Even Subaru, who held some rank as an elemental mage, felt a twinge of something upon realizing this.

“Beatrice, I get your feelings. Still, differences between that and this battle—”

“Hey now, you don’t have to go all serious, this child understands just fine. Sure, the history of Volakia is drenched in blood, but reflecting on Shinobi’s past is equally grim.”

“Don’t make comparisons of which is lesser when both are lowly!”

With cheeks puffed, Beatrice responded sharply to Subaru and Halibel.

Then, noticing Spica peering into her through Subaru, she added.

“Are you alright, Spica? Just like Subaru reached his conclusion, I don’t hate those in the Empire, even if I despise the Empire itself. I’ve received help from some, so I’ll fight properly.”

“Euhh…?”

“…Just now, I think I heard you call me Bee-kun. Only Subaru is allowed to call me that, so no affection for you, alright?”

Beatrice voiced a complaint even more dissatisfiedly than when she first saw the Crystal Palace, then smiled, causing Spica to exclaim with relief, while Subaru took a deep breath.

Meanwhile, Abel, the root of all evil living in the castle, turned a blind eye to Subaru and his friends’ bonding.

“You’re not talking about me; that’s your ancestor’s actions. At least feel a little guilty.”

“Emperors rarely bow their heads. If you really wish to pursue the past’s responsibility, you might as well walk around. Maybe there’s someone involved in building the castle.”

“Seriously….”

As Subaru threw a sidelong glance at Abel’s irrepressibility, the argument came to a halt with the Crystal Palace now in sight—everyone could see shadows springing up around its entrance.

“Looks like an elite group meant to keep us from entering. Seems tough since they’re packed with talented folks…”

“The solid defenses mean there’s something valuable concealed. Abel! Where should we aim for in the castle?”

“If this ‘stone block’ of Forbidden Arts is being utilized, then the treasure room containing the core Moguro Hagane, or perhaps, the underground chapel where sacrifices are offered to hold the ‘stone block.’ Nearby the chapel is a dungeon… No, forget that.”

“—”

Facing constant obstacles, the group braced themselves for the assault. During this tense moment, Subaru winked at Abel, who just hinted at the underground dungeon—since there was a chance someone he was connected to might be tied there.

That someone was Priscilla, who had remained in the Imperial Capital with no trace of her whereabouts afterward.

Her survival could only be confirmed thanks to Schult, but even after several of Subaru’s challenges, she had not been seen in the capital.

Previously, it was the Sphinx he had just defeated, and she was trying to take Abel back to the castle.

“I know about your relationship with Priscilla already. Even if you worry about your sister, I’m not going to ramble about it.”

“Are you plotting to hold the Empire’s weaknesses hostage?”

“Shut it, sis-con! Your sister has the worst personality, but she’s also on my ‘don’t let die’ list, so I’ll save her too while I’m at it!”

Since their meeting began, Subaru only had bad memories of Priscilla, always being dragged around by her antics. Yet he had also been rescued by her more than once, thanks to her attendant Al, who shared the same home country.

Additionally, he wondered how she would react if he saved her in a completely desperate situation, just to see the look on her face when expressing her gratitude.

“Knowing her, she’d probably say something like ‘finally showed up’ or ‘that was some effort’…”

“While that’s quite easy to picture, I’m doing this to ensure it happens. Abel, that’s my policy here.”

“—Do as you wish.”

Subaru thought that it was something like rehearsal for her to thank him without gratitude, as he exchanged glances with the others, nodding in agreement.

For a moment, he wanted to wait for the Emilia group, which included the past Volakia Emperor Halibel, to catch up, but—

“I can’t allow myself to miss the critical moments due to longing feelings! Let’s go!”

“Ready!?” “Yeah!” “Let’s do this!” “Don’t lag behind!”

“Scatter!!”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

— For Viva, the one calling herself “Dissector,” this second life after resurrection felt dreamlike.

The resurrected undead followed their caster’s will for various reasons.

Though many held an aversion to fighting, they were coerced into following their instinctive violent impulses, stripped of most of their individuality via mental manipulation.

Conversely, some were minimally affected by such psychic manipulation.

For instance, those whose abilities might drastically decline due to such mental interference were merely given light suggestions, making sure they wouldn’t directly oppose their caster’s intentions.

Viva was one of those whose mental influence was kept to a minimum.

However, the reason for that wasn’t out of consideration for avoiding a decline in Viva’s abilities—it was because she had absolutely no reason to resist her caster’s will.

The harbinger of the “Great Calamity,” who sought to bring ruin to the Volakia Empire, held not an ounce of hatred toward them.

Regrettably, she had to answer no to such inquiries.

Viva’s interests aligning with those of the Great Calamity’s bearer had nothing to do with the existence of the Volakia Empire. It was about exploring the nature of souls.

Viva earned the name “Dissector” due to her history as a warrior of the Volakia Empire, having dismantled countless foes—thousands or tens of thousands of them.

However, the sheer number of bodies she has taken apart wasn’t rooted in perverse inclinations. It was born from an insatiable curiosity.

What Viva truly sought through her disassembly was not flesh and blood, but the essence of the soul.

The disparity in life, the difference between strength and weakness, the distinction between man and woman—what makes an individual an individual—Viva wished to grasp that, sacrificing numerous lives in pursuit of her understanding.

Even so, in her previous life, she could touch the essence of a soul, but never get close enough for a proper understanding. She died with that regret. That was the life of Viva.

Yet in death, reborn, she glimpsed the expectations she thought had long vanished.

Having resurrected through the power of the “Witch,” who abused the manipulation of souls, she finally grasped a fraction of what she couldn’t during her life. That fragment provided her with the opportunity to pursue greater fragments, courtesy of the Witch.

Thus, this era was a miraculous time for Viva.

“I wish to try more, so much more, for as long as I can!”

The witch who revived her affirmed Viva’s insatiable thirst for knowledge.

In the castle, granted the right to toy with lives for the sake of conducting soul research, Viva basked in a time of splendor, prepared with endless test subjects that she couldn’t even hope to achieve in her lifetime.

For the sake of this insatiable curiosity, it mattered not how many lives were lost.

In fact, the more she killed, the greater the variety of materials gained for her wants.

To fulfill that longing, she still required the lives of many more—

“—‘Dissector’ Viva.”

“—”

“Your actions have proven unbearable to witness, both in life and after. Hence, I shall give you no choice but to burn.”

A flash of a red blade swiped at her, and before she knew it, her vision spun wildly.

Viva recognized that her head had been severed only when she saw her own body without it, turned to flames.

Not only her physical form but even the severed head also burned.

It was an overwhelming echo, reminiscent of when that young boy had killed her. But fundamentally different was the fact that the crimson sword’s flames would breach even the boundaries of death.

Experiencing the sensation of her soul being burned, Viva attained the greatest ecstasy since being resurrected.

“Oh, I see it! The place of the soul—”

As her flesh, life, and soul burned, Viva found satisfaction in that outcome.

Having subjected countless lives to slaughter, disassembly, and feel like a puppeteer—she ridiculed herself for how the quickest way to discern her own experience had only come now.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

— The assault team entering the Crystal Palace engaged in a fiercely bitter struggle.

A horde of dead beings barred the path, rejecting the arrival of the living. The grotesque appearance of the undead springing endlessly from the depths would evoke fear in many.

The “Giant Eye,” known as Izmail, had already been encountered, wandering around the Imperial Capital in a form far removed from its original state, so the grotesqueries bore resemblance to that.

If there were any difference, unlike Izmail, which transformed chaotically purely from destructive impulses, the aberrations before them held a concept behind their grotesqueries.

More aggressively, more sharply, more avant-garde, they molded themselves according to their curiosity.

However, what they were reshaping was not clay but lives. Moreover, they possessed the knowledge and sense of how to best express that curiosity.

So—

“—‘Dissector’ Viva.”

When Abel called out her name, it was a sign that Spica’s “Star-Eater” was ready.

Thus, opponents that could be defeated with “Star-Eater” would be faced with it, and Subaru recognized that was the unspoken understanding.

“—”

Despite this, Abel had gracefully severed the head of the named opponent with the “Sun Blade.”

Naturally, the unrelenting force of the “Sun Blade” ignited the opponent’s soul. —What that suffering felt like, Subaru had no experience knowing about being burned as a soul.

Yet, the fact that he had executed someone he could’ve defeated without pain showcased Abel’s clear rage toward that foe.

“Scary, scary. But I can understand the Emperor’s feelings.”

Halibel commented on Abel’s execution—a strike one could call it—as she slightly opened her thin eyes, glancing with golden irises through enemy ranks.

Standing in her graceful movement, Halibel encountered those odd undead creatures resembling long-limbed things, incapable of rivaling Kararagi’s strongest.

Without mercy, she relentlessly broke their long arms and legs, causing a dozen to be seamlessly engulfed into a soft earth, rendering them immobile.

It was akin to a technique of earth manipulation, though Subaru couldn’t decipher the differences from magic.

Moreover—

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

“With how much they’ve been altered, I can’t even discern their names.”

“Besides, I don’t like making children fight.”

The same applied to Halibel, who multiplied into three.

While a known ability, its sheer preposterousness became apparent up close. The strength of multiplying techniques was already potent enough, but it was terrifying to witness the strongest beings utilize them.

“I genuinely feel glad that she’s on our side.”

As Beatrice unleashed purple arrows from her outstretched hands, halting the undead closing in, she shared the same thought as Subaru regarding Halibel.

Indeed, as Halibel remarked, the excessively distorted forms made it unfeasible for Spica to deal effective hits against the undead.

“Ugh!”

“I get it; it’s frustrating. But don’t rush, don’t be restless. It’s better to reduce their numbers here than be surrounded once we enter the cramped castle.”

Calming down the disgruntled Spica, Subaru’s gaze sharpened onto the warped undead.

With Beatrice and Halibel holding them back, while Abel was slashing those named by “Star-Eater,” anything not named would be finished off by the “Sun Blade.”

Fortunately, it seemed the strangely-shaped monsters weren’t being produced endlessly, methodically.

The implication being, they had been reshaped by hand after having been revived as undead, which while still bile-inducing, didn’t change the matter.

“Still, being able to switch their state back just once offers some sense of salvation…”

Subaru was about to voice his sentiments when—

“—SUBARU!!”

“—Huh!?”

Subaru stiffened at Beatrice’s voice that had altered dramatically.

Beatrice’s round eyes widened, and Subaru grasped the cause of her alarm. It was a distinctly clear aberration occurring—

“Uuhh!?”

Spica cried out, pointing toward the crystal palace, where a luminous glow began to enshroud its entirety.

The grand structure of the palace began to emanate an ethereal light, but it certainly wasn’t the time to praise its beauty.

With this brilliant illumination, it meant—

“—The Magic Crystal Cannon has activated!”

Reacting swiftly, Abel swung at the undead in front and behind him before sharing the vital insight he had gathered from the palace’s glow.

The Magic Crystal Cannon—a massive weapon capable of military-level firepower, generated from crystals scattered throughout the Crystal Palace.

As the ominous glow heralded its impending attack, Subaru held his breath.

“Is it aiming for us?!”

“Wrong! To raze the ground beneath this castle with the Magic Crystal Cannon would be reckless even if those undead endlessly resurrect! The aim is elsewhere!”

“—”

Upon hearing Abel’s shout, Subaru’s thoughts flared with urgency and clarity.

The safety implied by Abel’s speculation didn’t ease his fears, but unnerved him. If they were to be aimed at, even vanishing would be easier to handle.

For Subaru, what was utterly unacceptable was that allies could fall victim beyond his reach.

He hadn’t previously experienced the scenario of the Magic Crystal Cannon being fired.

Now that they were here after defeating the Sphinx, it was imperative they be unable to unleash its power before joining with the ally.

They needed to stop the Magic Crystal Cannon. But time wasn’t on their side.

There was no question about the light heralding its pre-fire charge, yet the requirements to intercept it were nowhere near achieved. No way. No way, no way, no way.

They mustn’t let it fire—

“—Do you think stopping the launch is impossible?”

“—”

Subaru’s mind raced, and Beatrice made her statement.

Blinking in surprise, Subaru looked at Beatrice, whose assertion contradicted her calm demeanor as her gaze remained steady and strong.

To that most adorable, dependable partner in the world, Subaru forcibly twisted his expression.

“Bee-chan, care to take a reckless plunge with me?”

“Honestly, Subaru can’t do anything without Beatrice!”

“Ah, actually, that’s true.”

He said, tightening his grip on her hand, now nearly matching in size.

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　△▼△▼△▼△

The crimson blade carved a path across the ground, igniting the plaza before the Crystal Palace.

The red flames roared like a beast, blocking the fates of those who traversed the divide of life and death, preventing further advancement and denying any disturbance.

“Leaving only the Emperor at the front line. –What a sacrilegious act.”

That curse uttered behind him was accompanied by a powerful shadow flying away from the luminescent Crystal Palace.

It appeared only as a black silhouette at a distance, an unmistakable werewolf, one renowned as the world’s strongest, in full-speed pursuit.

As the rushing werewolf gathered speed, they catapulted off the ground and leaped forward—

“Then, let’s go for all we have—!”

With ferocity, kicking off from the ground, Halibel launched herself into the air, using the two other Halibels assembled as platforms to boost her upward.

Soaring like an arrow, like a bullet, the first Halibel took flight, but that wasn’t the end.

Next, the second and third Halibels leaped from either side, matching their soles with the base of the first Halibel at the peak of her ascent, ensuring she flew even higher.

“Still going!”

“No exasperation now or Aana will get mad!”

The kicks from the second and third Halibel propelled the first Halibel even higher into the sky.

Up, up, up, she flew, reaching the apex of her momentum, then in mid-air, she controlled her posture.

“I can only reach this far. Think you can keep going?”

“—Yeah, seriously helpful!”

In response to Subaru’s answer, the thrilled Halibel turned and hurled them downwards.

Forming a teamwork akin to an illusion through the collaboration of four Halibels, they swiftly gained both distance and altitude as Subaru held tightly onto Beatrice and Spica in each of his arms and took flight.

At that point, as they sufficiently gained altitude, tousled by fierce winds, Subaru forced his eyelids open, staring down at the now distant Crystal Palace.

The glimmering palace steadily heightened its white radiance, igniting the Magic Crystal Cannon with precision aimed in their direction.

“—Spica!”

“Uahh!!”

As if sensing the direction of the cannon’s intent, Spica tilted her head, and in the next moment, her “Teleportation” activated.

With that, Spica, engulfing Subaru and Beatrice, warped space, layering her teleportation repeatedly, racing them smack into the line of fire of the Magic Crystal Cannon.

“Eaaahhh!”

“Stop! I told you not to do that! –Murak!!”

In response to Spica’s desperate voice, Beatrice invoked her Dark Magic, lightening the burdens on Subaru and herself.

Then weightless, in the air, Spica twisted herself and gave them a powerful kick to actively launch them all.

As Subaru glanced at Spica spinning away, he tightened his grip on Beatrice’s hand while calling out to all those who had aided them thus far.

“Abel, Halibel, Spica…!”

He called out each of their names, laden with gratitude, clenching down on his teeth and widening his eyes.

In the next moment, the glow from the Crystal Palace gleamed intensely—

“Bee-chan, I love you!”

“I know that without saying, you know!”

With an embrace, Subaru and Beatrice faced the light.

And then—

“—Al Shamak!”

The Magic Crystal Cannon’s light was swallowed into a tremendous rift that opened in the sky.