Subaru frowned. He didn't like it. Not at all. Not even in the slightest.
Rightfully so. Only he, in the agonizing loops of his past, had truly glimpsed the peak of the iceberg that was Reinhard van Astrea's power. He had felt the wind of the Dragon Sword Reid before his head left his shoulders. He had seen the very law of the world bend to follow the Sword Saint.
The likelihood of anyone being mentioned in the same breath as Reinhard made Subaru feel a nausea unlike anything he had experienced since the Watchtower.
Does Reinhard really have an equal?
Subaru doubted it. Reinhard was a glitch in the system, a god playing a human. But for Cecilus Segmunt to be considered his peer meant that, in the eyes of the world, this "Blue Lightning" was just as monstrous.
Then what can I even do?
The thought spiraled.
I don't want to die over and over again. I don't want to feel that cold steel slicing my head off over and over again. But I can't just give up. What would Emilia think? What would Beako think? What would Gojo-sensei think?
He pushed himself off the wooden pillar, pacing away to stand in the center of the room. He ruffled his black hair aggressively, his gaze fixed on the wooden floor as if searching for an escape hatch.
The only thing he found were negative thoughts, circling like vultures.
"... I see."
Abel's voice cut through the spiral.
Subaru snapped his head up, looking at the masked man—the fallen Emperor who sat with the composure of someone still on the throne.
"At least," Abel continued, his tone dry, "your rather admirable level of strength has not blinded you. You are not arrogant enough to consider victory a possibility in such a circumstance."
"...What are you getting at?" Subaru asked, his voice tight.
"I am saying that you do not need to paralyze yourself with fear. The odds of Cecilus Segmunt being in Guaral are infinitesimally small."
Abel leaned back, crossing his arms.
"Cecilus is a sword that requires a specific hand to wield. He does not guard border towns. He does not patrol the countryside. He seeks entertainment, yes, but he is bound precisely by that interest. I do not doubt he will make an appearance eventually, but for now? He is not a piece on this board. Though, when he does show himself, I find myself believing he'll simply flip it entirely."
Subaru's brows furrowed, the tension in his shoulders refusing to dissipate completely.
He wasn't sure how to take Abel's words.
If he accepted them as truth, he could calm down. He could focus on the mission. But if he let his guard down, and the Blue Lightning did strike...
"Why..." Subaru asked, his voice trembling slightly. "Why are you so sure?"
"Because I know him," Abel replied simply. "Cecilus Segmunt is loyal to the Emperor. And currently, the Emperor sits in the capital."
"But you said there's a False Emperor," Subaru countered. "Wouldn't Cecilus know the difference?"
"... That is the question, isn't it?" Abel's eyes narrowed behind the mask. "Cecilus is... eccentric. He cares little for politics. He cares for the 'role' he plays in the story of the world. If the False Emperor provides a better stage, Cecilus might simply play along."
Abel stood up, signaling the end of the discussion.
"However, worrying about the First Rank is a waste of energy. Our target is Guaral. And while Cecilus is absent, other threats remain. The generals are moving. We must move faster."
He looked at Subaru, his gaze piercing.
"Do not let the shadow of a monster stop you from fighting the men in front of you. Can you do that, Natsuki Subaru?"
Subaru took a deep breath. He clenched his fists, feeling the hum of Cursed Energy beneath his skin.
"Yeah," he muttered, the fear receding into a cold, hard resolve. "Yeah. I can do that."
"Good," Abel said, turning to the door. "Then prepare yourself. We march for Guaral at dawn."
"Wait, wait wait. Before we start marching off into the sunset," Subaru interjected, raising a hand. "You said we need to move faster, but we can't just walk up to the front gate and knock. Guaral is a fortress city, right? That implies walls. Big ones, right?"
Abel paused at the door, turning back with a look of mild annoyance.
"Obviously. A frontal assault with our current numbers would be suicide. Even with your... unique talents, the garrison at Guaral is substantial."
Abel walked back to the table, unrolling a rough map of the region. He pointed a gloved finger at a fortified point marked on the parchment.
"Guaral is commanded by General Zikr Osman. He is a man of the Second Rank, a General in his own right, though not one of the Nine Divine. Though do not underestimate him just because he is not. He is known as the 'Womanizer,' but his intellectual prowess and tactical acumen are formidable."
"The 'Womanizer'?" Subaru raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like a charming guy."
"He is a man of chivalry," Abel corrected.
"He values honor and decorum. However, he is also a staunch loyalist to the throne. Or rather, to the idea of the throne. To take the city, we must remove him from the board first."
"Remove him? You mean kill him?" Subaru's expression darkened.
"I would pefer that, ideally, we capture him," Abel said, his tone pragmatic.
"Zikr commands the loyalty of his men. If we kill him, the garrison will fight to the last man to avenge him. If we capture him, we can force a surrender. Or better yet, turn him to our side."
"Turn him?"
"Zikr is not a mindless dog like some of the others. He follows the Emperor because he believes it brings stability. If we can prove to him that the current Emperor is a fraud... his loyalty may shift."
Abel rolled up the map.
"But first, we must get inside. And for that, we require a strategy that bypasses the walls entirely."
Subaru sighed, rubbing his temples.
"Let me guess. You have a plan that involves me doing something incredibly stupid and dangerous."
"Dangerous? Perhaps. Stupid? That depends entirely on your execution."
Abel's masked gaze lingered on Subaru for a moment.
"We will discuss the specifics on the road. For now, rest. You will need your strength."
————————————————————
Later that evening, outside the main hut, Subaru found himself sitting by a small fire. The jungle air was cooling down, the humidity finally breaking as night settled in.
"Sooo, you're really going?"
Subaru looked up. Standing there were two Shudraq women he recognized as one of the ones who had accompanied Abel back when he'd arrived at the military camp—Holly and Kuna.
Holly was a beautiful, dark-skinned woman with a chubby face and a bountiful figure that was barely contained by her minimal clothing. Her short black hair was dyed yellow at the tips, a custom of her people. She carried a bow slung casually over her shoulder, and her expression was one of playful, sleepy amusement.
Kuna stood beside her, a stark contrast. She was slender but well-built, with long black hair dyed bright green at the ends. Her face was set in a perpetual scowl, and she radiated a restless, hot-tempered energy.
"Yeah," Subaru said, poking the fire with a stick. "Can't stay here forever. Gotta go save the world, or whatever."
"Haaah... so energetic," Holly couldn't help but sigh at the prospect.
"Going all the way to a stone city... sounds tiring. I'd rather just eat and sleep. You sure you don't want to stay, Subaru-san? We could hunt something tasty."
"Don't be lazy, Holly!" Kuna snapped, her green-tipped hair whipping as she turned on her friend and wagged a finger.
"It sounds like a challenge! Smashing walls, cutting down soldiers! It's better than sitting around here listening to your stomach growl!"
"My stomach is just passionate, Kuna. Unlike your aim, that is." Holly shot back with a lazy grin.
"H-Huh?! What did you say?!" Kuna's face flushed with anger. "My aim is fine! You're just jealous because I'm faster than you!"
"Faster to get angry, maybe." Holly giggled, poking Kuna's cheek.
"Stop it! I'll bite you!"
Subaru watched the bickering with a small smile.
It had honestly been quite some time since he'd seen something so... normal, that he couldn't help but feel amused at the scene before him.
"You two get along well, huh?"
"We share a birthday," Holly said, dodging a swipe from Kuna. "Fate tied us together. Poor Kuna!"
"Poor me?! Poor you for being stuck with me!" Kuna yelled, completely missing the point.
Holly grinned, before stretching, eyes snapped up toward the night sky that floated overhead.
"Well, try not to die, Subaru. It would be a waste. Mizelda seems to like you, even after what happened between you. And if you die, who's going to entertain us?"
"I feel like I should be saying that to you," Subaru shrugged.
Kuna huffed, crossing her arms. "We move out at first light! Don't oversleep, sleepyhead! Or I'll wake you up with a kick!"
"This... this is my first night here!" Subaru said, eyeing her boots nervously.
"Heheh, you just seem like the type y'know~"
As the Shudraq women dispersed to their own huts—Holly sauntering off in search of a late-night snack and Kuna following suite—Subaru sat alone by the fire for a moment longer.
He looked at the flames, thinking of Guaral. Of Zikr Osman, the Womanizer.
And of the plan Abel had hinted at.
Capture the General. Prove the Emperor is fake.
It sounded simple. But in this world, nothing ever was.
"Alright..." Subaru whispered to the fire, clenching his fist. "Let's go take over this city..."
————————————————————
The pair remained quiet as Berstetz, Madelyn, and her impressive squadron of dragons departed Chaosflame. They left without wreaking havoc, without taking innocent lives, and without leaving a single scorch mark on the city's vibrant architecture.
Gojo let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding as the last dragon vanished beyond the horizon. He turned his gaze back to the fox-woman standing beside him.
"Are you... uh... all good?" Gojo asked, raising a brow.
Yorna didn't respond immediately. Her gaze lingered on the horizon for several long seconds, her expression unreadable. Finally, her amber eyes drifted down to the white-haired child.
"What do you mean, child?"
"Well, you know," Gojo scratched the back of his neck, looking away. "Don't you feel betrayed or anything? I'm practically joining the enemy team right in front of you."
Gojo asked the question out of genuine curiosity, but also because a small, unfamiliar knot of guilt had formed in his chest.
Yorna and Chaosflame were notorious for their rebellion against the Empire. Gojo had heard the stories from Tanza—how Yorna defied the Emperor to protect her people. By accepting Berstetz's offer, Gojo was aligning himself with the very system she opposed.
He expected anger.He expected disappointment.
Instead, Yorna smiled. It was a soft, maternal expression that seemed out of place on the face of a Divine General. She shook her head gently.
"Not at all, child. While I would prefer you to stay away from danger entirely, I cannot force you to go against your heart. All I can do is wish that you stay safe."
Gojo's eyes widened. Something inside him—a part of him that usually stayed buried under layers of arrogance and detachment—reacted violently to her words.
"———"
"It is true that you will be standing on the side of the Empire," Yorna continued, her voice calm and soothing. "And I am someone who has revolted against the very throne you now technically serve. But you spoke of the safety of this city and its people before making your decision. For that, I can only be grateful."
She stepped closer, the hem of her kimono brushing against the stone floor.
"Besides... you are not doing this for the Empire, are you? You are doing this for the countless innocent lives that do not deserve to be caught in the crossfire. You are choosing to be a shield, not a sword."
She reached out, her hand hovering for a moment before gently patting his head.
"That is a noble path, Satoru Gojo. Even if it leads you away from here."
Gojo stood frozen. The sensation of her hand on his head was warm, grounding. It reminded him of Tanza. It reminded him of things he thought he had lost.
"Heh..." Gojo muttered, looking down at his feet to hide the sudden stinging in his eyes. "You really are too nice for your own good, you know that?"
"Perhaps," Yorna chuckled. "But kindness is a strength, not a weakness. Do not forget that."
She withdrew her hand, her expression turning serious once more.
"However, be warned. Berstetz Fondalfon is a man of logic, not heart. He will use you if you let him. And Madelyn... she is a storm waiting to break. Watch your back, child."
Gojo looked up, his grin returning, sharp and confident.
"Don't worry about me. I can handle a few snakes and dragons."
He cracked his knuckles.
"Besides, if they try anything funny, I'll just remind them why they came to recruit me in the first place."
Yorna nodded, satisfied.
"Then go. Find your purpose. But remember, the gates of the Crimson Lapis Castle will always be open to you."
Gojo turned to leave, but paused at the edge of the balcony. He looked back over his shoulder, and although his eyes were concealed, it would be very obvious to anyone watching the scene that they held no negativity for Yorna Mishigure.
"Thanks, Yorna. For everything.... and tell Meili I'll be back soon."
I'd rather her not be apart of this whole mess.
Thus, with a burst of cursed energy from using the Limitless, he launched himself into the sky, soaring toward the horizon where the dragons had vanished.
He had a war to stop.And maybe, just maybe, he would find himself along the way.
————————————————————
The journey to the capital, Lupugana, was trivial for someone who could warp space. While Berstetz and Madelyn took the scenic route, Gojo simply... arrived.
He didn't knock.He didn't wait for an audience.
He floated down toward the entrance of the Crystal Palace, hands in his pockets, humming a tune that felt jarringly out of place against the backdrop of imperial grandeur.
A pair of guards stood on either side of the towering, stone-slabbed doors. Their attention snapped to the peculiar white-haired child who had quite literally dropped out of the sky.
They glanced at one another, confusion warring with duty. The guard on the right sighed, scratching the back of his helmet as he stepped forward.
"Brat, beat it. This isn't a place for lost children. Go find your mother before—"
With a simple twitch of Gojo's wrist, the soldier was launched.
There was no sound, no visible impact. Just an unseen flare of azure energy clamping down on the man's armor like a vice. He smashed into the nearby wall with a sickening crunch, unconscious before he even hit the ground.
"———"
The other guard blinked, his jaw going slack. He stared at his fallen comrade, then back at the child, his brain struggling to process the physics of what he had just witnessed.
Then, training kicked in. His eyes flared, and his hand flew to his sword hilt.
"There's an intrud——!?!"
That was all he managed before he, too, was flung backward. He slammed into the colossal stone gate with a resonant clang, sliding down to join his partner in a heap of unconscious steel.
Gojo didn't break stride. A small, amused smile played on his lips as he raised his hand and snapped his wrist forward.
The giant stone gates blasted open, the hinges screaming in protest.
Inside the Crystal Palace, the air instantly turned to ice.
Guards lined the walls, their hands trembling on their weapons. They had already been told before via magical transmission that a "strategic threat" was incoming, but they hadn't expected him to quite literally blast open the door to the throne room, hands in his pockets, looking around at the opulent decor with the casual judgment of a tourist.
A crimson carpet stretched all the way to the end of the hall, leading to the Obsidian Throne.
And sitting upon it was the Emperor, Vincent Vollachia.
"Nice place you got here, man!" Gojo said, his voice echoing in the silent hall. He didn't bow. He didn't kneel. He walked forward, stopping at the base of the stairs leading to the throne.
"Well.... A little stiff for my taste, but the high ceilings are a nice touch! Greaaaaat acoustics~"
"Insolence!" a guard shouted, stepping forward with his spear leveled.
Vincent raised a hand, silencing the guard instantly. The Emperor's eyes narrowed, dark and calculating.
"Satoru Gojo, I presume?" Vincent said calmly, his voice an arrogant baritone that demanded obedience.
"Berstetz informed me of your acquisition. Though, I did not expect you to arrive before the report itself."
"What can I say, I walk reaaal fast~" Gojo grinned, tilting his head. "So, you're the Boss? The Emperor?"
"I am Vincent Vollachia. The Sun of this Empire."
Gojo hummed. Behind the bandages, the Six Eyes were processing a torrent of information.
He saw the flow of mana, the tension in the man's muscles, the intricate weave of various protective spells around the throne. But there was something else. A dissonance. Like a song played slightly off-key.
"You know," Gojo said, his tone dropping an octave, losing its playfulness. "I just came from Chaosflame. Nice lady running that place. Though, your Prime Minister and the Dragon Girl were ready to turn it into a parking lot... and they probably would've if I chose to go against them."
Vincent raised a brow, likely confused by the term "parking lot," but he understood the threat.
"The will of the Empire requires sacrifices. Rebellion must be quelled."
"See, that's the part I don't get..."
Gojo interrupted, stepping up onto the first step of the dais. The guards tensed, unsure whether to rush forth and go against the Emperor's order to protect him and face the risk of execution or not.
The pressure in the room spiked, but Vincent remained motionless.
"I'm told this is a country where the strong rule. 'Might makes right,' yeah?"
"That is the Iron Rule."
"... Then why are you so scared?"
The silence that followed was suffocating.
"You speak of me being scared? Do you wish for that head of yours to be taken clean off it's shoulders?" Vincent repeated, his voice low and dangerous.
"Well... I doubt I'd be a big fan of that, but yeah... scared, speaking of that——" Gojo pointed a finger at the Emperor. "Only weak rulers sacrifice their own people to keep their seat warm. The truly strong? They have the luxury of not using those around them. I promised Yorna I'd be a shield, not a sword. So here is my question for you, Your Majesty..."
Gojo leaned forward, his grin sharp.
"Are you trying to save this Empire, or are you just trying to save yourself?"
This was the crux of the meeting. Gojo needed to know if the "Emperor" was a selfish tyrant—just like the Jujutsu Higher-ups he despised—or a man making hard choices for a greater good.
Vincent Vollachia looked at the white-haired anomaly. He understood that lying to this man, truly lying, might result in death. Not just his death, but the end of the plan to save Vollachia from the coming apocalypse.
"The Great Disaster approaches..." Vincent said, shifting the narrative to the truth. "A calamity that will swallow this land whole. The rebellion weakens us when we need to be united. I do not burn cities for pleasure, outsider. I prune the branches so the tree may survive the storm."
Gojo stared at him for a long moment. The Six Eyes analyzed every micro-expression, every fluctuation about his body, even his very heartbeat.
He was telling the truth. Or at least, he believed those words with every fiber of his being.
"A disaster... huh?" Gojo straightened up, the oppressive aura around him vanishing instantly, replaced by his usual aloofness.
"Well, why didn't you just say so? I'm pretty good at handling disasters."
"You speak with unearned confidence."
"Well, that's what makes me so charming, right~" Gojo corrected.
"Here's the deal, Emperor. I'll help you. I'll stop this war, and I'll help you with your little 'Disaster' problem. But the collateral damage stops now while it's still minimal. So, no burning cities. No sacrificing pawns."
Gojo took a step closer, invading the Emperor's personal space. Although his short stature meant he had to look up, his presence towered over the man on the throne.
"And one more thing..." Gojo whispered, low enough that only "Vincent" could hear.
"You're a good actor. Really good. But you feel... lighter than I expected. Almost like you're holding that seat for someone else."
Vincent's eyes twitched. It was microscopic, invisible to the naked eye, but to the Six Eyes, it was practically a confession.
"Don't worry, don't worry~" Gojo pulled back, patting the fake Emperor on the shoulder—an act of treason punishable by death that left the room paralyzed in shock.
"I don't really care who sits in that chair, as long as they don't make a mess. We have a deal?"
Vincent Vollachia—— No, "Chisha Gold" stared at the hand on his shoulder, then up at the blindfolded monster who had just seen through the greatest deception in the Empire's history with a mere glance.
"Very well..." Chisha said, his voice steady, though his mind was racing. "If you can prove your utility, Satoru Gojo, the Empire will abide by your terms. Do not disappoint me."
Gojo grinned, turning his back on the throne.
He had confirmed two things.
First, the Empire was desperate.
Second, the man on the throne wasn't the root of the evil—he was just another cog in a broken machine.
And Satoru Gojo was excellent at breaking machines.
————————————————————
The command office of General Zikr Osman was a space of disciplined elegance. Maps of the region were pinned to the walls with meticulous care, and the scent of polished wood and old parchment filled the air.
Zikr Osman stood by the window, looking down at the main gate of Guaral. He was a short man, thin-shouldered and not very imposing, though, his eyes spoke of experience.
"The gates are sealed, General..." Todd Fang reported, standing at attention. "No merchants, no travelers. The city is locked down tight."
Zikr turned, his expression grave.
"It is a drastic measure, Private Fang. The merchants are already complaining. The economy of Guaral relies on trade. To shut it down completely based on the word of a single soldier..."
"It is not just my word, General." Todd said smoothly, his face a mask of earnest concern. "It is the lives of your men. That... thing... slaughtered my entire unit. He commands the Shudraq. He wields a dagger of the Imperial Line. If he infiltrates this city, the carnage will be unimaginable!"
Todd let out a shaky breath, before taking a step forward, lowering his voice.
"He relies on deception despite his strength, General. He will not attack the walls. He will try to slip in disguised as a refugee, or a merchant, or who knows, perhaps even a woman! He mocks our traditions. He mocks you. He mocks His Emperor Vincent Vollachia himself!"
Zikr's brow furrowed. The idea of an enemy mocking the Empire itself stung his very core.
"If he is indeed the threat you say he is... then we cannot take chances. Very well. The lockdown remains in effect. Any unauthorized approach to the gates is to be met with lethal force."
"Thank you, General." Todd bowed.
As Zikr turned back to the window, Todd's expression shifted. The earnest concern vanished, replaced by a cold, predatory calculation.
Good. The trap is set.
Todd believed that he knew Subaru enough. By sealing the city, Todd had forced Subaru's hand. He had removed the variables.
Todd touched the axe at his belt, and growled.
Come on, Natsuki Subaru! Try to sneak in. Try to play your games!
I have turned this entire city into a mousetrap. And the moment you step inside... you'll find your neck broken in two!
————————————————————
The road to Guaral was eerily quiet.
Usually, this trade route would be bustling with carriages, merchants, and travelers. But today, it was empty. The dust settled undisturbed on the cobblestones.
Crouched in the underbrush a mile out, Natsuki Subaru lowered the spyglass Abel had provided. Beside him, Abel, Kuna, Holly, and Louis waited in silence.
"That's... weird, right?" Subaru muttered as he squinted toward the peculiar sight in the distance.
"What is it?" Abel asked, his voice muffled slightly by his mask.
"The gates are closed. Like, closed closed. There's no line. No guards checking papers or anything like that I've seen or gone through in the past. It looks like they've literally shut down the entire city."
Abel's eyes narrowed, hand rising to his chin.
"A lockdown? That is... unexpected. Zikr Osman is a cautious man, but he is also a pragmatist. Closing a trade hub like Guaral costs the Empire gold with every passing hour. He would not do this without a compelling reason."
"Maybe they know we're coming?" Holly suggested, raising a hand. "Maybe they're scared of us!"
"Or maybe someone tipped them off?" Kuna muttered with a frown. "Someone who somehow knows we're here?"
Subaru felt a cold knot form in his stomach.
Todd? No, no, don't think that negative, he wasn't the only soldier there, the far more likely option would be that Jamal person than someone like Todd.
"So, do we just smash our way through the gate?" Kuna asked eagerly.
"No," Abel said sharply. "If we attack the gate, we face the full might of the garrison. We need a distraction. Something that forces them to open the doors."
"A distraction?" Subaru looked at the massive stone walls. "Like what? A fire? A riot?"
Before Abel could answer his question, a strange sound cut through the air.
It wasn't a shout. It wasn't a horn.
It was a hum. A low, vibrating hum that seemed to come from the sky itself.
Subaru's head snapped upward.
High above the city, a speck appeared against the sun. It grew larger, descending with terrifying speed.
Abel looked up, and for the first time, Subaru saw the Emperor's composure crack. His body went rigid and his eyes flared in something that could only resemble panic.
"...No——" Abel whispered, his voice tight.
"That is... Arakiya." Abel said, the name sounding like a curse. "The Second Rank of the Nine Divine Generals. The Spirit Eater."
Subaru clenched his jaw tight in confusion.
"Wait... you said the odds of a Divine General being here were small!"
"I said the odds of Cecilus being here were small, Arakiya... is a different variable entirely!" Abel corrected, though his voice was grim as he averted his attention toward Holly and the others.
The figure resembled that of a human, but their appearance was unidentifiable.
The reason for that was surprisingly simple, yet equally complex.
From head-to-toe, the Spirit Eater overhead soared like a phoenix in the literal sense, her entire body engulfed in crimson fire that only intensified and grew as she blitzed through the sky at ridiculous speed.
"We must retreat, victory here is not——!!"
Subaru's eyes flared as the woman blasted far above them, something that could only resemble military bombardment raining down on both them and the forest.
They were not quite meteors, but balls of mana taken the form of fire, and no doubt the effects of it too.
"Damn it!"
Subaru reacted the fastest, in fact, he was the only one who could react.
"I can return by——!"
That familiar sensation of his cursed energy output surging was like a drug, one that he hadn't tasted in quite some time. Though, he couldn't think on that incredible sensation.
It was a motion forged by countless battles and instinct, his lips parting as he swung an arm into the air, his veins congealing with darkness that blasted out of his palm like a barrier that blotted the sun, covering the small group from the hellfire that rained down above.
Each impact made him wince like he had been struck physically, and he could feel severe damage accumulate to the sphere of darkness surrounding them, formed with his Authority.
The likes of Abel and Louis fell off their feet from the overwhelming trembling that was a sure sign of oblivion engulfing their surroundings.
Before his darkness could shatter from the impacts, they had stopped.
"Guh..."
He fell onto one knee and let out a gasp of effort, his right hand trembling before he clenched it into a fist.
"Uaaa!" Louis yelped, climbing back onto her feet to see if Subaru was alright.
The smoke cleared slowly, revealing a scene of absolute devastation.
The lush forest that had concealed them moments ago was gone. In its place was a crater of scorched earth, the soil turned to glass in patches, the trees reduced to smoldering charcoal skeletons. The only patch of green remaining was the small circle directly beneath Subaru's feet, preserved by the dome of pitch-black negativity he had summoned.
"Uaa!" Louis cried out, grabbing his arm. Her small hands were shaking, her eyes wide with terror as she looked at the destruction just inches away from where the barrier had ended.
"I'm... I'm good... just... got the wind knocked out of me from blocking something like that."
Abel stared at the black-haired boy, his mask hiding his expression, but his body language betrayed his shock. He looked from the scorched earth to Subaru's trembling hand.
He blocked it, A bombardment from the Spirit Eater, capable of leveling a fortress, and he negated it. That was not Magic. That was not a Spirit Art. That was... something else.
Abel thought, the calculation in his mind shifting rapidly.
"You possess the means to withstand the likes of Arakiya?" Abel asked, his voice low and urgent. "It appears I'd underestimated your power after all."
"Well you didn't really ask, but still, less talking, more trying to live! She's not done!"
As if on cue, the air pressure dropped.
The hum returned, but this time, it wasn't distant. It was right on top of them.
A shockwave of dust and ash exploded outward as a figure slammed into the center of the crater, just twenty meters away. The heat was instantaneous and suffocating, drying the moisture from their eyes and making it hard to breathe.
As the dust settled and the inferno engulfing her had died down, Arakiya stood there. The flames that had engulfed her body flickered and died down, revealing her dark skin, her white hair, and the scant, tribal clothing of the Spirit Eater. She held a small stick, and her eyes which were incredibly vacant, scanned the group.
She didn't look like a soldier. She looked like a force of nature squeezed into human shape.
She took a step forward, the ground hissing beneath her bare feet. She sniffed the air, her nose twitching.
"Vincent..."
She murmured, her voice drifting like smoke. Then, her head snapped toward Subaru. Her expression scrunched up in visible disgust.
"Stinks."
Subaru blinked, sweat dripping down his nose.
"Excuse me?"
"You..." Arakiya pointed her stick at him. "You smell... it's bad."
She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing. To a Spirit Eater, who feasted on the pure, life-giving energy of spirits and mana, the Cursed Energy radiating off Subaru was repulsively bitter in comparison. It was the taste of regret, malice, and grief—a poison to her palate.
"Disgusting..." she spat. "Why are you... with Vincent?"
Abel stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of the Shudraqians, though he kept Subaru between himself and the General.
"Arakiya." Abel attempted to command the darker-skinned woman, his voice adopting the imperious tone of the Emperor. "Stand down. You are interfering with—"
"No..."
Arakiya interrupted, her voice flat. She raised her hand, and the ambient mana in the air began to scream, swirling into a vortex of crimson around her stick which somehow did not burn despite the flame.
"——Die."
"Oh, give me a break...!!" Subaru groaned, his hands coming up, cursed energy flaring around his fists like black smoke.
————————————————————
General Zikr Osman gripped the stone railing of the rampart so hard his knuckles turned white. He stared at the plume of smoke rising from the forest, his face pale.
"That was... the Spirit Eater..." Zikr whispered, his voice trembling. "Why is a Divine General here? And why is she bombarding the trade route?"
Beside him, Todd Fang was silent. His face was perfectly neutral, a mask of disciplined calm, but inside, his mind was screaming.
The plan is ruined. Utterly ruined.
He had set a mousetrap. He had sealed the city to force Natsuki Subaru into a desperate infiltration where Todd could corner and kill him.
But you don't use a mousetrap to catch a dragon. And you certainly don't worry about a mouse when a volcano just erupted in your front yard.
"General!" Todd barked, snapping into his role. "That explosion—if the rebels are out there, they've likely been incinerated. But Arakiya... she is known for her volatility. If she turns her attention to the city..."
"We must open the gates," Zikr said, realizing the danger. "If a Divine General demands entry, we cannot keep them locked out. It would be treason of the highest order."
Todd grit his teeth. If the gates opened, the chaos would be absolute. But as he looked at the rising smoke, a new thought occurred to him.
Wait. Wait... seriously?
Todd squinted against the glare. The smoke wasn't just rising; it was being blown away. There was a struggle happening. Flashes of black and red clashed amidst the grey.
Someone survived that?
Todd's hand drifted to his axe. A chill ran down his spine—the same chill he felt whenever Natsuki Subaru was involved.
"General," Todd said softly, his voice dropping. "Do not open the gate just yet. Let us see... what crawls out of the fire."
Zikr Osman watched the scene from afar with a clear frown. Just what had arrived to the doorstep of Guaral that it required the attention of the second strongest person in Vollachia?
————————————————————
"You guys can't fight her!" Subaru yelled, his voice cracking as he raised a wall of darkness to block another tidal wave of fire. The impact shook his bones, leaving a massive, scorched crater in the earth.
"She eats spirits, right? So she literally eats mana! You guys use mana to strengthen your bodies!"
Subaru took a step forward, the black aura around him intensifying. It was heavy, oppressive—the manifestation of his emotion weaponized into power.
"I'm the only one she can't eat!" Subaru shouted, his eyes locked on the silver-haired woman floating above the devastation. "Because unsurprisingly, I seem to taste like crap as well!"
Arakiya frowned. A surge of genuine annoyance flickered across her face. The ball of fire on her wooden stick intensified, glowing like a miniature sun.
She took a step forward, her first so far, and swung her wooden staff forth.
"Annoying..."
She launched the fireball. It wasn't a projectile; it was a beam of concentrated heat, a laser designed to erase matter with heat.
The torrent of fire slammed into a rapidly formed pillar of darkness. Subaru gritted his teeth, feeling the heat sear his skin even through the barrier.
He caught a glimpse of his surroundings. The lush green jungle was gone. In its place was a barren wasteland of ash, fallen trees, and fire.
Abel and Louis were huddled behind a rock, coughing in the smoke. Kuna and Holly were further back, their weapons drawn but useless against this level of destruction.
They're trapped. If I fall, they die.
"You're annoying...!" Arakiya muttered, snapping her peculiar weapon back once again, as Subaru attempted to abuse the opening to rush her.
But, before he could close the distance, she thrust the staff forward once more. An even more powerful wave of fire crashed against his defenses.
I can't get close! It's like she has infinite mana! This is ridiculous!
Stunned by the sheer output, Subaru stumbled back, raising his forearms to brace himself.
"I can Return by—!!"
The Taboo gripped his heart. The Witch's scent exploded from him, thickening the miasma around his body. His reinforcement sharpened, the cursed energy becoming denser, darker.
But it wasn't enough.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOM——!!
The barrier shattered.
Subaru was thrown back, wincing through the smoke and agonizing pain. He lowered his arms, which were now thoroughly scorched, the skin blistering and raw.
He wanted to fall to his knees. The pain was overwhelming. But he knew he couldn't.
As Arakiya took a step forward to approach the persistent black-haired boy, an arrow whizzed straight toward her face.
She sidestepped it with lazy ease. A second arrow aimed for her throat was dodged with a slight tilt of her head.
Kuna and Holly watched with wide eyes, their hands trembling on their bows.
"What?!" Kuna gasped. "She didn't even look!"
"Strange..." Arakiya whispered. She ignored the archers completely. Her red eyes were fixed on Subaru.
She lowered her staff and crouched, muscles coiling like a beast about to pounce.
"I want to see... what is inside you."
And before Subaru could even comprehend the meaning behind her words...
——She vanished.
Subaru's eyes widened.
Fast—? Wait, no, it's not speed. What is th—
He didn't see her move. He just felt the impact.
Something hard slammed into his gut, folding him in half. The air was forced from his lungs in a violent burst. He was launched through the air like a ragdoll, the shockwave of the blow dissipating the nearby fire and blowing ash into a miniature hurricane.
"Uaaa!"
Louis was blown off her feet by the force. Abel staggered, shielding his face as Subaru's body blasted past them at speeds his eyes could barely visualize, crashing through tree after tree before finally coming to a stop in a cloud of dust.
"———!"
Silence fell over the clearing.
Arakiya stood where Subaru had been a moment ago, her grip lightening on the stick in her hand. She tilted her head, looking at the destruction she had caused with the curiosity of a child examining a broken toy.
Her eyes shifted back toward the trench carved into the ash-covered ground. Movement in the distance caught her eye.
Her nose wrinkled. The stench was disgusting. It was a rot that clung to the soul, a smell she associated with things that should not exist.
She really, really didn't like this person. She wanted to kill him. Right now.
"He's still alive... well, okay then——"
——BOOM!
Subaru burst from the crater, blood dripping from his forehead. His shirt was torn to ribbons, revealing a back that was raw and bleeding from the impact.
He yelled the Taboo once more, the miasma exploding around him. His speed intensified, his legs becoming a blur to the Shudraq women, Abel, and Louis, who watched from a distance, helpless.
He let out a single, sharp breath. He raised his hand, conjuring an onyx blade with the Authority of Pride. With a savage swipe, he unleashed a crescent-shaped arc of dark mana that traveled at blistering speeds to slice Arakiya in two.
But it was wishful thinking.
With a lazy flick of her staff, countless crystals of all shapes and sizes manifested from the air. Earth magic.
His mana projectile didn't last a second. It was torn to ribbons by the barrage of diamond-hard shards before it could even close the gap.
"Tch. So she can use more than just fire...!"
Subaru bent his knees, leaping high above the assault. His contracted pupils locked onto the next wave of projectiles—hundreds of stone spikes aimed to turn him into a pincushion.
Authority of Pride.
He twisted reality with a gaze, and the spikes warped around his body, missing him by millimeters as he dove through the storm.
"———"
Arakiya's eyebrows raised at the abnormal sight. But she didn't slow down.
Instead, the mana around her shifted. The orange glow of fire, as it were previously, dilated into an intense, blinding blue.
Dozens of orbs of blue hellfire conjured above the Divine General instantly. With a gesture, she blasted them forward in a concentrated line, aiming directly at Subaru's path.
It was a wall of complete and utter annihilation.
If that hits, I'm ash.
Subaru landed in a low stance as he burst free of the uplifted smoke, skidding through the dirt.
Although the Authority of Pride allowed him to alter the trajectory of attacks, he couldn't warp what he couldn't see. The heat was overwhelming. Intense burns blossomed across his skin, and his remaining clothes caught fire. A headache lanced through his skull like a javelin, the cost of overusing that aspect of his Authority.
But he didn't stop. He was so close.
With one final, desperate leap, he threw himself above the Spirit Eater. He raised his sword arm, focusing every ounce of strength into the swing.
"——Vita!"
Subaru's mana pool was pitiful compared to a mage even after all the time he'd spent increasing it, but he had learned a few tricks.
Without Beatrice, using spells was a risk, but he had no choice at the current moment in time.
Gravity increased. His weight multiplied.
"HAAAAH!!!"
He fell toward the woman with a roar, his descent accelerated to terminal velocity by the gravity magic.
He swung. The Spirit Eater couldn't dodge.
His blade split straight through her body as if she were made of smoke. The shockwave shattered the ground beneath them.
I got her!
"———!!"
Subaru's eyes flared in panic.
Arakiya's body, which seemed to have been bisected, dematerialized into the wind. No—she became the wind itself.
Subaru leapt back instantly, desperate to make distance. He watched as Arakiya rematerialized a moment later, unscathed, her wand pointed at him.
No attack came.
"Hu——hrk!?"
Suddenly, Subaru vomited blood. He staggered, falling to his knees as agony erupted in his stomach.
"That's enough playing now."
Arakiya muttered in a plain tone, as if everything up to this point had been a game of tag.
Then, something pierced Subaru again.
And again. And again. And again.
Flashes of light. Beams of pure, concentrated mana. They were so blindingly fast that he couldn't even see them, let alone dodge. They punched through his arms, his legs, his chest, turning him into a sieve.
The difference in speed was absolute. It was the difference between a man running and a beam of light.
As his vision faded, all Natsuki Subaru could think about was the impossibility of it all.
If I can't even scratch the Second Rank...
What the hell am I supposed to do about the First?
"———"
A final blast pierced his brain before he could even see it.
In an instant, everything seized. The pain vanished. The world went black.
And death swallowed him whole.