Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Redoing everything even if it means Sharing
The room was swallowed in shadow.
Only the faint clinking of chains against stone echoed in the still air, like the ticking of a clock counting down the final seconds of a life.
“It’s… almost the end…” A hoarse voice rasped, barely audible beneath the sound of strangled breath.
On the floor, a boy with messy black hair struggled for air, his back pressed against the cold floor. His thin frame convulsed with every desperate gasp, nails clawing uselessly at the hand gripping his throat. Before him stood a pink-haired prisoner—expression cold, grip unyielding, eyes brimming with a fury sharp enough to cut.
“I’m… I’m about to die…” the boy thought, the edges of his vision trembling with black.
“—You will die now, Barusu.” The girl’s voice was as calm as it was merciless. Each word dropped like a dagger into the silence. “After this, I will have my vengeance.”
Her grip tightened. Natsuki Subaru’s windpipe shrieked in protest, and the sound of his body thrashing against the floor echoed through the suffocating dark.
“Ram…” Subaru wheezed in his thoughts, his chest burning as every gulp of air failed him. “Thank you… for never losing your color…”
But even as death’s hands encircled his throat, his mind drifted back—back to the manor, to fleeting mornings and fragile laughter.
“No Comments, Barusu?” Ram’s sharp eyes bore into him. The light in his pupils was flickering, yet she held no hesitation. “Do you regret it? Do you regret killing my sister?”
Her question cut deeper than her hands ever could.
Subaru, with what fragments of breath still remained, lifted his gaze. The corners of his vision blurred, but in Ram’s tear-streaked face he saw not just her—but a fleeting glimpse of another. Blue hair, a soft smile, a smile that is worth a million volts .
Rem.
And the memories struck him with the force of a blade: her focused looks as she cooked, her kindness helping Ram, the small, irreplaceable moments of sisterhood between them. He remembered the warmth of her smile at that time—and the cold sting of her weapon as she ended his life in other loops.
Fear, rage, despair—all of them surged through him. But over them, two emotions towered above all others. Happiness… and regret.
Happiness that he had ever met her. Regret that he had not done enough. That he had not chosen differently. That he had not jumped from the cliff that day.
“Ram… or… Rem…” Subaru’s failing voice trembled, broken, each word wrung out of a dying throat.
Ram’s grip faltered, if only for a fraction of a second. Her eyes glistened, tears spilling despite the mask of cold indifference she tried to hold. Even she couldn’t hide that she didn’t want this—that her vengeance came at the cost of her heart.
“Well, Barusu,” she whispered, voice quivering in betrayal of herself. “Any last words? This nightmare ends here.”
His lips moved, pale and bloodless. The last fragments of life in him gathered for one final truth.
“I-If I had… one more chance…” Subaru’s chest rattled as air fled him. His eyes met hers, unwavering despite the haze of death. “I-I’d want… to know the real you… both of you… Ram… and Rem…”
The words struck her like a blade sharper than any curse. Ram’s eyes widened. The tears she had hidden now fell freely, splashing against Subaru’s paling skin.
“…You fool,” she whispered, voice breaking. A trembling smile tugged at her lips, fragile and fleeting. “I… would have liked that too, Barusu.”
Her hand trembled. Then it clenched with finality. Subaru's last moments were seeing the world in full color once more.
“You have such pretty colored eyes,” Subaru whispered to himself as the lights finally faded away from his eyes.
The chain rattled one last time. Subaru’s body fell limp, the last of his breath leaving him as silence reclaimed the dark chamber.
Ram stood above him, tears running unchecked down her cheeks.
And in the stillness of the night, Natsuki Subaru the man who had enough wrath in his heart to be labeled the Slaughter King was finally put to rest in the hands of the one that bears a similar sin.
In another reality one different from the Slaughter King—an old man lay upon a futon in a quiet room.
The air was still, filled with the faint scent of incense. A paper lantern glowed softly in the corner, casting a warm, golden hue over the tatami mats. The man’s body was frail, his breaths shallow, but even as time carved lines into his face, his eyes still retained a sharp gleam, a reminder of the countless struggles they had once endured.
His hair, once a wild shade of raven black, was streaked heavily with white, the weight of years showing from the roots outward. Yet, when he turned his head, his smile had not dulled—it carried the same reckless light as it had when he was young.
By his side sat a woman with long, flowing blue hair. Though her face had aged with grace, she looked younger than him, her beauty untouched by the years in ways that only reminded him of the miracle she was. Her hand clasped his tightly, unwilling to let him slip away.
“Subaru-kun… how do you feel?” she asked softly, her voice tender and steady, though her fingers trembled as they gripped his hand more firmly.
The man—Natsuki Subaru—turned his head toward her, his lips curling into a faint but genuine smile. “…Not so great, Rem-rin,” he murmured, his voice thin, strained with age. Then, with a small, boyish grin, he added, “But having you here makes it a whole lot more bearable.”
Rem’s eyes shimmered instantly, tears spilling despite her attempt to hold them back. She pressed his hand closer to her cheek, cherishing the warmth she could still feel.
Subaru was seventy-eight now. He had lived long enough to see his family grow, to watch children become adults, and to feel pride in the legacy he had built. Yet despite all those years, he could never shake away the memories of the choices that had brought him here.
Crusch.
The villagers.
Ram.
Emilia.
No matter how much time passed, Subaru could not forget the day he had run. The weight of that decision lingered in the shadow of his heart, even now, when the end of his life loomed ever closer.
Tears began to blur his vision as he gazed at the woman who had stayed by his side through it all. “…Hey, Rem-rin. I… I have a question.”
His tone was quiet, his eyes distant and unfocused.
Rem straightened, brushing her tears quickly, then leaned closer. “What is it, Subaru-kun? Is there anything I can do to help ease your pain?” she asked, forcing a brave smile, though the corners of her lips quivered.
Subaru returned a weak smile of his own. “…Do you regret it? The things we did… to reach this point in our lives?”
Rem’s eyes widened, and for a moment her smile faltered. But then she shook her head gently, her blue hair swaying with the motion. “Of course not. We have our family, the life we built together, the years of happiness we shared… all of it was thanks to you, Subaru-kun.”
Yet as her gaze lingered on him, her own heart betrayed her. Her voice trembled faintly as she whispered, “…But… I do miss—”
Before she could finish, Subaru interrupted, his voice breaking as the last walls of guilt collapsed. “If… if we had one more chance… would you go with me? Would you help me save everyone at Roswaal Manor?”
The words poured out like a confession, heavy with the grief and guilt he had buried for decades. His eyes shimmered with desperation, begging her for the answer his soul had longed to hear.
Rem froze. Her lips parted, her hand squeezing his with trembling strength. Finally, she lowered her gaze, her voice soft and unsteady. “…Of course, Subaru-kun. If I could, I would. Back then… it was easy to give up…”
Subaru flinched at the words, the memory of that failed loop slamming into him like a knife. He had done everything—everything—and still failed them.
But Rem’s voice did not stop. She lifted her gaze once more, and this time, her eyes carried no doubt. “…But I know you. I know you won't give up. Because… you were my hero, Subaru-kun.”
Her words cut through his sorrow, reaching the boy buried deep beneath the years. Subaru’s dim eyes brightened, a spark of fire returning to their depths.
“We could redo everything and come back from square one.” Rem said smiling similar to how she did when she was much younger.
“From square one…” he whispered. Then, correcting himself with the old stubborn grin he once wore against the world, “…no, from zero.”
Rem’s tears fell freely now, but her smile was genuine. “Yes… just like you once told me. We could talk, laugh, and start again, no matter how many times it took. So no matter what happens, Subaru… I will always love you. Because you are the hero who brought light into my world.”
Subaru chuckled softly, though his chest rattled with the effort. “…Heh. Thank you, Rem. For loving me… even when I couldn’t for myself. I love you too. And if… if I had one more chance… I’d spend it saving everyone… like the hero you believed I was.”
“Yes,” she whispered, lowering her forehead to his. “And I will follow you… until the very end.”
Their lips met in a gentle, lingering kiss, carrying within it all the years of their bond, all the unspoken words, all the love and regret that had defined their lives.
When she pulled back, Subaru’s eyes were half-closed, his smile faint but peaceful. His grip slackened. His chest rose once more… then stilled.
“…Subaru-kun…” Rem whispered, her voice cracking. She pressed his hand to her face, her tears spilling without end. Her cries filled the quiet room, each one carrying the pain of a heart breaking.
The door slid open. A group of men and women entered—Subaru and Rem’s children, their legacy. Some bore their father’s dark hair, others their mother’s blue eyes, each carrying features that told the story of the lives that had come before them.
Rem turned toward them, her face wet and red from weeping. She forced her lips into a trembling smile.
“Your father… has gone to a better place.”
Their children bowed their heads, their cries joining hers. The room was filled with sorrow, but also with love.
And so, Natsuki Subaru—the boy who was once slothful in his defiance against the world, the man who found peace in running away—at last laid down his burdens. Surrounded by the love of the family he had built, he drifted into eternal rest.
The ruins groaned in silence.
A crumbling tower, long abandoned, stretched toward the night sky, its windows shattered, its stone blackened with time. Within its hollowed halls, four figures remained—their presence the last spark of life within the corpse of this place.
A young woman with brown hair tied in a braid stood near the shadows, tense and watchful. Beside her loomed a boy with pale white hair, his expression calm, almost empty. Before them lay two figures upon the ground: a red-haired knight and a platinum-haired witch, both brought low.
Reinhard van Astrea—the Sword Saint himself—knelt upon one knee, blood staining his lips, unable to draw forth the blade that had meant to slay monsters or those who are worthy. Pandora, the Witch of Vainglory, struggled to rise, but with her authority nullified, even she found herself fragile, her recovery gone.
Both raised their gazes toward the pale-haired boy standing before them. His eyes gleamed with unnatural light, cold and piercing, and his expression carried a calm that chilled to the bone.
“So then… Reinhard. Pandora.” His voice echoed softly through the broken chamber as he stepped closer, the sound of his shoes tapping against stone. “I’ll ask you once more: do you know who Natsuki Subaru is?”
Pandora, her lips curved into a smile even as her body trembled, tilted her head.
“…Is thou not him?” she asked, her tone melodic, searching.
But the boy only narrowed his eyes.
“Hm. It seems you don’t know… or perhaps you’re lying to me.”
With a flick of his wrist, he motioned toward the woman in the braid. Shaula. She understood without words, her fingers snapping into the shape of a gun.
A blast of invisible force split the air. Pandora’s head snapped back as Shaula’s [Hell Snipe] struck true, the Witch’s head disappeared from her body as though her end had always been written.
The boy—Natsuki Subaru—turned his gaze toward the fallen bookcase nearby, where books lay scattered. He reached for one, then stopped, his eyes drifting back to Reinhard, who now struggled upright. The knight’s hand gripped the hilt of the Dragon Sword Reid, straining to unsheathe it. But the blade remained inert.
Subaru’s footsteps echoed as he closed the distance. His voice was low, cutting.
“Reinhard… we’ve met more times than you realize. And yet, I’ll ask again: do you know who Natsuki Subaru is?”
Reinhard staggered, forcing his body to stand tall despite the pain. His eyes blazed, his spirit unbroken. “Yes… I know him.” He raised the sheathed sword as if to defy fate itself. “He is my friend. And he is nothing like you… whoever you are.”
His words carried weight, even now. Reinhard, the invincible Sword Saint, moved to charge.
But Subaru’s lips twisted into a smile as a new sensation pulsed through him—a power awakened in the wake of Pandora’s death. “You never had it,” Subaru whispered, his voice dripping with malice. “The Divine Protection of the Sword Saint… the Divine Protection of the Phoenix… they were never yours.”
Reinhard’s body shuddered, as if something vital had been ripped from him. Yet still, he pressed forward, unyielding.
A second [Hell Snipe] tore through the air, striking Reinhard in the leg. The knight collapsed with a cry, his sword clattering against stone, inert as a rusted relic.
Subaru stood over him, expression calm, unflinching. Shaula raised her finger-gun again, aiming for Reinhard’s head.
“…Game over, Reinhard,” Subaru said softly. “Don’t worry. I’ll fix everything soon enough.”
With a final flick of his hand, Shaula fired. The Sword Saint fell still.
The two impossibles—Pandora and Reinhard—were gone.
Subaru turned to the books of the dead scattered before him. With trembling hands, he reached for them, one after another, absorbing their memories, their truths. His eyes widened as he devoured their contents.
“So this is it…?” His voice wavered, almost childlike. “This is what made him so loved? Surely there had to be something more… something beyond just Return by Death…”
As he read, his body shook, his chest constricting. The air in the room warped—and then, in the darkness, he saw him.
Another boy.
Another Subaru.
The amnesiac, trembling, stepped forward. “N-Natsuki Subaru… there you are… I-I did it—”
“YOU’RE A HORRIBLE GUY, YOU KNOW THAT, NATSUKI SUBARU!”
The other Subaru’s voice cut like a blade, distorted, echoing with rage. His hands shot forward, gripping the amnesiac by the collar.
“You killed everyone who loved you. Everyone who knew you. All because you lost your memories!”
“I-I didn’t! N-no, listen to me—I-I could still use Return by Dea—”
“You think you can fix this with Return by Death?!” the distorted Subaru roared, shaking him violently. “Did you forget already?! After you died… could you ever go back far enough?!”
The words froze him. His mind raced. His heart pounded. And then… realization struck.
“…No.” His lips trembled. “No, that can’t be right… I can still… I can still fix this—”
“You can’t.” The distorted Subaru’s eyes burned into him. “You’ve lost everything. You can’t save anyone anymore.”
Subaru staggered back, shaking his head, denying the truth. “N-No… you’re fake. You’re not me. The real Natsuki Subaru… the real one… he would save everyone!”
But the voice of reality shattered his denial.
“Master… you finally did it,” Shaula’s voice whispered softly. Her smile was tender, almost affectionate. “You defeated everyone. And as your loyal slave… I’ll do my final job.”
Subaru whipped his head toward her, confusion etched across his face. “W-What are you talking about…?”
Shaula raised her hand, shaped her fingers into a gun, and pressed it against her own temple.
“W-Wait… no! Don’t—Shaula!!”
His cry echoed, but it was too late.
[Hell Snipe].
Her body collapsed.
“NOOO!” Subaru screamed, lunging forward, bloodshot eyes wide with terror. He grabbed a broken shard of wood and drove it into his neck, desperate to trigger Return by Death.
The world warped—he returned—
Only to see Shaula once again raising her finger-gun to her head.
“Shaula, don’t—!!”
Her body fell once more.
He tried again.
And again.
And again.
But each time, her death awaited him. His checkpoint was gone. His path was erased. His salvation was denied.
At last, Subaru collapsed, trembling, his hands gripping his white hair as his tears streamed.
“No… this isn’t… this isn’t how it was supposed to go…” His voice cracked, raw with despair. “I was supposed to save everyone! I was supposed to fix this! B-but I can’t… if Return by Death won’t let me…”
His eyes lifted to the scattered books of the dead. His hands shook as he reached for them.
“I-I was supposed to find out… who Natsuki Subaru really was. It was supposed to be in these books!”
But the truth weighed heavy. His fists clenched, rage boiling over.
“DAMN IT!!” He screamed, hurling the books, smashing the shelves, tearing apart the chamber. “Are you telling me… that Natsuki Subaru wasn’t special at all?! That all I had… was this curse?!”
The ruins echoed with his fury until nothing remained but dust and silence.
At last, he dragged himself up the spiral stairs to the tower’s balcony. The same place where Shaula once sat to watch the endless horizon.
He stood at the railing, his eyes empty, his voice a whisper.
“If I could… I would like… one more chance.” His tears streaked down his pale face. “If I had just one more chance… I wouldn’t care about who I really was. I’d throw it away. I’d rather… I’d rather just spend my time… getting to know them.”
Memories flashed across his mind—the faces of those who once stood by his side, their smiles, their voices, their laughter. He should have cherished them. He should have known them better.
“…Natsuki Subaru is simply… a greater person than I am.”
He leaned forward, closing his eyes as the wind whipped against him. His body fell from the tower, spiraling down. The ground rushed to meet him.
And then—
Silence.
His body broke against the earth, his blood staining the ruins as the hungry shadows of mabeasts drew near.
Thus ended the tale of Natsuki Subaru—
The man who devoured the world in his gluttonous search for himself, only to discover, in the end, that his true self was nothing but a hollow shell… forgotten, unloved, and utterly alone.
On a lonely hill stood a small umbrella table, its legs rooted into the grass as if to defy the winds. Upon it rested a porcelain tea set, steaming faintly in the cool air. Two figures sat opposite one another—one in the black of a suit, the other in a black dress, her white hair catching the light making it shine.
The man leaned against the table, his hand covering sharp, tired eyes. His breathing was shallow, the kind of exhaustion that could not be soothed by rest. Opposite him, the witch smiled as though none of it mattered, lifting her cup with unshaken elegance.
“…Echidna.” The man’s voice was hoarse as he lowered his hand, revealing dark eyes filled with fury. “This has been the one-hundred and twenty-eighth loop today.”
His lips twisted as he glared across the table. “You promised me a happy ending. Yet every time—every time—I keep dying because of something small, something meaningless.”
Echidna set her teacup down, resting her chin delicately on her folded hands. Her eyes glimmered with amusement. “My, my. But aren’t you leading that obsessive half-breed to victory even now?”
Her words were honeyed poison.
Subaru’s body jolted. His hand shot across the table, seizing her collar. His teeth ground together as his voice erupted, ragged and furious.
“Don’t you dare call Emilia-tan that! I told you before—I won’t let that slide anymore!”
Yet even with his fist gripping her dress, Echidna only smiled—smug, unbothered, eyes gleaming with interest. “But what I said remains true dearest contractor. You wanted Emilia to win this foolish little race, and so… she is.”
Subaru released her, scoffing bitterly. His hand trembled as he raked it through his hair.
“Yeah, she’s ‘winning.’ Meanwhile, Rem is still asleep. This camp is barely holding itself together, one step away from breaking apart completely.”
“Yet you still chose my path,” Echidna replied smoothly, her tone mocking and motherly at once. “Step by step, you’ve fulfilled every desire you once screamed for. Even now, you walk because I handed you the strength to.”
“Shut up…” Subaru muttered, his voice low and venomous.
His hand tightened around the black pendant hanging at his neck. The world trembled. The hill, the tea, the witch—all dissolved, twisting violently until the scenery shattered. Subaru’s body jerked, and when the world stilled, he stood once more in his bedroom.
“…Another day,” he whispered. His hand fell from the pendant. “Another cursed day.”
Pushing himself to his feet, he staggered toward the door. But as he opened it, he collided with a small figure.
“Ah—!” Petra stumbled back, her small hands clutching his sleeve. Before Subaru could react, she tugged with surprising strength, dragging him into a sprint.
“P-Petra?! What are you—?!” His confusion deepened when he saw her cheeks flushed crimson, her fingers tightly entwined with his.
“I-I—uhh…!” Petra’s eyes swirled with embarrassment. “N-no time to explain! Emilia-sama and Beatrice-sama are fighting again!”
The words froze Subaru in place for a heartbeat. Then his expression darkened. He quickened his pace, letting Petra pull him through the halls.
When they burst into the dining hall, chaos awaited. Ice spikes glittered along the shattered walls, shards of Minya strewn across the floor. The air crackled with lingering mana.
At the center stood two figures: Emilia, her silver hair cropped shorter now, her expression fierce, and Beatrice, her twin-drilled hair frazzled, eyes burning with venom.
“Subaru-sama,” Reinhard’s calm voice reached him as the Sword Saint turned, relief flickering across his face. “I’m glad you’ve come.”
“Hmph. Coward finally shows up to do nothin’,” Garfiel growled, folding his arms, though his gaze flickered uneasily toward Subaru.
Subaru rolled his eyes at both of them. “Save it. You two—get everyone else out of here. I’ll handle this.”
They hesitated, then nodded. Reinhard gave a small bow, Garfiel a frustrated snarl, before evacuating the other residents away.
Subaru stepped closer to the calamity unfolding before him. In his ear, Echidna’s voice whispered advice, cool and manipulative. He ripped the pendant from his neck and hurled it through the broken window.
“Enough. This loop’s a failure anyway. At least give me this moment of peace.”
His muttered words were lost to the storm. He gazed at the two women he loved—two precious souls who had once laughed together. Now their eyes burned with hatred. And all of it… was his fault.
“…I let this happen to you two?” he whispered.
“Subaru!” Emilia’s eyes lit up when she saw him. The fury melted into desperation as she ran to him, throwing her arms around his chest. “I knew you’d come! I knew you wouldn’t leave me!”
Subaru hugged her back, his smile forced, practiced, perfected through a thousand loops. “Of course I came, Emilia-tan. But what happened here? Why… why this mess?”
Her silver eyes sharpened, and she pointed at Beatrice, voice venomous.
“She started it! She said she wanted to hurt you! I won’t forgive anyone who wants to realllllly hurt you!”
Subaru’s breath caught. He gently pulled away and placed his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t worry, Emilia-tan. Let me talk to her. She’s still your friend.”
Emilia hesitated, then slowly nodded, though her glare toward Beatrice never softened.
Subaru turned.
Beatrice stood disheveled, her drills uneven, her eyes wet yet blazing. As he approached, a knife whistled past his cheek, grazing his skin. Blood trickled, warm against his face.
“Stay away, I suppose,” Beatrice hissed. “You… you made Betty break her promise with Mother.”
Her words cut deeper than her blades.
“If it weren’t for you,” she spat, tears spilling down her cheeks, “Mother might not have forsaken me!”
Subaru grit his teeth, rage and guilt clashing inside him. Echidna—her poisonous grip still even present in Beatrice's mind.
“…If I had one more chance,” Subaru thought bitterly, ‘maybe I should never have taken that deal. Maybe if I had trusted them. If I had trusted Otto. Maybe then—”
But his thought was broken by Beatrice’s trembling whisper.
“Betty is… truly alone. No one wants a defective failure like Betty, I suppose…”
Her small body curled into itself, her voice soaked in despair.
Subaru’s chest clenched. He saw himself in her—alone, rejected, screaming into the void with no one to answer.
“Beako…”
But before he could speak, a killing intent pierced the room. Subaru spun around—Emilia stood behind him, ice spikes forming at her fingertips, her gaze locked on Beatrice.
“Emilia—!”
Subaru lunged, scooping Beatrice into his arms just as a barrage of spikes tore through the space they had stood in. Beatrice clawed at him, her nails digging into his skin.
“Let Betty go! Let her go, I suppose!”
“Not this time,” Subaru whispered. His voice was raw, broken. His arms tightened around her trembling frame as he sprinted toward the shattered window.
Her eyes widened when she heard him whisper, “…I wish I had one more chance, Beako. One more chance to tell you what Echidna did to us… and to make you happy.”
“W-what are you—?!” Beatrice’s voice shook with confusion, but Subaru didn’t answer.
He hurled her through the window.
“REINHARD! SAVE BEATRICE!”
The Sword Saint appeared in a flash, catching the great spirit midair.
Beatrice gasped, staring back through the ruined window just in time to see—
“SUBARU—!!”
His body was pierced by countless spikes of ice. His figure swallowed in a storm of frozen shards.
And yet, even as blood poured from his chest, Subaru smiled at her. A smile filled with sorrow, yet also relief.
The manor collapsed in ice and frost.
Natsuki Subaru A man of endless greed, who clung desperately to broken pieces of a shattered dream. And yet, in the end, he was selfless.
He gave his life to free the prisoners of his failure, offering his last breath not for himself, but for the ones still bound in chains.
In a garden full of shadows at the center stood a man cloaked in black. His posture was rigid, but his sharp eyes, hidden beneath his bangs of raven hair, refused to waver. He stood before a vast portal, its surface rippling like disturbed water.
Beside him lingered another figure—her form wrapped in living shadow, her presence like an endless abyss. And yet, through the veil of darkness, strands of long silver hair spilled forth, shimmering faintly.
Her voice broke the silence, trembling with worry. “…My love… Subaru. Are you certain you want to watch this?”
The man lowered his hood, revealing a faint smile. “I have to, Satella. I need to see it with my own eyes. How my journey… led her to victory.”
Satella’s hands tightened in the folds of her shadows, her gaze never leaving him. His smile reassured her for only a moment, but then the portal shifted—pulling both of their eyes toward the vision within.
On the other side, Emilia stood radiant, a crown placed gently upon her head. The hall was filled with voices chanting her name. The half-elf had become the ruler of the Dragon Kingdom.
Subaru’s chest swelled. His lips trembled into a soft laugh as he whispered, “…We did it, Emilia-tan.”
His smile even widened at the sight of Reinhard, his face pale, defeated, standing behind her. For one breath, for one fragile heartbeat—Subaru believed this was the happy ending he was promised.
But then—
The portal shifted again.
Armies. Fire. Steel.
The three neighboring nations struck at once, their banners blackening the horizon. Emilia’s kingdom, unprepared, shattered beneath the weight of war.
Subaru’s smile vanished. His throat constricted as he pressed a hand to the glassy surface of the portal. “W-what’s going on…? I-I thought everything was going according to plan!”
The battlefield changed again and again, showing him Emilia, fighting desperately against all odds. And though she won… the cost was everything.
The three nations collapsed into ruin. The Dragon Kingdom itself fractured. Riots rose from within. And finally—chains bound Emilia, her silver hair soaked in blood as she was dragged to the execution grounds.
Subaru’s pupils shrank. “No… no, no, no…”
Her head lowered onto the block. Puck roared to her side, his true form towering, the Beast of the End summoned to protect his contractor.
Reinhard stood before him. The Dragon Sword gleamed. Steel and ice clashed. And Reinhard—broken, his father lost in the war—slayed the beast in a single blow.
Subaru slammed his fists against the portal, screaming. “N-no, this can’t be real! There has to be something I can do! I can’t… I can’t let her die after everything! After all I did for her!”
His voice cracked, desperate. He spun toward the woman of shadows beside him. “S-Satella! Please! Let me stop this—let me redo it! Give me another chance!!”
But Satella only shook her head, her expression sorrowful, her form trembling with grief. “…I-I can’t, my love. You’re already bound here. You accepted your death… happy to know you achieved your goal.”
Her words struck him like a blade. For a moment, Subaru was still. Then he laughed.
It was a broken, howling laugh that clawed at the sky. “Ha… hahahahaha! I’m the Sin Archbishop of Pride—Natsuki Subaru! But even now… even now, I can’t do anything!! Ahahahaha!”
Satella’s eyes glistened with pity as she watched him fall apart, laughter dissolving into sobs.
Subaru dropped to his knees, tears streaking his face. “I-I want to do it over again…! I want to try again… to make it right! Please, Satella… please!”
Her shadows wavered as she bent down, her hands cupping his face. Her touch was cold, yet tender. “…I want to grant your wish, my love. But if I do, you must promise me… never again let your pride consume you. Promise me, Subaru.”
Her words trembled, as if begging.
Subaru’s lips quivered. Pride—the mask he wore to endure, the lie he used to call himself strong—without it, he would be bare, empty, unshielded. But if surrendering it meant saving Emilia… he would cast it aside a thousand times over.
“…I will,” he whispered. His hands rose to clutch hers desperately. “I’ll give it up. I’ll give up everything if I must. So please… Satella, one more chance. From the start.”
Her eyes softened with sorrow. She leaned close, pressing her forehead to his.
“Very well. Just once more. But know this—I do not know how far the world will rewind… or what may change. Are you certain?”
Subaru nodded, his smile fragile yet resolute. “Even if it costs me everything—even if it means giving up pride itself—I’ll still take that chance. I’ll make it right.”
Satella’s shadows twisted and surged, impaling him through the chest with countless spikes. Subaru gasped, blood spilling from his lips—but he did not resist.
Instead, he smiled at her one last time. The darkness swallowed him. Return by Death stirred once more.
And so, Natsuki Subaru—Archbishop of Pride, the man who once devoured his heart with arrogance—abandoned even himself. He gave up his sin… so that Emilia’s light might shine again.
Natsuki Subaru—an ordinary boy from another world, suddenly cast into a strange and fantastical land.
He wandered the streets in awe and confusion, only to quickly realize harsh truths: he could not read the language, he had no money, and he knew nothing of this place. After being beaten and robbed in a filthy alleyway, his day seemed destined for ruin.
Until she appeared.
A girl with silver hair, eyes shining like amethyst, who extended her hand to save him. She called herself Satella —a name that sent whispers through the city. She claimed her insignia had been stolen. Without hesitation, Subaru offered his help.
Together, they searched. Along the way, they found a lost little girl and reunited her with her mother. For Subaru, the gesture felt like a victory, no matter how small. Eventually, their path led to a decrepit old building known as the Loot House, where the stolen insignia was rumored to be hidden.
By then, the sun had set, and night pressed heavily against the city.
“…All right. Leave it to me.” Subaru’s voice was firm, though his palms were damp with sweat.
He stood at the threshold of the loot house. The wooden door loomed before him, worn and crooked. Behind him, the half-elf girl waited anxiously.
Subaru turned back, holding her gaze for a long moment. Then he pressed his hand against the door. With a creak that groaned like a dying animal, it swung open.
A gust of cold, stagnant air rushed out.
The inside was swallowed by darkness. Subaru pulled out his phone, its faint glow spilling across the floor.
“Excuse me… anyone home?” His voice wavered, half a whisper, half a prayer. Secretly, he hoped no one would answer.
He stepped inside, his shoes crunching against scattered debris. “So… am I walking into a demon’s nest, or a snake pit? In a fantasy world, either one’s totally on the table…” He tried to laugh, but it cracked, thin and fragile.
His phone’s light swept across crooked shelves, broken cabinets, and piles of glittering trinkets—jewelry, silverware, ornaments. Stolen goods, piled like a dragon’s hoard.
“…So this is where it all ends up.” His voice was quiet, almost reverent. Then his expression hardened. “But where’s the one running this place? No way he just leaves the door open. Something’s—”
His words caught.
A sharp pain lanced his skull.
Memories—fragmented, distorted—rushed into his head all at once. Screams. Death. Blood. His own voice crying in despair. His knees buckled, and he stumbled forward.
His foot slid across something slick.
The pain vanished. His head cleared. But when he looked down—
Squuueerrrk.
A crimson streak stained the floor, stretching beneath him like a painted line.
“…N-no way…” His voice cracked.
He staggered back, but his foot slipped on the trail. He fell forward, his hands slapping against the ground—
Squelch.
Warm liquid spread across his palms.
Subaru stared, wide-eyed, breath hitching. “…B-blood. It’s blood!” He scrambled back, phone shaking in his grasp.
He raised the light, following the smear across the floor—
And froze.
A massive body lay sprawled across the wood. Its throat was slashed wide open. One arm was missing entirely, torn from its socket. Blood still dripped from the stump, pooling beneath it, soaking into the rotting planks.
Subaru’s scream tore through the silence. “W-what—this… THIS CAN’T BE REAL!”
His skull throbbed again, another surge of memories clawing into him. He clutched his head, crying out in agony. His scream echoed through the loot house, rattling its walls.
His body moved before his mind could. He turned and bolted for the exit—
“Oh dear… you found that, did you?”
The voice was calm. Feminine. Amused.
Subaru skidded to a halt, heart hammering in his chest. He knew that voice. Somehow, it was familiar .
“Wh-who’s there?!” he shouted, though fear cracked his words.
“Mmhm… I suppose I’ve no choice now,” the woman purred, her tone almost delighted.
From the shadows, she stepped into the light.
A tall woman, beautiful and terrible. Pale skin, revealing clothes, and long, black hair flowing like liquid night. In her hand gleamed a dagger, its blade still slick with crimson.
Her eyes locked on him, and she lunged.
Subaru’s light illuminated her face fully, and the memories surged again—familiarity hitting him like a blade.
“…Elsa?” His voice trembled with confusion, as though he had spoken the name of an old acquaintance.
Elsa faltered for only a fraction of a second at the intimacy in his tone. It was enough. Subaru twisted away, the blade missing his heart—
But pain exploded across his side. Warm blood gushed from his abdomen.
“AGHHHH!” He screamed, clutching the wound as he stumbled back.
The woman licked her blade with a delighted grin.
“My, my… I didn’t expect you to dodge. But you’re bleeding now. You won’t last long.”
Subaru staggered, his vision blurring. His thoughts whirled. Why does she feel so familiar? Why do I… remember her?
From outside, a voice rang out, panicked and desperate.
“Subaru?! Are you all right?!”
Satella.
His vision snapped into clarity. Elsa turned toward the door, her smile widening.
“NO—don’t! Elsa, you don’t need to—!” His words broke into a scream.
But his voice was too late.
Blood sprayed across the threshold. Satella fell, lifeless, before she even knew what struck her.
“SATELLA!!!” Subaru’s scream split the night. His knees gave out, his blood pooling around him.
Memories crashed against him—faces, voices, screams. People are dying. Himself dying. Again and again. But Satella’s death was above all of them.
His hands clawed forward, dragging his broken body toward her. His lips moved, trembling, desperate.
“…I… will… save you…” His eyes widened, tears blurring the world but then Subaru remembered the half-elf name in front of him. and yelled it out. “…Emilia!?”
His voice was hoarse, raw, but true.
And then darkness swallowed him.
Subaru opened his eyes.
He was no longer in the loot house. No longer bleeding, no longer dying. He floated in an endless ocean, cold and infinite. Around him pressed five presences, vast and crushing, each clawing to take hold of him.
He gasped, fighting against them, struggling upward. His body broke the surface—
And he awoke.
The smell of fruit. The familiar sight of an appa stand.
His hand trembled as he looked down. Upon his wrist gleamed a bracelet set with five colored gems, each faintly glowing.
His breath caught in his throat.
“…What… just happened to me?”