Chapter Text
Blood...
Blood and more blood.
That's all Subaru could see in that dark place, illuminated only by his phone's flashlight. He was staring at Rom's mutilated body on the floor, missing an arm, blood pouring from his entire body. Subaru couldn't help but take a few steps back, frightened and terrified by the scene before him.
"Oh, dear, you found that?" A soft, seductive voice spoke, but behind it, he could sense a malevolent intent, which surprised the boy. "Well, I have no choice, then," the same voice whispered.
Subaru slowly and agitatedly looked back.
"Yes, I have no choice."
Subaru couldn't react before being kicked hard to the ground, his phone flying from his hand and away. The room was darker than before, and he felt a sharp pain in his stomach.
"It burns…"
He looked down at the agonizing pain; he was bleeding. "(Is this all mine?)" he couldn't help but think, just as he couldn't help but vomit blood.
"(This is bad… This is very bad…)"
Finally, all the pain coursed through his body, causing him to collapse completely as he slowly bled out. Natsuki Subaru, a young boy who had been brought to an unknown fantasy world. Right now, he was bleeding out on the ground after receiving a deep cut from an unknown person.
Why…?
Subaru wondered in his mind as blood flowed continuously from his open entrails. It wasn't supposed to be like this. IT WASN'T FAIR!
To Subaru's misfortune, he heard the front door of the house open and the beautiful half-elf he liked so much entered.
"Subaru? What's wrong?"
No, that wasn't good at all. He needed strength to get up so he could warn Satella of the danger. "No! Run! Hurry!" Subaru could barely speak as more blood poured from his mouth, his own blood trying to choke him. But it was too late; Subaru had failed. The girl walked through the darkness, looking behind her.
The sound of something slicing through flesh echoed, and moments later, Satella's body collapsed beside Subaru, much to his horror. Blood spurted from the girl's body right in front of him. "This wasn't supposed to be like this! NO!"
Subaru's expression hardened into one of determination as he crawled, ignoring the pain in his body and the weakness from blood loss.
"Wait there…"
He slowly reached out to take her hand. Subaru felt so many things, mostly negative. So much anger, so much jealousy, so much frustration with this situation. He hated everything, and he desire for everything to be different, for him to be different and CHANGE this outcome. His desire grew stronger with each passing second.
"(Why can't I do MORE!? Will I also be a pathetic loser in this world!? Will I fail not only in my world but in this one too!? Why can't I do MORE!? I want to do MORE!)"
Something within him stirred faintly, something that was listening to him.
I...hear you...
The world momentarily seemed to stop for a few brief moments. Something twisted very weakly inside Subaru, something inside was breaking the chains as Subaru move towards Satella.
"I'm... Going to..." His eyes lost their strength as he held Satella's hand. He could feel his body turning cold next to Satella's.
"(I want to make a difference at least here! Here I want to be something! I want to be different! I WANT TO BE SELFISH THIS TIME! I want to be strong! I want to be a protagonist and save Satella!)"
Am I listening...?
The world momentarily stopped again, but this time there was a buzzing in Subaru's ears, a faint rumble, a rhythmic pattern…Music? Or at least that's what it sounded like. Though Subaru wasn't focused on that, but on Satella and the pain that was consuming him.
The world instantly began to move once more, allowing Subaru to finish his wish,
"Save you…"
(I want to save her! I want things to be different! I want to be able to do something for once in my LIFE! I WANT THE POWER TO DO WHAT I WANT!)"
Yes, I hear you perfectly…
(I don't want to be pathetic…I don't want this to end like this. Why couldn't I have a Cheat Code Skill when I came to this world?! Why did everyone else have one in the books and I didn't?! Why i am so UNLUCKY!? IS NOT FAIR!)
Yes, yes, I hear what you wish…
Each time Subaru screamed in his own mind, something inside him continued to stir, that feeling that was once weak, now was much stronger. As if each word caused something within his own soul to shift, something was breaking its chains and being set free.
"(Please, let this not be the end…I want more, I want the POWER to change this!)"
I'M LISTENING TO YOU!
"(IT HURTS! IT HURTS! IT HURTS! BUT I DON'T WANT TO DIE HERE! I want to CHANGE AND SOLVE this damn problem!)"
Subaru closed his eyes, darkness engulfing him. Subaru Natsuki had died, but the flame of his desire burned fiercely within him. The world seemed to stop completely as darkness poured from Subaru's body like an oil slick. A heartbeat-like sound could be heard emanating from Subaru's body, but it wasn't his heart. It was something else. The Witch Factor.
"I feel so…alone…"
Those were the poor boy's last thoughts, but a calming voice filled his being.
"Im listening to your wish…"
It was mutating and changing its nature, the Witch Factor was breaking its limits thanks to these new desires, stronger and more latent than ever, finally taking shape.
"I heard you, and I want that too… I WANT it more than ever."
The world was consumed by darkness.
A muffled voice was heard; figures could be seen, but everything was blurry. Slowly, Subaru opened his eyes in front of the man selling Appa. "What's the matter, boy? You look like you've seen a ghost." He was holding an Appa himself while speaking to Subaru.
"What?" That was all Subaru could say at that moment; he felt dizzy, even nauseous for some reason. "I asked you about the Appa. The Appa! Do you even have money?"
"What?" Subaru said again, angering the merchant.
"Don't! What me! Are you buying it or not?" he said furiously.
"Oh...no, like I said, I'm broken beyond compare..." he said, still dazed by what had happened. His body ached, and he couldn't understand why. After being yelled at by the man.
[----------------]
Subaru stood completely confused in the middle of the street, dark circles under his eyes from the anguish. "What's going on? Wasn't it nighttime just a minute ago? The wound in my belly is gone..." Satella's death flashed through his mind, and that's when Subaru realized the whole situation.
"Oh right! Satella! Damn it, didn't Puck ask me to take care of her? I have to get back to that shop!" Subaru ran into that old alleyway he'd been to in his first life, where he found the same three thieves from before.
"Hey, why do you look so spooked?" the first thug asked.
"If you don't want to get hurt, cough up whatever you've got!" The second thug says,
"You guys... Did you see I was alone and decided to get revenge?" Subaru asks, oblivious to the déjà vu he's experiencing.
Obviously, none of the three thugs understand what the boy is talking about, but when they try to press him, Subaru gets angry and manages to overpower all three of them instantly. He continues on his way, but as he runs back toward the booth, a sharp pain stops him in his tracks, causing him to fall to his knees in the middle of the street. Several pedestrians stare at him in confusion.
Subaru doesn't understand what's happening or why. He just gets up to keep running as the pain intensifies, making him dizzy and the world spin on his eyes, causing him to fall to the ground again. "What is happening...?"
he can only ask, clutching his stomach as he hears that rhythm again. that throbbing inside of him caused a wave of heat to run through his body.
"I heard you, and now you'll hear me..." A cold, emotionless male voice filled Subaru's mind. In his confusion, he thought it was just his own thoughts, but then a dark figure appeared before him. Instinctively, Subaru looked up, seeing the silhouette of a being that seemed to be made of black clouds converging to form a humanoid figure. It had only violet eyes, seemingly made of energy, staring intently at Subaru.
"Ahhh...!" Subaru couldn't help but scream in terror at the sight of such a horrifying figure. He wanted to scream again, but with a movement of the figure's hand, Subaru's mouth was closed. "We don't want to cause a scene here, do we?" the figure said in a calm, whispering voice, like someone who had just woken up.
People around them just stared at the confused boy, since to them, Subaru had simply thrown himself to the ground and started screaming, staring into nothing. No one could see the figure. Even Subaru noticed this when no one was reacting to the figure; they were all looking at him as if he were crazy.
"How rude to show that kind of reaction to me, though my appearance isn't exactly the best either..." The same figure said in a dead, cold voice, staring at its own shadowy hand before looking at Subaru. "You can stop looking at me like that. I won't hurt you... I'm an ally."
he said, trying to sound friendly, his movements slow and somewhat clumsy, as if it were still learning how to move. That unpleasant feeling inside returned, as if something were writhing within him, a parasite crawling through his body. "W-What are you? Who are you? What do you want?" a frightened Subaru blurted out.
"It's difficult to answer the question of what I am... What do I want? Well, to help you. After all, you're the one who created me," he said, placing his hand thoughtfully on what would be his chin. This figure was speaking directly to Subaru's mind, as if they had a psychic connection.
"Me? Create you? I don't understand…" Subaru said, confused, trying to process everything this being was telling him. Was he going crazy from all the pressure he was under?
"You must calm down, Otaku. We can speak telepathically since you and I are one. I am inside you, and before you ask, I have been inside you since you came into this world… I was simply sleeping, taking shape, so to speak, until your strong desires not only completed me but broke the limitations within me enough for me to break free of my own volition." He explained, letting out a sigh as if speaking were a great effort, and indeed it was; it was truly exhausting just to exist at this moment.
Subaru stood up, his eyes still wide open, filled with confusion. He took deep breaths to calm himself, but quickly recovered from the shock. "Who are you calling an Otaku?!" That seemed to be the only thing on Subaru's mind. Though at least it eased the tension in the air. That was the best thing about this situation, how malleable Subaru could be.
Now Subaru was walking towards the slums, talking to this unknown figure along the way. "So, what's your name?" Subaru asked the entity, finding it difficult to get used to being able to communicate only with his mind; it was like talking to his own thoughts.
"I couldn't tell you. I was just born thanks to your desires and the Sins I ended up devouring... I'm barely managing to stay stable thanks to having your memories, and with them I'm able to create my own will and persona, so I'm learning every second." The entity explained with effort; Subaru couldn't even see its figure anymore, only hear it in his mind.
Subaru blushed with embarrassment. "All my memories and thoughts—that's a violation of my privacy! How embarrassing!" That was the only thing that worried Subaru about everything the entity said, but perhaps it was for the best. Even the entity itself couldn't explain many things; it could barely progress its own existence, and it was progressing the information too.
"So you don't have a name?" Subaru said with a hint of sadness. "You were born from my desires, your personality was created from my memories… You're a part of me, from what I understand. You could say you're my son or brother… Ugh, that sounds super weird."
"You were the one who thought that… We could be more like friends if that make you feel better." The entity replied listlessly.
"I'll call you Taurus then!" he said excitedly, as if he were naming a pet. But even so, the now-named Taurus was grateful. "Thank you very much, Otaku. I appreciate this name." Having the name of a constellation from your world is truly flattering."
"Who are you calling an otaku again?!" This time he shouts angrily. After that, Subaru calms down and elaborates on all the information before asking again, "What exactly are you, Taurus? Do you know yourself?"
"I'm something magical from this world for sure, a fantasy world as you say. To answer that, I need a new perspective." Taurus sighs inwardly again as he manifests his silhouette, placing his hand on the head of a pedestrian wearing glasses who was passing right by them. He seemed knowledgeable, so Taurus took him as his first victim to obtain information.
Taurus was like a ghost, so he didn't harm him, but the civilian from whom he extracted information clutched his stomach and vomited on the ground, nearly fainting, much to the surprise of both Taurus and Subaru. Taurus hadn't expected this; he had only focused his power to obtain information by entering the person's mind and extracting it, but it seemed that doing so by force had a negative effect on the person.
"What do you think you're doing?! What did you do to that person?! Don't ever do that again!" Subaru told Taurus after leaving the area to avoid suspicion. Taurus was thoughtful. "I guess I'm still not used to fully controlling my power, so I forcibly extracted knowledge... At least it wasn't in vain; I gained some knowledge."
"You succeeded? What did you get?" Subaru asked, somewhat excited to learn about this world.
"Well, the obvious... My existence isn't exactly normal to this world. I'm the closest thing to a cat named Puck, a Great Spirit. But obviously, I'm not one. From what the person knew, what I am would be, so to speak, forbidden. There are certain dark powers in this world, so it's best to avoid mentioning me as anything else but a Great Spirit..." Taurus says, almost whispering.
"Forbidden?" Subaru asks, genuinely intrigued, wondering how he could possibly possess something like that. "In this world, there's a group called the Witch's Cult. In short, they're the Nazis of this world. They possess black magic, and some members, known as archbishops, possess very unique powers that defy the logic of this world," Taurus finishes, his figure vanishing so he can rest.
After resting a bit, Taurus continues. "Based on the knowledge this person possesses, which is common knowledge in this world, there are very few people who could bring you here by taking you from your world to this one. I suspect it was the Witch of Envy who brought you. Before you ask, the Witch of Envy would be the closest thing to a Demon King in this isekai world."
Taurus, knowing Subaru, used isekai terms so Subaru would understand instantly without much explanation. "She managed to eat half the world, although she's supposed to be sealed away, but in my opinion, she's the only one capable of doing these kinds of things and granting this kind of power by this world terms. Don't ask, since I don't know much about the subject either. Just keep my origin a secret." He really didn't know what might happen to them if they discovered he had a power related to such people.
"What about magic? Can I use magic?" Subaru obviously asked, wanting to learn magic. He wanted to be the hero who could handle everything in one hit. "Sadly, I doubt you can for now." Taurus's words shattered all of Subaru's fantasies.
Taurus responds quickly. "I said for now, in this world the magic system is a little different from what you know in your fiction books… Here there's something called a Gate, which is like a magical organ inside your body that absorbs, accumulates, and releases mana, which is the magical energy in the environment. You have a Gate, but it's technically a baby's Gate since you only recently got it, and if you try to use it, well… It will break, and you won't be able to use magic anymore." Taurus is silent for a few seconds before finishing. "And you'll die from poison mana…"
Subaru opens his eyes in complete defeat and frustration. "So I can't use magic for almost my entire life if I wait for my Gate to develop! Why does everything go wrong for me?!"
"You really love to exaggerate things, don't you? I'm like a symbiote. I can definitely help develop your Gate faster and help you use magic." Taurus whispers to calm young Natsuki's frustrations before he gets depressed.
Subaru looked at Taurus and smiled slightly at his attempt to cheer him up; he'd succeeded. "That's right, what's your power? Are you like a Stand?! My Cheat Code Skill?!" Subaru continued exaggerating as usual, and Taurus could only roll his eyes.
"You literally have a Cheat Code that no one else has. You treated this world like a video game and just happened to get the most powerful ability that every player has in their game. The ability to complete the game: the 'Retry' bottom after the Game Over." The entity whispered, letting his words fill Subaru's mind.
"No, that can't be real..."
That was all Subaru said, refusing to accept that he had died. Everything that happened was a dream...right? He hadn't died, he hadn't died! It must be a Vision!
Before his mental state could worsen, Taurus stopped Subaru's body in its tracks and made him sit up. They were already in the Slums, so there was no one around. "Otaku, you need to calm down… I know it's a lot to manage, but you're already in a fantasy world, and that's already the most impossible thing. You've seen worse in your isekai mangas."
"You think I don't know that?! But this… This can't be happening." Subaru said, his hand trembling as he felt a hand on his shoulder—it was Taurus.
"It's all over now, we're okay. That's what you wanted, isn't it? The power to change your destiny… You finally got it, just as you wished. You're not dead, and you're healthy." Taurus tried to calm Subaru, who just stared silently at his trembling hand.
"Well… There's no denying it. It's hard to believe, but I got a… Time Leap power then. But do I have to die for it to activate?" he asked Taurus, who seemed to be thinking too, analyzing everything.
"Usually, powers require conditions. Perhaps the price for doing something like resetting the whole world is death. But that can change over time…" Taurus replies after a moment's thought. He's working with the limited information he has about Subaru and the subject whose memories he extracted.
"I actually have a Time-Leap cheat code power, and it only activates when I die. The precondition being pitiful is so typical… I shall call it… Return by Death," Subaru says with a dejected look as he stares at his own hand, making a fist.
"Why the long name? It could easily be called Rewind or Redo, something like that." Taurus questions the name of such a powerful authority, but instead of getting angry, Subaru can only manage a sad smile. Having someone as calm and serene as Taurus by his side, like a voice of reason, truly soothes Subaru. He doesn't feel alone in this unfamiliar world anymore.
"Yeah, it's like that movie you saw… Edge of Tomorrow," Taurus says, causing them to gaze intently into each other's eyes.
"Peak movie by the way," they both said simultaneously.
Subaru looked down at the bag in his hand containing the items he had. "That means Satella didn't help me in this loop. In that case, I should forget everything, sell this, save money, and use my knowledge of the modern era to live in luxury!"
Taurus simply crossed his arms. "If that's what you're going to do, then let's go," he said as he disappeared again.
"Aren't you going to tell me anything else?" Subaru asked, hoping Taurus would stop him from escaping this situation. After a few moments, Taurus answered Subaru's question.
"We're partners, we have a symbiotic relationship like two souls within a single body. Your well-being is my well-being... I agree that leaving and putting this matter behind us to avoid another death is the most logical decision," Taurus explained. Subaru planned to leave now, but Taurus's last words caused Subaru to be fully detected.
"Though sadly, that girl and those people in the loot house are going to meet their end by that woman's hands."
Those simple words caused Subaru to completely doubt his decision to leave. It was true. History would repeat itself, and Satella would die if he did nothing. If he could change it, then that's what he would do! He couldn't let innocent people die.
"Then I change my plans. We'll go back to my original plan. Return to the location and see what we can do to get the insignia for Satella." He was determined on this hero's mission. Taurus seemed to take a deep breath before replying.
"You should know something else very important. The Witch of Envy was sealed away 400 years ago, and her name was Satella. The description of her appearance is the same as the girl you were with. Is weird but i highly doubt this girl is also named Satella, since having that name in this era would be incredibly stupid when everyone hates you."
Taurus's words caused Subaru's eyes to widen in surprise. "But why did she give me that name then...?" Subaru looked genuinely confused.
"I really don't know... I doubt she's the same Satella, because if she were, it would be foolish to say your name and walk around when you're so hated in this world. My opinion is that she said that to keep you away and prevent you from getting involved in her situation. That's why she seemed insecure when you complimented her appearance. I think she has an inferiority complex about how she looks," Taurus explained calmly.
Then he continued with his theory. "Perhaps she used the name Satella to scare you, but since you didn't know what it meant, you didn't care, much to her surprise. Although, it seemed she was going to tell you the truth sseing how she acted the last time you interacted in the previous Loop."
Subaru nodded thoughtfully to himself. Taurus was right. Everything made sense now that he put the pieces together. He was truly grateful to have someone as observant as Taurus by his side. He knew this non-Satella girl was good and only did it to protect him.
"It all makes sense, but Taurus... we've really strayed from my question. You never answered what YOUR power was. Is Return By Death your power? Do you control it?" Subaru really wanted to know more about Taurus himself.
After a few seconds of silence, Taurus replied, "I'm sure that Return By Death and I come from the same origin. It's like a core, which is also my heart that reside inside of you. But Return by Death, like me, was possibly created by your desires and emotions as you were about to die." Subaru's expression twists as he recalls his death.
"I have no control over Return By Death or where you'll return to, your Checkpoints. But that can change too." Taurus finishes his explanation, causing Subaru to open his eyes slightly and simply let out a "Huh?"
"I'm not sure how to explain it, but if I have to simplify, my power would be to CHANGE whatever I want. Right now, I'm like a baby, so I can't do much, but as we speak, I'm growing and getting stronger. I'm adapting, evolving inside you, and thus breaking my limitations. As long as I have energy, I believe I can do whatever I want. Even right now, I'm strengthening your Gate, modifying it to give it accelerated growth... That's why I said you can't use magic FOR NOW."
Subaru opened his eyes again, this time in surprise, and they filled with hope. "So you're like my personal system then?! My own Excalibur!" After a few moments, Taurus could only nod to simplify things, though another question popped into Subaru's head. "Wait... did you say energy? You mean this mana thing?" Taurus simply shook his head to Subaru's question.
"No, I possess my own type of energy reserves, which we'll call Mantra to avoid confusion. It works like concentration, focus. Even manifesting as a specter that only you can see consumes Mantra, and improving your Gate consumes a lot of Mantra, causing me to get mentally tired. When I was first born, my Mantra reserves were small... but over time they will grow, allowing me to do much more." He explained as simply as possible for Subaru to understand.
"Woah, that's amazing! Now I feel better that I have you!" Subaru said excitedly. Taurus stops subaru on his track.
"Otaku, I don't recommend coming back. It's dangerous, and I don't feel strong enough to do much in this form." Taurus's cold words wiped the smile off Subaru's face. Subaru grew serious. "I don't plan on abandoning those people now. I know how that pain feels... that darkness. I don't want her to suffer that like the first time."
He said resolutely as he continued toward the shed where he had died last time. He wasn't going to back down now that he knew the lives were in danger. "I won't stop, Taurus." Taurus just shook his head.
Subaru pounded on the door. "Is someone in there? Please answer me! Please!" He kept pounding until the door burst open, revealing the man he had seen dead the first time.
"Shut your trap! You trying to bust down my door when you don't even know the signal or password?!" The old man shouted angrily.
"You?!" Subaru was surprised to recognize him; it all felt so unreal to see him alive when the last time he saw him he was in such a terrible state. He really did have the power to rewind time.
[----------------]
They were both now seated. Subaru and Rom discussed the purpose of Subaru's presence there.
"Have you seen a girl with silver hair?" Subaru asked the old man, who replied after a moment's thought, "Silver hair? I haven't seen anyone that conspicuous."
"Of course he didn't. That girl hasn't come here yet since we last saw him... That was a dumb question, to be honest," Taurus commented. "(Shut up!)"
"So what are you doing here, anyway?" Rom asked.
"Oh, I'm looking for an insignia. It belongs to a silver-haired girl who helped me out. I dont know why but it's important to her" Subaru responde rápidamente.
"An Insignia. Sorry, but I don't have anything like that," Rom said. They continued their pointless conversation in Taurus's opinion. It continued until Felt arrived. That's when Taurus acted.
"Otaku, allow me to take control of your body... Let me handle the negotiations," Taurus offered. They would have a better chance if Taurus negotiated using the knowledge he stole from the pedestrian.
"(You can do that?!)" Subaru thought, quite surprised.
"Of everything that's happened to you and everything you've heard, that's what surprises you the most? Of course I can, I'm in your body... That's how I was able to silence you when we first met. Don't worry, you'll be aware of everything, just like I am of you, only you'll be in spectator mode and you can take control whenever you want." He finished his explanation, and after thinking about it, Subaru nodded inwardly.
"{Don't do anything stupid with my body!}" Subaru thought to himself. "I won't do anything you haven't done yourself already." Taurus responded, causing Subaru to want to scream at him, but he instantly lost complete control of his body. Taurus, now in control of Subaru's body, stretched slightly, much to the confusion of both Rom and Felt.
"Okay, time for business. Why are you here?" Felt asked Taurus, who was in total control of Subaru's body.
"I've come to trade with you for that insignia you had stolen. I know you have it with you," Taurus said calmly as Felt pulled out the insignia. Taurus stared at it intently. Subaru, now just watching everything through his own eyes, saw the insignia.
"I worked really hard to get this jewel. If you pay me enough, we'll both be happy," Felt said with a smile. Taurus nodded gently.
"I don't have any money with me, BUT... I have this, which might be worth a lot." Taurus took Subaru's cell phone out of his pocket, opened it, and took a picture of them both. The flash startled them, but Taurus calmed them by showing them the screen, revealing a picture of the two of them.
"That's... us?" Rom asked, looking at the screen with interest and surprise.
"This is a Metia with many uses. As you can see, it can capture a moment in time and save it to preserve a memory forever. It can also tell you the time at any moment, perform complex calculations for you, have a calendar, and store music and audio. It also has a lantern and an alarm to remind you of any activity you have... It even has a simple but fun little game." He said, showing them the Snake game.
"That's amazing!" Felt exclaimed, excited and surprised by the device. Subaru didn't quite understand what a Metia was. "(Metias are the name for magical devices in this world)," Taurus explained to Subaru, who responded with a simple, "I see..."
Taurus nods proudly at Felt. "This Metia is unique in its nature; it could be sold for 20 Holy Coins or even more. With that, you could make a fortune, even live the life of a nobleman." He hands the device to Rom so the old man can examine the object. "What he says is true, Felt. This metia is worth a lot," Rom confirms.
"(Alright! We can take the Insignia and leave now.)" Subaru thought to Taurus, who still maintained his indifferent gaze. "(No, we're not finished... It seems we have competition, or there's some kind of problem with the exchange.)" Taurus replies calmly.
"(Huh? What do you mean?)" Subaru quickly responds, his eyes focusing on a violet aura surrounding Felt, much to his surprise. Taurus answers immediately. "(I can see people's emotional state with my senses in the form of aura… Purple signifies inner conflict, doubt, or simply indecision.)" Subaru is surprised by Taurus's power, but inwardly grits his teeth, thinking they've won. But apparently, there's still another obstacle.
"Is there a problem, Felt?" Taurus calls Felt's attention. He's trying to get information about the thief's hesitation.
Felt glances at him briefly before answering his question. "Yes, it's just that you're not the only one who wants the insignia… I have another client. They only offered me 10 Holy Coins, though. But I want to be sure before making a decision." Taurus listens to Felt's doubt, nods, and calmly replies, "I understand. We'll wait, then."
"{This is bad…)" Taurus thinks to himself, alerting Subaru, who overhears. "(Why do you say that? Is something wrong? Our offer is not gonna lose to a 10 Holy coins one)" Is there something he's overlooking in this situation that Taurus is not?
"(Rom's death, and possibly Felt's too—those two are very close, judging by their auras. So Felt wouldn't kill Rom, so she's not the murderer. Besides, her voice doesn't match the femenine one you heard in your first loop. This client is our likely attacker, or at least a third group will attack this loot house)" Taurus clarified Subaru's confusion, and upon hearing Taurus's explanation, he realized once again the danger they were still in.
They waited a few moments until someone knocked on the door, and Felt got up to open it, letting in a seductive woman in black attire with violet eyes, jet-black hair, and a wide smile. "There seem to be several outsiders here."
Her seductive voice could charm many men, and Taurus stared at her intently. "(Beautifully dangerous… This voice belongs to our attacker, Otaku)" Taurus's clarification caused Subaru to flinch, recalling her death once more. If he had control of his body, he would be trembling. Luckily, his body was under Taurus's control, who remained completely calm and indifferent.
"I know this older fellow, but who is this young man?" she asked, staring at Taurus, who waved his hand in greeting. "I am Subas, a simple merchant. A pleasure to meet you, fine lady." Taurus said calmly and politely.
"(Why are you lying?)" Subaru asked curiously, trying not to be afraid. "(Why not? We have no record in this world, so we can call ourselves whatever we want. Besides, we don't want to give our real names to an enemy, much less an assassin.)"
"This is your rival. He's the other person negotiating with me." Felt obviously revealed Subaru's intentions. Taurus appeared calm, but he was actually on high alert in case this woman attacked. Taurus's eyes scanned Elsa's body; with his special eyes, he could see through her clothing. He noticed she possessed strange daggers. She was obviously armed. Taurus just wanted to be sure of the type of weapon.
Elsa raised her eyes to meet Taurus's, her smile unwavering. She seemed to notice his gaze and moved her face closer to his, causing Subaru to blush inwardly. "(What do you think you're doing blushing in front of this woman!)" Subaru scolded himself. Taurus, for his part, still maintained his indifferent expression.
"Those eyes of yours are quite sharp and terrifying, the way you were watching me just now… such a naughty thing you are." Elsa remarked as Taurus simply stared into her eyes, replying slowly, "What can I say? If I see a beautiful woman, I can do nothing but admire her. Such is my sin."
Elsa smiled even wider, letting out a giggle as she sat down and negotiations began. She glanced at Subaru's offer. "A Metia? Hmm. As it happens, my client provided me with some extra funds, so I'm prepared to sweeten the deal."
"The client... So she was asked to fetch it too?" Subaru wondered to himself, while Taurus breathed a sigh of relief. "That's why I told you it would be better if we left. We're getting into something very serious. To hire this assassin and give her this amount of money means we're dealing with nobles or even someone with immense power and wealth," Taurus remarked.
"20 Holy Coins, exactly," Elsa finished her offer. "Will that be enough?"
"Unfortunately for you, I win." Taurus says firmly, holding the Metia. "This Metia, with the right vendor, can fetch up to 30 Holy coins. I'd even venture to say more, considering how unique it is."
Rom nods in agreement, confirming what he said. "The kid definitely wins." Felt agrees, figuring if she can cash in with this Metia, why not take it?
"I apologize if my victory causes you any trouble, fine lady." Taurus apologizes to the woman.
"It can't be helped. It was my employer's fault for trying to underpay." She sighed in disappointment. She stood up, taking the last of the drink Rom had offered her earlier.
"(Otaku, I'll return you to your body... I just need you to give me a few moments, that's all I ask.)" Before Subaru could ask, he regained control of his body. "(Taurus?)" The entity didn't respond to Subaru's call.
"Well, this deal ended in disappointment for me, but I shall take my leave now." Elsa exclaimed, causing Subaru to freeze. Now that he was the one in control, he never thought he would one day wish to be nothing more than a spectator of someone controlling his own body.
"By the way, what do you intend to do with that Insignia, dear?" She asked Subaru, who froze slightly at Elsa's question. Subaru forced a smile as best he could to answer. "I'm going to return it to its owner."
Silence reigned in the room for a few moments as Rom and Felt stared at him, eyes wide in shock. He had committed the biggest That was a mistake someone could have made in that place. That's when Subaru realized what he had done and began to panic when Elsa flashed a sinister smile. "So you're with them. Shame."
Felt quickly pushed Subaru out of the way so he wouldn't be pierced by a blade aimed at his stomach; luckily, Felt managed to save him. That rhythm started playing in his ears again, a beat. Like a heart thumping in time with the rhythm.
"What?"
"You want to die?!" Felt yelled at him, obviously angry at what Subaru had done. Rom quickly attacked Elsa, who dodged with ease. "This is my first battle to the death with a Giant!" she said, laughing excitedly, dodging all of Rom's attacks. "Quiet, little girl! I'll grind you up and feed you to the rats!" the old man yells at her.
The fight continues, but while Subaru watches the whole situation in horror, the rhythm inside of him continues, growing louder with each beat. An X-shaped mark appears on Elsa like a magical ping. The world seems to gently shift to a pinkish hue. For brief moments, he can see Elsa's movements slow down.Even a afterimage move before attacking where the afterimage just had attacked.
The beat, the palpitations, the rhythm—everything intensified in Subaru's ears. Transparent, violent veils seemed to emanate from Subaru's head and envelop the room. These veils appeared to twist and throb with the beat.
Chains with transparent chains seemed to encircle Elsa, who apparently couldn't see anything Subaru was seeing. Subaru couldn't understand what all this was. Was it a product of Taurus?
Subaru rubbed his eyes, thinking he wasn't seeing correctly, that perhaps the stress was causing his vision to fail or make him see things. What was this rhythm within him that kept playing? Was it his heart? He couldn't know.
"Take this!" Rom said, going to attack, but before she could cut Rom, Subaru mustered the courage to go after Elsa and stop her, at least to be a distraction.
He had Taurus; he couldn't lose…right? Elsa stopped her attack on Rom to see Subaru approaching. So, she quickly kicked Rom away. Subaru could only muster the courage to shout and run toward her with even more force.
"What are you doing, you idiot?!" Felt yelled.
"It's a shame, quite strange. During negotiations, your eyes were deeper and held a different fire, but now you seem like a completely different person. I must be surprised that you know how to put on a mask, even though it's bound to fall apart" Elsa remarked, disappointed, as she had thought she had found something interesting.
But before she could do anything, Subaru's body was stopped dead in its tracks, as if pulled by a thread. Having been stopped mid-run, he had been saved from being cut by Elsa's dagger, which had already struck his stomach. Even she was surprised that the boy stopped so suddenly. She could have sworn he was going to attack, given her experience as a warrior.
But the way he stopped was beyond her calculations. Subaru was surprised as well. Elsa gripped her dagger and charged at Subaru again. A black mist emanated from Subaru's chest, heading towards Elsa. The mist then collided with what appeared to be a thin black sword, striking Elsa's blade and forcing her to step back.
The mist began to take the form of a tall, humanoid figure. Long, pure white hair, as white as snow, cascaded down its back. A white mask covered its entire face, leaving only the pink eyes visible, glowing brightly and emanating an aura. Its body was still composed of the black mist, but now it formed a humanoid form, wielding a long, thin, black-edged sword.
"T-Taurus…?" Subaru stammered. This time, the figure was solid, not transparent. Elsa could see him and was stunned to see this thing emerge from the boy's body and now stand before her. Taurus assumed a fighting stance with his sword. Everyone was surprised to see the figure.
"I can't leave you alone for even a minute without you being on the verge of death?" Taurus said seriously, turning his gaze to Felt, who had run to where Rom was recovering. "Felt, Rom… You two escape from here. My partner and I will buy some time," Taurus offered, focusing his attention on Elsa.
Felt's eyes widened in confusion; she didn't understand anything. But this person intervened to help them. "What?! Are you crazy?! She'll kill you!" she shouted.
"We don't know that. I have my tricks… You two escape as far as possible. If you find a white-haired girl, give her the Insignia and escape together, call the authorities." Taurus said, gripping his sword tightly.
"But…" Felt wanted to argue, but Subaru interrupted her. "Just run from here! Can't you see my friend is only doing what he can?! Don't make things worse."
Felt just gritted her teeth, but felt Rom's hand on her shoulder. Rom agreed. Felt gritted her teeth to get up with Rom, and they both ran toward the exit.
"You think I'll let them get away?" Elsa said, preparing to charge at them, but Taurus intervened, stepping between them and clashing his weapon with Elsa's, making her feel Taurus's superhuman strength to later kick her back.
"Sorry you got caught up in this." Felt apologized apologetically before escaping with Rom. Now it was just Subaru and Taurus againsts Elsa.
Taurus had no combat experience other than what little Subaru knew from video games and the science fiction series he'd watched. "Now it's my turn to fight, fine Lady," Taurus said calmly as he walked toward Elsa, who smiled.
"That gleam in your eyes, the way you speak and call me... It's you, isn't it? You're the one doing the negotiations. You must be some kind of Great Spirit contrated by this boy. I wonder how your—" She couldn't finish when Taurus interrupted her with surprising speed, slashing horizontally toward the assassin's neck. She quickly blocked the attack with her dagger and stepped back.
But Taurus didn't give her a second's respite, lunging at her and keeping a close distance. He remained on the offensive. When Taurus slashed, electrical purple sparks flew from his cuts. His speed was enhanced by electrical power, Elsa deduced. " Purple Lightning, it's a rather strange kind of magic," she said as she dodged the slashes.
Although Taurus was fast and precise, he had no experience in real combat and no basic training. Elsa could see that he was wide open, leaving many openings for her to counterattack. Subaru watched in horror as Elsa went on the offensive and Taurus went on the defensive. Now Taurus was receiving many cuts on his body.
"Taurus!" Subaru shouted upon seeing the cuts that revealed pink wounds, but they closed instantly. Subaru wanted to intervene and help Taurus somehow.
"Stop."
Taurus exclaimed inside Subaru's mind. "Keep your distance so I can focus on her. Defending you while I'm fighting will be very difficult. If you die, then we'll reset again." Taurus warned Subaru, who wasn't convinced. "But you're at a disadvantage, even I can see that!" Subaru said mentally, agitated.
"Obviously I have a plan, it's all in my calculations." Taurus replied coldly; he wasn't fighting a losing battle on purpose. He was waiting for an opportunity. Elsa, instantly noticing Subaru's brief movement, smiled and threw her dagger at him. "I've got you," she said.
Subaru's eyes widened in surprise as he saw the dagger hurtling toward his stomach. Just when he thought he was going to get hurt, time seemed to slow down. A hand emerged from the black mist, taking the form of a whip, and struck the dagger, deflecting it. It only caused a slight cut on Subaru's side, which healed instantly as Taurus transferred the damage to himself. The cut appeared on Taurus's side.
"You protected me from there?" Subaru asked, watching the whip of darkness disappear as Taurus continued fighting Elsa. "I can create copies of myself to perform multiple tasks, but it drains my mantra." Taurus sighed to himself; the wounds he received from Elsa healed instantly. Elsa continued attacking Taurus with her twisted smile, causing more and more cuts across his body.
Subaru could sense Taurus's weakening through the bond they shared. He had no time to worry when Elsa broke Taurus's defensive stance, deflecting his sword to the side and finally piercing his chest. Elsa's smile widened; even a spirit would die this way. But she hadn't expected Taurus to grab her hand, preventing her escape. "I've got you."
Taurus had used himself as bait to trap Elsa and keep her from getting away. Elsa felt a sharp pain in her neck as Taurus's sword pierced it.
"You did it, Taurus!"
Subaru screamed, but Taurus grabbed Elsa's face with his other hand. Elsa instantly pulled her dagger from Taurus's chest and backed away, grabbing Taurus's sword to yank it from her neck and forcefully breaking free from his grip. As she stumbled backward, she lost her balance, feeling nauseous and suddenly exhausted.
But it wasn't enough to stop her, though. Taurus had achieved what he wanted. He had invaded Elsa's mind to gain experience from her memories. With that, Taurus would now know how to fight properly and how to counter Elsa's attacks. He had also drained some of the woman's vitality.
"Such a cute trick you got there…" Elsa said calmly, her smile unwavering. She recovered as her neck regenerated, surprising Subaru, who thought the fight was over. His horrified eyes watched as this woman survived a stab wound to the neck.
"H-How…?" Subaru whispered to himself, clenching his fist and teeth tightly. "It's black magic, a technique that allows her to survive lethal attacks." Taurus clarified Subaru's doubt. With this newfound knowledge, Taurus now had the opportunity, but the truth was he had already burned through a lot of Mantra. He was doing many things at once.
He was improving Subaru's Gate, adapting and evolving his own body in real time, calculating every possible outcome. He wanted to be fast, he wanted to be like the wind. Taurus molded his sword into two daggers, similar to Elsa's, who noticed this.
Taurus's eyes shone. He desired wind, and his body evolved to have something similar—no, he achieved something stronger.
Smoke.
He not only controlled lightning but smoke as well. Elsa received a sudden smoke bullet to the face that Taurus fired from his palm, and then she was attacked by Taurus while stunned. "Playing dirty, aren't you?" Elsa said, shaking her head to clear the smoke from her face so she could see and not choke. Taurus went on the offensive again.
Throwing several slashes with both daggers, this time he managed to keep pace with Elsa, using her experience Againsts her. Elsa noticed this instantly, seeing how Taurus was using her same techniques, and not only that, he was trying to improve and perfect them in his own way to fight this assassin more effectively.
"That's my style, you stole it?" Elsa said playfully, curiously watching how Taurus operated. She could see how Taurus healed his wounds, but it drained his energy. Although now she too was receiving the occasional deep cut, forcing her to heal as well.
It was a battle of endurance. The first to tire would lose. It seemed that Taurus was the one rapidly exhausting. With each passing second, Taurus's form weakened.
Subaru continued to hear the rhythm within him, then a tinkling sound in his head, followed by the transparent chains surrounding him breaking, one after another. Each time one shattered and vanished, Taurus seemed to move more easily. Elsa couldn't seem to block or dodge without sustaining at least a deep cut.
"You're such an interesting little thing. Copying my style, strange powers... You're not an ordinary spirit, are you even one yourself?" Elsa whispered as her wounds healed.
CLASH.
Both daggers of Taurus and Elsa clashed with force, making a loud noise as their steels collided and struggled against each other, sending sparks flying. Taurus vanished in a puff of smoke and electricity, reappearing behind Elsa and kicking her from the side, sending her flying and crashing into a wall, shattering it.
Elsa lunged at Taurus like a predator, who focused smoke in his hand and fired it like a shotgun at her, hitting her and letting her feel its full force, severely damaging her body. But this seemed to excite Elsa even more. They both resembled beasts trying to devour each other.
Subaru couldn't keep up with their speed; they moved at incredible speeds like two blurs colliding in mid-air, the clang of steel echoing through the air. Taurus grabbed Elsa and slammed her into the tables and chairs, but Elsa broke free and kicked Taurus instead.
Taurus was sent flying into a shelf full of bottles and barrels of alcohol. Instantly, Elsa sees Taurus throw these bottles and barrels at her, his lightning scattering the barrels and bottles of alcohol through the air. He quickly clashes his daggers together, creating sparks that ignite the alcohol instantly.
BOOM!
An explosion fills the entire area as Taurus uses his smoke like wind to fan the flames and create a powerful conflagration against Elsa. Subaru is forced to throw himself to the ground to avoid the blast, feeling the wave of heat as the flames slowly spread throughout the shed.
Elsa is in the middle of it, her cloak disappearing in the flames, but she remains unharmed. Taurus sighs, watching this. He knew she has the magic cloak, but he hoped it wouldn't be as effective against such an explosion.
Like lightning, Taurus rushes toward Elsa, striking her and plunging both daggers into her chest. She returns the favor doing the same, and they both stagger apart from each other. The light in Taurus's eyes begins to fade.
"Otaku…"
Subaru opened his eyes in concern at the sound of Taurus's exhausted voice. "Forgive me…But dont have the strenght to finish this fight." Taurus whispered, his Mantra gone, he was at his limit. He couldn't defend Subaru, and he was at this woman's mercy…
With what little strength he had left, Taurus threw his first dagger at Elsa, the second directly at Subaru's face. He wanted to give him a quick and painless death. But her plan failed when Elsa, with incredible speed, dodged her first dagger and threw her own at the second, deflecting it to stop whatever plan Taurus had in mind. Then, instantly, she pierced Taurus with her claw-like hands.
"It's a shame our dance ends so quickly... But you're too dangerous to keep alive," Elsa said, disappointed, watching as Taurus slowly cracked and shattered, his fragments disintegrating into a black mist.
"I'll win next time... This is not over." Taurus uttered as his mask cracked, but before disappearing, he lunged at Elsa, becoming a mist that engulfed her, entering through her mouth and nose to suffocate her, then transforming the mist into long spikes that pierced her everywhere, even internally. And not only her, but also the ceiling above them, engulfed in flames, causing it to shatter and collapse on top of Elsa.
"Taurus!" Subaru shouted, feeling the silence. Only two of those strange chains remained. The rhythm, though weaker, continued to play, and those Veils continued to writhe around them. Subaru could still see it, that X beneath the rubble.
Instantly, the debris shifted, and Elsa emerged from it, covered in wounds and burns that took a long time to heal. "That familiar of yours was really something..."
Subaru watched Elsa fearfully as she emerged from the rubble. "Taurus!? Taurus!" Subaru called out to Taurus internally, but there was no response...
Subaru gritted his teeth in anger. This was all his fault; not only he was at fault of No-Satella death, but now of his friend Taurus too. "Damn you! You've caused me so much trouble!" Subaru no longer cared; he had to fight and not let Taurus's sacrifice be in vain. He had to take advantage of the fact that Elsa was still wounded and weakened.
He picked up Elsa's dagger, which was lying on the ground when she threw it to intercept Taurus's. He quickly went after Elsa, who instantly went after Subaru. He saw the world slow down, allowing him to see where her attack was coming from and how to dodge it.
He dodged the first attack and quickly plunged the dagger into Elsa's stomach. To Subaru's surprise, he had the strength to push her away by force with that single attack. He was surprised by his own strength, but then felt a sharp pain in his hand, causing him to clutch it.
That brief distraction was all Elsa needed to recover, pull the dagger from her stomach, and plunge it into the neck of a horrified Subaru. She had seen that violet gleam in Subaru's eyes, the way he dodged with uncanny skill similar of that of Taurus's.
She knew it was somehow a product of that figure; she had to finish him off to prevent future surprises. Subaru bled only from his nose and mouth.
It hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts…
I can't breathe…
The pain was agonizing, and he could barely move his body, choking on his own blood as Elsa pulled the dagger from his neck. Subaru fell to the ground as darkness consumed him. He couldn't keep his eyes open; things weren't supposed to have happened this way. He was supposed to win this time.
Subaru Natsuki had died for the second time
The world stopped, then that familiar throbbing sounded within Subaru's body. From that same body emerged a darkness that instantly consumed everything, silencing all souls and destroying their futures. Reality shattered, spirits were defeated, authorities suppressed, and all mana completely drained.
Only one thing remained:
Od Laguna.
It resisted this darkness, but it didn't, it managed to subdue Od Laguna as well.
This entity in the darkness possessed LUST.
He wanted to embrace and merge with any being he desired, to share thoughts, emotions, memories, and more. No secrets, only total intimacy.
But he also possessed PRIDE.
He wanted freedom, to do anything and everything, whenever and wherever he wanted, to...He wanted to stand tall and proud of himself. He wanted to be worshipped for his very existence. No being, no law, nothing should be able to stand in his way. He wanted to dominate this world to make it solely his own.
But he also had GLUTTONY.
He wanted to eat and eat, to leave nothing and still crave more. Experience, dreams, lives, names, souls, power—everything. He wanted to devour it all. He wanted more mouths, more teeth, more stomach to swallow it all without ever being full.
But he also had WRATH.
He wanted vengeance against everything that wronged him, he wanted to destroy everything that stood in his way. He wanted to erase from existence everything that challenged him and his happiness. To annihilate everything without mercy.
But he also had SLOTH.
He wanted to do nothing, yet still get everything he wanted. He disliked difficulties or overexerting himself in anything. He wanted everything easy and simple so he would never have to do much.
But he also had GREED.
He desired everything that others had, he wanted to acquire more for himself. Never to share, but to have everyone share with him. He wanted the powers, titles, positions, experience, and the lives of others. He wanted everything at once.
But he also had… ENVY.
He wanted to be happy like everyone else, to live a life like everyone else. He wanted love, he wanted happiness, he wanted peace. He wanted… an identity. Just as his creator wanted a purpose, he too desired a grand purpose.
He was the culmination of all of Natsuki Subaru's sins; that was his existence.
Now he only protected a bright soul in that infinite darkness. But there was someone else in that darkness who wanted to approach and connect with this soul.
"STOP! IT'S MINE!"
Taurus screams and defies everything, forcefully pushing away the dark hands that surrounded him so that he could once again be the one to connect with this soul. He had been brought to an unknown place in this darkness:
The Shadow Garden.
There, the Entity faced a similar Entity, both staring at each other. Two silhouettes of darkness observing each other as they challenged one another. Taurus could sense it; this being was similar to him.
"I love you…"
That whisper came from that feminine silhouette. She wasn't speaking to Taurus, but to the soul.
Like him, this thing was a parasite of another soul. He could feel as if half of his being were inside that other Silhouette, it was the Witch Factor.
"So it is true… You are responsible for everything, Witch of Envy."
Taurus whispered to himself, seeing the pink aura of this being. It was love, but it was a love so twisted that it could overwhelm his senses just by feeling it.
"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."
It kept repeating like a broken record. It wanted to consume Taurus, wanted to take his soul. But Taurus, with resolve, resisted and began to emanate his own pressure and darkness to clash with the oppression of the Witch of Envy.
There, Taurus understood: This thing is not Satella, but the Witch Factor itself, ENVY. He and she were the same. Entities created by the Authorities. He began to struggle against Envy. Envy wanted to eliminate him, suppress him.
He was an obstacle, an anomaly in Envy's eyes. But Taurus wasn't going to give up; he had to return and fix everything, for this he was created.
OBSESSION Against ENVY.
"Not only will I take this realm, but I will dominate you and invade THAT 'thing' as well," Taurus said arrogantly, referring to Od Laguna. He won't be stopped here!
Both Entities launched themselves at each other, colliding in a struggle of suppression.
...