Asta was unfazed, causing Laplace to frown and scratch his chin.

"You don't seem very surprised. Expected me, did you?"

Asta smirked, but answered in a neutral tone.

"Kinda."

Laplace laughed heartily at Asta's nonchalant response.

"You are about to break the rules, after all. They apply to everybody, you know- especially to Council members, since we actually have the ability to break them."

Laplace pointed to the small silver insignia sewn on the lapel of his suit jacket as if to make a point. The same insignia was sewn onto Asta's cloak; a five-pointed star inscribed in a circle.

"You know that these rules are in place for a reason, right? Breaking these rules might not affect us since we Council members are separate from the flow of normal time, but it sure as hell affects others. You're playing with lives here, Astaroth- or should I call you Asta now, since we're alone- whatever you might think, you're not saving anyone by doing what you're about to do... not even yourself."

Asta pursed his lips. Laplace was right.

"It's not too late to stop, you know."

"I won't. I've been planning this for decades."

Laplace frowned.

"Really? You do realize what you're saying, right?"

Asta closed his eyes and sighed.

"Yes. I'd be an idiot not to."

Laplace teleported in front of Asta without making a single sound, erasing both his magic signature and his Ki.

He wasn't hiding before- he was holding back. He wanted to be found behind that tree.

Not now.

This was Laplace at his most serious, and frankly, it terrified Asta. Not that he showed it, anyway.

Laplace bent forward, his face now inches from Asta's.

"You do realize what happens to those who break the rules, right…?"

Asta made no reaction.

Laplace stepped back from Asta, making a grave face.

"Lilith will be... very sad, you know."

"...I know," replied Asta, averting his eyes from Laplace's face.

Laplace sighed. He seemed disappointed and genuinely quite sad.

"Do you though? How can you say that? Do you know how much she-"

Laplace paused and closed his eyes, trying to arrange his thoughts. He was obviously trying his hardest to stay calm.

"Asta, however detached I might seem sometimes, however much it looks like I don't care sometimes, I consider you a very dear friend to me. I'm dead serious. Please, don't do this to me. Don't make me have to make this choice. It's not too late to-"

"It is too late, Laplace. I'm sorry… but it's been too late from the beginning."

Asta too, was trying his hardest to stay calm.

"To be honest, I'm scared of you sometimes, but I also consider you a dear friend too, you know. I can see that you care, especially when it looks like you don't. You might seem detached sometimes, but that's what lets you make rational decisions- and I admire that. I couldn't do any of that even if I tried."

Laplace pursed his lips.

"Then, why…?"

The danger in Laplace's eyes was gone, replaced now by an almost pathetic sorrow.

Asta took a deep breath and sighed.

"This… immortal thing…" Asta looked up at Laplace, "...I hate it, Laplace. Nothing feels new. Nobody feels important. They die, I replace- and it's a cycle that happens over and over again, and I hate it."

Asta's voice was shaking with something other than anger.

"I hate it. The fact that we as a Council are supposed to be above every time-bound being on the planet- I hate it."

Asta took a deep breath and continued, his bright grass green eyes glistening in the sunlight.

"Who decided that we should be more valuable than everybody else? I didn't ask for this, Laplace. I never wanted to live a life like this…"

Laplace sighed. He knew the feeling.

"Do you think that I wanted to live a life like this? I have a past too, you know. Just… stay strong. You'll get over it- we're all here for you."

Asta chuckled dryly.

"That's the problem… I don't want to get over it. Getting used to throwing people away like used tissues? Treating people like mere playthings? That would make me almost like… like-"

"-a Devil?" Laplace interrupted, "Asta- you think that you're human or something? You haven't been human for a long time, not physically, nor mentally, not with how much you've killed. It's time for you to act the part, Asta. I promise you, it's better for you to do that. It'll be less painful."

Asta looked down at his own feet.

"I... can't. That's just not who I am. I'm Asta. However pathetic that boy might seem to you, that's… me."

Asta looked up, locking eyes with Laplace.

"I just want to end this, Laplace. I just want to end 'Astaroth' here, and make sure Asta lives a normal, happy life... so Astaroth never comes to exist."

Laplace's eyes widened.

"Asta… you're not…"

"Yes, I am. And I'm not going to let anyone stop me. Not even you."

Asta wasn't going to budge. Laplace had known Asta long enough to know this. When he decides something for himself, Asta never goes back on his word. Laplace heard that Asta used to be an honest person. Maybe this was the last bit of honesty he had left inside him- who was he to try to take it away?

But he didn't really have a choice in the matter, and that made him sad.

"I'm sorry, Asta, but I can't let you do that. I'll-"

Laplace paused, and tried his hardest to stay calm. He failed. He continued, his voice slightly shuddering,

"If you go through with that plan of yours, I'll have no choice but to kill you before you do any damage. Please don't make me do that. Please."

Asta smiled, and Laplace knew that meant he wasn't going to change his mind.

"Okay. Asta- be sure to come back home when you change your mind."

Laplace wore a tragic, almost longing smile on his face as he teleported away.

Asta knew exactly what he was doing to Laplace- and hoped that it would be the last act of cruelty that the Devil Astaroth would commit against someone who didn't deserve it.

It wouldn't be the last. Far from it, actually.

Asta knew that too, and he sighed, sheathing his katana.

"Liebe."

"What?"

"Sorry."

"It's alright. Woulda spoken up if I didn't like something."

"You'll die too, you know."

"I know. Just don't make it hurt, I guess."

Asta snorted out loud.

"I'll try not to."

The wind was blowing softly through the forest. There was a sort of serenity about it; the wind creating music without sound, melody without rhythm. Yet the great green arms of the trees seemed to wave with a sort of rhythm- a rhythm that only a being who was one with nature could truly detect.

For some reason, it reminded Asta of Yuno.

"Do you think I was blessed, Liebe?"

"I don't know. Why are you asking me? Ask God or something. Well, if he's there, that is."

"If he's there, that is… heh. I wonder what Yuno would say if he was here. Would he even recognize me?"

"No idea. Your guess is as good as mine.

Asta sighed. Laplace was wrong about one thing. Asta definitely still was human on the inside.

What makes somebody human isn't how good or evil they are; how empathetic, how nice- there are plenty of shitty humans in the world, and their shittiness, unfortunately, doesn't make them any less human.

No- what separates a human being from somebody who isn't… is an expiration date.

Asta definitely had one of those, and he knew deep down that he was way past it.

Laplace, as somebody who ripped off his expiration date, was no longer human.

He had no way of understanding.

Author's Note: Have I subverted your expectations successfully? Two-dimensional villains are boring, after all.

Also I've now named all of the chapters in a little less boring manner, and changed the tags to be more reflective (I guess?) of what this story is. Actually, what even is the genre of this thing?

I bet all of you have like 1000 questions. I kinda just chucked everything at you guys with minimal explanation. Don't worry, everything'll start to make more sense as Laplace (and a couple others) start to appear more throughout the story.

Put your questions (and even guesses) in the comments anyway though. They're interesting for me to read, and I might even get some cool ideas!

(Although I kinda have everything planned out already : )

Right, well now that that's done, I'll just say the stuff I always say. Follow if you're looking forward to more of this, and maybe even favorite it to get this thing some more attention. Thanks!

Fun Fact: English is not my first language. Can you guess my first language? I'll tell you guys the answer in the Author's Note section in the next chapter.

Non-Canon Spells List:

Continuity Magic: Break

Laplace's only spell. Allows the caster to break continuity in any way, no restrictions applied. Can be used to manipulate time-space to the caster's will, or peer into the future. Also allows for the creation of time paradoxes.