Re:Circuit (Redux)
Author Notes:
To anyone who happens to know how to use Live2D, please teach me how to rig my character to use as a vtuber… I am starting my own show and would appreciate the assistance…
To some people complaining about the Priscilla part, I included a small part that explains what happened….
To user drandragonmc: yes it is, he let's his vitals open to goad attacks there, since he knows where the attack comes he can recant to it, but if he is a bit too late… well…
Shirosaki Kizuro: the body was freshly killed, it would disintegrate slowly…
Onto the story….
Chapter 14: A Broken boy...preparing for War
It was war…
That was what we were getting ready for.
I need to find Anastacia.
It would be insane to find a single person in such a big town. It was so large that one person could take YEARS to find a single person in such a place.
I don't know if I had bad luck or not.
However...
As I wandered around the plaza with Rem we bumped into the cutest little cat girl.
"Oof, sorry onii-chan… I was not looking cause I was so excited to see this new place, yay!" She said waving her hands to accentuate her point.
"Now now, you have to be careful and mind other people around" a familiar voice sounded as she turned around a corner.
A twin scent, it felt that there were 2 people were Anastacia was, however, one felt more… muted.
Anastacia is quite a cute thing, if it was not ,for her immense greed I would have no problem also electing her, as she has quite a good business sense.
However this is not the time or place for that.
I lifted an eyebrow, "is Sir Juulius not escorting you, Lady Anastasia?" I asked keeping as civil as possible.
She smiled at me "well, he is in a bit of time-out, while I understood the reasons behind the duel I was actually against it out of sheer principle" she commented.
I urged her to continue to elaborate.
"Such stories would best be told while eating would it not? Would you and your lovely companion care to accompany us to some lunch?" She asked.
Free lunch and having a bit of backstory on one of the dragon maiden candidates?
"I will be imposing upon you, then... and thanks for your hospitality" I said with a slight bow.
Yet I was cautious, as the second scent on her was similar to the one I emanated.
Similar in nature, yet not in aspect.
We entered a restaurant and took a look.
I see, she might look childish, as her small stature and cute features would certainly accentuate said things, yet she was anything but.
We ordered a simple lunch, while Mimi, the little cat girl, ordered a burger and ate it with gusto, I was tempted on filming her eat with my cellphone as it would be the answer to the life long question "can I haz chessburgar?"
Yes… yes you can.
Anastacoa then chided her for eating so messily and cleaned her up, while Mimi laughed in delight.
My inner fur connoisseur was fighting with the desire to pet her.
Anyways. I schooled my face as we ate,
She began her tale, she started out as an orphan which explains her greed, she managed to make a real life story of rags to riches.
I also noted that she had no magical signature, and even then her greed did not seem to originate from her…
That scent…
It seems as Rem could not feel it, could it be that she only recognizes mine due to it being linked to "The Witch" and its cult?
The other thing that bothered not me but Archer where the people inside, I missed it entirely but was brought to my attention thanks to him.
"I do have a question," I said.
"And that would be?" She asked innocently
I banged the table and immediately we were surrounded, even Rem was shocked at the people with blades and staves pointed at me while I had a shit-eating smirk.
"It is not nice to invite people for a chat if you are gonna have so much muscle around, if it was anyone else they might have attacked immediately and flee, while I understand the possible thoughts you may have, you forgot to consider the other party in said thoughts"
She placed her hands up as if giving up "I apologize. It seems I both miscalculated and underestimated you" she apologised, "as a token of my sincere apology allow me to give you some information free of charge"
This woman!
I wanted to laugh at it all.
Archer explained to me what she was doing.
"I see… you truly are a businessman… no woman of terrifying skill" I said with a smile as I thanked her.
She smiled and she held the hem of her dress and gave a bow, "Until we meet again, Sir Subaru" she said. "Think this also as payment for the show you gave back then, I must say, it was quite the stroke of luck that lady Priscilla did not want to kill you after you struck her not once but twice in her face"
Indeed it was, I was half expecting to redo again… it was a stupid move, but I felt she deserved it, I would have not changed a single thing even if I looped back.
After the fight, the Royal Guards and the Elders wanted my execution, even Emilia was quite worried as it looked like a real possibility, however Priscilla was quite taken by being able to fight Juulius to a standstill, and shown an interesting thing, in her own words: "Your display has amused me so, so I deign myself to pardon you as you have entertained me so with this foolish display"
Rem was looking between Anastacia and myself.
Her mind unable to process my near doom due to defending Emilia and Felt's honor or the fact that I was able to fight to a draw with a royal guard.
With this new tidbit of information I made my way to the merchant district.
Otto Suwen, a small time merchant with a big problem. He was a rather unlucky fellow.
He had bought a lot of off season oil, and due to that he was now in serious debt.
Archer said we could exploit his debt into working with us.
It was quite a good idea, even if it was rather underhanded.
However, even if I was to use him, I would at least maximize his gain as well.
We went to ambush… I mean convince Otto to work with us.
I have to say this, I felt like a bad guy doing this.
Otto was quite eager to help me for the money I promised, which, once I said I could introduce him to Roswaal Magrave, he redoubled his efforts.
The deal was the buying of his off season oil, and they would take the villagers to a safe haven, we did not, however told them the whole truth, I said it was due to a marauding bandidos group, but the fact was that it was a lie.
A familiar scent… it was coming from the caravan, I ignored it due to me being busy to plan for the evacuation of the villagers.
With promise of coin and an introduction to the famed court magician, he was like a man possessed.
We managed to cut the time by a few days to get to the village, however something happened as we rode over the night.
As we talked to a coworker of Otto, he suddenly vanished.
"Hey what happened with Leo?"
"Uh? Who is Leo?" Otto asked, looking confused.
Now I was confused… "The guy with the red scarf I was talking to just a minute ago" I said.
"Subaru-kun, you were talking to Otto, there was no one here other than us" Rem said.
Something was wrong… something was VERY wrong.
The sky was dark… too dark, even the moon was hidden. There was a thick mist around.
I took my phone and turned the flashlight function.
What I saw in the darkness, it horrified me.
A giant yellow eye, and a huge body which was white.
"It's the Hakugei!" They yelled in fear and fright.
"This damn thing… it is similar to Gugalana! A pseudo Devine creature! We must flee and save as many as we can!"
I did not understand what he meant, but seeing him worried like that just made me scared. Then again he was thinking of MY ability to combat it, not his.
My weakness was holding him back.
But that was not an option… for when our eyes meet…
"Me?"
It rammed into the wagon, Otto speed up, Rem was attacking with her magic.
This monster…
It was after me.
It ignored everything except us… me.
"I am sorry Rem" I said.
"Subar-"
With a well place hit I knocked her out, Otto was taken back by this, "You keep going, we will meet up later, I will buy you all some time"
"Are you crazy?! No, you MUST be crazy! Even the previous sword saint was killed by it" he said.
I just gave him a sad smile "I don't plan on defeating it, I KNOW I can't, but what I CAN do is stall it for a bit" I said with a bold faced lie.
Otto was holding back his anger as he KNEW I was fully expecting to die.
"Next time we meet, let's try NOT to be in a life or death situation alright buddy?" I said as I jumped off the wagon.
I sighed.
I concentrated on those swords…
Even if this monster was a pseudo Divine being in stats, it was still considered a Monster and had that designation.
The world viewed it as such.
Looking past myself and into the power that Archer has, and to actualize that miracle using my body, paying the tool for it with pain and suffering in exchange for power.
I opened my circuits.
"Trace…"
I will always be just a 2 bit copy… cheap, a fake.
An imitation of a imitation.
"ONNNNNN!"
But I will still bet my life to protect those I love, and since this asshole was here because of me… I will take him along with me.
"Keep me company for a bit why don't you?" I said with a grin.
The black blade flew at high speeds, I threw a second one and then two pairs of the white one.
They cut deep and drew blood, the monster roared and bellowed in both pain and rage.
If it bleeds it can die.
I dodged its attacks by rolling out of the way, for a thing so big it sure is fast.
Another set.
It rushed me attempting to devour me, however once more I dodged and countered by slashing its face, a thin and long gash on its body.
The beast trashed about.
This is promising, but still a losing battle.
It was healing, not as fast as a regenerating monster, but still, it was slowly closing.
The beast was angry and it showed.
It began to launch mist from its body.
"Avoid it!"
I jumped behind and avoided it… this mist was weird… the scent… is scentless… or rather the scent vanished as soon as I recognized it.
The mist erases the memory of things…
If it hit me… would everyone… forget me?
I gritted my teeth as the danger ramped up to 11.
If I die, I will die with the memories of everyone with me and myself in theirs.
It was so intense, but I knew I would die… it made my decision to increase the danger I would precariously waddle in.
By pushing out more prana I traced more swords of slightly higher caliber but of the same attribute, meaning anti-monster type.
It was due to the darkness that I tripped and the monster managed to eat my arm.
It was devoured by the monster.
Pain… so much pain
painpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpainpain.
The pain was blinding… and then…
"Operation of imaginary numbers, connecting space of original alpha beta theta, initiating sequence of calculations of safeguards implemented by lady Sakura, initiate thaumaturgy of shadows" a voice sounded from within.
From the stump on my arm, shadows gathered.
They coalesced and formed a fully functional arm made of shadows, it has feeling and I was able to touch things.
"Elimination of hostile entity in progress"
My arm thrusted forwards and went into the beast's mouth… I then felt it expand like a balloon, the monster was thrashing violently, it was then when I noticed that its body was showing strange vein like lines in its otherwise perfectly white body, they looked sickly red and the monster began to shrivel up.
Dark tendrils began to erupt from the whale as the arm made of shadows continued pulsating.
The monster looked at me with anger… then resignation… and then it drew its last breath.
The whale had been taken down.
I was still delirious on what happened and made my way to the village, I managed to find an errant land dragon and was delivered to the village.
Thankfully they were all alive and told them the situation, and asked them to leave as soon as possible due to the bandits coming, no doubt using the white whale as an opportunity to attack.
However, I did not expect what happened next.
As I walked I noted an odd scent… it was coming from the manor.
Making my way up there I saw a group of hooded people.
I immediately went in to kill them, as their bloodlust all but confirmed that they were not here for tea and crumpets.
They bowed afterwards.
They gesture to follow them, since they had gathered here, I decided to follow through with this, as this was already a lost loop, might as well gather as much information as possible.
Things I now know are as follows.
FIRST, my many deaths had increased the intensity and strength of the Witch's Scent on me, bringing the whale towards ME.
SECOND, the Witch's Cult were after someone in the mansion, however they stopped after seeing me and asked to follow, not only that but I was treated with outmost respect.
THIRD, this arm of shadows had an independent thought in battle, I would lose it when the loop ends, as I am fairly certain I will die here, however I would very much wish to learn how to do so on my own terms should the need ever arise.
I was escorted to a cave, I took mind of this as we traveled to remember exactly where this place was.
On the opening was a man, dressed in clothes that seemed ceremonial, like that of a priest.
"Rejoice young man, you wish will be granted"
I shook my head as the voice of someone I categorized as a fake priest sounded in my mind.
No, this man was insane.
"WELCOME, BELIEVER OF LOVE! OOOOHH… HOW CAN I FEEL HER LOVE ON YOU! My brain…. It trembles"
Even Archer was on edge.
The scent this man had was strange…
It felt as his scent has been stretched and sent many places…
"Not another one…" Archer groaned.
"What do you mean?"
"This man… he had severed his soul and implanted it on others, so long as one exist he can come back, think of it as a Litch and its soul container" Archer said
"Like Voldemort and his Horocrux?"
"Let's go with that, yes"
"OOOH… I have been remiss in my manners… I am the archbishop of Sloth Petelguesue Romani Conti.. dethsu!" He said as he twisted his body in impossible angles.
It was not his body after all.
It made me hate him all the more, even Archer treated my body carefully as to exert just a bit more than what I could normally do.
Still this was dangerous, I was in enemy territory, I was not even at 20% health, I was going to die, but now I knew the name of the enemy, now I needed to know what's his motivations and anything else until he figures out I was BSing him.
Looking around, I began to analyze the structural integrity of the cave used by them as a hideout.
Yeah, this could work.
It was time to bullshit my way as fast as I can… it was a second specialty of mine now.
"Well meet lord Archbishop, I am Subaru Natsuki, I am new and hope to learn the ropes, may I ask why someone of such high eminence as yourself in these lands?" I said with fake pleasantries.
He gasped as he placed a hand to his no doubt unbeating dark heart.
He began to cry.
"Oooh! How polite, how well mannered and educated, truly you are diligent, No wonder you are filled with her love" he said.
"Oh… I feel the love alright"
The man was such a raving lunatic that he did not notice my blatant sarcasm.
He looked at me "please present your Gospel"
I was in a bind… what to do but keep BSing?
"As I said I am new here, it was serendipity and sheer luck that we both ran into each other, I am quite ignorant of all your group, and my being here was happenstance, therefore I ask, as someone that holds the title or Archbishop to illuminate this poor fledging into the group's plan and ideology"
It was a rather strange thing, seating down with an enemy and talking over some tea, but so long as I cam get information on their plans, I can counter them later.
He began to spin his tale, of the Witch of Envy Satella and their mission.
It took all our willpower to not use Phantasmal Pseudo Installation of Heroic Spirit Saint Graph and just wreck the whole cave and kill them all along with me, more information was needed.
It was quite the plan, they were here to test Emilia, to ascertain if she was a viable vessel for the resurrection of the Witch.
It was KINDA like the deal going on with me and Archer, except with her, Emilia's personality would be consumed and replaced with Satella's.
Or, should she not be a suitable vessel… they would kill her for daring to look like her.
And here I thought I had it bad.
I was set, my plan was set into motion the second I was led in.
With my shadow arm I had carved runes on key parts of the cave as we went deeper in, the runes were chained together and would activate on a keyword.
"Dear Archbishop, I wish to thank you for your hospitality, all of this is very sudden and such information has been quite shocking and revealing for myself, however, would I be a bother and ask for you to wait for my decision, such things… should not be done lightly after all" I said.
"OOOOH! How wise, how diligent, to wish to think about something so life changing, so diligent indeed! You remind me of that girl" he said.
I twitched.
"Oooh she was brave so diligent, but not diligent enough to match my own, it was a shame truly" he said.
In front of me, the broken body of Rem was unceremoniously thrown at my feet.
What?
What?
What? Why?!
No, not like this… not here, she cant… why? how?! She was with Otto!
I began to feel anger, so much anger.
No, not anger, the emotion I was currently feeling when beyond mere anger, it was an emotion only found in the depths of hell.
Wrath
Archer was trying to contain it by talking to me, but this was too much.
What's worse … she was not dead, her arms twisted back to the point of being broken beyond healing, same as her legs, she was unconscious due to the pain.
And then… this thing used a skill or magic to use her broken body as a puppet.
"Oh? Is there something wrong? Why are your eyes crying tears of blood?" The thing in front of me dared ask such a thing.
I walked up as he let her hit the ground… grabbed her body and held it against me.
"I am sorry… I am… so...sorry" I said as I cried.
Words could not fix this…
Still she forced herself awake and whipped away my fears with a pained smile.
"Very well," I said, "until next time"
It was then when the runic chain I made began to glow.
The sounds of explosions could be heard as I laughed at it all.
"YOOOOOOU!" Petelguese yelled as the cave was caving in.
"This is your tomb for now… but I will see you again, asshole" I said with a evil smile.
Yet the rocks did not fall on Petelguese, or rather they were deflected…
"Wha?"
Crunch
There was a sound akin to the crushing of a dried leaf… it was my other arm, it had been twisted and broken beyond rationality
I could feel… something grasping at my now broken arm.
Then I felt something in my neck.
I lifted my shadow arm "I am not going alone"
Petelguese and myself managed to kill each other as the cave collapsed burying both of us.
With my shadow arm I held Rem as the whole place collapsed.
As darkness began to envelop me… I cursed at the irrationality of this world… where such things can roam free…
And my wrath exploded.
S/FX Call of the Witch
I felt something odd within me… something that Felt like Archer, yet wasn't… it felt much darker.
I sighed… the phantom pain of having my arm twisted until it looked like a dishrag, the crushing of my windpipe.
Seeing Rem's broken body toyed like that…
The anger...no the unadulterated wrath bubbled up.
"s̀o̶͡ ͜y̵͢o̶u̴̸ ̛̕ha̵vę f̡̧ína̡͘l̀l̀͢y͘͝ ͝w̕҉o̸͡ke̵ń ́up̛͜,̷͞ ͠i̕t ͠ś҉eém͞͞s ̷m̛͏y̡ ̨lįgh̨té̕r ̡̀s͏͡e̴͝l̵͞f h̕as͢ seen͟ ̸̵t̶h͝e͢ ̨́li̶mi͝͞t̢s̸ ̴́o̸̢f͡ ̶̢wh̵a͏t̷͠ s̵o͡mé̶ǫ͘n͏e̷͠ ̧͘w͏̷į͟th h̀͢i̸͜s iḑeá҉ls ̧͜can̡͞ ̕͝do̸ a̛͏n̢͘d̛ dećid̀e̶̴d ̵̨t́͠o̴ give me the ͝chà̧ŗ̵gę̷,̨͘ d͜o ńo̸̵t͡ ̧w̴̛o̷rr̷y͏ ̀͟b͘͝ò͟s̸s҉ư͞.̛̕.͘͟. t̸͘ha҉͟t̴̡ a̵r͢chbi͟͝s̸hơ͞p w̧͟ì͟ll̴͜ ͜t͝a̧͘s̢͡t̵̨e ̶͜d͘͢e͠͞sp͜áir̕ ̴͞be͠fo͝͝ŗ̢e̷̵ ̀b̷r̡͞e͞a͘t͝h͏i̕͞ǹg̸͜ hi̴s ̵la͘st̴͜ b̀rea̴t̢͜h"
The voice was the same… yet it was darker and much more callous.
"Archer?" I asked with trepidation
"Yę͘͞s̴..̧.̸҉̢ ̕á͘n̡d͢ n̴͠o"
He explained to me what he is.
He is an IF version of the Archer I dealt with that succumbed into the perfect hero.
At least, the darkest interpretation of one.
An Anti-hero.
Something like the ones from the American comes like The Punisher, Ghost Rider… people who had no qualms about collateral damage in the name of justice.
"wh҉̴̨a̡t̕͡ ̷́͠y̶̨óu ̷̸ne͜e̶͘d́ ̴̴͜n҉o̸̵͢w ̴̸͠is̷̷̕ ̡n̛͏ot a̵͟ ͢h͜e͝͠͞r̨͠o̧͞͡, ̸͝y̨òu̶ ̀n̡͞ȩ́͝e̢d ̷̢͢a ͟͝di̵͡r̴ţý̴͜ ̸͢vi͢llaiń̡͟ó̴us͏̷ ̷̕͏perś̴҉on w̛ho ͘kn̵͟o҉ws͜͡͞ ͏̸̀a̡͘͠n̴̛͞d ̨̛͟u͠n̢͝͠d̶͏é̵̛r̡͘s͢͡t͘͠a҉͢nd̶̡́s҉ ę̨͠v̕҉̡i̴͏l a̴͢n͢d̢̢̧ ̵ḩ̸̀o̶͝w ̨̢͞t̨̕o ̴͡c̨̛͡ŕ͜u̸̸s̸͞h̀̕ ͢͠͡t̛͠h͘͝e͏i̵r̕͘͞ s҉ou̡l̨ ̵͟͟an̵d̀̕͢ m̷̡i͜n͢͞d̕ś in̸͢ ̵͟t̶͡h͞e͝͞ m̡̧ośt̢҉͢ ̧̨è̸f̨́fi͡ci̷͜e͡n̕͘͝t̴͝ ҉̴a̕̕ńd̵ ̛th̷̨͢r̷҉̕o҉̧͘ú͝g͜h̴̢ ̕͏͡wa͡y ̸̧p̀͞͝o̕s͝͡ş́̕i͠b͞le͢,͡ ęļ̶͜i̵ḿi҉̢̢n̢͠a̶̕͝t͞͏i̶̡͠ǹ̷͡ģ́͞ a̷̡n̨̢͟y̷̸ a̕͞ņd̕ ̷̧á͟l͟l̡͘͏ ͠w̧̕͡h́́͠o̵ s̕t̡̨́a҉̨͘n̡d̕͡s ̕i̸̕n̡͘ ̡̡t̢he̛ ẃ̴̡ay̨̛"
He was right, and with the wrath burning inside me… his words rang true.
First, I needed to locate Anastacia, with my nose it'll be easy… as the peculiar scent she has was memorised...then Crush, however before any of that I have to deal with Rem.
As soon as I saw her my first instinct was to hug her and cry… but I just smiled and shoved all of that deep inside my heart.
My heart that kept shattering at the memory of her broken body.
They way they literally played with it as if it was a puppet.
The vile threatened to rise but I pushed it back down.
All I could do is shield her from that truth…
While shuttering my heart and mind in the process
There was something odd of it all as well...I did not question it one bit at first but now… why was she left with me? As someone who basically single handedly keeps the mansion clean, why was she asked to stay with me?
"Rem, please tell me what else Roswaal told you to do here with me, what did he ask you besides keeping me company?" I asked
And so she told me that she was to obtain help from the candidates in the form of an alliance, she did not know for what, but that it was of the utmost importance, and that she should only speak of it should I ask.
One more thing to be suspicious of Roswaal, did he know? And if so, how?
I sighed, as all I could do was, at least now, play his game.
First we needed Anastasia, we found her by the same place as before, we negotiated the terms for the alliance, she was impressed that I knew how to handle business like I did… but in truth I gave the reigns to Archer, as he had a plethora of experiences dealing with things like this.
Once her alliance was secured we needed to get Crush's.
Let's see what we got so far.
We got the White Whale, which is after me due to the scent I carry and has no doubt increased with my latest retry.
Her buying rather copious amounts of weapons and armors.
And the history read from Wilhelm's sword.
She was pulling an Ahab.
The hunt for the white whale.
So, if everything I gathered and pieced together was right, and by God I hoped I was, my chances to gain both her trust and alliance was nearly 100%.
This was my resolve… I was ready to fight a two pronged battle… a war to save the people I cared for.
I hardened my resolve as we were escorted to where she was, my stomach in a knot, nervous of it all.
Still I could not, WOULD not, hesitate.
This whale… will become the stepping stone for the plan to save all those I care about… and those who get in my way…
I will kill them.
No hesitation
Remorseless.
Just an unfeeling machine
It is what I need to become to finish this loop.
This unending nightmare.
To save the village, to save the girl to save his love, his sanity...
A pair golden eyes looked at me from deep within my soul, a cruel smirk, then a pitiful frown.
A poor broken boy… preparing for war.
My eyes hardened, becoming even sharper than the finest of blades.
"Your eyes have changed" Wilheilm remarked
"Because… I needed to change for this" I replied.
Rem did not understand the meaning behind those words.
"I see, I must say, I quite prefer this look on you" Wilhelm declared.
I looked at him "maybe, but this can't be the real me… is it?" I said and questioned.
"People don't have a single face, there are faces you wear with a loved one, with family… and when preparing to kill"
With that said, he pushed the doors open.
Time for negotiations to start.
Chapter end