I'm back! After the chaos of Chapter 6, I'm surprised there aren't as many questions being spammed into the Reviews but oh well! Makes it easier for me to be lazy. I'm excited though! This Arc is going to easily be my favorite, because of what Ryu will go through, and the challenges ahead of him. I've even adapted Episode 18 ahead of time since I knew where Ryu's current "Self-Hate Arc" was going to end up taking us. Anyways, without further ado, I present to you all!

RE: DETERMINED

Act 3, Chapter 3 - Emotions (感情)

It had been a while since Ryu's breakdown in the capital.

It had been exactly a day and a half since Ryu left Roswaal Manor, with only his limited supply of "G", his pet Wolgarm, and the clothes he had on his back. His Soul Magic had weakened considerably since he lost his Determination. Sure, he still had his darkened Justice trait, now known as Vengeance; but that hardly mattered to him. It just meant he would only be useful in long-range battles… if at all.

At the moment, Ryu was roaming through the capital, with people looking over his way with pity and sympathy in their eyes. He clenched his fist in silent anger. He didn't ask for their pity. He didn't ask for their kindness or sympathy.

And he sure as hell didn't deserve it. Ryu then paused as he felt a familiar presence close up on him. He turned to see Teymin, hiding her Wolgarm features as she was supposed to, bouncing towards him. He mildly panicked, before he saw her stop in front of him swiftly and obediently. "...Right, you know I'm too weak for a tackle right now. Good girl." Ryu smiled weakly as he reached down to pet Teymin, before looking up and noticing a familiar face smiling at him demurely. "Rem? How did you find me?" He asked in both confusion and surprise, standing up as he formed another leash of Hate for Teymin.

"When you let Teymin out for a walk last night, she rushed off to find me. I followed her in secret." Rem explained, as Ryu looked over at Teymin and sighed tiredly. The Wolgarm didn't show any sort of remorse for her actions, instead seeming pleased with herself. "You've tamed a very powerful and quick-paced Wolgarm, you know Ryu? I'm surprised Teymin didn't become the pack leader herself."

Ryu faintly smiled at those words, as he knelt down and continued to pet Teymin. His precious pet. "She really is something special, isn't she?" He said, before going silent momentarily. "...So, no one else from the Mansion knows you're here with me, huh? You should probably get back."

Rem shook her head negative. "No way, Ryu-kun! I can't leave you behind like this! Besides, I promised myself that if I found you, I'd support you in any way I can! If living in the Capital in secret is what you wish, then I will help you as long as you're healthy!" Rem declared as Ryu could see the determined light in her eyes. He wasn't going to make her budge on this… and he knew without his Determination to back him up, there was no point in even trying to win this argument.

"Fine. Do whatever you want, Rem." Ryu relented before he picked up on another familiar presence nearing them, but it was barely noticeable.

"Sir Ryu?" The ex-Prince turned around to see the familiar figure of Wil, who bowed before him slightly. "Lady Crusch wishes to meet you."

"I'm happy to know that you accepted my invitation, you know." Ryu looked to the side to stare into the amber eyes of Crusch Karsten, a woman who was technically his rival for the throne. Or she would have been if he wasn't already planning on dropping out soon. He just needed to find the time. It was now nighttime, as he was originally looking out upon the capital from one of the windows. He walked over to Crusch's desk and sat in front of her in one of the free seats, a blank look on his face.

"Miss Karsten, can we please get to the point? Why did you call me here? You should know I have no intentions of going to run against you-"

"I know."

"And that I have lost a good chunk of my po- wait, what?" Ryu blinked, as Crusch sighed.

"I know you've lost a lot of your power from what you've seen all those weeks ago. And I also know that you're planning to leave the Royal Selection. A disappointing conclusion, but one I can accept." Crusch said to him, as she stood up. "Follow me." Ryu confusedly blinked but stood up and did as Crusch asked, following her as she led him to the balcony, where they were given a better look of the capital. "...I've heard about your power being able to be taught, even if you don't have it yourself. I'm willing to house you indefinitely for a share of that power you have."

"Why would you want to learn Soul Magic?" Ryu asked, a suspicious look in his eyes as he looked over at Crusch. "I'm not gonna just throw a power like that around to just anyone, y'know."

"I do know that, and that's why I'm willing to tell you why I'm interested in your power," Crusch admitted, getting Ryu's attention. "There is a beast terrorizing our lands… and it is known as the White Whale."

After absorbing all of the information Crusch gave him on the ancient Mabeast (which made Teymin uncomfortable to hear, as she apparently was scared of this beast), Ryu pondered over the pros and cons of teaching the people that Crusch had acquired the assistance of Soul Magic. It would likely make their revenge plan against the demon beast much easier… if not effortless. "But then again, nothing's ever effortless, even when you might think it is." Ryu sighed, lying down on the bed Crusch had provided for him. She was a generous woman, he could see that. And when he looked into her soul, he saw something strong. She was a Hybrid Soul, specifically a Hybrid Soul of Perseverance/Justice. "With Traits like those, she'd definitely be royalty material back home." Ryu chuckled weakly, but those thoughts only brought him pain as he remembered what happened to his home… and how it was his fault. How his birth was the thing that eventually drove everything to the point it was now, and how if he wasn't born, a lot of lives would have been saved. Heck, a whole universe with countless timelines would still be here.

Ryu sighed again as he laid down on his bed and closed his eyes… letting sleep overtake him so he could try to ignore reality.

When Ryu awoke in the Soulplane, he instantly found a guilty-looking Austin and Ryushi. "Oh. Hello there, you two. Since you idiots are here, care to explain what the fuck is going on?" Ryu hissed out, not happy to see either of them right now.

"Ryu, we sealed your memories away for a reason, but we didn't mean to hurt you! If we knew you weren't ready we wouldn't have given them to you!" Austin tried reasoning with the hopeless and hateful Ryu, who only glared at him.

"And pray tell, what other secrets have you and Shi been hiding from me?"

"...What do you know of the Witch of Envy?" Ryushi eventually asked as Ryu's eyes widened in confusion.

"I… not much… but what does this have to do with anything?" Ryu asked eventually, as Austin and Shi locked eyes.

"It's time we give you back your old memories," Ryushi said, as the duo pointed their hands at him, with Ryu's mind then being assaulted with memories he didn't know he had.

"The Corruption in your soul will be an issue, we should-"

"Fragmenting things isn't my forte, mother. I think you-"

"This is bad, I created more Fragments than I anticipated-"

"Mother, calm down, I'm sure things will be fine-"

"Oh, hello there! What's your name? Satella, hm? I have a son your age, I think you might like him. Ry- Flugel, come over here!"

"Satella? That's a cute name for a cute girl! My name's-"

Ryu's eyes widened as he looked up at Austin and Shi, tears running down his face. "Did I… really seal the girl who loved me away?"

"...Ryu, we don't know why or how Satella was sealed away. All we do know is what the legends told us. The Sage, Flugel: who was your incarnation in this world while traveling with your mom across the multiverse, sealed away the Witch of Envy after a long battle. He was assisted by a Dragon and a powerful Swordsman, and the sealing cost him a large portion of his lifeforce." Austin explained, with Ryu slowly getting up and glaring up at Austin.

"Aus, I don't care how or why she was sealed. I don't care about what Flugel did, I don't care about any of that bullshit!" He snapped, vicious anger in his eyes. "I could have gone without any of this information, everything could have been just fine and dandy! I didn't ask for more problems! What the hell is wrong with y-"

"YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY FROM YOUR PROBLEMS FOREVER, RYU!"

Ryushi watched the staredown between the Hate Origin and his 'brother' from afar, not wanting to be apart of this argument. Ryu's fist clenched in anger, as he then turned around to look away from Austin. "...It doesn't matter in the end, Austin. It's daytime, so good day, sir." Ryu curtly said, before fading from the Soulscape, with Austin's 'face' leaking glowing white 'tears'.

"You know, this White Whale of yours sounds very similar to the Scourge that haunted my homeland." Ryu casually brought up mid-training, using a shield made of Hate to block hits from Crusch as she trained to access her Perseverance magic's special ability. He knew the power of Hate outclassed all Traits, meaning he was safe from taking too much damage using this shield, and even if she somehow managed to cut through the shield, he could regenerate using Hate.

Of course, if he regenerated using Hate, he would lose some of Hate's power… good thing he hated himself. And in hating himself, he created more Hate to use. An infinite cycle… the only good thing he had going for him was Hate's versatility.

Crusch sliced at his shield as Ryu took a step back, a faint purple trail following her lion king sword. She was getting somewhere, he could see that at least. Crusch then looked at him curiously. "In what way, exactly? Are you saying your homeland had a beast as dangerous as the White Whale?"

"From what you've told me about the White Whale, no. It's not as dangerous as the White Whale." Ryu's eyes narrowed, as Crusch picked up the pace with her strikes. Her training would only stop once he could see a visible scratch on his sword, then he would 'graduate' her and move on to the others. She had already passed the Justice exam, with flying colors in fact, as he was able to summon hundreds of Justice projectiles.

Crusch's eyes narrowed, as she struck at Ryu's shield again. A purple gleam appearing on her sword's blade, she jumped back. "Oh? Then what made that beast of yours so similar to the White Whale?"

Just as Crusch's sword clashed against Ryu's shield, Ryu's eyes lost their light. "...It's not as dangerous. It's far more dangerous. That beast has existed for thousands of years. For as long as people could remember living on the Lost Isles, they remembered the Brown Leviathan. That beast has been terrorizing the Lost Isles for as long as the Empire had existed, killing any and all heroes-to-be that tried to challenge it, including powerful Kings. My ancestors… my Aunt Rin, one of the strongest Mages I know, was forced to retire because of that beast." Ryu gritted his teeth, with a darkness entering his eyes. Hatred. Hatred for the beast that had brought his people so much pain. "My father was among one of many that accompanied Aunt Rin to challenge that beast… and they still failed."

"Your father? You mean the man who was able to split an island from its mainland with one strike?" Crusch's eyes widened, as Ryu brought his shield back once he noticed a scratch on his shield.

"Yep… on another note, you pass your Perseverance exam, Miss Crusch," Ryu said, absorbing the shield into his soul as he sighed. "I'm retiring for the night. I'm exhausted." Ryu then excused himself, as he returned to his room to rest. After a short period of time, Ryu got up as he felt somewhat bored. He left his room, only to notice Crusch walk over to him. He was mildly surprised by her outfit, as she looked different without her normal suit. He would normally have even thought of her as attractive if it wasn't for the Hate in his soul…

Ah, screw it, she was attractive, who was he kidding?

"Ryu, would you mind joining me for a bit?" Crusch asked, a faint smile on her face. Ryu's mind was still processing things, sadly, so he wasn't able to answer her immediately. Crusch seemed to understand why almost immediately. "Oh, of course. This is the first time you've seen me out of my business attire. The breeze is pleasantly cool tonight. Perfect conditions for sharing a drink as we gaze out upon the night sky."

Ryu blankly watched as Crusch poured herself a glass of whiskey. Ryu was about to tell her he wasn't the type to drink, but… He bit his lip, as he thought about his new memories. Apparently, he did do a bit of drinking back in the day with his mother, though it was mostly wine tasting and the like. He nodded when Crusch looked at him expectantly, and she then poured him a glass as well, sliding it over. "I had a feeling you were the type to enjoy a nice glass of alcohol every now and then," Crusch said, as Ryu weakly smiled. He then raised his glass for a toast, as they clinked their glasses, and the boy then sipped from the glass carefully. Even with his current mood, now that he had his memories back, he had his normal graceful nature back as well. Trained to be a prince since day one, and this was one part of many.

"I personally enjoy certain wines, actually. Back home, we had a special type of wine that was hard to acquire, but I did love it when my family came back home with it. The grapes used to make it were extremely rare since only one family was able to grow it the way they did." Ryu explained, a small smile on his face. "Colorless Magic came in many forms, which includes family-based magic that goes from father to son or mother to daughter. Heck, some people just had magic that only they had, and they couldn't pass down." Good examples of those types of magics were his Black Lightning and his Ice Magic respectively.

"Your homeland's magic system is very interesting and vastly different to the ones we're familiar with here." Crusch smiled at him after she took another sip from her glass. "I'm extremely grateful that you were willing to teach me and my men how to use Soul Magic. I will make sure to give you credit in the event we manage to intercept and conquer the White Whale."

Ryu shook his head. "That's not necessary, Miss Crusch-"

"Please," She interrupted instantly, a calm look on her face. "Just call me Crusch."

Ryu was briefly startled but then smiled as he nodded. "Right. Regardless, I'm not seeking fame or anything like that, Crusch. I just want to help people. At the moment, I have no strength. None I can use to do anything myself. But if I can help people defeat a monster like the White Whale, then I say I've spent my time wisely."

"And I say your selflessness is, at the moment, your greatest strength." Crusch's eyes shone faintly under the light of the candle in front of them. "I truly pray that your Determination comes back soon, Ryu. The world needs more men like you."

"Men like me?" Ryu questioned, a curious eyebrow raised.

"Unwilling to compromise. Calm and kind, but ready to take action and fight when it counts. I've seen only a fraction of your memories and experiences, but from what I've seen, you were willing to save an entire species of people that you didn't even know."

Ryu looked away. "It was only because of Frisk…"

"But are you saying that if this Frisk wasn't there, you wouldn't have done that on your own? That you wouldn't have walked through flames to pacify a kind old, brokenhearted woman? That you wouldn't have befriended a lonely soul? That you wouldn't have managed to calm the most tenacious woman I've ever seen?" Crusch leaned forward, an expecting look in her eyes. "Are you saying you aren't truly who you are today? That your victories were flukes?"

"...Yes."

"Lying won't get you anywhere in life, Ryu." Crusch said, grabbing Ryu's attention as he looked up at her in shock. The woman's once warm amber eyes had hardened, as she glared at him. "Not when I can sense your lies. Besides. Your eyes flashed a dull blue, and if I remember correctly, that only happens when you lie."

Ryu laughed weakly, a tired smile coming to his face. "Huh. Never thought the Law of Integrity magic would end up going against me like this. Oh well, guess you caught me."

"I knew your true self was that selfless man who put his life on the line and was willing to sacrifice himself for others." Crusch hummed before she put her glass down. "I am glad to have you on my side regardless, even if it is for the time being. Having you as an enemy would be disadvantageous, especially if you manage to get your Determination back. I pity those who get on your bad side, or become your enemies."

"Yeah… manage to get my Determination back…" Ryu glanced at his glass, staring into the semi-reflective drink within.

"Stay positive, Ryu. I'm sure you will find yourself a source of strength soon." Crusch said before she swiftly changed the topic. "On another note, have you heard about the rumors?"

"Rumors? What do you mean by that?" Ryu's black and gold eyes looked up staring into Crusch's amber eyes.

"Rumor has it that you've become a popular candidate, a lot of people really liked the background of your story. Not to mention your already royal lineage." Crusch smirked ever so slightly. "I can't imagine how disappointed would they be if they heard that you're planning to drop out?"

"Are you trying to guilt-trip me? Seriously?" Ryu asked incredulously, slightly sweatdropping as Crusch half-shrugged and giggled slightly. Wait, Crusch doesn't giggle, this didn't make sense-

"I'm just telling you the truth. I will admit though, this has been fun." Crusch's normal smile returned, as did the warmth in her eyes. "A good distraction from all this work and stress about trying to find the White Whale. As well as all the proposals I've been receiving every day since word of the Royal Selection spread. Again, I'm surprised you've managed to evade proposals of your own from nobles and their daughters."

"Guess I'm just lucky." Ryu shrugged, being genuinely out of the loop and not knowing how he evaded all that if all the other Candidates had to deal with proposals.

"Lucky indeed." Crusch managed to say, before the cry of a wild Felix cut in.

"What are nya doing out here with Miss Crusch, Ryu?!" Felix demanded, before pointing his hand at Crusch accusingly. "And Miss Crusch, why are you dressed so vulnerably?"

"Is it strange?" Crusch asked casually, as she shifted her gaze to face Felix. "I mean, it's no different from when I dine with you."

"Well yes, I know, that's exactly the problem!" Felix continued his mini-tirade, as Ryu just blankly watched the feminine man rant. "Men are nyothing but wolves, miss!"

"Don't make assumptions on what I am, Felix." Ryu cut in instantaneously, looking at Felix with an emotionless expression. "I have no intentions on making any moves on Crusch here, or anyone for that matter."

It was best he stayed away from making close bonds. That way, if people did get hurt, he didn't feel as awful for it. And the people he did care about should stay away so they didn't get hurt.

"Don't cast your gaze downwards, Ryu," Crusch said, grabbing the ex-Prince's attention as he looked at the… technically Princess. "When your eyes are clouded by hate, your soul darkens. Your future is closed off from you, and you lose sight of your reasons to live. If you wish to regain your Determination, then you must raise your head, face forward, and reach out to the future you want to see. It is not in my preferred stance to see you as an insignificant rival."

Ryu stared at Crusch for a moment, before a small sliver of his former strength returned to him and he nodded firmly.

Ryu smirked as he clashed with Wilhelm, working on building up his strength. His Determination may have been lost to him, but he still had his Hate to rely on. Plus, he should always think of training, even if right now he was severely weakened. What Ryu was also noticing was how his instincts were improving quickly, with him able to dodge and parry Wilhelm's attacks more easily with time. Right now they were using wooden swords, and Wilhelm wasn't using his own magic, sure. But Ryu was seeing advancement in his own strength, and that's what mattered.

"Ryu!" The teen shifted his gaze to the side, as he saw Rem with a severe expression on her face. "We need to talk about something!"

"Has Rem told you what's been going on?" Crusch asked Ryu once he had joined up with her, Felix, and Rem back in the main room. Ryu looked at Rem expectantly, as she then spoke up.

"The feeling I sensed was… something like a presence through the sense that I share with my sister." Rem explained. "I wish she could have used her Clairvoyance to get a clearer picture, but that's all I have."

"So, you must have picked up a nasty sort of synesthesia from her I take it?" Felix commented, as Crusch then picked up the conversation from there.

"We aren't sure of the details yet, but it's from the Mathers Domain, which you know as Margrave Roswaal's territory," Crusch said. "It seems some troubling movement have been seen from the vicinity of his mansion. Parts of the domain are already on high alert as we speak."

"This is concerning news…" Ryu's expression shifted to one of mild stress, his eyes glowing faintly as he leaned his head on his fist. "And what are the chances this is because of prejudice against Miss Emilia for her heritage?"

"Quite high, I have to say," Crusch confirmed his worst fears as Ryu grit his teeth inwardly. The moment he left Emilia, this happened? It couldn't be a coincidence… people were waiting until he left the premises to attack Emilia… and now because he had lost a good chunk of his strength with his Determination, he was a sitting duck. He refused to let his selfishness be what got his friend hurt or killed, however.

"...Crusch, I've decided." Ryu began, catching the attention of everyone in the room. "I'm going back to the Mathers Domain to help Emilia."

"You do recognize that the moment you step back onto Roswaal's territory, you will be essentially seen as a rival again," Crusch spoke up, as Ryu nodded with a vaguely determined look on his face. Crusch sighed, and then smiled weakly. "I suppose I should be happy that you're slowly building your confidence back up."

"Crusch, I won't forget the kindness you've shown me during my stay," Ryu said as he stood up and offered his hand for Crusch to shake, which she did as she stood up. "When you guys finally find that Whale, make sure to reach out to me. I'll be more than happy to help you guys out."

"You've already done enough for us, Ryu." Crusch smiled, as Ryu shook his head negative.

"No, Crusch. When it comes to beasts that threaten the safety of the people… I'll never be able to do enough until it's dead."

Ryu's soul was clouded by anger and hate as he sat in the Ground Dragon-pulled carriage that Crusch had provided them, silently thinking the entire ride and only looking up once he felt the carriage stop. He noticed the Ground Dragon's heavy panting and foaming mouth, causing him to sigh. "Guess it's too tired to go, huh?" Teymin looked at him with concern in her eyes as she nuzzled his hand, causing him to smile weakly.

A while later, Ryu was tossing and turning in his sleep with Teymin resting on the floor next to him. "..." Ryu looked up at the ceiling blankly. "I can't sleep…" He groaned, before he heard some knocking. "Come in!" He said, before turning on the lamp next to him as Rem walked into his room.

"I can't sleep, so, I hoped we could talk." Rem explained, as Ryu sat up and patted the space on the bed next to him.

"You too, huh?" He sighed heavily, as Rem sat next to him. He looked at her expression, able to pick up on her emotions. "You're worried, aren't you?" He asked, as Rem looked downward. Ryu smiled as he took Rem's hand into his own. "Hey, it'll be fine. We'll find a way through this together, I'm sure of it!"

Rem looked at him, a big smile slowly coming to her face as he could sense her emotions slowly pick up. "Yes! I put my faith in you, Ryu-kun!" She declared, causing Ryu to feel somewhat… embarrassed, to say the least. To hear a girl like Rem say that… it just made him feel something.

He then felt her hug his back, causing his eyes to widen. "Uh, Rem? What are you-" He was cut off from saying anything further as he felt the familiar feeling of Kindness Magic flooding into his soul, soothing him and repairing damage he didn't even know he had. In fact, it was so soothing, he was starting to feel… sorta… tired… Ryu's head dipped forward as he nodded off, with Rem smiling sadly.

"Ryu… I hope that when I come back… I will be able to help you regain your Determination." Rem softly said, a loving look in her eyes that only the still awake Austin and Shi could see. "Now, don't go anywhere, okay Ryu?"

When Ryu woke up, he felt something was off. He shifted his gaze to Teymin, as he instantly formed a leash of Hate for her and then rushed out of his rented room to open the door to Rem's. "Rem!" He called out, opening the door to her room. "It's time to… wake… up…?" He stared into the empty, absurdly clean room as his eyes widened and he rushed downstairs.

"Well now! Good morning, Lord Ryu!" The man currently heading the inn greeted him before Ryu slammed his hands on the table in front of him.

"Where's Rem? Where's the girl that came here with me?" Ryu demanded, his mind overshadowed by panic and worry.

"The lady that came with you signed out last night! Here are the things she left you!" The man said as he handed Ryu a brown bag and a note that came with it. The note only increased Ryu's panic as he read it. He rushed out of the inn as he looked around for their Dragon Carriage or anything to suggest Rem would still be around… but found nothing.

He eventually entered a bar from the suggestions of some civilians in the city, finding a man named Otto Suwen who could supposedly take him to Roswaal Manor. He slammed his bag of Gold onto the bar next to the sleeping man, waking him instantaneously as he stared down at him blankly. "Are you Otto Suwen?" He asked, getting a nod from him. "Get me to Roswaal Manor and I can make you rich."

Mere minutes later Ryu found himself sitting in Otto's carriage, surrounded by pots of oil. Rem's letter in hand, with his eyes glowing faintly in the darkness of the carriage. "Why Rem… why'd you leave…? Didn't you say that you'd stay with me and support me?" Ryu grit his teeth in frustration, feeling betrayed and confused. Why did she leave him behind? Did she really think that lowly of him? From beside him, Teymin looked up and whined slightly in concern for her master.

"I think I've been introduced to a real troublemaker…" Otto fretted over his own health and sanity in the near future, as he knew that Ryu was a Royal Selection Candidate and a beacon for trouble according to his now publicly spoken-of memories.

Ryu was later startled awake from the small nap he was taking when the Ground Dragon pulling Otto's carriage stopped abruptly, forcing him to fall over and hit his head. Rubbing his sore forehead, Ryu looked up at Otto. "Hey, what gives?"

"I'm very sorry, Ryu- I mean, Lord Ryu, but can we please turn back now?" Otto pleaded, a desperate look on his face. "My Ground Dragon is frightened. It instinctively knows this place is too dangerous to approach."

Ryu sighed before sniffing the air and pausing. They were close to Arlam, he could tell that much at least. "Right. I thank you for getting me this far, then." He then got up and formed another Hate leash for Teymin, jumping out of the carriage and tossing Otto his bag of Gold. "That bag contains roughly the equivalent of 400 holy gold coins. Use it to better your life, alright Otto?"

"L-Lord Ryu, I'm honored that you would show this much generosity for someone you just met, but please reconsider! Let's just get you back to the capital, it's much safer there!" Otto begged, only for Ryu to shake his head.

"Nah. I need to do this. I have things to do. See you around!" Ryu waved before running off with Teymin, who eventually stopped and growled angrily. "Teymin? What is it, girl?" Ryu asked the Wolgarm, who had now shed her normal dog-looking disguise and showed her true self. She had grown in size and power due to the Hate pellets he had been feeding her too, now standing at his chest. Ryu looked around, realizing something was off, only to find himself face-to-face with a hooded figure.

Ryu and Teymin both instinctually took a step back, only to find themselves surrounded by Witch Cultists. Ryu was ready for battle, as he summoned a Hate Arm, only for the Witch Cultists to bow to him. They then ran off, leaving a confused Ryu and Teymin behind. The Wolgarm was thoroughly spooked, as she stayed in her True Form for the rest of the journey to Arlam.

By the time Ryu arrived at Arlam Village, all he could smell was death. There was no life in the area, only bodies, and remnants of soul matter. He could only feel despair as he searched for anything, anything to reassure him that the people of Arlam weren't all killed. But it was all for naught as he only found more bodies everywhere he looked. "No… Rem… why did you leave without me?" Maybe he could have managed to prevent this.

But now… he was lost. He had no Determination, no feasible way to reset. This would be the horrible reality he had to live in for the rest of his life. Then, his eyes widened. Rem, what happened to her? What happened to Roswaal Manor? He instantly ran off, with Teymin following hot on his heels. She even increased her size so Ryu could jump on and ride her like a Ground Dragon, only for Ryu to stop once he had reached the manor. He could smell the mana drain in the air. He jumped off of Teymin's back, noticing the bloodstained morningstar embedded in the floor. He shifted his gaze to the right, as further despair and hate pricked at his soul.

"Please wait for me to return. When this is all taken care of, I shall return for you. Please, take care of yourself. And please… I beg for you to wait for my return. Please. Yours truly, Rem."

Ryu fell to his knees as he stared at the deceased form of Rem, her skull pierced by one of the many knives he had seen on his way back to the manor. "Liar…" Ryu croaked out, tears building up in his eyes. "Rem, you liar…" Hate crept up Ryu's eyes, as he then screamed to the heavens, black energy exploding off of him. Ryu's soul shattered instantly from the despair he felt, his heart unable to keep him alive.

Conditions Met

Initiating Contract: World End

The darkness that had left Ryu's body coalesced, returning and sticking to his form as Austin took over for his now-deceased host. He then rose to the sky, his amorphous body increasing in size with a horrifying grin on his face. His skin was partially melted by the primordial Hate attached to Ryu's deceased, but still mortal form. Glowing dark gold patches were attached to his- no, its skin as every living being looked up to see a mass of darkness smiling down upon them. Only for it to scream, as darkness shot off its form like spears and pierced countless people's souls, killing them instantly. All except one, of course. All except Reinhard van Astrea, who was only spared because of Od Laguna.

...But not for long.

"Hey! You alright there?" Ryu heard as he opened his eyes. He looked at his hands, disbelieving of what he was seeing. What he was hearing. Feeling. Smelling. Kadomon sat on a chair in front of him. He was alive. He was alive, but how? He didn't have his Determination, and he surely didn't have enough power to use something like But it Refused. Heck, BiR didn't even work that way!

"Ryu-kun?" The ex-Prince looked to the side with disbelieving eyes, as Rem stared at him blankly. Relief washed over him instantly, as he fell to his knees. Rem was alive. Rem was alive, and he could make things better now. He didn't know how he did this, how he had gone back, but this was a blessing in disguise.

He just needed to kill every single one of those robed figures. They were at fault for killing Rem and his friends in Arlam. He hated them, he hated them all. Ryu found himself being helped up by Rem and Kadomon, where he later looked up at the sky with his black and gold eyes, hatred in them.

Ryu would get his revenge on those Cultists one way or another. He would punish them for their sins. Karma would finally catch up to them. And he was taking back what was his afterward. His Corruption Fragments.

What the Cult knew as the Authorities.

Something was wrong with Ryu. That was the first thought that entered Rem's mind as she returned to Crusch's mansion with her beloved hero.

The miasma of Hate had only increased in potency by the day, not to mention the Witch's Scent. It was overwhelming, but she managed to ignore it because she knew Ryu was not affiliated with the Cult. She had already heard of his story, both the one he called his 'Undertale', and his traumatic past. The past that had stolen her hero's strength.

Rem knew she could trust Ryu because of his eyes, she could tell instantly if he tried to lie. And now she was holding his hand, she knew she could keep an eye on and protect her hero. If her hero couldn't protect himself, then she would become an extension of him, she would be his sword and shield. He mattered so much to her, and he was her reason to die.

"Thank you for everything, Lady Crusch." Rem bowed as Ryu lingered around, waiting for their opportunity to leave. He said he wanted to return to Arlam Village, and so Rem was ready to leave to support his decision. "In my master's stead, I thank you for your kindness during our stay."

"I must thank you and Ryu, Rem. You both helped us greatly, and I will make sure that people know that you assisted in the efforts that could one day help us rid of one of the Great Mabeasts." Crusch replied, respect in her tone. She nodded over in Ryu's direction, as he looked over and did the same. A silent showing of respect and kindness between two people who would soon be rivals on opposite sides. "By the way, Rem. Pass this along to Miss Emilia for me. Let us compete in a manner that will bring neither of us shame."

"Of course." Rem obliged as she bowed her head. Crusch smiled, before redirecting her attention to Ryu again.

"I genuinely hope you find your Determination again, Ryu. It would be a shame to let someone with that kind of motivation and strength go to waste." Crusch said, as Ryu eventually nodded.

Rem also hoped her hero found his Determination soon.

Ryu had slept again half-way through the journey. He had been finding himself more and more exhausted the more he used Hate without Determination to balance it out. Normally, anyone could handle Hate if they managed their usage properly and had a Trait to balance it. But Ryu wasn't managing it much, and his soul was a Dual-Traited one, meaning he needed both traits to handle Hate.

He was startled awake from his dreams as the carriage he was riding on with Rem instantly fell over and crashed, due to the Ground Dragon pulling it being beheaded. He looked up weakly, finding himself surrounded by Witch Cultists. He tried to get up but found his legs were broken from the fall due to his weakened body. His Hate was already working on healing him, but not quickly enough. Two hooded figures, Witch Cultists, walked over to him and reached out… only for one of them to be immediately mauled by an angry True Form Teymin and another's head being blown off by a morningstar. "Don't you dare touch him!" Rem growled out once she had brought back her signature weapon. The Cultists all threw their knives at her, only for Rem to kick up one of the carriage's wheels, blocking the knife barrage. She then kicked the wheel at one of the cultists, knocking them dead, along with slamming another aside with her morningstar.

The last tried to run but was stopped as Teymin stopped them by jumping onto them and biting into their skull. Both Teymin and Rem found themselves injured, however, when the Witch Cultists threw knives at their unprotected backs. "Witch Cultists…!" Rem growled out, turning to face the cultists, one of which threw a fire spell at her. "Crescent Shield!" Rem called out, a green crescent-shaped barrier of Kindness magic blocking the incoming spell from hitting her or Teymin, The girl then noticed one of the Cultists running off with Ryu, her eyes widening. They had stolen her hero in the confusion, and he was unable to fight back because of his soul's damage! She reached over to grab her morningstar, fury visible on her face. "You bastards… You stole my sister's horn… and with it, my reason to live, but that's not enough? So now you've come here to steal my reason to die?" Teymin, right beside her, tapped into the power within the Hate Pellets she had been consuming to increase her strength, size, and powerset dramatically; just in time for them to both begin their counterattack for the sake of saving Ryu.

Ryu… lost track of where he was in the midst of all the confusion. He had managed to kill a Cultist or two, but that had drained him quickly as his Hate was busy healing his legs and arms, while his only usable trait; Vengeance, being one he didn't have training with. Because no one knew how to use the Dark Traits.

He opened his eyes to find a disturbing face staring right at him, a wide-eyed man with green hair wearing the clothing of the Witch's Cult. "I see…" The man began. "This is very interesting. Your power… are you Pride?"

Ryu coughed weakly, his throat dry. He found it hard to swallow to try and moisten his throat but decided to try and answer this man's questions. "I… I'm not Pride, I'm afraid." He replied, only for the man to seem overjoyed.

"Ah, he speaks, he speaks! I was so worried that you would try to ignore me for a second there! Ah, what joy! To be able to spark up a conversation with someone who is so Loved!" The man squealed in happiness, before straightening up. "Ah, right! I forgot to introduce myself!" The man walked over to the rest of the Witch Cultists, who were all kneeled before him, as he then turned to face Ryu. "I am a Sin Archbishop of the Witch's Cult! Archbishop of Sloth, Petelgeuse Romanee-Conti, at your service! Yes!" Petelgeuese grinned up at him, making Ryu feel unnerved.

He tried to move a hand up but found himself chained up. "Ah, yes! That's for your own safety, as well as ours! It would be a shame to let someone as Loved as you die when you are so ignorant of her love! Ignorant, ignorant, ignorant! Oh, how my brain trembles!" Petelgeuse then looked around. "Now, what brought him here?" He asked the Cultists, one of which appeared out of the floor.

"Dragon carriage." The Witch Cultist said as Petelgeuse nodded before going on a mini-rant.

"A dragon carriage, you say?" Petelgeuse then began walking around in circles. "Ah, aren't Ground Dragons great? They obey diligently, they work diligently, and play their role as a species diligently!" Petelgeuse bent backward in an inhuman manner, only increasing Ryu's levels of disturbance.

"Killed." The Witch Cultist from before said as Petelgeuse paused.

"Of course. Your diligence brought the ground dragon, diligence itself, to the ground! Ah, my brain trembles, trembles, trembles!" Petelgeuse bent backward again, before turning his attention to Ryu momentarily. "But a dead ground dragon is the very definition of sloth, wouldn't you say?" Petelgeuse smiled at him, before refocusing on his cultists. "Clean up the area at once. With the day of the Ordeal upon us, we mustn't allow our existence to be discovered." He then looked over at the Witch Cultist that Ryu now internally called 'the Informant'. "And his friend?"

"Unknown." The Informant replied, their voice warped by the hood they wore. Petelgeuse nodded.

"It is unknown if the girl is dead or alive? Unknown, you say?" Petelgeuse grew closer to the Informant. "You are truly slothful, I say." He then slammed the Informant into the floor before pulling them back to face-level and shaking them. "With the upcoming Ordeal, you let a potential problem run free!" Petelgeuse then began to pummel the informant. "Is this the sincerity you show in return for our Gospel?" He then dropped them to the floor, blood soaking through their hood as he raised his hands. "Ah, this is sloth. Sloth, sloth, so very sloth!" He then began to dig his nails into his skin and tugged at it unnaturally. "Please forgive us the sloth that has led us to betray your goodwill! Love! We must repay love with love!"

Two Witch Cultists in the back looked at each other, wondering if this was the best choice for a job, when their boss was clearly starting to really lose it. "Bring the girl here," Petelgeuse commanded. "If she lives, kill her! If not, then bring me her head! Love! We must repay love with love!" All the Cultists then melted into the floor and disappeared, as Petelgeuse then returned his attention to Ryu again. "As for you! What do I do with you, you, you?" Petelguese moved around him as if dancing a little mad jig, before grabbing Ryu by the hair. "Now, would you mind telling me why you are so loved? And why you have the scent of a Sage? No, no! I will not have any pretenders trying to be-"

"Guese, I demand you to stop." Ryu glared up at the insane man, who did in fact stop… though mostly out of shock.

"A name! A name, a name, a name! A name I do not use! How peculiar, how peculiar, how peculiar! Who are you really?" Petelguese tilted his head to the side at an unnatural angle, but before Ryu could say anything, they were interrupted by a Witch Cultist's body being knocked into the room. The rest of the Cultists returned by coming out of the floor, as Ryu looked up to see a bloodied and angered Rem walk into the room, Teymin next to her with a maddened look on the Mabeast's face.

"I found you!" Rem growled out. "Let Ryu-kun go!" Petelguese only laughed madly at her words, before beginning to move rapidly and unnaturally again as he posed.

"How wonderful, this is! A girl, a lone girl with a beast by her side, is badly injured! But still, she presses on!" Petelguese laughed in mad joy, as Rem only grew more enraged.

"Enough of your nonsense, witch worshipper! To carry out your insubordinate acts, in Roswaal-sama's domain without permission, you are fools! To kidnap a King's Candidate, you are fools!" Rem took a step forward, her morningstar dragging along the floor with her. "In my absent master's stead, I, Rem, shall carry out your death penalty!"

"In that battered state of yours?" Petelguese asked in a doubtful tone in his normal insanity-laden voice, before pointing at Ryu as he grabbed him by the head again. "Let's be honest, you only came here for the boy! You should avoid saying things that merely sound attractive."

"Don't touch him…" Rem whispered. Petelguese looked at her, putting a hand up to his ear.

"Eh? What was that?" Petelgeuse asked, confusion in his voice.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Rem roared in rage, as she and Teymin began their attack, with the girl turning two cultists into a bloody mist. Teymin began to activate the curses she had placed on all those she had bit, dropping them dead while continuing to attack, except for Ryu's old curse, as she was careful to not harm her master in any way.

"Oh! The rageful bellow of yours was just breathtaking!" Petelgeuse cheered, as he tossed Ryu to the side. "Why does a devout believer of love, such as yourself, waste your time on this weak and frail boy?"

"You know nothing about Ryu-kun!" Rem hissed in fury, stabbing through a cultist and pointing her hand at two more through the corpse. "El Huma!" She shot a beacon of frozen blood at them, piercing and killing them instantly, as Petelguese continued to tremble.

"How magnificent… that was truly magnificent!" Petelgeuse continued to praise the bloodshed that Rem and Teymin were spreading. "My brain… trembles."

As if grabbed by invisible forces, Rem began to levitate in the air, hanging as if nooses were holding her from her arms and neck. Teymin was likewise, as she began to float. Ryu hesitated to look up, before utter terror, sadness, and hatred settled into his heart. "I present the Authority of Sloth," Petelgeuse said, pointing his hand at Rem's hanging body. "The Unseen Hand." He then smiled at Ryu, making shivers run down the diminished and depowered boy's spine. "Look. You must witness. Before you is the result of your actions. Or more precisely… your inaction. Your sloth. And now, because of you, this girl is dead! You killed her!"

…

Was he right? His weakness… his inaction… had killed Rem?

He hated this. He hated himself. He hated everything. Darkness crept up his eyes, as he hatefully glared up at Petelgeuse. "Stop it…"

But Petelgeuse did not stop. He snapped Teymin's neck and continued to torture Rem's body, twisting and mangling her as he taunted him, mocking Rem as he 'screamed' in pain. This only brought further anger and hate as Ryu began to tug at his chains, bringing pain to his frail body. Pain that he was ignoring through sheer rage and hate. "I'll kill you! I'll kill you all! You fucking psychopaths! You won't get away with this!" He roared in fury, as hate continued to overtake him, even managing to slowly etch its way over his soul and corrupt him further. Even managing to slowly overtake whatever level of pure Justice that was left within him.

"Ah, such anger! Such energy! Such drive! Your chains are bringing your frail and weak body pain, you wish to free yourself to save the girl and your pet! Such diligence!" Petelguese then turned around, a frown on his face. "I must say though… this is quite the messy place. Oh well! I'll just leave it!" He then clapped, as the Cultists surrounded him. "Right, men! Back to your assigned duties. Rendezvous with the other fingers! The Ordeal is soon upon us!" The Cultists nodded and faded into the floor, as Petelguese turned to Ryu's raging form again. "As for you… if you are truly as Loved as I think you are, you'll find yourself free soon enough!"

"Damn you! Damn you Geuse!" Ryu growled out, the blackness of Hate creeping up his eyes. Petelgeuse only laughed as he walked away, only pausing as he looked over at Rem and Teymin's floating bodies.

"Oh, right. You are both believers of true love. Yes, you sacrificed yourselves for love, defying your own fate." He then looked directly at Rem's body. "But you fell before your love could reach him, and now it has nowhere to go." He dropped the bodies, as he grinned widely. Teymin whimpered, barely alive despite all the odds, as she hit the floor. "You are truly slothful!" Petelguese's laughs echoed throughout the cave, even after he was long gone, as Ryu was enveloped by rage.

Ryu had long-lost his rage as his voice had tired out, while he silently banged his fists against the floor. He continued to try and free himself from his prison, tugging against the chins. He didn't care if he lost his arms in the process, Hate could get him new arms after he regenerated. He then looked up once he heard shuffling, his eyes landing on a heartbreaking sight. Rem, mangled and weak, crawling over to him against the floor. "Rem…" Ryu's eyes widened, tears forming, as he forced his body to form a Hate Arm, weakening him further but allowing him to grab the girl and drag her over to him. He leaned back against the stone wall as he held her weak and limp body, holding her close. "Rem, it'll be fine! I'll find a way to fix this, I promise! Just stay alive!" He begged her, as he noticed her lips trembling.

"Hu...ma…" Rem managed to say, as the spell caused his chains to break, with Ryu wincing as small shards cut into his arms. He then held her closer as he turned her to look at him.

"Rem… don't do that… don't waste your energy, I could have found a way out on my own…" Ryu weakly said, tears falling from his eyes.

"Ryu… live…" The girl whimpered, as Ryu shook his head in denial.

"Rem, don't leave me!" He begged, trying to figure out a way to heal her, but was stopped as she grabbed his hand.

"Live… for me…" She then smiled at him, with her words only bringing more pain to Ryu's heart. "Love… you…" Her hand then fell from his grasp, as her eyes finally lost their light.

Ryu shivered in anger and sadness as he held Rem's body close to him and slowly stood up. "..." He looked at the deceased girl's body, as he then nodded. He used his Mana to shift the earth next to him as he made a makeshift grave for Teymin, his loyal pet and friend. "...Rest, girl. You deserve it." He whispered to the grave, before walking out of the cave and sensing a temperature shift in the atmosphere. It was growing colder.

His eyes narrowed as he walked off, following the source of the shift, eventually returning to Arlam Village as he found the snow-covered corpses of the people of Arlam. Rage further set into him… but so did exhaustion. He was too tired to do anything right now, at least mentally. He held Rem's body close to him, planning to bury her on the grounds of Roswaal Manor, as he continued to be unaffected by the cold. He was always unaffected by the cold. No matter how cold it got.

He returned to Roswaal Manor's grounds, finding it to be the origin of the cold, as the blizzard around him picked up. He looked to the side, seeing dead bodies of Witch Cultists surrounding Ram's own body as tears came to his eyes and froze under the cold. "Petelgeuse…!" He ground out, as the sight of the dead bodies of his friends, and especially the stubborn girl he had grown to have a crush on, only brought him further anguish. From the insides of Roswaal Manor, a large figure burst open and stared at him with its yellow eyes… before taking steps forward once it saw he wasn't freezing. Ryu's eyes widened as he recognized the figure as Puck. "...P-Puck?"

"Ryu. Do you have any idea of the pain your leaving brought Lia?" Puck's voice, now more mystical and echo-like, cut into him with his harsh words. "You were the only friend of hers to treat her like a normal person. She missed you every single day."

"...I know… I just didn't want to be a burden to her…" Ryu replied to the large beast, who sighed, a puff of cold air leaving his mouth.

"You don't understand, do you, oi (Nephew)?" Puck said, his tone exasperated. "You would never have been a burden in our eyes. Rem, Ram, Emilia, even me. We would have supported you without question, even without your power. We're your friends."

"Oi?" Ryu's eyes widened. "You think of me-"

"While I'm not going to do anything like destroying the world if you die, you are important to Lia, and I have seen the truth of your life. I wish to be a bastion of support for you, Ryu. The remaining specks of purity and kindness in you, I wish to protect and nourish." Puck admitted. "I see you as the nephew I've never had." He then rested his head on his paws as he looked into Ryu's eyes. "And I am willing to let you go because of that. Tell me where you wish to move, and I will leave a portion of that land alive for your sake."

"...No." Ryu shook his head, startling Puck slightly, as he walked around, burying both Rem and Ram next to each other in the ground. "To live in a world without my friends… is a life I don't want. I'd rather die, Puck. But…"

He felt it in the last timeline, the buildup of hate and despair exploding outwards, and just before he died, he felt something take over. Hate. Austin. He reached out, his soul forming in his hands. "Take my life and strength, my Hate as well, and use it to avenge Emilia. Promise me you'll kill the Witch's Cult for me… Uncle Puck."

Puck stared at the object before nodding as he accepted. "Of course, oi. Your last wish will be brought to reality. I will exterminate the Witch's Cult, personally." Ryu smiled at that, before giving Puck his soul, and watching with a smile as the Beast of The End grew in size and power, the blizzard picking up in intensity. And then everything went dark.

"Hey! You alright there?" Ryu opened his eyes, as he found himself face to face with Kadomon again. "You spaced out for a second, Sir Ryu." He looked to the side, seeing Rem next to him with a basket of appas in her hands.

"Ryu-kun… are you alrig-" Rem yelped as Ryu grabbed her hands after stealing the basket away from her, as he then walked off with her after paying Kadomon for the appas. "Ryu-kun, can I ask you something?" Ryu looked at her and nodded after a moment. "Well, I may be mistaken, but… The smell of Hate has recently amplified quite a bit since last night… not to mention the other unpleasant smell." Ryu's expression darkened slightly at those words.

"Unpleasant smell, hm?" He muttered under his breath before he smiled at Rem kindly. "Right, well, if it makes you feel any better Rem; you can just keep an eye on me and hold my hand to make sure you feel safe!" Rem smiled after a second and nodded, as she sped up her pace to walk side-by-side with him. In her happiness, she was unable to see... The angry look in Ryu's dark gold eyes.

'I want… Revenge.'

Ryu messed up. He messed up every step of the way, and he knew why. His mind, addled by anger and wanting revenge, was unable to think logically as he went around asking his former rivals for help with his wish of exterminating the Witch's Cult. He would say he messed up the worst with Crusch, damaging his relationship with her.

"You say you have knowledge on the Witch Cult's movements, and their next time and place. But that's not the issue." Crusch said, her tone professional as she stared into his eyes. "The real issue is how you've acquired that knowledge."

"I… cannot say…" Ryu said, after realizing mentioning his Reset ability, or his current ability that Austin called 'Return by Death', or just 'Return'; would end up badly. He could be seen as a madman or a threat. Crusch sighed.

"And that's what hurts your proposal the most. I want to believe you, Ryu, truly. But if you can't tell me, then I am going to end up questioning if you're keeping anything else secret." Crusch said, as Ryu grit his teeth. "Alliances need to be born of trust and camaraderie. Lies and secrets will never benefit anyone in any type of relationship, especially alliances, they always come back to bite you."

After that critical failure, he tried his luck with Priscilla.

"The Witch's Cult, you say?" Priscilla hummed, as she sat upon her lavish throne-like chair. "And you want my help in exterminating them?"

"That's right," Ryu nodded. "I am willing to give you anything in exchange for help with my mission. People are going to get hurt if we don't stop them! They're all insane menaces!"

Priscilla then began to giggle softly… before bursting out into full-blown laughter. "My my, that vicious hatred you have for them is something I've never thought I'd see coming from you! Especially after the fiasco in the capital, and what I've seen from your memories and experiences." She then calmed down as she stood up and walked over to him, reaching into her… ahem, cleavage and pulling out her fan as she pointed it at Ryu's neck. "You know, there was something I would have accepted as payment in exchange for my help… but it's something you can't offer anymore."

"What do you…" Ryu's eyes widened, as she smiled knowingly.

"Ah, you've figured it out, haven't you? After you publicly declared that you were dropping out of the Royal Selection earlier today, you lost any pull you could have had with me today. The only thing I would accept as payment from you would have been your hand in marriage." Priscilla smirked.

"W-why me?" He asked, as Priscilla then raised an incredulous and delicate eyebrow.

"Why you? Isn't it obvious? To have a backup plan, of course!" She turned around and returned to sitting on her throne, putting her fan up to her face. "I may be lucky, and the world does work in my favor, but it's always smart to have a backup plan! You were a popular candidate for a long time, and in the case that you won, I wanted to ensure that I became Queen instead of someone else. Too bad, you lost your only chance to get me on your side." She then looked up, a bored look settling into her crimson eyes. "Aldebaran!" She called out, as the helmet-wearing knight walked into the room.

"Yes, Lady Priscilla?" He obediently replied, as he then looked at Ryu, who had fallen to his knees.

"Escort our guest outside. Treat him with the minimal amount of respect he deserves, if only to remember the man he could have been." Priscilla said in a cold tone, as Aldebaran obliged as he escorted Ryu out of the room.

But none of those defeats stung as much as his idiocy when it came to dealing with Anastasia Hoshin. His father would have hung his head in disappointment if he saw what happened there, surely.

"I need a ride out of the city," Ryu said to Anastasia, as she sat in front of him. He had encountered the short Kararagian woman shortly after his failure with Priscilla, and she had offered to buy him a drink while they talked business.

"My, you don't bother beating around the bush. For a Prince, I expected you to know there's no rushing a good deal. Oh well, I suppose you've just fallen out of practice." She reached into her bag, pulling out a quill and writing something down on a piece of paper. "It's not easy finding dragon carriages right now. Someone's been buyin' all of 'em. Good thing I know one of the last places with carriages left." She raised the paper as if teasing him with it. "This paper holds the address, I've signed it with my own name. I've signed it all away, but…"

"...You're really doing this, huh?" Ryu asked after a moment, an unimpressed look on his face as Anastasia smiled.

"I suppose I am. It's no fun if I just hand it over, y'know." The foreign businesswoman/Princess said teasingly. "I wanna chat with ya for a while about this an' that."

"You're wasting your time, Lady Hoshin. What could you possibly get out of this?" Ryu asked, completely stunned and confused.

"I believe that nothing in this world is completely without meaning," Anastasia explained, her smile not fading. "You never know who might give ya some inspiration."

"Fine…" Ryu relented in the end, though begrudgingly. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Hey, hey! Lady Anastasia! I wanna eat more! Can I order!" The small demihuman next to Anastasia piped up, her white and orange tail waving behind her. Anastasia smiled at her and nodded.

"Sure. Eat all ya like." Anastasia allowed. "Just don't get your mouth all messy with sauce." The demihuman girl then requested for Anastasia to wipe her mouth, and then ran off when her face was clean of crumbs and sauce.

"Yay! I'll be back soon!" She said, while Ryu shifted his gaze over to her.

Ryu laughed softly at her cheerful demeanor, as Anastasia smiled. "Despite her looks, she's second-in-command in my private army," Anastasia said, grabbing Ryu's attention as he looked over in surprise.

"Private army? Really?"

The foreign Princess nodded. "Yep! She's pretty strong. My private army's pretty famous in Kararagi. The Hoshin Company's personal mercenary squad, the Iron Fang." Anastasia then leaned forward, as if admiring the girl (who was currently ordering in a frenzy) from afar. "Ain't she super cute? Nothing beats sleepin' with her in your arms!"

Looks like Anastasia had a soft spot for demihumans. He took note of that in the back of his mind. Their attention was then grabbed as a carriage was heard leaving the vicinity of the diner. "Lately, lots of people have been gatherin' in the capital. I'm sure you've noticed the change in atmosphere, Ryu-san?"

"...It's because of the Royal Selection, isn't it?" He said as Anastasia nodded.

"When those on the top move, the people move. When the people move, things move." She affirmed. "By the way, the value of things in the capital is fluctuatin' a lot now. Some of the most valuable products are iron goods. Weapons, like swords and spears, are bein' gathered from both inside and outside."

Only one reason for that came to mind, though he didn't voice it. Crusch. "But how does that Russell fit into this equation…?"

"Russell Fellow? He's quite a big fish." Ryu heard Anastasia say, as his eyes widened as he recognized his blunder too late. He had given information about Crusch's quest to an enemy faction. It didn't matter if it was small or large, information was information and it could be used against her. "This has been fairly informative. Thank you, Ryu-san!" Anastasia handed the paper to him, but as Ryu took it he felt horrible. He fell into a trap because of his own stupidity.

"You used me, you shrewd woman…" Ryu narrowed his eyes, begrudging respect in them. "I have to admit, that was smart of you. Good plays and patience on your end."

"I knew you'd see it my way in the end. A former Prince you may be, but you got the blood regardless, and you'll always remember your instincts in the end." Anastasia said, just as the demihuman from before returned. Anastasia then smiled softly. "Remember this stinging defeat, Ryu-san. It'll keep you on your toes. Learn from your failures, and perhaps you'll be able to overwrite your current reputation in the future." She then stood up, as she turned around to leave. "Ohh, and one last thing. The key to negotiation is how prepared you are before you come to the table. Know what the other person wants, and dangle it in front of 'em. If all you do is think about what you want, then you'll only be settin' yourself up for failure. Now, it's time we left everyone!"

Ryu's eyes widened as he saw almost every being in the diner stand up and reveal themselves to be demihumans as well. They followed Anastasia's orders, as Ryu clenched his fist in anger. He accepted this defeat, yes, but it didn't mean he liked it. He hated it. "See ya later!" Ryu saw the little demihuman, the second-in-command, wave at him as she then followed the others. "Bye-bye!" She said, before following Anastasia as they left together. Ryu grit his teeth, as an overwhelming aura of hate surrounded him.

'Damn it all…' Ryu thought bitterly. He looked up to see Rem enter the diner with a concerned expression on her face.

"Ryu-kun, is something wrong?" She asked her soft tone allowing Ryu to calm down slightly as the aura faded quickly.

"It's nothing, Rem." He sighed heavily, before looking over at her. "How'd it go with the Knight's Station?"

"I reported the maneuvers by the Witch Cult to the Knight's Station, but… it seems they've already heard several such reports already." Rem reported, as Ryu grit his teeth. "Since the Cult's background is unclear, they've received countless, unverifiable reports and anonymous tips already."

"They're covering their tracks…" Ryu gritted out, as further Hate crept up his soul.

Why was he so weak? So useless?

He had followed Rem to the dragon carriage that Anastasia had supplied for them, though begrudgingly. He hated how he had to accept a 'gift' from someone who had played them for a fool. He tried looking past that and tried to think of ways to save the people of Arlam, as well as Ram and Emilia, from the Witch Cultists and Petelgeuse. Ryu's eyes narrowed as he then saw a familiar figure in the distance. Otto Suwen, waving in his direction. This was vaguely new. And he could use it.

"From here to the Mathers Domain?" Otto asked, confused and concerned as Ryu nodded. "Isn't that a little dangerous right now? It's already pretty late. We're planning to camp out here tonight. Why don't you join us, Lord Ryu?"

"Please, stop with the Lord stuff. You know I'm not running anymore, Otto." Ryu smiled sadly, before shaking his head. "Besides, I'll be fine."

"Heh, I bet you're just saying that Otto! We all know you just want to get rid of some of the oil in storage that you bought out of season, right?" One of the men said in a teasing tone, causing laughter to erupt around them as a flustered Otto tried to deny such accusations.

"That's not my intention at all!" Otto denied as Ryu smiled slightly. Otto then turned to Ryu with a nervous smile. "Though, it isn't as if I wasn't hoping you could use a little oil." At those words, Ryu looked to the side and summoned up his Interface, looking through it and noticing something.

GOLD: 1,470

His money had multiplied… from his deaths. Something, likely Austin or Shi, took the money from his dead timelines and took them. Probably for the better, since they couldn't use said money as a corpse. He then looked up at Otto. "What's this about oil?" He and Rem said simultaneously, as Ryu turned to her and smiled slightly, finding it amusing that they said it at the same time. It was like their minds were in sync.

He then refocused on Otto, not noticing Rem's somewhat flustered expression as Otto began to speak. "Oh, it's nothing much. I just made a bit of a mistake. And now, I have a lot of oil that isn't worth much right now. Even if I go to the capital, I'm not sure if I can manage to sell it all-"

"I'll take your entire stock." Ryu interrupted, knowing with both the money in Lugunican currency and his pure GOLD/"G", he could do a lot. "In return, I'd like for you to lend me some help transporting people. In fact, I'd like it if all the merchants and carriages here helped."

"People!? We don't want any part in human trafficking!" Otto panicked, as Ryu smiled and laughed.

"It's not that kind of business, Otto. What I want is to set up an evacuation chain." He continued his explanation swiftly, his instincts taking over. "There's a village near the Mathers Domain, known as Arlam. I want you to take its residents somewhere else!" The merchants looked at each other, as both Ryu and Rem pulled out their money.

"We will, of course, thank you properly." Rem said with a smile, and that was enough as the people gave in due to the sheer volume of money offered. Ryu now rode on Otto's carriage yet again, looking over the oil. Rem was managing the carriage that Anastasia gave them while Ryu looked over the quality and quantity of the oil he said he would buy, just so he knew what he could use it for. He instinctively noticed how it was flammable. Extremely so. His eyes narrowed, before Otto's words caught his attention again.

"If we ride through the night, we should enter the Mathers Domain by morning," Otto said, as Ryu looked over and nodded at the white-haired man.

"Thanks for the assistance, Otto. You're a great help." He genuinely thanked before a more curious expression settled on his face. He gazed into Otto's soul, wondering what trait he had, and finding a purple soul. Perseverance. How interesting. "Hey, Otto, you have a financial problem, right?"

"R-right! It's nothing big though since I'm sure that I'll be able to rebuild myself with the money you offer me-"

"I'll appoint you as my personal assistant and manager of funds for my joined Camp between me and Emilia if you do a good enough job." Ryu bluntly said, nearly giving the poor man a heart attack.

"A-are you serious?" Otto asked, an almost desperate and panicked look in his eyes. Ryu nodded with a smile, as Otto's eyes gained a more firm look. More determined. "Right! I'll do my best, sir!" Ryu smirked in response, before forming a barrier of Hate around himself and using it to transfer himself from Otto's carriage to the one with Rem.

"Ryu, I would like to check our map. Could you handle the reins for a moment?" Rem asked him once he had taken his seat, as Ryu nodded and passed her the map from his bag and then took control of the Ground Dragon's reins. Ryu also summoned up his soul, which began to glow on command to light up the map. Otto looked over in awe.

"Lord Ryu, what is that?" Otto asked him, as he looked over with a bored look. He then hummed once he remembered Otto hadn't seen something like soul magic before.

"It's my soul. I'll explain the logistics of it later, it doesn't matter right now." He casually waved it off, before grinning widely. "Until then, pretend that this never happened, 'kay?"

"I feel like I'm being inserted into some devious plot…" Otto fretted again, as Ryu soon calmed down and smiled. Everything was going according to plan right now, which was a great relief.

"Just a bit farther, and we'll reach Flugel's Tree." Rem eventually said, causing Ryu to stiffen up slightly as he remembered planting many trees… but he planted one in particular with the help of his mother, who had incarnated with him into the world as his mother, Lilliana Aicenfall. "If we head northeast from there, the Mathers Domain isn't far."

"R-right…" Ryu then blinked as he looked to the side, noticing something off. "Hey, where'd the guy with the bandanna go?" He asked curiously, with a suspicious look in his eyes.

"Lord Ryu, is something wrong?" Otto respectfully asked as the ex-Prince turned to him but-

"Don't say a thing about the man with the bandanna. It'll make sense later. In fact, Ryu, please prepare your Interface and select the new option. It'll be important, select it when I say so." Austin's voice called out, and Ryu could recognize the seriousness in the Hate Origin's tone. He prepared the Interface, noticing the option of SNAP, and after a moment realized it generated a picture and a time that he could either keep or delete. He deleted the picture he took of Flugel's Tree as a test run, and sat down, deciding to trust Austin for now.

Ryu then looked at Otto and smiled. "It's fine. I thought I saw something. Nevermind me." It was then he noticed a fog roll in and a peculiar sound. The sound of a whale. His eyes widened as he formed a sphere of magic through coalescing a large amount of Vengeance magic, glowing as it revealed a large eye staring right at him. The eye of the White Whale.

"RYU! NOW!" Austin commanded, and Ryu, not wanting to argue; took the picture… only to find a spear of darkness stabbing into his chest… coming from his back. "I will not let the Whale take your soul. Puck was fine. But never will I allow a Mabeast absorb your soul." Austin said in a cold tone, as Ryu blacked out.

'I died again… but… Austin killed me.' Ryu thought, a blank expression on his face as he found himself back at House Karsten. At least his dying reset his bad relationships with Crusch, Priscilla, and Anastasia. He stared at a window, out upon the busy lands of the capital below him as hie eyes narrowed. "You destroyed another world, just to send me back… didn't you, Austin?"

"You would have died either way," Austin said, his tone losing any cheerfulness as well as his normal 'Australian-esque' accent. "I just sped up the process and avoided a disaster. If the White Whale had taken your soul, then that timeline would have been doomed to much more than just erasure."

…

Austin claimed to do this for his own good. But did he ask to be saved by him? No. He would have accepted death if it meant he was dying with the rest of his friends if he had actually fought the beast. But now, he understood.

He was weak. Useless. And he hated himself for it. "I am… truly slothful, aren't I?" Ryu asked the reflection in the window, as the last vestiges of courage in Ryu had burned out.

The first thing he did was teleport him and Rem off of Karsten grounds and into the middle of the capital. If what he was planning to do was to work, he needed her with him. He glanced over at her, as she confusedly stared at him. "Ryu-kun, what was that about?"

"Yeah, I don't typically think things through too much, just did this all on a whim. Like the idiot I end up being. Sorry for doing this without warning, it probably worried you quite a bit." Ryu laughed weakly, though he was laughing at himself more than anything.

"Ryu, you shouldn't put yourself down so much." Rem shook her head, a kind smile on her face. The kind, beautiful smile of…

"Live… for me…" She then smiled at him, with her words only bringing more pain to Ryu's heart. "Love… you…" Her hand then fell from his grasp, as her eyes finally lost their light.

The smile of the girl who once said she loved him, when he didn't deserve it, when he got her killed. "I know you're thinking a lot about our situation." Rem then corrected herself, a more pleased smile coming to her face. "Well, it's not that I don't like it when you're forceful. I see it as a symbol that your Determination may soon return."

"I… I'm sorry that I worried you, Rem." Ryu apologized, shifting his gaze to look out upon the capital. "It feels like recently, all I've been is a pathetic burden to you and anyone close to me. Buuut, I have a plan now."

"A plan?" Rem excitedly asked. "What is it, Ryu-kun?"

"I've decided, Rem." He extended his hand out to the girl, his pale gold eye glowing faintly. "Run away with me. As far as we can go."

Rem confusedly stared at Ryu. "Huh?"

"I'm leaving the capital." Ryu elaborated. "I know since I'm a King's Candidate and all, I wouldn't be allowed to normally on principle, but I'm sure we can sneak away with my plan. I am planning on going as far east as I can, back to the Lost Isles." Of course, that would take a while since the Lost Isles didn't exist here, but oh well. "I mean, Karagi sounds nice and all, but honestly I'd rather be as far as I can be from the mainland and all the King stuff."

"Ah… um… Ryu…"

Ryu turned to her, waving his hands around in a panic. "I know it'd be a long journey and a serious commitment, but honestly I'm sure it'd all be worth it in the end. And who knows what the other islands of the Lost Isles have in store for us, some of them are still unexplored." Ryu laughed nervously, though he continued to think on the inside. 'Of course, after I summon the Isles to this world that is.'

"Please, Ryu! Slow down!" Rem begged as Ryu turned to face her. "You make it sound like you're… running away from Lugunica." Rem then perks up, bringing more pain to Ryu as he knew he would have to disappoint her. "Knowing you, you probably have some big plan involving your homeland! Maybe an object of great power that can help fight the Whale? Or a special Trait?"

"That's not the case, Rem." Ryu denied instantly, a more cold look settling in his eyes. "I have nothing to do in the capital anymore. I'm powerless now, weaker than a newborn baby. Without my Determination, my Soul's very building blocks, I'm nothing. So I realized there's no point in my staying here." Ryu then shrugged, a careless expression on his face as the coldness in his eyes fading as if they never were there. "Roswaal only kept me around due to my power. And without that, there's nothing I can do, I can't even win the Election. So… I want you to run away with me, Rem." He pointed off into the horizons, as he leaned against a wall. "We can't stay here. It's much too dangerous. I always tried to push against the idea, but at the moment, I'd be better off far away from Lugunica. I'm worthless here."

"That's not-"

"It's the absolute truth!" His eyes shone a bright blue in response to his words, instead of the dull blue that appeared when he lied. He truly believed he was useless. "It's been spelled out for me, over and over throughout the years. I can't believe it took me so long to realize that." He thought over the people who had put him down in the past, those he had originally ignored… but he now thought that they had a point. Blaze being one of them. "That's why I've decided to leave, so no one has to see my worthless face ever again. Anything I do will only lead up to death, I am a living beacon for death and destruction." He then waved his hands in a panic again, as he continued. "B-but if it's just me and you, I'm sure I could protect you from anything headed our way!"

"R-Ryu… this is so sudden." Rem nervously looked to the side, as Ryu looked away as well, feeling guilty for putting Rem on the spot.

"I know it is. I really don't want to pressure you into doing anything though. I really, really don't. So, I give you a choice." He extended his hand out to the girl, as his eyes softened. "Me? Or someone else? Please, choose." The pale gold in his eyes started to fade slowly as he began to internally doubt his own choices, knowing what he was doing was not just. Even the Trait of Vengeance didn't want to support a coward like him. "We could get a dragon carriage or something, keep going east. We'll leave Lugunica and never look back. We could get ourselves a little house and live there together… And even if times get hard, I'm sure I could keep going with you there. Just to have someone waiting at home for me with a smile." Ryu's remaining portion of Vengeance began to slowly fade. "I know you've been waiting for me, I'm sure of it! Please come with me! I promise you, I'll give you everything the world can offer and more! So please… just come home with me." Ryu begged, a broken look in his eyes.

Rem softly smiled in response for a brief moment before losing it as quickly as it came. "Ryu… I cannot run off with you. We're supposed to laugh together, as we talk about the future, remember?"

Ryu hesitated. "I- I mean… we could always do that afterward…"

Rem smiled sadly. "I have thought about it too, you know? We could live in the Lost Isles, traveling together and solving the mysteries of your homeland. And we could live off the bounties of the land, with you making us a house to live in." She raised a finger to her chin as if thinking, as Ryu could only watch while she continued speaking. "And with your powers, we could get anything we needed almost instantaneously. We could use your knowledge to build a school for Soul Magic too, as a secondary source of income! And knowing you, you'd probably work really hard on making a castle for us to live in, and rebuild the Lost Isles from scratch. And with all that readied… ahh… it's embarrassing to say." Rem covered her mouth with her hands, an embarrassed blush on her face. "But we could have a child. It would be a hybrid child though, so it'd definitely be a feisty one. And whether we have a boy or a girl, twins, or maybe even triplets, I'm sure they'd be adorable and just as strong as you are. I'm sure they wouldn't be all fun times though." Rem calmed down slightly as she then looked down. "And not everything would work out exactly as I imagined it. We might have only daughters and no sons, and you might feel a little out of place in your family."

Ryu stared in silence, his mind unable to find anything to say in this current state. "But still, even when the children grow up and reach the age when they treat you coldly, I shall still be by your side! We could be famous in the New Kingdom of Rustcottmo as a couple of lovebirds, the King and his Queen, as we take our time together and grow old."

"...Rem…?" The drain of Ryu's magic finally halted as confusion settled in. This didn't make sense in Ryu's mind.

"And I would feel bad for doing it to you, but I'd like to die before you do, if possible. I want to die quietly, in our bed, holding your hand, surrounded by our children and their children. To finally say, 'I was so blessed,' as you watch my final moments. I could end my life happily, ever so happily."

Ryu was unable to comprehend Rem's thought process. It didn't make sense in his own mind. "If you've already thought of things that far, then… why?"

"If you could wish for that future with a smile, I would truly be happy to die that way. As long as I could live with you." Tears began to well up at the corners of Ryu's eyes as a side effect of Rem's soft, sweet words. "Just knowing you want me with you when you run away, makes me happy from the bottom of my heart. But I cannot. Because I know, if I run away with you now, then I'd be leaving behind the Ryu that I love the most." Rem took a step forward, reaching a hand out to the ex-Prince. "Ryu, please tell me what happened. What caused you to want to run away?" Ryu took a step back and shook his head in slight fear. "If you cannot, please trust me. I swear I shall do something to make this right." Ryuuto's mind trailed back to the timeline before, the one that horrified him. The one where Petelgeuse mangled and twisted Rem's body with his Unseen Hands. He shook his head again in fear, barely able to keep his body from shivering, knowing he couldn't tell her anything. "But for now, at least, we should go back. If we take our time, and calmly look over things, maybe we can find another answer."

"I've already thought of everything I could! I've run every simulation I could think of in my soulscape! That's why I gave up!" Ryu snapped, a mad look in his eyes. I'm weak, and without my strength, I don't see a way to beat the enemies ahead of us… let alone the Witches Cult!"

Rem shook her head. "It's easy to give up… but…"

Ryu froze in place in place as a bit of Hate crept up his eyes due to his emotional vulnerability. "It's easy to give up? Who gave you that idea?" Ryu roared, a furious expression on his face. "THERE'S NOTHING EASY ABOUT GIVING UP! EVERY MOMENT I EXIST RIGHT NOW, I FEEL THE PAIN OF KNOWING I AMOUNT TO NOTHING IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS! I'LL NEVER BE A GREAT KING LIKE MY FATHER! I'LL NEVER BE A GREAT WARRIOR LIKE MY BROTHER AND COUSIN! THE FACT I WAS THE REASON MY MOTHER DIED!" Ryu's expression continued to grow angrier as he slashed his hand through the air for emphasis. "DO YOU THINK I FOUND IT EASY TO GIVE UP?!" His tears began to finally fall, mixing with the Hate leaking from his eyes. "IT WASN'T EASY FOR ME TO GIVE UP! MY SOUL WENT GRAY BECAUSE OF HOW MUCH OF MY WILLPOWER I'VE BEEN EXPENDING! MY SOUL CAVED IN AFTER THAT DAY!" A black aura surrounded Ryu as his body began to glow with hate. "ALL THESE YEARS, I'VE BEEN ONLY GOING ON BECAUSE OF MY WILLINGNESS TO NEVER GIVE UP! IF IT WASN'T FOR THAT, I'D HAVE DIED AGES AGO! BUT I CAN'T DO ANYTHING NOW! THERE'S NO PATH FORWARD IN THIS STATE! I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO GET BACK MY POWERS! ALL THE SIGNS POINT TOWARDS ONE THING: GIVING UP!"

"Ryu… it is easy to give up," Rem repeated as Ryu looked down in shame. "But… it just doesn't suit you." Ryu slowly looked up at her, his face stained with tears and the blackness of Hate. "I may not even know half of the painful things you've been through… or what you've learned that makes you hurt so much. And I know it wouldn't be right for me to thoughtlessly say that 'I understand'." She shook her head, a sad smile on her face. "But even so… there is something I do know. I know you're not the type of person to give up on something once you've started it. I know you're the most strong, most Determined man I've ever met. I know you're someone who can find a way to smile in even the darkest of situations, and find hope in the dimmest of lights. I know… that you're someone who would never give up on the future ahead."

The essence of Hate kept crawling into Ryu's soul, with his eyes blackening around the edges. "...What do you know about me… I'm not…"

"Wrong." Rem instantly denied his words, her tone caring but stern. "You've never given up on anyone. Not Miss Emilia, or sister. Or Lord Roswaal, Miss Beatrice, or anyone else. You've always pushed to show the power of bonds, that anyone can be a good person if they tried. Didn't your own tale prove just that?"

Ryu shook his head in denial, as he grabbed his jacket, right over his heart; which was beating madly. "I have… I've given up before… I've given up many times before, even now! I should have known this was impossible from the very start! My soul isn't strong enough… I'm not strong enough." Ryu stared at his hands with a despairful look in his eyes. "The future keeps slipping through my hands, leaving nothing!"

"No. That isn't true. You have-"

"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!" Ryu roared, startling Rem as the Hate in Ryuuto's body finally began to affect him. "I'M A MONSTER, A FREAK! A HEARTLESS MONSTER IN HUMAN SKIN!" Ryu slammed his fist against the wall behind him, surely breaking his now frail bones, but uncaring as blood and Hate essence leaked from his hand. "I DON'T EMBODY ANY OF THE TRAITS! NOT PATIENCE, NOT BRAVERY, NOT INTEGRITY, NOT PERSEVERANCE, NOT KINDNESS, NOT JUSTICE, AND ESPECIALLY NOT DETERMINATION! I… I HATE MYSELF! I CLAIM TO BE THE SON OF A KING AND QUEEN, BUT I'M AN EMBARRASSMENT TO BOTH! THE WORLD KNOWS I'M NOTHING! THE ONLY SPECIAL THING ABOUT ME WAS MY KNOWLEDGE ON SOUL MAGIC! YOU KNOW IT ON THE INSIDE! RIGHT?!" Ryuuto began to scratch at his head furiously as he soaked his hair with the blood of his broken hand. "I'm empty! Soulless! A sorry excuse for a human being! At my core, I am hateful, heartless, cruel, sadistic, and spiteful! This is who I am at my core, Rem! I'm a monster!"

Rem smiled kindly, all the while patiently waiting for Ryu to allow him to let his feelings out. "I know… that no matter how far you've fallen into the darkness. You still have the courage to reach out your hand." Rem softly said, her voice soothing his soul as Ryu looked up slowly, a disbelieving look on his face. "I love it when you stroke my hair. I feel like we can understand each other in ways no one else can."

'No… stop… don't say anything else…'

"I love hearing your voice. Just hearing you say one word is enough for my heart to feel lighter and warmer. I love your eyes. Sometimes they're a little scary and cold, but when you're being kind to someone; I love the way they soften. When you're ready to fight, to protect others, I love how they shine with your Magic." Rem continued to list off the things that she loved about Ryu, as his eyes flickered with color briefly. "I love your fingers. For a boy, for a trained warrior Prince, you have such lovely fingers. But when they hold me, I know they're the strong, powerful hands of a man. I love the way you walk. When we're out together, I love the way you occasionally turn around to make sure I'm keeping up."

"No… Stop…" Ryu audibly begged, not wanting to see her get hurt. If he grew too attached, only bad things would happen.

"I love the way you sleep." Rem continued, unfettered by Ryu's words. "You rest unguarded, like an infant, but you look calm like you know you're protected. When I touch your cheek, you nuzzle into my hand like a kitten… And when I playfully touch your lips, you don't even notice. It all makes my heart ache terribly. I love all of it." Rem confessed as Ryu stared at her in confusion. None of this made sense. If she had thought everything through, made an entire story for a future they could have had, and even showed him this much love... then why? Why did she reject his offer?

Ryu decided to express his confusion. "Why…?"

Rem smiled. "When you said you hated yourself, it made me want to tell you all the wonderful things I know about you."

Ryu shook his head, still denying all the good things she said about him. "It's all a bunch of lies.. Just a bunch of make-believe dreams… You don't know me! I'm a murderer! I have blood on my hands!" He had saved the Underground, yes… but it didn't mean his hands were clean! He wasn't a pure goodie-two-shoes pacifist! He had killed people in the Underground many times because of his idiocy! He had nearly killed Asriel Dreemurr in a rage-induced fit! "I know myself better than anyone! It's my fault my family was killed! It's my fault you and Ram got hurt in that forest on that day! I'm nothing but a bad luck charm!"

Rem finally snapped. "ALL YOU KNOW IS HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF!" The hate in Ryu's eyes snapped back from overtaking him as he looks up at Rem, who had tears rolling down her cheeks, with her shoulders shaking from emotions she finally released of her own. "How much do you know about the Ryu-kun that I see?"

Ryu still couldn't fathom why she was doing this. "Why…. do you care about me so much? I'm weak… I'm running away, just what I said I wouldn't do. So why?" His voice shifted between his hate-filled one and his normal self, as Rem smiled sadly, tears in her eyes.

"Because… you're my Hero, Ryu-kun!" She confessed as Ryu's eyes widened. A bunch of doves flew behind her at a randomly convenient time, as well as the sun shining upon her as if God himself was confirming this love was pure. "In that dark forest, when I didn't even know who I was anymore, and couldn't think of anything except violently lashing out… you were the one who saved me. You risked your life to fight the Wolgarms, and pushed your powers to the limit to save me and Sis. You pushed yourself to the brink of exhaustion, all to protect me and Sis from the beasts, to allow us time to get home! There was only a slight chance you could win in your state, and you were in mortal peril, but you smiled and persevered throughout the crisis!"

"Alright bastards, here we go! SHAMAK!" Instantly, a massive beacon of black energy and smoke exploded from his body, only amplified by his own self-supplied Hate. He then dashed right at the Leader Wolgarm, stabbing at its neck with his enchanted blade, causing blood to erupt from it, before dashing back, spitting out the Bocco fruit, and summoning up his Hate to manifest a weapon. It formed into a scythe, as his eyes narrowed, swiping the blade as it slashed through the other Wolgarm. He shifted his gaze around as more Wolgarm poured out from the forest, snarling at him as they surrounded him and blocked off any escape paths. "Alright, I've got no problems with killing all of you."

"Ryu!" Rem cried out as Ryu turned around, only to be knocked over and glomped by the blue-haired Oni maid. Ryuuto groaned from the sudden impact and was about to yell at Rem for causing him more pain when he was already injured, but his words died in his throat as he heard Rem's crying. "You're alive! You're still alive! I'm so happy you're safe, Ryu!" Ryuuto softly smiled and moved a hand to stroke Rem's hair to slowly quieten her cries.

"Sorry I was a bit late with the rendezvous, Rem… I suppose I got a little carried away…" He apologized, but that only caused her cries to resume again.

"You came back to my arms, alive and warm. When you woke up, you smiled, said the words I wanted to hear most, when I needed to hear them most, and from the one I wanted to hear them most from! My time had been stopped for so long… ever since that fiery night, the night I lost everything but my sister, my time had been stopped. It was you who melted my frozen heart, and allowed me to begin moving forward again! I'm sure you have no idea just how much you saved me… or how happy I felt at that moment, on that fateful morning."

"I… I told you, I'm only my sister's replacement." Rem said. "Nothing m-"

"Don't look down on yourself so much. No one else here does. No one here is a replacement for another. You are Rem, a maid of Roswaal Manor, a Kindness Mage-in-Training, and my friend. I couldn't ask for anything else, since this is all I know. All I need." Ryu slowly got up, taking Rem's hand as he led her to the window. "I've seen lots of things in my time, you know. I've encountered fantastical things and fought beings that if I told you about it, you'd laugh at me and say I have an active imagination." He then smiled at Rem, eyes glowing brightly. "And y'know what? I think I will tell you soon, if it puts a smile on your face. And I've got a lot of stuff to talk to you about, as well. That's what we promised back in the forest, right? We're going to talk, and talk, and talk until our voices go sore. So look up, alright? We've got a bright future ahead of us, Rem. Let's take it by the hand together."

Rem stared at his now offered hand, before taking it as a tearful smile came to her face. "Thank you, Ryuuto!"

"Don't mention it, Rem." He grinned in response, before bringing Rem into a hug.

"That's why I believe. No matter what painful things happen, even when it looks like you're about to give in… When no one else in the world believes in you when you don't even believe yourself… I will believe!" Rem reached up to Ryu and drew him closer to her, embracing him lovingly, bringing more tears to Ryu's eyes. "I will believe that the Ryu that saved me… is a True Hero." She then bent over and kissed his forehead, causing the Hate buildup on him to disperse all at once. Once she released him from the hug, Ryu looked up at Rem.

"No matter how hard I tried… I couldn't save anyone…" Ryu said, still trying to deny the truth as his now purified soul tried to recuperate itself.

Rem shook her head. "I am here." She retorted in a soft tone. "The Rem you saved is here. The Ram you saved is here. The Emilia you saved is here. You saved so many lives, Ryu."

"I haven't done anything… anyone else could have done what I did… No one will ever listen to me." Ryu tried to deny her again, but Rem had another response for him prepared.

"I am here." She softly whispered, bringing more tears to his eyes that wiped away any excess hate on his face. "I will listen to anything you have to say. I want to."

"No one expects anything of me… no one believes in me." Ryu gritted his teeth. "I hate myself."

Rem reached over and places a hand on Ryu's cheek, a smile on her face. Well, I love you, Ryu-kun!" She confessed, as Ryu bit his lip.

"You… don't really mind it's me? I'm… weak..." The color in his eyes returned slowly, as well as the traits in his soul, except for his Determination which was set back to Half. Weak and fragile, but still a powerful trait if he used it right.

"I want it to be you." Rem reaffirmed. "I wouldn't want it to be anyone else. If you can't forgive yourself for being empty and having no power, then let's start from here, right now."

"Start… what, exactly?" Ryu asked, choking up on his own words due to his fragile emotional state.

Rem smiled down at him lovingly. "Just like how you started my time when it was stopped, we will make the time that you feel has stopped for you begin to move again. Let us start again… from square one." She then recorrected herself a moment later, as the light shining upon her only increased. "No, from Zero!" Ryu's eyes widen as the Determination in him slowly started to refill. "If it is too hard for you to walk alone, I will hold you up. As we walk, we can share this burden and support each other. Wasn't that what you said to me earlier?" Rem smiled as the wind blew past them, waving their hair through the air. "Show me how awesome you can be, Ryu-kun. "

Ryu slowly stood up, shadows covering his eyes. "Rem…"

"Yes?" She smiled at him patiently, as if expecting something to happen. It didn't take much brainpower for him to realize she was expecting a rejection.

Ryu's lips twitched into a smile briefly as he looked up, his red eye now returned to its original color… no, even brighter. It was like someone had taken the most shining, beautiful, yet fragile ruby and put it to the sun. "Thank you, so much!" Rem looked up in surprise, as she witnessed his tears, his voice cracking with emotion. "Thank you for everything you've done for me. You have continually seen me at my worst, and you never held a grudge against me for it, and instead only stayed kind and patient." He wiped away his tears with his jacket sleeve, as he smiled sadly. "You continued to love me despite everything. I will never forget this love I have felt today." He then looked down, as he began to think about a certain memory he had regained. "Perhaps… if I survive… we can strive for a future we both love."

Rem was startled as he went to walk over to Ryu. "R-Ryu? What do you mean by that?" She was then stopped from moving by the large number of icy spears ejected from the floor, supercharged with Colorless Blue Magic, right in front of her and blocking her path to Ryu. "Ryu-kun! Where are you going?!"

Ryu turned to her with a smile. "I'll do my best to come back! I love you, Rem!" He immediately reciprocated her feelings, bringing tears to her eyes. "You, and your sister too! But I'm sure you already knew that. It's childish, but… she was my first crush" He turned around again. "Make sure to tell her how I feel while I'm gone! And apologize to Emi for me!"

"Ryu-kun! Please, where are you going!" She tearfully tried reaching through the absurdly thin gaps in between the ice spikes, as Ryu glared at the skies above.

"I'm going home, Rem." He answered her, thinking to the cause of the loss of his Determination. His mother. "I need to return home… and get back what I am owed."

"Son, the Alestian Empire exists in all realms. And as you are their Prince, you will soon lead the Empires of all said realms."

"I need to do this… even if I die attempting it." He then ran off, leaving a crying and confused Rem, who eventually turned to find a way back to Roswaal Manor and warn the others of Ryu's actions.

Ryu needed to find the Alestian Empire… as he hoped it would be the place he could find the strength to beat Petelgeuse and the White Whale.

...The times long past were… peaceful, Ryu realized.

Ryu walked through the forests surrounding Roswaal manor in secret, with a blank look in his eyes, eventually reaching a specific cliff, where he looked down to see the jagged rocks below him. He then looked up at the skies, knowing elsewhere the Alestian Empire of this world still existed. A dark and angry look appeared on his face, as he then began to think. Think about the past that led him here.

A young Ryuuto could be found wandering the outer regions of the Kingdom of Rustcottmo, managing to sneak out of the castle and into the forest where he heard his mother was teaching kids around his age. The young nine-year-old grinned widely before rushing off into said forest, his red and yellow-green eyes shining with enthusiasm. He was about to take a step into the faint green barrier surrounding his mother's Magic School when he ended up tripping and falling.

"Son! Wake up!"

Ryuuto's eyes fluttered open, gazing up at the worried face of Emily Henderson, his mother, and the High-Queen of Rustcottmo. Her worries faded slightly once she saw he was awake. "Oh, thank the Heavens you're alright! You tripped on a rock and slammed face-first into the barrier!"

That explained the pain. Ryuuto rubbed his aching forehead before smiling at his mother. "Hey, mom. Didn't mean to worry you. I just… wanted to watch you teach!"

Emily sighed, before smiling back. "Oh, I suppose you deserve a break from your studies. Come on, I'm helping the Integrity children today." She helped him up and led him out of the cottage that she used as a second home-away-from-home. Ryu watched with awe in his eyes as his mother's students performed gravity-defying feats with their Magic. Walking up walls, using magic-platforms as staircases, jumping hundreds of meters into the air… it was all just astonishing. He wished he could do things like that.

...Maybe he didn't have to just wish. His mother was distracted. He could give it a shot. He carefully raised a foot as he imagined a platform appearing under his feet and using his Soul to try and push that dream into reality. He watched in awe as a faint blue circular platform appeared under his raised foot, and he pushed against it experimentally. He grinned as he kept pushing onwards, climbing up into the air, experiencing the thrill of being high up in the sky before losing focus and falling.

Ryu grew confused when he didn't feel any pain… in fact, it felt like he was still in the air. He slowly opened an eye, since he was wincing in preparation for an impact, and found he was in the air with a blue platform below him, held up by two familiar arms. He looked up to see his mother's smiling face. "Well, here's something you don't see every day." The Queen commented, a proud look in her eyes. "Someone using Magic beyond their traits… Son, how would you like it if you came to Magic School?" Emily asked, to Ryu's awe and excitement.

From there, it was a long journey for Ryu, learning the other Magic types over the years. It was far from easy, as each tutor drove him to the brink of death and back. It was training straight from hell, but it was working. He took steps up a mountain, trying to use Integrity to defy gravity, but ended up falling into Emily's arms once he lost focus. The mother-son duo had a good laugh about that specific incident, with the otherworldly Queen always encouraging her son with love and positive reinforcement.

Two years later, when Ryu was 8-and-a-half-years-old, the Queen took her son out camping by one of the nearby mountains, amusedly watching her son talk about his dreams of being a hero and saving The Lost Isles from the Beast that was constantly threatening them, the Brown Leviathan. As the two then laid down to prepare for sleep, Ryu shifted his gaze from the night sky to look at Emily. "Mom, where did you live before you met dad? You said you came from a different Kingdom, and you were raising me to be *your* heir…"

"You want to know, hm?" Emily smiled knowingly, as she turned over to face her son, her pale lavender hair falling behind her. "Well, I came from all the way up there…" She said, pointing up at the night sky, as Ryu frowned.

"Momma, everyone knows no one lives in space, that's absurd." Ryu pouted. "Tell me the truth!"

"Oh, but it is the truth. And I can prove it." The woman sat up, as did Ryu, with Emily pointing her hand at Ryu. He watched confusedly as she put her pinky finger out for him to take. "When you're older, I'll take you to Alestia, and we'll have fun together. It's a promise." Ryu eventually hooked his own pinky finger with his mother's, as the promise was forged, with the boy grinning and crying out of joy.

Years later, Ryu was a 12-year-old Prince, jumping about the Kingdom of Rustcottmo as he messed around with his Integrity magic. He jumped onto another platform, smiling down at the kingdom below him before he noticed a horse and cart. His brother and parents were standing next to it, waving at him. He smiled and jumped down, landing on the floor and looking his mother in the eye. "Ryu… tell me, when's your birthday?"

Ryu rolled his eyes at that, an amused look on his face. "Mother, you should know your own son's birthday." Ryu quipped as Emily smiled softly.

"Humor me." She said in a soft tone, as Ryu sighed.

"Two weeks." Ryu replied, as the High Queen hummed and nodded.

"Right, well… looks like we'll be going on a trip in two weeks. Get ready." She put her pinky finger out, as Ryu confusedly stared at it before a wide grin appeared on his face, cheering loudly, only to shut up as Blaze casually slapped the back of his head with a heat-magic enhanced palm. "Remember to keep up your studies and don't bother your Aunt Rin!" Emily called out as the cart rolled away.

Days passed, with Ryu missing his family with each passing day. He constantly grew more anxious, marking each day on a calendar as he waited for their return. On the final day, he waited outside for their return with a smile… only for the smile to fade once that nightfall came. He shook it off, marking it up as a delay. Mother would come back. She had to. She made a promise. He could just enjoy today since he had a birthday party to attend. As each day passed, he felt more and more self-conscious.

Had they… abandoned him? It had been a month already…

Marcus, Ryu's older cousin, watched from a window as he grew worried. "Hey, mom, shouldn't we try to figure out a way to contact the King or help Ryu?" He asked Rin, with the middle-aged Patience Mage tiredly smiling.

"He can get through this, boy. He's strong, just like his father. Nothing can keep him down. 'Sides, I think he doesn't need to wait too much longer." Rin replied though she had her own worries about her nephew's mental health as well.

Ryu eventually looked up once he saw a horse walk up to him, with the Royal Courier having a sad expression on his face. The young Prince stood up, asking for information on his parents, but only immediately regretting it as tears fell down his face.

"Did you hear? The High Queen just tried to kill her husband!"

"Wait, the King? Really?"

"Talk about family drama, this is the messiest divorce ever!"

"People say she was planning it from the start."

"I heard she was executed on the spot!"

"I heard her son was the one to kill her!"

"Really? Which one?"

"Apparently, Prince Blaze was the one to do the deed! People even say he had no remorse on his face, too!"

"Poor Ryu, didn't the Queen make a promise to him or something?"

No… this was wrong, this was all wrong. Mom would never… They're wrong, they have to be.

...But now he had to do it on his own then.

Angry tears leaked from his eyes, as he blamed himself for everything that happened. Everything that happened to his mom, to his father, to Rem, and to Emilia. Every bad thing that happened was his fault in his eyes. He needed to do this, to redeem himself.

"Ryu, you can't do this. You tried this back home and you nearly died. This isn't worth it."Austin demanded, worried for his host. Ryu shut both him and Shi out, as his eyes gave off a dark glow. He had to do this. He had failed when he was younger, but now he was older… smarter. He wouldn't fail. He formed an Integrity Platform beneath him to boost him up and shot up like a trampoline. He was gaining speed quickly, the air whipping past him as he accelerated, but it wasn't enough for him. He jumped onto another platform, increasing its size…

"Big bro? Did you really do it?" Blaze froze as he turned to look at Ryu's tear-stained face. "Did you really kill mom? Please, please tell me they were lying!" The younger Prince asked, only for Blaze to turn away and say the words he always feared.

"She's dead. No need to worry about a traitor." Blaze said coldly, as Ryu's eyes lost a bit of their color.

Ryu's eyes widened, that part of his memory acting as a reminder of his failures. His will wavering and his Magic instantaneously drained, the platform shattered beneath him as he fell rapidly to the floor, reaching up for the skies desperately. "No! I-" His words came to an abrupt end as he saw the smirking face of Blaze from up above as if it was mocking him.

...

...What if they were right? If he's the wrong who's wrong, then… was everything fake? All those years of a mother who taught him everything he knew, raised him to be who he was today… was it fake? Was her love… fake? Did he ever… matter?

The teen slowly opened his eyes, as he felt something surround him. A warm feeling, one of a comforting hug… from a mother. His mother. A memory hit him.

"Son, I want you to know something." Emily said to the young Ryu, who looked up at her from his studies. The Queen walked over to him and hugged him from behind, placing a kiss on his forehead. "There will be a moment in your future where you will doubt everything. You'll doubt yourself, you'll doubt me, you'll doubt your abilities to protect others. But I want you to know that… even when I'm gone in the future, I will always be here with you, that I love you more than my own life, and that..."

Ryu's eyes gained a firm glow in them, as he formed a dozen platforms below him, shattering each one before the final one caught and supported him. "No one defines who I am… but me. Neither will I bow down to the wills of others." He said in a determined tone, his eyes regaining their light as he truly regained his Integrity. The single platform he stood on multiplied in size and power, as he forced more magic into it. It began to glow as he pushed against it, and then shot forward like a rocket. No, 'rocket' was doing a disservice to Ryu's speed, as he easily pierced the heavens and shot through space. Ryu eventually opened his eyes, as he then found himself astonished… he was standing on Alestian ground… but it didn't look like the main planet or kingdom, more like just a… fragment. A floating island.

Did… was he teleported here or something? He walked around, taking in the environment of tropical-looking trees and wildlife, and eventually finding a gravestone that brought him to tears.

Here lies Emily Henderson - A loving mother with regrets.

And beneath that…

Congratulations on making it here, Sleepy Dragon. Take what you've earned. I knew you'd find your way back to this world someday, you really did love that half-Elf girl after all. Saving the Underground was just the beginning. You have no limits. I believe in you and I love you. - Emily Josephine Henderson

And lo-and-behold, before the gravestone lay a sword and an amulet. The sword was silver in color, with a golden crossguard and a red tassel hanging off of it. There was also a snowflake-like design engraved into the crossguard. The amulet was made of pure silver, with the depiction of a sun that was cracked in half engraved into its metal. Similar to his birthmark. Ryu fell to his knees, picked up the sword and the amulet, the only things left of this mother… and began to weep silently, holding the objects close as he mourned the one person he loved above all else. "I love you too, mom…" Ryu croaked out, as his tears hit the grassy floor beneath him.

Conditions Met.

Soul of Peace: Restored (100%).

Determination: Restored (100%, Previously 95%).

Ability: "Black Warp" unlocked.

RE: DETERMINED

Act 3, Chapter 3 - Emotions (感情) - END

Yeah, its a cliffhanger. What're you gonna do about it?

Anyways, next chapter is anywhere between today and the next two weeks. Have fun theorizing, everyone!