Hey everyone. Just a quick warning for all those walking into this fic unprepared.
Many of the characters will have gone through a sort of bad end of sorts (shitty timelines and horrid outcomes). Anyway here is a list of the current series in this fic and their timelines.
Re:Zero- Re:Forgotten Style Timeline. (post arc 6 Subaru's name is eaten, he is accused of being an Archbishop of the Witch Cult, and spends several months being tortured in a prison cell.)
Konosuba- Traitor Style Timeline. (Aqua betrays Kazuma and leaves him for dead when she meets Mitsurugi. He is resurrected by Wiz and trained under Vanir as a Spy for the Demon King's Armies.)
Overlord- Lone Player Style Timeline. (Ainz is isekaied to the New World alone. He has no Nazarick, no NPCs, none of the powerful tools or armies that had once been at his disposal.)
That Time I was Reincarnated As a Slime- Normal Timeline. (Around Season 2 of the anime.)
So I'm a Spider, So What?- Normal Timeline (only up to episode 13 or so of the anime.)
Arifureta- Two Fallen Timeline- (Hajime was not the only one to fall into the Abyss of the Labyrinth. Kaori was also trapped along with him. From the abyss rose three demons, three great powers which would carve their way through the world.)
Rising of the Shield Hero- Cursed Weapons Timeline- (The four heroes were briefly overtaken by the power of the Cursed Series and wrecked havoc. Naofumi had calmed himself, but not before causing untold devastation. The other heroes, there are a much different story.)
That's all for now. There are some other series in mind but I'm still trying to think of how they could be integrated with the others.
It had gotten quiet, too quiet. The last time Felix had been in his cell was... at least four days ago if he's been keeping track. That alone is more than enough reasons for Subaru to be nervous, having actual time to recover, actual time to think that wasn't spent in complete and utter agony.
No one in this Blood-covered Cell but him and his thoughts.
His mind was trapped in a state of conflict. Part of him hoping that his 'friends' finally took care of Gluttony, that he'd be free. The other part though, it's more concerned with what Felix may be planning for his next 'interrogation' technique. Not even getting into the fact that Julius was also absent from his daily 'interrogation' much like Felix.
So here he sits; missing toes and fingers, blind in one eye, and covered in an uncountable number of scars. He takes in another breath of air, cringing as the scent of blood and excrement worm their way into his nose.
All he can do now is wait. Wait for his friends to get him out of here. Or wait for the torture to continue. Return by death was useless here, the reset point having long since moved too him helpless in the Cell. Cor Leonis had nothing to give. The only thing he could do was force himself to use Invisible Providence and the pain it brought to keep himself awake, see if he could get something out of it.
"Do we have any other reports of these strange lands beyond the waterfall?" One of the Knights asked his comrade. "None, they've sent expeditions and other groups, but none have returned." His fellow responded. "Well, least nothing's come here yet." the first replied, just as something fell atop his helmet.
He looked up, finding nothing there. "Must have been a bird." his fellow quipped. "Yes... Probly just a bird." He said while shaking his head.
Kazuma let his hand rise from his mouth. Two weeks of travel; being chased by insane monsters, nearly losing his ship to raging sea dragons, and now he's sneaking into a place which was supposedly home to the most overpowered guy ever.
When the sky had first been torn open he was terrified, had the gods decided to just fuck it and destroy the whole world. But no, world's collide and he's stuck investigating them. Some man power for this would have been nice, or some information not based on rumors.
He could be relaxing in his home, only having to worry about those Chunibi Crimson Demons. Not having to mission impossible his way through some god forsaken city in who the hell cares on a mission to scope out someone who may never truly be a threat if some of the rumors are to be believed.
If the so called 'Sword Saint' isn't allowed to leave the Capital city of this country, than why bother.
But there's another rumor, one far more personal. There was talks of some cult, two of their apparent Bishops being inprisoned in this very city. Some woman by the name of Sirius, and a boy by the name of Natsuki Subaru.
He could care less about the woman, but Subaru. That name is a dead give away of some poor sap who got isekaied. Not to mention an old missing persons report that he had found online before he had been isekaied himself. Some guy around his age goes missing with no way of being found, someone with that very same name turns up in the rumor mill of this country.
Who was he to not check to see if it was true.
So he sulks on, silencing the bitterness and sticking to his job.
Its now day five with no sight of Felix. Invisible Providence was getting stronger, the healing brought along with the torture doing wonders for his broken gate and scared soul. He could hold himself above the ground with a couple hands now. The guard near his cell didn't bother looking in, so he continued. gritting his teeth at the pain and discomfort of using such an ability.
Kazuma was now hugging the roof top for dear life. Turns out of the guy's abilities let him know when he was being stalked. He hadn't even realized that he had been compromised until the man had thrown a butter knife with enough force to break stone.
RIGHT AT HIM!!!
He wasn't even sure a knife like that could withstand such a thing. Yet here he is, hidng out on the maze of rooftops while evaluting his life choices after almost being decapitated by a piece of dull silverware.
'I better get a raise' Kazuma thought while using Awareness to ensure he wasn't being pursued. "Not to self, watch out for good knights being bossed around by punks" he muttered while picking himself up.
That punk looking girl, by the name of Felt, had shouted something to Reinhard before he threw the knife. It was only logical that she was on edge, that cult has been far more brazen in their attacks as of late. The sheer amount of homeless and injured littering the streets was proof of that.
"Welp, time to check out number two." Kazuma muttered before leaping from roof top too roof top.
Day Six, there's at least ten hands now. If I can just break these cuffs than I might be capable of standing once again. The voices are back, the whispers, maybe I should stop? Maybe, I should just wait it out? Hope that my 'friends' finally did it.
Or JuSt BrEaK OuT.
Three hands went to each chain, gripping them with as much force as they could muster.
Minutes passed, each second akin to a year in length. As nothing happened.
Back to the drawing board then.
The Knight station was surprisingly easy to break in too. No one other than that OP Sword Saint had the ability to sense him through his Stealth Skill. All it took was some liberal uses of Stealth and Drain Touch, then Boom he's in.
The only real issue was finding where to stuff some of the unconscious guards. He only had so many beer bottles and mugs of ale to stash near them.
Foot steps grew closer, so he hugged the wall and let them pass by. "As I was saying, this will be the best way to get some new information out of that Damned Witch Cultist." Said the first voice. "How can Nyah be so sure?" A second, far more feminine sounding voice, followed suite. "Simple, He's had almost a week alone, he'll be so paranoid of what will happen next that it will be far easier to squeeze information out of him." The first continued, revealing a purple haired young man with a wooden sword at his side. "Yeah yeah, but mine way was still working just Fiyahn." The second, now being revealed to be some kind of cat girl?... boy?
"Either way, we'll make Natsuki Subaru spill all he knows about the Witch Cult and the Authorities of the other Archbishops." The Young man finished. As the walked away, Kazuma removed himself from the wall and followed after them.
He was floating, strengthening his many hands. The only thing that's stopping him now is the chains around his wrists.
Then he heard footsteps.
The hands receded, he let his body sink back to the floor. All the blood and excrement that decorated the Cell had been pushed to the sides, away from him. He could just sit on the cold stone floor and wait.
FoR dEaTh Or FoR fReEdOm.
"Hello Nyah, Its been a while Witch Cultist." Felix's voice echoed from outside the Cell. Subaru just grimaced, his hopes being squashed with one sentence. "I have many surprises for you today, but you must be curious about the delay, right?" Felix asked. Subaru just stared up at Felix through the now open slot on the door.
"Anyway, time for me to get to work." Felix said while opening the door. "Julius and I have many plans for you." Felix smiled wide as he looked down at Subaru. Subaru just stared back with his one eye, before glancing to Felix's side.
"Oh, Julius is just getting what he needs for today." Felix answered. "But don't worry, I have my own means for now." Felix smiled as he pulled out a scalpel.
Julius was was retrieving his latest weapon, one made of both wood and leather to better strike and line with metal studs to inflict far worse injuries. Then he noticed something.
There were far too little knights guarding these areas. He grabbed a real sword along side his torture tool and walked out. Following footsteps and small trails of booze along the ground.
Far too many knights drinking, far too little booze to knock out this many.
He turned back too the direction of the Archbishops' Cell and ran.
"NYAH!!!" Felix shouted at the top of his lungs before he fell to the ground. Shoved face first into the piles of residue, Subaru just looked up at his... Savior? He stood at average height, dressed in the kind of get up you'd expect from a fantasy thief, even down to the domino mask covering most of his face.
There was a moment of silence before the other broke it. "Your name Natsuki Subaru?" he asked. "Yeah, what's it to you?" Subaru responded. The stranger held out his hand and spoke. "The name's Satou Kazuma, and I've been interested in some rumors as of late." he spoke.
Subaru just stared up at the guy, he couldn't be much older than him. Yet that name, it just had to be japanese. "So, how'd you get here? Truck? Train? Maybe even a Yandere?" Kazuma asked. Subaru looked him in the eye (as much as someone could look a masked face in the eye). "Sort of got it, wasn't a vehicle if that's what you're asking." Subaru responded.
"So, would you be willing to break me out?" Subaru asked. "Hmm, maybe, but I need to trust you on that." Kazuma responded. "We won't have long, they'll be knights swarming here in a few minutes." Subaru retorted.
"Yeah, yeah, but how long have you been here. The rumor say you smelt like an Archbishop, whatever that means, and people only knew you from that. But I know that isn't the full story." Kazuma said. Subaru just looked at him; "Over a year, it's been difficult keeping track while trapped in the Cell so I'm not sure after that." Subaru answered.
"Alright, so where's the keys?" Kazuma asked. "That's all you needed?" Subaru asked. "I've spent the last week or so just listening to rumors about you, it's nice too meet a fellow isekai victim face to face without a fight occurring." Kazuma answered. "There are others?!" Subaru shouted. "Well, as of this last month, there's been a lot more. That and a growing expanse." Kazuma said while looking over Felix's unconscious body.
"Growing expanse?" Subaru asked. "Worlds collide my guy, there's more out there now." Kazuma just spouted before taking the key out of Felix's pocket. "There are other worlds?" Subaru asked. "Numerous other worlds, I came from one of the others, even passed by yet another on my way here." Kazuma answered.
Kazuma approached with the key before a loud shout got their attention. "So you Witch Cultist are trying to release him, I won't allow this." Julius spoke up. A metal blade in one hand, the other holding some sort of studded bat or club reminiscent of a sword.
Kazuma quickly dropped the key near Subaru's feet and walked forward, drawing a sword from his side.
He left the Cell, leaving his fellow other worlder to deal with the keys himself. Across from him stoot the purple haired knight, his stance ready to strike at a moments notice.
It was clear the knight was more skilled, but he had some tricks of his own. "You don't look like the average Witch Cultist." Julius spoke up. "Cause I'm not; I'm just a guy listening to rumors and getting answers." Kazuma responded. "I doubt that, only someone like an Archbishop could break this far into the prison. " Julius retorted. "Ah Bishop this, Archbishop that. I have more than enough Cults to worry about back home. I'm not in the mood to be lumped in with some other crazed bunch of cultist." Kazuma jested.
Julius narrowed his eyes and lunged forward. His blade striking against Kazuma's own while the club swung sloppily at Kazuma's side. The strike stung and he grit his teeth from the pain, but it was obvious that the club was not designed for combat.
"Skill Stealth" Kazuma said before disappering from view. "So that's it, your authority lets you turn invisible?" Julius said. "More than That." Kazuma muttered before using Drain Touch on Julius' arm. The knight screamed in pain as his mana was drained.
Yet he didn't fall.
Using the club to brace his form, Julius staggered back up. "I. Won't. Allow. You. To..." Julius spoke out as Kazuma used Drain Touch again. Julius fell to the ground and groaned.
"Now then, back too-" Kazuma was about to say before a sudden blast of obsidian mist erupted from Subaru's cell and said occupant staggered out. "Lets hurry, the sooner we're out the better." Subaru said.
Kazuma decided not to comment on the fact that Subaru was more floating rather than standing. "Alright, follow me." he said
"It was horrible, he came out of nowhere, took down who knows how many guards, and got away with the Archbishop." Felix lamented as he was debriefed over the break in. "I got a good look at the assailant, but he was covering any way to be identified. All I can say was that he had a Black and White Mask, a simple coat, and a short sword that appeared to have come from Kararagi." Julius explained.
Neither were lying, and this only brought more stress on Reinhard. First he is followed for two days by some unknown assailant, then one of the Archbishops is broken out of prison the very next day. The only way such things could be done, would be if another Archbishop was near.
Julius did say the man could turn invisible, and was highly skilled in the act of Mana draining. That was the only option that made sense.
Unless...
Could it be that someone... came from beyond the great waterfall?.
But who? and for what reason?
