The day after the initial training, I met up with Subaru and the others as we discussed plans. Subaru apparently seemed shaken about something, but I was confused since I thought it was not time for him to meet with Roswaal yet, so I don't get what he was so afraid about.
Well... I left him to his own devices as I circled around the village to find Bilma, who welcomed me as we discussed for the sanctuary's future.
According to Ryuzu Bilma, who I personally trust more than the other clones due to her close relationship to Subaru, Arma and Delma were in favour of liberating the Sanctuary, just like her. However, Shima, who was demoted to a white robe, was against the liberation due to the fact that Garfiel did not want it.
I sighed as I prepared the next steps for Shima, since she needed someone to take care of her, and I volunteered to take that role. I strode down the village to find Shima, who waited for me as I saw the young clone and went over to her.
"You're so caring, Y/N-bo." Shima said as she took the supplies she needed, and I sat down next to her as she sighed again.
"You know the cause, right?"
"Huh? The cause? What do you mean?"
"The cause of my illness. After saving Young Garf from the Trial 10 years ago, I was affected by some unknown force and lost my black robe, so I was demoted. You know what caused it, don't you?"
"Yes. But why would you assume that I know?"
"You has an audience with the Witch of Greed, one who possesses a vast amount of knowledge. Seeing how she chose you as her apostle, she must've told you some things."
"Ya, but how does that-"
"I will not dislike you even if you decide not to tell me, Y/N-bo. You've helped me much in the last few days, and that's enough."
After that, Shima walked away as I pondered about her words, before I ran to a hidden spot, and surrounded myself in a diamond dome before muttering the words that opened the gateway, and I fell asleep before waking in the Castle of Dreams.
"Oya? You came early today, considering that it wasn't the afternoon yet." Echidna said as she helped me up from the ground, and I noticed something strange.
"You usually don't stand when I enter, you know? What happened today?"
"Well, I suppose you aren't up to date with all the events that transpired, are you?"
"Wait, what do you mean?" I said before I suddenly knew the answer myself, and noticed why it felt strange in the past few days. There was no past few days. It was the same to days and nights, repeating over and over.
"You're right. Y/N, it seems like your ability to sense the other boy's ability usage has come to a stop. It seems that Satella has removed that authority in you."
"Eh? Then how am I supposed know whenever Subaru returns by death?! This is a huge crisis!"
"Y/N, did you forget about me, now?"
"Eh? You can actually help me with that issue?"
"Did you forget what this place is? The castle of dreams is a space that transcends time itself, it is simply not an issue to be concerned about-"
"Thanks, Chid-chan! You're a lifesaver!" I said as my body unconsciously moved, and I hugged Echidna out of the blue.
"...I didn't expect you to be this intimate, you know."
"Ah...haha, it was just because of a surge of happiness!" I replied, trying to cover up the fact that I just hugged her. "Anyways, how do you help me remember?"
"Like this." Echidna said as she pointed a finger at my brain, and I descended into darkness as the loops began to insert themselves into my mind.
Loop 1:
Walking through the forest
Going to the village
Subaru wasn't there, so I went looking for him
Subaru was not within the Sanctuary
Echidna told me he went to the mansion
I went towards the mention
BLACKOUT
Loop 2
I don't remember the last loop
I was freaking out
I rushed towards mansion
Unable to reach
I died for the first time
Empty space around me, separate dimension
Satella telling me that I failed
I saw Subaru die
BLACKOUT
Loop 3
I meet up with Subaru to come up with a plan
I didn't even remember that I had a last loop
Subaru helped me remember
We came up with a plan
He went to speak with Echidna
I saw Satella
We spoke
She tried to devour me but I ran away
Subaru came out
Garfiel and I rescue him and fight Satella
Garfiel died
Subaru insulted Satella
Satella engulfed him in shadows
BLACKOUT
Loop 4
I didn't know what to do
I went to see Shima
We talked
Happy times
Convo with Echidna about how to use Yin Magic
Learned Minya
Learned Murak and Vita
Subaru was gone, I went to go look for him
Arrived at mansion
Bowel Hunter and Meili appeared
I fight them
I manage to injure both and save some people
I carried Subaru back to Sanctuary
It was snowing
I went to stop Roswaal
Great Rabbit came
I defended myself in a diamond dome
Subaru died eventually
BLACKOUT
"Urgk!" I coughed as I returned to the present, shocked as Echidna held my head in her lap, so consider myself surprised.
"I guess that was a hell of a trip, but what I didn't expect most is you giving someone a lap pillow. Where did you even learn that, by the way?"
"Well, yours and Subaru's memories, of course." Echidna gave me a wicked smile, and let me up as I saw an unusual wall looming over the horizon that seemed a bit too fabricated.
"What's with that fake horizon over there?" I asked, skeptical about what she was up to.
"Ah, so you noticed. I told them you would notice it right away." Echidna chuckled as she snapped her fingers, and the walls disappeared as the other Witches of Sin were revealed.
Typhon, Witch of Pride, a little loli with a dress that I decided not to comment on. She immediately called me a nickname as she bounded over to me and held my hand. "N/N, are you a sinner?"
"Huh? A sinner?" I said as I suddenly felt a pulsation throughout the body, and a funny feeling went through my bones before I suddenly realized my eyes were on the ground.
"Oh! But you don't feel pain, do you?" Typhon smiled as Minerva, the Witch of Wrath, suddenly pushed her out of the way before she gave me a healing punch and I felt my limbs again as I looked at myself, amazed.
"Thanks, Minerva-chan." I said as I shook her hand, and Minerva, somehow with tears in her eyes, replied somewhat furiously yet not angry at my gratitude.
"I just hate the world letting Typhon hurt you! I will not allow any self-harm or any damage done to anyone happen in my presence!" She yelled as she ironically destroyed a patch of the grass by stomping right after she said that.
"Huh? But I was just seeing if N/N was a sinner or not..." Typhon cocked her head sideways in confusion, and the Witch of Sloth, Sekhmet, spoke up.
"Hoo... Typhon, Minerva is right...haa... since Y/N over there is contracted to Echidna-chan, after all..."
"You give off a scent that I really, really love, you know? Y/N-un..." Daphne, the Witch of Gluttony, rushed over to me in her centipede coffin as she took out her tongue and licked me, surprising both me and all the other witches as they looked at me in alarm.
"Daphne! What are you doing? You do know that if you touch him, he'll..." Echidna said, worried as I looked at her, confused.
"What do you mean, I will? I feel nothing but a little wet where Daphne licked me."
"Huh?" Echidna looked at me in surprise, before nodding suddenly as if she understood something.
"Any-nyways... shouldn't... w-we, get on w-with the r-reason Y/N-kun is h-here, right?" Carmilla, the Witch of Lust, finally spoke up, and Echidna nodded.
"Yes, indeed. As Natsuki Subaru has left this place, it seems that Satella has left as well. Which leaves us six. Since you lot were very interested in helping Natsuki Subaru, I want to know if you people are also willing to help my contractor as well." Echidna said as she spread her arms, and Minerva stomped her feet again.
"I want to save him from being manipulated by you! You are greedy and you always hurt people this way. And it! Is! Not! Acceptable!" Minerva yelled as she stomped the floor again, and the entire Castle of Dreams shook.
"Actually, Y/N and I discussed the terms until he agreed to it, so I'm actually quite innocent in this scenario as well, okay?" Echidna sighed as she looked at me for help, and I shrugged as I walked over to the other five Witches of Sin.
"Minerva, do not be worried. I knew full well of what I'm getting into when I entered into the contract with Echidna. I know she might be unpredictable and ruthless at times, and that's exactly why I entered a contract with her in the first place. On the outside, she might seem like a monster beyond imagination," When I said this, Echidna faked an 'ouch' expression. "But what I see is a girl needing the help of re-education in things she don't understand."
"I-is that w-why... y-you told us t-that... you wanted to learn...w-what was love?" Carmilla said as she looked at Echidna with a determined face, and I turned towards Echidna in surprise.
"Well, it wasn't a lie, you know? Love is the most complicating emotion that humans can ever understand, yet most of them do understand it. I don't get what the best things about it is, so I want to learn about it since so many are intrigued about it, including Carmilla-chan over there."
"Now, as I've said before, I'll say it again." I looked each of the five witches. "I came in here on my own accord, knowing full well of the responsibilities after coming in here, and forming my contract with Echidna. Of course, I want to help all of you as well. So, I would also propose to form a contract with all of you."
"EH? Form a contract with us? But why?" Daphne and Minerva said, shocked. Carmilla looked confused as well.
"Well, you're worried that I will be manipulated, don't you? So I'll vow to fulfill a wish of yours, while you guys can keep me in check and also stay by my side as my friends. And I'll tell you this. You can all be resurrected. It will just take some time."
"Why would think we want resurrection?"
"To fulfill your goals, of course. Nobody dead could do anything. Minerva-chan, you want to save as many people as you can, right? What can you do if you hole yourself up here in the soul world? I can also figure out a way to stop your authority from backfiring when you heal people. Daphne, you wish that hunger could stop, so you created the Three Great Mabeasts, right? I'll guide you in a better direction while fulfilling that goal. Carmilla-chan, you want people to learn about love, right? I will stay by your side and help you spread your believes over the world. Typhon, you want to stop all sinners, right? Let's reform the world to make sure no sinners exist, but we will do it in a better way. Sekhmet, you want places to rest, right? I can create a paradise for you to have all the time in the world to rest. So, what do you guys say?"
The witches looked uncertain, but I added in the final part. "The world may see you guys as monsters, but all I see are lost girls with dreams they wanted to fulfill, except maybe they took it in a wrong way. That's why I want to help you all."
"I... accept." Minerva said reluctantly, but nodded slightly. "I want to trust Y/N-san, who expressed his feelings and thoughts very honestly, and give him a chance to see if he would do what he says."
"I accept as well! N/N doesn't seem like a bad guy, so I think I would go with him!" Typhon said as she beamed at me, and I returned her smile.
"Well, if Y/N-un can feed me well and can make no one go hungry, I think I'm obliged to go along with him as well!" Daphne said as she continued to drool, and Carmilla suddenly spoke up.
"I...t-think...I'll go with Y/N-san... t-too... since he s-seems k-kind... and he does really want to h-help us..."
"Well...haaa... if you're all going along, I guess I will accept as well." Sekhmet said as the last vote was cast, and now the witches' lives are in my hands.
"Now, let's form our contracts, shall we?" I said as Echidna stepped up, and all the witches, including Daphne, reached their hand out towards me, and the contract forming began. At that moment, a bright light happened as everyone in the world noticed, that something was going to change.
Now, the Witches of Sin have started working together with the Holder of Deceit.
The gears started to shift once again.
Authority(ies):
Authority of Deceit (Commonly known as Authority of Elements):
-Vacuum Trigger: An innate ability stored within the tesseract-shaped Deceit Witch Factor, allowing the user to spring themselves from unconsciousness when the mana fluctuations around them changes drastically, as a built-in self-defence mechanism of the body.
-Critical Overload: A mysterious ability that protects the user of the Deceit Witch Factor, causing them to unlock their true potential while their actions are coordinated by ?, helping them avoid certain death. This ability only triggers when the user is about to die and has a 15 minute cooldown.
- Haywire Warp: A variation of Critical Overload that allows the user to warp the attack that will kill them, creating a tear in space-time to absorb the attack. Meanwhile, the abilities of the elements are unleashed and they will defy the chemical laws before the user decides to cancel their existence.
-Decagenso Rupture: A variation of Critical Overload that allows the user to combine ten elements into one attack, fusing them into a substance unable to be defined by chemical laws. Then, the substance explodes from the inside to spread parts of itself into the opponent's body, replacing their atoms with the substance itself.
-Pure Truth: Y/N's knowledge of the future. Although he claims that he can only know up to a certain amount, it is only a cover-up to avoid suspicion. This ability also allows him to lie without being detected (e.g. Crusch's divine protection), as long as it is part of his knowledge of this world's future.
-Veritas Oneiro Chunyu: The 'Truth Dream Injection'. A sub-ability of Pure Truth that allows the user to show others fragments of Pure Truth to get a better understanding of a situation or past. This ability cannot show the future.
-'Suitoru': A magic spell that allows the user to absorb a certain ? of the enemy, making it their own and can be stored for later usage.
-Partial Authority Immunity: Y/N is fully immune to some authorities, while some still have a diminished effect on him.
-Scindo: The ability to split the Deceit Witch Factor into pieces to implant them in others, but the pieces can only be taken back a year later. Current Percentages: Y/N L/N: 99.997%, Crusch Karsten: 0.003%
Authority of Sloth:
-Imperceptible Extensions: Y/N's authority also somehow manifested almost the same way as Betelgeuse's did. When activated, two invisible hands can be summoned to be moved around telekinetically. Penalty: If a person is not considered as Y/N's enemy, they will see the extensions. However, another holder of Sloth will also see the hands, regardless of the previous statement.
Elemental Masteries: Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Fluorine, Neon, Sodium, Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon
Spirits: Alchemis- fire spirit (Elder Spirit, devil), Cahya- yang spirit (Great Spirit, fairy), Bayanga- yin spirit (Great Spirit, succubus)
Magic Spells:
Goa- shoots a small ball of fire from the tip of the user's index finger when imbued with mana.
El Goa- manifests three fireballs around the user, and shoots them towards the opponent at high speeds.
Ul Goa- The user fires a large amount of powerful fire bullets. A powerful flame scatters when the bullets land.
Al Goa- The user lets loose a massive fireball, scorching away everything in its path. The bigger the caster's skill, the fireball hotter and bigger the fireball.
Ol Goa-the user concentrates by making a giant fireball, before compressing it to insane densities, and shoots out the beam of fire from their palms
Il Goa- Al Goa, but the user applies a homing technique to the spell itself
Al Huma- The user creates a sharp ten meter long spear of ice.
Absolute Zero- The user creates a vacuum in an area, by freezing the atmosphere to an absurd degree. By doing so, even time will freeze inside of that vacuum and no one is capable of escaping it unharmed.
Akra- A yang magic spell that allows users to enhance their physical abilities as well as sharpen their senses.
El Akra- A yang magic spell that allows the user to move extremely fast, almost becoming one with wind as they fill the user with mana in their nerves, muscles, bones, and veins. This technique is able to match Felt's Divine Protection of Wind
Ul Akra- A yang magic spell that greatly boosts the user's speed and strength, allowing them to travel near the speed of sound and being almost invisible to the naked eye when moving.
?-?
Jiwald- fires heat rays from the user's fingers.
El Jiwald- The user fires several rays from their fingers which are then brought down in a claw-like motion.
?-?
Shamak: The target becomes unable to sense where they are, however they can still feel the ground and sense what's happening to their body.
Minya: Magic that creates stakes made of crystallized mana covered with light purple flames. They are strong enough to penetrate defences. Any stakes in the air explode and release smaller stakes that fly in all directions which then rips targets apart.
Murak: The user reduces the effects of gravity. Just by lightly pushing yourself off the ground, a person can jump as if they had springs. If the user wishes to, it can also be used to fly, although the user will get blown around by the wind like a leaf, but they won't flip around in mid-air.
Vita: The user casts this spell to amplify the effects of gravity, making an object heavier.
Kilat- The user gathers lightning on their fist/ weapon, and slams it down at the opponent, creating a giant electric arc to shock and paralyze enemies.
?-?