AN: Back again! Also keep your eyes out for some of these Chapter Titles, folks! Some savvy music listeners will recognize their titles or references.
Also, keep up the reviews! I wuv em'!
Now, ENJOY!
Arc One: Reborn in Fury
Chapter Two: Raining Blood
With the sun hitting her face, she began to finally wake up.
Emilia waved back her long silver hair as she sat up from her slumber. Yet her mind was not clear or rested whatsoever.
"...Subaru."
She was thinking of the young man she left behind in the Capital. She felt it was necessary for his own safety and sanity at this point. He did so much for her, not caring about his own well being at all, that she became anxious by it all and his final displays at the castle and his mock fight with Julius, made her final decision.
She still wondered about it…
Was it pity? She hoped not.
Obsession? She didn't think it surely as that much.
What was the reasoning behind Subaru's reckless abandon for his own well being?
Puck then showed up comforting Emilia and her thoughts.
"Lia, just relax. You did the right thing."
"But why do I feel so guilty...like.."
"Like?"
"Like by leaving him there, I might have done something bad. Like, I helped do something that'll change Subaru?"
"Hahhhh, nonsense, I'm sure the next time we see him, he'll be his usually funny self."
"...Mm, I hope so too. Thanks Puck."
The little spirit did his job as well as he could, just as a certain maid showed up.
"Emilia-sama, good morning."
"Morning Ram."
She immediately noticed her troubled expression and did her usual sigh.
'It's Barusu isn't it?"
"Hm. I just, hope he and Rem are doing okay."
"Don't worry, my sister is amazing as can be, she'll reign in Barusu no problem."
"Reign in? Heh, he can be a handful sometimes."
"He is, but he can be useful at times. At very small, insignificantly based times, but useful."
"Sure..."
With a nod, Ram left Emilia as she would prepare some potato salad to eat. Emilia got dressed in her usual dress ,as had Puck brush her hair, making her look out the window-
"Puck."
"Yes Lia?"
"...Isn't that smoke?"
Puck turned his head, seeing in the far distance, a plume of smoke rising into the air.
"Slothful! Slothful! DIE!"
Petelgeuse shot out several Unseen Hands towards Subaru, but he used his rings abilities to levitate a nearby Witch Cultist into it instead. He watched as the woman was torn to pieces, giving him a chance to jump to the side of the cliffside and begin flying over to the Sin Archbishop.
"Al Dona!"
The Sin Archbishop used earth magic to have rock spears shoot down from the cliffside. Subaru saw this and created an orb of red energy around himself, saving himself from death.
Two Witch Cultists jumped up behind him, so Subaru vomited out chunks of his own powerful blood, burning them to cinder. He looked down at the enraged Petelgeuse as blood trickled down at him...making Subaru crack an insidious smirk.
"Pride! You will pay for harming, killing and destroying my diligent, hardworking, innocent Fingers!"
"Well shit, I intend to break, crush and incinerate, every last one of you revolting, filthy and guilty Cultist scums, until there are none of you left!"
Petelgeuse shot more Unseen Hands, but Subaru flew around them and even sliced one apart, the two of them glaring at each other.
"How is it you can see my Hands! No one should be able to-"
"-I CAN FUCKING CARE LESS!"
Subaru barfed out a heavy stream of blood, destroying Petelgeuse's leg, making him lose enough balance so Subaru could stab him with a Cultist dagger he picked up. The stab made it into his shoulder, of which Petelgeuse used a gigantic Unseen Hand to punch Subaru into the cliff.
Rubble and rocks broke out of the strike, crushing trees and smashing apart dead WItch Cultists. Petelgeuse rejoiced at the sight.
"Ahhhh! Hehehehehehahahahaha! Your own reckless actions have brought upon your demise! You had no right to her love! Love! Yes love! Her love which gives me purpose and wisdom!"
From the rubble, a red beam, shot off his nose. Petelgeuse held his face as blood oozed out of the grisly wound.
But as he lurched forward, he was now face to face with an enraged Subaru, completely drenched in blood.
"SLOTH!"
"PRIDE!"
It was now close quarters combat.
Petelgeuse landed a punch at Subaru's jaw, but Subaru kicked him on the side, right before having a construct of Wolgarm jaws shred out the very place he hit. Petelgeuse launched numerous Unseen Hands, which punched Subaru all over his body. Subaru took the hits, but not before firing a beam from his ring, splitting open the madman's throat.
"GAHHKK!"
"DIE! DIE! DIE!"
Subaru created a construct of a kendo sword and pounded him on the head, leaving a dent on his head and popping his eyes out a bit. Subaru then vomited out more of his napalm blood onto Sloth's crotch before he landed two punches across his face. Petelgeuse then had two Unseen Hands push Subaru to the ground. Petelgeuse was making gurgly howls at him, as he summoned more Unseen Hands to most likely rip apart Subaru.
Subaru scoffed at him as he did it.
"SHAMAK!"
Black smoke erupted from his body, confusing Petelgeuse long enough to free himself from the Unseen Hands.
He then tackled Petelgeuse through the smoke and created a knife construct...as he stabbed into Petelgeuse.
"SONUVABITCH! DIE! DIE! DIE! FUCK! FUCK! FUCK! FUCKER! FUCKER!"
Each stab was accompanied by a sharp yell by Subaru as Petelgeuse was now too damaged to do anything. His stabbing quickened its pace, as he stabbed again and again.
But now his hands were drenched in blood as he dissipated the construct and grabbed a nearby rock, easily bigger than his head.
"My...My love won't…"
"It dies! ALONG WITH YOU!"
Subaru smashed the rock on Petelgeuse's head, leaving only his lower jaw left to twitch from the brutal attack.
Subaru got off of the dead Sin Archbishop, panting and heaving...then he felt something odd.
"URG!"
Subaru held his head and could hear the insane laughter from…
"Petelgeuse!"
"Yes! That's right! Though my body has been destroyed, I can claim another who is basked in love! And that would be you! Hahahahaha!"
"GET OUT!"
Subaru tried to focus but he wasn't able to get full control of his body.
So Subaru smiled.
"Next time, I have a plan...too tired to try it now...but-!"
"HUH?! What are saying, what are you….WHAT ARE YOU PLANNING?!"
The voice panicked as Subaru put his fist under his jaw, as he too began giggling insanely.
"I still win."
"NO! NO! STOOOOOOP!"
"Next round, I'll….KILL YOU."
Subaru fired a beam from his ring, it instantly destroyed the top of his head. He fell forward and the last thing he saw was bright red overtaking the land.
His body hit the ground.
"Subaru! Please be careful!"
Subaru snapped out of his trance as he watched Petra wave out to him. This time he waved back and winked at her, this time, giving her some comfort.
But as she sat back inside the carriage...Subaru looked out to the forest.
"Shit, that last loop ended pretty badly."
As he growled, more blood oozed out and floated around him.
He floated to the cabin and this time having a slight change of plans…
A Witch Cultist opened their hideout door to see a fellow member about to knock, they stared at each other for a while, before he was let in. As the others gathered around him, looking to see if something happened...he looked around.
"Nine. This is all of you."
Subaru removed the hood, revealing himself, right glaring down to the floor; he began vomiting out a heavy stream of concentrated napalm blood onto the floor setting everything in that cabin ablaze. Subaru flew out of the roof of the cabin, watching as the Witch Cultists ran for their lives...but each them succumbed to their injuries and fell to the ground.
Subaru scratched his neck as he burped.
"That was waaaay easier than expected, I should have done it that way the first time."
Now flying over the cliffside, just above the cave entrance...Subaru had his ring open a hole deep into the ground, Subaru grabbed the sack filled with Magic stones, he then added pieces of rocks and bottles he obtained from the village. He tightened it shut, but not before making sure break the bottles inside. He then concentrated as the bag began to heat up.
"Okay, ready."
He lobbed the sack in, watching as it fell into the hole, deeper into the cave where they were all hiding.
He then flew down and hid just outside the cave entrance…
Then the cave exploded, dust and debris flying out, even the lower half of a Cultist flew out and crashed into a nearby tree.
Several of them poured out, blinded by the blast and trying to get the glass shards out of their body...only to be gunned down by Subaru's ring. One crawled out of the cave, just in time for Subaru to stomp his head in, hearing a satisfying snapping sound, Subaru spat some blood onto the back of his head, melting it.
Sure enough, several Unseen Hands broke through the destroyed cave entrance, Subaru flew back all the while hurling napalm blood out of his mouth, covering the entrance in flames.
Dashing out of it was an enraged Petelgeuse.
"Who?! Who?! Who?! WhhooooOOOOOOooo?! Who are you?! Why have you attacked us as we worked so diligently for our plans?!"
Petelguese let some of his Unseen Hands carry him into the air while several other sprang down and tried to grab Subaru. In retaliation, Subaru created two dagger constructs and sliced away at them.
"This smell! AHHHHH! You are a fellow believer of love! This pungent amount of it, you must be Pride!"
"Tsk!"
Subaru cut the last one before flinging the daggers up at Petelgeuse who caught them with more Unseen Hands.
"Why?! Why do you attack us Pride!? Even if we Sin Archbishops do not always cooperate with each other, there is a difference between a small squabble and an unmitigated attack!"
"Shut up! You being allowed to live is more than enough reason for me to kill all of you! Every second you breath the same air as me, makes my blood boil and makes my stomach burn!"
Petelgeuse landed on the ground to dodge a ring shot from Subaru, but saw Subaru rocketing straight at him.
"Ul Dona!"
Creating a dome of stone around him, he waited to be protected...only for Subaru to break through it and stab into his shoulder.
"GAHHHHK!"
"DIE!"
However Petelgeuse was able to punch Subaru several times across the body with his Unseen Hands, making Subaru spit out more of his blood, basking the Sin Archbishop's head in it.
"Agghhh! Damn you! Pride!"
"Pride, Pride, PRIDE! Fuck off already! I am not Pride!"
"The...smell does...not lie!"
"I am Natsuki Subaru! Knight of the Silver Haired Half Elf, Emilia! And-"
Subaru summoned a construct of Old Man Rom's club as he kicked off the ground and straight back to the Sin Archbishop...who was clearly unrecognizable, eyelids burned away, flesh of his face burnt to a crisp and most of his hair gone leaving behind crisp strands.
"I AM A RED LANTERN! I AM HERE TO AVENGE THOSE YOU HAVE KILLED!"
"My love will surpass you Pride- NO! RED LANTERN, NATSUKI SUBARU!"
But just before Subaru could finally whack him across the head, a Witch Cultist missing his arms lunged on top of him.
"Fuck! How careless, I didn't check if one of you survived!"
Subaru landed on the ground wrestling with the Cultist...Petelgeuse made more Unseen Hands that quickly carried him away and straight through the forest.
"NO! He's getting away!"
As he focused on the Witch CUltist, he noticed the bottom half of his hood was ripped to shreds, seeing a gold tooth in the man's mouth...he remembered that loop...the loop Rem was…
"YOU!"
He remembered how a gold toothed man forced his lips onto Rem, smiling as he did.
Subaru grabbed a nearby rock and jabbed it into the neck of the attacking Cultist, forcing all of the liters worth of blood to spill onto to Subaru, who simply allowed some of it to be swallowed. Subaru kicked the Cultist off as blew his nose free of any leftover blood.
"Damn it…"
He knew where Petelgeuse was headed.
"Emilia! Ram! Beatrice!"
Seeing their smiling faces flash across his mind, Subaru had blood fly out of his mouth in anger.
Flying ahead, he now saw a giant Unseen Hand carren towards him. Subaru blocked and was hit hard, crashing through the cliffside where the cave was and making a huge crater in it.
...From the debris Subaru emerged covered in a red aura, snarling out to the forest.
"You can't escape me Petelgeuse! I'll hunt you down to the very ends of the earth! Until I kill you! Rip! Crush! Burn! Stomp! Bash! Slit! Slice! Drown! Dead! You…"
In his thoughts, flashed the image of said Sin Archbishop laughing in that dark cave…
"YOU WON'T BE LAUGHING THEN, WILL YOU!?"
Subaru flew down and vomited a heavy stream of his blood, with it coming out bright yellow this time, engulfing much of the forest in flames.
The fire quickly spread, smothering the forest he once explored in bright orange splendor.
A blood drenched, bruised up Natsuki Subaru sniffed the air and flew forward.
Now, at the mansion, Emilia was out the front door with Puck looking at the huge plumes of smoke, which practically obscured the sun, rising up further from the surrounding forest.
"Emilia-sama!"
"Ram!"
Ram stepped out and her eyes widened at the scene in front of her...Beatrice having heard the commotion was in a nearby hallway overlooking the smoke from a window.
"Emilia-sama, please step inside!"
"Ram, what's happening out there?"
Just then breaking through the trees was Petelgeuse. Ram immediately recognized his blood stained garb, of which Puck did as well.
"Witch Cultist!"
Petelgeuse locked eyes with Emilia and began to cry happily seeing her.
"Ahhhh! Ohhhhh! My love! The purpose of my diligence is here! Oh! Oh! Yes! So wonderful!"
"Lia! Get back!"
Petelgeuse made his Unseen Hands make him crawl across the floor as he grinned happily at her.
Then his left arm was shot off by a red beam, the resulting attack missed Ram and broke apart the stairs inside the main entrance lobby.
"GAHHHH! RED LANTERN!"
Flying through the smoke and flames, Subaru stabbed him through the ribs with a pipe construct. Petelgeuse tried shaking him off...but Subaru lunged over and bit off his ear, spitting it out in disgust. Petelgeuse screamed out as he made a few Unseen Hands push him into the ground, collapsing the ground. Seeing his chance, Petelgeuse tried to make his way again...only to sense his Unseen Hands break apart, then he ate a punch across the cheek by a quick acting Subaru.
Emilia started.
Ram started.
Puck and Beatrice stared.
The disbelief they had in seeing Subaru battling someone was feverish.
"S-Subaru?"
Emilia could only say his name as she was looking at him, covered in blood, shrouded in a mysterious red energy and...looking so angry.
Ram held her chest as she shook her head.
"Impossible. Barusu?"
Puck then got surprised when he saw Subaru begin flying around some of the attacks they couldn't very well see, but he recognized as the Authority of Sloth. Subaru then tossed the pipe construct at him, only to miss, giving Petelgeuse a chance to land a Hand across his face.
But Subaru smiled as he fired a beam from his ring, slicing off Petelgesue's leg, this resulted in him going berserk, charging at Subaru.
"Die! Die! Be crushed by these diligent hands of mine, guided by love!"
"Die! Die! Burn to nothing by my blazing rage!"
Now they were face to face, practically to the point that either of them could touch the other in the face.
Petelgeuse emitted a nauseous aura around himself, one that could attack the mind...however.
"IDIOT! MY RAGE TRUMPS YOUR STUPID TRICKS!"
Subaru grabbed his face and using his thumbs, gouged out his eyes.
"GYAGGHHHH!"
"Hurts?! Does it hurt, Sloth?! Think about the people you made suffer just the same, you fucking monster!"
"Get away!"
Subaru had his cheeks clawed by an Unseen Hand, but Subaru took the attack surprising well, as he then made a knife construct and stabbed through Petelgeuse's cheeks.
He then grabbed the knife and flung his body downward, making them crash to the floor.
Subaru made a brick construct and slammed Petelgeuse the face, shattering all of his front teeth. Petelgeuse made two Unseen Hands grab Subaru by the neck, to which Subaru responded by stabbing Petelgeuse into the chest with a knife construct.
"UGEYAHHHH!"
"Let's see if...you even...have a heart!"
He reached into the new entrance he made...and began digging and clawing into it, until with a full growl he pulled out a heart, mixing the sounds of Sloth's agonized screams with his gratifying roar.
"Look! You do have a heart! But you being a Witch Cultist fuck! You barely use it at all!"
Petelgeuse, began shivering from the loss of his heart and could only hear the squishing of it as Subaru used his nails to split into it.
But he also started laughing sloppily.
"I still...have...this…"
Subaru flinched as he felt it again.
"Shit. Here he goes again!"
Subaru let out a pained screech as he fell back and onto his back. He began frothing from the mouth and his eyes turned white, his body jerked as, he was trying to fight back.
"Subaru!"
Emilia called out to him as tears began to form in the corner of her eyes. She raced forward trying to help him…
"This is why I wanted you to stay away. You always put yourself in danger for me! Why? Why do you always go this far for people? Look at how hurt you are, Subaru!"
Puck tried to stop her as Ram chased after her as well. Beatrice continued to watch…with some panic across her lovely face.
"I sense no mana being used whatsoever. That isn't magic he was using...what is it? What is this? What happened to this boy?"
In the darkness of Subaru's mind, Petelgeuse found himself wandering a shadowy place. A void filled with black mist, he pondered and gazed around...then saw sparks move past him.
"Hm?"
As he turned his head, he saw a small fire burn, then it grew larger, as if upon by him locking eyes with it, it reacted. Then the flames broke out of control blowing away the black mist, Petelgeuse shielded himself, trying not to be overtaken by the flames...then he finally looked, with the sudden pressure of the blazing flames slowing down...he saw it.
A symbol made of flames.
One he did not recognize.
Towering over him.
It was the insignia of the the Red Lantern Corps.
Petelgeuse stared up in shock...then he heard it.
"GET. OUT."
Petelgeuse watched as the flames shined brightly, breaking the darkness around him, until there was nothing left.
He gasped out.
Petelgeuse now found himself forced back to his original body and thoroughly panicked, with no Fingers left and the last body he could possess, refuting him entrance...he was going to die.
Unable to see, he wouldn't be able to witness Subaru leering over him, shadow obscuring his face, dim red lights where his eyes would be.
Subaru shrieked out as he stomped, with great fury, Petelgeuse's face in. Then he mounted on him, proceeding to choke him.
"GAHHH! IMPOSSIBLE. IMPOSSIBLE."
"Nothing is impossible for me Sloth, not anymore!"
Petelgeuse then summoned some Unseen Hands to pull Subaru off him, digging their nails into his shoulders and back…
Subaru sneered down at him, barfing out a bit of blood on his face, melting the flesh and such into mush.
"Hukkk. Hurghkk."
"Satisfied?! This is what you deserve!"
Subaru then grabbed his face and began squeezing.
"All the people you've killed! The lives you've ruined! The homes you and your scumbag members have destroyed! I'm giving them all the justice they deserve!"
"AHHHKK!"
Emilia and the others stopped dead in their tracks as they watched Subaru, begin to crush the Witch Cultist's head.
"You said love was the foundation of what you were going right?! Well I got some bad news for you!"
"Gahhhk! Nnnnoooooo!"
"YOU LOSE! YOU HAVE LOST!"
Petelgeuse began having blood splurt out of his now soft head as it was being caved in by Subaru's hands.
Petelgesue began having tears of blood leak out in full force as tried to resist against the young man...who was ending his life. Only to wish for one thing...
"Satella! Satella!"
"You're not going to see her!"
"Damn you! Damn you! NATSUKI SUBARAUUUU!"
His head began to squish further as Subaru smiled down at him as a hideous glimmer shined in his eyes.
"YOUR LOVE HAS LOST TO MY RAGE!"
"GGGAAAAHHHHHHH! RED LAN-"
Like a ripe fruit, Subaru crushed Petelgeuse's head in with his bare hands, killing him once and for all.
His revenge was complete.
Subaru then proceeded to hurl up more blood onto Petelgeuse, burning his corpse.
Subaru panted heavily as the blood smothering his face dried and his eyes narrowed looking down at his now deceased enemy. He then peered over at Emilia, who was slowly walking to him, seemingly shell shocked seeing Subaru do what he just did.
Subaru figured as much, he had never shown the capacity of such violence before, so seeing him do that to Petelgeuse was something truly disturbing.
"Subaru...what happened to you?"
"...Some things occured, now I'm a Red Lantern."
"Red...Lantern? What does that mean?"
"...Just what you saw Emilia."
Ram walked over and saw the smoldering corpse as well as to note the ash falling from the sky, she gazed over and saw the forest fire spreading further and further. She knew what this meant, but she couldn't wrap her head around it.
Subaru did all this. And yet he was completely drenched in blood, as if he slaughtered something, or someone.
"Barusu...where is Rem?"
"...Don't worry, I left her safely in the capital, I'll go get her now. Get Emilia inside and keep everyone safe until I get back, please."
"What are you-"
Subaru began floating up in the air, his body wrapped in a red light. But his foot was grabbed by Emilia.
"Huh?"
"Subaru stop! Look at yourself, you need to get healed!"
"That can wait, I promised Rem, she must be worried sick about me."
"Subaru...why do you do this?"
She began to tremble as she finally began to cry.
"Always getting hurt for all of us! For me, why?!"
"...E-Emilia...I love you."
"Huh?"
But...Subaru had to change the way he said it...that was what the stinging pain in his ring finger was telling him, warning him.
"I love you. And Puck too."
Puck seemed taken by surprise by his declaration.
"And Rem, Ram, hell, Beatrice too. I love everyone in the village...and I will do anything to protect those close to me...even if that means others have to die."
The know nothings of the Royal Candidates.
The psychotic members of the Witch's Cult.
The uncaring masses of the world.
He would hate them.
Despise them.
Loathe them all.
All so he could…
"Even if the world becomes my enemy, I'll protect everyone."
Subaru gave one of his warm smiles to Emilia, making Emilia loosen her grip...not seeing Puck seem to give a dire, but approving nod to Subaru's words. And so he waved at them, before he noticed Beatrice at the window, so he nodded at her, startling her. Then he flew away, leaving the red light streak behind him per usual.
Emilia fell to her knees, as she watched him blast through the smoke of the fire and finally out of sight.
Flying in the air, Subaru received a humming noise in his conversing mirror, answering it was given.
"Otto?"
"Natsuki-san, there's trouble!"
"Wh-What is it?"
"We can Cultists up ahead and they're coming straight towards us-"
"-I'm on my way, hang on!"
Subaru sped up his flight as he glared at the direction his radar system was informing him to go. He began to spit out blood as the deadly glimmer returned in his eyes.
Otto whipped the reins as the Cultists chased them, intending in wiping out the entire escaping caravan. Petra saw a Cultist run alongside the carriage she was in, preparing a fireball in his hands, she instinctively closed her eyes, hoping for something to save them-
"GURAGGHHHHH!"
She heard a scream of absolute visceral fury and looked up, she saw Subaru was flying down with a heavy stream of blood shooting down from his mouth. It covered the assaulting Cultist, burning him into bits. He then flew around the carriage, flipping over another one and had a pipe construct smash in another Cultist's head in.
The other Cultists saw this and regrouped to take on Subaru, only for him to create hand constructs that grabbed them by the throats. He then flew up, taking them with him. Subaru growled at the captured Cultists before he created more hand constructs that begin pulling on their limbs and heads, pulling and yanking...until it was done.
They were completely torn apart, splitting into countless pieces.
Their blood rained down upon the fleeing carriages, leaving all their occupants terrified.
Subaru, looked over and sniffed one last Witch Cultist making a run for it. He sonic boomed down as the Cultist tried to speed up, but his legs were blown off by shots from Subaru's red ring. He then stomped on his back, making him hit his head on a rock. Subaru kicked him away, which made the Cultist toss a dagger at him, but it broke coming into contact with Subaru's aura. Subaru picked up that very same rock the doomed Witch Cultist hit and lifted it over his head. The Cultist raised up his hands to defend himself, but Subaru spat out more blood, which melted away the goon's arms. Now, Subaru freely began smashing his head in with the rock.
Each and every time he saw the devastation they left behind in the previous loops.
The people he had saved by doing this.
By wiping them out, he saved his friends and loved ones.
By killing them all….he did it.
Subaru was no longer powerless.
He tossed the rock away, seeing a giant hole where the Cultist's face should be, but all that left were bits of his lower gums and a chunk of his jaw line.
Subaru wiped some blood off of his hair and went back to Otto...once he was flying to them, all the carriages came to a stop and everyone stepped out. The villagers looked around and saw the devastation Subaru left behind, the absolute carnage he inflicted upon the Cultists.
Otto then ran to where to Subaru landed…
"Natuski-san…"
"I'm fine, just a few cuts and bruises."
"No...it's, you lied to us."
Otto's words grew harsh as he along with everyone there were also upset.
"Natsuki-san you said you were dealing with some Ma-beast...you never said anything about the Witch's Cult!"
"I had a feeling you would've not done as I asked, so I fibbed a little."
"This is more than fib! This was beyond dangerous!"
"Well look, I took care of it. Their Sin Archbishop is dead and the rest are burning in that fire."
"Sin Archbishop?! You fought a Sin Archbishop?"
"Yeah, Petelgeuse….Sloth."
He became tense when he said that name.
All the while everyone there was stunned to silence hearing Subaru had essentially taken on the Witch's Cult and survived, not only that but was able to take out one of their most prominent commanders.
Subaru sighed and some blood crawled out of his mouth.
"Now, keep the villagers out here, the fire should die out soon. Plus, the knights I asked for should be on their way. Otto, make sure the payment is distributed fairly amongst you all, once the knights get here have them take the villagers home."
"...That doesn't ignore the fact you deceived everyone here-"
"-Everyone is alive right?"
"Ah…"
Subaru stepped forward as more blood sprang out of his mouth and floated around him.
"Get this through all of your heads, I lied to save every last person here...in the meanwhile, with every life I saved some Cultist asshole is dead. I have spent almost an entire day killing people and it's made me grumpy. You trying to put me down for trying to get shit done is pissing me off...and Otto-"
"-Ah."
Subaru had his red aura turn up a notch as he stared death into Otto's eyes.
"Making me angry is not a good idea at this point."
"...!"
Subaru calmed down when he saw Petra become frightened of his mannerisms. So he went over and patted Otto on the shoulder, startling him, but he too calmed down when he saw Subaru's real expression...not rage...exhaustion.
"After you take them back home, do as you will. Leave, stay, doesn't matter. In particular, Otto, head to the mansion and get yourself some rest there."
"Ah, that's-"
"-For lying to you."
"...Maybe I'll take you up on that offer."
Subaru nodded and quickly flew up into the air, he looked and did in fact see the knights coming in, more than he expected as well.
"They probably saw that big fish I killed last night and reacted more accordingly. Tsk."
Subaru ignored them, and flew off towards the capital. The knights below looked up and all pointed up at the red light flying over them...all of them now confirming the rumors about Emilia's self proclaimed knight, being true.
Subaru flew through the air as a sudden thought hit him.
"Nothing."
He felt nothing of his normal self. Well, he still had some personality quirks and he still knew how to smile. Yet, when it came to the things he just did.
No nausea.
No guilt.
No second thoguhts.
He felt nothing normal about all the lives he took. He felt that in the past, had he even witnessed the things that occured, he'd have puked or had trouble sleeping.
No. Not now.
He felt...joy.
He felt alive, he felt fulfilled and proud.
But why?
"Is it you little guy?"
He looked at the red ring on his finger, and squinted his eyes on it.
One last thing crept into his mind.
That when he got this ring and he puked out all his weak, tainted blood...it wasn't the only thing he shed out. As if, the Natsuki Subaru who came to this world...had died at that moment, when his heart was destroyed.
"This..."
Subaru did not question the matter further but kept flying with a expressionless glare..
"...is for the best."
The only emotion he could get a fix on, from his old self, was that burning hot rage.
Rem sat at the table all alone looking over her half finished food. It wasn't that it was made terribly or anything of the sort. It was that she was anxious.
Waiting for her beloved, he promised to come back for her, yet she couldn't help but worry for him. The only person who could-
-Then she smelled it. That recognizable scent, so she turned her head and saw him. Hovering through the open window, Subaru made it to her.
"Rem, I came back."
Yet there was no joy in her eyes...she could see the deep cuts, bruises and blood drenching his clothes, matching the Witch's Scent was the smell of death covering his entire being.
"Subaru-kun!"
"Whoa, easy there. I'm still covered in-"
"-Rem doesn't care!
Still, she ran and hugged him, ignoring the blood.
"Subaru-kun! Subaru-kun! You're okay."
"...This does take me back."
He patted her head, but soon the drowsiness of the entire day was beginning to affect him.
"Sorry Rem, while I can say that everything is settled...I'm too tired to take you home right now."
"It's okay, Rem understands. Rem is so glad to see you, here and alive!"
"Well, I just need to sleep is all...and maybe get some healing done."
Rem then put her hands on his cheeks, feeling the deep cuts that graced one of them...as she gazed up into his eyes.
"Rest Subaru-kun. While you sleep Rem will being healing you, to her best abilities."
"'Kay."
They made it over to the bed and Subaru laid onto the bed not caring about taking off his bloody clothes, Rem was laying behind him, putting her hands on his back, beginning the healing process.
"Subaru-kun just rest and tomorrow, we can go back to the mansion."
"...kay…"
"Subaru-kun works so hard so he has to rest for us, doesn't he?"
"...mm…"
"...Subaru-kun, Rem...L...L...Likes it when you sleep so soundly."
She rested her head on his back as well, the two of them laying there as the healing continued.
...But Subaru's mind was still racing as he stared at the window in the room.
"It's not enough."
Subaru saw it, the people he felt absolute hatred for...as if they all looked down upon the people he had to keep safe.
"If Petelgeuse was representing Sloth, that means there are others out there, representing the other deadly sins. Meaning there are still mre Cultists in the world."
He then saw the images of blood and the Red Lantern crest flash across his mind.
"Not to mention, those untrustworthy Royal Candidates could make a move against Emilia. Other than Felt, all those woman are rotten down to their very core."
He then narrowed his exhausted eyes.
"But that's too many people even for me to deal with. I need help. But...I will never allow Rem or the others to get involved. I can't."
He once again saw the last loops, the dead and the despair he was forced to face alone.
So now, he had to no longer be alone...he needed assistance, to help save this rotten world from itself...he had to find it. Find a way.
"I need others with me….I need-"
It was if his eyes glared out onto the world itself, looking upon it both for answers and recognition for what he had to accomplish...because he was going to save it.
"-I need more Red Lanterns."
Whether they liked it or not.
In an estate, within that every same city, a certain woman began sipping on some tea, doting down some information with her pen.
Then, a knock on the door alerted Crusch Karsten.
"Ferris?"
"Nyup! Coming in!"
Ferris came through the door along with Wilhelm, the gentleman carried with him a tray of more tea and sweets.
"Nyaho! Crusch-sama is till working on those contracts diligently, so Ferri-chyan thought we could reward you with some snyacks!"
"Ah, thank you both."
Wilhelm set the tray on the table and began pulling her more tea. Ferris stood next to Crusch and put his hands on her shoulder, massaging her.
"Ah, that does feel good."
"Anything for Crusch-sama."
Just then, one of the estate guards came in and bowed to her.
"Crusch-sama! Forgive my rude entrance, but urgent news has reached us at this very moment!"
"Oh? What is it?"
Everyone was a bit curious as to the guard's sudden entrance, but knew it must have been vitally important.
"Tell us then."
"It's a dire message! News that is being reported to all the other candidates as we speak!"
Crusch closed her eyes, she had her own ideas of what the message was informing them.
"...Is it the Emilia Camp?"
"Yes my lord, it concerns them."
"They are...no more, then?"
Ferris sighed and Wilhelm closed his eyes, both figuring that-
"No, the knights have reported that Emilia and her Camp members are well."
"What? Then, what is the meaning of this?"
"It is as I have spoken of, this news has to do with the Emilia Camp."
"Then...please inform us!"
"...Yes! Crusch-sama, it has now being reported by countless eyewitnesses, as well as evidence found in the adjacent area…"
The guard raised his head to look directly at her.
"The scourge of the last four centuries, the White Whale, has been subjugated!"
Silence filled the room.
Only to be broken up, by a single tea pot, shattering on the ground.
To be Continued...