In the forest, Garfiel raged against the group as they were fighting back against the tiger beastman.

"Man, this guy's totally nuts!" Kazuma said.

"Why is he so angry at us?! Other than the fact we sprang so many traps on him!" Aqua said.

"He said something about the village staying just fine the way it is… so he doesn't want Emilia or anyone else completing the trials so the barrier can be brought down." Michiru said.

"He doesn't want anyone to leave." Theo said. "I see it now…he's…afraid."

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Garfiel said.

"I think we do! You're afraid that if the barrier goes down and all the mixed blooded people in the village leave, you'll be left all alone, isn't that right?" Aqua asked.

"I think that's close…but not the complete picture." Michiru said. "Garfiel…you're scared of going to the outside world, aren't you?"

"Will you just shut up?!" Garfiel yelled, going to attack Ram, Otto, Kazuma, Theo and Aqua, but before he could lay one finger on them Michiru jumped in front of them… and Garfiel's fist stopped just inches from her face.

"He didn't hit her!" Otto exclaimed.

"He didn't hit her?" Kazuma and Aqua said in confusion.

"Normally, you can't bring yourself to hurt innocent people. I'm guessing you force yourself to fight on instinct when you're trying to kill. But you don't really want to kill. You're just scared. I don't know what, exactly, but believe me when I say I know how you feel."

"The hell are you talking about?"

"I…wasn't always a Beastman, or Demihuman, whatever you want to call me." Michiru said. "I used to be human. It's a long story, but because of a little accident, I turned out just like this."

"Huh…" Garfiel said.

"And the place I came from…well, the people didn't like Demihumans." Michiru continued. "I ended up hiding in my room for a long time. But eventually, I left. Because…you can't live in fear forever. Maybe your fears are justified, maybe they're not. But if you just hide in here, then you'll never really know, right?"

Garfiel thought this over for a while, before he lowered his arm. "...I'm going to the Sanctuary." he said firmly.

"Look. You can't do this!" Michiru said. "Wait…I just realized…you're…like Frederica, aren't you?" she asked. "You have less than half blood. You could have left at any time. I mean…you all were abandoned here and…"

"We weren't abandoned, damn it!" Garfiel cried out.

"So what really happened?" Aqua asked.

"We…we were in the way…of our mom getting a happy life. I just…I just wanted to…see her happy. She could have had a better life. But…then a landslide came and…and…people…will just be happier if they don't leave here." Garfiel said, tearing up. "I'm gonna protect them, hear me? I'll be a real barrier. One that can separate the inside from the outside. No one can do it but me!"

"Well done…now we finally see the real Garfiel." Theo said.

"(So that's why Garfiel doesn't want the villagers to be free on the outside. He thinks that at any given moment when they step outside, they'll be killed just like his mom.)" Michiru said.

"(But it's not the truth of what really happened. I'm sure of it.)" Cobalt said.


With Garfiel able to stand down for the most part, and Ram and Otto unharmed, the group accompanied him to the Sanctuary, where they saw Subaru and Emila just coming out.

"Hey guys, right on time! You wouldn't believe what I had to do to snap Emilia out of-" Subaru started before he saw Gariel. "Wait, what's Garfiel doing here?!"

"Let's catch you up." Theo said.

The group explained to Subaru what they heard from Garfiel, the reason he's so protective of the village, all revolving around what happened to his mother, believing she left because she wanted to live outside, but then was killed by the landslide.

"And now…I'm going to make sure the Sanctuary a real safe place." Garfiel said, assuming his form once more.

"Well…guess this is where I step in." Subaru said as he ran at Garfiel. "Shamak!" he called out as a mass of darkness shrouded the area.

"Subaru!" Theo called out before the darkness cleared to show Garfiel having reverted as a stone had pierced his arm.

"Is that…my sister's stone?" Garfiel asked.

"Yeah. Who knows? There may be a hungry cat in there." Subaru smirked.

"Dude, what was that?!" Kazuma asked Subaru in shock.

"I had Puck enter that stone I pierced Garfiel in. Ate up his huge beast thing." Subaru said. "Garfiel…we're going to the outside world, Emilia is passing the trial and will be the next ruler and there's nothing you can do about it."

"Who are you to get to decide that? Why do any of that? This place doesn't need to change!" Garfiel said.

Aqua then realized something. "Guys! I think Garfiel has a case of post-trial stress syndrome!"

"He took Echidna's trials himself? Are you sure?" Subaru asked.

"Why else would he be acting so aggressive?" Aqua asked.

"Grr…will you…shut…up!" Garfiel said as he went and punched Aqua in the face.

"OW…!" Aqua cried, holding her face.

"You deserved that." Kazuma said plainly.

"She certainly did." Ram agreed.

"Aqua, you're completely wrong about all that." Subaru said. "All this stuff is cause of his own insecurities."

"You stop talking too!" Garfiel said doing the same to Subaru, however, unlike Aqua, Subaru just stood there and took it.

"Nothing can stay the same forever. We all have to change from time to time. Isn't that right, Garfiel? Isn't that right, Emilia? And…isn't that right, Rem?" Subaru said.

"Damn you…" Garfiel said going at it again.

"Haaa…." Subaru called out as one of the Unseen Hands manifested and uppercutted Garfiel, knocking him down.

"Damn it… I can't let you bastards… take the barrier down…." Garfiel said.

"You're still not down?" Kazuma asked.

"Don't…underestimate me. As long as I don't break…I'll keep going…" Garfiel said. "I can't deny…you're strong…but…I'll never…."

'Haaaaa…." Kazuma called out as he ran up to Garfiel and punched him, sending him flying into the wall.

"Well…believe in the power of numbers yet?" Subaru asked.

"There were…better ways. When I get back up…I'm kicking both your asses." Garfiel said.

"Man, he's stubborn." Kazuma said.

"I still don't like any of this…but it's like they always say…Nobody can lift a quain stone alone." Garfiel said as he passed out.

"That…works for me." Subaru said as he also passed out.

"Well…that went worse and better than I thought it would." Kazuma said.

"Hopefully he'll be a lot calmer when he wakes up." Theo said.


After that fight, night fell as Garfiel was forced to face his own past once more. And it was then he finally knew the truth. His mother didn't leave the village because she wanted to have a life outside….she wanted to make things better for her family, including them. Now all that was left was for Garfiel to decide what to do.

"I wanna be there for all the people who need me. Because they…made me remember what's precious to me." he said.

Garfiel soon emerged as he approached the group.

"I got some answers to a whole lot of things. I also wanna say…I was only able to do that because of all of you guys so…thanks." Garfiel said.

"No problem. We're happy to help." Ethox said.

"You better make sure everyone is okay, got it! And to do it, I gotta have to make sure you all don't make a single mistake from here on out…boss." Garfiel said as he put a hand on Subaru's shoulder.

"Boss?!" everyone (sans the reserved members) asked in shock.

"You better do well with him as his senior and new younger brother." Ram said.

"Yeah yeah…wait! He's younger than I am?" Subaru asked.

"He's only turned 14 this year." Ram said.

"So he's just an 8th grader?!" Subaru said in surprise as Emilia went on to take the trials.

"Hey, is she gonna be okay?" DJ asked Subaru.

"Yeah…she'll be fine." Subaru said. "While she does that, we'll be working towards the rest of our goals."

"Right. Time to stack the deck." Ultra agreed.

"Roswaal wants to try and cheat the system by knowing our every move? Well we're gonna play hardball right back." Ty said.

"You know he's not likely to call off the assassins." Cobalt said.

"Then we're just going to have to go ourselves." Theo said.

"It didn't work the last few times we tried. What makes this one any different?" Emerald asked.

"Cause…we have someone we didn't before." Theo said, looking to Garfiel.

"Garfiel, you up to fight an immortal psycho-assassin?" Nemo asked.

"...When do we leave?" Garfiel responded.