"What on earth are you gawking at, you repulsive creature?" Subaru snapped, his face contorted with both frustration and fury.

He had grown weary of the relentless gaze from the abomination before him, completely indifferent to the chaos of blazing infernos, violent tremors, and agonizing cries that engulfed their surroundings.

As if this creature's sole focus was...

"Just for your information, iam already spoken for so no, you can just shove that love confession up your a*" Subaru, with an air of nonchalance, made it abundantly clear to the creature that his heart was already claimed, dismissing any notion of a love confession with a touch of sarcasm.

And if the words the creature spoke before could be trusted, Subaru really confident that this new being had set its sights on him for some unknown purpose he still didn't understood yet.

"..."

And as usual the creature, true to form, remained completely unresponsive, showing no inkling of a reaction or any inclination to provide an answer. Subaru, feeling a mix of resignation and relief, let out a heavy sigh as he contemplated the situation, silently acknowledging to himself, 'Perhaps, NO ACTUALLY it's better this way; I'd rather not invite any trouble with this...thing.'

Subaru still couldn't shake off the fear that gripped him whenever he gazed at the thing standing in front of him. Despite not understanding the reason behind his fear, he knew he had to leave the place as soon as possible.

"I believe it's almost over," With a hushed tone, he murmured, his eyes fixated above him, particularly on the mountain's base. A network of fractures had emerged, snaking their way across the base.

And within those crevices, a fiery inferno raged, casting its scorching glow upon them all.

"But not soon enough," he muttered under his breath, a hint of impatience in his voice. With a determined look, he added, "Let's just speed it up." As if on cue, Subaru's hand shot forward, a vibrant orange glow emanating from his palm.

The energy swirled and intensified, forming a dark aura that crackled with power. ready to unleash, when.

"HEY! NATSUKI SUBARU WHAT IN GOD'S NAME YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"

Um?

Subaru's attention was immediately captured as he heard a familiar voice, causing his ears to perk up.

A mischievous smile formed on his face as he called out to responded, "Hey, John, what's the matter?" His playful tone was accompanied by a hint of a fake surprise, "And why are you still alive? I thought you would have met your kicked the bucket by now." Subaru couldn't help but tease, his gaze shifting downwards to meet John's furious expression.

"Dead? ME DEAD SERIOUSLY!? Do you even have a clue who I am? It's going to require a lot more than some creepy creature from the shadows and a deranged kid with freaky op abilities to put me down!" John exclaimed, his voice filled with defiance. However, his tone gradually shifted to a more composed one as he continued, "And considering my knowledge of Stormfront's way of thinking, am fairly sure she sent you here to rescue us. So, what on earth is going ON?!"

Subaru chuckled in agreement, acknowledging.

"Absolutely, you hit the nail on the head!" However, as he burst into laughter, he couldn't help but add, "But you know what? Fate had different plans for me." With a pause, he continued, his tone shifting slightly, "Encountering this peculiar entity forced me to reevaluate my course of action and reconsider the orders I had blindly followed until then."

"which is...?"John asked feeling a bit nervous.

Subaru chuckled, gesturing upward, "Come on, dude, use your smarts! Just look up and it'll all make sense."

And of course John did as told following Subaru's line of sight and directed his gaze towards...

"Oh my goodness, you're out of your mind!"John's face turned pale.

Subaru frowned and puffed his cheeks as he responded, "Wow John, isn't it rather impolite of you to say that? Don't you realize that I am simply trying to do what is best for the majority of people outside, even if it means neglecting the minority here? And you should understand this well, considering you were the one who taught me this principle."

I see John smirked, his eyes gleaming mischievously although his face still pale—he finally sow a real chance for survival —" Y-you do realize that detonating that mountain could have catastrophic consequences, right? I mean, we're talking about wiping out not just a few towns, but potentially entire cities nearby and far away. Are you absolutely certain you're willing to bear the weight of such a sacrifices?"

Subaru nonchalantly replied "Well, I guess it's not that terrible compared to the potential havoc this thing could wreak if it were unleashed upon the world. Believe me, I have a gut feeling about it." He casually gestured towards the enigmatic figure of the monster, who remained eerily still.

"Are the life of Stormfront included in the number of sacrifices?"

Subaru briefly squinted his eyes, but quickly eased his expression, a mischievous smirk forming on his face.

"Seriously, John, has the volcanic ash in this area affected your thinking? You do realize that Stormfront can effortlessly soar away from here as soon as it erupts, don't you know?" he taunted, his voice laced with amusement.

Jhon scoffed, mocking the supposedly invincible Natsuki Subaru's intelligence.

However, a tinge of disappointment was evident in his eyes as he said, gesturing with his hands outstretched. "Just take a good look around you subaru, take a look and observe the sheer magnitude of this facility, and then tell me, how on earth do you think it manages to function? Or better yet, where do you reckon it draws its energy from?"

"Where else? " subaru let out a deep sigh, bored " A power plant or perhaps solar panels? Better maybe, its Air fa—

" Nuclear reactors " John interjected, causing Subaru to pause, "It's actually nuclear reactors," he confessed, "and it's in the plural form, not singular." Subaru looked, and for the first pale as a sheet of paper.

"Heh" John's grin widened as he relished the thrill of seeing subaru pained and defeated, "I highly doubt that even the hero A-train could outrun an explosion with such a component added to it. Let alone stormfront who is most likely will just die, am i wrong Subaru?" His eyes sparkled with mischief as he taunted the boy, confident in his impending victory.

"N-no!"

"Oh, absolutely! It's definitely the truth...now, circling back to what you said earlier, do you still believe that sacrificing is necessary to stop that monstrous shadow?" He gestured towards the enormous, dark figure standing before them unmoving. "Or perhaps you have a different perspective on the matter?" Then, he directed his finger upwards, indicating the general vicinity where Stormfront might be.

"No " no no no no NO NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONOWAHT IV'DONE!?''

Subaru's mind was a jumbled mess, even more so than usual. His confidence took a hit when he finally acknowledged the error he had committed, or was on the verge of committing.

"Hold on a second, what if..." Subaru pondered to himself before desperately reaching into his pocket.

Hastily retrieving the phone he was carrying, only to discover that...

"It's completely...broken".

The phone that he had with him was now shattered into tiny fragments, almost as if it had been pulverized in a blender. It was completely unusable, with the screen cracked and the internal components exposed.

Funnily enough it pretty much reflects Subaru's state if anything ever happened to his beloved stormfront.

'Damnit'

Subaru seethed with frustration as he watched the remnants of the phone disappear into the fiery pit below. His thoughts raced back to the moment of impact with the wall, realizing that it was his fault to begin with, It was his fault that caused him the lost of the only chance he got to contact stormfront and warn her before its too late.

Turning his gaze towards John, Subaru's demeanor had shifted drastically.

The playful banter and teasing were replaced with a sense of defeat. "You win, John. It's my loss," he admitted, his voice tinged with resignation.

Feeling defeated and unsure of his next move, Subaru looked to John for guidance. "So please tell me what I should do," he implored, his tone reflecting his acceptance of the situation, his shoulders slumping slightly as he awaited John's response.

While the flames from the craters and the huge cracks around them danced ominously in the background, casting an eerie glow on the scene.

Following a brief pause, the only audible noises were the crackling of fire and the tumbling of rocks, drowning out the screams that had abruptly ceased.

Those who died died and those who survived survived, John broke the silence, consoling Subaru, "Don't be hard on yourself . Even if the phone remains intact, reaching out to anyone beyond these walls is nearly...unattainable."

"..."

"So, in essence, it was a futile attempt in both scenarios," he added with a smirk, his words laced with a hint of sarcasm.

Subaru was annoyed .

"...Just tell me what to do, but if you decide that you yourself don't know" he roared "I'll pile the head of your dearest one at your feet! Hide frome me and I'll tear apart the mountains to find you! I'll follow you to hell!"

"Hk!" John felt a sudden halt in his breathing, as if his throat had closed up.

Overwhelming fear gripped him so intensely that his blood seemed to turn to ice in his veins.

His heart raced at an alarming pace, causing a sharp pain in his chest. 'I never realized just how volatile his temper could be,'John thought, his terror mounting.

In that moment, any trace of sarcasm he had planned to unleash vanished completely from his mind.

"A-alright alright... am sorry for my eralier remark, and don't worry because I already have a solution for th—

"I love you"

Fuck/fuck you both op basterds.

the two guys thought angrily simultaneously. One of them is feeling defeated and doesn't even want to bother fighting anymore since he knows his odds of winning are low. The other guy is just too mad and preoccupied with something more significant to waste his time on a pointless fight.

"John Watchout!"

"..."!?

Subaru's warning cry pierced through the air as he spotted a menacing hand crafted from shadows hurtling towards John. With lightning reflexes, Subaru sprang into action, swiftly reaching John before the dark appendage could even draw near.

"I got you!"

Acting swiftly, Subaru swiftly swooped in, effortlessly lifting John off the ground and soaring away from the impending danger.

The dark hand, now deprived of its target, dissipated into nothingness.

"Thank yu—

"No time" Subaru interrupted, with a serious expression, swiftly he carried John in a princess-like manner as they soared away from the shadowy thing below. " Just Tell me the plan and what should be done... hurry," Subaru commanded urgently, his focus unwavering. As they moved further away from the danger, Subaru awaited John's response, ready to act accordingly.

"Alright, but I want to mention that my initial thought has been revised because of the sudden movement of that thing," he paused momentarily, reflecting on his words before adding, "let me clarify my new plan..."

"Am listening"

...

"Who are you "asked subaru" and where did you come from?"

"I love you"

"I can not tell " he responded " whether you are of an alien planet and mine enemy, or of earth and my friend. Far have I remembered. But a woman like you I have never seen in my life. Your pointy ears. Your silver hair. And your purple eyes. Never have I seen such a things so why—

"I love you"

"—Keeping on confessing your love to me" he exclaimed " IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE!".

"I love you"

Subaru let out a tired sigh, feeling the weight of his Frustration settling in. Despite his anger, he spoke with conviction, making it clear that he was undeterred by the potential threat before him.

"Whether you stand as my enemy or my friend, it makes no difference to me anyway," he asserted, his voice unwavering. "I sense your power, and I know that you could easily overpower me if you so desired. But know this - the thought of me Living with another of equal or greater strength is simply not an option, and to me it's unacceptable"

A sly grin crept across Subaru's face as he delivered his next words with a hint of mischief, "After all, as they say two tigers cannot share the same territory." The casual tone in his voice masked the intensity of his warning.

And with a burst of Overwhelming speed and power, Subaru launched himself from the ground into the air towards the the silver haired girl.

"I lo

"Shut up at once would ya?"

And Before the silver haired girl could even utter a word, Subaru was already floating in front of her, delivering a mighty punch straight to her face.

The impact of the blow sent the the silver haired girl hurtling backwards, crashing into the wall behind her with a thunderous impact that shook the whole facility.

"Well, it seems my initial assumption was correct. Despite the immense power I put into that attack, it appears it wasn't sufficient to kill you," Subaru muttered with a hint of frustration.

He gazed grimly at the monstrous silver haired girl, which stood unscathed, shielded by an eerie array of dark hands. It was astonishing that not even a single mark marred her form, leaving Subaru to ponder its seemingly impenetrable defense.

"Oh well I'll simply just continue to increase the intensity of my strikes until I achieve the desired outcome," as a radiant, vibrant orange aura enveloped his body. "And that outcome will be your brain, now splattered across the floor of this place ," he concluded with a menacing grin.

"I love you" Uurah!"

Subaru's battle cry echoed through the air, a stark contrast to the girl's declaration of love.

With lightning-like agility and strength, Subaru soared towards the silver haired girl, defying gravity itself.

Then the girl retaliated by summoning dark hands to halt Subaru's advance, but Subaru's incredible speed allowed him to effortlessly evade each grasp.

Realizing her desperate situation, the girl attempted to gather the hands together, hoping to intercept Subaru's impending attack...but.

"It's too late for that am already here".

Once more Subaru outpaced her, swiftly reaching her and seizing her neck with a firm grip. He then Flew her high into the air before halting abruptly, positioning his face near hers which was concealed by a veil.

"You are as cold as the snows," he began, "but don't worry, because In a second I will envelop you in the scorching warmth of my formidable power."

But the girl displayed no reaction to his words or even an inclination to release her neck from Subaru's powerful hold, nor did she make any move to strike him.

Instead, she just gazed at him from beneath her veil, but he paid her no mind.

With his other hand, he gestured downwards, emitting a dark orange light. Suddenly, a hole three feet in diameter materialized, and from within it...

BLAZED!

Massive flames erupted as if the opening peered directly into the depths of hell. The intense heat and fiery display illuminated the area, casting an eerie glow on the surroundings.

But the girl's reaction to this spectacle was still as impassive as ever.

Subaru was annoyed by it.

Subaru's voice was barely audible as he uttered, "Let's test your composure as I subject you to the scorching flames." With a calm demeanor, he slowly made his way towards the blazing pit.

As he neared the edge, he forcefully flipped the girl onto her stomach, positioning her directly in front of him. "Prepare yourself for the excruciating agony I have just prepared for you," Subaru growled, his grip tightening around her neck and hair from behind.

And with a cruel forceful push, he forced her head downwards, making her gaze meet the bottom of the fiery abyss.

And the girl, unsurprisingly, offered no resistance whatsoever, and Subaru's strength was not a factor in her compliance at all. "Do you have any parting words, you weirdo?" Subaru inquired, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Both fell into a hushed stillness, with only the crackling of the fire filling the air. Seconds stretched into what felt like an eternity, until at last, breaking the silence, the girl finally uttered, "I lov—

BLAZED! " not Interested"

His tone conveyed annoyance, pushing her head further into the hole. Suddenly, And coincided with his words a spectacular burst of flames erupted from the gaping hole, accompanied by a deafening roar.

The flames engulfed the girl's exposed head and passed it, shooting up higher and higher with an intense fury, reaching a staggering height of twenty meters.

"MORE COME ON GIVE ME MORE MORE !!

Subaru's voice boomed through the place, as he exerted his will over the scorching inferno, demanding more flames as he watched the fire grow in both power and ferocity.

The heat radiating from the pit was so intense that the ground itself began to resemble molten lava, a testament to the sheer force of the inferno.

"Come on burn, BURN YOU WRETCHED FREAK!"

And despite the scorching heat and the flames rising higher and higher, Subaru showed no signs of fatigue as he pressed the girl's head against the pit's edge, the fire completely consuming her head in a relentless blaze.

"SUBARU THAT'S ENOUGH YOU ARE MAKING THINGS WORSE!"

"Huh!"

Out of nowhere, John's voice echoed from a distance, Subaru was jolted out of his trance by the sound, but he didn't release his grip on the girl's neck.

"Damn, this looks like a swimming pool, but instead of water, all I see is... Lava," Subaru muttered, his eyes widening as he took in the sight of the twenty-meter diameter pool of molten, churning lava beneath them. Him and The silver haired girl was right in the middle of it.

" And..." Subaru turned his head to face down the girl with silver hair, flipping her effortlessly onto her back. "You, on the other hand," he remarked, his tone a mix of admiration and exasperation, "are definitely tougher than a rock..."

"I love you".

"Heh~" Subaru chuckled, unable to contain his amusement and helplessness, and replied, "Well, it's no surprise that you feel that way you masochist pain lover wretched chick"

"I love you"

The flames are already died out.

And she was fine, No! fine is an understatement, she was exceptionally fine, which is too on itself an understatement to describe her condition, the only correct words to describe it are she was the same as ever.

The Helish flames had no effect on her whatsoever, not even her clothes were touched by it. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Subaru's clothes, as he now only possesses his pants, while the rest has been reduced to ashes.

As Subaru gazed down the enigmatic figure before him, a sense of foreboding washed over their thoughts.

—' Deep down, I knew that you was a bad news...but even this is just too much' Lost in contemplation, Subaru pondered alternative strategies to destroy her.

As It seemed that, the power of flames, have suprsingly proven futile and useless against her.

'No! there must be another way to go".Determined to find a solution, Subaru considered the possibility of employing sheer force by using gravity. However, he couldn't help but acknowledge the potential consequences of such an action.The weight of gravity could be harnessed to crush this girl, but he hesitated, aware of the immense collateral damage it could cause, it would just burry the whole facility down.

And the presence of a nuclear reactors In the next room only added to the urgency of finding a less destructive approach.

"I love you so be happy subaru~"

"Hk!?"

Out of nowhere, just as he was trying to process the girl's words, an inexplicable sensation washed over him. It was a feeling so peculiar, so unfamiliar, that he couldn't quite place it.

'Is that pain am feeling?' Subaru found himself grappling with the realization that he was experiencing a pain unlike any other, a pain that seemed to be emanating from deep within his chest, perhaps even his very heart itself.

The intensity of the discomfort was overwhelming, causing him to gasp for air as he struggled to make sense of what was happening to him.

'No this is ... too much I can't' It was as if a floodgate of emotions had been unleashed, flooding his senses with a mixture of confusion, fear, and a profound sense of unease.

In that moment, he was acutely aware of the fragility of his own existence, the vulnerability of his own being laid bare before him. The pain, both physical and emotional, gnawed at him relentlessly, leaving him feeling exposed and raw. As Subaru grappled with this newfound agony, he couldn't help but wonder what had triggered such a profound upheaval within him.

Subaru's mind raced, desperately trying to grasp the source of this torment that seemed to have taken root within him so suddenly.

"Y..yo..u!"

The excruciating pain coursing through his body rendered him speechless, as he grappled to find the strength to utter even a single word. His gaze shifted downwards, only to be met with a horrifying sight that sent shivers down his spine.

A hand, seemingly crafted from the depths of darkness itself, had easily pierced through his chest. The sensation of his heart being constricted by this ethereal appendage was overwhelming, yet perplexingly, there was no trace of blood or any visible wound.

"I love you"

In that moment, it dawned upon him that he had unwittingly dropped his guard, allowing her to use her powers to infiltrate his very being.

"love you"

"..."!

"love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you"

"..."!

"love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you "

"..."!

"love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you "

'Enough already,'he muttered to himself as he lay motionless on the unforgiving ground, his consciousness slipping away. Subaru had never felt so powerless before. His vision was hazy, his body rendered immobile, and his heart felt constricted. In addition, an icy presence pressed against his bare abdomen, exploring his neck, stomach, and every inch of his body with a chilling intensity.

"love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you love you I love you I love you"

"..."

Subaru would give up anything just to not be able to hear again at this very moment.

I love you

At this moment Subaru's soul resonates with as it seems her final words, but it becomes inconsequential as he succumbs to unconsciousness, surrendering to the depths of his subconscious and finally shutting his eyes down.

...

The first thing that subaru did when he woke was breathe, then breathe, then breathe some more. Euphoric air flooded his lungs. Oxygen wasn't something he longed for but at this moment he want's it so bad more than anything In the world.

"Hk!"

Once he'd had his fill of wonderful, precious air, Subaru snapped to attention at the realization that he was still paralized. Again Panic almost set in before he noticed that.

'Is it raining?'

Rain poured down with intensity, accompanied by the distant rumble of thunder, yet his main worry wasn't the storm. It was the realization that he was back in the forest, and this time, there is a stranger he dosen't recognize ever seeing.

"...M-ister are y-you alright?"

It was girl standing five meters away from him is a young child, possibly around eight years old. Despite keeping her distance, she still shows concern for his well-being by asking about his condition although she seemed sad and scared for some reason.

However, Subaru can't help but notice several peculiarities about her appearance. Her hair is short and sky blue, matching her eyes. Additionally, she is dressed in traditional white attire from head to toe and of course she was wet, all wet because of the rain.

'Why is a little girl outside In such remote forest, and more Importantly why am I even thinking over such things... shouldn't I be more focused on my own situation right now?' Subaru ponders to himself.

"Mister are you alright?"

The girl inquired once more about his well-being, this time showing less fear. Could it be that she finally realized Subaru posed no danger on his current condition?

'Can't you see how I am, girl are you an idiot can't you see how I look? I AM PARLIZED FOE GOD'S SA–! ...whatever all I want is to rest now,' Subaru pondered with resignation, shutting his eyes for the second time that day... or at least what felt like a day to him.