"SEND SOME MORE WINDBLADES IT'S WAY! USE EVERY DROP OF MANA YOU HAVE!"

Marcos Gildark was shouting out commands, as he didn't have anything better to do. Unfortunately, magic was not something he was good at, so he had no choice but to command.

It was frustrating, so frustrating that his hands were almost drawing blood because of how much he was clenching them.

His eyes shone blue.

"THE LEFT FLANK, FALL BACK!"

As soon as the knights and mercenaries followed his command, the shadow erupted in that place.

"Tch."

This was a problematic enemy.

Not only was it massive, it was also growing at astonishing speeds.

They damage they dealt equalized the growing speed.

But that won't last long.

The shadow was getting used to their attacks. Each subsequent attack was dealing less and less damage. Not by much, but this equlibrium wouldn't last long.

This was the worst enemy he has ever had to face.

Even Reinhard and Volcanica, VOLCANICA for Od's sake, weren't enough.

The only good thing was that there were no casualties, not even among the civilians.

On the other hand, the collateral damage was immense, a whole fifth of the capital had been erased. The destructive power of the shadow was fearsome.

"ARTILLERY SQUAD, FIRE!"

But just before that command could be carried out, it happened.

...

"N-no... way."

As he looked at what stood before him, all his strength left his body. He dropped to his knees, unable to do anything.

This was the same for everyone else on the battlefield. Even people who were hard-headed couldn't help but despair at the sight in front of them.

Reinhard, with all his Divine Protections, knew there was nothing he could do.

Volcanica, even while being binded by the covenant, couldn't do anything.

They were all despairing at-

Nothing

Nothingness. That was the only way to describe it.

The shadow had turned into nothingness itself. It wasn't black or pitch-black, it was just nothing.

And this nothingness was spreading, corroding at the world.

The nothingness was envying everything in the world, and it wouldn't stop until it wouldn't have anything to envy.

But just before the closest knights got consumed, the nothingness retreated... no, that would be wrong. It condensed.

It condensed, almost as if something inside needed more of that darkness.

It continued to grow, but before it could get too far, it condensed.

It condensed, condensed, condensed, condensed.

Until it was nothing more than a small sphere floating in the air.

"...Ngh."

After a long pause of silence, everyone started getting back up.

But no one could speak.

Is this over? - is the thought everyone had.

The massive nothingness had condensed into nothing more than a sphere with a radius of 2 meters.

It was still giving off a strong presence, so they weren't sure whether to let down their guard.

Gildark's eyes shone blue.

"EVERYONE GE!-

Darkness swallowed everything.

./\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\.

I was in a white expanse filled with my memories. I had finally decided to turn my life around after having a look at my life.

"But after giving that all too cool declaration, I realized that I had no idea how to get out of here."

I thought that after I said that, I would get sent back to the real world, but it won't go like it does in anime, huh.

"Good thing no one is here. Saying all those corny lines was extremely embarassing."

I felt a small *pang* at the back of my mind.

"That's... Ashna?"

Another small *pang* happened.

"Is that a yes or no...? Whatever, I don't have time for that."

I quickly look back to the last thing that I remember.

"After my fear had gotten complete hold of me, I was sent to the darkness. The only other time someone was sent to darkness in this verse is Arc 7.

In Arc 7 Subaru exploded into shadows and he felt like he was inside it...

Does that mean that I also exploded into shadows?!"

I was panicking now.

Anastasia, Ricardo, Julius and Felix were right in my strike zone. If I exploded into shadows, they wouldn't escape unscathed.

"That means I have to get out of here as fast as possible! ...But how?"

I take a deep breath to calm down.

First, let's think on where I am right now.

When I was in the darkness, after being attacked, I started feeling new things and emotions.

After the darkness was broken, the white world was being filled up with memories, just like my own head.

"So this white world... is my mind?"

It felt weird to think about, but it made sense.

Everything would fall into place if this was the explanation.

"That doesn't help me in getting out of it though. Actually, now that I know this, attacking feels like bad idea. I could damage my mind in that case."

I was stuck at an even bigger impasse than previously.

"Think about it. How do you get out of your own mind?"

I tried to search my memories for answers, but it was futile.

"In anime, there's a clear goal that you have to complete. I doubt it's going to be that easy here though, this is Re:Zero we're talking about."

I kept trying to think of a solution, but all of it came up blank.

I was getting impatient. For all I knew, the people outside could be battling a massive shadow, while I was wasting my time here.

"Do I have no choice but to wait for outside intervention? That's how Subaru escaped the darkness, but I don't think my situation is the same."

Subaru's darkness was caused by Satella, while mine was...

"Wait, why did I even fall into darkness?- is not something I have the time to think about. Focus, focus, focus." I slapped myself on the cheeks.

"First, let's try running."

I set my sights to a single direction and started running.

So I ran and ran and ran... and ran... and ran.

"There's no end to it, and-" I looked around myself, "-the memories keep following me."

No matter how fast or how far away I ran, the memories always followed my exact position. I had even tried jumping, but even that wasn't enough to lose them.

"This is... a bad idea."

Truthfully, I had an idea of what I could do, but I was afraid of what kind of damages would follow it.

"I could... Predator the 'ground' below me..."

I was getting uneasy. If this really was my mind, then that could make me mentally deranged, or maybe something even worse.

"Is there... really no other way?"

I looked around once again, not seeing anything different.

"Alright then. Let's do i-

I felt a small *pang* at the back of my mind.

I reflexively turned around.

"A... screen?"

What I saw in front of me, was a floating screen.

It was showing me the outside.

The hundreds of knights and mercenaries all standing in shock and looking at a black sphere. They seemed to be in slow-motion.

"Am I in there?" I said as I focused on the sphere.

The sphere was pitch-black, no, that would be an understatement. It wasn't on the level of black anymore, it was on the level of a void, a black hole.

*pang*

Another screen appeared.

This one was from a bird's eye view.

I could see the full destruction of the capital.

"...I caused all of that, didn't I?" I said through clenched teeth.

I just decided to not hate myself, and you show me this?! What the hell is wrong with God for him to make me go through all these trials?!

I take a deep breath to calm down.

"Still not calm enough."

I take another deep breath and my whole body starts shaking with anger. But I don't let the anger control me, I let it get out through the shaking, using it as a sort of stress relief.

I finally stop shaking after a couple of seconds and let out a weary sigh.

"Still don't know how to get out."

I try to get as much information from the two screens in front of me, but since everything in them is in extreme slow-motion, I can't really get any information.

"How am I getting a bird's eye view and a picture from a 3rd person perspective?- is not something I have the time to think about. I guess I should just go through with my previous plan."

But just before I could do anything, a very familiar feeling assailed me.

Soothing.

This was that same soothing feeling again.

I looked above me.

The darkness was slowly spreading, trying to cover me again.

"Can I somehow use this?"

It was clear that the darkness from my mind and from the real world are connected. Could I somehow contact one through the other? If I can, then this could be my ticket to freedom.

"Still, I don't know how to, and getting caught in that again is a bad idea."

I decided to get rid of the darkness once again.

"...Wait, how do I get rid of it?"

The last time around the darkness just vanished by itself, I didn't have to do much of anything.

I had absolutely no idea on what this darkness was or how to get rid of it, so I did the only thing I could: gather information.

"The last time around, the thought of Caroline was enough to blow the darkness away, but it isn't working this time around. From what I can see on the screens it's very destructive, so I shouldn't just go punching it or slashing at it with my sword, lest I lose something. It keeps on growing and it doesn't seem to ever stop-

*pang*

"Huh? Really?"

I couldn't believe what I was feeling. I couldn't believe the idea that was thrown into my mind.

"Ashna... you came up with quite a nasty thing."

Yes, the idea was given to me by Ashna, and it was one that I wasn't sure whether I liked.

"Fine, I'll do it. If I get consumed again, it's on you."

There didn't seem to be any other way, and I didn't want to spend any more time here.

"Predator."

I say the name of my ability, and my whole body gets covered in a thin layer of it.

I focus on my legs.

Since it's my mind, it's not weird for me to jump 100 meters in here, is it? Having infinite mana and an ultra powerful Predator is also not out of the question, right? It's my mind after all, I control things here.

"Using the classical trope of, 'It's my mind', is not something I expected to happen." I smirk.

"All of this power will be gone once I get outside, but that's exactly what I want."

I do one final check. Making sure proper strength is in my legs, making sure the Predator is working fine.

"I'm nervous, but... what happens, happens."

I jump straight into the darkness.

./\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\.

After what felt like forever, but also at the same time an instant, I could feel a sudden jump.

My counsciousness was being transported, but I had no idea what was happening as all I could see was darkness.

Suddenly, the jump stopped.

Darkness greeted me once again, but this time around, it was me who was victorious.

I made it.

Ashna's idea was to use the darkness as a portal, a conduit of sorts. If the darkness outside and inside my mind were the same, then they should be connected. So why don't we just jump into one and come out of the other?- is what Ashna came up with.

I was honestly impressed. Since when was Ashna capable of such complex thought and instructions?

This is not the time to be praising Ashna, I still have things to do. I mentally reprimand myself.

I was in darkness once again, but it was different this time around.

I could clearly feel that this was the real world, not my mind.

And that also means... that I can attack now!

I couldn't move around. I was floating in nothingness, so there was nothing for me to grab to propel myself, but that doesn't mean I was out of moves.

I tried to grab my sword, butI felt slow, very slow, way too slow.

What the-? Why am I so slow?

I was surprised. I wanted to use my sword to get out of this situation, but I was practically not moving.

It was then that I realized what was happening.

I'm using ultra Thought Acceleration.

Just like the time with Shinyu and Caroline, my mind has entered a state where everything moves at an unprecedently slow speed.

Since I have time, why not think then?

I was still doing the motion towards grabbing my sword, but I could think in the middle of it, I didn't have anything to lose after all.

And the first thing that came to my mind was-

What's in my Stomach right now?

I had eaten the darkness, but what happened to it? Did it get destroyed? Turned into mana perhaps?

The easiest way to find out is just to check.

So I decided to feel what was inside my Stomach-

POWER

"Kh!"

POWER POWER POWER POWER

Immense power, unlimited power, boundless power, limitless power.

I felt it, I felt that power inside of me. Raging, ravaging. Trying- WANTING to destroy everything.

What... the hell?

I felt unstoppable. This infinite power was giving me a feeling of omnipotence.

This is not good.

I was getting full of myself... not really.

With this kind of power, I was practically omnipotent. I could destroy everything if I wanted to, I could feel it.

This was not me being full of myself, it was the truth.

This feeling felt nice. The feeling of having full control of the world that made me despair was enticing.

...

But it was also repulsive.

Controlling everyone? That's taking away everyone's freedom. He wouldn't want to do that.

Destroying everything? What was the point of living in a world of nothingness? Killing everyone was also not to his liking.

This is why you didn't want me to remember that I'm kind, huh. If I wasn't kind, I would've definitely used all this power for my own sake, wouldn't I?

But I was not like that. I was kind, and I wouldn't let myself be consumed by this feeling of omnipotence.

Still, all this power has to go somewhere. Why don't I use it for good?

I focused. I could feel it, a part of me was in the sky.

Did Ashna use Cellular Devision to make this vantage point? Was that the reason why there was a screen from the sky? Most likely yes, but I didn't have the time to be thinking about that.

I focused on it, syncronized with it.

I could see the whole capital from the sky.

All the damages, all the destruction.

I'm a kind person, so you won't mind if I use this power for other's sake, right? I wasn't sure to who I was talking to, the darkness might not even be a conscious being after all, but I still felt the need to quip a little.

I mentally prepared myself and-

I let the power inside my stomach out.