ARC ONE: The Loot House

Chapter Five: My Name is…

Batman had used a high kick to try and maneuver Elsa away from the silver haired half-elf, but it didn't connect. Luckily Subaru charged at Elsa and spun Rom's Club at her. She backed away a bit and was able to dodge an icicle that was aimed at her head.

The battle had been continuing for what one would say was hours, but it was only several minutes.

Subaru was covered in bruises and he was dreadfully low on energy. The half-elf girl was covered in dirt and had a few knicks on her face. Batman had his gloves smeared in blood and he was covered in dirt and debris. Elsa herself was covered in bruises and cuts. Her face was badly damaged by Batman, her left eye was starting to swell.

But she never stopped smiling.

Batman and Subaru tried to slow Elsa down, so that their new ally could get in a shot with her ice magic. But Elsa was persistent, she did everything she could to avoid getting hit by the icicles. Even allowing Subaru and Batman to hit her, just so she could use the momentum to dodge the projectiles.

Batman had enough of her tricks and pulled out a Batarang. Elsa smirked at this, expecting him to throw it as usual.

"HUH?!"

Batman charged her, his face close enough that their breaths could touch. He gripped the Batarang and stabbed her in the leg with it. He then punched it in, plunging it deeper into her flesh and nearly breaking the bone. Subaru then lifted the club over his head and tried slamming it on her head. She jumped out of the way in the knick of time. She pulled the Batarang out and threw it at Subaru, Batman intervened and was able to catch it. He tossed it back at Elsa who deflected it with her blade.

Elsa jumped back into the two and attempted to attack them with a rapid flurry of slices. They both blocked her, but both of them received nasty cuts all over.

Subaru became fed up with it.

He threw the club straight at her. When she blocked it, Subaru tried a spinning kick at her abdomen.

Only for his leg to be caught by her.

"Oh crap! I screwed up!"

"I'll be taking this with me."

Elsa raised her blade, intending to cut his leg clean off.

Batman saw this and rushed forward.

"NO! SUBARU!"

Batman readied to throw a Batarang as he ran and the half elf raised her hand to fire another ice spear-

"That'll be enough."

The ceiling collapsed next to Elsa and Subaru. They both turned in utter surprise. Batman took advantage of this, knocking away Elsa and retrieving Subaru. He leapt away with Subaru in his arms.

Everyone looked to the site of the collapsed rooftop to see someone with red hair emerge from the dust.

"Reinhard!"

"Ah, it's good to see you again Subaru. I see, you've been preoccupied since we last met."

"Yeah, well you know-. WAIT! We only met a few hours ago!"

The young man Reinhard stood before Elsa as he spoke pleasantries with Subaru. He glanced over at the motionless Rom, then at the young exhausted half elf and finally at Batman, who had Subaru leaning on his shoulder.

"I see I made it on time."

He then looked back at Elsa.

"I presume you're the one responsible for all this?"

"Yes, I was having a bit of fun on the job. But now I'm even more excited at this new dance partner, fufufu."

She licked her lips as she pointed at him with her blade.

"Fufufufu. The Sword Saint. Reinhard Van Astrea. I hope you'll entertain me."

"I'd prefer not to strike a woman. But if it's someone like you, then I have no choice. Isn't that right, Bowel Hunter Elsa?"

Subaru winced at her title.

"Jeez, totally nasty name there."

He then turned to look at Batman.

"You don't know anyone with a name like that right?"

"I used to know someone named Killer Moth."

"Pffft! What a dumb name."

"Yeah, but now's not the time for jokes Subaru."

They both moved back toward the half elf girl. Subaru looked at Reinhard and gave him one last word of advice.

"Careful Reinhard. This woman is a real monster."

"Thank you for your concern friend. But no worries, my job is actually to fight monsters."

Reinhard picked up a nearby sword that was on the floor and gives it a test swing. Sending a small shockwave into the ground.

"Oh. And why not use the Sword on your side?"

"I'm only allowed to use the sword for special occasions. Sorry about that."

"Well...let me see if I can make you draw it then."

Elsa charged at Reinhard, only to be effortlessly kicked away. She tried again, this time from above, only for him to swat her away with the hilt of the sword. She bounced around the house, crawling all over the walls to try and get a hit in. But she was knocked away every time.

Subaru and Batman reached over to Rom and carried him to where the half-elf girl. She then began healing Rom. Subaru questioned this.

"Isn't he part of the group that stole your pendant?"

"Yes. But I want him to answer for his crimes, alive. After all he did just now, I owe him that much."

Batman and Subaru looked at her in admiration of her actions.

They then turned back to see the battle taking place.

"Subaru, do you think he can beat her?"

"I think so. But she is a really tough beast."

Subaru scratched his chin and gave a weak smile.

The half-elf girl looked as well.

"Reinhard can defeat her. But since I'm currently using mana to heal him, he can't use his full power."

Batman surmised that Reinhard probably drained whatever energy is used for "magic" in the atmosphere. Thus, since she was healing Rom, he is intentionally holding back.

"Alright I'm done."

"Well alright then! Hey Reinhard, we're done here! Let her have it!"

Reinhard nodded. He took a fighting stance with the sword in his hand as it began to glow.

"Oh? And what exactly will you be showing me?"

"A technique of the House of Astrea."

"I am excited."

She then took a pouncing position and gave a wicked smile.

"The Bowel Hunter. Elsa Granhiert."

"One who holds lineage of the Sword Saint. Reinhard Van Astrea."

She charged him in a mad dash. But in the blink of an eye a giant blue slice cut the air. The force caused the entire loot house to finally fall apart.

As well as the other abandoned houses behind it.

Subaru and Batman could only stare at the destructive power Reinhard unleashed.

"She was definitely a monster...BUT YOU'RE A MONSTER YOURSELF REINHARD!"

"A comment like that can hurt even me you know?"

Reinhard gave a smile and chuckle to Subaru's statement. Subaru moved next to Batman to look at where Elsa once stood.

"Wahh, nothing is left of her."

"That was impressive."

"Impressive?! Can't say a little more than that."

"Sorry Subaru, but when you've seen the things Superman can do. Nothing really impresses you as it should."

"...I guess so."

Subaru scratched his cheek at that comment. Then, the half-elf girl moved to them as she looked at the aftermath.

"Is it over?"

Subaru gave a tired but victorious look to the night sky.

"Yeah. It finally is."

Subaru looked back to Reinhard as he pondered something.

'Hey Reinhard. How did you find us? Did you hear the call of a friends heart screaming for assistance or something like that?"

"Well friend, if I did, even I would be proud of myself. But no, she led me here."

He pointed to a nearby remnant of a wall, Felt stepped out from behind it. Subaru and the silver haired girl were the first to respond.

"Ah! Felt!"

"Ah it's that girl!"

"Hold on! Hold on! Sure she stole your pendant, but she led Reinhard here. Batman might have been able to survive, but one of us might have been dead by now. So go easy on her okay?"

"...Geez, I won't be that violent."

Batman moved over to Felt. She merely looked down, still feeling guilty about how she treated him. He reaced his hand out, she closed her eyes, expecting to be reprimanded. But she was surprised when she got a soft pat on the head.

"Huh?"

"You did good Felt. Thanks."

She looked back down again, this time with droplets of tears forming in her eyes. She then moved over to Rom who was alive but resting. She hugged him.

"Rom-Jii."

Subaru and the half-elf smiled.

"SUBARU!"

Reinhard let out a blood curdling scream as the rubble a few feet ahead of Subaru flew into the air. When he looked he saw her.

Elsa The Bowel Hunter.

She had survived and was charging toward the half elf.

Reinhard and Batman charged, trying to stop her.

Subaru took the opportunity to grab Rom's Club and push his new friend out of the way.

"She'll aim for the gut!"

He blocked her attack by using the large club as a shield, protecting his abdomen. But the impact still sent him flying.

"TSK. He interfered again."

Elsa gave off a look of utter anger and disappointment. Reinhard and Batman cornered her.

"That's enough Elsa."

"Give up now."

Batman then punched his palm as electric sparks flew out of his hands.

"OR DON'T. You're choice!"

Elsa then quickly threw her blade at their direction, making Batman dodge, while Reinhard merely let the knife pass by him. They then noticed Elsa had quickly jumped on a support beam that had now been sticking out of the ground, not connected to the roof any longer.

"I will one day cut the bellies of everyone here. So until then.."

She gave a blissful smile..

"Until then, treat your intestines with care."

She then leaped away, into the darkness of the night. Disappearing. Batman was about to give chase...

"Hey are you alright?!"

But he decided not to. He was more concerned about his new ally, Natsuki Subaru, and his condition. He moved over to him along with Reinhard, as the half elf girl helped him up.

"Are you alright? That was reckless!"

"Yeah, Yeah. Easy win for sure."

Reinhard stood before Subaru and gave an apologetic bow.

"I'm sorry Subaru. I let my guard down, this would have been more dangerous had you not been there."

"Don't apologize! Otherwise I don't have a leg to stand on!"

He then dusted himself off, spun himself around and made an awkward disco pose.

"My name is Natsuki Subaru! I am the hero that saved you from an assassin's blade! So shouldn't I be rewarded by you? You agree right? Okay?"

"O...kay?"

"It means you are alright with the statement, o-kay?!"

"Ummm...okay."

"So then, I have only one request for you."

"I-If it's in my power, I'll try to do it."

"Alright then.."

He then snapped his fingers and pointed at her with a bright smile on his face.

"Tell me your name."

A silence fell in the building as the two stared at each other. But the silence was broken when the girl began to giggle.

"Emilia."

"Huh?"

"My name is Emilia. Thank you Subaru, for saving me."

Subaru could only smile. After all the heartache and pain he went through he had finally saved her. His reward for all this was her name and a smile.

"Hehe. Geez. This happy ending doesn't seem worth it all."

Then Emilia turned to Batman.

"Ah yes, sir..um Batman was it?"

"Yes?"

"I also need to thank you too. You can ask for anything and I'll-."

"Actually...there might be something."

"Yes?"

"Do you know any um, powerful "magic users" in this world-I mean country?"

"Yes I am acquainted with the country's most powerful sorcerer."

"Can you set up a time when I can meet him?"

"Ah! Yes, yes! I can arrange it right away. Yup, but.."

"Hm?"

Batman figured should anyone be able to help him, it would be someone adept in the powers of this world. In this case magic.

Emilia looked up at the costumed individual as she asked,

"Is that all you want?"

"Yes it is."

"Hmmm...you and Subaru sure are strange."

"...I guess we are."

Batman smiled at this comment and looked over at the boy named Subaru. He felt a connection with him as a true friend, even if they only met today.

Reinhard walked over to the club Subaru had used.

"It's a good thing I was able to get that club in time or I'd be a goner."

"Yes, without this you'd-."

When he lifted it, everyone could clearly see it was cut cleanly in half. Subaru looked to see his tracksuit, it was cut and then-

"Uh oh."

Blood shot out of a large cut that appeared on his abdomen. He fell backwards coughing up blood.

"SUBARU!"

Emilia ran over the collapsed Subaru, with Reinhard and Batman not far behind.

Subaru let out one more smile as his eyes closed.

"No worries. He's been healed up now."

Emilia had finished using water magic to heal Subaru. She then brushed his hair as she gave a worried look. She then stood up as she headed over to Batman.

"I think I will be taking him to my place of residence, so that he can better heal."

"I see."

"I'll take you along as well. The person you are trying to see is also there, It'd make things easier for the both of us."

"Alright, then I'll have to accompany you and Subaru."

Batman nodded at this, as Reinhard walked to Emilia.

"I can always take these two into my family's residence if you wish."

"No, I want to personally thank these two. But thank you for the offer."

"I understand."

"What will you do about the girl and old man?"

The three of them glanced over at Felt and Rom who had not moved at all.

"Well, I would have arrested them as my knightly duty. But unfortunately, I am off duty. So I have my hands tied here."

"Hehe, you a terrible knight."

Reinhard merely shrugged his shoulders at this, with a bright smile as usual. The three of them moved to where the other two were. Felt saw them and became nervous about it. Emilia squatted down to her level.

"Is he your family?"

"I-In a sense. I see him as a grandfather figure. He's all I have…"

"Yeah."

Her smile brought some closure to Felt and so she relented. She reached into her pocket and began giving the pendant back.

"Here you go, but if it's so important, make sure you hide it better next time. You don't want it getting stolen again do you?"

"Thank you. But you should really stop your thievery altogether."

"Nah, probably not gonna happen."

Felt gave a bright smile to her last comment, Emilia and Batman could only chuckle at the sight. As Felt was about to hand over the pendant. Reinhard noticed it.

The jewel in the middle of the pendant was glowing bright red.

Reinhard reached out and grabbed Felt's hand.

"Hey! That hurts let go!"

"I don't believe it…"

"...What is your name?"

"F-Felt."

"Your surname? How old are you?"

"I'm an orphan, all right? No surname at all...I think I'm about fifteen."

"...I'm sorry but you're coming with me."

"Like hell I am-!"

Before she could finish her sentence, her body went limp as Reinhard drained her of mana. He caught her before she could collapse and carried her in his arms.

Batman faced him.

"Where are you taking her?"

"...I'm sorry Batman. But things have changed. Please understand."

"...She'll be fine right?"

"Yes. No harm will come to her whatsoever."

"Good, because then you'd answer to me."

"...Of course."

Reinhard gave a wry smile and turned back to face Emilia.

"I must go now. I hope the two of you will take good care of Subaru."

A strong wind blew around them as Reinhard looked up to the bright all seeing moon.

"This may be the last time we can look up at the moon and feel at ease.."

Batman and Emilia looked up as well, as the day in the Loot House, had come to an end.

Batman helped carry Subaru into the carriage. He noticed the large reptilian creature looking at him. He learned that it was a "Ground Dragon". Emilia explained to him earlier that they were common all over and used to pull carriages.

While Batman was interested, he didn't delve any deeper into it.

Emilia motioned him into the carriage as Subaru lay in her lap.

But Batman was then approached by someone. It was a young lady with pink hair and pink eyes. She was wearing what appeared to be a maid outfit. She did a polite bow.

"Dear honored sir. In the place of my master I must thank you and that boy for saving Emilia-sama."

"No thanks are necessary. If you really want to thank someone. Thank that boy there, without him things would have been a lot worse."

She glanced inside to see Subaru in deep sleep while relaxing his head on Emilia's lap.

"Well then good sir. Shall we assume you intend to travel with us?"

"Yes that's right."

"Very well, we shall leave immediately."

She bowed once more as she took the front seat. Batman entered the carriage and sat across from Emilia.

He looked out the window as he thought about something.

Before he took his first step inside the carriage, he caught a glimpse of the pink haired maid looking at him.

It was quick gaze, but a sharp one. One that analyzed every bit of him…

She was scrutinizing him.

"Interesting."

The carriage pulled away, as the group left the capital and onward to their next destination.

The twilight moon shined above a small town east of the capital. A young man and girl were walking hand in hand. They were swaying from side to side.

They were drunk. They had just come back from a friend's engagement party and were headed home for the night.

But as they walked to an alleyway. They bumped into someone.

"Hey! Watch where you're going pal!"

"Yeah, why don't you…"

Before she could finish, she took a look at the person they were slurring words at.

And she was horrified.

The couple held their breaths.

His face was horribly scarred, a brown sack like mask was attached to it, as if by surgery, hidden only by a hood. His left eye was opaque white, while his right was an almost glowing orange. His right hand had huge syringe-like knives on his fingers, attached to a glove he wore. He was wearing a brown trench coat, covered in vials and tubes with a strange orange liquid inside. He was quite tall and was looking at them with an emotionless stare.

He took a step towards them...

"Are you scared?"

His low gravelly voice emanating from his scarred face, forced the two to absolute terror. Neither of them said a word.

"Well...your face says it all."

He lunged at them stabbing each of them with one of his syringe fingers. Letting the orange fluid enter their body. He then simply leaned on a wall and watched them.

"What the hell is-!"

Before either of them could react they turned to look at each other.

They saw a mass of teeth, eyes and inhuman screeches.

The couple attacked each other in a panic. The man threw her down and started to punch her, screaming as he did so. As the man attempted to use his forearms to choke her out, he lost his balance. She was able to reach out and grab him by the collar, pulling him towards her.

She then sunk her teeth to his throat. She ripped and tore, until she bit off a massive chunk of flesh from his throat. He fell backwards losing blood at an excessive rate. He gurgled the blood out of his wound as he tried calling for help. The woman took off one of her shoes and began beating him to death with it.

By this point, other civilians heard the commotion and stepped out to see what was occurring.

They could not believe the horrible sight in front of them.

The woman noticed the others and stormed them while screaming hysterically.

The neighbors luckily pushed and held her down, as blood and saliva mixed with her tears. She screamed as foam trailed down from her mouth.

"HELP ME! PLEASE! HELP ME! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL ME!"

She screamed and cried, late into the night.

Using the dreadful scene before him to his advantage, the man had escaped into the shadows and ended up in the middle of the town. He glared at the houses filled with slumbering families.

He cracked a wicked smile as he grabbed a large vial from his chest pocket.

"Let me gift this town with the greatest prize one can receive.."

He then dropped it, the vial shattering as an orange mist began to spread around him.

"...OF BECOMING MY EXPERIMENT."

Scarecrow stood there, watching his Fear Toxin spread further into the unsuspecting town.