AN: Arc Five's final chapters are coming...Enjoy.

ARC Five: Trials of the Sanctuary

Chapter Thirty Eight: Return by Death

This was the first time Subaru had ever met face-to-face with Satella herself.

Her arms dangled loosely as she stands without vigour, apparently looking at Subaru. An ebon dress, sewn from shadows arising underfoot, grabs her, its flesh pulsating almost as if in rhythm with her heartbeat.

Subaru got nervous when Minerva went over to her and tried to speak with her, only for him to stopped by Sekhmet.

"Try to keep quiet...ha..."

"But-"

"-The time we've spent together with that is...huuuuuu...multitudes greater than what your short interactions have been….haaaaaa. Your trepidation is natural, but….huuuuuu….try leaving this one to Minerva….haaaaa. Thoughtless actions are... indeed what she does sometimes...huuuuuu...but this time I suppose she's probably not acting without thinking...haa."

Minerva spun around and put up a simply irksome expression.

"I can hear you, Sekhmet! If you don't want me to mess up the talk and for all of us to get swallowed, don't say things that'll make me mad! I am teeming with furious ire!"

After some time Minerva looked deeply into the face of the Witch in front of her as the other Witches began taking sides of what to do if things went awry.

" So...are you the WITCH OF ENVY? Or are you Satella? Which?"

Minerva was now face to face with her, making her breathe a sigh of relief. The ground explodes as the single fist rush obliterates the two steps of distance. Minerva charges forward with dust clouds in her wake, twisting her body for a full-force punch pistoned back from the shoulder. Her fist drills through the air, breaking the sound barrier, booming toward the Witch's head. The attack zooms for her shadow-cloaked visage and Minerva's fist miraculously stops just before contacting the Witch's face.

"See, look. She knew there wasn't any need to dodge my punch, that's Satella, not the WITCH OF ENVY. Echidna, your caution's pointless."

Pointing at Satella, who is no longer an immediate threat, Subaru looks over the witches as they relax from combat posture.

With time, Subaru was explained to, that the Witch of Envy and Satella were two separate personalities within the same body, created when Satella had a bad reaction to the Witch Genes given to her.

Eventually Minerva egged him on to get closer to Satella. Soon, he was close enough that Satella reached out to him, causing him to freeze in place.

"-u…"

"-Huh?"

"Always you. Always only you, am I in love with."

A jolt courses down from his crown to his toenails. His open-pored flesh tingles with goosebumps, the blood running through his veins seething to an eager boil. His thumping heartbeat dyes him from the neck up in crimson. Slipping a ragged breath, Subaru retreats a step.

He cannot keep standing here. He keeps standing here, and his breathing will reach her. His fingertips will reach her. If he fails to open distance between her in this juncture where his reason is still holding back his instinct, all breaks are off. And should that happen, Subaru will drown to LOVE.

"Stop..."

"I am in love with you."

"Please stop..."

"You-only you...will I always, always be in love with."

"I told you to fucking stop!"

Subaru was disgusted at the idea of being in love with her, to use his emotions in such a way seemed inhuman to him.

Natsuki Subaru's first light in this new world, had been Emilia. And Satella was coercing on Subaru a LOVE'S AWAKENING on equal par to what he felt for Emilia or Rem.

"You, and Echidna...you're both fucking nuts! This-this place's just full of incomprehensible bastards! I'm sick of it!"

He didn't want to be around Satella and Echidna for even another second. Her already had innumerable things he needed to do, and now was not the time to be compounding that count. Being not omniscient, Subaru had a limit on what he could deal with.

He already had obstacles surpassing his limit obstructing his way, so why was it that even more problems had to come one- after-another adding themselves on, too? To Which Minerva picked up on his thought process.

"And? So it's back to dying over and over, making heaps of people cry while spouting excuses how THIS IS INFORMATION GATHERING, NOTHING TO DO ABOUT IT. Wow. Amazing."

She snorted out at the Subaru who was now on the floor on his hands and knees. Subaru could only snarl at her.

"Like it has anything to do with you! The pain, the anguish, the hurt, the wear from Return by Death, is all my problem! You've got nothing to complain about it."

"If you bear the most obvious, showy and visible wounds, you can end everything without those wounded by the aftermath of your behavior being able to say anything! After all, you're the one suffering most. You're the one hurting most. You're the one in the most pain. ...That the others around you would shut up their snivelling is just natural."

"You're saying that I'm drunk on overblown tragedies so that I can shut everyone else up, huh!? That this stalemate I'm in is just part of the act!? THE FUCK DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"

"..."

"The pain and the suffering! All of it, all only on me and me alone! Finish it all with me, and how is that not grand! I grit my teeth, stifle my ire and my woe and my all and my every, and no matter how terribly I die, the despair doesn't get to touch anybody else!"

"..."

"To end all the hurts only on me, and what is wrong with that?! How is anything to fault with that?!"

Subaru was now fuming angry and staring at Minerva before turning his enraged attention to Satella.

"So here's my thanks for this power you gave me! By your esteem, even an utterly meritless prick like me can in these hopeless situations-"

"-Don't."

"...!"

Satella finally began to speak again, even if it was a whisper, as she looked over at Subaru.

"...Please don't cry. Please don't hurt. Please don't suffer. Please don't, look sad."

"...What is that…?"

"...So, now you love."

"HUH?! It all comes back to you twisting my damn emotions to getting me to-"

"-No….To love yourself."

"...Fuck are you, saying? You're the one who gave me Return by Death. And when the power you gave me's what's given me this method of advancing."

"...I love you. So please, love yourself as well, protect yourself. And let other's protect you."

"Because I am completely powerless?! NO SHIT! No wits, no skill, I have no special powers at all! I can't even defend myself like Batman at all! The only thing my inconsequential self has is Return by Death, which you gave me! My life is the only possible payment I have to offer!"

Subaru slammed his hands on the floor as he began to lose himself to his absolute self hatred, with only Satella trying to calm him down.

"Please do not weep."

"It sure doesn't fucking matter what happens to me! Like it would bother anybody what happens to some ass like me! However torn up I get, so long as everybody can reach the future safely, then I…can welcome the future, without losing anyone, then…"

Right then and there, Subaru began to cry…

"...Rem is gone…. If I were smarter, had more ability, spent myself more strategically, placed myself at risk in the lead... we would've avoided it….I-!"

Subaru clutched his hands around his head as he could no longer control the pain in his heart, the sorrow in his mind and the piercing destruction of his very soul...the very image of the blue star that flickered away, unreachable just by few inches...just a few...

"I-Don't want to lose anyone like how I lost Rem any more!"

Forgetting even to distance himself from Satella as he retreats into his defensive shell. Subaru curls up as he denies her sweet whisperings.

Then a voice simply muttered…

"What a child."

Sekhemt looked out at the young man crying in an uncontrollable level and shook her head. And with a pitying voice she continued...

"Crying, bawling, throwing a tantrum, taking everything upon himself... it's exactly like what..."

"RUWAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"-A lonely child would do."

Unbeknownst to them, a slight crack formed in the sky above them.

Batman was drifting in the white space of the Trials Room, he was prepared to take the next Trials...but…

"-And when the power you gave me's what's given me this method of advancing."

He heard a voice in the distance that was familiar to him, he quickly browsed around and looked for the source of it.

"-It sure doesn't fucking matter what happens to me! Like it would bother anybody what happens to some ass like me!"

"Subaru?"

He began to quickly swim around in the room that had no gravity. Then he swam to a dead end. When he touched the invisible wall ahead of him, he received a terrible shock to his system. He shook his head-

"-If I were smarter, had more ability, spent myself more strategically, placed myself at risk in the lead…"

He could clearly hear his voice on the other side of the invisible wall, he began punching the wall, even as he felt the pain from the shocks to his mind and body. He hit it again and again, because he felt something was not right, something was hurting Subaru...his words were like a plea for help.

"I-Don't want to lose anyone like how I lost Rem any more!"

Batman now began to panic as he punched and punched the wall, the wall was now forming cracks, but it was still not fully breaking, but he was trying his best to get to Subaru and help him.

Because Subaru was under his watch.

Because Subaru was always by side.

Because Subaru was someone he could trust.

Because Natsuki Subaru was….

"-RUWAAAAAAHHHHH!"

"SUBARU!"

Batman gave one last vicious punch to the wall...and heard a shattering sound.

The Witches continued looking down at the young man as he continued his crying, even though they saw it as a futile tantrum.

They all then all heard a large shattering sound above them.

They all looked up as they saw Batman gliding down a large hole in the sky, he quickly landed on the ground and looked over at everyone. Sekhmet noticing him first.

"Ohhhh...huuuuuu...if it isn't Batman...haaaa...it's been a while."

"Sekhmet? What is-"

Ahead of him he saw Subaru, who was looking at him with a confused face covered in tears.

"Hey Subaru, what happened?!"

Batman ran over to Subaru and grabbed his face.

"Are you okay? What happened?"

"I….I…"

"Snap out of it already!"

Batman grabbed his shoulders and shook him, hoping to get him back to normal.

That was when Echidna began walking over to him. Batman noticed this, he quickly got in front of Subaru and pulled out a Batarang.

"Get back! What have you all been doing to him?"

"Nothing in particular, his mind was shattered by the second Trial and we were all just-"

"-Quiet! I don't believe a word you're saying! Just stay back all of you!"

Batman then glanced over as Typhon was walking over to him.

"Hey so momma told me your Batsman right?"

"And you are?"

"I'm Typhon. And even though everyone here tells me you're a good man...I want to see it for myself."

Subaru grabbed Batman's cape as he realized what was about to happen.

"Batman! Get away from her!"

Typhon muttered something, as Batman's left leg shattered in two.

"Huh?!"

"No pain huh? So you aren't a bad guy! Wow! You and Subaru are really nice guys!"

Batman quickly rolled away from her, grabbing Subaru as well. That was when he noticed something behind him. He turned around seeing the mysterious dark figure behind him, even he began to widen his eyes at the figure standing before him.

"Who are you?"

"I...I am…"

Batman immediately recognized her voice.

[You cannot leave yet. Subaru, protect him.]

"...Oh god….you're Satella…!"

Satella merely nodded her head as Batman snapped out of his trance and got Subaru as far away from her as possible as he began yelling at her.

"Why am I here?! Why did you bring all of us here?! Answer me! What is the purpose of all this?!"

"..."

"ANSWER ME SATELLA!"

The Witches were stunned to see Batman screaming at a being who the entire world feared, but Sekhmet came up with the best answer to their surprise.

"Huuuuu...that man truly has no fear...haaaaa."

Satella tilted her head as she saw Batman clutching Subaru harder.

"You...have been doing a good job…"

"...You mean protecting Subaru?"

"Yes. I love him, because he gave me light. Because he took me by the hand, and taught me the world outside. Because through nights where in solitude I shivered, he kept by my side with your hands around mine. Because, then being alone, by his kiss he told me I wasn't. There are many things he's given to me. ...And so, I love him. Because he...he gave me everything."

Batman could not understand why, but he felt his beat faster when he heard her speak...but he quickly shook his head and furrowed his eyes.

"Enough of your mad talk! Why bring me here?!"

"...The same."

"...Same?"

"Yes. You and Subaru are both people with no extraordinary abilities where you are from. You are seen as outcasts and different from the others…"

"..."

"But you are also individuals, who do not let others hurt, rather allowing yourselves to hurt. You wish your friends to be happy and alive, over your own safety. You both...are the same...you are two of the most kind hearted people I have ever seen."

"So….because of those qualities...I was chosen? Not anyone else?"

"I could have picked someone powerful like the one...you call Superman...but I think...you will be a great influence to him."

"An influence to him?"

Satella nodded several times as she looked over at them once again.

"Both you and Subaru will both learn and grow from each other...and in the end...you will both become stronger from it."

Batman slowly began to lower his Batarang and placed it back into his utility belt. Then all of them noticed Subaru was slightly twitching.

"...Subaru?"

"Baru?"

"Oh, kid...huuuu..."

"H-He's..."

"You..."

"Subarun?"

"Ah, that is yet another possible choice. Natsuki Subaru."

Subaru bit his tongue, in an attempt at suicide. Crazed by the mad words of Satella.

Batman quickly grabbed Subaru's mouth, making sure he faced down so didn't accidentally swallow his severed tongue.

"SUBARU! OPEN DAMN IT!"

"Ghhh….BhGGGG!"

Batman began to panic, as he began using his raw strength to force mouth open. His severed tongue fell to the ground as blood and tissue escaped his mouth. Batman then used his fingers to force his mouth to stay open even as Subaru tried to bite down.

"STOP IT! STOP!"

"Hk...ghhhb...HKKK!"

Batman looked back, as he screamed with all his might.

"ANYONE WHO CAN USE HEALING MAGIC PLEASE HELP HIM!"

Minerva tried to run over to Subaru but was blocked by Typhon. Minerva punched away even as her arm shattered into glass, Sekhmet then used her Authority to crush Minerva to the ground. Seeing his only help being stopped, Batman realized he was in a terrible situation.

"Subaru! Don't do this!"

"...!"

"I know things are bad! I know the despair is eating away at you! But you can't let it win Subaru!"

"...!"

"IF YOU LET IT WIN, THERE WILL BE NOTHING LEFT OF YOU!"

"...?"

"You'll end up worse than me! Disregarding all your human emotions, losing trust in everyone and finally even if you save everyone...you'll go back home and end up in seclusion as the world moves on!"

"..."

"Subaru you are stronger than this! I BELIEVE IN YOU! YOU CAN FIGHT! SO FIGHT! FIGHT NATSUKI SUBARU! IF YOU DON'T-"

"...?!"

"-IF YOU DON'T, WHO IS GOING TO SAVE EMILIA AND REM?!"

Subaru turned his tear filled eyes at Batman, who could only close his eyes at him.

"I can't do this alone Subaru! I NEED YOU!"

"...B...B…"

"I NEED MY PARTNER! YOU, NATSUKI SUBARU! I NEED YOUR HELP! I WANT YOU TO HELP ME SAVE EVERYONE!"

Subaru began to cry as he could only think of what Batman was saying to him...this man who could easily fight off Ma-Beast, take on Petelgeuse, duel against Julius and even battle Elsa...Wanted his help.

He thought of those he wanted to help…

Emilia. The girl who was the first hand who reached out to him.

Rem. The girl who helped him up in his darkest moment.

Ram. The girl who easily became someone he enjoyed working with.

Roswaal. The man who needed to be freed from his own obsession.

Beatrice. The small girl who kept her lovely emotions bottled up.

Otto. The young merchant he could easily call a friend.

Garfiel. The brash man who seemed to have a lot of love in his heart.

Julius. The knight, who quickly became an ally even after their first encounter.

Wilhelm. The mentor who saw him as true comrade in arms.

Lewes. The girl who cared for her community.

Crusch. The trusted ally that believed in him.

Ferris. The man who had a truly beautiful and kind power to help others.

Reinhard. The knight who would help anyone in need.

Felt. The young girl who had a bright rambunctious personality.

Rom. The old man who had a heart of gold.

.

.

.

.

Batman. The first person he truly ever looked up to as a hero.

"I don't, wanna die..."

Minerva who finally dragged herself to him, gave his head a head-butt, saving him from death.

Subaru shook his head, as Minerva finished healing herself and Batman. The other Witches were breathing again from the tense situation.

"My life has value...? Without dying... value other than in dying over and over... exists, for me?"

"..."

"This person, me, has value other than in Return by Death... is that okay for me to think? That the people I like... like me back too, can I... can I think, like that?"

"Your value or whatever has nothing to do with me. But, she's wishing for you to stay alive, so... didn't you see it too, in the second Trial?"

"...But, the second Trial was my mistakes, the sins I committed."

"Are you stupid? That wasn't something to make you take responsibility for the worlds where you messed up. That was something showing you how sad everyone was as a result of your mistakes….And wasn't that the answer you wanted?"

Only ever receiving from others, had been his supposition, but was he safe to think otherwise? Would they cry for him?

Would they lament their powerlessness for him?

Would they desire to see the future, and see it with him alongside?

Would they allow him the qualifications to stand, smiling, at the side of those precious to him?

The first person he truly saw this from today was with Batman…

"...Wait."

Subaru turned around seeing Batman was still standing there...listening to everything they were saying.

"Batman-san...you heard?"

"...About your Return by Death?"

"...!"

Subaru suddenly began to panic as he remembered the last time Batman learned about it, he died.

"Subaru."

"...YES?"

"Is that how you've been looping?"

"...I…?"

"Don't lie to me."

"...Yes."

"...You die to loop in time?"

Batman suddenly felt an absolute fury in his heart and turned to face the cause of it, Satella.

"WHY? Why would you give him such a terrible ability?! He is innocent in all this! He's just a boy! I have no idea how much he's suffered, how much he's seen…"

Batman clenched his fists to the point that his hands began to bleed. But Subaru put a hand on his shoulder.

"Bruce. It's okay, I won't abuse this ability, it's the only thing I have. So, I want you to know that I will treasure my life and will do my best to live until it's time for the big Game Over."

"...No."

"Huh?"

"Even with that ability, I will make you even stronger Subaru. I'll make it so you will never need to use that ability. And even if you do...you'll have a fighting chance for the next time."

Batman then stuck out his hand to Subaru, as if to make it a pledge.

"What do you say Natsuki Subaru?"

"...I'd say…..Thanks! I'm looking forward to it!"

The two shook hands like men, as they both gave each other a big smirk. But then it reminded him of what made him nervous in the first place. He glanced back at Satella who shook her head.

"It's okay Subaru, I understand. So Batman...No...Bruce Wayne."

"...!"

"For bringing my Subaru back, for giving him courage, fulfilling your purpose and of course, promising to make him love himself more…"

"...Eh?"

"You and you alone are allowed to know about Return by Death. But, you too will receive the same action should you try to speak of it to another."

Batman nodded his head.

"You should know I'm a master of keeping secrets."

"...Yes."

Batman turned around to face Subaru, who was wide eyed, not believing what he just heard.

"So this means?"

"You're not alone in this Subaru."

"No way…"

Subaru put on a light smile as a single tear fell down his cheek.

Afterwards, Subaru was now facing the six Witches alongside Batman, as he gave them all a kind of scolding.

"But, learning your true motives after having once thought you were someone whose help I could accept, and then right afterwards having Satella appear... my head is frazzled. All of you, stop going off just doing all these things. What I ought to do is something I am saddled with. Is what it's meant to be, but.-"

"-Once again, Natsuki Subaru, I will ask again...will you make the Contract with me?"

Echidna once again offered her hand.

"Echidna."

"...!"

"I'm afraid of being hurt."

"..."

"I hate pain, and suffering, and sadness. I don't want to go through awful experiences, I don't want to see others meet terrible fates. I don't, want to die."

Echidna was disappointed in Subaru's words and even narrowed her eyes at Batman who stood there crossing his arms at them.

"You guys are all a bunch beyond anything I can understand. Right, Bruce?"

"In too many ways, they remind me of some people back home."

"Good or Bad way?"

"Bad."

"How Bad?"

"They belong in Arkham Asylum bad."

"Ouch."

The Witches each had their own different reactions as they heard they all belonged in a ward, but settled down as Subaru stepped forward.

"You throw my head into so much disarray I could go crazy, and even now I'm still fuming pissed about what you said. This whole time I've been thinking 'stop talking over my head about things I don't know', and I will never come to like you guys."

"..."

But just like what he thought with Echidna, an inability to comprehend, and gratitude, were separate.

"Thank you for trying to let me die. Thank you for trying to not let me die. Thank you for letting me hear these important voices...For these, thank you."

As he bows his head to the witches one by one, the way they swallow their breath is rather satisfying. Subaru then turns, walks.

Ahead of him, a girl remains on her knees on the grass—it is Satella.

Subaru turned around one last time to see Batman.

"Go on Subaru, I'll catch up. Need to finish things up here."

"Okay."

Subaru offers his hand to the seated Witch. She looks at his offered hand, lost and uncertain.

"I... have no idea what you are. I don't understand why you're telling me you love me, or what you're... or what you mean when you say that I saved you. Or even why you brought Batman-san to us here."

"...Ah…"

"But that the Return by Death, you've given me has saved me is fact. That I've fully relied on it, and doing so managed to get here is also truth. And of course, that giving me a superhero to rely on is really something."

"Don't deliberate alone. Please, with those who think you dear alongside...With the people who don't desire your death, the people who desire not to let you die, fight alongside...And when even that isn't enough, die without forgetting what it is to fear death."

"..."

"Please don't forget, that there are people, who will grieve your death. And now...you have someone who will walk alongside you with the same goals and pain with you."

The world is cracking to pieces. Satella's voice grows distant. That fact rips at Subaru's heart terribly.

The veil of darkness falls. The ebony he had supposedly been unconsciously rejecting is dispelled.

Revealed from beneath is her face, which in seeing, Subaru swallows his breath.

Satella's silver hair sways, her amethyst eyes narrow, with tears falling from their edges…

She looked exactly like Emilia…

"And one day—no matter what, come to kill me."

But gripping down firm on the warmth of her palm, Subaru spoke...

"...Nah, one day, I will save you…"

As the world closed around him, unheard by Subaru...Satella whispered one...last...thing….

"And if nothing else….I can still take….his deal…"

The two of them, now disappeared.

Batman took a breath and looked over at the Witches.

"So...you're Echidna right?"

"Of course, I am the one whose grave you-"

"-Cut the semantics. I have a question for all of you before I go."

"...The Algol I presume?"

"Hmmmm?"

"The vines you've been seeing?"

"...What are they?!"

Echidna threw her arms out and smiled at Batman.

"The Orion Tree! The Tree of Sin! The Forever Tree!…The Algol."

"..."

"It's the very thing where us Witches derived our Authorities from."

"So, that's where all this nonsense started?"

"Yes give or take."

"When did this all start?!"

"Many years ago….from even before all of us here were even of this world!"

"So, there were other Witches before you lot?"

"Yes, but sadly that is all we can say for now."

"Huh?!"

The world shattered behind him as the force of the whole began dragging Batman away.

"If you wish to learn more, you should go and find it out for yourself! That is the true way to attain knowledge."

"Echidna!"

"Hmmm?"

"Whatever twisted crap any of you are planning, you, the Witch's Cult, Roswaal or even the others Satella accidentally brought here, or ANYONE ELSE are planning! I-!"

Batman finally let go his strength as he was taken away by the hole.

He then pointed a finger at her, as the world closed around him.

"WE'RE GOING TO STOP ALL OF IT!"

Batman finally disappeared from as the world reformed. Sekhmet walked over a bit as she slightly smiled.

"What an interesting man...huuuuuu...to think, he made such a declaration….huuuuu."

"Yes, they're both individuals that pique my interest-"

"-Not to mention he looked really handsome."

Even the straightforward Echidna became flustered and confused when she heard Sekhmet's comment as she dragged her feet away from the action.

Echidna turned back around to smile at the sky.

"Let us see what you two are capable of…."

Batman awoke outside the Tomb and shook his head as got up from the ground, he glanced over and saw Subaru sitting down. Next to him was Patrasche and an exhausted looking Otto, who quickly noticed him.

"Natsuki-san! Look, Batman-dono is awake."

"Batman!"

Subaru helped him up and Batman rubbed the back of his head.

"So...we got out?"

"Yup all thanks to the best ground dragon ever, you know?"

Batman glanced over and saw Patrasche was quite injured, he then gave a polite bow to the dragon.

"Thank you for helping us."

The ground dragon closed her eyes and did a little bow as well, as if to say…

"T'was nothing."

Batman and Subaru let Otto and Patrasche return back to the village as they discussed their own secret.

"So you remember everything in the Tomb, Batman-san?"

"The Witches, Return by Death, Witch of Envy….Am I missing anything?"

"...Nah, nothing at all."

Subaru felt an oddness to the fact that he finally had someone he could finally talk to about his gift and burden...let alone that someone else could say the name of his power other than himself.

"Man, it's so weird to hear that being said by someone else. I wonder if you saying that to someone else, will also get you hurt?"

"Well, Satella did say I can't say anything about it to anyone else. So I think Return by Death will still be a taboo phrase for the both of us. I'll have to learn to suppress saying it."

"Yeah, for sure."

Subaru then went to the Tomb to investigate a bit.

The moment he steps inside, a jolt rocks Subaru like a punch to the skull. The pain is like needles stabbing directly into his brain, his footing falling unsteady as lights scatter about his vision.

His upper body sways languorously as he is unable to stand, and he collapses on the spot. A tremendous nausea seethes up, a churning pain assaulting his stomach as he chokes up acid. He coughs, but no matter how he repeats so his body fails to get any more eased.

Batman sees this and rushes in grabbing him and jumping back outside.

Out of the tomb, Subaru puts his hands to the grass as he pukes, pukes, and pukes. The moment his body completely exit the tomb, the agony tormenting Subaru faded distantly. The headache, the nausea, the numbness to his limbs all thin out. Subaru raises his head with his eyes teary.

Even Batman holds his head and breathes heavily with his knees on the floor.

Subaru and Batman immediately figured what had happened to them. Patrasche had been wounded as she went inside to pull Subaru and Batman out. Roswaal had been wounded as he entered the tomb in an attempt to challenge the Trial. The Tomb rejects creatures which lack the qualifications to challenge the Trial.

"That, asshole..."

"Damn, Witch!"

Subaru stood back up as he narrowed his eyes at the Tomb, in his mind seeing a white haired witch giving a mischievous smile.

"Your character is just horrid, you fucking Witch, Echidnaaa!"

Subaru had now lost the qualifications to the challenge the Trials and free the Sanctuary...