AN: Elton John song for the title win. Enjoy.

ARC Five: Trials of the Sanctuary

Chapter Thirty Nine: I'm Still Standing

The morning had come, Batman met with Subaru while they were drinking something Batman created.

"BLEGH! Tastes like crap! But oddly enough….I feel like I can marathon two whole days of gaming here!"

"It should...it's a shake I was able to make with strawberries, grounded fish and bocco fruit. It'll keep us nice and fit for hours."

"So...how much did you struggle to make a shake in this world?"

"Enough to say you'd better chug down that thing like your life depended on it."

Subaru forced himself to drink the healthy shake, even as he felt sickened to do it. Subaru wiped away the leftovers from his mouth as he looked at the sky.

"So we can't really free the villagers ourselves?"

"We still have three days, well, as long as we don't say anything to Roswaal today."

"Yeah, so we need to work out the timeline. Firstly, we need to get Emilia to beat the Trials, then we need to stop the attack at the mansion, after that, it's the Sizeable Hare."

"We have the time, but with everything happening in two different places, in that amount of time...makes things really difficult."

Subaru agreed on that, Batman was capable of fighting toe to toe with a lot of people.

But it was Elsa and Deathstroke that made him the most nervous. Elsa's ridiculous speed and ferocity and Deathstroke's weapons and expertise, the two of them would give Batman a challenge. Not to mention the countless Ma-Beast that would also show up.

He knew that Batman alone probably wouldn't be able to distract them enough for the escape. He considered asking Batman to use the Justice Buster or his Justice Armor for the battle, but even if they took out the assassins, it still left them with the problem of the Sizeable Hare…

"Hey Batman, I'm going to take a walk nearby. Get my thoughts in order, you know?"

"Sure, take the Comm Link and make sure to contact me if anything happens."

Subaru decided to take a stroll into the nearby forest.

Subaru eventually encountered Garfiel in the forest. Garfiel was once again suspicious of Subaru, just as in every loop.

"So, just wha' tha' hell ya' doin' snooping around huh?"

"What, can't a man get a healthy start to the day with a morning jog?"

"Don' be pulling off tha' peppy attitude with me. I can tell ya' got a lot on your mind."

"...Sure sure, but if anything, if everything I tried doing was useless... it's from the start again, then. Can't have that going on."

Garfiel seemed confused about what Subaru said, an awkward silence descended upon the two of them...that was when a new voice entered the forest.

"Should we have me tell you what to do?"

"-Otto?"

"Yes, good morning Natsuki-san."

Garfiel clicked his tongue as Otto emerged from the forest with a cheerful smile on his face.

"Well look at ya', a smilin' jackass who not a second ago was worried for this guy's sake."

"Well...I was truly worried about him, but I relaxed when I ran into Batman-dono and he told me he was not too far off."

"Hmph. Those two get along a bit too well, in my' opinion."

"Hehe. But besides all that, could I request something?"

"...Spit it out."

"I was wondering if I could be alone with Natsuki-san for a minute. There's something I'd like to discuss with him."

Subaru goes without being able to digest the situation as Otto and Garfiel had their talk, their expressions somewhat pretentious. Garfiel grinds his teeth at Otto's request, glancing over at Subaru.

"Just don't pull anythin' funny."

Garfiel made his way back to town as Subaru and Otto had time to chat.

"Well, what…?"

Discomforted by the gaze, Subaru muddles his words as he speaks weakly. Otto gives a small sigh.

"Although vaguely, I did hear the situation. It sounds like you've been very cornered, Natsuki- san, by many things."

"...Yeah."

"I've been kept out of the loop, though, so naturally I don't know the particulars. But surely you're at your limit? At least to the point where I'm hearing blubbering about what to do. And I may have a solution for it."

"Well, what do I do? ...You said you had an idea."

Listening to the somewhat unsparing Otto, Subaru alludes to his first statement from when he cut into the conversation. Otto had indeed cut into the silence between Subaru and Garfiel with such a remark. What did those words truly mean?

"You're saying you know what to..."

"Yes, I do know. It's all very simple."

"Simple…?"

"Do you want to know it?"

This manner of speech is an annoying one. Subaru agonized over his troubles extensively, and was in hardly any presentable state. Otto's speaking was nothing other than something to irritate such a listener.

"I-it's goddamn obvious that I do! Stop pissing around! If there's something you know, then just..."

"Well then, you must prepare."

"P-prepare?"

"Yes. First take a long, deep breath..."

Subaru inhaled some oxygen...only to eat a huge punch to the face. Subaru toppled over to the ground, he shook his head, looks around the area while confused as to what happened, catches the sight of Otto with his fist raised, and realises that he's been punched.

"Do not dare wear pretensions when among friends, Natsuki Subaru."

"...!"

"Look at you. You don't know what to do, and your head's jumbled up."

"...!"

"Always whenever you need help, with your own skills and smarts and strengths insufficient, you fight desperately running and running and running around, accomplishing only the passage of time."

Otto step-by-step closes distance on the silent Subaru. Hands and feet to the ground and unable to move, grimacing as the heat of his left cheek only now starts asserting itself, all Subaru can do is stare at Otto.

Otto reaches out to the wordless Subaru, grabs his collar, hoists him up.

"If you're listening, then speak to me!"

Just then, Subaru pushed his shoulder forward, Otto saw this and tried headbutt him. Subaru remembered his training at the mansion and ducked his neck, making Otto's forehead hit the top of his skull. Otto realized too late and took the brunt of the damage, Subaru took the opportunity to hold onto Otto's arms and leap to the side, bringing him down with him.

"UGH!"

"NGH!"

The two were now on the floor as they escaped each other's grasp.

"Fuck're, you doing…?!"

"Knocking some sense into that misguided head of yours! But it seems I underestimated Natsuki-san's abilities."

"Damn straight!"

Subaru and Otto stood up and took their own battle stances.

"Batman-san's been teaching me for a month now! You'll have to do a lot better than that to take me out!"

"Then I'll have to use much more violence to teach you straight."

"Bring it on!"

Otto charged forward and launched a quick punch to Subaru's face, however used his forehead to take the brunt of the damage.

Subaru then opened his hand and did a quick palm thrust on Otto's face, hitting him directly on the nose. He squinted his eyes at the sudden pain, but recovered as he ducked down and slams his fist into Subaru's stomach, hurling him away.

Subaru quickly rolled on the ground and faced Otto as saliva escaped the corner of his mouth. Otto quickly charged at Subaru and landed two hits to the corners of his skull...but Subaru kept letting him hit him and decided to use a move Batman taught him…

"Huh?!"

"Eat this!"

Subaru grabbed Otto's shirt and wrapped his leg against his, when Otto tried to free it, Subaru used the sudden momentum to send Otto spinning onto the ground. With Otto on the ground, Subaru launched himself at Otto, landing a vicious blow to his face.

Otto countered with a quick kick to Subaru's chest, sending Subaru hurling off of him. As Subaru tried his best to get up Otto punched him back down to the ground. Subaru held his bruised face, with numbness running all the way down to his toes, the gasping Subaru cannot stand up.

"See, Natsuki-san. This is what your strength amounts to. You'll never achieve to the level of the Knights, or Roswaal-sama, or especially not Garfiel and Batman-dono. Even against me, here is what you have. Even after all that, I'm still standing!"

Otto shook his head in astonishment, his words pierced Subaru as he frantically parcels oxygen into his convulsing lungs. Otto walks over to the side of Subaru, who is without capacity to voice rebuttal...where he squats down, and draws his face near.

"Picking fights with the White Whale and the Witch's Cult is ridiculous. You're weak, and the best you can manage in a straight fight is being snapped dead by a single finger. You surely understand this."

"Damn it…!"

"Your strength and wits are lacking, so if we're to assume you have something else to compensate for this... well, there isn't really anything. You're small, your reach is short, you are the kind of person you could find anywhere. That kind of person, and yet you still desire incredibly for disproportionately great things."

"The fuck are you-!"

"-Wearing pretensions around the girl you love is plenty well enough. I think that a necessary pretense, and will respect that. And I'll pardon you wearing pretensions for the girl who loves you. Again it's necessary. In a relationship of liking to loving, I believe the loved too carries a responsibility. Showing off with pretensions for the sake of those who love you is important. I will pardon it."

"Emilia...Rem…"

"But you see, that's where you stop."

Otto puts his face closer. Subaru shrinks up his shoulders in anticipation of another head-butt. Practically snarling, Otto spoke.

"You know that you're lacking. You know that you're incapable. You want to show off to the girl you like. You want to be someone that the girl who likes you can boast about."

"AND I KNOW I CAN!"

Subaru suddenly spun his body on the ground and landed a surprise kick to Otto, though he blocked it using his forearms. But the impact still made him lose his balance and fell on his behind, Subaru got up and towered over Otto.

"I understand that I'm powerless, that I'm no good, and that by myself I can't do anything worthwhile! This is all something drilled into me time and time again! But I'm not going to let it get to me!"

"..."

"I will persevere, Otto! Not alone, but with others!"

"...Natsuki-san."

Subaru clenched his bruised hands into fists as he glanced down at Otto.

"Someone taught me to always fight with everything you have."

A shining silver light was ahead of him.

"Someone taught me to accept both my weaknesses and strengths."

A warm blue light was ahead of him.

"Someone...taught me that my life has meaning!"

An unseen shadow was underneath him.

"And someone taught me...that I can still get stronger! That I can fight! And that working with others is better than working all alone!"

A dark, but comforting light was right behind him.

For Natsuki Subaru, it was at that moment that he realized that he had to move forward. To get stronger. Smarter. Wiser. Braver. Better.

Subaru wanted to never regress back to his former self from when he first arrived in this world. With everyone's help, he wanted to move beyond his zero-point. He wanted to reach the future with everyone, side by side. With the ones he loves, the ones he cared for and the ones who cared for him. Subaru understood Otto's actions quite well and it was the final push in the creation of something new.

The creation of a new Natsuki Subaru.

Shaking his head, Subaru's gaze wanders about as Otto says nothing. His green eyes simply stare, fixedly at Subaru.

Subaru held out his hand to the grey haired man.

"I need your help Otto. I need my friends help...please."

Otto took Subaru's hand as he helped him up. Otto couldn't stop staring at Subaru, as if he was still absorbing everything he had just heard.

"Natsuki-san...you see me as your friend?"

"Of course, only a friend would do what you just did...and I thank you for it too."

"...I felt that it was the first step in helping you."

Subaru and Otto chuckled a bit, but Subaru's face turned serious as he decided to let his friend in on the situation.

"You might, not be able to believe all this, but..."

Otto had silently listened to Subaru the entire time without any interjection, his brow crinkled.

"The information I've got right now is... or I mean it's really not that exact, but anyway that's all of it. Hiding nothing, all of it."

"Natsuki-san...There's no way I can pretend I didn't hear this and run away now, is there?"

Otto surprisingly accepted what Subaru had said. Everything. The Sizeable Hare, Elsa and Deathstroke, Roswaal's cunning plans, Garfiel's unwillingness to free the Sanctuary and the outrageous time limit they had. Subaru was glad that Otto believed him, even as Otto chuckled to himself.

"And so this is a first, Natsuki-san."

"Huh?"

Confused at what he's heard, Subaru's mouth dropped open as he looks at Otto. With a stupidly cheery expression, Otto continued.

"For acting with a total disregard to the chances of success, and so opting for the choice where I see no hope of winning, this is a first."

They both then met with Batman as they began trying to map out a plan, for the next three days.

What Batman and the others came up with was:

1.) Get Emilia to take the Trials and defeat them. In addition, find out what is hampering her progress in taking them.

2.) Distract Garfiel long enough to complete the first phase.

3.) Get the Sizeable Hare as far away from the Sanctuary, providing extra time to implement other phases.

4.) Make it to the mansion on the third day and stop the attack.

5.) Make it back to the Sanctuary and fend off the Sizeable Hare.

"Sadly, that's the best we got. None of my armors can kill all the Sizeable Hare at the same time...so we'll need to see how we can deal with that later."

"Not to mention, that if Emilia is not the one making it snow on the third day, it's most likely Roswaal. So that's something else we need to worry about."

Otto quickly interjected with his opinion on the matter.

"Well, regardless of that, we should also focus on the matters of Emilia-sama and Garfiel."

"...Yeah, Batman-san suspects that something is blocking her memories...and I think I know what it is."

"Hmmm?"

"...It's her spirit Puck."

"Well, I haven't actually gazed at it in person, so it's possible that might be the case."

"I'll see if I can actually get in contact with the little guy."

Batman then motioned to the Batwing as he prepared to explain what he was going to do.

"Like I explained earlier, I'm going to get into the Batwing and try and get the Sizeable Hare as far away from the Sanctuary as humanly possible. I know that once the snow comes, the Sizeable Hare will still be attracted to it, so there's no stopping them from heading this way. But it will hopefully give us time on the third day to complete our mission."

"Just don't get hurt doing that okay?"

"I'll be careful."

With much of the majority planning underway, Subaru decided to go and see Roswaal and implement his own plan in stopping Roswaal. Entering his housing he met with Roswaal who was being taken care of by Ram.

"A bet...you said?"

"Yeah, a bet. You and me, staking a wish... a real one-shot make-or-break."

"...Hrm."

"You up for it, or is some straying from your diary all it takes for you to sulk and your motivation to shoot to zero? Where's your backbone to get a little bit crazy for your coming selves?"

"...An intriguing statement. My coming selves, hm?"

"Getting a buddy's help when the stalemate looks about hopeless and figuring things out feels good."

"Naive. Young, immature. ...Ultimately you can only solve the suffering of this world by yourself. These nerveless ideas about relying on friends are unneeded for you."

"Relying on friends, relying on ties, relying on feelings... not gonna work out, huh?"

"Wooooon't work at all."

"Really. ...Well then, all we can do now is challenge each other."

Subaru finally decided to make his move.

"My demand's simple. Supposing hypothetically that on this attempt my methods break the deadlock, the consequent future will differ from your desires. In that case you'll probably lose will to live in a world differing from your gospel, but... there'll be none of that."

"None of that, refers to me losing my determination? Hoooooowever, I'm forced to say that that is a difficult demand. While of course I likely could manage a superficial faaaaaaacade, in my truest thoughts I would..."

"But whatever, Roswaal. It's not like I want us to always be as enemies."

"Absurdity. Even if yooooou do not wish it, Batman-san no longer trusts me and would probably keep us at aaaaaa distance."

"Yeah, but that's not an excuse for us not to continue working together. My demand's simple, Roswaal. If I open a path to a continuing future which differs from the gospel... then you throw the gospel away and come with me. I'm making Emilia the Ruler. I need your help for that."

Roswaal sighs a long, deep sigh. Eyes closed in thought as he strokes his chin.

"That's the ultimate compromise you're looking for... I see, then."

"There's two conditions. Two conditions you said were impossible, never happening. Once I clear those conditions, I'm the winner of the bet."

"And should the conditions remain unfulfilled, the victory iiiiis mine. I will have you discard your humanity."

"First condition. I make Garfiel an ally, and bring him outside."

"...And second?"

"I'm gonna have Emilia beat the Trials. The one to overcome the tomb's Trials and free Sanctuary will be Emilia. Not me."

Roswaal seemed to smile at the conditions, possibly believing himself that they were goals that were simply impossible to accomplish.

The deal was made and Subaru began their own duel, one which would create or destroy their goals and paths.

"I look forward to your efforts, and your eventual defeat."

"Because if I try my very hardest and fail, I'll probably act exactly how you want me to next time... right?"

"Heh."

"Well...fuck you too Ros-chi."

Subaru left the room, but suddenly ran into Ram. It seemed she was using her Clairvoyance to listen in on the conversation…

"...I wish to speak with you Barusu."

Later, Subaru went outside with Ram to meet with Otto and waved Batman goodbye, as the Batwing took off and headed in the direction where the Sizeable Hare was supposed to appear from.

Batman looked back at the Sanctuary one last time and took a deep breath, he then flipped some switches and activated some buttons as the Batwing sped off.

Subaru then took the opportunity to speak with Lewes about Garfiel and his unwillingness to free the Sanctuary, it was then he noticed the lady in front of him seemed displeased about the questioning.

"That he doesn't wanna go outside is probably because of our weakness..."

"Weakness, meaning?"

"Meaning what weakness means. We've lived here ever since our births. And so we don't know anything about the world outside this place. We don't know, and so we're weak. It must torment Lil' Gar terribly."

"Lewes-san, Garfiel may look rough and reckless, but he's not a guy who would frivolously move to violence... would be a safe assessment?"

"He's fundamentally a kind boy. It's by putting on a tough shell and barking before anythin' can happen that he protects himself and those around him. ...The strengths he's acquired are probably also for tha' purpose."

Subaru seemed to nod at this and realized Batman's theory was correct. Garfiel at one point took the Trials and went mad with fear of the outside world. It's even possible, that he sees freeing the Sanctuary as some form of evil.

Subaru now knew he had a lot to deal with in the next two days…

Eventually, Subaru went to visit Emilia. When he arrived he found her hugging her knees and sitting next to a wall...small teardrops forming in the corner of her eyes. Subaru tried his best to comfort her, he spoke sweet things to her, held her hand and asked to help her…

"Thinking back on it, Emilia, I still don't know anything about you. I like you. And that's partly because your looks are crazy to my taste, and that substance of yours I've touched in our time together drives me wild."

"I...I just.."

"I know it might not be the right thing to ask right now, especially since you're the one who has to do this by herself. But I want to help in more ways than just sitting here."

"Y-your being here is... you're already helping me just by being there for me, and so... just, causing more trouble for you isn't…

"...Emilia…"

"Please."

Subaru held her hand tighter, making Emilia open up to him more.

He learned that Emilia was seeing some form of memories before she met Puck. In which she saw Elior Forest, the denizens that lived there...and a disaster that destroyed everything. Subaru was even more shellshocked when he remembered that the Elior Forest was said to have been frozen 100 years ago...meaning the young silver haired half elf before him was over three times his own age.

"I really don't know...my memories on what happened back then aren't clear. I just remember that I was little, and I was incredibly scared. But because I just kept sleeping forever, those memories are fuzzy too..."

"Hmm…"

"And because of the time I spent unconscious and asleep was so long, I'm not really confident I'm matured to my real age..."

"Really? Don't exactly know how fast Elf aging goes, but if you can use humans as a framework then I'd say you're plenty matured."

Subaru stares nonchalantly at Emilia on the bed as he snorts at her worries. Her limbs are fully grown, and her body hosts the curvature of womanhood. Her gloomy, amethyst eyes and uncertain features prominently give her a mysterious beauty, crossing to and fro over the threshold between girl and woman. Emilia was plenty enough femininely matured.

However…

Her body had been that of a seven year old, and the change to a fully-grown adult upon awakening must have been chaotic. It's common in anime and manga for children to have their bodies mature suddenly into an adult's, but surely the adaptation couldn't be that easy. A consequence where their brain wasn't meshing to their body correctly and they suffered terrible distress like Emilia was natural.

And so with some basic math, Subaru narrowed it all down...Emilia was around 107 years old. She looked 18 years old. And mentally, she was 14 years old.

Not only that, but Roswaal's sudden appearance to her years ago and the fact that she wanted to win the Royal Selection to free the frozen citizens of Elior Forest.

Subaru at some point realizing his questioning was bothering her, decided to let her rest for the night. He took her to her room and sat on a chair next to her bed.

"...Hand."

"Huh?"

"Could you hold my hand? Just until I fall asleep, please?"

"Yup, now leave that right to me."

Subaru grips her slender little hand, smiling as he feels its delicate, smooth touch on his palm. Emilia smiles back, closing her eyes in accordance with Subaru's words.

It does not take that long for her to start giving the quiet breathing of sleep.

"...Really, hope you can have a good dream this time."

Subaru then felt a chill in his neck…

"...So you finally showed up huh?"

[I'm impressed you noticed. It makes me happy, Subaru.]

Inside of Subaru's mind, spoke the Great Spirit Puck, who had finally came out of hiding.

The morning came, Emilia was preparing herself for the new day. She lamented her own weakness at not being able to do anything on her own, relying on Subaru and even Batman on everything.

The Loot House.

The Ma-Beast Incident.

The Scarecrow Battle.

The Witch's Cult Attack.

These were battles where Emilia felt a tinge of powerlessness, with the sacrifices Subaru made and the scars Batman would have to carry, Emilia felt terrible about her overreliance on others.

"...huh?"

Emilia yelps quietly just as she goes to change her clothes before Ram can arrive with a bucket of water. The gaze of her shocked, amethyst eyes lands on the pendant at her breast. Just as she had confirmed before, hanging from the end of the pendant is a green crystal, the proof of Puck's presence—with a crack ruptured down its face.

A violent shock jolts her eyes, her trembling fingers timidly stroking the crystal's face. The fractures intensify at the touch of her fingertips. She wails a quiet, strangled scream.

"N-no... no, don't... wait, please hold on... come on, Puck, hold on..."

She shakes her head, but this does not stop the crystal's collapse.

She raises her head. Looks about the area. No one was there. It's still early morning, and the outside shows no signs of people activity either. She could raise her voice, but no one would hear her. She could race out, seeking help, but the jostling felt liable to trigger the end, and so Emilia could not move.

A translucent Puck appeared before her and spoke...but Emilia couldn't hear what he was saying...she screamed and screamed for him, but Puck shook his head.

Puck then floated from her palm as he began to break apart into light.

At that moment he put on a cute smile, before his body broke apart into countless specks of light and floated away from Emilia.

As she looked down...her green crystal shattered and she fell to her knees, eyes devoid of light she placed her hands on her head and yelled.

"PUCK! YOU LIAR! LIAR!"

Subaru was walking on a small path as he looked at the ground and remembered that Puck admitted he was the one preventing Emilia from seeing her memories well and not letting her pass the Trials.

And so it was decided..

[Tomorrow morning, I will make Lia break the contract...Should the relationship between myself

and Lia terminate, then I'm sure that when she cries, you'll comfort her.]

The Batwing was flying through the clouds as Batman snacked on a appa and took a deep breath.

He shifted down and below the clouds he could see the forest below him and the massive Sizeable Hare pack that was heading towards the Sanctuary's direction.

Batman fired the turrets at them, killing several of them and making the Batwing catch their attention. He then flew the Batwing westward away from the general direction they were originally headed.

Every time they would attempt to change direction, Batman would fire several anti-tank missiles into the horde, making them chase him again.

Batman was silently hoping that everyone was doing well enough without him.

It was now the end of the day, Garfiel was speaking Lewes about the many issues plaguing his mind. He was watching as the denizens of the village were slowly retreating to their homes in order to retire.

Garfiel couldn't help but want to protect this village he called home from anything that would bring harm to it.

He was cautious. Cautious of the young man who stunk of the Witch. Cautious of the the dark robed figure that was allies with him.

These two men, were dangerous he was sure of it.

They were trying to bring devastation to the Sanctuary.

They needed to be dealt with.

"Lil Garf' Emilia has lost her contract with tha' Spirit, so it's possible that we don' need ta worry tonigh'."

"...Good, I'm glad to hear somethin' goin' right for once."

However, Garfiel still felt tense from the fact that something was afoot, something was not right…

He hadn't seen Batman or Subaru since the morning and that was making him extra nervous.

The next morning had come, Subaru was walking around the forest when he felt guilt in his heart. The previous night, in Emilia's fragile state, she had asked him to hold her hand all night to make herself feel better, but once Emilia fell asleep, Subaru had to leave.

It was now the 3rd day...it was their last chance before the the disasters to come. Subaru made it to a tree near the entrance of the village and met with two people...quintessential to their plans.

"Natsuki-san, morning!

"Barusu you're late. Per usual."

There stood Otto and Ram.

Subaru they all then turned on their Comm Links, each given to them by Batman.

"Batman-san...it's time to start."

Subaru looked back at the town and narrowed his eyes.

Emilia was now wandering the forest with a blank expression on her face. She would constantly grasp her palm and continued muttering…

"Liars...Liars…"

A single tear fell from her cheek….

"SUBARU YOU LIAR…."

Garfiel searched high and low for any sign of the two people who had gone missing.

Emilia.

Lewes Meyer.

Garfiel furrowed his eyes and breathed heavily, because he was sure he knew who was responsible for this. Those TWO.

He could envision their sinister smiles and the vicious glimmer in their eyes.

He had to stop them, or the Sanctuary, his home, would open to the world...and Garfiel knew exactly how the outside world was.

Then, he saw Otto looking around suspiciously as he looked around for a bit. Garfiel noticed this and followed him to some hidden shrubbery. Garfiel then pulled on the shrubbery and found only his cloak.

"Tha' Hell?!"

Otto then emerged behind him and took his necklace from him, even the powerful Garfiel was pushed aside by Otto who made a run for the woods.

Garfiel gritted his teeth to the point of cracking…

The pyroxene necklace, the last gift from his own mother, stolen by a friend of those TWO.

"YA' BASTARD!"

Garfiel gave chase.

As Otto looked back, he could clearly see the enraged young man still tailing him, a vicious glimmer in his eyes as he roared at him.

Otto then saw his chance and leaped over a rock, Garfiel's foot touched the rock, and the ground underneath gave way. Garfiel fell in and found himself surrounded by magic stones.

"OH SHI-!"

The stones exploded sending Garfiel flying high up into the air, only to crash back down to the ground into some sharp vine covered bushes.

"Ya...little…!"

Otto then tossed a jar of honey at Garfiel, covering him in the sweet substance. Otto then started making clicking sounds with his mouth.

Garfiel then found himself being attacked by various insects, Garfiel screamed a bit as he swatted them away.

Freed from the insect attack, he wiped off some honey from his eyes only to get hit with magic stones thrown by Otto. Each one exploded, forcing Garfiel to guard himself.

Otto then found himself at a dead end with a large tree in his way.

"Goddamn fucking with me!"

Garfiel caught up staring daggers at Otto, though covered in bruises and such, he still seemed to be relatively in high spirits.

"Wha' tha' hell are you doin' this for?!"

Otto thought about it...his parents, his fellow merchants and even those who got somewhat close to him...no one ever truly saw his potential or the hard work he would do.

They saw him as nothing special.

They mocked his Divine Protection.

They disregarded him…

Everyone except those TWO.

Natsuki Subaru.

Batman.

They had treated him like an equal, asked him for opinions and had truly accepted him for what he was.

And so…

"-I am doing it for a friend!"

"...Bullshit!"

"In getting here, Garfiel-san.. how many trees have you felled, and how much earth have you gouged open?"

"I ain't got any clue what yer tryin' t'say."

"The greatness of the quantity of mana stockpiled here where I am... is because that is how greatly you have angered the forest, that is what it means."

Otto was now ready to use all the mana around him for one last attack... Garfiel uncrosses his arms, finally realising that he has acted just as Otto planned, making an attempt to move.

"AL DONA."

The abounding mana transmits through the whole of Otto, taking shape in the world by means of a canto.

The overwhelming speed and force of the coursing wave of earth batters the whole of the slow Garfiel, sending him plummeting far beyond the edge of the forest.

The tired Otto could barely get up and huddled himself near a tree.

"Hopefully that'll be the end-"

"-LITTLE FUCKER."

When Otto heard that, he turned his head and was kicked hard enough to cause a crater to form on the tree. He coughed out blood as he looked up and saw a bruised Garfiel who was covered in dirt.

"Heh, yer weren' bad at all, but my amazin' selfs still standin'...afraid that yer time is ova'."

Garfiel raised his hand and was prepared to slit the throat of the young man below him. But a sudden air slice came crashing towards him, forcing him to dodge.

When Garfiel looked up, he could only widen his eyes at the person he didn't want to fight.

"The fuck are ya doin'...RAAAAAAAAM?!"

Ram landed near Otto with a determined expression on her face.

Subaru continued his walk as he found a quite missing Lewes near the Tomb.

"Hey Su-boi."

"Lewes-san...let's talk."

"About wha'-"

"-You and Garfiel...NOW."

The battle to save the Sanctuary from utter devastation, had now begun.