CHAPTER 3 - THE BATTLE OF FORTRESS CITY GUARAL
1
—If he closed his eyes, he could see it play out again.
A dense, lush jungle, humid air, and big, brawny men.
A demon beast’s roar cut through the air as a furious battle began to unfold. And then the murderous focus fell on Subaru Natsuki, who had orchestrated all of it.
Subaru had willfully, consciously, and intentionally provoked it. He had carefully weighed what was precious to him against what was not and acted. He had made the choice to do harm.
He did not know how people without experience fighting demon beasts would handle such a battle. Maybe they would prevail quickly, or perhaps they would be gravely injured. He dreaded the thought, but it might not end there. Some could die.
—No, I should assume some did. I should accept it. I justified it to myself, and I did it intentionally.
Subaru Natsuki had tipped the scales and carried out a plan that might have caused them to die—not Witch Cultists, not Archbishops, not malevolent believers out to harm others. He had attacked people who were merely following orders, doing their jobs to survive, people who could have been reasoned with under other circumstances.
So this was natural, the obvious result.
Subaru Natsuki would have to pay the price for what Subaru Natsuki had done.
“Buddy, you gotta work on those wrinkles.”
“…”
“Good fortune won’t come to those who can’t smile… B-buddy?!”
Right after the ax blade sank into his skull with a dissonant sound, his vision cleared. Leaping into view was Flop, pressing his fingers against his own brow.
The slender, handsome young man with long forelocks stood there. Remembering the moment his skull had been split, just seconds ago, Subaru immediately covered his mouth and knelt down.
Nausea and anguish from the series of murderous events poured over him. His heart raced violently as if it might burst, his insides clenched, and a distracting ringing filled his ears.
Flop’s concerned voice was distant, barely registering in Subaru’s mind.
“…Todd.”
Through the ringing in his ears and the cries of his battered body, Subaru managed to utter that one name. It belonged to someone he had met in Volakia—the first person to ever face Subaru with pure enmity—and also…
…the madman pursuing Subaru who had unleashed that terrible calamity.
“…”
The burning bar, the black smoke rising. Many patrons fell victim to the second blast due to the irritant mixed in the smoke. It was likely a powerful spice repurposed as makeshift tear gas, and its effect was devastating.
Starting the fire with a magic stone, sealing the entrance, and luring survivors to the back door—blocking the door, and, when the strongest survivor broke through and let his guard down, attacking with a surprise blow. Protecting himself from the smoke with a wet cloth. Killing Subaru with chilling precision.
The final words, the voice, and most of all the eyes peering from behind the cloth had revealed his identity.
That was Todd.
…Someone who should have died in the Badheim Jungle.
“No…”
That was unconfirmed. The attack Abel led with the Shudrak had forced the imperial camp to collapse. Subaru had heard of the numerous lives lost but had intentionally shut out further information, unwilling to inflict more pain on himself. That weakness had led to this.
“This is the nearest town to the jungle, so of course any survivors would have fled here.”
And yet, Subaru hadn’t even considered that possibility. He had walked right into a town where his enemies awaited him—with Rem in tow, no less.
More than anything, this enemy was one Subaru had made through his own actions.
“Gh…”
Subaru gritted his teeth audibly. Biting the inside of his cheek, he used the sharp pain and the taste of blood to forcibly drag his consciousness back to reality. If that wasn’t enough, he was ready to tear up his entire mouth.
I can’t just sit here terrified and overwhelmed.
“Get yourself together, buddy! Can you drink some water?”
“…Gh, I’m all right. Sorry to worry you, Flop…!”
His face and voice betrayed his words, but Subaru tried to will them into reality as he slowly stood. His knees trembled, and the unpleasant feeling in his gut lingered. But he couldn’t stay curled up in a ball. Time was still moving, even as he indulged in weakness.
Todd was surely advancing his plan even now.
“Hey, I’ve got a favor to ask, Flop. Could you go back to the inn and get the medicine for my chronic disease from Rem?”
“Medicine? Do you have some sort of bad sickness?”
“Yeah, I’ve got a pretty bad case of glossy ankle.”
“Ohh! That’s a disease I’ve never heard of!”
Flop’s eyes widened at the half-assed made-up name Subaru had produced.
I don’t feel good taking advantage of his kindness, but it has to be done. I need him away from me as soon as possible.
If Todd’s goal was revenge, Flop would be safe as long as he wasn’t near Subaru. By isolating himself, Subaru could focus solely on protecting himself. It was a gamble, a desperate hope that separating them would spare Flop harm.
But the uncertainty gnawed at him.
“Link up with Louann at the bar, and then leave immediately to avoid the surprise attack. After that…”
He had no clear plan, just a patchwork of ideas hastily thrown together. There was no time to strategize. He had to act now and hope for the best.
“If it’s Rem…”
If Flop returned to Rem with the story about Subaru’s supposed illness, Subaru hoped she would sense that something was wrong. He prayed that she would stop Flop from coming back into the chaos. It was wishful thinking, but it was all Subaru had to cling to.
“Please, Flop!”
“G-got it! You just wait here! Keep your head up and wait for me, buddy!”
Moved by Subaru’s urgency, Flop nodded and hurried back up the road toward the inn. Watching him leave, Subaru turned and ran toward the bar.
But just as he began to move—
“Ugaaaaa!!!”
Just as he was about to run, the sound of Flop’s scream broke his heart.
Spinning around, he saw Flop collapse up ahead. He was lying on his back, clutching his right leg. A small knife was embedded deep in his thigh, rendering him immobile.
“Flop!”
Subaru’s heart sank as he abandoned his run and dashed toward Flop. His foot slipped slightly on the dirt as he pushed himself forward, biting his lip in frustration.
The sight before him filled him with regret. He had miscalculated. He’d thought the enemy would prioritize him if they split up, but Flop had been targeted instead. The attack had come far sooner than Subaru had anticipated.
“Flop! I’ll take you someplace to get it looked at!”
Consumed by regret and self-recrimination, Subaru reached Flop. He writhed in pain, but there was no time for proper care.
Lend him a shoulder and get somewhere with more people… No, it’ll just end up like when we were run down on the street. Should I try to force it and drag him to the bar?
“…”
And then a thought struck him.
The wound wasn’t fatal. Why?
Judging by the precision of the murders at the bar, the enemy clearly had the skill to kill. Yet the knife in Flop’s leg had only incapacitated him. Why?
“Shi—”
Before he could finish the thought, a dark flash came from the alley beside where Flop had fallen. Subaru barely had time to raise his arms before a heavy blow sent him flying.
“Gaaah?!”
The impact drove Subaru to the ground, his head hitting hard as his vision went white. The ringing in his ears returned as he rolled over, trying to create distance from the attacker. He reached up to touch his forehead, which was still burning from the force of the blow he had not managed to completely dampen. Most likely the hard blow had cut his forehead…
“…Ah?”
When he tried to touch his forehead with his right hand, he realized the forearm had been severed partway down from the elbow.
“Gyaaaaaaaa!!!”
Subaru’s scream echoed as he stared at the grotesque sight of white bone and pink muscle fibers exposed beneath a torrent of blood. Panicked, he tried to stanch the bleeding, but his left hand was mangled—fingers split and pointing in unnatural directions.
He had failed. Miserably. Recklessly rushing to Flop had been a mistake, and now he was paying for it.
Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong…
Subaru put pressure on his wounds, overwhelmed by the pain and emptiness.
“…Hmm.”
A small grunt came from the alley.
A man emerged, ax in hand. His orange hair was tied back with a bandanna, and his face, now unmasked, was unmistakable. Todd.
The crazed eyes Subaru had seen in the bar belonged to this man. He stood before Subaru, his gaze cold and detached.
“Ugggyaaaa…!”
Subaru gritted his teeth so hard they threatened to crack. Bloodshot eyes filled with a mix of rage, hatred, and desperate fear glared at Todd.
But Todd remained calm, emotionless. Slowly he ran his finger over the blade of his ax, the very weapon that had left Subaru’s arms useless, with an expression that betrayed no emotion.
“I need to sharpen this more. My mistake,” Todd calmly muttered to himself as he examined the ax. “Now then.”
Subaru’s eyes widened, and he tried to speak, his tongue trembling from fear.
But Todd seemed to have no interest at all in Subaru’s words or his identity. He raised his ax.
“Uwaaaa!!!”
“Whoa.”
Before Todd could bring the ax down, someone latched on to him. It wasn’t Subaru, whose arms were destroyed and who could do nothing but groan in pain. It was Flop—despite the knife embedded in his leg, the good merchant had fought through the agony to shield Subaru.
Flop clung to Todd from behind, his expression fierce despite the pain. Over Todd’s shoulder, his eyes locked on to Subaru.
“Buddy! Run! Ru—!”
But Flop’s desperate cry was cut short. Todd struck him with an elbow, effortlessly knocking him away. Inexperienced in combat, Flop couldn’t resist and was easily thrown off.
Todd turned toward Flop, raising his ax once more.
“Stop…”
“Heave…ho!”
A sickening, wet sound followed.
The blade split Flop’s face and skull in one clean strike. His slender, earnest face was cleaved apart, blood spilling as his brain matter dripped onto the ground. Flop’s body twitched as life left him, his limbs spasming as he died.
The crimson pool spread across the road, and Subaru could only stare, his mouth moving without sound. Panic and terror welled up, robbing him of coherent thought.
Who the hell is he?
Todd, stepping carefully to avoid Flop’s blood, turned his attention back to Subaru.
“I…”
“Hmm?”
“I can understand…having a grudge…,” Subaru stammered, his body trembling as tears, snot, and blood mingled on his face. His right arm was a bloody ruin, and his entire being ached. But the worst pain was the knowledge that Flop had died because of him—again.
“But people… Gh! Don’t get others involved…!”
He could understand Todd wanting revenge on him. But dragging others into it? That crossed the line. It was cowardly. It was unfair. It was just wrong.
“Huh,” Todd uttered, his tone nonchalant. “What are you talking about, a grudge?”
Standing amid the carnage, Todd cocked his head in genuine confusion as he wiped specks of blood from his cheek.
Subaru swallowed hard, stunned by the absurdity of Todd’s response. His confusion quickly turned to fury.
“Don’t fuck with me!” Subaru screamed. “Lying in wait, setting traps…constantly following me!”
Persistent, relentless, unwavering. No matter what Subaru did, Todd always seemed one step ahead, ready to kill him without hesitation. Yet now Todd was acting as though he had no vendetta.
“You…”
“I don’t know what you think this is, but killing you isn’t about a grudge,” Todd replied, his voice cool and measured. “If you see a dangerous person in town, you kill them without question. That’s the obvious thing to do.”
“…”
“You don’t kill a venomous snake because of a grudge. You kill it out of fear. You use whatever means necessary to eliminate the threat. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Todd carefully picked away the hair and chunks of flesh that had stuck to his ax, and fragments of Flop’s broken skull, too. Subaru could only stare, dumbfounded.
There was no deception in Todd’s words, no hidden motive. In fact, every single one of his attacks on Subaru up to this point fit the pattern. Todd had judged Subaru dangerous and intended only to kill him. That was why he did not ask anything, did not let Subaru do anything, and did not let him say anything.
He did not even hate Subaru for what he had done in the jungle. The only thing he felt was confidence that Subaru was dangerous.
And so Todd calmly tried to kill Subaru, without getting emotional about it.
“You’re like me. I won’t give you time.”
With that, he placed a boot against Subaru’s chest, forcing him down. Subaru, unable to resist, fell onto his back as Todd straddled him. The ax rose high, gleaming with Flop’s blood.
Desperately, Subaru searched for the right words, anything that might buy him time. His best chance of victory—Return by Death—relied on finding hidden possibilities and uncovering truths. It had worked against even the most formidable enemies, like the Archbishops.
But there were situations where even Return by Death could not save him.
“…Wai—”
“I won’t wait.”
—Such as when the opponent was a merciless killing machine.
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