[User] The red-haired hero disappeared, like light losing form or shattered glass—and in his place, what fell to the white floor was a small, unconscious boy. The desecrating evil who consumed the memories and names of others without concern. The Archbishop of Gluttony, Roy Alphard, sank to the ground.

[Assistant] He didn’t move in the slightest. It was hard to tell whether he was alive or dead. But the deep wound on his left chest matched Reid’s and was unmistakably a life-threatening blow. Assuring himself of that much, Julius lowered the blade he had raised in respect, slipped it back into its sheath, and turned around. The aurora faded, and the six bright spirits gathered around him. They had grown from sprouts into maidens in full bloom. Without their strength, it undoubtedly would have been Julius lying on the white floor. He needed to convey his gratitude and appreciation for their efforts. However, with his apologies, he would have to postpone that happy moment. Slowly, Julius walked forward. He moved toward the dainty woman whose pale, blue-green eyes were watching him. Long, wavy, light purple hair and a pristine white outfit that was wholly at odds with their desert surroundings. At her feet was a white fox whose black eyes wavered uncertainly. She had been hiding as a scarf all this time, but now she stood on her own. That could only mean… Julius closed his eyes.

[User] “It is an honor to make your acquaintance.” He introduced himself, just as he had earlier when challenging the Sword Saint. This time, the feeling in his breast was not the exultation of a warrior going into battle. But there was one aspect that was unchanged—the boyish spirit of adventure. It felt very much like turning the page on a new chapter in a grand epic.

[Assistant] “…I’m Anastasia Hoshin.”

[User] "I want everything in this world… So, handsome mister, what is your name?"

[Assistant] “Milady,” he answered, still kneeling with his face down. “I am Julius Juukulius. Your knight.”

[User] “You may have forgotten. However, I have sworn my blade to you. I will devote all my strength to support your ambition.” Placing his sword on the floor, he performed a final bow. Then, at long last, he raised his head. No matter how his master’s eyes looked, he would have no regrets. Getting flustered, appearing stunned, or letting his head hang were not how a knight should act. His dream was to always put on airs and be uncompromising about appearances.


[User] As she peered down at that Julius, her round eyes narrowed.

[Assistant] "Really? I can’t say I recall, but…but…"

[Assistant] “The first thing I thought when I saw you…was I gotta have this guy for myself.” There was a fiery gleam in her eyes. This was the determination to not let go of anything that was unique to his master, the one he had longed for so much. Like a lord and a knight in a fairy tale, it was a sublime scene… The broken bonds of lord and retainer were renewed on the second floor, Electra. This was the removal of one of the four obstacles that Natsuki Subaru had laid out. And so the curtain fell on the second floor examination of the Grand Pleiades Library.


[User] She remembered being enveloped in a bright, red blaze that consumed everything. The tranquil, stagnant, days of degeneration suddenly came to an end. Pitted against that violence, the title of the strongest demi-human race, the role of the most feared village chief, and the universal affection of a parent protecting their children—it all became meaningless.

[Assistant] To make a short story of it, peace and tranquility had rotted the clan’s spirit. The Oni were once considered the strongest race of demi-humans, and it was widely acknowledged that, had they participated in the demi-human war, things might have gone very differently for the Kingdom of Lugunica. Then again, even if that had happened, the Oni would surely not have achieved any great success. In the first surprise attack, half the village fell, and in the second attack, half again were defeated. By that point, the battle was over.

[User] "Ram! Escape the encirclement! So long as you live!" The elder’s two enormous horns grew longer as the muscles all over his body swelled. Then he flew out of the house, carrying the longsword that was his weapon as Ram tore into the common soldiers with her wind.

[Assistant] The elder told Ram to live, not out of concern for her. But because he was the one who believed most earnestly of all that Ram carried the hope of a bright future for the Oni tribe. The second coming of the Oni god, the glory of the Oni who left a mark on history in the era of the Witch. That was the heartfelt plea of the last elder of the Oni, who had forgotten how to fight.

[User] She would have liked to laugh it off. It was absurd. "The glory of the Oni…how pointless." The fact that the purest Oni blood flowed through her veins was repulsive. It was true that if Ram had grown healthily, she might have been able to answer the elder’s prayers. However, that was not what Ram wanted. She cared little for a future where she played God in such a small, little world. What she wanted was a future worth far more than being worshipped as the second coming of the Oni god and living her life as a symbol of the tribe’s long past glory. —Living as ■■■’s ■■■■■■. Focusing on her forehead, she drew the blazing mana in her white horn and channeled it throughout her body. Once her small body was enveloped by wind, Ram ran through the village like a gale.

[Assistant] "■■■." The ■■■■ of the one person she adored more than anything was on her lips and filled her mind. It wasn’t because she was heartless. Her focus had simply changed. Ram’s parents had been lost in the first attack and were already beyond saving. She hadn’t hated her parents.


[User] But for better and for worse, the two of them were born in this village, raised in this village, and had chosen to die in this village, and Ram felt that they had unconsciously accepted a quiet end. Because of that, for them to lose their lives on this night was natural, in a way.

[Assistant] “—However, it’s meaningless without retribution.” Black shadows stood in her way. Enemies whose bodies were wrapped in robes. Ram unleashed an unrestrained wind on the beings swinging cross-shaped swords. Either they had misjudged her because she was a child, or they were simply no match for her. Either way, the black shadows stood no chance against her blades of wind and fell one after the other, creating a pitiful pile of corpses. It didn’t stop there as Ram continued her annihilation, dancing among the flames, clad in wind. Under different circumstances, it probably would’ve made for a very beautiful performance. Here, however, each of Ram’s swings spilled more blood, and with each foe that fell, a dark thrill filled her. Something inside urged her to kill more, to spill more blood, rend more flesh, break more bones, steal more life. This night wasn’t the first time she had felt that urge. It had always been there, from the moment she was born, tempting her at every opportunity. That desire constantly told her to give herself over to the urges she felt. It wanted to awaken, and so it pleaded with her to kill and destroy. Ram couldn’t understand what about it was so wonderful. The elder and her parents didn’t understand, either. But she never felt like sharing it with those who asked Ram for anything beyond simply being herself. It was like being controlled by her horn. Without a resolute sense of self, it would have been easy for her young personality to be consumed. Then she truly would have been the second coming of the Oni god those around her so wished her to be. But that didn’t happen. Because…


[User] “—■■■■■■!! !” A high-pitched voice called out.

[Assistant] Ram spun around and saw ■■■ lit by the flames. In an instant, a blast of wind blew away the swarm of black shadows closing in on her, scattering them in a single breath. And then Ram hurried to her ■■■■■■.

[User] “■■■…” ■■■ had a terrified look in her eyes, and she slumped to the ground as if her legs couldn’t support her anymore. Holding out a hand to her beloved ■■■■■■, she tried to help her to her feet. As the elder wished, she would live through this. But not just her. ■■■ needed to live, too. Then the situation changed. While she was confirming that ■■■ was safe, Ram had the briefest lapse in awareness. By the time she noticed the presence of enemies, they had already surrounded her. Getting away would be exceedingly difficult. If she was alone, it wouldn’t be impossible. However, surviving alone was no different from death.


[User] Ram had to find a way to break out. She undid all the fetters restraining her sealed strength and unleashed a rampaging wind, before falling upon her enemies…

[User] It was an opening in her heart brought about by the all-powerful feeling she so detested. A shadow slipped beneath her blade of wind and slashed at her, landing a heavy blow on her horn and making her vision explode. Knocked back by the powerful impact, Ram was suddenly struck by a terrible sense of emptiness. Then she saw it—a white horn, spinning into the red night illuminated by the inferno consuming the village. Understanding that it was her horn, a cry of pain and loss welled up from deep inside her.

[Assistant] Ram cried out, but at the same time, she noticed. For the first time since she had been born, the voice that had been eating away at her all her life fell silent. To think it had been so simple. Her foolishness was funny to her. As the horn arced through the red night sky, a thought crossed her mind.

[User] Ahhh, someone finally broke it.

[Assistant] In the shared vision from her Clairvoyance, she saw the black ground dragon running away at top speed. On her back was the girl who should have been Ram’s precious other half. The partner she couldn’t remember. The child who evoked an empty sense of loss…


[User] Okay, I understand. I'm ready to convert book chapters into Roleplay conversations, following the format and rules you've provided. I will pay close attention to the original text, avoid deviating from it, and ensure the actions and dialogue are clear and properly formatted. I will also use only character names and indicate scene changes with "---".

[Assistant] Bring on the chapter!


[User] Ram’s heart trembled with rage as she realized what had happened. She was loath to admit it, but the power of Subaru’s authority had restored a fragment of her omnipotent power.

[Assistant] She had used that to overwhelm Lye Batenkaitos and cornered the Archbishop. However, that had lit a fire in Lye, inspiring a new level of tenacity to cling to life.

[User] As a result, Lye had used his authority to escape from Ram with the intent to seize Rem, her other half. He knew he couldn’t win by fighting head-on, so he resorted to whatever underhanded scheme he could think of. She didn’t want to admit it, but his plan was an effective one.

[Assistant] “What a mockery…” Clairvoyance made it clear that Lye was toying with the fleeing Patrasche. Though he could have cornered her in an instant, he was intentionally indulging in the joy of the hunt.

[User] The whole point was to sear this scene into Ram’s mind as she watched through her Clairvoyance. “I won’t let you do as you please anymore. I—ah?” The moment she started to give chase, there was a shift in her vision.Her Clairvoyance almost came undone.

[Assistant] In her right eye, she still saw through Lye’s eyes, but in her left, her own vision was blurry. “Kh…aaa…” It wasn’t just her sight. Incredible exhaustion suddenly sapped her, accompanied by a coursing pain that felt like an invisible hand clawing at her insides.

[User] It was unmistakably the burden of a hornless that she normally endured. “Did…Barusu die? …No, that’s not it.” Judging by the relatively light burden, she could confidently say Subaru had not died a pathetic death somewhere.

[Assistant] It had only been a few minutes, but considering how much strength she had drawn out, what she was feeling now would pale in comparison to the expected backlash. That suffering would probably leave her coughing up blood and writhing on the floor.

[User] “I assume Barusu’s power hasn’t completely given out… He must have taken on an excessive burden from someone else unexpectedly… Lady Beatrice…or Meili.” Those were the most likely possibilities. There was little point in dwelling on the cause.

[Assistant] The important takeaway was that right now, it would be difficult for her to wield the level of power that had overwhelmed Lye earlier. She could only undo the first limiter.

[User] She wouldn’t last even two seconds if she tried it with the second one. Could she defeat Lye Batenkaitos like that…? “What are you getting cold feet for? Just devise a new plan.”

[Assistant] The longer she hesitated, the worse their odds of victory became. Steadying herself, Ram rushed up the stairs she had almost slipped on earlier.

[User] As she did, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had done this somewhere before, gasping for air as she rushed to her sister, who was in danger. But where there should have been a memory, there was only a void.


[User] “!” The black ground dragon raced through the corridor, bleeding where the thrown short sword had cut into its scales. The sensible dragon activated its wind-parting blessing and sprinted at full speed to escape the sinister Gluttony, careful not to let the blue-haired girl on her back fall. That was the key to victory here. It was a commendable effort. Lye had nothing but praise for that drive. However…

[Assistant] “You’re a good ground dragon. A hard worker and so faithful to your master. If you were a person, you would surely have been a dish worthy of a gourmand such as ourselves! But, but, but, but but but but but but but but! How sad that a ground dragon can’t fill our stomach!”

[User] It didn’t matter if they had a will, a soul, memories, a name. Gluttony’s authority couldn’t consume it from anything other than people. And so Lye couldn’t savor this dragon the way he wanted. Just like how there was no way to eat a painting of food. "Ahhh, that’s it! That’s it exactly! When our stomach is soooooooooooooooo empty and we’re so hungry! Seeing this picture of a food that looks so delicious is torture. This is child abuse!” Chasing after the racing dragon, he blew a bit of clotted blood from deep in his nose. In the fight earlier, his face had been crushed, and something around his right eye must have gotten broken, because it was rolling around freely in its socket. His teeth were shattered, and his tongue was torn. The bleeding in his mouth hadn’t stopped, drenching his lower jaw in gore. But none of that mattered. The thought of Ram seeing this scene right now gave him a thrill that started from the bottom of his heart.

[Assistant] “Sister is…” Pure, noble, and perfect. A fully perfected being without any faults. That was what the memories slumbering inside Lye said. After coming exceedingly close to getting killed without being able to do a thing, he agreed it was a fair evaluation. Lye couldn’t hold a candle to Ram’s true power. If Ram truly got serious, she could probably wring the neck of any Archbishop with ease. Maybe Regulus could have given her a run for her money with his absolute authority, but…

[User] “There’s no way that idiot could kill Sister. Even if she didn’t manage to kill him outright, she would just drop him down the Great Waterfalls or something and end it that way.” Even if Regulus couldn’t be killed, there were plenty of ways to contain him. Just like the Witch of Jealousy. Even the three great heroes couldn’t kill her, so she was still sealed away in a shrine here. The current Lye was unbelievably proud of Ram and of how wonderful she was.

[Assistant] “As her little sister, we have to show how much we’ve grown. Anything less would be shameful.” With a swelling sense of purpose, Lye drew more memories out. One aspect of Gluttony’s authority was Eclipse.


[User] Lunar Eclipse was a phenomenon that could be seen when the moon disappeared. Put another way, it was something performed by pulling out a memory that he had eaten and re-creating it using his own body. Ordinarily, Lye was perusing memories of all sorts, combining them into the ultimate mixed martial arts. This could be considered the Lunar Eclipse’s true domain.

[Assistant] Solar Eclipse was a phenomenon where the sun itself was hidden. Put another way, it was a method for not just re-creating someone’s memories, but for embodying their very being, allowing him to use their abilities with the same proficiency as the originals. However, when he transformed into another person, there was a risk of his mind changing too much to match the body, and so unless there was a pressing reason, Lye and Roy avoided it. Lye Batenkaitos primarily relied on Lunar Eclipse. Louis Arneb used Solar Eclipse without concern because she lacked her own body and lacked a solid sense of self to begin with. But during the battle with Ram, where he was beaten half to death, Lye had broken out of his shell the moment he recreated Leaping Dorkel’s Teleportation. He had successfully used the Solar Eclipse that he normally avoided out of fear of losing himself, confirming he could maintain a firm grip on his sense of self. Now he could more perfectly savor someone’s life without any waste.

[User] “Growing in the middle of combat should not be something a withered old husk like us can do, ha-ha! This is perfection! Isn’t that right, Sister? !” Thanks to establishing such a stout consciousness, Lye was feeling better than ever. He wanted his wonderful sister to see how much he had grown. To do that, he had to pick a method that would provoke her hatred even more. For example, the person on that ground dragon’s back…

[Assistant] “Come to think of it, that’s something new. Killing yourself as yourself. Maybe this’ll lead to something interesting…”

[User] “—! !” In a wink, the world changed as he leaped through space. The ground dragon whinnied loudly in shock as Lye suddenly appeared in front when he should have been behind. She tried to race past him without stopping.

[User] “Now, now, don’t struggle. You’ve earned your participation trophy already.” As it passed, he struck like the Fist King, slamming the dragon into the wall. But even as she slumped down and curled in on herself, she did everything she could to protect the girl who fell off her back. What a heartfelt gesture. However, that spirit was nothing more than a spice for the tragedy to come.

[Assistant] “Know! Your! Place!” With each word, Lye hammered the black dragon again and again. The merciless punches broke her cheekbone and front legs. That was more than enough to teach her a painful lesson.


[User] “To kill Sister’s precious Rem with Rem’s own—”

[Assistant] "—Spare me such creepy ramblings." Just as he was about to straddle Rem, a dignified and clear voice called out. She raised his head only to be greeted by two shoe soles landing directly on his face. The impact sent Lye sliding across the floor on his back.

[User] “Aha-ha-ha-ha-ha…you finally caught up, Sister. We…ah? We sisters…we siblings…? …We Rems were waiting for you.” He slowly stood up, using only his legs.

[Assistant] “…You’ve become quite ugly in the short time since I last saw you.”

[User] “…You’ve become quite ugly in the short time since I last saw you.” Still borrowing Lye’s vision, Ram had dragged along her imperfectly unlocked body in a chase after the battered and beaten ground dragon, and Rem lay beside her. And standing over Rem was…

[Assistant] “Hideous? That’s so mean, Sister… We care so, so, soooo much about you.” An unsettled, inarticulate tone, and thoughts that were distorted in all manner of ways. It was clear at a glance to Ram—or to anyone, really—that this was the result of a warped mind. Lye’s form had become horrifically twisted.

[User] “And in the end, you became a monster pretending to be Rem? Honestly, I don’t know that I’ve ever been this aggravated.” Ram looked down at the face of her sister, who she knew was the missing piece in her incomplete home. It made her sick to think that she was actually looking at Lye, who had stolen her sister’s distinctive characteristics and appearance.

[Assistant] “You did well, Patrasche. Take Rem and fall back.”

[User] “Tsss,” came the weak response.


[User] Ram stood protectively in front of Patrasche, who was coughing up blood. With slow, deliberate movements, Patrasche dragged her big body forward and carefully grabbed the collar of Rem’s dress with her mouth before she started to leave the battlefield. However…

[Assistant] "That’s no good, Sister. That’s an important hors d’oeuvre… Before we can serve the entrée, we need to prepare all the fixings, right?”

[User] “—Die.” She stepped forward with a foot that was just about the same size as a person’s head and pointed her palm at the face of the person raving like a madman. The swirling blades of wind she summoned were a small storm that held the force to shred Lye from the neck up.

[Assistant] Ram was done holding back. Her plan to interrogate him instead of killing him to find a way to retrieve consumed memories had put Rem in danger and gotten Patrasche badly wounded, to boot. Given that deranged statement she just heard, Ram concluded the odds of getting a straight answer from Lye were low. On every level, this was the correct choice. Defeat Lye and relieve Subaru of the burden he was currently carrying for her. Then she would return Patrasche and Rem to the green room before going to aid someone else. That was obviously what she should do. And as she was thinking that—

[User] Ram’s eyes widened just as the storm was about to shred Gluttony’s face. It was nothing major. Merely a change in Lye’s appearance. However, it was a change that Ram couldn’t ignore. The face that had so many different distinguishing traits was now sporting a single white horn on its forehead.

[Assistant] “Sister.” For a brief moment, Lye spoke in a voice that Rem might have had, with a face that was identical to hers.

[User] Ram’s face froze, and Lye’s massive arm landed a clean hit on her.

[Assistant] It wasn’t fatal. But it wasn’t so light that she could be optimistic, either. Her brain had been rattled, and there was blood trickling from her nose. Ram knew she had taken a tremendous amount of damage. Her wobbly legs made that painfully obvious. And the one who had hurt her was the sweet, blue-haired girl with a gentle smile. By virtue of some sick joke, there were three identical faces in the room.

[User] “Cry, Sister.” There was a trace of a plea in her voice and a tear in her faint blue eyes as the fist came down. Ram felt every blow in the marrow of her bones, or perhaps it reached somewhere deeper, like her soul.

[Assistant] “Rage, Sister.” When she bent over after a hit to her stomach, Rem was perfectly lined up for the uppercut that landed on her jaw. She managed to not bite her tongue, but then another punch caught her in the stomach. As she reeled from this hit, she caught an elbow to the head.

[User] “Laugh, Sister.” The affection in that voice tore at Ram’s heart with every word.


[User] The only Rem that Ram knew had always been sleeping. The stolen sister who should have been by her side her entire life and yet was nowhere to be found because her memories had been erased. Ram had looked forward to hearing her voice for the first time when she finally woke up. She didn’t know if her memories of her younger sister would return when that time came. Whether they had or not, those first words would have been special to her. But now…

[Assistant] "Cry."

[User] "Rage."

[Assistant] "Laugh."

[User] "Suffer."

[Assistant] "Smile."

[User] "Ache."

[Assistant] "Pout."

[User] "Thrill."

[Assistant] "Blush."

[User] "Snooze."

[Assistant] "Itch."

[User] "Marvel."

[Assistant] "Celebrate."

[User] "—Sister."

[Assistant] "Don’t…" Ram was about to scream until her mouth was blocked by a palm thrust and she couldn’t say anything. The newly born monster cornered Ram—its power was overwhelming. There was no hesitation. No limit on the moves it pulled out. No recognition that it was losing itself in the process. And at no point did its face shift. It still looked just like Ram’s precious other half. With both the sun and moon in shadow, darkness had completely cloaked Gluttony’s features.

[User] "Sister, Sister, that face isn’t like you at all." Her mistake was corrected by her younger sister, who was wearing a pouting, pleading expression as she struck Ram with her fist. Helpless to stop it from connecting with her chest, Ram felt her ribs creak as she slammed into the wall. The sturdy stone wall of the Pleiades Watchtower crumbled, and Ram slumped to the ground on the other side. Rubble filled the air around her, and when she coughed, a dusty, bloody taste filled her mouth. Suddenly, her broken bones and mangled flesh began to shriek. She spun her head, trying to see where she had ended up.

[Assistant] "...ah." It was a short, raspy sound. It was disappointment, or perhaps sentimentality after having an unsatisfying realization. Ram could see Patrasche and Rem down the hall from where she had fallen. They were separated by maybe a few dozen feet—the time she had bought them was no more than a few scant moments; the pain she had experienced had merely made it feel so much longer.

[User] "Sister, Sister, are you safe?" Lye asked disingenuously. She could hear Lye’s footsteps from the other side of the smoke. In that moment, Ram coughed up some blood and exchanged a glance with the battered Patrasche.

[Assistant] "—Tsss."

[Assistant] "...Yes, I know. When this is over, let’s scold Barusu together." The truth was that she didn’t know what Patrasche had said. However, it seemed like she had gotten the gist of it, since the black ground dragon didn’t correct her. Ram had to acknowledge that her judgment had been wrong. She had played every card and been betrayed by the hand she had drawn. Ram was aware that she was superior in every regard, but there was one point that she also knew she was lacking—luck.


[User] That was as true now as it was the day her horn was broken and her life as an Oni was also broken. She had not been especially attached to that way of life. The reason she had considered the white horn growing from her forehead the most unpleasant thing in this world was because it had been a part of her. And yet here she was, thinking of what she could’ve done if she still had that horn. —No, that wasn’t exactly it. She did still have the horn. In fact, it was within reach right now. The wand she always carried with her—its core was Ram’s broken horn. Mana was required to sustain sturdy musculature of the Oni, and their horns were crucial organs for efficiently gathering it. As a catalyst for magic, there was nothing better for Ram. Roswaal had gone out of his way to retrieve it and had the wand made special-order for her. Just by being in a slightly different location, the difference was… “” Suddenly, a thought crossed Ram’s mind. The result of thinking of her horn and the fact that she had overwhelmed Lye once before. Mustering every bit of her knowledge to find a thread of possibility. Ram with her broken horn, and the sleeping Rem. Roswaal had taken in both of them. Why had he taken in both Ram and Rem? “” Ram knew the role that Roswaal wanted her to play. And she knew of the plan that Roswaal was attempting to carry out. She had heard that she was a critical part of it, and that she would recognize how when the time came. So she had no intention of probing until the time she was needed came. However, in this moment, a certain thought crossed her mind. It was an idea that was crucial to her survival, the survival of the sleeping Rem, and the survival of Patrasche, who had fought for the both of them to live. It was terribly absurd, but at the same time, comprehension filled her breast.

[Assistant] “He would do it, with the resolve to be called an inhuman monster.” Ram pulled out the wand on her thigh with a trembling hand. Looking at the wand she had used for ten years, she slammed it against the wall. Out of the crumbling wand tumbled something she had not seen for a long time. Spinning unpleasantly, just like the last time.


[User] "Oh." On the other side, the first thing he saw was the black ground dragon dragging its legs. The beast had disappeared from view while he was focused on talking with his sister. He didn’t find it particularly interesting, but he had business with the hindrance the dragon was carrying. He was enough. There was no need for anyone else to adore his dearest sister. Sister was his alone. "Ah, there you are." Past the dragon, he spotted the hindrance leaning against the wall. Her body was propped up perfectly, leaving her neck and heart wide open. Time to tidy up that hindrance and move on to the main dish. Closing in, Lye noticed it. —There was a faint glow near her blue-haired head. "I’ll amend my statement."

[Assistant] "—! Sist—”

[User] "I thought I had no luck. But I was wrong." He started to call out but never got a chance to finish. An attack crashed into Lye’s face first. He was stunned, and the next moment, the impact sent him flying back down the corridor he had walked through. "—? !" Unable to dampen the force of the impact, Lye slammed through two walls before coming to a stop. The surprise he felt outpaced the pain, and he stood up just once before slumping to his knees again. What had happened? Lye’s sweet face filled with shock—

[Assistant] "It seems even the heavens are driven mad by how cute Rem and I are." As Lye peered through the dust filling the hole in the wall made by his body, the next moment, a palm grabbed his face with a speed that outstripped sound.

[User] “…Sis…ter…”

[Assistant] "Unfortunately for you, my sister is sleeping inside. I know this for a fact because of our shared consciousness."

[User] "Shared…"

[Assistant] "That’s right—Rem and I are sisters who apparently got along very well. We could share joy and anger, sadness and pain, and more. And the blessing and burdens of our horns as well." He wasn’t following. But what Lye saw with his own eyes confirmed what she was saying. Before he had been blown away, he had seen a white horn on the sleeping princess’s forehead—the one and only way that Oni girl was more gifted than her older sister. So what if she had that? So what if it was shining and connected? "It annoys me that Barusu’s plan was a hint, but so be it."

[User] "What did Subaru—?"

[Assistant] "Don’t say his name with that face and that voice." Suddenly, Lye’s head slammed into the wall with Ram’s hand still gripping his face. His arms and legs twitched and spasmed. Ram opened and closed her other hand, confirming something, and Lye saw a terrible amount of blood flowing from the old wound on her forehead. But Ram was untroubled by it. She smiled, almost as if she welcomed it. Like the blood and pain was proof of a lost bond being reconnected.


[User] "Those born in a dark place should return to their holes. If you were born screaming, then you can die that way, too.” Wiping the blood from her forehead with the back of her hand, she looked down at Lye with her pink eyes.

[Assistant] Everything he had planned was so he could see intense emotion in them. What the Archbishop of Gluttony got from Ram was an ice-cold gaze.

[User] She’d had a suspicion since long ago. The plan of Roswaal L Mathers, the master she had sworn to serve, required the death of the dragon that protected the Kingdom of Lugunica to achieve his final goal. It was more than a decade ago that he had told Ram she was a crucial piece in that plan. Saving Ram and ■■■ in that burning Oni village, Roswaal had asked for compensation. And Ram decided to pay that price in exchange for the Oni tribe’s retribution. For that sake, she would aid him, whether it was a plan to kill the dragon or whatever else.

[Assistant] "When the time comes, you’ll know. The role that you—that only you and your ■■■■■■—can perform.” She recalled the fragmentary memory of when her master had told her his plan to kill the dragon. Mysteriously, she had never once thought deeply about it before today…

[User] "I finally understand…what Lord Roswaal’s aim is.”

[Assistant] All of Roswaal’s actions were for the sake of the final goal he had spent his extraordinarily long life pursuing. For its sake, he had positioned himself at the foundation of the Kingdom. He had saved Ram and ■■■. He asserted authority over the Sanctuary and its trials. He had tested Natsuki Subaru. She realized now why he had taken in Ram and ■■■. ■■■ had been adopted as a replacement for Ram’s lost horn. Together, Ram and ■■■ were one unit, an Oni that would kill the dragon. Of course, even Roswaal couldn’t escape the effects of Gluttony’s authority. Effectively, he should also have forgotten why he had kept ■■■ at his estate. However, even if he had forgotten, he had surely realized his own intentions. And even seeing them so earnest to rescue ■■■ from the damage Gluttony had caused, he had said not a thing. He is so utterly…

[User] "There’s no changing that meticulous side of him.”

[Assistant] Despite Subaru setting his plan back, Roswaal continued working at it beneath the surface, ever vigilant. It was a truly troublesome part of his character, she thought in exasperation. However, something else occurred to her—was the reason Roswaal had given Ram permission to join this trip with ■■■ because he had predicted the possibility of something like this happening? It might be overthinking. Perhaps it was a delusion born from her adoration of the man.

[User] "Either way, it feels better to think that the man I love trusts me.” She chose to believe that he sent Ram knowing she would protect ■■■ and the others.


[User] Similarly, she chose to believe that she had noticed Roswaal’s hidden intent, and that she had turned over his trump card to kill the dragon, of her own volition. It was much more comfortable to think that the man Roswaal L Mathers valued the ten years he had spent with the woman Ram. And so…

[Assistant] "—I’m in excellent spirits right now. Stand there and be my punching bag.”

[User] "Sisterrrrr!” Still holding his face, she slammed Lye to the ground.

[Assistant] Limbs quivering, Gluttony’s shape transformed. Though he still maintained Rem’s appearance, his arms and legs swelled to different sizes on his right and left, growing and shrinking. He didn’t seem to be in control of the changes as his body instinctively tried to find the optimal response. His mind was in shambles, and his sense of self was long gone. He was truly repulsive.

[User] "Fool.”

[Assistant] Lying on the floor, Lye moved his large, unbalanced body, forcefully tearing himself from Ram’s grasp and leaping to his feet.

[User] Ram didn’t hesitate to close the distance once more when he swung his log-like arm at her. She was bleeding from her forehead. But the pain and the emptiness she felt made Ram’s Oni blood boil. It was infuriating. This…euphoria had always tormented her. The loathsome instinct that reveled in combat and displays of strength, the desire to kill enemies who deserved death. Ram had always hated it. That was why, when her horn was broken that night, she had thought she was finally free. “It’s ironic.” Ram grabbed the log-like arm and threw Lye over her shoulder. Once he slammed into the ground, she kicked his head, sending him farther down the hall. She wouldn’t let him get any closer to the wounded ground dragon or to the girl leaning against the wall behind her. “”

[Assistant] There was a faint glow from the white horn on the sleeping girl’s forehead. Ordinarily, so long as she was unconsciously sleeping, even if she was an Oni, she should not have been able to activate her horn. It had been forcibly awakened by the connection of shared consciousness. A bond between two beings so closely related by blood that could not be denied even if Ram lost her memory. The reason she had believed her connection to Rem without being able to speak to her this past year was because of that. So it was merely chance that she had noticed how to take advantage of their shared consciousness here. Annoyingly, it had been thanks to Subaru’s idea. Because he had helped carry a portion of Ram’s burden with his odd ability, giving her the strength to fight. That had given her the idea to try something similar. Two beings bound by a shared consciousness also shared powerful emotions, and at times even wounds and pain. She didn’t understand how it worked, exactly, but there was a theory in a book that Beatrice had read in the forbidden archive once.


[User] Shared consciousness was a product of two individuals being linked by Odo.

[Assistant] “…I would surely love that child from birth.”

[User] “Forgive me for being a bad sister, burdening you at a time like this.” Using their shared consciousness, she was sharing her burden with her sleeping sister.

[Assistant] “Fool…”

[User] Ram re-created the effects of Subaru’s authority using the shared consciousness connecting her and Rem.

[Assistant] Still sleeping, Rem said nothing. She just dutifully continued supplying mana from her horn into the white horn placed in her hands—Ram’s broken horn that had been remade as her wand.


[User] “Sister!! !” Lye leaped at Ram with a wild howl.

[Assistant] “So slow, half-wit.


[User] "I’ll be an old lady by the time you reach me.” By peeking at her opponent’s vision with Clairvoyance, she could preemptively foil any attacks. Grabbing the five fingers thrusting toward her, she bent them backward, then drove her elbow into his neck. She topped it all off with a roundhouse kick that sent him hurtling into the wall.

[Assistant] “Kah…”

[User] “Though even in old age, I would still be cute.” She grabbed him by the collar and heaved him up, only to bash his head into the ground. And then she slammed her heel down on his face, smashing his nose. Cleanly evading his outstretched arms, she hammered him with a barrage of wind blades from a distance.

[Assistant] “—Giiiaaaaaa!! !”

[User] “Such a hideous cry for such a pretty face.” As blood spurted from the cuts running up and down his body, Lye backed away. His body kept shifting without settling on any one form, but from start to finish, from the neck up, he wore a familiar face. The sight made Ram want to vomit. That wouldn’t be very elegant, though, so she refrained from actually doing it.

[Assistant] “” Bleeding terribly, Lye charged without any particular skill or technique. More precisely, he was probably using some sort of impossibly masterful move. He had probably merged the abilities of various incredible individuals, creating a technique that no one could emulate. Ram crushed those attacks optimized from so many different angles with sheer fighting skill that surpassed them all. A hundred, a thousand grand techniques, crushed by the strength of a billion. That was what this battle had become. Unlike with Subaru, Ram’s connection with Rem was familiar and comfortable. She removed another two limiters. She was probably at around 50 percent of when she was in her prime—actually, considering how much she had developed since then, she was probably stronger now. And not succumbing to that power was Ram’s strength.

[User] “Breaking my horn turned out to be for the best.” Were it not for that night, she might have given in to the lure of her horn someday. She would have liked to say it was impossible, but she couldn’t answer that with any certainty. So Ram held her head high, proud of the path she had walked, choosing to believe it was right. Thanks to losing her horn, she managed not to become the Oni that she so despised. “Besides, if that night never happened, I would never have been able to meet Lord Roswaal. That isn’t ideal.” After coming to the conclusion that there was nothing better than the route she had taken, Ram thrust her palm forward. Lye appeared from space, right in front of where she thrust her hand. As the shock of having his path read spread across his face, she grabbed him by it again. "You can’t leap again so soon, right? I’m bored of your tricks. And your face, too.”

[Assistant] “Wai—!”

[User] “No,” Ram fired back coolly.


[User] Still holding his face, she generated blades of wind from her palm. In an instant, they tore through his eyes, nose, lips, ears—everywhere on his face.

[Assistant] "Aaargh, aaaaaaaaarghhhhh!!! !" With a bloody scream, crying tears of blood, Lye writhed on the floor.

[User] Looking down at him, Ram showed no sign of mercy, bearing down on the groaning Archbishop.

[Assistant] Hearing her footsteps approach, Lye changed his shape. His new form was tall and burly. He batted down the oncoming fist, but Ram broke his knee.

[User] Kicked down, Lye changed to escape Ram. A big, bearded man, strengthening his defenses by curling up—she kicked his body up into the air, slamming him against the ceiling in a barrage of punches, turning him into a slack mass of flesh beneath that tough skin he was so proud of.

[Assistant] Lye changed shape once again to kill Ram, who was subjecting him to an endless torture. This time, it was the bald old man with the phantasmic art.

[User] His trick had already been revealed, and Ram almost pitied him when she caught him. It didn’t stop her from dragging his face across the wall with all her might.

[Assistant] "Abwabahwababwaaaah!!! !" Under the force of Ram’s grip, Lye’s whole body began to wear down from the incredible friction. He couldn’t escape, so his body shifted while still in Rem’s grip, seeking the right answer.

[User] Responding to each and every one of his changes, Ram held a service for the hundreds upon thousands of victims who had been absorbed by Gluttony. The techniques they had polished, the paths they had walked, the emotions they had felt… All of it had been violated and defiled. Ram used every bit of strength she had to give them some semblance of peace. Their techniques, paths, and emotions would never be used again by this man. Because none of them worked on Ram. "Take responsibility for your own actions." She pulled his arm and threw what was the battered defiler.


[Assistant] Rolling through the corridor, Lye shuddered and twitched. His figure slowly, slowly began to change. He changed, relying on countless memories…

[User] "Oh, it’s been a while. I wanted to see that face. The third from the top of the list, though."

[Assistant] “…Ah, gahaah." Wiping the blood from her forehead, her lips softening. She was looking upon Lye’s true face. This was him in the truest sense. Not the shortsighted being who had borrowed the faces and tricks of others, but Lye’s original body and face. No matter who he became, no matter who he relied on or clung to, he couldn’t escape from himself. Just as Ram couldn’t change the fact that she was an Oni, even if her horn was broken. Just as there was no changing the fact that Ram was Rem’s sister, even if she lost her memories. "Did you want to struggle with your own strength in the end?"

[Assistant] "That reminds me, you said something curious on the stairs. You have a brother and sister."


[User] “Why not stand tall for your siblings?” As Lye slumped over, his painfully ragged breathing suddenly stopped

[Assistant] It wasn’t that he had died. Ram’s words had elicited this reaction. Brother and sister. When he heard that, his breathing calmed down ever so slightly. Slowly, Lye raised his body… “Our…our…sister. Don’t…”

[User] “Don’t lay a hand on her? Do you really think you’re in a position to say that? Have you ever helped someone who pleaded with you for mercy?”

[Assistant] “Even…so…” Twisting his bloodied face, Lye pleaded with a tearful voice.

[User] Ram’s eyes narrowed slightly at hearing that pained request. And then, exhaling, she closed her eyes and said: “I’ll—”

[Assistant] “—You’re too kind, Sister.” The moment he escaped her eyes, Lye disappeared, leaving only those words behind. Using Leaping Dorkel’s Teleportation ability, he disappeared without a trace.


[User] The dinner table that had once seemed so vibrant and glimmering had devolved into a sandbox filled with mud balls. "We want that." He would cast aside anything and everything for a chance to taste that flavor. He would give up all the things he had built up and not feel any regret. He didn’t want to taste anything else. He didn’t want to satisfy himself with anything else. "Obgh, ugh.” Vomit leaked from the corner of his mouth as he ran. It wasn’t due to the pain he was suffering. The cause was far more unbearable. Things he had believed to be the finest were not. Now that he had glimpsed the ultimate delicacy, everything that filled him was disgusting in comparison. Why had he ever thought anything less could be wonderful? Why had he praised any of it? How had he been content until now? How could he call himself a gourmet if he was satiated by food besides the truly wonderful—? “Ah, right. Right, right, of course, it has to be, that’s why! Gluttony! Gluttony!” He cried out with a welling hunger, a satiated hunger, and begged from his heart. He wanted to become one, to merge with her. If hunger could encompass a being outside itself, then the gluttony that drove him was an extreme form of love. “That’s right! This is love! Sister…no, Ram! We love yo—!” Just as he was about to scream with the emotion that had taken root inside him, his words were suddenly cut off. The reason was a new pain.

[Assistant] “…Ah?” Touching his cheek, Lye saw his palm covered in blood. A new cut had torn his cheek open while he had been trying to flee the tower. But all he could see was empty space.

[User] Silently stretching out his finger, Lye watched as his fingertip got sliced open. There was an invisible blade hanging in empty space. “Hah.” It was the same technique he had shown Ram on the spiral staircase. The technique of setting invisible blades in space was the skill of a legendary shinobi, though Lye had long ago forgotten whose memories that had come from, so it didn’t matter much. The problem was there being a blade here. Lye didn’t remember placing this one. “Could it…?” Dodging the blade that had left a shallow cut in his finger, Lye pushed on—only for his toes to go flying. He recoiled with a shriek of pain. That was when a blade touched the back of his head. His face tensed, and he froze in place. He was surrounded by invisible blades.

[Assistant] “…Ha-ha…seriously?” He had only shown it once. Exactly once in battle, and it was an invisible technique, so it wasn’t like she had actually seen it. More importantly, she never even passed this way earlier. And yet she had accurately predicted the direction he would take and preemptively placed invisible blades. She had not let Lye escape. Her eyes were tracking him even now.


[User] “Hee-ha-ha.” Lye laughed. There was nothing else he could do. He loved her. It was the first time he had yearned so strongly for something. He was head over heels for her impossible strength. And…

[Assistant] “Ah! Wait, wait please! Wait just a little! Just a little bit longer is enough! Just a little bit more!” No matter how much he pleaded with her through her Clairvoyance, it couldn’t carry his voice. He knew that. His desperate shouts were not for her—they were to urge himself forward. In a panic, Lye clung to the wall beside him. He had been too quick to abandon all that he had eaten. If he had just kept the Fist King’s ability, it wouldn’t have been so much work. Saving those thoughts for later, Lye hit the invisible blade with his arms. Both of his hands fell off, and blood spurted from his wrists. Owww. Owww. It hurts. It hurts. It hurts. But that doesn’t matter now.

[User] “Accept our feelings! Witness our plea!” He pushed his bleeding arms against the wall, and with all his might, he frantically wrote. Every bit of his small body was dedicated to writing massive letters on the wall of the tower in dark blood.

[Assistant] “Pwah.” Stepping back and opening his right eye wide, he admired his work. He hoped this bloody message he wrote would reach the person he desired, from the depths of his heart. If it was her, he was sure she would watch to the very end, overlapping with him all the way.

[User] “We lov—” —Before the Archbishop of Gluttony could finish what he was saying, his head was sent flying by a blade of wind.

[Assistant] “Fulla.” Waving her finger, Ram said just one word.


[User] Chasing after the fleeing Gluttony, Ram sent just a single blade of wind. She had easily tracked his location using her Clairvoyance. She had set a little trick to slow him and be sure her aim was true, but it had done well for rushed work. And just before the final blade reached him, Gluttony had done something nonsensical. Cutting his own arms off, he had written a message in blood on the wall. It was a malicious harassment, repulsive, one-sided, and not worth even looking at, but…

[Assistant] After watching him scrawl that bloody message until the moment his life was extinguished, Ram finally allowed herself to close her eyes. She had watched because she couldn’t rest until she was sure he was dead. Not because she felt even the slightest obligation to watch over him in his final moments. The defiler had bungled his last choice. If he had been concerned about the lives of his siblings, Ram might have considered showing him a bit of mercy. Instead, he used them as bait to deceive her in a desperate bid to keep himself alive. He probably didn’t know how to return what he had eaten. If he did, he would have offered it for a chance to save himself. But he had not. Of course he received his just deserts.

[User] “Live by the blade, die by the blade. Those who cling to magic will fall to magic. Any who rely on fire will perish by the flames. And Oni always pay their debts.”

[Assistant] That was the logic of retribution that Ram followed. She finally lowered her arm and took a long breath. Then she turned around and started heading back to the ravaged hallway. She couldn’t fight too close to that place, so she had intentionally put distance between it and Lye. Bothered by that sense of distance, Ram naturally hurried her feet.


[User] —Tsss. The pitch-black dragon was deftly hiding Rem behind her body. She clearly intended to be a shield in the worst case, if Ram had not been the one to return. Even as battered as she was, she still diligently followed Subaru’s orders.

[Assistant] Or is it that you wanted to protect Rem, too?

[User] “I see… Good girl, Patrasche.” She gently rubbed the ground dragon’s neck. Given the severity of her wounds, Patrasche clearly needed to return to the green room. As loyal as she was, she was too badly hurt to force herself anymore. Ram didn’t want to ask the impossible from the person—the dragon—who had protected her sister. Praising Patrasche’s efforts, Ram moved to Rem, who was hidden behind her. She had already ended the horn resonance that had connected them earlier. The horn on her forehead had receded.


[User] However, the effect of her bearing the load of Ram’s Oni god strength had surely been a heavy burden. Thinking of the consequences that would hit her before long was already making her heavyhearted. However…

[Assistant] "Now isn’t the time for such terrible thoughts.” Slowly kneeling there, Ram touched her sleeping sister’s cheek.

[User] Her bond with a sister that she couldn’t recognize had become more solid than ever before, and her heart swelled with love and adoration. She had lived with her broken horn, losing the strength of the second coming of the Oni god, up until this day. Ram had always believed that blazing night had been what made her who she was, and she didn’t think that was a bad thing. But today it changed. The reason Ram’s horn had been broken that day was…

[Assistant] “—So that I could know we are sisters today.” Through their shared consciousness, she could tell when their souls touched that they were twins. No one in this world could possibly replace her sister.

[User] “I want to talk to you even more than before. How did we spend our time together? What sort of past did we live? Let’s fill the gaps of our missing memories together.”

[Assistant] As long as time kept flowing, future memories would continue piling up. To make sure those wouldn’t disappear and to protect them from vanishing without warning, she would share her memories every night.

[User] “Let’s talk of all our yesterdays.” The sleeping princess didn’t respond. But refusing to let it end on that silence, Ram smiled. And then her lips moved, this time without any doubt about how she felt.

[Assistant] “—I love you, Rem.” No matter what may come to pass, that feeling would never change. By chance, it was the same sentiment the twisted Archbishop had spoken in his final moments, but even if it was the same words, the meaning simply was not comparable. It sounded different coming from someone who lived for love, rather than from someone who didn’t understand the first thing about it. It would never have the same ring to it.


[User] It was crucial to form a solid mental image to mold the ice into the shape she wanted. When Subaru first suggested Icebrand Arts to her, Emilia had thought it sounded incredibly useful but wasn’t sure whether she would be able to do it.

[Assistant] Thinking back on that now, she realized it had been baseless—no, he had given her a supportive push because he liked her.

[User] In the process of learning to create the weapons she imagined, Emilia had practiced drawing a lot.

[Assistant] To Emilia, those were precious memories that she couldn’t bring herself to let go of. She might have disappeared from everyone’s minds, but those were memories that Subaru still had, too.

[User] "Turn that into courage with a heave!" Emilia steeled her resolve and faced the Holy Dragon Volcanica with ice weapon in hand, accompanied by her seven ice soldiers.

[Assistant] A mental image was absolutely crucial in forming the ice properly. That applied to her weapons, of course, but it was the same for the ice soldiers, too. Naturally, they had taken a shape that was easy for Emilia to visualize. And that was why Emilia was fighting alongside seven Natsuki Subarus.

[User] "But they’re even stronger than the real Subaru, and more nimble, too!"

[Assistant] Their toughness relied on the density of Emilia’s mana, and it would be a mistake to assume they were the same as regular ice sculptures. Like her summoned weapons, they were as tough as steel.

[User] "Go!" Following her orders, a soldier charged forward and entered Volcanica’s range.

[Assistant] Judging from the tail swipe earlier, the dragon’s range was around twenty feet— In an instant, as if sensing a determination to take the pillar, Volcanica’s blue tail moved at high speed. It tore a hole in the air itself. That was the only explanation Emilia could think of to explain the odd noise she heard.

[User] "Sorry!" An instant later, the lead soldier’s upper body shattered, and the head that wore the same mean glare as Subaru went flying.


[User] "But that means it isn’t just me being targeted.” She felt bad for the soldier that she had used to test her theory, but now she was sure she knew what Volcanica’s aim was.

[Assistant] The Holy Dragon had been left behind, forgetting even about the examination, but even so, its determination to intercept all who tried to confront the pillar remained.

[User] It did not matter whether they were alive or not. In which case, she had a plan. “Please, soldiers!”

[Assistant] "—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor.” Sensing the approaching soldiers, the Holy Dragon spoke again, but those words had become a meaningless string of noises.

[User] Emilia felt a terrible loneliness at seeing the figure before her who had become a deaf puppet.

[Assistant] Volcanica had been trying to protect something so much that it had ended up in this terrible state. She didn’t know who or what it was, or why Volcanica had made such a promise, but…

[User] "—I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will.”

[Assistant] “Form a line!” Aiming to stop the dragon’s tail movements, she had five soldiers line up shoulder to shoulder.

[User] Another odd sound came from the Holy Dragon’s tail as it swung hard to sweep them aside. The movement was similar to how Subaru’s whip moved, but the speed and force were on a completely different level.

[Assistant] Emilia could grab Subaru’s whip out of the air with her hand, but she couldn’t manage that with the dragon’s tail. It swept away the five ice soldiers lined up together and crouching to hold on. However, once Emilia knew it was coming, she knew a way to deal with it.

[User] The ice soldiers were sturdier and thicker. Even as their bodies cracked, the soldiers who resembled Subaru smirked. And the last soldier leaped out from behind the line of five who had been enough to stop exactly one strike.

[Assistant] The final ice soldier alone had a different mission. It wielded what looked like a polearm with two forks meant to safely pin a person to the ground.

[User] With the half circle formed by the two forks, the ice soldier pinned the tail against the ground to prevent another attack and—

[Assistant] "—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor.”

[User] The six ice soldiers started celebrating with high fives when a sound rang out and their bodies shattered. Completely erased from the hips up, what was left of the ice soldiers collapsed. They hadn’t been defeated by the tail wriggling free, but by Volcanica’s claws.

[Assistant] As its tail was immobile, Volcanica swung its left front leg instead. The enormous force of the blow was more than enough to kill Emilia if she had been any less careful. “If your tail and legs are fine, then…argh! Why is your head the only thing empty? !”

[User] "—I am Volcanica.


[User] "By ancient oath, I ask thy will.”"

[Assistant] “I know that already!”

[User] Even as she listened to it again, Emilia had too bold a spirit to break. All that had broken were the ice soldiers. And there was no need to cry over them. As Emilia ran, seven spears passed overhead as they hurtled toward the Holy Dragon. They had come from the ice soldiers that had been re-formed in their starting positions.

[Assistant] Emilia couldn’t create more than seven at once, but she could remake them when they shattered. Her soldiers would keep standing back up so long as Emilia didn’t run out of strength. Just like the real Natsuki Subaru.

[User] “—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor.”

[Assistant] “Kyah? !”

[User] Volcanica swatted down the flying spears with its front leg. The attack seemed almost to tear through space, creating a shock wave that made it look like the tracks of its claws would just continue forever, swallowing Emilia, the ice soldiers, and the entire first floor in a raging storm.

[Assistant] “Please!” Just before being swallowed up by that blast, Emilia stepped closer to the pillar. She was confident in her athletics, but that alone wouldn’t be enough to carry her to the pillar from there… Still, this was enough. The first ice soldier that re-formed dropped low and pressed its hands together. It acted as a springboard when Emilia stepped onto its hands, giving her a powerful boost when she leaped into the air. Her aim wasn’t the pillar itself. It was—

[User] “—the top!” She soared high above, clearing Volcanica’s head and coming very close to the pillar. From there, if she just touched the very top—

[Assistant] “…Eh?” Right as her fingers were about to meet the pillar, there was a quiet wave of heat that came from down below. —No, it wasn’t silent. The force and heat were so great that it drowned out all sound. As the very concept of sound apparently failed, it was no surprise that Emilia didn’t hear anything. What she did notice was the destruction of all the ice soldiers on the first floor. The one that had boosted her jump, the four that had supported her advance by throwing spears of ice, and the two racing to add more restraining polearms—they’d all disappeared. They hadn’t been vanquished by Volcanica’s tail or front legs.

[User] “—I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will.” She could hear the very air crackling even as those words remained as solemn as ever. When that repeated phrase reached her ears yet again, Emilia realized that sound had finally returned to the world. At the same moment, her fingers latched on to the pillar. Somehow managing to steady her grip, Emilia looked down. The floor below her was glowing white.


[User] A few spots were still steaming, but there was no other trace of the ice soldiers that should have been standing down there. That showed how intense the heat must have been, never mind the force and destructive power… Holy Dragon Volcanica’s breath had incinerated everything.

[Assistant] "—I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will." Emilia’s eyes shot open as she watched Volcanica spread its blue wings and rise.

[User] “Not good!” Realizing the danger after seeing what had happened below, Emilia frantically reached out for the top of the pillar.


[Assistant] Volcanica rose, freeing its tail from the restraining polearms, and slowly opened its wings with very deliberate movements. The Holy Dragon intended to take flight.

[User] Volcanica could obviously fly, but Emilia had never seen a flying dragon, so she couldn’t really picture it in her head. Could something that big even stay in the air?

[Assistant] “I’ve never seen anything other than Puck or Roswaal flying…” It seemed natural to Emilia that Puck could fly, since he was a spirit, and that Roswaal could fly, because he was an eccentric mage, of course.

[User] She had heard once that in the Volakian Empire to the south, there were flying dragons in addition to the familiar ground dragons and water dragons, but was Volcanica the same sort of flying dragon? Or was it a fundamental mistake to group them together…?

[Assistant] “Heave! Ho! Heave! Ho!” Emilia pulled herself up the pillar as fast as she could. Anyone watching from a distance would have been blown away by her sheer speed, but even with her unexpected strength and a head start, Emilia didn’t get far enough.

[User] "—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor." It wasn’t her imagination that that voice sounded much closer than before. It wasn’t coming from far down below but from about the same height. The massive Holy Dragon was somehow flying in the air with its blue wings. Volcanica rose grandly in the sky above the desert and showed no sign of decline or deficiency. Everything from the pressure it gave off to its piercing gaze—and not to mention the tail, claws, and breath—were proof that this was the ultimate dragon spoken of in legends.

[Assistant] “I! Am trying to go higher than the first floor! I might not be your enemy!”

[User] "—I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will." Speaking over her, like it wanted to show it had no interest in listening, Volcanica loomed menacingly over Emilia as she clung to the pillar. Then it swung its tail, threatening to crush Emilia and the pillar along with her…

[Assistant] She quickly pulled her body up and escaped a direct hit. Unfortunately, the blow to the pillar made her lose her grip, and a weightless feeling quickly enveloped her body.


[User] She fell, wasting all the effort she had put into climbing so high—until she stopped. "Kyah!"

[Assistant] Emilia should have dropped tens of yards, given how far she had climbed. However, her bottom landed on something much sooner than she expected. Reaching down, her hand felt something rugged and hard… "Did…?"

[User] "—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor." Emilia heard the voice from extremely close as the high-altitude breeze whipped at her face, and she felt the surface she was sitting on.

[Assistant] Emilia finally realized what had happened. She had fallen onto Holy Dragon Volcanica’s back. "—Gah! This isn’t the time to doze off! If I’m here, then—"

[User] She could use Volcanica as a launchpad to grab back on to the pillar. That idea quickly came to Emilia, but just as quickly, she realized that would be easier said than done. Volcanica flapped its wings and began to ascend while simultaneously twisting its body to shake her off. "—Uh, ughhhhh!"

[Assistant] Enduring the powerful wind buffeting her, Emilia desperately clung to the dragon’s back. It was a gale unlike any she had experienced before—she was clinging to scales that were each large and sturdy, like boulders, but she couldn’t hold on long. "—If I fall, I won’t be able to see Subaru and the others again." If she wasn’t careful opening her mouth, the rushing wind threatened to tear at her lungs. She put her head down, gritted her teeth, and, behind closed eyes, Emilia thought of all the people who were precious to her. It was almost like she was preparing mentally to face death. But that wasn’t it. When people were on the verge of crumbling under the pressure of fear or unease, they often closed their eyes. But when she did that, the people Emilia saw internally all faced forward, even—and especially—in moments like this. In moments like this, they didn’t shut themselves off from the world. She had to open her eyes. To reach, to take someone’s hand and… "—That weirdo."

[User] Up, down, left, right. Everything everywhere was blue. The reason for that was partly because she was high up in the sky, above the clouds, but also because the Holy Dragon she was clinging to had dazzling blue scales. Everything else was moving past so fast that even with Emilia’s high visual acuity that could see the seams on a thrown ball, she couldn’t track the world passing by her. And so what Emilia’s consciousness latched on to wasn’t the blue world outside.

[Assistant] "—I am Volcanica. By ancient oath, I ask thy will."

[User] It was Volcanica, twisting and turning its body as it flew. It seemed that the spot Emilia was clinging to was near the base of one of Volcanica’s wings. Strangely, the dragon wasn’t moving its wings that much. Birds and insects flapped their wings so much to fly, but the way a dragon flew was apparently very different.


[User] "Roswaal uses magic…and Puck has some kind of mysterious power.”

[Assistant] "Do you not like having your neck tickled?" Forcing her purple eyes open, she saw the Holy Dragon’s long neck.

[User] "Don’t do that, Lia. If you tickle me, it’ll mess up my focus.”

[Assistant] “…Right, Puck." Emilia focused.

[User] “—Mr. Soldiers.” Focusing her consciousness, she manifested more ice soldiers around the white scale.

[Assistant] “GGGGHH? !"


[User] “Aaaaaaah!! !” Emilia cried out as the world spun around her.

[Assistant] “GGHHH!”


[User] Seeing it crying out as if to crush the sky between its jaws, Emilia’s eyes widened. “Puck seemed to like it…” Scolding herself for assuming that that meant Volcanica would like it, too, Emilia checked her arms and legs.

[Assistant] “Ah! This is…” Looking around, she realized she had reached a point even higher than the first floor.

[User] “Hooray! It was worth it!” With a humble reaction that didn’t seem to match the scale of her achievement, Emilia put her hand on her chest and immediately ran to the center of the highest floor.

[Assistant] “Please be a problem I can understand…” Fearful of that, Emilia raced to the center of the highest floor.

[User] “Someone’s…handprints?”


[User] “Meili!! !” Subaru and Beatrice rushed over to where she lay in the sands. When they lifted her, they saw for the first time the true extent of her wounds.

[Assistant] "This isn’t the time to drift off! What am I here for, if not this?” Subaru pulled himself together with a smack and began calling upon the power within him. Cor Leonis had been active this the whole time, and now he used its ability to share the burden of his comrades, taking some of the damage Meili had received onto himself.

[User] “It’s fine. You got this. You can do this, Natsuki Subaru.”

[Assistant] “…Ngh!” Suddenly, Subaru got a taste of the suffering Meili was feeling. He groaned with a pain, like his insides were burning.

[User] “Not good…!” Even though he talked a big game, it was impossible for him to carry both of their burdens fully. In which case, he had to prioritize Meili, since her life depended on it.

[Assistant] “She’s going to give me an earful after this…”

[User] “Hah! After all that talk, look at you now. That’s Barusu for you.” Imagining an uncannily realistic reaction, Subaru swallowed that bitter thought, along with the taste of blood.

[Assistant] “This is…a little problematic…!” Spitting out the blood pooling in his mouth, he raised Meili’s body. He leaped back, dodging a gabaou’s flaming lance, while Beatrice’s purple missiles drove it away.


[User] The gabaou attacking just now was the one that had been letting them ride it for the past few minutes. A betrayal by a shrewd demon beast when the going got rough—that would have made for nice plot development, but the reality was that it had simply reverted to normal, now that Meili’s blessing was no longer in effect. Without her directions, demon beasts were enemies of all people. And there were countless of those demon beasts all around them in this sea of sand.

[Assistant] "Beako! Meili’s hurt bad! You need to heal her!"

[User] "That’s quite obvious, I suppose! But I’m a little busy for that right this moment."

[Assistant] "Yeah, I know! It was my mistake pushing Meili too much. I’ll cover the tab." Or rather, he had already started making payments, but the interest was piling up fast, and Subaru’s balances were getting strained even after cutting down on his financing for Ram.

[User] "No, this is where I stand my ground. I can’t call myself a man if I don’t—"

[Assistant] "Fwaaah! I suppose!"

[User] "Whoa?!" Subaru held Meili’s body with gritted teeth as the effects of his authority hit his entire body. Then Beatrice suddenly leaped onto his back. Suddenly having her on his back was a shock to Subaru. Of course, she was as light as cotton candy, so it didn’t slow his flight, but…

[Assistant] "Stop trying to bear everything alone, Subaru. We’re partners, and Meili is one of our comrades, too. You aren’t the only one who promised to help." Clutching Subaru’s whole head, Beatrice pleaded with him softly.

[User] Subaru fell silent, and with a gentle healing magic, Beatrice performed first aid on Meili’s wounds. He could feel the warm light healing Meili. That warmth was how much Beatrice cared for everyone.

[Assistant] "—Giiiiiii." Behind them, the falling-out with the demon beast allies was rapidly developing. Fortunately, even with Meili’s blessing out of commission, it wasn’t as if the crimson scorpion and the gabaou were suddenly ready to sign a neutrality agreement, and the same seemed true of the other demon beasts, too. The crimson scorpion’s sweeping pincers and tail took down around half the demon beasts chasing them. Of course, the other half were still coming, so they couldn’t just stop and enjoy the sights.

[User] "Our options are…" No, actually nothing, really. Taking in Beatrice’s words, the warmth she felt for Meili—even if that wasn’t enough to get them out of this, there were ways to change the situation. However, he had no idea whether he could pull it off without trying first, and the model for it was the worst one possible, so he was hesitant to try. But…

[Assistant] "Subaru! If you’re holding back for Betty’s sake, then don’t! And if it’s another reason, then Betty will apologize together with you after all this!"

[User] "I want to share the joy and the pain with you…so don’t leave Betty behind!"


[User] "That’s the condition of our pact!” Beatrice angrily shouted at him, seeing the look on Subaru’s face.

[Assistant] Taking courage from her words, Subaru gave in.

[User] “I’ll always love you, Beako.”

[Assistant] “Betty loves you more.”

[User] With that exchange, Subaru looked down at Meili, who was on the verge of death in his arms, resolving himself not to let her slip away…

[Assistant] “—Cor Leonis, Second Gear.” He shifted to a higher level inside himself.

[User] “Second Gear—the division of burden.” …taking the burden of his comrades that Subaru should have been bearing alone and sharing it among those who wished to help shoulder the load.

[Assistant] “—Subaru.”

[User] “Yeah?”

[Assistant] “…This is really, really rough!! !” Beatrice cried.

[User] “Yeah, it really, really is!! !” Subaru shouted back.

[Assistant] “Incidentally, is there any chance I could ask you to share a little…?”

[User] “” “Guess not. Too bad.” While Beatrice, on his shoulders, was healing Meili, Subaru turned his attention to the crimson scorpion.

[Assistant] “Beako!


[User] "Do something different with your head and body!"

[Assistant] "—Ngh, that’s a difficult ask!! !" Asking her to continue healing Meili with her body, he needed her to think of a way out of this situation with him. Because the crimson scorpion’s glowing tail was being aimed right at them…

[User] "—E M M!! !" As they played their first trump card of perfectly conjured defense magic, the shock wave of the attack swallowed the three of them up.


[Assistant] "—Someone’s handprints?" Emilia murmured this as she stood in front of the central pillar. Her purple eyes widened as she looked at the six handprints pressed into the surface of the monolith. They were all different sizes. She didn’t know whose they were. But if they intentionally left their handprints together like that, then they must have been friends and connected with this tower somehow…

[User] "? Wait, this is…" As she thought that, Emilia felt something off about one of the handprints. The one closest to the edge—and the one next to it that was a similar size. Those two were clearly smaller than the others. She guessed they were women’s hands. And the one that caught her attention was…

[Assistant] "This is…my handprint…?" Furrowing her brow, she looked down at her own right hand. It didn’t make sense, but she couldn’t shake the feeling. One of the handprints on the monolith looked like hers.

[User] Inhaling, Emilia faced the monolith. And to answer the question in her head, she reached out her right hand…

[Assistant] "—Thou who hath reached the tower’s peak, petitioner of omnipotence who treads upon the first floor."

[User] "—Whah?! It’s back!" Just before she could touch the monolith, a stern voice fell down on Emilia from above. Looking up, she could see Volcanica’s wings were flapping as the dragon descended to the highest floor.

[Assistant] Turning away from the monolith, Emilia faced the Holy Dragon again. It had been rough climbing up the pillar, but if things continued here, it would be difficult. The top floor was smaller than the first floor, and it would be hard to move around.

[User] "And it would be really bad if the monolith was broken…" The handprint felt familiar, but it also seemed likely to be related to the examination. Emilia readied herself to protect it to the last.

[Assistant] Its mouth opened to unleash a breath that would leave everything in cinders—"…Why art thou here?"

[User] "Eh?" —However, what fell upon her wasn’t a fiery breath, but a question. It was so unexpected that Emilia was taken by surprise. Because it wasn’t the same thing Volcanica had been repeating ever since she’d reached the first floor. It was a question brought forth from the Holy Dragon’s own mind.

[Assistant] "Have you come to your senses? Then can you talk about other things? There’s a lot I want to talk about!"


[User] "Like the examination, or how to change the rules!” Catching a glimpse of hope, Emilia immediately fired back.

[Assistant] “Hey, please! Let’s have a proper—”

[User] "Hopping around so wildly. What would ye do shouldst thou fall? Were the worst to happen, it is I who would be scolded. Since none can match thee.”

[Assistant] “Volcanica…?” Worried about everyone in the tower, Emilia pleaded desperately with Volcanica, who again said something other than its repeated message.

[User] Volcanica’s golden eyes looked down at her with a distinctly peaceful tinge. The warmth was wholly unlike the vague distance earlier. It was gentle and peaceful. Affectionate, even…

[Assistant] “Where did Flugel and Reid go? Shaula will be sad if they leave without saying anything. And Falseil will stir up a clamorous fuss.” Volcanica continued, still looking gently down at Emilia.


[User] The dragon had a gaze as if seeing something long past, saying the names Flugel, Reid, Shaula, and one other… Emilia couldn’t say for sure who it was without asking their family name, but it sounded familiar. If her memory wasn’t playing tricks on her. “Falseil, as in Falseil Lugunica? The king from four hundred years ago?”

[Assistant] That was a name she had encountered many times in her studies for the royal selection. Falseil Lugunica—the thirty-fifth ruler of the Kingdom of Lugunica, who ruled the country four hundred years ago during the age of the Witch. The last Lion King who formed the covenant with Holy Dragon Volcanica and led Lugunica into its golden age.

[User] Emilia glanced at the monolith behind her. The six handprints. If they had anything to do with what Volcanica was saying, then would four of them be Flugel, Reid, Shaula, and Falseil? The other two were unclear, but one of them was presumably the one whose handprint matched Emilia’s. “Did I…forget something else besides my forest family? !”

[Assistant] That was the first suspect, since Emilia had sealed away her own memories once before. Had she maybe somehow wandered here and left her handprint, and then forgotten all about it? “…No, that can’t be it. If only Puck were here. He would know whether I’d been here before or not.”

[User] "—What dost trouble you?"

[Assistant] “Ah, ummm, I’m fine. Thank you for your concern, though. Thanks, but…” In the end, it was questionable whether she could really talk with Volcanica, and so she was a bit troubled. Thinking about what she should do…

[User] "Please speak if thou art troubled. Allow us to remove thy anguish, Satella.”

[Assistant] She caught her breath at being called that.

[User] It wasn’t the first time she had been called that. A half-elf with silver hair and purple eyes. Many people in this world who saw Emilia associated her with the same person. However, it was odd hearing Volcanica speak the name Satella with affection in its voice. Because Volcanica, Reid, and Flugel, who pushed credit for all his achievements onto Shaula, were the very ones who had sealed away Satella, the Witch of Jealousy. “Why are you speaking so kindly to the Witch of Jealousy?”

[Assistant] It was a question spoken in wonder. It would have been a rough ask to demand Emilia realize it in that moment, but at the very least, looking objectively, that phrase was what set things off.

[User] “…The Witch of Jealousy.”


[Assistant] That phrase caused a change in Volcanica’s distant gaze. There was a dramatic transformation in those golden eyes.

[User] Raised in the woods, Emilia had experience in the wild. She had seen many animals and demon beasts who underwent a similar sort of change. And so she instinctively lowered her head.

[Assistant] The next instant, the air right where her head had been exploded. Space itself had been compressed, then after it swelled back up, everything exploded.


[User] If she had been even a split second slower to duck, she would have died. Whether it was the tail swipe earlier, this spatial distortion, or climbing the tower, Emilia had been through many brushes with death. But this was perhaps the most dangerous one yet.

[Assistant] “But everything managing to work out means I might be really lucky right now…!” Emilia interpreted the situation in a positive light as she slipped away from the dragon with a swift movement. If she didn’t stay positive, she might have collapsed because of all the changes going on around her. Because…

[User] “Satella.” Volcanica spread its wings again, facing her with unmistakable hostility. Just when it had seemed like it had come to its senses, the Holy Dragon had changed back. Not just back. It looked even more ready to fight than before.

[Assistant] “Icicle Line.” That meant there was no need for Emilia to hold back. She unleashed her magic power with renewed determination. The air cracked from the cold, and a white fog began to form. Even if this was the top floor high above the clouds, she still froze the world white around her. With a crack, an ice weapon slowly formed out of the ground. Drawing that spear, Emilia spun it around and thrust it forward. “But…” Looking straight into her opponent’s golden eyes, she wanted to believe that Volcanica’s response was a misunderstanding and a case of mistaken identity, since Volcanica’s eyes were filled with such grief-stricken sorrow.

[User] “Satella. Right, Satella. We must stop thou who wert reduced to the Witch of Jealousy.”

[Assistant] “…Were you friends?”

[User] “Had we not hesitated that day. Had we not hesitated, no one…” It didn’t answer her question. But Volcanica’s trembling voice sounded like an answer nonetheless. The dragon inhaled deeply, preparing another breath that would scorch the world.

[Assistant] Emilia stepped in, to hit that white scale before it came. If she couldn’t do that, there would be no saving her or anyone else. “—Subaru, Beatrice, Ram, Rem, Meili, Patrasche, Echidna, Julius, Anastasia, Shaula.” She thought of everyone who was going through such a difficult time in the tower. Everyone she had to help, everyone who raised their heads with the same goal as she had. Doing that, a swell of power that she didn’t know welled up inside her breast. “Witch of Jealousy, Satella!! !”

[User] “No, you’re wrong. I’m Emilia, the Freezing Witch of the Great Elior Forest.” Emilia poured the new strength all through her body and answered the Holy Dragon, who was apparently mistaking her for someone who looked similar. The enemy was the Holy Dragon, but what of it? She had everyone with her. So… “—If nothing else, please remember that name!” The final phase of the battle enveloping the Pleiades Watchtower began with an explosion of light above and below the clouds.


[User] If there was anything capable of simultaneously observing those two battlefields separated by a thick layer of clouds, among many other things, it could only be an observer outside the world. The battles that had developed in the efforts to clear the Pleiades Watchtower were finally reaching their climax. The situation was…

[Assistant] "Whoooooooa!! !" Subaru shouted as the sandy ground where it landed exploded, sending a cloud of dust into the air and a shock wave rampaging through the surroundings.

[User] The destructive force assaulting them was enough to obliterate Subaru’s body in an instant. The only reason it had not happened was…

[Assistant] "E M M!! !"

[User] …one of the three original magics that Subaru and Beatrice had developed together. In a vague sense, it stopped the flow of time for Subaru’s and Beatrice’s bodies, preventing them from being influenced by anything external to themselves. A sort of perfect defense magic.

[Assistant] "—Agh…" In Subaru’s arms, Meili groaned weakly, her eyes still closed.

[User] It was a pained expression, but painful as it was, it was also proof of life. The damage flowing into Subaru from her seemed to be gradually easing as Beatrice’s healing magic took effect. It was probably still within the margin of error, but it should be a turn for the better. Probably.

[Assistant] "It’s difficult using healing magic and E M M at the same time, I suppose! If it weren’t for Betty, the three of us would have long since kicked the bucket! I demand hugs as a reward after this!"

[User] "I’ll give you thousands of ’em! Just…" Grateful for Beatrice, Subaru probed inside himself. In terms of damage, there was nothing to do but grit his teeth and bear it. The problem was his mana reserves…despite not being any use except as an MP canister, Subaru’s tank could only hold the same amount as an average person—a little bit below average, even. The multiple uses of E M M were draining those reserves, like water pouring out of a hole in a bucket. At this rate, they would have to stop either the healing or the E M M.

[Assistant] "But not healing Meili isn’t an option…!"

[User] "Then it’s up to you to decide when we stop using E M M and how to handle what comes next!"

[Assistant] "Aye-aye, leave it to me. I’m counting on you to heal Meili while being a handy spirit ready to do whatever I ask the moment I say it!"

[User] "That’s! A bad way! To put it!"

[Assistant] Exchanging glances, they severed E M M without any discord and leaped away to escape. Behind them, the crimson scorpion and the swarm of demon beasts fought among each other while all chasing after Subaru. Still not allowed to get too far from the tower, the most dangerous thing was that the crimson scorpion was aggressively targeting Subaru.

[User] "—ghh!"


[User] “E M T!” The light around its tail and in its compound eyes increased, and he could already sense a future where a white flash annihilated his head. Shouting as he visualized that imminent death, they activated their second original magic. E M T solved E M M’s weakness of not being able to move. It was a counter spell that erased any type of magic head-on—in theory, there was nothing lathered with mana that E M T couldn’t negate. However… “We had to use another trump card five seconds after canceling E M M!” It was rather obvious to anyone who was paying attention that they were cornered, at a dead end, and in a pinch. The third and final original magic crossed his mind, but it was incomplete. If they messed up, all three of them might end up in an imaginary realm… “I don’t believe in myself enough to go all in on the big stage…!” Even if he could acknowledge that this Natsuki Subaru guy was kind of impressive, he couldn’t just accept that he was some superman who could get out of any situation. All he had was being bad at giving up. He just stood back up after getting beaten down more often than most people. But that meant he had been beaten down more than most people. “This isn’t the time to get cold feet. It’s a risky gamble, but…”

[Assistant] “—You’ll make it work with stubbornness and vanity? That does sound just like you.” Just when Subaru was about to decide, there was no choice but to try. A voice suddenly rang out from overhead, and a figure appeared between them and the onrushing death. It was so dazzling that Subaru had to squint. It was dazzling in every sense of the word. The newcomer was gleaming with a rainbow aura. “—Al Clauzeria.” The next instant, a light erupted to blast away the furious flash charging down on them. A destructive shock wave, blazing flames, and a thrust with all of his life imbued into it. Driven back by a dark light, swallowed up by a swelling wave, deflected by a swirling desert wind. It was as if nature itself was being manipulated, and the source of it was the dignified figure who landed atop the sand and swung his long, slender knight’s sword… “I hurried as fast as my legs would carry me. Things were looking dangerous here.” Joining the fight in the desert.

[User] “Julius…” Subaru’s voice quivered. “You… My message was for you to help in the other dangerous places once you finished up!”

[Assistant] “Indeed, I received your message. That’s why I came. Apologies, but compared to the others, I judged this would be the most dangerous location.”

[User] “Who asked you?! And what’s that scratch?! What about Reid? !”

[Assistant] “I suffered a complete and satisfying defeat. He fled with his victory.”

[User] “Lame! If you’re gonna fight, then win!"


[User] "I’m only gonna say it once, but thanks. If you hadn’t come, we were gonna die!" Julius sported a new white scar under his right eye and gave a dignified chuckle at that mix of gratitude and complaints.

[Assistant] "Made up with your quasi-spirits?"

[User] "More precisely, my sprouts have bloomed and become full spirits. And made up is not correct, either. It isn’t as though we had broken up." As Julius smiled, there were six bright lights all around him.

[Assistant] "It took everything I had to persuade Beako. You’re just gobblin’ spirits up."

[User] "Unfortunately, I was the one who got gobbled."

[Assistant] "That isn’t funny! And when did you learn to make jokes like that?!" Subaru’s eyes widened at seeing Julius joke like that about what had happened to him.

[User] "Julius! You came at the perfect time! Let me borrow Qua!"

[Assistant] "—Understood." Julius immediately assented to Beatrice’s request. One look at Meili in Subaru’s arms was enough for him to immediately realize this was a race against time.

[User] "It also seems there is a need to stall for time."

[Assistant] "Yeah, as you can see. Shaula’s all red and pissed off now. Can you do it? You just lost to another red guy, right?"

[User] "It would be an affront to a lady’s honor to call her a rebound." Julius raised his sword and faced Shaula head-on.

[Assistant] "Subaru, I shall take Ms. Shaula. As for the rest—"

[User] "Manage things my own self somehow. Got it."

[Assistant] "No, work together with lady Beatrice to accomplish it."

[User] "In moments like this, Beako makes up three-quarters of the calculation for my own strength."

[Assistant] "Thanks for coming back…"

[User] "I am pleased you have reassessed your own worth as well."


[User] Julius advanced, so that the demon beast’s attacks couldn’t reach the three of them, decreasing the damage they could receive by putting himself into the line of fire.

[Assistant] Meanwhile, Subaru focused on getting Meili as far from danger from demon beasts as he could while buying time for their win condition. Or so he thought.

[User] “—!” A shocking sensation made Subaru’s head jerk up. The reason was a sudden change inside the Pleiades Watchtower. It was…

[Assistant] “—Ram?”

[User] 7 Volcanica’s breath became a blue light that rained down on the highest floor.

[Assistant] “” For an instant, the thought of hiding behind the monolith crossed Emilia’s mind. It was sturdy and might not budge from a dragon’s breath. But in the worst case, if something did happen to it, she had a feeling that would ruin the examination. And unrelated to the issue of the examination, she had a feeling…

[User] “If it got destroyed, that would be really sad…” The monolith with an oddly familiar handprint. She didn’t know how it was related to her. Maybe she was just overthinking things. But she wanted to confirm what that unidentifiable feeling was. So she couldn’t lose it. That meant… She gathered all the reactive mana that she had channeled into her Icicle Line and concentrated it into a single point. Emilia possessed a level of mana that surprised even her, but she couldn’t just control that massive amount of mana all at once. No matter how much mana she stored up, the limit for how much could be released at the same time was her gate. Emilia boasted an output more than ten times that of an average magic caster, but the strength of her long experience as a spirit mage increased her possibilities even further. A mage interacted with the world using mana stored up inside themselves by manipulating their gate. A spirit mage borrowed the strength of spirits, using the mana in the air around them to interact with the world. So there was a certain option available to Emilia, who had a firm grounding in both those traditions. There was a limit on how much water could come out of a faucet, but by storing it in a barrel, it was possible to use even more water. Emilia manifested that concept using her own body and the world around her. Storing the mana overflowing from her outside herself, she could react with a massive amount of magic that ignored the limits of her gate…

[Assistant] “Absolute Zero.” That was what Subaru had called it. It was a theory, an idea that they had decided would be difficult to actually perform. Ironically, at the same time that Subaru was shouting about not being able to trust himself in a one-shot match on the highest stage, Emilia was testing her luck with something she had never once succeeded at, either. —And she would have to make it succeed.


[User] If Emilia’s natural magic power was at a level one, then the force of the magic that she was manifesting with her overflowing power now was at a level ten or maybe even a level one hundred.

[Assistant] In an instant, the sweeping white sky overlooking the world froze, not just as a metaphor but with a force that almost seemed to freeze the unstoppable passage of time.

[User] Even the inescapable death that should have been the dragon’s breath was no exception.

[Assistant] The blue light and absolute zero crashed into each other, giving rise to an emptiness that filled the world.

[User] In an instant, those two extreme powers negated each other, without even a struggle. It was truly astounding, a negation without sound or impact, and what set the frozen time back in motion was Emilia leaping forward, ice spear in hand.

[Assistant] "Teeeeyaaaaaa!!! !" Raising her voice, she charged at Volcanica.

[User] So much strength had left her body, leaving her feeling terribly heavy. Even though the mana she had used had come from outside of her body, it was a massive effort for her to control it.

[Assistant] "But I can’t just stop now!"

[User] "—Satellaaaaa!! !" Volcanica roared at its breath having been stopped and swung its front leg and tail.

[Assistant] An impact from beyond her perception, Emilia protected herself by relying on the feel of the ice crystals all around her—the seven ice soldiers she had created splintered even as they supported her charge.

[User] Leaping to the side to evade the attack swinging down from above, stopping the following swipe with the ice soldiers’ bodies, Emilia stepped on their shoulders and leaped high into the air.

[Assistant] The tail swipe aimed at her in midair was slowed by two soldiers carried piggyback sacrificing themselves—and in that opening, she slipped in close to the dragon.

[User] "That white scale…" Emilia looked up to see if she could touch it, if she could land a blow. And her eyes widened. It was shock. That white scale wasn’t the Holy Dragon’s weak point. It was a large white scar that looked like a scale. "An old wound…"

[Assistant] The wound had long since closed, and there was no reason it should hurt if it was touched. But the Holy Dragon had reacted so strongly to a simple touch, had writhed that much. Realizing it was connected to the old memories that Volcanica couldn’t forget, Emilia gasped.

[User] And in that moment’s hesitation, Volcanica flapped its wings.

[Assistant] "Ah!" Its massive body ascended in an instant, leaving Emilia’s outstretched hand behind.

[User] "No!! !" As she put her hand on the ground, ice swelled beneath her feet.

[Assistant] The on-the-spot ice footing reached into the sky, and Emilia desperately stretched out her hand toward the flying Holy Dragon. As fast as she rose, though, she couldn’t reach.

[User] "—Everyone! Please!! !" Responding to her shout, the ice soldiers rushed up the footholds she had made.


[User] “Sorry!” Emilia leaps from the back of the last ice soldier, their backs crumpling as she firmly plants a foot on them. But all seven of them smiled and gave a thumbs-up as they fell. With their support, Emilia reached her hand toward Volcanica’s tail…

[Assistant] “—Foolish.” The tail was withdrawn, leaving Emilia’s fingers grasping air. And as her eyes widened, the withdrawn tail returned at high speed.

[User] “—Ah.” Thoughts of failure and concern about what to do all swirled in Emilia’s mind. Feeling time seem to slow around her, she desperately searched for a way out, using every bit of her mind and body to discover something.

[Assistant] “I won’t give up, either!”

[User] “—Lady Emilia!! !” In that moment, a powerful wind blew up straight from below, giving Emilia just a little bit of a boost in her ascent.

[Assistant] Understanding that at an instinctive level, Emilia raised her knees. She made herself as small as possible to evade the attack. That allowed the tail to brush past, just barely grazing her toes, though the incredible force did send her spinning at high speed. Overwhelmed by a feeling that threatened to make her insides spill out, Emilia clenched her teeth and created an ice platform in the sky, forcibly stopping herself. There was a loud thud, and Emilia looked down with watery eyes. She felt that impact with her entire body. She used the ceiling of ice in the sky as a foothold and as a vantage point to scan the upside-down world.

[User] “Ram and…!” Ram’s outstretched hand was what had summoned the gust of wind that had aided Emilia’s ascent. Even at this distance, she was obviously exhausted and battered. She poured her strength into her legs once again.