Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu web novel

　Roaring laughter rang out, high and high, far and wide, overlapping with each other.

　In a world permeated with mist, there were three shadows of fish swimming, swaying their massive bodies.

　A grotesque entity with countless distorted mouths all over its body, emanating a high-pitched cry from them. A product of malice that has devoured countless travelers and reduced countless lives to nothing.

　Even a single one of these fish was enough to threaten people and bring them to despair, and now its numbers had multiplied to three, mocking the humans who were trying to resist it.

　Looking up at the massive body of the white whale floating above, the faint sound of someone kneeling reached the ears of the others. Gradually the sounds began to repeat, followed by the high-pitched sound of someone dropping their weapon.

　Looking over, he saw one of the knights who had been part of the extermination force crouching with his shoulders slumped, his head down and his face covered. His shoulders were shaking and no one could stop the sobs that were rising from his throat.

　None of the knight's companions around him had anything to say either.

　They had brought in perfect equipment, had seized the opportunity to strike first with firepower, and had launched an offensive with all their might - yet this was an unreasonable situation.

　The mental contamination had seriously halved their military strength, and their remaining main fighting force was also crushed by a surprise attack from the newly emerged White Whale.

　Even if they mustered their remaining strength, it would still be less than half of what they had in the beginning. On top of that, they would have to face three times as many monsters - there was no way they could win.

　Everyone realized this in an instant, and realized that their lives, their goals, would be crushed here.

　The terror and horror of the monster. And the weight of the precious bond that was stolen by that monster. And the helplessness of our own powerlessness, unable to repay that bond.

　When everything you have built up collapses and the spirit that has supported you is broken, who can blame you for bowing to your knees?

　When faced with an unreasonable, unchangeable reality, who can refuse to give up?

"--Don't make me swallow it!!"

　Suddenly, a roar echoed across the silent plains.

　Hearing the voice, he instinctively raised his head and saw a shadow kicking the ground and leaping towards one of the white whales - the figure of a young girl with the hem of her waitress' uniform fluttering, clutching a vicious iron ball tipped with spikes in her hand.

　Wrapped in a strong wind, the roaring iron ball struck the nose of the frozen white whale. It easily shattered the tough outer skin, gouging out and penetrating the exposed bones and flesh, and continued to spread destruction.

　The white whale screamed, lifting its neck and swinging its tail to fly up into the sky. The white whale's tail was pierced by a blade of ice extending from the ground, and where it had stopped, the circling iron ball struck it again. With one blow from the petite girl, the white whale's massive body shook violently and blood splattered everywhere.

"If it's before I get swallowed up by the stomach, I should be able to do something about it――!"

　It was a boy screaming, clutching his painful shoulder and blood flowing from his forehead.

　He stepped forward, giving orders to the girl swinging the iron ball, grimacing at his own powerlessness at not being able to take part in the battle, but still he stepped forward.

　The earth dragon that had been lying nearby rose to its feet, and the young man slowly climbed onto its back. His posture was obviously awkward, as he was not used to riding, but he held the reins firmly and powerfully.

"Not yet!! --It's not over yet!!"

　In front of the knights who had given up hope, the boy mustered courage, raised his head, bared his teeth, opened his eyes wide, glared at the white whale, and shouted.

"--Don't think that this level of despair will stop me!!"

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　--Subaru clearly felt the footsteps of despair slowly approaching.

　One above my head, one behind me, and one in front of me - three in total, no kidding.

　Do you know how much of our fighting power we put into just one of them, and how much damage they caused? If that doesn't work, you'll just call two of your allies and get real? Don't be ridiculous.

　Just how much more unreasonably must fate toy with us before it is satisfied?

　Having been thrown to the ground while being shielded by Ricardo, Subaru gritted his teeth as he lay there. If he hadn't been clenching his molars like that, he would have let out a whine, a sob.

　The illusion of everything going dark. The brain cannot bear the strain of an unacceptable situation, and you feel like you are about to lose consciousness.

　I feel the familiar despair sneer at me and put its arm around my shoulder in a familiar manner.

　--Well, isn't it about time to give up this time too?

　A dim shadow with no visible face opened its mouth in a crescent shape, and a familiar voice urged him to give up. Those words made Subaru clearly accept the gravity of the situation before him.

　All around him, the knights could be seen bowing to their knees, just like Subaru.

　They too understood that the situation before them was hopeless. They had lost the will to even begin to resist, the strength in everyone's eyes was gone, and the will to hold onto their weapons was gone.

　Suddenly, I looked around at them, and as I was about to sink into the voices of despair as people put their arms around my shoulders, I realized.

　Beside him was Rem, who had been thrown from the earth dragon just like Subaru. She had fallen to the ground, but now she was half-raised, a look of anguish on her beautiful face.

　Her stiff cheeks, pale lips, and trembling eyelids. Looking closely at her, I noticed that she had long eyelashes.

　--I also thought that you look much better when you're smiling.

　that's why,

"Your turn won't come for a long time."

　He roughly removes his arm that had been wrapped around my shoulder in a familiar manner.

　Subaru looked at the shadow, whose mouth twisted in a frown in surprise at his action, and before smiling he unleashed a powerful right straight - the black shadow was blown to pieces, and at the same time his body stopped trembling.

　It's pointless. It's pathetic. There's no time to hesitate, and no time to stop.

　It's because there are two more whales.

　Her arms and legs move. Her face rises, and her eyes are visible. She can make a sound, her voice can be heard. Rem is there. Rem is alive. It's not time to give up on picking everything up just yet.

　--Stand up.

　My heart has been broken again and again, over and over again.

　--Stand up.

　He has been tossed about by an unreasonable fate, and each time he has been forced to endure a despair.

　--Stand up.

　I thought I couldn't take it anymore, so I threw everything away, tried to run away, abandoning everything, but I was forced to face my own heart and realize that even that was not allowed.

　--Stand up.

　For what purpose?

　--Stand up!

"It's for this moment!!"

　He slammed his fist into the ground and used the momentum of his raised body to stand up.

　Subaru roared and raised his head, to which Rem looked at him with a shocked expression. Looking down at her, Subaru held out his hand and glared at the white whale before him.

"It's not over yet. --It won't end."

"...Subaru-kun."

"Let's do it, Rem. This is your chance to show off."

　Hesitantly, he frustratingly grabs the hand that is reaching out to him and pulls him up.

　Subaru held the girl to his chest as she rose to her feet, and faced her face up close,

"Giving up doesn't suit me, you - anyone!"

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　Roaring, Rem leapt at the white whale with all his might, slamming his right fist into the rock face and climbing up. The iron ball swung around on the way up made a loud noise as it chipped away at the rock, and the white whale cried out in agony as it twisted its large body in the onslaught, blood splattering everywhere.

　Rem pounced on the beast that had swallowed Wilhelm from behind. She could see its jaws moving as if chewing, but it hadn't yet gotten to the point where it had swallowed the food.

　In the worst case scenario, he might have been crushed by those millstone-like teeth, but――

"If his head isn't crushed, I'll pull it out somehow!"

　Pulling at the reins, Subaru leaned his weight onto the earth dragon's back, feeling all too unsure.

　It was almost a trial run, with Subaru holding the reins instead of Rem piloting. The journey to Flugel Tree and the two hours after they arrived - that was the short time Subaru had been able to practice handling the earth dragon on his own.

　For Subaru, who had no experience with horse riding in his original world, there was no way he would be able to control an earth dragon with just a few hours of practice.

　He directed the direction and speed, and all he could do was hang on without being thrown off. Nevertheless, the intelligent earth dragon understood Subaru's intentions and abilities, and was concerned about not letting its inexperienced rider on its back fall.

　What a fine earth dragon. Fast, strong, and above all, intelligent. From now on, your name is Patrasche. When I thought of a loyal companion, that was the only thing I could think of.

"Go, Patrasche! Spin around on the whale's nose!"

　He yelled loudly, flicking the reins to make the earth dragon run. Patrasche responded by leaning forward, suppressing her instincts and charging towards the mighty white whale.

　The White Whale was twisting its body desperately trying to shake off Rem who had clung to its body, but upon sensing Subaru's approach, it instinctively turned its head towards him.

"It's Rem's privilege to smell Subaru-kun!"

　Rem leapt into the air and delivered a kick with the force of a cannonball.

　The giant face shook slightly, and then a pursuing iron ball pushed the air aside and came flying in - piercing through one cheek, ravaging the inside of its mouth, and piercing through the other cheek, taking several teeth with it.

　The white whale screams as it gushes out a great deal of yellow fluid and blood. When its body finally hits the ground, it thrashes about like a fish on land, thrashing about recklessly.

　The earth was gouged out, and chunks of soil scattered violently. The wildly swinging tail split the earth, sweeping the wind, and approached Subaru directly beside him in a surprise attack――and it was almost a direct hit,

"Bam, Mimi-sanjo!!"

　The kitten beastman stepped in before the attack could be launched and, waving the wand in his hand, created a magical barrier.

　The yellow glow repelled the blow, creating an opening that allowed the Liger and the Earth Dragon to dash through.

　Taking a deep breath, Subaru looked back at Mimi, the kitten he had just saved,

「Thank goodness! It was going to end abruptly after he said something cool like "we're starting a counterattack!"

"Hmm, you can praise me more! But, you did a good job today, so I'll call it a draw!"

"Did you try your best...?"

　Subaru puffed out his chest, then turned his head to look at Mimi who was smiling at him. The girl then lightly flicked the whiskers on his cheek with her fingers,

"Everyone was shaking and unable to stand up, but you were the first to recover, weren't you? Great job, amazing, second only to Mimi!"

"It's no big deal. I just can't make you despair over something like this."

　Subaru bit his lip in response to Mimi's loud praise.

　That's right. It's not something to be praised for. Do you think how much suffering Subaru has had to endure up to this point?

　Compared to the inescapable despair he had felt up until then, the current situation still gave him room to fight - so why could he afford to wallow in resignation?

　Rather than wasting time playing with giving up, it's better to search for hope and spit blood.

　It's so much easier to resist than to give up.

「――――!!」

　Bouncing and running straight ahead, a fish suddenly appeared in front of Patrasche, its mouth wide open.

　So close that he could almost see the grotesque, dark red innards of the white whale's throat, and Subaru leaned forward to take evasive action. However, his action was more effective at preventing the mist filling the white whale's mouth from spraying out――

"Shut your mouth――!!"

　An invisible blade swung down from above, vertically slicing the white whale's mouth from the side. The force of the slash caused the white whale to close its mouth, writhing as it slid along the ground, Subaru and Mimi passing by. Having narrowly avoided danger, they looked up to see Crusch rushing towards them from the other side of the battlefield.

　She pulled up alongside the moving Subaru and, glaring at the white whale with disgust,

"At first glance, the situation is looking pretty dire. What about Wilhelm?"

"The fact that you remember means that it hasn't been wiped out by the mist... It all depends on how valiantly you fight, Rem."

　Subaru replied, wary of the white whale, which turned its head and tried to chase after him. Crusch responded, her field of vision similarly wandering. Her gaze landed on the white whale, leaping with a thunderous roar, and Rem, swinging her iron ball with all her might above it, creating a sea of ​​blood.

"What do you think, Natsuki Subaru?"

"What do you mean by how you see it? If you mean the odds of winning, then I'll just say, self-love-wise, that my life or death will make a huge difference."

"No, it's not. Don't you think that's strange?"

　Crusch swung her arm and slashed at the nose of the white whale as it approached from behind. A roar rose up, and as he felt the rumble of the air at his back, Subaru looked at her, wondering if something was wrong.

"The number of white whales has increased to three. Simply put, it is a hopeless situation. However, if the white whales are magical beasts that live in groups, how could it be that no one has known about it?"

"I don't really understand what you're trying to say."

"There must be some kind of trick behind it."

　Declaring this clearly, Crusch turned her dignified expression towards Subaru.

　Naturally, pierced by that intense gaze, Subaru straightened his back,

"So that's what I should find."

"We will buy you time by having you retreat, and then we will cover you. Either way, we won't last much longer. We'll do something about it - retreating is no longer an option."

　With that statement, Crusch's earth dragon changed direction and moved away from Subaru.

　She made a wide detour, circling around the glaring White Whale, and one by one she went around to each of the scattered members of the punitive force and called out.

"Stand up! Look up! Take up your weapons! Why did you all come all the way here?!"

"――――"

　The men, who had been looking down in despair and grief, now raised their eyes.

　In front of them, Crusch boldly raised her unsheathed sword towards the sky,

"Look at that man! He is unarmed, powerless, and weak enough to be blown away by the wind. I saw him get defeated with my own eyes!"

　Pointing to Subaru, running with his sword on his back - astride the earth dragon, Crusch raised her voice even higher.

　More than anyone else, that man is the weakest.

　He has no strength to fight. He has no ability to survive. He has been defeated time and time again, and each time he is defeated he is left devastated.

　This weakest man is the one who shouts out faster than anyone else that he can still do it.

　The most powerless man here was gritting his teeth, determined to still fight, enduring the pain, holding back his tears, and vomiting blood, yet still looking up in defiance.

"So how can we look down?"

"――――"

"Our strength is weak, and even if we unite, we are uncertain as to whether we will be able to reach the beast's throat. Even so, the weakest man has not given up, so how can we allow him to kneel before us!"

"Oh, oh..."

　The demoralized men looked at each other, then mustered their trembling knees and rose to their feet.

　Holding the dropped weapon in its hands, the earth dragon approached its side, waiting for its master to mount.

　The knights, who should have been on their knees, stretched out their hands, grabbed the reins, and climbed onto the dragon's back. The dragon neighed, and the knights on its back also drew their swords and cleared their throats.

　A roar rises, to rouse his heart, to take pride in his soul.

　He roars and rages at the foolishness of crouching and looking down behind the weak boy who is fighting.

　That emotion is called "shame." "Shame" cuts through fear, resignation, and negative emotions, allowing the knights to hold their heads high and give them the strength to step forward.

"Let's go -- all hands, charge!!"

"Ohhh――!!!"

　The knights advance again, relying on their souls that were supposed to have been surrendered.

　Dust rose up as the earth dragon's feet kicked the ground, and the extermination force, now numbering just under fifty, charged through the road and ferociously attacked the two white whales that were swimming within reach of their blades.

　Hearing the extermination squad's rising morale and the yell from Crusch who had carried it out, Subaru couldn't help the wry smile that rose to the corner of his mouth.

"You can call me a weakling or a loser and call me whatever you want..."

　Since he doesn't even try to deny it, it can be said that this is a serious injury.

　Call it what you like, use it how you like. The fact remains that Subaru has come this far powerless, constantly losing, constantly giving up and abandoning everything.

　Knowing this, Subaru was able to bark here and now.

　You can't just keep losing, you can't just keep giving up, it's time to stop giving up, and you can't allow yourself to be powerless.

"I'm counting on you, Patrasche. Get right up to the tip of their nose and then retreat immediately!"

　The earth dragon leaned diagonally, scraping the ground, then made a sharp turn and once again charged towards the white whale.

　Before their eyes, the white whale was frantically trying to shake off Rem, who had attached herself to its body, while the mixed platoon that had separated from Crusch was attacking to cover it. Sparks were sent flying from their knight swords as they scraped the white whale's skin, while the cavalrymen, running alongside the giant body at a distance, bombarded it with magic stones.

　The white whale writhed on the ground, screaming. Even its writhing in pain was an act of violence that was difficult to avoid for the people nearby. One of the dragons and its rider was blown away by the blow, and the sound of bones shattering as they were crushed under the super-weight rang out.

　Blood spurted out, a life was snuffed out. Subaru burned the image into his memory.

　A chill ran down his spine. It was too late, he couldn't save her, and that was the result of Subaru's decision.

　Subaru had spoken out to start this fight, and this was the result. He could not look away. The moment he did so, and refused to accept it, Subaru would succumb to the emotion of "shame".

　When he had succumbed to his own heart, when he had faced his most despicable weakness, it had been rejected so deeply and gently, that he could no longer depend on it.

　The raging white whale senses Subaru's approach and opens all of its mouths.

　Feeling his blood run cold, he entrusted his trust to the Earth Dragon's full strength and cut through the air. --Right next to him, the Vanishing Mists were shot out from its countless mouths, brushing past him.

　If he were to even touch it with a single finger, Subaru's existence would be wiped away and ended. The thought of his whole body being enveloped in a sense of loss that was different to "death" made his heart tremble.

　However,

"Elfula!!" "I won't let you do that!!" "What are you looking at?"

　Wind magic clears the mist, and a roaring blade hammer crushes the mouth that releases the mist.

　With the support of the knights, the fog barrage thinned slightly. But it was still a hopeless firepower. As the sense of annihilation approached his entire body, Subaru's senses were sharpened as he sensed his demise.

　Leaving the running route up to the earth dragon, Subaru's body made evasive movements on the dragon's back. He shot up his arms and did a push-up. Doing a handstand on the dragon's back to avoid the mist approaching from behind, he completely lost his balance and fell off its back, but――

"Hellooooo!!"

　He clutched the reins tightly and put his knees in the stirrups, barely managing to hold on. His grip, forged from swinging the wooden sword for no apparent reason in his original world, stopped his palms from slipping just in time due to the vibrations, swaying, and frustration.

　He almost limped away as he escaped through the barrage of bullets.

　As the view cleared, Subaru matched the slowing speed of the earth dragon, and from behind he saw how embarrassing his movements were as he mounted his horse again. His already low stamina limit was further reduced, and now he was heading towards the other target - the white whale that Crusch and the others were attacking.

"Stir it up... haaah. Shit, it's not just about putting your life on the line, use your head too!"

　Breathing heavily, and once again exposing himself to the life-risking act of decoy, Subaru began to think about the "mechanism" that had come up in his conversation with Crusch earlier.

　Subaru is ignorant of the three magical beasts - the White Whale. Therefore, he is completely unaware of the threat of the Fog or its long history, unlike the women who have lived in this world.

　But even Subaru had doubts. Would Wilhelm, who had been pursuing the White Whale for 14 years as the murderer of his wife, overlook such fatal information as "there are multiple White Whales"? If he had not known, would the situations in which they had appeared at the same time have never happened?

"Why did they suddenly increase in number... there were only three to begin with, that doesn't fit the premise...!"

　It felt like he might get a clue. But before that could happen, Patrasche's desperate sprint brought him within the olfactory range of the White Whale.

　The White Whale's gaze, which had been following Crusch as her lower abdomen was sliced ​​open by a slash from its sacred sword, swiveled around and turned towards Subaru. At the same time, the thick mist that had been building up in its open mouth was spat out with a roar that shattered the air, causing immense destruction.

　Patrasche stepped forward, changing the angle sharply. He managed to escape the oncoming mist's violence, but he was half a step short of escaping its sphere of influence.

"That was us!"

"How shameless!"

　Mimi and Hetaro cut in and make money.

　Beside Subaru, who was unable to escape, the twin beastmen opened their mouths, letting out overlapping roars of "wa" and "ha"―the high-pitched sounds creating ripples that, at some distance, transformed into destruction, a massive tremor rippling across the earth of the plain, blowing away even the approaching mist head-on.

"Woohooo!! That's awesome!!!"

"I know, I know! Praise me more!"

　Mimi puffed out her chest and relaxed her cheeks in satisfaction at Subaru's simple praise. Next to her, out of breath, Hetaro muttered softly, "Big sis..." and then ran off in his Liger, surrounding her on both sides,

"I'll support you. Without you, Subaru... I can't see a way to win this battle."

"Isn't it okay to just do it quickly, bang, splat, splat?"

"I need Subaru's help to do the ba-to-zu-ba-ba-ba thing, Onee-chan."

"Oh."

　The twins continued their relaxed conversation with Subaru in between them.

　Subaru ignored Mimi, who didn't seem to understand the severity of the situation, and turned to Hetaro, who seemed to understand what he was saying,

"That combined attack just now was the one you slammed into the White Whale midway through, right? Can you still go?"

"I've squeezed out as much mana as I can, so one more turn is my limit. Until the commander finishes recovering, my sister and I will protect Subaru-san."

"Ricardo, is he still alive?!"

　Subaru exclaimed at the unexpected good news, and Hetaro nodded, "Yes."

　Subaru felt a sense of relief at his attitude. The Liger he was riding on had been brutally killed, and with so much fresh blood, it could have been wiped out to the point where not even a trace remained.

"There is also a message for Subaru from the dying commander."

"A message... it's not like it's going to be expensive or anything, right?"

"I think he'll say that himself later, but... it goes like this. Ahem, 'What the heck? You're being so careless. The fact that I didn't die is proof of that.' That's all."

　Hetaro dutifully imitates Ricardo's voice, adopting the Kansai dialect - even the Kararagi dialect. Subaru doesn't comment on the quality of the imitation, but thinks about the meaning of the words he was told.

　It was a message that Ricardo had literally risked his life to deliver to us. If we were to pay attention to the meaning and true intent behind it――

"Your imitation isn't very similar at all."

"Yeah, it's not even similar! You have no talent!"

"This is not the time to be saying such things!"

　Mimi echoes Subaru's comments, and Hetaro argues in a voice that sounds like he's about to cry, but Subaru ignores them and looks up at the sky.

　The two white whales are still fighting fiercely, struggling with the two separate extermination forces.

　The white whale floating in the sky was the first of the three magical beasts to appear, and was the one that fled into the sky before the onslaught began. It still looked down on Subaru and the others from high in the sky, without joining the battle.

　That attitude seemed somehow unnatural to Subaru.

　The current state of the battle was that their fighting strength had been reduced, and they were now fighting back by splitting that number into two. Even with Subaru's disruptive effect, if the White Whale floating in the sky were to join either side on the battlefield, that alone would instantly tip the tide of the battle. If one side was defeated, it would be the end.

　So why doesn't the White Whale do anything?

"Ricardo's message..."

　It's light, Ricardo told Subaru.

　He risked his life, and that was the reason he didn't die. What does that mean? What was so light about it? His life? Certainly, on the battlefield, it was light. But it didn't seem to mean that. Light, light.

"How can it be light in this heavy and very hard situation...!"

　Leaving himself to the swaying of the earth dragon, he once again dashed past the tip of the white whale's nose. The white whale, possessed by Crusch and the others, turned its mouth towards them, but Crusch's invisible slash hit it in the open mouth, and a magic stone was thrown into it, scattering a mist of blood.

　The knights roared. One by one, their numbers were steadily reduced, but the only thing supporting the front line was their never-ending morale.

　Can a person who is determined to resist even when facing death really become this strong?

　The White Whale, which had barely managed to challenge the full force of the punitive force, was now rivalled by the military force of the reduced forces that had lost their main force.

"No matter how you look at it, the idea that willpower is omnipotent is an exaggeration."

　Thinking this far, Subaru suddenly raised his head and looked back at the white whale he had left behind, glaring at the receding beast's face.

　And then I realize.

"If that's the case...!"

　Subaru gritted his teeth, and a shiver ran through his entire body as a torrent of possibilities welled up inside him.

　Transmitting her will to the reins, Patrasche makes a sharp turn and dashes towards the other white whale. Fighting bravely, Rem unleashes her demonic powers, straddling one of the ligers and using the iron ball to create holes in the white whale's body one after another. Even though her apron dress is covered in the blood of the demonic beasts, she smiles bravely when she notices Subaru approaching.

　Her smile, stained with fresh blood, only accentuated the ghastly quality, but Subaru, however inappropriate, found Rem's appearance noble and endearing.

　Even in this extremely unfavorable battle situation, she still believed in Subaru's reckless resolve.

　We must respond to that trust and affection.

"----!"

　Without a word exchanged, Subaru's earth dragon and Rem's liger intersected, Subaru heading towards the tip of the white whale's nose, and Rem heading towards the white whale's tail.

　There was no need to stop and converse. Subaru had his role to play. And Rem had her role to play; they both already knew that.

　As he circled around to the head of the white whale, the beast noticed Subaru's approach and turned its head towards him. Directly to the side of its head, below the eyes, multiple mouths appeared, baring their fangs, and spewing white mist while drooling. It was too slow. It didn't even serve as a deterrent.

"Boom! Bang! Bang bang!"

　Astride Patrasche in a figure eight, Mimi's Liger flies in all directions. Mimi strikes a pose on the back of the large dog, and every time she utters a missed sound effect, the tip of the staff in her palm glows, creating a magic wall that blocks the mist. Buying time before the bullets hit Subaru.

"This is going to be expensive, big brother!"

"When this is over, I'll say thank you a hundred times!"

"Okay then!"

　Subaru let Mimi's cheap reply get the better of him, and as he overtook the white whale that was running alongside him, he tilted his head and glared at the monster. Confirming that the white whale was turning its "One Eye" towards him, Subaru twisted his cheeks in conviction that there was no mistake.

「Just as I thought. You guys, it's not like there were three of you――you've split into two!」

　The White Whale, who fought alongside Crusch and the others, also had no left eye.

　The same could be said for the white whale that had just flown past him. Naturally, the same could be said for the last wounded whale floating in the air. -- The loss of its left eye was the result of Wilhelm's slash.

　It's clear why not just one of them shares the same scar with the other two.

　This was because one of them floating in the sky split and gave birth to two more.

"That's the mechanism behind why each hit is so light and you can fight to a certain extent!"

　Despite the surprise attack, he failed to kill Ricardo with a blow from his tail.

　The White Whale, which should have been able to fight evenly with such great military strength, is now able to fight to an extent with its drastically reduced punitive force.

　--Subaru, a cynical man who couldn't believe in conveniences like miracles or willpower, saw the root cause of the appearance of multiple white whales there.

　Because of its ability to one-hit kill with its Vanishing Mist, the White Whale sacrificed durability in favor of the number of attacks. If the power of numbers - its increased presence - had broken the spirit of the extermination squad, then the battle itself would have ended.

　It was hard to imagine that a demonic beast could understand the subtleties of human nature and devise such a strategy, but the fact was that 『Split』 had that much of an effect.

　What would have happened if Subaru hadn't barked at that moment?

　Subaru doesn't know what would have happened if he hadn't barked. There is a chance that he could see the future if he hadn't barked, but he doesn't want to see that future.

　I'll never look at your faces for long periods of time again.

"--What?!"

　Just as Subaru came to a conclusion, the white whale's movements changed as it pursued him. It rubbed its floating body against the ground, scraping the ground with its underbelly as it glided through the air. It seemed as if it could no longer bear the sensation of being a foreign object.

"Big sis, now!"

"It's so hard to have an itch and no hands to use it!"

　Hetaro saw this as an opportunity to jump out, and Mimi, who had moved to surround the whale, commented on her misunderstanding of the whale's movements. Regardless of their lack of communication, the twins moved in perfect unison to pinch the whale's body from both sides, and at the same time opened their mouths--

"circle--!"

"teeth--!!"

　The sympathetic attacks from both sides caused the White Whale's body to bend, and many of its internal organs were crushed by the pressure inside the now constricted White Whale. The hard outer skin also warped, cracks appeared, and bleeding began to appear everywhere from the wounds. This was the greatest damage to the White Whale to date - and...

"--Zuuuuuuuuu!!"

　A part of his lower abdomen, which had been rubbed against the ground, swelled from the inside, spilling out blood and flesh as it was cut open. As dark red bodily fluids spurted onto the ground like a muddy torrent, what was being spewed out along with the current was――,

"Wilhelm-san?!"

　This was the return of an old swordsman who had been swallowed in the jaws of the white whale and whose survival was thought to be hopeless.

　As the extermination squad holds back the raging white whale, Subaru rushes back to where Wilhelm has collapsed. Wilhelm, his whole body stained with blood, falls to one knee and, supporting himself with his sword, raises half his body,

"...I'm still inexperienced. I let my guard down..."

"You don't have to talk! Ah, shit, I don't know what to do, but I'm glad you're alive. Let's get back to Ferris right now!"

　Subaru tried to reach out to him, but he noticed that Wilhelm's left arm, which was gripping the sword, was almost torn off from the shoulder down, and he got off the dragon's back. He tried to lend Wilhelm his shoulder to help him carry Patrasche, but...

"Well, I still have a long way to go..."

"What time is that? You're going to die before the whale does! I won't listen to your sleepy talk like "I won't die from this!" When it comes to life and death, I'm the one who's ahead of you!"

"what..."

　Even though he was completely wounded, Wilhelm's eyes still lit up with a burning desire to fight. Subaru silenced him with a single yell at his recklessness and forcefully picked him up. And,

"The old man has come out!"

"Wilhelm-san, are you still alive?"

　The twins came running over and, seeing Subaru holding the old man, came right up to his side. They looked at each other and nodded,

"Subaru-san, did you take Wilhelm-san to Felix-san?"

"Felix… Ah, Ferris. That's right. He's on the verge of death and in danger at any moment. I wish I could take him with me…"

　Tilting his head, Subaru glared at the white whale, which was about to begin rebooting.

　The wound in its stomach was deep, and bodily fluids were flowing endlessly from it, but the monster showed no signs of losing its will to fight, as it opened and closed its mouths all over its body to produce a faint mist.

　There was no doubt that Subaru's disruption had contributed in no small way to the current inequality in fighting power. If Subaru carried Wilhelm away now, his fighting power would be weakened.

"I hope that's all that matters, but if we're not careful, we might drag the whale to where all the injured are gathered. Wilhelm-san, can I leave it to you?"

"We'll do that with our Liger... have you got any ideas?"

　Hetaro takes Wilhelm from Subaru and, struggling with the difference in size, somehow places him on the big dog's back. He then looks up at Subaru, and takes the hand of his sister, who is clapping her hands and saying with a carefree air, "We have to do our best!"

"I'll listen if there's a chance of success. If not, I'll have to take my sister's hand and run away from here."

"What? I haven't even beaten him yet..."

"Shut up sister."

　Mimi pouted in dissatisfaction at her younger brother's harsh words.

　Seeing the twins' exchange, Subaru nodded in agreement, "That's right."

"You guys are mercenaries. Unlike me, Crusch, and the knights who have a grudge against whales, you are merely hired for money. …You have no obligation to risk your lives."

"I simply have no obligation to throw away my life. I don't want to be misunderstood."

　He has a timid face and attitude, but he is firm in saying what he must say. Looking down at the tiny beastman, who only reached his waist, Subaru prefaced his statement with "Sorry," and then,

"We don't have much time. I think we have a chance of winning. For now, I'll send Wilhelm-san to the rear… Rem and Crusch, I guess. I need to call out to the main guys."

　Subaru leapt onto Patrasche's back and raised his head.

　He looked up at the sky and glared with disgust at the fish swimming leisurely.

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

"The White Whale is splitting up, huh?"

"Yeah, I think there's no doubt about that. The location of the wound and its strength. To be honest, the person who is fighting directly would probably feel it more, right?"

"Rem was completely absorbed in it... but that may well be true."

　Rem and Crusch, who had reunited with them, nodded in agreement before Subaru's explanation.

　He had left Wilhelm in the Liger that Hetaro was riding on and sent him to Ferris, then picked up the girls along with the twins who were riding with him.

　The battle against the two white whales has been left to the extermination squad and the beastman mercenary group, but their high morale and excellent teamwork are just barely making up for the lack of main force.

　A few minutes--if Subaru continued to wander around under their noses, causing a distraction, they'd be able to buy at least some time for a strategy meeting.

　As the Earth Dragon and Liger ran alongside each other, Crusch nodded at Subaru's speculation and raised her head,

"I agree that he is weaker than the original one. But even if we understand that, what will we do? Even if he is wounded and weakened, he still poses a greater threat than us. Even with Ferris' treatment, there is no hope of him returning to the front lines."

"It's a shame that Wilhelm-san and Ricardo won't be joining us, but we can't ask for anything reckless. We'll just have to go for the win without them."

"Kill the three white whales. It's easier said than done, but it's a tall hurdle."

"There's no need to kill three of them. Just one should be fine."

　Crusch raised her eyebrows at Subaru's words.

　She looked at Subaru with interest, and he nodded in response, pointing his finger towards the sky,

"What on earth does that bastard think he's doing, making his two clones fight each other and standing there watching from a distance?"

"You're just healing your wounds without helping out...?"

　Rem answered Subaru with an unsure air, but Subaru shook his head.

　From what I could see, even though it was a magical beast, its biological functions did not deviate from those of a normal living organism. It had ridiculous abilities such as high-speed automatic healing, but at the very least, it didn't seem to have any of the despair-inducing features that the White Whale had.

　Then,

"So that's the real thing."

"That's right, I glare at him."

　"I remembered," Crusch replied as she looked up, and Subaru nodded in agreement.

　Frankly, this is just my imagination.

　However, there is no longer any doubt that the three white whales are the result of one whale splitting off. The question is how to defeat the three white whales.

"I think the reason he won't come down and help either of us is because he can't let himself get taken out."

"That makes sense. However, if you say it the other way around..."

"Even if we kill the two below, it might not hurt the main body."

　Even if you go to great lengths to defeat the White Whale, its corpse may dissipate into mist and then be instantly replicated as a new individual. If that happens, you'll enter an endless loop, and with the limit on continues, it's obvious that you'll soon give up.

"I think I've connected the reason why it won't come down to how to defeat it. But then what are we going to do? If it flies up that high, there's no way to attack it."

　Hetaro, who had been listening quietly to the conversation, looked up at Subaru and asked a question with tears in his dark eyes. As Subaru looked at her with those adorable cat eyes, Crusch looked up at the white whale floating in the sky,

"Even with my blessing, it's no easy feat to reach that far. I think it might be possible with one blow... but I don't think it would be enough to take it down."

　The white whale escaped into the sky, reaching an altitude roughly at the same level as the clouds.

　The white whale's unpleasant nature was evident in the way it took up an even higher spot than when it first appeared, and Subaru couldn't help but frown.

　In that position, the accuracy of the magic ore bombardment using the cannon would be greatly reduced.

"Rem, floating a mountain of ice right next to that bastard..."

"Sorry. The further away from mana you are, the more difficult it becomes to handle. I think it's possible for you, Roswaal-sama, but not with Rem's skills."

　Rem had a look of deep regret on her face for not being able to lend a hand when she saw a possibility that might have resolved the situation. Subaru waved his hand at her and nodded, saying it couldn't be helped.

　I had been thinking, I had a plan.

　He would wait for Crusch's answer, Hetaro and the others' answer, and Rem's answer, and if that would reveal the best course of action, then there was the second best option, which he didn't want to adopt.

"I have a plan that involves a bit of a gamble... would you like to go along with it?"

　Closing one eye, Subaru asked the girls if they were ready before revealing his next best option.

　But that was a truly naive question.

　ーーThe moment they had rushed onto the scene, Subaru knew they were complete fools who would never hesitate to take that kind of gamble.

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　--From high up in the sky, the White Whale silently looked down on the conflict below.

　If one were to observe the battlefield from left to right, the battle that split the plain in two was neatly divided by a large tree that reached up into the sky.

　On both battlefields, tiny humans clung to the massive bodies of magical beasts, stabbing them with steel they held in their hands and brandishing fire-producing stones, and cunningly resisting.

　Every time flames rose up and the agonized cries of the demonic beast reached them from below, the white whale swimming in the sky spewed white mist.

　The fog that hung over the battlefield sided with the equals below, steadily pushing the smaller contending beings into a disadvantageous position.

　As time passed, the shadows darting about were steadily reduced in number, one by one. They were swallowed up in the "Mist", their existence wiped out.

　It won't be long until this pointless battle has been consumed and is coming to an end.

　It is only a matter of time before the balance of power begins to shift and the country starts to collapse.

　If the White Whale had human intelligence, it would have thought the same and been convinced of its victory.

　However, in reality, the White Whale does not have such intelligence. It simply follows its instincts and acts to annihilate its prey in order to avoid being annihilated itself.

　It would be rude to question the animal's instincts as to why it would make such a decision.

　Therefore, the White Whale acts on instinct, calmly and precisely, attempting to torture and kill its prey.

"――――"

　It spews mist, painting the ground white.

　Although an interruption interrupts his progress, he must spread the mist and cover the world below. This, too, is a command of his instincts, and doing so is the meaning of life.

　And so the white whale, having separated its consciousness from the scene below, suddenly rolled its huge single eye and turned its attention back downwards.

　He sensed the mana converging with incredible force and saw the source of that flow.

"Al, Huma."

　At the center of a vast vortex of mana stood a blue-haired girl.

　Kneeling beside the girl, she slowly directed the mana she had spent time honing, a long, ice spear was slowly being constructed, revealing its sharp tip.

　A ten-meter long, freezing weapon, its sharp tip pointed towards the white whale's underbelly.

　The aim was clear, and carrying it out so visibly was a fatal mistake.

"--please!"

　In response to the girl's prayer-like cry, a spear of ice was launched from the ground into the sky.

　Naturally, the tip of the spear was aimed at the center of the body of the white whale as it flew through the air.

　The murderous intent of the ice accelerated rapidly, closing in with enough force to break through the skyーー however, due to the distance required to gain acceleration and the mistake of having the moment of launch seen, it was quickly thwarted.

　The white whale swings its tail and swims through the sky, cutting through the wind.

　With just that, the huge body was out of range of the ice spear, and the ice spear that missed the white whale's body passed right next to it, easily missing its target.

　The white whale twists its massive body and watches the passing ice spear go by.

　Finally, even the bottom of the icicle passed directly beside it - it was truly a miracle that the White Whale heard the faint sound of something shattering.

　--A devilish miracle from God to inform us that it was an irreparable sound.

"--Hey. Looking at you up close again, you're really disgusting."

　An incredibly light sensation presses down on the surface of the massive rock.

　At the same time that the White Whale sensed its presence as it landed on the tip of its head, the icicle that was supposed to pass by disappeared without a trace, and it smelled the diffusing waves of mana.

　--And then, to the source of the unbearable stench that rose to my nose.

「Follow me. I'm telling you, I'm a guy who's so well-known for being annoying that you can't just ignore me, you know?」

　Moby Dick heard Stink say this with a malicious smile.

※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※※ ※

　Grabbing hold of the ice spear that Rem had created, he headed into the sky, shattered the ``Mist-Clearing Crystal'' there and escaped - and attached himself to the white whale. This was the prologue to the violent plan that Subaru had devised.

　Although he received fierce opposition from Rem, he pushed through by repeatedly chanting "I believe in you, Rem!", and accepted Crusch's trump card, the crystal stone - the "Demon-Exorcising Crystal."

　He predicted that if it was an obvious special move, White Whale would easily avoid it, and so he set a trap with Subaru. Conversely, if White Whale had not dodged it, Subaru, who was holding on to the end of the icicle, might have been blown to pieces by the impact. In a sense, it was a fine line.

"If you start saying that, then this situation is just a hair's breadth away... I mean, it's really scary!!"

　Desperately clinging to the tip of the white whale's nose, Subaru felt the rough skin and fur on his palm, and betrayed his feelings of rejection at the high-altitude wind and the fishy smell of the mighty creature.

　Subaru was possessed - in other words, the white whale's appearance changed immediately as it became a being that gave off the lingering scent of the witch. The demonic beast, which had been keeping a calm attitude up until then, was now clearly in an excited state, and mist, saliva, and laughter flowed from all of its mouths as it wildly welcomed Subaru.

　Of course, while he was entrusting himself to the White Whale, Subaru couldn't unleash the special move that would bring down the giant body. Reality isn't so simple that one can open one's eyes with a single stroke of resolve, and even if he were to attack Shamak with the determination to sacrifice himself here, the fool would lose consciousness and fall to his death.

　So, what Subaru does when he possesses the White Whale is

"So, come with me. --Make up your mind, okay?"

　He let go, and before the white whale could begin its attack, Subaru's body slid down the rock face and entered a free-fall trajectory. The fool, who was not completely unaware of what was going on, began plummeting towards the ground.

　The White Whale turned its head towards Subaru as he committed this dramatic suicide, and moved slightly to chase after him, but then stopped moving its tail as if hesitant about something.

　Perhaps instinctively, he knew that if he continued to ignore Subaru, he would only be able to take the same action towards him as before.

　I see, that's a formidable instinct. However, that's problematic. Therefore――,

"At this height there's no need to worry about anyone else hearing us. This is a special treat, listen carefully! Because of you, Rem died, and I'm now traumatized!"

　The moment he spoke, Subaru's body, which had been receiving the wind, was cut off from the world.

　The whole body becomes numb, and the consciousness, which had been dominated by a floating sensation that made the organs seem as if they were being pulled upwards, loses sight of reality, and is drawn to a place where the concept of time does not exist.

"i love you"

　I felt like someone whispered something in my ear.

　The next moment――a sharp pain ran through Subaru's entire body, as if scorched by lightning.

　A palm entered from behind, out of sight, slipped through Subaru's sternum and grabbed his heart, roughly, but as if to confirm something precious, it squeezed tightly.

　The lack of reality of the organ that controls the circulation of blood being roughly handled. The foreign feeling of having a fatal part of your body being freely given to others -- the end of a world where you can no longer even scream is made known to you by the sound of the wind and your own cries of agony.

　and,

"I'm back... I'm back!!!"

「――――!!」

　Right before his eyes, the white whale opened its mouth wide and came barreling down the drain towards Subaru.

　Attracted by the witch's scent, which had increased due to the confession, the beast's instincts were overwritten by an overwhelming hatred.

　Roaring, with eyes that had completely forgotten about the battle below, the white whale attacked Subaru as if to erase his existence altogether.

　Subaru is terrified as the white whale cuts through the wind and rapidly closes the gap between them.

　Subaru had no choice but to let himself fall freely, with no way to dodge the charge. At this rate he'd be chewed up by the jaws of the white whale before he even reached the ground, heading straight for BAD END 10, "Fish Food."

　Let's leave it like this.

"--Rem!!"

"Yes, Subaru!"

　Subaru's roar was nearly drowned out by the wind, but the girl's voice certainly answered.

　At the same time, an icicle shot out from the side and crashed into the side of the white whale, which was held captive by Subaru alone. It ravaged its jaws, breaking many of its teeth and slowing its movements.

　Taking advantage of that opportunity, Rem, straddling Patrasche, entangled Subaru's body with a morning star as he was in the middle of a free fall.

　Iron chains tightened around his waist, forcing his trajectory to change, and Subaru cried out in agony, a familiar sensation. This was the second time that Rem had saved him from falling. The first time was as a prank on the dragon carriage on the way to the royal capital.

"You should try everything..."

　This time, I didn't faint.

　The chains were reeled in, and Subaru's body fell rather roughly onto Patrasche's back. Naturally, Rem was there, riding him, and Subaru's body was thrown into her chest.

"Thank goodness!"

"Thank you for the meal."

"What are you talking about?!"

　Subaru pointedly remarked at Rem, who was bowing with her hands together, and raised his head.

　The face of a white whale passed by nearby――

「――――!!」

　Unable to contain its momentum, the White Whale crashed headfirst into the ground. A thunderous roar and dust rose up from the shattered ground, and the force of the impact made the earth bounce and shook.

　Taking the swaying force at his back, Subaru ordered Patrasche to move forward at full speed - and from behind them, the white whale burst out, smashing through the dust.

　The tremendous force of the attack mangled its head, and the White Whale continued to chase Subaru, screaming in ecstasy.

　The sheer force of the current made its leisurely swimming style go haywire, and its speed that seemed to outpace the wind was nowhere to be seen. But its spirit was overwhelming.

　The white whale approaches from behind, scraping the ground and slapping the earth with its tail.

　Leaning forward and resting all his weight on her, Subaru put his life on the line in Patrasche's strength. The earth dragon had served Subaru so desperately and with all his might. Though it had only been for a short time, Subaru had come to trust her enough to put his life on her shoulders and run with her.

"Please, Patrasche! You're a dragon, right!? Show us something cool――!!"

「――――!!」

　Patrasche neighed, and I felt in the wind that our speed had increased a notch.

　I heard the roar of the white whale, my eardrums shook violently and the world became blurry.

　Straight, straight, just run, run, run.

　The white whale swims and swims, ferociously closing in on Subaru, ready to devour him.

　and--,

「Take that――!!」

「――――!!」

　Two consecutive roars rang out, followed immediately by a chain of sounds as if something was being torn apart. The interval between the sounds that could not be ignored narrowed, getting closer, and eventually it was,

　A powerful shadow was born, and it headed straight towards the white whale - and the great Flugel tree collapsed.

"----!!!"

　Magical ore, invisible blade, vibration shattering - the combined destructive power gouged out from its roots, the great tree planted by the sage, after hundreds of years, crushes the massive body of a magical beast that is an enemy to humans.

　The white whale plunged straight into the tree, which was over a thousand years old, and was crushed from above. The force was on a completely different level to the destruction it had suffered up until then, and even the tough outer skin that covered its massive body was no protection.

　A scream rang out, and a tremendous shock wave ran through Leafous Highway, the blast clearing away the fog.

　The White Whale's agonized roar lingers as he is pinned under the tree and unable to move. However, even with that much force in his body, his life force remains strong enough not to be crushed.

　The white whale struggles, trying to escape from its enormous weight, and right in front of its nose...

「ーーDedicated to my wife, Theresia van Astrea.」

　A single sword demon descended, wielding the precious sword he had borrowed from his master.

　To bring the curtain down on this fierce battle for life and death, on 14 years of obsession, and on the 400-year history of the conflict between humans and the White Whale - for that purpose.