Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu web novel

　Mana is concentrated at the tip of the staff, and the world is rewritten by the chant that is spun.

　The blowing wind turned into blades that rushed towards the being standing at the center of the vortex and exploded, scattering destruction in all directions.

「――――!!」

　At the center of the vortex - the target of the raging blade - was Garfiel, roaring and looking up.

　The blade struck Garfiel's torso, the sharp edge cutting diagonally across his rock-like abdominal muscles. Blood spilled, but the only reason he wasn't cut in half was because he leapt backwards in one leap.

　With the choice between intercepting or evading, he immediately decided to retreat. With a hint of hesitation in his eyes, Garfiel covered his head with his arms to avoid a fatal injury, and slid along the ground to escape the wind blade.

　However, it was a surprise attack intended to decide the outcome of the battle.

　The wind doesn't allow Garfiel to escape so easily, and Sever catches up to him as he retreats. Kicking the ground, Garfiel clicks his tongue at the invisible slash.

"Well, stink――!"

　Immediately after taking a large step back, Garfiel shouted and met the wind blade head-on.

　The moment his heel sunk into the earth, the earth was cut into a square shape starting from Garfiel's sole, and then it tilted diagonally and leapt up. The wind blade struck the ground from directly below, cutting down the surface of the soil and disappearing.

　The floating ground fell according to gravity, creating a rumbling sound and a thick cloud of dust.

　Faced with such an overwhelming, natural disaster-like spectacle, any ordinary person would be rendered speechless and frozen in place.

　However, the person who launched the surprise attack was no ordinary person, nor was he the first to see Garfiel do this.

"death!"

"Tch!"

　Breaking through the dust, a girl in a fluttering short skirt jumped out.

　Beneath her trimmed pink hair, her pale crimson eyes sparkled with a strong will. The tip of the staff she held emitted enough mana to distort the air, and an invisible wind blade extended from it.

　It was a precise technique that extended the range much more than it appeared at first glance, a model example of how a wind user could use it.

　Despite its unreliability, the wind blade demonstrates a sharpness that surpasses that of any mediocre sword. Garfiel has his claws at his hips to counterattack, but even he is at a disadvantage against claws and blades.

　Keeping his stance ready, Garfiel lowered his leg and made a move as if to leap backwards and escape, but his move was blocked by Ram's left hand, the one holding the staff.

"Hooray!"

"Guh?!"

　A short chant. A single wind blow of the lowest level. Garfiel's back was struck by a strong attack from behind, preventing him from taking a step towards escape. There was no damage. But he was held back.

　When he looked up, Ram was already brandishing his blade.

"――――"

　Before he could think about what the best thing to do was, Garfiel's body moved.

　His own weapons, such as claws and fangs, were not enough to counter the wind blades. Avoiding them was also difficult when he had been attacked first. So there was only one way out.

"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!"

　Roaring, Garfiel leaps into the air and swings both his hands to strike the invisible tip of the blade from either side. It's like taking a blade, but against an invisible blade that has no substance, this action is no way to defend against it.

　However, even though it is a wind blade, the fact that it is there is a fact. The sharpness of the blade is disrupted by Garfiel's palm strike, and it only cuts diagonally through the skin of his body that it was meant to slice through.

　By the time Ram had determined the attack had been a killer, it was too late.

"Don't even think about it!"

　The front kick was aimed at Ram's torso just after she had hit the ground.

　The soles of her shoes, which pierced the air and looked like they could even shatter rock, could not reach Ram, who was lowering her body even further. She lowered her body so much that it gave the illusion of her lying on the ground, and once again she created wind blades that swept away the ground beneath Garfiel's feet.

"----!"

　Garfiel, on one leg and in danger of losing his ankle, leaps into the air. He manages to avoid Ram's blade, but...

"Your feet have left the ground."

　The moment the whisper brushed against his eardrum, Garfiel's body was knocked down by a heel approaching from above.

　The bizarre blow was delivered by Ram, who had shook off the wind blade, launched herself into the air, and launched a vertical spinning kick.

　Garfiel, who was in mid-air, was unable to block the impact, and was sent flying, his arm bones creaking as he quickly blocked it, before hitting the ground and crashing into the tree trunk behind him, coming to a halt.

　Letting out a sigh, Garfiel glared at Ram with angry golden eyes.

　However,

"Wolfura"

　There, the violent force of the wind converged, crushing the entire forest - an invisible blow ravaging the forest, taking Garfiel with it, who was at the center.

"Ugh --"

　The raging wind lashed Garfiel's body, slashing him, swaying him, and mixing him up with the raging forest.

　Having been tossed about so much that he couldn't tell up from down or left to right, and also having been "raised off the ground", Garfiel had no way to defend himself and could only be struck down by Ram's magic.

　Once the wind stopped and the violence had passed, Garfiel could barely stand.

　However, Garfiel was on his knees, covered in blood and looking up at the sky, half-conscious.

　He had jumped into a perfectly prepared trap and was hit with two super-level magic spells.

　The fact that he still had life on his hands was surprising, given his high vitality. In a way, it was ruthless, as he had expected that.

　Ram let out a small sigh after checking the damage done to Garfiel. She then turned her gaze to Otto, who had been standing behind her, watching the surprise attack.

"I knew it, but it's a shameful sight to see."

"Isn't this a bit of an exaggeration to say the least for someone who fought with all their might, both body and mind?"

Subaru: "In everything, the result is everything. Whether it worked or not. The process leading up to it is secondary to the result… so I will say it again. It's a shameful and unbearable sight."

"Wow, he really is merciless… He really is just like what Natsuki said."

　Without offering any thanks to Otto for his efforts, Ram gave a wry smile and snorted softly.

　As a result of his valiant efforts, Otto had inflicted a fair amount of damage on Garfiel. Leaving aside the provocation effect of the small traps he had set up in between, his final blow was powerful enough to have defeated Garfiel.

　However, if Otto had miscalculated,

"It seems you didn't escape Garf's 'Protection of the Earth Spirit'."

"Earth spirits... what do you mean?"

　When Otto asked again, Ram sighed softly. She shook her head in exasperation, looked down at the perplexed Otto with eyes full of utter contempt, and sighed again.

"Just how much disappointment are you showing? That really hurts!"

"Gaaf's 'Divine Protection of the Earth Spirit' is, as the name suggests, a blessing from the earth. As long as his feet are on the ground, his body is protected by the strong earth's protection. --Even without that, earth-element magic is a terrible match for him. With an Al-type trump card, of all things, Dona..."

　Placing her hand on her forehead, Ram closed her eyes and looked down.

"He's so unlucky I can't even pity him."

"Wow, my bad luck has finally paid off in a situation like this, how frightening! Or rather, if you had known, Ram-san, you could have told me and contributed in many different ways, wouldn't you think?!"

"Ram-sama, right?"

"Why is everyone trying to kick me down to the bottom?!"

　Ignoring Otto's yelling, Ram, swinging the tip of her staff, stepped forward to deal with Garfiel.

　He should no longer be conscious, but Garfiel's bottomless physical strength is astonishing. He is undoubtedly the biggest obstacle to liberating the Sanctuary. He must be restrained immediately and kept under close watch until the problem is resolved.

"..."

　Ram stopped as he tried to approach her, and her brow furrowed slightly.

　Sensing that the air was drying up, her lips pressed together, she flashed the tip of her red tongue. And then,

"Gaaf"

"...Geez, you're really, really a merciless woman."

　In response to Ram's call, Garfiel, who had been limp with his head drooping, raised his head.

　His wide-open, sharp eyes were shining with rage and hostility, and his bared canines were making a small clicking noise, demonstrating that his fighting spirit was not weakened.

　The surprise attack had worked perfectly. It couldn't have gone any better.

　Still, the monster known as Garfiel Tinsel is not yet defeated.

　Garfiel was bleeding profusely, but there was no obvious sign of fatigue or damage as he rose to his feet with ease. The wind blades and blows had only done superficial damage to him.

　His skin was thinly torn and he had received countless blows that missed his vital points, but none of them had done enough damage to seriously impede his movements.

Subaru: "When you pinned me against the tree and cast your spell, I thought you'd done me a favour. What should I do? I used all my brain power in that moment. But no answer came to mind… so I stopped thinking."

　I stopped thinking too hard about it and just let my body move and take evasive action.

　As a result, his instincts greedily chose to survive, and he skillfully manipulated himself to inflict minimal damage amidst the unavoidable violence.

　It was the fruition of their racial instinct as fighting creatures.

　Despite her expressionless face, her fighting sense was so strong that it made even Ram gasp slightly.

　Even though she may have been inferior in terms of pure ability, Ram had prided herself on being second to none in her ability to choose the best in any situation, and so this was a rare experience for her to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with someone like her.

　On the one hand, Ram thinks it's pointless here, but on the other hand, the fact that the person she's talking to is Garfiel causes feelings that are difficult to put into words to grow within her.

"Hey, Ram. Why are you siding with them? What's going to happen?"

"――――"

"Do you understand? You've joined our side, and you're supporting the plan to liberate this Sanctuary. Doesn't that go against the wishes of that bastard Roswaal? That bastard... at the very least, he doesn't want Sanctuary to be liberated right now."

"You talk about Roswaal-sama in front of Ram as if you understand him, Garf? You've known each other for a long time, so you should understand, right? There's no way Ram would ever listen to that kind of nonsense."

"I know very well how stubborn you are. That's what I like about you, you know. That's exactly why I can't accept it. If you won't give up your Roswaal supremacy, then why did you take their side? I don't understand why you were persuaded."

　Ram closed her eyes once at Garfiel's words.

　Ram's lips trembled, her expression showing some emotion that was unusual. Garfiel was amazed at this, but in an instant the emotion vanished.

"Ram... will do what she believes is most meaningful in response to Ram's wish. That's all."

"Your wish... is that?"

"Of course, it is the fulfillment of Roswaal-sama's long-cherished wish. --There is nothing else."

　Ram asserted this, and Garfiel exhaled deeply.

　Ram no longer intends to discuss with Garfiel the contradiction between his actions and his aspirations. No one could understand Ram's feelings, except for the man who had noticed her true nature and had invited her out.

Subaru: "He really is an annoying man, Barusu. …Though even Ram doesn't know why."

　Ram felt an anger towards Subaru that was difficult to put into words.

　It was likely that this was a physiological aversion, or an antipathy that had developed over the years of contact, but I couldn't help but feel that it was something more fundamental than that.

　Ram felt an inexplicable emotion towards Subaru, as if he were a hated enemy who had stolen something precious from her.

　Despite this, the reason Ram accepted Subaru's invitation was because the proposal he brought to her shook the very core of her heart.

"You should be recovered enough to stand up by now, right?"

"Y-you really are rough with people... I feel like if you cast a healing spell on me, I wouldn't be punished..."

"Don't worry. Ram can't use any healing magic at all. She didn't need to learn it."

"This is the first time I've seen a maid who has nothing to do with healing!"

　Otto screamed and struggled to his feet on trembling legs.

　His body was wobbly and his nosebleed had finally stopped. Even if he managed to stand up, he was obviously in no condition to be counted as a fighting force.

　However, his fighting spirit still showed no signs of abating, causing Garfiel to snort in irritation.

"You bastard... there's nothing you can do about it now, I thought I'd taught you enough in our previous conversation. Can't you see that I'm still going strong after using my trump card? You're too stubborn to give up, you're ruining the man you've become, hey."

"Unfortunately, I don't remember ever having lost enough of my sense of worth to give up with grace. Even if I'm penniless, as long as my body remains I can still start running. At least, I can't help but feel that my friend is the type of person who would say that and start running."

"...It's that guy again."

　Garfiel clicked his tongue at the word "friend" that Otto said.

"What do you think is so trustworthy about a guy who's all talk? He has no real strength. No talent. He's all talk, but that's it. Is a guy like you worth lending your strength to?"

"I wonder about its value. It may not be worth that much to you right now, Natsuki."

"...Huh?"

"But the future is different."

　When Garfiel tilted his head at the unexpected answer, Otto's smile deepened and he said.

　His physical strength was already depleted, and many of his plans had been thwarted by brute force, so there was almost no hope left. Yet Otto's face didn't show the slightest hint of anxiety.

"I'm a merchant after all. I think it's not a bad idea to invest in people who have the potential to bring me profits in the future. Natsuki-san… I have the feeling that maybe, just maybe, you could do something big."

"――――"

"However, that is on the condition that it doesn't get crushed here and there. So, what kind of flower will Natsuki-san, who is currently just a sprout, bloom into, and how much it will be worth… my role is to get rid of the bugs and prune it."

　"He's a lot of work," Otto said with a wry smile, scratching his head. Ram, who had been listening, let out a bored sigh.

「Honestly, Ram doesn't understand what it is about Balusu that is worthy of being so impressed. Ram and Garf agree that Balusu is weak, useless, and a useless person who can't even brew a cup of tea properly.」

"That's an exaggeration... but maybe not."

"However, Barusu is a man who has strangely good timing when it comes to crucial moments."

　Ram declared, ignoring Otto's timid retort.

　Hearing this, the two men tilted their heads in confusion and asked, "Timing?" Ram nodded her chin.

"It's timing. A man who has good timing, that's Barusu."

　Although he was normally useless, and it was unclear what his usefulness was, Natsuki Subaru was miraculously a man who was always where he needed to be, when he needed to be.

　When Emilia got separated from Ram in the royal capital, Subaru protected her in Ram's place.

　He carried the injured boy back to the mansion, and over the next few days, a commotion broke out due to the magical beasts. During the closure of the incident, Subaru also saved the children of the village and played a part in eradicating the magical beasts. Although he didn't make the greatest contribution possible, it was true that he was helped by them.

　When Emilia returned from the royal capital and left the mansion in the care of her, and a sense of unrest spread throughout the village and the surrounding area, Subaru returned with reinforcements and brilliantly escaped the peril.

　Natsuki Subaru is a man with extraordinary timing.

　There was nothing about him that attracted her, and she didn't feel any attraction to him as a member of the opposite sex. Ram didn't understand what it was about him that was so appealing, and it sometimes annoyed her. She couldn't remember what it was that annoyed her, or what it was that bothered her.

　In any case, Natsuki Subaru is just that kind of man.

　That was why, this time too, Ram――

Echidna: "You can trust Barusu's good timing. —If Barusu sees an opportunity and takes action, then that's the only way to secure victory."

"After all, it seems that Ram-san has some trust in Natsuki-san."

"Lord Ram."

"Is that the part where you pull it?!"

　Not liking the grinning man standing next to him, Ram shuts him up with a stern look.

　And so, the two of them agreed to support Subaru's aim. They both agreed that they had joined forces, and that they had kept quiet about their time-buying tactics from Subaru.

　He was aware that he had bought himself enough time, but――

"I wonder why I still have this desire to do it."

"It's humiliating that we weren't able to defeat him after all the traps and surprise attacks we've set up so neatly. You're so cocky, Garf. --I'll teach you a lesson."

"Wow, how scary. This lady is so scary. I wonder if that sleeping girl is really kind. I'm starting to think that Natsuki-san might be lying."

　Otto was muttering unnecessary things.

　Ram concentrated her mana again while checking how her staff felt in her grip.

　As the two remained in their fighting stance, Garfiel remained silent for a while. He looked down, listening to what the two were saying, and then slowly took a step forward.

"――――"

　Once again, Otto and Ram stiffened in tension as they sensed that war was about to begin.

　However, his and her resolve,

"--That's enough."

　A husky voice muttered softly.

　Otto and Ram both frowned at the same time.

"Thinking about it is such a hassle--"

　Garfiel muttered in an exhausted voice.

　and,

"--------!!"

　A beast's roar reverberated throughout the entire Sanctuary forest.

　The pressure was so great that all the creatures in the forest trembled and bowed their heads.

　--The super beast has appeared.