What's the definition of life? No, a better question—what's the purpose of living? Some could say that the purpose of living is to find happiness or fulfillment. Others might argue it's about leaving a legacy or making an impact on the world around us. Perhaps the purpose of life isn't as grand as we typically think. What if it's simply about the small moments? The laughter shared over a cup of coffee with a friend, the warmth of a sincere hug, or the quiet satisfaction of completing a task. What if it's about connection—building relationships that enrich our existence and remind us we are not alone in this vast universe?
Then there's the beauty of simplicity. The way sun rises over the horizon, marking the start of the new day. The way rain taps gently against the window, soft and melodic rhythm. It's in these little moments that we often discover the essence of being alive. Each moment, each breath we take, each sunset we are watching. Each sunrise we are meeting.
Natsuki Subaru had many regrets—too many to count, in fact. After the incident with the bikers and his unexpected encounter with the Stylish Ruffian Slayer, something within him shifted. He didn't have to hide away anymore. He wasn't perfect, but that was okay. He was learning to be himself, to embrace his flaws, and to seek out connections instead of pushing people away. He felt lighter, his heart a little less burdened. One day at a time, he was learning to take control of his life again.
Subaru kept pushing forward, slowly building up his confidence. As time passed, he started to find joy in simple aspects of life. He began to attend school regularly again, sit with his classmates, and even joke around with them. it felt great.
However, as life just started to turn for better, it abruptly ended.
"I love you."
A dream. A very vivid dream has been filling Subaru's nights lately. In this dream he finds himself in a vast space of nothingness, of darkness, of shadows. He tries to move, but his feet feel like they are stuck in the void. It's frustrating and confusing. He looks around, searching for something—someone.
"I love you."
A whisper of declaration of love echoes in the emptiness. It's familiar, comforting, but he can't quite place it. Subaru strains to listen, trying to catch the voice amidst the silence. He closes his eyes, hoping that somehow he can remember more.
"I love you."
Subaru feels an unexpected warmth spread through him at the sound. He opens his eyes again, searching desperately. "Where are you?" Every instinct tells him he's missing something important, something right in front of him.
"I love you."
And then he finally spots her. A girl covered in, what you can call, shadows itself. A silver-haired beauty stood in front of him. He could barely discern her features through the darkness. There was something about her presence that felt both familiar and utterly foreign.
"Who are you?" he asks.
Amethyst. Amethyst eyes gaze back at him. They seem to hold a mix of emotions—hope, longing, and a touch of sadness. "I love you." Yet, despite her words, tears stream down her cheeks, glistening like stars against the darkness. Subaru's heartbeat quickens, and he feels a strong pull toward her.
"Why are you crying?" he asks, instinctively reaching out, but his hand doesn't budge.
"I love you." The response remained the same.
Subaru's frustration builds. "Please, just tell me who you are!" he pleads, his voice echoing in the void.
The shadows around him swirled, before they fully consumed him. However, before his consciousness was enveloped completely, he heard her voice again—soft, like angelic bells.
"Satella..."
"Suuuuuubaru!" A young girl, with black sily hair and red eyes bargained into his room, before jumping onto his bed and starting violently shaking Subaru, who was still asleep.
"You are oversleeping the training! Wake up!" The girl didn't stop shaking him until Subaru finally jolted awake.
"I am up! I am up! Why are you still shaking me?!" Subaru yelled, rubbing his eyes.
The girl stopped shaking him. "I was just making sure you didn't sleep through it again! You and Cid are always late if i don't wake you up!"
Subaru sat up, finally fully awake. "Okay, okay! Claire, I get it! I'll get ready."
Claire Kagenou was his new sister in a newly reincarnated world. His new family were aristocrats, who owned a manor in the fields. They were known for having excellent "Dark Knights" through each generation. Also, Subaru learned that in this world magic exists. Although they usually don't use it to cast flashy spells or moves. They use it to boost strength in swordmanship. Subaru was still getting used to the idea but was determined to fit in and train hard.
"Good! I'll meet you downstairs," Claire said, bouncing off the bed and darting out of the room.
Subaru Kagenou. That's who he is now. A son of Baron Kagenou. There is nothing notable about his parents, apart from that his father is usually being bullied by everyone due to his personality. He was a coward and often tried to avoid responsibilites, trying to excuse himself. He wasn't as brave or strong as his old—
A frown formed on his lips as he remembered his old parents once again. Even though he couldn't repay them for everything that they did for him in his previous life, he made a silent promise to himself. He would honor their memory by living to the fullest in this new life and by striving to become stronger and more capable than he had ever been.
With a deep breath, he hopped out of the bed and quickly put on his clothes. Nothing too fancy, just comfortable enough to wear and train in. He quickly came over the mirror and a sink, splashing his face with cold water to wake himself up even more. Adjusting his hair to spiky-like style, he gave himself a quick nod of approval. It wasn't perfect, but it was better than looking like he just rolled out of bed.
He grabbed the wooden sword from the corner of his room and headed out of his room, only to run into another member of his new family.
"Ah, good morning Cid." Subaru said, as he spotted Cid just leaving his room as well.
"Good morning, Subaru." Cid replied, with particular zero interest.
Cid Kagenou was his another sibling, who had suspiciously striking resemblance with his classmate from old world—Minoru Kageno. Cid looked almost exactly like Minoru, right down to the way he carried himself. Unremarkable, always trying to stay in the background and nonchalant attitude. But now, Cid had a strange intensity in his eyes. It was as if he was always thinking about something serious, even if he often looked bored.
Subaru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at Cid. "You're ready for training already? You must be extra motivated today."
Cid shrugged. "Just trying to get it over with. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can do what I want."
"Which is…?" Subaru asked, curious.
"Nothing you'd be interested in," Cid replied, his tone dismissive. It was typical of him; he always kept his interests close to the vest.
"Fair enough. Let's just make sure we don't keep Claire waiting," Subaru said as he started down the hallway, with Cid slowly following behind.
At some point, Subaru even thought that Cid is reincarnated version of Minoru, since both of them died by a... Truck... Classic isekai scenario. He would occasionally murmur words on Japanese or English, to gain some sort of reaction from him. But it didn't work. Either he purposely was playing dumb or he wasn't an actually Minoru who Subaru know. One time, he directly asked Cid if he was reincarnated, at which he looked at Subaru with a blank expression and just shrugged. That was all the answer he got, which only left Subaru with more questions.
As Subaru and Cid made their way outside, they could hear Claire's voice echoing.
"Seriously! How long does it take to get ready?" Claire's voice was sharp, making it clear she wasn't in the mood for delays.
"Alright, alright! We're coming!" Subaru shouted back, quickening his pace.
"Finally!" Claire exclaimed. "Do you know what's going to happen if we start late again? I don't want to hear any excuses!"
Subaru raised his hands defensively. "We're here, we're here! No need to be so dramatic!"
Claire's mood softened slightly, but her hands remained firmly on her hips. "I'm just looking out for you two. We can't afford to fall behind."
Their usual morning trainings started with Subaru's newly "invention"—radio calisthenics which was quickly adopted by Claire and Cid. Subaru had taken a few ideas from his past life, blending them with the techniques he learned in this new world.
"Alright, everyone! Let's get started!" he called out, trying to inject some enthusiasm into the morning.
"First, we do the warm-up!" Subaru announced, positioning himself at the front. "Follow my lead!" He began with some dynamic stretches. "Remember, do it like this! Arms up, then to the side!"
Claire followed his movements enthusiastically, mimicking him perfectly. Cid, on the other hand, seemed less enthusiastic, but he reluctantly joined in, at least going through the motions.
"Alright! Next step: jumping jacks!" Subaru clapped his hands to get their attention. "Go! One... two... three..." He counted loudly, trying to keep everyone hyped up.
Claire jumped in with enthusiasm, easily keeping pace with Subaru. "Come on, Cid! You can do better than that!" she encouraged.
"And now, from the bottom of your lungs. Scream! VICTORY!"
"VICTORY!"
That's how the most days went. Morning calisthetics, training with swords, and then practice sessions where they worked on their skills. In terms of strength, Claire was definitely ahead of them both. She was naturally talented, quickly picking up techniques and impressing even their instructor.
In free time, Subaru spent most of the time in the library, diving into books about swordsmanship, magic, and the history of the world he now lived in. After the routine of calisthenics and sword training, they usually had some free time. Claire would often spend this time practicing with her sword, while Cid preferred to retreat to a quiet spot, sometimes disappearing entirely.
Subaru watched as Cid was sent flying back to the river by Claire's powerful strike during their sword practice, following shortly after a water splash. Subaru couldn't help but chuckel at the sight.
"Subaru, It's your turn now." Claire called out, adjusting her grip on the sword.
Subaru winced a bit at the request, knowing he was about to get his ass beaten as well. "Alright, alright. Just take it easy on me, okay? I'm still getting used to this whole 'sword fighting' thing!"
Claire just smirked. "No mercy, Subaru! You need to toughen up if you want to keep up with me!"
The days were moslty peaceful, however one day it changed.
His body started to feel weird as it become more painful and tiresome to train. At first, Subaru brushed it off as just part of the rigorous routine they had. But as the days progressed, the fatigue and discomfort never seemed to fade, it only intensified. That's when he spotted it.
A black spot.
Mark of possesion.
The gruesome rumors about the so called "Possesion" which usually affect only females and males in rare cases. At first, Subaru tried to hide it, thinking that maybe it was just some lingering side effect from training too hard. But he couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that came with it. The stories he had heard were enough to unsettle anyone: slowly being transformed into a blob of living flesh but in case of males, they just explode. That's right. The mana in his body would start becoming unstable and eventually, if he didn't do something about it, he'd explode.
But before he could do something about it he felt as if something was fighting against it, that's when he started having such weird dreams which he forgets shortly after, his anxiety slowly dissipated and the black spot started shrinking in size before it disappeared entirely. Subaru couldn't make sense of it. At first, he thought about telling Claire or Cid, but the last thing he wanted was to worry them. They were already so busy with training and their own lives.
Instead, Subaru decided to keep the incident to himself and focus on the training. He couldn't let this new problem interfere with his goals. There was no way he was going to let a little black spot stop him from becoming strong. He had promised himself he would live life to the fullest in this new world, and staying strong was part of that promise.
Subaru tensed as he watched Claire lunging forward, her sword aimed straight at him. He had been lost in his thoughts, but now he had to react quickly. He quickly rose up his wooden sword, barely managing to block the strike just in time. The impact send him flying back, however he managed to land on his feet, stumbling a bit but regaining his balance.
"Whoa! That was close!" Subaru exclaimed, catching his breath.
"Come on, Subaru! Focus!" Claire called out, her eyes sharp and serious. She was always pushing him to do better, and while it could be annoying at times, he knew it was for his own good.
"Right, right! I'm focused!" Subaru said, raising his sword again, as he adjusted his footing.
Claire came at him again, swinging her wooden sword with impressive speed. Subaru brought his weapon up, deflecting her strike, but she followed up with another rapid attack. This time, he was a little slower to react, and the impact jolted his arms.
However, she wasn't done and continued her relentless assault. Subaru barely had time to react as Claire charged at him again, her wooden sword aimed at his chest. He tried to block, but her speed caught him off guard. The sword connected with his wooden one, and this time he was sent flying back once again, dropping to the ground with a thud.
"Ugh!" Subaru groaned as he hit the ground.
"Well, you lasted longer than the last time," Claire said, as she stood over him, extending a hand to help him up. Although he had lost the fight, but Subaru could see that Claire was proud of him for making an effort and improving.
"Thanks," Subaru said, taking her hand and pulling himself up. He brushed off his clothes, trying to regain his composure. "I swear you're getting stronger every day, Claire."
She flashed a quick grin, obviously pleased with the compliment. "Of course! I am your older sister after all! I need to be strong to protect both of you!"
Her gaze lingered on Cid, a small frown forming on her lips. "But he's so distracted lately. He needs to focus on his training, too. He has potential as well, I know it."
Subaru glanced over at Cid, who was leaning against a nearby tree, seemingly lost in thought. "Yeah, I've noticed. I wonder what's going on in his head."
"Cid! Are you even listening?" Claire called out, hands on her hips, a sense of frustration in her voice.
Cid, clearly startled by her sudden call, pushed himself off the tree. "Uh, yeah."
"So, how was Subaru's and my spar?"
"That was okay—" Cid unethically replied, Claire narrowed her eyes, her sharp gaze pierching right through him, it didn't take long for him to understand the message.
His face lighted up, corners of his lips turned upwards as he started clapping his hand. "You are the strongest Dark Knight, sis! I wish I was as strong as you!"
"Cid, you have to train hard as well, you have potential! Just like Subaru! You can't keep slacking off," Claire insisted, her voice firm but with a hint of sisterly concern.
"I doubt it." Cid nonchantly replied.
"Ugh!" Claire groaned in frustration. "I am going to prove you and our parents that you can be as strong as me! You just need a little push!" Claire said, determination evident in her voice.
However, the training time has ended, indicating that they have now free time to do as they pleased. As the training session wrapped up, Subaru wiped the sweat from his forehead and took a deep breath
"Hey, I'm going to check out the library," Subaru announced, stretching his limbs to alleviate some of the stiffness from his arms after the sparring match with Claire.
"Of course you are," Claire said. "You'd live in there if you could."
Subaru chuckled, a little sheepish. "What can I say? There's so much to learn, and I want to catch up as fast as I can!"
"Just don't forget to join us for dinner later!" Claire reminded, turning to Cid. "And you, try to get some training in before dinner, okay?"
Cid shrugged, his expression indifferent. "Yes sis."
"Well, I'm off then," Subaru said, waving goodbye as he headed toward the manor.
His thoughts drifted back to Cid. What could cause such disinterest in swordmanship and all around him in general. Sure, he wasn't as naturally talented as his sister, Claire, but he believed if he trained hard enough he could catch up. Maybe Cid just needed a little push, like Claire was trying to give him. Subaru knew firsthand how important it was to have someone believe in you, and maybe a bit of encouragement was what Cid needed.
Subaru reached the library and swung open the heavy wooden door. The familiar scent of old books washed over him, as tons of bookshelves lined the walls. They ranged from everything: from fairy tales about the Great heroes, who once stopped the Demon Diablos, to deep historical accounts detailing the rise and fall of ancient kingdoms.
He picked the book about the Legendary City—Alexandria, which was forever lost and never found again. He flipped the pages to the illustrarions of the glorious buildings and a huge white castle in the middle of it, as he started reading through.
However, It hasn't been even 15 minutes as he suddenly slamned the book on the table with a frustrated sigh.
"Seriously? I have been reincarnated in this world and waste my time reading about a city that doesn't even exist anymore?" he grumbled to himself. "Why am I wasting my time on these fantasies? I should be learning something useful!"
"No! I know what i have been lacking! An adventure!" Subaru said aloud, a lightbulb moment hitting him.
His sudden realization made him leap out of his chair, making the books around him rattle slightly. A new fire ignited in his chest. Why should he just sit around reading about heroes when he could be out there, becoming one himself?
He took a moment, stopping to catch his breath and calm his racing mind. "Okay, think, Subaru! What kind of adventure do you want?" He paced back and forth, muttering to himself like a mad scientist hatching a plan.
"Should I go on a quest? Fight monsters? Rescue a princess? No… that's too cliché," he said, shaking his head. "But that could be a start! I need to do something cool!"
"Maybe if I gather more information about the nearby regions and their threats, I can lay the groundwork for something epic?" he mused, glancing back at the shelves lined with books. Knowledge was power, after all!
He grabbed several more books, focusing on maps and legends. "Alright, let's create a strategy, Subaru-style!" he declared, tossing the books onto a table in the corner and diving into the first one.
──────────────
It was a midnight. The time Subaru has decided to put his plan into action.
"I need to experience something!" he whispered to himself, glancing out of the window at the moonlit courtyard. The stars sparkled in the night sky, and he felt the pull of the outside world calling to him. "This is the perfect time! Everyone's asleep, and no one will notice if I slip out for a bit."
It wasn't uncommon for Subaru to sneak out at night; he had done it several times in his old life when he was a kid, being a jokester and all.
"Sneak, sneak, sneak..." He quietly opened the window in his room and climbed out, careful not to make too much noise as he lowered himself down onto the grass below. "Mission: Nighttime Adventure is a go!" he whispered, a grin spreading across his face.
He didn't go unprepared, he had a sword on his belt, which he temporary took it from manor's arsenal.
After sneaking past the sleeping manor, Subaru made his way toward a nearby forest, the woods looming ahead like a dark abyss. "What's the worst that could happen?" he muttered, trying to convince himself. He had trained in sword fighting, right? "I can handle whatever I find out here!"
He was venturing in the woods now, carefuly avoiding roots and branches on the ground as he made his way deeper into the forest. But the deeper he went, the less comfortable he felt.
"Okay, maybe this was a little reckless," he admitted under his breath, looking around nervously. He suddenly became aware of the surroundings around him, the rustle of the leaves, the howling wind, and the chirping of distant crickets. Suddenly, he heard that could be described as a male yell.
Subaru froze in place, heart racing. The sound came from a little distance away, deeper in the woods, and it definitely didn't sound friendly. "Who... was that? Maybe someone needs help?"
With a deep breath, he cautiously made his way towards the sound, moving silently through the trees. The yells growing louder as he approached. Finally, he saw that could be described as a campfire with multiple carages and a group of several bandits with weapons drawn.
Subaru hid behind the bushes as he watched the scene unfold. At first he expected that these bandits captured someone, and the yells were from the victim, however it was far from the truth as he saw their frigthened and bewildered faces
"Yahooooo! Gimme all of you goodies, you pieces of garbages!" An excited young male voice called out, seemingly having the time of his life.
"Just who the hell is this kid!" The bandit yelled as he rushed towards the small figure with a sword, intending to strike him down. However, the bandit staggered back with blood spraying from his arm as the young boy dodged the attack and countered with surprising agility.
"No way! Let me show you what real skill looks like!" the boy yelled.
Subaru finally spotted him. A boy, no older than him with a paper bag on his head and wielding a sword, with which he slashed the bandit's arm.
"Oh, come on! Don't you know how to fight?" the boy taunted. "I'm not even warmed up yet!"
"Who the hell are you, brat?" one of the other bandits shouted, their faces a mix of confusion and annoyance. They were clearly taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.
"Just your friendly neighborhood swordsman!" the boy exclaimed, puffing out his chest. "I'm here to clean up the trash!"
Subaru watched, torn between awe and disbelief. "What the heck is going on?" he muttered to himself. Seriously, who just runs into a group of bandits with a paper bag on their head?
"You are not taking us seriously!" one of the bandits yelled, trying to regain his composure. "Get him!"
Subaru stayed hidden behind the bush, his heart racing as he watched the absurd scene unfold. The bandits charged at the boy, but to Subaru's surprise, the boy with the paper bag on his head dodged their attacks with impressive agility, his movements fluid and fast.
"Too slow!" the boy shouted, laughing as he spun around and slashed at another bandit, causing him to stumble back. Subaru couldn't believe what he was witnessing. This kid was taking on three bandits and holding his own!
However, one of the bandits got too careless and the boy used the opportunity to slice off his arm with a swift swipe of his sword. The bandit screamed as he fell to the ground, clutching the stump where his arm used to be. "Before you die, you should know who I am. I am Stylish Bandit Slayer."
The remaining two bandits looked like they were reconsidering their life choices as they stared at their fallen comrade, panic flickering across their faces. "What kind of kid are you?" one of them yelled, desperate to regain control of the situation.
"Oi, oi! I just told who I am, didn't I?" the boy replied with a grin. "Now, are you guys going to run away like the cowards you are, or do I have to take you both out, too?" the boy chuckled. "Just kidding, none of you escaping alive this night."
Meanwhile Subaru was in state of shock and disbelief. "Stylish Bandit Slayer?" There is no way they could be the same person, right?
"I am just a Stylish Ruffian Slayer."
The one who saved him at that fated night, the one who granted him a second chance. What was he doing here? How did he appear here? Wasn't he supposed to be in his old world, fighting off other bikers? When who—
Slowly, Subaru's eyes widened in realisation.
The head of the fallen bandit was sliced off with a single swift swing of the boy's sword. Blood sprayed across the ground as the remaining bandits stared wide-eyed at their fallen leader.
"Yikes!" Subaru gasped, clapping a hand over his mouth. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. This was brutal. A lump formed in his throat as his stomach churned. He wanted to puke. And he did, revealing the contents of his dinner all over the bushes.
The boy laughed maniacally, clearly enjoying the mayhem he had just unleashed. "Let that be a lesson to you lot!" the boy shouted, turning to the remaining two bandits. "You think you can just band together and bully innocent travelers? Think again!"
One of the bandies yelled in desperation as he ran towards the kid with his sword raised, swinging wildly in an attempt to take revenge for his fallen comrades. The boy The boy ducked under the attack as he sidestepped and struck back with a sharp slash of his own, knocking the bandit's sword from his hand.
The bandit stumbled forward, wide-eyed as he realized he was now defenseless. The boy didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he swung his sword again, slicing the bandit into 2 pieces with a clean cut.
"Wow, that was too easy!" The boy exclaimed, wiping his sword on the grass as he turned to the final bandit, who was now trembling in terror, back against a tree.
"Please! Don't kill me!" the last bandit whimpered, eyes darting back and forth, looking for an escape that wasn't there. "I didn't want any of this! I was just following orders!"
The boy with the paper bag tilted his head, an amused smile on his face. "You should have thought about that before you decided to pick on innocent travelers. Now you have one last chance," he said, leaning closer, his expression serious. "Tell me where your golden coins are, or I'm afraid you'll meet the same fate as your friends."
The bandit gulped audibly, a terrified look plastered on his face. "I-It's on the carriege in the chest! I swear! Just let me go!"
The boy's eyes sparkled with mischief as he stepped back, twirling his sword in his hand. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Now, be a good little bandit and point me in the right direction."
The bandit, trembling like a leaf in a storm, while holding his hands up in defeat, nodded vigorously. "It's over there!" He pointed to a carriage off to the side, its door barely ajar. "Please, just let me go!
"No promises!" the boy exclaimed, running over to the carriage. He flung the door open, rummaging through the contents inside. Subaru watched, half hidden in the bushes, still in shock at what he'd just witnessed.
The boy pulled out a bag that looked heavy and jingled with the sound of coins. "Jackpot!" he shouted gleefully, holding it above his head as if he had just won a prize. He then turned back to the terrified bandit who was now practically shaking. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood today. I'll let you go—this time."
"Thank you! Thank you!" the bandit stammered, still on the ground. "I swear I'll never do this again!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll believe it when I see it!" the boy replied nonchalantly, clearly not very interested in the bandit's pleas for mercy. He stashed the bag of coins away, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the coast was clear. "Now, get lost before I change my mind!"
The bandit scrambled to his feet and bolted into the trees, however before he could run away, a dagger shot out from the back, piercing his skull and dropping him dead before he could escape.
"Oops, you didn't dodge quickly enough, did you?" the boy said with a mischievous grin. He let a satisfied sight, before returning to the campfire
Subaru shifted uncomfortably in his hiding spot. He had never seen anything like this before, especially not from someone his age. Should he step in? Should he reveal himself? It felt wrong to just stand by and watch, but at the same time, this was no normal situation.
"What am I even doing here?" he muttered to himself, as he wrestled with the urge to run back to the safety of the manor. "This is not how I envisioned my adventure."
Suddenly, the boy pointed his sword towards the bushes where Subaru was hiding in. "Did I miss another bandit?" he called out, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Come on out! I promise I won't bite… too hard."
Subaru's heart raced as he realized he had been spotted. He had to think fast. Should he run? Hide? No, that would only draw more attention! Gritting his teeth, he slowly stepped out from behind the bushes, trying to look brave even though he felt anything but.
"Uh, hey there… I was just, um… passing by," Subaru stammered, waving awkwardly.
The boy with the paper bag tilted his head, momentarily taken aback, although he didn't show it. 'Why is he here?' he thought to himself. "Passing by, huh? In the middle of the night? You should stay asleep."
The boy with the paper bag tilted his head, momentarily taken aback, although he didn't show it. 'Why is he here?' he thought to himself. "Passing by, huh? In the middle of the night? You should stay asleep in your house."
Subaru swallowed nervously, glancing back at the defeated bandits sprawled on the ground. "Right, well, I thought maybe… I'd go for a midnight stroll and, um, enjoy the fresh air?"
However, Subaru quickly regained his composure. "Wait! You are Stylish Ruffian Slayer!"
The boy, slightly striken aback, replied. "I am Stylish BANDIT Slayer. I think you got the wrong person."
"No, no! You are definetly the same guy! This could not be a coincidence! If you were reincarnated here as well and you look like the same age as me, this means..." Subaru's eyes widened once again. "Took off your paper bag!"
"Uh, no, I am good," the boy replied, instinctively adjusting the paper bag on his head
Subaru had suspicion that Minoru could be the one who saved him during that fateful night. He took into account everything—the heavy bag which he always carries, which was definetely filled with crowbars, the heavy shoes, the bags under his eyes, which could mean his night activities as a Stylish Ruffian Slayer and the fact that no one has discovered his identity yet.
"Cid! I know it's you!" Subaru exclaimed. "No, rather Minoru!"
"I have no idea what you're talking about," the boy replied flatly.
"Come on, this is ridiculous! I know you're him! We both ended up in this weird world. You saved me once and then we died together... which was your fault."
"I think you mistook me with someone, kid. Just go home." The boy replied nonchantly.
"You have the same posture, the same way of trying to act all nonchalant and uninterested in everything. You hide behind that paper bag, but every movement, every dodging technique you use, it's the same as Stylish Ruffian Slayer! And now you call yourself Stylish Bandit Slayer? It all makes perfect sense! You were reborn as Cid Kagenou, but in reality, you're still Minoru! You can't hide from me, buddy!"
The boy, or rather Cid, blinked in surprise as Subaru laid out his theory. After a moment of silence, he decided to use his last chance, the last triumph card which he laid for this very moment. "I am a demon which possesed your classmate, and now I seek to dominate this world."
Subaru's jaw dropped, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. "A demon?! Seriously? Like a real-life, pop-out-of-the-darkness, take-over-the-world kind of demon? Am I supposed to believe that?"
Subaru's jaw dropped, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected turn of events. "A demon?! Seriously? Like a real-life, pop-out-of-the-darkness, take-over-the-world kind of demon? Am I supposed to believe that?"
Cid crossed his arms, his expression still hidden beneath the paper bag. "You don't have to believe anything, but that's what you're dealing with."
"I ain't buying that!" Subaru exclaimed, throwing his arms up in exasperation.
"Shit, here goes my triumph card..." Cid muttered under his breath before taking a deep breath. "I didn't expect the event where the main character reveals his brother's identity and powers to happen so soon. But fine, let's try something else."
Without warning, Cid ripped off the paper bag, revealing his face. It was unmistakably Cid—Minoru.
Subaru blinked, momentarily speechless as he stared at the familiar face. "Wow... This is really you."
"I thought I could keep my identity a secret a bit longer, but you seem to be onto me." Cid replied. "Wait, did I just ruin my dramatic identity reveal?"
Subaru shook his head, trying to process what he had just seen. "This is insane! So you really are Minoru… Cid… I don't know what to call you anymore! But why are you here? Why become a 'Stylish Bandit Slayer' of all things?"
"It's just a step close to my final goal—to become the Eminence in Shadow." Cid said, his tone suddenly serious. "I don't want to be just another hero or a villian. I want to become strong enough to manipulate the world's shadows from behind the scenes."
Subaru couldn't help but frown, his earlier excitement wavering. "So, you're saying you want to be some kind of puppet master? That sounds awfully… dark, you know? Not like the flashy hero stuff kids dream about."
"Heroes are boring. They fight against the light and are celebrated for it, but the real power lies in the darkness. No one sees the strings being pulled, but I want to be the one pulling them. I want to create my own story, where I control the fate of everyone around me."
Subaru raised an eyebrow, sensing a hint of obsession in Cid's words. "You do realize you're sounding a bit… cliché, right? The mysterious figure in the shadows? It's the kind of thing you see in a bad fantasy novel."
Cid shrugged, unfazed by Subaru's critique. "Trial and error, my friend. I'm just following a path I believe will lead me to true strength. Besides, being a Stylish Bandit Slayer is fun!"
Subaru blinked in disbelief. "Fun? You call this fun?" He looked at the remains of the defeated bandits scattered around, looking paler than usual. "You just sliced through a bunch of guys like it was nothing! What's wrong with you?"
"You should've seen how they were terrorizing innocent merchants. This is the price they pay for their actions."
"Yeah, but…" Subaru started. "this feels a bit extreme, don't you think? I mean, sure, those guys were clearly up to no good, but slicing them in half? It's just… scary!"
"Sometimes you have to make a statement. Besides, they won't be bothering anyone else. Consider it a public service." He glanced down at the bag of coins he'd stashed, a gleaming smirk on his face, as if that justified everything.
Subaru felt a mix of shock and confusion as he stared at Cid. "I give up. I can't even begin to understand your logic right now. If that's how you see things, then you do you, I guess."
"You'll come to appreciate the way of the shadows eventually. Trust me, it's a lot more thrilling than it seems at first."
Subaru rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to wrap his mind around everything. "So… what now? Do we just leave these guys here?"
Cid shrugged. "They're not my problem anymore. But I guess I should check their pockets for anything useful. You'd be surprised what bandits carry."
Subaru sighed. "Why did I even come out here?"
Cid raised an eyebrow. "You could join me. You seem like you could use a little excitement in your life, and I could use a partner."
Subaru paused at Cid's offer, an internal debate within him. 'Join him?' Was this seriously happening? "You want me to join your crazy bandit-slaying thing? Are you out of your mind?"
"Why not? You've seen what I can do. Plus, I am sure that you will gain some confidence."
Subaru scowled at the thought. "You just want someone to carry your loot, don't you?"
"Of course not!" Cid lied as he continied. "It doesn't have to be forever. You can tag along, see how it is, and then if you dislike it, you can stop roleplaying and go back to your normal life. Just give it a shot."
Subaru hesistated, weighing his options. "I don't know man—"
"And you will also get 15% of my revenue from these little affairs.".
"Look, It's not about the money—"
"13%"
"It's about human's lives—"
"10%"
"Are you even listening to me—"
"8%"
"Cid—"
"6%"
"You are being ridiculous! You are scaling back the percentage—"
"5%"
Subaru threw his hands up in frustration, trying to keep his composure as he processed this absurd negotiation. "You're awful at this! This isn't how negotiation is supposed to work!" He sighed. "But fine, I'll tag along. But you have to teach me how to actually fight better. I'm not about to stand in the back and just cheer you on.".
"Deal is sealed." Both of them shook their hands, forming a partnership that Subaru might soon regret.
"Now then, help me pick up the loot from these guy." Cid said as started rummaging through the pockets of defeated bandits, lighting up with glee as he pulled out a few coins.
Subaru paled as he reluctantly began to assist, unsure of what he had gotten himself into.
──────────────
"Yahoo! Evening bitches! If you wanna live, hand over your valuables!" A yound voice ranged through the forest, startling bandits nearby the campfire.
Multiple pairs of eyes turned toward the source of the voice, and a sudden hush fell over the camp. It was a boy clad in a paper bag on his head wielding a sword, who made an appearance.
"What in the world— Who the hell is this kid?" one of the bandits growled, standing up from his spot, readying his weapon. The others quickly shuffled to gather their weapons, clearly worried about the intrusion.
"Did I stutter?" the boy shouted, a grin stretching across his face as he brandished his sword. "I said, hand over your valuables, or face the consequences!"
The bandits exchanged confused glances, disbelief etched on their faces. "You think you can take us on alone, kid?"
"Alone? You are mistaken here! I'm not alone!" He gestured dramatically towards the shadows, and just behind him... no one appeared.
"Wait! I am not ready—" Another young voice cut in from behind the bushes. "You should have given me more time!"
"Seriously? Here I was setting up a dramatic entrance, and you blew it," the boy in the paper bag huffed, glaring back at the figure emerging from the shadows.
The figure stepped from the shadows—Subaru, wearing ablack coat with black fur around the collar and a purple tracksuit, a white mask with a large purple scar across his right eye and black feathers behind the mask. "I didn't expect your dramatic reveal to be so sudden!"
The tension in the air was palpable as the bandits squinted in disbelief at the two boys standing before them, chatting nonchantly.
"Who the hell are you supposed to be?" one of the bandits sneered, gripping his weapon tighter.
"I am Stylish Bandit Slayer!" the boy in the paper bag declared.
"And I am Alcor, the Masked Man." Subaru adjusted his stance, trying to embrace the role Cid had flung onto him.
Cid quickly glance at him, sensing Subaru's discomfort. "What's the matter?"
"Uh, nothing!"
"You know, we could always change your name's identity to the "Barusu, The Lolimance—"
"Shut up! Where did you even get such an absurd name!?"
The bandits exchanged glances, unsure whether to laugh or be alarmed. But they were clearly irritated at the audacity of the two kids standing before them. They weren't exactly comfortable with facing off against two unexpectedly brash kids.
"Enough games! Get them!" one of the bandit leaders shouted, his voice piercing. The other bandits began to move.
The first bandit lunged at Cid, and Cid, using him lightweighted body sidestepped effortlessly while slashing with his sword. The bandit stumbled past him, clearly shocked at the boy's quick reflexes. "Too slow!"
Meanwhile Subaru, brandishing his whip—his acquired weapon, hesitated as he faced an oncoming bandit. He tried to remember what Cid has teached him earlier about combat basics. He swung the whip forward, aiming for the bandit's legs. The whip crackled through the air, and to his surprise, it connected, wrapping around the bandit and sending him tumbling to the ground.
"Whoa! I actually did it!" Subaru exclaimed, a mix of surprise and excitement rushing through him. He pulled the whip back, releasing it with a flick of his wrist to swing again at another bandit. But this time, the bandit was quicker, ducking just in time, and the whip missed its mark.
Subaru lashed the whip behind him, wrapping a boulder and pulling it off the ground before yanking it towards the bandit. The bandit was momentarily stunned as the boulder slammed into his chest, sending him crashing to the ground.
The remaining bandits were engaged in a battle with Cid. However Subaru noticed something unsettling about Cid. He almost had a manic glean in his eyes, as if he was enjoying it—insatiable bloodlust—and it sent a chill down Subaru's spine as he watched Cid impaling yet another unlucky bandit.
Bandit after bandit fell, their lifeless bodies littering the ground around them. Subaru watched in horror as Cid finished off the last bandit by slicing him into 2 parts. Now here he stood—in the middle of the camp, covered in the bandit's blood and heavy panting—a twisted satisfaction on his face.
"That... That is brutal." Subaru muttered, his heart racing as he took in the chaotic scene before him. He felt a mix of unease and disbelief as he looked around the camp, now littered with the bodies of the fallen bandits. "I thought we were going to, you know, 'slay' them—not turn this into a bloody massacre!
"They got what was coming to them." Suddenly, Cid felt slugish , his breath coming in heavy gasps as the adrenaline began to fade. "Damn it... I expended a lot of energy—more than I expected." He leaned against a nearby tree, trying to catch his breath.
"Guess I have a long way to go as an Eminence in Shadow." Cid mumbled to himself.
It was a lot to process for Subaru. Cid's careless atituide about killing people—he wasn't just taking them out—he was destroying them in a way that felt almost wrong. The bloodlust in Cid's eyes sent a shiver down Subaru's spine. Was Cid enjoying it? Enjoying the thrill of battle, massacring the bandits without a second thought? Was he becoming a bloodthirsty monster?
"Subaru, check out the spoils in the carriage." Cid said, regaining his composure. "There is bound to be something valualbe in there."
Subaru shook his head, shaking his thoughts away. "Um, yeah, right. Let's just see what they have,"
He climbed up to where the door was ajar, peering into the dimly lit interior. His heart raced as he spotted a few leather bags piled haphazardly on the floor, clinking softly with the sound of coins. "Wow, they really were loaded!" Subaru exclaimed, reaching in to pull out one of the bags. The weight of it felt substantial in his hands.
However, something else caught Subaru's attention. It was an enveloped letter laid on the top of the box. Curiosity piqued, he picked it up and carefully opened it.
Honestly, my group is pissed off. We haven't received any financial support from the Cult for weeks now and we are starting running out of the food. Just what these morons are thinking? Sending us without adequate supplies while expecting us to hunt and searched Possesed down? Raiding travelers is not enough to sustain us. I heard there is a young elf who is undergoind early stages of possesion nearby, we haven't informed the higher ups about it, because we know they won't pay us a shit for it. Instead we decided to bring her to Templars, that church which obsessed with eradicating anyone with possesion. I heard they are paying pretty good coin for any possessed they can capture. We just need to keep her hidden from other groups and the Cult until we can make the deal. Also Mark and his group is helping us, we even made a bet whoever catches her first, gets 80% of the revenue. It will probably take a while for her to reach final stages, so we have time.
"Huh?" Subaru u frowned as he read the letter, his mind racing with implications. "Maybe it's not so bad that we took them out..." Subaru's mind stuck at the specific word: Cult. Does he think that he thinks it is? Or maybe it's some sort of mainstream for the bandits?
"I'd better keep an eye out for any weird activity." Subaru muttered to himself, folding the letter and tucking it away securely in his pocket. He turned back to Cid, who was rummaging through the remaining sacks of loot from the other bandits.
"Gotcha!" He said as he pulled out a small chest filled with gold coins and a couple of shiny gemstones. "Look at this haul! We hit the jackpot!".
"Yeah, but... How long are we going to keep doing this?" Subaru asked, still feeling uneasy about the brutality of the encounter. "I mean, we can't just go around taking out every group of bandits we find."
"Not for long... Until we get enough money for my operations." Cid replied, lifting the chest and weighing it in his hands with an almost gleeful expression.
"Uh, yeah, right..." Subaru said, his voice trailing off, still feeling troubled about Cid's growing bloodlust.
'No, I won't let you become a bloodthirsty monster...' Subaru thought to himself, determined to keep an eye on his otherwordly brother as he lifted the bags of coins over his shoulders.
──────────────
"Mmmmm..." Subaru was sleeping peacefully in his room, enjoying the warmth of his blankets. The sun was alread y shining through the window, casting a gentle glow on his face. He rolled to the other side of the bed to avoid the light, hoping to catch a few more minutes of sleep.
However, he felt something squashy and small against his face, giving him a good feeling. Mistaking it for a pillow, he nuzzled into it. But it wasn't only squashy—it was... wet? and Slimy? Sticky? It definitely was not a pillow, pillows are not wet, slimy and nor sticky . Subaru's eyes shot open as he realized it was definitely not a pillow.
Just in front of his face was a dark-slime no bigger than small pillow, wriggling and squirming and its 2 white dots-eyes curiously staring at him.
"GAHHHHH—" Subaru yelled, as he pushed the slime away in shock, the slime flied across the room and splattered against the wall with a soft, squishy sound.
"What the hell is that?!" Subaru exclaimed, sitting up in bed, his heart racing as he stared at the gooey creature that had landed with a small thud on the floor.
The slime peeled itself off the wall slowly, wobbling back onto its small, gelatinous form.
"Ah, there it is!" Cid called out from the doorway. "Damn it, they are now all across the manor..."
"Cid?" Subaru exclaimed, still a bit frazzled from the unexpected wake-up call. He rubbed his eyes and tried to process what was happening. "What do you mean they're all across the manor? What is that slimy thing?!"
"That's a dark-slime." Cid replied, as he picked up the slime in his hands. "I've been experimenting with some magic. They escaped last night because I got a bit too carried away."
Subaru blinked, still not entirely sure he understood what was happening. "Experimenting with magic?"
"Yeah, it turns out they have a very high magic conductivity, closely to 99%."
Subaru raised an eyebrow. "And you thought it was a great idea to keep them in your room?"
Cid shrugged. "I didn't expect them to get loose while I was sleeping. I put them in a box and the managed to break free."
"Right, because that's how things work in your life," Subaru said, shaking his head in disbelief. He looked back at the dark-slime. "What are you planning to do about them?"
"I am still experimenting with their cores, hoping to find a way to enhance my abilities," Cid replied, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "They could potentially change the game for my plans!"
"Oh and, can you help me find them? They are really rare, and I want to capture some before they escape."
"Uh, I think Claire is dealing with them right now—" Subaru said as he pointed at the window to see Claire running through the courtyard, her sword drawn, as she chased several dark-slimes
"Get back here!" Claire yelled, swinging her sword at the nearest dark-slime, which dodged just in time and squiggled away, leaving a small trail of goo in its wake. "You little pests! Stop running!"
Subaru just shook his head, a mix of amusement and disbelief flooding through him as he watched the chaos unfold outside. "This is going to be a long morning."
"No! My precious cores!" "Cid whined helplessly as he rushed towards the door, turning into panic. "If Claire kills them all, I won't have any left to experiment with!"
Subaru watched as Claire was swinging her sword, successfully lopping off another dark-slime, which popped and splattered on the ground. Meanwhile Cid tried to keep at least one of the slimy creatures in his grasp, hoping to save it from Claire's blade.
"This is going to be a really long morning..."
──────────────
"So, where are we heading ?" Subaru asked, trying to keep pace with Cid as they walked through the forest, back into their personas.
"I heard some bandits are planning to establish a new camp just a few miles from here. Word is they have raided some travelers on the road, so we're going to check it out and maybe score some loot."
"I see... Same as usual, huh?" Subaru replied, adjusting his mask on his face.
"With my stealth skills and your charm…" Cid paused dramatically, "we'll sneak right in, take out the lookouts, and then have some fun with the rest."
"Right, but let's make sure we do it without the… you know, unnecessary slaughter this time." Subaru's stomach was still a bit uneasy.
"Oi..." Cid suddenly halted his movement, which made Subaru nearly bump into him.
"Hey, what's wrong ?" Subaru asked, stepping back.
"Do you see that as well?" Cid said as he pointed towards the sky, from where the smoke was rising in the distance.
"That doesn't look like smoke from the campfire," Subaru said, squinting as he walked a bit closer to the tree line for a better view. "That looks like... a fire."
"Let's check it out." Cid said, as he led the way through the woods, The smell of smoke grew stronger as they moved closer.
As they stepped into a clearing, they were greeted by the sight of what was left of a village. The houses were burning, corpses lay strewn across the ground, and the air was thick with the scent of charred wood and smoke.
Subaru felt a knot tighten in his stomach as he surveyed the destruction. "What happened here?" he whispered, horrified.
The sounds of swords clashing and distant screams echoed through the air, punctuating the grim scene. It was chaos—a battle or raid in progress, and the destruction was evident everywhere they looked.
Cid frowned, his expression serious for once. "Looks like we missed the main event," he said, scanning the area. "Whatever it was, it's not over yet.".
Subaru felt a chill run down his spine. "We need to do something," he urged, his heart racing at the thought of innocent people being caught in the chaos. "We can't just stand here and do nothing!"
"That's right." Cid replied, glancing at Subaru before moving forward into the village, with Subaru following him.
They crept forward, staying low behind the remnants of a wall, observing the chaos in the village square. A group of armed men—beastkinds—were rampaging through the streets, fighting other beastkinds and setting fire to anything they could find. The guttural shouts and clashes of weapons filled the air, making it clear that this was more than just a simple raid.
"What the hell is going on?" Subaru whispered, barely containing his anger at the scene before them. "This is insane! They're attacking their own kind!"
Meanwhile Cid was already in action, moving quickly towards the battle. "Yahooo! We're here to clean up the trash!" Cid shouted as he burst from his hiding spot, brandishing his sword with a wild grin on his face.
"Seriously, Cid? Not the time!" Subaru hissed.
Cid leaped into the fray, he quickly sliced both beastkinds, who were engaged into a fight with each other, catching them off guard.
Meanwhile Subaru watched as Cid sliced yet another beastkind, the body lifelessly falling on the ground. Subaru looked around, to find any survivors, but there was only corpses scattered around, adding to the blood-soaked ground, Cid was already fully engrossed in the battle, a strange gleam in his eyes as he danced around the chaos, effortlessly taking down one enemy after another.
Subaru ran through the burning village, trying to find anyone—any soul who might still be alive. But soon enough the clashes of the swords and cries of help died out, leaving only the crackling of the flames.
"Is… is anyone alive?" Subaru called out, his voice trembling. The devastation was overwhelming. He stumbled over debris, glancing into the burning houses, hoping that someone would answer his call. The weight of the scene pressed heavily on him, and he felt a wave of nausea wash over him.
"Subaru, there you are!" Cid shouted from a distance, as he approached him.
Subaru turned to Cid, wiping his brow and trying to shake off the feeling of dread. "I don't think there's anyone left here..." he said, his voice faint. "This is... this is too much."
However Subaru caught the glimpse of two figures in the distance, and his heart raced at the sight of them.
"Over there!" Subaru pointed, rushing towards them without waiting for Cid's response. However, as he approached he realized something was wrong. It was two young beastkinds—male and female, however the male was covered in the blood, which seemed to be not his. He halted his movement and hid behind the wall, watching them cautiously.
"An organization made me a proposal, they offered me the power to protect all of you." a therianthrope wolf with glossy jet-black fur said approaching the female Beastkin.
"G-Gettan…" A therianthrope nine-tailed fox with snow-like hair and blue eyes stared waringly at him.
"I tried telling everyone to accept their proposal. It was the only way for us to survive. If we take these pills, we will gain immense strength, strength which is enough to defend ourselves."
"We could stand against greater clans, we could have broken out of the state of constant war. But that woman refused."
Tears gathered at the corners of the white Fox's eyes after learning the revelation. "Y-you…"
"Because of her all of them died! All of them! If only she accepted, then everything would be fine!" He exclaimed hysterically. "That's right. I did it. I killed her."
"I did it to protect you from the war."
"Gettan…"
"Now, Yukime, pledge your loyalty to the Cult and accept their power." Gettan said, handing red pills to Yukime.
"Don't come any closer!" Yukime pushed him away and ran away from him.
"And now even you rejected me!"
Yukime felt a sharp pain on her back and fell face to the ground, she was cut by Gettan, her blood was actively flowing from the wound.
"Why do you reject the power?"
"Please, stop…"
"You are still refusing?!" Gettan raised his sword, delivering the final blow.
However, before he could deliver the blow, his sword was yanked out of his hand by Subaru, who was wielding a whip. Momentarily startled by the sudden interruption, Gettan turned wide-eyed to see Subaru standing there and Cid already closing in.
Yukime's consciousness slowly faded away as she saw the look of confusion on Gettan's face and another two figures in the distance.
"Ora! Ora! Ora! Ora!" Cid swinged his word, slashing his face, successfully gouging out both of Gettan's eyes, leaving him permanently blind.
Gettan screamed in pain but was quickly met with a swift kick from Cid that sent him sprawling to the ground. His voice ceased as he collapsed, his body twitching in agony as he clutched his ruined face.
Subaru approached Yukime, who lay on the ground unconscioness, her breathing shallow and labored, as blood was flowing from her deep wound. Subaru applied healing magic, purple strings wrapped her wound, stitching the wound closed. However he wasn't really experienced in healing magic unlike Cid, so he left a scar on her back.
"Did you finish him off?" Subaru said, as he saw Cid approaching him.
"Nuh uh. I did not."
"Huh?" Subaru stared in confusion. That was unlikely for Cid to do. "What do you mean?"
"I just wanted to do a trope, where the villian recovers from seemingly lethal damage so they can do the grand final comeback. You know, the classic 'you thought you could defeat me, but I rise again' moment."
Subaru blinked, his mind racing with disbelief. "I cannot— I just— Whatever..."
With that being said, Cid started walking away from Subaru.
"Wait! Aren't we going to help her? We can't just leave her here!"
Cid waved dismissively as he disappeared behind the wall. "She'll be fine. You patched her up, didn't you?"
"This guy..."
Subaru sighed, feeling a deep sense of frustration. "Fine, just you wait, Cid. I'll make sure she's okay. You can be such a jerk sometimes, you know that?"
Subaru picked her up carefully, cradling her against his chest as he glanced back towards the area where Gettan had fallen. The sounds of chaos still echoed around him, but for the moment, he needed to focus on the girl in his arms.
"Hang in there," Subaru whispered, feeling a strange mix of empathy and determination. He couldn't let this young beastkin die; she deserved a chance, like everyone else. Taking a deep breath, he checked her wound to see if the healing magic had stabilized her condition. The flow of blood had stopped, but she was still unconscious. With this, he made his way out of burned village.
──────────────
Subaru was walking chaotically across the room of the abandoned house. In the same room as him, there laid a white fox in a bed covered in a warm blanket.
'Great, Subaru. I didn't know that one of your job professions was saving damsels in distress, just great!'
With such thoughts, Subaru was walking around the room. He tried to contemplate the next course of actions.
Of course he is not going to throw her away the moment she wakes up. However, it's to be expected that she could be terrified or rather aggressive due to the events of the village.
This means he has yet another responsibility, the responsibility to take care of her. Maybe he could convince his parents, tell them about her tragic fate and she could work there as a servant or some sort of?
Subaru put a palm on his forehead. 'This is just getting nastier and messier with each passing week…'
The white fox stirred slightly in her blanket, a soft whimper escaping her lips, before her eyes opened and she jolted awake. Her eyes widened in horror as she started looking around the room in panic before spotting me.
"W-who are you? Don't come any closer!" She pressed herself to the wall as her tails wrapped around her in defense.
Subaru raised his hands in a non-threatening manner and stepped back. "it's okay! I don't mean any harm!"
Yukime, seeing him keeping his distance, calmed down a bit. Her eyes are trying to see if he carries any weapons with him.
The memories of the last night flooded back to her mind, her eyes widened in terrors as tears threatened to leak from her tears. "G-gettan… Why…"
"Not sure who Gettan is, but I found you in the village, badly injured." Subaru said, trying to read her expression.
Yukime, recognizing the one of the figures in the village as Subaru, looked at him cautiously, finally gaining courage to speak. "You… you saved me? You were there, right? From Gettan…"
"Yes, I did. He tried to kill you, I couldn't let him do any more harm."
"Did you… kill him?" She whispered, her voice quivering.
"I don't have guts to kill people, I... My partner knocked him out." I replied carefully and slowly.
"I see…" A slight relief could be seen on her face.
After a moment of silence, Subaru proceeds to tell everything that happened to her village. The deaths, the fire, the ambushers and Gettan.
"I am sorry… if only we were quicker enough, we would save everyone…" Subaru said with his gaze casted down and a guilty expression.
Yukime's tears streamed down her cheeks as her fears confirmed. Everyone who she cared about. Family, friends, villagers — they all died. Yukime rushed into his arms and cried for what she had lost.
Subaru hesitated for a brief moment, taken aback by the intensity of Yukime's grief, but he quickly wrapped his arms around her, offering what comfort he could.
"I'm so sorry… I wish I could have been there," Subaru murmured, his heart aching for her loss. "I tried to find survivors, but…"
Yukime pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face lifting to meet his gaze. "You did what you could. I-I just… I can't believe they're gone." Her voice broke, the weight of her loss pressing down on her.
"I know it hurts," Subaru said gently, "but you're not alone. I'm here. You can lean on me." He struggled to find the right words, knowing that no amount of comfort could erase her pain.
With her sobs slowly quieting down and Subaru embracing her, they spent in such a position for an unidentified amount of time.
──────────────
"I must say... This is cool... Really cool!" Subaru said as he watched himself in the mirror, the newly acquired slime bodysuit with orange accentes and, which was made by Cid using those dark-slimes which invaded their manor once because of Cid's experiment.
Cid leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Told you it would be useful. The slimes have unique properties—it boosts your agility and absorbs impact. You should be able to dodge attacks much faster now."
"I never thought I'd be wearing something made of slime! It sounds kind of gross, you know?" Subaru mused, poking at the suit in mild disbelief. "But it fits surprisingly well. Are you sure it's sturdy enough?"
"Slimes in a constant liquid state, which means they can change their shape at will. They're adaptable. Plus, the mana conductivity means you can channel magic through it. Just think about how many epic moves you could pull off!" Cid replied, looking pleased with himself.
"That sounds amazing and if it helps me dodge attacks better, that's a huge plus! But it feels a bit… weird," Subaru said, running his fingers along the smooth surface of the suit. "I mean, I just hope it doesn't turn on me and start bouncing around or something."
"I located another group of bandits and it seems it might be a jackpot for us. And get to use the suits to the test." Cid said, as he the black slime covered him, giving him a newly slime bodysuit as well—a collar overcoat with golded and purple trim.
"Well, I think a small trip won't hurt ," Subaru replied, adjusting the fit of the suit.
──────────────
"Yahoo! Hand over the loot, scumbags!" A young boy in a slime bodysuit, as multiple extended blades from his fingertips materialised out of the slime bodysuit, impaling and slicing multiple bandits at once.
"W-who the hell is this kid?!" The bandit shrieked in panic as he watched his comrades fell to the ground.
"You heard me! Now hand over all of your goodies!" Cid shouted.
"Just who do you think you are—"
"Take that!" Cid exclaimed as another extended blade formed from his hand and sliced through his neck, severing his head from his shoulders mid sentence.
"Take that and that! And that!" Cid continued, as more blades impaled and sliced the bandits.
"Just shut up!" One of the bandit aimed his firearm at Cid, however before he could shoot it was yanked from his hand by a whip. "Wha—"
"I'll take this! Thanks!" Subaru said, swinging the whip skillfully to disarm the bandit.
Before bandit could compherend what happened, he was sliced in half by Cid's extended blade.
"And that! And that! And…huh?" Cid looked around, noticing that there was only him, Subaru and one bandit left standing.
"You got carried away... Again..." Subaru noted.
"Wh-who are you…?"
"Eh, I guess you'll be my guinea pig for function number two."
"Th-the hell do you mean…?!"
"To break it down, you look stronger than the rest of them. I'm assuming you're like their boss or something, right? Your chances of winning are squat, but if you let me practice on you, I bet you'll live for, like, two extra minutes. Good luck."
"S-stop playing, you brat! In the capital, I'm the—…!"
"Hey, you. Skip the speech and come at me."
"Die, dammit!" The bandit swinged his sword, successfuly slicing Cid's chest as blood gushed from the wound. However the bodysuit seemed to absorb the impact.
"Just kidding! You couldn't even scratch me!"
"Wh-why…why can't I hit you?!"
"I mean, you're weaker than my old man. Though I guess you're stronger than my sister. Not that it means anything. And I bet she'll whoop your butt in another year."
"You little shiiiiiiiiiiit! I've mastered the Royal Bushin method—" He couldn't finish his sentnce as 3 blades formed from Cid's foot and sliced him into 3 parts.
His body lifelessly fell to the ground as he stopped twitching.
"What a mess," Subaru remarked, trying to catch his breath as he surveyed the scene. The remnants of the bandit camp were strewn about, with defeated foes laying across the ground.
"He didn't even last two minutes." Cid noted as he scavenged through the loot.
"Artwork? I can't sell that. Hard pass on food. Come on. Where are the cash,jewels, and precious metals? Gimme, gimme, gimme."
"Oh! I'll take that necklace." Subaru said as he snatched the necklace from Cid's hands.
"What do you need it for?" Cid asked, not bothering to look at Subaru.
"It's a little gift for someone." Subaru replied, carefully examining the delicate silver necklace adorned with a sparkling jewel in the center.
"Sure, a 'gift.' Just remember you owe me 95% of whatever we get from this haul. That includes any jewelry,"
"You greedy—"
"Aha! Found it!" Cid said as he opened the chest filled with coins and gems.
"I've avenged you. Now you can rest, knowing your treasures will be put to good use. I hope you make it to heaven." Cid said, referring to the dead merchants who once owned the treasures they had just gathered.
Subaru sighed as he scavenged through the remaining belongings of the fallen bandits.
"Oh?" Something caught Subaru attention. It was a cage wrapped in a clothing.
"Is that cage for slaves?" Subaru said as he approached it.
"That's a hard pass, I can't trade it for cash." Cid said, as he closed in.
Cid lifted the cover.
"Well this is unexpected..."
"What—"
In the cage was a mound of rotting flesh and it seemed to be alive and maybe conscious. Subaru felt a wave of nausea wash over him as he took in the grotesque sight. The creature inside the cage was clearly suffering.
"What the hell is that?" he whispered, a mix of disgust and concern churning in his stomach.
"That's possesion." Cid replied.
Subaru's eyes widened. That mound of flesh—It was a human, it was the final stage of possesion. If he wasn't cured of it, what would happen to him?
"I should probably took it out of misery." Cid replied as he stick his slime swords into cage.
"Wait!/Wait..." Both of us said in unison.
Subaru was startled by this, letting Cid finish.
"Is this wavelength…the effects of a magical overload?"
"Magical overload?" Subaru repeated, trying to make sense of what Cid was saying.
"Magical overload must be the reason why it turned into a pile of flesh. You and I know this effects firsthand, don't we?"
Subaru shuddered. "How do you—Wait, what do you mean we—"
"But if I were to hypothetically conduct experiments on a product of this phenomenon…I can get closer reaching my goal without any risks."
"Experimenting? No! Absolutely not!" Subaru felt a chill run down his spine at Cid's words. The thought of experimenting on a being that was once human—no matter how grotesque its current form was—felt wrong on so many levels.
Cid blinked at him. "I found this a better method than to experiment on my body."
Subaru stared at him with his jaw hanging. "Experimenting on yourself… Are you crazy? Didn't you say something about magic overload? Can't you stabilize it?"
"But that would mean I have to find someone or something else to experiment on…"
"I saw you experimenting on bandits earlier."
"But..."
"Stabilize it or I will tell Claire that you have been slacking off."
"On my way! Let's bring this pile of flesh somewhere else, more private."
──────────────
It's been a few days since the revelation and Subaru and Cid's attempts to stabilize the magic overload in the possessed body. Subaru was watching impatiently as Cid was pouring mana into the blob of flesh.
"Can I try it? Maybe it would work for me."
Cid looked at Subaru. "Sure, go ahead. I've tried almost everything, if it doesn't work I'll use it to experiment on."
Subaru gave him a look, indicating that it's not going to happen before approaching the blob of flesh. Its single blue eye was staring at him, like it was conscious and knew what they were trying to do.
Honestly, Subaru didn't know what he was supposed to do now. He just said it because he was running out of patience. So he just placed my hand on the blobwell and closed his eyes.
Subaru felt something resonating deep in his body. A feeling which he felt when he was possessed as well. A rather calming feeling. And it seems like it affected the blob as well. He felt hairs brushing his face, he opened his eyes and saw the result of his work. A naked blonde elf.
Subaru caught her in his arms so she wouldn't fall.
Subaru was not sure how he did it. Maybe it's because he was cured?
"Yo, Cid. It worked— Cid?" Subaru looked over at him and saw him sitting on the wooden container, waiting expectantly.
"What are you doi—" Subaru was interrupted by a sudden movement in his arms, the elf was being awakened.
"I see you have awakened, young elf." Cid said as he was gazing at the elf.
She slowly opened her eyes, frankly looking at her herself
"What? How— How did this happen?"
"The curse that has been plaguing your body has been lifted by my brother, you are now free."
"Uh. Yeah, you don't have to thank me. That's not a big deal!"
"The curse… has been lifted?"
She looked at Subaru with gratitude, slightly flushed cheeks, as her arms desperately grasped his shirt.
"What curse? Who did this?"
"Curse? It's not—" Before Subaru could say anything, he was Interrupted by Cid.
"It was a curse that was casted upon the descendants of the Three Legendary Heroes."
What? What the hell is he talking about? Subaru saw him repeatedly blinking at him, but the elf seemed to not notice this gesture, as her attention was fully focused on his words.
He took out a fairy tale book from the wooden box. He was flipping through the pages until he stopped.
"The fairy tale recorded in these scriptures about three heroes who defeated the demon Diablos and saved the world."
Oh no... He is at it again.
"And the one behind this…" His eyes were scanning the room in the search of something.
Oh, Subaru understood. He is making it up.
"The mastermind is… i think it's too soon for you to know, you are not prepared—"
"I don't care!" she exclaimed. "Tell me who did this to me!"
"Oh, I see… in that case we will tell you…" His eyes were scanning the room yet again until he found something. "The cult of Diablos. Their goal is to resurrect the demon Diablos, they have existed for quite a long time."
Subaru could hardly believe his eyes. Cid was just manupilating her, making her believe in something that did not even exist. Subaru was ready now to tell the truth.
"And it is our mission to stop the cult from accomplishing their goal."
Cid said as he released his magic aura.
"My name is stylish… No, sorry. My name is Shadow. He who lurks in shadows to hunt the shadows."
He looked at Subaru for a moment before continuing. "And this is… Pleiades. The star which guides the path of the shadows."
Subaru jaw dropped hearing his words. Cid was dragging him into his pit. Subaru was too shocked to object to his words.
"Shadow… Pleiades…"
"The path we walk isn't an easy one, are you ready? Descendant of the Hero?"
The elf was silent for a moment before speaking up.
"When I was possessed, I lost everything. My life, family and friends. My only future was to rot as a pile of flesh. But you saved me." She was looking at me with gratitude.
"So if it is what you wish, I will give you life and I will punish the guilty with death."
"Very well." Cid replied as black slime covered her, giving her a new slime outfit.
"We may have to go against powerful leaders and stuff like that…"
"I don't care. I will not show any mercy to those who stand in our way."
"That's the spirit!"
"We need to find other descendants of the Heroes to expand our forces and take them under our protection." She said intently staring at Cid.
"Yeah… R-right."
"As we expand our forces, we will need to strengthen our base of operations. We will need to collect the funds to that end."
"Yeah, but in moderation… Alright then, for a base we will be using this abandoned town until we find something more suitable. Collecting funds will have to be put on hold for now. We must be trained in order to face the cultists."
Cid looked over at Subaru and then back at the elf.
"And the name of our organization will be… Shadow Garden. As for your name, it will be Alpha, the first member of the Shadow garden. Now come, there is much to discuss"
Slowly, Subaru finally regained his composure and realized that just happened. It seems like he was involuntarily subjected into a secret organization…