As soon as they arrived at the village, the atmosphere was completely different from the tension that had been building in Yuji's mind.
The children ran to him almost immediately.
"Yuji-nii-chan!"
"You're back!"
"Are you going to play with us?!"
He barely had time to react before being surrounded by small arms tugging at his clothes. Among them was Petra, looking at him with her usual cheerful smile.
Rem and Ram exchanged a quick glance.
"Let's buy the spices while he's busy," said Ram, already heading towards the stalls.
And then Yuji was left alone… with the challenge.
The children were already touching him naturally. That helped. But it wasn't enough.
He needed everyone to touch him. Adults. Elderly people. Merchants. Everyone.
Without seeming strange, of course.
Okay… think. Something involving physical contact… but that feels natural.
He couldn't just go around asking people to touch him. This would raise suspicions. It needed to be spontaneous.
An idea began to form.
Yuji dramatically raised his hands.
"Everyone!" he called, making the children pay attention. "How about a different kind of game today?"
Their eyes lit up.
"What game?!"
He smiled.
"It's like tag… but with a special rule."
The children approached, curious.
"I'm the 'cursed one,'" he said, striking an exaggerated pose. "But if you touch me, I'll stop being cursed."
Petra laughed.
"That doesn't make sense!"
"Exactly!" he replied. "That's why it's fun!"
The children cheered at the absurd idea and started chasing after him.
Yuji dashed across the village square, deliberately tripping occasionally so that more hands could catch him. Children bumped into him, grabbed his arms, pulled at his clothes.
That solved half the problem…
But what about the adults?
He needed to involve the whole village.
As he ran, Yuji had another idea.
"Hey!" he shouted, pretending to be tired and stopping near a stall. "Help! They're trying to cure me!"
Some adults laughed at the scene.
"What's all this mess?" asked one of the merchants, grabbing Yuji's shoulder to stop him from running away.
Another villager grabbed his arm to "help" restrain the children.
Yuji exaggerated even more, struggling theatrically.
"Don't let the children win!"
In a few minutes, the game turned into a small collective chaos. Children pulling, adults holding, people laughing.
And Yuji, in the middle of it all, letting each touch happen.
Inside, he was alert. Waiting to feel something. Anything. A shiver.
A distortion.
A sign of a transferred curse.
But, so far… nothing. And that made him more restless than it should be.
After almost half an hour of running around, laughter, and controlled chaos, Yuji got what he wanted.
Some adults had also participated, holding him, helping, laughing at the exaggerated performance.
But not all of them.
He did a quick mental count.
There are still people missing…
Some more reserved villagers stayed at a distance. Workers who hadn't abandoned their duties. The village elder hadn't approached yet.
I need to change the plan.
Yuji clapped loudly to get their attention.
"Okay! Now that you've defeated me… time for the next challenge!"
The children cheered, but he raised his hand.
"This one's for the adults too!"
Some men and women looked curious.
"Strength challenge!" "Quick exercises! Whoever can do the most push-ups wins…" he thought quickly, "Free help with the next harvest!"
This immediately caught their attention.
"Hoh?" one of the men crossed his arms. "And you can handle this?"
"If I lose, I can handle it!" Yuji replied, smiling confidently.
Simple competition. Pride. Community service.
It worked anywhere.
Soon some adults began to approach. Yuji organized an improvised line in the center of the square.
"Push-ups first! Then arm wrestling!"
Physical contact would be inevitable.
They began. Yuji did the exercises with absurd ease, but feigned effort to keep the competition balanced. When they went for arm wrestling, he made sure to shake hands firmly, maintaining contact for a few extra seconds.
One by one.
Until…
"What's that noise?" an older voice echoed.
The village chief appeared, leaning on his staff. The local leader.
Yuji looked up.
This one was missing.
"We're deciding who's the strongest in the village!" Yuji replied excitedly. "Do you want to try too?"
Some laughed.
"The old man?" someone commented.
The elder snorted.
"Insolent young man… Do you think I'm not strong?"
He approached.
Yuji extended his hand.
"Then a symbolic arm wrestling match?"
The old man took his hand.
"Symbolic nothing, I'll show these petty people that I still have plenty of strength in these old arms!"
The wrinkled skin, firm. The grip surprisingly strong.
Yuji held the touch for a few seconds.
Even so, outwardly, he smiled.
"You're still strong."
The old man gave a slight nasal laugh.
"Don't underestimate your elders."
All around, the village looked normal. Happy. Carefree.
But inside Yuji, doubt grew.
He had already played practically all of them.
And I still didn't feel anything.
Either the curse hadn't been released yet... Or he hadn't noticed.
Yuji breathed slowly as he looked around the square.
But there were still some women missing from the village, especially those who remained further away, tending the tents or watching from afar with some skepticism.
Okay… I need something that doesn't look weird.
He couldn't propose arm wrestling. Not racing. Not even "catch-up" as an adult version.
Then he had another idea.
Yuji put his hand on his shoulder and pretended to make a face.
"Ah… I think I overdid it with the exercises."
Some women looked his way.
"Are you well?" asked one of them.
"I think I pulled my arm…" he replied, moving it slowly. "I'm not used to the village's hard work yet."
That was enough.
One of the women approached first, holding his arm to examine him.
Contact.
"It doesn't look out of place... It just looks bad." she said.
Another touched his shoulder.
"It's really tight. You should stretch first."
Contact.
Yuji took advantage of the cue.
"Can you show me how you do it here? The right stretches for field work?"
Local pride.
It worked.
Soon some women were positioning his arms correctly, adjusting posture, slightly pushing his back, pulling his shoulders back.
He tried hard to look like just a young man struggling to learn. Inside, I was alert to any changes.
Nothing.
Not a shiver.
Not a different weight in the chest.
Not even that viscous feeling of curse permeating.
One of the women laughed.
"You're strong, but completely clumsy."
"I'm just a boy, right?..." he replied with a smile.
When he finished, Yuji did a mental count.
Now yes.
Practically everyone in the village had touched him in some way.
And yet…
Nothing.
That didn't reassure him.
On the contrary.
Rem and Ram returned from the tent area carrying small bags of herbs and spices. The aroma of newly purchased spices wafted lightly through the air.
Ram stopped when he saw the scene: Yuji in the middle of the square, surrounded by villagers, sweaty and laughing with some children still around.
She narrowed her eyes.
"So Yui-j is lazing around while we work."
Yuji turned around immediately.
"Hey, that nickname again!"
Rem observed the situation curiously.
"Itadori-kun… what were you doing?"
He scratched the back of his neck, trying to look casual.
"I… I confess I got a little distracted."
Ram raised an eyebrow.
" "I got a little distracted." Of course. Running all over the village, making noise and organizing useless competitions?"
Before he could respond, Petra approached with her arms crossed.
"It's not true! Yuji-nii-chan was playing with us!"
Another child completed:
"He also did a strength challenge!"
"And stretching!" said another.
"And armbar!"
Yuji blinked.
"Hey, you guys don't have to give me away like that."
Ram sighed.
"So besides being lazy, he's recruiting minor accomplices. Yui-j, as always, is disappointing his complete family tree."
Rem brought her hand to her lips, holding back a small smile.
"It's really a shame, Nee-sama..."
Yuji shrugged.
"It was just to pass the time."
Ram approached, looking at him with that usual critical look.
"Hm. At least you didn't break anything. That's progress."
Rem nodded slightly.
"We're done shopping. We can come back whenever you want."
Yuji looked around once more.
Everyone had touched him.
And yet…
Nothing.
He forced a calm smile.
"Then let's go back..."
But deep down, the uneasiness only grew.
They were already moving away from the square when Yuji felt something lightly tug on his jacket.
He looked down.
A purple-haired girl stared at him, holding the fabric tightly.
"Itadori-san…" she said softly. "Can you see my puppy?"
Yuji's heart skipped a beat.
Rem stopped next to him.
"Everything is fine?"
"It seems so..." he replied.
The girl pointed near one of the houses. A small dog was there. Too cute. Light coat, large and apparently docile eyes.
He walked towards the animal calmly. The dog tilted its head in an almost unnaturally cute manner.
Then, suddenly—
Nhac!
The dog lunged forward and bit Yuji's hand.
But Yuji raised his other hand.
"I-It's okay."
He looked at his hand.
The bite mark was there.
But…
He closed his eyes for a second.
Nothing.
No slimy feeling.
No foreign energy penetrating.
No curses pervading.
He already knew that feeling when a curse tried to take hold.
And there was nothing.
The dog let go of his hand and took a few steps back, as if confused.
Yuji stared at the animal.
So... it's not him.
Petra ran to the dog and picked it up, clearly distressed.
"He's not usually like this..." she said, petting the animal's head. "He's always so gentle... I don't know why he didn't like Yuji-nii-chan..."
Yuji forced a slight smile, hiding the whirlwind of thoughts.
"Maybe I look like a secret villain."
"You do," Ram commented dryly.
Rem approached him.
"Your hand..."
"It's alright..." he replied before she finished. "It was just a little bite."
He took one last look at the dog. The animal stared back at him, but there was no more aggression. Just... something strange. As if it had reacted on instinct.
He wasn't cursed.
Or, at least, not in the way Yuji expected.
That changed everything.
Without saying anything more, they began their journey back to the mansion. Ram and Rem were carrying the spice bags, but midway through their journey they encountered a barrel that also needed to be carried—full, heavy, probably with additional provisions.
Before either of them could suggest sharing the weight, Yuji simply lifted it.
Alone.
Without visible effort.
Ram paused for a second.
"...Hoh."
Rem blinked, surprised.
"Itadori-kun, this is heavy—"
"I know," he replied, adjusting the barrel on his shoulder as if it were merely uncomfortable, not difficult.
The two sisters were strong. Much stronger than they appeared.
And yet, that raw display of strength drew attention.
Ram looked away.
"At least it's good for something besides loitering."
Rem observed silently for a few seconds before walking beside him.
Yuji maintained a steady pace, but his mind was elsewhere.
Nothing happened...
So the curse hadn't been activated yet.
Or…
He hadn't yet found the true trigger.
As they reached the mansion gate, the sky was already beginning to take on the darker hues of late afternoon.
As soon as they crossed the main entrance, the door opened before they even knocked.
There stood Roswaal.
Unlike usual, he wasn't wearing his excessively extravagant clothes. No garish colors or overly flashy details. His attire was elegant, refined… but restrained. Still, his presence naturally dominated the space.
"Ooooh… what an interesting sight…" he said, a thin smile appearing on his made-up face. "My dear servants have returned safe and sound."
His gaze passed over Ram and Rem first… and then landed on Yuji, who was still carrying the heavy barrel on his shoulder.
An eyebrow arched slightly.
"And it seems our new butler has been quite… diligent."
Ram bowed slightly.
"Just carrying out basic tasks."
Rem did the same.
"The shopping was completed without problems."
Roswaal took a few steps closer, the sound of his shoes echoing on the stone floor.
"I'm satisfied~."
His gaze then stopped on Yuji's hand.
"Hm?"
The bite mark was still there, visible.
"I see there was a small… incident."
Yuji maintained a calm expression.
"Nothing serious. A nervous dog."
Roswaal tilted his head slightly, as if he found the answer amusing.
"I understand… I understand."
For a brief moment, his gaze seemed deeper. Assessing. Measuring.
Then the smile returned to normal.
But, for some reason, Yuji sensed there was something behind it.
Yuji tilted his head slightly, observing the different outfit more closely.
"Roswaal-san… why are you dressed like that?"
Roswaal dramatically placed his hand on his chest.
"Ooooh? You noticed~?" His smile widened. "I have a small appointment outside the mansion. A meeting with someone named Garfiel."
He pronounced the name with a hint of amusement.
"Perhaps I won't return tonight."
Ram replied immediately:
"The mansion will be under our care."
Rem nodded.
"There won't be any problems."
Yuji remained silent.
He hadn't left the mansion in the other loops…
This was new.
Small changes. Small detours. But each detour could alter everything.
Roswaal walked until he was standing before Yuji. His heterochromatic eyes seemed to glow in the twilight.
Then he leaned in slightly, bringing his face close to Yuji's ear.
His voice was low. Almost a whisper.
"Take care of Emilia."
Yuji didn't answer immediately.
There was something about the way he spoke. As if Roswaal knew more than he was saying.
When Yuji blinked, Roswaal was already walking away, heading towards the open courtyard.
"I'm counting on you~" he said lightly.
The next instant, a wave of mana concentrated around him, and Roswaal simply took flight, leaving the mansion with supernatural elegance.
Ram watched expressionlessly.
Rem simply followed with her eyes until he disappeared on the horizon.
Yuji stood still for a few seconds.
He left…
That meant that, that night, something could happen.
And there would be no one above them to intervene.
Yuji walked straight to the door leading to the Forbidden Library.
He turned the doorknob.
And entered.
This time, no random door traps. No complaints echoing before he even opened his mouth.
Beatrice sat on a pile of books, leafing through an old volume. She slowly raised her eyes.
"You again… I suppose."
But there was no real irritation in her tone. It was almost… routine.
Yuji went straight to the point.
"Beatrice… I think I'm cursed."
She closed the book slowly.
"Think"? What an irresponsible way to talk about something like that."
Yuji extended his arm.
"Check it for me."
Beatrice sighed, but slid closer. She placed her small hand on his arm.
The contact lasted only a second.
And then…
Her eyes widened.
"…This is—"
She squeezed his hand tighter, concentrating.
"You are cursed, yes."
Yuji showed no surprise.
"How many?"
Beatrice closed her eyes for a few seconds, analyzing the flow of Od around him.
"Only one... It hasn't been activated yet."
She opened her eyes again, staring at him with something rare in her gaze: genuine surprise.
"How did this happen, I suppose?!"
Yuji gave a tired half-smile.
"So it worked..."
Beatrice frowned.
"It worked?"
He looked at his own arm.
"I had the impression that something strange was going on in the village, that's why I talked to you about curses yesterday."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Beatrice slowly released his arm.
"You... deliberately absorbed the curse?"
Yuji maintained a firm expression.
"It was the only way to protect them."
Beatrice stared at him as if looking at something incomprehensible.
"You're absurdly insane… I suppose."
But there was something different in her voice.
Yuji kept his arm outstretched.
"Can you remove it?"
Beatrice crossed her arms immediately.
"And why would I, I wonder? You were stupid enough to fill yourself with curses on your own."
Yuji tilted his head slightly.
"Because you can."
"That's not reason enough."
He sighed, pretending to think.
"Then… I guess I'll tell Puck that you left several curses stuck to me even though you could have solved it."
Silence.
Beatrice's eyes trembled slightly.
"Y-you wouldn't dare…"
Yuji gave an overly innocent smile.
"He and I have been talking a lot lately, he's like, my best friend now. He's going to be disappointed in you..."
Beatrice clicked her tongue.
"Insolent… manipulative… absolutely despicable, I suppose!"
She lunged forward angrily, grabbing his hand.
"Stand still!"
The air around them began to distort slightly. Small, dark, almost invisible threads began to reveal themselves on Yuji's skin, concentrated mainly on the hand where the dog had bitten him.
Like tiny parasites clinging beneath the surface.
Beatrice narrowed her eyes.
"Hmph. The draining curses. Low level… but dangerous if activated."
With a swift movement, she materialized those marks from his skin. Small, viscous, black shapes, writhing like insects made of shadow.
They hissed.
Beatrice didn't hesitate.
With her other hand, she simply grabbed them.
The small entities struggled between her fingers.
"Unpleasant..." she murmured.
And then she squeezed.
Crack.
As if crushing an insect.
The curse dissolved into dark particles that evaporated into the air.
Silence returned.
Yuji opened and closed his hand slowly.
The feeling of weight had disappeared.
"Thank you," he said, sincere this time.
Beatrice turned her face away, still irritated.
"Don't think that means I'll do it again. And don't you dare use Puck for blackmail again, I suppose!"
But even so… she didn't immediately move away.
Yuji remained silent for a few seconds, staring at his own hand.
So that was it.
The dog.
He'd suspected it since the other loop… since Rem's death. The mark on her body. The way it all began in the village. But now it was no longer speculation.
It was confirmation.
The curses were concentrated exactly where he had been bitten.
The Maju was the vector.
"Damn it…" he muttered.
If he had taken any longer… if the curses had all activated at once…
He didn't finish the thought.
Yuji turned abruptly and ran to the door.
"Hey—!" Beatrice called. "Don't do something stupid again without telling me, I suppose!"
But he had already left.
The corridors of the mansion rushed past beneath his feet. He descended the stairs, almost skipping the last steps.
He needed to go to the village.
Now.
As soon as he turned the main corridor…
He stopped.
Rem and Ram were there.
They both stared at him.
Yuji breathed rapidly, but kept his voice steady.
"I was cursed. It was that little dog from the village."
Rem's eyes widened.
"The… dog?"
Ram maintained a serious expression.
"Explain properly."
"He's a Maju. The bite wasn't normal. The curse was concentrated in the bite. Beatrice confirmed it. If he bit other people in the village, then…"
He didn't need to finish.
Ram put her hand to her chest.
"So, the children…"
Ram closed her eyes for a second, organizing her thoughts.
"Even if that's true, we can't just leave the mansion. Roswaal-sama made it clear that we must take care of Emilia-sama."
Yuji stepped forward.
"Then one of you stays."
Ram stared at him.
"…"
"I'm not ordering you around, okay? I'm just saying one of you can go with me. The other protects Emilia."
Silence settled for a few seconds.
Ram turned her face slightly.
"That makes sense."
Rem looked at her sister.
"Nee-sama…"
Ram sighed.
"I'll stay. Rem, you go."
Rem hesitated.
"But—"
"You're better in direct combat and besides…" Ram glanced quickly at Yuji. "Someone needs to make sure that idiot doesn't do something reckless."
Yuji almost protested, but decided to let it go.
Rem still seemed reluctant.
"And Emilia-sama…"
"I'll protect her..." Ram said firmly. "Trust me."
Rem took a deep breath.
Then nodded.
"Understood."
She turned to Yuji, her expression now determined.
"Let's go. We don't have time to lose."
Yuji felt a silent relief.
Before they could leave, hurried footsteps echoed down the main entrance staircase.
"What's happening?"
Emilia descended the stairs, her long silver hair reflecting the light from the chandeliers. Her amethyst eyes were full of worry.
Rem gave a slight bow.
"Emilia-sama…"
Yuji turned to her.
For a moment, he considered telling the whole truth. About the curse. About Maju. About the real danger.
But she was a candidate for the Royal Selection. She already carried too much weight.
He didn't want to drag her into that.
"There was an unforeseen event in the village," he said, keeping his tone controlled. "Let's take a look and help. Nothing serious."
Emilia narrowed her eyes slightly.
"'Nothing serious' never means nothing serious when you say that."
Ram crossed his arms.
"He attracts trouble like a magnet."
Emilia sighed and descended the last step, standing in front of Yuji.
"You only get involved in trouble, don't you?"
His tone wasn't accusatory. It was concerned.
Yuji scratched the back of his neck.
"Maybe."
She remained silent for a few seconds, analyzing his face as if trying to perceive something hidden.
"Are you going back today?"
Rem replied:
"That's the intention."
Emilia then looked directly at Yuji.
"Don't do anything reckless."
He held her gaze.
"I don't intend to."
Not entirely true.
But not entirely a lie either.
Emilia approached Yuji, placed her hand on his chest, closed her eyes for a second, and nodded.
"Then return safely. May the blessing of the spirits accompany you."
Yuji turned towards the exit beside Rem.
Night had already fallen when Yuji and Rem arrived at the village.
The lanterns were lit, but the atmosphere was completely different from hours before. There was no laughter. There were no children running around the square.
Some adults were outside their houses, gathered together, talking loudly, nervously.
Yuji approached.
"What happened?"
One of the men recognized him immediately.
"You! I'm so glad you're back!"
"The children…" said a woman, her voice trembling, "they disappeared!"
Yuji's heart tightened.
"Disappeared how?"
"They were playing near the forest entrance… and then… they vanished!"
Rem stepped forward.
"How many?"
"All those who were in the square…"
Silence.
Yuji was already moving before he could even think.
"The forest entrance."
Rem followed him without hesitation.
They ran along the path to the edge of the village, where the vegetation began to close in.
And then Rem stopped abruptly.
"Itadori-kun…"
He followed her gaze.
On the ground, near the marker that delimited the village's protection, was the crystal responsible for the magical barrier.
Broken.
Fragmented into opaque pieces.
The energy that once kept the forest at bay… had vanished.
Rem crouched down, touching one of the fragments.
"The barrier has been destroyed."
Yuji felt his stomach churn.
Without the barrier…
The Majus could come and go freely.
And the children had disappeared right there.
He looked into the darkness of the forest.
Dense. Too silent.
"They're inside the forest…" he said firmly.
Rem stood up, her gaze now cold and focused. The air around her began to grow heavier.
The night wind blew through the trees, making the leaves whisper as if the forest itself were alive.
Rem kept her gaze fixed on the darkness ahead.
"Itadori-kun…" her voice came out low, controlled. "What if this is a distraction?"
He didn't answer immediately.
"The barrier was broken. The children disappeared at the same time. This may have been done to get us out of the mansion… to leave Emilia-sama vulnerable."
The logic was sound.
Yuji knew this.
But he also knew something else.
He clenched his fist tightly.
"Even if that's true…"
Rem turned her face to him.
His eyes were different. Firm.
"I will save them at any cost."
Without hesitation. Without a doubt.
"If it's a distraction, Ram is there. And Emilia isn't weak. But the children… they have no one right now."
The silence between them lasted only a second.
Then the tension in Rem's shoulders lessened.
The reluctance vanished.
She nodded.
"Understood."
The air around her grew colder, a thin layer of ice beginning to form beneath her feet for an instant before disappearing.
"Then we'll proceed cautiously… but without hesitation."
Yuji took a step forward.
The forest seemed to swallow the moonlight as they crossed the boundary where the barrier once stood.
As they advanced along the dark path, alert to any suspicious sounds, Yuji broke the silence.
"Rem… what exactly is your magic?"
She kept her eyes ahead.
"Water."
"Water?" he raised an eyebrow. "But just now I felt the air get colder."
In response, Rem extended her hand.
A small sphere of water formed above her palm. It swirled gently, reflecting the moonlight. Then, the temperature dropped drastically and the sphere solidified, transforming into pure ice.
Yuji blinked.
"So you use water to create ice."
"And to heal too."
He frowned slightly.
"But… fire magic can also create ice, can't it?"
Rem glanced at him sideways.
"Correct. Depending on temperature control and mana manipulation, fire users can also drastically reduce the surrounding heat. The result can be similar."
Yuji let out a small "hm."
"So water and fire magic create ice… that's kind of counterintuitive."
Rem allowed a slight smile.
"The difference lies in the nature of the technique."
She closed her hand, and the ice she had created dissolved back into water, but it didn't run off. Instead, it became denser, almost viscous, floating like a liquid sheet.
"My specialty isn't simply freezing."
The water around her hand began to take on sharp shapes.
"It's liquid ice."
The substance rippled like water, but the surface shone with crystalline rigidity.
Yuji's eyes widened slightly.
"Hm... Emilia's is dry ice... Because of the fire, what crazy alchemy."
"It's efficient," she replied calmly. "I can switch between fluidity and solidification instantly."
The water vanished into thin air again, dispersing into particles of mana.
Yuji looked ahead.
"Good to know."
If something appeared in those shadows… he knew Rem wouldn't hesitate.
And from the cold that was beginning to spread through the forest… something was approaching.
The forest grew denser as they advanced. Branches intertwined above them, blocking almost all the moonlight. The smell of damp earth and something… metallic hung in the air.
Rem slowed her pace.
Then, without warning, she reached out to the side.
Mana flickered in the air.
And a morning star appeared, attached to a long chain, the metal reflecting the little light available.
#01
Yuji blinked.
"…Where did you get that from?"
Rem kept her gaze ahead.
"I'm always prepared."
"That doesn't answer my question..."
Silence.
The chain jingled slightly as she adjusted the weapon on her wrist.
She clearly didn't intend to explain.
"And your gauntlet?"
Yuji sighed.
"I... forgot it at the mansion."
They continued walking.
The sounds of the forest seemed off. There were no insects. No small animals scurrying about. Only the distant rustling of leaves.
After a few more minutes through dense vegetation, the trees began to thin out.
The trail ended abruptly.
They emerged onto a relatively open hill.
The moon finally illuminated the space.
And there… the wind blew freely through the tall grass.
Yuji stopped.
Rem tightened her grip on the Morning Star's chain slightly.
The open space was too wide.
Yuji was the first to spot something in the tall grass.
"Rem!"
She followed his gaze.
Small bodies scattered across the hill.
The Children.
They both ran immediately.
They were lying on the ground, motionless, but breathing. Yuji knelt beside one of them and touched her neck.
Weak pulse.
But stable.
Rem closed her eyes for a moment, concentrating.
"The curses haven't been activated yet…" Yuji said, relieved but tense. "They're latent."
She extended her hands, and a soft bluish light enveloped the children's bodies. Pure water, mixed with healing mana, coursed across their skin like a protective veil.
Small dark marks began to reveal themselves beneath the surface, signs of the bite, of the cursed infection.
Rem intensified the flow.
The liquid ice mixed with the technique, stabilizing the spread of the curse without activating it.
Yuji helped carefully turn each child over, checking for injuries.
Then—
A small groan.
—Uu…
Petra opened her eyes. "Y-Yuji..."
"Petra!" Yuji leaned in. "What happened?"
Her vision was still blurry.
"He... He took her..." her voice came out weak. "He... took her..."
Rem continued healing, but also listened attentively.
Petra tried to raise her hand.
"The other one… she… was taken…"
Yuji looked quickly around.
He counted.
One.
Two.
Three.
Four…
He stopped.
One was missing.
The girl with purple hair. The same one who pulled his coat. The same one with the dog.
Yuji felt a chill run down his spine.
"Rem…"
She had already noticed.
Her gaze slowly lifted to the forest beyond the hill.
The grass there was trampled.
The growl echoed again, further away… like an invitation.
Yuji stood up slowly.
"I'll go after her."
Rem was still kneeling between the children, keeping the flow of mana steady. But her gaze became stern.
"Itadori-kun… you've absorbed enough curses today. You've put yourself at risk enough."
He didn't answer.
"If you continue like this..." she continued, "You might end up reaping more than you sowed."
The phrase wasn't just a physical warning.
It was about consequences.
About crossing boundaries.
About dying.
Yuji was silent for a second.
Then he let out a small smile… humorless.
"I know that very well."
Rem frowned slightly.
"From personal experience."
His tone was low.
Heavy.
There was something there she didn't fully understand… but felt.
He looked at the flattened trail in the grass.
"I've already reaped the worst possible result."
More than once.
Rem realized it wasn't bravado. It wasn't a decision.
She took a deep breath.
"The children here are stabilized. The curse won't activate immediately."
She stood up, gently turning the chain of the morning star.
The air around her grew cold again.
"Then don't go alone."
Yuji looked at her.
Rem took a step forward, standing beside him.
Yuji took two steps toward the trail… but stopped.
He took a deep breath.
He couldn't act on impulse.
He turned to Rem.
"No, Rem. You stay."
She frowned immediately.
"What? No!"
"Stay with the children until the villagers arrive."
The wind blew between them.
"Itadori-kun, I said that—"
"I know what you said."
He interrupted her calmly, not rudely.
"But if something happens here while we're both in the forest, who protects them? Stay here until the villagers arrive."
Rem lightly tightened the morning star's chain.
Her blue eyes were intense. "I'm not just worried about the children."
The silence that followed was short… but dense.
Yuji understood.
And, for a second, something light stirred in his chest.
He smiled slightly.
"I'm glad you're worried about me."
Rem blinked, caught off guard by his nonchalance.
"It's not… quite like that."
"No?"
She looked away for a moment.
"It's just strategic efficiency. You're an important asset to the mansion."
"Oh, so I'm just a 'resource'?"
"Exactly."
But her tone lost some of its firmness.
Yuji chuckled softly.
"Right… then, strategically speaking, it's best if you stay here. If I'm late, you take the children back to the village."
Rem stared at him for a few more seconds.
She wanted to insist.
But he was right.
She took a deep breath.
Rem still hadn't relaxed her posture.
Even with the children stabilized behind her, even with the clear logic… she wasn't convinced.
Yuji noticed.
He stopped before entering the darkness completely and took a few steps back, standing before her.
"Rem."
She looked up.
"Those looks you give me sometimes…"
The wind blew between them.
"They're because of the Witch's scent, aren't they?"
Her body stiffened.
The morning star chain made a slight metallic sound as she instinctively tightened it.
"…How?"
Her blue eyes were attentive now. Vigilant.
"How much do you know about the Witch?"
It wasn't just curiosity.
It was a dangerous question.
Yuji held her gaze without looking away.
"The same as you." She narrowed her eyes.
"And that would be it?"
He gave a small, tired smile.
"Nothing. Basically nothing."
The silence that followed was heavy.
"I don't know who she really is. I don't know why I exude this strange smell..."
He didn't mention Satella by name.
But they both knew who they were talking about.
Rem analyzed every microexpression of his.
Yuji took two more steps…
But stopped again.
He turned back.
Rem blinked, confused.
"Itadori-kun?"
Without saying anything, he extended his hand.
And intertwined his pinky finger with hers.
Rem remained completely still.
"What are you doing…?"
"Pinky promise."
#02
She tilted her head slightly.
"Pinky promise…?"
"It's a custom from my homeland. When two people make a serious promise, they link fingers like this. If someone breaks it… well, it's unforgivable."
His tone was light. Almost playful.
But his eyes weren't.
"When all this is over…" he said, "we'll talk properly. About the smell. About the Witch. About everything."
Rem remained silent, feeling the warmth of his touch.
"This is…"
She squeezed his finger lightly, almost without realizing it.
"Itadori-kun…"
He gave a small smile.
The wind blew between them again.
Rem then asked the question that had been stuck in her throat.
"Why are you doing all this?"
He wanted to give several answers.
But he just smiled.
A confident smile. Almost theatrical.
"Because that's what a Demon God would do. Isn't that right, Rem?"
Rem blinked.
"...What?"
He let go of her finger and took a step back with a soft laugh.
"I'm amused by those faces you make, Rem... What I mean is, I can do it!"
She stared at him, trying to decide if it was nonsense... or something bigger.
"This doesn't make sense."
He turned around.
Darkness awaited him.
"W-Wait—!"
But he had already moved forward.
The forest swallowed him.
Rem stood still for a few seconds, looking at where he had disappeared.
Then she placed her hand on her chest. "Demon God, huh?..." he murmured.
And, for the first time that night... She smiled sincerely.
"You're a fool, Yuji Itadori."
Yuji ran between the trees, dodging low branches and exposed roots. The smell of blood and corrupted mana grew stronger with each step.
Then he stopped.
Ahead, among the twisted shadows of the trees...
The Maju.
It was no longer the harmless little dog of the village.
It was enormous. Its body swollen with distorted mana, elongated fangs, dark saliva dripping onto the ground. Its eyes glowed with a sickly red.
Behind him, further back, the purple-haired girl lay at the base of a tree.
Alive.
But unconscious.
Yuji took a deep breath.
He could use that. He thought about cleaving.
The only time he managed to use Dismantle was against Elsa Granhiert, and it wasn't even intentional.
It wasn't reliable.
It wasn't stable.
And, above all…
He didn't want to depend on it.
Yuji cracked his neck.
"Let's settle this with the basics."
The Maju growled.
And lunged forward.
Too fast for its size.
Yuji didn't back down.
The fangs closed brutally around his arm. The sound of flesh being pierced echoed through the forest.
#03
Blood trickled down.
The Maju tried to pull him, crush the bone, inject more curse.
Yuji didn't even blink.
"I've already been cursed today."
He held the creature's head with his free hand.
"It won't change much."
Mana focused.
Not as a refined technique.
Not as a spell.
But as sheer impact.
The very instant his fist connected with the Maju's skull—
A deep crack echoed.
Dark energy exploded at the point of contact.
"Kokusen!"
The impact pierced the creature's body like compressed thunder.
The ground beneath the Maju's paws cracked.
The skull deformed.
The sound wasn't just physical, it was spiritual.
The curse that pulsed within the creature was crushed along with the blow.
The Maju was thrown backward, colliding with several trees before falling, motionless.
Silence.
Yuji pulled his arm from the creature's mouth.
Blood dripped.
The bite mark was already beginning to darken with latent curse.
He looked at his own arm.
"...Tch."
Yuji knelt beside the purple-haired girl.
She was still breathing.
But the air around them… changed.
A growl.
Then another.
And another.
Shadows began to move among the trees.
Red eyes emerged from the darkness.
It wasn't just one.
There were several.
Majus began to emerge from all sides, slowly surrounding the makeshift clearing where he stood.
Yuji adjusted the girl in his arms and placed her behind him, protected by a thick tree root.
"Ah… really?"
He took a deep breath.
"If I use Cleave now…"
He felt the strange energy within him.
That technique he hadn't mastered.
That invisible blade that tore through everything.
He was ready.
The first Maju advanced—
A current cut through the air.
A morning star crushed the creature's skull before it reached Yuji.
Ice instantly spread from the impact.
Another Maju tried to flank from the right—
A blade of liquid ice pierced its throat.
Yuji blinked.
Rem landed beside him, her blue hair fluttering with the movement. The chain spun with calculated precision, each strike economical, each step firm.
She wasted no energy.
A Maju leaped over—
Rem spun her body, the chain wrapped around the creature's paw in mid-air, and with a sharp tug she hurled it to the ground, finishing with a clean crush.
Elegant.
Cold.
Precise.
Yuji watched for a second longer than he should have.
"...Wow."
Two more Majus advanced.
Yuji stepped forward and finished one off with a straight punch, while Rem froze the other and shattered it with a swing of her weapon.
Silence gradually fell.
The bodies began to disintegrate into corrupted mana.
Yuji exhaled.
"You fight with absurd elegance."
Rem was still in a fighting stance, but turned her face slightly towards him.
"...Elegance?"
"Yes. It's kind of... frighteningly beautiful."
She blinked.
The night wind passed between them.
"Is that something appropriate to say to a girl?"
The tone was neutral.
But there was something there.
Yuji tilted his head.
"I was complimenting you."
"You called me frightening."
"I said frighteningly beautiful."
"It's still strange."
He gave a half-smile.
"Then I'll rephrase it. You fight damn well."
Rem was silent for a second.
Then she looked away.
"...Thank you."
But there was a slight, almost imperceptible blush on her cheeks.
Yuji then pointed with his thumb behind him.
"I brought the last one."
Rem walked over to the girl and quickly checked her condition.
"She's alive."
She sighed in relief.
Then she looked at Yuji.
"You hurt yourself again."
His arm was still bleeding.
"It's just a scratch."
The dark mark of the curse was beginning to spread discreetly.
Rem approached.
"Idiot. Nee-sama was right..."
But the tone wasn't one of disapproval.
Two more Majus advanced from the sides.
Yuji and Rem moved almost simultaneously.
He charged forward, drawing attention with direct impact, heavy punches that shattered bones and dispersed corrupted mana.
Rem covered the blind spots, the morning star's current cutting through the air with surgical precision. Where it passed, ice bloomed on the ground like crystals under the moon.
They were synchronized.
Without needing to speak.
One Maju tried to attack Yuji from behind—
"To the left!" Rem warned.
He ducked reflexively, and the morning star passed over him, crushing the creature.
Another tried to bite Rem's leg—
Yuji intercepted it with a side kick that sent it flying against a tree.
The clearing turned into a brief and brutal battlefield.
Then…
Yuji sensed it.
That presence.
Physically weaker.
But denser in curse.
He looked up.
Among the tree trunks, standing in the shadows…
The little dog.
Small.
The same one that seemed harmless in the village.
Red eyes fixed on them.
The source.
Rem noticed it too.
"It's him."
The instant their eyes met—
The little dog took a step back.
And then turned.
Flew.
"No!" Yuji lunged forward.
But, as if responding to a silent command, three remaining Majus jumped out at once, blocking the path.
One attacked Yuji.
Another went straight for Rem.
The third stood between them and the escape route.
"He's using the others as cover!" Rem said.
Yuji clicked his tongue.
"Little coward…"
He crushed the first one with a direct punch to the snout, feeling the bone give way.
Rem froze the ground beneath the second, unbalancing him before finishing him off with a downward strike.
But the third exploded in corrupted mana before even being hit, creating a momentary dark curtain.
When the mist dissipated—
Silence.
The presence had vanished.
Yuji ran to the edge of the forest, looking for tracks.
Nothing.
Only the night.
He clenched his fist tightly.
"He escaped."
Rem approached, analyzing the surroundings.
"Not by chance."
Yuji looked at her.
"He has intelligence."
"Yes. He's not just an ordinary Maju."
The wind blew again.
This time… empty. Yuji took a deep breath.
"It's alright. The children are safe."
Rem nodded.
But her eyes were still watchful.
"This isn't over."
In the distant darkness of the forest…
Something was watching.
And waiting.
Yuji couldn't accept it.
"He couldn't have gone far."
Rem hesitated for only half a second… and then ran beside him.
They ventured deeper into the forest, leaving the clearing behind. The trees were older, thicker. The moon barely penetrated there.
The air was different.
Heavier.
Deeper in mana.
Then they slowed their pace.
Ahead, among the exposed roots of giant trees…
Movement.
But it wasn't like before.
These weren't ordinary Majus.
These creatures were larger… but not only that. Their bodies seemed… altered. Some had malformed extra limbs. Others had bony plates protruding from their skin. One had its jaw split vertically, opening unnaturally.
The mana around them was unstable.
As if it had been forced to evolve.
Yuji frowned.
"...This isn't normal."
Rem analyzed with a cold, technical gaze.
"These aren't natural variations."
One of the modified Majus took a step forward, and the ground beneath its paws cracked.
Its skin pulsed with marks similar to the curses that were on the children.
Yuji narrowed his eyes.
"They've been altered."
"Yes," Rem replied. "The mana density is artificial. Someone interfered."
Yuji felt a chill run down his spine.
The puppy that ran away...
It wasn't just a curse bearer.
It was part of something bigger.
One of the Majus opened its mouth and a dark mist erupted from within, unlike the simple corrupted mana from before.
Yuji took a half step forward.
"Please... Don't let it be what I'm thinking..." Yuji thought.
Rem spun the morning star, ice beginning to form on the current.
"They are stronger than the previous ones."
Yuji opened and closed his hand.
He felt that energy again.
He looked at the deformed creatures ahead.
"Rem... I think now we're going to have to fight for real."
The shadows moved.
And the modified Majus advanced simultaneously.
Yuji retreated a few meters and placed the unconscious girl on high ground among the thick roots of an ancient tree.
"Stay here…" he murmured, even knowing she couldn't hear.
He returned to Rem's side.
The modified Majus attacked.
The fight was different from the previous one.
These creatures weren't just aggressive, they were resilient. One of them withstood two direct blows before falling. Another tried to release that dark mist again, but Yuji closed the distance and destroyed it with a punch charged with concentrated energy.
Rem froze her joints, limiting movement. Yuji finished with brutal impact.
Coordination.
Constant pressure.
Until the last one fell, dissolving into unstable mana that evaporated into the air like black smoke.
Silence.
Heavy.
Yuji was panting.
Rem surveyed her surroundings.
Then—
A relaxed voice. Irritating and all too familiar.
"Did you miss me? Wow, you look terrible..."
The world seemed to stop for a second.
Yuji's blood ran cold.
He knew that voice.
It couldn't be.
Among the trees, casually leaning against a trunk as if he were strolling…
Mahito.
A crooked smile.
Empty eyes.
The marks on his face like grotesque stitches holding something that shouldn't exist.
Rem immediately sensed that this wasn't a Maju.
It wasn't an ordinary creature.
It was something wrong.
Yuji didn't speak for a few seconds.
But his eyes…
Filled with hatred.
Pure.
Raw.
"How…" he began, his voice low. "Did you end up here?"
Mahito tilted his head, amused. "I was on the path of souls, waiting for you... Until I was pulled here for some reason..."
He took a step forward.
His presence wasn't like mana.
It was distortion.
Yuji took a step forward too.
Instinctively.
Rem noticed the abrupt change in the air.
"Itadori-kun...?"
Without taking his eyes off the stitched figure, he said: "Don't touch him, Rem... With a simple touch he..."
It was an order.
Rem felt it.
This was different from everything they had faced that night.
Mahito's smile widened.
"Ah... you brought your new girlfriend? What happened to the girl with the straw dolls?"
His fingers moved strangely. Yuji didn't answer him.
"You're not going to answer? Okay then... Let's play."
The energy around them began to vibrate.
Yuji clenched his fists.
He didn't know how.
He didn't know why.
But one thing was certain.
"I'm going to kill you right here."
The entire forest seemed to fall silent.
And Mahito…
Laughed.
Mahito advanced first. Or so it seemed.
His body contorted like living rubber, slipping between blows before they even landed.
Yuji charged forward.
The first punch grazed him.
The second landed, but Mahito's face contorted, absorbing the impact like clay being molded.
"Hm? Feeling nervous?" he taunted.
Yuji advanced again. But unpredictably.
The trees behind him exploded from the missed impact. The ground cracked beneath his feet. The strength was there.
But the focus… wasn't.
"You're still driven by emotion," Mahito hummed. "How predictable."
Yuji gritted his teeth.
The memories.
The pain.
The helplessness.
All mixed together.
He couldn't see clearly. He just wanted to crush.
Rem watched.
She noticed even before Mahito fully exploited the opening.
Yuji was out of control.
A blow passed centimeters from his own exposed shoulder.
Mahito almost touched him.
Almost.
Rem moved.
She grabbed Yuji's wrist mid-advance. The touch was firm.
"ITADORI-KUN!"
He tried to break free.
"Let me go, Rem!"
"No!"
Her voice was calm and unwavering.
Mahito watched curiously.
"Look at that… she's brave."
Rem completely ignored his presence.
She pulled Yuji back slightly, forcing him to look at her.
"You're missing your punches."
He was breathing heavily.
His eyes were still full of anger.
"He… he—"
"I know that feeling well… That uncontrollable anger…"
Her tone was non-judgmental.
Just firm.
"But if you keep going like this… you'll lose!"
Silence.
The wind swept through the trees. Mahito didn't attack. He was too curious for that.
Rem lightly squeezed Yuji's hand.
"Focus on the objective."
"…"
"What is your objective, Yuji Itadori?"
The words struck a different tone.
Yuji blinked.
He took a deep breath.
The trembling in his shoulders lessened. His jaw relaxed. His vision cleared.
Mahito tilted his head.
"Ah… the show's over?"
Yuji exhaled slowly. The anger was still there.
But now… Controlled.
He looked at Rem for a second.
"My objective is to save these children… Thank you."
She let go of his hand.
"Now, it's over." "With him!"
Yuji turned to Mahito again.
This time, his posture was different.
Stable.
His feet firmly on the ground. His breathing controlled.
His eyes still intense—
But focused.
Mahito smiled.
"Now it's interesting."
Mahito opened his arms, as if welcoming an old friend.
"So… are you going to try again?"
Yuji didn't answer. He walked away.
Without exploding in fury.
Mahito noticed.
"Oh?"
Yuji disappeared from sight for an instant. The impact came in the same second.
Fist.
Perfect connection.
Time distorted.
The air seemed to tear.
A dry crack echoed through the forest—
"KOKUSEN!"
The cursed energy exploded in absolute synchronicity with the physical impact.
The space around Yuji's fist fragmented into black and red lines.
Mahito didn't have time to contort his body.
He didn't have time to play.
He didn't have time to smile.
The blow went right through.
His torso disintegrated first. Then his arms. Then his stitched-together face.
Like glass being pulverized from the inside.
The shockwave opened a clean circle in the forest.
Silence.
Dust.
Black particles dissipating in the air.
Rem's eyes widened slightly.
She felt it.
That wasn't just strength.
It was absolute precision.
Yuji stood still for a second, his fist still extended.
Controlled breathing.
He closed his hand slowly.
But then…
He frowned. There was no real resistance. There wasn't that feeling. That repulsive presence.
The disintegrated body began to dissolve in a way… too light.
Artificial.
Yuji clicked his tongue.
"...Clone."
Rem approached.
"What do you mean?... Wasn't it the real one?"
Yuji shook his head.
"No."
He felt it. The original wasn't there.
The presence was too shallow. A provocation.
Yuji looked into the darkness of the forest.
"It's obvious he wouldn't confront me now."
Mahito was sadistic, but he wasn't stupid.
He observed.
He learned.
He probably wanted to understand this new world.
Maybe even test limits.
Rem kept her attention on her surroundings.
"So he's still here."
"Yes."
Yuji took a deep breath.
The difference was clear now.
He wasn't trembling.
He wasn't out of control.
He was prepared.
"And next time…" Yuji murmured.
His eyes were steady.
"I won't let him get away."
The distant laughter still echoed in Yuji's mind when—
CRACK.
The ground behind Rem exploded.
A modified Maju, much larger than the previous ones, emerged from beneath the roots as if it had been waiting for the exact moment.
Before she could spin the morning star—
The creature struck her squarely. Rem was launched high into the air.
"REM!"
Yuji vanished from his spot.
The Maju opened its deformed jaw to lunge forward again—
But Yuji's fist landed first.
A sharp impact.
Straight to the center of the shapeless mass.
The creature's body imploded with the blow, bones and corrupted mana shattering in mid-air before even touching the ground.
Yuji didn't even look back.
He leaped, arms outstretched, and caught her in mid-air.
Rem was limp. Her eyes closed.
Weak breathing.
"Hey… hey, wake up…"
He landed carefully, kneeling as he supported her.
"Rem?"
Silence.
His heart raced.
"Don't play games with me now…"
Then—
She opened her eyes.
But they weren't the soft blue eyes from before.
The pupils were thinner.
The energy around her changed drastically.
"Rem…?"
She pushed him forcefully.
An absurd force.
Yuji was thrown several meters back, sliding on the ground.
Rem landed on her feet.
Her breathing was ragged.
The air vibrated.
The horn sprouted from her forehead.
She held her own head for a second, as if something was bursting from the inside out.
When she raised her face—
There was no hesitation; only instinct.
"Rem?!"
She lunged forward. Quickly.
Much faster than before.
The morning star spun violently, unlike the calculated elegance of before. Now it was pure brute force.
#04
Yuji barely blocked, the impact reverberating through his injured arm.
"Rem, "Stop!"
She didn't answer. Another blow.
Heavier. The ground cracked beside him.
Yuji realized. This wasn't directed at him. It was a loss of control.
The Oni Mode.
Unleashed by force.
Probably by the impact… or by the mana overload of those creatures.
She advanced again.
Yuji didn't attack.
He only dodged.
"Rem!" "Seal!"
But she wasn't listening.
The forest began to tremble under the pressure of the released energy. And Yuji understood.
If he didn't do something fast…
It would destroy itself.
Yuji took a step forward.
Even with Rem's violent energy tearing the ground around them.
"I won't hurt you…" he murmured.
But before he could get closer—
The world darkened.
Purple shadows, dense as liquid. They climbed up his feet.
Up his legs. Up his chest.
Yuji tried to move.
But it wasn't something physical.
It was like being pulled into a memory that wasn't his.
The forest disappeared.
The sound ceased.
The smell of earth vanished.
And when he opened his eyes…
Absolute silence.
A vast emptiness.
Glass-like dark ground reflecting a nonexistent sky.
Heavy air.
It was Like a Garden of Shadows. Yuji stood up slowly.
"...I came back here?"
Soft footsteps echoed behind him.
He turned and saw her.
Long silver hair. Deep violet eyes. A dark dress that seemed made of the night itself.
Her presence wasn't like a curse.
It wasn't like mana.
It was something… older.
More absolute.
Yuji frowned.
"You're the one doing this?"
He wasn't sure.
But there was only one name that made sense in that world.
"Your name… is Satella, isn't it?"
The figure stopped. For a second. Her eyes widened slightly.
Then…
Rage.
The air around them vibrated.
The shadows on the ground began to stir as if they were alive.
"You…" her voice echoed, multiple and distant at the same time, "Try to look like him."
Yuji blinked.
"Like whom?"
She took a step forward.
Space distorted.
"Don't pretend."
The intensity in her voice wasn't just hatred.
It was pain.
Confusion.
Longing.
And despair.
Yuji felt a shiver run down his spine.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
The shadows around him tightened for a second. Not hurting him. But pressing down.
As if testing his existence.
Satella brought her face closer.
Her eyes examined every detail.
"The same look."
"The same smell."
"The same… essence."
Yuji became serious.
"I'm just me."
And then silence. The shadows trembled. For an instant—
Her expression wavered.
"No…" she whispered.
Then the anger returned.
More intense.
"He should be here."
Yuji took a step back.
"I really don't know who 'he' is."
The shadows began to rise behind her like endless wings. The entire garden trembled.
"Tell me."
Her voice echoed throughout the emptiness.
"Why are you in this world?"
Yuji kept his eyes steady.
Even feeling that her presence could crush him if it wanted to.
"Look, I wanted to know as much as you did..."
The silence that followed was heavy.
Very heavy.
And for the first time…
Satella seemed… to hesitate.
The emptiness of the Shadow Garden rippled like dark water.
Satella watched him silently.
Her violet eyes shone with something that wasn't just fury.
It was recognition.
"You are following in the same footsteps as 'him'."
Her voice echoed in multiple layers, as if dozens of versions were speaking at the same time.
Yuji frowned.
The shadows behind her moved like gigantic wings. Yuji felt a slight discomfort in his chest. But the feeling of being compared to someone who left a deep mark.
"And what exactly did he do?"
Satella looked away for a moment.
The darkness around her trembled. She didn't answer.
The silence that followed was heavy.
Yuji blinked.
"Did he follow in my footsteps?"
Her eyes returned to him.
Now there was pain in them.
"Yes..."
Yuji didn't fully understand those words.
But he felt their weight.
"And yet… he continued."
Her tone softened for a second. Yuji took a deep breath.
So that was it.
It wasn't about power.
It was about choice.
"I'm not that person."
The shadows stirred slightly.
"But you're doing the same."
Yuji thought of Rem.
Of the unconscious girl.
He closed his eyes for a second.
"Maybe..."
Satella stared at him, expecting denial.
But he didn't deny it.
Yuji opened his eyes again.
Firmly.
"I don't know who he is. I don't know what he did. I don't know if he's important to you. But I know what I do."
The air grew thick.
"I do what I think is right."
The shadows pressed lightly against the ground beneath his feet.
Testing.
"Even if it destroys you?" she asked.
Yuji shrugged.
"If I start choosing based on the fear of getting hurt… then I'm no longer myself."
Silence.
The Shadow Garden stood still.
Satella approached once more.
This time, there was no pure anger.
There was something more complex.
"You really don't remember him…"
Yuji held her gaze.
"No."
She slowly raised her hand.
The shadows touched his chest.
Not to crush him.
But as if searching for something.
"Then prove it."
The emptiness began to dissolve.
The sensation of falling returned.
The forest reappearing in the distance.
"Prove to me that your steps won't lead to the same end."
The last thing Yuji saw was her gaze.
"I will prove it to you…"
End of Chapter