Satoru let out a slightly annoyed sigh, his eyes fixated on his palm as he made his way back to the tavern.
I failed Reversal Red again... and let that lady get away. Mmm... what is it going to take for me to understand this? I've got Blue down to a T, but I still don't get it!
He glanced up from his palm and surveyed the slums surrounding him, the dilapidated shacks looking even more miserable under the moonlight.
Well... it probably would've been really annoying to explain the property damage if it had actually worked, even with Reinhard telling me to stop I probably wouldn't of anyway.
He shoved his hands back into his pockets, his posture returning to that effortless, slightly slouching arrogance that defined him.
—————————————
Inside the ruins of the loot house, the atmosphere was thick with a different kind of tension. Sitting over the unconscious, large body of Old Man Rom, Subaru watched in awe as the spectral haze of mana surrounding Emilia's palms slowly mended the torn flesh. The light was soft, rhythmic, knitting the skin back together at impressive speeds—unlike anything the Japanese boy had ever seen before.
That's seriously cool.
Subaru thought, his heart still hammering against his ribs.
Surely, whenever my training arc hits, I'll learn stuff like that too...
He then tilted his head to the side, toward the figure standing guard by the hole in the wall.
"So, your friend—will he be alright?"
The Sword Saint peered toward Subaru, nodding serenely.
"Satoru...?"
He paused, his brow furrowing as he looked out into the dark alley where the white-haired boy had vanished.
"Ah... there's something different about him for sure. Though I can't quite put my finger on it, I am certain he'll be fine."
As if on cue, an otherworldly red hue flooded through the open gaps in the wall. For a split second, the grimy interior of the loot house was bathed in a violent, vermilion glow, lighting up the night sky like a dying star before vanishing not a moment later.
"W-What was that?!" Subaru jumped, nearly toppling off the giant's chest.
He wasn't the only one shocked by the spectacle. Emilia's hands faltered, her violet eyes wide with a mix of wonder and trepidation. Felt, who had been clutching her stolen insignia in the corner, looked like she was ready to bolt.
But surprisingly, the one with the widest eyes was the Sword Saint himself.
Reinhard's breath hitched.
"That... magic... that's... that's not—"
He paused, his hand instinctively twitching toward the hilt of the Dragon Sword before his various Divine Protections instantly allowed him to regain his composure.
Huh, it must've been seriously cool if it's got this guy gawking over it...
Subaru mused, wiping sweat from his forehead.
Little did Subaru know, Reinhard wasn't gawking over the raw power—which, albeit immense, was something the Sword Saint was accustomed to.
He was reacting to the nature of it. To Reinhard, who was blessed by the world itself, that flash of red felt like a contradiction. It didn't pull from the atmosphere, and it didn't flow from a Gate. It was as if the laws of space had been folded by a force that didn't belong to the Od Lagna.
———————————————
A few moments passed in the settling dust. Satoru appeared atop a jagged pile of rubble—the remains of the wall Elsa had been launched through. He stood there for a second, silhouetted by the moon, looking more like a bored tourist than a combatant.
"Yo. I'm back. She sorta got away, so that's my bad..."
As the white-haired teenager slid down the debris with his hands shoved deep in his pockets, Reinhard stepped forward to meet him.
"Worry not, Satoru," Reinhard said, his voice calm and reassuring. "I imagine the outcome would've been no different had I traded blows with her. She is... persistent."
"Anyway," Satoru said, his face instantly flipping from a mock-pout to a carefree, toothy grin.
"Since I did all the heavy lifting, surely one of you knows where a guy can get a decent dessert around here? I'm starving, and if I don't get something sweet soon, I might actually have to start being productive. And nobody wants that."
Subaru blinked, finally finding his voice after the sheer absurdity of the fight.
"You... you just did some crazy, physics-defying stuff like that and now you want cake?! Crap... am I really not the main character? That was totally hero-arrival material!"
"Well, I don't really get what nonsense you're babbling about, but we all have our fixes. Don't be rude," Satoru replied, shrugging before averting his attention.
"So... it's all over now?"
Subaru muttered. His gaze fixated on Emilia as he reached out to steady her when she stumbled from the sheer exhaustion of the night.
Emilia noticed the intense stare and blinked.
"W-Why are you staring at me so much?"
"A-Ah." Subaru coughed, looking away awkwardly. "Well, it's just... you still have your arms, legs, and head! It's a miracle!"
"Eh? Of course I do... please don't say such scary things," Emilia replied, looking genuinely bewildered.
Clasping his hands together, Subaru nodded fervently.
"H-Heh... right! I also have my arms, and I haven't been stabbed in the back—nor is there a hole in my gut! Life is great!"
Emilia raised a brow, tilting her head.
"You talk like you've experienced those things before?"
"Agh... my manners!" Subaru hummed, shifting into a dramatic, sweeping stance with a finger pointed toward the gaping hole in the ceiling.
"Natsuki Subaru is my name! The one who sought your insignia and fought a heinous villain just to help you. Wouldn't this mean you should repay me in kind?"
"…Reaaal smooth," Gojo chimed in, leaning against a pillar with a smirk.
Emilia recoiled slightly, confused by the boy's strange energy, but she nodded.
"A-Alright. If it's within my power, then..."
"Then in that case... I have one request. I'd like to know your name." Subaru's tone deepened, trying for a "cool" factor that didn't quite land.
Emilia looked startled, nearly bursting into a surprised laugh before she gave a soft, appreciative smile.
"Emilia. My name is Emilia. Thank you for helping me, Subaru."
Eesh... what kind of world have I been summoned into...?
Satoru thought. His Six Eyes remained fixed on Subaru for a beat longer than expected.
Something is definitely off with this dude.
Subaru turned away from Emilia, his face red, and addressed Satoru and Reinhard.
"Thanks, you two! You really, like, saved our skin... literally!"
Reinhard chuckled.
"I simply stumbled across Satoru here and felt a disturbance in the slums. We came as fast as we could."
Satoru didn't respond immediately. Behind his glasses, his eyes were wide.
I already got the vibe that this guy was from Japan, but...
Like a flicker of light, Satoru moved. He vanished from Subaru's vision and reappeared only inches from the boy's face.
"Huh... that's funny..."
Gojo murmured. He was seeing it now. Beneath the frantic exterior, Subaru was drenched in an absurd amount of dormant energy.
This guy... he's got a ridiculous amount of Cursed Energy, what the hell?
"Eh...? What—— something on my face?"
Subaru asked, flustered by the sudden proximity.
"Mmm... well, something like that. I'll talk to you about it later."
Before Subaru could protest, Satoru's index finger tapped the center of the teenagers forehead.
A tiny spark of Cursed Energy surged.
In the next moment... Subaru's eyes rolled back.
Satoru caught the unconscious body as it slumped forward, hoisting him over his shoulder like a sack of rice. He glanced at the shocked Emilia.
"But... why?"
"It's for his own good. He'll be in a hell of a lot of pain as soon as the adrenaline wears off,"
It definitely wasn't because he wanted to kidnap the black haired teenager.
"'Hell of a'?' Wait… I can heal him with my Spirit Arts anyw——"
Emilia muttered with furrowed brows.
"Eh? Oh, heh whoops—— Earth slang. Don't worry about it..."
Satoru coughed, glancing over to Reinhard.
Reinhard stepped forward, his gaze professional.
"Emilia-sama, may I ask... what is your relationship with Subaru?"
"An... acquaintance. I don't believe I've met him before today," she replied.
"I see. He said he was looking for you and that he had something to give you,"
Reinhard noted, before looking at Satoru.
"Ah, well... I don't actually have a place to live, you know? Real new around these parts."
Satoru said casually.
"Could I bring Subaru along with me to one of your places? I want to keep an eye on him."
Reinhard, ever-hospitable, nodded.
"I'd be glad to take you both to the Astrea mansion as guests."
Emilia shook her head.
"No... I'll take them both with me. I have things I'd like to ask Subaru. More importantly, Reinhard, what will become of those two?"
She gestured to Rom and Felt.
"I cannot overlook what they've done officially. But, well... I am off duty today,"
Reinhard said, a subtle mercy in his voice.
Felt looked at Emilia, her bravado gone.
"I... I'm sorry. You saved my life. I'll return what I took."
She pulled the shining insignia from her pocket and held it out.
"Just make sure to keep it hidden so something like this won't happen again."
Emilia reached out, but her grip was clumsy from fatigue. The insignia slipped through her fingers, sliding across the floor to Satoru's feet. Satoru didn't even bother reaching down. He simply gestured, and the insignia rose into his hand, held by an invisible, pearlescent force.
Neat little trinket. Don't understand almost dying for it, though.
As Satoru reached out to hand it back, Reinhard's hand suddenly clasped Satoru's forearm. It wasn't a violent grab, but it was incredibly firm—the kind of grip that signaled the world had just changed.
"...Reinhard?" Satoru mused, raising a brow.
What the hell's got this OP guy so shaken up?
"Satoru... ahem, apologies, but I'll need you to come with me. Now."
"Eh? Well... I guess that's fine. What's the big deal, though?"
"That, I will explain soon." Reinhard said, his voice dropping into a tone of absolute seriousness.
Satoru shrugged, sighing as he handed the insignia to Emilia and placed Subaru's body down beside her.
"——I imagine he'd rather be with you than me anyway," Satoru muttered.
Though I was excited to train him with that Cursed Energy. He's definitely got potential.
Reinhard bowed one last time.
"Farewell, Emilia-sama. I hope you have an easy time returning to the Mathers Estate."
Emilia nodded with a weary smile.
"Well… I'm sure Ram is around here somewhere. I left her behind by accident when I lost my insignia."
She then looked at Gojo.
"And thank you… Gojo-san. I'm sure if not for you two, things would've got reaaaally bad…"
Satoru just waved her off with a lazy swipe of his hand.
"It's whatever. I already know I'm awesome, after all."
———————————————
Hours later, inside a carriage...
The rich interior of the Astrea carriage rattled softly as it cruised toward the noble district.
Reinhard had been maddeningly silent. Every time Satoru poked for answers, the Sword Saint simply insisted they speak in private.
Is it that little display of mine against the stomach lady?
Satoru wondered, leaning his head against the velvet window frame.
Maybe he's just obsessed with my technique. Can't blame him—I am pretty mesmerizing. Maybe he wants to know how to get hair this white?
"Ahem..."
Reinhard coughed, the sound intentionally breaking Satoru's train of thought.
"I do apologize for the secrecy, Satoru-sama. Truly. It's just... not something that can be spoken of in a place as porous as the slums."
"Finally! You're gonna explain?"
Satoru practically cheered, rubbing his hands together.
"And seriously, stop with the 'Satoru-sama' and the bowing. Keep the honorifics to a minimum. It's making my skin crawl."
Reinhard nodded, his expression shifting into something heavy and official.
"You, Satoru-sa… Satoru… are the fifth and final candidate for the throne of Lugunica."
Satoru's brain processed the sentence.
Fifth candidate. Throne. Lugunica.
"———"
"——?"
"Wait, WHAT?!"
The carriage swayed as Satoru nearly launched himself across the small space, lunging toward Reinhard.
"How?! Since when?! I've been in this world for like, six hours! I don't even know what the currency is called!"
He fell back into his seat, huffing a breath of pure disbelief.
"Look, firstly: I have zero knowledge of this place. I know we're in Lugunica and that you've got weird fruit. That's the extent of my education. Secondly: I haven't done anything to deserve a pedestal. I'm just a guy who happened to be passing through!"
It's not like I want to lay low… I've got the power to level this city. But if being King means I have to please a bunch of wrinkled, stinkin' old men again, then count me the hell out!
He could already hear the Gojo Clan elders nagging him, and the thought was enough to make him want to teleport back into the void.
Reinhard remained calm, his gaze soft with understanding.
"I understand your confusion. But the Dragon Insignia glowed with a crimson light the moment you touched it. That is the ultimate proof. You have been chosen by the Divine Dragon, Volcanica."
Chosen by a damn lizard? I might have to go find this dragon and give it a piece of my mind.
Satoru grimaced. He leaned back, rubbing his crystalline eyes. The information overload from the Six Eyes was making the reality of "Kingship" feel even more claustrophobic.
"So... I don't exactly have a choice, right?"
Reinhard shook his head solemnly.
"I apologize, but no. The selection must be completed."
Satoru groaned. The absolute last thing he wanted—short of losing a fight—was to become a king. The idea of "upholding dignity" and "royal decorum" was utterly revolting.
It felt like being locked in a cage.
Plus, if I tank my chances on purpose while Reinhard is looking at me with those puppy-dog eyes, I'll feel like a jerk. Argh!
"Mmmm... alright, fine,"
Satoru sighed, waving a dismissive hand.
"But we're making some ground rules. Firstly: we're friends, Reinhard. No honorifics, no apologizing, and no 'Satoru-sama.' I can see how strong you are—it's literally giving me eye burn—but acting like a doormat will just let people walk over you, regardless of that badass title!"
He pointed a wagging index finger at the stunned Sword Saint.
"Friends?"
Reinhard whispered the word as if it were a foreign concept.
"V... Very well. I shall do as you say, Satoru."
Satoru grinned, leaning back and closing his eyes.
"Good. Though, I'm literally a nobody with no backing, so the chances of me winning are basically zero anyway. Which is GREAT for me."
The carriage floorboards suddenly groaned under a surge of pressure.
"——Eh?"
Satoru's eyes snapped open. He found Reinhard no longer sitting on the opposite bench, but down on the floor. The Sword Saint was on one knee, his head bowed low in a perfect, solemn salute.
"I may not be able to live up to your expectations... but if you would have me,"
Reinhard's voice rang with a sincerity that felt almost physical.
"I, the Sword Saint of Lugunica, hereby swear fealty to the fifth candidate, Satoru Gojo. I promise to stand alongside you until the day you succeed."
Satoru could only stare in confusion.
What the hell... I'd be lying if I didn't say this was seriously embarrassing. How am I supposed to say no to that?
"A-Ahem..."
Satiru sat up straight, clearing his throat and adopting a voice that carried the effortless authority of the Gojo name.
"Then I, the fifth candidate for the throne, Satoru Gojo... welcome Reinhard van Astrea as my knight. Try not to make it too boring, okay?"
He smirked to himself as the carriage rolled on.
I've never been fond of formality, but I never said I was bad at it. Actually... I'm not bad at anything, am I?
Then, his smile twitched.
"What did I just say…? No bowing!"