"WHY—?! WHYWHYWHY!! THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE—!!" Betelgeuse's voice shrieked, sounding utterly broken.
Pride sprinted up the forearm, a shadowy streak against the purple glow. He launched into the air, his sword dissolving into mist. He thrust his palm forward.
FWOOOM—!
A jagged spike of abyssal blackness shot down like a spear. It pierced Betelgeuse through the center, while thinner tendrils lashed out to skewer his limbs, pinning him midair.
"Ugghh… guh—" Betelgeuse choked on his own blood.
Pride landed soundlessly and walked closer with a terrifying calm. He flicked his wrist. One arm was yanked from its socket. Another flick. The second arm followed, torn away like wet paper.
Standing inches away, Pride smirked.
"Oh, by the way? 'Tella told me she hates you."
Betelgeuse's eyes bulged.
"Wha—"
CLEAVE——!
The ebony blade reappeared. A single vertical slash severed the Archbishop's head. The body fell limp, and the darkness dissipated into the wind.
Silence returned to the ruins. Pride exhaled, the blade vanishing as he finally let go of the reins.
Subaru's eyes fluttered, the purple fading back to brown. The carnage hit him instantly. The smell of iron, the twisted limbs—it made him sick. But deep down, there was a spark of satisfaction.
Pride is useful. Terrifying... but useful.
The lingering presence of Betelgeuse tried to cling to his mind, but it dulled and faded into nothing.
SWOOSH——
Footsteps. Fast. Satoru Gojo emerged from the trees—shirtless, streaked with blood, and looking genuinely shocked.
"Ugh… dude… what the hell did you——" Gojo's voice trailed off as he saw the state of the village. He looked at the corpses, then back at Subaru.
"I cleaned up," Subaru said. "They deserved it."
Gojo scratched the back of his head, his usual cockiness replaced by unease. "Yeah, but… didn't know you had this in you."
Subaru shrugged. This loop had been faster. Better. Even compared to the times he had the soldiers and Rem with him. If things ever went south again, he knew exactly what to do.
"You got enough juice to teleport us to Flugel's Tree?" Subaru asked. "Emilia and the others are headed to the Sanctuary. We need to catch up... even if she doesn't want to see me."
Gojo sighed, cracking his neck.
"Yeah... guess so."
"But man... I can't exactly show up to Emilia-tan covered in blood," Subaru muttered, looking at his ruined clothes with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance.
Gojo snorted, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now that sounds like the Subaru I know. I'll find a river on the way."
SWOOSH—
Space folded, and the pair vanished, leaving the ruined village to the silence.
—————————————
Reality snapped back into place at the base of the colossal tree. Its gnarled branches stretched upward like skeletal fingers, looming over the mess below.
Subaru barely had time to get his bearings before Gojo tensed up, his playful vibe vanishing instantly.
"There's trouble… Wilhelm's holding them off, but the place is crawling with cultists. The refugees from the village are caught up in the crossfire."
Subaru's jaw clenched. He squinted toward the distant commotion, trying to pick out shapes in the chaos of the treeline.
"Right—"
Gojo cut him off with a sharp nod, already reading his mind.
"Go find your crush. Smooth things over. I'll lend Wilhelm a hand... not that the old man actually needs it, but hearts and flowers aren't really my thing."
With a sudden crack of displaced air, Gojo was gone, leaving a trail of flattened grass in his wake.
The battlefield was a meat grinder of steel and shadow. Wilhelm moved through the cultists like a scalpel, his blade leaving precise, lethal arcs of red in the air. Fanatic after fanatic fell, but for every one he cut down, two more seemed to crawl out of the treeline.
One cultist managed to slip past the defensive line, sprinting toward the line of refugee carriages with a jagged dagger raised.
CRUNCH—!
Gojo dropped from the sky like a falling building. His boot connected with the cultist's spine, pinning him to the dirt with enough force to shatter the earth beneath them. Gojo hopped off the twitching body with a casual bounce and raised a hand.
"Yo, old man!"
Wilhelm didn't even look over as he impaled a lunging attacker. He just stepped over the corpse and nodded at Gojo's battered, shirtless frame. It was obvious the sorcerer had just crawled out of a disaster zone.
"You're alive," Wilhelm noted, his voice steady as he carved through another black hood.
"Barely, but yeah," Gojo replied with a lopsided, exhausted grin. He leaned back, letting a thrown dagger whistle past his nose, then backhanded the attacker so hard they skipped across the field like a stone on water. "That Archbishop nearly sent me packing. I picked up some new tricks because of it, but man, I'm running on fumes right now."
Wilhelm allowed himself a rare, grim smirk. His sword flashed, disarming and killing two more enemies in one fluid motion. "You're unlike anyone I've ever met. Facing an Archbishop—Regulus Corneas, no less—and walking away? Most men don't get that luxury."
Gojo's brow arched. He leveled a fanatic with a punch that sounded like a gunshot.
"Regulus? You know that guy?"
Wilhelm's expression darkened.
"Few do. He isn't exactly public knowledge... but the nobility whispers. I know of him because of what happened in Vollachia years ago. He slew a warrior I once had the honor of dueling. A very powerful one."
"Vollachia..." Gojo echoed, his voice trailing off with suspicion. "I can see how he just walks into a kingdom and starts throwing hands. He's literally untouchable."
Another cultist lunged. Gojo's hand snapped up, his fingers flaring with a flicker of blue light. The attacker was crushed mid-air by an invisible pressure, their ribs snapping inward before they were tossed aside.
Wilhelm watched the display with quiet curiosity.
"Such peculiar magic... I've truly never seen its like."
Gojo smirked, flicking his wrist as if he hadn't just used a fragment of a god-like power.
"Right? I'm pretty amazing. I know."
A small chuckle escaped the old swordsman.
"And Subaru? Is he alright?"
Gojo's grin softened, but a shadow of genuine concern crossed his eyes.
"…I think? He's different. Harder. But hey, he's still practically foaming at the mouth to get to Emilia, so... can't be all bad."
"That's… certainly an analogy," Wilhelm mused, shaking his head as he turned to face the next wave.
——————————————
Several Hours Later…
The rhythmic clatter of ground-dragon hooves and the steady rumble of wheels were the only sounds on the dirt path.
In the back of the carriage, Gojo was out cold. He was sprawled awkwardly against the wooden frame, snoring loudly while a small group of Arlam village kids used him like a climbing gym. He didn't seem to mind.
Subaru sat nearby, watching him with a slight frown.
Pride hasn't said a word. Not since I let him take the wheel at the village. I can't tell if that's a good sign or a warning.
He looked over at Emilia. She looked peaceful, her silver hair catching the afternoon sun as she rested with her eyes closed. For a moment, things felt... normal. They had survived the loop. He had cleared the air with her.
Just stay quiet for once, world… please.
His train of thought was snapped when a pair of small arms wrapped around his. He looked down to see Petra clinging to him with a defiant pout.
"Uh... Petra? You're getting a little close there," Subaru said, raising an eyebrow.
Petra puffed out her cheeks.
"Well, she had you all to herself earlier! That's not fair. I couldn't even hang out with Gojo because he's sleeping like he hasn't closed his eyes in a century!"
Emilia flustered instantly, waving her hands in front of her.
"It's not like that, Petra! Subaru and I... we just had important things to discuss!"
Petra's eyes narrowed with playful competition.
"I'm not losing to you, just so you know."
Subaru tried to keep a straight face, but a smirk tugged at his lips.
"Emilia-tan, don't sweat it. She's just a kid."
"Even so... I refuse to be so lackadaisical about this!"
Emilia declared with sudden, random fire.
Subaru blinked.
"Who even says 'lackadaisical' anymore?"
Petra smirked like she'd already won.
"Now you're just teasing her!"
Subaru laughed, finally putting his hands up in surrender.
"Alright, fine——I'll stop. No teasing, I promise."
He reached over and gently ruffled Petra's hair.
"I almost forgot... thanks for looking after Emilia while I was gone. You made sure she wasn't alone, right? And I assume you thanked Gojo-sensei?"
Petra's playful energy dipped, her eyes dropping to the floor.
"Of course... I really thought he was a goner for a second back there against that... that man. But he was fine. Thankfully."
Subaru patted her head again.
"Yeah... that's Gojo for you. The guy just pulls off miracles like they're nothing."
His smile faltered as his mind drifted back to the reality of the situation.
"Right... and Emilia? There's something I need to tell you. Something Rem said."
Emilia sat up straighter, her eyes widening.
"Rem...?"
Subaru hesitated, then let out a long breath.
"She told me she loved me. The same way... the same way I told you."
Silence settled over the carriage, save for the creaking of the wood. Emilia's expression softened, the surprise turning into a quiet, knowing warmth.
"Rem... she really said that?" she whispered.
Subaru nodded.
"Yeah. I wasn't sure how you'd take it."
To his surprise, Emilia giggled softly.
"I'm not upset, Subaru. Even I noticed the way she looked at you. I'm actually happy for her."
Subaru's jaw dropped.
"Oh. Really?"
"Just makes me wonder what's so special about you, huh?"
Gojo's voice cut through the awkwardness. He was rubbing his chin theatrically, one eye open.
"Maybe you're secretly releasing pheromones to attract all the cute ones."
Subaru clicked his tongue, smirking back.
"Nope. It's just my devastating good looks. Unparalleled, really."
Gojo sat up with a flair, flicking his white hair back.
"You know who you're talking to, right?"
Subaru mock-shielded his eyes.
"Guh... too bright... the comparison is unfair."
"Life's unfair," Gojo shrugged, smug as ever. "I'm Satoru freaking Gojo, after all."
He chuckled, but his grin faded as he cupped a hand over his eyes, sighing.
"They really don't make sunglasses in this world, do they? Regulus trashed the only pair in existence. Guess I'll need a blindfold or I'm going to get a massive headache from all this input."
He pushed himself to his feet, drawing the attention of everyone in the carriage.
"You're both headed back to the mansion, right?"
Subaru tilted his head. "Well, we——"
Gojo cut him off.
"Look, neither of you knows where this 'Sanctuary' place is. I definitely don't. Step one: Go to Roswaal, ask questions, get a map. I know what you're thinking——'Wow, Gojo, can you read minds?' No. You two are just really predictable."
Subaru went deadpan.
"I think you're overestimating me. I didn't even have a plan yet."
"Eh?"
Gojo paused, blinking.
Emilia stifled a giggle behind her hand.
"Still... going to the mansion first is probably the best idea."
Gojo shrugged lazily.
"See? Smart girl. Anyway, I've been dodging my 'Royal Candidate' duties long enough. Even Reinhard's probably getting annoyed with me at this point."
Subaru's eyes narrowed.
"Wait... you're leaving?"
"Yeah. I'm wiped. Even that nap didn't fix what Regulus put me through."
Gojo tapped his chin, his eyes narrowing playfully.
"Besides, what are the odds of a third Sin Archbishop showing up? You handled Sloth and a whole massacre on your own. Pretty impressive, Subaru. Even without my eyes, it's obvious you've gotten a lot stronger, and fast."
Emilia's head snapped toward Subaru.
"Wait... what?!"
Subaru grimaced.
"Ugh... look, Betelgeuse deserved it. I did everyone a favor."
Gojo clapped his hands together.
"No argument here. Anyway, Reinhard might actually have a heart attack if I stay away much longer. I'll pop back in later. Try not to die."
"Gojo-sen—!"
SWOOSH.
He vanished before Subaru could finish.
"Damn it..."
————————————
The Astrea Estate was a lot quieter than a battlefield, but to Gojo, the silence felt just as threatening. He lay face-down on his bed, the luxury of the mattress finally grounding him after the madness of the last few hours.
"Oh man… I've never been pushed that hard before… not even by that flying whale…"
Raising a hand toward the ceiling, his fingers curled into empty space.
"It's kinda exciting, though… Ah…"
A mischievous grin spread as he counted under his breath.
"Three… two… one——"
The door swung open—but not to reveal who he was expecting. Instead, a pair of pink-haired twin girls stepped inside, their expressions perfectly neutral as they bowed in unison.
"Oh, back already, Satoru-sama?"
Flam asked, her voice dry.
"We hope——assumed you'd managed to get yourself lost in another dimension…"
Grassis added, her tone equally flat.
Gojo sat upright, eyes narrowing.
"Flam, Grassis. You two are as welcoming as ever! And here I was hoping for Reinhard to greet me with a hug and a cold drink."
The twins remained silent, exchanging a brief glance before Flam spoke up.
"Lady Carol is already in a foul mood due to your disappearance. It appears Satoru-sama's fashion sense has deteriorated even further in your absence."
"I concur, sister. He looks like he was dragged through a mountain."
Gojo's gaze drifted down to his tattered, blood-stained clothes. He groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"You'd be correct, but this is peak 'battle-worn' chic, thank you very much! Some overpowered creep with an ego bigger than mine decided to shred my outfit."
He lifted a hand, pointing lazily at the desk.
"I'm guessing the 'welcome home' gift is on the table?"
They nodded in eerie sync, both pointing toward the mahogany surface.
"By Reinhard-sama's order..."
Flam began.
"All the long-overdue work you ignored before leaving has been reorganized for your immediate attention."
Grassis finished with a small smirk on her face.
How creepy!
A piece of Gojo's soul visibly shattered. He dragged himself off the bed, shoulders slumped, shuffling toward the desk like a condemned man. He flipped through the papers, muttering under his breath.
"Standard noble garbage… taxes… border disputes… aaand—" He paused, lifting a stack of identical, scented letters. "Proposals for marriage? Again?"
Without hesitation, he chucked the entire pile into the bin.
"Well, that cuts the workload in half. I'm a genius."
The twins bowed once more.
"If you need anything——"
"We will be ignoring your complaints in the hallway."
With that, they departed, leaving Gojo alone with his thoughts… and the paperwork. He stared at the desk for a long second, the Six Eyes already scanning the text and finding it mind-numbingly dull.
"This blows… I should've stayed with Subaru. At least things were exploding there. Anyway——shower time."
———————————————
A Little While Later...
Gojo strolled through the grand halls of the Astrea estate, hands clasped behind his head, humming to himself. He was finally clean and changed, feeling more like a person and less like a blood-soaked rag.
A shoulder clipped his, nearly knocking the guy who hit him off balance. Gojo stopped, his Six Eyes immediately registering a head of familiar crimson hair——but the resemblance to Reinhard ended there.
The man's uniform was disheveled, his stance was unsteady, and he clutched a half-empty bottle like a lifeline. He looked less like a legendary knight and more like a guy who had been kicked out of every tavern in the capital.
"Oi… watch where you're going, kid…" the man slurred, his breath smelling of cheap alcohol.
Gojo blinked, his nose twitching.
So this is Reinhard if his life took a swan dive off a cliff.
He'd heard the whispers about the Astrea family drama, but seeing the patriarch in this state was something else.
"You're the one who bumped into me, old man," Gojo replied flatly.
The man's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening around the neck of the bottle.
"Do you know who I am? Patriarch of this estate… Deputy Commander of the Royal Guard… I could have you tossed into a cell in seconds."
Gojo chuckled. He leaned in, towering over the drunk with casual ease.
"Riiight… somehow, I doubt that."
He watched Heinkel's hand drift toward the hilt of his sword. Gojo didn't flinch. He wasn't looking to beat up Reinhard's dad, but he wasn't about to be bullied by a guy who couldn't even stand up straight.
Before the tension could snap, a flash of red and white appeared between them. A hand shot out, catching Heinkel's wrist with quiet, immovable authority.
"That's enough, Father," Reinhard's voice cut in. It was calm, but there was a razor-sharp edge to it that hadn't been there before.
Heinkel sneered.
"Reinhard…"
"You clearly don't understand who you've just threatened…"
Reinhard continued, his gaze unflinching.
"This man is an honored guest of House Astrea, and the one I serve as a Knight——Satoru Gojo, the Fifth Royal Candidate."
"Kgh——"
"I won't tolerate anyone threatening my Lord. Family or not."
Gojo felt the weight of the moment and decided to break the ice before Reinhard's "Saint" persona cracked. He clapped a hand on Reinhard's shoulder and leaned forward, grinning at the stunned Heinkel.
"Appreciate the backup, buddy… but honestly, this guy couldn't scratch me if he tried. I get the vibe he used to be something, but hey, I wouldn't want to make your family drama worse. That'd be bad friend etiquette, right?"
Reinhard's eyes widened in surprise—then a genuine, relieved smile broke through his composed mask.
Gojo threw an arm around Reinhard's shoulders, steering him away down the hallway.
"C'mon, let me tell you what went down while I was out. So, Subaru, right—?"
Their voices trailed off as they rounded the corner. Heinkel stood alone in the hall, jaw tight, his knuckles white around his bottle.
"Tsk…"
——————————————
The ground split as their fists collided. The shockwave detonated like a cannon blast, rattling the very bones of the earth. Chunks of shattered stone blasted skyward and then froze, suspended mid-air. It wasn't magic or an Authority—it was just speed so absolute the world couldn't keep up. Two monsters—one clad in untouchable arrogance, the other a living legend—traded blows faster than sight.
"Hrm!"
Gojo surged in, his purple coat whipping. His footwork was immaculate as his fist rocketed forward, a blur of Cursed Energy aimed right for Reinhard's ribs.
A single palm met the strike. Precise. Surgical. Reinhard's expression didn't even flicker as he parried the blow, the air rippling with redirected force. In one seamless motion, the Sword Saint's leg coiled—muscle and Divine Protection winding tight—before snapping upward like a spring toward Gojo's chest.
SWISH—!
Gojo twisted mid-air, barely evading the kick. But the raw pressure alone—the air displaced by Reinhard's power—blasted Gojo backward. His boots ground deep trenches into the stone as he skidded.
Gojo didn't wait. His hand flicked. Blue.
Space howled. An unseen gravitational pull yanked sideways—an invisible hook trying to rip Reinhard off his center of mass.
"——!?"
For the first time, Reinhard's eyes widened in calculation. His balance wavered, momentum pulling him off the ground. But the Sword Saint contorted with inhuman grace, spinning in the air and reclaiming his footing on a jagged stone spire.
Gojo was already there, appearing like a phantom. His fist roared toward Reinhard's jaw—blinding and ruthless. Reinhard's gaze sharpened. His hand darted up, catching the strike and redirecting it wide—a masterclass of technique.
But Gojo wasn't done. His other arm weaved beneath like a serpent, fingers glowing with condensed crimson energy. His smile widened.
"——Red."
The explosion erupted at point-blank range—a miniature supernova racing toward Reinhard's chest. With nowhere to run, Reinhard moved with terrifying serenity. His back arched unnaturally, the blast grazing past him to obliterate a chunk of the wasteland behind them. The earth groaned as it was vaporized.
Reinhard landed perfectly. Muscles bunched. Divine strength coiled into his frame like a drawn bowstring.
The Sword Saint launched—bullet speed. He closed the gap in a heartbeat. Gojo's eyes widened, a grin of pure disbelief stretching across his face.
"You've gotta be——"
CRACK—!!
Reinhard was there——fist chambered, energy rippling off him like a wildfire.
A massive crater carved into the earth. A plume of smoke surged skyward, blotting out the sun. Silence followed for several long seconds. As the smoke thinned, Gojo stood at the center, his hand squared against Reinhard's fist. His arm trembled under the monstrous weight, but he held.
"Wheeww..."
Gojo exhaled sharply. He stepped back and dropped onto the ground, sitting cross-legged as his chest heaved.
"Every time I think I've gotten stronger… you just blow me out of the water. How much did you hold back this time?"
Reinhard offered his unshakable smile and sat across from him, looking completely unruffled.
"You are… possibly the strongest person I've faced, or perhaps the second. It's not a fair comparison… with him, I wielded the Dragon Sword Reid."
Gojo's brow lifted.
"Oh? And who's 'him'?"
Reinhard let out a quiet laugh.
"Cecilus Segmunt… a swordsman with skill and speed greater than my own."
Gojo blinked.
"Seriously? You're not screwing with me?"
Reinhard shook his head.
"It surprised me as well. The Dragon Sword Reid is the greatest weapon in this world, but it only allows itself to be wielded against an adversary it deems worthy."
Gojo's cocky gleam returned. He leaned in.
"Oh? And does your fancy sword consider me——"
"Gojo-sama…"
The voice was sharp as glass. The blood drained from Gojo's face. He tensed like a kid caught breaking a window.
"...Crud."
Carol stood there. She had a practiced, sickly sweet smile, but her eyes were cold.
"There you are…" she chimed. "I've been wondering where my pupil vanished to."
Gojo grimaced.
"Ah… Carol… listen, about that——"
"Come now." Her tone cut him off like a scalpel. "We still have etiquette to work on."
Gojo visibly deflated.
"Uuugh… but——"
Carol just blinked. A single, chilling blink. Gojo raised his hands in defeat and dragged himself to his feet with a groan.
"Fiiine… Hey, Reinhard——spar again tomorrow?"
Reinhard nodded politely.
"It would be my honor."