Gojo's eyes trailed up to the pitch-black sky, endless stars scattered like flecks of paint across a dark canvas. Both arms rested casually behind his head as he lay flat against the grassy hilltop.
His expression was calm—peaceful, almost. Though hidden beneath the blindfold, his eyes were fixed on the vast, infinite sky above.
"I wonder what you're up to right now, Suguru..."
A quiet breath escaped his lips.
"Would you be sad…?"
"Would you be angry…?"
His eyes slipped closed—
At the time he truly found everything boring, the whole 'Jujutsu Sorcerer' job, having to fight curse after curse with not a single one even being able to lay a finger on him.
Having to follow orders from those old farts of both the Gojo clan and the higher-ups. They still wrung him dry despite the fact they no doubt wanted him, a special grade sorcerer, no... threat dead, and he almost regretted not doing something about it now.
He regrets not doing more back on Earth. He regrets taking everything good he had for granted.
BOOM—
A distant explosion tore through the air, the shockwave rippling across the quiet plains. Even the nearby trees trembled, their leaves quivering from the force.
Tch… the hell's going on?
Gojo was on his feet in an instant, his head turning toward the source of the chaos. His keen senses easily picked it up—the familiar, unstable pulse of Subaru's cursed energy lingering in the distance.
"Subaru…"
He pressed his palms together, fingers interlocking—
—and in the next instant, he vanished.
—————————————————————————
"Damn Witch Cultist!!"
Garfiel's roar shook the air as he lunged forward, fists crackling with raw, unfiltered power. A hook—then a jab—followed by a brutal kick that blurred through the air. Subaru weaved around the strikes, ducking and sidestepping as best he could.
But Garfiel's speed was relentless—his strength no less monstrous either.
CRACK—
The kick landed square in Subaru's stomach, forcing the air from his lungs as blood splattered from his lips. His body skidded across the ground, tearing through the grass and dirt.
"I shoulda NEVER let you take the trial in the first place—"
Garfiel's fist tore through the side of a tree as Subaru ducked, bark and splinters flying like shrapnel. He twisted his body, following up with a vicious backhand aimed at Subaru's skull.
"If I'd known THIS is all you amounted to—!"
Subaru barely evaded the strike, the wind from the blow whipping across his face. His own fist, cursed energy swirling around it, lashed forward—crashing against Garfiel's guard with enough force to blow him several meters back.
They both paused, standing off. Tension thick in the air.
"I'm not a Witch Cultist, damn it! I've told you already, so LISTEN to me!"
Subaru snapped, swiping an arm out in frustration.
"Oh yeah? That why you REEK of the witch's miasma, y'bastard?!"
Garfiel's foot stomped the ground, crimson energy flaring up his leg. The earth cracked beneath him—
SWOOSH—
A massive pillar of stone erupted from the ground, racing toward Subaru like a battering ram.
Subaru's fist, charged with cursed energy, shattered the pillar in a single blow. Fragments of rock and dirt rained down like a storm.
But Garfiel used the debris as cover. In the blink of an eye, he closed the gap again, fists colliding with Subaru's in a thunderous clash. The ground cracked and splintered outward beneath them.
"That's enough.."
The voice cut through the fight like a blade. Gojo descended from the air through the trees, not a speck or leaf landing on him as he softly touched down on the grass, hands still casually tucked in his pockets.
"I don't see the point in this fight anymore. And this clearly isn't some friendly spar."
Subaru's eyes narrowed, his focus still locked on Garfiel.
"How's that fair? He's the one that attacked me first."
Garfiel scoffed, baring his teeth.
"It ain't fair you idiot! I'm doing this to protect the village! You're just some outsider reeking of the Witch—taking trials that ain't yours to take!"
Subaru clenched his fists, cursed energy crackling around him like wildfire.
"I'm doing this for Emilia, for everyone! So she.. they all don't have to suffer anymore! And you're trying to stop me—?"
A lie.
His energy surged, his fist swinging forward with all his might toward Garfiel's face—
But the strike never landed.
A sudden pulling sensation—an invisible force yanked him backwards. His body flew through the air before slamming spine-first into a tree, knocking it over with a loud crash.
Subaru winced, gasping from the pain, eyes snapping up—
Gojo stood in front of him, completely untouched. His hands hadn't even left his pockets.
Even now… even now, even NOW… He doesn't even need to take his hands out of his pockets to deal with me…!
"I wonder…" Gojo's voice cut through Subaru's spiraling thoughts, unnervingly calm.
"Is this Subaru speaking? Or is it Pride now…? Has it gotten so deep into that head of yours I can't even tell anymore?"
Subaru froze, eyes wide.
"W-What…?"
In the very next moment... several black veins suddenly snaked down Subaru's arms, pooling in his palm, forming into a jagged spike of impure, lethal energy—aimed directly at his own heart. The attack moving of it's own accord, regardless of Subaru's will or intent.
But the spike never pierced.
Inches from his chest, the dark construct splintered apart, dissipating into harmless flecks that scattered in the wind.
Gojo lowered his hand, brows furrowed in quiet disapproval.
"Mind telling me what the hell's going on in that head of yours… preferably before you try to impale yourself again?"
He knows… he knows… he knows… HE KNOWS! Why does he know? How does he know?! He's going to take Pride away from me… I can't let that happen… I refuse… I refuse to be weak again…
Subaru's eyes darted across the forest, chest rising and falling with uneven, pained breaths. His gaze snapped to Garfiel, still standing off in the distance—hesitant, confused. Then his eyes locked onto Gojo again.
The sorcerer tilted his head, brow raised at the silence.
"Well…?"
Subaru's jaw tightened. His lips parted, but the words caught in his throat.
".. Gojo… you—"
Gojo's light tone cut the tension for a moment, but Subaru could hear the steel beneath it.
"Not calling me 'sensei', huh? Might have to slap my dearest student upside the head 'til he figures himself out you know…!"
Subaru's palms pressed to the ground after a few seconds, but it wasn't cursed energy that began to surge, instead sheer authority.
He couldn't let this opportunity be taken away from him. Without Pride, what was he? He had no techniques, no skills. Just stronger punches and kicks. What good was that against someone like Gojo? Or Regulus?
"...Pride."
He muttered under his breath, authority surging through his fingertips.
"Hm?"
The earth exploded upward. Dozens of jagged, obsidian-black pillars erupted from the soil, ripping up bark and stone, spiraling toward Gojo with lethal intent.
Gojo's eyes widened beneath the blindfold—not in fear, but in genuine surprise.
Impressive. But odd.. I didn't teach him this.
Although he had no need to, he chose to disengage, vaulting several meters back, landing effortlessly as the tendrils of darkness dissipated into the air.
"Urgh…"
Subaru grimaced, wiping the blood trickling from his nose.
Any more than that, and our body's going to break apart you know...
I don't care, I'm fighting Gojo at his full strength, damn it—keep going!
Gojo stood silently, his playful smirk gone. His gaze trailed over Subaru's body, zeroing in—not just at the surface, but beyond. To the Od, to the Gate, to the dark thing festering beneath it all.
I've only seen that… once before. Regulus. Whatever's inside him— It's the catalyst for this… nonsense power. More like a curse than any sort of magic in this world, not even Divine Protections are so… odd for me to look at. I can't even understand it, just that it's there.
Gojo exhaled slowly, his tone deadly serious now.
"I don't wanna fight you, Subaru. Not like this…"
Subaru stumbled forward, shoulders hunched, breaths ragged. Blood pooled from his nose and eyes, dripping to the grass.
"Why…?"
"'Cause I'm weak…?"
"'Cause I'm not worth your time…?"
"'Cause I'm not PERFECT like you, huh?!"
His voice cracked with every word, arm swiping out with frustration. But he stopped short, panting.
"If I were you… If I had even a FRACTION of your power—"
"I wouldn't have to…"
"I wouldn't have to d—URGK!!"
His body buckled, hand clutching his chest, his cursed energy surging in rhythm with his spiraling emotions.
"Rrh… SHIT…!"
A bitter laugh escaped his throat, drenched in self-loathing.
"It's not fair… Life's not fair… yeah...."
"Goooojo... sensei... you've got everything… EVERYTHING… handed to you. Power… skill… even in an entirely different world, you're practically ROYALTY!"
His voice cracked into a snarl.
"But me? I've got nothing. No future… no purpose…!"
"And now you… you wanna take away the one thing that finally gave me one…!?"
Gojo said nothing. But his eyes widened beneath the blindfold, chest tight with an unfamiliar sensation—one he didn't particularly like.
Pity. And guilt. For not realizing the suffering Subaru was apparently going through, until it was too late.
He clenched his jaw, struggling to find the right words.
"…Subaru… I—"
He paused, forcing the words out in an attempt of calming Subaru down.
"I consider you a friend… No. A brother-"
Subaru's expression darkened instantly.
"Don't you dare… call me that."
His voice cracked at the edges, drenched in venom.
"You… you don't even know what I've been through because of you…"
"I finally started succeeding… finally winning…"
"And then YOU… kept showing up…"
"Fucking everything up, making me SUFFER!"
His fists trembled, his knees nearly buckling as he continued, breath hitching between sentences.
"He'd freeze the whole damn world over… I'd crush him beneath my boot… I'd rip them apart…"
"And then you'd show up… and…"
"Grrkk—"
Subaru choked mid-sentence, his body convulsing as he doubled over, hyperventilating. But even as his breathing fell apart, his cursed energy only climbed higher.
Gojo's brows furrowed, his instincts sharp.
Just how deep has Pride sunk its claws into him? He's unraveling… But his cursed energy—it's… If I didn't have the Six Eyes keeping me hyper-efficient, I'd burn out long before he did—considering how he only uses reinforcement to fight, he's basically a never ending source of energy.
Subaru's hand clutched his face, fingers parting to reveal one bloodshot, hate-filled eye glaring up at Gojo.
A whisper of pride… of something other, leaked from his cracked voice.
"I think…"
A ragged breath.
"I hate you…"
Gojo's heart sank—not from the words, but from the raw, broken finality of them.
"…Subaru…"
Pride… again, don't stop.
Subaru vomited blood as soon as that thought subsided, the taste sharp and metallic as fire burned through every vein in his body. It felt like his insides were being seared from within, like molten lead surging beneath his skin—but still, he flicked his wrist forward.
Black tendrils writhed from the ground, coiling, hardening into jagged blades that surged toward Gojo at speeds that shredded the wind.
Touch him… just once… even a scratch…
But Gojo didn't move. He didn't have to. The darkness froze, pausing just an inch from his body before collapsing into liquid shadows and vanishing altogether.
Subaru's body screamed in agony at the over-exertion of Pride's Authority, but he pushed it aside.
Again, and again, and again—darkness lanced toward Gojo, cutting through the air with desperate, hateful precision.
Eventually, Gojo raised a hand, blue light warping reality itself—like a black hole, it devoured the darkness, the very air around them. Trees snapped from their roots, soil ripped into the void until there was nothing left.
Gojo still hadn't taken a single step. But Subaru—
Subaru kept persisting… kept attacking despite the pain that felt unlike anything he'd felt before.
"Please…"
Blood poured from his mouth, from his nose, from his eyes.
He wanted to prove himself.
"Just… a scratch…"
To show that he wasn't weak.
His voice cracked, raw with desperation. The darkness surged again, but Gojo's Blue devoured it all—reality folding like paper.
To show that he wasn't pathetic.
Subaru's vision split into three. The world tilted and spun, but he still forced himself to his knees, trembling, sobbing, bile and blood dripping from his lips. His arm refused to fall. His hand remained raised, defiant, even as his veins bulged and burst beneath the skin.
A reason to not hate himself.
One scratch… that's all I want…
Just one…
Gojo's eyes softened behind the blindfold at Subaru's pain-stricken face. With a flick of his wrist, the Blue swallowed all but one of Subaru's strikes.
And then, he deactivated Infinity.
The darkness pierced his solar plexus, straight through. It burst out his back, blood splattering to the ground.
Gojo coughed blood, raising his hand to shatter the spike from its base. His voice was quiet, level—but strained.
"Is that… good enough for you, Subaru?"
His footsteps echoed as he walked forward, skin and flesh already weaving back together, the gaping hole in his torso vanishing like it was never there in the first place, revealing the renewed skin in it's place.
"Did that… satisfy whatever anger you're carrying right now?"
Subaru's breathing hitched. His cursed energy still writhed, the black tendrils reappearing in an instant—sharpening, twisting—
They struck.
Gojo let them.
They tore into his arms, legs, chest—impaled him without resistance.
And yet… Gojo crouched down, snapping the spikes, blood staining his clothes, and wrapped his arms gently around Subaru's trembling form, pulling him into an embrace.
"Grhh…"
Subaru froze, eyes wide, arm finally falling limp to the ground as his body finally betrayed him. Blood pooled beneath him.
"I'm not exactly a… people person… if that wasn't obvious already.."
Gojo muttered, voice low, words spoken just for him.
"But even for me… this isn't a fight I want to win."
Subaru's body tensed, every part of him ready to recoil—but the warmth in Gojo's voice didn't waver.
"I'm a selfish guy… I'd level a city before I let a friend.. a brother die."
The words weren't a joke. Not this time.
"So please, man… stop carrying whatever you're carrying on your own. You've never been alone… not once."
"I'm your friend."
"Emilia… she feels something even more than that."
"Rem… would burn the world for you."
"Even Ram, with all her sharp edges, doesn't hate you—despite how she may act."
The holes in Gojo's body sealed, skin flawless once more.
"So let us help you… whatever you're going through… if it's strength you want, you've already got it. You've got potential, Subaru."
"Even I didn't become the strongest sorcerer overnight after all."
Subaru's eyes widened, the walls cracking—finally. The bitterness, the hatred, the loneliness—he saw it now. He saw how blind he'd been.
What the hell… have I been doing…?
In the deepest corner of the abyss, Pride scowled and clicked his tongue.
And then, without warning—
A monstrous spike of darkness erupted from the ground, impaling both of them clean through the back and front.
"U-Urghk…!"
"Grhk—!?"
Gojo stumbled back, another gaping wound torn through his chest—flesh ripping apart. It would've been fatal, for almost anyone else. But his reverse cursed technique kicked in—barely keeping him upright.
Subaru didn't have that luxury, unfortunately.
He collapsed backward, eyes wide, pupils dilated—blood pooling beneath him as his vision faded. The sky swirled above—the moon, the trees—their leaves drifting down like falling ash.
Everything dulled.
"Shit—Subaru!?"
The world slipped away. Cold fingers crept in.
Footsteps.
"Reinhard?!—why are you—no, it doesn't matter—"
Everything was so cold. So familiar. Death had its fingers around him again, gentle but inevitable.
"You've gotta have something… heal him… do something, anything damn it!"
The last thing Subaru saw was the moon, full and pale, before the darkness devoured him whole yet again.
—————————————————————————
The Throne Room, Dragon Kingdom of Lugunica...
Tall marble columns loomed over the circular chamber, their gilded edges glinting as the sun filtered through the stained glass windows. The air was thick with authority—an almost overwhelming weight carried by those seated overhead.
The Wise Men, the political and mystical arbiters of Lugnica, sat in solemn silence, their eyes fixed on the object floating at the table's center.
The Dragonstone Tablet never lied, it promised utter devastation if left unkept.
The eldest of the Wise Men, Miklotov McMahon, his silver hair falling to his shoulders, broke the silence. His voice was cold, tempered by decades of command.
"The Tablet's prophecy is clear. A threat soon-to-be equal to the Witch of Envy walks among us. It did not give a name… merely a title, but based off that alone it's obvious what is to blame."
Beside from him, Bordeaux Zergev, the heavyset, former warrior, wrung his wrinkled hands together. His large blue brow glistened with unease.
"A being whose existence as a threat rivals… her? It shouldn't be possible. The Witch Cult has been quiet since the Archbishops… incident.."
"The stone does not lie..." Miklotov stated, voice dry but settled with unease. "We cannot afford the luxury of skepticism. If this Pride is as big a threat as the stone implies… delaying action is a death sentence for us all."
The chamber door creaked open.
All three Wise Men turned their gaze as Reinhard van Astrea entered, his crimson hair catching the faint light, eyes sharp and unwavering. His presence alone filled the room with an unmistakable weight.
"I have arrived, by your order.."
Reinhard said, bowing his head politely.
Miklotov rose to his feet, hands folded behind his back.
"A mission. One of utmost urgency—and utmost discretion. A threat has surfaced… one of Witch-like magnitude. The Dragonstone speaks of Pride—an anomaly shrouded in mystery, yet supposedly threatening enough to rival Satella herself."
Reinhard's expression remained composed, though a flicker of tension pulsed behind his eyes.
"Pride..."
Miklotov nodded.
"We have no name. No confirmed appearance. Only energy readings… and the stone's warning. The epicenter lies near the forested outskirts of the Roswaal Domain."
Reinhard's posture stiffened imperceptibly at the mention of Roswaal.
I hope they are all doing well. Subaru... Miss Emilia.
"And you wish for me to… eliminate them?"
He asked, though it wasn't truly a question.
Bordeaux spoke up.
"Swiftly. We cannot risk hesitation. If this being—whoever they are—is truly a threat that can rival the Witch of Envy, their continued existence threatens not just the kingdom but Lugnica's entirety. The public must never know. Quietly. Cleanly."
The chamber fell into silence once more.
Reinhard's gaze drifted briefly to the ground. Something gnawed at his instincts. An unshakable feeling—like there was something deeper at play.
Still, orders were orders, he could not neglect the Wise Men and the Tablet because of a gut feeling.
"I understand."
Reinhard said at last, his voice low but resolute.
"I will locate this Pride—and, if necessary, I will carry out the execution."
He turned toward the exit trailing behind him.
—————————————————————————
His eyes shot open, chest heaving, every muscle locked tight with adrenaline. The air was cold—sharp—and the solid, stone-slab floor beneath him sent a chill crawling up his spine. Faint blue light pulsed across the domed ceiling of the tomb, reflecting off the jagged walls like eerie veins of lightning.
Subaru winced, pushing himself upright. His body ached.
What an annoying loop.
It had sent him multiple days back, all the way to when he had returned to the Sanctuary with Ram, and the unconscious, injured Gojo.
His brows furrowed, teeth grinding together.
"Fuck… Pride.. I've asked already but why....?"
"Why kill me back there...?"
The voice in his head—oily, smug, dripping with condescension—answered without delay.
It was for your own good bro. His words were sinking in… burrowing under your skin… ruining everything we've built together. You were this close to forgetting why you're even here, and I really don't like to be neglected.
Subaru clenched his fists, cursed energy flickering faintly around his fingertips in annoyance as he forced himself to his feet.
"What the hell are you—"
No. Shut up. Shut your mouth.
Pride's voice was a serrated whisper now, curling around his skull like barbed wire.
You should be thanking me. Basking in my glory like I'm a god. I am the gift you begged for like a dog—the power, the strength—the only thing that makes you matter. And you almost… threw it away.
Subaru's lips pressed into a thin line. His jaw clenched, but he said nothing as he staggered toward the tomb's exit, down the worn steps, and into the forest beyond.
The morning mist clung to the treetops, the scent of earth and dew heavy in the air. But even as he walked, a gnawing sense of dread twisted in his gut—like he'd forgotten something obvious.
CRASH—!
His instincts screamed too late.
A body slammed into him with the force of a freight train, arms coiled tight around his waist like steel cables. His back cracked through a thick tree trunk—the wood splintering like matchsticks as they tumbled to the ground around his body.
"Guh—!"
Subaru's boots dug into the soil, cursed energy instinctively flooding his legs. He slammed to a halt with surprising strength, feet carving twin trenches into the earth. He snapped his head down—
Familiar golden hair. Emerald eyes wide with both shock and raw aggression.
"Garfiel…"
Subaru's fist swung without thinking, knuckles humming with cursed energy. It connected with Garfiel's hastily formed guard, the force blasting him backward. The impact shattered the air, a deep boom reverberating across the clearing as Garfiel skidded across the ground, leaving claw marks in the dirt.
The feral boy rolled to his feet, muscles taut, eyes sharp and glinting with suspicion. He flexed his arms, the bruises along his forearms already darkening.
"Oi…" Garfiel's voice was low, wary. "The hell are you doin', eh..?"
Subaru exhaled sharply, exasperation boiling just beneath the surface.
"I tried to give ya the benefit o' the doubt, y'know…" Garfiel lowered his stance, fists still raised.
"Your teacher's… interestin'. Strong. Almost had me convinced."
His eyes narrowed, his nose wrinkling as though smelling something foul.
"But the scent…" His voice tightened, jaw flexing.
"The miasma—it's worse now. Overpowerin'."
Subaru's teeth ground together, his patience snapping like brittle glass.
"Tch… it's not because I'm some Witch Cultist, damn it—"
"It's 'cause of some stupid, fucked-up circumstances I didn't even ask for!"
Garfiel's expression didn't waver. His eyes—those sharp, animalistic eyes—drilled into Subaru, untrusting, cold.
"Fucked-up or not… you reek like her..."
"An' where there's the Witch's stink, there's danger."
He let out a deep breath.
"…Look, alrigh—"
A fist blurred toward his face—Subaru instinctively stepped back, narrowly evading the strike that split the air where his head had been a fraction of a second prior. The wind whipped past him, ruffling his hair.
Another strike came instantly, a vicious hook aimed for his ribs. He pivoted, just barely sliding around it.
He's fast...
Of course he was. He was fast in the last loop, too.
SWISH—
Subaru's forearm shot up, cursed energy flooding the limb just in time to block Garfiel's sweeping roundhouse. The force rattled his bones, his body skidding backward along the dirt.
The cursed energy guarding his arm cracked like glass, bruising the flesh beneath.
"Tch."
Subaru vaulted into a somersault, twisting mid-air to face Garfiel as he landed behind him—barely avoiding another swipe that skimmed too close for comfort. He had an opening, but he didn't strike. Instead, he leapt back, widening the distance.
Garfiel noticed. His glare sharpened over his shoulder.
"The hell're you doin'?!"
"I'm tryna take your life here, and you ain't even fightin' back?!"
Subaru chuckled, massaging his bruised forearm, forcing lightness into his voice.
"Yeah, well, it's annoying for me too—but I want to prove I'm not a cultist like you're saying."
Garfiel's eyes narrowed, an orange aura blazing around his arm as he lunged forward.
"SUIT YA'SELF THEN—!"
Subaru's eyes shot wide, his legs coiling tight before he launched himself backward—narrowly dodging the monstrous, furred claw that smashed into the ground, shattering it with brutal force.
I should've expected it. Frederica's the same…
He landed hard, his body already moving in a roll as pure instinct screamed in his ears. A deafening blast of wind ripped past him, snapping a thick tree in half, launching bark and dirt skyward.
He barely raised his head before the hand was already there.
"Ghh—!"
Both arms shot up, grabbing Garfiel's yellow-furred wrist as the two locked into a dead stalemate. Subaru's legs trembled, sinking deeper into the ground as the weight pressed him further and further down. His veins bulged, his muscles screaming.
Garfiel's lips curled, shark-like teeth glinting in the moonlight as his other arm swelled with the same beastly transformation.
Fuck—
"WAIT—WAIT, DAMN IT!"
Desperation poured from Subaru's voice, getting hit by that would not be fun.
"If I was a cultist, do you really think my teacher would've stuck around?! He would've killed me! Would Roswaal let me live if I was one of them? Hell no he wouldn't!"
Garfiel's grip wavered slightly, hesitation creeping into his stance.
"I've even talked to Reinhard, damn it—the strongest guy in the whole damn kingdom! You think he didn't notice this stink? You think he wouldn't have ended me if I was a cultist?!"
For a brief moment, Garfiel faltered.
The pressure relented. He shoved Subaru backward with a grunt, frowning deeply.
"Tch… I'm trustin' ya… just this once."
"But break that trust, and you're dead. I'll rip ya apart for real next time."
Subaru grimaced, breathing heavily.
"Yeah. Got it. Loud and clear."
"Well… that was anticlimactic!"
Gojo's voice rang out cheerfully, perched lazily beneath a nearby tree, cross-legged and grinning.
Subaru didn't answer. His jaw locked tight at the sight of him.
What was he supposed to feel, really?
Should he hate him?
Should he loathe him?
Should he trust his words?
You've got me. That's all you need...
The voice inside—the voice of Pride—slithered through his thoughts, its hooks digging deeper.
"That's a peculiar reaction.."
Gojo's usual smirk faded as he rose, brushing away nonexistent dust.
STEP—
In an instant, Gojo vanished, appearing in front of Subaru with impossible speed. It wasn't teleportation—it was just that fast.
A hand clutched Subaru's collar, lifting him effortlessly off the ground.
"So… is it Subaru, or Pride I'm speaking to?"
Subaru gritted his teeth, heartbeat thundering in his ears.
Then he grinned, baring his teeth.
"Ahaha… the hell are you talking about, dumbass?!"
Gojo didn't let go. His voice was level, but colder than usual.
"I noticed. Of course I noticed. There's nothing these eyes can't see. That hesitation.. when I said those words.."
His grip tightened.
Blood trickled from Subaru's nostrils as a wave of black spikes erupted violently from the ground, aiming to skewer both Gojo and Garfiel where they stood.
Gojo's body moved in a blur, yanking Garfiel back as he let Subaru drop, blitzing out of the darkness's range in an instant.
"…And the look of realization when you knew I figured it out."
Subaru wiped the blood from his face, tilting his head, voice hollow.
I didn't even ask you to attack that time. You just did it anyway, huh?
Pride said nothing.
Subaru's jaw tensed.
I'll have to redo all of this, won't I? Gojo knows, somehow. He's onto me. His words—maybe—held some truth… but right now, what I need is power. I can't wait years to become strong. I need it now.
Subaru crouched, pressing a palm to the earth.
"Pride… all the power I can take. Just enough that I can survive it..."
The agony came instantly—his flesh tearing, blood weeping from his eyes, his veins bulging and threatening to rupture. Every use of Pride's Authority when Subaru was in control shredded his body from the inside out. But he was growing used to the pain, little by little with each usage.
Still—what he could draw out was a pale imitation of what Pride could wield.
But Subaru wouldn't let him fully take control.
Because Pride would kill everyone.
Even now… Subaru didn't want that.
The earth split, and a single, colossal spike surged upward—dozens of meters tall, wide enough to block the moon from his point of view, its silhouette casting a jagged shadow across the sanctuary. Its presence alone felt wrong—an unholy monolith that shouldn't exist.
His right arm was ruined—flesh mangled, veins shredded internally.
Subaru didn't wait. He turned and fled, sprinting through the forest, pushing his battered body as far as it would take him.
What now?
Do I kill myself? Try to reset and figure out how Gojo figured it out?
But a voice—sharp, resolute—cut through his spiral.
"That's enough fleeing… Pride."
He froze mid-step.
A chill like ice water crawled up his spine.
In any other situation—he would've welcomed that voice. It would've been a relief.
But now? Now it was the worst possible outcome.
Slowly, he turned.
Reinhard van Astrea stood before him, sword at his side, gaze steady.
"…"
"In accordance… to…"
But his voice faltered the moment Subaru faced him.
There was confusion—then pain—in his eyes normally stoic gaze.
"Su…baru…?"
Reinhard's voice hitched.
"Rein…"
Subaru muttered, exhausted.
"What brings you… here?"
Reinhard's fists suddenly loosened, and his eyes widened even further.
"I… that… that can't be right. There's can't be right…"
His eyes flicked with disbelief.
But that disbelief was sheer negligence from him. After all, the stone tablet never lies.
"Subaru… are you… Pride?"
Subaru breathed slowly, the answer weighing heavily in his throat.
"…No."
Reinhard winced.
Of course he could tell it was a lie.
Pride was part of Subaru's soul.
And there was no separating the two anymore.
The air between them stretched thin, suffocating.
Subaru could see it in Reinhard's eyes—the confusion, the denial. But beneath it all, the unwavering steel of duty was beginning to rise, cracking through the surface like a blade drawn from its sheath.
"Rein… listen to me." His voice was raw, strained from the pain clawing through his body. "You know me. You know I'm not… like them.."
Reinhard took a slow step forward, every movement controlled, precise. His hand hovered near the hilt of his sword. But the dragon blade, it refused to heed his call, to exit it's hilt against Subaru.
"I want to believe that.. I.. do... believe that." His voice was quiet, brittle around the edges, hesitant.
"But you… that spike… that power… it's only a matter of time.."
Subaru's jaw clenched.
"It wasn't me, Rein.. You know how this works. You know I've got… baggage. But I'm still Subaru. I'm still the guy who—"
"—Who risked his life for others.." Reinhard finished, sorrow twisting his features.
"Who protected Miss Emilia. Who threw himself into danger for people he barely knew."
He shook his head, heartbreak leaking into his voice.
"But now…?"
Subaru said nothing. His silence was louder than words.
"You attacked.. Satoru. You conjured that… malevolence." Reinhard's fingers moved toward the legendary sword at his hip.
"Do you know what the stone tablet says about Pride? About the—about you who carries that sin? It speaks of disaster. Of corruption, across the entire world."
Subaru's hands trembled.
"So thats it..?" His voice cracked.
"You're gonna trust some ancient rock over me..? After everything?!"
"It has never been wrong." Reinhard's words were quiet. "And it hurts to say that. More than you can imagine.."
A heavy silence settled.
The forest around them was still. The moon hung heavy overhead, casting silver light on Subaru's battered body and the faint, black corruption still clinging to his veins.
Reinhard's expression softened for a moment, his grip easing.
"Please… surrender. Come back. Let us help you.. Let me help you.."
Subaru almost broke. Almost let the tears fall. But the voice in his head—the serpentine whisper of Pride—coiled around his thoughts.
He won't help you. He can't. The moment you lower your guard… you die. Just like always. Just like at the mansion.
"You don't… understand…"
Subaru muttered, knuckles whitening.
"I can't… surrender."
His eyes flicked up, burning with defiance.
The agonizing expression only surged further upon the Sword Saint's expression.
"...I was afraid you'd say that."
"…So that's it. You're going to kill me..?"
Reinhard's jaw tightened.
"If I don't… you'll only fall further… as it is prophesized." His voice wavered.
The ground beneath Subaru quaked faintly, black tendrils creeping out along the soil despite his lack of intent.
Pride's quiet laughter echoed inside him.
"I'm still me…!"
Subaru roared, cursing his body's betrayal, the power he couldn't control.
Upon grasping the legendary Dragon Sword Reid's handle, it tore free in consideration for the enemy before it, the very fabric of the world pleading out from the power of the world's strongest weapon.
"I-I'm.. truly sorry..." Reinhard's voice cracked, but his grip never wavered.
"I will bear this sin for both of us..."
Subaru's vision blurred with unshed tears, the taste of iron thick on his tongue. His body screamed in protest, his arm mangled, his energy drained—but he still forced himself upright, trembling with defiance.
"Let's get this over with... then."
His voice shook, but his glare was steady.
Reinhard's expression fractured, just for a breath—grief, pain, and that unshakable exhaustion resting beneath his noble facade.
"Only I deserve to be a monster…" He whispered, voice low enough that it barely reached Subaru's ears. "Not you. Someone like you deserves far better."
The words should've offered comfort.
Instead, they twisted the knife in Subaru's gut even deeper.
Reinhard let out a slow breath—steadying himself, burying every ounce of pain behind that familiar, unbreakable resolve. His hands gripped the hilt of the legendary blade, raising it before him, its silver sheen faintly reflecting Subaru's broken form beneath the moonlight.
"Reinhard Van Astrea."
His voice rang out with finality—the voice of a knight, a legend, a man preparing to kill one of his only and closest friends to protect the world.
"The... Sword Saint..."
Subaru's shoulders tensed, instinct and futility warring inside him. His battered limbs refused to fall idle, despite every part of his mind screaming that this was pointless.
Even still, he forced his feet apart, settled into a shaky stance, blood dripping from his one raised arm, the other dangling limp.
His eyes met Reinhard's.
"Natsuki Subaru." His voice wavered, but the words came anyway. "Pride..."
They both stepped.
It didn't matter, of course.. It didn't matter how fast Subaru moved, how much cursed energy screamed through his battered limbs, how much Pride whispered, hissed, begged for him to retaliate.
It was over before Subaru even registered the movement.
A flash. A blur. A cut across space in an instant.
No pain. No sound. No light.
Just nothing.
Death.
And then—darkness.