The fresh morning air gently swept through the village of Arlam, a small rural enclave nestled within the lands of the Mathers domain. Here, life flowed with an almost soporific regularity. Children ran between wooden houses, their laughter mingling with the distant bleating of livestock, while adults busied themselves with immutable tasks. It was a simple existence, calm, protected by the distant shadow of the local lord's mansion.
Yet, this usual calm had just been discreetly shattered by an architectural anomaly. Slightly away from the village's nerve center, an imposing building, once a ruined old merchant's home, had just been rehabilitated with a speed and luxury defying all local logic. This mini-mansion, gleaming under the morning sun, seemed to belong to another world.
On the main balcony, comfortably settled in an armchair that certainly had not been crafted by a Lugunican artisan, Kozuwa Kurisu observed the landscape below. He closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the aroma of his steaming tea, then slowly turned his head toward the void, sketching a knowing smile.
Kurisu: « Oh, is it my turn? Well then, hello dear readers. It's your dear Kurisu, always on the lookout for the slightest little troll to pull, kekeke… »
He swirled the amber liquid in his cup, letting the morning silence envelope the terrace for a few seconds.
Kurisu: « If you're wondering what the heck I'm doing here, it's quite logical, isn't it? I am settled in Arlam village, in my own little private property. And to tell you the truth, I lied to you a bit about the timing… Author-san, tell them. »
The truth, which the narration was obliged to clarify, was that their journey to Lugunica had not lasted only six days. Kurisu had taken advantage of this timeframe to act in the shadows. Thanks to his extraordinary abilities, he had influenced the concepts of reality, bought this building for a fortune from the village chief, and refurbished it in the blink of an eye. While Subaru was still sleeping soundly in a luxurious bed at the Mathers mansion, the chessboard was already set.
A sound of rattling porcelain suddenly caught Kurisu's attention.
Celestia: « H-Here is more tea for you, Husband-sama ! I-I almost tripped on the doorsill, but everything is fine, nothing fell! »
The young woman with purple hair awkwardly placed the teapot on the glass table, her cheeks slightly flushed from the effort. Blunder-prone and often stuttering, Celestia nonetheless remained absolute in her loyalty and fervor toward her work. Behind her, another silhouette, much more upright and imposing, stepped forward silently.
Marielle: « Celestia. You made the tray shake again. Perfection requires consistency, not luck. »
Marielle's voice was cold, stoic, and sharp as a blade. Yet, observing the way she gently adjusted the collar of Celestia's uniform, Kurisu smiled. Beneath that armor of a manic perfectionist lay an undeniable sweetness.
Sitting on a lounge chair a little further away, Sylphy observed the scene with that warm and soothing smile unique to her, anchoring Kurisu in a comforting familiarity.
His thoughts were cut short when he spotted a lanky figure, dressed in a jester's outfit of loud colors, strolling through the village's main thoroughfare.
A laugh of pure excitement escaped Kurisu.
Kurisu: « Well now, if it isn't the clown himself doing his inspection. Marielle, be a darling and go invite our local lord to come up for a cup. »
Marielle: « Immediately. »
She bowed with perfect fluidity before disappearing into the mansion.
A few moments later, Roswaal L. Mathers set foot on the terrace. Intrigued by this dwelling that did not exist on his mental maps the previous week, the powerful mage wore his eternal amused smile. But his heterochromatic eyes, however, scrutinized Kurisu with the intensity of a predator evaluating an unknown threat.
Roswaal: « I muuuust admit that your abode is a most… unexpected surprise, my deeeear host. I do noooot recall crossing paths with any new residents in my registers. »
Kurisu: « Administration is sometimes slower than reality itself, Roswaal. »
He indicated a chair with a fluid gesture.
Kurisu: « Sit down. Celestia, serve our guest. »
While the young girl poured the tea, trembling slightly under the mage's piercing gaze, Roswaal decided to launch a silent offensive. Under the table, he concentrated a tiny amount of his mana, an invisible and deadly probe designed to analyze Kurisu's life force and defenses.
But at the exact moment Roswaal's magic attempted to brush against Kurisu, a crushing pressure, devoid of all mana, descended upon the terrace. It wasn't a shield. It was an absolute void, a stasis that swallowed Roswaal's attack in a fraction of a second. The mage felt his own lungs compress, and the delicate porcelain cup he was holding cracked with a sharp snap under the invisible pressure.
Kurisu did not move an inch. He simply rested his elbow on the armrest and propped up his chin, his gaze plunging straight into Roswaal's soul.
Kurisu: « You know, Roswaal... »
he began in an almost lazy voice.
Kurisu: « It's crazy how certain books, even the most absolute ones, sometimes forget to print entire chapters. Isn't it? »
Roswaal's smile wavered for a millisecond. The reference to his Gospel, his absolute guide meant to foresee the future, had just hit him full force. Yet, the mage in him refused to surrender control so easily. His eyes narrowed dangerously.
Roswaal: « An incomplete work is a tragedy, indeed... »
He leaned forward very slightly, his tone honeyed but charged with murderous intent.
Roswaal: « But if the author comes across a crude slip of the pen on his page... shouuuuldn't he simply erase it to preserve the beauty of the tale? »
Kurisu burst into a small, mocking laugh that echoed strangely loud on the terrace. He raised his hand, snapped his fingers, and the sensation of magical suffocation oppressing Roswaal vanished as instantaneously as it had appeared. He had just neutralized the will of the kingdom's greatest mage with a simple gesture, proving to him that any assassination attempt would be as futile as trying to slice the air.
Kurisu: « Just try erasing a mistake with a wooden sword, clown. You'll only tear the page. Your script is already corrupted by my presence. Just watch. »
He straightened up, brushing imaginary dust off his shoulder.
Kurisu: « Besides, if I were you, I'd focus more on the awakening of your new guest. Little Subaru is going to need all his mental faculties very soon. »
He locked eyes with Roswaal, his smile becoming almost predatory.
Kurisu: « It would be a real shame if the little blue demon with the bowl cut lost her patience and let her flail speak in the forest ahead of time, don't you think? »
Roswaal's fingers tightened imperceptibly on his cracked cup. Subaru. Rem. This man not only knew his plans, but he was reading the mansion's immediate future with terrifying precision. Roswaal understood that he had just lost the advantage, by far.
Roswaal: « I seeee… Now that is quite… fascinating. »
He stood up with a fluid motion, smoothing the folds of his colorful clothing. Though he tried to keep a straight face, the stiffness in his shoulders betrayed his turmoil.
Roswaal: « I shall take my leave. Thank you for this tea… most instructive. »
He turned on his heels and left the mansion with a step notably more hurried than upon his arrival. From the balcony, Marielle silently approached her husband, watching Roswaal's silhouette disappear down the street.
Marielle: « He was afraid, Husband-sama. Though he tries to hide it. »
Kurisu: « Obviously. Fools who believe they are masters of the game hate realizing they are merely NPCs. »
He finished the rest of his tea in one gulp, excitement shining in his eyes. He turned one last time toward the Mathers domain in the distance.
Kurisu: « Right. Let's get the popcorn ready, girls. The first cycle of death is approaching... and it promises to be an absolute mess. »
….
Three days had passed since Subaru's arrival at the Mathers domain. From the terrace of his rehabilitated mini-mansion in the heart of Arlam village, Kurisu had enjoyed a prime spectacle. He had observed, with an amused coldness, Subaru's pathetic attempts to integrate into his new life as a butler. The blunders, the forced smiles to mask his anxiety, the physical exhaustion... it was all fascinatingly ridiculous.
During this time, Kurisu and his three wives had not been content with just waiting. They had blended perfectly into the daily life of Arlam. Marielle, with her surgical and silent efficiency, managed the estate. Celestia ran everywhere to help the villagers, accumulating the small blunders that won her general sympathy. Sylphy, through her simple sweetness, calmed fears. In the eyes of the village, they were eccentric but generous nobles.
The fourth day marked the true beginning of hostilities. It was the dead calm before the script went wild.
In the afternoon, the familiar silhouette of Subaru, flanked by Rem and Ram, appeared at the village entrance. True to form, he immediately tried to make a scene, quickly winning over the children to start one of his famous, noisy gymnastics sessions.
Kurisu, who was trailing behind a walk with his wives, decided it was time to inject a little chaos into this facade of normalcy. He stepped toward the group of children. At the sight of him, the little ones stopped huddling around Subaru and ran toward him.
Petra: « Mister Kurisu! Are you coming to play with us? »
Child: « You promised to show us something weird today! »
Kurisu: « Later, children. I have more... urgent matters to attend to with this strange specimen serving as your playmate. »
He cast his glacial gaze upon Subaru. The latter blinked, froze, then pointed a trembling finger at him.
Subaru: « Huh?! But... but it's you! The guy from the capital! The one who... well, who was there! »
Kurisu: « Really? Do we know each other? »
He tilted his head, feigning total amnesia.
Kurisu: « Ah, wait. I remember. The boy who faints every two seconds and screams taboo names to anyone who will listen. An impressive talent for making a fool of oneself in public, I must admit. »
Subaru: « Hey! I don't make a fool of myself, I... wait, how do you know about the names? And what the heck are you doing here with a luxury mansion?! »
Kurisu: « It's called having taste, Subaru. I settled here with my wives. It's more spacious than sleeping in a mansion's shed, don't you think? »
A hint of unease settled in Subaru. Something was off about the memories this guy seemed to have of him, but his brain couldn't quite make the connection. Before he could dig deeper into the question, a little girl with blue braids approached in silence. Meili held a small, frail-looking puppy in her arms.
Kurisu looked up at Meili, an enigmatic smile on his lips, and whispered in a voice only the child could hear.
Kurisu: « Tell me little one, your dog has the breath of a corpse... It's not very hygienic for a future raid boss, don't you think? »
Meili shivered imperceptibly. She hugged the puppy a little tighter, her pupils slightly dilated, but she forced an innocent smile, playing her role of a naive child perfectly.
Meili: « I... I don't understand, sir. It's just a very nice little dog... »
Kurisu: « I see. »
he cut in coldly, straightening up.
Subaru: « Oh, a puppy! Look at this little furball. He definitely doesn't look like an end-game boss! »
Kurisu: « You think? »
He sketched a mocking half-smile.
Kurisu: « Go on. Pet it, and see. »
Encouraged, Subaru reached out his hand with a big smile. The puppy didn't hesitate for a second and sank its sharp little fangs into his flesh.
Subaru: « Ow! You little beast! »
Kurisu: « Like I said. A real final boss. »
The children burst out laughing at Subaru's grimace. Kurisu, for his part, took a step forward. He crouched down and calmly placed his gloved hand on the small dog's head. At the very moment his skin brushed the animal, an absolute and invisible stasis froze the flow of corrupted mana. The shaman's curse had been purely and simply neutralized.
Meili took a step back, her pupils retracted by a sudden internal panic. She didn't understand what he had just done, but she knew she had just encountered something far more dangerous than a mere villager.
It was at this moment that Marielle emerged from the village crowd to join the group, standing straight as a post.
Marielle: « Husband-sama, dinner preparations are finished. Let's not waste any more time here. »
Celestia: « Y-Yes, Husband-sama! It is time to g-go back, the tea will get cold! »
Their arrival coincided with that of the mansion's two maids. Rem and Ram stepped forward to retrieve their noisy new recruit. But as soon as Rem was within three meters of Kurisu, she froze.
The air seemed to grow heavy. Rem clenched her fists, her knuckles whitening under the force of her grip. A visceral, almost animalistic hostility radiated from her entire body. Her blue eyes fixed on Kurisu with the intensity of a predator ready to kill. The smell. That putrid, unbearable stench, inseparable from the Witch Cult, emanated from this man with a terrifying density.
Rem: « Subaru-kun. Who is this individual? »
Subaru: « Huh? What are you talking about, Rem? He's just a guy I ran into at the capital. He helped me, he's a kind of friend, I guess... »
Kurisu: « Friends? You and me? »
He let out a brief, sharp laugh.
Kurisu: « That's touching. Seeing as you don't even know my name, Subaru. »
Subaru: « Well, now's the time to give it, isn't it? »
Kurisu: « Very well. Remember it well, for it might haunt your coming nights. I am Kozuwa Kurisu. The most perfect being in this world, incidentally wealthy, untouchable, and surrounded by these three wonders. »
He cast a fleeting glance at Rem, noticing her fingers clenching in the shadow of her apron.
Ram, who was observing the scene with squinted eyes, quickly analyzed the strange group standing before them. She took a step forward, slightly shielding her sister.
Ram: « It seems Barusu keeps company that matches his intellect. That is to say, highly questionable and of little interest. »
Kurisu did not flinch. A simple flash of amusement crossed his gaze. Sylphy, stepping forward with a soft and conciliatory smile, tried to ease the atmosphere.
Sylphy: « Oh, don't be so harsh. Your maid outfits are truly charming. Do you work at the large mansion on the hill? »
Rem: « That is none of your concern. »
she almost spat, her demonic instinct screaming inside her skull.
Kurisu plunged his eyes into Rem's. His expression was unreadable, devoid of any human warmth.
Kurisu: « A fierce loyalty. That's good. »
He took a slight step to the side, hands in his pockets.
Kurisu: « But you should relax, little blue one. You look like you're suffocating. It's true that the air has been a bit... heavy around me lately. An old presence sticking to my skin. Hard to get rid of. »
The sentence was abstract to Subaru, but it hit Rem like a punch. Subaru, for his part, turned his head between Rem, Ram, and Kurisu, feeling an electric tension he couldn't explain at all. Why did Rem look ready to commit murder in broad daylight? Why was Kurisu talking in riddles?
Kurisu: « Right. The show is over for today. Let's go. »
Without another look at Subaru, Kurisu turned on his heels.
« Sorry, Rem. But in this script, you are merely a variable. And I fully intend to test your limits until they crack. »
His three wives bowed with perfect politeness.
Celestia: « G-Goodbye, Mister Subaru! »
Sylphy: « Take care of yourselves. »
she added with a wave of her hand.
They walked away quietly toward the mini-mansion, leaving behind a leaden silence, a confused Subaru, a suspicious Ram, and a Rem whose murderous instinct had never been closer to exploding.
Subaru stood there, hand tingling from the dog bite, completely lost in thought.
Subaru: « What the hell just happened... ? »
he whispered, while Rem, trembling with contained rage, did not take her eyes off Kurisu's back.
....
Later that night, darkness had swallowed the village of Arlam. From the balcony of his mansion, Kurisu stood motionless, a dark silhouette carved out by the glow of a silvery moon. Between his fingers, a steaming cup of tea whose heat he ignored. His eyes never ceased staring at the mansion in the distance, piercing the darkness to savor the spectacle invisible to mortal eyes.
Inside the vast dwelling, Subaru was desperately trying to secure his first "real" date with Emilia. His exaggerated gestures and clumsy lines echoed almost all the way here.
Kurisu: « Kekeke... What a disaster. Even with all the courage in the world, he is terribly bad at flirting. It's almost an art form at this level of awkwardness. »
His eyes then followed Subaru's movement toward the Forbidden Library. He easily visualized the little guardian with blonde drills chasing him away with an annoyed gesture.
Kurisu: « Hmm... our little Beako. I should go say a quick hello to her later, just to see her reaction. It would be a shame to let her get bored in her books. »
Silence fell again, heavier. Kurisu placed his cup on the railing. Suddenly, the structure of reality seemed to groan. An invisible pressure, a distortion that only he could perceive, began to twist space. The curse hidden in Subaru's veins had just claimed its due. Death was inviting itself into the boy's sleep.
Kurisu: « Well, stay strong, Subaru. The real nightmare begins. I hope you are ready for your awakening... because as our favorite skeleton would say: You gonna have a bad time~ »
At the very instant the last word faded, the universe shattered into pieces.
The air cracked like a mirror struck at its heart. The colors of the night began to bleed, stretching into psychedelic trails before being sucked into a bottomless vortex. Time itself screamed in a violent rewinding snap. Dead leaves returned to their branches, the stars retreated in their course. Everything was nothing more than absolute conceptual chaos, a brutal deconstruction of existence. In the midst of this collapse, Kurisu remained an anchor of stillness. He did not blink, watching the void pass through him without a scratch, until reality recomposed itself with a dull thud.
The morning sun suddenly flooded the balcony. The cool morning breeze replaced the stale night air. The second loop had just anchored itself.
Kurisu quietly adjusted the collar of his jacket, his gaze fixed on the horizon where the mansion stood once more, intact.
Kurisu: « Well, my dear Subaru... I hope you won't lose your head too quickly, kekeke... »
The following days flowed according to a choreography that Kurisu knew by heart. He observed Subaru, more tense, more haggard, attempting to reproduce his past successes with growing despair. For his part, Kurisu maintained his routine with his wives, a pillar of calm in a world on the verge of tipping over.
On the fourth day, the scene set itself back in place. Subaru entered Arlam with the twins. This time, however, Kurisu stayed back, observing from the shadow of an alley. He let the loop follow its initial course. He watched Subaru play with the children, approach Meili, and finally... get his hand bitten by the little dog.
Once the bite was inflicted and the children's laughter had died down, Kurisu decided to step onto the stage. He walked nonchalantly toward the group, hands in his pockets.
Kurisu: « Yo, children. Are you doing well? »
Child 1: « Yes, Mister Kurisu! »
Child 2: « Look! We're having fun with the weird mister, come play with us! »
Kurisu slowly turned his head toward Subaru. His eyes narrowed, displaying a glacial indifference.
Kurisu: « Well... do we know each other? I think I've seen you somewhere before, haven't I? »
Subaru froze. Unlike the first loop, his face closed up. A glint of obvious suspicion shone in his eyes. He remembered this man perfectly, his sudden appearance in the previous loop, and especially Rem's ultra-violent reaction toward him. In Subaru's muddled and paranoid mind, a theory was beginning to sprout:
« Could this weird guy, who caused such a reaction in Rem, be the assassin who infiltrated the mansion last night? »
Kurisu observed this change, the silence stretching between them, heavy with a palpable unease.
« Well, look at that face. You suspect me? It's true that with your limited information and my mysterious appearance, your conclusion is logical. Even if you're totally wrong, lol. »
He decided to sting where it hurt.
Kurisu: « Well, my dear... it isn't polite to stare at people like that. Especially with those serial killer eyes, pff... »
Stung to the quick, Subaru's detective facade collapsed instantly.
Subaru: « Hey! What was that! My eyes aren't even that bad in the first place! »
Kurisu looked at him with a contempt tinged with amusement, waving the remark away with a flick of his hand.
Kurisu: « Is that so? Anyway. I am Kozuwa Kurisu. »
He paused, his eyes sinking into Subaru's with unbearable intensity.
Kurisu: « ...But you should already know that, shouldn't you? »
Subaru's breath hitched. A violent shiver ran up his spine.
« What? What do you mean, I should already know that? Does he remember the loop from before?! »
Before he could scream his questions, Rem and Ram arrived, flanked by Kurisu's three wives.
The atmosphere changed instantly. A polar cold seemed to descend upon the square. Rem tensed, her muscles straining to the breaking point under her apron. Her blue eyes, usually calm, burned with pure hatred. The scent of the Witch emanating from Kurisu was an insult to her very existence, a promise of death. She took a step, imperceptible, sliding her hand toward the shadow of her skirts.
Kurisu superbly ignored her and turned to Subaru, his tone suddenly becoming icy and serious.
Kurisu: « Well, watch yourself, Subaru. I have a feeling this night will be... very eventful. »
He pivoted with predatory elegance to face Rem. His face, usually mocking, became a mask of marble.
Kurisu: « Well, my dear maids... Especially you, the blue one. Don't hesitate to clean the mansion well tonight. Get rid of everything that might be... undesirable and harmful. »
The contempt in his voice was the final spark. Rem bent her knees, her demonic aura on the verge of exploding, ready to pounce and tear out the throat of this impious being. Time seemed to freeze, the atmospheric pressure rising around them.
But the moment she was about to trigger her attack, an iron grip closed around her wrist.
Ram: « Rem. That's enough. »
The elder sister, her gaze sharp as a razor, was staring at Kurisu. She felt the anomaly. This man was not just dangerous, he was false. But she knew that a fight here would be a disaster. She squeezed her sister's arm until the latter lowered her head slightly, her breath short.
Marielle: « Husband-sama, let's go back. The show is losing its interest. »
Without casting a final glance behind him, Kurisu slipped his hands into his pockets and strolled away quietly, followed by Marielle at a rhythmic pace, Celestia trotting behind, and Sylphy who cast one last sad look at the group.
Subaru remained standing there, his hand burning, his heart pounding wildly, stuck between the cryptic words of a monster and the murderous aura of a maid.
The trap of Arc 2 had just closed around him.
.....
Night fell once again over the Mathers domain, enveloping the mansion in a heavy and oppressive mantle. In his servant's quarters, Subaru was beginning his dizzying descent into hell. Lying on his bed, he remained on high alert, ready to confront the assassin, unaware that the shaman's curse was already awakening silently in his veins, draining his vital energy.
Far from him, in a space folded upon itself, Kurisu walked. The laws of space and the random doors of the Forbidden Library had no hold over him. He pushed open a massive oak door with disconcerting ease, defying the very rules of the mansion.
Inside, sitting on a step-ladder amidst mountains of grimoires, a little girl with blonde ringlets silently turned the pages of an ancient book. Kurisu observed her for a moment, a smirk stretching his lips, before breaking the hushed silence of the room.
Kurisu: « Well now, my dear Beako, still here waiting for the chosen one, huh? »
Beatrice jumped violently. The heavy grimoire slipped from her hands, crashing to the floor in a cloud of dust. In a fraction of a second, she spun around, her face contorted with surprise and suspicion. Her small hands rose, palms aimed at the intruder. The air around her was already crackling with a dense, violet mana, heavy with threats.
Beatrice: « Who are you, in fact? And how did you enter Betty's library, I suppose? »
Kurisu slipped his hands into his pockets, totally relaxed, and gave her a mockingly sweet smile.
Kurisu: « Oh, my cute little Beako. You know I like you very much? »
The man's nonchalance, in the face of one of the most powerful magical entities in the domain, made the Great Spirit's blood boil. The space around her began to distort under the pressure of her magic ready to be released.
Beatrice: « I do not know who you are. State your identity or I shall have done with you, I suppose! »
Kurisu: « Boring, Beako, you're no fun. »
He feigned a pout, puffing out his cheeks slightly.
Kurisu: « I come to see you to help you forget that stupid contract and your endless waiting for a bit, and this is how you treat me? That's mean. »
At those words, Beatrice froze dead. Her eyes widened with dread and shock. The word "contract" struck her right in the heart, like a blade of ice.
Beatrice: « How... how do you know about that, in fact? Tell me now or you shall end up as dust! My patience has its limits! »
Kurisu took a step forward, his gait supple and nonchalant, without making the slightest defensive gesture.
Kurisu: « Well, go ahead. What are you waiting for? »
Beatrice: « Minya! »
A volley of purple crystal stakes, capable of freezing time and slicing through space, shot toward Kurisu at a terrifying speed. They struck him full force... and instantly disintegrated into a fine, sparkling dust as soon as they touched his stasis aura. He hadn't even blinked.
Totally bewildered, a primal panic seized the little girl.
Beatrice: « Minya! Minya! MINYA, in fact! »
Dozens, then hundreds of sharp crystals rained down upon the intruder in a destructive deluge. Each one of them crashed and vanished into nothingness before even grazing the fabric of his clothes. Kurisu continued to advance, inexorably. When he reached her height, Beatrice backed up until she hit a bookshelf. She was terrified. Her arms fell limp by her sides. A morbid resignation extinguished the combative light in her eyes.
Beatrice: « What are you going to do to Betty... monster? » she whispered, her voice trembling, defeated.
Kurisu stopped. He looked at her, his eyes slightly narrowed. Seeing the sheer terror on the little girl's face, he understood. Hector, the Warlock of Melancholy. Other than him, who else could have ignored her absolute magic with such indifference in the past? Kurisu's expression softened considerably at this reaction; after all, it was so logical.
He raised a hand and, to Beatrice's utter incomprehension, gently patted the top of her head, ruffling her curls.
Kurisu: « Well, Beako... I don't want anything. I just came to bid you goodnight. »
He withdrew his hand, leaving the little guardian frozen, holding her head with both hands, unable to formulate a single coherent thought. He headed for the door. Before crossing the threshold, he stopped and cast a glance over his shoulder.
Kurisu: « Don't worry, Beako. That person you are waiting for will appear soon... Perhaps it will even be you who chooses them, who knows? »
He closed the door behind him, leaving Beatrice alone with her mysteries and her racing heart. In the dark hallway, Kurisu resumed his nonchalant walk, melting into the shadows of the mansion.
A few hallways further, Subaru was staggering. The curse was already devouring his mana at a frantic pace. He was suffocating, his complexion sallow, his stomach in his throat. Unable to hold back, he spat acidic bile onto the luxurious carpet. Suddenly, a chilling metallic rattle sliced through the sepulchral silence of the night.
A morning star bristling with spikes shot out of the darkness, flying straight toward his shoulder with the force of a cannonball.
From the shadows of the vaulted ceiling, Kurisu, undetectable, barely lowered his index finger. The air froze for a millimeter around the ball's trajectory, creating an imperceptible micro-deviation. The flail whistled past Subaru's ears, lethally grazing his neck to violently tear the flesh of his shoulder instead of ripping his entire arm off.
Subaru saw it only as a cruel miracle. He screamed, falling heavily to his knees, clutching his bloodied shoulder—still attached to his body—convinced he had moved at the last second.
In the darkness, Kurisu let out an almost inaudible sigh, his cold gaze fixed on the kneeling boy.
Kurisu: (whispering) « You're pathetic enough as it is. »
His vision blurred by agonizing pain, Subaru painfully stood up and almost crawled to the top of the great central staircase. He understood nothing of this nightmare. The sound of the chain resumed, slicing the air like a mechanical predator. This time, the flail swirled and came down straight toward his skull for a fatal and inevitable blow.
At the ultimate second, a boot sharply struck Subaru's back.
Kurisu had just appeared behind him, pushing him violently forward. Subaru tumbled down the stairs in a muffled crash of bruised limbs and groans. He crashed at the ground floor, half-unconscious, his vision blurry, bathing in his own blood and unable to see or hear what was happening above.
The flail, deprived of its initial target, struck Kurisu square in the chest. The weapon bounced off him with a dull, metallic thud, as if it had hit a mountain of pure diamond, without leaving so much as a scratch.
Kurisu: « Sorry Subaru, but if you find out who the killer is tonight... it wouldn't be fun. I want to play a bit more, kekeke. »
The rattling of the chain pulled the weapon back into the darkness of the hallway. From the shadow, a silhouette slowly emerged, heavy with an overwhelming murderous intent. Rem's blue eyes shone with a demented glow in the gloom. An immaculate horn pierced her forehead, pulsing with a chaotic mana that made the surrounding walls tremble.
Rem: « Cultist! I knew you were accomplices. You shall perish here, scum! »
Kurisu's tone became instantly glacial. He looked at the transformed maid with the condescension of a god contemplating a restless insect.
Kurisu: « Accomplices? Don't lump me in with that pathetic anomaly at the bottom of the stairs. I'm just having fun, that's all. »
In a cry of pure, beastial, and heart-wrenching fury, Rem swung her flail. The floor cracked under her feet. She propelled the weapon with all her demonic strength at Kurisu. The speed of the iron ball tore through the air with a shrill whistle.
Kurisu simply raised his arm to catch the heavy chain in mid-air.
BAM!
The impact was dantesque. The shockwave shattered the hallway's stained-glass windows. Kurisu, for the first time, felt the Oni's phenomenal strength. Under the titanic pressure of the blow, his boots slid a few centimeters, carving deep furrows into the solid wood floor.
He raised an eyebrow, sincerely impressed by this display of raw force.
Kurisu: « Nice hit. But it won't be enough. »
Before Rem could pull on her chain, Kurisu tightened his grip. With a simple but violent twist of his wrist, he shattered the tempered steel links as if they were common cotton thread.
Off-balance by the sudden break of her weapon, Rem was pulled forward. Kurisu spun around with lethal fluidity, delivered a surgical sweep that lifted her off the ground, and slammed her ruthlessly against the floor, shaking the entire wing of the mansion.
Without a hint of hesitation, he seized the demon's right arm, locked her joint, and applied a brutal, sharp, and perfectly calculated pressure.
CRAAAACK.
The forearm bone snapped clean with a sinister sound. Rem let out a stifled scream, the pain radiating through her entire body. But, driven by her adrenaline and incandescent hatred, the young Oni refused to bend. She immediately tried to strike him in the face with her good arm, teeth clenched.
Kurisu dodged with a minimal head movement and pinned her totally to the ground. His knee pressed firmly against her spine, neutralizing her absolutely. It wasn't sadistic cruelty; it was total domination, an implacable correction.
Kurisu: « Listen to me well, you idiot. »
His voice was low, sharp as a cleaver.
Kurisu: « Subaru is a good guy. And you are killing him just for a scent you don't even understand. Your loyalty is an insult to your intelligence, Rem. It looks more like blind stupidity. »
Despite the broken bone, despite the crushing superiority of this monster pinning her to the ground, Rem did not yield an inch of psychological ground. She turned her face toward him, her eyes bloodshot. She saw only an abomination. An Archbishop, or worse. Hatred seeped from every pore, pure and unadulterated.
Rem: « I have no lessons to take from a disgusting cultist! » she spat, blood beading at the corner of her lips.
Kurisu plunged his gaze into the girl's enraged eyes. For an instant, a look of profound contempt crossed his face. He sighed heavily, slowly shaking his head at this concentrate of blind hatred that contrasted so much with the sweet image he knew of her.
Kurisu: « Pff... To think you're supposed to be the sweet and devoted little maid. Wake up a bit; that rabid dog look doesn't suit you at all. »
Then suddenly, at the foot of the stairs, Subaru gasped. His heart skipped a beat, then two. His lungs refused to take in the acrid air of the mansion. The curse had just devoured his very last spark of life. His eyes rolled back, his body freezing in a final convulsion.
At the top of the stairs, Kurisu felt the invisible thread of Subaru's existence snap with a sharp crack that only he perceived.
The entire universe held its breath. The air became heavy, static. The temporal distortion of Return by Death engaged, violently sucking colors, sounds, and light into its dizzying maelstrom.
Kurisu slowly released his grip on Rem, whose face and body were already freezing like stone statues eroded by time. He stood up, distractedly smoothing his jacket, and turned his gaze toward Subaru's lifeless body, swallowed by the darkness at the bottom of the abyss of the stairs.
Kurisu: « See you in the next loop, Subaru... Get ready for the revelations, kekeke. »
And so, the world shattered.