BXBX NOVEL Arc 6 – 64, “The Second Obstacle”
Arc 6 – Chapter 64, “The Second Obstacle”
ーーAn unknown person, of silver hair.
Subaru: “Huh?”
Ram’s unexpected expression yielded a faint gap in Subaru’s consciousness.
Had it been simply “A person of silver hair” it would have been wording quite dubious, but it surely would’ve allowed Subaru to not embrace any feelings of oddity.
There was no question that Emilia was a possessor of beautiful silver hair. Her amethyst eyes were also beautiful. Her face and all other parts constituting her body were so cute, seemingly a piece of art made by God himself.
However, merely that one unnecessary “unknown” largely changed implications of what was stated.
Subaru: “An unknown person, of silver hair……”
Ram: “Yes, that’s right. Someone who had never been seen in this tower before. At the very least, that person did not seem to have hostility towards us…… Seeing the situation, Ram retreated for the moment. But”
Julius: “ーーNo matter who joins in as reinforcement , if the opponent is『Gluttony』 then it is an entirely different issue.”
Nodding in response to Subaru’s whispers, Ram turned her eyes towards the direction she came from. Taking over Ram’s words whilst making a grim expression due to the unrest caused by the echo of『Gluttony』, was Julius.
Tightly pursing his lips, he touched the knight sword attached to his waist.
Julius: “Though it is an unforeseen encounter, now that they have shown themselves here as enemies, they cannot be allowed to escape. Our goal was to find a way to negate the damage brought about by the Sin Archbishops of『Gluttony』and『Lust』in the first place. If they themselves have appeared, then we simply need to hear it from their own mouths.”
Ram: “Agreed. Ram too, has no intentions of letting him return alive. For they must be made to regret coming here so carefreely.”
Subaru: “W-Wait! Wait a second! I understand your? eagerness! I understand but…… ~hk.”
Whilst the two displayed their hostility towards『Gluttony』, Subaru thoughtlessly called for a pause.
Julius, who had had the existence known as himself erased from the world, and Ram, who had gotten her beloved younger sister thoroughly devoured away from her own heartーー he understood the two’s motivation for defeating『Gluttony』. The truth was such that Subaru felt opportunities both good and bad had arrived at the same time.
But, the problem here wasーー,
Subaru: “In your entire conversation, there was no mention of Emilia’s name. What about, that?”
“ーーーー”
Feeling a bad premonition about it, Subaru fired his doubt straightforwardly.
Ram’s unnatural manner of speech, and the lacking response from Julius and Beatrice with regards to Emilia. Upon turning his line of sight, he noticed even Beatrice and Echidna did not wear expressions which would come from sensing something odd.
They had accepted Ram’s comment about “An unknown person of silver hair” as is.
Ram: “ーーWho, is Emilia?”
Subaru: “ーー~hk.”
As Ram tilted her neck without concealing any of her doubts, Subaru’s throat was parched in surprise.
Upon observing, Julius and Beatrice, even Echidna were looking at him with an expression of incomprehension in their eyes. ーーThe impact he felt by that, was not faint.
Subaru: “I mean.”
Things were at a level which would make one think just what had happened in the interval of a single minute.
Prior to things reaching this level Subaru had been talking about『Emilia』with Julius and the others. First of all, the reason why they dashed from the balcony into the interior of the tower was due to the concern caused by Emilia and Ram not joining up with them and wishing for their safety.
How did that, in the matter of a single instantーー,
Beatrice: “Subaru, could it be”
Suddenly Beatrice, who was holding Subaru’s hand, changed her expression as if having noticed something. The first one to notice was Beatrice, but the rest of the members all subsequently had their expressions changed as if having guessed correctly as well.
They immediately came to realise that the name Subaru had mentioned, the name which did not exist in their memories, was a name that held great significance to them.
Beatrice: “Emilia…… Is that, the name of that silver haired girl?”
Subaru: “ーー. That’s right. If there was a girl of silver hair, then that is the girl named Emilia, a comrade of ours. That’s why, she told Ram to escape and stayed there herself. She’s fighting even right now.”
Julius: “l believe something like that, is possible to occur. Not anyone else but I myself have tasted that feeling.”
“ーーーー”
Responding to Subaru’s strengthless answer, Julius touched his bangs as if having heard something difficult to believe.
Julius made no effort to conceal his astonishment, but Subaru also once again felt the extent of the reach of『Gluttony’s』power, its immediate effectivity, its atrocious and fiendish nature, and sensed its true fearsomeness.
Speaking honestly, though Subaru was aware of the fact that his memories had been stolen, his experience of its real feeling was rather weak.
Of course, upon the disappearance memories misunderstandings and suspicions were yielded forth, his negative emotions towards Emilia and the others were difficult to forget, an act of dark history which, if possible, he would like to forget for eternity.
But, even still, his real feeling of it was weak. The act of searching for something which never existed upon feeling that it did was an uncertain battle akin to fishing in a wide ocean on a night with zero visibility.
That’s why, his real feeling of it was faint. But, that was not all.
Forgetting Emilia, the person whom they remembered a moment ago, the comrade whom they had undergone numerous hardships with. ーーWas there anything at all more fearsome than that.
Usurper of memories, trampler of reminiscences, devourer of bonds was『Gluttony』, and these were its habitual crimes.
Having finally witnessed it personally, Subaru came to understand.
『Gluttony』were villains who only cared for their own joyfulness, who trespassed and raided into territories which should never be laid a finger on.
Ram: “ーーUgh, kh.”
Subaru: “Ram!?”
And, Subaru somehow digested the astonishment. In front of him, amongst the members shocked regarding the theft of the memories of a comrade, Ram suddenly knelt down on that very spot.
Beside Patrasche, leaning against the feet of the black dragon Ram exhaled out a rough breath.
Subaru: “What happened? Are you alright?”
Ram: “……Ram’s head, just hurts a bit. Upon thinking about that, unknown person.”
Subaru: “About Emilia……?”
Subaru wrinkled his forehead with his eyebrows in response to Ram, who had her hand on the head and made an expression faced with adversity.
Possibly, if『Gluttony』had robbed away the memories of Emilia, Ram must have witnessed that scene with her own eyes. Subaru wondered, if that was having its effect.
However, Beatrice voiced out “Subaru” with stiffened shoulders as she shook her head,
Beatrice: “It’s better to stop trying to remind about it anymore, in fact. It’s too absent, I suppose.”
Subaru: “Too absent, you say……”
Beatrice: “The sloven part of the Authority of『Gluttony』is showing itself, in fact. ーーThe parts where the stolen person has not been established as absent from memories are too many, which leads to parts of discrepancies, I suppose.”
“ーーーー”
Hearing Beatrice’s words, Subaru had been rendered speechless for a moment.
However, he immediately swallowed its implication and understood its meaning.
The Authority of『Gluttony』was exercised, and Emilia’s memories disappeared from Ram and the others.
Ram’s position was Emilia’s caretakerーー otherwise said, a master-servant relationship. In their bond, though difficult to explain, there was a certain warmth which both of them felt for each other.
With that erased entirely, born was a vacuum in the place where the existence of『Emilia』should’ve been within Ram.
Memories are akin to something like articles of reminiscences kept inside a drawer.
Normally one isn’t conscious of their presence there, but upon opening the drawer when trying to remember, what one witnesses are a variety of things. ーーIf that isn’t so, then life shan’t come into existence.
In other words, should Ram search for Emilia’s name within herself here, she shall be doing something equivalent to the fatiguing work of opening the drawer endlessly and failing to find it.
Echidna: “I shall look after her.”
Subaru: “Echidna……?”
Beside Ram, who had distorted her expression in agony, Echidna stood in a row and stated with her hand raised. Subaru looked at her with surprise and subsequently Echidna shrugged her slender shoulders,
Echidna: “Right now, we do not possess the time to be arguing and discussing. All the more when『Gluttony』has arrived, and one of our comrades has gotten their name stolen and is continuing to fight. We mustn’t halt our feet.”
Julius: “Echidna, please take care of Miss Ram and her younger sister. Please distance away from the battle along with Patrasche.”
Echidna: “Yes, leave it to me. ーーJulius, this is a do-or-die situation, but make sure you don’t heat up.”
Julius: “I know. My fighting spirit has grown cold quite a bit. Just like this sword.”
Julius immediately accepted Echidna’s suggestion and turned his dignified gaze towards the front. He brimmed with such keen fighting spirit, enough to make Subaru be at a loss for words.
Subaru: “Ram.”
Ram: “Though frustrating, even if Ram goes, Ram will only get in the way. Kindly leave Ram behind and go. However, kindly spare『Gluttony’s』life. Rest is all on Barusu.”
Subaru: “Sounds like you’re talking about beef or pork, but anyway, don’t worry. We’ll go!”
Ram: “ーーYes, kindly succeed.”
Leaving behind Ram, who had a frustrated expression, Subaru nodded towards Echidna who was going to stay with them. He then caressed Patrasche’s neck before commencing his sprint and looked at the side profile of the sleeping beauty atop its back.
“ーーーー”
Unchanging, silent, breathing so faint as if she weren’t breathing, Rem’s eyes remained closed, witnessing an eternal dream.
For now it’s fine this way. He had already received the words he should have from her.
What remained wasーー,
Subaru: “Just you wait,『Gluttony』……! I’m fed up of letting you eat any more!”
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
ーーIn all honesty, that doubt continued to come to his mind ceaselessly.
Why did the effect of the Authority of『Gluttony』, not show on Subaru.
Even after Emilia’s name was robbed away and she disappeared from the memories of Beatrice, Ram and the others, Emilia’s name, form, voice continued to exist clearly within Subaru.
The fleeting feelings he held for her were still present within his chest, unforgettably.
Subaru: 「Because I, came from a different world…..?」
Because of that, this world’s rules may not affect Subaru.
If the memories of this world were records of life which get chipped away from the souls of the dead in the『Hall of Memories』, then the fact that『Gluttony’s』power of snatching and usurping them does not apply to Subaru may be because he is an exception who came from a different world, that was perhaps a possibility.
In that case, the memories of『Natsuki Subaru』would also be etched into this world’s『Hall of Memories』if he was treated as a temporary dead. Otherwiseーー,
Subaru: “ーーAm I『Returning by Death』, because I can’t do that?”
That was, the cold conclusion capable of making one shudder which he arrived at.
If that was the answer to the question why Subaru was『Returning by Death』, then Subaru’s life would follow an endless spiral of living in this world.
To summarise, it meant that he would spend decades and decades in this world, unable to die from even ageing.
If Subaru was going to complete his life without being applied to this rule, in other words it must be in a world where Natsuki Subaru could truly deposit his memoriesーー,
???: “ーーIce Brand Arts!!”
Subaru: “ーー~hk!?”
That instant, his consciousness, drowned within thoughts, was slashed up by the sharp voice of a silver bell.
What stretched before the rushing Subaru, who was sprinting with his head raisedーー the aisle which led to the Green Room was frozen white, and he was welcomed by a dreadfully icy wind feeling upon his skin.
And as its origin was a fairy of snow moving her body as if dancing within the fluttering diamond dustーー so it seemed, but it was actually Emilia, with her silver hair fluttering.
Emilia: “ーーYah! Hiyah! Hi! Yah!”
Swinging around the twin swords of ice in her hands, Emilia unleashed a fierce attack whilst raising her voice. Her yell somewhat had a sense of dejection to it, however her velocity was not lacking whatsoever, as she sprinted with swords of ice.
The blades evidently launched a blow onto the confronting enemy, and tried to end it with a single strike.
Subaru: “That is……”
And, the environs of Emilia as she fluttered and danced about with the ice swords in her hands, the aisle which had become her battle field had been frozen a bluish-white, a transformation which gave the impression that this was an entirely different world from the tower in the desert.
Perhaps this was the effect of the ice magic utilised by Emilia having stretched onto the environs. As if this was an extraordinarily powerful power even in this world, Beatrice and Julius inhaled upon laying their eyes on it.
However, greater than that wasーー,
???: “A~haha~! You’re doing it, you sure are doing it, aren’t you doing it, you’re really doing it, it seems you’re doing it, because you can do it, because you’re doing it! It’s something we’ve eaten too~!”
Confronting Emilia, whilst warding off the hurled ice swords lightly and easily, the laughing and sneering existence was pronounced and prominent.
“ーーーー”
That had been a young boy, with long, dark brown hair waving about freely, expressing a smile dyed with melancholic insanity.
His age in his teens, his outfit shabby, it had even started losing colour in some spots. He did not appear healthy or clean whatsoever, but what was utmost repulsive about him was the glint in his eye, having limitlessly scorned others, turning them into food without any hesitation, a glint which had caught a glimpse of the despair and longing for『Life』.
It could be understood at a single glance. There was no need to even mention it.
The reality that there was an existence aside from Louis Arneb with such eyes, was intolerable.
Subaru: “ーーSin Archbishop of『Gluttony』!”
Gluttony: “A~ha~! Customer! Well nope! It’s the main dish, onii-san! We had also been eagerly waiting to meet you. Seems like you looked after little sister, isn’t it!”
Hearing Subaru’s roar, having brushed off Emilia’s sword strikes『Gluttony』intensified his evil smile. Alongside dreading that ominous smile, Emilia also noticed Subaru and the others in the rear, letting out a surprised voice saying “Eh!”
Emilia: “Ah, everyone! Um, you may not know about me, but that’s the enemy! The bad guy! Leave this place to me…… though you may not, know about me!”
“ーーーー”
Emilia had correctly grasped the situation she had been placed into with respect the existence of the comrades behind her.
Of course, she must have received a shock, having gotten her memories vanished from others. Thinking of only having gotten forgotten due to that impact, she had not taken Subaru into account, who had never experienced forgetting like this.
However, not only did she firmly let Ram escape, she was looking out for Subaru and others who had rushed to this place whilst continuing to battle『Gluttony』like this.
A flood of emotions, and Subaru shouted.
Subaru: “It’s alright, Emilia-chan! I’ve not forgotten!”
“ーーーー”
Subaru: “I won’t forget you anymore, I swear! No matter what happens, I will not forget you!”
Tossing his fist up, that is what Subaru conveyed to Emilia’s back.
The instant upon hearing it, Emilia’s eyes twinkled wide, but then straitened a moment later.
“ーーーー”
Subaru was unaware what emotions must’ve bloomed within her mind at that moment.
However, it was certain that those emotions were not related to anything negative, judging from her minute smile.
At the same pace, Emilia clashed with『Gluttony』head-on, heaving the ice twin swords and then drawing out a lance of ice from the floor, dancing about with moves of ice and pursuing the enemy.
Julius: “Surely you do not realise the extent of the affect your words had on her just now.”
Subaru: “Ah?”
He heard Julius spill those words with a smile right beside him. His words sounded like they possessed an extremely deep meaning, Julius refrained from responding to Subaru after he turned around.
However, he drew out and assumed the sword on his waist, having sketched a clean path.
Andーー,
Julius: “There’s no need to even ask, but she is on our side, isn’t she, Subaru.”
Subaru: “Yeah, that’s right. No way she’d be our enemy with that cuteness!”
Julius: “ーーI understand.”
Julius’ form, as he responded with a nod, faded from the edge of his vision. ーーNo, that was an illusion.
The very next instant, accelerating with a single step, Julius flew into the melee of ice and his piercing strike captured『Gluttony』, who had both of his arms crossed in front of his chest, as he took a gigantic leap behind.
Gluttony: “Woo~ps, onii-san is……”
Julius: “I had been eagerly awaiting this moment,『Gluttony』ーー!”
Julius’ sharp sword strike forcefully drilled into the faintly smiling『Gluttony』. However,『Gluttony』killed and nullified the impact by jumping backward on his own volition, and knelled his throat after positioning his feet on the frozen wall, a gesture filled with gloom and sadness.
After that,『Gluttony』let his lengthy tongue peek through provocatively,
Gluttony: “Heyhey, don’t charge and bump in like thi~s. Sorry, but we and us don’t share everything that got eaten, you see~. We don’t remember seeing onii-san. Doesn’t that mean that not us, but Roy is the one to blame?”
Julius: “ーー~hk.”
Gluttony: “Well, guess you can also possibly think there’s not much difference. Regardless, Roy aside, we don’t really have much interest in onii-san, e~h. Feels like it doesn’t match up to our eating standards?”
Julius: “Eating standards, you say?”
Gluttony: “Ah, yeah yeah. That’s……”
Hanging both of his hands down languidly,『Gluttony』had repaired daggers attached around his wrists. Viewing Julius, he tried to recite in a terribly ominous style.
Howeverーー,
Emilia: “Hiyaーー ~hk!!”
Gluttony: “ーー~tsu!?”
Over there, smashing an ice floe by swinging both of her hands down was Emilia.
Her sole strike mercilessly submerged the aisle easily, with a range seemingly unsuited for battle, paying special attention to make sure that the strike allowed no way to escape.
Sensing it in the midst of the conversation,『Gluttony』changed his expression and dove under and through the ice floe and succeeded in picking up his life.
Gluttony: “Tc~h ~tsu! It’s something we knew as we ate it, but you really aren’t hesitating, are you, Emilia! If you attack like that, what if you start being thought of as a scary person……”
Emilia: “It’s fine so keep quiet! You must be aware that I am used to being thought of as a scary person, isn’t it! What’s important is how I think of everyone! Besides……”
Emilia plunged her fair knees towards『Gluttony’s』face, who had dived through the ice floe and roughened his breath.『Gluttony』accepted that with his arm, and jumped backwards upon the nullified impact.
At the same pace, Emilia looked back onto Subaru whilst finishing her words with a valiant smile,
Emilia: “The person I wished would remember the most did remember. I’m feeling rea~lly good right now!”
Gluttony: “This is why, the type which moves by feelings isn’t our strong point. It’s the type we don’t go well with the most.”
Julius: “ーーIs that so. However, I am in agreement with her.”
『Gluttony』distorted his cheeks in annoyance, and Julius’s tall figure slid behind him. A decapitating strike slashed down, and『Gluttony』accepted that with his arm which he suddenly swung behind.
However, the arm, which was yet growing, was unable to fully intercept the decapitating strike, receiving a slash ahead of his elbow it started bleeding. The consecutive strikes resumed upon『Gluttony’s』rumble of ache.
Julius: “ーーCompletely forgotten by everything once, I also felt like by losing my own footing I had been denied life, but from the very beginning I had no need to be puzzled over the place where I stand.”
Gluttony: “Tch! Ugh, ghi, ghya~!”
Putting his quiet determination into words, the sword strikes Julius was firing increased gradually.
Unable to fully accept them,『Gluttony’s』wounds gradually increased and finally receiving a decent blow on his chest, he let out a shriek.
Beatrice: “Subaru.”
Subaru: “I know. I won’t jump into it.”
Beatrice: “……It’s alright if you know that, in fact.”
Julius resumed his fierce attack, whilst Emilia also launched a merciless strike towards『Gluttony』. On the other hand,『Gluttony』was on defencive, intercepting the two’s attacks.
Of course, had it been possible then Subaru also wanted to join in and assist in cornering『Gluttony』, but it was extremely clear to him that he did not have the ability to do so.
Right now right here, he had no choice but to watch and believe that there will come a moment when the combination of Emilia and Julius will defeat『Gluttony』. Howeverーー,
Gluttony: “You’re quite doing it for a hurriedly constructed combination ~tsu! But, how about thi~s?”
Emilia: “What?”
Gluttony: “ーーIce Brand Arts.”
Despite continuing to bleed,『Gluttony』did not erase his smile of leeway, and whispered so whilst facing downwards with a sorrowful tone. Upon hearing that whisper, Subaru and Emilia raised their eyebrows in astonishment. Unable to comprehend its meaning, Beatrice and Julius furrowed their eyebrows. However, all four of them stood stunned at the spectacle which followed.
The following moment, a lance of ice shot up from『Gluttony’s』feet, and Julius evaded it by turning sideways at once, whilst Emilia transformed the lance of ice in her hands into an ice hammer and blocked it through forceful destruction.
However, even if they had avoided a single attack did not mean that they had not been surprised and caught off guard and had to switch from offence to defence.
Gluttony: “Haha ~tsu! How does it feel to have your own signature move be eaten, hu~h? How is it, how does it, just how is it, well how is it, how would it be, how will it have to be, how must it be, how does it have to be is what we’re saying, how does it feel is what we’re saying, gluttonous drinking ~tsu! Gluttony ~tsu!”
Emilia: “ーー~hk! Suddenly”
Julius: “His movements changed!?”
So voiced Emilia and Julius in astonishment, whilst before them『Gluttony』drew out weapons of ice from the floor. Upon witnessing the armament of ice difficult to model, Subaru inhaled.
For that wasーー,
Subaru: “E-Excalibur!?”
Gluttony: “Even if Ice Brand Arts itself is Emilia’s move, the one reconstructing it is us, who ate onii-san, you see~! Knowledge is weaponry! We are intellectual Sin Archbishop.”
Whilst saying so,『Gluttony』lunged down the holy sword of ice he had reconstructed himself, and struck the brilliant decapitating slash into Emilia and Julius. Of course, by its appearance it was a weapon which had reconstructed only through ice, and nothing like light energy was being released from it.
However, keeping up that energy『Gluttony』produced weapons which do not exist in this different world in succession, and cornered Emilia and Julius into disadvantage, who had been stabbed with surprise.
Of course, Emilia immediately took her stance again, abandoning the initial impact and tried to counterattack『Gluttony』, however,『Gluttony』changed his battling style as if a different person entirely, and the war situation where they tried to cope with that but were cornered into disadvantage again continued.
“ーーーー”
Witnessing that offence and defence of『Gluttony’s?』, Subaru learnt the menace that was the memories of a plurality of people? being taken in.
Emilia’s move of successively producing weapons of ice was sufficiently strong by itself, but once the user’s power of imagination was appended to it, it transformed into a move which appeared to be completely different. Especially the knowledge of another world which Subaru brought in, the weapons reconstructed from that were extraordinarily problematic.
Although not in this world, there existed a mountain of armaments which had suitable utility. This was the fault of Subaru’s guilty history, as when he was in junior high school he had been absorbed in reading books about weapons of the past and the present, the east and the west.
On top of that,『Gluttony』had likely captured a large number of warriors within oneself amongst all the lives until now, and resultantly was in a form where he had ceaselessly, incessantly installed the fighting strength of countless combatants.
Henceforth, by merely hauling out the optimum memories from the stock, he transformed into an expert of that weapon instantaneously, piling up offence and defence at will.
And, there was one more cause behind Emilia’s inferior position.
Emilia: “Julius! Not there!”
Julius: “Kh…… ~hk.”
Julius’ painful stepping overlapped with Emilia’s shriek.
The cooperation between them for taking down a single menacing enemy was artless.
Emilia and Julius, their compatibility with each other when it came to cooperation was not good.
It was also largely impacted by the fact that Emilia’s fighting style relied on senses therefore she was on the『Feeling Side』, whilst Juliis was on the『Technique Side』, having stacked training and discipline.
However, if the problem came to even the two’s power, then the problem would be how plausible would it be for them to know and amend each other’s habits.
Yes, should they establish a relationship between each other’s habits, if they got to know them.
Gluttony: “It sure is sad. Did you really think you could cooperate? Knowing, and trusting the partner for the time being, may be in the same direction when it comes to results but are totally different things, no? Don’t know the thoughts so can’t adjoin, don’t know the habits so can’t amend. At last, collide with one another and get in the way…… haha~, that won’t do won’t do~, you two!”
Emilia: “Kh……”
Gluttony: “Knowledge is strength! Memories are bonds! Sacrificing reminiscences, we’re high above! We are strong! We can flap wings to the highest, to the utmost is what it means you kno~w!”
Jumping above, the kick unleashed by『Gluttony』captured the two at the same time.
He yet had a petite build and his lengs weren’t too lengthy, but his soles and heels placed a firm, powerful hit on the two’s shoulders with absolute perfection, and instantly blew off both of them far backwards, sending them flying as they screeched in pain.
Meanwhile『Gluttony』somersaulted agilely, landing with his limbs on the icy floor, utterly dominating the battlefield.
Gluttony: “Troubles! Impertinence! Greatly difficult fighting! What do you think of these skills of ours, eh! Onii-san who’s just watching from there too, are you satisfied by just tasting? feelings of vexation, eh?”
Subaru: “You bastard……”
Gluttony: “You said something or the other about not forgetting or whatever? bu~t, how much can someone with that worth even manage to save? In the end, experience ultimately determines everything. Accumulating excellent expertise is precisely what enriches life and turns people into winners. In other words, it’s us who is the greatest is what it means!”
Opening both of his arms『Gluttony』laughed saying whatever he wished to as per his convenience, whilst unraveling his sharp fangs.
And precisely the words which『Gluttony』had recited were, indeed, his philosophy. Though slightly different from『The Philosophy to Attain Joyfulness』which Louis, who was supposed to be his younger sister had recited, it was the worst kind of ideology envisioning and intending to use the lives of others as a stepping stone for rising above and fattening oneself.
Subaru thought of it as an ideology which deserved to be utterly despised from the bottom of one’s heartーー,
???: “ーーYou, the hell’re ya gettin’ all fired up for?”
Gluttony: “Wha.”
“ーーーー”
Until that point,『Gluttony』had been laughing loudly, enjoying his heyday, but the instant upon hearing that voice he widened his eyes. And, his surprise was shared by Subaru and the others.
That had been a scene of carnage, far too unexpected, trespassing onto this place without any shame.
Steadily, firmly treading on the aisle of ice, casually dressed with one side exposed, the tall figure of a redhead. With a fiendish smile, he revealed his form from the other side of the aisleーー from the direction such that he directly faced Subaru and the others, and interposed『Gluttony』in between.
Andーー,
???: “No goddamn way the greatest’d be a twisted with willpower kinda brat like you. That’s cause the greatest, the strongest, the best n’ the utmost’re all words saved for me.”
Saying so, standing there with a wicked smile was Reid Astrea, having descended from the second layer despite not being supposed to.