Subaru opened his eyes again and felt the familiar stone floor beneath him. It was cold. Hard. Real. The unyielding chill sank into his bones, anchoring him to a moment he both dreaded and welcomed. His breath was ragged, cold sweat trickling down his forehead. His heart pounded with the echoes of the nightmare he'd just witnessed. Every beat seemed to chant: "Too late. Too late. Too late."
"If I had reached out… maybe…"
His whisper drifted through the silence, a ghost of regret. Emilia's lifeless body, Puck's tearless rage, and the world— frozen in time, entombed in ice. The images scorched his mind, merciless and vivid. He had failed her again.
But in this loop—this would not be the end.
Subaru clenched his trembling fists, pressing them against the floor as if trying to absorb the strength of the stone itself. He rose. His knees shook beneath the weight of despair, but his resolve was carved in stone. His voice, barely above a whisper, carried the weight of countless failures, infinite regrets.
"No matter what… I have to defeat you. I can't let it happen again."
[1st Loop]
Rom's hideout pulsed with tension once more. Every shadow seemed to move with malice. The damp air was thick with anticipation. The candlelight flickered. And then she arrived— Elsa. The Bowel Hunter.
She glided through the shadows, eyes gleaming with murder, body poised like a serpent of steel. Her very presence seemed to poison the room.
Subaru's memory walked ahead of reality. He knew this dance. Step by step. Cut by cut. But this time, defense was not enough. Emilia wouldn't survive by chance or courage alone. Elsa had to be stopped.
[Mana Blade – Active]
Mana surged into the twin daggers in Subaru's hands, coating them with a blue pulse that hummed with raw promise. The vibrations danced in the air, echoing his rising heartbeat. Elsa's eyes snapped to the source, a flicker of recognition? No. Just hunger. That same sick glee.
"This time," Subaru began, his voice steady—but underneath, a tremor of dread and fury coiled.
Elsa grinned. That same feral madness. Wild. Twisted. Beautiful in its cruelty.
Then she lunged. The room became a flurry of steel.
Blades clashed, sparks singing their brief lives in the dark. Subaru parried. Dodged. Slashed. Each move a desperate memory given form. Every strike an echo of past deaths. But she was faster. Always faster.
A slash tore through his defense. A stab pierced flesh. A single mistake.
His vision blurred as Elsa's dagger found his abdomen. Agony blossomed, hot and all-consuming. His legs buckled, breath ragged, mouth tasting iron.
And then she aimed for his heart.
"Was that all?" she asked softly, admiring her crimson blade. A sigh, like she had hoped for more.
Subaru, shaking and dying, made his choice. He shoved everything—fear, hope, mana—into his dagger. The result was chaos.
An explosion of uncontrolled energy ruptured from his chest, shaking the very walls. Rom shouted something, but Subaru couldn't hear. The world faded into heat and light.
And then— Darkness.
[Return by Death: Active]
[2nd Loop]
Cold floor. Cold sweat. Same nightmare. Same pain. Same regrets.
Subaru no longer gasped. He just breathed. But the pain was still there. It never lessened. It just… waited.
This time, he acted. No hesitation. He warned Rom immediately. He whispered strategy to Emilia, her eyes widening, heart heavy with doubt. But she listened. She trusted him.
When Elsa came, they were ready.
Steel met spell. Chaos, but not without purpose. Rom's axe howled. Emilia's ice shimmered. Subaru's daggers screamed with mana.
He fought with sharpened instinct. His daggers glowed brighter. His feet moved with grim rhythm. His soul burned. Every strike was revenge. Every step—redemption.
[Mana Blade: 28%]
[Advanced Dagger Technique: 16%]
Screens appeared. A flicker of hope. Elsa danced through steel and flame. Elegant. Merciless. Untouchable. Then it happened.
A single misstep. A patch of rotten wood. His foot slipped. Just a moment. Just enough.
Elsa moved like lightning. Her eyes locked onto Emilia.
"EMILIA!!" Subaru's voice cracked the air.
Time slowed. He saw the blade. Her helpless posture. Her widened eyes.
Too late. "Tch… Next time."
He didn't wait for the world to break. He drove his dagger into his own chest. Through the ribs. Into the heart.
[Return by Death: Active]
[3rd Loop]
The breath returned with pain. But the fear was quieter now. It whispered instead of screamed.
This time, strategy. Preparation. Sacrifice.
Emilia was hidden, wrapped in shadow. Only Subaru and Rom stood visible. Bait.
Elsa entered. But the dance was different. She saw Rom's axe. Subaru's poised stance. The tension in the room. A trap. The moment ignited. Blades sang. Axes roared. Subaru struck. Rom swung. Elsa dodged—but not all. A single cut. Just a scratch. Blood. On her cheek. Time froze.
Elsa's finger touched the crimson droplet. Her tongue flicked it away. "First blood… How sweet."
And then she was gone. A blur. A whisper of death.
Subaru's breath caught. He felt it. The cold kiss of steel against his spine. The chill of inevitability.
Too fast. Too perfect. He couldn't even speak. Couldn't scream. Only silence. Only the end.
[Return by Death: Active]
[4th Loop – Strategic Alliance]
This time, Subaru thought differently. He couldn't fight alone. Not anymore. Not after the futility of the last attempts.
He brought Felt into the plan. Her agility, her daring—they might be the one thing he needed against Elsa's dance of death.
The plan was clear. Subaru would distract from the front; Felt would strike from the shadows. Elsa's blind spot—no matter how narrow—had to leave an opening.
The hours before the battle were tense. Subaru sharpened his blades, voice low as he explained every detail to Felt. She smirked. "Heh, if you're giving me this much credit, I won't disappoint."
When the moment came, the world seemed to slow. The scent of steel and old wood in the tavern mixed with the acrid tang of sweat.
While Subaru's blades kept Elsa occupied, Felt moved in with her dagger.
For just an instant— Victory seemed within reach. Subaru could almost taste it.
But Elsa… Without hesitation, she twisted her dagger. A single motion—swift as a whisper.
Felt's leg was slashed open. Blood spilled onto the floor, a crimson arc painting the worn boards.
"NO!"
Subaru screamed. The fury inside him snapped. A tidal wave of guilt, rage, and helplessness surged through him. He swung his daggers wildly, attacking, roaring—blinded by rage.
But Elsa used his reckless rage against him. One counterattack… ripped through Subaru's chest.
The last thing he saw was Felt, clutching her wounded leg, eyes wide in horror.
[Return by Death: Active]
[5th Loop]
This loop… ended much faster.
The moment Subaru stepped into the tavern, a cold sweat already prickled his back. His eyes darted straight to the shadows. He scanned every possible hiding spot—every place Elsa could lurk.
His heart pounded. Breathe, dammit. A flicker above him— A tremor in the darkness.
Before he could even draw his dagger— "You… are interesting."
A whisper brushed his ear. Subaru's blood turned to ice. Then… a cold sensation. And darkness. He never even hit the ground this time.
[Return by Death: Active]
[8th Loop]
Elsa was… slightly puzzled. Because Subaru's eyes held something new. Familiarity. With pain. With death. With starting over. Each loop had carved another layer into his soul. And this time, it showed.
In this loop, Subaru's dagger grazed Elsa's wrist. Her right hand trembled—just slightly.
[Mana Blade: 29%]
[Advanced Dagger Technique: 21%]
Elsa didn't hesitate. She gripped her own blade between her teeth. And struck.
Subaru… hadn't foreseen this. Cold steel pierced his gut once more. He gasped, vision tilting. The world… faded to black.
As the void claimed him, one thought echoed: "I'm getting closer. I know it. I know it."
[Return by Death: Active]
[12th Loop]
This time, Subaru spoke less. His hands, not his tongue, would do the talking. The fury still burned in his eyes—but it was no longer scattered... Now a weapon locked onto its target.
He had prepared. Body, mind, soul. He was ready for Elsa's lethal grace.
[Mana Blade: 47%]
[Advanced Dagger Technique: 26%]
His movements had sharpened. Not defense… but converted offense.
With every strike, Elsa's rhythm fractured. For the first time, a flicker of unease crossed her gaze. And then came the moment—
Elsa retreated.
"A first…" she whispered. "To face prey that truly threatens me."
Subaru met her gaze. His voice low, cold: "Not prey. Not anymore."
A spark flared in Subaru's eyes. As mana surged through his veins, his hand tightened around his dagger. At his fingertips… he felt something new.
Not the blade recognizing him, nor him recognizing the blade— but the two recognizing each other.
[Mana Surge – Trigger Detected] → New Skill Unlocked: Phantom Edge (Passive)
→ Effect: Repeated deaths against the same foe have honed reflexive adaptation.
Subaru's dagger… was no longer just metal. It had become instinct.
It shifted course before clashing with Elsa's blade. Like a shadow… Like a phantom strike. Leaving no trace, yet tracing her.
Elsa couldn't deflect it. A gash on her chest. Real. Blood.
And Subaru… had finally drawn blood. But he didn't stop. He'd caught the scent of victory. A taste that fueled his every fiber.
As Elsa fell back, Subaru pressed forward. Each movement was deliberate. Controlled. Deadly.
Rom supported from behind with his axe, roaring as he charged. Emilia's magic was primed—shards of ice orbiting her, ready to strike. Even Felt lunged in, her earlier wound now bound.
"Let's tear this witch apart!" she roared. No fear left in her voice—only fury and resolve.
Elsa, for the first time… fled.
She threw herself through the window. Vanished into the shadows.
For several seconds, silence reigned. Subaru staggered, drunk on triumph. Collapsed to his knees. His chest heaved. Breath tangled in his throat.
"This time… did she… really run…?"
His hands still trembled. But inside, a small bud of hope had sprouted.
Emilia approached, kneeling beside him. "You did it... we did it."
Rom grunted. "Stay sharp. She's slippery."
Then— Cold steel kissed his throat.
His eyes widened. A whisper… seeped from the darkness behind him: "Did you think I'd let you have the finale?"
Elsa had returned. From the black. Silent. Flawless. A single strike to his neck. No scream. No defense. Just cold. Just silence. And dark.
In the last flicker of consciousness, one thought remained: "I'll be back. Again. Stronger."
[Return by Death: Active]
[14th Loop]
Subaru paused just before entering the tavern. His steps halted mid-motion, breath catching in his throat as something invisible rippled through him. He raised his hand slowly, deliberately, and a translucent screen materialized before him with a faint, crystalline hum. Cold blue light spilled across his features, highlighting the wear carved deep into his expression.
The information laid out before him was achingly familiar—yet still managed to feel alien. Like reading a book written in his own blood.
Natsuki Subaru
Age: 17
Titles:
• From Another World (Active)
• ???
Current Soul Coins: 13
Authorities:
- Return by Death (Passive)
Subaru returns to the last checkpoint upon death; memories are retained.
Limitations:
• Cannot revert if specific losses occurred at the previous checkpoint
• Checkpoint cannot be manually altered
• Subaru cannot speak of this Authority; attempting to do so triggers the "Witch's Hand" to interfere with his heart
- Resonance by Death (Passive)
Upon death, Subaru copies a fragment of an ability from the entity that killed him.
Limitations:
• Repeated deaths by the same entity increase the copied ability's synchronization rate
• Each ability has an upper limit; exceeding it causes side effects
• Copied abilities may not be fully compatible with Subaru's mind or body, leading to control issues
Skills:
Name: Advanced Dagger Technique
Type: Passive Ability
Current Sync Rate: 35%
Effects:
— Instinctive mastery of dagger combat
— Reflex enhancement
— Potential to evolve sub-techniques
Name: Mana Blade
Type: Active Skill
Current Sync Rate: 55%
Effects:
— Coats daggers in mana, increasing sharpness
— Can pierce enemy defenses
— Enhances dagger durability and mana conductivity
— Mana efficiency improves with proficiency
— Critical damage potential scales with mana output
Name: Phantom Edge
Type: Passive Skill
Current Sync Rate: 10%
Effect:
→ Can preemptively sense enemy openings during weak moments
Gate: Active
Primary Affinity: Yin (Dark Element)
Soul Compatibility: 80%
Current Weapon: Twin Daggers
Main Quest:
Find a job at Roswaal Manor
Quest Reward: A weapon of choice from the shop
+10 Soul Coins
Subaru stood frozen before the screen. The shimmering data held him suspended, like a corpse dangling from invisible strings. His inner voice, always loud and brimming with sarcasm, was eerily silent.
He had lost count of how many times he'd died.
How many times he'd burned, bled, shattered. How many times he'd clawed his way back from nothing but pain, and still failed.
Yet here he was.
Still alive. Still trying. Still choosing.
He didn't know if that made him strong—or foolish. But it didn't matter anymore. His hand moved, fingertips brushing the cold screen.
"With the 10 Soul Coins I've earned from my deaths... I want to upgrade Advanced Dagger Technique."
[Ding!]
[Advanced Dagger Technique] +50%
Current Sync Rate: 85%
The numbers updated with a satisfying pulse, and Subaru squinted at them. A faint bitterness curled at the edges of his lips. "So each coin grants a 5% increase..."
Simple math. But the truth behind it was anything but. Every 5% wasn't just a number. It was a grave.
A death. A scream. A heartbeat that had ended too soon. A moment he would carry until his bones forgot how to crumble.
His hand tightened unconsciously. He remembered Elsa's blade slipping between his ribs.
He remembered Emilia's fading light, her eyes losing their sparkle. He remembered the cold.
And in that cold, he remembered resolve.
"I'll invest all remaining coins... into Phantom Edge."
[Ding!!]
[Phantom Edge] +15%
Current Sync Rate: 25%
The screen flickered once. Then stabilized. The light faded, but the weight of what he'd done remained.
He could feel Phantom Edge thrumming at the edges of his senses now.
Like a sixth sense trying to awaken in a room full of corpses. Like a blade whispering warnings in an unfamiliar tongue.
"I need to be sharper..." he whispered.
"I need to feel it. Understand it. Sense death before it takes me. Before it takes them."
He turned to the tavern door. The gnarled wood, once unremarkable, now seemed like the gate to a battlefield.
One final breath.
A pause filled with a thousand unsaid apologies and one unshakable truth. A moment where time froze—not because it had to, but because Subaru needed it to.
Emilia stood just behind him. She'd been silent throughout, watching with curious, worried eyes.
"Subaru? Aren't we going in?"
There was a pause. His fingers hovered inches from the knocker. The air between them grew dense with decision.
He didn't look at her. His gaze stayed fixed on the door. On what waited behind it.
"Yeah… this loop ends here." His voice was barely more than a breath. But in its softness was absolute certainty.
He believed it.
The door creaked open.
A gust of warm air spilled out—along with the scent of stew, spilled beer, and something else.
Blood.
Everything unfolded just like the first loop—
The same layout. The same laughter. But something had changed.
Subaru had changed.
His instincts, sharpened by death, screamed a silent warning.
Elsa was inside. He could feel it. Not with his eyes. Not with his ears.
With something deeper. Older. More primal.
Maybe she was behind the door. Maybe above it. Maybe beneath the floorboards. Maybe she was already watching them from the shadows.
But this time— This time, he wouldn't be caught off guard.
He stepped forward. One foot into fate. Blades at his side. Eyes wide open. And a soul sharpened by repetition, sacrifice, and pain.
No more hesitation. No more wasted loops. Only clarity.
Only purpose. Only fight.
Then, without warning, she stepped forward. The others hadn't even noticed her. Yet Subaru felt her presence in his marrow—a primal warning that twisted in his gut, an ancient instinct screaming at him to run, to survive.
"Eavesdropping is rude, Elsa."
At his words, everyone turned to face the newcomer. Emilia, Rom, and Felt saw her for the first time.
Subaru smirked. But there was no comfort in it. His heart pounded like a war drum beneath his ribs, each beat a countdown.
"Felt, your client's here. Shall we start the auction?"
Elsa took a single step—then slid into the chair beside Subaru. This time, she didn't smile. Her gaze was a blade in itself—sharp, cold, precise.
"I don't know you. Yet you seem to know me very well."
Subaru met her gaze. Cold. Open. Familiar with killing. Familiar with death. Familiar with the endless cycle he had come to know so well.
"Well enough... Bowel Hunter Elsa Granhiert."
A ripple of tension spread through the room. The air seemed to thicken, as if the walls themselves were holding their breath.
Elsa stood. In one motion, her daggers appeared—a dance of fingers heralding death.
"You know too much. Which means... I'll have to remove all of you."
Her bloodlust wasn't just words now. It was substance, thickening the air to a suffocating miasma. Even Felt's bravado faltered for an instant.
Subaru moved too. Drew his twin daggers with a metallic whisper. He turned to Emilia, voice steady despite the storm inside.
"Tella, back me up with ice magic from behind!"
Emilia was already ready. Spells trembled at her fingertips, light dancing across her irises.
Rom gripped his axe tighter. Felt pulled a short blade from her pocket, knuckles white. A heartbeat of silence—a single, shared breath—
Then battle erupted.
Subaru locked eyes with Elsa. Flooded his body with mana. Something stirred inside him. Not fear. Preparation. Resolve born from endless deaths. Memories sharpened into instinct.
Elsa's daggers glowed violet. Subaru's gut twisted. "She's using mana now... This loop just got serious."
He struck first. Twin blades flashing like lightning.
[Mana Blade – Active]
Every step echoed a death he'd suffered. Every move, the fruit of memory. Every scar a teacher.
First strike: Elsa blocked. Second strike: a deep gash split her left arm. Blood sprayed.
Elsa frowned. "So you're no ordinary prey..."
Subaru didn't answer. Attacked again. Elsa countered. Daggers clashed. Sparks flew.
Clang! Clang! The sound was deafening, metal screaming in protest.
Subaru's breath grew ragged. Each blow drove him back— but he didn't stop. He wouldn't.
A slash bit his right shoulder. A stab grazed his thigh. He kneeled. Blood soaked his pants. Pain seared his vision. He stood. "Not done yet!"
He flooded his body with mana. Pushed to the brink. Every fiber of his being screamed in protest.
And then— "Now. Focus. You will feel it."
[Forced Upgrade Detected] → Ability Evolution: Phantom Edge → Phantom Drift (Passive)
→ Effect Unlocked: Can now anticipate enemy reflexes during vulnerable moments.
He felt Elsa's intent to retreat before she moved. Saw it in the twitch of her shoulders, the shift of her weight.
His dagger lashed out. Not at empty air— at where she'd be.
Swish!
The blade carved deep into Elsa's abdomen. She leaped back. Breath uneven. Blood trickled from her lips.
"So you really... can hurt me."
But Subaru was spent. Vision blurring. Knees shaking. Body at its limit. Every heartbeat was agony.
Elsa went still. Her eyes flicked to the window behind Subaru. She smiled. That mocking smile.
"This isn't a battle anymore... It feels like a game. And I... love games."
She lunged for the window. Rom swung his axe—but Elsa twisted midair, evading with impossible grace.
Then— "Drop the dagger, Bowel Hunter."
A voice, cold and clear. Subaru knew it. Fiery red hair. The Empire's strongest.
Reinhard.
Elsa froze. Her expression shifted. A flicker of unease—gone in an instant.
"Ah... the Sword Saint. Not sure if I'm glad to see you here..."
Reinhard didn't speak. Took one step. It was enough to shift the entire room. The tension snapped taut, as if the world itself awaited his next move.
Elsa cast Subaru a final glance. The game in her eyes was over. But not the story.
"We'll meet again... Natsuki Subaru."
She melted into smoke, vanishing down an alley. Reinhard gave chase, moving like a streak of crimson lightning.
Subaru remained kneeling. Blood poured from his shoulder, leg, hands. Not his body— sheer will kept him upright.
Emilia rushed to him. "Subaru!!"
He heard her. But it was distant. So distant. His vision darkened. Tongue parched.
"Did I... do it...?" His body swayed. The warmth of life draining fast.
The last thing he heard: Felt's panicked scream— "GET A HEALER!! NOW! HURRY!!"
—and Reinhard's fading footsteps, racing against silence.