30) The White Whale

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{ 3rd Pov }

Within the next five days, she successfully retrieved the Life Sword for him. It had been in the possession of a noble named Count Reedback. The moment Subaru grasped the blade—it recognized him, forming a bond on the spot.

The sword resonated perfectly with his aura, amplifying it with ease.

"I should head out now… Emilia and the others have already returned to the mansion. Only Rem and I are still here," he said, giving her a sincere nod of thanks.

"Hm. I've been assigned a task by the Council of Wise Men," she said, her gaze steady. "I won't be around for a few days, but if anything happens—anything at all—call me. I'll be there."

He nodded and, without thinking, pulled her into a hug. She blinked in surprise but soon wrapped her arms around him, holding him gently.

"Thank you, Reina," he said, voice low. "I swear I'll become someone worthy of being your Lord."

A soft smile touched her lips. "I'll wait—for the day I can finally devote myself to you."

His gaze lingered on her, caught in the depth of her blue eyes.

He nodded, offering his farewell before stepping into the carriage.

then turned toward Rem. "Let's go, Rem," he said softly.

Rem gave a small smile and took the reins, guiding the carriage forward.

As Subaru sat back, his gaze drifted to the two swords strapped to his belt—the ordinary fine sword and the Life Sword.

His mind was set he would face the Great Whale without relying on any legendary weapon.

Sure, using them now might help him defeat monsters, but what would happen in the future? When he'd face enemies like Pandora, who could manipulate reality at will?

When it came to battling the Archbishops of the Witch Cult, Subaru still wasn't sure if his death would create an alternate timeline. But he figured it was better to die now, while training, than face those foes in the future.

The Great Whale, though terrifying, was a worthy opponent for him to hone his skills. It would allow him to train his Aura, Ki, and Psychic energy all at once.

Still, to be safe, he had written a letter. That way, if things went wrong in the alternate timelines, someone would know what happened.

"It's terrifying to think that my deaths might create alternate timelines…" he thought. "But there's nothing I can do about it. I know I'll die someday, if not now. It's better to die sooner than later."

Fear? Yes, he was afraid. But so what? The world wouldn't care whether he was brave or scared—only that he was strong.

He had once believed that, even if he wasn't incredibly strong, having Reina by his side would guarantee his safety. However, after dying at Roswaal's hands, he realized how wrong he had been. Reina might be one of the strongest in the world, but she wasn't omnipotent, and he couldn't expect her to carry his burdens if he was incapable of carrying his own.

"I promise... after this, everything will change," he muttered. It was now a matter of kill or be killed.

Rem stayed silent as she drove the carriage. As evening fell and they passed the Flugel Tree, a dense fog began to roll in.

"The weather changed suddenly," she commented, but Subaru just grabbed her shoulder and handed her a letter.

"Give this to Emilia... preferably Puck, and then run," he instructed as he stepped down from the carriage.

"W-What's going on, Master Zero?" Rem asked, concern in her voice. Subaru drew his sword.

"The White Whale is here. I'll hold it off while you deliver the letter to Emilia. That's an order," he said, his voice cold, commanding.

"The White Whale? How do you know?!" she asked, her voice tinged with worry, but Subaru's resolve was clear.

"Run. And fulfill your duty as my maid!"

Rem bit her lip, nodded, and without further hesitation, she urged the reins, and the carriage surged forward.

A chilling roar, "Mooooooahh!!", echoed through the area, and a wave of mist sprayed toward him. He swiftly dodged it.

Subaru took a deep breath and chanted, "Ul Fura!"

A fierce windstorm erupted around him, sweeping the mist away and finally revealing the massive, menacing whale.

It locked eyes with him, its gaze cold and calculating, as if seeing him only as prey.

"Ready to die, bastard?" Subaru growled, channeling his Ki to strengthen his body, then his Aura to empower his sword.

As the fog thickened and silence fell over the forest, Subaru stood still—his heart pounding. This wasn't just another fight. This was a declaration. A message to the world and to himself.

"I'm done running."

He gripped his sword tighter. The Life Sword hummed faintly, as if responding to his resolve. He wasn't deluded—he knew this creature could kill him. But if he backed down now, when would he ever stop running?

The White Whale dove, soaring toward him with incredible speed. Subaru waited until the last possible moment before teleporting onto its back, just as it was about to engulf him.

"Ahhh!" he screamed as he drove his sword deep into the whale, slashing as he quickly ran along its back.

The White Whale shrieked in pain, tilting its body at a sharp 90-degree angle as it flew upward. Subaru gripped the sword tightly, hanging on for dear life.

"Die, you bastard!" he yelled, releasing a burst of fire bullets, "Ul Goa!" The flames scorched its back.

Smoke rose from the whale's back as it let out a bone-chilling shriek. Subaru narrowed his eyes, steadying his breath—not from exhaustion, but focus. His aura pulsed around him, burning hot with resolve.

He wiped the sweat from his brow, then froze.

There were more.

But just as it was ascending, two more whales appeared, swooping in and releasing thick mist.

"Shit!" Subaru dodged the first mist attack, then the second, and barely avoided the third. But the fourth came too fast.

He tried to teleport, but his mistake came too late.

The mist spread through his body like icy poison, Subaru felt his senses fade—one by one. Sight. Sound. Pain. Then—stillness.

But just before everything turned dark, a single thought crossed his mind:

"If I die now… then next time, I'll win."

Natsuki Subaru had died for the seventh time (*128).

…

To be continued…

(A/N: Give me the powerstones! Let's get in top 10 for this week!)