The sun hung low in the sky, painting it with a warm orange hue, and the clouds transformed the scene into a stunning masterpiece that could easily captivate anyone.
However, the trio had no time to appreciate the view as they were focused on finding Satella's insignia. Yet, there was a significant issue at hand.
"Wow, what a lovely place this is! I'd rate it an eight out of ten for the stunning scenery," Subaru remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
They had arrived at the slums mentioned by the appa vendor. Subaru, being the clever boy he is, understood that this area wouldn't be pleasant, but what he encountered was best described in one word: Dreadful.
Gone were the smooth cobblestone streets of the inner city; here, the ground was uneven dirt riddled with potholes. Instead of grand homes made of fine stone and wood, the houses here were cobbled together from scraps, many of the wooden structures rotting and lacking windows altogether.
The people living here were in dire straits, with hollow cheeks, pale and slightly greenish skin, dressed in tattered rags.
They observed the trio intently, from those outside to those peering through their windows. There was no attempt at subtlety in their gazes, but their eyes clearly reflected a mix of weariness and fear.
"I agree, this place has a scary atmosphere, it's reeeeally creepy. The people here seem to be in such rough shape." She gazed at them with compassion in her eyes. Some looked away, while others glared at her in frustration.
"They're afraid; they probably think we're nobles or something," Subaru speculated.
To truly understand a country's condition from the capital, one should look beyond the lavish appearances and see what's hidden beneath. If nothing stands out, it usually means the country is doing well. However, if there are glaring issues, it's a clear indication that something is amiss.
The presence of such a large slum so close to the capital suggests that this country is facing serious problems, likely due to war, economic failure, corruption, or perhaps a combination of all three.
And given that the nobles are the ones in charge, It would make sense for the attitude the people were giving them.
"We won't find her if we keep wandering around without a plan. Maybe we should ask someone for directions," Emilia proposed.
"Nah, like I mentioned earlier, we look like nobles, and I doubt they'd be willing to sell out their own," Subaru replied dismissively.
Just then, he heard a yawn; it was Puck, who was perched on Satella's shoulder. "Well, whatever you decide to do, you should hurry. My time is running out."
"Your time is running out? What do you mean?" Subaru asked, curious. Did he run low on mana or something?
"I'm a spirit bound to Satella by a contract. I may look cute, but keeping a physical form requires a lot of mana," Puck explained with another yawn. "I'm almost out, so at night, I have to return to the crystal to recharge and prepare for tomorrow. My ideal hours are from nine to five."
As Puck spoke, Subaru quickly scanned with his six Eyes of Puck, and as he had said, the once abundant mana was nearly depleted, shifting from a vibrant red to a mere flicker.
Both Puck and his six eyes confirmed his suspicions, but that was just the "Why" aspect of the question, not the "How".
Where did all that mana go? It couldn't have just vanished, could it? It hadn't been long since they met, so he couldn't have used it all on his form.
'Something feels off,' Subaru thought, but he decided to set that aside for now; he had more pressing matters to focus on.
"Nine to five, huh? Looks like even spirits have better work hours than office workers in those black companies," he joked, but the half-elf and the spirit just stared at him blankly.
They didn't get the joke.
Subaru pouted a bit.
"...Anyway, we'll manage without you, Puck. You don't need to worry about us," Satella reassured the spirit, who nodded weakly in response.
"Yeah… I'm really sorry about my time limit. But I guess it can't be helped." Puck began to fade away, his form becoming transparent. He hopped off her shoulder and floated in front of her.
"Just don't do anything too reckless, okay? If things get tough, use the Od to summon me again," Puck advised, then turned to Subaru, who was watching closely.
"Subaru, take care of my Satella, alright? I'm counting on you." With that, Puck transformed into a flurry of light particles and flew into the green crystal, which glimmered softly.
Subaru was fully focused on the scene, not because of the spectacle, but due to the mechanics behind it. When Puck's form dissolved, The mana within seemed to split apart repeatedly, almost like it was dividing its power before returning to its source.
The process reminded him of the grueling months he spent trying to learn the reverse curse technique. While the concepts were different, the applications felt similar.
Seeing Puck do it so effortlessly made him pout.
He's been doing that a lot lately, hasn't he? That must be what an average person does.
"Okay, Subaru, we need to get going. We can't afford to waste any more time," Satella urged, snapping Subaru out of his daze.
"Y-yeah, I actually have an idea about where to find Felt," he replied.
"Really? What is it?"
"We can just ask them, like you suggested earlier."
"But didn't you mention they wouldn't sell out one of their own? I don't see how that would work."
"I did say that, but what if we… you know…" He lifted the plastic bag and gave it a little shake. "Bribe them."
"Bribe them?" she frowned. "But I don't have any money to give. And isn't that kind of wrong? Puck always said it was."
Subaru just stared at her. 'She's so innocent and yet so naive,' he thought.
"Sometimes it is, but in this case, we're trying to find your insignia, so it's not necessarily a bad thing. Plus," he pulled out some chips from his bag, "who says I need cash? It's clear that these folks are hungry, and I just happen to have food." He flashed her a grin.
She looked at him for a moment before conceding. "Alright, I'll trust your judgment."
Subaru started walking, with Satella following closely behind, until he noticed a man in tattered clothes sitting outside, his gaze lost in thought.
Subaru approached him, and the man immediately tensed up.
"Good evening, gentlemen! This lovely lady and I are searching for someone named Felt. Do you know anything about her?" he asked, ignoring the Squeak after calling her "lovely."
"Felt? Never heard of her. Go bother someone else," the man replied curtly.
"I figured you'd say that," Subaru said, opening the bag of chips, catching the man's attention.
"I've got some food here. Chicken-flavored chips," he said, offering one to the man.
The man eyed the chip warily, inspecting it closely before taking a sniff. He took a bite, and his eyes widened in surprise at the delicious flavor, likely the best thing he had tasted in a while.
"You liked it, didn't you? I'd happily give you the entire bag if you just tell me where I can Felt. Subaru said with a gentle smile, encouraging him to take it.
They say "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach", and nothing satisfies an empty belly quite like a good meal, overshadowing any loyalty one might feel.
"Just keep going down the road and take the second left. Keep going, and you'll spot a run-down tavern; that's where you'll find old man Rom's shop. Felt usually hangs out near the giant," he said, Subaru studied his features for a moment before passing him the chips.
"Well, it seems we've found our thief. Let's move."
---------------------------------
Before them stood a two-story building, entirely constructed of wood and surprisingly well-maintained for a place like this. Its design resembled that of a tavern.
"So, this is the spot," Stella remarked as she examined it.
"Yeah, I suppose so," he replied, turning to her. "Satella, what's our plan? Should we just barge in, punch first and ask questions later or–"
"I'd rather we don't resort to violence first." she responded, earning a puzzled look from Subaru, but he knew better than to argue with her.
"Okay, but they're not going to hand it over if we're polite…" He rubbed his chin thoughtfully until an idea came to him.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Old man Rom is probably a fence, so I'll sell him this device in exchange for your insignia."
"What! But that's—you don't need to do that!" Satella exclaimed, shaking her head vigorously.
"Why not? That insignia means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"It does! But you've already given up some of your food for me; I don't want you to sacrifice your other things too," she explained.
Subaru sighed. "Satella, it's just food. I can buy more later, probably something healthier than this junk I'm carrying," he added the last part quietly. "And this device isn't that important; I was planning to sell it anyway."
Satella looked at him, unsure of how to respond. She truly didn't want him to do all of this for her; guilt washed over her for everything he had done.
No one had ever treated her with such kindness before—only Roswall, and that was because he was her sponsor, and maybe the twin maids from his household because of his commands.
So to see a stranger's willingness to go so far felt strange to her, and she felt even worse for lying to him earlier that day.
"F-fine, but only if you let me be in your debt… and let me apologize for something I did to you," she mumbled, clearly nervous yet determined.
Subaru nodded as he and satella approached the door and knocked.
"…"
"…"
There was a moment of silence… followed by the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. "What's the password?" a rough voice called from the other side.
"We're paying customers here to make a purchase!" Subaru shouted back.
After a brief pause, the sound of locks and latches echoed, and the door swung open.
Standing inside was a towering figure with dark skin, his arms thick and marked with scars. He was completely bald except for a fringe of hair around his eyebrows, dressed in a tattered dark-grey tank top and matching pants.
"Come in," he said, stepping aside, and Subaru and Satella entered.
The interior resembled a typical bar, but it was filled with various valuables and trinkets, with only a small selection of alcohol behind the counter.
"Aye Felt! Are they the clients you mentioned?" Rom asked as he took his place behind the bar.
"They? I said it was just one woman," a youthful, feminine voice chimed in from one of the back rooms.
When the girl, revealed to be the thief, stepped out, he seized the opportunity to analyze both of them with His Six Eyes. The giant's gate was unremarkable, just like the girl herself. However, what truly caught his attention was the unique aspect of her Od.
In the center of her Od, there was a small but distinct white star. His six eyes indicated that this was a sign of "Divine Protection," a gift granted to individuals at birth. Hers was the "Divine Protection of Swiftness," which provided a significant burst of speed for a brief period—ideal for someone in her line of work.
When Felt's eyes fell on Satella, they widened in surprise.
"You! How the hell did you find me?!" she exclaimed, instantly on guard as she drew a dagger from her belt. The older man, realizing Felt was the one who had been robbed, knelt and pulled out a large club.
"Please return my insignia! I don't want to resort to violence, but I will if necessary," Satella stated firmly, stepping forward with resolve.
"Not a chance in hell! This is my only ticket out of this shithole! You're not going to ruin it for me!" she yelled back.
"You heard her, girlie. Why don't you and your friend turn back and leave?" Rom tried to mediate, hoping to avoid a confrontation so he can return to his drink.
With neither side willing to back down, the atmosphere in the room grew tense, thick enough to slice through, ready to explode at any moment—until Subaru stepped in.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, everyone, let's just take a deep breath. There is No need to jump the gun," Subaru raised his hands to ease the tension.
"We're not looking for a fight; we'd prefer to avoid one if possible. We're here to purchase her insignia." He pulled out his phone and waved it in front of them.
"We're ready to trade this for it if you're willing to listen," he added. Felt regarded him thoughtfully before she sighed and relaxed her posture.
"Alright, if you want to make a trade, we can do that." She gestured to a circular table and indicated the two chairs across from her.
Subaru and Satella took their seats right in front of her, while the old man moved to stand behind her.
"So, what do you have to offer? Whether you get what you want or not depends on it," she inquired.
"Could you put the knife down first?" Subaru asked.
"No."
"Fair enough," he relented.
Subaru then displayed the device he had. "This is a phone; it has various functions that allow you to perform multiple tasks and comes with a bunch of useful features."
He opened the camera app and snapped a picture of a weapon hanging on a rack, showing it to the three of them. "It can capture a moment, freeze it, and store it."
Felt looked astonished, while Rom gazed at it with curiosity. "This is the first time I've seen something like this. Is this one of the metia's I've been hearing about lately?" Rom asked.
"Uh, sure, it is." Great, more terms he would need to get into.
Meanwhile, Satella felt her guilt increase two fold. Here he was, offering up his incredible device for what? For a girl who couldn't even safeguard her belongings.
She knew she would have to apologize profusely for all the trouble he had gone through for her.
However, what Satella didn't realize was that the phone was down to six percent battery, and with no way to recharge it, it would soon be as good as useless.
In essence, Subaru was trying to scam them.
And it was working...
Subaru shrugged, "I don't care what it is or what it can do; I just want to know the price. How much can I get for this 'metia'?"
Rom rested his chin on his hand, "This is my first time seeing it, but I think it could fetch more than the insignia—maybe around ten or twenty holy coins, give or take." If this were a cartoon, Felt would have had dollar signs in her eyes.
Subaru was feeling satisfied with the results. 'Hook, line and sinker! Everything is going smoothly. Now, if we can just get the insignia, we can finally get out of this shithole'
There was nothing else that could complicate matters.
Except for the knife slicing through the air, aimed at Satella.
Suddenly, Subaru sprang to his feet, startling everyone as he reached out and caught the hilt of the blade just in time to protect Satella.
"What the hell?!" Felt exclaimed, clearly shocked along with Rom.
"Ara ara~ you managed to catch it, impressive." A sultry voice echoed in the room, and Subaru's gaze shot up to the ceiling.
A striking woman with long, dark hair adorned with a dark purple flower descended gracefully. Her revealing outfit accentuated her figure, and a cloak draped over her back hinted at magical powers.
"Attacking someone when they're in the middle of negotiating is a dick move," Subaru shot back, his tone serious.
"Who are you?!" Felt shouted, resuming her defensive stance while Rom tightened his grip on his weapon.
The woman landed effortlessly in front of the main door. 'Blocking the exit, huh? Smart move.'
"I'm your client, or rather, your former client, since we can't negotiate with the original owner here. I'm not sure why I even commissioned this task to a gutter rat like you." She smiled, amusement dancing in her eyes as she took in Felt's furious expression.
"You bitch!" Felt yelled, ready to leap at her, but Rom placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Felt! Calm down."
"Since you somehow failed your mission, I guess I'll have to kill everyone here," she declared, revealing two Kukri blades from… somewhere.
A chuckle echoed through the room; it was Subaru. He had driven a knife into the table and stood up, a playful grin on his face.
"Kill everyone? What makes you think you can pull that off?" he asked, clearly amused.
Satella, just snapping out of her trance, noticed the challenging glint in Subaru's smirk—he was taunting her into a confrontation.
She couldn't allow that to happen; he had done so much for her in such a short time, and it was high time she returned the favor.
"Subaru—" she began, but he interrupted her.
"Don't worry about me; I'll handle this. Rom, Felt stay out of it; this fight is mine," he commanded.
"But I—" Subaru ignored her as he advanced toward his opponent.
"Well, well, to think you can take me on alone; I admire your resolve. But will it be enough?" she inquired, intrigued by him.
"Absolutely, I know my own worth," he replied, stretching his limbs in preparation for the battle.
"Now, Before you get completely obliterated, may I know your name?"
"How bold of you," she said, taking her stance. "I'm Elsa Granhiert, known as the gut hunter." Someone made a noise at the name, but nobody paid any attention to it.
Subaru and Elsa locked eyes, his posture relaxed with hands in his pockets, while hers was tense and predatory, like a beast ready to pounce.
While Elsa initially thought his lack of fear stemmed from determination, she soon saw it as mere arrogance, evident in his confident smile. He was underestimating her.
That was fine; he wouldn't be the first, and certainly not the last.
"Say hello to the angels for me."
With that, she lunged forward, moving faster than the eye could follow, her blades already poised to strike down the overconfident fool.
She swiped, her blade cutting through… air?
As she turned around, she was taken aback to see him soaring through the air. Before she could react, he twisted his body mid-flight, his legs crashing into her chest and sending her crashing into a table, which splintered into fragments.
Subaru landed gracefully, brushing off his shoulder as if it were dust. From a distance, Satella watched in amazement; she barely noticed the woman move, yet he not only evaded her attack but countered her effortlessly! Felt and Rom were equally astonished by the unfolding scene.
"Was that really all you've got?" Subaru taunted.
The woman sprang up, her beautiful yet damaged face showing a wide smile, seemingly unfazed by the encounter.
"Ah~ that stung! You really can back up your words; I underestimated you," she replied, her injuries visibly healing within moments.
Subaru was well aware of her abilities. His six eyes revealed that she was a "Cursed Doll," granting her extraordinary physical strength and rapid regeneration. He chose to overlook the part about the user losing their identity, as he wasn't particularly interested in the details of her curse. There are some things he'd rather be ignorant of.
"Don't worry, you're not the first to make that mistake," he replied with a smirk. "Shall we keep going?"
"Absolutely! I can't wait to see your guts. I wonder what color they would be?" she said with a chilling grin.
Elsa lunged at Subaru, this time more cautiously. She aimed a slash at his face, but he leaned back just in time, dodging her attack. When she attempted a kick, he jumped back to evade it.
In a swift motion, Elsa grabbed a handful of throwing needles and hurled them at him while advancing. She anticipated he would dodge, allowing her to strike when he was off guard.
What she didn't foresee was him effortlessly catching every single needle she threw, not missing a single one.
"Back at ya!" he shouted, flinging all the needles back at her with a speed that far exceeded her own. They hit their mark, tearing through her skin and clothing.
He then took the initiative, launching a punch aimed at her face. She attempted to deflect it with her blade, but he powered through, shattering the blade and landing a solid hit on her. Following that, he spun around and delivered a roundhouse kick, sending her crashing into the wall.
"This space is a bit small; let's move this outside, shall we?" He extended his hand toward her, a palpable force radiating from it.
"Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue." Before she could evade, she felt an overwhelming pressure, surrounded by a strange blue energy, and in an instant, she was sent flying outside.
Subaru shook his hands and glanced at the onlookers. "You all should stay inside; I'll take care of this." He ran away without waiting for a reply, which was unlikely to come since everyone's jaw was well acquainted with the floor.
He dashed outside to the site of the impact, which turned out to be a dilapidated house. She had crashed through one of the walls, and the already weakened structure was trembling with her inside.
Keeping his distance, he surveyed the scene. There was no sign of movement; in fact, he couldn't even spot her with his six eyes. She wasn't in the house, which meant…
"Wow, you're quite the sneaky one; you must be an assassin, right?" He turned around, only to find Elsa's blade poised to strike, but it was now suspended uselessly in the air, unable to pierce his skull.
'How…?' Confusion washed over her, her brows knitting together. She sensed her blade moving, yet it remained stuck in place.
She leaped back, her mind racing to understand what had just happened. Was it a barrier or some form of lost magic? None of the six magical attributes should have been capable of this, and if it was, what type of spell was that.
"Ah, I bet you're confused, huh? I can explain if you'd like." He raised his right hand. "Come on, try to touch my hand with yours."
"…"
"Come on, I promise I won't bite."
"…"
"Come on, come on…"
She gave in with a sigh, sheathing her blade… Somewhere and approaching him. If she had attempted any moves, he would have anticipated it and countered her.
Curiosity also tugged at her, prompting her to learn more about his power.
She raised her hand, inching closer, but her movement began to slow, despite her maintaining her speed, until it finally halted, hovering just above him.
"See, if you concentrate on your hand, you're not really stopping; it's still in motion," he explained. She realized he was correct; she could sense a slight movement toward him, only to retreat immediately.
"This isn't a barrier that halts an attack in the traditional sense. The closer you come, the bigger the distance between us becomes. Eventually, you'll find yourself completely still, even though you're still moving in reality. If it's too confusing, just think of it as being stuck in limbo."
'It is rather confusing,' Elsa mused. How could getting closer mean increasing distance?
"Of course, I have complete control over it, and I can even do this." He moved his hand closer until their fingers touched. "We can even hold hands like this."
'His skin is so smooth, and there's no calluses on them,' she thought subconsciously, gently clasping his hand, which he mirrored in return. She gazed at the strange covering over his eyes, certain he was looking into hers. They shared a moment of silence, soaking in each other's presence.
Then Elsa began to feel something… warm. It was a bubbling warmth in her stomach that slowly started to spread that made her nervous yet exhilarated. She didn't know what it was but she wanted to experience it more, knowing it was something she could only share with him.
To hell with his guts; as much as she desired them, she couldn't be with someone who was dead. A lifeless body was unappealing, no matter the circumstances.
Suddenly, another feeling surged from her stomach, one she recognized and relished; pain.
Subaru's fist slammed into her stomach, sending a shockwave through her body that made her cough up blood. A few more punches followed, each one delivering the pleasurable pain.
Then he launched an uppercut that sent her flying through the air.
"As much as I would like to fight, I have to head back. Otherwise, Satella—or whatever her name is— will start to worry." He raised his pointer finger, a swollen red mark forming around it, and took aim.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Red." The overwhelming crimson engulfed her, and she was propelled backward by a force far greater than before.
She crashed onto a wooden fence, splintering it beneath her weight. She was in terrible condition, her clothes torn and blood seeping from her wounds. Her arms were twisted and her leg had torn off.
Yet, she laughed softly.
She had failed her mission.
She hadn't secured the insignia or killed the half-devil.
Not a single gut had been harvested that night.
But none of that mattered to Elsa; what truly mattered was something entirely different.
That boy—no, that man. She longed to see him again, to feel his warmth, and most importantly, to gaze into his eyes.
He had the chance to end her life right then and there, but he chose not to. There was something so mysterious, so captivating about him that she almost felt compelled to turn around and go back just to catch another glimpse, but she held herself back.
"Ahh, is this what it feels like to be in love?"
Meanwhile, Subaru scratched his head, puzzled. 'Why did her face turn red?' he wondered. 'Whatever. I'll just head back; today has been quite eventful.'
And with that, Elsa Granhiert, the gut hunter, was defeated by Subaru Gojo.