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Rating:
Teen And Up Audiences
Archive Warning:
Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Category:
F/M
Fandoms:
BlazBlue Series (Video Games)Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 | Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World (Anime)
Relationships:
Ragna the Bloodedge (BlazBlue) & Natsuki SubaruNatsuki Subaru/RemEmilia/Natsuki Subaru
Characters:
Ragna the Bloodedge (BlazBlue)Natsuki SubaruEmilia (Re:Zero)Elsa GranhiertWilhelm van AstreaCrusch KarstenPriscilla BarielleFelt (Re:Zero)Anastasia HoshinMimi PearlbatonRem (Re:Zero)Ram (Re:Zero)Roswaal L MathersMeili PortrouteCapella Emerada LugnicaOtto Suwen
Additional Tags:
Game: BlazBlue: Central FictionPost-Game(s)Alternate UniverseCross-Posted on FanFiction.NetIsekai and TransmigrationCrossoverCanon-Typical Violence
Language:
English
Stats:
Published:2025-05-08Updated:2026-07-29Words:159,533Chapters:34/?Comments:308Kudos:523Bookmarks:111Hits:32,887
Re:Azure
Genthar
Chapter 2: Re(d)turn
Notes:
Most of this chapter is just Re:Zero Episode 1 with Ragna's commentary, so I made it a bit longer than my usual chapters to compensate. It evens out.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"Well? Are you gonna buy the appa, boy?
When Ragna heard those words, he expected Subaru to respond the same way he had in the previous loop. But...
"...What?" the boy replied, visibly confused.
The merchant scowled. "I asked if you're buying the appa. Do you even have money?"
"...What?" Subaru repeated, blinking as if trying to catch up.
"Don't 'what' me! The appa! Are you buying it or not?" the merchant snapped, clearly running out of patience.
Finally understanding what was being asked, Subaru rubbed the back of his neck and replied, "Oh... no. Like I said, I'm broke beyond compare."
The merchant threw up his hands. "Then scram! If you're just browsing, you're wasting my time. I'm trying to run a business here!"
Ragna frowned.
That wasn't how it played out last time. Back then, Subaru had shown the merchant some coins and got chewed out for trying to pay with foreign currency. But now... he acted like he'd already told the man he was broke. He's the only one acting off script. Does that mean... he remembers too?
Subaru moved away from the appa stand, heading toward a quieter part of the market. He glanced into his plastic bag, then looked around, slowly realizing he was back at the marketplace.
Trying to confirm his suspicion, Ragna followed him discreetly.
"What's going on? Wasn't it nighttime just a minute ago?" Subaru muttered, a haunted look in his eyes.
'That confirms it. He remembers', Ragna thought, leaning casually against the wall of a nearby alley, keeping out of sight.
It had been disorienting enough for Ragna to go from sitting beside a dying fire at night to suddenly standing in broad daylight surrounded by shouting merchants. The kid must be feeling the same temporal whiplash.
Subaru lifted his shirt and checked his stomach. "The wound... it's gone..."
'Wound?' Ragna narrowed his eyes. 'He was injured during the last loop? What the hell happened in the slums?'
Suddenly, Subaru's eyes widened as if something had just clicked. He clenched his fist tightly.
"Oh, right! Satella! Damn it, didn't Puck ask me to look after her? I have to get back there, fast!"
'Satella... Puck... Must be the names of that silver-haired elf and her floating cat-thing,' Ragna guessed.
Subaru bolted like a madman, running in the general direction of the slums. Ragna followed, still keeping to the shadows.
'No choice but to follow him now,' Ragna thought. Subaru is the only lead he got.
If someone asked Ragna to explain what Phenomenon Intervention is, he'd flat-out refuse. Not just because explaining it is a massive pain in the ass, but because he doesn't fully understand it himself.
All he really knew was that it messed with reality.
And Ragna hated anything that messed with reality. The method didn't matter, whether it was Phenomenon Intervention via undoing things, overwriting events or time reversal, he despised the idea of people's lives being tampered with like that.
These so-called "Powers of the Gods" naturally drew selfish intent. Changing outcomes. Resetting progress. Rewriting fate. It was all just manipulation to him.
Everyone danced in the palm of those capable of large-scale Phenomenon Intervention, completely unaware that reality had been tampered with. Blissful ignorance.
In Ragna's world, time kept looping, restarting from the day the Black Beast first appeared, all the way to the day Ragna faced and was brutally defeated by Nu-13, nearly 100 years later. A time loop spanning an entire century.
Why?
Because Ragna was the Central Fiction, the "Dream Seen by God," in this case, the one within the Master Unit: Amaterasu.
It's no exaggeration to say that Ragna was the center of the world, and the world revolved around him. If Ragna died, the timeline would reset, back to 100 years ago.
Why that specific point? Because the Black Beast was technically Ragna, or rather, a version of him. When Ragna lost to Nu-13, the two of them were thrown into the Cauldron beneath Kagutsuchi, which sent them back in time to 100 years ago. There, they fused into the monstrous Black Beast that would later devastate the world.
Yes, even as a mindless beast, Ragna was still being watched. Amaterasu never stopped observing him.
After the Black Beast was slain by the Six Heroes, the world didn't reset. At least, not yet. Because in this version of the world, Ragna would eventually be born several decades later. And for Amaterasu, that alone was reason enough to let time continue.
The Master Unit kept looping time, hoping that one day, Ragna would survive the encounter with Nu-13. Hoping he'd eventually reach it. How many times had the world been reset? Hundreds? Thousands? He didn't want to know.
When the world resets, almost everyone loses their memories. Even Ragna, despite being the Central Fiction, isn't exempt. He never remembers the previous loops. That much is clear from the fact that time keeps resetting, which means he keeps losing to Nu-13. If he did retain his memories, there's no way that would keep happening.
He felt bad for Rachel, who remembered everything across the loops, unable to directly interfere with anything. That kind of loneliness had to be unbearable. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he respected her strength, for enduring it all without going insane. One loop takes 100 years, after all.
But in this world... something is off. Ragna remembers, he remembers spending a whole day here. Running into Subaru multiple times, wandering the slums, fishing, cooking, eating dinner. And yet, now he's back in the marketplace... like none of it ever happened. Night suddenly replaced by morning. But the memories are still there, vivid and complete. He's also not the only one. That Subaru kid remembered too.
'So the real question is: why?' Ragna asked himself as he shadowed Subaru from the rooftops, moving silently across the tiled housetops with practiced ease.
'He's heading back to the slums... what for? Retracing his steps?' Ragna wondered. Subaru did mention needing to return there earlier.
He could confront the kid. Demand answers. Shake his reality with a direct question: "You remember things repeating too, don't you?" But that would probably scare him off. Ragna wasn't exactly the warm-and-friendly type. He knew how he looked. Tall, armed, and perpetually irritated.
He needed to be patient. Not his strong suit, but for now, it was the right play. He'd reveal himself when the time was right. When is that? He didn't know yet.
As Subaru entered a particularly quiet alley, his path was suddenly blocked by three unruly-looking men.
Or maybe it was two men and a kid?
One was short, with dumb-looking brown hair. The second was a hulking brute with purplish hair and broad shoulders. The last was of average build, with gray hair and a more shifty look. probably the leader, judging by how he stood front and center.
"If you don't wanna get hurt, cough up whatever you've got!" the gray-haired one barked.
'Just a bunch of thugs looking to make some quick coin from whoever's dumb enough to wander into places like this,' Ragna observed silently from above.
"You guys again? What, here for revenge?" Subaru shouted, glaring. "Too scared to face me unless I'm alone?!"
'...Okay, so the idiot haven't figured it out yet,' Ragna noted. 'He doesn't realize time's looping. Not that I can blame him. That kind of thing's hard for the average person to process.'
The three thugs blinked in confusion. Subaru recognized them, but the same can't be said for the thugs.
"What the hell are you talking about?" the gray-haired one asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Did you hit your head or something?" the short one snorted. "Whatever. Just drop everything you've got, and we'll let you walk away."
Subaru raised his hands slowly, feigning defeat. "Alright, alright. Geez. I'm in a hurry, so just take it. Nothing valuable anyway." He lowered the plastic bag he carried on the ground.
'Three against one. Yeah, that's rough for most people,' Ragna admitted. He gets why Subaru did it, doesn't mean he has to like it.
"Heh. Now get on all fours and bark like a dog," the leader sneered, emboldened by Subaru's apparent surrender.
The gray-haired thug stepped forward, grin widening. The others laughed.
'And now they're just being assholes for the sake of it,' Ragna thought, his fingers twitching. 'Should I step in?'
But before he could decide, Subaru's expression shifted.
Fierce. Sharp. Focused.
"Don't get cocky, you bastard!" Subaru snarled. The boy stepped forward and drove a punch straight into the gray-haired thug's gut, folding him with a pained grunt. "I know you're armed, dumbass!"
Ragna's lips curled into a smirk. 'Heh. He's got more spine than I gave him credit for.'
Before the thugs could even process what was happening, Subaru pressed his advantage. He spun on his heel and kicked the short thug hard, slamming him into the nearby wall with a solid thud.
The brutish one lunged to grab him, but Subaru sidestepped, and seized the man's arm with both hands.
"I've got a 70-kilogram grip strength! Don't underestimate me!" he shouted, twisting the limb sharply.
The thug let out a pained grunt, trying to swing at him with his free arm, but Subaru had already moved. Quick on his feet, he pivoted and delivered a swift, merciless kick straight to the man's groin.
"Eat this!"
The brute collapsed instantly, clutching himself and groaning in agony.
From above, Ragna winced. "That's a blatant violation, going straight for the universal weak point like that," he muttered.
Subaru didn't even stop to celebrate. He shot the downed thugs a glare and barked, "Don't get in my way again! I'm in a hurry!" before storming off down the alley.
Ragna watched him go, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Not bad at all. A bit underhanded... but who cares?" Ragna murmured to himself.
Subaru had clearly used knowledge from the previous loop to his advantage, he'd gone for the gray-haired thug first, the one he said was armed. Smart. Ragna had noticed a dagger tucked away too. Prioritizing him was the right move.
Ragna continued his silent pursuit from the rooftops, watching as Subaru took off again in a full sprint.
The rest of the trip to the slums went by without incident. No more interruptions. Subaru seemed to know exactly where he was going. No doubt because he already went there before.
They passed by the same river Ragna had camped beside during his first night in this world. The early sunlight caught the surface of the water, glinting briefly as they moved past.
Finally, Subaru skidded to a stop in front of a run-down house tucked deep in the slums. Like most buildings in the area, it had definitely seen better days. Some of the windows were cracked or broken entirely, moss crawled up the stone walls, and the door looked like it had survived one too many attempted break-ins.
Ragna dropped down silently behind one of the nearby houses, keeping low and out of sight. He crouched beside a crumbling wall, eyes locked on Subaru.
"Don't be afraid... don't be afraid..." Subaru muttered to himself at the door, repeating it like a mantra, psyching himself up.
He raised his hand to knock but hesitated mid-motion.
'Something happened here in the last loop,' Ragna guessed. 'Something that shook him...'
After a few seconds of anxious fidgeting, Subaru finally knocked.
"...Anyone there?" he called, voice tentative at first. Then he grew more urgent. "Hey! Is anyone there? Please answer me! Hey!" He began pounding on the door now, desperation bleeding into every word.
Heavy footsteps thudded from within, growing louder. The door swung open with a loud creak, and a large, bald man with thick arms and wild white eyebrows glared down at him.
"Shut yer trap!" the man barked. "You tryin' to break my door down?! You don't even know the password!"
Subaru blinked, stunned. "You... didn't you..." whatever he was remembering, it hit him hard, but he swallowed it and said nothing more.
Despite his irritation, the old man stepped aside and motioned Subaru in with a grunt. "Get in already."
Ragna narrowed his eyes. 'Guess I'm not getting anything just standing out here.'
He raised his hand, pressing two fingers against the back of his glove. A faint shimmer passed over his body as he activated a Camouflage Ars. Normally, it wouldn't work without seithr in the air. But somehow... it did.
Not full invisibility, but enough to blend in with the background and muffle his presence. Ordinary people won't be able to detect him now.
'So the principles of Ars Magus still function here... interesting,' this certainly made sneaking in here easier.
He moved quickly, crouching beside a bush near the window. From there, he could hear the muffled voices inside.
'Let's see what you're really here for, Subaru.'
The place was cluttered, an unorganized mess of tables and chairs crammed into the space, with barely enough room to walk. Trinkets and oddities littered the shelves. An old armor set stood on a rack near the corner, while shields and weapons were mounted haphazardly on the walls. The whole place looked like a cross between a pawn shop, and a junkyard.
There was even a bar counter along one side of the room. Judging by its setup, this place probably used to be a tavern. Now it served as a sort of informal trade hub.
Subaru and the old man each took a seat on opposite barstools. Subaru set his plastic convenience store bag on the counter, looking slightly out of place in this medieval ruin.
And of course, where there's a bar, there's booze. The old man was already halfway through a large mug of something frothy and pungent-smelling. Judging by the way his cheeks were flushed, he was already a bit tipsy.
"Name's Rom," he said, taking another hearty gulp. "If you're lookin' to make a deal for stuff a collector might want, you've come to the right place."
"I'm Natsuki Subaru," first, simple introduction. Then Subaru leaned forward, starting the conversation with a bizarre question. "Have you died recently, old man?"
Ragna, still listening from the bush near the window, raised an eyebrow. 'Still not considering time travel as the cause, huh? he thought. What a morbid thing to ask. 'He must've seen the old man die in the last loop.' Ragna guessed.
Rom burst into loud laughter, slapping the counter with his free hand. "Sure, I'm an old man on death's door, but I ain't dead yet!"
Subaru scratched his head awkwardly. "Yeah... just forget it. That was a dumb question."
Rom took another swig from his mug, then peered at him over the rim. "So, what're you here for then?"
"I'm looking for an insignia," Subaru said. "It got a jewel embedded in it. Belongs to a silver-haired girl I know."
Rom frowned and leaned back. "I don't have anything like that."
"Are you really sure?" Subaru asked skeptically. "You sure you're not going senile?"
Rom grunted. "I might be old, but I know what I've got. And I don't have anything like that."
He scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"That said, someone's bringing in a haul later today. Maybe what you're lookin' for will be in that batch."
Subaru's eyes lit up a little. "Is the one bringing it in a girl named Felt?"
'Felt...' Ragna thought. 'Someone else he met during the previous loop then.'
Rom squinted, slightly surprised. "What's this? You even know her name? Color me impressed. Still, do you have the money to pay for it?"
Ragna smirked to himself behind the window. 'He doesn't,' Subaru said it himself, he's broke beyond compare.
"I am the brokest man alive," Subaru declared with exaggerated pride, holding his arms out dramatically.
Rom sighed heavily. "Then there's no use talkin' about deals."
"I don't have money," Subaru admitted, "but I do have something worth money."
Ragna leaned forward slightly, interested. 'Alright, let's see what card you're planning to play, kid.'
"Like what? Those things you're carrying in that funny-looking bag?" Rom asked.
Ragna peeked in through the window. Inside the plastic bag, he could spot some packaged snacks and a cup of instant noodles, stuff you definitely wouldn't expect in a medieval-style setting like this.
'So the kid must've just come from a convenience store before getting dropped into this world,' Ragna thought. 'Totally different from me... I didn't even exist in my world anymore before ending up here.'
Subaru began rummaging through his convenience store bag. "This here is my corn potage snack! Super tasty!" he said, proudly handing it to Rom.
"There's food inside?" Rom asked, curiously opening the bag. The snack inside was a bright yellow color, likely due to the corn flavoring. Without hesitation, he shoved a handful into his mouth.
"Hey! Don't just start eating my stuff!" Subaru protested.
'Your own fault for handing it over,' Ragna thought dryly.
"You weren't kidding, boy! This'd go great with some booze," Rom grinned, proving his point by taking a delighted swig from his jug.
'Damn, now I want some,' Ragna admitted to himself. He wasn't usually a booze or snack guy, but he felt a sudden pang of hunger. And that snack... in this world, it was literally one of a kind. That made it even more tempting.
'Wait... Does that mean only my memories carry over when the world resets?' he wondered. 'My body must've reset to its exact state from the start of the loop. Meaning technically, I haven't eaten anything since I got here.'
Subaru sighed, accepting the loss of his snack. "If you thought that was good, I've got something even better. And no, it's not food."
"That so?" Rom grunted. "Don't know what you're offering, but we'll need Felt to settle anything. Come back when she's here."
"Oh, it's definitely something interesting," Subaru said with a grin as he walked to the door. "You'll see."
He then sat down on the porch near the front entrance. "I'll just wait here."
"Suit yourself," Rom replied with a shrug, closing the door and happily returning to his drink and snack.
Outside, Ragna remained hidden behind the bush, watching silently.
'Waiting again, huh?' he thought. 'Fine. I need to get to the bottom of this anyway.'
As Subaru sat there, he didn't do much, just quietly taking in the pitiful sight of the slums.
The orange glow of the afternoon sun crept in. Subaru nearly drifted off to sleep until a girl appeared in front of him.
She was short, with fair skin and medium-length golden hair tied into a short ponytail with a black bow. She had sharp red eyes and wore a sleeveless black top that left her midriff exposed, layered under a brown vest. A red scarf was wrapped around her neck.
"What are you doing hanging around here, bro? You're in my way," she said with a casual tone.
"Felt, you're finally here," Subaru said, perking up.
"Huh? You know me?" Felt asked, raising an eyebrow.
'So she's the one delivering the item. Definitely looks quick, fits the thief type,' Ragna thought.
"Yeah, I've been waiting for you. Don't you remember me?" Subaru asked.
"Nope. Don't recognize you. Sorry bro, I don't remember people unless they leave an impression."
'She didn't retain her memory from the last loop then,' Ragna concluded.
"Just forget it," Subaru said, shaking it off. "I want to negotiate for the insignia you have."
Felt smirked at that. "Oh, so that's what this is about, huh? Alright, I'll hear you out." Felt knocked on the door, and heavy footsteps echoed from within as someone approached.
"For a rat..." Rom's voice called out from inside.
"Poison," Felt replied.
"For a white whale..."
"A harpoon."
"To the noble dragon lord, we are..."
"Shitbags."
Subaru blinked as he watched Felt and Old Man Rom recite the ridiculous password. Rom opened the door and motioned them in.
'Heh...' Ragna smirked from his hiding spot. He kind of liked that password.
Inside, Felt flopped down onto a stool.
"How'd the job go?" Rom asked.
"Went off without a hitch, of course!" Felt replied proudly.
"Atta girl," Rom said with a grin.
"Old man," Felt huffed, "I'm thirsty."
Rom handed her a glass of milk, or at least, something that looked like it. Felt took a sip and immediately grimaced.
"Still as nasty as ever."
"Well then, no more drinks for you," Rom said with a chuckle, ruffling her hair. She laughed along with him.
Subaru introduced himself again and got to the point. "I'm here to buy the insignia."
Felt raised an eyebrow. "How much are you offering?"
Instead of naming a price, Subaru pulled something out of his pocket. "I want to trade it for this!"
Ragna leaned in, narrowing his eyes. 'That's... a phone?' He thought. 'No signal here, no way to make calls. Just a fancy paperweight once the battery died. But is he really going to give up something from home for a girl he just met today?'
Ragna can't say that he would do the same. He could never part with Aramasa or his red jacket. They were too important for him.
"What is that?" Felt asked, eyeing the device.
"It's a magical item. A cell phone," Subaru replied proudly.
"Never seen anything like it," Felt muttered.
Rom scratched his chin. "Is that one of those... Metia?"
"Metia?" Subaru echoed. Ragna had the same question.
"They're devices that let people without a gate use magic, like real mages," Rom explained.
'Useful info,' Ragna noted. Would someone from another world have those gates?
"I'm more interested about the price, old man," Felt gave her thought.
Rom frowned. "Before that, how do we know it's real?"
"Allow me to demonstrate!" Subaru said with flair. "Nine continuous shots!" He snapped a burst of photos, the flash blinding.
"Hey! Too bright!"
"You tryin' to kill me, boy?" Rom barked, shielding his eyes.
Subaru turned the screen toward them. A row of photos displayed their surprised expressions.
"Those are our faces! Is this thing a mirror?" Rom asked in disbelief.
"It freezes a moment in time," Subaru explained. "These are all from just now. Like instant paintings. You can view them anytime."
Felt leaned in, fascinated. "Instant paintings, huh? That's kinda cool."
Rom nodded. "It's real, alright. Could fetch ten holy coins, maybe twenty if we sell it to a collector."
"That enough for the insignia?" Subaru asked, hopeful.
"More than enough, if my appraisal's right," Rom replied.
"Yes!" Subaru pumped his fist. "Then the deal's done! Hand over the insignia, please!"
"Hold on," Felt said quickly. "I already have another buyer lined up, the one who hired me to stole the item. With you in the mix, I can raise the price."
Ragna raised an eyebrow. 'A bit greedy, but... can't blame her. She's probably been scraping by for years.'
"Aww, come on!" Subaru groaned.
"My client already offered ten holy coins," Felt explained. "I might get even more, without taking a risk on your mystery item."
"Ugh... fine," Subaru muttered. "When's your client showing up?"
As the conversation continued inside, Ragna noticed someone approaching from outside, a tall woman with long, wavy black hair and piercing purple eyes. Her gaze was sharp, calculating. She wore a revealing black dress that clung to her curves, partially concealed by a flowing black cloak.
She glanced briefly toward the bush near the window, right where Ragna was hiding.
'Shit! Did she notice me?' he panicked. 'Is that instinct? If my Camouflage Ars didn't work on her... then that means...'
She radiated danger. Ragna knew a killer when he saw one, he'd fought enough to recognize the signs. In fact, she might be the most dangerous person he'd seen in this world so far. Subaru had mentioned something about Rom dying in the previous loop. 'Could this woman have been the one responsible?'
Still, she said nothing and simply knocked on the door, a small smile on her lips.
From inside, Ragna heard Rom ask if the client knew the password. Felt replied she hadn't given it to her yet and would get it now.
Felt opened the door, and the woman stepped inside. She introduced herself as Elsa, claiming she was here on behalf of her client to retrieve the item.
Her voice was pleasant, even seductive. Combined with her revealing outfit, it clearly made Subaru squirm, he didn't seem to know where to look.
But Ragna wasn't fooled. She reminded him too much of Hazama, Terumi's old disguise. Polite on the surface, but underneath? A complete monster.
Elsa turned to Subaru. "And who might this young man be?"
Felt casually replied, "He's your rival for the item."
"How unexpected," she muttered, her eyes lingering briefly on Subaru.
Elsa was offered a drink. She politely accepted. Not long after, she was served a glass of milk like Felt. She sat at the table with the others, calmly sipping from the glass of milk. Unlike Felt, she didn't complain about the taste.
Subaru spoke up. "I'm Natsuki Subaru. I've got nothing against you, but I need that item too."
"I see," Elsa mused, licking her moisturized lips slowly.
"So that means you two will be bidding against each other," Felt said, cutting in. "I don't care who wins, as long as there's a highest bidder, that's who walks away with the goods."
Elsa nodded. "And how much has this young man bid?"
"I'm putting up this metia," Subaru replied, placing his phone on the table. "It's one of a kind. I've been told it's worth more than twenty holy coins."
"Metia, huh?" Elsa considered that for a moment. "As it happens, my client gave me some extra funds. I'm prepared to sweeten the deal."
"The client... so you were asked to fetch it too?" Subaru asked, narrowing his eyes. He realized that someone had specifically ordered Satella's insignia to be stolen.
"That's right. I'm acting on behalf of someone who wants the item. What about you? Are you in the same line of work?" she asked, giving Subaru a sharp look of her own.
"If we're in the same line of work, then your client must be unemployed," Subaru quipped with a grin.
Everyone went silent. Outside, Ragna facepalmed.
"...So, this unemployed guy has placed a bid that puts him ahead," Felt said, trying to keep things on track. "What's your offering?"
Elsa reached into her cloak and dropped a hefty pouch onto the table. The clink of coins made everyone go silent. Rom opened it and began counting.
"Twenty holy coins exactly."
"These are all the coins my client gave me," Elsa said. "Are they enough?"
Subaru lowered his head, assuming he'd lost.
"You're a man, aren't you? Don't make that pathetic face!" Rom barked. "I told you, your metia is worth no less than twenty..."
Subaru looked up with a glimmer of hope.
"As I see it," Rom continued, "victory in this deal leans toward the boy. We could probably sell that item for more than twenty holy coins. Sorry, but you and your employer should pack up those coins and head out."
"Yes!" Subaru jumped up with a fist pump, startling the others. "Wh-What? Can't I celebrate a little? I'm psyched!" he said defensively, grinning.
"No one said anything," Felt replied flatly. "Go wild if you want. I don't care as long as I get my cut."
"Uh... sorry, Elsa-san. You're probably gonna catch hell for this, huh?" Subaru said sheepishly, scratching his head.
"It can't be helped," Elsa replied with a sigh. "It was my employer's fault for trying to lowball the offer." She stood, finished the last of her milk, and set the glass on the table with a quiet clink before turning away. She walked a few steps, then paused. "By the way, what do you intend to do with the item?"
Subaru blinked. "Oh, uh... nothing big. Just... y'know. Return it to the real owner."
There was a pause.
A long one.
Elsa's expression changed subtly. Not a scowl, not a threat. Just... a shift. Her eyes narrowed. Her lips twitched slightly.
"...I see," she murmured, almost too quietly to hear. "So you're with them."
'There it is,' Ragna thought, his grip tightening on the window ledge.
The air turned cold.
Felt's eyes widened. "You idiot-!"
She tackled Subaru with full force, knocking him to the side just as a silver blur ripped through the air.
SHHHHNK!
Elsa suddenly pulled a dagger from her cloak and sliced through the space where Subaru's stomach had been half a second ago, the edge only managing to graze his cheek as he tumbled with Felt across the wooden floor.
"What the hell are you saying? Do you want to die?!" Felt shouted at Subaru.
"Oh, I missed," Elsa cooed, licking her lips. "That was close... but don't worry, I'll still get to see what your insides look like."
She straightened her body, rolling her shoulders as if preparing for a dance, her purple eyes sparkled with delight, the kind only a killer like her could feel at the scent of rising fear.
Subaru scrambled back. "Holy crap, she went full psycho!"
Rom roared from the side, swinging a massive club, the wood groaned under the force, the wind from the swing nearly blowing Subaru's hair back.
Elsa darted back, her movement like wind slipping between fingers. The club smashed through the wall where she stood a second ago, debris raining everywhere.
"Oh my," Elsa said with a sultry laugh, glancing up at Rom. "Are you a giant? Now this is new." Her smile widened, an expression so chilling it sent shivers down everyone's spine. "I've never seen a giant's guts before. I wonder if they stretch more than a regular person's..."
Rom growled. "Get behind me, Felt!"
He lunged forward, trying to crush Elsa under the weight of his next swing. But she was too fast, darting to the side and flipping over a table, her blades glinting in the dim light.
Too fast.
Ragna knew it the moment he caught sight of her through the broken wall.
"Don't worry, there's no way old man Rom would lose!" Felt tried to reassure Subaru.
"Don't jinx it," Subaru muttered, clearly uneasy.
Ragna silently agreed. Rom was tough, but he wasn't going to last. That woman... she was toying with them.
"Ah, fuck it," Ragna moved. He dropped through the shattered wall like a red streak, his boots cracking the floorboards on impact. His coat flared behind him as he landed between Elsa and Rom, Aramasa already drawn with a sharp metallic shhhk. Elsa retreated with a flip, surprised.
Everyone froze. Even Elsa blinked, momentarily thrown off by his sudden arrival.
"Who the hell are you?" Rom asked, stunned.
"Here to stop you from losing an arm," Ragna said, not taking his eyes off Elsa. "Trust me, it sucks, I'd know."
"You noticed that?" Elsa giggled, amused. Clearly she had been aiming for Rom's arm. Her eyes sparkled. "Are you another guest? How lovely."
"Hey! Wh-!"
Before Subaru or the others could say anything, Ragna cut them off. "No time for chitchat. Stay back."
Elsa tilted her head. "You're not part of their little group, are you? You smell... delicious," she pulled another dagger from her cloak, now dual wielding two of them.
Ragna didn't answer.
His eyes locked onto hers. His stance was casual, almost lazy, but the way he held Aramasa screamed ready. This wasn't his first encounter with someone like her, a psycho.
He fought Nu and her twisted obsession.
He fended off Arakune, the black sludge consumed by lust for the Azure.
He clashed with Azrael, a monster who only lived for the thrill of combat.
Elsa was dangerous. no doubt about that, but she wasn't unfamiliar territory.
Elsa took a slow step forward, blades raised, her tone lilting like a lover's whisper. "You're not like the others. I can feel it... the tension in your muscles... the way your eyes track my movements. Tell me, stranger-"
She lunged.
"-what do you think your insides look like?"
CLANG!
Aramasa met her blades mid-swing, the force of the clash kicking up a gust of dust and splinters.
Ragna held firm. "You ain't gonna find out."
Elsa's smile curled higher, even as she skipped back. "Mmm~ and you're such a tease. Big sword, tight grip, so stoic... I bet your insides would look lovely."
Ragna exhaled. "Lady, you got issues."
She darted forward again, spinning, blades carving arcs of silver light. But Ragna moved like a specter, sidestepping and countering with brutal precision. Aramasa whistled through the air, each swing deliberately aimed to wound, not intimidate.
Elsa barely dodged the third swing, her dress fluttering as she flipped backwards.
"That sword of yours..." she said, panting slightly, "...it's massive. And yet, you swing it like it's a toy. I'm getting excited."
"I'm not," Ragna said flatly.
Elsa twirled one knife playfully. "Come now. I can't carry this conversation all by myself." They clashed once more, getting themselves on a blade lock, her twin daggers struggling to hold Aramasa off. "How about making this more exciting for me?"
Ragna answered by slugging her straight in the face.
CRACK!
She went flying, smashing into a wall, cracking the plaster and bouncing off with a heavy thud. Everyone in the room stared, mouths hanging open.
Even Elsa.
She blinked up from the floor, dazed, blood trailing down her cheek. Then she laughed. A mad, giddy cackle.
"Oh yes," she purred, licking her lips. "Yes. You're not one of those overly polite knights. This is going to be so much fun."
She launched herself forward again, knives blurring as she came at him with renewed speed. But Ragna didn't flinch. Aramasa moved like a storm, intercepting every strike with a parry that sent vibrations down both their arms.
Elsa feinted low, Ragna kicked her in the side.
She twirled mid-air to slash, Ragna blocked with the flat of his blade, then shoulder-checked her into the nearest wall.
"Ah, You're good," she moaned, laughing again. "You're better than good. You're perfect. Don't die too fast, okay?"
Ragna spat on the floor. "Not planning on dying at all."
Elsa giggled. "Good, partners who can last for hours are the best."
Subaru, crouched behind a toppled table, whispered to Felt, "...Why is she like that?"
Felt, still gripping the insignia, whispered back, "You mean the crazy part or the horny part?"
"Both."
Rom stood beside them, bruised but upright, his expression caught somewhere between awe and wariness. "Who is that guy?"
"I don't know," Subaru muttered, then added with a smirk, "but I think I'm in love." He clutched his chest dramatically, pretending to swoon like a maiden.
Elsa clashed with Ragna again, her blades sparking against Aramasa's steel. She laughed, even as her arms trembled. "You're pushing me. I haven't felt this in years. My blood's singing. Come on! Show me more!"
She quickly disengaged and vanished, only to reappear behind Ragna, poised to stab him in the back.
But Ragna swung his blade behind him in one swift motion. She tried to dodge, but not completely, his blade sliced into her shoulder, drawing blood.
The crack of bone and the rattle of debris hadn't even settled when Elsa landed lightly on her feet on the shattered wood. Her black cloak was now torn across the shoulder, and blood oozed from the gash Ragna had just carved into her. For a brief moment, her expression flickered, lips parted, breath hitched.
But then, almost immediately, the skin around the wound writhed.
Shhhk.
The blood stopped. The wound closed before Ragna's eyes. Not a scar. Not a scab. Just smooth skin where he knew his blade had struck.
"Tch," he muttered. "Figures."
Elsa sighed, no, moaned. Her voice was half-pained, half-ecstatic. "Mmm... It's been so long since I've bled like that. You really are something special."
She twirled one of her knives, then, bizarrely, dropped into a graceful curtsy, her blood-stained dress fluttering slightly. "I suppose I should introduce myself properly," she said with a theatrical lilt, bowing with one hand delicately across her chest. "Elsa Granhiert. Professionally, they call me... the Bowel Hunter."
Subaru peeked out from behind the wreckage, face pale. "The... what?"
Felt blinked. "What kind of nickname is that?!"
Rom nodded grimly. "Serial killer. From Gusteko, far north. Real piece of work. Doesn't just kill, she spills every last organ. As the nickname said, her favorite are guts. They say she giggles while her victims screamed."
Subaru recoiled. "Okay, that's the kind of reputation that doesn't need a business card!"
Elsa smiled sweetly, as if she were being complimented at a dinner party. "Everyone's so dramatic. I'm not some lunatic, I simply have... refined taste." She looked at Ragna, gaze lingering low again. "And your guts... mm, I can't wait to see them."
Ragna exhaled through his nose. He was used to psychos screaming about their obsessions. But one obsessing over guts, this was new. And somehow worse.
"Fine," he muttered, resting Aramasa on his shoulder. "I guess this is the part where I say my name too." He glanced back at the others, sighing like a man being forced to do karaoke in public. "Ragna. Ragna the Bloodedge."
Subaru blinked. "Edgiest name I've ever heard."
Felt stifled a laugh. "Is that even real?"
"It's not a nickname I picked. I'm just inheriting it," Ragna growled.
Elsa's lips curled upward in delight. "Bloodedge... That sounds lovely."
She tilted her head, violet eyes gleaming. "And I've never heard of you before. Not in any of the 4 kingdoms. Quite the mystery."
"No surprise," Ragna replied flatly. "I'm from somewhere far."
"How far?" she asked, voice smooth like silk over a knife.
He met her gaze with a hard stare. "Too far." glancing at Subaru briefly.
Subaru swallowed hard, a memory flashing back, his stomach, torn open in agony. "Hey, red guy! Guard your stomach! She's not joking when she says she likes guts!"
"Yeah, I noticed," Ragna muttered, not looking back. "She doesn't go for the throat or heart unless she has to. Only when she's out of options."
Eighty percent of her strikes had been aimed at the abdomen. The others were distractions, meant to injure, not kill. Designed to wear down her opponent... and make gutting them easier.
Elsa smiled, unbothered. "The stomach is the canvas where all beauty begins. The tension... the coiled life inside... It's a window into a person's truth. Their fear. Their core." she paused for a moment. "Is it wrong for me to appreciate that?"
"The fact that you even have to ask means you've got a screw loose."
She simply giggled in reply.
Battle maniacs weren't anything new to Ragna.
Azrael had been one. The so-called Mad Dog of Sector Seven. That freak had chased him everywhere, not for vengeance or duty, but for the sheer thrill of throwing fists. Every time Ragna ran into him, it felt like stepping into a cage with a lion on adrenaline and a death wish.
But this woman, Elsa Granhiert, she was a whole different beast.
Azrael lived for the fight. Elsa? She lived for the kill. She wasn't just enjoying the dance of combat. No, every step, every flick of her blade was carefully angled, not toward the neck, not toward the heart. Always the gut. She was obsessed.
Guts are beautiful, she had said. And she meant it. That fixation made her predictable, if only slightly.
It was one of the reasons Ragna hadn't been gutted already.
The other reason? Her recklessness.
Every wound he landed had already closed. She had fast regeneration, ridiculously fast. It let her throw herself into combat without a shred of concern for defense. Perfect for someone who couldn't wait to see what spilled from a split abdomen.
Subaru had picked up on it too. He shouted from the sidelines, "Red guy! She's regenerating! You need to finish her in one strike! Don't hesitate, man! She's a monster who kills for fun!"
Flashes of silver tore through the air as Elsa's expression soured.
She hurled her twin knives, and Ragna blocked them with Aramasa. She darted around him, fluid and fast. In an instant, she pulled fresh blades from her cloak and hurled them too. Ragna kept blocking them.
Ragna had blocked six so far. 'How many daggers did she even have?' He wondered.
She threw four more at once. He deflected two with his blade, caught one barehanded, but the last slipped through.
It wasn't aimed at him. It sailed clean past Ragna.
Straight for Subaru.
Shunk.
"AGH-!"
Subaru collapsed, clutching his side, a dagger buried deep in his stomach.
"Big bro!" Felt screamed, rushing toward him.
Rom was there in a flash, trying to lift him. "Hold on, kid!"
Felt examined the wound quickly. "It's deep, but not lethal yet! If we stop the bleeding-"
Elsa tilted her head with a small, pained sigh. "A shame, really. That blade was poisoned. It's already too late for him."
Felt's face went pale. "What?!"
Subaru gasped for air, his hands trembling. "Why... why poison...?"
Elsa twirled a strand of her black hair. "I hate using it. It's such a boring way to kill. But you were getting on my nerves."
Subaru's eyes widened as his strength faded.
Felt held his face. "No! Hey! Stay with me!"
Ragna's knuckles tightened around Aramasa. His teeth clenched so hard it felt like they'd crack.
The idiot was just a kid. Scared shitless, sure, but he tried. He threw himself into this, knowing the danger. Fueled by nothing but sheer determination to make something right.
And now?
He was dying.
Elsa smiled at the sight, drunk on it. "Does it hurt?" she taunted. "What are you thinking about in your final moments? Cursing me? Cursing the one who failed to protect you?"
That was it.
He was done playing nice.
Aramasa raised, his glare locked on Elsa with a new intensity.
She turned toward him, giggling. "Oh? Are you angry? Are you going to make me bleed again?"
"...No," Ragna said, voice low and steady. "I'm going to end you!"
But before he could move, Subaru drew his last breath.
It happened.
A blink. A pulse. And the world around him changed. One moment, he was surrounded by blood, and debris.
The next?
Sunlight, voices, and the smell of fruit. He was in the marketplace once again. Ragna stood still. Aramasa was no longer in his hand, it now rested at his waist. His stance had shifted, relaxed. Everything looked exactly as it had that morning. And then...
"Well? Are you gonna buy the appa, boy?
He turned his head. There was Subaru, once again in front of the appa merchant, holding his stomach.
Ragna whispered. "You..."
The kid looked like hell. Sweating. Shaky. As if some phantom pain still lingered. As if he'd felt the knife again, pain from a wound that hadn't technically happened.
The merchant leaned forward. "Hey, you okay, kid?"
Subaru didn't respond. He wobbled... then collapsed.
Ragna watched in silence, mind racing.
It looped. Again.
He inhaled slowly, fitting the pieces together. The loop triggered when Subaru died. That... felt eerily familiar.
The first time, it had been night. Ragna saw him heading toward the slums. Elsa must've killed him there. The second time? That poisoned dagger. Which meant something, or someone, was keeping Subaru alive. Time itself was being bent to ensure his survival.
But why? And more importantly...
"Why me?" Ragna muttered.
Why was he aware? By all logic, he shouldn't be. He wasn't from this world. He wasn't the cause of this loop. He wasn't even the target. And yet, whenever Subaru died... he came back too. Like they were tethered.
His thoughts were cut short as the appa merchant crouched next to Subaru's unconscious form. "Kid? Hey! You breathing?"
Ragna didn't move. Didn't blink. His eyes stayed locked on Subaru.
"You're not just some idiot in a tracksuit, are you?"
Is this kid... this world's Central Fiction?
Notes:
I'm sure I got some of the BlazBlue lore wrong. Do point them out, I'll see if I can fix it.
If possible, I want to wrap up Arc 1 in the next chapter.
I'll see you next time.
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