Main Content
Archive of Our OwnArchive of Our OwnHi, TheBrimmedHat!PostLog Out
FandomsBrowseSearchAboutWork Search
tip: buffy gen teen AND "no archive warnings apply"
Actions
Entire Work ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter → Chapter Index Edit Bookmark Mark for Later Comments Share Download
Work Header
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 3: Unlikely Partnership
Notes:
It's been a few days since my last update, that's gotta be a new personal record.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Ragna leaned against a nearby post, arms folded, gaze locked on the collapsed boy slumped behind the fruit merchant's stall.
The gruff merchant, despite all his barking and attitude, had let the kid rest behind the stand. Maybe out of pity. Maybe because he didn't want a dead body near his fruit.
Ragna simply waited. and it hadn't taken long for Subaru to come to.
Subaru sat up slowly, groaning, clutching his stomach as if he could still feel the dagger buried there. His fingers trembled faintly. His face was pale. But he was alive.
Still alive.
And this was the third time.
Ragna finally moved.
His boots clacked softly against the stone road as he stepped around the stand. Subaru saw him coming, and froze.
"You…" he murmured, eyes wide. "You were there."
"Yeah," Ragna replied flatly. "You died."
Subaru's face twisted in disbelief. "Then… it wasn't a dream."
Ragna crouched beside him, resting his elbows on his knees. "You remember everything?"
Subaru gave a slow nod. "All of it. The house, Rom, Felt, the fight… that psycho Elsa… getting stabbed… everything."
He squinted at Ragna, uncertain. "Wait, what was your name again? Rag... na, right?"
"Yeah. Just Ragna," he said with a short nod.
Subaru tilted his head. "That's… not a Japanese name," he muttered under his breath.
Ragna heard it but didn't respond. The name stirred memories, ones buried in dusty old history books from his childhood.
Japan. The place where the Black Beast first appeared a hundred years ago in his world. The nation was devastated. The nuke they dropped on it to kill the beast didn't help, and it didn't even scratch the thing. After that, Japan ceased to exist in Ragna's time.
'So this kid is from Japan, then. From the past of my world? Or… another one altogether?'
"So, Ragna-san," Subaru began, forcing a grin. "Who exactly are you? A guard or something?"
"Just Ragna," he said sharply. "And do I look like a guard?"
"…Well, no," Subaru admitted, scratching the back of his head. "You kinda look like the typical anti-hero from an LN or game," he added, muttering the last part.
Ragna rolled his eyes.
"You must be the deuteragonist of my story, then! Satella's the heroine, and you're the aloof rival with a dark past," Subaru rambled, gesturing theatrically.
"I'm tempted to just leave you here."
"Okay, okay, sorry," Subaru said, holding up his hands. "I'm just… having a hard time processing this, you know? I mean… I just died."
"Twice," Ragna added.
"Yeah… not exactly something I want to get used to. You ever been through anything like that?"
"No," Ragna said, voice low. "Not like you. But I've come close more times than I can count."
He wasn't exaggerating. He'd been stabbed, had his right arm cut clean off, sacrificed his left arm for Noel, nearly bled out more times than he could remember. Almost everyone he'd met had tried to kill him at some point. Only a handful of exceptions came to mind like Tao, Celica…
In short, his life sucked.
"Seriously?" Subaru blinked, then gave a crooked smile. "Man, sounds like you've had it rough too, huh?" He gave Ragna a sympathetic look
"Can't do shit about it now," Ragna muttered with a shrug. "Anyway, I'm exactly like you."
Subaru blinked. "What do you mean?"
"I'm not from around here. I mean, from another world," Ragna clarified, gesturing subtly toward Subaru's outfit. "Your clothes don't look local, it's too modern. And you've got a phone. So I'm guessing you're not from around here either."
Subaru's eyes widened, lighting up with sudden hope. "Really?! Oh man, finally! I'm so glad I can talk to someone about this without being labeled a lunatic!"
"Enough with the introductions," Ragna cut in, voice sharp. "There's something more important we need to talk about, the time loop."
Subaru's grin faltered. "Time loop?"
"Use your brain," Ragna said flatly. "You died. And yet, you keep showing up back here, same spot, same moment. Right when that appa seller asks if you're buying."
Subaru paled. "T-That's what it was? I thought it was just some vivid hallucination. Like a premonition or something." He swallowed hard, trembling slightly.
"No. I went through it too," Ragna said grimly. "That's why those three thugs and Felt didn't recognize you. In their perspective, they never met you."
Subaru stared at him, jaw slack. "You… you seem really well-informed. You read a lot of time travel novel or something?"
"Focus, idiot."
"R-Right. Sorry."
Ragna narrowed his eyes. "Are you the one causing the time loop?"
Subaru shook his head quickly. "No. I just got here earlier today. I don't know any magic."
'Damn it,' Ragna thought, unease settling in his gut. 'It's exactly as I feared. Someone else is pulling the strings.'
"By the way," Subaru began, glancing over, "why did you help us against Elsa?"
Ragna shrugged. "Just felt like it. Actually... I've been following you since the second loop. I noticed you were the only one who seemed aware that time was repeating, so I tailed you to the slums to see if you knew anything."
Subaru blinked, surprised. "Wait, seriously? I didn't even notice that."
"I saw you beat up those three thugs. Not bad," Ragna said, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"Thanks. I've never fought before, so... it was kind of exciting," Subaru admitted, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly.
Ragna shot him a sideways glance. "That should be proof enough that I remember too. You weren't hallucinating it."
"Well, with so much circumstantial evidence… and you confirming it, there's no denying it," Subaru murmured, brows furrowed in thought. "It's hard to believe, but this has to be… a time leap. And each time, we return to our initial state. I'll call it…"
Ragna watched him in silence, arms crossed.
"…Return by Death," Subaru said, the words leaving his mouth like a solemn declaration.
Ragna exhaled through his nose. "At least now we've got a name for it."
Subaru gave a dry laugh, more bitter than amused. "Of course, the ability only kicks in when I die. Figures that something so miserable would be tied to me."
Before Ragna could reply, a rough voice interrupted them.
"You boys done talking behind my stand?" the appa merchant grumbled from the front. "If you're feeling fine, then move along. I've got a business to run."
Ragna glanced over. "Did you hear what we were talking about?"
"Too busy with customers to eavesdrop," the merchant grunted without looking their way.
Subaru perked up, eyes sparkling with a strange mix of excitement and nerves. "Oh man, you're not gonna believe this. This isn't the first time I've met you," he told the merchant.
The old man turned slightly, skeptical. "Huh? What are you going on about?"
"Get this, every time I d-"
Subaru's sentence cut off.
The world froze.
Colors dimmed. Sound vanished. The wind stopped mid-breeze. People halted in mid-motion, locked in place like statues.
Subaru's eyes widened in silent panic. 'Ragna? W-what's going on?' he thought, unable to speak, unable to move a single muscle..
Then came the black fog.
Thick, heavy, and unnatural, it blanketed the area in an oppressive silence.
'What the hell…?' Ragna tried to speak, but no sound came out. His body refused to move, except-
His right arm twitched. And his red right eye darted around in the frozen world, his green left eye unable to do the same. 'I can... move the Azure Grimoire?'
From the depths of the fog, a single pitch-black hand emerged, gliding toward Subaru with eerie slowness. It caressed his face gently, almost lovingly, before drifting lower.
It stopped over his chest, phased through it, and began to squeeze.
Pain exploded in Subaru's chest. He couldn't scream, couldn't move, could only feel as his heart was crushed inside his own ribcage. He wanted to scream. 'Am I... going to die again?'
With every ounce of willpower, Ragna raised his right arm. It moved through the frozen air like it was swimming through molasses, he struggled, but it moved. Just enough.
Wham!
Ragna's hand slapped the dark one away from Subaru's chest. The black hand recoiled, trembling slightly as if startled. Even without a face, its shock was palpable. It hadn't expected resistance. Not here. Not now.
The fog hissed.
And vanished.
Time snapped back into motion.
Subaru gasped and dropped to his knees, clutching his chest as the lingering pain pulsed through him.
"What... what was that?" he wheezed, eyes darting to Ragna.
The appa merchant looked confused. "What's wrong, boy? What were you about to say?"
Clearly, he hadn't noticed a thing.
Subaru and Ragna exchanged a heavy glance.
"…Never mind," Subaru said quickly, forcing a weak smile. "It's nothing. Thanks for letting me rest here."
Without another word, the two turned and walked away, the air between them heavy.
In a secluded alley, away from prying eyes and listening ears, Ragna and Subaru huddled in hushed conversation.
"Here's what I've figured," Ragna said, arms crossed, his back resting against the worn stone wall. "Whoever gave you that… 'Return' ability clearly doesn't want you talking about it. You break that rule, and they crush your heart. Simple as that."
"B-but I can talk about it with you," Subaru said, his voice shaky but hopeful.
"Yeah. And that's what's weird." Ragna's eyes narrowed in thought. "Your ability is somehow affecting me too. I got sent back with you, retained my memories… I can talk about it with you, and when that fog appeared, I could partially move."
Subaru frowned, thinking. "Is… is it because we're both from another world?"
"That's the only link I can see so far," Ragna admitted, running a hand through his silver hair. "I can't think of any other similarity between us. It's a thin lead, but it's something."
Subaru's gaze drifted down to Ragna's arm. "Why only your right arm, though? Why could only that move?"
"…Long story," Ragna muttered, flexing his fingers slightly. "This thing isn't my real arm. Just a replacement, it's not exactly... normal."
"Wait, so you weren't kidding when you said you knew what losing an arm felt like to Rom during the last loop?" Subaru asked, eyes widening.
Ragna raised an eyebrow. "You thought I was joking?"
"Well… yeah," Subaru admitted sheepishly. "I mean, you said it so casually, like a one-liner out of some gritty anime."
Ragna rolled his eyes, pushing off the wall. "Tch. I don't do one-liners."
"You totally do," Subaru grinned, trying to lighten the mood.
"Don't make me regret helping you out."
Before Subaru could formulate a retort, a figure passed briskly along the street just beyond the alley. The subtle sound of footsteps on cobblestone shifted Subaru's attention immediately.
It was her.
Silver hair that shimmered in the daylight, trailing behind a white and violet dress. Her posture was brisk, focused. Even from behind, there was no mistaking her.
Subaru's eyes lit up with recognition. "Satella!" he called out impulsively, already breaking into a jog.
Ragna's brow furrowed. "Oi! wait a damn-"
Too late.
Subaru dashed out of the alley and into the street, weaving through a few early pedestrians until he caught up with the girl.
"Hey, Satella!" he said, breathless but beaming. "Still looking for your stolen item? I can help!"
The silver-haired girl stopped in her tracks.
Around them, a handful of passerby also came to a halt, drawn by the name he had shouted. The air grew tense in an instant.
The girl's shoulders stiffened. She didn't turn immediately. Her voice came quiet, but icy.
"…What did you just call me?"
Subaru blinked. "Huh?"
The girl slowly turned, her expression shifting from surprise to visible hostility.
"Why did you call me that?" she demanded, her tone now razor-sharp. "That name... it belongs to the Witch of Envy!"
The words hit the crowd like a dropped torch in dry grass.
"What?!"
"Did he just-?"
"That name's taboo!"
The silver-haired girl's expressions morphing into suspicion and disgust.
"That's right, boy! What the hell were you thinking?" one older man snapped, clearly disturbed.
"You went too far!" a younger woman added, folding her arms and glaring.
Subaru took a step back, his mouth opening and closing uselessly. "W-wha…? But… she told me-" he stammered, his words dying in his throat.
He couldn't say it. He couldn't tell them that she had told him that name in a different timeline. That would raise more questions than he could answer. It was dangerous, impossible to explain. Plus, there's that black hand threatening him too.
"I-I didn't mean-" he started, flustered, but the girl wasn't listening anymore.
Her attention had shifted.
A breeze rustled her hair, and in that moment of distraction, a blur shot past them. A flicker of red and gold.
Subaru turned his head just in time to catch it.
"Felt…?"
The nimble thief was already dashing away, her small frame vanishing into the next alley like a shadow. The glint of a familiar object, Emilia's insignia, sparkled briefly in her grasp before disappearing.
"My insignia!" the silver-haired girl gasped. Her hands went to her side, patting down the pocket where it should have been. Empty.
She spun around, eyes wide with disbelief and fury. "You!" she shouted, pointing directly at Subaru. "Were you distracting me so your friend could steal my belongings?!"
"What? No!" Subaru held up his hands defensively. "I didn't even know she was there! I swear, I'm not with her! She's just-"
But the girl didn't wait for an explanation.
Without another word, she turned on her heel and bolted after the thief, her long hair trailing behind her like a silver ribbon in the wind.
Subaru remained frozen in place, caught between confusion and frustration.
"Why... Why did her name change…" he muttered, voice barely audible.
Behind him, Ragna sighed deeply and stepped out of the alley, one hand on his hip, the other resting near the hilt of Aramasa.
"Smooth," he said dryly. "Real smooth."
Subaru turned with a helpless expression. "She said that was her name before! I just… I didn't know...!"
"Maybe next time," Ragna said, walking past him, "don't cause a commotion by shouting someone's name in the middle of the damn street."
Subaru slumped, defeated. "Yeah... Got it."
They retreated into another alleyway, narrow, dimly lit, and far from any listening ears. The faint murmur of the marketplace still echoed in the distance, but here, they could talk freely.
Ragna leaned against the wall, arms folded. "Now... are you sure that's her name?"
"Yes," Subaru replied, nodding with conviction. "She told me in the first loop. After her insignia got stolen by Felt, she saved me from those three thugs. She asked if I knew anything about it. We exchanged names, and then we went looking for Felt together. We ended up in the slums and... well…"
"Elsa happened," Ragna finished grimly.
"Yeah… that." Subaru's voice dropped, eyes distant. "I just don't get it. Why was she so angry?"
"Because that name is apparently taboo," Ragna said, watching him carefully. "People were whispering about it. Something about a Witch."
Subaru blinked, recalling the stunned crowd. "Right... I remember now. The moment I said the name, everyone looked at me like I'd spat on the king."
"There are a few possibilities," Ragna offered, thinking aloud. "Maybe the girl you met in the first loop was her twin and her name was Satella. Or... she lied."
Subaru frowned. "Based on everyone's reactions, this Satella person sounds like bad news, no way she's the one I met earlier, and why would she lie about her own name?"
Ragna shrugged. "Hell if I know. Could be for protection. Could be a test. Either way, it's a mess."
Subaru sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Eh, we can fix it next time. No worries."
Ragna's eye narrowed, voice sharp. "By 'next time'... you mean...?"
Subaru froze, eyes wide. "What? N-No! I meant next time we see her! Not next time we loop! Are you crazy? I'm not gonna off myself over that! Dying hurts like hell!"
"Good," Ragna said, his tone firm, almost threatening. "Because if you start treating this ability like some kind of reset button for every mistake, I will smack some sense into you."
He could forgive the previous two loops, those were accidents, forced resets. But if Subaru ever started abusing this twisted gift for petty reasons, he'd earn Ragna's full fury. His loathing for Phenomenon Intervention and reality-bending abilities still ran deep.
"You don't have to worry about that," Subaru assured. "Let's just head to the slums," he suggested, "We already know where Felt is headed. No need to chase after her."
Ragna nodded silently, following Subaru through the narrow backstreets. The further they moved into the alleys, the more the scent of rot and damp stone crept in. Just as they rounded a corner, three familiar figures stepped into their path.
Subaru came to a halt, blinking in disbelief. "These guys again? Isn't this a different alley from last time?"
'Yeah," Ragna muttered, eyeing the thugs with narrowed eyes. "They're not random happenstance. They've been stalking you, probably figured you looked like easy prey."
One of the thugs, the grey-haired man with shifty-look stepped forward with a sneer. His dagger already in hand, no doubt because Subaru isn't alone this time. "Hand over your valuables. Now."
Subaru groaned. "Man, they're persistent… even when I'm not alone this time."
Ragna didn't flinch. He walked past Subaru and stepped into the open, drawing Aramasa with a sharp metallic hiss. With deliberate force, he stabbed the massive blade into the cobbled ground, the steel ringing out as it sank in deep.
"Or what?" he asked flatly, his jade and crimson eyes glowing with warning. There was no trace of fear in his voice, only challenge.
The thugs hesitated. Their confidence wavered. They had expected another easy target, not someone carrying a sword as tall as a grown man, and clearly willing to use it.
Ragna raised his voice, tone cutting through the tension like his blade through flesh. "Well? I'm waiting. What's gonna happen if I don't pay up?"
The leader took a nervous step back, sweat gathering at his temple. "H-Hey, maybe we got the wrong guys…"
"You think?" Ragna snarled, taking one slow step forward.
The three exchanged glances, silently agreeing this wasn't worth the risk. Without another word, they turned and bolted down the alley, disappearing into the maze of stone and shadow
Subaru blinked. "Okay… that was awesome. You didn't even have to hit them."
Ragna pulled Aramasa from the ground, sliding it back into its holder on his waist with a practiced flick. "People like that are cowards. They only act tough when they think you're weaker."
"Still," Subaru said, walking beside him again, "remind me not to get on your bad side."
Ragna smirked faintly. "You already have. But you're lucky I'm patient."
Subaru laughed nervously. "Heh… I'll take lucky over dead any day.
As they made their way into the slums, the air grew heavier with grit and the scent of rot. Broken cobblestones crunched under their boots while distant voices echoed between crumbling walls. Subaru walked beside Ragna, speaking with a sense of urgency laced with a nervous edge.
"We need to find Felt, get her to agree to trade the insignia for my phone, then track down Rom and get them out of here," he said, laying out the plan step by step.
Ragna glanced over at him, expression unreadable. "Why?"
Subaru blinked, caught off guard by the bluntness. "To save them! So they won't be killed!"
"You're planning to run?"
"I… Well, now that I think about it," Subaru scratched his cheek, "maybe there's no need to run. I mean, we've got you. You held your own against her pretty well last time."
"I wasn't going all out," Ragna replied coolly.
"She probably wasn't either."
Ragna gave a single, slow nod. "That's fair."
"Why didn't you go all out then?" Subaru asked, curiosity in his voice.
'Now that's a loaded question,' Ragna thought.
He glanced down at his right arm, the Azure Grimoire. Just using it released seithr into the air, just like one of NOL's Cauldron.
This world wasn't used to seithr. Who knew what might happen if he let loose here? The seithr might not just linger, it could spread, maybe even feed off the mysterious substance filling the air in this world, multiplying uncontrollably.
Back home, they built the Hierarchical Cities on mountaintops for a reason: to stay above the seithr, and avoid breathing it in. Too much of it warped animals into monsters. Breathing too much of it in could kill people. Slowly, painfully.
Ragna didn't want to taint this place if he could help it.
He exhaled slowly, hiding the weight behind his words. "Didn't think Rom's place could handle me going all out," that was a half-truth. The part he could say out loud.
"Well, we just need to make sure I don't die this time then," Subaru said with a nervous chuckle. "So you can finish her off."
Ragna suddenly stopped walking, his eyes cast toward the ground. "About that…" he murmured. "I'm sorry. It's my fault you died last time."
Subaru's eyes widened in surprise. "Whoa, hold on. Aren't you supposed to be the quiet, brooding type?" he teased, throwing a smirk Ragna's way. "You're ruining the image. You only get to say stuff like that after going through some heartfelt character arc."
Ragna didn't respond. His silence was heavy.
Subaru blinked. "Wait... gasp! Don't tell me… you already went through that arc?!"
"Take it seriously, you moron," Ragna snapped, but there was no real venom in his voice.
"Alright, alright." Subaru's grin faded, replaced by something more sincere. "It's fine, man. You didn't know she was going to target me. I was the one who provoked her. You don't need to feel responsible for someone like me."
Ragna stopped again. This time, he turned to face Subaru fully.
"Someone like you?" His voice was sharp, colder now. "What the hell does that mean?"
Subaru shrugged, trying to play it off. "You know… It's not that big a deal. We get to try again, don't we?"
"The hell are you talking about?" Ragna's voice rose, his brows furrowed in frustration. "You saying you're not worth saving?"
Subaru blinked, taken aback by the intensity in Ragna's tone.
"You don't get to decide that," Ragna said, low and firm. "Don't throw your life away like it's some disposable tool just because it resets. You matter just as much as anyone else."
For a moment, Subaru said nothing.
"…Thanks," he finally muttered, his voice quiet but genuine.
Ragna said nothing, already turning back toward the path ahead. "Now let's go. We've got a thief to save."
They continued deeper into the slums, the narrow streets weaving between decaying buildings and rusted gates. As they turned a corner, they came to an abrupt halt. They didn't expect to see her here.
Elsa was walking straight toward them, calm and elegant, her expression blank, no recognition in her eyes.
Subaru instinctively took a step back, panic creeping into his features. But before he could turn away, Ragna placed a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Don't act suspicious," Ragna murmured, not looking at him. "If you look like you're avoiding her, she'll notice."
Subaru swallowed hard and gave a small nod.
They kept walking, eyes forward, doing their best to appear casual, just two strangers passing another on the street. Ragna's posture remained relaxed, while Subaru's shoulders were tense, his steps slightly uneven.
But despite his best efforts, Subaru couldn't help himself. His eyes drifted toward her, the woman who had butchered him. Twice. Hatred surged up in his chest, and before he knew it, he was glaring.
The three passed each other.
Then, Elsa came to a stop.
Without turning, she spoke calmly, almost amused. "That's an intense glare you're giving me, young man."
Both Subaru and Ragna froze in place.
Subaru stiffened, his face tightening with panic.
Ragna, however, turned smoothly, keeping his expression neutral. "Ah, that's on me," he said, slipping effortlessly into a casual tone. "I've been telling him he needs to get a girlfriend, but the lazy bastard can't seem to find one. Now look at him, he can't even stop himself from staring when a beautiful woman walks by."
Subaru blinked, caught off guard. "Hey! What the hell, man?" he said, voice rising a bit, but he played along, flustered. "I'm not that bad!"
Given Elsa's somewhat revealing attire, Ragna's comment wasn't completely implausible.
Elsa turned slightly, her eyes glinting with curiosity. "He seems rather nervous."
"Can you blame him?" Ragna said smoothly. "Last time he got caught staring, it was at some noble girls. That almost got his ass arrested. Nobles don't take kindly to slum kids like him. He's just worried you'd do the same."
Elsa let out a soft laugh, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't worry," she said, her voice velvety and sweet. "I don't mind."
Subaru tried to relax, but his fingers twitched slightly. Ragna, however, held his ground, gaze steady, tone even.
"Glad to hear it," Ragna said, nodding politely. "Come on, lover boy. Let's go."
Subaru muttered something unintelligible under his breath as they walked away, his heart pounding.
Once they were far enough from Elsa, Ragna paused, subtly glancing back over his shoulder to make sure she wasn't following.
"She's gone," he muttered.
Subaru exhaled slowly, tension still clinging to his shoulders. "What is she doing here so early?"
Ragna didn't miss a beat. "Scouting the area. Probably looking for a good place to retreat if things go sideways."
Subaru glanced at him, brows furrowed. "Then why didn't you just... you know, end it right there?"
Ragna didn't answer immediately. His eyes narrowed, still scanning the shadows. Then he spoke, voice low and edged with restraint. "You think I didn't want to? Trust me. I'd love for it to end right there."
He looked at Subaru, expression serious. "But that was an open street. Broad daylight. Me killing a woman, one who looks harmless to everyone else. right there in public?" He shook his head. "It wouldn't just make a scene. It'd make us fugitives."
Subaru frowned. "Right... I didn't think about that."
Ragna shot him a look, his expression unreadable. "You're not thinking enough, period. You can't just act on impulse. That's what got you killed last time."
Subaru rubbed the back of his neck, sheepish. "Yeah, I know. Still, it's hard keeping my cool around her. After what she did…"
"I get it," Ragna said, voice softening just a bit. "But hate alone doesn't win fights."
The old Ragna wasn't like this. He wasn't someone who could give advice to others.
He had been reckless, impulsive, consumed by hatred, lashing out at everyone around him. He ignored advice, pushed people away, and clung to a power everyone said wasn't truly his.
Looking at Subaru now, he saw traces of that same destructive path. The recklessness. The desperate reliance on something he didn't fully understand.
Ragna didn't want to see this idiot walk the same road.
His own thirst for revenge had led him down a blood-soaked path. It turned him into a criminal with the highest bounty in history. The SS-class criminal, the Grim Reaper. He had cut down hundreds of NOL soldiers, some corrupt, sure, but many were just doing their jobs.
Innocents, caught in the storm he'd become.
And even now, with a second chance in another world, those memories clung to him like a curse.
Ragna glanced at Subaru out of the corner of his eye.
If he could stop just one person from becoming like him… maybe that would count for something.
Notes:
Welp, looks like I couldn't finish Arc 1 in this chapter like I wanted to. Oh well.
Actions
↑ Top ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter → Edit Bookmark Comments (12)
Kudos
TheAceol, Aniflash, BigTipper, TrytoDoSTH42, LatvianFryingChicken, ShadowRagna97, Bryan16rogi, t3001ab, SolsticeShiro, Arakuro, Cognitoergosum90, Ghost_Angel5595, DoDreadcahedron, Prospalz, Joben123, Yiersan_12, Raimne, Rex777rex777, Bossbongo, Hawkward_turtle, CrossedSeven, DepressoBear, Nicklong, Blacksmith8240, Pizzamid, Caleibur, divemissile, Chirurg_Down, KJS100, Kakoto, Sweirvein71, Enlightened_Altair, Empathetically_Tired, Ayin33550336, Boneshunt, Koranko, Thunderblade2324, KUROKI_36, Muneyuki028, RetroEtoh, OffhandScribe, helpless212, BeanusBingus, StoneMaskedTaliesin, DrBungee, Memo_1999, Xorn15, Vanestus, flear, Uprise_So, and 136 more users as well as 337 guests left kudos on this work!
Comments
Post Comment
Comment as TheBrimmedHat
Plain text with limited HTML ?
Comment
10000 characters left
Footer
Customize
Default
Low Vision Default
Reversi
Snow Blue
About the Archive
Site Map
Diversity Statement
Terms of Service
Content Policy
Privacy Policy
DMCA & TIDA Policies
Site Status
Contact Us
Policy Questions & Abuse Reports
Technical Support & Feedback
Development
otwarchive v1.6.0.3
Known Issues
GPL-2.0-or-later by the OTW