Later that night, as Halibal looked at Subaru as he spoke. "You didn't need to come with this small group".
Subaru looked at him as he spoke. "This is our first mission and if there is even a 1% chance of an Archbishop, I will be coming here".
Halibal then spoke looking at him. "Fair enough, let's see I am still saying it is just a small one".
Subaru Unsheathed Witch's Edge as he spoken. "Yeah I am definitely Overthinking, still better safe then sory, alright remember the position attack".
The small strike team moved through the dense forest under the cover of darkness. The Witch Cult's stronghold—a rundown manor on the outskirts of a ruined village—stood ominously ahead. Shadows flickered under the moonlight as Subaru and his squad approached.
Shaule, perched on a tree branch, whispered through the communication crystal. "Scouts report minimal guards. No Archbishop in sight."
Halibal exhaled smoke, nodding. "Told ya. Small fry."
Subaru still gripped Witch's Edge tightly. "Doesn't mean we drop our guard. Stick to the plan."
The team split up—silent as ghosts.
Shaule's unit circled to the back entrance. Halibal's group took the flanks. Subaru and two others moved toward the front.
A single Witch Cultist stood guard, half asleep. Subaru dashed forward in a blur, knocking him out before he could react. No screams. No alarms.
With a silent signal, the team breached the entrance.
Inside, the scent of blood and decay filled the air. The cultists inside were completely unaware of their presence until—
Schlick!
Halibal's blade pierced through the throat of one cultist, while Shaule's dagger silenced another. Subaru lunged, cutting down two more with Witch's Edge. The battle was over in seconds.
Subaru exhaled, wiping his blade. "Too easy…"
Then—
A slow clap echoed from the hallway.
"Not bad," a voice drawled.
Subaru's blood ran cold. From the shadows, a man stepped forward, clad in tattered priestly robes. His unsettling grin stretched across his face.
A Sin Archbishop.
Subaru clenched his blade and raise an eyebrow in question. "Who the hell are you?"
The man chuckled. "Oh? You don't recognize me? How cruel. I am the Archbishop of Sloth… though not the one you know. Call me… Lazilus."
The strike team tensed.
Halibal muttered as he was bit annoyed, not taking this seciresly. "Subaru… tell me we're not fighting another Sloth freak."
Subaru scowled. "Looks like we are."
Lazilus grinned wider. "Oh, but I'm nothing like that fool Petelgeuse. Allow me to show you true Sloth!"
"That is cool, but we don't care, Wind Slash".
As then Lazilus head cut, as the one too speak too him and say does words was Shaule, as she kicked the head away as she looked at Subaru. "So you two".
Subaru then spoke looking at him. "Yeah we knew he was bluffing, he was just trying to scare us".
Halibal then spoke. "If he was a real Archbishop he wouldn't have tryed too attack from a different side, with his followers with him".
Subaru walked up too him as he spoke. "He was saying the half truth so he was probably a candidate if Petelgeuse die, or in this case when he dies".
Shaule then spoke Looking at him. "So now what".
Subaru then spoke as he hear more blood being splat across the hideout. "Our other member are handling that, so let me do this".
He made fire ball, as it hit the wall, as then they walked away as a design was made, the next day a whole group of night was coming too the base of the Witch Cult.
Julius looked at them as he spoke. "We had reports of witch curl activities, so we have chosen too take them down".
Gareth then spoke. "There is the base".
They landed ready for a fight, but what they found was something else, dead body's do witch cult members in every room, as they went too a room as they found Lazilus dead body, as then they saw in the wall, it was burned as it shows the design of witch hat, inside of a circle as then it says word's that were cut in the wall with Wind Slash "The Witch's Hand sends it's regard".
The next day, this was the headline for the day in Lugunica.
The morning sun had barely risen when the latest headlines spread like wildfire across Lugunica.
"Witch Cult Stronghold Annihilated! Sin Archbishop Candidate Found Dead! The Witch's Hand Strikes Again!"
Noble households, military leaders, and the Royal Selection candidates all had their eyes glued to the report. The Witch's Hand—an elusive organization that had been growing in influence—had once again dealt a decisive blow against the cult.
—---
At the Silver Quill Publishing Company
Subaru sat in Regis's office, sipping his tea as Regis slammed the newspaper on the table.
"You could have at least warned me that you'd pull something like this!" Regis huffed. "The entire country is talking about the Witch's Hand again!"
Subaru, completely unfazed, smirked. "You're acting like it's a bad thing."
Regis groaned, rubbing his temples. "It's not bad per se… but damn it, Subaru! You took down a whole Witch Cult stronghold, eliminated an Archbishop candidate, and left a calling card like some kind of vigilante group!"
Subaru leaned back, looking smug. "Which means our name holds weight now. The more fear we put into there heart".
Regis sigehd as he looked at Subaru. "Why did I decide to work with you in this".
Subaru looked at as he spoke. "Because you want revenge for your family, revenge on a cirten Archbishop".
Regis sigehd as he remembers his village which was burned down by the witch cult and leading them was Particular white hair man. "Yeah that is why I joined this group, back when you were just staring it".
Subaru nodded, his expression turning serious. "And now we're getting stronger. We've built a network, we've got resources, and most importantly—we're making a difference. The Witch Cult isn't untouchable anymore."
Regis exhaled deeply, leaning back in his chair. "Still, the more we act, the more attention we draw. It won't be long before the Royal Court starts looking into us. And if they ever connect you to the Witch's Hand—"
Subaru waved his hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah, I know. That's why we're careful. Nobody outside our group knows who the real leader is. To the world, I'm just Subaru Natsuki, a Royal Selection knight and totally not the guy running an underground rebellion against the Witch Cult."
Regis gave him a deadpan look. "Totally not, huh?"
Subaru smirked. "Exactly."
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted them. One of the publishing house staff entered, holding a stack of fresh copies of Naruto Volume 3 and Shadow Slave Volume 1.
"The first prints are ready," the staff member said, placing them on the table.
Regis sighed. "You're out there dismantling secret cults at night, and by day, you're the country's most popular author. I don't know whether to admire you or call you insane."
Subaru grinned. "Why not both?"
Regis chuckled despite himself. "You really are something else, Subaru."
Koyami then came out Subaru jacket as he point at a clock. "It is time".
Subaru sigehd as he spoke. "Make extra new copay of Naruto and Shadow Slave before publish the new fresh copies, I gonna go and meet a friend".
Regis looked at him with a smirk. "Yeah sure friend".
Subaru just used Yang Step, as meanwhile in the Capital Crusch was waiting, as he heard it.
"Sorry for keep you waiting".
She turned head head too see Subaru, as she spoke. "No you came in time, also at this point why wear the hood".
Subaru adjusted his hood slightly, smirking. "Force of habit. Keeps things a bit more mysterious, don't you think?"
Crusch chuckled. "Mysterious, huh? More like unnecessary. Everyone here already knows who you are."
Subaru sighed, lowering the hood. "Fine, fine. Anyway, what's the plan for today? Another 'friendly' sparring session, or are we actually going somewhere fun this time?"
Crusch gave him a small smile. "Both, actually. I figured we'd test your swordsmanship first, and after that, we'll go for some tea. I heard about a new place in the capital that serves excellent herbal blends."
Subaru groaned dramatically. "Of course, you want to spar first. You just like beating me up, don't you?"
Crusch smirked. "Consider it training. You are improving, though. Slowly."
Subaru sighed. "That slowly part hurts, you know."
Crusch chuckled. "Come, let's not keep the training grounds waiting."
As the two walked side by side, Subaru couldn't help but feel a sense of ease. He may have been running an underground resistance against the Witch Cult, but moments like these reminded him that he was still just Subaru—someone who could enjoy life, even if just for a little while.
Later that night in the Roswaal Mantion, it was the night time as he was looking at the night sky, at the moon as he wonder.
[Minerva then spoke Looking at as she spoke. "What are you thinking about".]
Subaru then spoke back. "Just how many things had happened in these few months, and this year is almost over".
[Echidna then spoke. "And then soon your gonna be 15, which is the legal adult age of Lugunica"]
Subaru sigehd as he spoke. "Yeah, but in a way.... I miss my old world".
[Typhon then spoke in his head. "Why Big Brother?, everyone always compared to your father, and after you lost the race the kids who respect you left you, everyone ignored you and when you try to rebuild your self in Highschool they just laughed and ignore you"]
Subaru then spoke back in his. "Ok that was not the correct worlds, I miss my parents".
[Minerva then sighed. "Of course you do, idiot. They're your parents. No matter what happened back there, they loved you."]
Subaru smiled faintly, still looking at the moon. "Yeah… I wonder what they're doing right now. Are they worried? Did they move on? Do they think I just ran away?"
[Echidna then spoke in a curious tone. "If given the chance, would you go back?"]
Subaru was silent for a moment before answering. "No… even if I miss them, I can't leave this world behind. I have too many responsibilities, too many people who rely on me now."
[Typhon giggled. "So you're saying you wouldn't leave Emilia-chan?"]
Subaru chuckled. "Not just her… but yeah, I can't imagine not being here for her. Or Rem. Or Beako. Or even that smug bastard Roswaal."
Minerva huffed. "You better not forget me and the others, too!"
Subaru smirked. "Of course not. You guys live in my head rent-free, after all."
As the cold night breeze passed through, Subaru sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. He knew he had changed a lot since coming to this world. He wasn't just Natsuki Subaru, the shut-in failure anymore—he was Rusa, the mysterious author; he was the leader of Witch's Hand; he was the man who fought against the Witch Cult.
And soon… he'd be 15. An adult by Lugunica's laws.
Subaru then spoke in his head. "I don't want too go back to my world But".
[Satella then spoke. "But you can bring them here in the future"]
Subaru then spoke in his head. "I don't want too go back to my world But".
[Satella then spoke. "But you can bring them here in the future"]
Subaru's eyes widened slightly at Satella's words.
"Bring them… here?" he murmured in his head, staring at the moon.
[Satella's voice was gentle. "Yes… if you grow stronger, if you find the right path, there might be a way to bring your parents to this world."]
[Echidna scoffed. "Hah! That's a ridiculous idea. The concept of world transfer is already unstable, and dragging someone else along? That's borderline impossible."]
[Minerva huffed. "And even if he could, would they even want to leave their world behind? It's not that simple."]
Subaru frowned slightly. He hadn't considered that possibility before. Could he really bring his parents here? Could he actually reunite with them? Would they accept this world?
[Typhon giggled. "Big Brother, you should focus on what's in front of you first. You're already juggling so much!"]
Subaru sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah… you're right. Thinking about this now won't change anything. I need to focus on what I can do first."
[Satella's voice remained soft. "Of course… but if you ever want it, know that I will help you. No matter what."]
Subaru's heart thumped slightly at her words, but he shook his head with a small smile. "Thanks, Satella… but let's take things one step at a time."
With that, he turned away from the night sky, ready to face another day in this world he now called home.
[Pandora then spoke. "For to that you would need a lot of power, which you are slowly getting, do remember you are the future witch king".
Daphne then spoken. "I think all us wanna meet your parents, and have us meet them, and Able wants too also meet them"
Able then spoke in his head. "I wanna meet Grandmother and Grandfather Dad"]
Subaru sighed, rubbing his temples. "Future Witch King… Yeah, still not used to that."
[Pandora chuckled. "You better. It's your destiny, after all."]
[Daphne giggled. "And when that happens, I want lots of food offerings! You will provide, right?"]
[Able spoke again, his voice filled with curiosity. "Dad, do you think Grandmother and Grandfather will like me?"]
Subaru paused, feeling a strange mix of emotions. "Of course, they will. I mean… it'll be really weird explaining things to them, but they'll definitely love you."
[Able's voice brightened. "Then one day, I wanna see them!"]
[Echidna sighed. "We're getting way ahead of ourselves. Subaru barely has the means to challenge a Sin Archbishop properly, let alone manipulate interdimensional travel."]
[Satella's voice remained calm. "But one day… it will be possible."]
Subaru shook his head with a wry smile. "One thing at a time, guys. One thing at a time."
Looking back at the sky, he exhaled slowly. There was still so much to do—so many goals, so many obstacles. But deep down, a small part of him couldn't help but wonder…
What would it really be like to see his parents again?
To be continued