Silence consumed the street.
Not normal silence.
The kind where even breathing felt loud.
Reinhard stood atop the rooftop without moving.
His blue eyes remained locked onto me carefully.
Analyzing.
Measuring.
Trying to understand.
Honestly?
I could practically see the divine protections in his body going insane right now.
Makes sense.
Od Lagna probably had no idea what the hell I was.
Below him, Elsa slowly pulled herself from the rubble.
Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Yet instead of fear—
She laughed.
Softly at first.
Then harder.
"Hehehe…"
Her golden eyes stayed glued to me with pure obsession.
"…Amazing."
Emilia stared at her in disbelief.
"She's laughing?!"
Elsa ignored her completely.
That woman genuinely got excited from finding stronger prey.
A complete psychopath.
"My knives…" Elsa whispered almost lovingly while staring at the shattered fragments near my feet. "You broke them with a finger…"
I looked down at the fragments briefly.
"…They were fragile."
Elsa smiled wider.
"Can I see more?"
"No."
Then—
BOOM.
The street exploded beneath her feet.
Elsa vanished instantly.
Fast.
Much faster than before.
Interesting.
So she'd stopped playing around.
Her movement blurred unpredictably through the alley while bloodlust flooded the area.
Even Emilia struggled to track her.
Puck immediately expanded in size protectively.
Meanwhile—
I simply stood there.
Hands still in my pockets.
Elsa appeared behind me silently.
A hidden blade shot toward my spine.
Clang.
Again.
Stopped effortlessly.
This time between two fingers.
Elsa's smile finally faltered slightly.
"…Impossible."
I tilted my head.
"You rely too much on speed."
Then I flicked her forehead lightly.
BOOM.
Elsa disappeared like a cannonball.
Three entire buildings collapsed from the impact.
Dust exploded into the sky.
Emilia's jaw dropped completely.
Old Rom looked like he wanted to retire immediately.
Even Felt stared at me from nearby with wide eyes.
Meanwhile Reinhard finally moved.
He landed between me and the destroyed buildings smoothly.
Not protectively.
Cautiously.
Interesting.
He viewed me as the greater threat already.
Smart.
Dust slowly settled around the ruined street.
Then Elsa crawled from the debris again.
Blood covered her body now.
Bones visibly twisted wrong.
But her smile had become almost insane.
"…Wonderful…"
Honestly?
Re:Zero characters were mentally ill.
"I've never met someone like you before…"
Her wounds slowly regenerated.
Ah right.
Curse doll body.
Annoying.
Reinhard's voice finally broke the silence.
"…Who are you?"
Every eye turned toward me instantly.
Knights nearby had begun arriving now too.
And the moment they saw Reinhard facing me seriously—
Panic spread immediately.
Because Reinhard never looked tense.
Ever.
Yet right now?
The Sword Saint's instincts screamed at him.
I glanced at him calmly.
"Subaru."
"…Subaru what?"
"Just Subaru."
Reinhard studied me carefully.
Then his eyes drifted toward Yamato at my waist.
The moment he saw the sword—
His expression sharpened slightly.
Interesting.
So the Dragon Sword sensed it too.
Honestly, Reid probably would've started laughing historically if he saw Yamato.
A sword capable of separating space itself?
Yeah.
That definitely qualified as absurd even here.
Reinhard slowly placed his hand on the handle of Dragon Sword Reid.
The atmosphere instantly changed.
The knights nearby paled immediately.
One even whispered shakily.
"…The Sword Saint is drawing his blade…"
Fear spread rapidly through the street.
Because the kingdom only had one understanding regarding Dragon Sword Reid.
If Reinhard drew it—
The enemy was catastrophic.
Puck immediately moved Emilia further back.
Even Elsa stopped smiling briefly.
Interesting.
Everybody understood the weight behind that action.
I looked at Reinhard calmly.
"…You want to fight?"
"No."
Honest answer.
Good.
"But my instincts tell me I may have to."
Fair enough.
The wind suddenly became heavier.
Mana across the area distorted strangely.
Not from Reinhard.
From me.
Or more specifically—
From Yamato.
The sword vibrated slightly at my waist.
Excited.
Wanting to be drawn.
Honestly?
Same.
My fingers slowly wrapped around the handle.
And instantly—
Every instinct in the entire area screamed.
Knights collapsed to one knee gasping.
Windows shattered across nearby buildings.
The sky itself distorted slightly above us.
Reinhard's eyes widened.
For the first time since arriving—
Genuine excitement appeared on his face.
"…Amazing."
Then—
SHING.
Yamato left its sheath slightly.
That was all.
Just slightly.
But space split apart.
A thin black line appeared across the sky itself before healing instantly.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
One knight dropped his weapon accidentally.
Emilia stared upward speechlessly.
Puck looked horrified.
Even Elsa stopped smiling entirely.
Meanwhile Reinhard—
Reinhard laughed.
Not arrogantly.
Not mockingly.
Pure excitement.
Like a man who had finally discovered another mountain beyond his own peak.
"…I see now."
His grip tightened slightly around Dragon Sword Reid.
"You truly are strong."
I looked at him calmly.
Then fully released Yamato's handle.
The pressure vanished instantly.
Everyone gasped for air.
Honestly?
This world was weaker than I expected.
I hadn't even used magic yet.
Reinhard slowly relaxed afterward.
But his eyes never left me.
Because now he understood.
Not fully.
Nobody here could fully understand Anos-level nonsense.
But he understood enough.
If we fought seriously—
Lugunica might disappear.
Then suddenly—
Elsa laughed again.
"…This is bad…"
She wiped blood from her lips while smiling nervously now.
"A monster stronger than the Sword Saint appearing out of nowhere…"
Interesting.
That single sentence changed everything.
Because nearby knights heard it.
And once rumors started—
They would never stop.
The Sword Saint.
Reinhard van Astrea.
The undefeated hero of the kingdom.
And standing before him—
A black-haired swordsman even Reinhard acknowledged.
The beginning of a legend.
Reinhard slowly looked toward me again.
"…Subaru."
"Hm?"
"I would like to fight you someday."
Straightforward.
I respected it.
"…Maybe."
A faint smile appeared on Reinhard's face.
Then suddenly—
A terrified knight shouted from behind.
"Sir Reinhard!"
Everyone turned.
More guards were arriving rapidly now.
Meaning this entire incident was about to become public.
Annoying.
I sighed softly.
"Troublesome."
Then—
I disappeared.
Not fast movement.
Actual disappearance.
Gasps erupted everywhere instantly.
Reinhard's eyes widened slightly.
Because even he lost track of me completely.
Only my voice remained briefly in the air.
"Try not to die before our rematch, Sword Saint."
Silence followed.
Then one of the knights whispered shakily—
"…Who… was that?"
And for the first time in years—
Reinhard didn't have an answer.