Madness

Hello, Dear Readers!

It's been a while, and I can practically hear the rustling of pitchforks. Please, hold off on the rebellion for just a moment—let me explain.

Life threw a double celebration my way: the recent New Year festivities and, to add a personal touch, my birthday. Amidst the joy and merriment, finding that quiet writing time proved to be difficult. But fear not! I was determined to make it up to you.

Originally, I planned to polish and present this chapter tomorrow, but the haunting memories of novel-dropping habits in the Re:Zero world prompted me to buckle down and finish it in one go. As a small peace offering, I've made this chapter twice as long as my usual ones.

I know it won't fully compensate for the radio silence, but I hope it's a step in the right direction. We're edging closer to the conclusion of the Insignia Arc, and I'm as excited as you are.

Thanks for your patience, and without further ado, enjoy the extended chapter!

Happy Reading!

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"That was close!" I gasp, narrowly evading the razor-sharp arc of death that aimed for my head.

Retreating to regain my footing, I launch myself forward, twin knives glinting with deadly intent. Elsa sidesteps my every strike, effortlessly pivoting on one leg. In a sudden burst of agility, she delivers a ruthless roundhouse kick to my stomach, but I manage to brace myself just in time by crossing my arms.

"Agh!" The impact resonates with a guttural sound as pain courses through my arms. Despite the strain, I seize the opportunity, retaliating with a swift kick to Elsa's shin.

Elsa flinches, creating a momentary opening. Seizing the opportunity, I thrust both knives towards her torso. However, Elsa's reflexes prove sharper than anticipated. With lightning speed, she redirects my arms skyward by kicking them. Before I can react, her foot connects with my side, sending waves of agony through my contorted body. The assault continues with a lethal slash aimed at my exposed stomach.

"Not this time!" I grin defiantly, activating my Dominion.

The air solidifies in front of my stomach, forming an impromptu barrier. Elsa, caught off guard by the unexpected resistance, allows me the precious moment needed to leap backward, creating a vital distance between us.

"That attack would have been a game over in previous loops. Guess I really am learning, huh?" Satisfaction etches across my face.

"What are you smiling to yourself for? Are my attacks that easy for you to deal with? Perhaps I've been underestimated." Elsa taunts, licking her lips as her narrowed eyes bore into mine.

"Huh? Underestimate? You?!" An incredulous expression appears on my face as I shudder in fear.

"Who in their right mind would underestimate you?! You hit harder than a gorilla, for crying out loud! Ever had your head feel like it's about to pop like a watermelon from a single punch?!" I raise my hand in fury as I voice my grievances.

"Unfortunately, I haven't had an experience like that yet. I wonder, though, you talk as if you've already had something like that happen to you…" Elsa puts a finger on her lips as she speaks.

"Don't ask, woman. I feel like I might tear up just by remembering it. Let's just get this run over with. You have already broken several bones in my legs, so moving is kind of a pain in the ass right now. It doesn't help that I've already used my potion too." I raise my knives again as I get into a stance.

"Although I am very interested in you, you're right. The knights may come to check up on the commotion, so let's get this over with. But I do find it pretty strange that you seem so eager to die quicker." Elsa reaches into her cloak and grabs another one of her kukri knives.

'Phase two, huh?' My grip on my knives tightens as I prepare myself.

Elsa blurs, disappearing from her spot.

I immediately cross my knives in front of my stomach as a deafening sound echoes through the area.

"You've got quite the instincts," Elsa remarks, a tinge of genuine acknowledgment in her tone as she gracefully withdraws her blade from our impromptu clash.

"Well, thank you. Maybe not as monstrous as you, but I'll take it. Here's a tip for you: standing this close to me is generally considered a bad idea," I retort, a defiant smile playing on my lips as I unleash the power of Dominion.

The air around Elsa's eyes momentarily hardens before violently distorting, tearing her vision apart.

"AGH-" she grunts in pain, closing her eyes in an attempt to shield them.

"Ah, the thrill of that move!"

Seizing the opportunity, I conjure a concentrated mass of winds in my palm and thrust it into her stomach. The resulting explosion sends Elsa hurtling back, crashing into a nearby house with a resounding boom.

'My control over Dominion improves when the changes are closer to me. Leveling up the skill was a massive upgrade. The mana consumption is still enormous, so no grand gestures, but my control is leagues better. Complex moves still require concentration, though. Winds are the only easy thing to manipulate since they already exist everywhere. All I have to do is nudge it a bit.' I reflect as I catch a breather.

"You surprised me with that one…" Elsa's voice cuts through the settling dust as she emerges from the rubble, a huge smile adorning her lips. The wound on her eyes had already begun healing.

She casually swipes her hand to the side, dispersing the remaining dust.

'I know that look in her eyes. It's game over…' I brace myself for what's to come.

Elsa licks her lips, lowering her stance slightly. The air thickens with tension as I prepare to catch even a minuscule glimpse of her movement. Yet, despite my heightened senses and Dominion in full blast, I find myself utterly defenseless.

"GHA-?!" A spurt of blood escapes my lips as searing pain engulfs my stomach.

'Damn it. I couldn't even sense her coming with my Dominion in full blast. That speed is absolutely blinding…' I think to myself as I collapse to the ground.

'Sorry, Elsa, but I'm going to have to cut your fun short.'

"Your guts have such a healthy col-"

Her voice fades away as my blade pierces through my neck.

…

"Ryota? What's the matter?"

'I really need to watch out for those diagonal slashes. They always seem to catch me off guard…' I put a hand on my chin, reflecting on the mistakes from the previous loop. It has sort of become a habit at this point.

'Her kicks are pretty deadly too. She only whips them out when your eyes are too glued to her blades or when you try to force her back.'

"Ryota?" A hand rests on my shoulder as I open my eyes.

"Give me a moment, Emilia." I crouch on the ground and close my eyes to concentrate better on my last fight.

'My best bet at this point is to target her thighs or upper arms since she doesn't pay much attention to those parts of her body in a fight. Also, when she goes to attack the stomach, she gets slightly high from the stimulation. That's always the best part to catch her off guard with Dominion. Especially so when she doesn't know I can use it.'

I open my eyes and get up from the ground.

"I'm making progress. A breakthrough is on the horizon. Just a bit more. My learning curve is practically monstrous. Maybe I'm a genius or something? Haha…" I murmur to myself, turning to the thoroughly perplexed Emilia.

"Puck, show yourself. I've got a favor to ask."

[ Loop 57th ]

"Take this!" I exclaim, hurling my knife toward Elsa's face.

Unsurprisingly, Elsa swiftly swipes her blade, intercepting my knife mid-air.

While she's occupied with that, I focus on my Dominion, manipulating the air around me.

'Let's spice things up this time…' I close my eyes and extend my senses through my Dominion.

I grab a handful of wind and condense it for easier shaping.

'Focus on the inner currents, make them denser, sharpen the outer winds, and trim them down. Now, tweak the edges just right for easier molding, and voila!' I open my eyes, observing the raging tempest in front of me.

'It's the same concept as Wind Vortex but slightly different. If Wind Vortex is focused on explosive power, then this is faster and sharper. Let's give you a simple name as well.' I raise my hand at Elsa, who's eyeing me curiously.

"Wind Blade!" The honed and sleek winds dart forward at blinding speeds.

"Oh?" Elsa's smile widens as she senses genuine danger from the attack.

Just as Elsa readies herself to dodge, the winds swerve to the right, missing her completely.

"Eh?" I blink in confusion.

"Seems like your aim needs work. Better luck next time. If you live that long, that is…" Elsa licks her lips as she approaches me.

'What the heck was that? Ugh! I'm such an idiot! Wind Blade demands more precision. The only reason it functions is because I streamlined the winds around the core of the attack! Controlling the damn thing nearly drained all my mana! Any tiny miscalculation in trajectory or edge alignment, and the whole attack misses by a mile!' I click my tongue in frustration.

[ Low Mana ]

"Just perfect…" I raise my blades, ready to fight to the bitter end.

After 4 minutes of exchanging strikes here and there, one of Elsa's stray slices finally manages to slice my head off.

[ Loop 73rd ]

"Come to think of it, I forgot to ask you." I tilt my head to the side, dodging one of her knives, then swiftly dash forward, delivering a powerful kick to her shin. The rotation of my hips adds surprising force to the strike.

Nonetheless, Elsa only budges slightly and retaliates with her own knife and targets my stomach. I flip one of the knives in my hand and block her attack effortlessly. It's the one attack I'm the most used to after all. She has a surprising amount of cues that allow you to know when she'll strike there.

I slightly step back to make some distance and then look at her with a serious expression.

"Elsa, are you the one after the insignia?"

Elsa stops and glances back at me, a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes playing on her lips.

"That's surprising. I thought I had covered my tracks well. Didn't expect you people to catch on so quickly. I wonder what gave it away. So, that's who you are, huh? You're with them…" She says the last part while narrowing her eyes at me. Elsa reaches into her cloak, retrieving her second kukri knife and leveling it at me.

"Them? Who's them?" I prepare myself while probing for more information.

"No use playing dumb." The smile on Elsa's lips widens as she assumes her signature stance.

'I was right. She is after the insignia. Part of me wished it was someone else. Retrieving the insignia by force from her is impossible. I know I can't beat her, no matter how many times I retry. There's a colossal gap in power and skill that I can't bridge right now. I'm fortunate she likes to toy with her opponents at the start of her fights. If she went all out from the beginning, I wouldn't have learned jack shit.'

We fought for about 40 seconds and after that, she slit my stomach open and I had to off myself.

[ Loop 86th ]

"Do you have any favorite foods? What about flowers? Do you like them?" I inquire while deflecting the blade aimed at my neck.

Concentrating winds around my palm, I drive them into the blade targeting my stomach, sending Elsa flying backward.

"My favorite foods? I'd go for Zyphralithic Deluge. They're usually served spicy, but I prefer mine sweet with lots of sugar. For flowers, I'd choose Aurora Veilstem. Their enchanting purple glows at night can be quite mesmerizing," Elsa responds, straightening herself.

"As expected from a fantasy world. I don't understand a lick of what you just said." I shrug and rush toward her, using Dominion to create a pocket of concentrated winds around my feet, propelling me forward.

Slashing one blade at her neck, I flip the other to block a counterattack. Elsa dodges my strike, attempting to sweep me off my feet. Already used to the move, I kick her incoming shin, then pivot to pierce her chest.

"It's my first time being questioned about my preferences during a battle, but I have to admit, I quite enjoyed it," She giggles slightly as she raises her blade to swipe mine away and then turns around to kick me in the stomach.

I fly back but flip in the air and land gently on the ground.

"F-Fuck. That knocked the wind out of me. A pleasure to have pleased you, my lady." I do a little theatrical bow, making her giggle once more.

[ Low Mana ]

'Not again. Whenever I survive her actual onslaught by pure luck or sometimes skill, my mana always runs out and ruins the fun. Although my capacity increased a lot after my level-ups, it's still quite meager…' I raise both blades to fight her physically for the rest of the encounter.

The fight continues for another minute, concluding with me having to end my own life once again.

[ Loop 94th ]

I raise my hand at Elsa as Dominion activates.

Several spaces around Elsa distort and collapse in on each other as the wind condenses.

Elsa's eyes widen momentarily as she swiftly flips back on her hands, distancing herself from the unknown attack.

The distorted spaces spike and then implode suddenly as all the condensed air is blown outwards in a short time. Several pops resound in the area as four of the same phenomena happen simultaneously.

"This is absurd. How on earth are you dodging these attacks? They're nearly invisible!" I raise my voice in bitterness.

My mind kicks into overdrive to collect all of the data from the experiment I just conducted.

'Success. Doing projectile attacks with wind is good but they're too predictable. All you have to do is get out of the way if you have sufficient speed. This is probably my best move against agile opponents. It takes a bit of mana, but it'll get the job done most of the time. The process isn't overly complicated either—grab air from random places, condense, and release. Mini air bombs, let's call them. Kept them small for mana's sake, but they're lethal if they hit. Pity Elsa's a monster…'

"That attack caught me off guard. They're almost invisible, but my instincts are sharp. Magic users are a pain; you never know what they might do…" Elsa licks her lips.

[ Low Mana ]

"I still need to optimize mana consumption a lot. Damn it. Isn't my mana capacity too low?!" I click my tongue as I raise my remaining arm in surrender.

"Giving up already?" Elsa tilts her head, the corners of her lips stretching into a wider smile.

"Yep. I've got a bit of a blood shortage, courtesy of someone special, and my left leg has seen better days. Standing normal is off the table for now." I glance at my semi-detached arm and the slightly crooked leg.

"Come on, Elsa. Can't you be a bit more gentle? Do you relish tormenting me this much?" I look up at the approaching Elsa, feigning a tearful expression as I pretend to dab my eyes.

"Hm? You were the one who ambushed me out of the blue, though." Elsa crouches down to my eye level.

"Don't slander me, woman! It wasn't an ambush! I made a grand entrance and introduced myself properly!"

"If by this supposed 'introduction', you mean when you came up to me out of the blue, proudly declaring yourself as the 'Milf Hunter,' then I must confess, I'm not familiar with such a title."

"Impossible! The renowned 'Milf Hunter' is unknown to you?! How can this b-ouch…" I wince as the pain, temporarily held at bay by adrenaline, makes a triumphant return.

"It hurts. Spoil me, Elsa~" I put on a 'cute' pout and extend my remaining arm toward her.

Elsa just stares at me with an amused smile.

"You're quite the odd one. You do realize the situation you're in, right?"

"Forget about that! I demand snuggles!"

"…"

"Fine! Let's get all serious and dreary then! How dull! Hmph!" I turn my face away from her in a mock huff.

"…"

"Do you ever catch a hint?! It hurts like hell! Just end me already!" I retort, turning to face her again.

'My arm hurts like a bitch! I shouldn't have dropped my knife. Oh! What if I use that other shortsword that the drunk bastard dropped? On second thought, no-go. That thing is too dull. I can't risk it failing to slice through my spine in one go. The last thing I need is a painful death…' I sigh and then look back up at Elsa with a grave expression.

"What are you waiting for? Get it over with. This isn't like you."

"Hm? My apologies. I was momentarily captivated by your eyes."

"Huh? A compliment from Miss Elsa? Is Hell freezing over today? Don't tell me you're bewitched by my manly charms?" A smug grin takes residence on my face as I attempt to tease her.

"I suppose, I have…" She responds with a captivating smile.

"O-Oh. I'm not sure what to say. You're kind of embarra-"

"Madness." She interjects.

Elsa points directly at my face.

"True madness lies in those eyes…"

"…"

"What do you me-"

…

"Ryota? What's the matter?"

"…"

"Everything okay, Ryota?" A slight nudge on my arm breaks the tension.

"H-Huh? Oh, Emilia…" I look up to see her looking at me with concern.

I stare into her eyes, a myriad of thoughts racing through my mind.

'Does this moment even hold the same charm for me anymore? Repetition can dull the shine of even the most precious memories.'

"Is there something on my face? You're acting strange, Ryota."

"Everything is a-okay over here, Emilia. Don't worry." I manage a weak smile and a reassuring thumbs-up.

"Puck, I have a req-"

[ Unread System Notification ]

[ Display Now? ]

'Huh? Sure…' I mindlessly answer.

[ New Skill Acquired : Twinblade Mastery ]

"Eh…?" I stare blankly at the notification.

"Ryota? If you're feeling off then we ca-"

"LET'S GOO!" I threw my arms up and jumped into the air.

"Finally! Took you long enough! I've almost developed a trauma for women in skimpy clothing at this point! It's over!"

"Nya?! Who is yelling? What happened?!" Puck peeked his head out of Emilia's hair, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Puck! Come here, ya little rascal!" I jumped over to Emilia and snatched the tiny cat in my hands.

"U-Unhand me, mortal! You dare touch the fur of the heavenly-nyahaha! Stop it-nya?! It tickles!" The cat squirms in my grasp, crying out for mercy.

I stop tickling the poor bastard and take a deep breath.

'I did it! I'm so glad I grit my teeth and bore with it. The payoff feels so good!' A satisfied smile graces my face.

"What's gotten into you, Ryota? You're unusually chipper-nya~" Puck raises an eyebrow at my grin.

"Oh, curious, are we? Then let me spin you a tale! The divine zephyr from the heavens bestowed upon us, and lo and behold, Emilia's skirt fluttered in its sacred breeze. I, dear Puck, had the honor of glimpsing the ethereal wonders beneath!" I throw my arms wide, gazing dramatically into the imaginary heavens.

"N-Nothing of the sort happened!" Emilia hurriedly interjects, her cheeks tinted with a blush.

"Why deny it, Emilia? The sight of a majestic canvas of pure white adorned with heavenly blue polka dots was a spectacle to behold."

"Ah…" Emilia makes a slight sound, her gaze dropping to the ground.

"Huh? What's the matter?"

"…"

"…"

A moment of awkward silence ensues.

"No way. Did I just nail it?"

"Ryota! You nincompoop!" Emilia's face goes bright red as she looks away from me with an indignant huff.

"Nincompoop? Is that even a word people use anymore?" I shake my head with a sigh.

"Alrighty then! Off we go!" I stride forward and snatch Emilia's hand.

"Huh? Where?"

"What do you mean, 'where'? It's insignia-retrieving time!"