Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

Miku's exclamation immediately caught the attention of Uesugi Fuutarou, who had also studied history. His eyes lit up, and he instinctively grabbed Miku's hand and shook it, then leaned close, praising her with satisfaction:

"That's right, that's it! Miku, that's great! Keep up this knowledge and quick thinking during exams, okay?"

Although he was shocked by Hachiman Hikigaya and the magnificent yet cruel other world, he still firmly remembered his role as a tutor and immediately thought of education: "You guys should also learn from Miku, understand!"

The eyes of the three people, except for Nakano Satsuki, instantly turned red.

“Of--I-understand--” Nakano Nino glared at her shy younger sister with envy and jealousy. If good grades could earn her this kind of treatment, of course she understood, and of course she would study hard!

She could even imagine that after she got a perfect score on her test, this dull-witted blockhead would respond to her like Hachiman Hikigaya responded to Anastasia, or at the very least like he responded to Rem. That would satisfy her for the rest of her life.

Yotsuba Nakano tilted her head and said with concern, "But shouldn't we be concerned about Hachiman-kun right now?"

“Oh, that? It’s alright.” Nakano Ichika shrugged. “Given Julius’s character, even if he beats Hachiman Hikigaya, he’ll probably be convinced by the latter’s reasoning… After all, he’s essentially the same as Hachiman Hikigaya; they’re both very gentle people.”

"Clang!"

"Julius, who was regarded as a gentle person by everyone including Hachiman Hikigaya, was now wielding his sword with lightning speed, launching a fierce attack that left everyone breathless. His focused eyes conveyed his thoughts."

"Without holding back in the slightest, as a selfish and scheming man with two selfish desires, he transformed into a swift shadow that was almost invisible to the naked eye, exerting all the sword skills he had honed so far, going to the extreme, even beyond his full strength."

"The pleasant yet jarring sound of metal clashing was much rarer than in the battle against Wilhelm. Having already experienced a high-intensity battle, Hachiman Hikigaya's physical strength had declined. Even though his eyes could keep up, as the sword slashed down, his chest, his arms, and various parts of his body were already subjected to a cold, icy cut."

"Instead of the clanging of swords clashing in the air, there is the mournful song of defeat sung by flesh and blood."

"The two knights crossed paths, weaved, and collided, Julius's footsteps creating craters in the ground. If Julius, as an elven sorcerer, were to use his magic, the entire area, including the walls of the capital, would be bombarded and shattered, leaving behind a scene of devastation."

"However, now that Julius has grown for three years, he has completely taken over as the second-ranked swordsman of the kingdom in terms of strength, surpassing the aging sword demon Wilhelm."

"Even if he conceals his magic, he can easily overwhelm the enemy in a direct confrontation, making the exhausted Hachiman Hikigaya unable to continue!"

"Swords clashed fiercely. Hachiman Hikigaya charged forward, but instead of seizing the opportunity to attack during this deliberately created slight opening, he leaped back several meters, widening the distance between himself and Julius."

"You're very strong, really very strong, Hachiman-kun."

Julius didn't pursue. He exhaled and regulated his breathing. "From the moment I met Reinhard when I was young, from that day on, I had only one wish in my life: I wanted to become like him—so strong, so perfect, so righteous… Even after meeting Lady Anastasia, I still adhered to this ideal and strived for it."

"Therefore, besides protecting Lady Anastasia and my brother Joshua, the thing I do most in my life is practice swordsmanship."

"From dawn to dusk, day after day, I dared not slack off, even when I was sick or injured, I never stopped practicing my swordsmanship."

"To have achieved what I have now, to have this strength, may be boastful, may be arrogant, but as someone who is not yet the best knight, let me be boastful and arrogant and say it like this—"

"My strength and swordsmanship, reaching their current level, are all well-deserved rewards!"

"I am strong, extremely strong. Although I cannot fulfill a wish like Reinhard's, I am strong enough to protect those I want to protect."

"Julius, in his gentle and detailed explanation, was giving Hachiman Hikigaya time to recover his strength and condition. On the other hand, he was by no means boasting about himself; quite the opposite... the person he wanted to praise was his dear friend standing before him!"

"But you're different, Hachiman-kun."

He looked intently at Hachiman Hikigaya, his expression a mixture of admiration and praise. "You've only been wielding a sword for three short years, and your position is merely that of Lord Crusch's strategist. Therefore, you spend most of your time in the study, thinking and reviewing documents. You only practice swordsmanship for two or three hours a day, and at most, no more than five hours."

"Even so, in just three years you have become a swordsman capable of rivaling me."

"Julius held his blade up in front of him, expressing his heartfelt respect with a hint of excitement in his voice."

"I respect you, not only for your character and your wisdom, but also for your swordsmanship!"

"Isn't it the best thing in the world that your trusted friend is also skilled in the same path? What an honor it is to be able to communicate with your best friend through the sword!"

"There's something I've been meaning to tell you."

His breathing gradually calmed, and Hachiman Hikigaya scratched his cheek with his right index finger, suddenly saying, "I've always thought Anastasia is very cute, and also very amazing."

Julius's smile grew even brighter.

"Hachiman Hikigaya is returning the favor, because he knows that he likes to be praised for his loyalty to his lord, so he said that... However, these are the words of Hachiman Hikigaya, and under such circumstances, his words could not possibly be false."

"Thank you so much—but that's precisely why I want you to stay, my dear friend!"

222. Crusch Route: Elsa's Suicide Attempt

"That won't do."

"Hachiman Hikigaya bent slightly, his legs slightly bent, and squinted his eyes: 'Speaking of which, Anastasia, who hates me, should also want me to disappear. Are you really okay with going against her wishes?'"

"So that's what you think?" Julius was taken aback at first, then chuckled lightly, "I'm sorry, Hachiman-kun, Anastasia, who has recently recovered from the shadow of her failed royal selection, would very much like to discuss some business matters with you. She seems to like you quite a bit."

Hachiman Hikigaya was also stunned. "Was I too narrow-minded?"

"Although he is used to judging society and humanity from the perspective of the greatest malice, he doesn't really want to see that kind of darkness applied to the wrong people."

"The apology letter you sent earlier seems to have had a lot of effect."

Julius also began to tense up his body again. He stared at Hachiman Hikigaya's body, trying to figure out the direction of his muscle bursts, determined to achieve final victory without seriously injuring his best friend.

"What a feast for the eyes, hehe. Assuming the Sword Demon used 80% of his strength, and Hachiman Hikigaya was able to hold his own for a while because he had the advantage of familiarity, then his strength should be around 60% of Wilhelm's, yet he can still fight against this best knight..."

Elsa, the Intestine Hunter, licked her lips seductively, her eyes burning with desire. "Wonderful, wonderful! I'm sure I won't survive, but I really hope I can taste Hachiman Hikigaya's intestines from that point in time before I die."

It must be very beautiful.

In that case, she could die without regrets.

However, considering the injustice of being hunted down by Roswaal in various futures, it would be even better if I could taste Roswaal's intestines before tasting Hachiman Hachiman.

"You just said it yourself, Julius, I am Crusch's strategist... no, I am a strategist."

"Just as Julius was about to charge again, Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly raised his head and said meaningfully, 'If you call yourself a despicable person, then I am a hundred times more despicable than you. As a strategist who makes a living through schemes, I have decided to show my true strength. Go all out, Julius, or you will suffer a crushing defeat in an instant.'"

""oh?""

"I don't understand what other tricks Hachiman Hikigaya has up his sleeve. Could it be a special technique he's mastered?" Julius, bewildered, began to feel pressured and became alert. He didn't believe that Hachiman Hikigaya would make such boastful claims without any basis.

"What is their final trump card?"

"—Reinhard, help me!!"

"Hachiman Hikigaya took a deep breath and suddenly shouted, his voice resounding through the heavens and earth. Before the sound could dissipate and before Julius could react, a barely perceptible sigh followed."

"With fiery red hair, a tall, straight, and reliable physique, handsome and powerful—he is the perfect man, the Sword Saint Reinhard!

""…Uh-huh?!""

"Surprised, stunned, and then speechless with shock, Julius stared wide-eyed, slapping his forehead in regret."

Hachiman Hikigaya patted the Sword Saint on the shoulder and said softly, "I knew you could hear me, Reinhard."

"I'd rather my ears suddenly go malfunction at a time like this, Hachiman-kun."

"Reinhard smiled wryly, looking helpless. How could he possibly be kept in the dark about what happened in the capital? Even so, the fact that he had previously tolerated Julius's willfulness already showed his attitude."

"However, since it is the Sword Saint Reinhard, a guard of the royal capital, and a friend of Hachiman Hikigaya, he can no longer pretend to be deaf and dumb after hearing the call."

"It's despicable, shameful, and something a friend should never do, but it's the only way I can... Stop Julius for me, Reinhard."

"Forced, forcing his friend who wanted to keep him from leaving to help him leave, Hachiman Hikigaya's legs felt like they were nailed to the spot, but even if he was really nailed, he had to go back... back to Emilia's side."

"After that, he doesn't care what kind of neglect, ridicule, or mockery he suffers, even if it's the same mutual loathing he felt when he was in a cold war with Yukinoshita before he transmigrated. He will endure it."

"In short, he has to accept the punishment he deserves, otherwise he will definitely regret it later."

"Making use of this nice guy is certainly an option!"

""I…""

Reinhard paused, sighed, glanced at Hachiman Hikigaya, then turned to the somber Julius, his voice full of apology: "I'm sorry."

Julius frowned. "You made this decision...?"

"I can't let my friend down."

Reinhard's face slowly broke into a smile. "Compared to my own selfish desires, wishing Hachiman-kun and Lady Emilia a happy and fulfilling love is also a very good thing."

"Julius, Reinhard."

"Hachiman Hikigaya, who had just mounted the earth dragon, gazed deeply at the two of them, then closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and tried to prevent a single tear from falling."

"At the gates of the capital, Julius, who was about to give chase, was stopped by Reinhard's sword and could only watch helplessly as the earth dragon carried his dear friend away, never to be seen again."

"...I'm not giving up so easily."

"Whispering softly, Julius, under the moonlight, relentlessly engaged in battle with Reinhard."

"The clanging and clashing of weapons echoed all around, along with large-scale attacks that reached several meters or even tens of meters in diameter, and explosive magic that shot into the sky, as if it were a farewell ceremony for Hachiman Hikigaya."

"However, once he left the study, the mansion, the capital, and far away from Reinhard and Julius, Hachiman Hikigaya's earth dragon stopped once again."

"Is that so? Hehe, the rumors that you're leaving the capital have been circulating for the past few days, it's true."

"Elsa, the Bowel Hunter wielding two blades, stood across the middle of the road, licking her scimitar and gazing seductively at Hachiman Hikigaya."

"Three years ago, I received a commission from my employer to infiltrate the mansion of Lord Roswaal on the border and slaughter the two maids inside. If a man named Hachiman Hikigaya were to break in that night, kill him without mercy as well."

"At the time, I hadn't completed that commission, and by the night the time came, the mansion was already deserted."

"It would be interesting to add it now—what do you think, strategist of the Kingdom of Lugnica?"

223. Crusch Route: The Living Rem

The battles came one after another, so fast that everyone could see Hachiman Hikigaya's promising future in terms of combat prowess. But what was even more astonishing was his cunning and scheming.

No one expected Reinhard to stop Julius; almost everyone thought it would end like Wilhelm's case, with Julius letting him win.

"Hey, are you having a good time, Reinhard?"

Ferut put her hands on her hips and pouted, "You were clearly being used as a tool, weren't you?"

"Yes, I've been used as a tool by Hachiman-kun. But, Felt-sama, at least I've been of use this time."

With a smile, Reinhard answered, but only he knew how much he longed to be of some use after witnessing so many future versions of himself sitting idly by, utterly useless.

In this situation, his wish has actually been fulfilled.

"I'm just sorry, Lady Crusch. I'll apologize for that later."

"In the official history, he is said to be Emilia's knight, while here he is said to be Crusch's strategist. However, during the time he served as strategist, he actually fought more battles than in the official history."

Li Jiaduo stroked his chin and muttered, "How strange. What do we do now? The Bowel Hunter is one of the strongest fighters in the world. Although he's not as strong as Julius and the Sword Demon, Hachiman has been fighting one battle after another, so he should be running out of stamina by now, right?"

"Really?" Mimi was also confused, then exclaimed in surprise, "Are we going to die?"

Anastasia, who should have been the most nervous, gently shook her head. She pouted, a hint of jealousy in her voice, and said: