Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"Four hundred years of loneliness, four hundred years of responsibility, four hundred years of struggle, four hundred years of numbness, four hundred years of decadence—finally, today, will I receive the reward that can save my soul?"

"Betty thought to herself. With the book of wisdom her mother had given her in her lap, she could be carefree and fearless as long as she opened any page and saw the name Hachiman Hikigaya written on it."

"But I dare not turn the page, afraid that it will be blank pages, just like every single one of the past four hundred years. So, don't turn the page, don't look. Even if I'm deceived, if it's this fool, then so be it—"

"I am not 'that person,' Beatrice."

"...?"

Betty's tears of joy suddenly stopped. She tilted her head slightly, looking at the idiot in front of her, unable to understand what he was saying.

"Then, the body, reacting even faster than the soul, filled with despair, numbness, and anger, raised its hand, ready to—"

"Go ahead, Beatrice," the idiot continued. "With my current body, even the slightest additional injury would be enough to kill me instantly. So, go ahead, Beatrice."

"What on earth is this idiot talking about?"

"You're not 'that person,' so why should Betty...?"

"He angrily rebuked, but his raised hand froze, unable to do anything. Was it premeditated to damage his body like this?"

"If you don't want me to die, if you still have expectations of me, if you still yearn for freedom, then let me, who is not 'that person,' stand here and speak to you without any shame, Beatrice."

"I don't want to hear it."

Betty lowered her head, frantically flipping through the Book of Wisdom, hoping it was a hoax, hoping it was a lie, hoping his judgment was wrong—how could this fool not be 'that person'?

"That way, there's no way to cover your ears. And then, the idiot's voice comes through."

"Time is of the essence... I should perhaps cut to the chase, but I want to start from the beginning. Otherwise, I fear I won't be able to make you understand what I mean. So, please listen carefully, Beatrice."

"This idiot seems to be breathing heavily because of the pain from his wound; he took a deep breath."

"I've come to see you time and time again, entering this forbidden library because I covet the knowledge here, because I want to ask you about difficult problems... I don't regret befriending you with ulterior motives."

"I've heard Roswaal say that for the past four hundred years, many people like me have come to you coveting these forbidden books. You should have seen enough of these scoundrels. The person you dream of should be here for you, not for these benefits—but I've always believed that human feelings are a false thing."

"Genuine items exist, but they are rare, so it's not surprising that feelings based on fake items will break down at any time. However, relationships based on mutual benefit are almost unbreakable. If I can gain something from you, I will definitely not dislike you, nor will I distance myself from you; I will instead get closer to you."

"That way, perhaps I could build a stable relationship with you. That's what I was thinking during that month or so at the mansion."

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't it only natural that I came here for my mother's forbidden books and for that knowledge? Four hundred years ago, Betty already knew that Betty's weight was incomparable to those things, even in my mother's eyes. Otherwise, she wouldn't have kept Betty tied up in this place for four hundred years. So..."

"So, that's why."

"I hate idiots who interrupt other people's miserable laughter. Shut up!"

"I am not 'that person' in your heart. I am definitely not that perfect. I am not 'that person,' not because my name is not in Echidna's book, but simply because I am not worthy of the image of 'that person' in your heart, Beatrice."

"But Beatrice."

"Now, right here, make a choice, Beatrice."

""…choose?""

"Yes, choose." The fool smiled and nodded slightly, using his sword as a cane in one hand, while suddenly raising his other hand and stretching it out.

"Hachiman Hikigaya isn't 'that person,' but he's right here, right now, so make your choice."

"Are you going to spend countless four hundred years waiting for 'that person,' or take my hand, and then..."

"Abandon 'that person,' abandon your contract with Echidna, abandon your duty, abandon your principles, abandon your fantasies, choose me, become my spirit, sign a contract with me, and step out with me."

"Choose, Beatrice."

276. I choose you, Beatrice - Forced sale

""…you.""

"Anger overwhelmed me, I was trembling with rage, and I wished this arrogant idiot in front of me would die immediately."

"What right do you have to compare yourself to Mother? What right do you have to compare yourself to 'that person'? What right do you have to make Betty abandon her 400-year-old responsibility—Are you insane, Hachiman Hikigaya? What makes you think you can compare yourself to these people?!"

"Of course I can't compare to them."

"That fool, who seemed to have some self-awareness, shook his head. Good, that's good, Betty thought. No insult to Mother, no insult to 'that person,' no denial of four hundred years of effort. That way, Betty wouldn't have to curse him, complain about him, or hate him."

Betty thought, "Of course this is good. But why cry? Why be disappointed? Isn't this better?"

"So, let me tell you."

""--tell me?""

My depressed heart suddenly started pounding.

"Yes, I'll tell you." The idiot's voice was firm and resolute. He said, "Beatrice, you're smart and cute, almost as strong as Komachi. You're incredibly powerful; a hundred of me wouldn't be a match for you. You can survive alone for four hundred years—that's the biggest proof. Although you always seem childish, being able to live alone for four hundred years proves your willpower is absolutely the best, because I'm not even sure I could survive four hundred years looking the same."

"What's the use of saying those things now that things have come to this!"

"Upon hearing her heart-wrenching screams, the fool who had been praising her paused, but his smile remained loving; he was not frightened."

"Useful, of course useful... You are so powerful, capable of doing so many things I can't, so I have a need for you, that's why I need you."

Betty stared at him blankly, her lips trembling, as if she had realized something.

"Right now, I'm willing to believe in the existence of real things, and I believe that a relationship can be maintained well based on pure feelings. However, in order to hold your hand, besides feelings, I also want to make a deal with you based on mutual benefit, Beatrice."

"You give me your knowledge, your strength, everything you have to help me, and in return, I will take your hand, Beatrice."

Betty's eyes widened. "That... statement... is contradictory and incomprehensible... What are you... talking about?"

"It's not contradictory at all."

"That idiot had the audacity to say, 'You're strong, smart, and adorable. You can survive on your own, and you're so determined and mature... But you need me, Beatrice. You need to hold my hand, you need me by your side, you need me near you.'"

"You need me, so in return for holding my hand, you must do everything in your power to help me, and transfer all your feelings for 'that person,' Echidna, and your four-hundred-year duty to me."

"This talkative fool is saying something as obvious as if it were a matter of course, but Betty can't find any benefit in his words."

“No!” Betty glared at him hatefully. “Betty needs ‘that person,’ and you are not ‘that person’!”

The arrogant fool retorted decisively: "You're cute, but you're lonely; you're smart, but you're lonely; you're strong, but you're lonely; you can survive well, but you're lonely; you're mature and determined, but you're lonely."

"He leaned on his sword, slowly, with pain, moved toward Betty."

"Four hundred years of waiting, four hundred years of wasting time, four hundred years of despair, hatred for his mother, envy for Parker, numbness to waiting, again and again."

"You're so lonely, so lonely you can barely hold on, so lonely that it doesn't even have to be 'that person,' so lonely that you want to escape, to cry, to commit suicide. You're so lonely that you want someone to take your hand, to forcefully pull you out, to free you from your mother, from your responsibilities, from the forbidden library."

"That's just how you are, you desperately need me, you need Hachiman Hikigaya, Beatrice!"

"Shut up!" Betty trembled. "What do you, a mere human, know about Betty?!"

"I know! I know everything! I know better than you do what Beatrice needs!"

"Her screams were drowned out by a louder voice, which moved in front of her. The idiot's eyes, his gaze made Betty freeze and feel a chill."

"Those were the most familiar eyes, the most familiar gazes... It was the numbness of spending day after day in the forbidden library, the despair accumulated from one disappointment after another, and the loneliness after hating my mother in the dead of night."

“That’s…that’s…” she stammered, trembling, incredulous.

"Yes, that's Beatrice's eyes, Beatrice's gaze. It's Beatrice's emotion, and Beatrice's memories... I know, I know everything."

"How is that possible—"

"Perhaps it's impossible, but here I am, standing before you now, Beatrice."

Hachiman Hikigaya, sending chills down Betty's spine, slowly knelt down. Looking at the stunned Betty, every word struck her heart: "Abandon your mother, abandon your responsibilities, abandon your waiting. You need me, Beatrice needs Hachiman Hikigaya."

"Betty, at a loss, choked back tears, "But...you're not 'that person'..."

"If you say 'that person' again, I'll take that as your choice, and I'll turn around and leave right now, letting you be lonely for countless more four hundred years. That's your own choice."

Betty stammered, tears streaming down her face, biting her lower lip, "—How could this happen… You were clearly, clearly not…"

"In your eyes, I'm a very gentle person, I wouldn't do such a thing, have I changed? ...Of course, Beatrice. How could so-called gentleness sever your four hundred years of resolve!"

“Mother… Mother…” Betty clutched the book tightly, tears streaming down her face, lost in anguish.

Hachiman Hikigaya gently shook his head. "Choose. Choose 'that person' and your mother, and four hundred years of perseverance, or choose me—but this is a lie, Beatrice."

""…lie?""

"Yes, a lie, because I never intended to give you a choice."

"A filthy hand stained with blood, a hand that should have no strength left, Hachiman Hikigaya pulled the book of wisdom from Betty's panicked arms."

"Under Betty's horrified gaze, the sword was suddenly swung."

"The blank book that had bound her for four hundred years shattered into pieces under the blow of the sharp blade, scattering all over the ground with a crash."

"What I said before was just to sell myself and prepare you mentally. No matter which option you choose, I'm convinced you need me, and you have no choice but to choose me. Or rather, it doesn't matter which one you choose, because I will definitely choose you—"

"This is forced buying and selling, Beatrice!"

277. The Hachiman Hikigaya they created

"Wait, forced sale? This is—"

Inside the Hexin Chamber of Commerce, Anastasia's eyes widened, her heart pounded violently, and she jumped to her feet, utterly astonished.

"Watching the four-hundred-year-old bindings scatter across the sky, Betty stared in disbelief, muttering to herself, 'Betty's, Betty's...'"

"The book no longer exists. Even if 'that person' comes later, you won't know who 'that person' is. Now, you can only choose me, and you can only be chosen by me, Beatrice."

"Hachiman Hikigaya's voice pulled her out of endless sorrow. Betty gritted her teeth and grabbed the collar of this indifferent man. Her thoughts, which had been calm for four hundred years, were finally awakened. Anger filled her heart, forcing her to shout and vent her anger and sorrowful questions."

"How dare you... By what right, how dare you... everything Betty's mother gave her, Betty's four hundred years of perseverance, if you just give it up like this, what was the meaning of Betty's four hundred years?... Answer me, Hachiman Hikigaya!?"

"The meaning is that you've held on until now, waited for me, waited for me to drag you out, Beatrice."

Betty laughed bitterly, tears of mockery streaming down her face. She loosened her collar, pointed at the incredibly confident man, and said with a cruel laugh, "How can you compare to Mother, to all those people? Betty can say it as many times as she wants, but you can't compare to Mother, you can't compare to 'that person.' Even if you understand Betty's four hundred years of loneliness, you destroyed Mother's belongings. Betty, Betty will definitely…"

"Hachiman Hikigaya's eyes remained confident as he interrupted the mockery, 'Then, let me ask you.'"

"...Ask me?"

"Yes, I'm asking you." A flame that Betty couldn't understand burned in Hachiman Hikigaya's eyes. "You hate me, Beatrice?"

Betty didn't answer, but he wasn't disappointed. After a brief pause, he continued, "Right now, are you willing to yearn for freedom, to be freed from constraints, and to live a truly free and unrestrained life?"

Betty still didn't answer, so he pressed on: "Are you content with the status quo? Do you want to move forward? Do you want to be happy?"