Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

395. Chaura's Counterattack: Following in Betty's Footsteps

"—Yay! My lost master! I, Xia Wula, will seize this opportunity! Since I forgot that master has been gone for several days, it's just as well that master has forgotten about me!"

"Following her master as he left the green room, she jumped up from behind and hugged Hachiman Hikigaya tightly, acting coquettishly. This time, Shaula refused to let go no matter what, and her head was buried against Hachiman Hikigaya's back."

"The sudden appearance of the comedian diluted the sadness and washed away the gloom of sighing, but Hachiman Hikigaya refused to accept her kindness."

"Idiot, I told you I'm not your master! Get down here right now! —Have you thought about how your real master will feel when he comes back and sees you've mistaken me for someone else?"

"I don't care! A master is a master! Your prized student, Xia Wula, wouldn't mistake someone else for someone else!"

"Forced to bear the burden of this cheap disciple, Hachiman Hikigaya sighed and facepalmed. In short, he would never admit to this attempted relationship. Given Xia'ula's cooperation earlier, he couldn't change his attitude and forcefully expel the girl."

"Step by step, he moved to the balcony of the Sage's Tower, using the vast natural scenery to improve his mood. Hachiman Hikigaya had already planned to ignore the overly familiar fake apprentice behind him, but Shaula himself was still very blind."

She cried out, "Wow, you're about to cry, Master!"

"Don't talk nonsense." Hachiman Hikigaya immediately denied it. "I've only known them for about twenty days. How could I have such deep feelings that I would shed tears? I'd be more likely to die under the snow, then I could squeeze out a couple of tears."

"Shawula chuckled, "But I never said you did it because of them, Master!"

"His tsundere nature was exposed, and Hachiman Hikigaya blushed instantly. He stammered and turned his head away, but whichever way he turned his head, Shaula's head would turn with him."

"No matter what difficulties you encounter, your prized student, Xia Wula, is willing to pave the way for you, Master! —Of course, any talk of leaving Xia Wula is out of the question!"

"Shaula raised her right hand as if making a pledge. She was still very unserious, giving the impression of playing around. However, her words contained a solemnity that only a perceptive human observer like Hachiman Hikigaya could detect."

"If Master wants, I'll go and beat them up until they trust you, Master! Especially that stubborn fox, I'll beat her half to death, okay?"

Hachiman Hikigaya shook his head slightly, gazing at the distant sky. "Do you know what I'm thinking right now, Shaula?"

"Hey? You're thinking about how to beat that frivolous fox to a pulp, aren't you? You're definitely not thinking about your adorable disciple, Master. Think more about me!"

"I'm not really thinking about any disciples, because I've never had any disciples throughout history," Hachiman Hikigaya casually dropped a bombshell. "But I am thinking about you right now, Shaura."

"Deploy a nuclear missile specifically targeting the Shaura Special Forces."

"Gah—"

"As if being choked, Xia Wula couldn't say anything for a moment. Her body temperature rose, her heart stopped, and her breathing stopped. She looked at her master with surprise."

"She burst into tears like a flood, large tears suddenly dripping down her face."

"Hachiman Hikigaya can understand her mentality. When a person suffers pain and injustice, she can actually endure it. But if someone cares about her at this time, she will vent everything and can't control herself."

"But he's not actually concerned about Shaula right now."

"The feeling of being forgotten is really unpleasant... even if you've only known someone for twenty days."

"Muttering to himself, Hachiman Hikigaya projected his own feelings onto others, "I'm already like this, but Emilia and the others have known me for a year and a half. How did I feel when I forgot about them?"

"Back in Watergate City, he was only thinking about his own confusion and wariness. How much pain must Emilia and the others have felt at that time? Even so, they swallowed their bitterness and grievances and prioritized comforting him."

"Back then, he was exactly like Anastasia now."

"He doesn't blame Anastasia, but looking back now, he feels a lot of accusations and wants to curse himself for awakening in Watergate City."

"Back then, just like when he confessed to Asahi during his trip to Kyoto, he unintentionally hurt someone's heart deeply."

"Emilia and the others are already suffering... and then, from your perspective, after four hundred years, having waited four hundred years, only to be met with a master who has forgotten him, how would you feel, Shaula?"

"Hachiman Hikigaya's expression was gloomy. Having had the same experience, he could probably understand Shaula a little bit."

"..."

"Lying on his back, Shaula seemed to want to object, but she couldn't say anything. As Hachiman Hikigaya's words of concern faded, the heartache that Shaula had been trying so hard to hide welled up uncontrollably, engulfing her in tears, and she choked back sobs with slight tremors."

“You’re pathetic, really pathetic, Shaula. But I won’t care about you. I’m a selfish bastard, and I’ll tell you that clearly.”

"Hachiman Hikigaya stretched out his hand to the sky, his selfish declaration resounding:"

"No matter how many times you call me 'Master,' no matter how much you plead and beg, no matter how heartbroken, sad, or wronged you are, I will never—absolutely will—acknowledge that I am your master!"

"Just as he wouldn't force Emilia and the others to believe his words or acknowledge his identity."

"I understand Xia Wula a little bit now...and that's why he's even more stubborn, more ruthless, and more self-centered!"

"...Ha, ha, Master, you're so silly! Isn't this already showing concern for your prized student, Xia Wula?"

Sobbing, Xia Wula wiped away her tears, not wanting to lose face in front of her master, while forcing a smile, and pointed out her master's hypocrisy.

"Besides, it's not as serious as you make it out to be, Master—okay, alright, even if I feel a little bit like crying, Master is back now, Master is right here, Master is right beside Xia Wula."

“I am already very content, Master… To receive your recognition is of course the best thing, but my wish has already been fulfilled, Master.”

"The tearful Xia Wula has lived for four hundred years, but in front of her master, she is still a child forever."

"She hugged Hachiman Hikigaya tightly, choking back tears and laughing, and with heartfelt joy, she uttered the words of truth that had been building up for so long:"

"Welcome back, Master—Xia Wula has been waiting for you!"

396. Two different pairs of masters and apprentices

"A touching teacher-student relationship...?"

On the towering rooftop, a biting wind howled. A flicker of emotion crossed Roswaal's eyes as he murmured to himself. Seeing Shaura, four hundred years later, crying like a child upon seeing his master, almost stirred up his own pent-up resentment.

If there is anyone in this world who can truly empathize with Shaula, then besides Beatrice, it is only him.

In order to resurrect his teacher and see him again, he went mad, became ruthless and heartless, and became a clown dancing on the destiny woven by the Book of Wisdom. He did all of this willingly.

He'd be willing to destroy the world if it meant getting his teacher back.

But it was a ridiculous deception. The one who controlled the Book of Wisdom was no longer his teacher, and his teacher could never reappear.

Because what lurks beneath the teacher's lifeless corpse, thriving in the Sanctuary's tomb, is not the teacher's soul at all, but merely a monster named Echidna who has usurped the place!

Chai Xin, whose grievances turned into anger and whose pain transformed into new aspirations, helped this brand-new dream take flight.

"Beatles".

With a determined look in his eyes, Roswaal suddenly spoke, "I understand. Seeing this girl, I understand... I don't want to die, I can't die."

"Even after entrusting you to Hachiman Hikigaya, I still cannot die. I want revenge. I want to declare war on Echidna, that monster disguised as a teacher. I think my teacher will not rest in peace until I see her soul scattered."

"This is also a way to atone for the mistakes I've made over the years... I must kill that monster with my own hands!"

Beatrice greeted him with a look of satisfaction as he appeared to be a completely transformed Roswaal.

"You've finally come to your senses... But the task of killing Echidna cannot be entrusted to you. That bastard who desecrated Mother's existence, that heinous scoundrel worthy of being torn to pieces, Betty will execute her herself!"

Roswaal and Beatrice, having reached a consensus, are etched with an intense hatred for Echidna.

At the same time, they also felt an immense closeness to Shaula, who was far away in the Sage's Tower. For Roswaal and Beatrice, who could deeply understand Shaula, she was a natural friend.

"However, Betty supports Hachiman's approach."

He won't become 'that person,' he won't become 'that master,' that's Hachiman Hikigaya, that's the real Hachiman Hikigaya.

Shaula will have a tough time, but Beatrice knows it.

"Because it's Hachiman, it's alright—if it's Hachiman, he'll definitely, definitely come up with a way to deal with it in a way that satisfies both sides, it just might take a little time, so..."

Get ready to welcome happiness, Xiawula.

"Like Betty, like Roswaal."

Betrius silently sent her blessings, which, along with the gentle breeze, were sent to the scorpion-tailed girl in the distant Sage's Tower.

"Did the fact that Hachiman-sama's existence was taken away, ironically, become the beginning of Hachiman-sama's understanding of Shaula?"

At the Karlsten mansion, Crusch was surprised.

It wasn't that Hachiman-sama couldn't see the bitterness that Shaula had accumulated over four hundred years; he simply chose to ignore it.

Because he felt he simply couldn't understand what Xia Wula's state of mind was like. After waiting for four hundred years, what would it feel like to finally meet someone like him? He couldn't even imagine it.

Back in the Sanctuary, he initially couldn't persuade Beatrice either.

In fact, with Hachiman's eloquence, it would have been easy for him to persuade Beatrice and comfort Shaula, but he simply refused to do so.

Because if he couldn't truly understand, he felt that what he said was too empty and hypocritical. Even if Beatrice and Chaura could accept it, or even eagerly wait for him to persuade and comfort them, he himself couldn't tolerate being so hypocritical.

Until she was assimilated by Satella and truly witnessed Beatrice's memories. Until her existence was devoured by the Bishop of Gluttony and she truly experienced Shaula's experience.

Only after experiencing these things and truly understanding these two people did he become willing to take action.

Kurshu, her eyes slightly blurry with drunkenness, said, "The beautiful woman in military uniform has a flushed face. Hachiman-sama is right. He does have a selfish and self-centered side, and these are all manifestations of that."

However, beneath this selfishness lies a tenderness that is truly captivating.

It's a consolation born out of a general sense of social morality, a persuasion devoid of any empathy; such things are readily available, and there are plenty of people willing to give them.

But Hachiman-sama is different. When he is willing to speak, even if what he says does not meet other people's expectations, his sincerity that penetrates people's hearts and makes them feel the same way is ten thousand times better than hundreds or thousands of false comforts and hypocritical persuasion.

"Therefore, Shaula will not be sad, Shaula will not be upset because of this!"

On the balcony of the Sage's Tower, Xia Wula bit her lower lip, her chest heaving violently. In the end, she couldn't hold back her tears again—tears of happiness, tears of joy.

"Master... Waaah..."

If it were someone he disliked or didn't care about, Hachiman Hikigaya wouldn't go to the trouble of sharing so many of his innermost thoughts with them.

He only showed his disgust and determination to kill people like Roswaal and Regulus, and he was too stingy to say a word about his opinions on them unless necessary.

The fact that Hachiman Hikigaya was able to confide in him proves that he cares about Shaula now.

"I'm very happy to be able to save that child, but if possible, I still hope that Hachiman will not have the experience of having his memories and existence taken away."

On the streets of the capital, Emilia's sorrow ultimately outweighed her joy.

"After crying, Xia Wula felt very satisfied. After crying for more than ten minutes, she finally stopped crying and started laughing."

Jumping off her master's back, Xia Wula patted her chest and declared, "Even if Master doesn't acknowledge me, I'm still Master's Xia Wula! Don't worry, if anyone comes, whether it's Gluttonous Lai or Roy, I'll help Master beat them to a pulp and retrieve what they stole from Master!"

""…well.""

Hachiman Hikigaya sighed deeply. "The two Bishops of Gluttony really do need your help... How shameless of me, you bastard."

"Master is a shameless bastard, and Xia Wula is the new bastard who inherited Master's shamelessness, oh yeah!"

"An optimist who follows his master's lead in everything," Xia Wula gave a smiling military salute, which made Hachiman Hikigaya chuckle. Although he quickly suppressed it, it was still noticed.

"Master, Master, where are we going?"