Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"Rem, and Emilia."

"He will absolutely not let these two people die, so even if it means abusing the death-defying Return, even if it seems like he's disregarding human life, even if it's disrespecting the world, he's determined to commit suicide this time."

"In order to persuade Betty to help him next time, he needs to find out the reason for Betty's unusual behavior lately before he commits suicide."

"No, I, I—that's right, the Gospel, the Gospel…yes, the Gospel didn't give any instructions! I was right not to save her just now, what I did was reasonable! My mother didn't tell me to save her!!"

"Betty, flustered, frantically flipped through the book in her arms. After seeing the contents of the pages, she felt as if she had been saved. Her confusion and guilt gradually dissipated, and she began to feel at ease. She even tried to use this excuse to persuade Hachiman Hikigaya."

Hachiman Hikigaya's throat bobbed... He saw it clearly; upon closer inspection, wasn't the book Betty was holding almost identical to Petritchius's Gospel?

"According to rumors and Petitchius's behavior, the Gospels will display handwriting that is hard to tell whether it is a prophecy of the future or a mission requirement, and the Witch Cult will act according to the Gospels displayed in the Gospels."

"You are too? Beatrice...you are too, acting according to the Gospel, aren't you?"

"Don't ask Betty—don't ask Betty!! Don't talk to Betty! Don't go near Betty! Don't beg Betty! No, no, no, no—no, no!! Humans, humans, mere humans—!!"

"As Hachiman Hikigaya slowly approached her, Betty turned the pages of the book faster and faster. She looked at the pages with panic, as if seeking some kind of comfort, but the more she turned the pages, the more panicked she became, and she did not find the comfort she wanted."

"Hachiman Hikigaya, dragging his mangled body, moved step by step, staining the floor with blood as he passed, and his hand touched the Gospel."

Betty looked up in horror. She tried to snatch the book back and chase Hachiman away, but she did nothing.

"Hachiman Hikigaya snatched the Gospel book with trembling hands, and was stunned for a moment. There was nothing on the Gospel book, just a blank page. There was no instruction or Gospel at all. He wondered if he couldn't see the Gospel."

“It’s been… a long time.” Betty’s voice, though tinged with relief, still betrayed his idea with a deep sadness. “A long, long time ago… there haven’t been any more instructions in the book.”

Betty lowered her head, her fists clenched, her hands trembling as she placed them on her knees. Now, she was finally... going to confess, facing the final day. It didn't matter if there was no gospel, as long as it was Hachiman Hikigaya, as long as it was him—

"——"

"Betty, who was about to look up and speak, stopped... Hachiman Hikigaya's body crashed onto her, and his breath disappeared."

"A curved blade pierced his chest patch through his back, taking his life."

"The assassin who entered silently, without anyone noticing, is Elsa Gransilt, the Bowel Hunter."

137. Riddlers experience the pain of being around other riddlers.

I'm no longer able to think about anything.

Betty stared blankly at that future, watching her selfish self, because of her pain, her stubbornness, her long-cherished wishes and confusion, like pushing down one block at a time, layer upon layer, causing Rem to die, making Hachiman Hikigaya kneel, and allowing the Bowel Hunter to successfully take revenge.

This isn't the first time someone has stood by and watched someone die without offering assistance.

But this time it's completely different.

"It should be yours...it must be you—didn't Mother see you twice in a row? Wasn't Mother very interested in you? Didn't Mother give you whatever you wanted?—Why, why...in the book, why...there's nothing there..."

"Tell me... Mother... what have I done...?"

why.

Why not show the gospel? Why isn't he that person? Why is it so difficult to move forward without the gospel that his pleas for help cannot be answered in time?

"..."

Betty held out the blank gospel, her eyes trembling as she looked at the book that had brought her so much pain... but in the end, she still couldn't bring herself to do anything about it.

“Mother, what are you thinking… Betty, Betty wants… Betty really wants him, wants him to be ‘that person’!”

"I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you."

"Satella's murmurs, which accompany each death and return, seem exceptionally close and clear this time, as if she is physically drawing closer."

"——"

"Hachiman Hikigaya suddenly opened his eyes, and what came into view was a stone ceiling."

"Is this... right after the trial ended?"

"It's a time when everything can still be salvaged." Hachiman Hikigaya's heart, which had been clenched with anxiety, eased slightly. But before he could properly sort out the chaotic situation in his mind, he heard Emilia's low, pained voice lying on the ground beside him.

"Please don't do this, Hachiman, please don't die this time, please, I beg you, sob..."

The chaos stems from Betty's refusal to help, the reappearance of the Bowel Hunter, and the absurd future of Hachiman Hikigaya kneeling and begging for help.

Emilia was so shocked that she didn't even have time to grieve before she saw her future self crying and looking weak once again.

This feeling of shame was far more intense than that of Anastasia.

Emilia had already donned the cat-eared magic cloak that Roswaal had given her, making her inconspicuous. She secretly hid in a deserted street corner, crouched down, and covered her head.

Parker didn't think there was any need to avoid it... The only one who would feel ashamed was his own innocent daughter.

Although she was crying, the combination of Leah's stunning beauty and her sobs only evoked a protective instinct in others. Because Leah was truly so beautiful, her crying didn't make her look ugly; instead, it added a unique charm she didn't possess at other times.

Once you discard the so-called half-demon filter, no one will dislike such an adorable Lydia.

In contrast, it cares more about something else.

"Four hundred years of waiting... Have you finally made up your mind that you are no longer willing to wait, Betty?"

"Comfort, protection."

Having already experienced this once before, Hachiman Hikigaya was quite adept at it. He watched Emilia sleeping by the bedside until dawn, when Hachiman Hikigaya's tired voice rang out.

“Parker, talk to me,” he said. “Tell me about Beatrice, her past, her inner conflicts, and why she has the Gospels held by the Witch Cult.”

The gem where Parker was hiding glittered. It paused, its voice tinged with surprise: "You're actually asking about Betty at a time like this... If I didn't know how much you care about Leah, I'd almost suspect you're a completely different person."

"I'll take good care of Emilia, but tell me about Beatrice first."

"Hmm... Well, I do know some things, but since you're asking me about them, it means she's already made a decision—go ask her, Hachiman. It's best if she tells you herself; once she's made up her mind, she won't refuse your questions."

"Puck was evasive. He wasn't deliberately hiding it, but he really hoped that Betty would confide in Hachiman Hikigaya in person. That way, whether she found 'that person' or chose to die, at least before she died, she could vent the pain that had accumulated for four hundred years, and someone would know."

"If you can't even do this, then it's really pathetic."

"She will tell you all the answers herself. I can only ask of you, Hachiman... I hope you can be 'the one' for her."

"It's not just for Betty, it's for my own daughter too."

"Talking to riddle tellers is a real pain."

Hachiman Hikigaya sighed. He thought about the past six months he had spent in the Service Club, where he and Yukinoshita had always been riddle solvers. He couldn't help but glance at the girl beside him. Yukinoshita looked over as if they were telepathically connected, and the two of them smiled at each other.

Of all those who are watching the future, Hachiman Hikigaya is currently the most relaxed.

In his previous performances, 'Hachiman Hikigaya' has always been a tough and masculine figure. Although Japanese people kneel down relatively without burden, given his masculine image, many people felt that the sky was falling and the earth was cracking when they saw him kneeling.

However, only he himself knew that... Hachiman Hikigaya was not as positive as others thought. If he had to abandon his self-respect and dignity to achieve his goal, he was not unwilling; he could even take the initiative. He had always been like that.

He might feel uncomfortable kneeling before Elsa. But if it were Beatrice, neither he now nor he in the future would feel any loss.

He didn't blame Parker. Parker loved Emilia the most and was the most trustworthy. As long as he understood this, even if his actions had some flaws or traitorous tendencies, they could be forgiven.

But others are far less magnanimous than Hachiman Hikigaya.

"I'm tired. Let's destroy it."

Ichika Nakano shook her head repeatedly, "If I were Hikigaya-kun, I would go straight up and break through the three trials, then take Emilia and Rem and run away, who cares about the King's Election, the mansion, Roswaal, or Beatrice."

Clover Rabbit Ribbon hopped around, "Hey, is it possible? Emilia won't agree, will she?"

"She might not agree at first, but if she's even a little bit more assertive than Kiga, as long as Parker doesn't object, Emilia will definitely be obedient and compliant."

"But he just won't do that."

Ichika spread her hands. So he really is Hachiman Hikigaya.

138. There is only one truth.

"Parker insisted on not revealing Betty's condition, but he did tell Hachiman Hikigaya what he could say."

"For example, the Gospels in the hands of the Witch Cultists are just low-level, degraded versions of the Book of Wisdom. There are only two high-level, degraded versions left in the world, one in Betty and the other in Roswaal. The true Book of Wisdom is in the hands of the Witch of Greed, Echidna, who is also the owner of this Sanctuary tomb."

"In other words, although Betty spouts the Gospels like Petitchius, she is not a member of the Witch Cult. On the contrary, if the Witch Cult knew that she had an advanced version of the Gospels, they might even try to steal it."

"An advanced gospel? Ha."

Regulus smiled contemptuously. Now that he knew the whereabouts of Echidna's soul, who would still care about such a thing? In a few days, when he was in the mood, he would storm into the Sanctuary, interrogate Echidna, and find out the true location of the Book of Wisdom.

Other weak ants might fear a dead man, but he wouldn't. Even if Echidna were at her peak, she wouldn't amount to anything in front of Regulus Chornias.

"After protecting Emilia and waking up, Hachiman Hikigaya did not fall asleep like last time... On one hand, he did not want to lie in Emilia's bed again. Waking up like that meant being covered in Emilia's natural, faint fragrance. Although it smelled very comfortable and could relieve fatigue, he felt somewhat guilty, like he had cheated on Rem."

"On the other hand, forcing himself to stay calm, he wanted to confront Roswaal again. He had basically figured out some of the doubts he hadn't been able to resolve before, which further fueled his dissatisfaction with Roswaal."

"With Roswaal's tacit approval, they sent Roswaal away."

""--Bang!""

"The swift punch came suddenly, and Roswaal, lying on the hospital bed, revealed an amused smile. His hand-to-hand combat skills were in no way inferior, and he reacted with lightning speed to block Hachiman Hikigaya's punch."

"Hmph, seriously injured... what a serious injury, Roswaal."

"Oh—so your anger at my inaction and avoidance of battle has been brewing for a long time, and it's expected that you'll take action. But, someone as rational as you, who held back even when you first arrived in the Holy Land, why are you suddenly so impatient today?"

"Roswaal's wisdom has never been inferior to anyone else's," he clicked his tongue. "Did you suddenly discover something again, Hachiman-kun?"

"Don't misunderstand, Roswaal." Hachiman Hikigaya withdrew his fist, showing no annoyance at the failed sneak attack. He hadn't expected the punch to hit Roswaal anyway. "If someone really wanted to attack you, it would be Puck, not me."

"This was just a small test."

"I've heard everything from Puck about the two Books of Wisdom, and I understand the reasons behind your actions." Hachiman Hikigaya concealed his source of information. Although it's difficult for a normal person to imagine blessings and powers like Return from Death, it's still best to be cautious.

"Roswaal, is your Book of Wisdom truly identical to Beatrice's?"

"I see, I see, you understand now. It's about Beatrice's Book of Wisdom being a blank page for four hundred years."

"To have a conversation and to obtain information from Roswaal, it is inevitable that one will reveal the information one possesses. This can be considered an equal exchange, which is exactly what Hachiman Hikigaya expected."

"However, unlike Beatrice, I've always been receiving the gospel and having instructions. You understand, right, Hachiman-kun? That's why I made the contradictory decision to recommend Lady Emilia but not actually offer her any assistance."

"When the Book of Wisdom was mentioned, Roswaal spoke eloquently, his sense of superiority evident. The scent of his own possession wafted through the air... that book, which housed Roswaal himself."

"However, Hachiman Hikigaya would never approve of sacrificing someone else for one's own treasure."

"To be honest, I've been very tolerant of you, Roswaal. If you're simply avoiding battle, I can forgive you."

"Hachiman Hikigaya's voice silenced the incessant Roswaal, who narrowed his eyes thoughtfully."

"Elsa Gransilt, the Bowel Hunter."