Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

Parker scratched his head, unable to refute it, after all, these were the truths... Even so, his daughter's contributions far surpassed his own.

At this moment, in the village of Karara, Ram was also speechless.

Although I really want to condemn Emilia for being a homewrecker and Hachiman Hikigaya for cheating, Emilia's timely and tender care is like a long-awaited rain to soothe Hachiman Hikigaya's parched heart. No one has any reason to condemn her.

"But without addressing the root cause, how long can this kind of care and support last?"

"Hachiman Hikigaya approached Garfield."

"Unlike the previous two times, this time he wants to take the initiative and leave the Sanctuary more quickly."

"Huh? You're awake? You rascal, it's a bit embarrassing, you went in to save people but ended up being carried out in a princess carry. But I won't look down on you, after all, you're a man—"

"Bang!"

A punch, neither too hard nor too soft, landed on Jiafei'er's face, interrupting his arrogant speech.

-

-

171. You've gone mad.

Garfield was dumbfounded. Hachiman Hikigaya's strength was not enough to injure him, but this humiliation surprised him greatly.

"Garfield."

"I'm leaving the Sanctuary, taking Ram and Otto with me, and the villagers of Karara Village." Just as his surprise was about to turn into anger, Hachiman Hikigaya's piercing gaze threw him into disarray.

"Huh? Leaving the Sanctuary? That's... wait! What does that have to do with you hitting me, you bastard! Don't think you can change the subject and avoid getting punched back!"

“Garfield.” Hachiman Hikigaya looked at him earnestly and extended an invitation, “Come leave the Sanctuary with us. There are assassins at Roswaal’s mansion, and Frederica is in danger. I need you.”

"So stop talking to yourself, you bastard!!" Garfield grinned, revealing his shark-like teeth, and stared wide-eyed at the unpredictable bastard in front of him.

"But the next moment, he suddenly froze—he was about to leave the Sanctuary, so he punched him."

"No, Hachiman Hikigaya didn't try to change the subject at all; this has been the topic from the very beginning."

Realizing something, Garfield opened his mouth, then raised an eyebrow. "Ha...you bastard..."

"Are you coming with us or not? Give me a straight answer. You're a real man, aren't you?"

"I haven't even given you permission to leave yet! You bastard, how did you suddenly become so bold! Are you trying to provoke me? Hey!"

"Garfield suddenly has a toothache, and he really wants to refuse passage... but he has no choice but to allow it. If that's the case, then there's no problem, Hachiman Hikigaya!"

"Ugh, fine! If you want to leave, then leave, really!" He turned his face away. "But, leaving the Sanctuary with you... don't push your luck!"

After a pause, Jiafei continued, "And—"

A punch, neither too hard nor too soft, landed on Hachiman Hikigaya's face.

"Wow—so cool!"

In the Sanctuary, Garfield was beaming with delight, "This isn't just a retaliation, it's a return gift! I really know my stuff! The General really knows his stuff too! — Ouch!"

Ryuzu once again tapped the smug Garfield with her cane.

"What are you doing, old woman! This is men's communication!"

The old women snorted, "This is for not leaving the Sanctuary with you to help!"

When this was mentioned, Jiafeier, who was initially feeling a bit aggrieved, immediately turned her head away awkwardly. "It's my fault for not accepting the general wholeheartedly yet, but that's my fault in the future. It won't be now."

"Having convinced Garfield, Hachiman Hikigaya's next target is Roswaal."

After hinting to Roswaal to send Ram away, he, in a hurry, didn't mince words and blurted out two phrases: "Elsa, Dora."

"Oh my!"

The leisurely Roswaal tensed up instantly, his attitude changing drastically as he stared seriously at Hachiman Hikigaya. "Has it come to this? How many times have you started over, Hachiman-kun?"

"Hachiman Hikigaya retorted, 'Answer me, Roswaal, what is the meaning behind your double trap? What is the most fundamental reason?'"

"In the last loop, he thought Roswaal was following the instructions in the Book of Wisdom to create a future most beneficial to Emilia. But when he was being devoured by the rabbits and realized that Roswaal was also likely to be eaten, he overturned this conclusion."

"Roswaal's attitude towards Emilia was ambiguous. He sometimes valued her, sometimes he didn't. But regardless of his attitude, Roswaal always looked down on Emilia and despised her from the bottom of his heart, believing that she was useless and incapable of anything."

"Roswaal in this state couldn't possibly believe that Emilia could pass the trial in just a few days. Therefore, the Sanctuary barrier couldn't be opened, and surrounded by the Rabbits, Roswaal would inevitably die."

"Could he not have foreseen this consequence? He could have, yet he still did it. Roswaal risking his life could never have done it for Emilia."

"Now that you've come this far, there's no point in hiding it from you anymore."

Roswaal pulled the Book of Wisdom from under his pillow, cradling it like the rarest treasure in the world, and said wistfully, "It was for you, and even more so for myself, Hachiman-kun."

"The two people you value most in this world, Lady Emilia and Rem, who has been forgotten by everyone, if they were both in danger, who would you choose?"

"Time can be staggered, I can do it all—"

"We can't avoid each other." Roswaal said decisively. "The assassin from the manor, I gave her the right to act sooner if she saw you return early. As for the Sanctuary's Dora, the sooner you leave, the sooner I'll call out; the later you leave, the later I'll call out."

"If you want to kill me first, you can't. This is the Sanctuary, a place specially chosen for me by the Book of Wisdom. You can't bring in reinforcements like Crusch, so I won't lose."

"Roswaal was telling the truth, and Hachiman Hikigaya didn't interrupt him, letting him continue."

"I will force you, Hachiman-kun. I will force you to make a choice, to abandon everyone else and wholeheartedly serve only Lady Emilia, with only her in your eyes. In this way, she can ascend the throne, and I can use her to slay the dragon and resurrect my teacher, Echidna—that is my ultimate goal."

Hachiman Hikigaya frowned, noticing a flaw in the argument: "What if I choose Rem? Or even if I choose Emilia, how am I supposed to deal with Toto? Even if I do deal with Toto, I'll definitely kill you after leaving the Sanctuary. If you're dead, how can I fulfill my long-cherished wish?"

""have no idea.""

Roswaal shook his head, but without wavering. "I don't know, but the Book of Wisdom that my teacher gave me provides this solution. Therefore, you won't choose Rem, therefore you can deal with the rabbit, therefore I won't die and can achieve my goal. That's what I'm certain of."

"Because the Gospel of the Book of Wisdom is what my teacher is guiding me through."

"Your teacher really is—"

"Yes, it's Echidna, the owner of this tomb."

"An unwavering conviction, a deep-seated trust—Roswaal lived entirely for Echidna, inside and out."

"You've gone mad, Roswaal."

"This is the real thing."

"But it's a distorted version of the real thing!"

172. Emilia's Embarrassment

"Crazy? Maybe."

"A madman with self-awareness, Roswaal was unfazed by Hachiman Hikigaya's point of view. He was simply willing to do anything to revive his teacher Echidna, even if it meant becoming a madman."

"You may hate me, Hachiman Hikigaya. But I live for my teacher. I believe you can understand this obsession, this dedication—because you too have this obsession!"

"Roswaal looked at his own kind with the eyes of someone who was looking at his own kind. What he was talking about was Hachiman Hikigaya's genuine possession. Hachiman Hikigaya's obsession and pursuit of so-called genuine possessions was absolutely no less than his obsession and pursuit of his teacher."

"Forcing Hachiman to make a choice, to slay the dragon god, and to resurrect the Witch of Greed... Hachiman was right, he really is a complete madman!"

Anastasia cursed under her breath, "I was thinking that Crusch's attempt to expel the dragon was already quite a radical move."

"Being targeted by the Witch of Greed and her disciple is truly Lord Hachiman's greatest misfortune!"

Crusch was filled with pent-up frustration. "Just because Hachiman-sama has enough power, does that mean he deserves to be targeted by you two? Does that mean he deserves to be manipulated and coerced by you? If you want to kill a dragon, then go and kill it! What kind of nonsense is this, using Hachiman-sama? You damned thing!"

It's truly disgusting to manipulate people's fates in such a despicable way, making their lives so clearly arranged.

The only thing to be happy about is that Lord Hachiman's strength has been acknowledged by Echidna and Roswaal, and that people of this caliber are certain that he can support Emilia's camp, a bunch of worthless trash, and become a winner.

At Advanced Nurturing High School, Horikita Suzune and the others rustled around, their faces pale.

"Was the journey to another world a setup from the very beginning? Was I already a pawn from the very first second I arrived?"

This despairing reality was truly chilling; even someone as proud as Saionji Rokusuke felt a thorn in his side.

Only Kiyotaka Ayanokouji sneered disdainfully: "Echidna herself was killed by Pandora's scheme, which is enough to prove that the Book of Wisdom is not truly omniscient and omnipotent, and can be overcome."

"He himself is dead, yet he still dares to try to control Hachiman Hikigaya through a dead book. What kind of arrogance is that?"

"This is underestimating him, and even more so, underestimating me!"

“Heh,” Ayanokouji Kiyotaka’s certainty at this moment was just like Roswaal’s certainty about the Book of Wisdom. “Just watch, the people I approve of will not be unable to get rid of something like this.”

Horikita Suzune and the others were speechless for a moment. Although they dared not openly refute him because of his power, based on Echidna's performance, they did not believe that Hachiman Hikigaya could escape the Book of Wisdom.

Kiyotaka Ayanokouji merely glanced at them coldly and didn't elaborate further, knowing that the facts would speak for themselves.

Compared to the Book of Wisdom, which already had a precedent of failure, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji felt that Regulus and Pandora were ultimately the most troublesome and unsolvable problems.

At the same time, Lugnica was in an uproar, except for the civilians who had long wanted to kill Roswaal.

Previously, considering that Roswaal was the kingdom's greatest mage and a major force that could not be lost, and considering how to protect Roswaal's Sages and the various nobles amidst the public outcry, Roswaal was sentenced to death at this time.

By daring to attack the dragon that protects the kingdom, Roswaal has already committed suicide.

"..."

"Unable to avoid Roswaal's burning, sharp gaze, Hachiman Hikigaya couldn't refute it. Now that his bottom line had been crossed, he simply couldn't say anything."

"I won't comment on your relationship with Echidna. However, I will never forgive you, Roswaal, for repeatedly causing Rem, Emilia, and so many others to lose their lives for your own selfish desires."

"Oh, that doesn't really matter."

"Therefore, I also find it difficult to forgive Echidna."

Roswaal, who had seemed indifferent, paused, staring intently at Hachiman Hikigaya, and asked with a frown, "What do you mean?"

"Hachiman Hikigaya gazed out the window, towards the direction of the Trial Graves. His eyes were deep, his tone languid, and he spoke in a long-forgotten manner, adopting the riddle-maker's usual way of speaking: 'It means exactly what you think.'"

Roswaal looked at him with a vacant expression, then opened the Book of Wisdom. The Gospels in the book were neither changed nor added. His mood immediately eased, and he smiled.

Hachiman Hikigaya smiled. "Well then, the usual rules apply. I'll borrow Lum."

"Even now, are you still dreaming of a perfect solution? Hachiman-kun, or are you deliberately choosing to save Rem out of spite, just to spite me?"

"Hachiman Hikigaya turned and left, ignoring Roswaal's provocation."

"Roswaal lay on the bed, holding the book of wisdom, stroking it with adoration."

Roswaal now smiled bitterly as he pulled out his Book of Wisdom, his gaze deep, a mixture of love and hate in his eyes.

"How happy I am in the future... But I can't go back. I can no longer be so infatuated with this book, 'Echidna,' 'Echidna,' hahaha..."