Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

As soon as she finished speaking, a hand covered her eyes.

"Don't look, Kirino."

Kyosuke Kousaka's face was somber... His feelings were different from Kirino's; he shared the same feelings as Miyuki Shirogane, Futaro Uesugi, Houtarou Oreki, and the others...

"Ai-Gi-D-Na!!"

If Puck hadn't already been blamed by his own daughter for accidentally injuring innocent people with the widespread freezing caused by the Mana outbreak, he would definitely have done that now.

Echidna was its creator, yet to it, Emilia was everything, the meaning of its existence. Echidna was toying with Hachiman Hikigaya, curious to see just how far she could go before he was on the verge of a mental breakdown…

When that moment arrives, it will be her time to step in, the time to achieve her goal. Taking advantage of the situation is exactly what she does.

Unlike the others, Parker wasn't thinking about Hachiman Hikigaya; he was thinking about Emilia.

If Hachiman Hikigaya suffers a mental breakdown because of this trial and is no longer able to protect Emilia, Puck doesn't even dare to imagine the consequences!

"...No, no—stop, please stop, please!..."

Unlike the convoluted Parker, Emilia's bewildered anxiety was the purest.

Although it may seem presumptuous, the pain she is feeling now is no less than that of Hachiman Hikigaya... Just thinking about how heartbroken Hachiman Hikigaya must be to be treated like this, Emilia felt so distressed that she could almost empathize with him.

Because, having stood here all this time, helplessly watching Hachiman Hikigaya die for her so many times, that feeling was exactly the same as his right now!

“Mother…no, you’re not…you don’t deserve to be Betty’s mother, Echidna, you’re not! You don’t deserve it at all!”

On the rooftop of Roswaal's mansion, Betty, trembling, squeezed out a low but extremely firm sentence through clenched teeth.

Regardless of what Roswaal had said before, seeing Hachiman Hikigaya, who was willing to die with her, in such a miserable state, tormented to the point of almost being like Petritchus, she suddenly took the initiative to say these words.

"Betty's mother would never be that kind of person!!"

As her words fell, Rem, venting her anger outside the village of Karara in the distance, slammed her flail into the ground with a deafening roar.

At the Carlsten mansion, Phyllis glanced nervously at Crusch, "Lady Crusch..."

"There's no need for that worried look, Phyllis. I... can handle it."

Crusch murmured to himself as if hypnotizing himself, "If it's Lord Hachiman, it can definitely be done. If it's Lord Hachiman, he definitely won't be defeated. If it's Lord Hachiman, then it can be done. I believe in him."

"—So, you don't need to take such good care of me, Yukinoshita."

In the convenience store, Hachiman Hikigaya, who had just finished a phone call with Hiratsuka-sensei, gently shook his head and brushed away the gentle hand that Yukinoshita was using to cover his eyes.

"Now that things have come to this, neither I now nor I in the future can be defeated by this level of treatment. The future me has even abandoned my own true self. If the present me can't even bear to see his suffering, then I wouldn't be myself, Yukinoshita."

“…Now, I actually wish you weren’t so strong, Hikigaya-kun.” Yukino sighed softly, silently nestling in the arms of this strong man.

"That vile, filthy woman! That clown-like creature! She's an eyesore to me!"

Priscilla frowned noticeably, her aura chilling as she hurled her most vicious insults at the culprit, Echidna, "How dare you insult my chosen subordinate, how dare you insult my dignity! Your filthy soul has no place to linger on the brink of death. I will strip you naked and hang you on the city gates of the capital!"

Al, who was already used to his master's arrogance, shrugged. His deep eyes, compared to what was happening now, were still in the past, in the time when the jealous witch Satella appeared.

At that moment, he almost felt his heart stop. Although there are far too many people in this world who fear the Witch of Envy, without a doubt, no one fears Satella the Witch of Envy to the same extent as he does.

"Hey, hang in there, bro... hang in there, and then... maybe only you, only you can kill her—kill my nightmare!"

Hachiman Hikigaya's panting was transmitted to everyone's ears through the light screen, and at that moment, most people were so frightened that they fell silent.

"And then, finally..."

"The 'present' after all of Hachiman Hikigaya's deaths has finally been fully revealed!"

183. Let's make a contract, monster.

"...Are you kidding me? Echidna! You—get out here!!"

"Now that things have come to this, do you think I would still be afraid of this possibility? Now that things have come to this, do you think I wouldn't have considered the possibilities of these parallel worlds? Now that things have come to this, do you think I would still be overwhelmed by guilt and regret?"

"Now that things have come to this, whatever the mistakes I made, whether the cycles of reincarnation I abandoned were parallel worlds or not, those things, those things... absolutely nothing can stop me from moving forward!"

"If I have failed so many times, causing so many Emilias and Rem, so many people I love to die in agony or live in aimless numbness and weeping..."

"Then at least, at the very least I..."

"It's not about mourning and grieving for all the Emilias and Rems who are gone beyond redemption. If those are real, I will atone for them later. But right now, I..."

"I will do everything in my power to save Emilia, who is still alive and well in this world, in this cycle of reincarnation!!"

"So—you, get out here right now!!! Echidna!!!"

"His eyes were bloodshot, as if he was facing something he couldn't bear to look at. His head was buzzing, his limbs were so cold that he couldn't control them, he was about to lose his breath, he was about to commit suicide, his hands and feet were cramping, and he could feel all kinds of numbness and spasms caused by the abnormal heartbeat."

"But it can still roar."

"But there is still reason."

"But its eyes are still open."

"The swaying Hachiman Hikigaya leaned against the wall, his forehead and back covered in cold sweat, and then, finally, amidst a roar that echoed through the grave, he saw Echidna appear before him."

"His stumbling steps, if there were a mirror, would have shown him how similar he was to a zombie in a movie, with that posture and spirit, that indescribable cold gaze, which even frightened Echidna in front of him, making her cover her head and tremble."

"No...! I'm not, I'm not Echidna!"

"——"

"Hachiman Hikigaya was shocked to find that this 'Echidna' had changed her appearance and become a girl who was only slightly taller than Beatrice, with pink hair and a long scarf around her neck."

"I'm not Echidna, I'm the Witch of Lust, Carmilla." Carmilla, who looked like she was about to cry from fear, explained tremblingly, "It's not my choice... Whoever you want to see, that's how you'll see me. Little Echidna told me to come and comfort you, to tell you that you're very scared, but... but..."

"Then let Echidna come out and talk to me herself!!"

"Ugh~ Your attitude towards me is as awful as ever. I've gotten somewhat used to it, but seeing your double standards and the way that annoying, disgusting Emilia is treated really breaks my heart."

"The instant Hachiman Hikigaya finished speaking, his soul was familiarly transferred and instantly appeared at the tea party venue. In this open area, as always, Echidna sat gracefully in a chair, gently holding her Dona tea."

"Echidna..."

"What's wrong?" Startled by the hoarse voice, Echidna paused with a smile, looking at Hachiman Hikigaya with great curiosity, eagerly anticipating his reaction.

"I have a question for you."

"Hmm... such a calm reaction. It's quite remarkable that you can suppress your urge to kill me at a time like this. Although, well... how should I put it, it's not very interesting? However, the fact that you managed to withstand the torment of the trial is particularly surprising. In that respect, it's quite interesting."

The teacup clinked against the table, and Echidna, her hands empty, smiled. "Oh, let me guess, what you want to ask is probably..."

"Hachiman Hikigaya, his steps faltering and his demeanor lifeless, walked step by step to Echidna, bent down, and stared at her coldly and emotionlessly, like a robot, meeting her gaze directly, and said, word by word:"

"The essence of the Return of Death, the person you asked Beatrice to wait for, and the reason for Satella's appearance."

“Alright, I can tell you. But there’s a price.” Echidna said with a smile, then paused for a moment, seemingly about to make an outrageous demand, “Sign a contract with me.”

"I refuse."

"As expected." She pouted, looking like an adorable girl throwing a tantrum. However, having satisfied yet another unknown aspect of her, the corners of her happy smile betrayed her. "Alright, then, I want you to listen carefully to the contract I propose, then think carefully and make a decision from the bottom of your heart. After that, I will answer your questions."

Hachiman Hikigaya nodded slightly.

"Then please listen carefully to my demands."

"Echidna stood up from the chair, clutched her skirt, and twirled around lightly, as joyful as a little girl in love who was about to confess her feelings."

"I will sign a contract with you, and you will gain everything I have, all of me—my knowledge, my wisdom, my power. There will be no price, no secrets. I will help you, actively help you, to lead you to the most perfect and correct ending. Even this soul, this body, you can use it to freely indulge your sexual desires if you wish."

"In return, I will receive everything from you, all of you, your choices, your thoughts, your reflections, and the feelings you experience with each death and return. I will see them, and then I will not just see them; I will experience them with you, I will be bound to you, and I will fulfill all, all, all the unknowns—this is what only you, with your death and return, can fulfill for me."

"Whether it's here or there, it's all the best, the most positive thing for you—you are a monster. You are a rational monster, a monster unlike me or Daphne, but you are indeed a monster, a monster just like us."

"If it were you, a monster, you would understand; if it were you, a monster, you would calculate; if it were you, a monster, you would see how much you would gain."

"Have I lied? — You can surely understand that everything I said about the contract was sincere, so..."

"Echidna spoke so fluently and without pause that she finally said with a smile, her eyes slightly narrowed."

"Hachiman Hikigaya, you monster, come and make a contract with me!"

184. Retribution for Counterfeits

"After such blatant manipulation that disregards my will, she still offers me a deal with such intimacy. Although I am hailed as the most successful businessman in the Kingdom of Lugnica, compared to this witch of greed, my skin is incredibly thin."

Anastasia scoffed, her eyes gleaming. With the mind of a businesswoman, she instinctively sensed that there was some unspoken trap hidden in this contract.

If it were her, she would definitely find that trap.

however--

Hachiman Hikigaya is not Anastasia.

"I refuse."

"I can detect the trap, but I don't need to find it. This answer was serious, carefully considered, and given immediately after Echidna finished speaking."

"What's the reason?"

"There's no reason."

Echidna, with amusement, pinched her chin and scrutinized Hachiman Hikigaya. She showed no sign of disappointment at being rejected, but rather enthusiasm: "How rare! You actually lied here. You knew, didn't you? You couldn't possibly fool me here."

"Hachiman Hikigaya gave a rare, cold laugh, his voice unusually hoarse and icy, the content of his words even more terrifying, 'The truth is, there are just too many reasons to list them all, so I have no intention of telling you. You can keep your doubts forever, Echidna.'"

""This is--""

"Echidna's eyes widened, she trembled, and suddenly her face flushed red. She pressed her hands to her chest, deeply moved. 'Ah, ah... I see, I see. Have I finally crossed your line? Are you going to take revenge? Not with fists or a sword, but by making me curious, making me doubtful, leaving me without answers, leaving me unsatisfied, making me itchy, making me insatiable and unable to stop... Ah, so this is how you deal with me when you've hardened your heart. That's wonderful, the best, truly the highest and best—I see, I see. In that case, I'm even less willing to let you go, monster.'"

"Echidna, jumping for joy like a butterfly, laughed, 'In that case, well, how about this?'"

"I will tell you, I want to tell you, I can tell you."

"What if I told you that even if you manage to overcome the difficulties of the Sanctuary and the Manor on your own, you'll face even more insurmountable challenges in the future? Hmm~ Let me think~"

"Perhaps the current Regulus, the embodiment of lust, will forcibly marry that obnoxious Emilia Adam's wife? Perhaps the dormant Pandora will resurface to demand the key? Perhaps you will personally kill your lover, your monarch, your friends and family? Perhaps your hero will turn against you? Perhaps, perhaps... Ah, what else could it possibly happen?"

"What would happen to you... without me? Your intelligence is at best among mortals. Faced with overwhelming power, could you consistently resolve everything? Would you give up readily available insurance and support for your own hatred, your stubbornness, and your bottom line? What if you encounter a situation where even returning by death is futile?"

"If a bottom line has already been crossed once, should we really continue to uphold it? If a bottom line has already been crossed once, can it still be called a bottom line?"

"With me here, I can lead you to the most perfect ending, the ending you desire, even if no one dies or gets hurt, that kind of dream ending, the ending you've always longed for, I can help you achieve it all."

"A rapid murmur, seductive words, a cunning smile—Echidna looked at the ashen-faced Hachiman Hikigaya with satisfaction, her whole body burning with joy, happiness, and delight. 'Immediately, right away, very soon, and then—'"

"That's enough!!"