Tsukasa hovered in mid-air, looking at Subaru who was frozen in place, a knowing smile appearing on his lips.
He spoke unhurriedly, his voice exceptionally clear in the night wind, "Since they were only kidnapped instead of being killed on the spot, the other party is likely after Emilia, or..."
His gaze paused subtly on Subaru for a moment.
Subaru immediately understood—this was very likely a trap targeting the mansion's main combat force.
"So the most logical arrangement right now is for me to step in." Tsukasa said.
Tsukasa naturally understood Subaru's considerations. Because he only appeared for ten minutes each time, it had to be used at the most critical moment.
Logically, Subaru should find the mastermind first, and then Tsukasa would deliver the fatal blow.
But feeling her mana nearly depleted and her body aching all over, Subaru took a deep breath and finally made up her mind, "Tsukasa... I'll leave it to you."
The moment those words fell, it was as if time and space had frozen.
Those amber eyes closed for an instant, and after a long while, they suddenly snapped open.
Now, however, the pupils were blue, like the purest gemstones, swirling with a mysterious radiance in the night. As his toes lightly touched the ground, an invisible pressure erupted outwards with him as the center.
At this moment, Rem, who was treating the villagers, couldn't help but take half a step back. The Morning Star in her hand almost instinctively swung towards Subaru's direction.
The surrounding villagers trembled even more, even breathing became difficult. It was a sense of oppression originating from the very essence of life.
Like ants looking up at the sky, or mortals facing a god.
Tsukasa slightly curled his lips, his voice carrying a hint of lazy excitement. "It's been about a few days since the last time I came out."
At this moment, the eyes of the entire village were focused on the figure standing in the center.
That was indeed Subaru's body, but the aura emanating from hee now made her seem like a completely different person.
The straight spine exuded an arrogance that looked down on all living things, and the slightly raised chin carried an aura of 'Throughout Heaven and Earth, I alone am the honored one'.
"So this is Tsukasa-san..." Rem held her breath.
This was the first time she had witnessed the arrival of this powerhouse with her own eyes.
What shocked her most wasn't the vast mana, but that near-arrogant confidence deeply rooted in his very being.
Tsukasa casually moved his neck, his joints making a crisp cracking sound. He set off, walking towards Rem at an unhurried pace.
As he approached, Rem subconsciously tensed her body. Facing this powerhouse who had once clashed head-on with the Sword Saint, Reinhard, she felt a trace of nervousness.
And those blue eyes of Tsukasa seemed capable of piercing through the soul, making her feel as though she had nowhere to hide.
"How is it? Can you still move?"
Tsukasa had already come before her and reached out to rest his hand on her head. The moment his fingertips touched her hair, a warm current swept through her entire body—Reverse Cursed Technique had been activated.
Rem's footsteps, which had originally wanted to retreat, came to a halt. She was surprised to find that the wounds on her body scratched by the Mabeasts were healing at a speed visible to the naked eye, and even her exhausted body was rejuvenated with vitality.
"Tsukasa-san... Rem is fine." She steadied her mind and answered respectfully.
"That's good." Tsukasa withdrew his hand, a slight smile appearing on his lips. "Keep what I'm about to say firmly in mind."
His voice carried a hint of seriousness as he spoke, "The mana fluctuations coming from the east are exceptionally strong, I'll handle that. There are also faint mana reactions to the south. Although the intensity isn't high, it can't be ruled out that the children are there. This task is yours."
He leaned down slightly, a sharp glint flashing in his blue eyes. "If you encounter danger, I will arrive immediately."
This arrangement left Rem unable to raise any doubts, and she could only nod obediently.
Seeing her well-behaved appearance, Tsukasa suddenly reached out and rubbed her head vigorously.
"No need to call me Tsukasa-sama, just Tsukasa is fine."
He smiled like a child who had succeeded in a prank. "I'm quite fond of you sisters. Remember to protect yourself. If you get hurt, both Subaru and I will be heartbroken."
After delivering this somewhat frivolous concern, he turned to the Village Chief standing at the front of the crowd, his voice suddenly becoming majestic. "Old gentleman over there, send someone to the Roswaal Mansion to deliver a message—say that the matter has been resolved."
Before his voice could fade, the ground beneath his feet suddenly let out an overburdened groan. With a deafening explosion, the solid ground cracked inch by inch like a spider web.
Under the shocked gaze of the crowd, that figure had already turned into an afterimage, vanishing into the vast night.
Leaving behind only Rem, who was frozen in place, and the messy cracks all over the ground, proving that everything that had just happened was not an illusion.
Tsukasa's figure abruptly appeared in the sky above the forest, falling rapidly head-first in a free-fall posture.
The gale whistled in his ears, and Subaru's voice exploded within the Consciousness Space.
"You were definitely flirting just now, weren't you? That frivolous tone, those intimate actions..."
Tsukasa's lips curled slightly as he let the strong wind blow his hair into a frenzy. "Such cute twin maids are a scarce resource in any world. By the way, Subaru, remember to change into some clothes that are easy to move in next time."
Before he could finish, the hem of the JK Uniform skirt fluttered up under the force of gravity.
"Ugh... this is not an anti-gravity skirt at all!" Subaru collapsed in her mind with embarrassment and annoyance.
"That's not my fault." Tsukasa responded leisurely, as if the one falling wasn't himself.
"But you're right, it is time to change into an outfit suitable for combat."
In the gap between their conversation, he was now less than a hundred meters from the ground.
Watching the ground gradually enlarge in her field of vision, Subaru's voice trembled. "Falling like this will turn us into meat paste, won't it?"
"Don't worry." An excited light flashed in Tsukasa's blue eyes. "The timing is perfect."
At the moment he was about to hit the ground, his downward momentum came to a sudden halt. His body hovered two meters above the ground and flipped over gracefully, as if gravity had never existed.
"That move was so cool! Teach me!"
Seeing this, Subaru immediately requested excitedly. Even the presence Roswaal gave her didn't compare to a fraction of Tsukasa's.
"Exclusive secret technique, not for disclosure." Tsukasa landed with a light laugh, his gaze sweeping over the surroundings.
Seven children were seen lying in a circle on the grass, their faces pale.
Seeing this scene, Subaru immediately became nervous and asked Tsukasa urgently, "Are they okay?"