Chapter 2: Jewels and Bowels
The tension in the warehouse was thick enough to cut with a knife, or at least it felt that way to Subaru as he watched Rom and Felt eye them with suspicion. Subaru was just about to make another joke to ease the atmosphere when something changed-a shift in the air that made his skin prickle.
It grew colder, and Subaru could feel an ominous presence behind him, as if death itself had entered the room. Emilia, too, seemed to stiffen beside him. Her violet eyes narrowed as she turned her gaze toward the entrance of the warehouse.
A slow, deliberate set of footsteps echoed across the room. The faint light from outside illuminated a slender figure in a long, dark cloak. As she stepped into the warehouse, the shadows revealed her-Elsa Granhiert, the infamous Bowel Hunter.
Elsa's raven-black hair cascaded down her shoulders, and her eyes gleamed with unsettling delight. She surveyed the room, her gaze lingering on each of them for a moment before settling on Emilia and Subaru. Her lips curved into a sinister smile, the kind that could only mean trouble.
"Ara, ara... What do we have here?" Elsa said, her voice smooth and unsettlingly calm. "The owner of the insignia herself. How convenient."
Subaru felt a chill run down his spine at her words. There was no mistaking the danger radiating off this woman. Her every movement was slow, graceful, like a predator sizing up her prey. Subaru stepped protectively in front of Emilia, his heart hammering in his chest.
Elsa tilted her head, eyes gleaming as she continued, "Since the owner is here, I suppose there's no need for negotiations. I'll just kill everyone and take the insignia. That sounds much more fun, doesn't it?"
Subaru clenched his fists, his body tense. "Hey now, hold on! There's gotta be a way we can talk this out. Maybe over tea?"
But Elsa's grin widened, revealing sharp teeth as she drew her curved blade from its sheath. "No, I'm afraid there isn't."
Without warning, Elsa lunged, her blade flashing in the dim light as she aimed directly for Subaru and Emilia. The speed of her attack was astonishing, her movements almost too fast to follow. Subaru's instincts kicked in immediately.
In an instant, his hand slammed down on the Omnitrix, and with a flash of green light, his form shifted and expanded. His body grew larger, muscle rippling under thick armor-like skin until he stood as Humungousaur, towering over Elsa.
Subaru's massive arms came up just in time to block Elsa's strike. Her blade met his armored hide with a deafening clang, the force of the blow sending sparks flying. But Subaru, in his alien form, barely flinched.
"You're gonna need a bigger knife if you want to get through this!" Humungousaur roared, his deep voice booming through the warehouse.
But Elsa's grin only grew more excited. "Ara, how fascinating!" she purred, her eyes gleaming with a manic glint. "I've never carved up something like you before. This will be fun!"
She danced around him with terrifying speed, her blade flashing again and again as she tried to find a weak spot in his armor. Each strike rang out, the sound of metal against stone-like skin echoing through the warehouse. Elsa was relentless, her movements like a blur as she slashed and spun, her blade seeking out vulnerable spots.
Subaru, despite his massive size, found it difficult to keep up with her. She was too fast, darting around him like a viper. Every time he swung a fist at her, she dodged effortlessly, moving with an agility that seemed almost inhuman. He needed to do something, and fast.
Emilia stood behind him, eyes wide with concern as she prepared to cast a spell. "Subaru, be careful! She's incredibly dangerous!"
Subaru growled in frustration, trying to keep up with Elsa's movements. "Yeah, I noticed!"
Elsa cackled, her blade slashing at Humungousaur's side. Though it couldn't penetrate his tough skin, the force was enough to make him stumble. Subaru gritted his teeth, realizing that pure strength wouldn't be enough against her.
"Enough of this!" he roared, slamming both of his massive fists down onto the ground, creating a shockwave that sent debris flying toward Elsa.
Elsa flipped back gracefully, landing with a smirk as she evaded the rocks. "How fun! You're certainly more interesting than I expected."
Subaru cursed under his breath. "This is bad... I can't keep up with her speed."
Just as Elsa moved in for another strike, Emilia finished her incantation, a glowing ice barrier forming between Elsa and Subaru. The assassin's blade struck the barrier with a sharp ring, the ice cracking but holding.
"Don't worry, Subaru," Emilia said, her voice steady but determined. "I've got your back."
Elsa looked at Emilia with mild curiosity, tapping her blade against the ice. "A half-elf with magic, hmm? You'll be next after I finish with him."
Subaru, knowing the fight wasn't over, shifted his stance and prepared to counter. "Yeah, good luck with that," he muttered, determination filling him as the battle raged on.
Elsa's excitement only grew, but Subaru was far from finished. He wasn't about to let some psychopathic assassin lay a hand on Emilia or anyone else.
As the battle raged on, Subaru realized that brute strength wasn't enough to deal with Elsa's terrifying agility. Her graceful, deadly movements made it nearly impossible to land a solid hit. Each time Humungousaur swung his massive fists, she danced just out of range, her eyes gleaming with wicked glee.
"I can't keep this up," Subaru muttered through clenched teeth. "She's too fast for me like this."
With a quick flick of the Omnitrix, Subaru slammed down on it again. In a flash of green light, his hulking form shifted, shrinking down into a ghostly, icy figure. He had transformed into Big Chill.
Immediately, Subaru took advantage of Big Chill's intangibility, his body phasing out of the material world. Elsa lunged at him, her curved blade slicing through the air where he once stood, but it passed harmlessly through his now translucent form.
Elsa's eyes narrowed in intrigue. "Ara, ara... how interesting. You can disappear now, can you? Let's see how long you can play this game."
Subaru ignored her taunt, his ghostly form gliding through the air as he chilled the space around them. Frost began to form along the walls, creeping closer to Elsa with every passing second. As he hovered above her, he released a burst of freezing wind, coating the ground and walls in ice. Elsa's limbs began to slow, ice crystals forming on her clothes and hair.
"Ice, huh?" Elsa mused with a dark chuckle. "A little cold never bothered me."
She twisted, her movements becoming more deliberate as the freezing air hindered her speed. But even as frost clung to her, Elsa's assassin instincts remained razor sharp. She dodged Subaru's next icy blast and slashed upward with her blade, aiming for where she guessed he would reappear.
Subaru barely managed to phase in time, her blade passing through him as he turned intangible.
"That was too close!" he muttered, his ghostly breath visible in the cold air.
Elsa's lips curled into a smirk. "You can't hide forever, little ghost."
Just as she prepared another strike, a thunderous roar echoed through the warehouse. Old Man Rom, his massive frame casting a long shadow, charged forward with his enormous club raised high. The force of his steps shook the ground, his eyes burning with fury as he aimed to defend Felt and protect the insignia.
"Oi, you witch!" Rom bellowed, his voice a thunderous growl. "You want a fight, huh? Let's see how well you dance when I crush your skull!"
He swung his club with the force of a cannonball, the massive weapon hurtling toward Elsa with deadly speed. For a split second, it seemed as though Rom might overpower her with sheer brute strength.
But Elsa, as deadly as ever, sidestepped the blow with ease, her movements fluid and almost effortless. She twirled around Rom's attack, her eyes gleaming with amusement.
"How cute," Elsa said with a cruel smile. "But strength alone won't save you."
Before Rom could recover from his swing, Elsa moved like lightning. Her curved blade flashed in the dim light, slicing through the air with terrifying precision. In an instant, she closed the distance between them, and with a swift, vicious slash, she struck at Rom's side.
Rom staggered, a sharp gasp escaping his lips as blood splattered onto the warehouse floor. His club slipped from his grasp and clattered to the ground as he stumbled back, clutching the wound on his side. The massive man collapsed to one knee, his face pale from the sudden loss of blood.
"No!" Subaru shouted, watching in horror as Rom fell. He quickly moved to help, but Elsa's cold laughter stopped him in his tracks.
"You're next," Elsa whispered, her tone dripping with anticipation as she turned her attention back to Subaru.
Subaru's heart raced. He knew he had to act fast before Rom lost too much blood. Phasing back into the material world, he darted toward Rom while keeping his eyes locked on Elsa.
"Stay with me, old man!" Subaru urged, placing a hand on Rom's wound to try and stop the bleeding.
"Bah... Don't... worry about me," Rom muttered through gritted teeth, trying to push Subaru away.
"Focus on... her."
Elsa, now watching them with a wicked grin, licked the blood off her blade. "You boys are making this far too entertaining."
"Entertaining?" Subaru growled, rising back into the air. "We'll see if you're still laughing after this!"
Taking a deep breath, Subaru unleashed a frigid blast, freezing the ground beneath Elsa's feet. But as he attacked, he knew they needed to act fast to stop her before anyone else got hurt
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### *Felt's Escape and Return with Reinhard*
As Old Man Rom staggered and fell, Subaru felt a surge of desperation wash over him. He knew that Rom's injury was severe, and they couldn't afford to lose him, especially with Felt relying on him. Subaru turned quickly to Felt, who stood wide-eyed at the chaos unfolding.
"Felt!" he shouted, urgency lacing his voice. "You need to get out of here! It's not safe!"
Felt blinked, her heart racing as she processed his words. "What about you? I can't just leave you guys here and run!"
Subaru shook his head, determination burning in his eyes. "It's the responsibility of older individuals to care for the younger ones. I'm not asking you to run away; I'm asking you to find help-now!"
Felt hesitated, glancing back at Rom, who was still struggling to remain conscious. Tears brimmed in her eyes as she turned to Subaru, knowing she had no choice. "Promise me you'll keep him safe!" she pleaded, her voice trembling.
"I promise," Subaru assured her, his heart heavy with the weight of his words. "Just go!"
Taking advantage of the chaos, Felt slipped past the skirmish, racing out of the warehouse and into the night, her mind set on finding help for Rom. She wouldn't let her only family be lost, not while she still had breath in her lungs.
Subaru watched her disappear into the shadows before turning his attention back to the fight. He quickly glanced at Emilia, who was kneeling beside Rom, assessing the injury.
"Emilia!" he called urgently. "You need to heal Old Man Rom! I'll handle the fight!"
Emilia's silver hair shimmered in the dim light as she nodded, her expression resolute. "I'll do my best!" She quickly placed her hands over Rom's wound, summoning her healing magic. A warm glow enveloped her hands, and Subaru felt a surge of hope.
"Just focus on healing him! I'll keep Elsa busy," he said, determination coursing through him.
With Emilia concentrating on Rom, Subaru transformed back into Big Chill, the icy aura surrounding him as he prepared to confront Elsa once more. He wouldn't let her harm anyone else.
"Ara, are you going to hide behind your little ghost tricks again?" Elsa taunted, her wicked smile widening. "You'll need more than that to take me down!"
Subaru clenched his fists, his breath steadying as he focused on the icy energy swirling around him. "I'll show you just how strong I can be!"
With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed another icy blast towards Elsa, the air crackling with tension as the fight continued. He could feel the weight of Rom's and Felt's safety on his shoulders, pushing him to fight harder than ever before.
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As Felt sprinted away from the chaos of the warehouse, her heart raced with a mix of fear and determination. She skidded around a corner, narrowly avoiding a group of onlookers, and crashed directly into a tall figure. Dazed, she looked up to find herself face to face with Reinhard van Astrea, the legendary Sword Saint.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" she exclaimed, stumbling back slightly.
Reinhard's gaze softened as he noticed the panic in her eyes. "What's happening? You look frightened."
"That crazy bitch going to kill everyone! We need to stop her!" Felt blurted out, her breath hitching.
"You have to help us! Old Man Rom-he's hurt!"
Reinhard's expression shifted to one of resolve. "You did well to come here. I won't let anyone fall today."
Felt stared up at him, her eyes widening in shock. "Wait... are you Reinhard van Astrea? The legendary Sword Saint?"
Reinhard nodded, a calm confidence radiating from him.
Felt gasped, disbelief coursing through her. "No way! I thought you were just a story! You're really here to save us?"
With a reassuring nod, Reinhard took off toward the warehouse, Felt following closely behind, her heart pounding with hope that help was finally on the way.
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Back in the warehouse, Subaru was locked in a fierce battle with Elsa, his heart pounding as he transformed into Spidermonkey. His agile form allowed him to zip around the room with newfound speed, and he quickly began launching webs in an attempt to ensnare Elsa.
"Gotcha!" he shouted, firing a webbing strand that shot toward Elsa like a projectile. But with a swift flick of her wrist, Elsa sliced through it effortlessly, her blade gleaming ominously in the dim light.
"Is that the best you can do, little monkey?" she taunted, a cruel smile curling on her lips. "You'll have to try harder than that!"
Subaru gritted his teeth, dodging another one of Elsa's slashes. He needed to outsmart her-agility alone wouldn't be enough. He focused on his surroundings, swinging from a beam overhead and attempting to drop down behind her for a surprise attack.
Meanwhile, Emilia had managed to heal Old Man Rom, who was still unconscious but stable. Sensing the gravity of the situation, she positioned herself at a distance, gathering her energy to support Subaru. "I have to do something!" she muttered to herself, summoning ice magic to create an icy barrier between herself and Elsa.
"Emilia, be careful!" Subaru shouted, his attention divided as he swung back into the fray.
Elsa, noticing Emilia's movements, narrowed her eyes and pivoted toward her. "You think that's going to save you?" With a deadly grace, she lunged towards Emilia, her blade poised to strike.