Re:Zero -Starting Life in Zero

He gripped the sword hilt tightly, gritted his teeth to steady himself, and looked up at his wife, who was completely unconscious.

His bloodshot eyes churned with decades of longing and pain; his voice was hoarse yet each word was resounding, almost a roar from his throat:

"No matter how much trouble you have before you hold the sword, you won't have any more troubles after you hold it. You understand this better than I do!"

Theresa did not respond at all; her empty eyes held only a chilling killing intent.

With a flick of his wrist, the second sword slashed down fiercely once more, its energy carrying the deathly stillness of a death god's blessing, aimed straight at Wilhelm's heart.

Wilhelm dodged, the sword grazing his neck and drawing a trickle of blood, but he was completely unaware.

His gaze was fixed on Theresa, memories flooding back like a tidal wave, his voice trembling uncontrollably as each word struck the battlefield:

"Do you remember when we parted? When I tried to stop you from joining the great war, you pushed me away, leaving an indelible wound on my shoulder!"

He suddenly ripped open the fabric on his shoulder, revealing an old but clear scar.

That was the mark left by his wife back then, and it has never faded over the years, just like the longing he has engraved in his heart, which has never diminished in the slightest.

"That's what you said back then, and I haven't forgotten a single word of it!"

Memories of the past flashed by quickly.

Under the moonlight, Theresa stood with her back to him, dressed in red with red hair, her voice calm yet carrying a sense of farewell:

"When I get back, I'll heal this wound for you."

Wilhelm stopped dodging and slowly stepped forward, sword in hand.

His body was no longer filled with fierce fighting spirit, but with the tenderness and obsession he had devoted his entire life to.

He gazed at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure before him, his eyes resolute, his voice echoing throughout the chaotic battlefield:

"I've kept my promise from that day—!!!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he gripped his sword tightly, no longer holding back, but still without any killing intent, and simply slashed at the longsword in Theresa's hand.

She wanted to personally seize the sword that had bound her for life and turned her into a tool of slaughter, to fulfill the promise that had spanned decades.

On the other side, Green, Garfield, and Al joined forces to fight against Krugan, and the Eight-Armed God of War's ferocious offensive became increasingly fierce.

But Green is best at dealing with this kind of head-on opponent, and he quickly suppressed him.

The clanging of metal against metal, roars and gasps mingled as Wilhelm and Theresa exchanged dozens of blows.

Just as the two figures crossed paths again, a rustling sound came from the ruins of an abandoned house nearby.

A middle-aged man, dressed in sloppy clothes, with messy hair and a tired and disheveled look on his face, limped out from behind the collapsed wall.

It was Wilhelm's son, Heinkel Astreya.

He had previously clashed with Ferut, was knocked unconscious, and left in this abandoned neighborhood, only now slowly regaining consciousness.

Heinkel rubbed his aching forehead as his vision gradually cleared, and he immediately spotted Wilhelm, who was engaged in a fierce sword fight in the arena.

He was taken aback for a moment, then spoke instinctively, his tone tinged with unfamiliar surprise: "Father?"

That cry of "Father" struck Wilhelm like a thunderbolt.

In the moment he was distracted, his swordsmanship suddenly faltered, revealing his weaknesses.

Theresa's empty eyes remained calm. Seizing this momentary opening, she thrust out her longsword, imbued with sharp sword energy, without any mercy!

"Pfft—"

The cold blade pierced Wilhelm's thigh in an instant, and the immense force sent him flying.

Wilhelm slammed heavily against the stone wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Blood gushed from the wound on his thigh, and the power of death's protection spread instantly, causing excruciating pain to engulf his entire body.

He leaned on his sword, struggling to stand up, roaring as he gripped the hilt tightly:

"Theresia, no, it's not over yet! I can still fight!"

Heinkel froze on the spot, watching Wilhelm collapse with serious injuries.

Then look at the female swordsman who slowly turned around, her red hair disheveled, her whole body filled with cold killing intent.

The name "Theresia" from her father's mouth echoed in her ears, her mind went blank, and her blood seemed to freeze.

He stared blankly at the face etched in his memory, yet long since lifeless, his voice trembling uncontrollably, filled with disbelief:

"You're lying, aren't you... Mother?"

Theresa did not hesitate at all, her empty gaze fixed on Heinkel.

She slowly lifted her feet and walked towards him step by step.

They have no mind, no emotions, only the innate killing instinct of puppets.

The deathly aura around him grew stronger, and Wilhelm's blood was still stained on the sword's edge.

Wilhelm's pupils constricted sharply, his heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly, and the pain was so intense that he could hardly breathe.

He knew all too well that Theresa was now just a puppet controlled by the Witch Cult, and that the moment she stood before Heinkel, she would not hesitate to swing her sword down!

The torment of making him watch his wife kill his son with her own hands is a thousand times more painful than dying immediately!

"Stop! Theresa!"

Wilhelm screamed in anguish, struggling to crawl over and stop him, but the wound on his thigh made it impossible for him to move an inch, and his voice was filled with utter despair.

"Do you think that kind of thing can be forgiven?"

Heinkel trembled violently, fear gripping his entire body. He frantically drew his sword from his waist, but his hands shook uncontrollably, the tip of the sword quivering. His voice broke:

"Impossible! How could this be? How could such an unbelievable thing happen?!"

"Run! Run, Heinkel! You can't beat her!" Wilhelm roared, his eyes bloodshot, issuing a warning.

But it was all too late.

Theresa had already walked up to Heinkel, her calm eyes reflecting his terrified face.

He slowly raised his wrist, and the cold longsword pointed directly at Heinkel's neck, instantly knocking the sword out of his hand.

The shadow of death completely enveloped Heinkel. He turned deathly pale, dropped his sword, and knelt down, begging for mercy, his voice filled with utter terror:

"Stop! No! Mother, please don't kill me!"

Theresa's longsword was raised high above his head, just as it was about to fall.

A clear, calm, and authoritative voice suddenly rang out from the sky, resounding throughout the entire battlefield:

That's enough.

A golden light suddenly pierced through the smoke of battle, and a tall figure descended from the sky, his fiery red hair flying in the wind, exuding an awe-inspiring and sacred aura.

Reinhard van Astreya swooped down like lightning.

With a sudden burst of strength from his wrist, he delivered a devastating chop to the ground, flipping over and slashing down with overwhelming force!

"clang--!!"

A dazzling golden light exploded, and immense magical power instantly spread out.

Theresa swung her sword to defend herself, but was violently pushed back by the overwhelming force.

His feet left two deep marks on the ground, and he retreated dozens of meters before he could finally regain his footing.

Reinhard landed steadily, his blue eyes calmly looking at Theresa.

He exuded an unparalleled aura unique to the contemporary sword saint.

The battlefield fell into a deathly silence, and all eyes were focused on the contemporary sword saint who had descended from the sky.