Chapter Text
What if...? What if Subaru were a Great Spirit created by Zarestia?
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[Mercenary: Are you sure this is the way?]
[Mercenary 2: Don’t worry about that. I saw that kid’s abilities with my own eyes, and I heard he would be coming down this road!]
Near one of Kararagi’s main roads, between the Sixth and Seventh City-States of Kararagi: Azamiki and Tenmitsu. Two cities not as well known as others but just as important. And in one of them, they had heard that That Figure was about to pass through.
That figure was said to have appeared in Zarestia’s Bed. A fantastical tale for those who heard about it, since that place was infamous for its danger. Entering that area meant certain death, usually by razor-sharp wind magic that slashed intruders to pieces. The power of the Great Spirit that resided there—the Spirit known as Zarestia. Only suicidal lunatics in Kararagi would dare to go there.
But the important thing was not the Wind Spirit, but rather the figure that had become known as The Golden Spirit.
A strange kind of spirit that had suddenly appeared in Banan, with a distinct appearance to those who lived in the country and its city-states. Some even suspected he looked like someone born in Gusteko due to the color of his hair—if they didn’t know he was a spirit, they might assume he was just a human child.
No one knew the circumstances of his birth or the reason for his appearance.
All they knew—and what the second mercenary had seen—was his ability to heal anyone from any illness or injury. Even severed limbs could be restored, treated as if they had never been lost in the first place. A powerful ability! And his figure was that of a normal human. Someone who traveled the country and its cities, healing people. Few knew his true motives, and those who thought they did didn’t seem to care enough to remember and retell them to others.
What mattered now was—
[Mercenary 2: There! It’s him!]
At those words, the six mercenaries looked in the direction the second had pointed. They all fixed their gaze on a figure walking calmly down the road as if the world around him was just an ornament to his existence—or, rather, just a backdrop for him.
A young figure.
Short, messy black hair, with a few strands falling over his forehead. His eyes were large, expressive, and unsettlingly bright, radiating intensity. Slightly arched eyebrows. A delicate face, yet carrying a resolute air. He wore a traditional outfit, resembling a ceremonial uniform. The upper part was a long-sleeved, loose-fitting white tunic, with black details at the edges. A golden belt secured the tunic at his waist, adding a refined touch to his appearance. He also wore long black pants, complementing the outfit.
A red cord was tied loosely around his neck, adding a dash of color to his attire.
[Mercenary: This is the Spirit they talk about...? He just looks like an ordinary kid...]
[Mercenary 2: Doesn’t matter! Spirit, child, monster—whatever! I saw it. Yes, he has the abilities they talk about. He’s a source of infinite healing.]
[Mercenary 5: Alright... if you say so... Still think you might’ve just been drunk.]
The last mercenary commented dismissively. Having known his comrade for a long time, he was well aware that his friend might have just been drunk.
[Mercenary 3: Who cares?! Let’s go. Whether it’s true or not, we can get something out of him.]
With that, he and his comrades stepped away from the roadside to approach the small figure. Upon seeing them, the boy stopped in front of the six armed men towering over him. He lifted his head to meet their eyes, appearing undisturbed by their sudden appearance in this place.
[Subaru: Hello. My name is Subaru. I am the Great Spirit of Healing. Tell me, do you need any help?]
[Mercenary: The Great Spirit of Healing? Quite the grand title for such a small figure like you. Then again... we’ve heard of you. Even if your name isn’t well known among the people, kid, we’ve heard about your abilities.]
[Subaru: You have? That’s good. If you need healing, please, tell me, and I will help you to the best of my ability.]
[Mercenary 5: How adorable~~!]
Though he spoke in a mocking tone, Subaru remained unshaken by the provocation, maintaining a neutral expression and a small, expectant smile—as if waiting for them to show him something in need of healing, something he truly wished to do.
Approaching the small figure, Mercenary 2 grabbed his chin, forcing him to look directly into his eyes. Wearing a smug grin and speaking arrogantly, he continued.
[Mercenary 2: Actually, brat. You can help us. ——. You’re going to come with us, nice and easy. We’ll go to the next town, find sick people, you’ll heal them with your abilities, and we’ll make a huge profit, got it, brat?]
[Subaru: ——. I’m sorry, but no. ——. If I charge people, there will be those who won’t come to me, thinking I’ll only heal them if they have money. That’s something I don’t want. I will heal anyone, without charging. As long as they’re sick, missing a limb, or in need of help. That is my duty with the abilities I have.]
Stating this as if it were obvious, Subaru gently removed the mercenary’s fingers from his chin, stepping back slightly.
[Mercenary 6: Listen, brat. Either you come with us willingly... or we’ll make you come with us.]
[Subaru: ——. I don’t like fighting, but I can fight. That’s why I developed my abilities: Light Fist and Delicate Palm. So... if you want to fight... I will defend myself against you. Please... don’t force me to fight.]
He spoke with genuine kindness, his unnerving eyes reflecting sadness—like someone forced to do something they truly didn’t want to do.
But he already knew—whether he liked it or not—he would have to fight.
A cold wind cut through the air as the six mercenaries surrounded Subaru, forming a tight semicircle around him. Each one, experienced and armed, adjusted their stance to leave no openings. Yet Subaru did not move immediately, his calm gaze contrasting with the rising tension.
The first mercenary, a tall man wielding a short blade, was the first to act. He lunged with a quick slash, aiming to cut Subaru’s side. But before the blade could complete its arc, a bright golden light filled the space where Subaru had been.
The mercenary blinked, confused—Subaru had disappeared.
A moment later, a brutal impact struck his abdomen.
The force sent him flying backward, doubling over in the air before crashing violently to the ground.
The other mercenaries reacted swiftly.
Immediately after, the second one, wielding a heavy axe, swung it in a destructive arc, trying to catch Subaru mid-motion.
But Subaru was no longer there.
A golden flash flickered behind him, and before he could realize it, a precise strike hit his shoulder. The force of the Delicate Palm sent him crashing to the ground, his weapon slipping from his hands as he groaned in pain.
In a pair, the third and fourth mercenaries decided to attack together, trying to corner Subaru with long swords. The third delivered a precise thrust while the fourth spun his blade to cut off any escape route. Subaru disappeared in a golden flash, reappearing between them. With terrifying speed, he dodged both strikes, sliding on the ground and rising to land a direct punch to the third mercenary's chest. The impact was so strong that the mercenary was thrown backward, landing heavily. The fourth tried to react, spinning his sword to block a possible counterattack, but Subaru was already at his side.
His palm struck the man’s ribcage, causing him to immediately lose his balance and fall to his knees, gasping in pain.
The fifth mercenary, now desperate, drew a crossbow and fired an arrow directly at Subaru’s position. However, at the exact moment the projectile should have hit him, Subaru dissolved into golden particles. He reappeared beside the archer, his palm striking the shooter’s arm with a sharp blow. A cracking sound echoed in the air as bones shattered, and the crossbow fell from his hands. The man screamed, clutching his useless arm, and collapsed to the ground.
In the end, the last mercenary, a veteran of countless battles, knew he was at a disadvantage but had no intention of going down without a fight. He gripped his spear firmly and took a defensive stance, cautiously circling Subaru. When he spotted an opening, he lunged with a swift and precise thrust, aiming for his enemy’s chest. Subaru moved with a golden gleam, dodging the spear’s tip by a fraction of a second. The mercenary retreated and attempted another strike, spinning the spear to extend his reach. But Subaru was already within his space. He grabbed the spear’s shaft, yanking it out of the mercenary’s hand, and delivered a decisive blow to the man’s chest.
The impact reverberated across the battlefield, and the mercenary fell to his knees before collapsing unconscious.
Subaru stood in the center of the fallen bodies. The cold wind blew again, slightly rustling his clothes. The battle had ended before it had even begun. Sighing with sadness, he opened a small cut on his palm, releasing a golden liquid—his blood—and quickly dropped a single droplet on each of the unconscious mercenaries, healing them of all their wounds.
That wind returned, passing over him in a different manner. Soothing.
[???: You know they wouldn’t do the same for you, right?]
[Subaru: And if that stopped me, I wouldn’t be able to help people.]
[???: Su, you really should think about just exterminating everyone. It’s easier.]
[Subaru: Exterminating others is easy. Healing them, helping them, improving them. That’s the hard path, one that only those with courage can walk… and those who have no other choice, like me. I don’t have the courage to harm them, you know.]
Approaching him from behind, the white figure gently wrapped their arms around him, embracing him, pressing the back of his head against themselves, and lowering slightly, bowing down to rest their chin atop his head. This beautiful figure was widely known throughout Kararagi and beyond—Zarestia, one of the Four Great Spirits of the current era.
[Zarestia: You know this might end up hurting you, right? And your abilities don’t work on yourself?]
[Subaru: That’s why I have you to take care of me, Mama Tia.]
[Zarestia: ——! Urgh! Don’t look at me with those eyes, Su~~!!!]
With bright, hopeful eyes. Subaru gave a look of total trust to the white spirit, known for her brutality, bloodlust, and immeasurable power in causing destruction and death. But she found herself powerless when faced with those shining eyes of her beloved “son”—even if not by blood.
The Spirit of Healing and the Spirit of Wind, the Kindest Healer and the Most Beautiful Reaper. A duo that helped the world in an unusual way wherever they went.
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This Subaru is an IF scenario based on some people's requests: that he be a Great Spirit, be Zarestia's "Son," and also a request from a reader for me to create an IF based on this version of Subaru from the story "Variants, Variants and More Variants":
https://archiveofourown.org/works/63789406/chapters/164789812
In this IF:
-Subaru was born as a sick baby in his world—extremely ill, to the point that he only lived for three months before passing away. The only things he remembered from that life were the love and sadness of his parents at his birth, his short life, and his death.
-Satella ended up saving his soul and fused it with a Lesser Spirit, which then developed into a Great Spirit with the appearance of his childlike self (as shown in the image). He was then born into Zarestia’s home.
-Zarestia did not understand what he was when he was born. But after some conflicts, they developed a mother-son relationship, with her being a mother who loves to pamper and protect her child, who in turn does the same for her. This created a duo of two Great Spirits.
-Subaru possesses Golden Blood, which allows him to heal any and all damage (LITERALLY ANYTHING), making his healing power even greater than Felix’s and Minerva’s. The only restriction is that: He needs to be cut or cut himself to use his healing blood, and he cannot immediately heal himself with his blood (he would need to wait one minute for the wound to heal completely, leaving no scar). He is even capable of reviving people as long as they have died within the past hour, functioning infinitely better than the "Sacrament of the Immortal King" ability.
-He is literally immortal: Even Satella, Reinhard, and Pandora cannot kill him. Even if he were reduced to less than an atom, he would still be able to regenerate.
-If he were classified as a Great Spirit, he would be the Great Spirit of Yang.
-This version of Subaru is completely good and innocent: With the personality of a small baby, he is 100% gentle and dislikes violence (despite being strong enough to engage in it), to the point of having no truly malicious desires. He is the second kindest Subaru among my IFs, to the extent that he is considered a kind of pure saint. He has never taken a life and does not intend to, no matter who it is. To sum it up: He is an incredibly good and innocent being, incapable of turning evil or doing anything malicious intentionally. He is also so innocent that he is easy to deceive—he wouldn’t recognize someone even if they disguised themselves right in front of him. He is literally a Baby/Innocent Child.
-He developed two combat techniques by secretly watching Halibel and his Shinobi skills:
Light Fist (ライトグリップ - Raito Gurippu) – He delivers light punches, strong enough to destroy steel.
Delicate Palm (デリケートな手のひら - Derikētona Tenohira) – He delivers delicate slaps, with half the power of Light Fist.
He even possesses a Multiplication technique like Halibel.
His combat style is both strong (he can amplify his physical strength with Yang Magic to an unprecedented level, making him one of the physically strongest Great Spirits—stronger than Puck in his Beast of the End form, where he would win 7 out of 10 fights if he took the battle seriously) and fast (as fast as light—LITERALLY transforming into it while moving). This means that even if the Three Gluttonies fought him at once, he could defeat them without getting hit (though he wouldn’t actually attack to seriously harm or kill them).
-He does not care about money or material possessions. His philosophy is: "If someone needs help, I will help." Due to the love and sadness imprinted on his soul by his parents in another life, he does not want anyone to suffer anymore. He is willing to heal anyone, regardless of whether they are rich, poor, good, or evil.
-When he traveled to Lugunica, he settled in the slums of the Royal Capital to heal anyone in need.
-He was able to cure the Royal Family’s illness and save their lives, making the Royal Selection unnecessary. He became a known ally of Lugunica and, unknowingly, a target of Roswaal for disrupting his plans.
-Zarestia always follows Subaru and protects him when he refuses to fight his opponents, as he often hesitates or outright refuses to fight due to his fear of seriously harming them.