The Subjugation of the White Whale (白鯨討伐) was a hunt to end one of the Three Great Witchbeasts, the White Whale, and it is one of the two core battles of Arc 3. Set roughly two months after Natsuki Subaru’s arrival into the world, shortly after the start of the Royal Selection, Subaru made an alliance between the Emilia Camp, Crusch Camp, and Anastasia Camp, using the location and means to hunt the White Whale as an offering.
With the appearance of a silver-haired half elf as one of the Royal Candidates, the Witch Cult decided to make their move. With the Sin Archbishop of Sloth wishing to resurrect the Witch of Envy, he decided to commence an attack in the Mathers Domain. As part of his plan, the White Whale was made to guard the Lifaus Highway between Arlam Village and the Royal Capital, the eventual battleground that would mark the beast’s end.
Though this subjugation was meant to be a stepping stone towards reaching the real battle that would follow, this was still a battle that signified a change that had not been seen in 400 years.
Background[]
Great Conquest[]
The Sword Demon, Wilhelm van Astrea, was unable to participate in the Great Conquest in which his wife, Theresia van Astrea, purportedly lost her life to the White Whale fourteen years prior to the Subjugation of the White Whale. With the love of his life lost, Wilhelm dedicated his life to pursuing the Witchbeast of the Mist, creating a rift in his relationships with his son and grandson. After nearly fourteen years of trial and error, he presented findings that could determine the White Whale's movement patterns to his old friend Bordeaux Zellgef, but he failed to succeed in convincing the Mad Dog to agree. This conversation was witnessed by Crusch Karsten and Ferris. In time, the duchess gravitated towards Wilhelm and added him as a member to her camp for the upcoming Royal Selection, promising the Sword Demon the opportunity to slay his foe.
Forging Alliances[]
After experiencing a few loops with his Return by Death and encountering both the White Whale and the Witch Cult, Subaru acquired the foreknowledge of what times both would emerge. Having understood Roswaal's intentions to forge an alliance with the Crusch Camp, and deducing that Crusch Karsten was aiming to slay the White Whale, he spoke with Rem and organized for her to bring Anastasia Hoshin and Russell Fellow to the Karsten Manor. That evening, Subaru met with Crusch Karsten with Rem by his side and Russell as his collaborator. In an attempt to garner an alliance with her, he, as a proxy of Roswaal L. Mathers and an envoy of Emilia, offered her the rights to the magic crystals that could be found within Elior Forest, which the margrave had told Rem was allowed to be used in negotiations, and as the offer itself could not solely warrant an alliance, he revealed that he could provide the means to hunt the White Whale, which the nearby Wilhelm reacted strongly to.
Subaru then passed his cell phone off as a meteor that would allow him to detect the time that the White Whale. Though Crusch considered it to be rather convenient, she realized that he was not lying and decided to believe him. Soon after, Anastasia made appearance in the negotiations, which Crusch seemed to believe was Subaru trying to manipulate them by involving the two candidates in a bidding war. This belief was quickly dispelled, however, when Subaru stated his intentions were to assist Crusch in her plans to subjugate the White Whale, revealing her objective to Anastasia and Russell and inciting reactions from everyone in the room.
Following more shaky negotiations, with Anastasia joining on the hunt to kill the fiend that terrorized all merchants and a chance to increase her company’s sales, Russell’s assistance in exchange for Subaru’s phone after the fight, and Crusch’s assistance in exchange for rights to mine within Elior Forest and a chance to make good on her deal with Wilhelm, an alliance between all parties was successfully made.
Preparing for the Hunt[]
The next day, following the conclusion of the negotiations, Subaru and Rem followed Ferris to choose a land dragon to ride, leading him to meeting Patrasche. Afterward, they went inside of the nearby building and met with numerous knights and mercenaries who had decided to join the fight. Such warriors included Ricardo Welkin, Wilhelm, and even retired soldiers such as Conwood Melahau, who have waited a long time for a rematch to make up for their loss during the Great Conquest. Soon after, he met with Crusch and Anastasia as well, who questioned Subaru’s joining in the coming battle. Subaru agreed to her question and suggested to her to use him as bait, as he has an ability to draw witchbeasts to himself.
Crusch rallying the soldiers.
After Crusch gave a rousing speech to the numerous soldiers and warriors there, everyone mounted the land dragon and ligers and started making their way to Flugel’s Tree on the Lifaus Highway. Along the way, Ricardo went around bringing up everyone’s spirits, as many were nervous to take on the terrifying beast. Shortly after, Subaru met with the lieutenants of the Iron Fang, Mimi Pearlbaton and Hetaro Pearlbaton, who pointed this out.
Eventually, everyone set up their encampment in the plains in preparation for the beast’s arrival. Deciding it necessary for the fight, as it would be in the middle of the night that the White Whale appeared, the soldiers set up a Night Clearing cannon to make sure everyone could see when the time came. Similarly, they placed magic artillery cannons at the ready so that they could fire at the beast from long range.
After Subaru and Rem spoke about her becoming his second wife and a short talk with Wilhelm about his love for his wife, they gathered with the other soldiers when it came close to the time for the White Whale to appear. After an eerie silence, the ringtone on Subaru’s phone rang, and shortly after, the White Whale appeared in all its majesty.
Battle[]
As the battle began, Subaru charged forth, having Rem cast her magic to attack the White Whale. Having fallen behind, Crusch ordered her men to attack. Firing the Night Clearing cannon, the entire battlefield was brightened as if it were midday, and soon the soldiers began unleashing numerous attacks on it. Wilhelm jumped onto it, slashing it with all of his might. Numerous spells were cast against it, the magic artillery cannons were fired at it, numerous soldiers stabbed, slashed, and bashed the White Whale, Rem crushed it with her Morningstar, and Mimi and Hetaro used the sonic howls to damage it. Furthermore, Crusch unleashed her signature skill, One Blow, One Hundred Felled, against it, leaving it with a long gash. Finally, Wilhelm carved out its eye, leaving it half blind, and leaving it open for another firing of the magic artillery cannons.
Despite their attacks having been successful, the White Whale was still flying in the air, its damage from Magic having been reduced significantly by its hair. Its eye also changed from yellow to red, signifying that it had gone into its Attack Hue. The beast started unleashing its mist against its enemies, punching holes into the ground as it attempted to kill its attackers. Despite this, Wilhelm, Ricardo, and the others continued their assault, trying to close the pores that were releasing the mist. Unable to reutilize the magic artillery cannons for a time, the Night Clearing eventually faded away, returning the battlefield to night.
The beast continued to unleash more of its mist, until eventually, it covered the entire battlefield in a layer of mist. Having managed to swat away Wilhelm, it proceeded to swallow him. It soon tried to chase after Subaru and Rem after Subaru used his Authority to lure it away from the soldiers, allowing Crusch and company to regroup. Thanks to Ricardo, they managed to escape harm at the cost of taking the injury himself. Unfortunately, many soldiers’ lives were lost within the mist and forgotten. Unleashing a roar, it mentally attacked the fighters, causing those unable to resist to break down and start injuring themselves. With Subaru’s and Ferris’s help, the effected were knocked unconscious. More unfortunately, they faced a new problem: rather than one White Whale, there were now three.
With the help of Rem, Mimi, and Hetaro, they were able to help Wilhelm escape from the inside of one of the White Whales, though he passed out soon after. With Wilhelm having been taken for medical care, Hetaro passed along a message to Subaru from Ricardo, saying the White Whale’s attacks had become lighter. Observing the White Whales around him, Subaru realized that the White Whale that was lingering above the other two and not attacking was the real body, and the other two were clones that were created so that the original could escape danger.
Subaru soon found Crusch, who was baffled that there were three White Whales, and he relayed to her his discovery, as well as a plan to lure the beast down and kill it. Though they agreed the plan was insane, they decided to use it. Crusch returned to her soldiers and revitalized them, and she prepared for the upcoming plan. Meanwhile, Rem cast Al Huma and fired the large icicle at the beast, though it missed it. That said, she accomplished her goal of getting Subaru onto the true White Whale. Standing atop the White Whale’s horn, he mocked it before jumping off and unleashing the Taboo of his Return by Death.
Wilhelm facing the White Whale.
Enraged, the White Whale chased after the falling Subaru, who was caught midair by Rem. With the beast hot on their heels, they lured it around Flugel’s Tree, keeping it low to the ground. Giving Crusch the go-ahead, she ordered her soldiers to fire off the magic artillery cannons at the tree, causing it to collapse on top of the White Whale. With the explosion and the collapse of Flugel’s Tree, the mist produced by the White Whale completely vanished. With the Witchbeast of the Mist unable to escape, Wilhelm jumped atop it, and he unloaded a large number of attacks on it, until eventually, he delivered unto it the final blow, prompting the two White Whale copies to fade away.
Aftermath[]
With the hunt concluded, the dead were all gathered together, and Ferris healed some of the injured, including the exhausted Rem, who used her exhaustion against Subaru to force him to confess his love for her. Soon after, Crusch spoke with Subaru, offering her gratitude and even a position within her camp. However, he rejected her request. That said, they still shook hands, letting them become friends in the future. Commenting that he still had more to do, he was dismayed that the battle cost so many lives. To that end, Wilhelm, grateful for Subaru giving him the revenge he sought, offered his services in the following Man-Hunt for Sloth.
Deciding to take the head of the beast back to the Royal Capital as proof of their victory, as well as the injured, Crusch, Rem, and Hetaro went with them, leaving half of the soldiers, Wilhelm, and Ferris there to assist Subaru. Meanwhile, reinforcements from the Iron Fang, as well as Julius Juukulius, came to support Subaru in his efforts.
Unfortunately, the team returning to the Royal Capital was attacked by the Sin Archbishops of Greed and Gluttony, the latter of which came to see and devour those who defeated the White Whale, and the former of which was there by coincidence. Many were killed, Crusch’s arm was severed from her body and her memories were eaten, and Rem’s name and memories were eaten, leaving her in the Sleeping Beauty state.