Natsuki Subaru is an ordinary human.
He does not know how to handle a firearm; he possesses combat skills he has only heard about and learned via distance learning. His pointlessly trained body might be theoretically usable, but it would be useless in this world.
He also lacks wisdom. His intellect barely exceeds a high school graduate's level at best, and he understood nothing of the documents that Tenama Ako was arranging in the disciplinary committee reception room when he visited her.
Natsuki Subaru was granted neither a steel body that deflects bullets, nor a superhuman ability that surpasses a gun, nor a formidable mind capable of controlling the academy.
— He is Natsuki Subaru, zero ability and zero money.
「...」 (Subaru)
When he became aware, it was midnight. This was a place where no one would notice him, provided he remained quiet. He disturbed no one, and no one saw him.
Subaru, who continued to process the shadow of death he could not digest, managed to spend that intense day aimlessly and uselessly.
「... Hah.」 (Subaru)
His mood was calm, and there were no injuries on his body.
He sighed from noon until midnight, and through this miserable contemplation, he reached a conclusion.
「...」 (Subaru)
「... ーー At any rate, even if I wasn't present... nothing will change.」 (Subaru)
「Nothing will change, right?」 (Subaru)
Indeed, the tablet was not working in the last scene he saw in that room. His death was an undeniable fact, but once he bypassed that, all he had to do was avoid intervening in the matter.
— Natsuki Subaru was not present at that location.
The conclusion was that his presence or absence would make no difference.
「I will look for a job tomorrow...」 (Subaru)
「First, to survive, and after I survive...」 (Subaru)
「... ーー」
What should I do?
「I absolutely cannot know!!」 (Subaru)
「I don't know anything...!」 (Subaru)
It is the nature of the world not to be kindly designed, and this was familiar to Subaru, who had continually suffered because of it.
It's all the same: if it is painful, flee; if it is difficult, retreat, and return to Natsuki Subaru, the unemployed and isolated man.
「...」 (Subaru)
Natsuki Subaru is capable of making this decision; he can 'exert effort' in both bad and good directions.
Even if he has nothing to be proud of internally, and even if the reason for his action is not self-satisfying, he can still move.
— However, this is a reckless courage accumulated from recklessness and arrogance.
Even using it causes great hardship.
「... Tomorrow, I'll start tomorrow; I'll exert effort starting tomorrow.」 (Subaru)
He muttered his usual excuse and closed his eyes, even though no one heard him.
He was tired; he was exhausted in every sense of the word.
If he could just spend some useless time and calm down to face tomorrow...
「... ーー I'll do it. Bring it on, Fate.」 (Subaru)
He said that, and Subaru's consciousness fell into darkness.
He slept, having made a firm resolution.
— At the moment he drifted off to sleep, he saw an intense flame at the corner of his eye.
●○●○●
「Fire! Open fire!!」
「Grenade!! Get back!!」
Once again, he heard a familiar sound.
Once again, a familiar light pierced his eyes.
Once again, a familiar scent trod upon his nose.
「...」
「Huh?」
「Eh, ah? ーー What? What is happening?」
Subaru rubbed his eyes as if he had just woken up, then rose and looked around to find the world confronting him anew.
The same time, the same date, the same sound, the same noise, the same scent—everything was identical...
Natsuki Subaru, who was supposed to have slept with a firm resolve to face the next day, had returned once more to the starting point.
「Huh?」
The meaningless question mark slipped repeatedly from his mouth.
— Had time reverted?
Why? He was only supposed to have slept, so why had he returned again... Does this mean the condition is different? Does the return not rely solely on death?
「Ha, haha...」
「Hahaha, hahahahahaha!」
Subaru laughed a hysterical laugh as his tears streamed down; the emotions he felt were mixed, and confusion and rejection ceaselessly gnawed at his mind.
「Does this mean that I... ーー am forbidden from even seeing the next day?」
「Ah... Oh, Fate, could you not have been slightly kinder...」
Even if Subaru tearfully pleaded with the divine, wondering if this was not a Return by Death, no answer would come. There was still a possibility that he had died in his sleep... ーー However, Subaru's memories did not include a death during sleep, so...
「Or perhaps, it's the same as what happened with the grenade.」
Maybe he died without feeling anything. It was still too early to surrender to despair. He could only pray that this was not a "closed save" (similar to what happens in stories with looping narratives).
He could not believe this reality, which was worse than hell, where time reverts to the next day regardless of what he does.
— He refuses to believe it, and for this reason, Natsuki Subaru will begin to move.
「... On the contrary, this is starting to infuriate me. If this hypothesis is correct and I find myself in a loop that can't be compared to the five-hundred-million-year button, what value did my life have until now?」
「I'll do it; I'll certainly do it. Doesn't time revert? That means I can do anything, right?」
「I will do 'anything'. I'll try everything. Even if I fail completely, I am invincible now; I can do anything.」
He remembered those words.
— 「Save me.」
He used those words, which had never left him despite death and his near descent into madness, as fuel. He lit a furnace in his heart, and the energy mixed with rage surged through his limbs.
He ignited all the enthusiasm he had left in his heart, which had frozen after the night he endured.
「ーー I will definitely save you, you who I don't know, and who are doing this because you want help.」 (Subaru)
「Come at me, Fate, this time too!! Don't underestimate Natsuki Subaru, zero ability and zero money!!」 (Subaru)
●○●○●
「ーー Heheheh, little one, do you have some free time now?」 (Subaru)
「What's wrong with you, you... ーー Kyah!! Wait, you pervert!?」 (Student)
In the middle of the day, a female student was confronted by a strange person harassing her. An extremely dangerous pervert, wearing sweatpants as a mask over his head, shirtless, wearing only underwear, with his hands strangely contorted.
This repulsive harasser, who almost made her cry and vomit from sheer disgust, was crawling towards her as she shed tears.
「Heheheh!!」 (Subaru)
「Nooooooo!!?」 (Student)
「Drop everything you have and run!!」 (Subaru)
「Waaaaaaah!!!!」 (Student)
The student threw everything she possessed and fled, practically breathless. The pervert vanished after collecting her stolen goods and retreating into a back alley.
— And as one might guess, this harasser was Natsuki Subaru.
— Why did Subaru do this?
The first thing Subaru needed was a means of resistance: power, specifically a 「gun」. However, Subaru, who had no money, had no way to purchase a weapon, nor did he believe he could repeat the coincidence that led him to meet Hina again.
Therefore, Subaru decided to retaliate against the student who had caused his second death and went to strip her of her belongings via a pervert attack.
「Truly, a moderate approach is useless; I must be extreme.」
He accepted the simplicity of challenging his opponent in the same manner he was previously killed and considered his current action a "master plan" that would astonish Zhuge Liang (Kong Ming).
He succeeded in the theft by conveying his intention as a pervert before the student's mind could explode from fear.
「... Even with this decision, it still feels truly harsh.」
While feeling that something precious inside him was gradually eroding and disappearing, he inspected the stolen goods as he ran.
「A wallet... a student ID? A gun and ammunition, and a smartphone, right?」
It was a magnificent haul; he was able to refresh his gear from nothing to much more, simply by committing a criminal act.
He put his usual clothes back on, slung the rifle strap over his shoulder, carrying it on his back, and tossed the rest of the stolen items into the plastic bag.
「... Time will revert; time will revert, so it's fine.」
Although Subaru inwardly admitted that he was no longer a son his parents could be proud of, he set his mind on his next second goal.
— The second goal Subaru decided upon was to 「discover the content of the Federal Student Council President's message.」
Or to enter that room again and touch that tablet.
The reason for setting this goal was to attempt different actions with the message and the tablet—his only source of related information—in order to find anything that could break this situation.
If time 「reverts」, all previous attempts to gain emotional points have been wasted, as if dating sim save data had been deleted... Therefore, this time he wants to intervene via a different route.
「The weapon is still a tool for intimidation in this world, and the proof of that is the gang girl's use of a weapon during the robbery.」
However minimal its effectiveness, a weapon remains an instrument of violence. If the number of unarmed people is less than the number of naked people, there is no reason not to secure a weapon.
Preparedness is essential in everything.
「Although I'm completely outside the law, I'm not entirely bad!」
「Wait, it's not appropriate to speak about a criminal act so frankly and proudly; I should take that back...」
Subaru set off, feeling the weight of the rifle on his back. He wanted to believe that carrying the weapon would now protect him from theft or easy attack, despite him pretending to be an ordinary person.
The next step was to reach the area called "D.U. District" where that room was located. He had covered the distance by car after passing "Gehenna," but he needed to find a new means of transport.
He noticed that the means of transportation in the area—which he observed while walking—were closed and inoperable everywhere.
「Sanctum Tower... then.」
The reason was likely a power outage. The distance on foot would take a full day, or more. It had taken from afternoon until evening by car, so the only means of transport connecting the academies was...
「ーー The airship.」
Subaru remembered the airship that passed close to the sun, which he invariably saw every time he "came back to life" after waking up.
Although it seemed impossible, by coincidence, the airship's schedule appeared on the large city screens, just like train and subway timetables.
「I'll take that, and then I'll break into the room. That room in Shiro was locked...」
「ーー If I cause chaos in the place, Rin will come. I want to believe this will lead to the same sequence of events.」
「But that's not the only problem; I must get there before the evening, because 'that girl' who killed me the first time is there.」
A slightly raised voice, mixing tenderness, temptation, and madness.
He must proceed with the analysis of "that girl" who shot and killed him, saying, "This is a critical situation."
Since he died before seeing her face, Subaru could not glean any information about that woman, nor who exactly the 「Calamity Fox」 was whose name Rin screamed.
「Don't mock me! I'm in a race against time here! Nothing is 'critical'; I'll complete everything in advance...!」 (Subaru)
「Alright, the starting point is... ーー Eighty-six kilometers from here!? Damn it! Everything here is unnecessarily massive!」 (Subaru)
Subaru began cursing and considered stealing a bicycle from somewhere. However, his courage did not allow him to threaten people with a weapon and change his stance so quickly.
Natsuki Subaru, being Natsuki Subaru, often cancels out his available options by himself.
— However.
「Hah, hah... Was it, I wonder... recklessness...?」 (Subaru)
「Hah... It's fine, it's fine... Remember that high school marathon, man. The track was about 400 meters, right? They forced me to do ten laps... in one hour, so...」 (Subaru)
「...」
「That is absolutely not enough!! What a disaster!!」 (Subaru)
He ran and ran, trying to gather his plan that was noisily collapsing. He wished he had the tanks and motorcycles that passed on the adjacent road, heading toward a path where no gunfire was currently heard.
As he ran straight toward his destination using the girl's smartphone navigation system, which she had left on...
— He heard a scream.
「Anyone! Please, individuals!! Save... ーー」
「Ah...?」 (Subaru)
The sound was instantaneous, coming from an alley he was passing. It was abruptly cut off, as if someone had silenced it, and nothing more was heard after that.
— Someone must be getting robbed. He had experienced this frequently, and he had also witnessed it when he moved away from the conflict near that store, so his heart should not be shaken now.
It should not be shaken.
「...」
「...」
He stopped running, even though he had no time to stop.
He changed the angle of his feet and dashed toward the alley from which he heard the sound. What was he doing now? Subaru had already become a criminal, almost a bandit... ーー And helping people at a time like this was utterly ridiculous.
He realized this; he knew it.
But...
「As long as I move instinctively, there is no escape!!」 (Subaru)
Natsuki Subaru, being Natsuki Subaru, often cancels out his available options by himself.
But this, sometimes, may prompt him to increase his options.
Even if he was a reckless person, lacking courage, foolish, and sly...
He did not possess enough malice to stop the feet that moved on their own.
「Hah!」 (Subaru)
He leaped into the alley from which the sound had come, only to find several androids attempting to abduct a female student.
— The girl, whose face was etched with terror incomparable to that of a simple robbery, was extending her hand toward Subaru, weeping, even though a piece of cloth gagged her mouth.
With his mind blank, he stood before the androids and announced his name.
「Hey, hey, folks! You are committing a despicable act against a young girl! How rude to gag the mouths of those crying for help!」 (Subaru)
「「「...」」」
「I am the great Natsuki Subaru, unrivaled on Earth and raising the banner of gallantry, and I shall halt your wicked deed... ーー」 (Subaru)
「Fire.」 (Android)
「ーー Understood.」 (Another Android)
「What!? Wait, wait, wait, wait!!」 (Subaru)
Unfortunately, this was neither a stage nor a play; his declaration was mercilessly cut short, and bullets, each potentially lethal, flew toward Subaru.
Luckily for him, the first shot missed. Utilizing his instinctive reflexes, he rolled and took cover behind the alley wall, trying to calm his heart that was violently pounding from the sound of the explosion.
「I'm going to die, I thought I was going to die, I will definitely die... ーー」 (Subaru)
— As his heartbeats subsided, he heard the sound of the androids' footsteps approaching him.
「I didn't die! If I don't die now!!」 (Subaru)
「Oh!? What is this clumsy boy...! ?」 (Android)
「Go to hell!! Taste this! The Straight Spirit Punch, Aaaah, it hurts!!!」 (Subaru)
「Heh! Second strike! Take this! The Circular Rifle Butt Strike!!」 (Subaru)
It was natural to feel pain after punching a mass of iron with all his strength. But even his heart, which could not normally withstand such things, pushed him with resolve and strength. He reached for the rifle on his back and struck with it.
Subaru, who knew nothing about shooting or how to load bullets, knew the 「power of the weapon」 that people frequently talked about online.
— That it is ordinarily strong as a blunt instrument.
「Gggh... ーー You wretch!」 (Android)
「Resolution!! ーー」 (Subaru)
「Oh, ohhh!?」 (Android)
Subaru seized the moment of the android's hesitation and executed a tactical attack in the form of a reckless tackle.
This was a desperate attack against the androids, yet it was not even a difficult solution. But a human who has experienced 「death」 possesses the strength of critical moments, where the brain's restraint is loosened.
As his fingernails chipped, he lifted the heavy mass of iron and threw it at another android that was following.
「Well done, me! Hey! Can you stand up?」 (Subaru)
He immediately asked the girl, who was lying on her side, and tried to lift her and escape.
However, the girl shook her head and directed her gaze behind Subaru.
「Mmmph...! Mmm, mmm, mmm ーー!!」 (Girl)
「Ah, right, there's one more person... ーー」 (Subaru)
「You nuisance, go to sleep, you scoundrel.」 (Android)
The muzzle of the gun was pointed directly at the back of Natsuki Subaru's head. He did not have time to scream "Wait!", and the fear of imminent death paralyzed his throat.
He felt a presence, a being right behind him, putting its finger on the trigger and preparing to fire at the top of his head.
— The world did not stop to move slowly for him.
「Ah, damn it, I'm going to die now...」 (Subaru)
BA-RANG!!!
The loudest gunshot he had ever heard tore at his ear.
Ah, I failed again, Subaru thought, trying to blame his recklessness with his tongue...
「...」
「I didn't die?」 (Subaru)
This question overlapped in his mind, confirming to himself that he was still alive.
Behind his back, the sound of the android falling was heard.
「Heh... a shot befitting villains.」 (???)
With the clicking sound of high heels, coming from the end of the alley, appeared...
「Are you alright, young man? Are you injured?」 (???)
「Ah... Thank you, but... who are you?」 (Subaru)
「Heh, I merely hurried over when I heard the screaming. No need for thanks anyway.」 (???)
「Oh, no, but...」 (Subaru)
「I won't allow evil deeds like this to pass unnoticed, at least, yes! As long as my eyes can see!」 (???)
「No, but... I don't know you at all. Could you introduce yourself so this girl can be reassured?」 (Subaru)
「… Heh, fine, I-I-I understand.」 (???)
「I am... ーー」 (???)
「I am Aro, the CEO of General Services 68.」 (Aro)
「A natural-born outlaw... that is me.」 (Aro)
◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇
[Power stones and reviews please]
Support link: patreon.com/Raven737