Capítulo 4 — A Weird Dou but functional.
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Pov Narrator.
—At least you have food. The only thing I have is money that doesn't work in this world, my phone… and my acceptance letter to the art school.
Kaiser sighed with resignation. Technically, he was even worse equipped than Subaru. At least he had modern food, something that in this place seemed impossible to obtain.
—Hey, I also heard you say "miserable Excalibur". —He looked at him sideways—. You must have very high expectations if a sword of that caliber seems like little to you.
—Huh? —Subaru raised his gaze, slightly confused, before smiling naturally—. Well… even if it's a high-level sacred sword in stories where angels and legendary heroes appear, I think I'd prefer to be able to cast magic or lightning.
Kaiser raised an eyebrow.
—Ah, so you're more into flashy spells? I would prefer superhuman physical abilities. Think about it: having the strength to smash walls, move faster than sound… that would be incredible.
He sat a little straighter as he entered a topic he had always been passionate about debating. Unfortunately, since he didn't go out much or have anyone to discuss those things with, he had never had the opportunity to do it seriously.
Subaru nodded, crossing his arms with his eyes closed and a confident half-smile.
—Yeah, super strength is also incredible. But magic is better. Imagine it: casting fire, using teleportation… that would look cool and super flashy.
—Pfff. Well if we're going there, adaptation would be better. —Kaiser shrugged—. Something that lets you adjust to any environment and survive. Which… right now would be pretty useful.
Both fell silent for a second. Because, beyond the geek debate about ideal powers… the reality was simple: They were on the street. In another world. Without real resources. And, as far as they knew, without any kind of special ability.
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.
.
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After several minutes of casual discussion —debating what type of power would be better in a fantasy world— both teenagers had ended up wasting time… and enjoying it quite a lot.
On one hand, Kaiser leaned more toward functional and practical abilities. Powers that guaranteed survival, adaptation and strategic advantage.
Subaru, on the other hand, was quite friendly at first glance and seemed more attracted to spectacular magic: fire, lightning, teleportation and everything that shone enough to announce "protagonist" from kilometers away.
Although, up to that moment, they had not seen anything really magical. Only demi-humans —as Subaru had corrected Kaiser when he called them "furros"— walking with complete normality through the city.
—(Wow… this is the first time I've talked this much and enjoyed a conversation about something I really like). —Kaiser thought, now much more relaxed and comfortable with Subaru, who was still waiting for his tracksuit to finish drying on the wooden box.
According to what he had told him, he had accidentally entered what seemed to be a bar exclusive for demi-humans. That had caused a rather impatient lizard-man to throw him out of the place… launching him directly into a nearby river.
Kaiser still couldn't decide whether to laugh or worry about how easily Subaru got into trouble.
—Hmm?
He raised his gaze when he noticed that three figures had stopped a few steps away from them.
The first was quite short, with a bowl haircut that gave him a strange look. The one in the middle wore simple and worn clothes; his hunched posture and the tongue sticking out, decorated with a piercing, gave him a careless and provocative appearance. The last one was the biggest of the three. Big… and clearly overweight, with his hair tied into multiple braids.
They didn't look like merchants. They didn't look like travelers. And they definitely didn't look like good company. Kaiser didn't need more than a second to connect the dots.
—(They want to rob us). —His expression didn't change, but his mind was already evaluating the situation.
And, for the first time since he arrived in that world… the conversation about useful powers stopped being just a theoretical debate.
—Hey, Subaru… I think we should leave.
Kaiser said it calmly, but his gaze didn't leave the three figures who had stopped in front of them. It didn't take a genius to notice they totally looked like thugs.
The first to move was the thin guy with grayish-blue hair. He approached with relaxed steps, almost bored, as if he were just carrying out a daily routine.
Without warning, he grabbed Subaru by the collar of his black shirt and lifted him off the ground with surprising ease.
—If you don't want us to hurt you, give us everything you have. —His voice was calm, accompanied by a faint smile and the confident attitude of someone who had already done this hundreds of times.
—I see… Kaiser-san, I think this is a mandatory event. —said Subaru, raising his hands in a sign of peace.
He tried to sound light, as if he were inside a videogame. But an uncomfortable pressure was beginning to form in his chest.
This was no longer a fun fantasy.
—Don't call me "Kaiser-san". It sounds weird. Just call me Kaiser. —He stood up with a quick movement, his expression hardening instantly.
Now that there were problems, the lightness disappeared.
Kaiser hated that type of people. Thieves took what others had achieved with effort. It wasn't that he cared about crime as an abstract concept… what really bothered him was that they had decided to try to rob him.
The biggest of the group, a bulky guy with hair tied in multiple braids and purple eyes, began to approach.
Each step he took made the gravel under his boots crunch slightly.
Kaiser didn't step back.
He stood firm in front of him, without showing fear, although inside his mind analyzed the difference in size and weight.
—You too, brat. —The big guy's deep voice fell like a direct threat—. Give us everything you have.
The air seemed to grow heavier.
And, for the first time since they arrived, the world stopped feeling like a potential adventure… and started to feel truly dangerous.
Kaiser didn't respond to the threat. He had no formal training in combat. He had never practiced martial arts or anything like that. But he did have something more immediate: adrenaline. And anger. The moment Ton was close enough, Kaiser moved.
He jumped forward and placed his hand on the big guy's head, grabbing tightly a handful of his braids. He pulled him downward at the same time he drove his knee upward.
The impact was dry. His knee crashed against Ton's face with all the force he could gather.
—Huh?!
Kan, the shortest one, instinctively stepped back when he saw the big guy's body collapse backward, blood bursting from his nose.
Kaiser didn't give him time to recover. He took advantage of the fall and dropped with both legs onto Ton's stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs with a brutal blow. The muffled sound that came from his throat was enough confirmation.
For his part, Subaru took advantage of the commotion. Still held by Chin, he threw a clumsy but determined punch, connecting straight with his face and managing to break free.
—Very good, Kaiser! We have to finish this mandatory event to prove our strength!. —He sounded excited. As if they were really inside an initial mission. But as soon as he lowered his hand, he made a pained grimace. —It's the first time I've hit someone… and it really hurts.
Kaiser ignored him. For him, this was not any mandatory event. It was an attempted robbery. And he was not going to let it pass. He pushed himself from the ground and ran directly toward Kan, who was barely processing what had happened. The short guy tried to open his mouth, maybe to shout or apologize, but he didn't have the chance.
Kaiser's foot crashed into the right side of his face with a clean hit. Kan was sent flying to the side, like a badly kicked ball, and ended up crashing against the wall of the alley with a dry sound.
—My adrenaline is rising! Ahhhh!
Subaru shouted, infected by the intensity of the moment, and ran toward Chin. From his perspective, Kaiser was showing off like an incredibly competent secondary protagonist… and he wasn't going to stay behind.
The fight, which had started as a simple attempt at intimidation, had now turned into something much more chaotic. And neither of them had any idea what would come next.
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End of the chapter.