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Re:Zero ~ Uchikatsu IF

Act One: A Wrathful First Day

Scene Two: Welcome to the Capital

Subaru had read the Bible from cover to cover. He didn't do it because he was religious, but because he wanted to brag to his childhood friends that he had the guts to finish an internationally famous text without getting daunted by its thickness and word count. The fact that this was the first thing that came to his mind as darkness took over him was ironic but reasonable.

After all, humanity had pondered about the state and nature of the afterlife for as long as they had lived. Though this matter vanishes in the midst of everyday concerns and activities, it presents itself from time to time as a reminder of man's inevitable end. Especially in near-death scenarios.

Or actual death, in Subaru's case.

"Huh?"

Feeling the texture of brick pressed against his face, the boy dismissed the Bible's idea of the afterlife. He also rejected the theory of reincarnation as he was still a full-grown human with the ability to speak.

He pushed himself up, immediately to find himself wearing the same clothes as before: a black and white tracksuit laced with orange lines, a dark scarf long enough to wrap around his neck many times over and still hang below his shoulders, and skates... that weren't properly positioned.

"Crap, crap, crap!"

Subaru could only curse at himself as he went off-balance and hit hard brick once more. He stood up and regained his footing, making a mental note that his current footwear was one that required balance and focus to function properly.

He then noticed the large orange bag he carried. It held food and drink he recently bought: instant noodles, chips, chocolate, and soda for 5 people.

His hand clenched into a fist.

He had died. There was nothing that could refute or revert that.

He had left people behind. People who awaited his arrival. People who saw him as a friend. People who accepted him for who he was. People who stood by him whenever shit hit the fan.

All of that, reduced to nothing.

Useless. Meaningless. A futile struggle.

But still, Subaru felt anger towards himself. He had let his guard down, leading to his unfortunate demise. Now he was—

"Wait a minute. What's this?!"

Now he was standing in the middle of a busy street instead of a quiet crossroad. The sun was directly above him instead of the full moon.

His appearance was nothing special except for his unique sharp eyes, but the people around him gazed at him with wonder and incomprehension.

After all, there wasn't a single person who had black hair or wore similar clothes among the crowds that looked at him. Their hair were in varying vibrant colors and their outfits were armor, entertainer's costumes, and dull robes. Everything around him gave off a certain vibe.

It was as if he was chucked back into time by a playful god.

"This isn't simple time travel, though..."

For sure, his surroundings were medieval. The brick pavements, buildings made of wood and stone, carriages pulled by beasts of burden, and garments straight out of history books and fantasy-based anime further reinforced that fact.

The animal ears were another matter in and of itself, however.

No matter where Subaru looked, he could easily spot another set of ears usually seen at the top of the head. There were dog ears, cat ears, and bunny ears. He could also see what looked like a lizard-like being in the corner of his eyes.

If he had somehow traveled back in time, these humanoid beings that share animal characteristics wouldn't be here. Thus, only one conclusion could be reached. One that must have been impossible if the principles he learned in school had a firm hold in this place.

A carriage drawn by a huge lizard-like creature passed by him as he sighed and loosened his scarf. "I can't believe it. I've been summoned to another world."

Isekai.

A rising anime genre in which the protagonist suddenly gets transported to a realm operating under different rules. Usually one in which said main character would use his knowledge, innate talent, or god-given ability to overcome problems that he would face.

Natsuki Subaru, for some reason, had been chosen to become one of these characters.

"Guess that's the gist of it. No use standing here. Time to get as much information as possible, I guess. Who knows what could happen..."

He knelt down and removed his skates, opting to go barefoot instead of trying to maneuver himself through a rough brick road.

"So far, everything looks like it comes from a parallel world fantasy. In a medieval setting, no less. Science probably hasn't taken root yet, and there could also be magic if I'm to trust my instincts..."

"Woah, watch out!"

A demi-human with bunny ears caught Subaru's attention. With a pale face, she pointed towards a point beyond him.

He turned back, and saw a child clutching his leg. A paper bag at the kid's feet fell over and apples came tumbling out of it.

Normally, it would be seen as a normal leg injury. If it hadn't happened in the middle of the road where you could get squashed to death, that is.

Subaru immediately rushed to the boy, ignoring the pain in his feet. "The hell are these kid's guardians doing?!"

He immediately picked the injured person up and started to bolt back the direction he came from, fully aware of the galloping sounds closing in on where he stood.

It was a simple rescue mission anybody could do. But if it was done by a fully relaxed person who immediately and recklessly swung into action without thinking of possible hazards, dangerous things might happen.

Such was the case of Natsuki Subaru at this moment. His right leg suddenly crumpled and his mouth instinctively let out a piercing scream.

Leg cramps happen to everybody at some point in time. But in this specific time, it meant the difference between life and death.

"You're kidding me!"

He started limping to safety, but it was rapidly becoming apparent that there was no way he could get out of harm's way with the weight he carried. What seemed like an oversized horse appeared at the corner of his eyes.

"If this is how it's gonna go, then bring it!" Subaru screamed at the top of his lungs, using all the energy in his body to throw the boy into the crowds where a concerned citizen would likely catch him. He then fell to his knees and closed his eyes, bracing himself for impact—

"WHY'RE YOU GIVING UP THAT EASILY, MISTER?"

A pulling force lifted him off of his feet, saving him from being crushed by a beast of burden twice his size. He slightly opened his eyes to peek at whatever rescued him.

Was it another person strong enough to force a teenager weighing about 65 kilograms towards another direction? Was it some form of magic that transcended science and logic? Was it the product of simple application of leverage and/or weight distribution?

He was shocked to find out to see that it was a girl younger than him—one covered in dirt and grime, yet her golden hair and crimson eyes made her look like a princess out of a fairytale.

A/N:

Thanks for your feedback! I know that these chapters are shorter than you're used to, and this is mostly because of my shortcomings as a writer. I will do my best in the future. As for updates, I'll try to upload weekly, if not every other week.