Despite my fervent beliefs of heroism, I simply watched in relief as the backs of Yuuma and Asia slowly disappeared down one of the many streets.

I felt disgusted at the state of my heart; I wanted to help Asia, wanted to save her because of a strange but sudden sense of deja vu, yet I was unable to perform my duty when the time came. On top of that, I felt relieved when Yuuma took her from me.

I slowly clenched my fists as I allowed a quiet, shaky breath the release it desired.

Glaring down the street the two girls had disappeared, an unknown rage bubbling inside of my heart, I swore upon my heart to achieve one objective.

As long as I breath, Yuuma – no, Raynare is her true name – will never lay another hand on me.

With some time to think about it, slowly heading off to school with a somewhat wry expression, I could have used the ten spare status points I have on my LCK. It'd probably even out my chances of winning but, when I think about it, glass cannon builds in real life aren't worth it.

I mean, I need to survive to live, right? In the famous words of the very determinate Shirou Emiya, people die when they are killed. That is an indisputable fact. Even though I am living out a video game fantasy, I don't have the ability to respawn nor do I have extra lives. Knowing this, I need to be extra careful.

However, as it had just been demonstrated, the LCK dependent Rock-Paper-Scissors skill can peacefully solve situations that would normally go violent, regardless of how favourable the outcome is. Because it's confirmed I'm a bit of a coward, this would be the logical path to travel but, because I'm a teenage boy who spends too much time playing with his fiddle, I am easily consumed by power-trip fantasies that involve harems and broken protagonists.

So, in that regard, I have the potential to become that protagonist.

Similarly, I have the potential to acquire a harem.

Finally, I have the potential to be a person so dense a cup of concrete can't compare.

…I can't believe people think that's cool. When you think about it, being stupidly broken is not worth it if you can't recognise a girl's feelings. Sure, I may not be the best in that regard, but I'm better than your generic harem protagonist…I think.

Please don't quote me on that.

It was currently breaktime.

After being berated for my tardiness, I sat through a couple hours' worth of pure boredom before my one salvation came. However, instead of hanging out with my friends like a normal person, I decided to confide in the school nurse regarding my unusual relationship.

"Oh, that's weird. Issei is visiting me." Is what she said to me as I trudged into the room. That remark hurt my fragile heart just a little, but I brushed it off with some manly strength and sighed.

"If that's how you feel about me, I can just leave the room, you know?" Airi grinned in response and, as she placed her chopsticks down on her desk, I closed the door behind me.

"So, what brings you to my humble abode today, young warrior?"

"Relationship troubles, I guess." Airi appeared to be taken aback my comment as her eyes widened ever so slightly.

"Already? It hasn't even been a week and you guys are fighting?" I hummed as I raised a hand to my chin, debating on how much I should reveal to my confident. I mean, I can't tell her some supernatural stuff is going on and how I know about it, so I can only really play around the edges of the entire situation.

"It's not exactly a fight. It's more of a situation where I involve myself in matters that don't concern me because of a restriction of freedom regarding a foreigner and a few statements I believe are lies." There was a short moment of silence.

"…Hah?" Was the only sound Airi could respond with. That was understandable, though, as my statement came out of left field with no warning. "Are you dating the daughter of a yakuza boss or something?"

"Definitely not." Was my immediate response.

"Then what kind of girl are you dating?"

"A cute one." Airi furrowed her brow at my witty response and, with a sigh, she leaned back into her chair.

"I don't even know what you're supposed to do in this situation."

"Are the visual novels and manga not good enough?"

"As if I play those trashy games. I read manga sometimes, I'll admit that much, but visual novels? There's no way in hell I'll ever be playing those. Anyway, there's nothing I can do to help you with your troubles because you're too far into the deep end. Why don't you use our holy Google-sama or something?" With a lighter atmosphere and no apparent leads on what I'm supposed to do, I silently sighed as I felt a sense of agitation build up inside of me.

It was currently five o'clock past midday. The sky was a nice purple, the distant horizon a rapidly fading orange, and dark clouds were rolling over unreachable mountains. The street lights were starting to flicker on and off and, as the creatures of the night began to chirp and click, I sighed.

I was truly an idiot.

Why was I an idiot?

Well, during one of my afternoon classes, I thought it would be a good idea to visit the abandoned church. I mean, it's not like I'm secretly fearing for my life or anything, so it's actually a good idea but…there was a ball of unease that had settled in my throat and I was convinced I was going to die if I went there. I was feeling agitated earlier and this decision was the result of that but feeling satisfied without investigating the situation properly is not worth it.

However, some things must be done, and this is one of those things. Visiting this church, finding out what's really going on…if I at least know what kind of person Yuuma really is, I'll be satisfied. Taking a knife to the throat, a sword to the chest or a mace to the face, none of that really matters if the mystery is finally revealed to me.

So, with such suicidal tendencies that were uncharacteristic of me and obviously satirical in mind, I was on my way to the damned place. What I'd find there, I don't know, but something was waiting to be discovered. I mean, there are too many mysteries surrounding the legitimacy of Yuuma's identity and her apparent desire to kill me.

Although I am convinced she honestly wants me to die, there is a small part of me that hopes that that isn't the case. That small part is also the part that contains many hidden desires, so it's probably best for me to ignore it.

Anyway, as I checked the time every now and again due to an increasing sense of paranoia and nervousness, the church on the hill becoming ever closer, a faint scent reached my nostrils. I furrowed my brow, thought nothing of it and continued on my merry way but, as the scent became increasingly stronger a few steps forward, I took a moment to calm myself.

Taking a few deep sniffs, the scent unrecognisable due to being too faint yet strong enough to detect, I slowly relaxed as I thought I was in the clear. But this is where a skill that usually ruins the flow of things is acquired, isn't it?

[Acquired Skill: Enhanced Smell.]

Now that I could properly smell the scent as well as the secondary smells that weren't as important, such as people's disgusting trash, a frown slowly formed on my face as I tried to identify what it was I was sniffing. I sincerely hope it's not poison.

Anyway, after I analysed the scent in my mind, I realised that I was smelling fresh blood. There's simply no denying it as its sweet, metallic pungency and coppery texture was strong enough to be tasted by my tongue but…because there's blood, that means something has happened nearby, doesn't it?

I could find the source of the scent and go and investigate, but my danger sense is telling me to not get involved in whatever is happening. That's a logical thing to do, too. I'm only young, inexperienced and mentally weak so I may not be prepared to deal with the situation I might find myself in.

With a quick glance at my surroundings, I pinpointed where the spillage of blood had occurred.

At first glance, it was an ordinary house you'd find in Japanese suburbia; two storeys, rather compact and small, not any different from the rest of the houses in the street. There wasn't a thin wall protecting the front of this house and there wasn't any room for a front garden.

In short, the house was completely normal. However, the first thing I had really noticed upon discovering this exact building was the fact that the front door had been broken clean off its hinges, the practically useless wooden thing lying flat on the floor of the genkan. The inside of the house was dark too, obscuring what lays beyond the door.

And in my mind, I was losing my shit. Like, really? A potential assailant could have kicked the front door down? Acknowledging that fact, I really shouldn't get involved with whatever's happening. I should just run away and not go to the church, however, my curiosity was getting the better of me.

What was happening in this house? Who could have done such a thing? Nothing but a murder case sprung to mind. I knew that approaching a crime scene was illegal and dangerous in multiple ways, but I couldn't help myself. I absolutely had to find out what it was that was happening in this house.

I mean, this could involve Yuuma and her buddy Mittelt as they both have murderous intentions, so catching them in the act would be handy. I could persecute them without any consequences and finally have some peace of mind regarding my relationship with the girl that wants to kill me. Although I'd be heartbroken to find out if she had killed someone other than me, this was a necessary evil I must discover.

Knowing that, I approached the house with an apathetic expression, my resolve as hard as it could possibly be.

Upon reaching the space the door should be occupying, I glanced around the genkan to catch my bearings. I mean, it's important to be cautious and to gather clues, so doing such a thing was completely natural. However, one thing caught my eye, a sight I would see in any normal house.

There was a neat row of shoes that have clearly been undisturbed.

Beside the broken door that clearly had a hole in it, facing the plain wall, was four pairs of shoes; a pair of brown loafers, a pair of black derby shoes (those shoes business men commonly wear), a pair of brown sandals and a pair of white joggers. The shoes came in various sizes and the joggers appeared to be the smallest, their size being that of a young child's. I had to resist biting my lip as unpleasant thoughts surfaced in my mind.

Anyway, through this observation of some stranger's shoes, I could guess the approximate age of the tenants. The first person must be a high school student around my age, the second person was probably a middle-aged man that worked as a salaryman, the third could possibly be the mother and the fourth was definitely a young child.

[Due to various deductions, your INT has increased by +2.]

Now aware of what I was dealing with, I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat as I cautiously edged into the genkan, watching every corner and doorway I could immediately see. As I said earlier, it doesn't hurt to be cautious.

From there, I noticed a thin but spotty trail of blood that led down the corridor. I stepped over the door and onto the floorboards, ignoring the etiquette to take my shoes off as I may need to make a hasty escape, and froze, my breath hitching in my throat as a thump was heard above me.

That is probably not good. That thump could mean many things, but my mind turned to the worst scenario possible.

Someone had collapsed due to passing out or dying or was tackled to the ground.

While it would be heroic to go to the source of the sound straight away, my logic was taking over and was demanding I search the rest of the building to ensure it was safe. I followed my instincts and continued to move, releasing the breath I had been unconsciously holding.

Being cautious of the staircase to my right, I hugged the wall and peered into the decently large living room to my left. Sliding over to the entrance of the room, noticing the lack of blood around the entrance, I peered into the room with an expressionless face to preserve my sanity and cool. I mean, it wouldn't be good if I discovered a body and completely freaked out, would it? Whoever did this may be around, and they might come to kill me, so it was essential to stay calm.

With that thought in mind and after a quick scan that found nothing out of the ordinary, I silently sighed in relief and stepped out of the room.

Moving past this room and into the increasing darkness, the setting sun was doing nothing to help illuminate my surroundings. Nevertheless, I quickly scanned over the kitchen as I reached it, noticing a smashed mug lying on a benchtop with a black liquid among the shards of ceramic. I moved onto the next room, continuing to follow the trail of blood. In the dining room there was seemingly nothing out of the ordinary and past that was the backdoor and a small laundry that smelt like bleach.

Thankfully, it seems as if this floor is clear. But…now I have no choice to venture upstairs where it'll be extremely dangerous. There will be no escape routes and not a lot of room to move around, so getting caught up in a fight would be deadly. However, having come this far, I kind of have an obligation to investigate the rest of the building. There was a sound from upstairs a minute ago too and, although it could be the work of a killer, it could also be the sound of someone that desperately needs my help.

Also, just because I haven't seen any dead bodies yet, I was assuming this was a murder case as the broken-down door and trail of blood indicated it to be so and because it was a good motivator for me to stay cautious. Sure, it could be a robbery, but no sane robber would kick a door open. They'd usually sneak in through a window or something. In fact, I wouldn't be in this stranger's house, hair standing on end, if it was a robbery.

Such thoughts are useless though, aren't they? I need to go and help whoever is injured and make sure they're alive before calling emergency services. However, as I casually took one step towards the staircase, my body and senses beginning to relax, a youthful, audibly female but muffled screech reached my ears.

I stared up at the ceiling in shock, cold sweat running down my back.

Now that it has been confirmed that a person is indeed in trouble, what the hell am I supposed to do!? Hysteria was taking over and the only thing I could think of was my own safety as I was one hundred percent sure there was a murder taking place.

In this situation, I should call the police. I should definitely call the police. I need to call the police.

These thoughts were penetrating my mind as I slowly backed away in a futile attempt to distance myself from this event, however, there was no helping it. I'm too far deep now, so shouldn't I go and help the person that is clearly being attacked!?

No, no, I need to live. First and foremost is my own safety. I don't care about other people, I don't care about other people. I only care about myself. Without a shred of decency left, I made a mad dash for the entrance to ensure my survival. As I leapt over the broken door, my eyes wide in panic, another scream reached my ears.

"Somebody! Help me!" I froze again. My thoughts were still running wild.

I mean, that voice was…the voice of a girl. The first thing that entered my mind was delusions of sexual assault, however, that may not even be a delusion at this point. I released a shaky breath as I stared out at the street and, after gritting my teeth in indecisiveness, I threw my bag to the ground and spun around on the balls of my feet, already running. Bolting up the staircase as fast as I could, each step feeling like several years of mental torture, I came to a stop at the top as the sounds of a struggle ceased.

I swallowed the mouthful of saliva I had accrued and stepped towards a door on my right. I cautiously grabbed the handle and, as the door slowly creaked open, I snapped my eyes shut.

The scene I saw…surely it wasn't real? The decapitated head of a man, a diced-up body next to him, and the bloodied, unrecognisable corpse of someone that used to be alive with blood everywhere… I resisted the urge to vomit then and there as the scent of fresh blood was overwhelming, the sight of an endless amount of gore burning itself into my mind despite my eyes being closed.

I swallowed the acidic taste in my mouth and turned away from the scene, my hand fumbling for the door handle. As soon as my fingers made contact with it, I grasped it tightly and quickly slammed the door shut, my hands instantly covering my mouth as I resisted the urge to vomit.

That scene…whoever did that is a monster beyond any type of redemption. Although I could handle scenes like that in movies and games, I didn't think I'd be this weak to it in real life. I mean, if I think it's not real, it won't hurt me, right? Right!?

I opened my eyes and took several deep breaths to centre myself. Now is not the time to display weakness; someone needs help and I am currently the only person that can help them. If I were to falter here, what would happen to them?

I slid over to the next door and prepared myself. Although seeing more of…that…would be extremely unpleasant, it might be a necessary evil. To be the hero I always dreamed of when I was a kid, to be the one that saves everyone, I have to put up with these things, right?

I gripped the door handle with as much mental strength as I could muster, and, with another deep breath, I let it swing open at its own pace.

What I saw enraged me.

Thrown to the floor, their features obscured by the ever-present darkness, was a girl. There wasn't anything special about her, however, I was barely able to make out the glint in her lifeless eyes as she glanced me. I briefly noted the uniform of my school and silently cursed.

"Oh, what is it? What are you looking at now!?" To top things off, a strange man was pinning her to the ground, erotic pants escaping him as he slowly ran a hand along her cheek.

Despite this revelation, I wasn't feeling particularly angry. I was enraged, yes, but not enough to act irrationally but…there was a steady feeling of disgust as I watched this scene while biting the inside of my cheek.

And I just realised one thing. This man…after killing this girl's family, this man was going to defile this innocent girl and then end her life once he has broken her in all sorts of ways.

Uttering that sentence in my mind left a foul taste in my mouth.

But I slowly released a shaky breath of air as I knew this man can and will kill this girl at any moment, my powerlessness becoming clear to me. I needed to act, though, and fast as this situation may escalate to proportions that I won't be able to handle. "I suggest you get off of her," I started, my voice shaky yet firm, the man's head snapping towards me the second I spoke, "If you don't, we may have a problem."

The man jumped to his feet and backed away from the girl's body, one of his hands reaching into the coat he was wearing. The only noticeable features of his face I could see was his decently long, strangely white hair and his perverse grin.

"Are you saying you would…attack me?" The man took one step back and, as I opened my mouth to respond, my next sentence not even known to me, there was an ear-piercing, unbelievably loud bang.

There was a small, bullet sized hole in the door frame next to me and, as a golden casing bounced and clattered on the floor, my eyes traced its path to find the cause. In the next second, my eyes made contact with a small, black shape that could only be known as a single weapon.

With a pistol in hand, a manic grin now present on their face, the man chuckled as he took one step towards me.

My future was looking rather dire.

Heya. Although I said chapter releases would probably be quicker, that was obviously a lie. Sorry. But I do try my hardest to write as often as I can. I hope everyone realises that. Anyway, this is leading into the climax of the arc, so please be patient as I try to pump out chapters that meet mine and everyone else's standard of quality.

Thank you for reading Rock-Paper-Scissors.