The rhythmic cadence of raindrops cascading down Subaru Natsuki's cheeks left him silent. Each drop had a peculiar silhouette, an artistic dance on his skin, and its touch felt as sensitive as a tender caress, evoking cold and distant emotions.
As lightning bolts lit the sky with dazzling brilliance, causing the hearts of many to pound with fear, Subaru found an unusual sense of calm within him. Like an undisturbed lake, his mind remained steady and serene, embracing the tumultuous storm with unfathomable equanimity.
Lost in the bewildering surroundings, Subaru wondered aloud, "Is this hell?" The enigma of his predicament lingered, unyielding, as the question echoed incessantly in his mind, perpetually searching for a solution.
In the books of mythology, hell was often depicted as a cruel and nightmarish place. However, the landscape before Subaru challenged such preconceptions. Uncertain and disoriented, he found himself grappling with a narrow range of possibilities, a mental library laden with perplexity.
His eyes, once vibrant, now emanated a dull glow, as if the burdens of his journey had drained the very essence of life from them. However, the passersby seemed to look at him with an inexplicable curiosity, wonder and intrigue. Each puzzled glance conveyed a message of otherworldly fascination, as if Subaru was the harbinger of something ominous.
For Subaru, this surreal spectacle was commonplace. In the midst of this eclectic crowd, not a single person had the typical features of human beings. With an impressive display of diversity, their appearances defied earthly norms: resplendent shades of blue, pink, and even green adorned their heads, and they wore an unusual array of metal armor and black robes.
Feeling the weight of countless gazes on him, Subaru let out an exhausted breath, surrendering to the grand theater that unfolded around him. As he closed his eyes, he raised his head to the sky, allowing the raindrops to collect in small, fleeting puddles on his eyelids.
"This must be one of those stories, the so-called 'Summonings to Another World,'" Subaru mused, as if he were a protagonist ripped out of literature and thrown into a fantasy existence.
The realization that this place was a fantasy world became effortless for Subaru the moment his eyes beheld the demihumans: a fusion of male and female individuals exhibiting qualities similar to those of the animal kingdom. From lizard-headed beings to those adorned with cat ears and serpentine tails, the sight was nothing short of extraordinary. As if this revelation wasn't captivating enough, Subaru's conviction deepened further as he witnessed the architectural marvels and vibrant population that graced the streets. The environment bore a striking resemblance to immersive maps in video games, reminiscent of the enchanting vistas depicted in epic fantasy movies. It was evident that he had traversed the corridors of time, landing firmly in an era reminiscent of medieval times.
On the bustling main street he was passing through, a heart-wrenching spectacle unfolded before Subaru's eyes, tugging at the very core of his empathy.
There, lying in a desolate state, was a middle-aged woman, her clothes tattered, and her features scarred by the weight of suffering—a refugee fleeing from war. Beside her lay a girl, her frail body appearing to be ten years old, wrapped in dirt and exhaustion, her existence hanging by a thread in the cold, unrelenting rain. The depth of her vulnerability evoked a profound sense of concern and a plea for salvation… that no one seemed to answer.
Suddenly, the scene intensified as two towering figures approached the fallen duo. Towering above the crowd at an impressive two meters, these warriors, adorned in shining silver armor, exuded an air of menace that sent a chill down the spine of any onlooker. Ignoring the woman's desperate plea for innocence, the men showed no mercy, brutally attacking without a second thought.
Witnessing this abominable scene, Subaru found himself in the middle of a crowd of onlookers, both human and demihuman, their faces reflecting fear and resignation. Struck by a sense of helplessness, it seemed that no one dared to challenge the tyranny before them.
The younger of the two brutes grabbed the girl by her hair, subjecting her to pain and indignity as she writhed in agony, her feeble attempts to resist proving futile. A mouthful of white bread inadvertently fell from her tattered attire.
The discovery of the bread turned out to be her downfall. With merciless swiftness, the men enacted cruel judgment on her.
The girl's hand was severed with a single, swift stroke of the blade, leaving her writhing in anguish and her mother's piercing screams filling the air. Despite her own agony, the woman desperately crawled toward her child, her arms reaching out to embrace her beloved daughter.
Cold and ruthless, the men said aloud: "Lugnica does not tolerate rats. If you want food, work. If you want to die, steal."
No matter how much one knew about fantasy worlds or summons and reincarnation stories from novels, when something so surreal actually happened, the truth emerged with a sinister and depressing contrast.
This cruel and ruthless world was the place that Subaru Natsuki had been summoned to.
"Boy, those clothes are quite strange for a native. Are you a foreigner?" A voice echoed in Subaru's ears as he contemplated the muscular figure amidst the arrangement of market stalls. The man's imposing physique, partially concealed by a fur coat to ward off the chill of the rain, left no doubt that he was no stranger to the concept of physical strength. Adorned with a headband holding back his hair and an amulet hanging on a chain around his neck, the muscular man further emphasized the unique customs of this world. Completing his outfit, he sported traditional bracelets that conveyed a sense of cultural heritage.
"Kadomon..." The moment Subaru uttered the name "Kadomon" with a distant, almost melancholy tone, the apple vendor's eyes widened in surprise.
Surprisingly, this simple statement seemed to evoke more awe than witnessing the gruesome sight of a girl's hand being severed.
However, such a reaction could be attributed to the fact that Kadomon had never met Subaru before, so this was their first meeting.
「It seems that the language remains unchanged, at least in that aspect.」
"I want an apple. Please, what is the cost of the smallest one?"
Not being familiar with Subaru's peculiar world currency, Kadomon's initial confusion quickly faded away, partially convincing himself that he had only misheard.
"Whatever that is, it has no value here. Only money from Lugnica has value in Lugnica."
Undeterred by this obstacle, Subaru pressed on, traversing remote, narrow alleys lined with towering walls of polished stone. He eventually found respite on a flight of stairs, seeking refuge from the persistent drizzle under the comforting embrace of a roof.
Was this really how an extraordinary story in a parallel world was supposed to unfold? Where were the mystical beauties capable of summoning him? The ugly kings sitting on their imposing thrones? It seemed that expectations did not align with reality.
When he looked up, his eyes met with a trio of individuals, each possessing distinctive traits that set them apart from one another. A tall, stocky figure stood in front, flanked by a gaunt, medium-built man and an ugly dwarf, positioning himself strategically to instill a sense of fear and intimidation. The movements practiced by them suggested that this was not their first time they had participated in such matches.
The trio mocked Subaru with a mixture of arrogance and scorn, commenting on his seemingly lifeless appearance before they even laid a finger on him.
Before he could react, the skinny, midsize assailant closed in, grabbing Subaru by the neck in a show of dominance.
"If you don't want to get hurt, drop all the crap you have on you!"
In the midst of this tense and dangerous moment, the assailant's bad breath seeped in like a noxious wave, enveloping Subaru's stoic and unwavering countenance. Surprisingly, even in the midst of the dramatic unfolding of events, Subaru did not show even a hint of worry or fear.
Such boldness and fortitude in the face of being summoned to an unknown realm raised questions for anyone. How could anyone approach this circumstance with such indifference, as if the unfamiliar streets were an ordinary road to traverse? Besides, one had to wonder how a person raised in a peaceful world untouched by the horrors of war could witness the brutal mutilation of a young girl without evoking even the slightest bit of anguish within him.
"Events are unfolding according to plan," Subaru stated in his steady, collected tone, betraying no hint of the inner turmoil that might affect a more conventional individual.
"Aside! You there! Get out of my way, move!"
The commotion caused by an approaching golden-haired girl echoed through the air, catching everyone's attention.
Could this be the same girl who had summoned him? Perhaps his late arrival on the scene fueled his frantic rush, both driven by the shared goal of rescuing Subaru and ridding their new world of the cloak of malevolence that hung over it... or perhaps not.
"Huh? I don't know any of you, nor do I recognize your situation. My apologies, but I'm pretty busy right now. Best of luck to everyone!" She yelled with a touch of nonchalance.
The slender little girl moved with supernatural speed, effortlessly scaling the narrow walls and ascending to the ceiling, leaving the thieves stunned by the extraordinary sight.
As the thieves' attention wavered between the disappearing golden-haired girl and Subaru's unexpected reaction, the gravity of the situation weighed heavily on the latter. In theory, his greatest asset—the escape key that allowed him to summon that peerless being—had just been taken from him.
"It seems the appointed time has come," Subaru intoned with solemnity. The moment the thieves turned their gaze towards him, an unfathomable blur unfolded.
In the blink of an eye, the skinny, medium-built thief was overcome by a searing sensation that throbbed beneath his chest. His eyes followed the trail of his own hands, clutching at the collar of Subaru's shirt, only to behold a shining knife now buried in his heart—his own knife. The thief's legs wobbled, and a deep darkness began to claim his consciousness. His last vision was of the cold and merciless entity before him—the enforcer of his demise—an entity that could only be described as a monstrous force, devoid of all compassion.
Subaru's movements were swift and calculated as he retrieved the knife from the thief's heart, his deadly precision culminating in a single fluid motion.
Ducking down, he quickly repositioned himself and, with masterful precision, drove the metal spike into the ugly dwarf's head, leaving the diminutive criminal crumpled lifeless on the ground, his eyes filling with blood.
The ordeal was far from over, however, as the colossal assailant, having come to his senses, lunged forward with a vicious left hook aimed at Subaru's head. The sheer force of the blow threatened to shatter Subaru's skull into myriad pieces. In an amazing show of supernatural foresight, Subaru deftly evaded the killing blow, nimbly stepping back a few inches, avoiding the devastating impact. Seizing the opportune moment, he plunged the edge of the knife under the big man's vulnerable armpit.
Assessing the formidable adversary before him, Subaru quickly studied the man's anatomy and realized that penetrating the heavily armored torso or skull would prove challenging. His contemplative mind deduced that weakening the burly figure first was the key.
With a dazzling combination of speed and grace, Subaru deftly dodged each subsequent attack, skillfully positioning the knife to inflict precise wounds at different points on the man's massive body. The strikes he delivered amounted to a staggering tally: 78 stabs with surgical precision.
"78 stabs. Perhaps I should have delivered two more this time? Should I try to reset...?" The thought briefly passed through his mind, but before he could reflect further, the imposing figure finally crumpled to the ground, joining the pool of blood left behind by his fallen accomplices.
Surprisingly, throughout the entire confrontation, Subaru's demeanor remained unfazed. He showed no signs of distress or exhaustion. These were seasoned thieves, experienced in the art of intimidation, but none of it had the slightest effect on Subaru.
Wiping the blade on the crook of his forearm, Subaru said, "After 472 deaths, I finally beat them without sustaining a single injury. Now, I can stop this endless cycle of death and finally witness what the future holds…"
However, the weight of accumulated experiences bore heavily on his conscience, making his knees weak under him. His face met the cold concrete, becoming one with the bloody floor. Giving in to overwhelming exhaustion, he let his eyes close, allowing himself the respite he so desperately craved for the first time in what seemed like an eternity of suffering.