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"Hmm... alright, let's see here..."
Subaru was currently sitting on an alleyway, in another, completely different new world.
Truth be told, this wasn't his first loop.
He had learnt of his power; return to a randomly set checkpoint when defeated.
He'd referred to it as [RTARSCWD].
Or, more simply, Return via checkpoint.
It'd be pretty convenient, if he didn't feel the pain of dying over and over again. He assumed it must be a way of the developers 'nerfing' the ability.
Another bad point, was that he had no combat ability. No overpowered strength or speed. He was just a normal, painfully average human.
It was Dark Souls, but much harder.
He has died two times in total to the sadistic level 100 gut-loving bitch, and needlessly to say, he was pissed off.
She always went for the most painful area. The stomach. And she took her sweet time while watching him bleed out.
Subaru grit his teeth in frustration.
This was a really hardcore start. It was like playing the CDDA challenge on Project Zomboid. But even that was based on luck. This wasn't.
His starting gear was shit. Literally. He only had two packets of ramen and some chips. He was really in the most unfortunate situation... EVER!
He already thought about giving up. He did.
It would be so easy; to start a new, profiting,rich life in comfort with his other-wordly knowledge.
But no.
Trying to deal with economics or road blocking bandits would be too frustrating to even be worth it.
Plus... he found his heroine.
[Satella], a cute silver haired half-elf girl. She helped him when he was getting beaten up by thugs, and even acted like a tsundere! It was too cute!
And... he watched her die alongside him.
No. Never.
He would never let such a cute girl be butchered in such a disgusting, brutal way.
Not when he was around.
He was summoned to an isekai, to be an isekai hero. Even the world itself wanted it.
So the world would get one.
He summarised the entire events in the past 2 loops.
1, Felt steals insignia from Satella.
2, Satella chases but loses.
3, usually find Subaru here.
4, sunset, the Bowel-loving bitch arrives.
5, Felt and Old Man Rom dies.
He tried to fight with the assassin before.
In the 2nd loop, that is.
He managed to kick her once, but she was fast. Too fast.
He believed that, even if he tried a thousand times, he'd still die.
Subaru smirked at the alley he was sitting on, before chuckling quietly to himself.
Why? Why was he chuckling, you might ask?
Well, because he had already found the solution.
Subaru might not be a fighter, but there are other fighters he can use to his advantage.
His best bet would be to try and get some extra firepower.
And that would be... the police of this world. Knights.
He stood up and turned around.
It should be just in time now.
Ah.
Yes.
He was right.
Because from the far end of the alley, walking out into the light from the shadows, came three thugs.
The same fools who thought 'an alley' meant a crimeplace.
Most of the time, it was true.
But this specific alley was close to the capital.
Very much so.
So close that a shout can carry on with ease.
"You! You over there! Give us your shit or we're gonna—"
"HEEEELPPP!"
"What the—"
"You bastard—!"
"GUAAARDS! SOMEONE PLEASE, I NEED A MAAAANNN!!!"
The thugs panicked as they looked toward the empty exit and back at him, desperate to pick a choice.
...
And then, silence.
The three thugs exhaled in relief before grinning cruelly at Subaru.
"Well, that didn't go your way, huh?"
"You scared us. Just a bit."
"Just a little-little bit."
"SOMEONE, PLEASEEEE—huh?" Subaru paused, looking around.
He sighed. Seems like guards were a no-go.
This was fine. He could fight three lowly level 1 thugs, even if he too was a level 1, and one of them had a knife.
This was fine.
"COME ON THEN, BRING IT ON!" Subaru shouted with sudden bravery, his legs coiled, muscles contracting, poised to lunge.
'It's fine! I got this! My adrenaline is rushing! I didn't bench press and go to gym back home for nothing!'
But before he could rush at them—
"That is enough." A commanding voice, firm yet not unkind, filled the air, making everyone pause.
Subaru spun around—
His eyes widened.
He saw the man's unique, rare red hair... was that a legendary race?
He saw his divine-looking uniform...
And then, finally, the fucking Dragon-Sword sheathed on his waist. It looked... surreal. It looked perfect.
It looked... his.
If he wanted a weapon, no doubt it would be that.
He wanted that.
He needed that.
And most importantly... he'd take it. Sooner or later.
Mostly later though, given that the guy looked like the final boss of the story.
"Shit—is that the Sword Saint!?" A thug yelled, his bravery cracking like cheap glass.
"That legendary sword sheathed at his hip... no doubt, it is him!" Another one squeaked, taking a step back.
"He's Reinhard!" The final one shouted.
"Looks like I don't need to introduce myself." The Sword Saint said, smiling as he stepped up.
"Although that nickname is too much for me."
"I don't know how much help my modest strength can be to him, but if you wish to resort to extreme measures..." he reached for the hilt of his dragon-sword.
"As a knight, I will have to fight back."
"Screw this, it ain't worth it!" A thug said, already turning around to run.
Like ants, they scurried off at the threat of Reinhard.
Subaru blinked in surprise. It was a nice bluff by the knight, but one he could see through.
Because if he was really that strong... he wouldn't have needed to threaten with his sword.
"I'm glad we're both safe. Are you unhurt?" Reinhard asked, smiling innocently.
He turned to Reinhard, grinning widely as he puffed up his chest, putting a fist on it.
"Allow me to thank you humongously for your immense help, sir Reinhard! Truly, I am eternally in your debt!"
'...heh. how about that!? As a noble knight, you can't help but be flattered, right?'
"There's no need for such formalities. I'm glad to have helped. Once it was three-on-one, they lost their advantage."
Subaru cleared his throat, closing his eyes to reflect grief. "Allow me to introduce myself. Although I am just a traveler at the moment, given by my strange clothes, I find myself deeply troubled!"
He opened one eye secretly to see if he was still listening, before shutting it.
"You see, there is a friend of mine. She is really troubled. Dare I say, so troubled, that she will die."
Subaru opened one eye again. He was still listening. Good.
"This friend of mine... she is about to walk into a trap. A death trap. There, lays an assassin ready to ambush. An assassin so dangerous, so cruel, and so professional, that I believe might be a great danger, even to your humble existence."
He opened both eyes, looking at Reinhard. "Please. Will you come with me, so I can save her?"
Reinhard nodded. "Indeed. Your situation seems a grave matter. I will aid you."
Subaru smiled gratefully.
'HELL YEAH! FUCK YES! I CAN FINALLY KILL THE GUT-LOVING BITCH AND STEAL HER A-RANK WEAPONS! YEEEESSS! I FUCKING DID IT! I'M A FUCKING GENIUS!'
"Well then, shall we go?" Reinhard offered, managing a friendly smile.
"Turn a bit to the right in 200 meters. Turn left in 500 meters. Okay, go straight from here." Subaru instructed as he was riding on Reinhard's back.
Yes, the Sword Saint was giving him a piggy-back.
They were jumping from roof-to-roof, and Subaru was surprised at first.
Before realising he could never achieve this, since Reinhard confirmed it was a 'Divine Blessing', which was basically either obtained by birth, or never.
The Sword Saint jumped from roof to roof to roof, the whistling of air hitting his ears.
"Alright. There's still about..." He opened his phone. "Five minutes until the assassin arrives. I think Satella should be having a stand-off with Felt."
He felt Sword Saint tense a bit under him, yet he didn't really comment on it.
After a bit more hopping, Reinhard landed infront of the house.
"We still have two minutes." Subaru murmured as he left Reinhard's back, landing on the ground beside him.
"Rein, can you like... hide somewhere? So you can catch the bitch in surprise?"
Reinhard tilted his head with confusion but nodded anyway, walking infront of the door.
"Dude, I said hid—"
And Reinhard somehow perfectly camouflaged with the surrounding, almost as if he's passthrough.
"...Divine Protection?"
"Divine Protection."
Oh, okay.
Great.
Another cool tech he's NEVER achieving.
Subaru entered the door, only to be met with Satella's beautiful back.
His nose bled a bit before he wiped it off.
She was in a tense stand-off, it seemed, with Felt and Rom.
And of course, Felt and Rom saw him. Because his name wasn't Reinhard Van Astrea.
"Oh, you even brought BACK-UP, HUH!?" Felt yelled, pointing at him.
Of course, Satella spun around to face him, before yelping and jumping back to create distance.
Puck looked surprised as to how a mere human got past his "evil-sense."
"W-who are you!?" Emilia squeaked out.
"Wait, he's not with you?"
"N-no?"
"WHO THE FUCK IS HE, THEN!?"
Subaru shifted awkwardly, before waving, managing a wry smile. "Hi guys."
Before Felt could, kindly, politely, gently, compassionately, tell him to, promptly, get the FUCK out, something else happened.
Subaru had turned around, snapping his fingers.
and then, WHOOOOSHH, two figures blurred as they both got closer to Subaru. One to save him, the other to disembowel.
They met at the doorframe, and Reinhard reached his arm, fist shooting up to hit Elsa's head.
It striked true.
Her neck twisted as she got LAUNCHED backwards like a broken, discarded doll, landing just outside of the loothouse, in the dirty mud.
"Nice. That must have took out atleast 30 HP." Subaru murmured, his eyes stuck on the assassin woman who was perfectly replicating the Yamcha pose. Face first into mud.
"—outta 970." He said, sighing.
Why?
Because the woman pushed himself off of the mud, looking at Reinhard with mild surprise.
Elsa smiled and picked up her kukris. "My my... The Sword Saint? In this economy? It certainly must be my birthday, fufu~."
"Shut up, whore! Rein, get her!"
Reinhard needed no further encouragement. He lunged toward the assassin and reeled his fist back in—
"—and that's what happened." Subaru said, smiling as he sat in the bed.
"Honored guest, honored guest, have you hit your head?" Rem said with concern.
"Honored guest, honored guest, all you've done was confirm that you have done nothing." Ram berated.
He sighed.
This was going to be a long arc.