Re:Zero - Starting from Zero (Natsuki Subaru)

……

in reality.

Natsuki Subaru sat quietly in the corridor, leaning against the stone wall, his hands wrapped around his knees.

"What is this? Did this happen before? Are these the memories I've lost?"

"Have I died before, more than once...?"

Natsuki Subaru felt that his brain was in complete chaos.

Natsuki Subaru couldn't even tell whether the images playing on the screen in front of him were real or fake.

The person in the picture looks exactly like him, behaves and has the same personality, and even has the same inexplicable ability.

"Why, why? This is wrong... Why don't I remember any of this?"

Natsuki Subaru felt like his brain was about to explode.

He frantically pounded his head, trying to make his brain feel better.

The commotion also attracted the attention of Emilia and Beatrice, who were searching for him.

Emilia and the other woman ran over quickly, each grabbing one of Subaru Natsuki's arms.

"Subaru! Stop!!"

"Don't do this, Subaru!!"

Natsuki Subaru looked at the two people beside him in confusion.

Emilia, Beatrice.

These two people knew him, but he had no recollection of them.

Emilia took a deep breath as she looked at the disheveled Natsuki Subaru, then gently hugged him.

"Subaru, I know you must be in a lot of pain and very sad right now..."

"But please don't hurt yourself like this. The appearance of this light screen might change our current situation!"

"If you calm down and keep watching, maybe you'll recall memories from the past?"

Emilia gently bit her lip to comfort her.

Beatrice looked worried as she stood by.

"Subaru, Emilia is right..."

"Betty...can't lose Subaru."

Natsuki Subaru looked at the two people with tears in their eyes and felt a strange sense of calm.

Natsuki Subaru even had a feeling that the two people in front of him were very important to him, and he couldn't let them worry.

Emilia gently stroked Subaru's head, and feeling that Subaru in her arms had finally calmed down, Emilia also breathed a sigh of relief.

……

The screen in front of everyone continued to play the images.

It seemed that the pause just now was merely a brief rest for them.

……

Subaru Natsuki opened his eyes again.

I found myself standing in front of an apple stand.

The apple stand owner was holding up an apple, muttering something to himself.

Natsuki Subaru didn't hear him clearly: "Huh??"

The boss repeated it again, but Natsuki Subaru still couldn't hear it clearly.

"What??"

Just when the boss was about to lose patience, Natsuki Subaru finally regained his hearing.

Natsuki Subaru overheard the conversation; the fruit stand owner was asking him if he wanted to buy apples.

However, Natsuki Subaru clearly remembered that he had already told him that he was penniless.

Why did the boss ask him again if he wanted to buy an apple?

Subaru Natsuki could only say one more time: "Boss, but I don't have any money."

"No money? Then why are you standing in front of my stall for so long? Isn't this a waste of time? Hurry up and go!"

Subaru Natsuki was kicked out once again.

Natsuki Subaru couldn't understand what had happened.

It was night just now, and I was in the slums just now.

How did time suddenly rewind to daytime?

Natsuki Subaru recalled his previous memories.

I went with Emilia to the hideout where the thief Felt was, and after we went inside...

Natsuki Subaru was ambushed and suffered a deep cut to his abdomen.

Then, Satella also entered, and was also ambushed, falling down in front of Subaru Natsuki.

Natsuki Subaru's expression turned slightly grim as he thought about this. He immediately looked down, lifted his tracksuit, and examined his abdomen.

There were no wounds or scars.

Natsuki Subaru was increasingly confused. What on earth had happened?

Subaru Natsuki's pupils suddenly contracted.

"No! Satella has been murdered! In the slums!!"

"I don't know how I got back here, but!!!"

Natsuki Subaru recalled the promise he had made in his mind to save her, and immediately set off for the slums.

however.

As Subaru Natsuki walked through the alley, he encountered the same three punk thugs who had previously extorted and beaten him.

Natsuki Subaru initially thought that the three of them were seeking revenge because they were dissatisfied with Satella's previous treatment of them.

However, Subaru Natsuki was even more confused when the thug opened his mouth.

"Hey, stop right there! Hand over all your valuables!"

The familiar yet unfamiliar lines stunned Subaru Natsuki.

"blackmail?"

This development felt strangely familiar to Subaru Natsuki.

Before they could finish speaking, Natsuki Subaru voluntarily placed the only valuable plastic bag he was holding on the ground.

However, one of the three, a short, mushroom-headed guy, wouldn't let it go, insisting that Subaru Natsuki lie on the ground and bark like a dog before he would leave him alone.

Subaru Natsuki could no longer tolerate it.

He took down the leader, the punk, with an uppercut and then sent the mushroom-headed guy flying with a kick.

Finally, they beat the biggest guy in the group to a pulp.

After dealing with the three thugs, Natsuki Subaru arrived at the hideout of Felt, the thief he had visited before, as quickly as possible.

He stood at the door.

Natsuki Subaru couldn't help but think of everything he had experienced last time and the excruciating pain in his stomach.

Natsuki Subaru hesitated for a long time, not daring to go in.

Ultimately, because of his concern for "Satella", Subaru Natsuki knocked on the door.

The person who opened the door was not anyone I had imagined.

He was a robust old man.

Subaru Natsuki was completely stunned.

Wasn't this old man already dead?

Natsuki Subaru clearly remembered seeing this person's corpse earlier, covered in blood!

……

The old man let Natsuki Subaru into the shop, and Natsuki Subaru immediately asked the question he was most concerned about and most curious about.

"Old man? Have you died recently?"

The old man couldn't hold back for a moment, seemingly not expecting anyone to ask such a bizarre question.

"Hahaha, I admit I'm an old man with one foot in the grave..."

"But unfortunately, I've never actually died before...!"

Natsuki Subaru began to ponder.

What exactly were all those experiences I had just gone through? Were they hallucinations or dreams?

If it was a dream.

When exactly did I enter the dream, and when did I return to reality?

At this point, Subaru Natsuki was still unable to understand the concept of Return by Death.

Emilia's face flashed through Natsuki Subaru's mind.

……

The burly old man asked, "What exactly are you doing here?"

Natsuki Subaru answered truthfully, "I'm looking for a badge inlaid with jewels."

"It was stolen by a man named Ferut."

The old man took a sip of his drink: "That guy will be back soon, but whether you can buy it back is another matter."

Natsuki Subaru immediately declared that he was a penniless pauper.

"Don't let my lack of money fool you; I can barter!"

Natsuki Subaru took the potato chips out of the plastic bag and gave them to the old man.

The old man tentatively took a bite and then began to devour it; he had never tasted anything so delicious before.

……

After waiting for a long time, until the sun was almost setting, the blonde girl named Ferut finally arrived.

Natsuki Subaru asked Felt again, since he had indeed seen Felt in that alleyway last time.

But the answer she received was that Ferut had never seen her.

Natsuki Subaru didn't know whether this guy was just denying it or genuinely didn't remember ever seeing him.

……

Sure enough, the badge was in her hand.

"Hey buddy, how much can you afford?"

Natsuki Subaru pulled out his flip phone: "This is a magical artifact that can freeze time! A phone!!"

Afterwards, Subaru took some photos of Felt and Rom and showed them to them.

"I stole your time and froze it eternally within this demonic artifact!"

"I see, that's amazing!" Ferut was somewhat shocked.

The well-informed Mr. Rom judged that this was a magical artifact that could be activated without magic power.

According to Lord Rom's assessment, this magical artifact is definitely more valuable than the jeweled badge.

Just when Subaru thought the deal was about to be finalized, Felt shook her head.

"The deal isn't finalized yet, after all, you're not the only one I'm dealing with."

Ferut then stated that she stole the badge at someone else's request.

During the conversation,

A knock came at the door.

The people who were going to make the deal have arrived.

Ferut went to open the door.

After talking with Rom, Natsuki Subaru learned that Rom valued the child Felt very much.

Ferut led the guests in.

It was a stunningly beautiful woman dressed somewhat provocatively: "There seem to be quite a few unauthorized people around."

"I know that old man, but who is this young man?"

Ferut laughed and said, "This is another person I'm negotiating with!"

……

The three sat around a table.

Ferut stated that the badge would go to the highest bidder.

The most that beautiful woman could produce was 20 Saint Gold Coins, and according to Rom's judgment, the cell phone in Natsuki Subaru's hand was worth at least 20.

Rom believed that dealing with Subaru Natsuki was more valuable.

The deal fell through. The beautiful woman finished the milk on the table, calmly stood up, and prepared to leave.

Before leaving, the beautiful woman asked a question.

"Hey buddy, what are you going to do with this badge?"

Natsuki Subaru was caught off guard: "I want to return this badge to its owner."

The beautiful woman's face instantly turned gloomy.

"They are related personnel."

The sound of something cutting through the air rang out.