Crossover anime, starting with Hachiman Hikigaya replacing Subaru Natsuki!

"Hachiman Hikigaya looked bewildered, not understanding why Emilia had specifically mentioned her identity. Just as he was about to bluff his way out, some fragments suddenly flashed through his mind."

The scene shifts, revealing a blurry scene where Hachiman Hikigaya is confronting a beautiful black-haired girl who seems to be just as pretty as Emilia. But the scene quickly cuts back to reality from his inner world.

"I'm sorry, I've come from a faraway place. Is there some special meaning behind 'half-elf' in this country?"

"This is a trial of breaking through one's limits and moving forward..." That's the impression Hikigaya Hachiman gave off.

"In this unfamiliar world, faced with the gentle and kind Emilia who unconditionally extended a helping hand to him, he couldn't bear to do it and felt that he shouldn't deceive her. He even slightly changed his awkward personality and began to use a straightforward approach."

"..."

In the convenience store, Hachiman Hikigaya was startled by his question in the future, and was almost dumbfounded.

He liked the riddle-maker's personality, so why would he make improvements at a time like this?

It's unbelievable. I thought I would never be able to change this terrible and twisted temper in my entire life, but... it's also quite reasonable.

If Hachiman Hikigaya were to maintain his usual nasty style in the face of Emilia, such a unique savior, he would probably want to strangle himself, because he wouldn't be qualified to stand in front of Emilia.

"It really is... me from the future."

Hikigaya Hachiman was filled with mixed feelings. He lowered his head and saw a view he had never seen before.

Yukino Yukinoshita was tense all over. Her fear and regret had long since passed. At this moment, she stared intently at the half-elf in the video with an extremely strange expression. It seemed that she both agreed and longed for him, but also... was quite wary.

Before she knew it, her fingers, which were tugging at the hem of Hachiman Hikigaya's clothes, had gone a step further, touching his elbow through his sleeve.

Hachiman Hikigaya had no other thoughts. He would never presume to think that Yukino had fallen in love with him because of the video. This was definitely the case. At most, it was out of the president's affection that he expressed his condolences after learning that he might have traveled through time.

"Eh? -- Eh?!" Emilia, who had been like an innocent puppy about to be slaughtered, was instead met with cold stares and insults. She was at a loss, her beautiful purple eyes filled with a fluttering joy.

"Don't you even know where you're from? People who see Leah's race and appearance easily make pointless associations with the Witch of Envy, Satella. Those fools, tsk!"

Parker wasn't interested in going into detail, so after a brief explanation, he changed the subject: "What about finding the thief's plan?"

"So, Emilia isn't considered noble here?" Hachiman Hikigaya asked rhetorically.

"She is indeed very noble, and she might even have the authority to command commoners and a few knights, but that would only breed resentment towards Leah. Taking that route won't work for you."

“I’m so sorry,” Emilia said, blushing. “I let them down.”

"Hachiman Hikigaya was stunned for a moment, staring straight at the shy girl. Anyone could see that at that moment, his heart was pounding."

Emilia, both inside and outside the video, was the only one unaware of this.

"Then, I'll leave the follow-up to you, Puck. As for Emilia, she doesn't need to appear; wait for my good news." Hachiman Hikigaya entered work mode, very serious. "Do you have a detailed sketch of the thief?"

"A blonde girl, about 14 years old, who looked malnourished and rather thin, was able to scale walls and rooftops with great speed and agility. Her clothes were..."

After Parker finished describing her, Hachiman Hikigaya had already prepared his response: "I've seen this girl before. What a small world; I don't think she looks like a thief at all."

"It's good that the items were recovered; there's no need to harm the child." Worried that he or Parker might resort to some vicious means to kill them all, Emilia quickly offered her opinion.

"I really am, I, I... Oh dear!"

Ferut slapped her forehead, scratched her hair, and her face flushed.

"Stealing is fine, but stealing from such a kind guy... No, no, I absolutely can't do this job!"

She happened to be about to take action today.

But putting aside the fact that Emilia treated her, the thief, so well, how could she possibly succeed after she was already on that screen showcasing the future? Becoming famous under the noses of the entire continent would be a huge loss.

Felt gritted her teeth: "Next time that client comes, I'm going to extort a hefty sum from her! Just because she hired me, the Knights might come and arrest me soon!"

"Right, right, we need to get out of here quickly... Mr. Rom, let's find another place to hide!"

Mr. Rom, who was standing to the side, agreed wholeheartedly: "I'll pack my things."

"My plan is...you try this, and your feedback on this food will affect my strategy."

"Hachiman Hikigaya held up the bag, which contained cookies, instant noodles, and a few snacks. He opened one of the bags and shared it with Puck and Emilia, who praised it sincerely."

"I see, I see~" Parker explained to his daughter, "Are you going to scatter these beautifully packaged and delicious foods on the streets as a reward for anyone who tells you the thief's identity and hideout? It's indeed a simple and effective method."

"Those three thugs were trembling with fear when they saw you. I guess magicians are a prestigious upper class in this country, right? With you, Parker, with me, people's suspicions about whether my food is poisoned are lessened."

"You little rascal, you don't actually think every magician is as kind as Leah, do you?"

"On the contrary," Hachiman Hikigaya revealed the absolute certainty of his plan, his demeanor unusually ruthless, "the more the common people revere and fear magicians, the better. That way, whether they want my food or not, someone will inevitably offer up information to appease 'my, the magician's, wrath."

"It wasn't particularly brilliant, but it was effective. In just a minute or two, he deduced the most direct and swift strategy from a very limited amount of information. Leah, my admiration for him has increased even more!"

Parker was amazed and clapped his hands enthusiastically.

"I'm really looking forward to it. I wonder how much of a help he will be to you in the future."

6. Oh, you're shy!

"Felt, the notorious thief from the slums, is blessed by the wind and has an excellent relationship with a giant named Rom. He mostly steals to earn commissions and can exchange stolen goods for ransom... Could we consider it a gang operation? Anyway, he'll have at least two enemies."

"Hachiman Hikigaya's intentions are clear after gathering all the intelligence," Puck said confidently, patting his chest. "Giants and the Blessing of the Wind? They might be able to handle ordinary mages, but to deal with me and Ria is just wishful thinking."

"Is that so? Then I'll leave the fighting to you guys. I'm just an ordinary otaku, I can't get involved."

"An ordinary otaku?!"

The group of people who were singing karaoke at the karaoke bar couldn't help but spit on it. Tobe, Hayama, Miura, and Iroha were speechless. Tobe even felt a little horrified. "Hey, hey, hey, so Hachiman is that smart... Did I offend him a little before? You have to save me, Hayato!"

Yui Yuigahama's eyes darted around, sometimes laughing and sometimes frowning. She clenched her fists and stood tall with her head held high.

"Hehe, I already knew Little Qi was amazing!"

"There's already a hurdle that Yukinoshita-senpai can't overcome. Yuihama-senpai, do you really think you're more charming than Emilia?" Iroha Isshiki curled her lip, adding insult to injury.

"Uh…"

Yui Yuigahama froze, refusing to answer the question, and evasively pulled out her phone: "B-in short, where is Hachiman right now? I need to go check on him first—"

"The reason we're able to fight is all thanks to this intelligence. I should be the one saying this. Thank you for your hard work, Hachiman."

"As soon as Emilia finished speaking, she looked surprised. She looked at Hachiman Hikigaya, who was stunned and blushing, and wondered if he had suddenly fallen ill. She took a small half-step forward and raised her hand to touch his red cheeks."

"Swish—"

"Like a startled bird, his speed was unprecedentedly fast, even faster than when he was fighting with thugs. Hachiman Hikigaya staggered back several steps, his mouth agape as if he wanted to say something, but even that strength had vanished. His face was flushed and his heart was pounding so hard that he didn't dare to look Emilia in the eye for a moment."

"Huh?...Ah!" Emilia was flustered, pulling her hand back as if she'd been electrocuted. Although confused, she immediately apologized, "Did I do something very rude to you? Sorry, um... Parker, do you know what this is taboo?"

"Hmm, who knows~ Dude, your heart is surprisingly pure, even though you're so ruthless when it comes to real-world issues."

"He's smart and decisive, but he has such a big weakness that it's too easy to target him." Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, who had been calm, seemed disappointed. He had thought the other party was a talent worth valuing.

The sigh of approval was very low. Horikita Suzune, who already knew that Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was not simple, was the only one in the class who heard it. She nodded, and the corner of her mouth curled up with a faint sneer at Hideaki Hachiman. This disdain diluted her approval of his previous actions.

"Ugh... I might as well just die! As a high school student, I get so excited about being called by my name by a beautiful girl that I feel like I could die without regrets, and I don't even have the guts to make any physical contact with her. People will laugh at me for the rest of their lives, won't they?!"

"Pfft... Woohoo..."

The worried Yukino Yukinoshita couldn't help but bend down slightly, cover her mouth, and glance at the embarrassed boy beside her with her eyes crinkling, still letting out a few soft laughs.

Hachiman Hikigaya felt a chill run down his spine, and had an urge to run out and immediately be transported to another world: "This is so embarrassing!"

Fortunately, despite her laughter, Yukinoshita still held firmly to his sleeve with her left hand, as if to declare, "No matter what happens, I will never abandon you."

'Damn it, wake up, Hachiman Hikigaya! Stop being so delusional!'

"On the way to the slums, Hachiman Hikigaya, who had been walking and standing with a slightly hunched back, gradually straightened his back after noticing Emilia occasionally looking at him curiously. Many of his bad habits were corrected under the influence of restraint and inexplicable emotions."

"The two walked side by side. Emilia showed no discomfort or disdain for him, but he was intentionally or unintentionally distancing himself from the girl, creating distance between them."

"...?" Emilia, puzzled, tilted her head slightly, quickened her pace, and soon stood beside Hachiman Hikigaya. "Since this area openly harbors thieves, there might also be robbers or murderers. You'd better stay close to me, otherwise something might happen, and I won't be able to protect you in time."

"Ah...ah..."

"Hachiman Hikigaya's breathing became rapid, and then it was as if he was about to stop breathing. His eyes were fixed on the road, and his hands and feet began to move erratically, as if he didn't know how to walk anymore."

"Lia, it seems that keeping your distance from him might actually be safer for him."

“What are you talking about, Parker? How is this possible?” Emilia stayed close by. Since the other person had entered the slums to help her, she was determined to protect him.

"This stubborn girl is too naive. She seems completely unaware of what a stunningly beautiful girl she is, and how much her appearance attracts men of marriageable age."

"Puck waved helplessly, responding to Hachiman Hikigaya's pleading gaze with a look that said, 'I did my best.'"

"Tell me about this world... could you tell me about the basic situation of your kingdom, Emilia?" Hachiman Hikigaya, racking his brains, used serious matters to distract himself.

"So Hachiman isn't from the Kingdom of Lugnica after all? He must be a traveler from somewhere else."

"A young woman whose every smile and frown exuded nobility, yet her speech and personality were devoid of any aristocratic airs. She was happy to serve this semi-stranger, describing in detail the basic information about the country, including the invincible sword saint, the Sages' Guild, the Knights, the commoners, the nobles, and the upcoming **."

"It's not that she's unintelligent or lacks suspicion and vigilance towards others; it's just that what she's saying is common knowledge, and anyone on the street could find out."

"By doing his best to treat the girl's beautiful voice saying 'Hachiman' as an illusion, Hachiman Hikigaya memorized a lot of information and finally gained a basic and complete understanding of this world."

7. False sophistry

"Hachiman Hikigaya, unaware of any code, stepped aside. Emilia's eyes narrowed, and she smashed Rom's warehouse door to pieces with her magical ice spikes."

"Young people these days are getting more and more clueless." Rom, muscular and carrying a spiked club, strode out from the dust. Despite his age, he was still formidable and menacing.

"Lord Rom, isn't that right?" Hachiman Hikigaya, hiding behind Emilia, coyly tried to persuade her to surrender.

“Felt stole our things. We went to Felt’s place, but she hasn’t returned yet. We heard you two are close. If you’re willing to surrender and wait for her to return our lost items, she won’t do anything to you.”

The spiked club slammed into the ground with a thud, creating a crater. The swaggering Rom looked at him like an enemy, "Heh heh, if you want your lost item, then obediently pay to redeem it. Showing up empty-handed and threatening me, is this your attitude?"

"The item originally belonged to Emilia, and you still dare to demand a ransom? Your skin is thicker than mine!" With Emilia, a powerful magician, backing him up, Hachiman Hikigaya, who usually acts rather timid, was quite assertive.

"Heh heh heh, the theft was your own fault for not watching properly. Did the stolen goods magically grow legs and grow onto Ferute? This is her own effort, her way of surviving—she lives with such utmost effort. How could you high and mighty, well-off folks, possibly understand our helplessness!"

"Rom, who was gritting his teeth, thought that the other party would refute him sharply again, but Hachiman Hikigaya nodded in deep agreement at this moment, which surprised Emilia and Puck.

"Yes, you're right." Hachiman Hikigaya agreed. "A person's first priority is to ensure their own survival. So if someone is about to starve or freeze to death, and they resort to robbing or stealing, although it's still a crime, they'll be punished leniently and given special treatment no matter where they are. 'My life' takes precedence over everything else. I completely agree with that. Tsk, but..."

"His tone shifted abruptly, revealing a deep-seated anger and overwhelming discontent, like a tsunami crashing down on Lord Rom."

“Walking through this slum, I did see many people who were starving and cold, who were worried about just surviving—but you and Ferut were definitely not among them!”

"Now I roughly understand what this so-called blessing is... With a talent as miraculous as the Blessing of Wind, are you trying to tell me that Felt won't be able to find a job to support herself?"

"With her talent, finding a job wouldn't be difficult, would it? Even so, she still chose to steal to make a living. I don't know her specific reasons, but she stole while still being able to survive, and that's a dirty fact that no amount of sophistry can wash away!"

"Hachiman Hikigaya's voice was resounding; how could he not be angry?"