The cold stone floor scraped his cheek. The smell of iron and something sweet, nauseating, assaulted him even before he opened his eyes.
It wasn't the comfortable futon in his room, nor the lingering aroma of instant ramen and old manga. This was... different.
Hiroto Tanaka stretched, a groan escaping his throat. A hangover? He hadn't been drinking last night. He tried to remember.
He was at his computer, immersed in the umpteenth rereading of the Re:Zero wiki, trying to unravel the mysteries of Satella. Then... a blink? Darkness? And now this.
He snapped his eyes open. The rough wooden ceiling. The dirty walls. The thick air. No. This wasn't his room. It wasn't a hospital. It was...
A chill ran down his spine. He sat up with difficulty, feeling a stabbing pain in his stomach, a burning that made him wince. He touched the area and his fingers were stained with something dark and sticky. Blood. So much blood.
His mind, still dazed, began to process the information. The smell. The pain. The dirt. The alley! A stab of icy panic hit him. He recognized this. He'd seen it hundreds of times. The bowels of the Royal Capital of Lugunica.
Elsa Granhiert.
The belly killer. Subaru Natsuki's first save point. But... why him? Hiroto blinked, his head spinning.
Suddenly, a translucent window, like a game interface, floated before his eyes. He blinked again. The window was still there.
[Congratulations! The Dimensional Progression System has been activated.
[User: Natsuki Subaru (Previous Identity: Hiroto Tanaka)]
[Level: 1 (0/100 EXP)]
[Initial Attributes:]
* Strength: 5
* Agility: 5
* Stamina: 5
* Intelligence: 10
* Charisma: 3
* Luck: 1
[System Abilities:]
* [[Return by Death]: Resets time upon death. Current save point: Capital Alley, before the app store.
* [Otaku Analysis]: Allows you to recall key details from the Re:Zero series. Consumption: 1 SP (System Point) per extended use.
* [Status Window]: Opens your profile.
* [System Shop]: Access items and skills. (Locked until Level 2)
[Active Main Quest: Survive the night in the capital.]
[Objective: Secure the path to Roswaal's mansion.]
[Reward: 100 EXP, 5 SP, System Shop Unlock.]
Hiroto—no, now Subaru—gazed in awe. A system. A game system. And he was in Re:Zero! The pain in his belly, the blood, the stench of death... it was all real. It wasn't a dream, not a nightmare. It was his new reality.
"What the hell...?" he muttered, his voice sounding strange in this new voice. The system screen flickered, as if responding to his confusion.
[Warning: User's vitality is critical. Seek immediate help.]
He had to move. This was the initial loop. The app shop. Felt. Rom. And the thief.
Subaru stood up, every movement a torture. His body trembled. The pain was unbearable, but adrenaline and shock kept him going. He staggered toward the alley entrance, his otaku mind already racing.
He knew the map, knew the characters, knew the dangers. And now, he had a system. A brutal advantage. This wasn't the original Subaru, with his naiveté and desperation.
He was Hiroto Tanaka, the fanatic. And he wasn't going to die in this alley a second time. "Fine," he hissed, gritting his teeth. "Let's play this."