In less than a minute, Satou Kazuma was back in the real world.
Aqua had used the same old trick: threatening Eris with the "breast pad" incident.
"Honestly, Kazuma, you weren't even resurrected for thirty seconds. Think you can break that record next time?" Aqua said.
"Shh!"
Kazuma immediately hissed at Aqua.
Right now, Elsa's attention was on the others. Kazuma decided to play dead and wait for an opportunity.
After all, apart from his 'Steal' skill, he couldn't do anything.
And Aqua, beside him, was a certified non-combatant.
Even Elsa hadn't bothered to attack her first.
If he just grabbed Aqua and ran, they might have a chance, but Kazuma couldn't just watch these people get killed. All he could do was wait for a chance and find a way to beat her.
'Subaru must be thinking the same thing. That's why he's just standing there, watching, and not interfering.'
Satou Kazuma thought to himself.
A few meters away, Elsa was fighting Old Man Rom and Felt.
Natsuki Subaru stood to the side, staring blankly at the scene. His eyes couldn't even follow Elsa's movements.
That was definitely an opponent he couldn't handle. It was fear that kept him frozen in place.
It also made Subaru realize that what happened before wasn't a dream.
The one who had killed him in the previous loop was Elsa!
His gaze shifted to Satou Kazuma.
That guy looks creepy, but... Just moments ago, Kazuma, in a desperate attempt to buy time, had 'grabbed' Elsa's leg, ignoring his own fatal wound. That image was burned into Subaru's mind.
Even Kazuma is fighting with all his might! I have to do something too!
Natsuki Subaru, completely ignoring the massive gap in power, charged straight at Elsa.
'What!? Does Subaru have a plan!?'
Satou Kazuma, who had been playing dead, propped himself up to watch.
"Oh? You've finally decided to move?"
Elsa just gave Subaru a small smile.
In the next instant, moving at a speed Subaru's eyes couldn't possibly track, a slash tore through his body.
It all happened too fast for anyone to react.
...
The scene changed.
The familiar street, the familiar crowd. Satou Kazuma and Aqua were back at the exact moment they had first arrived.
"Hey, hey, hey! What happened!?"
Aqua looked like she had no idea what was going on.
"You useless goddess! Our time was reset again!" Satou Kazuma immediately told her.
His mind was racing, trying to figure out why time had reset again.
Was it because I was in danger?
No, that's not it.
He had been killed twice just now, and time hadn't reset. It clearly wasn't related to him. And the first time loop, he and Aqua were just about to eat.
Could it be... related to Natsuki Subaru?
That's right! The loop triggered the exact moment Subaru was killed by Elsa!
In the previous loop, Kazuma wasn't 100% sure what he had experienced, so he hadn't told Subaru about the time rewind.
Subaru might know something.
I have to ask him next time I see him.
Since time has reset, I can just go to the place we met him and wait!
But...
"If we go there, we'll run into that trio of thugs again..."
Satou Kazuma could almost feel his cheeks aching.
"So what do we do now, Kazuma!?"
Aqua tilted her head, looking at Kazuma, clearly unwilling to think for herself.
Everything that was happening was way beyond the processing power of her walnut-sized brain.
"I have a plan!"
A smile spread across Satou Kazuma's face.
...
Soon, Satou Kazuma brought Aqua back to the familiar alley.
"Hey! Hand over everything valuable!"
The three familiar thugs appeared in front of them.
"Jeez. You're just like respawning low-level mobs in a game."
Kazuma muttered under his breath. Then he puffed out his chest, deliberately affecting an arrogant tone, and lowered his voice.
"Oh? Do you have any idea who I am?"
"Who?"
The three thugs looked at each other. They were momentarily taken aback by Kazuma's attitude.
But no matter how they looked at him, Kazuma still looked creepy. He didn't seem like anyone important.
"Stop bluffing! If you don't want to get hurt, just hand over your valuables!"
"You've messed with the wrong person. I am one of the strongest mages in this country!"
As Kazuma spoke, he glanced at Aqua beside him.
Aqua, who had been spacing out, finally realized her cue. She quickly stepped forward and raised her right hand.
Light Spell!
Aqua's hand glowed with a bright red light, as if it were on fire.
This sight made the three thugs freeze.
What's going on?
"This is a forbidden magic that only I can use: 'Final Blazing Burst Fireball'!"
Kazuma immediately spouted a move name from a game he used to play and continued his bluff.
"Even when cast by my servant, the effect is enough to turn you three to ash! I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare your lives. Get lost, if you don't want to die!"
Aqua's magic was completely harmless, aside from producing light.
But Kazuma figured he could use it to his advantage, at least to intimidate them.
From the previous two loops, Kazuma had learned that magic-users existed in this world, but they were rare. So, he decided to pose as a mage to scare these guys off.
Hearing Kazuma's words, the three thugs looked at each other.
They didn't dare risk their lives.
"L-let's go!"
With the command from the skinny leader, the other two immediately turned and ran.
"Niiiice! My brilliant mind saves the day again!"
A deeply satisfied smile spread across Satou Kazuma's face. At least this time, he finally avoided getting beaten up, and he even got to act cool in front of those thugs.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (390 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (254 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (140 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (158 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (400 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (140 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (166 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(80 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (200 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (190 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (120 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (96 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (140 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (150 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (140 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (Ending)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (70 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (80 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (140 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (165 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (70 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (100 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (100 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (80 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (80 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (80 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (40 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (40 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (168 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (120 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (150 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (160 Chapter)
Naruto : My Uchiha Girlfriend is Too Tsundere (130 Chapter)
Type-Moon: Reincarnated in a Lostbelt, I Became the Alien God (90 Chapter)
The Way These Horse Girls Look at Me Is Terrifying! (160 Chapter)
Naruto: Tsunade's Deskmate (130 Chapter)
I Just Want to Live a Normal (50 Chapter).
Genshin Impact: A Hundred Confessions? It's Just a System Task (70 Chapter)
OnePiece : Starting as a Veteran of the Roger Pirates (60 Chapter)
Uma Musume : I Have Special Horse Taming Techniques (170 Chapter)
Uma Musume : My other self is a Horse Girl (110 Chapter)
Jujutsu Kaisen : All Affection Stats Maxed Out (150 Chapter)
Bleach : Ichigo! Take Over the Soul Society (30 Chapter)
Crossover Anime: The Master of Plagiarism with a 'Love Obstacle (50 Chapter)
Satou Kazuma's Decision to Live by Swindling, Starting from Re:Zero (50 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it