A Random in Re:Zero

Loop 3 - Part 17

In fact, that would explain how Anastasia died from multiple gunshot wounds. Perhaps the killer managed to obtain more bullets using the same method or something similar.

The Sword Saint's blue eyes continued to stare at me intently. I tried to pretend I didn't notice, but it was impossible. I clicked my tongue in frustration.

"... Just ask the damn question, Reinhard."

"Why did you want to create such a dangerous weapon, knowing it could fall into the wrong hands? You didn't even know that man when you gave him the design."

My cowardice and arrogance would be exposed with a proper explanation, but it was the least I could do. There was no more room for evasions or lies.

"Because I'm afraid. Because I know I'm not enough to defeat the enemies who will come. I'm terrified of all the pain, all the suffering they'll make me feel... I don't want to go through what he did."

"He? Who are you referring to?"

I blinked in surprise, Reinhard's confusion making me realize I had thought the end of my statement out loud.

"I can't seem to get the ghost of Subaru out of my head. How long am I going to keep comparing myself to him? I know I'm not a worthy protagonist, but it's no use dwelling on that thought."

"Leandro, are you okay?"

"... Hurry up and put that son of a bitch in a cell. I'll keep looking on my own."

Seeing that I didn't want to talk about my feelings, Reinhard gave up asking.

"I understand... Be careful."

He walked away, disappearing from my sight in the sea of people. I sighed and leaned against a wall. I still hadn't figured out how to end this loop, even if I managed to catch the killer.

"I have to die... So I can save them."

As I was thinking this, I heard a whistling sound. I turned my head toward the source of the sound and my eyes widened in fury. It was a strange man, a face I had never seen but had imagined before.

Short brown hair, red eyes, and a youthful appearance. The prostitute described him in broad strokes, so just like I had when I saw Diane, I noticed a fair number of details that hadn't been mentioned.

One of them was the sharp face and the wicked gaze of the killer. The very bold man was beckoning me with a mocking sneer.

"It's him!"

Without hesitation, I started running in his direction. I knew I was heading into a trap, but that wasn't the least of my worries at the moment.

I thought about shouting for Reinhard, but it didn't seem like a good idea. The assassin must have been eavesdropping on my conversation with him, and if he chose to reveal himself to me, it was most likely because he had a way to escape the Sword Saint.

"I won't let you get away!"

I pushed myself to the limit, concentrating mana in my legs to empower them. My running speed increased noticeably, and I began to close the gap.

When I figured I had it within reach, I jumped to catch it, but then...

"Ugh!" I crossed an empty space and fell to the ground with a crash. "What the fuck!?"

A second before I laid my hands on him, I saw the killer disappear like a mirage.

"Okay, we're far enough away now." Said a voice whose origin was not visible but sounded very close.

BANG!

There was a pop and suddenly my leg jerked with horrible pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Blood gushed from the bullet wound, but the killer didn't stop there.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

My arms and my other leg suffered the same fate, being pierced by other projectiles.

The pain made me want to roll on the floor, but I was unable to move my limbs due to the shock.

"You know, this wasn't supposed to be so hard. You made it complicated."

For a moment, the gunfire stopped. That didn't make me feel any better, as the pain from my wounds was stinging, burning, and tearing.

"No one could see me, no one could know it was me. How did you find out?"

"It was easy, because you're a fucking asshole!" I yelled at the voice. In response, I got shot again, one in the groin.

There's no way to do justice to the agonized scream that came out of my mouth at that moment. The pain was unbearable, and for the first time in my life, I wished for death to escape this torture.

An invisible force grabbed me by the collar of my uniform and lifted me up. My theory was confirmed when the assassin's figure appeared with an iridescent effect.

"I must congratulate you for cornering me to this point. You're the first to defeat my Divine Protection of Invisibility. Of course, that doesn't mean you can repeat the feat. Your detective game ends here."

It was ironic to die by the weapon I had brought into existence. Even if this idiot were invisible, he couldn't have gotten his hands on me so easily without the revolver.

"Do you have any last words?" He asked with a smile, feeling just as arrogant as I did.

"Yes... El Shamak!"

The magic separated the assassin's mind from his body, causing him to temporarily lose control. His grip loosened, and without wasting any time, I punched him in the face, sending him flying.

I retrieved the revolver and tried to fire, but there were no more bullets in the chamber. I cursed and threw it at my enemy's face, but missed, and the weapon slid away. He smiled and stood up, wiping the blood from his lip.

"You're going to fall..."

"THAT'S MY LINE!" I exclaimed, throwing punch after punch, but I was too weak and he dodged everything effortlessly.

I tried to shield myself from their attacks, but my efforts were useless. My strength was rapidly depleting, and casting a spell accelerated the process.

I was dying from bleeding.

"You're persistent, I admit it. However, even you must have noticed that you've already reached your limit. Your fate is sealed."

I was taken down with a simple one-two punch. To top it all off, my enemy stomped on me, laughing with delight at my cries of pain.

The world gradually darkened, and the pain began to subside until I couldn't feel it anymore. My body was numb, slowly shutting down.

With my last breath, I issued a warning that only I understood.

"Get ready for round two, you motherfucker..."