Re:Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu Volume 1 - Chapter 1.3

Chapter 1.3
VOLUME 1
Chapter 1-3
While calculating his next move, Subaru kept things going by smiling cordially at the men who had smug looks on their faces. Though he was in a pinch, a long time ago it was promised that humans who were invited to another world would exhibit superhuman abilities. If Subaru was summoned under the same conditions as countless other trans-world trips, it was highly likely he was given some unique ability. As he thought about it, he felt his body becoming lighter.
“Somehow, the gravity here feels as if it is about a tenth that of my world. I can do this. I can really do this! I’ll mow you down and make you the fertilizer for my path to greatness together with your experience points.”
“Looks like that guy is muttering something.”
“I’m not sure what that guy is saying, but I know he’s making fun of us. Kill ’em!”
“That’s my line! … I’m gonna make you regret this!” declared Subaru as he let out a straight right with all his might, aimed at the largely built man in front. A magnificent hit directly to the nose. However his fist, which hit the front teeth of his enemy, started bleeding.
—The first time he punched someone! And he hurt himself even more than he expected. Despite having put plenty of effort into simulations before, this was his first real fight.
The man he punched fell onto the floor. Using his remaining momentum, he lunged towards the next man who was still shocked. Arching his foot, he lashed it across the side of the man’s head, smashing him in to the wall; thus his second victim fainted in pain.
Having started off surprisingly well, Subaru’s confidence in his concept of ‘trans-world invincibility’ started to grow.
“As I thought, this world is set such that I am the strongest! ……………..”
Spinning around, Subaru crouched in position, ready to beat the day lights out of the last man. But in the hands of the last man, Subaru caught a glimpse of the glimmer of a knife.
Just like that, Subaru slid across the floor knees first and beautifully folded his body, pressing his forehead against the floor.
“I’m sorry! It was completely my fault! Please forgive me! Please have mercy on my soul!”
Dogeza. This expresses the greatest degree of submission to the other party. The most degrading point in the spirit of the Japanese. The adrenaline he had felt up till now left him. He could feel his blood running cold. Subaru, desperately trying to butter up to the man, curled up his body and apologized profusely.
There was no way he was going to go up against a knife. No matter how well-trained you are, it’s over once you get stabbed. There are no worldly possessions that will last forever. Just then, he realized the other two, who were supposed to be down, had stood back up. Though one was holding his bleeding nose while the other was shaking his head in a daze, together, they seemed unexpectedly fine.
“Eh? My one-hit specialty was only up to this extent? What’s going on? What about the ‘promise of the summoned’?”
“What the hell are you talking about? How dare you do us in!”
The ‘promise of the summoned’ was a complete mistake. He didn’t actually become any stronger.
Still in dogeza, his head was being stepped on, and his forehead was ground into the floor causing it to bleed. While having his head stepped on, his desperate and curled up body received continuous acts of violence.
The one who started getting physical was Subaru. And for that matter, the men did not show any mercy.
—Shiiiiit. It hurts like hell. I might die. No, really.
Unlike his world, there was no guarantee the gangsters would not take his life. All the more, before being tormented to death, he should make a last ditch attempt to counteratta—
“Don’t you move you idiot!”
“It hurts! Ahhhhhhh, it hurts it hurts! I said it hurts!”
The man stepped on Subaru’s hand as he tried to stand up and switched his knife over to his other hand.
“I’ll make you unable to move and strip you of all your possessions! How dare you act like a fool…”
“If your objective is about precious items, frankly speaking, it’s useless. At any rate, I’m penniless…!”
“If that’s the case, any rare clothing or footwear will do. Just become the food for the mice in the back alley already.”
Oh, there are also mice in this world. It’d be nice if it’s not big like a monster.
Subaru gazed at the knife, which was about to be plunged into him, like it was someone else’s problem, trying to escape reality.
He couldn’t particularly see any revolving lanterns, nor was there the phenomenon where the world started to move very slowly. Perhaps it would just end like the snip of a string
—It was that time.
“Get out of the way! Get out of the way! Get out of the way! You people there! You guys are really a hindrance!” said a desperate voice as someone came rushing into the back alley.
Just like the men who looked up with startled looks on their faces, Subaru, with a restrained body, too lifted his gaze.
Going past him was a petite girl, her semi-long blond hair flowing behind her. She had red eyes that shone with determination and ‘vampire teeth’, giving her a mischievous air.
Though the first impression of her was that of a cheeky girl, if she were to smile, she would have a face that would be adored by many.
With such perfect timing, almost as if it was calculated, the flame of hope that was dying in Subaru’s eyes reignited.
He was waiting for this development.
The young girl dressed in tatters has naturally come across a scene where an armed robbery is being committed.
Just as things are supposed to be, the development where the girl has a chivalrous spirit and is about to save Subaru, whose life is about to disappear is about to—
“This looks like an awesome scene but sorry! I’m in a hurry! Please stay strong!”
“—Wait. EHHHHHH! Seriously?!”
However, such hopes were immediately crushed.
The young girl raised her hand apologetically towards Subaru as she ran through the narrow alley, straight past the men and towards what should have been a dead-end. Kicking off from a plank lying next to the wall, she swiftly grabbed hold of the lip of the wall and in a moment, disappeared over it.
The girl could no longer be seen and the surroundings fell into a deep silence. The girl disappeared as fast as she appeared just like a typhoon, and everyone else at the scene who witnessed her coming and going was dumbfounded.
But the fact that Subaru’s situation hadn’t changed was also the reality.
“Has your rage died down and perhaps changed your minds?”
“Rather, it has worsened. Don’t think you can get away that easily.”
Up till now, his body has been stepped on by the men and he couldn’t move. From the glimmer of the knife held in the man’s hand, the raw feeling of an imminent death grew stronger.
—No, no. This has to be a lie. It can’t be. For it to be this easy.
Subaru gave a tense smile, yearning desperately for someone to interfere with the situation. However, such a convenient development did not come. The point of the blade came towards him. The feeling of giving up welled up in his chest, and he knew he was going to cry. It wasn’t fear. It was that he just couldn’t stand the fact that he was going to die without accomplishing anything.

Just like being forsaken by everything, in a pit of overwhelming despair.
“—Stop right there, you villains.”
That voice overpowered the sound of the bustling crowd, the crude vulgarities of the men, Subaru’s own heavy breathing, and shook the world.