Watching his two companions neutralized in an instant, the shortest thug froze. He wavered for a single second: should he flee or fight for revenge?
That second was all Ayanokoji needed. He closed the distance, his hand clamping around the man's throat like a hydraulic press, lifting him off the ground like a bag of refuse.
The thug thrashed wildly, but Ayanokoji's grip was a hangman's noose. Looking into Ayanokoji's eyes, the criminal felt a primal horror. There was no anger, no hatred, no heat—just a terrifying emptiness. To this boy, he wasn't even an enemy; he was an insect to be moved out of the path.
Foam bubbled at the man's lips as his eyes rolled back. Just as consciousness failed, Ayanokoji released him. He had no desire to take a life needlessly. Having mastered both martial arts and human physiology, he knew that under duress, a human would black out within thirty to sixty seconds.
The entire "engagement" had lasted less than two minutes.
"So... so fast!"
The students in the classroom gasped. While they had seen him parry Elsa, the power gap had made him look "above average." Now, seeing him dismantle three grown men with the clinical ease of a professional cleaner, they realized his true combat ceiling.
Ken Sudo swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking out on his neck. He remembered the times he had tried to intimidate Ayanokoji. He realized now he had been barking at a monster wearing a human mask.
"If there were no guards... would he have killed them?" Sudo whispered. The narration confirmed Ayanokoji only spared them to avoid "trouble." The logic was chilling.
In a lush garden in another world, Roswaal L. Mathers narrowed his mismatched eyes.
"So... this is the power to correct the world?" he murmured. He knew of a prophecy—a visitor from another world who could reshape destiny. Looking at Ayanokoji, he knew he had found him. But the sheer cold calculation and the "Reset" ability were beyond even his expectations. Why is he waiting for the thief girl?
After stacking the unconscious thugs, Ayanokoji didn't leave. He stood at the alley's mouth, checking an invisible clock.
"Thirty seconds," he muttered. He was waiting for Felt. He could already hear the rhythmic, light footsteps of a practiced runner. She was fleeing from the site of the theft.
She was his target. He had cleared the thugs solely so he could intercept her without distractions. By "rescuing" the insignia now, he could present it to Emilia as a favor, securing his position by her side.
Despite being disemboweled by Elsa in the last loop, Ayanokoji still viewed Emilia as an irreplaceable asset. She was naive, easy to manipulate, and—most importantly—a Royal Candidate. Behind her stood Margrave Roswaal. Associating with her meant instant status.
In this kingdom, Ayanokoji was a "Registered Alien" with no papers. In a time of political instability following the King's death, a man without an identity was a target for the secret police. By attaching himself to Emilia, he secured housing, food, and a high-level patron.
'Discarding such a useful tool would be a waste,' he thought.
But the choice carried a lethal variable: Elsa Granhiert. The "Bowel Hunter" wouldn't stop. She hadn't killed him out of malice, but for "witness cleanup." No matter where he took Emilia, the assassin would follow. A confrontation was unavoidable.
In the first loop, they failed because of the "First Encounter Kill." Elsa had decapitated their strongest asset—Emilia—while they were unprepared. But now, Ayanokoji knew her patterns. He knew she was coming. He knew her speed.
And he knew about Puck. If he could force the engagement before 5 PM—Puck's bedtime—they would have a Great Spirit on their side. The "Bowel Hunter" wasn't invincible; she was just an optimized build. To defeat her, he simply needed to optimize his team.
"What a bold gamble! It's like a high-stakes game of poker!"
At Hyakkaou Private Academy, Yumeko Jabami leaned toward the screen, her red eyes shimmering with madness. "He's betting his life on a strategy he's only seen once. How exhilarating! I wish I could be there to see his heart race... if he even has one!"
"He's using Lia as a shield?!" Puck hissed, his tail twitching in anger. "Lia, don't trust this guy. He's a snake!"
"But..." Emilia bit her lip. She was unsettled by his coldness, yet she couldn't ignore the fact that he was planning to fight a monster again just to help her. Does he really have no feelings? Or is this just how he survives? A strange sense of pity began to bloom in her heart for the boy who viewed death as a "utility."
The footsteps grew louder. Ayanokoji slowed his breathing, erasing his presence. Then, at the precise micro-second, he stepped out from the corner.
"Wha—?!" Felt rounded the bend and slammed right into him. Before her "Wind" protection could trigger a dodge, Ayanokoji's right hand clamped onto her wrist, twisting the joint into a lock. His left hand blurred, plucking the dagger from her belt and pressing it against her spine. "Don't move."
The movement was seamless. Felt was a master of evasion, but she had been caught in the one moment of physical contact that negated her speed. Ayanokoji felt the slight resistance of her struggle, but it was futile.
"Who the hell are you?!" Felt gasped, terrified. He knew exactly where her weapon was. He knew her route. It was like he was a ghost from her own future.
Ayanokoji ignored her. He was focused on the insignia. He remembered the glow it emitted when she touched it in the previous loop. 'She makes the stone react. Why?' He filed the question for later.
"Let me go! You want money? I've got coin! Just don't hurt me!" Felt pleaded, her face flushing with the effort of her struggle.
He ignored her. Based on his mental clock, Emilia was less than sixty seconds away. Sure enough, a frantic set of footsteps echoed from the other side of the alley. A flash of silver hair appeared—the candidate had arrived.