Dusk in Shibuya and the Bull-Headed Fiend
Slash! The sunset had completely faded, leaving the sky dim. Yet Tokyo's Shibuya streets still bustled with crowds. A city where the whirl of wheels and shoes mingled with stagnant clusters of people. As the pedestrian signal beeped from red to green, the masses on the main road surged forward in unison.
The protagonist of the Doomsday Love Comedy, Kitagawa Kenichi, and the Fire Shrine Maiden, Ichinose Hotaru, also stepped toward the station across the street. Maybe because they'd bought all the clothes they liked and the school supplies they needed at the mall. Hotaru eyed her childhood friend, who looked inexplicably beaming and cheerful, and tossed out a casual topic.
"Hey, Kenichi."
"Yeah? What's up?"
"I was a bit worried since it was our first day at high school, but it turned out better than expected, right?"
"Eh, I wasn't worried or anything... but yeah, it felt pretty good somehow."
"Make a lot of friends?"
"Come on, you were with me all day. I just chatted with Shiki during every break. Other than that, I only said hi to Sawamura next to him."
"R-right."
"Man, in all my life, you're the only one I've clicked with on topics like this besides you. Baseball, soccer, favorite songs, cartoons—you name it. Huh, is Shiki my doppelganger or something?"
Ichinose Hotaru stifled a chuckle at Kenichi's serious pondering face. What a ridiculous notion. Their faces, voices, and speech were total opposites—doppelganger, really?
Still, his height... Shiki's pretty tall too, isn't he? Hotaru subtly compared her own build to her childhood friend's right beside her, gauging the difference.
"Huh, is Ichimaru-kun actually taller?"
"Huh? What'd you say?"
Hotaru, lost in hazy recollection just like her evasive friend, tilted her head. It was probably because of that signature sly grin and speech pattern that didn't click right away. But thinking back, her new friend Ichimaru Shiki had an impressive physique. The guy she'd seen half a year ago was the same...
Train arriving.
Hotaru, desperately squeezing her memory, finally pinched her brow and muttered.
"Hmm, it's all fuzzy up to there."
"What the heck have you been mumbling about?"
"Oh, it's just..."
After a moment's hesitation, Ichinose Hotaru adopted a playful tone.
"Doesn't Ichimaru-kun seem like he has a lot of secrets? Feels like he's hiding something from us. Kinda like a villain from a manga or movie."
"Whoa, Hotaru, that's harsh. I get what you mean, though. Hmm, a secretive villain vibe, huh."
"Well, not hiding anything bad, probably."
"Yeah, obviously."
Kenichi fell deep into thought. Hotaru quietly waited for her longtime friend's response without another word. He might act like an idiot most days, but he often offered perspectives she lacked. Even after boarding the arriving train, he gripped the overhead handle, lost in reminiscence, before casually replying.
"His grip strength was insane."
"What?"
"Not sure if it's grip strength exactly. But holding Shiki's hand felt like... what was it."
Kenichi paused, then answered.
"Like grabbing a mid-sized machine?"
"What kinda nonsense is that?"
Hotaru snickered, and Kenichi grinned along with her. But there was something he couldn't bring himself to tell his childhood friend. It sounded too absurd even to him. Though he hadn't shown it earlier, grasping Ichimaru Shiki's hand had felt like facing a monster.
"This is troublesome."
Since becoming this body, my hearing had sharpened. I could pick up the smacking of food from street eateries outside, or the BOOM-BANG-BANG! of the bull-headed monster charging right in front of me—with painful clarity. All my senses had heightened. So the beast's roaring approach grated especially on my ears, and the foul stench it exuded only worsened it.
Normal people lived in a different dimension from these monsters, sensing nothing. But simply seeing them dropped me into their world. Saliva included.
"It's such a nice day for once—if blood gets on my clothes, that'll be a real hassle."
Ignoring my concerns entirely, the bull-headed monster drooled rivers as it barreled through the alley—BOOM! BOOM!—straight at me.
────GRRROOOOARRR!!!
It swung a massive arm wide.
"Whoops."
I dodged swiftly, and its fist slammed into the spot I'd just vacated—BOOM! A small crater formed in the pavement, shaped like its fist.
"Hey now, that's property damage."
I'd been thoughtful enough to worry about its well-being, but the bull-headed monster—Mr. Minotaur—advanced with steam practically pouring from its head.
────GRRRRR...
It looked ready to devour me whole. Not cute at all—I had no desire to hang out. But letting it roam might lead it to snack on someone with the "sight." Others might handle it, but better to eliminate it here than fret all night.
"Well, it did catch my eye, after all."
Shing. I drew the dagger from my sleeve and offered one last piece of advice.
"If you promise not to eat any people, I might let you live?"
─────ROOOAAARRRR!!!
"Yeah, didn't think so."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! As it charged again, I aimed my tiny blade at the monster. Pathetic compared to its hulking frame, but it would suffice. I swung down.
"Oni Extermination Slash."
Slash! With the cutting sound, the Minotaur's limbs severed. Legs gone in an instant, it collapsed, shrieking.
────SKREEEEEE!
God, that noise never got less annoying. For noise pollution alone, it had to go. I approached the pitifully wailing beast and bid farewell.
"Sleep well."
Crunch! I plunged the dagger into its brow. As it died, the alley's monster remains and fist crater vanished. Standing quickly, I sensed another presence nearby and muttered.
"Better handle that one fast too."
Their numbers were rising lately—sure sign that that promised day approached. Foreseeing upheaval, I hurried into another dark alley.
Enrolling at Karakura High School didn't mean incidents started immediately. Combat from the game's opening scene would've ruined the visual novel vibe entirely.
Well, Doomsday Romcom isn't your typical VN anyway... it's completely bonkers.
Still, it followed basic structure—heroine intros and daily life first. Same now that it was real. The game's episodes triggered by the school backdrop, protagonist Kenichi, and timing: that promised day.
I needed time to adjust too, so no rushing. I lived out "Ichimaru Shiki's" routine patiently. About a week like that.
Breaks and lunch: bonding with protagonist Kenichi and Fire Shrine Maiden Hotaru. Class: studying hard with seatmate Cento. Our chats weren't smooth, but I'd peek at her notes, she'd pick up my stuff—we'd built our own rapport.
Eris Betelgeuse always looked miffed when our eyes met, but... I'd gotten acquainted with other classmates too. For guys our age, nothing bonded like games or sports.
PE class. I booted the soccer ball. By the time the goalie gawked wide-eyed, it slammed! into the net. Whirrr-grrrind! It spun, shredding the mesh for ages.
"Whoa, Shiki, you nuts?!"
"Insane."
"Admit it—you're a Terminator sent by the government or something!"
"Hahaha, as if. That's all fairy-tale stuff, right?"
No fairy tales with Terminators, but I played it off. Honestly, I had no clue myself. I'd investigated this body's origins—no dice. Government cyborg? Edo-era assassin? Who knew.
Someone to ask later, but that's post-episode start.
So focus on the future, not my mysterious past. Nodding to myself as I reviewed plans, I approached sweat-soaked Kenichi in his gym clothes. He gulped water at the fountain, spotted me, and grinned.
"Shiki. As expected, you're a beast."
"Aw, hardly. Just decent athleticism—I ran hard, that's all."
"If that's 'decent,' the sports club kids are packing bags in tears."
Kenichi chuckled, his cross necklace dangling and swaying with each shake.
...A nullification demon sword with a badass design once awakened. Recalling my plan, I barely suppressed the urge to snatch it and asked.
"You wear that cross necklace even for soccer—is it something special?"
His eyes widened; he glanced at it. Faded from years of wear, the cross pendant. Staring, he smiled wistfully at nothing in particular.
"It's my grandfather's keepsake."