Episode 1: The Day of the Promise
7. This is a problem.
"Heh, is that a keepsake from your grandfather?"
I asked with genuine interest in my voice, and Kenichi seemed to gather his courage, continuing cautiously.
"Yeah, kids our age aren't usually that close to their grandparents, right? But my parents died when I was little, so Grandpa took care of me all that time."
"...I see."
"I don't remember much about Mom and Dad, but I've got tons of memories with Grandpa. I guess I felt really close to him, like he was precious."
"..."
Kenichi clutched the cross necklace, lost in reminiscence. I kept my mouth shut, not interrupting with any flippant remarks, just waiting quietly for his story.
This felt fundamentally heavier than hearing it as game text.
"...Haa, but when Grandpa passed away suddenly two years ago, it was like the sky went dark. We gave him a proper send-off, of course... but as someone left behind, I still have some regrets. This necklace he always wore just sticks in my mind."
As he said that, Kenichi suddenly flinched, then gave a wry smile.
"Of course, I got his permission while he was alive? He'd say, 'This has to go to my grandson,' every time his memory got fuzzy. So I'm wearing it to help him remember too."
"...I-I see. No wonder it has that vintage beauty to it!"
"Oh, really? Thanks."
Watching Kenichi beam at the compliment, a pang of guilt hit me.
Plan B is scrapped.
I nodded with a full smile, brushing away the lingering regret in my heart. Executing the 'protagonist weapon theft plan' after hearing this straight from him would be too cruel.
After hearing Kenichi's full story, I added a line as per my original plan.
"Yeah, yeah, it's so pretty, so be careful with it."
"Huh? Careful with what?"
"I went to the antique market the other day, and these old-fashioned pretty accessories were super popular. There are tons of greedy people around these days. As the owner of a super unique necklace, you should watch out. Like, don't absentmindedly leave it on a cafe table while you go to the bathroom."
"Nah, no way. Look, I even wear it during PE like this."
I just smiled at Kenichi, who waved it off like it was impossible.
"Yes, keep it close to you at all times."
If you don't want to die a gruesome death, that is.
Swallowing the unspoken addition—given the brutal fate awaiting him soon—I patted his back casually and said,
"Alright, let's head back to class before the bell."
D-Day. The episode was starting today.
The promised day had arrived.
"See you tomorrow, Shiki!"
On the street gradually tinged with sunset glow, Kenichi waved vigorously at his friend as their paths home split.
Ichimaru Shiki waved back slowly, wearing his usual sly smile.
Very slowly.
What the...?
Kenichi blinked, wondering if he'd seen wrong. For some reason, Shiki felt strangely off today. Distant, somehow. Like information was lagging half a beat.
But the feeling passed in an instant. Kenichi sent him off and headed home with his childhood friend.
"Mom said let's have a barbecue party today..."
His childhood friend Ichinose Hotaru chattered energetically as always.
Normally, Kenichi would chime in, but today he looked dazed, lost in thought.
Hotaru tilted her head.
"...Kenichi, you listening?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. Not feeling great today. Keep spacing out."
"Whoa, even hot-blooded Kenichi has off days? Fair enough. So, what'd you hear?"
"Uh, your mom wants to do a barbecue party... and stargazing? Something like that."
"Pfft, you heard the important parts at least."
Hotaru grinned and pointed at the sky lit by sunset hues.
Following her finger, Kenichi saw the round moon in the red sky.
It seemed bigger than usual, blazing redder—a full moon.
"...Huh, wasn't the full moon last week?"
"I saw it on TV too—a super blue blood moon after 50 years! Three total lunar eclipse phenomena overlapping. Bigger than usual, red, and the second full moon of the month or something?"
"..."
"Anyway! Science class bores me to death, but this is cool, right? ...Hey, Kenichi, you listening?"
"...Yeah, I am."
In the darkening sky, a blazing red full moon hung at the center.
Locking eyes with the blooming eye in the heavens, Kenichi felt an uneasy heartbeat.
A frantic sensation like something was devouring him gnawed at him—until Hotaru's voice broke through.
"Oh, hey Kenichi, did you finish your homework?"
"...What homework?"
"Duh, homeroom teacher gave it last week with that super stern face: 'Solve all these.'"
"Oh."
Kenichi froze in place, recalling his math teacher and Class 1-A homeroom teacher, Yamamoto Baki. The nickname the whole grade agreed on without dissent: "Murder Tank." His grotesquely developed forearms. The math textbook shoved in his school locker.
All flashed in his mind. With trembling pupils, he muttered lowly,
"...When's it due?"
"Tomorrow, right? How much did you do?"
"...None."
"..."
Ichinose Hotaru stared at her childhood friend in disbelief.
Kenichi retraced the distance they'd walked, pondered briefly, then decided.
"Go on ahead. I'll catch up."
Thinking he could make it if he hurried, he dashed off, legs pumping.
Tap, tap, tap.
With each step, the cross necklace around his neck swayed wildly.
Episode 1: The Day of the Promise.
The episode begins alongside a total lunar eclipse not seen in decades.
The premise is simple. A bloodline seal maintained for ages shatters under the amplified power of the full moon. The awakened bloodline causes turmoil in Tokyo's spirit vein, the Karakura High School area. This spiritual upheaval makes all of Tokyo receptive to the supernatural.
The visual novel Apocalyptic Love Comedy kicks off in this crisis.
Honestly, what kind of dating sim has you punching monsters instead of getting a girlfriend...?
"Probably partly my fault for playing that game."
If I'd known it was the world's worst trash game, I should've quit early... Well, too late for regrets now. I'm stuck as a top Apocaluvco user who's even entered the game.
At least I'm not the protagonist with his crap starter weapon—I'm an unknown cheat character. And after half a year of plotting, I've got a plan.
What if I level up not just the protagonist, but all the heroines too? Way easier, right?
The game had all sorts of restrictions, but now I'm in a freer position. No forcing a single main heroine route. No random deaths from unknown variables. Adjusting episodes like that—with four combatants—clearing on one coin playthrough isn't a dream.
A bit scared of the mid-to-late game monsters, but...
At least a perfect start to the early game. I might've gotten a little arrogant thinking I could grab everything I wanted.
Before protagonist Kitagawa Kenichi's awakening, I cleared out the monsters spawning downtown. On the way back to school, a familiar face appeared.
"Oh my, if it isn't..."
With a sly smile, I gazed at the girl blocking my path, her hair glowing even redder in the sunset—matching her red pupils.
"My precious desk mate?"
The ancient weapon, Sawamura Cento, stared at me blankly before spitting out,
"Ichimaru Shiki."
Calling my name abruptly, she began reciting someone's life story.
"Born 1999 to affluent parents. Attended elementary school in Tokyo, then suddenly vanished after both parents' deaths. No records until last fall."
"Oh? You've been digging into my background."
"Yeah, didn't expect anyone to, but you suddenly piqued my curiosity."
Her voice carried dense magical power—not her intent, but from the blood-red full moon overhead.
Influenced by it, Cento's gaze burned redder than usual as she glared at me.
"You probably noticed, but I'm pretty intuitive."
"Heh, and?"
"I can feel people's gazes, emotions toward me. I'm shy anyway, so when I sense that, I have to hide. Cover myself and slap on a mask."
The ancient weapon, Sawamura Cento.
Cento smiled faintly at me. Her blazing red pupils reflected a man in a mask, smirking slyly.
"Kindred spirit. Perfect match. Is that why you looked at me like that? Like a classmate seeing a child, a stranger who knows everything about me?"
"Hmm."
"People call me fake, but no one's ever pierced through me so perfectly."
Now the class rep and model student, she smiled brightly at her classmate.
"You're the first to look at me like I'm clearly a 'monster'."
Sawamura Cento was born with a constitution granting her destiny and talent to excel at anything—followed inevitably by misfortune that stripped it all away.
The embodiment of wishes, born once every few centuries since ancient times: Sawamura Cento.
Whatever she desires comes true, but the backlash follows. Fate exacts its toll—from her and her precious bonds.
Might've slipped up a bit.
I wasn't staring weirdly, but she can read thoughts outright?
"You know something, right?"
Cento asked with her still-smiling face.
"About my constitution."
But her blazing red pupils brimmed with resentment toward the world.
A fire that could ignite at any moment.
She showed no sign of stepping aside without an answer.
"This is a problem."
I fiddled with the dagger in my sleeve.
"Ah, found it."
Rummaging through his locker, protagonist Kitagawa Kenichi pulled out the math textbook.
The sky had darkened, hard to see, but this was definitely it.
Huh, night vision improved a bit?
Shrugging it off, he stood and glanced at the reddish full moon outside.
Unlike usual, it loomed huge, feeling close—as if right beside him.
Kenichi instantly fell under the moon's magic, locking eyes with it.
His own eyes burned, blood boiling hot throughout his body.
He wanted to keep staring at that 'eye' in the sky.
"Ah, no can't. Gotta hurry—"
Snapping back, he remembered his promise with childhood friend Hotaru and turned away.
And 'saw' it.
"...Huh?"
Peeking through the classroom door: an Oni—a red goblin—meeting his gaze.
What, a dream?
As Kenichi reeled in confusion, the Oni tilted its head—Whirr?—and raised its iron club.
Kenichi's eyes widened. He threw himself aside.
BOOM—!
The mace slammed down.