The moment it happened, his first instinct was to dive-roll toward Rosh. Mid-movement, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a machine gun.
Landing in a crouch, he spun his head around to check his back—but before he could react, Rosh's red silhouette had already moved.
She swung her staff, and the fiery orb at its tip flared into a jet of flame, forcing back the assailant who had tried to sneak up on him. Her small frame accelerated with unnatural speed, and in a blink, her palm struck the attacker square in the gut.
The man was a hulking brute, but under the force of that single palm, he was launched backward. Blood sprayed mid-air as he slammed to the ground, gasping.
But Ryuji and Rosh weren't up against just one enemy.
The instant she struck, a razor-sharp blade slashed toward her neck. Rosh twisted back, her upper body bending at an impossible angle. Her staff spun to her left hand with a smooth motion, and, riding the momentum, she smashed a white orb into the second attacker's torso.
Lightning exploded on impact.
The assailant was hurled through the air, crashing into the wall hard enough to leave two visible cracks. His blade flew from his hand, clattering across the ground.
Rosh didn't pursue. She shifted into a combat stance, scanning the surroundings, alert.
She could feel it—more danger lurked nearby.
As the two would-be attackers staggered to their feet, she narrowed her eyes and barked out:
"Who are you?! Why did you attack big bro?!"
The brute she had struck wiped blood from the corner of his mouth. He'd bitten his tongue during the impact, and now every word stung.
"Heh... what else? Just borrowing a little cash, is all. That guy over there—fast reflexes."
He rolled his shoulder, trying to shake off the pain. He hadn't expected a girl that small to be so fast, so strong. She had caught him completely off guard.
Still, he figured as long as he played it safe, he'd be fine.
Ryuji, meanwhile, finally got a good look at what had nearly killed him—a massive greatsword. Just the blade's width was over fifteen centimeters, and the full length nearly one and a half meters. The brute had swung it like it was a dagger.
"That thing almost took my head off…"
He stared at the weapon, a chill running through him. He was lucky. If Rosh hadn't been there, he'd be a corpse.
Still, he wasn't exactly blameless. If Rosh hadn't dragged him into this shady alley in the first place, this wouldn't have happened. And if he died here—a foreigner, alone—who would care? Maybe Kiri would look into it, maybe avenge him.
But that'd be it. His death would just... happen.
His gaze darkened.
"Hey, Rosh. If I kill them here, there won't be any legal consequences, right?"
His finger rested on the trigger. Still, he asked, just in case.
"None," Rosh replied firmly. "Adventurers getting into duels or settling grudges with blood is normal here. As long as you don't go on a killing spree or murder someone in front of the guards, the Principality doesn't care."
Her eyes stayed locked on the brute. Her grip on the staff tightened.
This was one of the things she hated about this world. The lawless chaos. It was just like the Demon Realm's underworld—where life was cheap, and madness ruled. That was why she had abandoned a pure focus on elemental magic and trained in the combat styles of battle mages instead.
There was no time for delicate spell work in a place like this.
"That's right, kid! As long as nobody knows, anything goes!"
The brute roared, charging at Ryuji with his massive sword. Rosh moved to intercept, her staff swinging with precision.
"Over my dead body!"
Their weapons clashed. The impact sent the brute staggering back two steps. But the smirk on his face made Rosh's stomach drop.
Damn it—!
She spun around just in time to see the second attacker—the swordsman—charging at Ryuji from behind, blade aimed directly at his heart.
She tried to rush to his aid, but the brute's sword came crashing down at her, forcing her to hold her ground.
She was too short. If she moved now, that massive blade would take her head.
At that same moment, Ryuji's instincts screamed. He felt a murderous intent rush up behind him. Without thinking, he twisted around—and just before he completed the spin, he pulled the trigger in the direction of the killing intent.
Gunfire erupted through the alley, sharp and thunderous. Amid the barrage came a sharp metallic clang.
The swordsman's blade had struck Ryuji's gun just as he opened fire. The impact shattered the weapon's durability—his machine gun jammed and broke instantly.
But the bullets already in the chamber had been fired—and they struck the swordsman square in the chest.
The man stared down at the blood blooming across his torso, wide-eyed, in disbelief. He raised his weapon, still intending to finish the job—but Ryuji was faster.
In his hands, the broken machine gun had already transformed into a shotgun.
"Die!"
With a roar, he pulled the trigger. The alley filled with a deafening blast and flying flesh. The swordsman was torn apart by the shot, flung back like a ragdoll, and landed in a crumpled heap, unmoving.
"What the hell?!"
The brute, clearly stunned by the unfamiliar weaponry, turned in shock. But at that moment, heat surged through his greatsword.
"Where are you looking?!"
Rosh's voice rang out, sharp and fiery. Her staff burned with flames that made the air shimmer. The brute instinctively stepped back.
As he looked at his fallen partner and then at the furious Rosh, he made a split-second decision and bolted toward a nearby alley.
"You're not getting away!"
Rosh dashed after him without hesitation. She didn't plan to kill him—but capturing him and handing him to the city guard? Absolutely.
Ryuji didn't follow. He had something far more important to confirm.
Because the moment he blew that swordsman away, he heard a familiar chime—a notification from the 7 Days to Diesystem.
A blood-stained backpack had materialized in the air as the swordsman's body flew, landing with a heavy thud at his feet.
That's right.
A loot bag had dropped.
~~~~~~~
Bonus chapter every 200 PS.