I Became a Squinty-Eyed Character with Time Stop Ability.

“Heeh, it’s your grandfather’s keepsake.”
When I asked with interest in my voice, Kenichi seemed to gain some courage and carefully continued.
“Yeah, most people our age aren’t really close with their grandparents, right? But when I was little, my parents passed away, so my grandfather took care of me all along.”
“…Hmm, I see.”
“I don’t have many memories of my mom and dad, but I have lots of memories with my grandfather. I guess I naturally felt very close to him and treasured him.”
“…”
Kenichi clutched his cross necklace, reminiscing.
I kept quiet and waited for his story without making any unnecessary comments.
Somehow, this had a fundamentally different weight than when I heard it as game text.
“…Sigh, but when my grandfather suddenly passed away two years ago, it felt like the sky had gone dark. I saw him off well, of course… but as the one left behind, I still had some lingering attachments. This necklace that he always wore caught my eye.”
As Kenichi was saying this, he suddenly showed a startled expression, then smiled bitterly and said:
“Of course, I had permission when he was alive. Grandfather used to say, ‘I should pass this down to my grandson,’ whenever his memory started to get fuzzy. I wear it well to honor his memory too.”
“…I-I see. No wonder the necklace has such an antique beauty!”
“Oh, really? Thanks.”
Watching Kenichi smile brightly at the compliment, I felt a pang of guilt.
‘I should discard Plan B.’
While nodding with a full smile, I drove away the lingering regret in the corner of my heart.
If I were to execute my “Protagonist Weapon Theft Plan” after hearing such a story, wouldn’t that be too cruel?
After hearing Kenichi’s story, I added a comment as originally planned.
“Yes, yes, it’s so pretty, so be careful.”
“Huh? About what?”
“The other day I went to an antique market, and elegant yet beautiful accessories were very popular. There are so many greedy people these days. As the owner of a super unique necklace, you should be careful. Like, don’t accidentally leave it on a cafe table when you go to the bathroom.”
“Nah, I won’t. Look, I wear it even during PE class.”
Watching Kenichi wave his hands dismissively as if such a thing would never happen, I just smiled.
“Yes, always keep it close to you.”
If you don’t want to die horribly.
As the fate awaiting him was cruel, I swallowed the last part and patted Kenichi’s back, saying casually:
“Well, let’s quickly return to the classroom before class starts.”
D-Day.
The episode was starting today.
The promised day had arrived.

“See you tomorrow, Shiki!”
The street was gradually infused with sunset colors.
Kenichi vigorously waved his hand toward the friend whose path home diverged from his.
Ichimaru Shiki, as always, waved his hand slowly with his characteristic grinning smile.
Very slowly.
‘What’s this?’
Kenichi blinked for a moment, wondering if he had seen something wrong.
For some reason, Shiki felt strangely distant today.
Like information was being transmitted half a beat slower.
But that impression lasted only briefly, and soon Kenichi sent him off and started his journey home with his childhood friend.
“Mom said we should have a barbecue party today…”
His childhood friend, Ichinose Hotaru, chatted with her usual lively voice.
Normally, Kenichi would have chimed in, but today he seemed lost in thought with a blank expression.
Hotaru tilted her head and asked:
“…Kenichi, are you listening?”
“Huh? Oh, sorry. I think I’m not feeling well today. I keep spacing out.”
“Oh, even the passionate Kenichi has such days. It happens. So, how much did you hear?”
“Um, your mother suggested a barbecue party and… stargazing? She wanted us to do that.”
“What, so you were listening after all.”
Hotaru grinned and stretched her finger toward the sky illuminated by sunset light.
Following her gesture and looking up, Kenichi saw a round moon in the red sky.
Somehow, it seemed larger and more fiery red than usual, a full moon hanging there.
“…But the full moon was the week before last.”
“I saw on TV that it’s a super blue blood moon returning after 50 years! They said three lunar eclipse phenomena overlapped. Bigger than usual, red, and the second full moon in a month?”
“…”
“Anyway! Earth science classes might be boring, but isn’t this amazing? …Hey, Kenichi, are you listening?”
“…Yeah, I’m listening.”
In the middle of the increasingly darkening sky, a burning red full moon.
Meeting the gaze of the fully opened eye of the sky, Kenichi felt his heart beat anxiously.
Around the time when a sense of urgency, as if he might be devoured, was gnawing at him, Hotaru’s voice was heard.
“Oh, by the way, Kenichi, did you finish your homework?”
“…What homework?”
“You know, the one the homeroom teacher assigned last week with a super stern face, saying ‘Solve all of these.'”
“Ah.”
Kenichi stopped in his tracks, recalling his math teacher and homeroom teacher, Yamamoto Baki.
Also his nickname, “Murder Tank,” unanimously chosen by not just Class A but the entire grade.
His forearms, developed to the point of cruelty with bulging muscles.
The math textbook abandoned in his school locker—Kenichi recalled all these at once and asked in a trembling voice:
“…When was that due?”
“Tomorrow, wasn’t it? How much haven’t you done?”
“…None of it.”
“…”
Ichinose Hotaru looked at her childhood friend with an incredulous expression.
Kenichi, retracing the distance they had already walked, thought for just a moment before making his decision.
“Go ahead, I’ll be right back.”
Kenichi moved his legs quickly, thinking he could make it in time if he ran hard enough.
Tap, tap, tap.
With each rapid step, the cross hanging from his neck swayed.

Episode 1, The Promised Day.
The episode begins with a lunar eclipse phenomenon that returns after decades.
The principle is simple.
The seal of a lineage maintained for many years is destroyed due to the magic power of the full moon (滿月), which has become even stronger.
The awakening of that bloodline causes the spiritual veins (靈脈) of Tokyo, the Karakura High School area, to fluctuate.
Due to that fluctuation of spiritual power, the whole of Tokyo becomes a state receptive to supernatural abilities.
The dating sim “Apocalypse LoveCom” begins its story as it enters such a crisis situation.
Honestly, I wonder what kind of dating sim involves beating up monsters without even getting a girlfriend…
“I suppose it’s partly my fault for playing that game.”
If I had known it was the worst game in the world, I should have quit earlier… but it’s too late for regrets now. I’ve already stagnated among “Apocalypse LoveCom” users and ended up inside the game.
Still, I became an overpowered character of unknown origin instead of the protagonist with a crappy weapon. Moreover, I’ve devised a plan after much deliberation over the past half year.
‘Wouldn’t it be much easier if I develop not just the protagonist but all the heroines too?’
There were many constraints when it was a game, but now I’m in a much freer position.
Like proceeding with the game using just one main heroine as the primary force.
Or suffering sudden death due to unknown variables.
If I could navigate through episodes by adjusting all these factors, with as many as four people who can participate in battles, wouldn’t a one-coin clear no longer be just a dream?
‘I’m a bit afraid of what monsters might appear in the mid to late game…’
At least I could have a perfect start in the early game.
I might have been a bit overconfident that I could secure everything I wanted.
Before the awakening of protagonist Kitagawa Kenichi, I was cleaning up monsters born in the city center and, on my way back to school, I saw a familiar face.
“Oh my, who do we have here?”
With my characteristic grinning face, I looked at the girl with reddish hair, made even more crimson by the sunset light, who was blocking my path.
And also the red pupils that met mine.
“Isn’t it my precious seat partner?”
The Ancient Weapon, Sawamura Sento, stared at me silently with an expressionless face before saying:
“Ichimaru Shiki.”
After suddenly calling my name, she began to recite someone’s life.
“Born in 1999 to wealthy parents. Attended elementary school in Tokyo, then suddenly disappeared after the death of both parents, with no records until last autumn.”
“Oh my, have you been investigating me?”
“Well, I didn’t expect someone would need to investigate, but I suddenly became curious about you.”
Her voice contained intense magical power.
It wasn’t her intention, but due to the bright red full moon in the sky.
Affected by it, Sento glared at me with eyes burning more fiercely than usual.
“I think you might have noticed, but I’m quite perceptive in many ways.”
“Heeh, and so?”
“I can directly feel people’s gazes, their emotions toward me. I’m already shy, so when I feel such things, I can’t help but hide. I conceal myself and place a mask over it.”
The Ancient Weapon, Sawamura Sento.
Sento looked at me with a steady gaze and smile.
In her burning red pupils, a man with the same masked, grinning smile was reflected.
“A kindred spirit, a perfect kindred spirit. Is that why you looked at me that way? As if looking at a child, despite being the same classmate, with eyes that seemed to know everything about me despite it being our first meeting?”
“Hmm.”
“Actually, people have called me fake before, but it’s the first time someone has seen through me so perfectly.”
The model student who had become the class president over time looked at her classmate with a bright smile.
“You’re the first person to look at me as if I’m clearly a ‘monster.'”
Sawamura Sento, due to her innate constitution, gained the fate and talent to accomplish anything, and soon obtained the misfortune of losing anything.
The collective embodiment of wishes (願望) said to be born once every few hundred years since ancient times, Sawamura Sento.
When she wishes for something, her wish is soon granted, and inevitably, there is a backlash.
Fate collects its price.
From her and her precious connections.
‘I might have made a slight mistake.’
I didn’t think I was looking at her with strange eyes, but to think she could read my thoughts entirely.
“You know something, don’t you?”
Sento asked me, still with a smiling face.
“About my constitution.”
Yet her burning red pupils were filled with resentment toward the world.
A fire that could easily spread if not careful.
Sento showed no sign of letting me pass until she heard my answer.
“This is troublesome.”
I fingered the dagger in my sleeve.

“Ah, found it.”
Protagonist Kitagawa Kenichi, rummaging through his locker, found his math textbook.
By now the sky had darkened, making it hard to see, but this was definitely the math textbook.
‘What’s this, has my night vision improved?’
Well, I guess so, Kenichi thought lightly as he stood up, and looked at the reddish full moon outside the window.
It was larger than the usual moon and felt closer to him.
As if it were within reach.
Kenichi instantly fell under the moon’s spell and met its gaze.
Somehow his eyes felt like they were burning, and his whole body’s blood seemed to boil with heat.
He wanted to continue looking at that “eye” in the sky.
“Ah, no, I need to hurry-”
But soon Kitagawa Kenichi, recalling his promise with his childhood friend Hotaru, turned his head.
And he “saw.”
“…Huh?”
He met the gaze of an oni (鬼-おに)—a red demon that had peered its head through the classroom door.
‘What is this, a dream?’
As Kenichi was confused,
—Unng?
The oni, a massive being with red skin, tilted its head once and raised the iron club in its hand.
Seeing this, Kenichi’s eyes widened.
He immediately threw himself aside.
Kwaaang—!
The iron mace came down.