Multiversal Friendship System

From Souta's right—

A towering man appeared.

He strode forward—

Then, exactly ten meters away—

He stopped.

Upon closer look…

He was massive.

At least two meters tall, maybe more.

For comparison—

Souta, who was just over 180 cm,

Barely reached the man's upper waist.

And his build?

Ridiculously muscular.

His shirt strained against his biceps,

Barely holding back explosive power.

A headband pressed down his hair,

Keeping his bangs in place.

And beneath that—

His piercing gaze was locked onto Souta,

Filled with authority and severity.

"…Dramaturgy."

Souta muttered his name under his breath.

Dramaturgy wasn't human.

He was a vampire.

But a vampire that hunted his own kind.

Did that surprise Souta?

Not at all.

After all—

Every species, including humans,

Had a history of slaughtering their own kind.

That applied to vampires too.

The only thing bothering Souta right now—

Was just how massive this guy was.

…This dude looks like he could punch an elephant to death.

And yet—

That wasn't the end.

From Souta's left—

A second figure approached.

This time—

The man was leaner.

He wore a white, high-collared school uniform.

His thin face had a sharp, almost immature look,

But his eyes—

His eyes were terrifying.

Sharper than even Dramaturgy's.

They glistened with an undeniable killing intent—

As if he wanted nothing more than to rip Souta apart.

And on his shoulder—

He carried a gigantic silver cross.

At least three times the size of a normal human body.

A weapon that looked…

Absurdly terrifying.

Souta's eyes flickered.

"…Episode."

A half-human, half-vampire hybrid—

Who absolutely despised vampires.

And then—

From behind Souta—

A third man approached.

His hair was spiky, almost porcupine-like.

A clergyman's robe draped over his figure.

But unlike the other two—

He gave off a gentle aura,

His gaze wasn't sharp,

And his expression…

Was almost kind.

But Souta knew better.

This man—

Was Guillotine Cutter.

The one who stole Kiss-Shot's arms.

Souta remembered him best.

Because—

Out of all the characters in Kizumonogatari—

Guillotine Cutter was the only one who actually died.

The only one who got eaten alive.

Literally.

The three vampire hunters closed in.

Souta was surrounded.

A mouse trapped in a cage.

Did he panic?

No.

Because he had no intention of running away.

Right now—

He was forcing himself to believe—

"These guys are weak."

"These guys are trash."

"I can take them down easily."

He repeated it in his head,

Over and over—

Until—

His confidence surged.

"I can win."

"This is not a hallucination."

The tension eased.

His nerves were still tight—

But his mind was completely focused.

For his first real fight—

He was ready.

"Hah? What's up with this guy?"

The first to speak was Episode,

The one carrying the huge cross.

"He's not even Kiss-Shot herself, right?"

He sneered.

"Who the hell is he? Some random guy? This is hilarious."

"…He should be her familiar."

Dramaturgy's deep voice responded.

He was much calmer than Episode.

His serious tone carried authority.

A surprisingly intelligent remark

From a man who looked all muscle, no brain.

"You are correct."

Guillotine Cutter, the priest, spoke next.

His soft voice contrasted the other two.

"This town is too remote…"

"A random vampire wouldn't just appear here."

"This young man is undoubtedly… Kiss-Shot's familiar."

The three of them spoke casually,

As if Souta wasn't even standing there.

They didn't see him as a threat.

They thought he was just…

A weak little vampire.

A helpless pawn.

Episode clicked his tongue.

His expression darkened.

"Oi, oi—"

"Kiss-Shot doesn't make familiars, right?

What's with this guy?

This is hilarious."

"She was probably cornered."

Dramaturgy crossed his arms.

"Desperate enough to make a servant."

"After all—"

"She has no arms or legs."

"She needed someone to replace them."

"Tch."

Episode scowled.

"A legendary vampire…"

"And she's reduced to this?"

He grinned cruelly.

"That's just… hilarious."

Episode Sneered in Disdain.

Souta couldn't help but glance at this oddball... Seriously, how obsessed was this guy with saying "Hilarious" all the time?

And that smug, condescending look on his face? It was really starting to get on Souta's nerves.

He made up his mind—if he got the chance, he was going to beat this guy so badly his own mother wouldn't recognize him!

"Finding Kiss-Shot now that she's lost her vitality won't be easy," Guillotine Cutter suggested. "So, I propose we don't kill this young man immediately. Let's keep him alive, extract Kiss-Shot's location from him, and then deal with him."

"I agree," the massive figure of Dramaturgy nodded. "Leave the interrogation to me. As a vampire myself, I know how to make another vampire talk quickly."

"Oh? If the interrogation job is taken, then I'll handle disposing of him," Episode said with a smirk, spinning the massive cross resting on his shoulder.

"I hate bullying the weak, but vampires are an exception."

He cast a dismissive glance at Souta's lean frame, his face full of contempt.

"What a pathetic guy. Hilar—ugh?!"

Before Episode could finish his sentence, a foot rapidly expanded in his vision.

A split second later, it slammed directly into his face.

His arrogant expression warped instantly!

With a forceful wham, his front teeth went flying, his nose caved in, and blood gushed out.

His entire body was sent soaring backward, crashing into a closed storefront.

With a resounding boom, the shop's metal shutter caved inward from the impact.

Souta retracted his leg, gazing at the now-embedded Episode, and mockingly mimicked his tone:

"So this is a vampire hunter? Hilarious."

As soon as those words fell, both Dramaturgy and Guillotine Cutter's expressions turned grim.

This situation was beyond their expectations.

This young man… had some serious skill!