Prologue:Please Fall in Love to Save the World!
"Please, fall in love to save the world!"
"...What is this girl suddenly talking about?"
Staring at the black-haired girl bowing deeply before him, Ren Suzuki wore the most bewildered expression of his life.
A sleeveless kimono, arm covers, over-the-knee socks, and a skull hairpin already a bizarre combination. But what caught his attention most was the pink feathered robe floating behind her, completely defying the laws of physics.
Was it... some cleverly hidden fan? Or maybe it had an invisible support frame? Could cosplay props really be this advanced nowadays?
"Wait, is this some kind of punishment game from Truth or Dare? Or maybe a hidden-camera prank show?"
Growing up in an era of mass entertainment, that was Ren's first thought.
"It's neither! I'm telling the truth!"
The black-haired girl lifted her head, her expression on the verge of tears.
"If we don't capture those Loose Souls, the world will really be destroyed!"
"I understand every word you're saying individually, but why can't I make sense of them when you put them together?"
The question marks above Ren's head just kept piling up.
"Loose Souls? World destruction? This has to be some kind of role-playing scenario, right...?"
"...Let me explain instead."
Just as the flustered girl fumbled for words, a brown-haired boy in a red school uniform and rimless glasses appeared at her side.
"Nice to meet you, Ren Suzuki. My name is Keima Katsuragi. This hopeless case here is my little sister, Elsie de Lute Ima."
"Ah, nice to meet you, I'm... Wait, hold on, how do you know my name?"
Realizing something was off, Ren immediately dropped his polite smile and narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"This should be our first meeting, right?"
"From your perspective, yes. But we've actually been investigating you for nearly a month."
Keima pushed his glasses up as he spoke.
"Ren Suzuki, twenty years old, sophomore at Kyoto University's School of Medicine, single. You've had seventeen romantic relationships so far all of which ended in failure. Four of those were during your middle and high school years, the rest concentrated in college..."
"..."
The deeper Keima's explanation went, the more guarded Ren's expression became.
Not even his closest friends and family knew the exact number of his failed relationships. How had this guy investigated something so specific?
And more importantly... why would they bother looking into his dating history in the first place?
Ren instinctively took half a step back and quickly pulled out his phone, ready to dial an emergency number.
"What's your real purpose? Why investigate me?"
"Exactly as my foolish sister said earlier."
As if to match the gravity in Keima's voice, the lenses of his glasses briefly glinted with cold light.
"We need your help... to save this world."
"...."
Ren fell silent for a moment, then slowly slipped his phone back into his pocket.
With a skeptical tone, he asked, "Judging by your uniforms, you two are probably high schoolers, right? This kind of delusion... you really need to get that checked."
"...Brother, it seems your explanation wasn't any clearer than mine."
"Silence. I was just getting to the point."
Keima shot Elsie a sharp glance, then cleared his throat and continued his explanation.
...
"Simply put, there are beings called Loose Souls that dwell in the gaps of people's hearts. If left unchecked, they can cause catastrophic disasters. To prevent this, we need a partner to help fill those voids and expel the Loose Souls. And the most effective way to fill a person's heart is through... love. So, we want you to become our partner and fall in love with girls possessed by these Loose Souls."
Ren briefly summarized Keima's explanation, and both Keima and Elsie nodded in agreement.
However...
"Do you seriously think I'd believe something that ridiculous?"
Ren didn't hesitate to voice his disbelief.
"You just popped out of nowhere, dug into my past, and now you're trying to rope me into some absurd mission... Do I look that easy to fool?"
"That's not it at all! Everything we said is true "
"Never mind how ridiculous your so-called mission sounds, the logic behind your choice is already full of holes."
Ren's face turned cold.
"If you researched my dating history, you should know I'm the least qualified person for romance. Choosing me is a joke."
"That's where you're wrong."
Keima calmly adjusted his glasses.
"Our investigation shows that while you've had seventeen breakups, all of them occurred after the relationship officially began. In other words, regardless of the outcome, you successfully reached the crucial moment the start of a relationship. That's all we need. The instant you enter a romantic relationship, the Loose Soul can be captured. What happens afterward is irrelevant."
"..."
So... all they needed was the moment the relationship began?
That at least explained why they had targeted him.
"Even so, I won't buy into this story so easily. Please, find someone else."
Seeing Ren's unwavering refusal, Elsie turned to Keima in a panic.
"W-What do we do, Brother? It looks like Mr. Ren isn't going to believe us at all!"
"That's only natural. I wouldn't have agreed so easily back then if you hadn't slapped that collar on me the one that could snap my neck at any moment."
Keima casually rubbed his own neck, his tone unfazed.
"Words are meaningless without proof. It's best to let you see it for yourself."
Keima reached into his pocket and tossed something metallic toward Ren.
"...Wait, what ?"
Though still on guard, Ren instinctively caught the object thrown at him.
"A... watch?"
What landed in his palm was a silver mechanical wristwatch, exquisitely crafted with visible gears spinning beneath its dial.
Even someone like Ren, who knew nothing about watches, could tell this was no ordinary piece.
"Why are you giving this to me?"
"To earn your trust, I need to show you something real."
Keima's voice was calm.
"Please, put it on. Of course, feel free to inspect it thoroughly first."
"...."
Ren remained cautious, but this watch didn't seem like something you'd just hand over to a stranger as part of a prank.
And from the looks on these two's faces, they didn't seem to be lying.
Could it be... that they were actually telling the truth?
Keima's sincerity had started to chip away at Ren's skepticism.
Besides, just wearing the watch for a moment probably wouldn't cause any harm.
After some hesitation, Ren finally strapped the surprisingly weighty watch onto his left wrist.
The moment he did, he froze as if turned to stone.
[Loose Soul Navigation System Activated. User ID: Ren Suzuki.]
[No target currently selected. System on standby.]
A semi-transparent display hovered above the watch, with clear text floating in front of his eyes.
"This is... a projection? But..."
Ren covered the watch face with his hand, but the translucent screen remained, completely unaffected.
"That display and everything it shows can only be seen by you."
Keima quickly explained.
"As for how it works, just think of it as something directly linked to your mind. No one else will notice when you use it."
"Unbelievable..."
Faced with something this extraordinary, Ren's defenses finally began to crumble.
"So if I don't capture these Loose Souls... this world will really be destroyed?"
"Yes. If left alone, the Loose Souls will devour their hosts' hearts, eventually manifesting as fully formed demons in the real world. By then, it'll be too late."
Keima's voice was calm, but carried a weight that was hard to doubt.
"Please, for the sake of the world, we ask for your help."
"...."
Ren sank into deep thought.
Though he still wasn't fully convinced, the watch's projection system was undeniable proof that something abnormal was at play.
"Why me? Isn't there anyone more qualified than I am?"
"There are two main reasons: experience and character."
Keima held up two fingers.
"With seventeen relationships, you are, without a doubt, extremely experienced. As for your character... that's something I concluded after further investigation."
"And your basis for that?"
"My own eyes."
Keima pushed his glasses up again.
"I've traveled through time to observe your past relationships. Based on my judgment as the 'God of Conquest,' your character and personality ensure that you can complete the conquest without hurting the girls involved. That's why I chose you."
"...Time travel? God of Conquest?"
Overwhelmed by everything he had just heard, Ren let out a helpless chuckle.
"If you're that powerful, why don't you just conquer those girls yourself?"
"Because I already have someone I love. I will not betray her, even for a 'fake' relationship."
Keima's answer was firm, without hesitation.
"Even if it's only temporary, I will never be unfaithful."
"Already in a relationship, huh? Well, that's surprisingly... legitimate."
Ren actually found himself accepting this unexpected reason quite easily.
By now, he no longer saw the two before him as mere pranksters or delusional kids.
"Saving the world sounds pretty far-fetched, but your investigation is definitely beyond what normal people can pull off..."
Ren absentmindedly touched the watch strap as he asked, "So, just to confirm, you want me to use this watch to approach the girls possessed by Loose Souls and 'conquer' them?"
"That's the general idea, though the process might be a little different from what you're imagining."
Keima pointed at his wrist.
"If you decide to help us, simply say the command: 'Start Capture.' The navigation system will guide you from there."
"...That's pretty high-tech."
Ren raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"What if I never give the command?"
"Then the Loose Souls will continue to roam freely, and the world will edge closer to its end."
"...Sounds like a ridiculously high-stakes consequence."
Ren shook his head.
"I can't believe you'd entrust something this important to me..."
"If it's you, I know you'll succeed. That's the conclusion I reached after thorough investigation."
Keima's voice brimmed with inexplicable confidence.
"I'm willing to stake my pride as the God of Conquest on it."
"Ha... haha. Alright, so I just need to say the command, right?"
Driven by curiosity about the mysterious watch and the desire to test their claims, Ren raised his wrist and, under the expectant gaze of the two, softly spoke those four words
"Start Capture."
Click.
A mechanical sound echoed unnaturally in his ears.
[Command received. Navigation initiated.]
As soon as Ren gave the command, the text on the display changed. In the next instant, the entire world turned black and white, frozen in time.
Before he could process what was happening, a sharp metallic grinding sound filled his ears, and his consciousness was instantly swallowed by darkness...
...
"Ah... Mr. Ren has departed, Brother."
Watching the now-empty space in front of her, Elsie finally let out a sigh of relief.
But soon, a trace of worry returned to her face.
"But... will he really be okay? If he fails... something truly terrible will happen, right?"
"Don't worry. If I'm the God of Conquest in the two-dimensional world, then Ren Suzuki is undoubtedly the God of Heartbreak in the three-dimensional world."
Keima smiled with absolute confidence.
"I've already seen the ending. All we have to do now is quietly watch his story unfold."
"...Haah, as long as you're confident."
Elsie sighed softly, then gazed once more at the spot where Ren had vanished.
"May everything go well for you... God of Heartbreak."
...
His senses blurred as if he were riding a runaway train sight, sound, thought... even the world itself slipped away.
Amid the chaos, fragmented voices echoed clearly in his ears
[Because you were by my side, I had the courage to stand here!]
[From now on... your existence is the reason I pick up my brush.]
[If it's you, I'm willing to travel to the ends of the earth.]
[Your happiness means everything to me.]
(These voices... whose are they?)
His fading consciousness couldn't hold on to the question.
Noise swept through, fragmenting the memory even further.
And finally Ren Suzuki completely lost awareness.
_________________________________________________________________________
Chapter 1:Navigation System and Target
Clack clack clack.
The chaotic clattering of metal gradually slowed, becoming steady and rhythmic until it finally disappeared.
As the sound faded, Ren Suzuki's consciousness sharpened once again.
[Navigation Complete]
The Soul Navigation System's panel reappeared, instantly bringing back memories of what had just happened.
"What did those people do to me..."
Out of concern for his own safety, Ren gave his head a groggy shake, as if he had just woken up, and quickly began checking his physical condition.
"Heart rate normal, body temperature normal, no external wounds, no pain anywhere... except for a slight heaviness in my head, everything else seems fine..."
...
"Huh?"
Looking at the unfamiliar high school uniform on his body, Ren couldn't help but let out a baffled sound.
"Where did this uniform come from? I was wearing casual clothes on the street just now... wait, what?"
Full of questions, he hurried to the mirror in the room and carefully examined his reflection
"You've got to be kidding me..."
Short black hair, styled neatly with hair wax, a clean and handsome face, and youthful features that unmistakably belonged to a high schooler.
This was a face Ren hadn't seen in years it was his own face from high school.
"No, it's not just my appearance... Why did I instinctively know where the mirror was in this unfamiliar room?"
While Ren was still grappling with the bizarre situation around him, a flood of unfamiliar memories suddenly surged into his mind
[Integration Complete]
The panel popped up again, accompanied by the complete merging of memories.
[Ren Suzuki, 15 years old, soon to be a first-year student at Shuuka High School.]
[Only child, living alone. Parents work overseas long-term and send him living expenses regularly.]
[Birthday: June 8th, Blood Type: B, Height: 178cm, Weight: 65kg.]
"...This is literally my past self."
Sifting through the past experiences that almost perfectly matched his real-life history, Ren couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh as he rubbed his brow.
"Time travel? Parallel world? Or just an elaborate hallucination?"
The absurdity of the situation filled his heart with unease.
But before he could think any further, the system's next panel appeared, pointing out his next objective
[Target Locked. Please proceed to Shuuka High School for confirmation.]
"...This really feels like navigation. Even my next step has been laid out for me."
He glanced at the neatly packed schoolbag on his desk and the perfectly clear commuting route now etched into his mind.
With a small sigh, Ren picked up the bag and set off on a road that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
...
The more surreal the development, the more it seemed to validate Keima Katsuragi's words.
Looking at the completely unfamiliar scenery around him, and the very clear "Tokyo" displayed on his phone's GPS, Ren was beginning to accept this ridiculous setup.
"So… if I can't fall in love with the target, this world will really be destroyed?"
That laughable, far-fetched scenario seemed to be slowly turning into a real, looming crisis.
Still, without having faced any actual danger yet, it was difficult for him to truly grasp that sense of urgency.
"Well, regardless... I should at least meet the target first."
Since he was already here, he might as well adapt quickly and start gathering information, rather than standing around in confusion.
Besides, Ren was mentally twenty years old, a top medical student at Kyoto University he wasn't the kind of person who would panic over returning to high school.
Moreover…
"Hey, look at that guy… He's so handsome!"
"And he's wearing Shuuka High's uniform! Is he a new student?"
"Whoa, seriously?! I'm starting to look forward to this school year!"
"Me too!"
Truth be told, Ren had always been part of the "Brahmin class" in the school caste system thanks to his exceptional looks.
Even being suddenly transported back to high school wasn't going to cause him any discomfort.
Ignoring the praise and chatter that he had long grown accustomed to, Ren quickened his pace toward Shuuka High.
...
Though the school was different, entrance ceremonies and class assignments were pretty much the same.
Feeling a sense of nostalgia, Ren passed by the crowd of freshmen taking photos with their parents at the school gate and headed for his classroom.
Class 1-D.
"Wow! It's the handsome guy from the entrance ceremony!"
"He's in our class?!"
"We're so lucky!"
As soon as he stepped into the classroom, he was greeted by a chorus of excited voices from the girls.
"Ugh… total pretty boy."
"The future king of the class has arrived."
"Yeah, we're completely outmatched here…"
The boys groaned and muttered among themselves.
But Ren paid them no mind.
Because the moment he walked into the classroom, the system's navigation panel popped up in front of him again
[Target Identified. Five meters to your left.]
Following the system's guidance, Ren casually glanced in that direction.
And there, he found his designated "target."
A girl with pink hair, wearing a long-sleeved pink tracksuit.
Her bangs were so long that they covered her eyes, and her hunched posture made it impossible for Ren to see her face clearly.
Oddly, no other student had taken a seat near her.
Although this made it much easier for Ren to "locate" her, it was undeniably a little pitiful to see someone isolated so early on the first day of school.
(Anyway... I should start by sitting somewhere close to her.)
With that in mind, Ren slowly moved toward the pink-haired girl's seat.
As he approached, the entire class's attention shifted toward him
"?!"
Perhaps sensing the shift in atmosphere, the pink-haired girl panicked and quickly looked up, trying to figure out what was happening around her.
But the moment she raised her head, accompanied by a faint scent of sage and sea salt, a handsome face with a gentle smile appeared right in her line of sight.
"Hi there."
Since he didn't know her personality or communication style yet, Ren opted for the most neutral and natural greeting.
However, as soon as he spoke, the girl's entire body began to tremble violently
"Ah ah you, um… I, uh… abababab…"
"..."
Total system crash.
Watching this poor girl whose eyes darted frantically as she struggled to say even a single coherent sentence, Ren sighed helplessly.
At the same time, the system's panel updated with a new prompt
[Capture Progress Updated. Current Progress: 40%]
[Please Continue Your Efforts.]
"...Huh?"
All I did was say hello… and it already shot up to 40%?
If this system's readings were accurate, then this girl was way too easy to approach, wasn't she?
(Wait... is this girl really okay?)
Looking at the trembling, panicked, and visibly flustered girl trying desperately to regulate her breathing, Ren couldn't help but wonder.