Light Novel Review: Rebuild World Volume 2 Part Two


Title	Rebuild World Volume 2 Part Two – Revengeware
Author	Nahuse
Publisher	JP: ASCII Media Works EN: J-Novel Club
Original Release Dates	JP: Jan 17, 2020 EN: Jun 16, 2023
Genre	Sci-fi, Post-apocalyptic, Cyberpunk

Author’s Note: I discuss plot points and details of storylines and character arcs which could be considered minor spoilers. No major spoilers will be revealed.

Rebuild World tells the story of Akira, a once slum orphan who is now steadily becoming an established relic hunter. Relics are the remnant technological marvels of the Old World, the world as it was before society collapsed into the dystopia it is now. And in this dystopia, it’s survival of the strongest where power brings wealth and prestige while lack thereof means poverty, exploitation, and desperation. Akira chooses to escape his impoverish life, but is pathetically underprepared to face the dangers of the Old World ruins. He only survives his first excursion by his fortuitous meeting with Alpha. Alpha, an Old World AR AI, cuts a deal with Akira to train and educate him to thrive in this rebuilding world, all in exchange for a future task.

Since then, Akira has not simply survived, but claimed a few extraordinary successes along the way. Due to Alpha’s influence, Akira can perform feats that veteran hunters equipped with the best tech would still struggle to pull off. And it hasn’t all gone unnoticed, as he recently has been offered a contract by Kugamayama City to help establish a new outpost within the ruins.

The previous volume sees Akira begin this contract, leading him into one unfortunate situation after another, and again, only surviving thanks to Alpha’s support. From rescuing other hunters to scouting, each task has devolved into combat against bioengineered terrors of the Old World. However, here in Rebuild World Volume 2 Part Two – Revengeware, Akira’s challenges come in the form of other hunters. In fact, Revengeware’s core theme is a reminder that the greatest threats may not come from mechanical giants or biotech amalgamations, but rather from people who choose to act upon pure selfishness, disrespect, and apathy.

Revengeware begins with Akira meeting such an individual, Yajima, a relic thief, who wishes to keep his and his partners’ scheme a secret. He attempts to lure Akira into a false sense of peace, only to try and assassinate him. From there, the situation devolves into a standoff against a stressing Akira, and a baffled Yajima who can’t believe he failed nor understand how. The situation only becomes worse for Akira when Reina and Shiori arrive on the scene, bringing with them their lacking impressions of him from their previous interactions. Even worse, his one-sided rival, Katsuya, along with Yumina and Airi, eventually arrive on the scene too. And later, if all of that weren’t enough to demonstrate how awful Akira’s luck has recently been, Akira’s troubles escalate exponentially as Yajima’s partners, Nelia and Kain, bring their own fight to Akira. Using a combination of powered mechs and Old World hand-to-hand weaponry, Akira must rely on Alpha more than ever to survive the ferocity of these elite relic thieves.

Revengeware is pure adrenaline right from the start. The action scenes are dialed up to the extreme, and are easily the highlights of this volume. Akira is once again pushed to his physical and mental limits, and this time around, we finally see individuals who can match and even outpace him, too. Throughout, we also get drops of solid world building as these scenes as these scenes play out. Specifics regarding abilities, technologies, and the like are all provided as they’re demonstrated during the combat. And I have to say, the ways in which the world building is shown through action is cleverly and remarkably executed. In similar vein, I also appreciate the moments of character depth we see through these sequences. Feelings are running high and unfettered, making the impact on the reader all the more striking. Lastly, I like how these sharp, dense emotions are demonstrated through actions and choice words, rather than text-heavy exposition. It all makes for a raw, visceral reading experience.

However, since the action takes such a central role this volume, other elements such as plot progression do end up taking a back seat. We really don’t get much more than what moves Akira past the city contract he was coerced into taking. Also, this volume is so front-loaded with action that when the chaos finally subsides, the rest of the novel feels like it drops off. You’ll definitely stay on the edge of your seat during said chaos, and in fact, I never found a truly dull moment throughout my read. Yet, I find the pacing is a notable issue, as I did feel less enthusiastic as I approached the end. Honestly, it’s never a sustainable idea to sacrifice proper story and character development for any reason. Once in a while, sure, I can excuse it, as I do here given the entertainment value gained. But, I certainly hope the next volume accomplishes more story progression. Overall, the story is energetic, fast-paced, and exciting, perhaps to the point of overwhelming, though with little in the ways of plot or personal progress.

Moving on to character specifics, although genuine development is lacking in Revengeware, I will say that the overall characterization and reinforcement of personalities is noteworthy. Akira’s ease at being annoyed and his untrusting nature are further emphasized, as he is repeatedly forced into several exasperating circumstances. These traits are counted upon to create some excellent conflict with newcomers Reina and Shiori, as well as building upon the ever growing ire between him and Katsuya. And speaking of Katsuya, his distrust and frustrations toward Akira are equally reinforced and relied upon for some seriously palpable drama. Yumina also gets her moments, continuing to be the cooler head in Katsuya’s team and the voice of reason between him and Akira. Truly, the dynamic between Akira and Katsuya and the one including Yumina and Airi are both becoming elements to look forward to.

Perhaps the standout regarding characterization this volume is Alpha, as we receive even more emphasis regarding her willingness to use Akira as a mere tool. For example, later in this volume, we learn that Alpha hasn’t been so forthcoming about Akira’s health and the effects of the medicines she often has him take before, and during, combat. It seems Akira was in worse shape than Alpha ever led on, as he needed serious medical intervention to reverse those effects. This, in turn, lends itself to questions such as whether Alpha, or any AI, can outright lie since she has clearly lied through omission. Unfortunately, all of this quickly gets brushed aside, as Akira’s general need of Alpha to survive is quickly reiterated. Sure, Akira is still not all trusting towards Alpha, but I did expect a reaction more emotional and complex, one able to set up to something deeper. This would make for the start of some excellent conflict between him and Alpha; I can only hope for now.

Rebuild World Volume 2 Part Two – Revengeware has its strong points, excelling with its depictions and delivery of its action. The combat is fierce and discernibly turbulent, as are the high-running emotions of its characters throughout. The energy, anger, stress, and frustration that drips from the story will easily wrap you up and keep you on edge. However, the trade-off for those staggering, expressive combat scenes is a neglect of story development, progression, and character evolution. There is hardly any progress in Akira’s hunter plot, nor is there any significant progression pertaining to Alpha and her schemes. And although character emphasis and personalization are noteworthy, I still found myself wanting genuine evolution and character growth. I can overlook the flaws if they’re addressed in the future, regardless, Revengeware is certainly an action-packed, entertaining read, and a solid addition to the Rebuild World saga.