As Kazuma and company approached the eastern gate they ran into a flood of people escaping the city. Nobles, merchants, laborers, and poor folk of all ages were in a panic and running away from as fast as they could. The wealthy were in gilded carriages and there were also a number of wagons and others escaping on horseback. The vast majority were on foot though, with nothing but a single sack on their backs or more often with just their clothes. There were screaming children and old people struggling to move forward. Kazuma, Darkness, and Megumin had to wade through this flood of people as they tried to get back into Axel and find out what the hell was going on. Kazuma kept shouting at folk, asking what was going on. He didn't get an answer. No one would stop or even bother to yell back a reply, all anyone seemed to care about was getting as far away as possible. One young man did take a moment though, and shouted a single word.

"Destroyer? What the hell does that mean?"

When both girls suddenly got excited looks on their faces Kazuma became absolutely certain the situation was even worse than it seemed.

"At last!" Megumin shouted. "I'll demonstrate to the world the true wonders of explosion magic! Everyone will stand in awe as I, Megumin, greatest and most amazing of the Crimson Demon Clan, obliterate the Destroyer!"

"To think I get the chance to put my body on the line against such a mechanical apocalypse," Darkness cried out hugging herself. "Even if I am trampled underfoot and utterly humiliated and shown to be worthless, I will do my duty no matter how disgraceful it may appear!"

"Well that's great and I'm thrilled for you two," Kazuma said getting more annoyed. "But could one of you explain what a Destroyer is please?"

Both girls gawked at him.

"How can you be so ignorant?" Megumin asked. "Everybody knows about the Destroyer!"

"Kazuma," Darkness asked. "Didn't you see the mission request on the guild board? The scouting mission was sitting there for months."

He stared back at her blankly.

"You must have noticed. It even had a drawing. The Mobile Fortress Destroyer is a gigantic eight-legged mechanical construct that roams the world destroying whatever comes across its path."

As soon as she said 'eight-legged' an image popped into his brain. "Wait, are you talking about the one with drawing of a spider mecha on it?"

"What is a mecha?"

"Don't worry about it."

"If you read the mission request you should know the basics."

"Yeah, as soon as I saw the crappy pay they were offering I ignored it."

Megumin gave an exasperated sigh. "Look! It's a gigantic metal construct that randomly travels across the world and destroys whatever gets in its way. That's all you really need to know."

Darkness nodded. "No doubt all the guild's adventurers are already battling it to try and save the city. Even if it's hopeless we must join them!"

"Uhm, what do you mean hopeless?"

"Well, its been active for decades now and no one has been able to stop it. It has even destroyed entire countries. Its considered a traveling apocalypse."

Kazuma could feel the blood drain from his face. "And we're going to fight this thing?"

"Of course!" Both girls chorused without hesitation.

Having already died once, and then almost dying a second time inside a dungeon, Kazuma was not eager to go on what sounded like a suicide mission. He knew from experience there was no way he'd be able to talk sense to these two. He immediately though about vanishing and turning around back towards the north gate. He didn't though. Call it stupidity, call it ignorance, or perhaps a well hidden death wish he kept running besides the two girls towards the south gate and the danger beyond it.

Of all the things Kazuma had done since coming to this insane world. This was the bravest.

And the most stupid.

XXX

Eventually they pushed their way past the escaping masses and were running through deserted streets. Kazuma couldn't help but notice that in the sudden exodus people hadn't even bothered to close the doors to their homes or shops. Man, Kazuma thought. I could rob this place blind! He immediately regretted having such a selfish and immoral thought, but the thief in him kept looking at all those wide-open doors and seeing invitations. As they continued running there was suddenly a loud buzzing noise. It was followed by a calm voice.

'ATTENTION. THE MOBILE FORTRESS HAS BEEN INCAPACITATED AND WILL NOW COMMENCE SELF-DESTRUCT. ALL CREW MEMBERS PLEASE EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY. HAVE A NICE DAY. COMMENCING COUNTDOWN:

30… 29… 28…

"Oh, fuck me!" Kazuma screamed. He then grabbed Megumin by the collar and hauled her up onto his shoulder.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Trying to save your stupid life!" He began running in the opposite direction as fast as he could while mouthing prayers to Eris. He also grabbed Darkness by the hand and dragged her along.

"Kazuma? What-" Darkness said in surprise.

"We're going to run as far away as we can and then you're going to get on top of me while I get on top of Megumin."

"I knew it!" Megumin began kicking and punching him. "You stupid hentai perv! We are not having a threesome!"

"Knock it off before I drop you on your damn head you stupid loli!"

"K… K… Kazuma w… we can't do this right now."

Despite running for his life while getting his head smacked and his chest kicked, he whipped his face around to stare at Darkness. "Oi! What do you mean by right now?"

Her entire face turned a shade of red and she refused to answer.

15… 14… 13…

As they ran Kazuma's eyes searched for cover as they literally only had seconds. They were passing a house that was having a stone fence repaired. A small trench had been dug up along the boundary. It was far from ideal but would have to do.

10… 9… 8…

He tossed Megumin into the dirt and jumped down on top of her.

"I don't consent! I do not consent! I'm not giving you my precious first time!"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

Still gripping Darkness' wrist, he yanked her down on top of him. Her body crashed onto his back pressing him hard onto Megumin.

"K… K… Kazuma! I…"

3… 2… 1…

KABOOM!

The ground shook and all he could hear was the roar of the explosion. There was a wave of heat as he could smell the fire and feel himself start to cook.

XXX

It took about ten minutes before Kazuma thought it was safe to climb out of their hole.

When they did, they found every building in the area leveled and fires burning. Darkness was, of course, completely untouched, and he and Megumin were also unhurt. The edge of Kazuma's cape was singed, but that was about all. Kazuma, naturally wanted to leave. But the two idiots, of course, wanted to investigate what had happened. As per the norm Kazuma was dragged along into their stupidity.

They continued south through a ruined landscape. When they reached the area that had once been the southern edge of Axel they discovered a section of the outer wall and city were gone. They hadn't simply been knocked down and set alight. What they found was a massive crater at least a mile long, maybe a mile and a half. The edges of said crater ran into the city and everything that had been there was now simply gone. The three of them stood at the lip of this gigantic crater and stared in silence into it. It was Megumin who finally spoke.

"I'm jealous."

Smack!

As she rubbed the back of her head, the little pyromaniac glared at Kazuma. He glared right back, daring her to say something.

"Look! There are survivors!" Darkness pointed.

Kazuma stared. "Are you serious?! How could anyone survive that?"

Two figures struggled to climb up and out of the blast area. One was a big chested employee and shop owner whose clothes were blackened and shredded. Giving Kazuma a nice view of her prized assets. The other was a blue haired idiot who seemed to exist only to cause him trouble. As they hurried over to Wiz and Aqua, Kazuma wondered just how the hell the goddess of booze, party tricks, and bad luck had managed to cause all this.

XXX

Omake

"K… K… Kazuma! W… Why are you m… making me where these out in p… public?!"

A red faced Darkness was standing in the middle of the street in her usual armor. Plus a pair of cat ears and a tail. People walking past were staring wide eyed and whispering and pointing. Seeing this Darkness was breathing heavy as a shiver ran down the length of her body.

Kazuma was standing there smiling. "Well I did promise, and every once in a while a person should keep their promises even after they win an election."