Murder Mitten
Disclaimers I don't own Kono Suba, Isekai Quartet, Angel Beats, Outbreak Company, No Game No Life, In Another World with my Smartphone, SAO, Psyren, or The Devil is a Part-timer, but I do own How I Saved Satan's Daughter in Another World, please support any to all official releases guys.
Also while this story is set in the Once a NEET always a NEET world, this is but set on an alternative path all together, which you'll find out right now, so to the story.
It was unfair, the whole reason they wanted him to remain in school was simply because he was what kept the town and a lot of people from getting hurt or killed.
Had they have told him this, maybe they could've worked something out, but it's all too late for what if's.
No now that the Destroyer is permanently destroyed, Kazuma or anyone for that matter was free to either attend back to school or not, and the latter being the obvious case for everyone present for one reason or another right now.
So you might be asking yourselves as to why this is the case, well simply put a lot of friends had died, including those that were deemed Immortal have somehow were able to die.
As for who had died the list goes as follows, Ainz, Albedo, Shalltear, Mare, Viktoriya, Matheus, Rhiner, Vooren, Subaru, Rem, Ram, Stephanie, Naoi, Takamatsu, Shiina, Noda, Fujimaki, TK, Matsushita, Oyama, Takeyama, Garius, Touya, Linze, Sushie, Leen, Lucia, Hildegard, Sakura, Raphtalia, Megumin, and finally Aqua.
With Aqua being dead, any chance to find a loophole to revive their friends was already out the window, but more importantly it had killed Kazuma more than anything else.
Since there moment of victory, Kazuma has and hasn't forgiven his friends, but he's willing to share their pain since they're all feeling it, with some worse than others.
And what's more, this doesn't even cover the surface as to how not everyone came out unscathed as some have left that day with more than simple little battle scars.
Right now, everyone was preparing for attending the mass funeral to all of their friends, a funding project that was in charge and settled by the school as a means to apologize.
"Hey Kazuma, there's a limo outside ready to pick us up" said Darkness as she let herself inside of Kazuma's room, wearing an all black dress, which admittingly if it wasn't a sad day, Kazuma would be vocal as to how hot Darkness really is right now.
"Thanks Darkness" said Kazuma with an emotionless tone as he began to turn heal as both began to make their way outside their still under construction house.
Upon entering the limo, Kazuma realize they weren't driving alone as they were in the accompaniment of Emilia, Beatrice, Naofumi, and Filo.
"Hey everyone" said Darkness, "Hey" said Naofumi as he hand an arm wrapped around Filo, "Greetings" said Emilia.
As they began to take the long ride towards where the memorial was being placed, everyone remained in absolute silence, more so Kazuma as he looked out the window.
This didn't go unnoticed by Naofumi or Darkness as both had deep concern as to what was going on in Kazuma's head at the moment.
Whatever it was, it would all have to wait since everyone arrived to their destination as they began to hustle out of their limo.
"No worries Filo, I got you" said Naofumi as he began to carrying Filo out of the car and towards the memorial on account of her missing one of her legs, "Thanks master" said Filo sweetly as everyone soon began to group up.
Once fully gathered, they saw that the person who was in charge of delivering the final words and prayers was none other than Chris, which made sense considering how she was a goddess and all that.
After getting everyone to say amen for the last time, Kazuma chose to linger around, with only Darkness and Chris watching him as he began to approach Aqua's memorial statue.
Made to look like her statue that her followers worshipped, Kazuma was brought into tears over having lost the only other person he came to love during his most darkest moments.
"I feel bad for Kazuma" Chris said talking to Darkness, "You and me both, though I must admit that I do worry for his well being from time to time" said Darkness.
"What do you mean" asked Chris, "Well you didn't hear this from me, but during that time when Kazuma was trying to shut himself from the world, he was sadly becoming suicidally depressed in the process" said Darkness as Chris looked at her completely appalled.
"Is he… alright" asked Chris not sure what to say or what to do, "He's fine, though sometimes I'll find him in a daze whenever he picks up a sharp knife or when he's messing with the long extension cords we have back home, thankfully he hasn't attempted anything that might end his life anytime soon now" said Darkness leaving Chris with a sense of relief.
Turning their heads back, Kazuma had began to make his way back as he began to wipe the tears from his eyes.
"Let's head home" said Kazuma, "Ok" Darkness said with a nod as she waved Chris goodbye as they began to walk out of the cemetery, since no one was in the mood of wanting to be in close company than they already are.
Taking the long walk into town, they only cut their commute time in half by taking a train that was only five blocks away from their house, only in the opposite direction that any of them usually take.
Once at home, Kazuma made his way into the kitchen and popped the top of one of the many expensive wine bottles they had home amongst their never ending collection of booze.
"Here you go" said Kazuma as he handed a glass to Darkness to which she humbly accepted.
"A toast" said Kazuma as both of them began to lift their glasses to the air, "To our friends, whom I regret never got a chance to turn around and forgive, and to the ones who've been by our side since day one of our adventures" said Kazuma.
"To our friends" said Darkness before both tapped their glasses and took down a swig of their drinks.
This wasn't only happening in the Satou household, as everyone back in their homes were finding a means to cope with the grief of losing their friends and loved ones.
If it wasn't Naofumi at home silently crying as he had Filo resting her head on his lap, Yuri and the surviving members of the 'Survivors Battlefront' drinking their sorrows away as they cry knowing the friends they lost and the loves ones that survived, Emilia hiding under her blankets as she cried herself to sleep yet again, it was something done to let out the water works and remember their friends.
For others who weren't that in touch with their emotions, or were merely impatient and had nothing but hate had other means to cope.
Example would be Tanya right now, having lost not only her platoon but one of the few people she'd call a friend had died, and for what and why for something that could've been easily avoided, but the how remained a mystery.
Not caring anymore, she won't feel satisfied knowing that the one responsible for all of this was brought to justice or at least a frontier style of justice.
Right now she was in the midst of strangling to death not only her commanding officer, but also principle for allowing so much pain to be inflicted upon them for keeping such a serious thing a secret.
"…Sir is everything alright, I've already got the paper work needed for you to sign right away sir" came the voice of Erich on the other end of the P.A. speaker.
"Sorry Erich, but Kurt von incompetent here, is currently preoccupied from being strangled right now" said Tanya as her grip remained tight and strong as the life of her former boss began to slip in her hands.
"Tanya?! What in the world are you planning to do!?" demanded Erich on the other line, "Something I should've done the moment your secrets were exposed" said Tanya before she turned to face her now dead boss.
"Now, I'm going to give you and the whole school faculty here a chance to set foot into my office and tell me everything you know, or so help me you best have the devil himself protecting your sorry asses" said Tanya as she began to place back her hat over head to reveal the newly acquired eye patch on the left side of her eye, with a scare extending itself towards her ear.
Time Skip
The day was nothing but a blurred mixture of sadness and sorrow for Kazuma as he came to saw that it was approaching midnight when he came to as he and Darkness had been sitting there drinking wine the whole night.
Getting up from his spot, he walked into his room and stripped out of his funeral wear for his traditional tracksuit, before he stepping out with a blanket in hand.
Gently placing it over Darkness, he began to make his way outside their house and went into their tool shed and came out with some paint and a paint brush.
With his painting gear in hand, he walked to the back side of the house, and tried as he might, attempted to paint a picture in Aqua's beauty as a means for him to pay tribute.
However it was all for not, as neither the driving emotion of sadness and love can create the image he so desperately desired, as Kazuma's frustration began to take over with each stroke he made.
Eventually having enough, he tossed the paint brush over the fence, and took the paint bucket in hand and splashed it against the wall before he collapsed to his knees and proceeded to cry.
He'd give it all back, the insults, the mistreatment, his lazy and cowardice ways, and how easy he was to give up, and reject his friends if it meant he can have Aqua back and in his arms, hearing her comforting voice, and her alluring scent of alcohol and fried chicken.
"Aqua…sniff… please…sniff… please come back to me" sobbed Kazuma as he prayed his words would somehow reach her and bring her back to him, as she is a goddess.
Granted not much is known as to what normally becomes of gods or goddesses when they do die, but what is currently known is that fate was cruel to not only Kazuma, but Aqua as well.
Stuck in a limbo state between life or death, as she's forced to walk the earth as an invisible phantom to all, Aqua had a presence, just once that can't be seen heard or touch.
"Kazuma I hear you loud and clear you big dummy" cried Aqua as she tried her hardest to wrap her arms around him, but is unable to keep a grip on him.
"Please, do you hear me now?" said as she got down to his level and was crying just as heavily as he way, and was willing to do anything it took to be by Kazuma's side again, even requesting the help of Devils.
Unknown to the star crossed couple, Darkness caught a glimpse of Kazuma's saddened state around the corner of the house as she could do nothing but offer the man pity and making sure no further harm comes to him from here on.
Alright guys, I'm going to end things from here as this is to mark a kick off in my official return to not only the community but to a new series, well kinda new ya know.