Oh Catastrophe
Disclaimers I don't own Kono Suba, Isekai Quartet or any of the other anime and manga properties so far, other than the characters from How I Saved Satan's Daughter in Another World.
Anyways enough of that, let's jump into the story.
Taking a break from their cleaning and moping, Kazuma and Darkness made their way into town for some lunch, which was easier said than done, considering that the Destroyer came into town and nearly destroyed everything in its path.
"Damn, it had to destroy Carly's Jr., they had the best fries and a great burger size to boot" jeered Kazuma as they walked past one of the few fast food restaurants him and his housemates would frequently indulged in.
"Sigh, and I'm afraid the Destroyer had even claimed Excalibur's Pizza" said Darkness as her mouth watered over their pizza and cinnamon knots.
"Seriously, if we're stuck to just cooking at home, I'm gonna be relatively peeved" said Kazuma, "Let's hope there's even a grocery store for us to even eat at" said Darkness as a restaurant caught her eyes.
"Hey Kazuma, has that establishment always been there" asked Darkness as Kazuma turned his head to a new location.
"Huh, I didn't know we had a MgRonalds here in the area" said Kazuma as both began to approach the building.
"What is this MgRonalds you speak of" asked Darkness, "Another one of the many fast food burger joints created by the Americans, like Carly's Jr. and Burger Queen, difference being that it's considered as the most popular one in the entire world" said Kazuma.
"I see, is the food any good" asked Darkness, "It's alright to be honest, like I knew that a lot of people would go hang out here most of the time like either after school or on their days off" said Kazuma.
"You don't sound too excited about coming to eat here" said Darkness, "Never really got enjoy eating here, this place was generally as busy as a Tennessee Fried Chicken, so usually I'd spent my time eating at Carly's Jr. with just about anyone who didn't want to deal with the lines of MgRonalds, or have a better love and appreciation for American burgers" said Kazuma.
"I see" said Darkness as they began enter the establishment to see some familiar faces, "Hey guys" greeted Kazuma as he saw Naofumi, Filo, Beatrice, Yuri, and Tanya.
"Hey Kazuma, how are you feeling" asked Naofumi, "So-so really, and you guys" asked Kazuma.
"Everything was destroyed and we all found out there's a MgRonalds that exist here" said Yuri, "I see" said Kazuma as he was not really hoping to run into his friends again anytime soon, since reality they all need personal space to recover.
Even with that being said, Kazuma was still reluctant to hang with them after he and Darkness placed their orders.
"So what else is new guys" asked Kazuma as he Darkness took a seat next to each other, "Well you should be interested to know that me and Tanya here are currently trying to figure out this new mysterious metal that's killed…. Well our friends, our immortal friends really" said Yuri.
"…Great to know" said Kazuma as he did found it weird that nearly all of their Immortal friends had dropped dead this time around and was under the impression it was from the Destroyer or someone from behind the scenes again.
"So exactly what did kill our friends" asked Kazuma, "That's the thing, we don't know, we even went as far as to ask Naofumi or Beatrice here to give us their insightful opinion, but they've no idea either" spoked Tanya.
"Yeah, my shield, which usually can analyze and break down anything I put in it, doesn't know what this is" said Naofumi, "And my high knowledge of spending my time in the library has me drawn to a blank as to what is this metal made of exactly" said Beatrice.
"Ok, then maybe if we can find the source as to where this originated from, maybe we can know what they are and put this whole mystery behind us" said Kazuma as Tanya began to flinch.
"You ok there Tanya" asked Naofumi as Tanya began to take a sip from her cola, "I'm ashamed to admit this, but frankly I don't think that's going to be a viable option" said Tanya.
"And why is that" asked Beatrice, "Well, I may have killed the school principle the moment I found out he was in cahoots with Being X, who's been responsible in supplying us with these weapons this whole time" said Tanya as she lowered her hat down as everyone looked at her in dead silence.
"You killed him for working with who now" asked Naofumi, "Being X, this phony egotistical being who claims to be god who decided to punish me, by reincarnating into this body here" said Tanya as Naofumi could relate when having to deal with a powerful jackass associated with a man with a god complex.
"So let me get this straight, you killed our principle for working with a god who's been supplying us students with weapons needed to kill one another, and on top of that you have resentment to this god" asked Kazuma.
"Did I stutter" Tanya said bluntly, "I'm just saying, if our principle had connections with this god, maybe we could have used him as leverage to say, I don't know, bring our friends back to life and send us all home" said Kazuma as Tanya got up and slammed her hand on the table.
"You don't get it, Being X has been haunting me to repent and embrace god throughout my second life so far and I'll be damned if I give him so much as an ounce of sincerity" said Tanya as she finally revealed her one true weakness, and that's her pride.
"You… are… a… jackass" stated Kazuma bluntly as he no longer feared this little girl before him, "You want to say that again you lily livered wimp" said Tanya as she got up in Kazuma's face.
"Excuse me folks, but I must ask you all to calm down as we don't allow any type of violence here in our establishment" came a new voice.
The new voice in question just so happens to be the very same MgRonalds employee who has taken and served everyone's order here so far, as he wore the employee uniform, had short black hair, and brown eyes, as he gave the ideal employee of the month smile.
"Sorry about that" said Kazuma, "Yeah sorry" said Tanya as she decided to drop the matter as the employee bowed and walked away.
"You know I'm right" said Kazuma smugly, "Fuck you" said Tanya between her teeth, "Guys, enough already, there was probably a lot of things to make our situation easier, but as they say foresight is only 20/20" said Naofumi as Kazuma did had a point, however Naofumi could low key respect Tanya's choice still, even when looking at the matter logistically.
"Whatever, doesn't change the fact that we're stuck here in this miserable false world of ours, only difference is that we've got nothing to do to kill time, and nearly everyone we know and love are did, but hey at least we never have to deal with that Destroyer ever again" said Kazuma cynically.
"Kazuma" said Darkness as she was appalled by his rude behavior, "Oh like it's the most offensive thing that I've ever heard this guys ever said to me or anyone" said Kazuma as he did have a point.
"Sigh, whatever I'll see you guys on the flipside" said Kazuma as he pocketed away his burger and grabbed his root beer.
Just as Kazuma decided to leave to head back home, someone else had decided to introduce themselves and talk to the group.
"Excuse me, but I couldn't help but over hear your guys conversation and hear that you all partake in killing the Destroyer" said a different MgRonalds employee as he had platinum blonde hair and honey colored eyes.
"Yes, you'd be current mister…" said Darkness, "How rude of me for not introducing myself, my name is Shiro Ashiya, and I'd actually like to learn more about that mechanical monstrosity and as to what became of this neighborhood if you don't mind me asking" said Ashiya.
"I've got no problem sharing what had happened, especially to those who are new to the neighborhood" said Tanya calmly, "How delightful, excuse me a minute so that I may inform my master that I'm going to be on my break" said Ashiya as he turned back to the counter.
"Suppose he was talking about the guys who mans the counter, what do you suppose their relationship and status are" said Beatrice drinking her cola.
"Honestly it could be anything from a master and slave thing, or even him being someone of royal blood and that's his man servant" added Yuri.
"Whatever the case, we should expect the unexpected since no one who comes here, including us, are exactly normal" said Naofumi as they all nodded to that statement.
With Kazuma
Now back home and alone, Kazuma went straight to his room as he was lucky in able to purchase a photo frame from his old friend and boss Ruffian for what was waiting for him at home.
Apparently the thing that Darkness gave him before they stepped out for lunch was probably the one and only photo he'll ever have of him and Aqua proving themselves to be not only teammates, but also a couple.
Having already downloaded the photo onto his computer before sending it to the houses printer, one of the few things to survive, he now had the perfect photo for him to admire in his down time whenever he was alone.
Granted he wasn't entirely alone as far as he and everyone else knows, but the gesture and sentimental behind it got Aqua's heart to move as she stood by Kazuma's side.
Having his fill of food, Kazuma eventually dosed off like he always does as a means of having nothing better to do and kill time now.
However his slumber is generally short lived and filled with a new nightmare centered around his failure in keeping Aqua safe, and making him feel like a lesser man.
However this nightmare was different as it wasn't the first time he had experience it.
Quite frankly it was starting to be haunting enough by how repetitive it was, since this dream was him and Aqua forcibly restrained by their friends who all wear masks as if they got in between in keeping their for each other apart, before half of his friends threw Aqua behind a door that was nothing but a never ending black abyss.
More so as he's usually there sitting down reduced to the ground in tears, that's when his friends start taking off their masks where they laugh maliciously at him, like they did many times before.
Granted it was weird since now that these dreams become more frequent, that a lot of the faces he saw were clear, including the faces of people he's never seen or met before.
But what's haunting him the most is that sitting in between all of this was an old man with a long wavy beard and hair as he wore fancy dress clothing as he reached his hound out for Kazuma and a smile letting him know that everything will be fine.
However, Kazuma always notice there was someone sitting behind this man with his back towards him and everyone, but this time was different as Kazuma had gain the strength to peak over and see who it was.
Whoever it was, it wasn't someone he knows as he wore the same dark attire like all of his friends and had his mask resting on his head, that had long red wavy hair as he gave Kazuma as sick evil smile on par of that of the Joker.
Looking at Kazuma, it made him feel on easy as this man began to stand up before Kazuma as he began to open his mouth to say something.
"Leave me to fade out the light" said this man as the whole world turned black and white like a noir film as Kazuma was left with cold sense of dread in his heart, just as this man was starting to cover his face with that mask, before said mask fused with his face to become one.
"And uncage the night" he growled with enough for to send Kazuma flying back as Kazuma was sent spiraling into the black abyss as he could hear nothing but the drowning sounds of his friends most taunting laughter.
And at that moment when Kazuma woke up, he was thankful that it was all but a dream, as he was left confused as to what he should make of these dreams and if they're a sign of him needing psychological help or an omen of some kind.
Whatever it was, he was still left looking at the ceiling of his room, and with a new headache since everything that's been going on plus his dreams have done nothing but caused him grief.
But soon, soon all of this will come to end, and he doesn't even know it yet as far from society an all too familiar boat was washing back onto shore.
Alright guys another chapter down and posted, I know there's some level of confusion to all of this in terms of like story pacing and time framing and all that.
So incase I haven't said it before this is but an alternative route that I had made on my first fanfic account and when writing Once a NEET always a NEET, where I recommend reading that first to get more up to speed and how we all some how got here.
Otherwise stick around as more chapters are to come, and until then be safe, be good people, and please support your local fandom communities.
This has been your Humble Narrator and official author Tobi Yaza. =3