Chapter 5: Premonition of Death...
Darkness had returned from her home and was sitting in guildhall with Aqua, Megumin and Kazuma.
"Waah! Kazuma! Please, give me money!"
Spoke Aqua, who was lying on her chest on the table while gripping Kazuma's collar and crying.
"Why do I have to give you money, didn't you get money from cabbage harvest and the quest?"
"I am in debt! I owe this bar 300,000 eris. I used the other money for food, please you have to help, Kazuma!"
"Who told you buy so many drinks and gamble your money, debt goddess!"
Shouted Kazuma.
Aqua ignored him and kept crying.
She was getting annoying every second, so Kazuma smacked her head.
But now, she was crying even louder and getting attention from other adventurers present.
"Dammit it all!"
Kazuma shouted in frustration.
He pulled Aqua away, relieving his collar from her grip.
He took out the money and gave it to her, and she immediately started smiling, which made Kazuma grit his teeth.
Darkness and Megumin were just watching the show.
Aqua happily went to some shady guys and gave them the money and came back.
"Let's do a quest, I don't have money for food!"
She spoke happily.
Kazuma thought about ditching her while in a quest, outside the town in a forest.
But unfortunately, he wasn't so heartless.
"Yes, since we all have gathered again, let's just get some high level quest."
"The break from quest wasn't so long, but it doesn't matter."
Spoke Darkness, then Megumin, who were sitting across the table, in front of Kazuma.
Aqua stood up and went towards the bulletin board.
"Are you sure you don't wanna go with her, Kazuma?"
"Yeah, she might accept some dangerous quest, not that it matters when I can cast explosion, kuku..."
Spoke Darkness, who was getting red and Megumin.
Kazuma exhaled again.
Kazuma can't even count exactly how many times he sighs while he's with his party.
He stood up from the sit seat and went towards Aqua, who was looking at the bounties.
"... Good!"
Aqua earned another smack to her head.
She tore bounty of bounty for exterminating griffon and matiacore for 800,000 eris.
"What good?! You will be the first to die if you accept this, idiot."
Shouted Kazuma.
Kazuma will seriously be consumed by madness.
He keeps losing his aloof and cool demeanor.
Aqua and Kazuma started looking at bounty board, but there were just a few more quests than before.
Most of them were still high-difficulty quests.
"Ah!"
Suddenly, Aqua yelped and showed Kazuma a client request.
Kazuma read the description with a scowl on his face.
The lake, which is one of the water sources of town, has been polluted. Brutal Alligators have moved into the lake. We request someone who purify the polluted lake. The monster will leave once it's purified, so there's no need to engage with the monsters. Reward for completing the quest is 300,000 eris.
"It's a quest made for me! The person who posted this must know of my true identity. Say it, you know too right, go on say it! Who am I?"
" 'The dumbest goddess in god's realm', the goddess of party tricks, Aqua."
"As if! That's not it. I am goddess of water, purifying a lake is easy for me!"
Aqua spoke haughtily after puffing out her chest and placing her hand on it.
300,000 eris for just purifying a lake is a great deal.
The problem is alligators.
"You can do this quest alone. You can also keep all the reward."
"Won't the monsters attack me while I am purifying, so you have to protect me until I am done."
Protect her from the monsters that are named 'Brutal'. On top of that, there will be multiple of them.
"How long will it take you to purify the whole lake?"
Aqua tilted her head and poked her cheek with her finger.
"About half a day."
After she finished, Kazuma slammed the bounty back on the board.
"Waah! No! Please, I beg you! There's no other easy quest! Please help me, Kazuma-sama!"
She started crying again.
"How does the process of purifying works?"
"For a goddess of my caliber, I just need to touch the water, and it will purify automatically."
She could purify anything by just touching, probably the only water goddess-like thing she can do.
Kazuma took a thinking pose and got lost in the train of thoughts.
"Hm, I have an idea."
Kazuma mouth changed into a devious smirk.
There is a quite large lake a kilometer away from town.
It was told in the bounty description that this lake is one of the water sources.
The stream went straight into town, which makes this even more important quest to complete.
As stated, the lake was very murky because of pollution.
"... Hey, are we really going to compete quest this way?"
Spoke Aqua, who was in a cage on top of a horse drawn carriage.
She was uneasy for some reason.
They were going to push the cage into water.
Deep enough so that Aqua is touching the water with her body.
For safety measures, they are gonna tie the cage with chain and bind the chain somewhere, if anything goes wrong, they will pull the cage out with the help of horses.
"I feel like some rare captured monster that's going to be sold..."
Kazuma thought if they sold slaves or monsters in this world, and felt like asking, but didn't.
They arrived to their destination and moved the cage to the side of the lake.
Aqua's buttocks and feet were submerged into the water of the lake.
The cage was pretty tough, made of steel.
They borrowed the cage from the guild for this quest.
Why does the guild have cages? For quest that needed monsters captured alive.
If it was made to capture monsters, then it would be strong enough to not get broken by 'Brutal' Alligators.
She claims that she can purify the whole lake just by touching, and can remain under water for a whole day without breathing.
Again, these are the only godly things about her.
"I feel like a tea bag..."
Aqua hugged her knees and whined.
-2 hours in.
She was still soaking in the water.
The water around Aqua had started to become slightly transparent.
Kazuma, Megumin and Darkness were standing on a small hill near the lake.
There are no signs of monsters coming for Aqua's head.
"Aqua, is it cold in the lake? Tell us if you want to go to the restroom or something!"
Yelled Darkness and Aqua yelled back-
"I don't need to go to the restroom! Arch-priests don't go to the restroom!"
-something stupid.
Kazuma face-palmed himself.
"Seems everything going smoothly. Also, Crimson Demons don't have the necessity to go to the restroom either, just for your information."
Megumin also spoke something unreasonable.
"Crusaders too don't go... to rest... ugh!"
Kazuma exhaled.
"No need for you to compete with these idiots."
10 more minutes in.
"No alligators are showing up. At this rate, this will end peacefully. I won't get the chance for explosion!"
"If you use explosion, you'll blow up Aqua too, so you better not do anything reckless!"
Spoke Megumin then Kazuma.
-4 hours since quest began.
Kazuma noticed thrills in the water approaching Aqua.
After a few moments, they showed their faces.
The brutal alligators were as big as normal alligators back on Earth.
Seeing full figure of the monsters, they looked very scary.
They had purple skin, 2 horns and yellow eyes.
"K-k-kazuma! There are a lot-AH!"
Until now, Aqua was just sitting in the cage and purifying water passively but now, she started chanting a spell that purifies to fasten the process.
"Purification! Purification! Purifi-!"
Aqua chanted nonstop.
The monsters were attacking and biting the cage constantly.
"The cage- Kazuma! The cage is making creaking noises!"
Aqua yelled in fear.
"Want to come out?"
Kazuma spoke, loud enough for her to hear.
"I-I don't want to give up! I need my money! All this time would be waste if I give up! Purification! Purification! Purification! Puri-! AH! Waaah! The cage will probably break, the noises are getting louder!"
Terrified, yet not giving up.
"It seems like fun inside the cage..."
Mumbled Darkness.
"Want to go?"
Spoke Kazuma.
"Really?"
"Yeah!"
Kazuma spoke with smile and happy glittering aura around him. [1]
Darkness was surprise, and she started to run towards the lake, but Kazuma caught her collar and clicked his tongue.
"Hm, may aswell kill them for experience."
Kazuma spoke.
"W-what, why! Then I will cast my explosion too!"
"Stupid! Your explosion won't only kill monsters, but Aqua too!"
Megumin pouted.
"T-then, I will help!"
Excited Darkness ran towards the alligator with her sword in her hands.
Kazuma didn't felt like actually hitting their hard skins with his sword.
"If you wanna help, use intermediate spells."
Kazuma said to Megumin.
"Fireball!"
Kazuma shouted and a fairly big fireball hit one of the alligators around Aqua.
-7 hours since beginning.
Alligators were gone, some were killed by them.
Only damaged cage remained in the transparent water, which is reflecting the sky.
Aqua inside that cage with depressing aura around her, hugging her knees and looking down.
Aqua was dead silent now.
She was crying while hugging her knees.
"If you were so terrified, then you should have given up, now get out of there. 300,000 eris, all yours."
Kazuma spoke.
Kazuma looked closely.
"Oye, get out, the alligators are gone..."
"Take me back like this..."
She spoke softly while still sniffing.
They were moving the cage on the carriage again.
Inside the town, heading towards the guild.
Passerby were looking at them, or more like looking at pitiful Aqua inside the cage.
She was humming and singing something.
"Aqua, we are already back in town, get out. You are gathering attention. It's safe now, get out of the cage."
Spoke Megumin.
"This is my sacred realm. World outside is terrifying."
Aqua spoke softly.
"She's really terrified, it must have been really fun inside."
Spoke Darkness getting excited.
Kazuma exhaled at this stupid conversation going on.
"It would only be fun for masochist like you."
The quest was completed safely, except for Aqua being scarred.
"G-Goddess-sama! Aren't you goddess-sama?! What are you doing in that cage!"
Someone shouted behind Kazuma.
He was running towards the cage Aqua is in.
He grabbed the bars and bent them to create an opening for Aqua to get out.
"Seriously?!"
Spoke Megumin amazed.
That was quite impressive, more like inhuman.
A dashing young man about Kazuma's height, brown hair, dark eyes, and a somewhat good physique.
He is clad in dark blue armor with gold borders and a black cape.
He had a fancy great sword sheathed behind his waist.
Megumin was dumbstruck, and Kazuma observed the man with narrowed eyes as he reached out to Aqua.
"Oye, don't act casually with my companion. Who are you? If she knows you, why isn't she reacting?"
Despite his expressions remaining the same, Kazuma was actually surprised by Darkness genuinely getting angry.
The man just sighed, shook his head and ignored Darkness.
At this point, she should be turned on from the humiliation, but was pissed off instead.
"Goddess-sama! Goddess Aqua-sama!"
The unknown man spoke.
Aqua looked up and made a confused face.
As if realizing something, her face brightened up.
"Ah! Yes, I am goddess of water, Aqua. What do you need from a goddess? You guys are helpless without me, aren't you, Puhehe!"
Aqua came out of the cage, and Kazuma's expressions went to irritated again.
She titled her head after looking at the man.
"Uh... who are you...?"
She asked.
The man's eyes widened in surprise.
"What are you saying goddess-sama! It's me!"
He pointed to his own face.
"Mitsurugi Kyoya, I received the cursed sword, Gram, from you! The chosen hero!"
Kazuma's expressions brightened up.
He wanted to laugh like crazy, but held back.
He realized he was another Japanese who was sent here with cheat.
This guy thought he was some OP Isekai protagonist, chosen hero crap, heh.
This guy has hero complex.
How pitiful.
A few moments later, after controlling his laughter, Kazuma starting looking at him with sympathetic eyes.
Aqua still had her head titled, in fact, her face changed to confused now.
When Kazuma looked around, he also realized the man had companions.
They blushed a little when Kazuma spotted them.
Two girls, both exhibitionists like Chris.
The girl on left had petite figure, purple eyes and green hair tied in ponytail. She's wearing purple-black bra-like top, long blue scarf, black shorts, dark brown stockings and light brown boots. She had a spear on her back.
The girl on right, cute girl with somewhat good figure, purple eyes and maroon hair tied in two braids. She's wearing an orange bra top and skirt. She's also wearing a white hooded small coat. She had a dagger on her waist.
"Ah, yes! Sorry I forgot about you! I sent a lot of people here, so it can't be helped..."
Aqua spoke with an awkward smile and laugh.
The man, who calls himself "Mitsurugi", still seemed shocked, but smiled.
"Eh, yeah, it's been a while, Aqua-sama! As your chosen hero, I have been working hard every day since I came here! My job is a advanced job, Swordmaster. I am already at level 37! Oh, yes... why was a goddess like you in a cage? Or, rather, why were you locked inside there?"
Mitsurugi spoke and then looked at Kazuma.
Kazuma's expressions were deadpan.
He knew what was coming.
A guy with hero complex, strong sense of 'justice' and 'righteousness', you could expect 'that' from him next.
In Mitsurugi's eyes, Kazuma was the one who locked her in there.
He looked at Kazuma with fury and anger in his eyes.
Why does he care about her so much, what a sped.
His hero complex was probably born from Aqua's carelessness in her work.
Megumin explained what happened to Mitsurugi.
"Preposterous! This is too illogical! What were you thinking locking a goddess in a cage for a mere lake quest!"
Mitsurugi gripped Kazuma's collar.
"Stop, what are you doing. This is nothing. Quest was a bit scary, but was resolved easily! The reward was 300,000 eris, and they are letting me take it all!"
Mitsurugi looked at Aqua with pitiful eyes after she finished.
"Aqua-sama, you are being treated too irrationally! You are a goddess, goddess! After such a sacrifice, you earned merely 300,000 eris? Where do you even stay at night?"
Kazuma was starting to get irritated.
This guy was very annoying and rude.
He isn't understanding a single thing.
"In the... stables..."
Aqua said with her head tilted.
Mitsurugi was shocked.
Not only Mitsurugi, but Megumin, and Darkness too.
They didn't know she stayed there.
They felt like asking why she stayed there, but Mitsurugi got even angrier and annoying.
He grabbed Kazuma's collar with force but Kazuma didn't flinch.
Kazuma was at his limit, this was going too far.
Darkness grabbed Mitsurugi's hand with raging eyes.
"You've been rude and unreasonable all this while! You just met Kazuma, there should be a limit to how insolent you can be!"
Megumin had picked up her staff.
Mitsurugi released Kazuma's collar before it was too late, and observed Darkness and Megumin.
"I see, an arch-wizard and a crusader! You have been blessed with wonderful companions! Don't you feel ashamed for letting Aqua-sama sleep in stables when you have such excellent comrades?! You said your job was the weakest class, adventurer, right?"
Only if he knew that they were shocked from learning she stayed in stables too.
Kazuma didn't care where she stayed, he gave her money, she spends it.
But now, he'll have to look at where she spends it, otherwise, she'll create more debt, which he'll have to pay.
And yes, Kazuma lied about his class.
He thought mentioning the weakest class would do some good to the situation, but it backfired.
He didn't have many strong skills or spells to call himself 'Champion' anyways.
Adventurer could learn the skills he currently had, except for Advanced one-handed skill and other advanced skills.
"I heard it's normal for adventurers to stay in the stables, why is he mad?"
Kazuma asked Aqua and she whispered to him:
"I think since he was granted a special legendary sword, he completed a bunch of high-difficulty quests. He probably has no worries about money. That's actually the usual case for people with special power or item."
Indeed, it is, Kazuma is one of them too.
Kazuma realized something, Kazuma wasn't able to do high-difficulty quests.
It's because of the class he chose, and Murasame not having spammable powerful skill or powerful buffs.
Kazuma sighed, why'd he chose this sword...
He actually had to work hard to earn money since coming here.
Why is this guy acting mighty when he has over-powered item and lived leisurely, while Kazuma had to work so hard from the start.
"Are you two sleeping in stables too? It must have been hard. Please join me from now on. I will provide you with great equipment and a place to stay! The balance of team is great too! Swordmaster, Crusader, Warrior, Thief, Arch-Wizard, Arch-Priest. A match made in heaven!"
They aren't staying in the stables, but Mitsurugi didn't give them the opportunity to answer him.
Kazuma's party started discussing between themselves.
He just observed the situation with a deadpan face.
He didn't care about the outcome.
The terms Mitsurugi offered weren't bad.
Kazuma was just level 12 rookie, while he is level 37 sword master with over-powered item, the difference is quite big.
He might actually beat Demon King and help Aqua go back to her Realm.
The outcome was here.
"It feels wrong. The self-righteous way in which he speaks makes me cringe. And his narcissistic tendencies frighten me."
"I feel physically repulsed by this man from some reason. I prefer active ones over passive ones, but somehow he makes me want to beat him up."
"Can I blow him up? Can I use my explosion spell on this man who has never faced hardship?"
They said such things.
Kazuma was confused, despite him giving them a great offer, they still refused.
Are they stupid?
Kazuma felt a tug on his white t-shirt.
"Kazuma, let's hurry to adventurer's guild, okay?"
Kazuma actually agreed with her for the first time, probably.
It's best to ignore the hero complex man.
He's a gone case and very irritating and annoying.
"You heard them, they don't want to accompany you. In fact, you creep them out, you are very annoying. Now, we'll be going."
After finishing, Kazuma led the horse drawn carriage with them as they go.
And that bastard did it, he was standing in front of now furious Kazuma.
"Get. Out. Of. My. Way."
Kazuma said with cold eyes.
"Sorry, but Aqua-sama granted me this sword. After seeing my benefactor in such state, I can't possibly ignore this! You can't save the world, the one who'll defeat Demon King will be me! It would be better for Aqua-sama to follow me... how about this, you fight me and if I win, I will take Aqua-sama and if you win, you can ask anything from me."
"Hmph, let's go. Begin!"
Kazuma shouted.
Kazuma was at his limit, irritated and angry.
He didn't waste any time, he unsheathed Murasame and thrusted it at Mitsurugi.
"Huh, w-wait!"
Mitsurugi jumped back in panic and unsheathed his Gram from behind his waist.
"Steal!"
Kazuma raised his left arm towards Mitsurugi and shouted.
What appeared in his hand was a big and full wallet filled with money.
"Tch!"
Kazuma was displeased.
He saw Mitsurugi rushing at him.
What a novice thing to do.
Kazuma was well-aware and threw the wallet towards his face.
Mitsurugi staggered while dodging the wallet, he couldn't decide whether to block it or slash it.
Mitsurugi was about to swing his sword in arc to hit Kazuma, but Kazuma was the first to take action.
"Steal!"
Another steal with left hand, and what appeared this time was something very heavy.
That was a big gamble, but hit the jackpot.
Kazuma couldn't handle the sudden weight in his left arm, and the sword fell and bonked Mitsurugi's head, making him fall unconscious on ground. [2]
Wanting to end this quickly, Kazuma only made use of one skill.
He had gambled on stealing or blocking, if he'd miss the jackpot, he'd been hit or injured.
Was that guy seriously planning to wound Kazuma?
"Scumbag! Scumbag! Scumbag! Scumbag!"
"How dirty! You played dirty! Can't you fight honorably?"
The stupid man's companions yelled at Kazuma.
Kazuma's right eye twitched.
"Shut up, exhibinionists!"
Spoke Kazuma.
Everyone else were just observing the scene.
A crowd had gathered from the noises made by Kazuma and Mitsurugi.
"Exhib- You are seriously a scumbag!"
Spoke spear girl.
"A level 37 fighting a level 12 and still lost, pitiful. He's all brawn and no brains. He should have expected the probability of being disarmed, annoying dumb bastard."
"Tch! Damn you!"
The spear girl clicked her tongue and said.
"I will take his sword as the price."
Spoke Kazuma.
"W-wait, only Kyoya can use the true power of that sword. For others, it's a normal sword."
The dagger girl spoke.
Kazuma looked at Aqua for confirmation and she spoke:
"That's true, only that rude guy can use the power of that sword. It bestows one with inhuman arm strength when wielded, and is sharp enough to cut through steel like a vegetable. But, in Kazuma's hand, it's a normal sword."
Inhuman strength buff explains how he bent the cage bars easily.
"Doesn't matter, I will still take it."
A spear girl came rushing furiously at Kazuma.
"You played dirty, and you are taking the sword?!"
She stood before him and raised her right hand in air to slap him.
She was about to slap Kazuma.
Darkness had tried to stop her, but was late.
Before the hand reached Kazuma's cheek, he blocked her hand with his left hand and slapped her with his right hand instead. [3]
Everyone fell in dead silence.
"That idiot and his companions both are so annoying. I won with my efforts. It's his fault for challenging me in the first place. Again, a level 37 challenging a level 12, and I can't even use all my skills?"
Kazuma shouted in anger.
The girl covered her left cheek with her left hand and was on the verge of crying.
"Brute!"
She screamed and ran away, and the dagger girl followed her shortly after.
"Kazuma, I know you are a brute, and all but that went too far, you can abuse me to vent you frustration..."
Darkness said with scornful eyes, yet red face and heavy breathing.
Others were looking at him with scornful eyes too.
"Eh, well, it was done in self-defense. Purely instincts."
He sighed, letting his anger, irritation and frustration escape.
"Anyways, let's go."
Kazuma spoke and others followed him.
Others went to guild to get reward or eat.
Kazuma went to sell the Gram sword he earned.
He went inside the guild after selling the sword, and found Aqua wailing already.
"W-why?! I didn't break it, that Mitsurugi guy bent the bars! Why do I have to pay?!"
Luna was asking her to pay a repair fee for the broken cage.
Mitsurugi had bent the cage's bars, and the cage was very expensive.
Kazuma went to sit beside Darkness, who was sitting with Megumin on a barstool-like chair.
After a few moments, Aqua came to them with a dejected look.
She sat beside them too and said:
"They deduct 200,000 eris from my reward as compensation for broken cage. Next time I see that man, I will smack him with a god blow and get 200,000 back!"
Aqua spoke grundgingly.
She was gritting her teeth.
Meeting Mitsurugi was a disaster.
While Kazuma actually slapped that girl because of self-defense, other people will surely not understand and rumors will be spread.
Speaking of the devil, Kazuma heard that familiar voice shouting his name.
"Satou Kazuma! Here you are you! I heard that you cover girls in slime, and you are brute who hits woman. People call you, Devilish Kazuma and such!"
Spoke Mitsurugi, who had rushed here with his two companions hiding behind him.
Kazuma sighed after hearing that.
Aqua noticed Mitsurugi and was clenching her fist.
"Aqua-sama, I swear after getting my sword back I wil- Ack!"
"God Blow!"
She slugged him with her right hand.
He was blown away from her punch, guess god blow actually have some use.
His companions rushed to help collapsed Mitsurugi.
"You broke the cage! Now, give me 300,000 eris for compensation, right now. Pay up!"
Kazuma was a little surprised by her sly trick.
Wasn't the fee 200,000 eris.
Heh, guess she can actually use her tiny brain for some good.
Mitsurugi widened his eyes, but realized what was going on.
He took out the money and gave it to Aqua, and she happily accepted it and went back to sit.
"It's shameless and selfish for me to say this now but, where is my sword, Gram, Satou Kazuma? It wouldn't be of any use to you. If you want a sword, I will buy you the most expensive sword in this town, but can you give my sword back? Isn't your sword already very expensive, though?"
So Mitsurugi said.
How sad, he wanted his sword back.
He is straight up useless without the sword.
Heh, is his intelligence as good as Aqua's? Choosing an item which will make you useless without it in your hand.
"Using me as a prize without my permission, and now asking for your sword back in exchange for an expensive one. This deal won't do! Do you think my worth is equal to an expensive sword in a shop? Insolent fool! I am a goddess, goddess! What are you thinking using me as some prize of street fight! Now, shoo get out, scram!"
Aqua said while looking at her menu.
Mitsurugi was speechless.
He turned pale.
The women he was trying to get into his party just insulted the crap out of him.
"That's not it, Aqua-sam-"
Megumin was tugging on Mitsurugi's sleeves.
Mitsurugi looked towards Megumin.
"Hm..? What is it little girl?"
"The sword is no longer in his possession."
Said Megumin.
She pointed towards Kazuma.
Mitsurugi was already pale, now his eyes widened even more and mouth opened.
"S-Satou Kazuma... where's my sword gram?"
Mitsurugi said with a wierd smile.
Kazuma pulled out his wallet.
Mitsurugi was getting cold sweats.
Kazuma spoke 2 words:
"Sold it."
"Damn you~!"
He ran out of guidlhall.
Shouldn't he have asked where Kazuma sold it?
Is he dumber than Aqua?
"What's this that guy, so annoying. Speaking of which, why was he calling Aqua a goddess all this time?"
Spoke Darkness, who usually is quiet.
"Hm, yes, it's very wierd."
Spoke Megumin.
They both had serious expressions.
Kazuma just looked through the menu.
"Time to tell you the truth seriously. I am goddess of water, Aqua! That's right, the goddess axis order worships. I am a real goddess!"
"Must have been a nice dream."
Aqua was hit by shock.
They both said same thing.
"That's wrong! I am saying the truth! It's no dream!"
They didn't believe her.
Who would believe a goddess having 1 IQ.
A goddess who wastes her money on gambling and drinking booze, bear, and wine.
A goddess always crying, shouting, and complaining.
She's just a annoying girl who Kazuma has to bear with.
But why does he have to bear with her, he thought.
He should just let her get eaten by monsters on a quest, right?
"Emergency broadcast! Emergency broadcast! Attention all adventurers, please prepare all your equipments and head to main gate for battle immediately! I repeat, emergency broadcast! All adventurers, prepare you equipment and head to main gate for battle immediately."
A broadcast interrupted Kazuma, his party and everyone else in the town.
They already had their equipments on because of the recent quest.
They headed to the main gate with other adventurers.
Mitsurugi guy wouldn't come since Kazuma sold his sword.
The weather was bad.
Thunder roaring through the black clouds in the sky.
Cold and harsh winds blowing.
It was as if the world could end any moment.
All the adventurers stood in front of the main gate, pale.
Their eyes widened, they are getting cold sweats while staring at the small hill in front of the town.
This was fear.
They were terrified.
"Boys, today we seriously dine in hell."
Spoke Ruffian sweating hard as hell.
The thing they were blankly staring at was:
Sitting back of a headless horse. Clad in black shining armor with dark blue gilded borders. A huge blue great sword on his back. His own head on his left head.
Staring at us with those red evil eyes from behind the helmet that covered his head. If you look closely, you could see rotten skin.
A thunder striked behind him.
After half a second, the head spoke in high volume and distorted voice:
"... I am Demon King-sama's Vassal, Hero Slayer, Dullahan Beldia."
An ominous aura started sprouting from him.
Half of the adventurers present got even more terrified than before, it felt like they'd pee themselves any moment.
Skill, Undead Aura. This strikes fear in anyone with shallow will power. A curse of fear.
This didn't affect Darkness, who had abnormal stat resistance.
And Kazuma, who had Champion's skill, Lion's Heart. This skill was the same as Abnormal Stat resistance, but also provided resistance against illusion spells like sleep.
"Every. Single. Day, which one you maniac casts an explosion on my castle? Show yourself immediately."
The Dullahan's voice was distorted, but got colder and a little angry too.
He kept his cool however.
Adventurers started murmuring.
They didn't know what Dullahan was talking about.
Kazuma looked at Megumin.
"Explosion, right?"
"I know someone who can use explosion."
"That would be..."
Some adventurers spoke, then looked towards Megumin, who was sweating already.
Seeing those adventurers, others also looked at her.
Kazuma thought about explosions practice she had talked about and went to with Aqua.
Was their target his castle?
He face palmed, idiots.
Megumin looked at another mage who was holding her staff.
"H-huh? Me? I can't advanced magic, let alone explosion magic! Don't look at me. I don't want to die, I have two little brothers!"
Poor girl being framed by the real criminal.
The gazes of adventurers who were looking at another mage went back to Megumin.
Megumin resolved and walked towards the Dullahan.
Dullahan noticed her approaching, and his gaze diverted towards Megumin.
"Hmph, so it's you. If you wanted to challenge me, then enter the castle! Don't annoy me with such sly tricks! I came here to investigate something, I thought about annihilating this whole town at first. I think I should do that right now! This will all be your fault, moron!"
The Dullahan was seriously angry.
He came here to investigate something...
Megumin was scared from Dullahan's terrifying voice and yelling.
She flicked her cape.
That idiot.
"My name is Megumin! As an arch-wizard, I have mastered explosion magic!"
"Huh? What kind of name is Megumin? Are you mocking me?"
"That's not it!"
Dullahan restorted at Megumin's introduction.
"I am an elite from Crimson Demon's village! I kept casting explosion to lure you out of your castle! You took the bait, fufu; your end is near."
She didn't even knew that was his castle.
When did it turned to her plan.
Seeing Megumin terrified, Darkness and Aqua also walked towards the front and beside Megumin.
"Crimson Demon, huh? Hmph, still, I didn't come here to deal with small fries from beginners town. A fortune-teller from Demon King's army told us about something powerful descending in this town about 1 or 2 weeks ago. I will be staying in the castle and investigating. Don't bother me again. If you are unlucky and I get tired of this investigation, I will annihilate this whole town, heh."
Dullahan spoke coldly as he was about to return to his castle.
Something powerful descending?
Kazuma, who's still with the crowd of adventurers, looked towards Aqua.
Maybe it's her descending from purgatory.
"Crimson Demons will die if they don't cast explosion once per day!"
Spoke Megumin.
That girl is seriously is idiot.
She has a death wish.
The dullahan was going to return peacefully, but she interrupted.
Dullahan stopped.
He turned back, this time his aura was even more ominous, dark and evil.
"So, you wish to die? Very well, wish granted. I may be Dullahan right now, but I was once an honorable knight, I have no intention to massacre the weak, however..."
Dullahan pointed his finger towards Megumin.
Dullahan's hand was sprouting black sparkling aura.
"I sentence thee to death. You will die in 7 days!"
Dullahan got her, premonition of death, Megumin's done.
Everyone turned pale, and terrified.
They pitied the little girl.
Darkness jumped in front of Megumin, and she took the Dullahan's spell herself.
Darkness screamed in pain.
Megumin was stunned.
Megumin went to help Darkness, who was on her knees now.
"Darkness... are you... okay?"
"It didn't really hurt..."
Then why did you scream?
She just ruined the whole dark and cool atmosphere
Kazuma couldn't help but walk to the scene himself too.
"Hm, crusader, you have my praise for such knightly act. But now listen, little crazy girl, your precious friend will die in 7 days, as the sentence of death consumes her, and this is all your fault!"
Megumin's eyes widened as Dullahan spoke.
She was sweating, and regretting.
She should regret being an idiot.
"Idiot, if you had just let him leave before opening your stupid mouth."
Spoke Kazuma loud enough for Megumin to hear.
He was standing behind Megumin and Darkness.
"If you want to save your friend, then come to my throne in my castle. If you can make it there, I will probably free her of the curse, or you will have to defeat me first. Hahaha!"
The Dullahan spoke and disappeared with his horse in a black and purple portal that appeared in thin air.
He laughed evilly as he went.
Kazuma exhaled.
All of this fault of one person.
The adventurers were stunned from the turn of events.
Megumin stood up.
"Sacred Break Spell!"
Aqua shouted with her staff in her hand.
The staff had appeared out of nowhere.
If Kazuma recalls correctly, it was created in thin air from blue light when she was rushing towards Megumin.
Somewhat like Murasame's summoning.
Aqua was surprised however.
"K-Kazuma, it's not working! My spell is not working, is my power limited in this world?"
She spoke.
All the ways blocked, except one.
Megumin was looking down dejected.
As if mustering resolve and courage, she looked up, stood up and said:
"Let's go, to the castle, Kazuma!"
Megumin spoke without realizing Kazuma was walking back to town.
When other adventurers saw him, they were surprised too.
"Kazuma?"
Megumin spoke then looked back to find Kazuma walking back.
"It's like a death wish. We'll die in an instant even if we make it to the throne room. Dullahan's hundred times more powerful than us."
Kazuma, who was walking back to town, spoke with cold voice.
This didn't just stun his party members, but everyone present. [4]
After word:
[1] You know that one scene in Tensura(Tensei Slime) where Benimaru asks Rimuru to kill Gabiru happily, imagine that here.
[2] I wanted to make this actual cool and good fight, but, eh uh, whatever I guess... I will make a fight between Dust and kazuma or another fight between them where he actually fights with full power.
[3] Cautious Hero fans knows where this from :) Seiya slapping Rosalie part, hehe. This part was fun to write, am not a sadist btw.
[4] Ho what's this Kazuma more like heartless than badass? Well, you gotta find out in next chapter hehe. This was the cliff hanger I talked about in afterword of previous chapter. What's gonna happen to Darkness, should I kill her? I control this story after all, muhahaha
Another very long chapter. It's 6k words, 6k. The longest chapter is chapter 2 with 7k words, dayum.
「Thanks to reviewers:
sanicraftprogamer: "Eh, uh, maybe?"
To BetweenIAndGirl: "It just got more interesting, is this enough for you to stick around now? Thanks if you do!"」