Decisive Battle
It has been 3 days since the appearance of "Hero Slayer, Dullahan Beldia", a general of the Demon King.
The Dullahan had cursed Darkness with 'Premonition of Death'. A powerful spell of Dullahans, a spell so powerful that even Aqua couldn't break it.
It is said that it requires 5 advanced level arch-priests casting 'Break Spell' simultaneously to dispel curse of 'Premonition of Death'.
Getting 5 advanced level arch-priests who can cast 'Sacred, Break Spell' is very difficult and can take a lot of time, about a month, sooner or later.
Kazuma haven't forgotten the terms the Dullahan stated in order to save Darkness.
He would have gone to Dullahan's castle once he had enough confidence in power level and his plans to defeat him.
Unfortunately, that situation can never occur now, the main subject is standing in front of the town, Axel.
Now, it is either kill or get killed, running is a side option, by the way.
Will Kazuma choose to run away and abandon the town?
"So, which one of you will die first?"
The Dullahan was standing in front of the main gate proudly, head in his left hand and blue giant great sword on his back. His headless horse can be seen walking into a purple-black portal, then disappearing with the portal.
Kazuma and others rushed to the scene and now stood a distance behind the Dullahan.
A lot of adventurers were present with their equipment.
Melee classes like Crusaders stood in front, and ranged classes like Archers and Mages at the back.
A decent formation, yet effective.
Most of them were afraid and panicking, and some stood bravely.
"Let's see just how strong a commandant of Demon King's Army really is!"
"Yeah, this might be a town of beginners, but there are a lot of high level people here too!"
"We'll show you, you piece of trash undead!"
Those who could still speak tried to encourage the people who are consumed by fear.
A taunt wouldn't work on the Dullahan.
"Hmph, high level or not, you can't beat me. I could wipe you all out myself, but allow me to show you some mercy."
Dullahan raised his right hand to the level of his chest and stiffened his fingers.
"Merciless Death Knights of destruction and chaos, I command you to summon under my name!"
At the end of his chanting, a big black abyss surrounded the Dullahan.
Zombies in tattered armor materialized from the black strings of the abyss as the abyss disappeared.
Death Knight, a zombie type undead that is a tier above Undead Knights. Undead Knights are knights or adventurers turned into zombies, they sometimes keep skills and magic from when they were alive. Unlike Undead Knights, Death Knights have a higher chance to keep skills and are more powerful.
Those Death Knights stood in front of the Dullahan in a shoulder to shoulder formation, ready to attack any moment.
Most of them were covered in black tattered armor and black rotten flesh.
They were missing some parts of their body like, having only half of their head.
They stood in front of the Dullahan proudly, like a hero. Unlike other zombies type monsters who would bent and growl, they stood there fearlessly with swords in their right-hand pointing to the dirt.
"High level fighters with magic sword come front quickly."
Someone who was standing at the front with heavy armor, a shield and a sword spoke as if he was the leader of every adventurers present. Well, someone has to take lead.
"Rookies get the holy water from the churches!"
A girl in priest clothing spoke while carrying a bible-like book in her right hand.
The adventurers put their words into action.
"Go my brethren, people of this town... Kill them all."
Dullahan spoke in a terrifying, distorted and cold voice.
"Megumin, get ready for explosion."
Kazuma, who had unsheathed Murasame, raised it in the air and spoke:
"Severing Slash!"
He spoke as he swung Murasame diagonally to the left side.
A slash-like projectile made of distorted air traveled towards the back of Dullahan at a tremendous speed and with a 'whoosh' sound.
Severing Slash, an advanced level swordsman skill that is a more powerful version of Wind Slash.
It's a very common skill among swordsmen.
The slash hit the Dullahan with a 'screech'.
The Dullahan didn't even flinch.
He was confused, and then he looked over to Kazuma and his party.
"Ah, you are so far away I couldn't sense you or the attack coming. Anyway, to be able to scratch the armor enchanted by myself and Demon King-sama-"
He laughed.
"That's a very amazing feat! Hm... Your faces seem familiar. Ah! I remember you, you are the crusader woman I cursed to die, right?"
The Dullahan spoke again.
To forget someone you cursed to die in mere 3 day, truly a heartless monster.
As they shared words, half of the Death Knights were fighting the adventurers while half were running towards Kazuma and his party.
Looking closely... they seemed to be facing Aqua...
As their party split to avoid getting massacred in seconds, they noticed all the Death Knights were only running for Aqua.
"Waaah! Why just me~! I-I am a goddess, a goddess who always do good deeds!"
"Ah! How sly! Why are they all chasing Aqua and not me!"
Darkness, who was the only one who hadn't flinched from the place, shouted in dismay.
To Kazuma, it seems the undeads are running to Aqua to seek salvation or something.
Only a quarter of all the those Death Knights are fighting the adventurers, so the huge amount of adventurers should do fine.
"What, why are you all chasing that priestess! I told you slaughter this whole town!"
Beldia shouted in panic as he looked at his minions not following his orders.
"Megumin, get ready to cast explosion on them when I say."
Kazuma spoke to Megumin who was standing beside him.
At this moment.
"Waaah! Kazuma-san! Kazuma-san~!"
Aqua shouted as she ran towards Kazuma.
"You moron, don't come towards me! Lure them to the Dullahan!"
"Please, I will pay for the dinner, help me get rid of these undeads! It's very weird! I purified some, but I can't seem to purify the others!"
Aqua spoke in distraught.
Kazuma had already found a plan to take care of them all.
"Megumin, start chanting it right now!"
Kazuma, who was running towards the Dullahan with Aqua beside him, shouted towards Megumin.
He thought of getting other Death Knights too, but it seems the adventurer can handle them easily.
Kazuma and Aqua, who are near the Dullahan, swiftly changed their direction to left and right.
"Megumin, now!"
Kazuma shouted.
"Hero Slayer, Beldia! Behold my power! Explo~sion!"
Megumin shouted while pointing her wooden staff towards the Dullahan as well as the Death Knights.
Huge magic circles formed in the air above the Death Knight army.
She ignited the spell in the middle of the Death Knight army.
Adventurers were finished with their batch of Death Knights too.
Few adventurers, who were injured and unable to fight for now, were lying at the back of the army of adventurers, and knights of the town who showed up too.
"Hmmm... everyone is lost for words after witnessing the power of explosion magic... feels so good..."
Megumin, who is lying on the ground, spoke proudly.
After Aqua cleared dust from her mouth, she picked Megumin up in a piggyback and walked towards the town.
Yes, she was lying on the ground.
She spent half the skill points earned from leveling up into explosion magic damage and faster chanting without telling Kazuma.
Kazuma, who had noticed her playing with her adventurer's card back in the dungeon, hurriedly stopped her before she could waste all the skill points.
Making the spell more powerful also consumes more mana, so the new staff is now ineffective.
"Don't celebrate so soon, let the smoke clear."
Kazuma spoke with a serious expression while observing the scene where Dullahan was.
Kazuma was now standing in front of the pack of adventurers.
Once the smoke cleared...
"Fuhahaha! Interesting! To think my strongest minions could be wiped out in the town of novice! You all have my praise. Alright, I will take care of you all by myself then..."
Dullahan, who emitted smoke because of the explosion, was undamaged.
Only a few dents and scratches were made on his black-blue armor, which has now lost its shine.
Beldia charged towards them with his blue giant great sword in his right hand.
The Dullahan was charging at them, so some adventurers who seemed to be mid level swords masters and crusaders charged towards the Dullahan.
They surrounded the Dullahan, giving him no place to escape.
"So, you wish to die first."
Beldia was standing in the center of them fearlessly, looking down on them.
"Hmph, if you somehow manage to defeat me, you will earn a hefty bounty. Come on, charge at me at once!"
Beldia provoked them to attack him.
All the warriors prepared to attack Beldia.
Beldia threw his head high in the sky.
Kazuma could easily understand the fact that Beldia has a bird's eye view of the battle now, but the barbaric warriors couldn't.
Beldia dodged all the attack from the warriors who attacked him simultaneously from different directions.
"Huh?"
One of the adventurers surrounding Beldia uttered.
This was very bad, Beldia will surely kill them all.
"Aqua! Perform your strongest holy magic!"
Kazuma shouted as the Beldia wielded his great sword, in both hands, on top of his shoulder.
A white staff with a flower on its tip had materialized itself from light blue particles into Aqua's hands.
She pointed the staff at Beldia.
Too late, Beldia had killed all those adventures who were surrounding him in one arc slash.
He grabbed his head as it fell down from the sky.
"Gaze upon the light, and disintegrate, evil, in its warm embrace! Sacred, Turn Undead!"
Aqua chanted and shouted the name of the spell at the end.
A huge cylinder of bright light that extended to the heavens surrounded the Dullahan.
The other adventurers standing in front of the gate just observed the scene.
"Gyah~!"
The Dullahan screamed as the light started disappearing into the sky.
He crouched as if in pain with his great sword's tip buried in the ground.
"K-Kazuma, its not working, my spell is not working on him!"
Aqua spoke in panic.
When the light disappeared, the Dullahan seemed unaffected too.
"That was very powerful holy magic, but this armor specializes in protecting me from holy spells, hahaha! But... why does the town of novice have such powerful arch-priest? Anyway, it gives me more reason to annihilate you!"
Dullahan stood up and spoke in amusement.
"Well then, who's next?"
He asked as he pointed his great sword towards them.
All the adventurers were intimidated by these words.
They just saw how skilled he is, he dodged simultaneous attacks from different directions like it was nothing, and killed them all in one blow.
"Trash, you are trash!"
A girl spoke in a high-pitched voice and seemed like she was about to cry.
The adventurers present are stricken with even more fear seeing the deaths of those adventurers just now.
"Just hold on a little longer... When Mitsurugi of the Cursed Magic Sword shows up, he'll kill you in one blow!"
A male adventurer yelled.
The name seemed familiar to Kazuma, but now was not the time to think about it.
"There's no point in relying on someone who hasn't shown up after so much commotion. We'll have to handle him ourselves... somehow."
Kazuma disagreed with those adventurers.
Kazuma noticed Aqua was pale for some reason, maybe because of witnessing death, and as the Dullahan walked towards us, Aqua ran to the side of adventurers who were just slashed by the Dullahan. [1]
Nobody wanted to oppose the Dullahan after seeing adventurers in heavy armor die in one blow, however...
"Oh, so you are my opponent?"
Beldia held his head in his left arm, and his great sword in his right arm resting on top of his shoulder.
He spoke to Darkness, who is standing before him, protecting Kazuma and Megumin, who was left behind by Aqua.
Darkness took a combat stance while shielding the two behind her, she didn't look like a masochist from her expressions.
Beldia was careful, witnessing Megumin and Aqua's power, he thinks Darkness would be trouble too.
He kept his guard on without moving.
Darkness always brags about her toughness, but can she really survive attacks from Beldia?
"In terms of toughness, I won't lose to anyone! I can use my skills on my armor and weapon too. His sword might be powerful, but do you really think it can cut through my defenses and steel armor like paper? From how adventurers were killed, Beldia seems to possess powerful sword skills. I want to test my defense against them!"
Darkness seemed furious for some reason.
"Even if you break through his armor, can your normal sword damage an undead?"
Kazuma asked Darkness, casually.
"Don't worry, Kazuma. Remember what you said? Crusaders can permeate and release holy magic through their swords. I have that ability and some other skills now."
Darkness was still furious, but showed a confident grin.
She raised the great sword, she is holding with both hands, in front of her chest.
"O' Goddess of Fortune, Eris-sama. I request thou to bestow sparks of thy holiness unto my sword!"
As she finished her chant, the sword with shining light grey steel blade and golden-white mixed color fancy hilt shone with faint light.
Getting into her combat stance again, Darkness charged at the Dullahan, ready to perform a full power left swing.
"Ho ho! So, you are taking the initiative. This will be a fun one, a Crusader and a Dullahan. Very well, then let the battle begin!" [2]
Dullahan, who brought his great sword down, didn't throw his head in air since it's only one opponent this time.
He seemed very confident in his abilities, as he did not even flinch from his fearless posture.
Darkness performed a left swing, and Beldia performed a downward slash to defend himself.
Clank!
Darkness and Beldia's great sword collided.
A crater seemed to form below them, probably because of Beldia's powerful attack.
They pushed their swords at their opponents in order to parry and break others' balance.
Being taller than Darkness, Beldia had upper hand.
"How dare you-! How dare you do that to them! As the one whose calling is to protect others, there are some things I cannot let pass!"
Darkness shouted in anger.
She was furious about Beldia killing those adventurers a few minutes ago.
Beldia broke Darkness's guard, but Darkness leaped back in time to avoid getting hit.
"Beldia~!"
Darkness shouted as she charged at Beldia again.
"It's inevitable that a holy knight would be my opponent, hahaha!"
Beldia laughed in amusement as he watched her charge at him.
Darkness closed distance between them and performed upwards vertical slash, but Beldia easily deflected it.
Darkness started attacking in row, swing after swing.
Left cut than a vertical slash, Beldia deflected the former and dodged the later by hopping behind.
Darkness who still had some brain left unlike Aqua, performed a left swing feint.
Beldia was baited, and Darkness took the chance.
"Sacred Thrust!"
Darkness shouted as she thrusted her sword into Beldia's stomach, opening a small gap in his armor and piercing into his rotten flesh.
The sword shone even more with brighter light for a mere second.
Skill 'Sacred Thrust' increases holy element for a mere second.
"Ah!"
Beldia let out a small yelp.
His armor is enchanted, not his flesh.
Attacking his raw flesh is effective, unlike attacking his armor.
Darkness quickly pulled out her sword, and was about to attack again, but was too late.
"Enough."
Beldia spoke in a cold and terrifying voice.
Beldia was faster than Darkness, he raised his great sword and diagonally slashed down Darkness with full power.
"All right, next- huh?"
He seemed confident that he had killed Darkness, but he only broke her chest plate partially.
Darkness's defenses are no joke.
She seemed to take a little damage as she was struggling to get up.
"I am not done yet!"
"So annoying."
Darkness spoke then Beldia.
Beldia ignored Darkness and proceeded to move towards Kazuma.
Darkness ran in front of Beldia and tried attacking him, but he leaned behind.
Beldia sighed in annoyance.
He threw his head in air once again.
He performed upwards vertical slash, sending Darkness in the air, then performed consecutive attacks.
His attacks were fast enough to keep Darkness hovering in air while taking hits.
One, two, three, four strikes...
Darkness armor started breaking pieces by pieces, she will seriously die if this goes on.
Beldia finished his barrage with a full powerful horizontal cut.
He sent Darkness flying back.
She seemed to take a lot of damage, and was seriously struggling to get up until she gave up and just lied down on dirt.
Beldia skillfully catched his head that dropped down from air.
"Ah, I sent her flying... I will kill her later."
Beldia spoke, disappointed.
He pointed his great sword towards Kazuma's head.
"You seem to belong to this unusually powerful group, so you will be my next opponent."
The Dullahan spoke in an intimidating voice.
Kazuma gestured an adventurer to take Megumin to a safe place.
"Care to help mages?"
Kazuma yelled, making the mages remember their job.
He faced the Dullahan in a battle-ready stance.
Left leg and arm in front, bent and right leg and arm behind, straightened. [3]
He held Murasame in the right hand.
Beldia stuck his sword in the ground and pointed at the mages with his right hand.
"I sentence thee to death! Thou will die in a weeks' time!"
Beldia cursed the mages present and destroyed their will to fight.
In dismay and distress, some of them fell to their knees.
Other mages did not dare to chant any spell at the Dullahan.
"If we beat him, the curse will be lifted, so fight!"
Kazuma tried encouraging the mages.
Hearing his words, some adventurers started mumbling until they let out a war cry too.
"If we don't fight, he'll kill us either way, so it's better to fight."
Kazuma spoke again.
Kazuma saw Beldia approaching him.
"Create Water!"
Kazuma raised his left hand and shouted.
A small blue magic circle formed in the sky on top of Beldia and shot water at him.
The Dullahan dodged the water in panic.
"Freeze!"
A gust of visible blue wind passed by Beldia freezing water in its path.
Beldia's legs froze in place.
Kazuma readied himself for another skill.
"Steal!"
He casted 'steal' on Beldia.
Steal, a skill that gave you the chance to take any valuable item from your opponent.
Skills in this world doesn't use stamina, it uses mana.
How can you explain an item teleporting from someone else to your hand with stamina? You can't. Everyone possesses mana in this world.
The more mana you concentrate, the more powerful the skill or magic would be, and it would increase the chance for success.
Using mana mostly go for skills like 'Scared Thrust', 'Steal' or 'Severing Slash', not all swordsman skills cost mana.
Unfortunately, nothing appeared in Kazuma's hands.
"Hmph, that was a nice trick, but unfortunately, I am a general in Demon King's Army, how much do you think is a difference between our power level?"
Beldia spoke casually, yet proudly.
"Chances are just low, it's not impossible. Thieves, cast 'Steal' on him!"
Kazuma responded to Beldia with confidence.
The thieves did as Kazuma said, but even consecutive steals didn't have much effect on him.
He needs Aqua to cast luck buff on everyone, or just him at least.
"Aqua! Cast 'Blessing' on them and me as many times as you can!"
Aqua did as Kazuma said, she casted the buff on him multiple times.
Considering them no threat at all, Beldia raised his hand to curse Kazuma as well.
Kazuma, lost in a train of thoughts to come up with an idea to beat the guy, charged towards the Dullahan with Murasame.
Charging straight to death wasn't a thing Kazuma would do at all.
As he closed in, Beldia raised his great sword to perform a vertical attack, Kazuma swiftly jumped to the side of the Dullahan and-
"Blade Flash!"
An unavoidable horizontal slash faster than speed of sound was directed towards Beldia's waist.
Blade Flash, a swordsman technique. A very powerful, and sharp sword attack performed faster speed of sound. Very simple, yet powerful skill.
This is usually used to unsheathe the sword and attack immediately faster than speed of sound itself, very much like Iaido of 'Old World', but superhuman-ish.
This skill doesn't use mana, but performing such superhuman-ish feat takes toll on the body.
"Gah~!"
A deep cut with a magic sword.
Beldia endured the pain and proceeded to cut Kazuma with his an arc slash, but Kazuma dashed backwards, gaining distance between them.
"A magic sword..."
Beldia grunted and mumbled.
On the other hand, Kazuma's expression changed to surprise as if realizing something, then back to emotionless.
He once again raised his left hand towards Beldia with palm flat open.
"Create Water."
He spoke, and a small jet of water shot towards Beldia, who once again dodged it.
"Steal!"
He gave it another shot, but only failure was result.
Beldia seemed annoyed.
"All right, I wasted enough time. Let's raze this town already."
Beldia spoke.
Kazuma simply ignored him.
"It's water, flowing water! Cast as many water spells as you can on him!"
Kazuma yelled to adventurers in front of the main gate, specifically to mages.
An undead's weakness, flowing water.
Back in 'Old World', Kazuma read that vampires and undead in general are afraid of flowing waters, as it is symbolized as something holy. It seems some information from his world carries on to this 'New World' too.
Hearing Kazuma's words, the wizards started chanting and casting water spells.
"Water Ball!"
"Water Torrent!"
"Create Water!"
"Water Pillar!"
The wizards chanted the name of the spells.
All Beldia could do was dodge those spells.
"S-stop, you pests!"
Beldia yelled panickly.
He dodged the water ball, then a high speed jet of water, then a pillar of water that appeared on top of him from a blue magic circle.
"Create Water!"
Kazuma put less than a quarter of his mana, the most it could use, in this spell to create a jet of water nearly as powerful as the spell 'Water Torrent'.
Kazuma took the right chance to unleash his spell.
Beldia had just dashed to avoid a spell and was out of balance to dodge Kazuma's spell.
Beldia lifted his left hand, holding his head a little more in the air.
"Summon Undead!"
He panicly shouted as loud as he could.
A small abyss appeared in the way of Kazuma's spell, and a zombie that materialized took Kazuma's spell in place of Beldia.
He used his minion to dodge Kazuma's spell, as expected of Demon King's commandant.
Kazuma slashed down the zombie that approached him after being summoned and severely weakened.
Beldia had little to no chance to actually do something to the mages or Kazuma, as he had to dodge the spells first.
There are many adventurers in the town, and a lot of them are mages, they could keep this up whole day until everyone runs out of mana.
But, there was a very high chance of that happening.
An undead has no stamina and doesn't fatigue. Beldia could go one forever like this.
Axel is still at disadvantage.
"Say, Kazuma, what are you guys playing? Why are you all shooting water at the Dullahan? I'm working seriously and you are having fun? Are you idiot?"
Aqua who appeared beside Kazuma opened her stupid mouth.
A vein popped on Kazuma's temple, he felt like hitting her so hard that she hits the ground unconscious.
"The Dullahan's weakness is flowing water. You are a goddess of water, right? Or are you just an godawful self-proclaimed goddess after all?"
Kazuma responded harshly yet with deadpanned expression.
"Huh?! Don't be so rude or you will seriously face Divine Retribution! What is this self-proclaimed godaw- whatever! I am a true goddess, you seen me in purgatory before! Water?! You want water? This weak stream of water of yours is nothing! I can summon a whole flood! Apologize for saying all that right now! Apologize!"
She yelled loudly.
"If you want apology, do something first, goddess of poverty!"
"Ah! You-! Fine, watch me!"
She spoke and stepped forward with staff in her hand.
A faint light appeared around Aqua.
Multiple giant blue magic circles were created in the sky above Beldia.
"As the goddess of water, Aqua, I command familiars in this world to answer my request and show the world thy power! Wash this pest and all his sins away to the heavens! Sacred, Flood!"
A mist emitted from Aqua as the air around her trembled.
This feeling was the same as when Megumin chants explosion magic.
Hearing Aqua's monologue, Beldia began to retreat from the area.
As he started running, his leg was grabbed by Darkness who was still lying on dirt.
"Y-you crusader! Let go of my leg..."
He trailed off as he saw a tremendously massive amount of water coming from top of him.
"Hey, this is enough, sto-!"
Kazuma shouted as the flood apporoached them.
"Puah...! I am drowning!"
The sudden flood washed over everyone on the scene.
The giant amount water pressure hit the walls around the main gate and flowed into the town.
...
After the water calmed down, the scene was only left with exhausted adventurers.
Some getting CPR.
"Hey... are you an moron?"
Beldia who is crouching spoke.
Kazuma so wanted to hit Aqua, but if he does, she'll not do what only she can do.
Darkness beside him was 'alive' and lying on the ground because of pressure from water.
"Do it, Kazuma. My stellar performance has weakened this guy! Use this chance to defeat him! Hurry up, Kazuma, hurry up, you!"
Aqua spoke haughtily oblivious of the fact that she's going to be murdered by Kazuma later.
"You better cast toughness buff on yourself later."
Kazuma raised his left arm towards Beldia who stood up but seemed weak.
"Take this-!"
Kazuma shouted.
"Just try it! Even if I have been weakened, a mere novice ability can't snatch my weapon!"
Beldia spoke confidently.
"Steal!"
Kazuma, having multiple 'Blessing' buff casted to him already by Aqua, used quarter of his left-over mana in this skill.
And it was a success.
Kazuma looked at what appeared in his left hand.
Hard, Cold, Big and Heavy.
"Ooooh!"
Many adventurers gasped after seeing what Kazuma stole from Beldia.
"U-uhm, excuse me...-"
Beldia's head which is in Kazuma's hands spoke.
"Can you give it back to my body... ugh!"
Kazuma interrupted Beldia by slamming his head into mud that was created due to flood, and placing his left leg on the back of Beldia's head with all pressure.
Kazuma started chanting something.
"Blade of Wind!"
He finally spoke the name of the spell.
The spell was directed at Beldia's chest plate and tore through it, opening a big gap.
Kazuma had pumped remaining mana into it, that's why it was more effective.
"Aghh!"
Beldia screamed in pain as the magic hit his flesh.
"Alright, Aqua, do your thing."
"Leave it to me!"
Aqua shouted and pointed her white staff at Beldia's headless body, specifically at the open gap in his chest plate.
"So, I will finally be defeated... Tell me your name."
Beldia spoke to Kazuma.
Bledia was honorable, arrogant, and fearlessly to the end.
"... Satou Kazuma."
Kazuma completed Beldia's last wish.
"Satou..."
Beldia trailed off.
"Gaze upon the light and disintegrate, evil, in its warm embrace! Sacred, Turn Undead!"
A bright cylinder of light once again engulfed Beldia's body.
Beldia's body gradually started disappearing to the heavens.
"Good bye, Beldia."
Kazuma mumbled.
Kazuma picked up Beldia's head and threw it in the spell, and it disappeared too with his body.
Adventuers present were in uproar.
Cheering because of victory.
Darkness, who was wounded all over her body, knelt on ground and started praying.
Megumin, who was floating in a small river of water created from flood, asked her:
"What are you doing, Darkness?"
Darkness, who was reciting a monologue in her heart, answered:
"I'm praying. Despite being a Demon King's Commandant, Beldia was an honorable knight and was executed unjustly when he was alive, and turned into a Dullahan because of his strong grudge. There's nothing wrong in praying for his death, even if we traded wounds." [4]
"I see..."
Megumin spoke softly.
"And those three adventurers killed by him. They were acquaintances of mine, thinking back, they might not have been great guys, but I didn't dislike them..."
Darkness continued.
"I see, I will listen to the rest, let's go back to guild."
Megumin spoke.
"... If I could meet them again... Just once is enough, I would have a drink with them."
"O-okay..."
Someone spoke behind Darkness, bashfully.
She looked behind to find 3 embarrassed men.
Darkness's face turned bright red like tomato from embarrassment
"Kuku, they weren't really dead, but were going to die. I went to them in time and healed them. This is wonderful, Darkness, now all of you can drink together!" [5]
Aqua spoke to Darkness proudly.
After Word:
[1] Being pale cuz of witnessing death was only a quarter of the reason, the real reason was that they had sold Mitsurugi's sword
[2] I wanted to add Dio's line here, "Ho ho, you are approaching me?"
[3] Just to help you imagine how Kazuma's magic-swordsman stance is - its like Kirito's stance, yes. You can find his stance if you search it up, you know sword in right hand behind and titled posture with left hand in front, yeah...
[4] I wanted to call the generals of Demon King "10 Commandments of the Demon King", but its kinda embarrassing, and commandment words has a different meaning. I also think I shouldn't copy so much from other anime. I will call them "10 Commandants of the Demon King." instead.
[5] She casted powerful healing magic, not resurrection, just telling if you didn't get it. To tell this small fact was the only reason I added this scene, otherwise its waste of time for me.
Not many changes, just Kazuma actually fights.
Tried to make chants as cool as I could, but seems like I embarrassed myself, I suppose, especially with Darkness's incantation.
I tried making Beldia as much cool, fearsome and fearless as I could, because that's how I want it to be, not funny Beldia who worries about his reputation in front of someone who he's gonna kill soon.
Alright, so uh, if you are wondering why it takes me 3-5 days to make 4k words chapter, well uh, am lazy :v and I also wait for reviews and stuff for some reason, I will try updating story more often.