Chapter 37: Gifting these Crazy Explosion Girls a Reunion!
Proofreader: LordVTP
Part 1
The Treasure Island made a steady advance to Axel. It caused a quake with each step, the surroundings trembling with the impact of its weight.
Rain-san and the other mages used their best Crowd Control spells to slow its advance, but their stalling tactic won't last long.
"W-We're not expected to fight that thing, are we?! Why don't we just surrender to that Maouko girl? I think she can be reasoned with!"
Aqua said, as we ran together.
I glanced back at Maouko who is laughing maniacally in the air, spreading her black wings as she watched her handiwork from above.
"I don't think that person can be reasoned with."
When we made it back behind the temporary safety of Axel's walls, Luna-san was there to instill a sense of order on the panicking adventurers.
"P-Please calm down, everyone! This is an emergency quest! Those who participate will receive a large sum of compensation! Your families will be well taken care of even in your absence!"
Oi, don't make it sound like everyone here is gonna die!
"We don't need money anymore! Look at all this treasure we got from the Treasure Island! If we wanted to, we can just ditch this place and head on over to the next town!"
One of the adventurers said, as he carried a sack full of precious metals over his shoulder.
"H-He's right! I don't even know why the Devil King army is attacking this backwater town!"
"Isn't it obvious? The daughter of the Devil King army wants revenge for the previous Devil King's death…"
"So they're just after Kazuma and his party, right?! And why hasn't the capital sent more reinforcements?!"
"Tch! Because this place has little to no strategic value to them. It's not worth it spreading their forces too thin…"
"Yikes. This is getting pretty bad, let's run before a mob forms, Kazuma…"
Thankfully, before Aqua's prediction came true, Darkness, and the others who were training in the dungeon, arrived on the scene. To my relief, Vanir was among them.
"Everyone! Please remain calm!"
Darkness's commanding voice silenced the crowd, although stray whispers remained.
"I know that it's asking a lot of you people to fight an opponent that vastly surpasses your paygrade, to fight a battle that you are not qualified to fight..."
She struck her sword on the ground, hands on the pommel.
"...But please remember that this place is your home! We must stay and fight!"
The man who was the first to complain, the one carrying a large bag of treasures, stepped up to Darkness and confronted her,
"Our home?! Missy, let me just remind you that most of us are from out-of-town! We're just here in this shitty town for work! If we were strong enough to move to the neighboring town of Lexa, where there's tougher monsters, we'd go, but we're stuck here because we have no choice!"
"Yeah! We only stick around here because we're too inexperienced to go anywhere else! Even though I hear that the town of Lexa has a thriving nightlife scene and it's easy to hook up with beautiful ladies, I have to stay in this town for newbie adventurers!"
"I do admit that there's certain… Err, services in this town that I am grateful for, but I also hear that there's even better services offered in the neighboring town of Lexa!"
What the hell are these idiots talking about?
And why are they complaining about being weak when I just opened an Easy Modo dungeon that gives them EXP for free? Maybe they were too lazy or scared to visit it?
"Oi, Darkness, if these guys don't want to fight, don't force them. I completely understand."
"What did you say, Kazuma? Oiii!"
Darkness looked at me in disbelief,
"H-He's just joking, everyone! Haha… Tell these kind people that you're joking, Kazuma!"
I crossed my arms into an 'X' and shook my head.
"The naive, ojou-chan Lalatina-sama won't get this, but this is how normal, rational people respond in a crisis. If they have no reason to fight, they won't, simple as that. There's no point wasting your time and energy on these guys. Look, the mages can't contain the Treasure Island anymore. Those who want to fight, fight! Everyone else, don't get in the way!"
As I said this, I hid behind Vanir.
"Vanir, stop that thing already."
"Hoh-oh? Thou is approaching moi? Thou is coming closer and running away?"
"I'll get the shit beaten out of me if I don't come closer! Save me, Vanir-sama!"
"Moihahaha! Then come as close as you like!"
The other adventurers froze for a moment before bursting into anger.
"What the hell?! You said all that shit, but you're just running away?!"
"This hypocrite! Trash-zuma is a hypocrite!"
Me? A hypocrite? Did I say anything wrong?
Those who want to fight, don't get in the way of those who do. That's what I said, right?
I told them that I completely understand their situation, didn't I?
That's because I share the same mentality.
When did I ever say that I wanted to fight this giant kaiju?
I mean, saving people from the ambush is one thing, preparing myself for a war against a bunch of Demons is also within my abilities, but isn't this battle with a giant kami turtle impossible?
I know I said I'll try harder and take my responsibilities seriously.
But this is too much!
"Kazuma?! Don't tell me that you've reverted to your cowardly self?!"
Darkness said, marching over to me, fuming.
"I meant what I said. The idealistic ojou-chan won't understand, but this is how normal people are. I'm a normal person, you know. Fighting demons is one thing, but a giant, enraged kami turtle? I mean, I know that knowledge about Physics and stuff isn't really a thing in this world, but how the hell are we going to take down that thing? It's practically a moving mountain. It's impossible. No, thank you. I'm not dealing with that. Let Vanir deal with it. He has multiple lives and he's powerful, so he'll do something about it."
"This guy…! I can't believe it!"
Darkness stared at me with mouth agape.
"Finally! Kazuma has been acting really uncharacteristic lately! I like this honest Kazuma better! You're no hero! You're the kind of guy who'd drag a beautiful goddess like me into this dangerous world on a petty whim! OK, now that we agree on this, let's take this time to evacuate!"
"Yosh. Everyone who wants to run away, come with me! The courageous few who want to stay and fight, we won't get in your way! I promise!"
Aqua and I both gave our thumbs up of approval.
"That's what your speech was about?!"
However, as Aqua and I happily went off on our way…
"...You can drop the act now, Kazuma, Aqua."
The first guy who protested dropped his sack of treasures.
"You're trying to show us how cowardly we're acting, right? You've done enough. I've seen the error of my ways. I won't run."
Eh?
Was I doing something like that?
Excuse me?
He turned towards Darkness.
"...You're right. This is our home. Even if this isn't my hometown, this place took me in as if I've lived here all my life."
"Me too. I've been blessed with kind encounters in this town. There's something special and wonderful about this town, as if the goddess of Luck, Eris-sama, watches over this town personally…"
Chris, who had recently joined the crowd with her scout team, sneezed after this guy's rather specific comment.
"Alright! We got the message loud and clear, Kazuma! We'll stay in this town and protect it!"
"Yossshhhh!"
"O-Oh, uh… I'm glad you got my message."
I can't say now that I honestly wanted to run away.
"...Y-Yeah! I meant to do this, too! Haha…"
Like me, Aqua is also backtracking.
"Come on, everyone! Let's protect this wonderful town even if we die!"
"Ohhhhh!"
With this atmosphere, it's kind of hard to run away.
Meanwhile, Darkness is giving Aqua and I meaningful looks.
She knows.
Part 2
"Ne, Kazuma, don't tell me you were trying to run away earlier?"
Megumin asked me, as we, along with the now revitalized adventurers, took our positions in defending the town.
"O-Of course not. Would I ever do such a thing?"
I said, rubbing my head after Darkness gave Aqua and I a heavy smack.
"I guess even Kazuma won't do such a despicable, scummy and heartless thing. Sorry for doubting you."
"N-No problem. Haha…"
Fuwarin-san came over to us. She looked confident despite the impossible task before us.
"Kazuma-san, I think it's time for me to use my strongest golem…!"
"Strongest golem? …! Are you talking about that really big golem from that time?!"
"Oh, you mean the one I blew up?"
Megumin couldn't resist adding this on.
"Er, yes, that one…"
Fuwarin-san didn't seem as confident anymore after Megumin brought that up.
"If Fuwarin-san keeps this up, she'll be the MVP of this war, won't she?"
Not only did she make the golem forces, she even has a way to stop the Treasure Island.
"Grrr… The war's not over yet! I can still contribute!"
Megumin's competitive streak is on display even in this dire situation.
"Hey, Fuwarin oba-san, is it possible for me to ride on top of the Giant Golem?"
"...What are you saying now, of all times?"
"I-I'm not suggesting this just because I want to try riding a cool Giant Golem! I'm just thinking about the tactical advantage of having the high ground! I want to be able to have a clear view of the surroundings to find the best opportunity to use my explosion magic!"
"That sounds logical… For once."
"What do you mean, 'for once'?!"
I guess it's better than having Megumin use her explosion magic blindly. I might lose track of her during the battle. She'll definitely lose her patience and cast explosion magic at a random direction when I'm not looking.
"...Fine. But I'll have to go up with you!"
"Sure, I'm OK with that, but why do I feel that Kazuma has some other reason for wanting to come with me?"
Maouko said something about a 'Hound Dog of Hell' chasing after me. I don't know who this Aesir guy is, but he sounds pretty dangerous…!
As much as possible, I want to stay away from the ground forces and avoid this Aesir guy. I'll be safer if I'm perched up on the golem's shoulders with Megumin.
"If we're going to use the Giant Golem, I should summon it soon. The Mage's barriers are breaking."
Rain and the mage corps were barely holding on. The Treasure Island will break the barriers soon.
"Oh, Fuwarin-san, you had the golems bring that just in case, right?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I did."
"Oi, Anna!"
"Yes, Kazuma-san?"
Anna-chan flew in while she was in her spirit form.
"Have some of the golems who are equipped with the crystals come with us! Keep the rest and distribute it among the troops as needed!"
"Okie~!"
She flew back to the golem corps. Megumin raised her eyebrow at me.
"Who was Kazuma talking to?"
She couldn't see Anna-chan and was confused as to why I was seemingly talking to myself.
"Nevermind. Just help me carry these boxes the golems are bringing over."
"What's in these boxes? You mentioned crystals before…. Could it be?!"
"Don't open them yet!"
I didn't want Megumin to open the boxes and get too excited over the contents.
The ground started to shake. The mages, who were stalling the Treasure Island's advance, retreated inside the walls. Rain-san ran over to me.
"The barriers are down! If Kazuma-san has a plan, now is the time to use it!"
"Good job holding on for so long! Yooosssh! Fuwarin-san, summon the Giant Golem!"
"Kazuma was cowering in fear earlier but he found his bravery again. I'm proud."
"I-I wasn't cowering!"
I'm ashamed at my momentary onset of cowardice. Please don't remind me!
"Well, I've come to expect this kind of thing from Kazuma. What I like about you is not that you're a perfect hero who's completely without fear. I like you because you're a normal guy who does great and brave things, despite not exactly being hero material."
Megumin smiled as she looked up at me.
Why is she choosing this moment to say such flirty, lovey-dovey things?!
I don't even have the time to relish this moment!
"Fuwarin oba-san! We're ready!"
"Roger, Megumin-chan! Here it comes! Greater Create Golem!"
The spell that I consider to be 'calamity level' was cast before us once more.
The ground before us rose into a towering pillar. It changed form, shedding the earthen shell as it took on a humanoid shape.
"Grrr…!"
A giant, imposing golem made of earth stood before us. Although I'm not sure how well it'll do in a battle with the Treasure Island, at least the Giant Golem matches it in height.
"Hahh…! Hahh! I used up a lot of reserves, so I'll take a short break…"
"Un! Go take a rest, Fuwarin oba-san! You did a great job! As expected of the ancestor of the Legendary Crimson Demon!"
"Megumin-chan…"
Fuwarin-san looked at Megumin with proud, teary eyes.
The Giant Golem went down on its knee and held out its hand for us. We climbed on, grabbing onto its fingers for support.
It stood to its full height again and perched us to its shoulders.
"Golem Transmutation!"
I used this skill to transform the Giant Golem's shoulder into a steady platform we can stand on without falling. I also made guard rails and poles we can hang on to.
"We're so up high! Uwaa…! The temptation to explode things is increasing!"
"Hold it, girl."
I squeezed Megumin's shoulder firmly before she got any weird ideas.
The Giant Golem started moving. As Fuwarin-san formed the golem just outside the wall, we were already in striking distance of the Treasure Island.
"Grrrr…"
"...Arrgggh."
These two kaijus faced off against one another.
"Does this thing come with a breath attack?"
I wish Fuwarin-san had given me a manual for this thing.
In the first place, how do we control this thing?
However, the Giant Golem didn't need any prompting from us. It held its hands out as the Treasure Island drew closer.
The two kaiju collided. The Treasure Island used brute force to try and force its way in. The Giant Golem stopped its charge with its hands as it grabbed the Treasure Island's head.
"W-What is that thing?! You guys have a Giant Golem on your side?!"
Maouko was surprised at the Giant Golem's sudden entrance. She's flying just above the Treasure Island's head. At this distance...
Just to try it out, I created an ice arrow and tried to snipe her down, but the arrow bounced off from her. She's already using Protection from Arrows.
"Heh. Neither of us can take each other down like this, so let's have a ceasefire for now and let our mons fight."
It's kind of cute how she's calling them 'mons', but I didn't let my guard down against this evil bitch, especially after she said all those things about hurting Megumin.
The desire to drop kick her again is rising.
"Grrr…!"
The Giant Golem and the Treasure Island were evenly matched in strength. However, the sheer mass and weight of the Treasure Island forced the Giant Golem on the defensive.
"I'm not a fan of these stalemate situations. Wolbach, time to shift the battle to our favor once more!"
"...! Did she just say…?!"
"Hey! Don't just run off like that!"
Megumin ran forward and leaned over the guard rails at the mention of Wolbach. I pulled on her cape to stop her from falling off.
"...Wolbach, I said, come here."
"Uh, yeah. It's just harder than it looks, climbing up there. I can't fly, you know…"
A sweaty, slightly winded, Wolbach made her appearance after scaling the Treasure Island's head.
"It's that person…!"
Despite Wolbach's underwhelming entry, Megumin was still very excited. I kept holding her cape as she leaned forward to take a closer look.
This girl really lacks a sense of self-preservation!
"U-Um! D-Do you remember me?! It's me, it's me!"
Megumin said cool things before about 'showing that person how much I improved', but she's currently stumbling over her words, unable to maintain her cool, after finally reuniting with Wolbach.
"Huh? Why is that person calling out to me? Do I know you?"
Wolbach squinted at Megumin, who was calling out to her.
"U-Um, from before… You saved me and taught me explosion magic before."
"Was there ever such a person? Sorry, I don't think I know who you are."
"Ah, yeah, I guess it's a bit hard to recognize me after so long! Ha… Ha…"
Megumin took off her hat. Now it must be easy to distinguish her face and unique Crimson Demon features.
"Do you… Recognize me now?"
"...Sorry, I still don't recall who you are. In the first place, why are you even conversing with the enemy…?"
"Um… Well…"
Megumin was speechless.
She didn't expect this kind of cold reception from this important person.
"It's a Crimson Demon brat, Wolbach. All of them are weird like this. Don't pay that weirdo any attention!"
"If you say so, Maouko-sama."
Megumin stopped leaning forward. She took a step back from the guard rails.
"...She doesn't even remember?"
"..."
I know for a fact that Wolbach is lying.
I activated my Sense Motive skill when I sensed an inconsistency in what she's saying, and detected a lie.
There was something strange in how she can't even remember Megumin despite being heavily involved with her.
Accidentally or not, Megumin was the one who freed Wolbach's other half from the seal.
The reason for why Wolbach is lying, I think I know why.
"..."
Now, more than ever, I really don't want to see these two fight.
But if Maoko brought Wolbach here, she must plan on using explosion magic to tip the scales of the battle to her favor. Megumin is needed if we want to counter Wolbach.
"Wolbach, we can't let this go on forever! Go ahead and destroy the walls!"
"...!"
More Demons were starting to emerge from the woods. Maouko is using this chance to infiltrate our defenses!
"Not so fast! Counterspell!"
"Counterspell!"
"...Did you just Counterspell my Counterspell?"
"Have a taste of your own medicine. Hehe."
With Maouko ruining my chance to interrupt Wolbach's casting, she was able to finish her chant.
"Explosion!"
"...!"
Instead of aiming her explosion behind us, at the wall...
"Whoa…!"
She aimed it at the Giant Golem.
The Giant Golem had magic resistance and withstood the blast itself.
However, it wasn't able to keep upright. It was knocked backwards into the wall, decimating a large part of it.
"Well done, Wolbach! Two for one!"
How come I didn't see such an obvious trick coming!
Maybe having one kaiju fight another kaiju is impractical?!
What happened to 'Let them fight'?!
"Wahh… Kazuma, I'm dizzy…"
Megumin and I held on to the poles as the Giant Golem moved to right itself.
The Giant Golem was able to get up in time to block the Treasure Island, which was trying to charge straight into the decimated wall.
"Tch…! That thing got up pretty fast. It's well built. No matter. Troops! There's an opening! Attack!"
"Ugoohh!"
While we were able to keep the Treasure Island from advancing further, the Demon troops successfully breached through our first line of defense.
Part 3
"What do we do now, Kazuma?!"
"Even if you ask me that…"
The kaiju are still in a stalemate, but the real battle is raging on below us. Axel's fighting force has engaged the Demons, battling underneath the deadlocked kaiju.
I used Farsight to keep an eye on them, but I also had to pay close attention to Maouko to make sure she's not planning any sneak attacks.
"Wolbach, you've already done a splendid job, but you can still do more! Try bringing down that annoying Giant Golem! Here, a gift…"
"Maouko-sama! This is...!"
"Yep! High-quality manatite crystals excavated from the Treasure Island's shell! Isn't this lumbering monster actually quite useful? Kekeke…"
When it comes to firepower, we can easily match Wolbach.
The only reason why I'm hesitating is because I really don't want it to come to this, with Megumin and Wolbach coming to blows.
But with Maouko guarding Wolbach, I couldn't just try to make my way over there and capture Wolbach. And we still have to stop the Treasure Island from doing any more damage.
If it comes to this…
"Megumin, open the box."
I gestured to the box we brought with us.
She opened the lid. Her eyes grew wide at the contents.
"...This is a present from Fuwarin-san and me. Go wild."
I smiled giving her a pat on the head.
"T-This is… Can I really?!"
She took out a crystal. This was gathered from the dungeon's core. With so many high-level adventurers in the dungeon, as well as the mana released from the monsters, many newly formed mana crystals appeared in the dungeon core.
...And due to Vanir's antics, the 'despair crystals' have also increased, but that's a separate matter.
I took the box from Megumin and poured the crystals into a pile under her feet, letting her enjoy the sight of this mountain of precious mana crystals.
I used Golem Transmutation again to make a pit for the crystals.
There is now a mountain of mana crystals for Megumin to stand upon.
"...You always say that you're the Number One mage, and the Number One genius and all that, right? And aren't you supposed to be the Legendary Crimson Demon? Stand tall. Don't mope around just because you're facing Wolbach."
An awestruck Megumin stared at the mountain. I held my hand out. She took it as I helped her stand on top of the crystals.
She snapped out of her daze and grinned, tilting the brim of her hat down to her face.
"Fufu… Good work, Kazuma. This person calls herself a god who rules over violence, isn't that right? No! That is a false moniker! Violence… Destruction… Those concepts belong only to me! Let me show her true violence!"
She tilted her hat back up, her uncovered eye shining bright red.
She ripped off her eye patch.
"Explosion!"
A sudden, chant-less explosion.
She aimed it at the shell of the Treasure Island, not wanting us to get caught up in the blast radius.
Maouko was taken off guard at the immediate casting of explosion and couldn't counter it in time.
"Urk…!"
Wolbach held on to the Treasure Island's head, while Maouko floated above as
the Treasure Island's bulky frame trembled. It was forced to take two steps back.
"Why you…! Crimson Demon brat! Next time, I'll counter you…!"
"Too slow! Explosion!"
"Arrghhh! How the hell is she so fast?! Is she even chanting?!"
This is the peak of an explosion magic specialist.
The ability to quickly cast explosion magic without the need for a chant.
The mastery to control the shape and distance of explosion magic to avoid harming herself and her comrades.
Only this girl who has foolishly spent all of her skill points on explosion magic can achieve this plane of mastery.
No one else.
She is on top of the mountain and cannot be reached.
"Thank you, Kazuma! This is great! I can go all out! None shall stand before me! Explosion, Explosion, Exploooosiooon!"
Cheers broke out from our forces below as they observed the spectacle of Megumin's consecutive explosions. Chunks of fallen gold fell down on the enemy troops. They were forced to retreat from the Treasure Island to avoid the falling debris.
"Wolbach! Don't lose to a fellow explosion user!"
"...Please give me time. I can't match her chanting speed."
"Tch…! Counterspell!"
"Counterspell!"
"Oi, stop that!"
With Maouko and I here, Megumin and Wolbach can freely cast explosion without interruption.
"..." x 2.
For Maouko and I, this is a fierce battle.
But for those two explosion users…
They were smiling.
"Explosion!"
"Explosion!"
In response, Megumin fired back with her own explosion. Hot air from the flames made my lips and eyes dry. The constant crash of the blasts made my ears ring.
"This is… So fun! Explosion!"
"Tch…! You're not bad, kid! Explosion!"
"Explosion!"
"Explosion!"
"Explosion!"
"Explosion!"
…This is getting a bit excessive!
These two have excellent control, but one slip up at any moment can endanger us all.
Not to mention, both kaijus were suffering severe damage. The gold on the Treasure Island's shell was fracturing severely. I can actually parts of its natural shell now.
The Giant Golem's earthen hull is also starting to fracture. Big chunks of hardened earth was melted by the heat of Wolbach's explosion, the impact of which caused fragmented chunks to drop, jeopardized our troops below.
If this goes on, the happy ending Megumin wished for will never come true. This could only end in someone's demise.
I have to do something…
While I thought of a plan, Megumin called out to Wolbach.
"Ne…! We can stop this! You're… You're looking for Chomusuke, right?"
"Chomusuke? Um… What's that?"
Wolbach was confused about this weird name even though this name now belongs to her other half.
"Well, it's what you're looking for…"
"Nyaaa…"
"...!"
Chomusuke suddenly peeked out from Megumin's robes.
She brought the cat to this large scale battle?!
"Good kitty. Here, Chomusuke. Have some treats."
"Nyaa~!"
"W-Why are you treating my other half like a pet?! And what's up with the weird name?! It's… It's a girl, you know?! What's up with that weird and, not to mention, masculine name?!"
The Crimson Demon clan's method of naming has a way of pissing everyone off.
"I think it's a cool name, so please don't insult it. Or would you rather I call her 'Wolbach' from now on?"
"...That's actually worse, so please don't. Why did you bring out Chomu… Er, I mean, my other half? Are you willing to negotiate? Are you surrendering?"
"No, actually, I thought about using her as a hostage."
"Nyaaa…?!"
This girl… So cold-hearted.
"But Chomusuke is my beloved familiar. I don't want to do that, even if it might give me an advantage in this fight. In the same way… I also don't want to fight you."
Megumin smiled weakly at Wolbach.
"I don't even know who you are…"
"...You'll keep fighting?"
"Un, if you want to stop me, then you'll have to kill me."
"..."
Wolbach is still keeping that act up, huh?
Both of these girls, really…
They're both so damn stubborn!
It's a good thing I came up with a plan.
I stepped in front of Megumin.
"I promised this girl a happy ending, so you'll just have to save those cliched, tragic developments for next time, you edgelord."
"E-Edgelord? Sorry, I don't know what it means…"
"Kazuma, what's an edgelord? It sounds cool. Can I be an edgelord?"
You already are.
"Ne, Maouko, counter this! Earth Bullet!"
"Ehh?!" x 3.
I guess they didn't expect me to try something during this tense situation.
Maouko, who was also caught up in the drama unfolding before her, was a second slow in defending the attack headed her way.
"Counterspell! ...Huh?! It's not working…?! Oww!"
The piece of rock I took from the Giant Golem's fragmenting hull hit Maouko right on the noggin.
"...Yelling 'Earth Bullet' while throwing an ordinary rock… As a mage, I disapprove of such a dirty and uncool method, Kazuma. Don't look down on magic!"
Yeah, yeah. Whatever.
As long as it gets the job done, I don't care.
I physically enhanced myself before throwing that rock. Maouko will be disoriented for a while.
Hopefully, she'd be suffering some light concussion symptoms as well.
"...Hah!"
With my body still enhanced, I made a leap from the Giant Golem's shoulder to the head of the Treasure Island.
With the Acrobat skill, I was able to perform a perfect long jump and also stuck my landing.
"...! How did you make that jump?!"
Wolbach backed away from me in surprise. It's so easy to catch mages off guard.
"Bind."
I threw my mithril rope at Wolbach. She managed to evade capture last time, but I got her now. I smirked victoriously at her.
"...To think I was captured so easily. You're one heck of a guy. Well, the both of you are pretty amazing. Very well. You've won. I'm not a sore loser; I'll concede defeat. Go ahead and finish me off."
She raised her chin, offering her neck.
"Sigh… I already told you. Stop being so damn edgy. You better apologize to Megumin for lying."
"Huh?"
"Drain Touch!"
"Gahhh…!"
This is a good opportunity to restore my mana. I used quite a lot.
I left just enough that she would stay conscious, but she can't even sit upright anymore.
"Why you…! No fair! Hey, why do you always fight so dirty, hah?!"
Maouko said, while holding her head.
"I really don't want to hear that from you! Here, take this! Earth Bullet!"
"This time I'm using Sense Motive! I should have had that on the whole time I was with you! I know you're lying!"
She easily caught the rock I threw with her hand.
It doesn't really help if you know I'm lying or not.
"Earth Bullet!"
"Oi… It's just another rock. And you didn't even aim properly or put any power in your throw. It's going right over my head."
With her guard down, she didn't even think about using Counterspell.
Instead of casting 'Earth Bullet', I actually casted Mage Hand.
With minor spells like that, I can use them without chants, similar to how Megumin can now cast explosion without chanting.
I ordered the telekinetic hand to appear right above Maouko's head. I aimed the rock so that it would bounce off the open palm of the Mage Hand. The rock then changed trajectories and sharply dropped down on Maouko's head.
"Owww! What the hell was that?!"
It didn't do a lot of damage, but it distracted her enough as she looked above her, seeing only a shimmering visage of an outstretched hand.
I wish I could make it give her a middle finger, but I can't control its actions after casting it.
Since she had all sorts of protections, I had to use weird tricks like this to catch her off guard.
"Earth Bullet!"
"This again…! Wait, this time it's... !"
She barely dodged the real Earth Bullet. With a flap of her wings, she flew up, letting the Earth Bullet pass her by.
"Tch! I really don't know how to deal with you! Who even comes up with stupid tricks like that?! I'm not gonna waste time with you. Oi, Wolbach. You're on your own. You got yourself captured, so don't expect me to rescue you!"
"..."
She flew down to the ongoing battle below, not even sparing Wolbach another glance.
Part 4
"Well… You got me. What are you gonna do with me now?"
"You'll be a prisoner of war, of course."
"I guess that's the most logical outcome, huh?"
Wolbach said, as she was completely defeated. She was laying down on an awkward pose, with her posterior raised and her face smushed up on the ground.
"Don't worry, since you're Megumin's master, I'll vouch for you."
"Like I said, I don't know who…"
"Geez, just stop being so stubborn already!"
I yelled over to Megumin, who was on the other side.
"Oi, Megumin! I'll be taking Wolbach back to town with me! You have to use the rest of the crystals to stop the Treasure Island!"
"Un! Leave it to me!"
She posed dramatically.
The Treasure Island was still on a rampage.
It was being dominated by Maouko. Aqua might be able to do something about it with her Sacred Break Spell but she hasn't done so yet.
I'd like to believe there's a good reason, that she's too busy healing others. If she simply forgot about her own ability, I'll actually spank that dumbass, bare ass and all.
I used Teleport to bring Wolbach and I back into town. Luna and the guild members had set up a simple command post.
"I captured one of the enemy's leaders. This is the one who's been blowing up the walls everyday. Introduce yourself, Wolbach."
"Hi, everyone."
She weakly waved.
Luna, not knowing what to do, awkwardly waved back.
"Um… Good job, Kazuma-san. Now, what are we supposed to do with her?"
"I drained her mana, so she won't be causing problems for us. And I have a feeling Wolbach doesn't really want to fight for Maouko, isn't that right?"
"Well… I did suspect that she used some kind of suggestion on me. All of a sudden, I really wanted to reunite with my other half. That's always been a priority of mine, but I wouldn't go to war over it…"
Is this really the so called goddess of Violence? She seems kind of spacey and nonchalant.
Well, I guess she does rule over 'Sloth', too.
"Just to be safe, put her in the dungeon for now."
"Err… You mean the actual town's dungeon, or Kazuma-san's personal dungeon?"
Oh, I never even thought of that.
"I guess you can put her in my personal dungeon."
Wolbach's eyes widened.
"P-Personal dungeon?! I-I get that I lost and I'm considered to be one of the 'spoils of war', but… P-Please don't treat me as your plaything!"
"You totally have the wrong idea!"
From here, we can still hear and feel the impact of Megumin's explosions. Columns of fire rose to the sky as the Treasure Island let out pitiful groans.
"That girl… I can't believe she actually took explosion magic so seriously."
"So you do remember her, huh?"
"Of course I do."
"Let me guess, you were just lying so she wouldn't feel bad for fighting you?"
"I-If you already know, then don't say it aloud…"
Wolbach blushed and looked away.
"She really wants to have a talk with you. After all this craziness is over, I hope you'll drop this annoying tsun act and talk to the girl who really looks up to you."
"S-She looks up to me that much? I didn't realize…"
She really admires your big breasts, at least.
"There's a hot springs bath in my dungeon, so you can relax there for now. You like baths, right? It's all you ever talked about last time."
I can have her fellow former coworker watching over her, too.
Well, I think he'll watch over her in the hot springs even if I don't tell him to.
"B-Bath… Yeah, I could really use one…"
She said, with a spacey look. Is this girl really an evil god?
The guild staff escorted Wolbach to the dungeon after I gave her enough mana to walk. After that was taken care of, I asked Luna-san about how the war was unfolding.
"With the breached wall, there are some demons who managed to infiltrate the town. However…"
Just as we were talking, a tough looking Demon dashed through the destroyed side of the wall.
"Hah! The fighting forces in this town is surprisingly strong, but they're no match for me! ...Eh? What are these little things grabbing onto my leg. Wait, that mask design…! Wahhh!"
He blew up.
"Moi is taking care of the town, brat, just as we agreed on."
Vanir said, as the Vanir dolls returned to him.
I breathed out a sigh of relief. It looked chaotic outside, but the town is safe thanks for Vanir.
"Oh, brat. Moi forgot to mention something."
"Hm?"
The usual playful smile on Vanir's face disappeared.
"Moi does not usually give such direct advice, but moi cannot see how thou will survive the next battle otherwise…"
Eh?
What's he talking about now?
"...The devil thou will soon encounter. His ability is…"
"Now, now, Vanir. Don't you think it's pretty rude to share your own kin's secrets to a mere mortal?"
"...!"
A masked individual came through the wall.
I've seen enough of them in Hell to know right away that this is a Devil.
Is this the guy that Hell sent after me, like Maouko said?!
His mask was similar in shape to Vanir's, but it was all white and had only one open eye piece, from which a glowing, red eye peered out. He also wore a black great coat and white gloves.
This is Aesir, the Hound Dog of Hell.
"It seems that moi has run out of time! You're on your own, brat."
"...Huh?"
"If the brat dies, can moi have the dungeon?"
"In your dreams!"
Luna-san backed away from Aesir, who steadily approached me.
"T-This person… Is he a devil like Vanir-san?"
"Luna-dono, moi suggests that thou cometh with me. This battle is for the brat to fight."
"Eh?! Vanir-san is leaving Kazuma-san to fight a Devil?! The Kazuma-san who goes to the guild without the intention of doing any quests and just spends the whole time showing off to rookie adventurers, telling them all sorts of self-aggrandizing tales, Vanir-san is leaving that Kazuma-san alone?!"
I can never seem to graduate from a NEET adventurer in Luna-san's eyes.
"Aesir's arrival is caused entirely by the brat's decisions, is that not true? Aesir who rarely comes out to meddle in the business of mortals would not have emerged from Hell if it weren't for the brat's actions…"
Ugh… He's right.
I can't rely on others when it's my fault this guy is coming after me.
This is my fight.
"Ne… Um, Aesir-san?"
"Yes? What is it, Satou Kazuma?"
He looked at me, not at all concerned even when I walked over to him. He had his guard completely down.
"So… You're coming after me. Just me, right?"
"That's correct."
"...You won't interfere with the war or help Maouko in anyway?"
"I'm not interested in this war. I only care about upholding the laws of Hell. The same laws that you, a complete scumbag, have broken. Ah, I should mention that your sentence has increased by several infinities. Also, the severity of your sentencing has also increased. You will be assigned a personal torturer, a devil named Maxwell. Ufufu…"
"...Brat. You should be praying to that useless goddess in your party that thou somehow makes it out of this battle alive."
I don't know who this Maxwell guy is, but I really don't want to find out!
"I-Is that so? Haha… Um, just to make sure, do I have any rights during this arrest? Um, do I have the right to remain silent? Stuff like that?"
"You have the right to scream as much as you want while I drag your filthy, law breaking soul down into Hell where you will face many eternities of hopeless torment! Is that a satisfactory answer?"
I have a feeling this guy really doesn't like me.
"G-Good to know! Um… Then can I make a last request?"
"Hm? What is it, Satou Kazuma?"
"Well, you see, I really don't want to go to Hell. I guess we'll have to fight now? But I don't really want to get anyone involved in this, since it's my fault that Aesir-san even came here in the first place. Do you mind if we take this somewhere else?"
Aesir crossed his arms. Then he arrogantly smirked.
"I thought I told you. The only right you have is to scream as loudly and as desperately as you can while I drag your sorry excuse of a soul back to Hell with me. I didn't say you had the right to negotiate."
"Well, I guess you would say that. It kinda sucks, but I guess I'll have to take you away from here. Oi, Vanir, sorry in advance if I end up trashing your new room. Teleport."
"What… Ehh?!"
I grabbed Aesir and teleported the both of us to my dungeon.
Interlude
Return of this Dragon Knight!
There's this stupid story that's going around.
It's one of those lame ass fairy tales about a princess and her knight.
The story goes like this. In a faraway land, there was once a talented Dragon Knight.
He was unmatched in spear skills, and he had a god given gift to tame and befriend dragons. He even used them as mounts for combat.
He was born to a minor noble family, but his skills brought prestige and honor to his family. Other minor noble families were jealous of his family's sudden rise in the hierarchy, and they didn't keep their resentment a secret.
Nonetheless, this young man continued to succeed, not only in the battlefield but also in political affairs. He gained the favor of the king of that country and was entrusted to join the royal family's personal guard. This was the highest honor a knight could obtain.
Not only that, the young Dragon Knight was also assigned to guard the princess. He was given prestige that many felt he did not deserve.
I guess, if you've read your fair share of sappy fairy tales, you can guess how this goes.
The princess and the knight become close and, in a foolish display of youthful recklessness, the two decide to elope.
Well, the whole 'elopement' part is entirely an embellishment that was later tacked on by romance-obsessed young maidens, I assure you. It's far from what really happened.
I mean, I was just taking her out for a damn picnic! You really think I'd kidnap the damn princess of my country just for some p***y?!
Ahem… I mean, this is probably what that certain Dragon Knight was thinking at the time.
Anyway, to wrap this lame story up, the jealous nobles all ganged up on the dumbass Dragon Knight who dug himself into this inescapable situation.
They made it seem like he took the princess on some crazy elopement scheme and petitioned for this guy to be exiled from the kingdom.
And thus, the princess and her knight were separated.
"No matter how long it takes… I'll come back to you, my princess…"
I assure you, this Dragon Knight wasn't muttering these cringeworthy lines.
In fact, right now, fast forward to the present day, he's getting drunk as a mofo in the guild's bar and has completely forgotten about his dark past.
Oh, by the way, the Dragon Knight is totally not me. Really.
"Oi, Dust…! Didn't you hear the alarm?! It's the Treasure Island! The Treasure Island!"
Keith was shaking my shoulder as I laid my head on the cold countertop.
"Don't bother me. My head hurts. Let me sleep."
"Fine! We're not sharing any of our treasure even if you cry and beg later!"
Keith and the adventurers all rushed out of the guild.
Are they stupid? Isn't it obvious that it's a trap?
The Treasure Island coming at this time, doesn't that make them suspicious?
A scam-artist like me can easily pick out such a crude deception.
"Hey, barkeep. Gimme a refill."
"No, I'm closing up shop. I need to evacuate my family. Shouldn't you be fighting right now?"
Me? Fighting? Well, I guess I should do a bit of fighting.
But even if I leave it to Kazuma and the others, they'll somehow win even if I don't do anything. A side-character like me should just lay low.
"Hai, hai. Where did my damn sword go?"
"...It's sheathed on your lap."
"Oh, right."
"This guy… Good luck out there, alright? Here's another beer. It's on me."
The barkeep patted me on the shoulder and got me another glass of beer before packing up and leaving.
I took my took my time and enjoyed the freebie, ignoring the noises of battle from outside.
"..."
There seems to be a lot of explosions going on outside… Is it the work of that crazy explosion girl?
...Oi, there's a lot of explosions out there.
I don't wanna go out there just to get blown up.
Maybe no one will find out if I stay here…?
The barkeep also left all the kegs alone. I can have as much beer as I want…
Well, maybe I'll help myself to a refill.
...After some time.
The door to the guild opened and I heard Luna-san's voice. I instinctively hid behind the bar table. She'd kill me if she found out I've been hiding here this whole time!
"Vanir-san! While I'm thankful that you're protecting the village with your Vanir dolls… Was letting Kazuma-san fight that other devil really such a wise idea?!"
Huh? Kazuma is fighting a devil?
"...Thou doth not understand. Moi cannot fight another devil. Not only is it forbidden, but moi personally does not want to fight moi own kin."
"Well… I guess there's no way we can ask Vanir-san to fight someone from his own race…"
Luna-san brought Vanir-san to the receptionists tables. She pulled out a map.
"These residential areas over here might be vulnerable to enemy attacks since there are sewage tunnels that lead there… I think Vanir-san should bring his Vanir dolls there."
"Moi understands. How diligent of Luna-dono to think this far ahead!"
"T-That's not true… Hehe…"
Oi, why is the idol of the guild blushing like that around Vanir-san?
"Moi must admit that it is impressive how humans always rise to the occasion when the need arises…! When it comes to protecting their own, humans really go to such great lengths!"
Is it my imagination, or does Vanir-san seem to be raising his voice and looking in the direction of my hiding spot?
"It's only natural to want to fight for the sake of others, Vanir-san. Especially to protect the people of this town… I'll do anything."
"..."
Way to make me feel like an asshole.
Even the guy who I consider to be just like me, Kazuma, is facing a devil or some shit, isn't he?
Sigh… Whatever. I guess I'll fight.
I stood from my hiding spot.
"Burp… Oh, has the fighting started already?"
"...! Dust-san?! What are you still doing here?! Your party has already joined the general troops!"
"Sorry, got drunk and passed out."
"Ugh… It's fine, just hurry up and join them."
The way she said that, it didn't seem like she had high expectations of me. Guess it's only natural. I'm just a side-character, after all.
…
…
It's been a while since I stepped foot in a real battlefield.
Although, I expected to see much more corpses on our side, but…
"Resurrection! Resurrection! Resurrection!"
"Yes! Please allow me to be reincarnated as an OP hero with a harem…! Eh? I'm back here?"
"You're welcome! Resurrection! Resurrection!"
"...You mean, I have enough karma to ascend to V.I.P. heaven?! ….Eh? Angel-sama? Where did you go...?"
"Aren't you guys glad I brought you back? Resurrection! Resurrection!"
The priest in Kazuma's party seems to be working hard.
"Nooo! Why'd you bring me back heeeree!"
The people she's reviving don't seem to be very happy, though.
"Oi, Dust! There you are, Dust! So you finally decided to show up!"
Keith waved me over. Taylor and Lynn were fighting beside him.
"Ah, Dust-san! You're here!"
Yunyun is also here as well as her schoolmates.
"Yeah, yeah. I'm here, I'm here. Not like it'll make much of a difference."
I lazily drew my sword and joined my party. Yunyun and her friends joined us, covering our backs.
"Dust, we should inform you about the situation."
"Don't care."
"The Treasure Island has been taken care of by the crazy girl… I mean, Megumin-san. Now we can focus on fighting the Demon soldiers."
"I said 'don't care', didn't I? I didn't ask you to keep yapping!"
I snapped at Taylor who kept talking despite my complete lack of desire to listen.
"Oraa! Puny humans! I am Galroth! Face my wrath…!"
A scary looking Demon rushed at our group.
"Everyone! Get down! Light of… Sabeeer!"
Yunyun moved in front of me and made a slashing motion with her hand. A crescent wave of yellow magical energy was released from her hand and slashed through the Demon's tower shield.
"...! What power…!"
Now vulnerable for an attack, Yunyun's school mates followed after her.
"Light of Saber!" x 3.
With practised coordination, they diced the Demon to bits.
"Heh! Not bad, Arue! I guess you haven't lost your touch!"
"What do you mean? I graduated top of our class. It's Funifura and Dodonko, who graduated with mediocre grades, who I should be worried about. Just stay behind Yunyun and I."
"Why you…!"
Oi, why the hell did I even come here?
Can't these girls just fight on their own?
Meanwhile, my party was…
"Taunt! Come over here, you bastards!"
Keith attracted the enemies to himself. Oh, he can use Taunt now?
"Good job, Keith! Rapid-shot!"
Keith notched his arrows and fired them quickly, dealing major damage to the enemy. Oh, he can use Rapid-shot now?
"Watch out! There's enemies trying to flank us! Cyclonic Barrier!"
Lynn spotted the flanking enemies and summoned a massive wall of spinning wind to impede their attack. Oh, she can use Cyclonic Barrier now?
Ah, that's right, they did mention that they were training in Kazuma's new dungeon.
"...Normal sword slash."
I slashed the Demon that had Keith's arrows sticking out of its shoulder. I wasn't able to pierce its heavy armor, my sword bouncing off it uselessly. Keith finished it off with a headshot that pierced through its helmet. Its large body fell with a thud.
"H-Hey, maybe Dust should just stay back and leave it to us."
"Well, if you say so."
Tch. It's not like I wanted to come here in the first place…!
I stayed back while my teammates, who were using their fancy new skills, took care of the demons.
With nothing else better to do, I watched the other battles going on.
My eyes were drawn to a young spear user who was holding off a Demon, while a female mage supported him from the rear.
It looked like he had enough Skill Points to get Advanced Spear Skills, but he didn't practice with the skills enough to use them properly.
What an amateur. Just because you can use fancy new skills now thanks to Kazuma, you should also focus on your fundamentals.
Suddenly, music started playing from above.
"Hello~ my Demon lovelies~! Are you fighting hard for me~? Thankies~! Ne… I'm really grateful, you know? How about I sing you a little song as a reward~!"
A red haired girl with bat-like wings soared over the ensuing battle. She had some kind of item that amplified her voice.
"Dieee for mee~! My lovely mookiees~! Your lives are meaningless, don't cha know! Your blood is better spent spilling for me, so let it flow! Dieee for meee~!"
What kinda messed up song is that?
Nonetheless, the morale of the Demons seems to be rising. They were also radiating a powerful aura.
"Tsk! The enemy leader is a powerful Bard! This is bad! Everyone, retreat!"
The crusader in Kazuma's party yelled at us from her place in the frontlines.
But the warning was a bit too late.
These noobs, who were getting carried away because they recently gained a bunch of levels, had advanced way too far into the enemy's formation.
And thus, the strengthened Demons were closing a semi-circle around them, intending to corral them in.
"...! Darrien-kun!"
Among the noobs who were being sucked into the trap was the young spear user I had my eye on earlier.
Yunyun and the others were too busy covering the escape of the other noobs who overextended.
Where's that priest? We really need her help!
"That devil thinks she can perform, huh? So what if you can sing a little! Watch this! Nature's Beauty!"
What the hell is she doing?
"Darrien-kun…! No…!"
The young spear user was captured by a Demon mage who was aiming a Fire Bolt at the kid's face.
If they melt his corpse, there's no way for him to resurrect.
"..."
My legs started moving on their own.
I held my sword out and lunged it at the Demon mage.
"Gurk…!"
I managed to take the mage out since I had the element of surprise, but his friends were quick to retaliate.
"Damn human! Take this!"
"...!"
I was blown back by a heavy mace swing.
I bumped right into the young spear user. We both collapsed on the ground.
"Ow… T-Thanks for the save, mister…"
"Yeah, yeah. Oi, who the hell taught you to use that spear? Are you an idiot?"
"E-Excuse me?"
"Just because you have a spear, doesn't mean you're restricted to lunging that thing around. It gets hella predictable. With a spear, you have multiple ranges of motion available to you. You can whack people with it like a warhammer, or slash it like a sword, or deflect attacks with it like a rod."
"W-What's a swordsman doing lecturing me?! And It's not like you're that good with a sword, either! You even lost it trying to block that blow earlier!"
I looked at my empty hand. My sword was flung away.
The Demons were pissed as all hell and they were making their way closer. The mage girl was trembling, frozen in fear, and didn't even try to fire a spell at them. I swear… Rookies these days.
I looked at the boy's spear. I promised myself never to use this thing again after the last time I exposed myself, but I don't really have much of a choice, do I?
"Hey, what are you doing with my spear! You can't just grab another guy's spear like that! Not cool, dude!"
I ignored his whining and tested the weight and feel of the spear. Ah, I really miss my old one, back home.
"This will do, I guess. Oi, brat. I'm gonna show you something cool. You better pay close attention. And tell your girl to cover her eyes. I don't wanna accidentally steal her from you."
"W-What are you…?"
With a flick of my wrist, I thrust the spear head at the abdomen of the closest Demon. He was wearing chain mail, but the spear head pierced through a chain link. The fine point of the spear head lunged through the broken link and found flesh.
With another flick, I slashed upwards. The links broke in two parts and fell uselessly to the Demon's feet. I continued to cut him down until he couldn't stand anymore.
No movement was wasted. He enemy was down in seconds.
"T-That was… Amazing…"
The boy said, looking up at me in admiration.
"Dust-san! Don't go off on your own!"
Yunyun rushed to my side.
"Light of Saber!"
She dealt with the rest of the demons.
"Skreee!"
It looks like she brought Nuynuy, my wyvern, with her. It landed on my shoulder and nuzzled against my neck.
The Demons were growing in strength thanks to the Bard's buffs. Our forces were being pushed back.
My party soon joined us, followed by Yunyun's classmates.
"Dust, why are you using a spear? Did you lose your sword, or something?"
Keith asked, looking at the spear in my hands.
I looked at the boy I took the spear from.
"Oi, kid. You want this back?"
"I-I think you better use it, sir."
"Good idea. Why don't you retreat for now."
As Darrien and his female mage friend took my advice and retreated away from the frontlines, Lynn looked at the spear in my hand.
"Ne, Dust, stop fooling around and use a proper sword already. This is serious business, you know? And… Is that a wyvern on your shoulder?"
I guess this is how they'll react after seeing that goofy side of me for so long.
"Nuynuy, deal with the enemy on the right."
"Skreee!"
At my command, Nuynuy exhaled a torrent of flame at a Demon warrior that was trying to ambush us.
The others remembered that we were in the battlefield and took defensive positions.
"Oi, Dust! You should really look for a sword now! ...Eh?"
In the middle of Lynn's concerned cry, I lunged my spear at one of the attacking Demons. I quickly pulled the spear from the first Demon's gut and impaled another. I struck down the third demon by slashing vertically with the spear after feinting with another lunging thrust.
"..."
My party members looked at me wide eyed. The Crimson Demon girls, especially Yunyun, had seen me in action back in their village, but they still seemed impressed by my technique.
"I'll explain later, but basically, I'm pretty badass and I just didn't tell you guys. My bad."
"Oi, you can't just brush it off with that!"
I don't really feel like explaining now, though.
"Hey, Dust-san! I can't let Megumin take all the glory! Let's do this!"
Yunyun had a competitive fire in her eyes as she looked back at the Treasure Island the crazy explosion girl supposedly took down.
There's this stupid story that's going around.
It's one of those lame ass fairy tales about a princess and her knight.
It's a stupid story, though, and I have a much better one to tell.
It's about a handsome adventurer named Dust and his friends, and how they kicked the Demon King army's ass.
Care to hear it? It'll cost you.
…
…
A/N: I can't believe it's already September. I would like to share my condolences to those who have school to return to. Jokes aside, the first day of instruction starts at around the end of the month for me, which means I still have some time to finish this fic until school starts. I'll try to increase my work pace, however, I feel compelled to confess that I have, in the past three days, spent the majority, if not the entirety, of my time binging old 'Critical Role' streams. At least I can say that I'm doing 'research' by watching D&D streams. I mean, its somewhat related to the whole RPG theme of Konosuba and all. That's my excuse, anyway.
Next chapter will come soon-ish, completely depending on my binging patterns.
-BoringBone