Ruin Soldiers

"But what about the law I... ehem, accidentally created by amending the law?"

Yunyun, from behind Hyoizaburoo suddenly asked groggily. She was looking at Kazuma by sticking her head out from Hyoizaburoo's side. Hyoizaburoo glanced over and put up a thoughtful complexion but Yuiyui easily answered.

"Hm..."

"The law about formal name stated that a male who asked the formal name of a female informally means that he was asking her for her hand in marriage. And the newly engraved law stated that it was no longer applicable until both occupants reached the age of 13. But in Megumin and Kazuma's case, it was leaning more towards betrothal. So this occasion did not break any law."

They listened to her explanation and put thought into it. Kazuma stared. Megumin clapped. Yunyun gaped and Hyoizaburoo sighed. Komekko just blinked.

"W-Wow! I did not realize such a thing."

"You should've changed the law of formal name. Amend the section that stated marriage to affair. The word "affair" has a wider meaning so it could cover more meanings."

Yuiyui winked at Yunyun, putting up a soft smile. Kazuma realized. Marriage and betrothal, while generally similar, were fundamentally different. Betrothal was like an interval before marriage, an agreement on when, where and how to do the marriage. While marriage was the term itself.

And don't even talk about marriage and affairs. They are entirely different.

'That's why Megumin and Komekko were quite cunning. Their mother is even scarier than both of them combined and multiplied countless times.'

Well, they never used this trait of them. They only used it because it was necessary for their objectives that could not be gained merely by force. Unknown to him. Though their emotions were genuine, so even if he knew, he didn't really mind it.

"Well, if we put it roughly, then it means that they will consume their marriage when Megumin turned 13."

Yuiyui giggled, suspiciously looking at Kazuma and Megumin. Kazuma coughed and Megumin, who was standing behind him blushed furiously.

"You should've put some terms, Dear."

"Ah..."

"What does Okaa-san mean by that?"

Komekko tugged his robe and Kazuma started to sweat. Yuiyui glanced at Komekko and gives a secret thumbs-up.

Hyoizaburoo, in pity for the boy who has no experience in interacting with his wife called out to interrupt the conversation. He put his hand on Kazuma's shoulder and asked.

"How about we go out and train?"

The target turned around and gives him a thankful look before showing an enthusiastic look.

"Yes-!"

"Anata? You forgot the lunch I made, huh?"

"B-Before we do that, let's have lunch, shall we?"

Hyoizaburoo, a towering figure with a rugged outlook, stuttered in front of his wife who was staring daggers at him. Kazuma sighed involuntarily. Indeed, a housewife is an absolute law within the domain of a household. If someone wanted to convince Kazuma the otherwise, it'd be quite hard.

Megumin slowly holds Kazuma's hand, initiating a stiff reaction from him. They slowly looked at each other.

Megumin softly smiled. Unlike her previous behaviour, whether it was mischievousness, pridefulness or recklessness, the current ambience she exuded is like a spouse that would have his back. It gives off a comforting and warm feeling to him.

"W-We have to start from somewhere, right? T-Though I kinda forced it, which I wanted to apologize for, i-it already happened so..."

Like this morning, she acted shyly in front of him. It was still quite weird for Kazuma and especially the other attendants who knew Megumin quite well to see such a haughty person acting shyly. Hyoizaburoo looked at Yuiyui and his wife surprisingly blushed. He slightly smirked.

'The apple never falls too far from its tree.'

"Well! Let's start this gathering with a nice lunch!"

Getting "oppressed" by her husband's gaze, Yuiyui shouted with a surprising eloquence despite being distracted. The group nodded, finding no reason to reject such a kind intention.

Kazuma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Then he disclosed them and glance at the hand he was holding.

He looked at Megumin and replied with a soft smile of his own, responding to her initiative act with a grip on her hand. Her hand is soft and small, while his hand is rough and big, compared to hers. Megumin brightened up, looking up to him with the same complexion as before, albeit oddly brighter.

"But let's do the marriage stuff when you turned 17. Including the consuming part..."

A term made purely by the conscience of Kazuma Satou.

"Aw, too long, how about next year?"

"Then what about my dad saying things like not weird enough to marry kids?!"

"Hiropon did say it."

"Hmph, you're no fun."

"I'm no kid!"

"But Onii-chan will be my brother-in-law right?"

Amongst the bickering of the current occupants of the residence, Megumin stared at Kazuma and bobbed her head.

"As long as you stay by my side!"

An innocent response, yet for Kazuma Satou, even the whole world wouldn't be enough to determine the value of such a promise.

"Certainly."

Kazuma Satou wouldn't no way accept Megumin, same with Kazuma. But their souls got merged. Indeed, things like traits are always unpredictable and inconsistent, especially in Kazuma's case. And fate was even more so. Who would've expected Kazuma Satou to transmigrate into a body from another world with the same forename as his own and got his soul merged with him? And even forming unintentional relationships which result in getting a wife because of the developments made by transmigrating? Within the span of not even a day?

Even a God of Fate would get his mind blown by such an incomprehensible event.


"Aww!! What?!"

"Aqua! You- You- Y-You irresponsible girl! W-What have you done! Argh, my head!"

"W-Well sorry! I got bored and thought it would be fun to see a spectacle of a person getting transmigrated and getting his soul combined with another person..."

"I gave you a permission to manage a world with Eris, Wolbach and other juniors to keep it from the devils and that was even over the top! But you've done this?! Y-You! You don't how to be grateful, aren't you?!"

"Waah! Uncle Fate, I'm sorry!"

"...Aqua, perhaps I will be too harsh on you but I cannot regret it. You've been pampered too much by me. You, descend."

"...What?"

"Descend!"

"Ahhh!"

"Wolbach, you, give me your cat!"

"What?! Why?!"

"To watch over Aqua."

"Ain't no way!"

"It's an order, you rebellious girl!"

"NO! She contained my power because of that idiot Eris who can't keep her things!"

"Hmph, that's your problem, girl. Eris is a special case so you were pretty unlucky."

"You're too much, Uncle!"

"Tsk, so what are you gonna do? Chase her?"

"Yes!"

"B-But that's mean Eris would be the only leading figure who actually managed this world!"

"Well, that's your problem, Uncle!"

"You!"


"...What was that?"

Kazuma looked up in confusion, standing in the middle of a field. There have been many rumbles on the sky, as if there would be a storm coming. But after that, there was nothing. The sky turned normal as if it was only an illusion. But he's pretty sure it was not.

"It wasn't an illusion. I thought it was weird but it was probably some mages-in-training testing their spells on the sky. If I give it a thought, then the spells were too loud and flashy. It fits more towards performing than capability. What are they? Clowns?"

Marks appeared around Hyoizaburoo's right eye and his eyes turned noticeably sharper when he looked up at the sky. Kazuma could only guess that it was the effect of the marks of a Runic Soldier. His heartbeats accelerated. Hyoizaburoo, being an experienced warrior noticed the difference in his slight changes in complexion and smiled.

"Before we apply, we have to memorize and comprehend the subject. Ever heard of that?"

"Memorize, comprehend, apply, analyse, evaluate and create."

"Aha! You actually knew that."

"It was a coincidence, I knew it from Yunyun's notebook."

"Oh? She gave you her notebook?"

Kazuma nodded. Of course it was a lie. Kazuma Satou recognized it as the cognitive level. The first three levels are what he usually did while the last three levels are what the scientists usually performed.

Hyoizaburoo stared at Kazuma and nodded while putting up a thoughtful complexion.

'To learn this advanced knowledge at the age of 10? What the hell the Demon Academy has been teaching?'

At last, he just brushes it off as extras before focusing on the current matter.

"Anyway, we'll start with the meaning of the term Runic Soldier. Runic Soldier is a variable of the combination of physical and immaterial forms, resulting in what we often called runes. The physical form is our body while the immaterial form is mana. We, Runic Soldiers, could be said to heavily depend on runes, but that's the only case beginners who have no foundation often suffer. As for you? With your physical strength, that alone is an exceptional foundation. So you don't have to worry about it."

"What is the foundation?"

"The foundation is a power, a capability you possessed before engraving yourself with runes. It could be your physical strength, your mana manipulation comprehension, your levels, or even your natural talent."

Kazuma's curiosity peeked. He looked at Hyoizaburoo and keep asking the things he did not know of.

"Is there any requirements for one to become a Runic Soldier?"

"You cannot start the Mana Circulation System. If you do then you are prohibited to become a Runic Soldier."

"Why?"

"Runes, in our body, if we put it in a way, is like a container which stored our mana for us to use it as an enhancement for our body. So it could be said to be a container and a medium to turn immaterial into physical. If we engraved it after we started the Mana Circulation System, which was a medium for us to utilize the mana our body absorbed, then how could the runes we engraved have their portion? Even if it works, the efficiency of both the Mana Circulation System and the runes would drastically be decreased, resulting in a deficiency of one's capability. But..."

Hyoizaburoo blankly stared ahead, absorbed in his thoughts. Kazuma stared at him and an unconscious conclusion formed. Before he could say it, Hyoizaburoo continued.

"It was indeed possible, but an unimaginable amount of perseverance was needed, because one has to work two times harder to get the normal result. Could you guess what's possible for the people who train in such a way?"

"Could enhance their body's functions and manipulate mana at the same time."

Hyoizaburoo gave a satisfied nod, impressed with his answer.

"To be honest, I ever heard from the leaders of our clan that the name of such a path is called Ruin Soldiers, who were even more destructive than the mages. They possessed both warrior and mage traits, which make them unstoppable. Such people surpassed our common sense. Perhaps I discussed this with you because you could partake in this path."

"You wanted me to partake in a path many people rather avoided?"

Kazuma stared at Hyoizaburoo in perplexion, furrowing his eyebrows. Hyoizaburoo shrugged his shoulders and answered.

"You know when did I, a talented person who was capable enough to become a commander of the Main Clan, become a Runic Soldier? It was when I turned 15. But you already possessed the same strength as when I was 16."

"Huh?"

"My daughter described it clearly. A 4 meters tall monster bear getting launched by your full-power assault which destroyed almost 8 trees. Full-grown trees. With thick logs."

"But how could you conclude that I possessed such a strength?"

"You think I was able to become a commander for nothing?"

Hyoizaburoo stared at Kazuma in a deadpan manner. Kazuma coughed in embarrassment and lowered his head.

"A youth, on his own, was capable of reaching such a strength. With training alone. With no guidance, external force and wisdom from the experienced ones. Tell me, was I wrong, Kazuma?"

"...No."

"It would be an absolute waste for you not to try the path many people wanted to pursue but are not capable of doing so."

Hyoizaburoo turned his back to Kazuma, staring at the sky silently. Then he brought his hand up and a small flash of lightning pierce the cloud, creating a hole that let the sunlight in, shocking Kazuma.

Kazuma looked up to Hyoizaburoo and stuttered.

"Y-You..."

"It's as you said, merely being a warrior is not enough, and I too thought it was enough to become a mage simultaneously. Runic Soldiers were the answer. But I found out that it wasn't enough too. And I found it. Ruin Soldiers."

Hyoizaburoo threw something at him, a rectangle object. When it landed on Kazuma's palm, it flashed momentarily before it dimmed down.


[Level 1] 1st Degree Skin Absorption

[Level 51] 31st Degree Intermediate Warrior

[Name: Kazuma]

[Affiliation: Crimson Village of Crimson Magic Clan]

[Age: 12]


He gaped.

"I don't like external force but this tool defied common sense. Come, let's start our training."

an2: Damn, middle-aged heroic figures are too badass.