an: I know that this has nothing to do with anything but if you haven't listened to Angel with a Shotgun then I think you've missed something... indescribable.
Trust me.
And here if you missed the an chapter
Height:
Kazuma: 6'3" [190,5 cm] (12y.o)
Yunyun: 5'2" [157,48 cm] (10y.o)
Megumin: 4'7" [139,7 cm] (10y.o)
Komekko: 2'11" [88,9 cm] (3y.o)
Yuiyui: 6'2" [188,96 cm] (29y.o)
Hyoizaburoo: 7'3" [220,98 cm] (29y.o)
Average Adult Male: 5'10" [177,8 cm]
Average Adult Female: 5'6" [167,64 cm]
Rise
"T-This..."
"Why are you so shocked?
"...Sorry. I'm just surprised by the mechanism of what was shown on this... external force."
"It's not a fault, I'm just curious."
Kazuma subconsciously nodded, staring at the rectangle object intensely. He was like a statue, not moving even an inch. Hyoizaburoo was perplexed, but he only shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps it was because of the curiosity a youth possessed, and seeing such a curious tool, he was instantly mesmerized. That's what Hyoizaburoo thought.
'...'
Kazuma thought that the level Yunyun's notebook mentioned was merely a term to judge one's grade and degree. Same with the external force, Kazuma thought that it was like a medium to manifest something or a guide. Kazuma Satou, specifically. So when he discovers what this external force is truly capable of, he was shocked.
'This is my status...'
"Wait, I haven't started learning mana but why does it show that I possessed 1st degree of Skin Absorption?"
"Every single being who does not know mana possessed 1st degree of Skin Absorption."
"Ah."
"From what I've known, the people who possessed this external force impressively have a decent capability, as they were able to improve their degree whether it was in their mana or physical level. But most of them could only improve their physical level to the extreme level, as the only way to increase their mana level was to cultivate, which they haven't known of."
"Cultivate?"
Kazuma raised an eyebrow, staring at Hyoizaburoo who was enjoying sight-seeing the forest. Hyoizaburoo glanced at him and nodded.
"Yes, to improve your mana level, you have to cultivate. Otherwise, you could only depend on that external force by increasing your level which was to defeat monsters. Increasing your mana level by killing monsters could exponentially increase your mana level at the beginning, but when you reached a certain degree, its effectiveness drastically decreased and you have to cultivate it to have a stable improvement. Except if you manage to defeat an opponent that exceeds your level."
"You... you could gain levels by killing an opponent?"
"Not only an opponent, but you could also gain levels by killing every single being that has a consciousness. Depending on their capabilities. Including a defenceless civilian."
Hyoizaburoo's gaze seems colder when he stated it. Kazuma took notice of the change in Hyoizaburoo's mood and furrowed his eyebrows.
"That means..."
"Exterminating and massacring could give you a huge amount of levels."
Kazuma was silent. He stared at the external force that he thought was amazing.
"And that brought us to another topic. Three sides, Humanity, Monsters and Divinities."
Kazuma snapped his head up and his eyes widened. Hyoizaburoo snorted in disdain at nothing in particular and looked up to the sky, gazing at it with indifference only a warrior could exude.
"Humanity protects. Monsters attack. And divinities turned their backs. Not including the number of betrayals by our side which was provoked by the Six Sins."
By the amount of information Kazuma received, he was surprisingly focused. Not getting distracted no matter how shocking a piece of news could be. Hyoizaburoo involuntarily nodded, impressed at his stability of mind.
"I'll give you a brief explanation of our situations. The South and the North have fallen into the monsters' hands two centuries ago. The sky was the divinity domain, that proclaimed that they were neutral. The West and the East were our domain, which unfortunately is getting decreased with each passing year. We, Crimson Demon is one of the main forces. We are affiliated with our counterpart, the followers of Gods, which surprisingly sided with us, and the Belverg Kingdom. We were affiliated with others, barely. It was only because we are on the same side."
Hyoizaburoo sighed at the end of his explanation and closed his eyes.
"I fear no obvious enemies. What I fear is the one we are barely affiliated with and this so-called neutrality by the third party, or Divinities. The amount of damage that they could inflict far surpassed the monsters who we were always guarded against. As the minorities thought of them as allies, so they wouldn't be prepared when an unexpected assault strike against them. We already warned them but hearing and experiencing it itself is different."
Kazuma lowered his head. Processing the recently received information. A brief moment later, he slowly brought up his head and asked Hyoizaburoo, who was still staring at the sky, looking absentminded.
"Monsters, in definition, are those mindless scourges who desired only destruction. So how could they be equal with us?"
"Us. Humanity.
Kazuma widened his eyes once again and felt a pang of sadness. Perhaps it was because of the realization that he just got.
'Not every being desired for peace and stability, huh? Human especially. When they felt despair and pain, they went to vent. Even when it was caused by their own incompetence. Like... me, the past me. Covering it by numerous excuses.'
In the end, a fantasy world was merely a beautiful wrapper. A good outer appearance. Inside, it was all the same. Absolutely nothing has changed. Kazuma and Kazuma Satou were just lucky to meet such people as Megumin, Yunyun, Hyoizaburoo, Yuiyui, Komekko and other kind figures within the village.
"They, who desired for shortcuts and wanted to be enemies with all humans."
"They, who said that human is merely filled with deception and greed."
"They, who betrayed us because of the same reasons that they despised us."
"...It's weird, that the conflict and the crisis we suffered are technically caused by ourselves. Perhaps you merely felt a brief sadness by hearing this but I, who has experienced it countless times and seen it with my own eyes, became numb to it."
Hyoizaburoo, as if he was collapsed, absurdly sat on the ground, looking at the sky dejectedly. His gaze is filled with immense sadness, anger and disappointment.
Hearing such a thing, Kazuma feels powerless. If it was Kazuma Satou alone, he would lose all the vigour he has and be disappointed. Because that was all he'd done in the past. With no desire to change it nor did he try to search for something that will drive him forward. Letting the disappointed feeling devoured him, turning him into a pessimist. Too cowardice to act and too anxious to stay, stuck in between. Resulting in depression by the ordeal that he created because of his own acts. But Kazuma, the Prideful Crimson Demon, merged with him.
A figure who has no intention to be tricked and deceived by such petty tricks. A figure who was too prideful to be lethargic, to give up. The prideful figure who was too ashamed to be against what his heart wanted. A figure who'd rather fall than surrender. A figure who was too stubborn, too hard-headed. A figure, that no matter what, would follow his chosen path until the end.
Such pridefulness, and combined with the conscience of Kazuma Satou?
"...Force was the solution."
Hyoizaburoo did not answer him immediately. He slightly narrowed his eyes because of the sunlight and slowly turned his head to Kazuma, who regained his cold eyes. The coldness that imitated a blizzard, an unstoppable, merciless storm.
Kazuma, the Prideful Crimson Demon, turned the disappointing feeling into anger. A trait Kazuma Satou originally did not possess.
"What?"
Hyoizaburoo widened his eyes. Looking at the anger behind the pair of eyes a reckless person could only exude. It was transparency for a warrior to show such eyes, making the opponents discover openings. But Hyoizaburoo strangely feels energized.
'A youth has no fear to show their emotions.'
A trait he had in the past.
Hyoizaburoo's heartbeats accelerated. A trait of a warrior he lost because of maturing, is liveliness. Vigour. Spirit that won't distinguish no matter how hopeless a situation could be. Such a trait, for a warrior, is essential.
He had lost that spirit. Turning it into indifference. But looking at the youth in front of him...
"It's correct?"
"Yes, it is correct."
"Are we lacking it?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
A conversation constructed with not even dozens of words. But they clearly understood what they meant by each other.
Hyoizaburoo stood up, staring at the person in front of him with a gaze of his own. Not filled with indifference, but coldness. Indifference showed nothing, but coldness showed something. It could be arrogance, anger or even sadness.
And currently, behind such a gaze was filled with immense anger.
"In history, Humanity could stand on its own against Monsters by using the immense advantage we possess, which is intellect. We are not their match when it comes to strength. So when they were controlled by them to attack us, using numerous strategies and deceptions, we lost our advantage and were beaten down. And as you know, by being mindless, they couldn't betray each other. They don't have to fear about their backs, unlike us. We lack force. An aspect that could solve all in simplicity."
It was not a solution filled with numerical steps nor it is filled with sophistication. But in the first place, both of them were no mages. Perhaps they learn mana but in their cores, they are in no way a knowledge seeker. They are warriors. A person who charged their way through their enemies. To defend, attack and live. For themselves, for their pride and especially for the one they love.
Surviving is one thing, but living is another thing.
Numerous marks appeared around Hyoizaburoo's skin, it stretched from the right side of his forehead to his right toes. His right eye glowed, filled with an incomprehensible amount of runes. And a transparent golden wreath floated circling his head. Kazuma looked up in surprise, staggering backwards slightly.
The hat on Hyoizaburoo's head disappeared, showing his silk, black-charcoal hair. It reached his upper neck. And a big trident manifested itself from thin air, solidly grasped by Hyoizaburoo.
A pair of cold, gleaming dark, red eyes met his own. And as a warrior, Kazuma felt nothing but respect from the depth of his heart. Because currently, a seemingly war god is standing before him.
Hyoizaburoo smirked.
"I took a peek. Level 51, huh? 12 years old reached such a height merely by training on your own. I'm shocked. Now, let's focus on your mana level."
Hyoizaburoo pointed to an entrance of a forest that resided in the South with his trident. A path that was filled with the most dangerous monsters, judging from a student of Crimson Village's perspective.
"With such a strength, except for this forest, going anywhere near this village to train is a waste of time!"
After that, Hyoizaburoo went silent. Kazuma wanted to do what he say but there was no commandment for it. He looked back and was confused.
Hyoizaburoo turned his gaze to Kazuma and asked.
"Kazuma, why are you training?"
"...To gain power?"
"What for?"
"To protect."
"Why?"
Kazuma stands still, not answering. Hyoizaburoo was like an indestructible wall, standing before him and spectating him. A minute passed by. A dozen minutes passed by.
Finally, Kazuma slowly looked up and asked back.
"What are you fighting for?"
Hyoizaburoo, despite not getting the answer he wanted, smiled softly. He turned in the direction of where his home was and said. For the first time, Kazuma saw an indescribable amount of warmth within Hyoizaburoo's gaze. From such an act alone, Kazuma already knew.
"My family. Who, to the end of time, shall I keep them safe."
It's not a lengthy explanation. Contains merely a sentence. But it hits Kazuma harder than countless, justifying sentences could ever be. The amount of love from the eyes and the words of the man before him could not be described with mere words. It's odd, but Kazuma truly could not describe it with just words.
"Why?"
"It's a responsibility of mine. A desire of mine. A need of mine. A requirement of mine. A qualification of mine. And it's a purpose of me."
"...Thank you."
Kazuma bowed. Both Kazuma Satou and Kazuma, the Prideful Crimson Demon, in sincerity, bowed respectfully. Hyoizaburoo just smirked.
"You're enlightened?"
"Yes."
"Then tell me the answer."
"...It's a desire of mine to protect my hometown, that contained the things I want to keep."
"Remember, it must be clear. Don't ever in your life, would you make a vague purpose. It could potentially break your belief, resulting in a weak-willed heart that will prevent you from improving. We, warriors, improve by breaking what people like to call, a limit. So this is essential."
"Yes!"
"Good. Now, go and train on your own. Kill as many as you can."
Hyoizaburoo turned his back to Kazuma and waved his hand, turning his appearance back to normal. Kazuma looked at him curiously and asked.
"Sir, how... strong are you?"
From his previous appearance alone, Hyoizaburoo, is no doubt, an unfathomable figure in strength.
Hyoizaburoo just glanced back and smirked.
"Stronger than you could ever imagine."
And he disappeared. Unlike Mr Pucchin, he truly disappeared. No motions, no movements, just straight up disappear.
Kazuma staggered backwards and gaped.
"Wow."
Kazuma Satou thought that this man was too badass. And his counterpart has no intention to deny it.
He turned around to the mentioned forest and walked into it, bringing out his sheathed sword from his back. Oddly enough, a jet-black wolf with spiky fur appeared. Its eyes were really red and its figure is huge. Kazuma involuntarily nodded.
'A dangerous place indeed. Merely have an intention to enter it yet was already being approached by a Monster.'
Kazuma's figure flashed. He appeared behind the wolf and swung his sword. It surprisingly dodged with impressive agility. But unfortunately, its opponent was superior in terms of speed. In the first place, it stood no chance against him.
Slash!
A slash decimated one of its legs, making it howl in anger and anguish. But it has no lesson that such a reaction wasted a certain amount of time, giving its opponent a massive advantage.
Stab!
A sword penetrated its head, with no disruption from its instinctual reactions by its momentary reaction. Reactions couldn't be overlapped, most of the time at least.
Kazuma pulled his sword, shaking off the blood with a swing. He stared at the corpse before walking deeper into the forest. If there's one thing that he learnt from battles, then it's the fact that no moment could be filled with a relaxed manner.
His eyes contained indifferent.
The rectangle object in his pocket flashed.
[Level 4] 4th Degree Skin Absorption
[Level 51] 31st Degree Intermediate Warrior
[Name: Kazuma]
[Affiliation: Crimson Village of Crimson Magic Clan]
[Age: 12]
A surge of energy filled his skin, making it stronger and harder, but he does not react to it. Because he was already strong, strong enough to ignore such a change.
A tall silhouette entered the forest, with a sword in its hand. Its robe slowly fluttered in the wind, leaving a trail of darkness.
No one would ever guess, that it was a mere 12 years-old boy.
an2: finally.
