Chapter III

Greetings and salutations my wonderful readers! I have returned to you with yet another chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure. I hope everyone enjoyed the previous chapter, at least a few of you did it seems. I equally hope you all enjoy this chapter as well, be sure to leave a review if you do. As normal, I would like to thank my coauthor Bakuto Masaki for all of his help with the story thus far and going forward. Anyway, with that out of the way, on to the reviewer responses!

ThousandMastery: I generally try to avoid that kind of character (I assume by SIOC you mean Self-Insert Original Character) though I have fallen into that trap a couple times. And I am trying to make the girls a little more fleshed out. It's sort of pre-SAO. The story begins before SAO, but currently SAO will have just started. Haha! Don't think that'll be happening this time around.

No, she's not a gamer but she is an avid reader, which is my justification for her being here. Yeah, I thought that would make for an interesting series of events since Kazuma's a bit of a douchebag.

Yes, Kazuto is essentially Kazuma's antithesis (Though not in the way Kyouya was). Nope, no Kajo Fugetsu. Since Hestia has to approve the skills she learns Kazuto will make damn sure she doesn't waste her Sacred Aura on stupid Skills.

Shield Hero's Rising? Sounds interesting.

SaintInfernalNeos: Crossover mess is generally what my stories are. You couldn't have found it any sooner honestly, I just started it a few days ago. Of course she will. She's my second favorite SAO girl after all just behind Strea.

Then you've come to the right place, and nice picking up on that detail.

Jose19: Because Bell would've gotten in the way had he been here. I don't do tandem MCs nor do I do cuckolding, so Bell would've been subject to both had he been here. And that's debatable on Bell, he's certainly a great protagonist, and I may even do a story with him in the future, but I personally like Kazuto better. Them's fightin' words mofo!

Don't know who Haseo is.

Alex DarkFire: I certainly hope it is.

I can't guarantee on Aiko since, near as I can tell, her appearance nor her Avatar is ever shown. Yuuki I can at least offer you hope of appearing.

Phew! That is a lot of reviews. I love it! Keep it coming folks! That said, I know you are not all here to hear me prattle on endlessly, so let us move on to the main event!

Chris paled in disbelief. "… N – No… that's not Aqua-Senpai…"

Kazuto sighed and stowed Excalibur before turning back to Chris. "Okay, let's start from here. When's the last time you actually saw her?"

"Before she was stuck in Purgatory."

"Which was when?"

"Eleven thousand years ago."

"… Meaning you know nothing about how she is now."

"I… I guess so…" she noted with a deep frown.

Kazuto sighed as he looked at the despondent girl.

"But… she still has to be the Aqua-Senpai I know, somewhere in there."

Kazuto rubbed the back of his head in consideration. "Maybe you could try and help find her?"

"Huh? You think so? How?"

"You knew her. So, you can probably bring out the person she used to be. I didn't, so all I can really do is try and make the Aqua of now a better person as much as I can."

Their conversation was forced to end abruptly as Hestia and the others came out of the church.

"All done," Hestia chirped proudly before she saw Chris swiftly huddle behind Kazuto. "What's wrong with her?"

Kazuto laughed weakly. "Uuhh… j – just shy."

Aqua raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Wait, her?"

Darkness nodded in response. "Yes. Chris, the person I came here with."

Aqua walked beside Kazuto and looked at Chris in thought. "Hm… you look familiar."

The disguised goddess paled in worry.

"Nope, can't remember."

Chris flopped her head against Kazuto's back in disbelief.

"And this is supposed to be a goddess…" Wolbach groaned.

Shortly later, Kazuto, Megumin, Aqua, and Darkness made their way towards the Dungeon.

As they approached, Kazuto frowned in thought. 'If Darkness is as bad as Wolbach is saying then I'll need to take drastic measures.' "Darkness, can you hold on for just a moment?"

Darkness turned to him in thought. "Yes? What is it?"

"Um…" Kazuto gulped before slapping her on the arm with only a little force, causing her to release a rather powerful moan.

Darkness, flushed and panting, shouted, "Wh – What was that for…?! What did I do so you'll do it more?!"

He paled in shock. 'Damn…' "Okay, Darkness, I'll make a deal with you. If you manage to not get hit once by any of the monsters," he paused and held up the ring that powered her shock collar, "I'll use this for an entire minute."

Darkness drooled in excitement before saluting. "I swear I won't get hit a single time!"

'Good, she's excited,' Wolbach commented.

'How is that good?' Kazuto questioned.

'It means she's easy to control.'

Kazuto sighed in exasperation before turning to Darkness. "But if you do get hit I won't use this at all for a week."

The blonde gasped in shock. "Kya! Th – That's too cruel!"

Wolbach interjected, "It's motivation."

"… F – Fine. I won't get struck a single time, but you must keep up your end of the bargain."

"I'm a man of my word," Kazuto replied.

Before the group made their way into the Dungeon, Chris spoke up.

"I'll wait here for you guys," she alerted.

"Why?" Kazuto wondered.

Chris walked close to him and whispered, "The Dungeon hates gods and goddesses, it would send a god-slaying Monster at you if I went down there."

"Really?" he asked quietly.

"Yes. Gods are expressly forbidden from entering the Dungeon, as doing so endangers the Children."

"Then… it doesn't view Aqua as a goddess…"

"… Eh?"

"She went into the Dungeon a few times."

Chris glanced at Aqua in disbelief then back to Kazuto. "… Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"… Ah."

Their conversation was interrupted by the focus of it.

"Oy! Kazuto, you coming?!" Aqua shouted.

"Y – Yeah!" he shouted before turning back to Chris. "Okay, see you later."

Chris nodded in understanding.

Inside the Dungeon, Kazuto swung Excalibur out, hitting a Goblin across the neck and killing it before seeing another nearby charging the group. "Okay, Darkness. Let's see what you can do."

Darkness nodded in understanding and drew her sword. "With pleasure." 'Do it for the shocks. Do it for the shocks. Do it for the shocks.' She then charged at the Goblin and swung her sword numerous times with a dramatic flair.

The Goblin tilted its head curiously as Darkness swung over and over, not a single hit landing.

"Oh dear lord…" Kazuto groaned.

Wolbach snickered in amusement. "She loves to get hit and can't hit a single thing."

Darkness turned bright red before the Goblin charged at her.

Aqua reacted instantly, raising a hand. "Water Arrow!" she shouted, a shot of water blasting from her hand and shooting through the Goblin's head, killing it.

Kazuto grinned and remarked, "Nice shot!"

Wolbach was speechless. "… Did that just happen?"

"It did," Kazuto noted proudly.

Aqua huffed and looked at Excalibur. "What, did you think I've been doing nothing all this time with my Sacred Auras?"

"Yes."

Aqua face-faulted in frustration. "You're mean!"

Kazuto sighed and then turned his attention to Darkness. "Um… Darkness, have you had any actual training with a sword?"

The blonde stiffened before her face turned bright red. "… N – No…"

Kazuto groaned heavily. "Okay, abort for today. And prepare for training."

"Right," Megumin agreed, the other two disappointed.

"I'm sorry…" Darkness whimpered.

Kazuto sighed and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry, it's not your fault you're inexperienced. I wish you would've told us first. You could've gotten hurt, and in a way I doubt you'd enjoy."

Darkness' pout worsened.

"Let's find Chris before heading back."

The girl in questioned saw the group heading back and frowned in confusion. "Why are you back so early?"

"Darkness can't hit a thing," Kazuto stated bluntly, causing the blonde to flinch.

"… Ah. So what now?"

"We head back and I train Darkness to actually use a sword."

"Right."

Megumin then tugged on his shirt. "Kazuto."

"Huh?" he muttered. "What's up Megumin?"

"I want to practice my Explosion again."

"Ah, okay." He then turned and addressed the others. "The rest of you head back, we'll be there in a bit."

"Right…" the goddess muttered suspiciously.

Shortly after the others left, Kazuto turned to Megumin. "Same mausoleum as before?"

"Yup!"

A short walk later, the duo stood in the distance of the dilapidated mausoleum once more.

Kazuto urged, "Right, this time try to cast multiple explosions instead of just one huge one."

"Understood!" Megumin looked at the mausoleum, took a breath, and then raised her staff, having to momentarily remind herself to skip the chant. "Explosion!" she hollered, two explosions going off in tandem around the ruin, sending shock waves into the air.

However, the moment was interrupted when Wolbach, inside Kazuto's head, spoke shakily. 'Um… Lord Momonga…'

'What's up?' he replied before looking at Megumin. "That was impressive, Megumin."

'We… might have a problem…'

'Why?' "Can you keep going?"

"I can!" the girl cheered.

"Right. Just one more."

'She should really stop…' Wolbach urged in worry.

Kazuto frowned in thought and then sighed. "Nevermind, let's head home before you exhaust yourself. I want to start training Darkness anyway."

Megumin nodded in understanding.

Wolbach, however, sighed in relief. 'Yeah, that'd be best. Don't want anything too bad happening quickly.'

'Okay…?' Kazuto muttered in bewilderment.

Later in the day, Kazuto and Darkness stood opposite each other wielding wooden swords, the blonde gulping in anticipation.

"Okay then…" Kazuto began. "Let's see your stance."

Darkness raised her sword in an overly sloppy stance, her front exposed, her legs too close together, her sword at her side, altogether bad.

"… Wonderful…" the teen groaned in exasperation. "You're a complete mess…" he grumbled, unwittingly causing her to shiver with pleasure. "This is going to be a long day."

Several hours passed of Kazuto and Darkness sparring, Darkness swinging wildly, not coming close to hitting Kazuto, with Kazuto landing several blows in the process.

"This isn't working… at all…" he grumbled as the disheveled Darkness stood in front of him, breathing heavily with arousal. 'You've gotta be kidding… we're not going to get anywhere if she's so focused on pain as pleasure…'

'Then fuck her,' Wolbach suggested abruptly, leaving Kazuto silent in shock for several moments.

'… No.'

'Why not?'

'I have no doubt she'd say yes, and I can't trust her decision-making skills in that state.'

'…' "Oy! Blondie!"

Darkness blinked in confusion before turning her attention to Excalibur. "Yes?"

"Wanna fuck Kazuto?" she asked simply.

Darkness remained silent in shock.

Kazuto answered abruptly, "You don't have to answer that."

"I – I do!" she answered shakily.

"… Eh?"

"You heard her."

Darkness frowned in concern. "Am I… not good enough?"

Kazuto gaped slightly. "… No…"

"Then…?"

"Yo," Aqua suddenly interjected.

Wolbach snarled in annoyance. "Blue. Zip it."

"No. What're you two even doing?"

"Training her."

"Doesn't look like it's going well."

"Oh she'll be his pet soon."

Darkness beamed with excitement. "I will!?"

"No!" Kazuto hollered. "Stop saying things like that! Geez… for pete's sake, there's got to be a way to deal with this." Kazuto sighed heavily and then folded his arms in thought. 'Okay… let's see. Darkness views pain as a good thing, which is probably part of the reason she can't hit anything, she's too busy being excited about the idea of getting hit by the enemy in addition to her lack of training.'

'Promise her rough, vigorous sex.'

'I'm not going to use sex as a tool like that. And that's final.'

'Albedo and Freya will be sad about that.'

'Their situation is different. Darkness doesn't love me. She's simply horny without an outlet.' He remained silent in thought before narrowing his eyes in consideration. "Darkness."

"Y – Yes?" she stammered slightly, surprised at the abrupt firmness to his words.

"Pick up your sword again."

"Okay…" she answered in mild confusion raising her sword.

"Wrong," he chastised bluntly, causing her to blush and stiffen. "Turn your body more to the side."

"Like… this?" she questioned, adjusting her position as he suggested.

Again, with harsh bluntness in his voice, he chided, "Wrong. Other side. Your dominant arm forward."

As he told her, she changed her posture accordingly.

"Shift your feet so that your dominant side is forward."

She stammered as she looked at her feet to ensure they were in the right spot. "R – Right, just give me a –"

"Now!" he demanded harshly.

"Eep!" she shrieked, quickly adjusting her posture.

"Now, I'm going to teach you a few basic techniques and you're going to learn them."

"I – I'll try…"

"No! You will! If you fail you'll be barred from entering the Dungeon until you do."

"R – Right!"

"Wow…" Chris muttered as she and the others watched Kazuto train Darkness.

"Yeah…" Megumin gasped in surprise.

Aqua frowned in confusion. "Um... I don't get it, why's he acting like some weird drill instructor?"

"Idiot," Wolbach chided. "He's basically rewarding her."

"Eh?"

"She's a masochist. To her, pain is pleasure. That includes mental pain. To her, the way he's acting so rough and rude with her is the way most women would react if he charmed them."

More than an hour passed as Kazuto sparred and trained with Darkness, teaching her basic swings, how to hold her sword properly, and defensive motions.

Darkness stood, exhausted and huffing, covered in sweat.

Kazuto smiled as he set his sword down. "Good work." After a moment he sighed and then reached into his pocket, pulling out the ring for Darkness' shock collar and aimed it at her.

Darkness arched her back and moaned intensely as the electricity shot through her body, lasting nearly half a minute before Kazuto lowered his hand, causing the shocks to stop and the blonde to collapse, flushed and panting with arousal. "Amazing…"

Kazuto sighed deeply in disbelief. 'This is so wrong… but I guess if my being her dom is what it takes to keep her safe I'll have to play along for a bit.' "Come on, let's finish up. I want to do some of my own training."

Megumin blinked in surprise. "You're going to train too?"

"Of course. I can always get stronger."

'Indeed,' Wolbach commented.

"Huh, actually, I have an idea."

They all answered in unison. "Huh?"

"You should all train too. At least a little."

"I do magic," Megumin rebutted.

"I'll be training in magic too. Besides, what use is magic if your body's weak?"

"My body's fine."

"How old are you?" Wolbach questioned.

"Sixteen."

"… Yeah, your body ain't or you'd actually have breasts."

Megumin's face instantly turned a vibrant red with a mix of embarrassment and anger. "Wh – What do you know!? You're just a sword!"

Kazuto put his hand between them. "Alright you two, come on. Let's just start training, okay?"

Aqua folded her arms doubtfully. "And what would a gamer like you know about physical training?"

"My older sister was in the military and my younger sister is a kendo ace, so I know a few things about physical training. And damn was she terrifying at times…"

Chris then stepped forward and added in. "Well I think it'd be good to do it."

Aqua huffed lightly at her. "Why? It's not like you'll be going into the Dungeon."

Chris stiffened in shock. 'Has she figured it out…?'

"You're too scared after all."

Kazuto slapped a hand over his face in exasperation. "Let's just get to work…"

Kazuto took the others through a series of physical and mental exercises, though he could not yet understand how to work the mana crystals.

After the others returned to the church, Kazuto sat on a rock with a sigh of exhaustion.

'I wonder how long this city will keep standing…' Wolbach wondered with concern.

Kazuto raised an eyebrow in confusion. 'Well so long as the tower holds over the Dungeon it should be fine.'

'When the others find out that an Adventurer from here is blasting Nazarick I doubt it…'

'And just how do you know that? We don't even know Nazarick is here yet.'

'Well Megumin has been using it as target practice.'

Kazuto remained silent. He certainly not expected that answer. '… Heh?'

'What? You didn't know?'

'No!'

'Ah.'

'… Not good…'

'I'll say.'

Kazuto groaned heavily and put a hand over his face in frustration. "You've got to be kidding me… what a mess…"

Sometime later, Hestia noticed Kazuto leaving the church and rushed to him in bewilderment. "Wait, where are you going?"

"Out," he answered simply.

Hestia frowned in concern. "Can I come wi –?"

"No. You and the others will stay here. I should be back in a few hours." Without another word, he left.

"Kazuto…"

After a short walk, the sun having gone down and the stars now hanging high in the sky, Kazuto reached the spot where he and Megumin had been practicing Megumin's Explosion and looked at the mausoleum from a distance.

"Hm… it certainly looks like Nazarick from here," Kazuto wondered.

"Because it is Nazarick," Wolbach affirmed.

"Let's wait until we get close enough to determine that."

Kazuto approached the structure, a large, ornate series of pillars and walkways surrounding a massive stone building. Though its splendor was slightly ruined by the massive craters surrounding the area.

Kazuto chuckled weakly. "… She really did a number on it… Just great…" Looking around once more, he sighed in frustration. "I just hope I can calm everyone down…"

"Yeah, or we could have some problems," Wolbach remarked.

Kazuto approached the mausoleum in the center and walked around its periphery. "Now… to find the door… Ah, there it is." He saw a large assortment of pillars with an immense entryway in the center.

Wolbach warned, "I'd ready yourself, they might not realize it's you at first."

Kazuto nodded in agreement.

As he walked through the doorway, the first area he laid eyes upon was a seemingly endless graveyard.

"Okay… First Floor. If memory serves, Floors One through Three are where Shalltear guards. Geez… I hope she doesn't come after me, I don't know if I'd be able to beat her… Oh wait, she's a True Vampire… they have an uncanny sense of smell…"

Wolbach remarked, "Then you should be okay. Because, to me at least, your mana is still the same."

"Somehow I doubt I smell like Momonga…"

At that moment, a round, purple, pulsating portal opened in front of him. "Ah sh –" he began as he grabbed Excalibur, only for a figure to emerge from it and tackle him.

"Lord Momonga!" a voice exclaimed.

"Gah!" he grunted as the figure hugged him tightly. He looked down and saw a girl who appeared younger than him with pale, shiny skin, silver-pink hair and bright red eyes, her hair tied back in a long ponytail with violet and maroon bonnet, she wore a purple-black evening dress with dark red accents and a large skirt, a black coat overtop it with long sleeves, a high collar that covered the entirety of her neck, and a moderate bust, though Kazuto noticed they seemed slightly odd.

The girl held him tight against her cleavage. "It's been so long, Lord Momonga!" She blinked in confusion. "Wait… you feel shorter…" she pulled away from him and looked at Kazuto.

Kazuto laughed weakly as she looked at him. "H – Hi… It's good to see you, Shalltear…" Her gaze remained keened on him curiously. 'Uh-oh…'

"Why are you so small?" she asked.

Wolbach suddenly interjected, "This is what he really looks like."

Shalltear looked around in bewilderment. "Wolbach?"

Kazuto pulled Excalibur out of its sheathe slightly. "I don't know the specifics, but she's sealed in her."

Shalltear furrowed her brow, her eyes wiggling in confusion before she slumped, her eyes spinning. "I don't… understand… any of this…"

"I see your brains are still in your tits," Wolbach chided.

Shalltear twitched an eyebrow as a tic mark formed on her forehead. "Sh – Shut up, you old hag!"

"Try and make me, Loli Big-Boobs!"

"The hell kinda name is that!?

"Enough!" Kazuto suddenly shouted.

The duo went silent instantly.

"Geez…"

Shalltear blinked in surprise and then smiled happily. "I don't really understand what's going on, but it's good to have you back, Lord Momonga."

"Thanks… Shalltear, is the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown still in the throne room?"

Shalltear tilted her head slightly in confusion. "Yes, as far as I'm aware."

"Take me to it."

Shalltear blinked in mild confusion. "You can't teleport there?"

"No, I don't have the Ring of Ainz Ooal Gown on me right now."

Shalltear frowned suspiciously. "I… see."

Wolbach interjected, "Don't worry, he really is Momonga."

"If you say so…"

"He's just not in his Thought Projected form."

"Thought Projected?" Shalltear asked with bewilderment.

Kazuto interjected, "I'll explain everything after everyone gathers in the throne room."

"Um… Wiz is busy elsewhere though."

"I'm aware. It's best she isn't here anyway."

Soon, the duo were stood within a large room with a ceiling so high he could not see where it stopped.

"… This room feels a lot bigger…"

"Or you're just smaller," Wolbach remarked, causing Kazuto to twitch an eyebrow in embarrassment.

Suddenly, the massive doors to the room burst open.

"Lord Momonga!" a voice exclaimed.

Kazuto turned in surprise and saw a tall, beautiful woman with long, flowing, knee-length, lustrous, jet-black hair, a long strand falling between her golden amber eyes, which had vertically slit pupils, and at her waist were a pair of large, black, feathered wings, and she wore elbow-length white gloves, a low-hanging white dress that reached the floor, open portions that exposed her full hips, and a golden necklace modeled after a spider web that flowed over her extensive bust.

The woman rushed forward and tackled him tightly in a hug, burying his head in her immense cleavage.

Kazuto flailed in an attempt to escape her grasp. 'Can't… Breathe!' "Boobs…" he groaned as he attempted to free himself.

The woman pulled away from him slightly in thought. "Hm? You want to see my breasts?" She then smiled warmly and put a hand on her top. "As you wish."

"H – Huh?!" he grunted, jumping back quite a distance before turning bright red. "W – W – Wait a second, Albedo!"

Albedo tilted her head in mild confusion.

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. 'Good god… was she always like this…?'

"Something the matter Lord Momonga?"

Kazuto gulped slightly as he gazed at the woman, averting his attention slightly as he could not find a comfortable place to look. "Um… no… it's, um… nothing…"

Moments later another figure entered the room, a massive, four-armed, insectoid being with a body made of light blue crystal. The creature looked at Kazuto curiously before scratching its head. "Has he always been this small? Are you sure he's Lord Momonga?"

Albedo looked at the crystalline creature with great offense. "You what, Cocytus?! It doesn't matter what form he is in, he is always Lord Momonga! And the staff will prove it!"

Cocytus stiffened and stepped back. "I – I didn't mean to… um… nevermind…"

"So… this is what you really look like?" a new voice asked.

Kazuto turned to the side and saw two short girls with dark skin, blonde hair, pointed ears, and mismatched eyes.

One had messy hair, her left eye violet and the right green, wearing a scaly, red top underneath a white and gold blazer, white trousers, and white shoes.

The other had neatly combed, straight hair in a bob cut, her left eye green and her right purple, wearing a similar uniform to the other with a violet top underneath her blazer, a short, pleated skirt, thigh-high stockings, brown boots, and a green cape, holding a large, knotty staff with a curve at the top.

Kazuto looked at the duo in thought. "Ah, Aura and Mare, correct?" 'Why did Peroroncino make them Dark Elves again…?'

The two nodded excitedly.

Kazuto turned to the red-clad girl first. "And yes, Aura, this is what I really look like. The other form is sort of a Thought Projection."

"I like it," Mare added.

Kazuto's attention was drawn away as another voice spoke to him.

"It is good to have you back, Lord Momonga."

He turned to meet a tall woman with long, waist-length, deep crimson hair, two long horns emerging from the sides of her head, swept bangs above her slitted, dark red eyes, wearing a long, floor-length, jagged black dress with red accents, a long cape flowing down her back, the front of her dress open with the exception of two jagged points covering the tips of her luscious cleavage.

Kazuto stiffened and gulped slightly as he looked at the woman. "M – Maou… It's good to be here… and in the flesh."

The red-haired beauty, Maou, smiled warmly. "I have the Sins watching over the Tomb during our meeting. They're all anxious to meet you once more, my Lord."

Kazuto nodded in understanding. "I am too. But first, I need to ask, where is the Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown?"

"Where it always is and has been, my Lord."

back of the room and pushed on a section of the wall which shifted and opened, revealing an extremely tall, crooked, golden staff with a cup at its top, an ornament of seven snakes, each with a different colored jewel in its mouth. 'There it is…' he noted in awe at the staff, which was easily as tall as he was if not higher.

Taking a gulp, he reached his hand out and wrapped it around the object, before he felt a surge of heat and power through his body. 'Oh this is going to hurt…'

Albedo and the others gasped as Kazuto was engulfed in light combined with howls of agony. "Lord Momonga!"

As the light died down, Kazuto was seemingly gone, replaced a large, hulking figure, a tall, humanoid skeleton with glowing red eyes and a glowing orb where its heart would be, clad in ornate purple and gold robes, long, bone-like pauldrons with red jewels on its shoulders, still holding the staff.

"Okay… what the hell?" it muttered.

"Lord Momonga!" Albedo cried out before hugging him.

'Wait… I'm… in the form of the character I created in Yggdrasil…?' Kazuto muttered in awe as he took stock of his new appearance.

Aura and Mare looked at him in surprise.

'Oh god, I can't tell if this is awesome or horrible…' He then looked down at his now skeletal hands and flexed them curiously. 'Is this… seriously happening…? And why am I not freaking out? Wait… it probably has something to do with being an undead. Yeah, if I remember right, the Undead classes have a passive skill that prevents mental status ailments, which I guess extreme emotion would be one. Good to know. But…'

"Lord Momonga?" Albedo questioned with concern.

"Yes, Albedo?" he asked, his voice a much deeper baritone than normal.

"Is something troubling you?"

Kazuto shook his head in response. "No. I'm simply getting reacquainted with this body." 'I don't know how… but I don't have HUD… but it's like I can sense how much mana I've got… it's so weird. And all the knowledge of spellcraft and how to use my spells… I know it all…'

"You seem surprised," Maou interjected.

"Hm? Did you know this would happen?"

Maou merely smiled silently.

Kazuto sighed and then looked down at his hand once more. "Hm… I can't very well go back to town looking like this… I wonder…" After a moment of thought he waved his hand out wide. "Transformation!" He was then engulfed in light before returning to his normal appearance. "Good. It still works." He then frowned in concern. 'I can still detect all of my abilities. That isn't good, Lady Hestia might be able to see that on my Falna. I need something to limit my abilities at least temporarily.'

After a moment of thought, Kazuto stuck one of his hands out. "Create Greater Item!" A flash of light formed in his hand before a short, thin, necklace of iron appeared in the palm of his hand. "… Not what I expected but it will do." He fit the necklace around his neck and trembled slightly as he felt a pressure around his body. 'Y – Yep… definitely knocked my abilities back a bit…'

Shalltear tilted her head in curiosity. "What's that, Lord Momonga?"

"A Limiter," he answered plainly. "It'll help me blend in."

Albedo huffed dismissively. "And why would you do that? Would the mortals not be elated to know the leader of the Supreme Beings is among them?"

"You haven't been outside much, huh?"

"We've had no reason to be. Wiz has been outside the city monitoring the mortals and searching for you."

"Ah. Well, I'm already involved with a group of people, so I need to keep my power hidden for a bit. I don't need them and the goddess to get suspicious."

Albedo frowned suspiciously. "… Goddess?"

Kazuto furrowed his brow in frustration. "… Has Wiz told you anythi – oh right. It's Wiz. Guess I should tell you about the city. The city's called Orario. It's known as the Labyrinth City because it sits on top of a seemingly endless underground labyrinth called the Dungeon. Within the city, humans, Nekomata, elves, dark elves, and beyond live side-by-side with gods and goddesses."

The others remained in silent shock as he continued.

"The mortal beings form contracts with the gods and goddesses. In these contracts, the mortals get inscriptions on their backs called Falna that give them access to increased abilities over normal members of their individual race, and also provide a rough, numerical estimation of their abilities. In return for that, the mortals join what's called a Familia, where they work under that specific deity, and help them with certain tasks or actions the deity simply doesn't have the capability to perform all on their own."

"Interesting," Maou commented, listening closely.

"The people who gain the Falna are called Adventurers and are ranked by Level with their Falna, and their rank is shown by the different metal plates they wear. I'm Level One, and thus have a Copper Plate."

"WHAT!?" Albedo shrieked in shock.

"Loud…" Kazuto grumbled as he lurched back in surprise.

"How dare they mark you at such a low rank!"

Kazuto flattened his brow in disbelief. "Calm down, Albedo. Everyone starts at the bottom." He sighed before redirecting the conversation. "Anyway, I had joined a Familia before I found Nazarick, so I need to keep my identity secret for a bit longer."

"I understand…" she answered in disappointment.

"Though we do have a problem…"

"What is it?" Maou questioned.

"Well, my original body was killed and I was resurrected in a new body alongside a goddess. And I was given a mission. And due to me not knowing details I am kinda regretting that."

"And that is…?" Albedo questioned suspiciously.

"The goddess and I were tasked with killing the Demon King."

The others gazed in disbelief at him.

"Yeah, I know…"

"Indeed," Wolbach noted.

"I will crush them…" Albedo hissed.

"No," Kazuto retorted bluntly.

"What? But why?! They mean to kill you!"

"They don't even know who I am."

Albedo twitched an eyebrow firmly.

Shalltear gaped in shock. "They… dare not know who you are!?"

Kazuto sighed and demanded, "Calm down at once! I meant that they do not know I am the Demon King when in my human form!"

"O – Oh…"

Kazuto sighed in frustration. "It's only temporary until I find a way back home."

Albedo frowned with uncertainty in response.

Kazuto noticed the others giving him the same look of worry. "Alright, what's up? You all look like I just died."

Wolbach interjected, "… Seriously, my Lord? You're basically saying you want to abandon us like the rest of the Supreme Beings did."

Kazuto stiffened in response. "… Ah… I didn't mean it to sound like that. If I can find a way home then I'd say I can probably come back and forth between the worlds." Smiling warmly, he added, "So don't worry, I won't abandon you."

Albedo and the rest sighed in relief.

"Right… now, I should probably head back to the church before the others get worried."

Maou then spoke up. "Shall I have Sebas send one of the Pleiades with you?"

Kazuto put a hand on his chin in thought. "Hm… that would probably be best. But whoever it is, send her after I've left, if she arrives at the same time as me it could rouse suspicion."

Maou bowed in response. "As you wish, Lord Momonga."

"Oh, that's right. One more thing. Whoever it is you choose to send, she is to address me as Kazuto or Kirigaya, not as Momonga or Lord."

"I understand."

Albedo frowned in confusion. "You don't plan on upgrading your equipment?"

"Too risky. I'll earn a bit more money in the Dungeon and then I'll buy what's available in the city. Once I've built up some more funds I may consider acquiring some of the equipment that's here."

"Understood."

Kazuto sighed as he made his way back toward the church before Hestia came flying at him and tackled him with a hug.

"Kazuto!" she cheered excitedly.

"Gah!"

"Where've you been!?" she demanded with adorably puffed cheeks.

"Exploring."

"Well you certainly took your time," Aqua chided.

"Like you care, Blue," Wolbach interjected.

Aqua twitched an eyebrow as her cheeks tinted subtly. "I – It's not because I care about him! I need him to get off this rock!"

"You need him to get off? Man you're perverted."

Aqua's entire face turned a vibrant red. "Shut up you despicable sword!"

Megumin then interjected. "So, will we dive into the Dungeon again tomorrow?"

Kazuto sighed scratched his head in thought. "Maybe. I'm still worried about doing that with the way Darkness is."

"Why not a job then?"

Kazuto nodded in agreement. "That may be best. Something simple."

The next morning, Kazuto and the rest woke up early and prepared to head for the Guild.

Kazuto stopped just outside the church and urged, "Let's go ahead and train before heading out."

Wolbach hummed in thought. 'Do you really need to?'

'I don't. But they do.'

'True.'

"Really… so early…?" Aqua groaned.

"Yes. Getting started early will help you be alert for the rest of the day."

"… Fine…"

"So what will we be doing today?" Darkness asked.

"Same as before. Push-ups, sit-ups, and the rest."

Megumin then questioned, "And magic training?"

"We'll do some of that after the physical training. You'll help, right, Excalibur?"

"But of course," Wolbach answered.

"Right. Then let's get started."

As the group finished up their course of exercises, Aqua and Megumin laid sprawled out on the ground in exhaustion.

"I think… I lost… all my bones…" Megumin groaned.

Darkness stood nearby, huffing with only mild exhaustion. "That wasn't too bad."

"Says you!" Aqua and Megumin howled.

Kazuto chuckled lightly before chiding, "Now, now. No shouting. Is that really all it takes to exhaust you two?"

His attention was pulled aside when Hestia came up running behind the group before collapsing flat on the ground.

"Lady Hestia!?"

Hestia sat up with exhaustion, panting as she wiped dirt from her face. "What…? I couldn't… let you four… get stronger while I just sat around…"

Kazuto gaped in shock. '… Her drive is incredible…'

'Indeed…' Wolbach added in surprise. She then addressed Hestia directly. "You're a Goddess of Homes not combat."

Hestia pouted with disagreement. "But I can't just sit around and do nothing…!"

Kazuto crouched down next to her and rebuffed, "You're far from doing nothing, Lady Hestia. You're helping us prepare for the magic training and you're even holding down a job to help pay for things. You don't need to push yourself this hard."

Hestia's pout deepened at his words.

Kazuto sighed heavily and then gently patted her head. "Okay, okay. If you really want to join us that's fine. I don't see much reason since you don't do any fighting but I suppose it can't hurt."

"Right!" she cheered. "Is there anything else I can do to help?"

"If you're that desperate you could do some fetching for us," Wolbach remarked.

"Okay!"

Kazuto looked at Wolbach incredulously.

"If I'm going to train those two properly I'm going to need a few things. First, some mana crystals, then a few basic spell books, and if you can't find those then some blank journals."

Hestia nodded as Wolbach continued rattling off her list, the goddess writing it all down on a notepad.

The group stood in the Guild, looking over the request board for an appropriate job.

"Hm… which job…" Kazuto wondered.

"Red, hold it up," Wolbach urged.

Megumin then held up one of the fliers, a job to clear a murky lake and purify the water.

"Wow. This should be easy, right, Aqua?"

"Hm?" the blue-haired woman hummed before looking it over.

"You're a water goddess, right? So this should be right up your alley."

"No god powers."

"You don't have any purification powers?"

"Hm… I think I should at least have some basic water purification."

"Good."

Several hours later, the group were standing at the edge of dark brown, heavily dirtied lake. Aqua, however, was sat in a large cage.

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow. "… Is the cage really necessary?"

"It'll protect her from the monsters," Wolbach remarked.

"M – Monsters!?"

"Well, duh. You think this lake is naturally filthy?"

"Yes!" Kazuto and Aqua both hollered.

"Whatever. Dunk her."

Darkness quickly did so, releasing the rope holding Aqua above the water, dropping the cage partly into it, after which the water almost instantly began churning.

"Start purifying bitch. Lest the gators gonna get ya."

Aqua paled as the head of a massive purple alligator rose from the water. "EEKK! Purify Water! Purify Water! Purify Water!" The water began pulsing and glowing weakly.

A second alligator emerged the two charged at the cage, the second smacking the cage with its tail, rocking the metal cage harshly.

"Purify Water! Purify Water! Go away!"

The first alligator then clamped its jaws on two of the bars, bending them out.

Kazuto snarled and pulled Excalibur from its sheath.

"Oh come on, cool your jets," Wolbach urged.

"If this continues Aqua could die, and I won't let that happen." He then charged at full speed towards the group of alligators.

"Purify Water! Purify Water!" Aqua continued shrieking as the alligators continued biting at the cage, before one ripped two the bars off and lunged in at her. "NNOO!"

The beast stopped and lurched back, however, as Kazuto landed on its back and stabbed Excalibur deep.

Aqua widened her eyes in disbelief. "K – Kazuto!?"

"Keep purifying the water! I'll keep them busy!" Kazuto compelled loudly.

"H – Huh? O – Okay!"

Kazuto snarled and jammed the blade into the beast's eye, sending blood spraying in all directions as it thrashed about.

"Purify Water! Purify Water!" Aqua insisted, trying to keep her attention on the water around her.

"Megumin! Blind them!"

Megumin nodded and raised her staff high. "Explosion, Explosion, Explosion!" she called out loudly, setting off a series of explosions around the beasts' heads.

Aqua continued purifying the water, it slowly becoming clearer as time went by.

One of the alligators suddenly lunged at Kazuto atop the other's head. The teen leapt up, narrowly dodging its jaws, and then slammed his sword straight down in the middle of its skull, impaling it.

Aqua gaped in shock as she watched him fight the beasts. "He's… doing that… for me…?"

"Oy! Keep purifying!" Wolbach demanded.

Aqua stiffened and then took a deep breath and put her hands in the water. After several seconds a massive, blue magic circle appeared, encircling the entire lake. "Purification!" she called out loudly as the entire body of water lit up bright blue.

'Jump back now!' Wolbach suddenly howled as the lake lit up, Kazuto doing so immediately.

Kazuto sighed in relief as the alligators thrashed and howled in pain as the pure water burned their hides before looking down and noticing small amounts of smoke rising from his feet.

"Crap! They're not dead yet!" Megumin exclaimed as the alligators charged at the cage once more, Aqua so focused on purifying she did not even notice.

Kazuto snarled and swung his sword to the side tightly and then charged forth with immense force, a cone of energy forming around his blade before launching him forward, impaling through all of the alligators in the lake in tandem, killing them all.

Darkness ran over to the cage and opened the door, Aqua inside, panting with exhaustion. "Are you alright, Aqua?"

Aqua nodded slowly. "Y – Yeah… just tired. We have to get those bodies out of the water or they'll contaminate it again."

Megumin raised her staff and cast another Explosion, launching the corpses of the alligators up out of the water.

"Good. Darkness, start cutting them up," Wolbach ordered.

Darkness tilted her head in confusion, looked at her sword, and then shrugged her shoulders and went about as commanded.

Kazuto and the rest made their way back to Orario proper, Kazuto still confused as to why Aqua remained in the cage.

"She probably feels safe in it," Wolbach explained.

Kazuto sighed before shrugging his shoulders. "Well… whatever. I'm going to turn in the quest, you guys wait out here."

Aqua nodded to him with a smile. "Right."

Kazuto raised an eyebrow in mild confusion. "Something wrong?"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"… Nothing."

Inside the Guild, Luna was wiping down a desk when she noticed Kazuto approaching and smiled. "Ah, Kazuto. Here to turn in another quest?"

"Yep, here you go."

"Right. You've been busy ever since you got here."

"I have to be. If I'm going to make enough for everyone I need to keep busy as often as I can. And quests seem to bring in the most money in a short time."

"I'm surprised you can perform them so well with such a small Familia. Though it just goes to show how…" Luna trailed off and leaned to the side to look at someone behind Kazuto. "Um, is there something I can help you with, Miss?"

Kazuto blinked in confusion and turned to see a woman with long, waist-length, shiny black hair tied back in a ponytail and dark grey eyes wearing a simple, dark brown mantle overtop a plain white blouse with black cuffs and accents, loose, dark brown trousers, black shoes, and a simple, steel sword at her side.

Kazuto flattened his brow incredulously. 'Out of everyone… they sent Narberal…?'

'I would have sent the werewolf.'

'Lupusregina definitely wouldn't be able to keep a secret long enough.'

The black-haired woman, Narberal, then questioned, "Are there any Familias open to join?"

Luna turned to Kazuto. "I'll get this job exchanged, so why don't you talk to her, Kazuto?"

Kazuto nodded in agreement.

Shortly later, the two sat in one of the lounge sofas away from the main area of the Guild.

"Is there a reason you wished to talk to me?" Narberal asked suspiciously.

Wolbach then noted with annoyance, "It's Momonga you daft Doppelganger."

Narberal paled and bowed deeply. "Forgive me, my Lord!"

"H – Hey, keep your voice down," he urged quietly. "I don't want anyone figuring out who I am."

"I – I see…" she muttered as she sat back down.

"Now, I assume that Maou told you the basics?"

"Yes…" she answered uneasily.

"Something wrong?"

"I didn't quite understand the name I'm to address you as."

"Kirigaya. Or Kazuto. But definitely not as 'my Lord' or 'Momonga'."

"Yes, sir."

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow slightly. "… Just. Kazuto."

"B – But, I need to –"

"That's an order. No 'lord', no 'master', no 'sir', just my name. Pick the one you prefer and use that."

"Y – Yes, Kazuto…" she answered unsurely.

Kazuto nodded with a smile. "That's good. Also, during your time as an Adventurer, I don't think Narberal will be a good name to go by. So… outside Nazarick your name is Nabe."

Nabe nodded in reply. "I understand, my Lo – er… Kazuto."

Kazuto sighed in exasperation. "… I guess it's a start."

Luna then approached the two with a small tray. "Alright, here's your pay for the job, seven hundred fifty Vals."

Kazuto nodded in appreciation as he emptied the coins into a pouch. "Thanks, Luna."

She then turned her attention to Nabe. "So, will she be joining your Familia?"

"So long as Lady Hestia approves it should be fine."

The duo then made their way back to join the rest of Kazuto's group, as he explained to Nabe, "Now, the rest of my Familia are out here, so try not to act too –"

His words were interrupted as a new, brash voice howled, "You there!"

A man in overly extravagant armor with a long, red, curve-tipped sword stomped towards Kazuto angrily. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"… Who's the weirdo?" Wolbach asked in annoyance.

Kazuto tilted his head in mild confusion. "No idea." He then took note of the two girls alongside the man, one with long, red, braided hair and fuchsia eyes, the other with tied up, long green hair and violet eyes, both in extremely revealing outfits. "Two girls with him are kinda cute."

"I guess. All three of them look like cannon fodder."

The man then completely ignored Kazuto and walked towards the cage. "My goddess, why are you imprisoned such?"

Aqua looked at the man curiously. "Hm? I'm not, it's just comfy in here."

He growled angrily and then scowled at Kazuto. "Grr… what have you done to her you fiend!?"

Kazuto immediately noticed Nabe tensing and raised a hand slightly to command her to stay in place. Kazuto then looked at the man with irritation. "Okay… first off who the hell are you?"

The red-haired girl frowned with great offense at him. "How rude! He's Kyouya Mitsurugi, the wielder of Gram and the man who'll beat the Demon King and save the world!"

Wolbach groaned in disbelief. "… Who the fuck gave this idiot a Demon Sword to fight against a Demon King with?"

Nabe drew her sword and prepared to charge at Kyouya, though Kazuto grabbed her ponytail and held her in place.

"And it was the task gifted me by the goddess Aqua whom you have caged like some animal!" Kyouya declared proudly.

"Well that answers that question. Doubt she even remembers you."

"Um… who are you again?" Aqua questioned.

Darkness lurched away from the armored man in disgust. "Normally I prefer to be hit, but… I really want to hit this man."

"Agreed," Megumin hissed.

"I want to cut him in half," Nabe growled.

"I demand you free Aqua-Sama at once!" Kyouya howled.

Kazuto huffed in derision. "She can get out on her own."

"What do you take me for, a fool?" he snarled before grabbing two of the cage's bars and breaking them off.

Wolbach groaned in annoyance. "… There goes the deposit…"

Aqua gaped in disbelief. "Gah! Why'd you do that!?"

"To let you –" Kyouya began to explain before Aqua interrupted him.

"Splash!" she shouted before a blast of water hit the man, sending him flying. "Do you have any idea how much the deposit for that cage was?!"

Kyouya rubbed his nose in pain. "M – My apologies, Aqua-Sama, I just –"

"Why don't you just go before cause any more trouble?" Kazuto interrupted.

Kyouya turned to him, disgusted. "Me? You're the one who put Aqua-Sama in a cage you rogue! And I bet you manipulated those girls as well!"

Nabe scowled at him and readied her sword once more.

Kazuto glanced to her an urged quietly, "Don't do anything unnecessary, Nabe."

"Cutting his head off seems highly necessary," she answered quietly.

"Aqua, what kind of bullshit you feed this dumbass?" Wolbach groaned.

Aqua shook her head in bewilderment. "The same stuff I told Kazuto, I think. I mean, I reincarnated so many people each day I don't even remember this weirdo!"

"Enough of this!" Kyouya howled before drawing Gram. "If you insist on antagonizing Aqua-Sama I've no choice but to put you down!"

"You're the one antagonizing her," everyone retorted in unison.

"And what you plan on doing with the oversized butter knife?" Wolbach taunted.

Kyouya huffed with a smirk. "You're a brazen boy."

"It wasn't me it was the sword."

"You really are an idiot. Swords don't talk."

"Oi dumbass! I can! And you look ridiculous in that outfit!" Wolbach hollered.

Nabe tightened her grip on her sword, growing more irritated as Kyouya continued speaking, Kazuto sighing in exasperation.

Kyouya huffed. "So will you fight or run like a coward?"

Kazuto turned to him with a bored expression. "Sorry, you say something?"

"Tch, brat."

Nabe had finally had all she could handle and, in almost an instant, she was right next to Kyouya with her sword pressed up against his neck. "I have had enough of this."

Megumin stumbled back in shock. 'S – So fast!'

Kazuto slapped a hand over his face in disbelief. 'Why did they have to send Narberal!?'

Kyouya scowled at Kazuto. "So you're such a coward you send women to fight me?"

Kazuto twitched an eyebrow in disgust. "A: She acted on her own, I don't tell them what to do. B: She just hates you and your stupidity."

"I wonder why such a beautiful woman is hanging around a ruffian like you," Kyouya taunted before reaching to wrap one arm around Nabe's waist.

Nabe narrowed her eyes in disgust and grabbed his arm, snapping it like a twig. "Don't touch me, filthy creature."

Kazuto slammed his hand over his face in exasperation. 'Geez…'

The green-haired girl gasped in shock. "H – How mean! Kyouya-Sama gave you a compliment!"

"I don't let filth touch me," Nabe retorted coldly.

Kazuto put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her away from Kyouya slightly. "Don't kill the idiot."

Kyouya suddenly grinned and swung Gram up at Nabe.

Nabe turned and raised her sword to block, however, Gram passed straight through it. She narrowly avoided the blade by jumping back, however, she was left with a long gash in her arm.

Kazuto's eyes lit up with fire and he drew Excalibur, charging at Kyouya with intense speed, put his sword into a reverse grip, and slammed the pommel against the man's throat, causing him to cough violently before dropping to his knees, after which Kazuto put Excalibur back into a regular hold and slammed the pommel against the back of Kyouya's neck over and over until he was prone to the ground in pain. "Never. Do that. Again." He then placed the edge of his blade right against Kyouya's neck with a dark frown. "Leave. Now. And if I ever see you near Aqua again my sword won't stop."

Wolbach added in, "And leave Gram where it is."

"Y – You can't be serious!" Kyouya argued before Kazuto dug his sword deeper against the man's neck.

"You heard the sword, leave it."

"Okay, okay!" he shouted, dropping the blade.

"Now, you and your fangirls get out of here. Now."

Kyouya and the two girls with him immediately jumped up and ran far away from Kazuto's group, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake.

And fin! That ends the third chapter of Kazuto's Magical Adventure! I hope everyone enjoyed it, be sure to let me know in a review if you did. If you were confused, unsure, or had questions on anything leave a review with your concerns and I will address what I can in the reviewer response. If your question involves future events, harem members, or details on characters I most likely will not be able to answer it there though, so on that front you may have better luck in a PM. If you did not enjoy the chapter, post a review if you must, though please try to have a more cogent argument than "it sucks". Anyway, I do not really have much more to say, so until the next chapter, bye-bye!