Disclaimer : KonoSuba is owned by Akatsuki Natsume, I don't own anything about it and only using it as a material of my fanfic.
-o-
Chapter 3 : Die Scharfschütze
Scheiße
I cursed under my breath as I backed away.
"Be careful to not let your guard down. Don't make any reckless movement, because that's precisely the reason why they could easily kill novice adventurers." Steiner warned.
Steiner-san? I know that, but those things are slowly approaching us, you know?
This is a really bad situation.
We're in a stalemate with these creatures.
Anyone who made the first strike recklessly will die, be it our group or their pack.
"What should we do? If this keeps up, we'll die either." I asked Steiner-san while still keeping my eyes on those beasts.
"Tsk, I've fought only two Rookie Killer before, but not this many. The only course of action we should take is to not get provoked by their attack pattern which aims to separate us individually. They also aimed for the weakest one to be targeted first." He muttered while taking a slight glance at Megumin.
Which is a bad idea.
"Are you implying that I'm the weakest one to them? Despite knowing that I am the Arch-wizard who controls the strongest magic available to human!?"
"Hey Megumin, this isn't the time to argue about it, you know? Besides, those Rookie Killer couldn't possibly know about it, isn't it fine to just let it go for now?"
"It is not! You don't simply insult the pride of Crimson Magic Clan and get away with it!"
GRRRRRRRRR
Hey, are those Rookie Killer getting agitated? It must be my imagination, right? RIGHT!?
Then something that warrants me a facepalm happened.
Coming from behind me, Megumin stood in front of the Rookie Killer and declared:
"You stupid wolves, I, Megumin, the Arch-wizard from Crimson Magic Clan who will one day defeat the demon king will show you how it feels to fall unto the abyss of cold death!"
"I won't let myself be outshone by her! I am Aqua, an Arch-priest that will also defeat the demon king! You lowly dogs shall fall before me!"
Standing beside Megumin, she declared that before both of them strike a pose.
Pretty obvious for what happens next.
"AHHHHHHH! WHAT ARE YOU TWO DOING!?" I yelled before aiming at three Rookie Killer that lunges at them.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Falling on the ground with a thud, I noticed that only one of them was dead while the other two survived and whimpering about like a dog as I only managed to hit their sides.
That became the signal for all hell to break loose.
"Get ready!" Bernard shouted while readying his spear against incoming Rookie Killer pack.
As there are around twenty Rookie Killer attacking us, our position is similar to when we fought those bandits earlier with Darkness, Chris, Bernard, and Steiner took the vanguard position with Darkness attracting their aggro while the other three attacking and despite that, those dogs are smart enough to let one of them to somehow slip through their guard and bared their fangs against Megumin and Aqua, the one who caused this.
""WAAAAAA!""
Bang! Bang!
Which is where my role as the rearguard came to play as I killed one of the incoming Rookie Killer with two shots.
"Huhu! It went all according to plan!" Puffing her flat as washboard chest, Megumin boldly declared.
"As expected of Kazuma, the man who is actually not really good for nothing after all!" Aqua added.
Wow, not only that they're acting full of themselves despite being scared as hell before, now they dare to shamelessly say whatever they pleased.
I want to hit them both so bad but refrain from it as the situation doesn't allow it.
"You two idiots, stop yapping about and do what support should do. Except you, don't cast explosion unless you want us all dead."
While grumbling and staring daggers at me, they do what I told while I provide a support fire to the vanguard.
After several minutes of combat, I found that these Rookie Killer really are friggin tough.
Our vanguard, although not critically wounded or in life-threatening injury, they're starting to tire out while those things are still persistent in their assault.
Not only that, while a single shot to their head is enough to kill them, but try to shoot other than the head, they'll only whimper in pain for a few seconds if it's their limbs, or even became more aggressive in their assault if it's their body.
And did I mention that they're also fucking smart that after seeing me firing my pistol just for a few minutes? They either tried to kill me or positioning themselves behind the body of our vanguard, making me have a difficulty trying to hit their body let alone their head.
My solution to it?
Putting back my Luger into its holster, I took my rifle and tear off the broken scope, only relying on the default Lange-Visier sight, a rear v-notch quadrant sight to shoot.
With that, I began the Rookie Killer hunting parade.
DopanN!
A Rookie Killer that was in the middle of leaping mid-air towards Steiner's blindside dropped dead with a hole poking through its left eye.
While 9x19mm caliber's stopping power isn't enough to deal a debilitating blow, the 7.92x57mm Mauser bullet combined with my passive skill of damage increase from Scharfschütze is apparently more than enough to deal a fatal injury at the very least or instant death to these dogs.
Ejecting the spent cartridge, I took another aim at the Rookie Killer that Chris currently fights against.
DopanN!
As the Rookie Killer dropped dead with the remaining bullet in my rifle, I ejected the spent cartridge before taking out a 5-round stripper clip. Unlike the modern rifle or pistol's that use magazine box, Gewehr 98 used a 5-round stripper clip to fully reload the rifle by shoving down the stacked bullet from the clip's belt into the rifle's chamber before setting the bolt back in place. With this system, the soldier wielding this rifle would prefer reloading the gun when it's empty for a quick chambering rather than slowly inserting one by one round into the chamber like an older rifle or when it's not empty.
But while I took my sweet time to reload, one of them slip around Darkness' guard and came too close to me for my own comfort.
Not having time to pull out my Luger nor aim properly, I opted to use the bayonet attached below my rifle's barrel and shove it into its jaw.
Instead of piercing its head, the Rookie Killer chews on my bayonet.
GRRRRRRRRRRR
DopanN!
Though, even if that's the case, slightly above that bayonet is my rifle's muzzle which means a simple trigger pull is more than enough to extinguish the life of that Rookie Killer.
Pulling out my rifle's bayonet out of the dead Rookie Killer, I shook it for few seconds to rid my bayonet and rifle from the mix of saliva and blood.
After that, I resumed my assault from before.
While the vanguard took the role of both defending us and directly attacking those Rookie Killer, I gave the support fire to either weaken them for the vanguard to deal the killing blow or directly killing them myself. Meanwhile Megumin and Aqua both continues to be useless due to their own ability.
As their numbers dwindled to the point of it could be counted with both hands, they finally decided to stop their assault and choose to retreat.
We literally hold our breath in anticipation for sudden attack while they're retreating until they completely disappeared, then we're finally able to breathe back to normal and take a look at our surroundings.
Many corpses of Rookie Killer around us and the bandit group's corpses behind us.
Is this how adventurer lives every day?
While in the many adventure RPG I played before featured human bandits, thieves, or criminals as the enemy to kill, killing them with my hand leaves some sort of a bad taste despite my resolve to do it in order to prevent my comrade's death. Added with the Rookie Killer pack that came right after them, I felt like as if being slapped to see the reality of this world's danger.
Probably noticing my downcast expression, Steiner tapped my right shoulder from behind.
"Those bandits deserve what's coming to them. They dare to take others life's and they should be ready for theirs to be taken, so don't worry too much. Besides, you did well against those Rookie Killer despite being a new adventurer." He consoled me.
"That's right, that's right! Although killing someone is bad, but if it's that kind of people, I doubt that I would call them human." Bernard added.
"I'm the same as Bernard-san. If I have to choose, I would rather not kill them, but sadly it's only a wishful thinking. Just try your best in trying to not kill people if you can help it." Chris said.
"Ah! That's right! Even the great goddess Aqua-sama of Axis cult will forgive murder as long as it's for self-defense, protecting someone, and spreading the great Axis cult!" Aqua joined cheerfully.
"Everyone... Thanks. But wait- Aqua, did you just said something about forgiving murder for spreading religion?" I asked while looking at her incredulously.
"Teehee, my tongue slipped."
"Don't 'teehee' me! That last one is dangerous, you know!?" I retorted.
Hearing our banter, the atmosphere lighten up as everyone laughed at our antics despite the blood, entrails, and corpses surrounding us. Meanwhile, Megumin alone pouted while muttering 'I haven't used my explosion.' several times.
After that, Aqua began healing everyone who was wounded in the battle while Bernard and Steiner burned the corpses to prevent them from turning into undead before we immediately set out to return as soon as possible due to the risk of possible attack by those Rookie Killer again.
-o-
On The Road
In order to quickly leave, the old geezer told us to get in the empty wagon as the items he carried were all sold out.
With Steiner sitting beside the geezer, he'll be our watchmen to warn for any sign of monster while we sat on the back.
Meanwhile, inside the carriage.
""Hmmmphh! Mmmmpfhhh!""
A muffled voice can be heard.
"Hey Kazuma, isn't it a little bit too much to do that?" Chris who sat beside me asked while sweatdropping.
"No, they deserved it." I replied with closed eyes and folded arms.
Yeah, right in front of us are these two morons who did something dangerous during the fight against those Rookie Killer.
With their wrist and legs tied, eyes covered, and mouth gagged, they wriggled like a worm.
Meanwhile, Darkness' face is as red as a tomato, probably embarrassed at the implication behind two girls being tied up like that.
The rest of the trip went smoothly and we've managed to return back to Axel safely in the dusk.
Our first destination is the same, adventurer guild.
After claiming our reward, we split up to do our own business.
Chris goes back to her place.
Bernard and Steiner returned to the inn and planned to leave Axel tomorrow.
Aqua and Megumin leaves for a bath after trying to hit me for what I did to no avail.
And the only person left is me and Darkness.
While I wanted to go to take a bath before having dinner as soon as possible, I can't back out of my promise to ask this beautiful nee-san to join our party.
Her performance as vanguard yesterday is great despite being on defensive.
She'd compliment my position as Scharfschütze by tanking the damage and diverting enemy's attention while I provide support fire or killing shot from behind.
Although it wouldn't be cool for a man to hide behind a woman- No, that's wrong, this means that I'm not a sexist who only thought women only should be in the kitchen or to be protected. Yes, that's it! Because I respect women, that's why I gave her the equal opportunity to protect man! Also since my weapon is a firearm, my effective way to fight is by using range advantage, not as a melee combatant. Yep! Definitely not because I'm afraid of death!
My musing ended when I noticed Darkness approached me to talk.
"Ah, Darkness-san, wasn't it? What can I help you?"
"Um, may I j-j-join your party?" She stutters.
Huh? Why is Darkness' face beet red? Don't tell me now she's reluctant in wanting to join my party because of what I did to Megumin and Aqua!? Crap! I messed things up! Did I break her flag?
"A-Ah, s-sure, I-I-If you wanted so. I don't want you to force yourself."
Shit! I messed up again! I should've explained about the misunderstanding not trying to push her away!
"No, I'll join your party."
Oh!?
Seems like I still have a chance to correct her misunderstanding, so let's do it now!
"Um, about tying those two in tight ropes, I did it because they are the ones who provoke those Rookie Killer earlier today, I don't have any meaning behind doing that so-"
"Please tie my up as well!" She suddenly declared.
"Eh?"
My ears must be wrong, right?
"Come again?"
"Please tie me up with tight ropes like you do to your party member!" She yelled while panting up.
Ah, those gunfires must've been messing with my hearing. Damn it, I should've searched for modern weapon equipped with silencer back in my world if I knew this would happen.
"Kazuma-san? You're spacing out for a while, are you okay?" With a worried expression, she asked me with a voice tinted with concern.
Yeah, that's right. That thing earlier must've been my imagination. Seriously, just because a beautiful nee-san joining our party I already imagined something like that, what a bad person I am.
"I am fine, sorry for worrying you."
"That's good. More importantly-
She took a deep breath.
-Please tie me up good, Kazuma-san!"
Ah~ What a good news! My ears aren't in trouble after all! But the bad news is this nee-san turned out to be that kind of person!
No wonder she looks at both Aqua and Megumin like that when they're tied up. No wonder she doesn't have any friend. No wonder Chris dumped her on me.
How could I not realize this? Oh wait, shouldn't it be normal for normal people like me not to realize something like that?
Let's play that card.
"Hey Darkness, sorry for this, but could you reconsider joining our party again? We're a beginner party, you know? Our adventure wouldn't be as grand as you thought and we could've gotten into much trouble like yesterday if everyone wasn't there to cover us."
"No! That's perfect- I mean, it's fine! It is my job as a vanguard to protect my party!" She banged her breastplate in a resolute manner.
Her looks after doing that are absolutely stunning and really reflects a role model of Crusader a.k.a the knight that protects their comrade. If only she didn't say the next sentence.
"Ah! It's fine if you abandon me when we're surrounded. In fact, it's what I'd wish you to do! Being held captive by the monsters... Ravaged as my hope of being rescued slowly disappear until I completely submit to the whims of the monsters. That is my main reason for being an adventurer- no, Crusader!"
With her outrageous declaration, everyone left in the guild suddenly looked at us in both disgust, pity, and wry smiles. It's pretty obvious each one for whom, however.
"No, no, no, we don't need a Crusader who goes into battle with being defeated in her mind! So please, if fate chooses so and I wish it doesn't, we'll meet again later!" I bluntly reject her.
"Guh! That one really hits me hard, but it'll hit much better if you weren't already accepted me into your party."
Scheiße! I forgot that I accept her first and found out later! Is this what one felt when buying something with good packaging only to found the content being a defective product? Or worse, shit.
Now what to do? What to do!?
Ah.
"I'll be leaving!"
With that simple sentence, I abruptly left the guild with haste.
I'm unable to think about ways to reject her right then and there without giving her more reason to join my party, so I choose the most obvious option of temporary retreat. Let's complain to Chris tomorrow- no, better if I hit her hard instead. Hmm, yes I'll do that tomorrow.
After that whole fiasco, I decided to think of ways to reject her instead of training today.
-o-
The Next Day
"Kazuma? You're awfully quiet today, is something wrong?" Aqua asked while eating her breakfast.
Yeah, after doing the usual routine of waking up, taking a bath, and going to the guild for breakfast I was plunged into a situation I'd rather not get plunged into.
That is Darkness sitting beside me who is trying to enjoy my wurst and cheese, something I tried for the first time.
While both Megumin and Aqua keep asking me about her, I never said a word since she sat next to me.
This is the plan I devised; If I don't say any word at all, even she would be uncomfortable and eventually leave us alone.
It's a perfect plan as anything I said might backfire badly to me, so silence it is.
Slicing a small piece of my wurst and cheese, I used my fork to pick both and ate them together.
The juicy meat combined with the soft cheese that compliments its taste is simply superb. It'd be perfect if Darkness wasn't here, of course.
"Hey Kazuma, you usually love to complain about every little thing, but why are you playing mute? Is it due to what happened yesterday?" Megumin asked before biting into a roasted meat she ordered.
My eyebrows twitched at that remark.
'Those little things you mentioned weren't little at all!'
I wanted to retort that, but I must be patient in order to reach the goal.
Doing everything in a perfect and flawless manner... Das ist die Deutsche weise!
While being absorbed in my musing, Darkness suddenly slammed the table.
"As expected of Kazuma-san! Doing a neglect play during the second day of me joining with your party! I knew it, you must've many kinds of plays that you've prepared for me, right!?" She said while heavily panting.
I facepalmed.
Ah, that's right, I'm not a German, I'm a Japanese, what am I thinking about? Using that motto- But wait, weren't we considered as honorary Aryan during the second World War by the Führer himself? But still that doesn't make us German nor- Wait, what am I thinking in this kind of situation!?
"NO! Who would do those kinds of things to you!? In the first place, how could this world so cruel to bestow beauty upon someone with that kind of personality!?" I retorted reflectively.
Ah-
"A-As expected of Kazuma. Umu, I was right in joining your party!"
Crap! I forgot that this woman likes being abused with words as well!
"Why not Kazuma? She's a good Crusader as she displayed yesterday, right?" Aqua joined.
"Not helping. Can't you see how she acts!? Why would I want another troublesome person to our party!?" I pointed at Darkness who reacted by moaning a sensual 'Ahn' at my blunt remark.
Hey woman, don't get turned on by something like this.
UU, what should I do? I wonder where's that little cretin of a blue haired thief that caused this to happen to me?
Then out of nowhere, a loud siren blared.
"Emergency quest! Emergency quest! All adventurers in town, please gather at the front gate at once! I repeat, emergency quest! Emergency quest! All adventurers in town, please gather at the front gate at once!"
Such announcement can be heard all over the town.
Immediately after that, everyone rushes out toward the front gate as if something important will happen there.
Following after them, I saw that everyone is running around and hiding inside the building.
"Yosh! Get ready everyone!" One of the adventurers yelled out.
"""Ou!"""
"What's going on here? A demon attack?" I muttered out loud.
"Get ready kid!" The other adventurer responded.
"Get ready for what?"
"Just wait till we reached the front gate!"
Finally arriving at the front gate, I was greeted by the usual sight of plains and hills, nothing worthy to note.
"There's nothing here."
"Look over there, kid."
Looking at the direction that one of the adventurers pointed, I can see a flood of green thingy came at us.
Using 'creation', I created a binocular to take a closer look.
Those green things are- flying cabbage!?
"Hey, hey, what the hell are those!?"
"Those are cabbage." Aqua simply stated.
"No, no, no, no matter how you'd see it, those things are some kind of monster, right?"
"Are you an idiot? Cabbage is a crunchy and refreshing vegetable, what else could it be?"
"Ha? Shouldn't cabbages grow on the ground and being harvested by the farmer?"
"Ahh… I forgot that you won't know such things. Let me tell you, the cabbages of this world…"
Aqua adopted an apologetic pose and was about to tell me something when the guild staff interrupted her and explained to all the adventurers in the building.
"I apologize for gathering everyone on such short notice! I think everyone should know the emergency is because of the cabbages! It is time to harvest cabbages this year! The quality of the cabbages are great this year, each one is worth 10,000 Eric! We have already evacuated the residents. So please harvest more cabbages and turn them in here! Please take care of your own safety and don't get hurt from the cabbages counter attack! Also, because of a lot of people and bounty, the reward would be given out at a later date!"
Was?
The sound of cheers erupted outside the Adventurers guild.
Ignoring the dumbfounded me, Aqua continued her explanation:
"The cabbages of this world can fly. When their taste ripens during harvest time, they fly through cities, plains, the continent and to the ocean, unwilling to be eaten. If that is the case, we should get more cabbages and eat them while they are still delicious."
"Can I return back to enjoy my unfinished wurst and cheese?"
While mumbling softly, the adventurers around me charge forward with vigor.
Oh mein Gott...
I facepalmed. Again.
-o-
As the quest was finished without too much trouble, we've returned to the guild by evening after taking a bath.
Though, I took a longer time to submerge myself in the bath to relax and rid myself of this frustration.
None of my quest up until now went smoothly.
On the first quest, Aqua ended up almost eaten by a giant toad.
Second, Aqua and Megumin got into the same predicament as the first.
Third, caused by Aqua and Megumin.
Fourth and lastly a.k.a just recently, caused by everyone since screw this world for making a vegetable as a monster to risk your life against.
Haa... Can't I just peacefully enjoy shooting monster up without having to worry about those guys?
If this keeps up, I'm going to catch Marie Antoinette Syndrome.
Let's try to think more optimistically for a change.
My party consist of an arch-priest with many useful support skill and flawless healing, a magician with the capability of blowing shit up with extremely powerful spell, and a crusader with immeasurable endurance and defense, and last but the best is I(ore-sama) with the amazing power to create many kinds of military equipment with mere thought which most of the monster around here couldn't withstand, hahahaha!
With this lineup, I'm sure it isn't really impossible to challenge the demon king as long as I ignore their flaws.
Leaving the bath with that optimistic thought, I headed back to the guild for dinner.
As quick as my optimism rose, it fell again as I saw the spectacle inside the guild.
What comes around goes around I guess.
"Everyone's meal and drinks are on me!" Aqua declared while raising her beer mug in the middle of the guild.
"""OOOOOHHHHH!"""
I facepalmed. Once again.
"Oh, Kazuma, over here!" Megumin called out.
Apparently, she's the only one who noticed my arrival.
Is a guy wearing out of this world slightly torn tracksuit with a rifle slung over his shoulder and pistol on his holster that unnoticeable? Then again, they're kinda quickly used to my appearance and now probably drunk to notice me so my point kinda moot.
"What's going on here and what is that idiot doing?" I asked while taking a seat beside her with Darkness in front of me.
"Oh, since we've got a great haul today, Aqua wants to treat everyone since she caught over two hundred cabbage in the hunt."
Looking through the menu while listening to her explanation, I feel slightly impressed by that amount compared to mine despite my advantage of using a gun.
"That so? Even I barely got a hundred. Waitress-san, I'd like to order the today's special and neroid!" I responded before yelling out my order which instantly replied by an affirmative from said waitress.
"Well, I don't exactly know how much I got since I collapsed after blowing them, but it should be a lot."
"Customer, this is your order."
"Ah, thank you."
Putting down the plate and drink that Megumin ordered, I saw stir-fry vegetables with the majority of it filled with cabbage.
While ignoring Megumin who started to gobble up her meal, my attention shifted to Darkness who kept staring at me from earlier.
"Hey, if you have a problem, say it. It's creepy in how you stare at me, you know?"
"Nothing. I'm just irritated that Kazuma couldn't understand maiden's heart."
"If you call being an M as maiden heart, I'd be glad to not understand it."
Yeah, earlier...
"I'm going back. Seriously, I'd rather spend my time enjoying a good wurst than doing this." I muttered while turning back.
"Hey Kazuma, why don't you join in? It's a rare event where you can rack a good amount of fortune, you know?" Aqua said excitedly.
"Not interested." I simply waved one hand to her while keep walking back to town, but-
"ARGH! ! !"
Huh? Did I just hear a scream of pain?
Looking at the source, I saw one of the adventurers clad in heavy armor got knocked back by a ramming attack of that cabbage.
Wait, is that dent on his armor? Huh? It's a dent!?
How could a cabbage dent a steel armor!? That is bullshit!
While trying to pass my five stages of griefs about this world's cabbage, I was interrupted in the stage of depression by another scream by the same person.
This time, he was rammed by six cabbage consecutively which caused his breastplate to shatter and falling down on his butt.
And here I am almost reaching the stage of acceptance, now I'm back to denial again.
But still, if I don't do anything, that guy's body will go kaboom soon.
Sighing, I took out my Luger and shoot every incoming cabbage headed his way while advancing toward the man.
"Are you alright?" I asked the knocked down man while reloading my Luger.
Bang! Bang!
After shooting two incoming cabbages, I helped him up and carry him back to the town's gate.
By the time I let him down and decided to go back, I heard more scream from the adventurers.
Hey seriously, are these people going to die by cabbage?
Taking out my Luger again, I prepared to at least cover their retreat only for-
"Kazuma, let me show you a path of Crusader." She muttered before charging forward.
As people got knocked down one by one from being rammed by those cabbages, Darkness stood in front of one adventurer who was unable to escape due to getting pinned on the ground by a swarm of cabbages.
Slashing her sword, she didn't hit anything and only managed to knock away the swarm.
"Watch out!" The adventurer yells.
Turning around to where the adventurer looks, Darkness saw a cabbage flying her way.
Instead of using her sword to slice it-
BAM!
Instead, she threw her sword before crossing her hands to endure the blow easily.
"Quickly get back! I'll buy you the time!"
BAM! BAM! BAM!
"It's useless! I think they broke my leg! Just leave by yourself!" The adventurer yelled.
"Hey Darkness, you should listen to that man! Your armor is starting to break!" I yelled out with a worried tone.
"Don't be an idiot! Do you really think I'll let people die on my watch!? As a knight, I shall never allow it!" She declared with rough breathing and face as red as a tomato.
Ah, how could I forget about it?
She is that kind of person.
"OOH! She's a great knight indeed!" One of the adventurers shouted.
Wow, do you have a blindness, mein freund?
Sighing about another thing to be added to my five stages of griefs list, I dragged myself to the downed adventurer.
"Can you stand?" I asked while ignoring noises that Darkness made while enduring the armor-chipping blow.
"Ah, yes, but how about her?"
Sparing a glance at Darkness who got surrounded by the swarm of cabbages, my response:
"Meh, she can take care herself."
With that, I carefully lift him up before supporting him with my shoulder to stand.
While slowly walking back, I noticed Megumin who struck a pose with her red eyes glowing ominously.
Oh shit.
"NO! NO! NO!" I yelled at Megumin's direction.
"YES! YES! YES!"
"NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! ! !"
"YES! YES! Explosion!"
"NOOOOOOO! ! !" With her staff pointed at the spot behind us, she cast that fucken spell without consideration.
BOOOOOOMMM!
Carrying the adventurer as quickly as I could while yelling that, we still got caught by the shockwave.
My ears are ringing damn it!
Managing to get up from that, I checked the man I carried only to find him losing his consciousness. Taking him to the guild staff, the next thing I do is to check about-
"What a powerful spell! I barely survived that one!" With flushed face and torn up clothes that miraculously still covers her important bits, Darkness said that cheerfully.
Though, despite Megumin's spell obliterating many of those cabbages, there's still more incoming albeit not as much as earlier.
Seeing that, those who were healed and not wounded charges forward again.
"Everyone, let me take the blow while you finish them off!" Darkness declared with a flushed face.
After that, I vented my stress regarding everything by blowing off every cabbage flying toward Darkness with my Gewehr 98 in an act not too different from cock-blocking which pissed her off.
That's how I got here.
"Guh, how savage."
Ignoring her, I opted to wait for my order instead.
By the time my order came, Aqua already sat down across me and Megumin.
"Kazuma! I knew you'd picked a right party member! The cabbages couldn't break through her iron wall defense no matter what they did."
"No, I didn't do much, I am just really tough. I am clumsy and slow, so I can't really hit my target, my only strong point was shielding others. Megumin has an impressive offense. You took out the swarm of cabbages with just one explosion attack. All the other adventurers were shocked, to say the least. And Aqua too helped a lot with your party trick to boost people's morale and kept the captured cabbage fresh!"
Haah...
"Kuku, no one could stand up to the power of my explosive magic… But Kazuma was the most active one. He picked me up after I exhausted my mana and carried me back. But I'd prefer if you don't hit my head, though."
If you don't want me to hit your head, don't cast Explosion nearby me, you idiot.
"Indeed, shooting down every cabbage with precision, you're just like an amazing sniper. Thus, I shall grant thee the title of Cabbage Sniper!" Aqua declared.
PAK!
"Ouch!"
"Rejected." I simply said after smacking her head.
"Well then. Although I already introduced myself in the joint quest yesterday, I am Darkness, a Crusader. Theoretically, my weapon is a 2-handed sword, but don't count on it too much. I am clumsy with my hands and tend to miss. But I am good at being a tank, so please take care of me."
That's right, we got another companion officially.
Aqua smiled leisurely, she looked pleased.
"Hmmp, our party is becoming great. I am an arch priest, Megumin is an arch wizard. And we have the defensive specialist vanguard, crusader Darkness. 3 out of 4 members having advanced jobs are rare, Kazuma! Aren't you feeling blessed?"
A wizard that could only use one spell a day, a vanguard that couldn't hit anyone and a priest that was dumb, had bad luck and was totally useless! Do you call this a blessing, moron?
If I could reject Darkness, I'd do it in a heartbeat, but sadly these three idiots already hit it off and I can't really abandon them for obvious reason.
Seriously, what kind of elder god did I piss in my previous life.
Ignoring their banter, I decided to watch the stars on the sky through the window.
Still, despite many misgivings, this world is still a beautiful one.
Oh well, let's hope for the best tomo-
"Waitress! Why there's some sort of metal piece in my stir-fry!?" One of the adventurers complained.
"Ouch, mine as well!"
"Me too!"
"What is this thing!?"
Followed by the others.
"Ah, I'm sorry. I never knew there's this kind of thing inside a cabbage." The waitress apologized while holding the stuff they found in their cabbage.
Looking at the commotion and the small object held in her hand, I immediately have a cold sweat.
L-L-Like I said, l-let's hope for a b-better tomorrow.
To Be Continued...
-o-
A/N:
Alright, first of all, sorry for the delay of the chapter! It's because of my irl stuff regarding university and other things and now for the chapter itself, the title means The Sniper since Kazuma did a lot of sniping in this chapter and a little joke about that last one. For the cabbage event, I kept it as is due to the plan I have about what he'll do with that firearm of his and all, but rest assured, only few canon part sticks while some either adapted out or changed to accommodate the fact that he brought a military equipment of his world to the world of sword and magic.
And now for the German words and not-so-German terms:
- Marie Antoinette Syndrome: A sudden whitening of the hair. The event that named the syndrome was the observation that the hair of Queen Marie Antoinette of France turned stark white after her capture after the ill-fated Flight to Varennes during the French Revolution.
- Ore-sama: A Japanese way to refer oneself as a very important person. An example of the character using this: Prussia from Hetalia Series, BlackStar from Soul Eater.
- Five Stages of Grief or The Kübler-Ross model: A series of emotions experienced by terminally ill patients prior to death, wherein the five stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
- Honorary Aryan(German: Ehrenarier): A term from Nazi Germany. It was a status granted by the Nazi Bureau of Race Research, or by other Nazi members, to certain individuals and groups of people—who were not generally considered to be biologically part of the Aryan race—which certified them as being honorarily part of the Aryan race. The prevalent explanation as to why the status of "honorary Aryan" was bestowed by the Nazis upon other non-Nordic—or even less exclusively, non-Indo-Iranian/European—peoples, is that the services of those peoples were deemed valuable to the German economy or war effort, or simply for other purely political reasons. Those who were granted by this includes: Minuscule amount of Jews, every Japanese, Finnish, and The Muslim Arab Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini of the British Mandate of Palestine "was granted honorary Aryan" status by the Nazis for his close collaboration with Hitler and the Third Reich.
- Das ist die Deutsche weise: That is the German way. Note: The German way I mean is the stereotype and facts that Germanic people are known to be geniuses and perfectionist in everything they do. And I'm pretty sure that is the fact cause if it's not, what else could explain in how the heck could that country could rise to what it is right now despite losing two world war? Although it's personal, this is why I like Germanic people and currently learning their language.
- Was: German equivalent of 'what?' expression.
- Wurst: Sausage, German was also famous for their many variants of sausage and before they're being seen as geniuses and perfectionist, Germanic people were once(before 1850) considered too lazy, eats sausage, and drink beer every day. Though, now that is obviously not the case.
- Mein Freund: My friend.
Review Response:
- XxPokemonMasterxX: Yep, they are amazing indeed. Though, for your last question I can't really answer that since it'd be spoiling, don't you think?
- Judgment of the Arbiter: Your welcome, mein freund!
- FateBurn: Of course, I'll try my best. No, my perfect best! Cause I want to follow das Deutsche weise!
- Fimfic is better: Okay...
- tsun: Yep, I was partly inspired by Gun-Ota.
- Guest: *facepalm* Please, at least leave a name like that(Fimfic is better) than leaving a simple guest comment. But anyway, this is an exception since there's only one guest comment in the 3rd chapter as I write this chapter right now, so I'll respond anyway: Yeah, I'll drop some info about WWI stuff here and there since I have a huge interest to it as well.
That is all, goodbye! And again, please rate & review, I feel kind of lonely when nobody drops a review on me. Plus, it'd be beneficial for me and you readers as I can improve from your review while you have less to complain about the story. Also thanks for those who follow and favs my story, I'll try my best to write this story to your and mine's satisfaction.
P.S. To Germanic reader out there, please correct my words or terms about German if I'm wrong since I'm still learning about your language. Tschüss!