"She'll be the first to die... Are you prepared... to hear their screams of terror? Because I am..."
As blood continued to ooze from my massive gaping wound, the darkness seemed to envelop my mind and body even further, casting an eerie shadow over my thoughts.
As my vision gradually dimmed, my mind couldn't help but be preoccupied with thoughts of what might transpire after my inevitable demise.
Would the girls suffer a similar fate? Would they choose to flee in fear or muster the courage to aid me?
Suddenly, a glimmer of hope pierced the darkness as a radiant light shone into my eyes.
The light drew nearer, gradually revealing its source, and my focus shifted to discerning the identity of this illuminating figure.
To my astonishment, the source of the light became clear—it was none other than Darkness's shining crusader armor, reflecting the glow that emanated from above the stairs.
"I see you want to die first- Hm?"
The entity noticed his arm was stuck inside my body.
"Let him go!"
Darkness's voice reverberated with an intense mix of desperation, anger, and anguish that it sent shivers down my spine.
With her eyes ablaze, she unleashed a devastating liver punch, connecting with a tremendous force that struck the sinister entity lurking behind me.
"Ngh! Wh-Why you?! Why isn't my arm coming off?"
Summoning every ounce of my willpower, I fought against him the best I could to help Darkness.
Despite the overwhelming pain, I clenched onto the entity's arm that impaled me with both of my hands, using Drain Touch to weaken him even more while unable to let him defend himself from Darkness's devasting blows.
"Kazuma!"
"Kazuma!"
Aqua's and Megumin's voices echoed urgently, their footsteps resounding as they rushed toward me.
"I see now... You're trying to immobilize my arm to leave me vulnerable..."
Despite his current situation, the entity remained calm as it looked like he wasn't worried at all by the three girls charging towards him all at once.
Darkness's fist hurled towards the entity's face.
"But it's useless!-"
The entity's arm, which I had desperately clung to, slipped away from my weakening grasp with tremendous ease. My own blood, flowing freely from the wound, seemed to have helped his escape.
THUNK!
In the blink of an eye, everything had changed.
My surroundings had shifted, and I found myself in an entirely different position, standing above Darkness who was now seated, my arms outstretched as if shielding her from an unseen threat.
I noticed the pool of blood below me had increased in size as well.
"Eh? What just happened?" asked the bewildered Megumin.
I looked back at Darkness who was sitting in front of me, her gaze fixed on something behind me, and an ominous sense of danger sent chills down my spine.
Before I could react and turn around,
A searing pain tore through my left shoulder, as if something extremely sharp and rigid had sliced through me, all the way down to the middle of my abdomen.
I could only let out a groan of agony as it was much too unbearable to even scream in pain. I have lost all sense of feeling at this point.
Blood began gushing out of my mouth, and I could only mutter...
"Wh-What just-..."
"It doesn't matter who you are... Whether you're an adventurer... an advanced class... a Crimson Demon... or a member of the Belzerg family... No matter how gifted or how talented you are... Those who encounter me, the King of the Crimsons, Apex Crimson, will fall beneath me.."
Apex Crimson taunts me triumphantly, slipping his arm out of my body once more without any difficulty this time around.
At this point, I had completely lost all sense of feeling on the left side of my body. And now I had a huge hole in my stomach and half of my body was nearly vertically cut in half.
The only thing I could do was collapse myself onto the floor, right next to Darkness who had lost her courage and strength to even stand up to fight.
"What terrible luck you must have for a weak adventurer like you to have encountered me. Your life must've been miserable and full of pitfalls in order to encounter someone like me. Sadly, with your horrible luck.. you won't be able to gamble with it to escape from me.. No one ever has..."
Apex Crimson presses his foot right onto my own back, as he stared at Darkness, enjoying the terror he bestowed upon her.
Move, Kazuma! Move!
I pushed through the most agonizing pain I've ever been, desperately attempting to move my legs.
Apex Crimson increases his own strength on his own foot, planting me on the ground firmly for the last time as I laid down, helpless with no strength left in my body.
He then shifts his attention back to Darkness.
"What happened to the resolve I just saw a few seconds ago? Was he not an important person to you or not? Or maybe.. you were thinking about saving yourself... Go ahead... run... Makes it more fun-"
"God Blow!"
Aqua's voice resounded through the basement.
Her punch connected against Apex Crimson's face, flinging him all the way back to the other side of the room.
"Darkness, why are you just sitting there?! Carry Kazuma and let's get outta here! Heal! Heal! Heal!" Aqua exclaimed urgently, doing her best to heal my wounds.
In an instant, Darkness snapped out of her thoughts, springing into action. She grabbed me by the arms and lifted me up from her back, determination shining in her eyes despite the blood that stained her, her hair, her armor, and her clothing from my wounds.
The four of us wasted no time and rushed towards the stairs, trying to escape from this overwhelmingly powerful enemy. We knew we were no match for him in our current state.
But how could we defeat him? He outranked every single one of us in every aspect, and his ability to disappear and reappear behind us while we were in a confused state was extremely over powered!
How could I possibly think of a plan to escape from this guy?!
"Kazuma, your wounds are too deep right now. It'll take a while for me to heal you, especially since we're moving! I can only heal your broken spine for now, so you aren't paralyzed anymore. But you'll have to bear with a hole and a deep cut in your body for the time being."
"I'll take the best of what I can get," I replied.
I've suffered more than just a hole in my stomach and a deep cut into my shoulder. I've literally been disintegrated and decapitated before.
What more could possibly be worse, have my soul stolen so I could never reincarnate?
"H-How did that monster appear out of nowhere? There has to be an explanation!" Megumin voiced her concerns to us.
"We don't know. From what I saw, Kazuma must've accidentally broken a seal that released him... For now let's just-"
THUNK!
"Surprise.. Surprise.. One of your party members seem to have some sort of capability to stun someone like me... But did you think it was enough to escape from my reign of terror?"
The girls stops their track, noticing that they were in the middle of the stairs even though just a second ago, they were just about to climb onto it.
Apex Crimson was next shown to be sitting on top of the stairway, looking down upon us.
Like a jaguar on a tree, getting ready to hunt it's next prey,
"In the end, it seems that the weak and futile attack from the woman was clearly in vain as it wasn't enough to stop me. Now... what will you do?"
The three girls seemed hopeless in their expressions as to what to do next.
"Let me stand..." I whispered with resolve, looking into her teary blue eyes.
"B-But, your wounds!" Darkness protested, her voice trembling with fragile emotions.
"I know... But still... let me stand... I'll think of a plan... I always have..." I assured her, my voice barely above a whisper.
I weakly stared at her teary blue eyes filled with frustration and worry.
Darkness's face contorted into a mix of deep concern and frustration, but she relented and crouched down to help me stand.
Gritting my teeth against the pain, I managed to move past the girls, my determination propelling me forward, even as more blood streamed from my wounds.
My body couldn't handle these wounds any longer. I was going to pass out anytime soon.
"Kazuma!"
"Kazuma!"
"Kazuma!"
The girls catch me before I could lose my balance and fall back down the stairs.
"It bewilders me how an adventurer like you is still able to stay conscious for so long. Even with your wounds and massive blood loss... You should be dead by now so how are you still even alive? Sheer willpower? Or foolishness?"
I coughed out more blood weakly.
"If you just stand there and rest... you'll be able to die peacefully..."
As Apex Crimson took a step down the stairs, his presence loomed over us like an ominous shadow, ready to consume the light and spread it's influence.
"But first.. you'll hear the screams of torture from your party members before you die... Don't you dare move, Kazuma!"
He leaps down the stairs, prepared to dispatch Darkness first as his biggest threat.
Now!
With all the strength and adrenaline I saved up for the small amount of time, I defied the agonizing pain I was in, standing up and shouting,
"The chance that Aqua's God Blow gave us wasn't in vain! While you were standing up there with a wide grin on your face.. I was saving my strength for this moment! I acted as if I was too weak to even stand up to let your guard down!"
I grab my bow from my back and aimed an arrow right at the center of Apex Crimson's eyes.
"You were talking about my terrible luck just a few seconds ago, weren't you? Then have it here! Snipe!"
With all my strength and luck, I fired the arrow right at the unguarded Apex Crimson straight in his left eye.
"Nngh! Useless-!"
THUNK!
In just not even a second that passed by, Apex Crimson disappeared but this time, we were at the same position as before.
The confused Megumin asked, "Wh-Where did he-"
"I wasn't aiming for your eye at all."
I declared, turning my head back to see Apex Crimson coming right at me from above with an intent to end all of us at once.
"It was the stairs from above, that I was aiming at..."
The arrow I fired with, gambling all my luck ricochets right off of the stairs,
"And then the sloped ceiling..."
The precise arrow hits the sloped ceiling and ricochets right into unguarded Apex Crimson's left eye, which was my original target.
My gamble on the ricochets had paid off.
"Gahhh!"
He screams in pain, his momentum coming to the halt, landing harshly on the stairs and then falling down the stairs, breaking a few bones on the way.
He gets up from his pitfall instantly, taking the arrow out of his left eye with no hesitation, only to be screaming in pain even more.
"You said that no one has ever escaped from you... You said I had terrible luck.. Yet here I am... A mere weak and fragile adventurer like me... has managed to severely wound you... and escape from your grasp."
Apex Crimson glares at me with his piercing crimson eyes, with an expression filled with anger and frustration as if he wants to strangle me until I couldn't breathe.
"Look at me and let it sink into your mind as you heal your wounds... I, Satou Kazuma, am the first person to escape from you.. An mere adventurer..."
With my last and dying speech to the formidable foe, I united all three girls, Darkness, Aqua, and Megumin together, hugging them all at once.
"Lurk..."
We disappear from Apex Crimson's sight of view in an instant.
And the door that opened the basement, slowly closes, trapping him inside.
Only temporarily...
After using one-hundred percent of my capabilities, I slowly slipped to an unconscious state, not knowing what would happen next...
...
As I opened my eyes, I found myself in a state of shock and curiosity.
Darkness rested her face directly on my chest, while Megumin held my left hand close to hers, and I found myself sitting on Aqua's lap again.
"Kazuma!" "Kazuma!"
They both realized that I had woken up and hugged me instantly.
"Welcome back, Kazuma. It seems I didn't have to use Resurrection on you after all. You've only been unconscious for a few minutes after we escaped. Your wounds are healed. Thanks to a goddess like me, it only took me two minutes to repair and form new tissues. Though you'll have to wait for a while for your body to produce more blood."
That's good news, I guess.
I don't feel exactly rejuvenated, but I'll take what I can get.
"Why are you girls crying?" I asked the two, whose tears stained my clothing. It also seems that Aqua couldn't repair my clothing as there was a huge hole on both sides of my shirt and a large tear from my shoulder side.
"Me dying should just be a normal occurrence at this point. Speaking of which, where are we?" I questioned them and their current state.
"We're outside of the crater right now."
"What?!" I screamed at Aqua.
"What's wrong? Isn't that evil and ugly crimson guy trapped inside?"
"Idiot! You think a small door is gonna stop him from escaping?! We have to hurry and run away. The sun is already setting. We have to tell Yunyun's father tomorrow morning about the danger that we've accidentally released!"
Given how hard that door was, it'll only take him the whole night to break through it and escape.
If such a dangerous foe is freed thanks to my own stupidity, then I'll truly be the most horrible person in this world, as everyone said.
I got up instantly, but I'm unable to run at my usual speed.
I could only walk slowly for now.
"Kazuma... take your time,"
Darkness gently said as she came to my side, offering her support to help me walk.
"Darkness... your clothing and armor..." I murmured, noticing the massive amount of my blood still staining her attire.
"It's alright. A little blood won't bother me. We can deal with that later. Right now, your well-being is our top priority." She reassured me with a warm smile.
"I'll take a bath at Megumin's house. You should do the same. You're covered in blood too, you know... We'll sort everything out tomorrow morning."
Megumin approached me as well, offering her assistance. "You deserve all the rest you can get," she said, her eyes conveying genuine care and relief.
You know, I don't mind something like this once in a while.
For once, I actually feel like I'm being respected as the party's leader.
"Wait for me as well!"
We've escaped for now.
But no doubt, we will encounter him again tomorrow. So for now, I just need all the rest I can get so I can formulate a plan with an open mind.
After about half an hour of walking, we finally reached Megumin's house.
To avoid worrying her parents, we told them we had encountered a very large monster and its blood stained our clothes.
I took my bath first, washing all of my own blood off and had my clothes washed by Megumin's mother, who also washed Darkness's clothes.
Then, Darkness took her turn with the bath.
However, Megumin was nowhere to be seen.
And Aqua didn't need to use a bath as she only sprayed purified water on herself to get rid of the germs and dirty scent.
She could definitely make a living off of her talent.
"Do you have any clue where Megumin went, Darkness?" I asked the blonde-haired woman, who had just finished her bath and wore her pink pajamas nightgown.
"Megumin went to sleep over at Yunyun's place for tonight. She told me that she felt responsible for what happened to you and also wanted you to rest with a full night's sleep."
Hmm.. bummer... and just a few hours ago, she told me she wanted to sleep with me tonight because she also felt like telling me something.
I was eager to listen but there's nothing I could do about it.
Also, it wasn't her fault that things happened the way they did.
All of our actions led up to it, so she shouldn't be the one to take the entire blame. And while I get that she wants me to rest alone and make a full recovery, I won't mind sleeping next to her again.
"I see. Then I'll just sleep in her room tonight. Goodnight, Darkness."
"G-Goodnight.."
We took our eyes off each other and headed our separate ways. I went to Megumin's room, and Darkness went to sleep next to the already knocked-out Aqua in the living room.
Also, I was wondering why Megumin's mother hadn't kidnapped me yet.
I laid on the somewhat surprisingly soft floor of blankets and wrapped myself with the other blanket stitched onto another soft material.
Now that I have time alone for myself, I can think of many possibilities for what to do about the current situation.
Apparently, this enemy that we're dealing with is the original Crimson Demon, the first to exist in this world. While he wasn't anything out of the ordinary, his boost of strange and mysterious powers has made him extremely dangerous.
He can disappear into thin air and get behind us. The hard part is that we don't know when it happens. And when it happens, we end up in a different position from before.
I would guess that he could move us to different places at his liking, but then he would've killed us long ago.
Is it an advanced version of teleportation? One that is subtle and affects everyone in a certain vicinity?
Ten meters? Twenty Meters? The whole village?
All this thinking is making my head dizzy, maybe I do need some rest to recover my blood loss.
...
"Kazuma, are you awake?" A voice from the bedroom door awakened me.
Was it Megumin? Did she come back home to sleep with me?
"Come in," I replied.
The door opened, and it was definitely not Megumin. It was Darkness who invited herself into the room I was sleeping in.
"D-Darkness? What do you need from me?" I nervously asked.
She was still dressed in her pink nightgown from what she always wear in the mansion.
"I wanted to ask if I could sleep with you," she said to me, her eyes glancing back and forth, waiting for an answer.
She had never invited herself into my room to sleep with me before. So why now?
"S-Sure. Though I don't know if the blanket would cover us both."
I couldn't just reject this opportunity. Maybe she planned on making a move on me and then running away. But during a crisis like this? Was she really not concerned about the safety of the Crimson Village?
"O-Okay," she said softly, entering the room and closing the door as quietly as possible.
She planted her footsteps on the floor as quietly as she could, so as not to alert anyone. Silently, she lay right next to me, resting the back of her head on the pillow and taking half of the blanket from me.
In the chilly darkness, our feet and half of our bodies found solace in the cold air.
"So... what prompted you to share this bed with me?" I inquired softly, my gaze fixed on her captivating eyes staring at the ceiling.
"Umm... It's hard to put into words..."
Her reply came with a gentle hesitation,
"Come on, at a time like this? After all the hints and teasing you've dropped on me, you're just gonna not be bold about it?"
I expressed a hint of annoyance in my tone.
It was the same exact situation over and over. Dropping hints and leaving when too embarrassed.
"Well then you make a move on me..."
Her words caught me off guard, yet they ignited a spark of excitement within me and my virgin identity.
She turned her head to face me.
Her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, beautifully highlighted by the moon's gentle glow through the window.
Ah crap, she got me there.
"I-I mean... I can't but since you just now gave me permission, I guess I can but I really can't.."
I could only stammer in response.
"It's because of Megumin... isn't it?" Her words hung in the air like a delicate whisper, filled with a slight annoyed tone.
Oh dear... I kinda have a sense where this might be going...
"What about her?"
"Never mind..." Her response was soft once more, almost as if she regretted mentioning Megumin's name that way.
Then she proceeds to turn her face back to the ceiling to avoid looking at me.
"What? You're doing it again. Just like Megumin. Ugh, I don't have no time for this. You told me to rest and get a full recovery yet you've woken me up in the middle of the night just to bother me. I'm going to sleep."
I turned away from her to cover most of my body with my half of the blanket.
Strangely, Darkness said nothing else after that.
I half-expected her to become flustered and protest like she usually does, begging me to turn around but it didn't happened one bit.
I was a bit disappointed and sad but I also didn't want to make any wrong moves. I'll just let her confess when she feels like it.
A few minutes go by as I tried my best to fall back asleep again, giving up on the idea that Darkness would do anything on me or I would do anything on her.
I could sense and hear Darkness turn herself either away or towards me, whichever way was fine by me as I guess she also wanted to cover herself with the blanket.
Then, unexpectedly, her arms encircled my waist, pulling me into an embrace that felt both protective and intimate, as if she wanted to cuddle with me, given by the fact she held her hands together to not lose her grip.
I was about to yelp and ask what she was doing until her soft legs became intertwined with mines as if she wanted to hug them with hers once more.
But then she begun to surprise me even more by resting her face behind my back, close to my neck.
Her breath tickling down my spine.
Just what on earth was she planning to do?
Having enough of what she was trying to do, I was going to turn around and confront her for giving me such weird signals.
But then I could hear her sniffle multiple times.
"It's.. It's all my fault.. I was so scared..."
She murmured softly, her voice trembling as she spoke from behind me, her words barely audible against the nape of my neck.
I was utterly speechless as to what was happening right now.
I am not some dense main protagonist so I could instantly tell that she was crying right behind me
Yet I didn't have the guts to turn around to either confront or comfort her.
"I-I felt entirely useless back there... It felt as if I was only in your way.."
The more she spoke bad about herself, the more her voice trembles and quiver...
"It was my fault entirely... Not Megumin's.. I saw the two of you interacting inside the basement laboratory... I... I got extremely jealous and tried to find a way to interrupt the two of you by making Aqua read the book."
The pain in her voice, which I had never heard before, was utterly unbearable and heart-wrenching. Even during her marriage to the corrupt ex-landlord of Axel, she never sounded so broken.
I dreaded the thought of witnessing her tear-streaked face at that moment.
"I'm the one who responsible for you almost dying... not Megumin. We could have lost you forever... I might never have seen you again..."
As her tears trickled down my neck, I could immensely feel the weight of her sorrow.
Unable to bear it any longer, especially from her last sentence, I turned around to face her, and what I saw was a heart-wrenching situation of my own making, thanks to my actions.
The moon shone brightly, illuminating Darkness's puffy blue eyes, which streamed tears down to the river. Her breathing quickened, and her body twitched with every inhale and exhale.
Once again, I found myself at a loss for words.
"I was powerless to do anything while you were about to die... He told me I looked like I wanted to run away... to leave you... But... he was wrong... I didn't want to run away... especially not from you... because... I... I...!"
Her voice cracked once more, unable to continue. The weight of her emotions was too overwhelming, and she seemed on the verge of a total breakdown.
The strong and determined girl I once knew was no more. She was utterly shattered by the events of today. Never have I seen her this vulnerable, nor would she ever show this sort of vulnerability to anybody but me.
"Darkness..." I softly uttered her name, hoping to provide some comfort amid her tears.
I gently unwrapped her hands from around my waist and held them together in front of us.
"Never once did I doubt your loyalty. Never once did I think you would run away to save yourself. After all the things and time we've done and spent together, I understand you better than you may think. You're incredibly strong in many ways, and I know you can't be easily broken down."
I couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed by my own clichéd words, but they were sincere.
"This whole situation wasn't your fault alone. We were all involved in it, each with our own roles to play. Megumin's explosion, Aqua's curiosity, your curiosity, and my own reckless curiosity. Together, we nearly led ourselves to a tragedy. So please don't carry the burden solely on your shoulders, as you often tend to do. I thought I had told you this before."
I was relieved to see her tears had ceased.
Her gaze fixated on me intently, waiting for me to say more.
As I gathered my thoughts for the next words to say,
"You've never been useless ever since you joined our party. Your strong will and resolve, and your family name have saved us countless times. And as for the thought of me dying, don't worry too much. Aqua can always resurrect me if needed. But what truly concerns me is the possibility of losing you or Megumin, and whether Aqua could bring you back-"
Suddenly, her face drew near to mine.
Our lips gently met, leaving me completely speechless.
For what felt like an eternity, I remained still as she carefully moved her lips against mine.
Eventually, she pulled her face back slightly, her forehead still touching mine.
"I know this isn't the most appropriate time to say it, given the crisis we're facing. And also that we're in Megumin's room, so doing this here would be disrespectful to our friendship with her..."
My mind was in a state of shock.
My first kiss had just been stolen by Darkness.
Though it seemed she was also experiencing her first kiss, judging by her inexperience.
"Does this mean..."
"Let's save it for another time and place... I just want to make a reservation for the future... if you know what I mean."
Her words left me feeling more flustered than I have ever before, surprised by how she could tug at my heartstrings like any other normal girl.
"Thank you, Kazuma, for everything. For saving me multiple times than I can count. I just wanted to express my gratitude... And when the time is right for the moment to express my feelings... please wait for me."
Wait, does this mean...
She intends to confess her feelings once we've resolved this situation?
B-But what about Megumin? She also has become so bold lately that it was hinting for a confession later on.
Though I did tell myself that it is just a matter of who confesses to me first, I would graciously accept without hesitation.
And right now... this blonde crusader was winning... and seemed to have captured my heart before I even noticed.
I found myself gazing at her pink lips, her beautiful smile that could outshine even her armor and the moon...
In this moment, I truly realized how breathtakingly beautiful Darkness was, especially when she allowed herself to be vulnerable like this.
Once in a while, she can be a normal girl for once.
"Umm.. Could you please turn around again, Kazuma? I want to cuddle with you tonight. I missed you.."
"U-Uh yeah, sure."
I complied with her request and turned around, allowing her hands to slip under my waist, holding me close. Her soft legs intertwined with mine once more, and she buried her face behind my neck.
As a bonus, her chest pressed gently against my back.
This was incredibly comfortable.
Right now, the blanket could finally cover the both of us due to the fact we were practically hugging one another, sharing our spaces together.
I could feel myself drifting off to sleep at any moment.
And so, right there, we fell asleep together.
It was the first time we had slept together and it has gotten instantly intimate in just a few minutes, and it felt like we had made significant progress thanks to the events of the day.
Perhaps my luck had finally taken a turn for the better, and because of my sheer efforts that I had to put in to still be alive, I was rewarded with the most precious gift I could ever hope for.
...
The sun's blinding rays pierced through my eyelids, waking me up immediately from the discomfort.
After a refreshing day yesterday, especially last night, I decided to get up from my bed with a sense of purpose, knowing exactly what I needed to do next.
Though it seems Darkness had already awakened before Megumin's mother would find out about the events of last night.
Speaking of parents... her father, he once told me that I could have Megumin for myself if I wanted, in a rather nonchalant manner, showing his approval of me.
Back then, I was too nervous to accept, given that her father was a really nice guy. By "nice," I meant that he actually teared up when Darkness pretended to be pregnant with my child as part of a ridiculous plan. Most people like him would have been furious and hostile, like when he ordered my own execution off the bat when he saw Darkness passed out in the sparring room.
But now, I had to put aside thoughts of family drama because there were more pressing issues to address.
I opened the door and was greeted by the sight of Megumin giving Komekko a piggyback ride.
"Good morning, Kazuma. Are you feeling better?" She asked with genuine concern.
"Yes, I'm feeling okay. Thanks for asking. Where are the others?" I inquired.
Just yesterday morning, this whole house was in chaos, but now it felt different after the events of last night.
"Aqua and Darkness are ready and waiting for you. We decided it was best for you to get some rest before we inform Yunyun's father about the overwhelming threat we faced last night," she explained.
As I looked at her, I noticed a hint of shame in her eyes, probably because she felt responsible, just like Darkness did last night.
"It's not entirely your fault that we released that guy," I reassured her.
"What are you talking about?! It was!" she quickly retorted.
"We all played a part in it, surprisingly. So don't worry. Everyone is to blame. Let's just try to fix it the best we can."
"You... What's gotten into you today? Did something happen last night when you were alone in the room?" she questioned, seemingly perceptive.
This girl was smarter than I gave her credit for. There was more to her than just her explosive personality and tendencies.
"I did some thinking and tried to retrace our steps. That's all. Anyway, let's go," I urged her.
"Wait, let me say goodbye to Komekko."
"We'll probably be back here sleeping again, so don't worry."
"Oh... fair point. Tonight, I'll sleep with you this time."
I inwardly cursed myself. I shouldn't have said that; now I've created more problems for myself. But wait, why am I even thinking about romance drama right now? We have a crazy killer on the loose!
Megumin and I walked to the front door to find Aqua and Darkness ready.
Aqua seemed relatively unfazed by the events of yesterday; she probably saw it as just another day where I either almost die or actually die, only to return back to life with ease.
Meanwhile... this girl... is fidgeting?!
Darkness, on the other hand, had a hint of redness on her cheeks and was giving me occasional side-eye glances. I wished she would keep it on the low and not make it so obvious.
"Okay, we're ready, Yunyun."
Ah, Yunyun was already here. It made sense since Megumin stayed over at her place. She must've informed her about the situation, and now Yunyun was taking it seriously and offering to help.
"How are you feeling, Kazuma-san?" she asked politely, taking my hands in hers.
"Better than ever," I replied with a smile.
"Didn't you just say you felt okay a minute ago?"
"Teleport!"
...
We have finally arrived at the headquarters of the Crimson Village. At present, it appears that nobody here suspects anything, as they all seem excited for the day. Perhaps it's because their favorite leader has been reelected?
But that can't be it...
Maybe it's just a normal day for them, as they don't seem curious about our presence in the headquarters.
"So, what duty were you assigned today?"
"Lookout duty..."
"Haha! You got the worst one!"
"What are you talking about? Lookout duty means I'm allowed to use far sight on whatever I think is suspicious. You know what that means?"
"No way.."
"I can look at the public hot springs from above with no repercussions..."
I'll remember those two and their faces for private matters.
"Yunyun told us that my father is just up the stairs."
Yunyun provided us with some handy information.
We ascended the stairs and opened the door to his office, where he was busy writing on some documents.
"Welcome! Welcome, Kazuma and his party members! I thank you for helping me get reelected once more!"
Objects were being thrown at me. I don't know how that helped him; maybe it convinced them that he was on board with the idea of killing the Demon King, but not me.
"My daughter told me you had some news, and very bad ones. Please explain them to me."
I sat down in front of him, while the others stood behind me and the couch.
"Y-Yes. You see...-"
"By the way, did you check out the newspaper today? My finest journalists and writers picked up the best topics! All of them sold in just a few hours! Check it out!"
"I really don't have time-"
"Breaking News: Former leader, Hiropon, reelected as new leader!"
How does that opening title even make sense?
"Next, a new grand opening of a certain shop that involves people dancing around their clients? A brown-haired customer was spotted receiving premium dance service and left a great review and a massive tip-"
"Hey, who wrote that?! That's false accusations!"
Forget whatever important thing I was just about to say. I need to find the writer and photographer of that news page and give them a piece of my mind!
"Father, please listen to what they have to say, or else I'll punch you myself."
"Yunyun! Don't do that to daddy!"
After experiencing the first time his daughter had threatened him, he took it very seriously for some reason.
"Explain the news... Kazuma... Did you cause another problem again in the village?"
His serious demeanor caught me off-guard.
It's usually the nice and cheery guys that are scary when they get absolutely serious.
"A-Ah, well, you see. You know about how your best fortunetellers warned you of great danger in the village?"
I inquired about what he had told us two days ago regarding the fortuneteller's warning.
"Oh, that? The original prevails... Very ominous, right? But again, it's just something we made up. The original Crimson Demon was the one who created us, of course! So don't worry about that!"
"Yeah... about that... We actually found him... And he doesn't look like he is gonna create anymore any longer..."
More like he was to exterminate them all.
Was that the best way I could communicate to him that the first Crimson Demon is actually a crazy senile murderer who just wants to kill everyone he sees?
"Hmm... Do enlighten me on what you just said."
"Well, you see... We actually met him last night. Well, more like released him from his imprisonment. He calls himself the King of Crimsons, The Apex Crimson. And I almost died because of that. But we've managed to escape, and we didn't seal him back. So he's probably out on the loose somewhere... hiding or hurting others as we speak..."
I could feel three incoming stares fixated on me with disappointment.
But the more important thing is how will the leader of this village react or deal with this information?
We all watched closely for his reaction, any signs of expressions written on his face.
He appeared to have his hands and fingers connected together up to his chin, shaking every muscle in his body very dramatically, as if he was either in fear or extremely nervous about what to do next.
"Bwahaha! Kazuma! I know you're a funny man, but you've really screwed the pooch on this one! Bahahaha!"
He didn't get it at all?!
"Father! It's very serious! Last night, Megumin was crying- Ahhh! Megumin, why are you groping me?!"
Huh... So she was crying too...
Yunyun's father stopped laughing after thirty seconds of not breathing at all.
"I understood what Kazuma said. But the funny part is that he doesn't know how capable we Crimson Demons are. We've got about a hundred troops on border duty and three hundred troops on active duty inside the village. If they spot even the slightest bit of something bizarre, they would report it."
Wait, so that means they didn't report Megumin's explosion at all? Were they that used to it? I get Megumin was popular in the village, but not to that extent.
Wait a minute?! Does that mean one of the guards caught me in a certain shop and reported it to the news?!
"Kazuma, no doubt, we will find this fake Crimson Demon. There is no evil Crimson Demon. And I am the true leader of the Crimson Demon. So I'll take your concerns very seriously."
Is he only doing it because I told him that this dangerous foe is claiming to be the true leader of the village?
"Follow me. If you don't truly believe that we'll catch him today, then let me ease your thoughts. Teleport!"
Without our permission, he teleports us.
The next scene we find ourselves in is the border shield of the village.
There were at least a dozen Crimson Demons on guard duty in this area of the border where we were standing.
"Hey there."
"Uh, hi..."
A guard and Megumin exchange awkward greetings in the background.
"Morning, Boss."
"Morning. I have a small task for you, young man. This other young man is extremely doubtful of our capabilities, especially yours. Prove him wrong and spot anything that is a threat, and OBLITERATE it into PIECES!"
The moment Yunyun's dad says something extremely loud, I had to cover my ears.
But the moment I released my hands off of them,
"Female orc spotted! Twenty-five meters north!"
RUNNN!
All of the male guards in the vicinity unleash their magic on the lonesome female orc that must've smelled the hormones of a male specimen.
"See, Kazuma- Uh... why are you on the ground and on your stomach?"
I stand up instantly after being caught in a very embarrassing position.
"He's just terrified of female orcs because they almost had their way with him. Hahaha!"
Aqua begins giggling behind my back.
I was wondering why my day was going so well until she spoke.
"I have a question, sir! Have there been any sightings of male orcs at all these past months?"
Darkness eagerly awaits his answer.
"Nope."
She crouches down, looking down with depression in her state of mind.
While I am glad that the energy in my party members is back, this doesn't solve the problem entirely.
"Do you still doubt us, Kazuma? I'll show you more of our ways to keep this village safe. I'll teleport us next to this shop that just opened yesterday."
"Never mind anymore! Everything seems good to me! Wow, look at the time. Time to head back to Megumin's house-"
"Leader! We have a problem!"
A lone Crimson Demon teleports to us, with sweat and tears on his face.
Just by looking at the expression on his face, it seems our enemy has already claimed his first fatality.
...
"Resurrect!"
Aqua gently taps the deceased Crimson Demon magic user with her staff, channeling her magical energies.
As usual with her abilities, his wounds on his body begin to mend, as though they were popcorn popping from the intense heat. His eyes, which had previously rolled back, now return to their normal position, brimming with life as his body is revitalized.
"Whoa, that was fast. Thought it would take longer," he nonchalantly remarks, as if being resurrected is an everyday occurrence.
However, the immediate concern is not the speed of the resurrection but rather the events that led to this situation.
Earlier, a fellow magic user had alerted us of an ambush by a lone foe. Reacting swiftly, he had teleported to the us and then teleported us back, only to find this unfortunate magic user with a gaping hole in his stomach.
A similar fate had happened to me once, but somehow, I managed to survive far longer than him. Was this a mere coincidence, or did my insane luck play a role in my ability to defy the odds and endure beyond my vitality stats?
As the adrenaline-fueled chaos subsides, these questions linger in her mind, waiting to be pondered upon later when the immediate danger has passed.
"Explain what happened."
Upon witnessing the scene, Yunyun's father was half-serious about this situation.
It was a rare occurrence to encounter a Crimson Demon, known for their formidable power. Yet, what unfolded before them was even more astonishing - someone had managed to overpower the Crimson Demon using magic alone.
"We were just scouting this forest and we've stumbled upon Megumin's crater."
So they did treat her explosions as a normal occurrence... I am sorry for the trouble she's caused for you all.
"We were about to enter into this mysterious dungeon that looked like a dungeon from the future! All of a sudden, I was already at the door and it was lights out."
"From my perspective, I saw a glowing red figure in front of me, but behind him. Then he disappeared and I was already grieving my dead comrade on the ground. Luckily, our routine is to immediately teleport to you to inform of a dead body so our best archpriests can resurrect them. It could be a rare and unique monster that could teleport others and itself to different places. Perhaps it spared me to grieve my dead comrade in peace..."
Wrong, you teleported before he could kill you next.
"Hmm... this is bad news.." The leader stays silent for roughly five seconds.
"We can't possibly turn this futuristic dungeon into a tourist attraction now that someone just died in here!"
I really want to punch this man!
The frustration of this man is given to the wrong thing!
Yunyun was already giving me the nod and the expression to commit a federal crime on the leader of the village. But I'll wait for now since we don't know what'll happen in the next second.
"Oh and yeah, the monster seems a bit dangerous. So let's have everyone be on the lookout."
Yunyun's father dramatically snaps his finger up in the air, and then nothing else happens.
"What did you just do?"
The baffled Darkness asked.
"I utilized the technique of snapping my fingers together," he proudly explains with his hands on his waist.
"Yeah, but what does that even accomplish?!" I unconsciously yell at him, growing somewhat exasperated with his lack of seriousness regarding this critical situation.
And to think, I thought this milestone part of my life would be a very dark and serious one. It just turned into another comedic one, just slightly dark as usual with me almost dying.
"Everyone assigned to guard duty heard my finger snap via magic spell, triggering them to increase their efforts by tenfold. So, there's truly nothing to fret about. Rest assured, we'll apprehend this elusive monster in no time."
As he confidently proclaimed, we patiently waited for any potential callouts.
We waited.
We waited a little longer.
We waited considerably longer.
And as time dragged on, weariness overcame us.
Aqua had already dozed off on a rock.
Megumin struggled to keep herself upright, using her staff for support to avoid succumbing to sleep.
Surprisingly, Yunyun remained patient and wide awake, seemingly unaffected by fatigue—perhaps a testament to her experience of standing guard in front of our mansion for entire days while we were away.
Darkness settled onto a rock, gazing at the sky with her sword firmly planted in the ground.
"Why are you asleep?!" I urgently woke up Yunyun's father, who had dozed off while standing.
"Eh? I wasn't sleeping. I was merely resting my eyes," he mumbled in defense.
"That's what anyone would say when they're sleeping! It's been about an hour, and we haven't received any reports except for sightings of other Crimson Demons. Are you sure your message went through, and they're putting enough effort into the search?"
"Hm... you're partially correct. Usually, we would identify our infiltrator within fifteen minutes. This delay is indeed peculiar. I believe we should find a place to rest while we wait for more information."
While he could teleport us to his office, I couldn't shake the feeling that this guy was just as clueless as the rest of them.
"Father, since everyone else is exhausted, I think we should teleport to Megumin's house and wait there," Yunyun suggested, offering a practical solution to our current predicament.
"Good idea. And once we've found out the imposter, then we'll teleport and attack him immediately and problem solved."
It's not as simple as you think it is...
"Teleport!"
Just like her father, Yunyun teleports us without our permission, to Megumin's house.
"Ow! Why did I drop onto the floor?! Where am I?"
For some reason, Aqua, who was laying on a rock, floated mid-air for a second and dropped down onto the ground flat.
Wait a minute, if she's a goddess... Why can't she fly? Is that part of her nerfs from entering this world?
"Huh? Where are we? Are you sure we're at her house and not at an abandoned stable?" Her father asks, hovering his hand up to his forehead to make sure he's seeing everything correctly.
"Yes. This is my house. Not a stable. You got a problem?"
Megumin looked like she was ready to be a prisoner for assaulting the leader of the village.
"No! No! I mean I've never seen this area before. I don't think we have any knowledge of this area at all in our entire history of living here. I'll keep in mind that this area exists in the village. You and your family are now official residents of the Crimson Village." He smiled without any care of what he just literally said.
So Megumin and her parents were never officially residents of the village this entire time.
"L-Let's just go inside for now. I'm hungry and I haven't eaten anything at all."
Trying to hide her shock and embarrassment, she attempted to change the subject and led the way into her home. We all followed behind, being warmly greeted by her parents.
The rest of us followed behind, being greeted by her parents.
"Greetings, Chief." Meguimin's father saluted dramatically.
"Afternoon. You guys got any food around here?" The leader asks as he looks around only to see empty bowls of nothing left inside.
"Apologies, we've just finished the last of our rice porridge for the rest of the week." Her mother said.
But it's only Tuesday.
"Not a problem. We'll just order take-out! I'll have my workers grab a feast and teleport it here!"
As expected from the people that the Japanese man created.
They've designed a way of how to deliver food in such a quick and precise manner. Makes me forget how dark this world truly is.
"Thank you very much!"
"Thank you very much!"
Both of Megumin's parents expressed their overwhelming gratitude by pushing their faces in front of the chief's, showing their appreciation.
About ten minutes later, the food was delivered via teleportation. They were packed inside the same white plastic containers that my world used. It was a break of nostalgia from my world besides my tracksuits.
We all helped out put the food on the table only to realize...
"The table's too small."
We all said together.
"What do we do, onee-chan? The table is too small for everyone to eat."
Komekko looks like she was on the verge of crying over not having a family dinner together with everyone.
"Hmm... let's-"
"We could eat in different places like have Kazuma eat outside alone and the rest of eat inside!"
The blue-haired woman rudely discarded me.
"Or I could just use my smithing and construction skills to make a bigger table."
I openly stated to all of them.
"Good idea, Kazuma! I've always wondered why you were the leader of the party and not them! While we wait for any news of the monster's whereabouts, we'll have Kazuma build a bigger table for free!"
The leader compliments me, oblivious to the three deadly stooges- I mean stares that pierced through his back.
...
I gathered approximately six large and lengthy wooden planks from the tree I had just spent ten minutes cutting down. Aligning them vertically, I left about an inch of space between each plank.
To construct the table's base and supports, I needed to cut down some additional logs from the felled tree. Determining the appropriate areas and measurements for the wood was the challenging part.
For this task, I relied on a technique where I carefully chipped off pieces from the wood edges, creating a triangular pattern gap. This pattern was repeated on all legs and supports to create a snug fit and fill in the gaps.
Though it may be difficult to explain with the perspective of an amateur, I was determined to make it work without the use of nails. Instead, I relied on my keen sense of measurement, some guesswork, and a bit of experience to ensure that everything fit together securely, avoiding any potential collapses.
"Do you need any assistance?"
Darkness, who had been observing me as I worked, decided to offer her help.
"Hmm... I could use a shoulder massage right now," I said with a playful grin.
"W-What? Not here, please! We're in public," she responded, glancing around anxiously to see if anyone overheard us.
Why was she acting as if we were engaging in something inappropriate? It was merely a shoulder massage between two close 'friends,' or perhaps something more, considering we just shared a kiss, and she's planning to confess her feelings once this situation is resolved.
Heck, why not seize the moment and confess now in case I die again and don't come back this time around.
"Alright, then. Just stand over there and watch me, as you always do," I casually dismissed her, without a care in the world, much like how my former foreman treated me but not Aqua from the construction company I used to work for.
"Mmm...!" She seemed hesitant, contemplating whether to comply or not. It was evident that my careless demeanor had hurt her feelings, despite her genuine attempt to assist me when I was struggling.
"It was just a joke. I wasn't serious at all. I apologize," I said, feeling a tinge of guilt for my actions, especially after she had bravely kissed me the night before.
"Oh, okay... But is there any other way I can help you? Wait... I have an idea," she said as she gracefully moved around the wooden planks I had aligned, crouching down next to me.
"What are you doing?" I inquired.
"I'm just admiring you," she replied with an innocent smile.
"From this close?"
"Why not? Is there an issue?" she asked, her enchanting gaze locking onto mine.
If she thought her beautiful stare could boost my powers by one-hundred percent like some side character enchanted by the main heroine's charm only for her benefit, then she is terribly mistaken.
But despite my nonchalant demeanor, I couldn't help feeling a bit nervous. She was the first girl to look at me this way, and this was a first experience for me.
I didn't need to impress her with flashy gestures or grand gestures like she might have seen from other male knights or nobles who wanted to show off and marry her.
I'd simply show her what I was good at – my construction skills. I would let my craftsmanship speak for itself-
"All done!" Aqua's voice echoed triumphantly.
Darkness and I turned our heads towards her voice, only to be shocked and filled with disbelief.
Aqua was standing atop an enormous dinner table fit for an entire royal family in a castle.
"Hehe! Kazuma, my dear newbie. Always be prepared to build anything when you've been an ex-construction worker. I brought my own set of nails, paint, and polish!" Aqua proudly declared.
Her words were not empty boasts; her work spoke volumes about her skills.
The table she crafted was three times the length and width of mine, adorned with professional and premium wood carving on its legs. The edges were carefully trimmed and sanded to avoid causing any harm. The table gleamed, polished to perfection with linseed oil.
In every aspect, her table outshined mine.
Not content with just the table, Aqua had also created a set of wooden chairs, each one polished and exquisitely carved on the legs and back.
"Wow! You're so cool, Aquanee-chan!" Komekko exclaimed, hopping onto Aqua's back and rubbing her face against her neck to tickle her.
After all the effort I put in to impress and cheer up Komekko, she chose Aqua's creation over mine...
"It's okay, Kazuma. You did your best," Darkness comforted me, patting my back as I covered my face with my knees. Despite the disappointment, her words provided some solace, and I knew I had given it my all.
Damn her for stealing the spotlight!
Also, why is this girl embracing me now?
After five minutes of weeping, the others brought the dinner takeout to the newly built table, walking over my incomplete wooden planks.
I grabbed a paper plate and sat next to Megumin, who was cutting her pieces of medium-rare steak neatly and savoring them one by one.
Looking to my other side, I noticed Darkness and Yunyun doing the same.
Surprisingly, even Aqua, whom I expected to gobble up the food, was cutting her steaks in a neat manner and pairing them with steamed rice.
Komekko had already eaten her fill before this table was even built and was now peacefully asleep in Megumin's room.
Megumin's parents were in the kitchen, preparing something special for Yunyun's father as a thank-you gesture for the food he brought for everyone.
"Wait, Darkness, that's the wine I'm saving for last!" Aqua protested.
"Oh? I already drank about half of it.."
"What?! Give me the rest before you drink it all like your divorced husband!"
"I-I-I am not divorced!"
Growing tired of their bickering, I was about to start eating until I heard Megumin's mother's voice from inside the house.
"Honey, could you pass me the salt on the counter?"
"Yeah, hold on, coming-"
"Oh, thank you. That was fast."
"Huh? Wait, I already gave it to you?"
"Hm? What do you mean, I have it in my hand? Of course you gave it to me since I asked you."
"No.. uhh, I just don't remember giving it to you."
Wait...
What?
Isn't that the same exact thing that the Crimson Magic user said before...
"Ah! It disappeared! The wine I was waiting to drink last is already empty! How dare you, Darkness?!" Aqua exclaimed, ready to strip Darkness of her armor.
"W-Wait, Aqua! Not in front of everyone! Also... stop spitting wine on my face when you're talking."
Darkness grabbed a napkin to wipe her face.
"Huh?" Aqua suddenly tasted something in her mouth.
A few seconds later, she was grinning like a little child, savoring the taste of wine that I didn't see her drink at all.
In fact, I didn't see her take the wine bottle from Darkness at all, but yet, she already had it in her hand...
"Kazuma, have you eaten half of your steak already? Can I have the leftovers? You seem satisfied enough from the look on your face..." Megumin remarked, her gaze fixed on my plate, ominously pointing with her fork.
I glanced down to find that half my steak had vanished, though I couldn't recall having taken a single bite.
I eat quickly, but this is beyond my usual speed...!
"Megumin... something is amiss..!"
"What do you mean?"
Despite her sharp intellect, even she was clueless about what had just occurred.
"Oh, Komekko, why are you awake? Feeling energized already?" her father's voice echoed from inside the house.
"No. I thought I saw someone entering the closet. So I stood up to close it, there was nobody!"
And there it was, the final climax of this showdown.
Oh...
Oh, shit! It's happening!
I sprang up from my chair and bolted into the house at top speed.
"Kazuma?"
One of the girls called my name in the background, but I had no time to explain, for I had to reach my destination with all haste. Every second in this world mattered, given the current formidable enemy we faced.
I flung open Megumin's door and found Komekko and her father playing rocket jump.
"Oh, Kazuma? Did you come to ask for my daughter's hand in secret marriage?"
"Forget the marriage! Komekko, you said someone went into the closet?"
I gestured at the closet, anxiously awaiting her reply.
Why is this happening? I'm trembling again, experiencing the same sensations as yesterday. Despite having faced death multiple times, the fear persists. Could it be that I'm traumatized by my previous encounters, fearing the manner of my demise?
It's not that I fear death itself, but rather the way I die. Perhaps that's what's instilling dread in me at this moment.
But Aqua is outside, so I should be safe, right? Moreover, we have Yunyun's father, Yunyun, and Darkness, capable individuals who can confront this relentless adversary, right?
At least the three of them stand a chance if I fall.
"Yeah! There's no one in there." Her smile and demeanor were oblivious to the impending peril that could manifest in mere seconds.
"Kazuma! We're here to help! What's going on?" Darkness and the others rushed into the room, weapons at the ready.
"Stay cautious this time. If you notice yourself in a different spot in this house, let us know. That's how he plans to kill us one by one," I warned, extending my palm to signal them to stay put or back off for now.
"What matters is that I heard Komekko saying that someone went into that closet." I pointed everyone's attention to the closed closet.
Megumin's expression changed, filled with worry and fear for Komekko's safety.
"Well then, open it, Kazuma," Aqua suggested.
"Idiot! That's what he wants us to do! We need to take extra precautions. Have Komekko outside the room just in case."
Komekko's father lifted her out of the room, standing by the door to watch the scene unfold.
"The first time I encountered this enemy and it occurred, I had realized that I bled out more in an instant. Which means..." I pulled out my strangely named sword and gently sliced the first layer of skin on my finger.
"Kazuma! What are you doing?!" Darkness protested.
"Aqua can heal me later. Right now, I am going to open the closet. And if the droplets of blood increase in an instant, then he is here. I can't guarantee that any of us will be safe in the next few seconds. So save yourselves if you have to."
Using my left hand, I let the droplets of blood fall onto it while using my right hand and three fingers to slightly open-
THUNK!
I had already opened the door before I realized it.
"Behind!" I instantly shouted.
Everyone turned to their backs only to find no one there.
Even I was confused as to where he was.
There was no way he could have escaped from all of us easily.
He had to be somewhere in the room. But not in the closet-
"Kazuma, above!" cried out Megumin, shaking her staff in fear.
I looked up to see Apex Crimson on the ceiling, staring at me with killing intent, ready to finish me off first.
It seems his wounds had already healed, especially his eyes as I saw no scarring tissue and only a brand new eye.
But how did he get up there? There's no way he can fly-
I looked at where his hands were, his fingers dug deep into the walls. His strength was enough to lift him up and hide himself.
Apex Crimson jumped down, preparing a devastating chop aimed at my head to slice me in half.
I barely managed to dodge, thanks to Megumin's callout, but I still wasn't fast enough to dodge unscathed.
My right forearm had been chopped off effortlessly, and I fell to the ground in immense pain.
"I knew you were the biggest threat of the party... But since I have failed to eliminate you once more..."
Darkness with vengeance in her mind, rushed towards Apex Crimson with her sword, ready to impale him from behind.
THUNK!
Apex Crimson disappeared.
"Where did he-"
"Ahhhh!"
Megumin's father let out a scream of pain outside the room.
"Dad!"
Komekko's cries echoed through the house.
The others rushed outside the room while Aqua grabbed my severed forearm, placing it back into place and repairing it instantly.
As I followed behind, I saw Megumin's father had been attacked by Apex Crimson, a hole blown through his stomach.
"Father!" "Father!"
Megumin and her mother cried out for him.
Apex Crimson stood over his unconscious body, holding Komekko in his arms.
"If this little girl wasn't here, I might've actually been cornered by all of you."
"Everyone prepare yourselves! He's about to teleport-"
"Ankle Snare-"
THUNK!
Apex Crimson vanished instantly, but we could still see him through the window, running away with Komekko strapped to his waist.
Without a moment's hesitation or exchange of words, we all gave chase.
Aqua and Yunyun had to stay behind to heal Megumin's injured father. The rest of us ran as fast as we could, determined to rescue Komekko and put an end to this dangerous adversary.
...
Hiropon, the revered leader of the Crimson Village, finally acknowledged the gravity of the situation, his expression now serious and focused, seeing as a Crimson Demon child, one of their own, had been kidnapped by the threat itself.
He snapped his fingers once more, rallying his fellow magic users with urgency and determination.
"Listen up, everyone! A child from our very own village has been kidnapped by a red-skinned, devil-like monster. We cannot allow this threat to roam freely in the heart of our town. Find the child, rescue them from the clutches of that creature, and neutralize the threat once and for all!"
I couldn't help but feel relieved to finally meet the leader who understood the gravity of the situation.
As Apex Crimson remained in our line of sight, it became apparent that he was unfamiliar with the village's layout, having likely changed over time through redesigns and refurbishments. This gives us with a slight advantage in order to trap him.
"Hiropon. He doesn't know the layout of the town. We can use this to our advantage. Tell your magic users to find a safe area to trap him in. With your knowledge of the village, make sure that Apex Crimson heads towards the direction of your trap. I'll use my Snipe to assist you and make him turn directions."
Realizing that I could ricochet my arrows with my insane luck, I decided to create a new move.
Arrow Ricochet!
Doesn't sound cool but that's all I could think of for now.
"Snipe!" I exclaimed, ready to put my newly crafted move into action.
THUNK!
"Kazuma, fire more arrows!" Megumin's voice echoed with urgency.
"Huh? It seems I already did..." I realized, noticing that three arrows from my strap were missing.
"He must've anticipated my attack. That's why he teleported, both himself and us, to evade the arrows. It's like he can predict the future... But, I'll keep sniping arrows, doing my best to guide him to whatever direction you want him to turn to."
"I've also attempted to use Bottomless Swamp to trap him, but it feels like I've already tried it multiple times. I don't want to waste my mana if it won't work," Yunyun added, her frustration evident.
"Kazuma, what should I do?" Darkness gazed at me resolutely, as if she refused to let history repeat itself and wanted to stand by my side.
"Survive, and when you see an opportunity, seize it," I encouraged her.
She nodded firmly, and we resumed the pursuit.
Two other magic users from the village caught sight of the culprit and readied their attacks.
"Light of Saber! Light of Saber!" they chanted in unison.
I couldn't help but wonder if everyone in this village only knew that one particular move. Nevertheless, we needed all the help we could get to corner the elusive Apex Crimson.
THUNK!
Apex Crimson appeared, abruptly teleporting right between the two magic users. He swiftly dispatched their arms, leaving them bewildered and injured, before vanishing once again into the distance.
"Dammit! I couldn't even see him!" one of the Crimson Demons cursed in frustration.
"What just happened?!" another exclaimed in shock.
Aqua, who had finally caught up, had to divert her attention once more to heal the wounded Crimson Demons who had bravely tried to stop Apex Crimson.
However, it became evident that using the Light of Saber, or any other potentially dangerous attacks, was risky when a child was literally in the clutches of the monstrous being.
As we continued the chase, I noticed my dwindling arrow supply. I had only one left and knew I had to use it wisely.
"How much farther until we reach our destination? I'm running out of arrows," I asked Hiropon, hoping we were getting close to the final showdown.
"We're almost there. The citizens have been evacuated, and my magic users are ready to trap him in a prison of pure mana energy. Hehe! Perhaps we can even make his imprisonment a spectacle!" Hiropon replied with a hint of amusement.
I couldn't help but express my concern, "That's a great plan, but wouldn't he just teleport out of it? We need to find a way to kill him as soon as possible. He's far too dangerous to be contained in a prison."
We knew from past experience that only someone with extraordinary abilities, like the Japanese person with cheats, could manage to imprison him, and it took immense effort at that.
My mind raced through potential solutions.
Could continuous bombardment of Light of Saber from everyone in the village take him down?
Could Megumin's explosion do the trick?
"Mommy! Daddy! Onee-chan!"
Komekko's tiny arms reached out from behind, desperately trying to break free from Apex Crimson's grasp. Her tear-streaked face conveyed the depths of her sorrow and fear.
My heart ached for the poor child, knowing that this traumatic experience would stay with her forever. All we could do for now was to heal her slowly and offer comfort.
"Darkness blacker than black and darker than dark..."
"Megumin! I understand that your little sister is in danger, but using your powerful explosion will risk her life as well. Right now, she's being held hostage to prevent us from attacking Apex Crimson. We need to find a way to separate her from him," I pleaded with Megumin, hoping to reason with her.
I couldn't imagine how it feels having a younger sibling in danger with nothing you could do.
However, destroying the village with a massive explosion wasn't a viable plan, and I was still uncertain whether Apex Crimson could survive such an onslaught.
"Now!" Hiropon's voice rang out loud.
As we reached the heart of the town, Apex Crimson stood before a grand fountain, his captive sister still in his clutches.
"Mana Imprisonment!" Hiropon commanded.
Approximately fifty magic users appeared from above, standing on the roofs of the houses. Each of them manifested a thin line of pure mana energy, collectively forming a network that enclosed Apex Crimson in a sphere-shaped prison.
The combined power of fifty pure mana energy lines trapped the fearsome adversary, creating an impenetrable barrier to keep him restrained. It was a remarkable display of the village's magical prowess, and I could only hope it would be enough to contain the threat he posed.
"What is this?!"
Apex Crimson dropped Kommeko from his grasp, struggling futilely within the mana imprisonment, unable to teleport out of it.
"We developed this form of prison spell specifically to contain the Demon King himself and turn him into a tourist attraction. If it can hold the Demon King, it can undoubtedly hold him," Hiropon proclaimed confidently.
"As expected of my father!"
Yunyun couldn't help but praise her father, acknowledging his brilliant work.
As we watched Apex Crimson from outside the prison, our focus shifted to Komekko, still trapped inside with the dangerous foe.
I was extremely concerned and worried, pondering how how we could safely extract her without releasing Apex Crimson.
"You're wondering how to get Komekko out of the prison, aren't you?" Hiropon caught on to my thoughts.
"Since this sphere of mana energy belongs to us, we can use its mana to cast Teleport and bring Komekko out of it. It's as simple as that."
I couldn't believe how fortunate we were to have such knowledgeable and resourceful Crimson Demons assisting us in this critical moment. I originally thought they had average intelligence but outweighed by their huge mana reserve and capabilities.
With a successful plan in place, relief washed over me. I knew tonight I would celebrate their aid and repay their kindness by purchasing all the alcohol in stock for them.
As we witnessed the success of our strategy, it felt as if the gods had rewarded us for our ingenuity and teamwork. The situation, which had seemed dire, was now under control, and we had found a way to protect Komekko from harm.
"I am the apex predator, the embodiment of chaos and destruction! I am the true King of the Crimson Demons! Yet a common adventurer had this all planned out.. Even with my powers... he was able to escape me and trap me.. Even with my powers, all these vile spews of human shit and vomit in this pitiful weak village were able to trap me inside..."
Apex Crimson's frustrations seemed to bubble to the surface as he began to monologue, his voice carrying a mix of anger, disappointment, and perhaps even a hint of desperation.
"This can't be the end of my era... This isn't something fate has given me! I should see all of them dead by my feet, and the rest kneeling before me! There is absolutely no way I will be imprisoned like a common thief who steals bread everyday for a living, to eat it like an abhor fish pecking the soaked bread from the top of the pond!"
He begun shouting at himself like a cornered and trapped main villain.
"My plan to rule the entire world... ruined! All because of this little girl... because of this little girl.. I was trapped in this ridiculous ball of energy that looks like something a filthy stray dog would find and chew through!"
As he continued to rant with increasing anger and rage rising out of him by each second,
"Little girl.."
Apex Crimson gazed at Komekko with malevolent rage in his expressions.
Komekko stood up to look at him with tears in her eyes, sniffing her nose, wanting to go back home to see her family again.
He raised his fist right at her, his evil and dark intentions evident, ready to strike.
"You have truly angered me like never before!"
"Stop!" I shouted at him.
My desperate plea to stop fell on deaf ears, as I recalled that this monster showed no mercy, not even to children.
With a merciless blow and no hesitation, he connected his fist into her chest, blowing a gaping hole through Komekko.
Frozen in terror, we could only watch helplessly as Apex Crimson lifted the unconscious Komekko, his blood-stained arms still impaled through her lifeless form.
"Komekko!"
Megumin's older sister protective instincts overrode her fear and thoughts.
She rushed mindlessly towards her critically injured little sister, driven by an overwhelming need to protect her, even if it costed her life.