Everyone including the four of us rushed to the main gate.
"Oh, just as I suspected. This guy's here again."
There were already many adventurers gathered by the time I reached the main gate.
And that guy was there again, standing quite some distance away from the crowd of adventurers. Though, it's more like the adventurers were keeping a respectable distance from him.
Indeed. It was that Demon King's General, Dullahan.
I was a bit curious when I saw the troubled faces of the adventurers preceding me, but I understood why when I looked at what was behind the Dullahan.
Unlike the last time, he brought a whole army of monsters with him.
It was a group of knights wearing tattered armor.
They seemed emaciated, and the cracks in their armor and helmets were visible if you looked closely. If you look too closely, you might even catch a glimpse of the rotting flesh underneath.
With just a glance, it was clear that the armored knights were undead.
After seeing Megumin and me, it roared.
"Day after day I've patiently waited... I even set up a luxurious plate of dinner on my finest table, crafted by my finest servants to have a small chat with you until we would eventually have our final battle... So why haven't you sufferable inhuman filths entered my castle yet...!"
Oh dear...
I forgot all about this guy...
I really can't seem to take a break.
I walked in front of Megumin to protect her and asked the Dullahan,
"Well... You invited us to the castle, but that doesn't mean we must go. And what do you mean by 'inhuman'? We stopped casting explosion magic, so why are you angry?"
The Dullahan was furious when he heard me and was on the verge of throwing the thing in his left hand onto the ground... But he remembered that that was his head and instead shifted it to his abdomen.
"Stopped casting explosion?! You say it stopped?! Stop lying to me! That crazy Crimson Demon girl is still visiting every day!"
"Huh?"
After hearing that, I turned to look at Megumin.
She averted her eyes immediately.
"Did you do this...? I told you not to, but you still went?"
"Ow! Ow! Ow! It hurts! Stop! No, listen to me, Kazuma! I was satisfied with casting explosion on an empty plain not so long ago... But after I knew the charm of attacking a castle with magic, my body changed and I could only accept big and hard things...!"
"Don't fidget around while saying that! And you can't move after casting your spell, so that means you have an accomplice! Who in the world..."
I pinched Megumin's cheeks while saying so, and it was Aqua's turn to avert her gaze this time, whistling a tune as if she wasn't part of the conversation.
"It's you, right–!?"
"Wahhh! Quit it! That Dullahan was the reason we can't get any good quests, so I wanted to vent some of my frustration! Besides, it wasn't only me that went with Megumin! You know I'm smart enough not to be monster bait if they would've ambushed us!"
After finishing pinching Aqua's cheeks, I glared at Darkness, whose expression definitely looked guilty.
I'll lecture her later...
I'm still afraid she's the only one out of the three with the guts to fight back.
Besides, we've got bigger things to worry about as the Dullahan continued his monologue.
"I'm not furious because of the explosion magic! Don't you all have the will to save your comrade? I might be this way now, but before I was executed because of unjust reasons and morphed into a monster, I was an honorable knight. Where I stand, that Crusader who was cursed while protecting her companions was the classic model of a knight, but you abandoned her!"
"You mean this girl?" "You mean this girl?" "You mean this girl?"
Aqua, Megumin, and I all pointed at Darkness.
The Dullahan locked eyes with Darkness, who was blushing because of the praise he had given her without noticing her presence.
"Uhh... Hey...? I don't know what to say..."
"W-What on earth is this? H-How?!"
Seeing her, the Dullahan yelled in surprise.
I couldn't see his face behind the helmet, but he must have had quite a shocked expression.
"It's been a week since Darkness was cursed, but she's still alive. He must be really shocked, right, right? That Dullahan must have thought that we would head to the castle to break the curse and was waiting for us in vain, huh? He didn't even know I broke the curse in no time after he left, right? Puuksuksu! This is hilarious!"
Aqua pointed her finger at the Dullahan and laughed nonstop.
I still couldn't see his face, but judging from the way his shoulders were shaking, he must be quite furious indeed.
But since Aqua broke the curse, we had no reason to visit the dangerous castle.
"Hey, you there! If I get serious, I could kill every single person in this town! Don't think I'll keep letting you off! As an undead, I won't ever tire! You bunch of rookies won't be able to even scratch me!"
Aqua's taunt pushed the Dullahan's patience to his limit. He seemed to be quite serious.
But before the Dullahan could do anything else, Aqua extended her right hand and shouted:
"Big talk from a puny Dullahan who can't even keep his head on his neck! I'm the one who has no reason to let you off! I won't let you escape this time! How arrogant for a mere undead to act in this manner! Disappear, Turn Undead!"
A bright, white light emerged from Aqua's outstretched hand.
Even though he saw Aqua casting a spell, the Dullahan didn't flinch.
As expected of a Demon King's General, it seemed like he was confident.
The gentle light which came out of Aqua closed in on the Dullahan...!
"You think a Demon King's General wouldn't be prepared to fight priests? Too bad. Including me, all the undead knights in this band have received the protection of the Demon King. We have a very high resistance against holy spells- GYAHHHHHHH–!"
After getting blasted by the magic, black smoke started emerging from the Dullahan.
The Dullahan that was so confident was smoking all over.
He was shaking and couldn't even stand properly, but he still put on a strong facade.
Aqua shouted when she saw this:
"Hey, hey Kazuma! This is strange, it's not working!"
"No, it looked pretty effective to me, he was screaming 'GYAHHH–' so loudly."
The Dullahan took unsteady steps and said:
"Hmph... At least wait for me to finish! I am Beldia, a Demon King's General, Dullahan Beldia! With this armor that was enchanted by the Demon King and my own powers, Turn Undead from a normal priest won't work on me! It shouldn't work at all..."
As he spoke, the Dullahan shifted the head in his hand so it was slanting to one side.
He was probably trying to tilt his head.
"Never mind that. Because our boss was raging on about a strong light descending near this town, I came here to investigate... In the beginning, I thought it was too much of a hassle and considered destroying the entire town until I received news of a certain woman who owns a shop inside."
Wait there's a spy in our town? Have I already met her?
Questions for later.
Beldia, who was starting to be unreasonable, held his head with his left hand and pointed his empty right hand towards us.
"Hmph, you're not worthy enough for me to do it in person... Go, my brothers! Let them know what hell tastes like!"
"Ah! That guy was scared because Aqua's spell was unexpectedly effective! He's planning to use his minions to attack us while he escapes by himself!"
"T-That, that's not it! This was my plan from the very beginning! A Demon King's General is not a weakling who escapes on his own! You wouldn't fight the boss at the very start. Of course, you would need to defeat the underlings first, that's the tradition since ancient times-"
"Sacred Turn Undead–!"
"GYAHHHHHHHHH–!"
Beldia was interrupted by Aqua's spell.
A white magic circle appeared at Beldia's feet and shot a light straight to the heavens.
Beldia's armor was fuming black smog, and he rolled on the ground as if he was attempting to put out his fire.
Aqua said in a panic:
"W-What should we do, Kazuma!? This is strange! My spell isn't working at all."
"No, it looked pretty effective to me, he was screaming 'GYAHHH–' so loudly."
"Damn, damn you...! Let someone who's talking finish! Enough! Hey, my brethren...!"
Even though smog was coming from all over his body, Beldia stood up slowly and lifted his right hand...
"All the people in this town... Kill them all!"
With that menacing gesture, he signaled his minions into action, and they charged at full speed towards our group.
Undead Knights.
A tier above mere zombies, these creatures, despite their tattered armor, posed a significant threat to novice adventurers due to their formidable defensive capabilities.
But not to me!
I can finally test out my new weapon on these mobs.
"Wahhh! Priests! Get the priests over here!"
"Someone go to the Eris church for holy water, get all that you can!"
The adventurers shouted nervously, attempting to organize themselves as the undead knights relentlessly closed in on the town.
Despite the adventurers' valiant attempts to intercept them, Beldia laughed loudly, as if mocking their efforts.
"Hmph, hahaha! Come, let me savor your screams of despair!"
As Beldia continued his sinister laughter...
"Wah, wahhh–! Why is it always me? I-I'm a goddess! A goddess, and I've been such a well-behaved little girl all week!"
Sneaking around the enemy base to take cheap shots for a week doesn't exactly scream 'good little girl.'
To my surprise, the undead knights showed no interest in the town's residents and instead fervently pursued Aqua.
"What in the world are you all doing!? Don't just chase after that priestess; drench this town in the blood of its residents!"
Beldia shouted in a panic when he observed the peculiar situation.
I pondered whether these mindless, low-tier undead were somehow seeking salvation, instinctively congregating around the goddess Aqua.
Although I couldn't fathom why the undead knights were fixated on her, this presented a golden opportunity.
"Hey, Megumin, can you unleash an explosion spell on that horde of undead knights?"
"Eh!? We're inside the town, and they're too scattered; I might miss some of them...!"
Just then...
"Wahhh, Kazuma-san! Kazuma-san!"
Aqua arrived, leading a considerable horde of undead knights straight towards me.
"You idiot! Don't come this way! Lead them elsewhere, and I'll treat you to lunch and dinner tonight!"
I contemplated drawing my weapon to confront the undead knights, but their numbers were overwhelming; I stood no chance alone.
The key to victory in this situation was avoidance, not confrontation.
"I'll cover the tab for both meals, just help me deal with these undead! Something's off about them; I couldn't purify them with Turn Undead!"
Frustrated, I thought, could this be the Demon King's protection Beldia mentioned?
No, hold on...
"Megumin, head outside the town and be ready with your spell–!"
"Huh? Understood!"
After urgently instructing Megumin, I swiftly ushered Aqua, who had rushed to my side, and we dashed out of the town.
My plan was to intentionally traverse the area where other adventurers were still locked in battle with the undead knights, enticing as many of the relentless pursuers as possible to follow Aqua's lead.
As we made our way through the fray,
"Kazuma-san! How does it look behind me!? I think we've managed to lure all the undead knights in town to follow us–!"
Glancing back, I saw that the undead knights chasing Aqua had indeed amassed into a formidable horde.
With the town safely behind us, it was now time for Aqua to shine.
"Megumin, do it now!"
Responding to my command, Megumin removed her eyepatch, her eyes gleaming with determination as she raised her staff.
"What an incredible opportunity! I'm truly grateful, Kazuma! I am Megumin, the elite mage of the Crimson Demons, the wielder of explosion magic! Behold my power, Demon King's General, Beldia! Explosion!"
Megumin proudly invoked her beloved explosion spell, igniting it in the heart of the undead army.
The ensuing blast created a massive crater just outside the town's main gate, sending the undead knights hurtling in all directions.
The awed silence that followed was broken by Megumin's voice.
"Hmm... Everyone seems speechless after witnessing the might of my explosion... Fuahh... This feels so satisfying, including the one narrating this tale."
"Need a piggyback ride?" I offered.
"Ah, thank you. I can't move because I'm too elated by the spell's success. Could you help me put my eyepatch back on?"
Megumin, now depleted of her mana, lay face down a short distance away.
I gently lifted her, secured her eyepatch, and carried her on my back.
"My mouth is filled with sand! Puh! Puh!"
Aqua, who had been closest to the undead knights, spat out the sand she had inadvertently ingested as she walked toward us.
It seemed that the force of the explosion spell had made her stumble and fall.
The dust from the explosion had yet to settle when a chorus of cheers erupted among the town's adventurers.
"Woah! That's amazing, crazy girl!"
"The Crimson Demon with a few screws loose just wiped them all out!"
"So, aside from the odd name and loose screws, you're pretty damn impressive when it counts. Color me impressed!"
Megumin squirmed on my back, clearly hearing the jubilation from the town.
"Sorry, I kinda want to cast an explosion on those people right now. Can you bring me over there?"
"You've exhausted all your mana. You did an incredible job today, so be proud and rest up... Thanks for all your hard work."
Hearing my words, Megumin nestled against me, a sense of contentment washing over her.
At the town's entrance, Beldia fixated his gaze on us—or, more specifically, on Megumin perched on my back.
Finally, Beldia's shoulders began to shake.
Was he infuriated that his entire undead horde had been obliterated?
No...
"Fuhahaha! This is interesting! Quite interesting indeed! To think my minions would meet their end in a backwater town like this! This sensation... it harks back to that one time when my minions were reduced to ashes, though it was centuries ago and looked way cooler, but beggars can't be choosers! Very well, I shall uphold my end of the bargain!"
"Hey, who's this person that outshone my moment centuries ago? Explain!"
"Stop provoking him! You're paralyzed from the waist down! He might summon more undead knights to tip the scales in his favor!"
Goodness, could this girl ever have a moment to look cool without ruining it?
Unbeknownst to me...
"I'll deal with you personally!"
Beldia hoisted his broadsword and charged toward us!
There was a party member I had momentarily forgotten, mainly because she had been rather useless until now.
But Darkness boldly advanced toward Beldia, her sword drawn and determination in her eyes.
"Oh? The lady knight from earlier, the one who bravely shielded her comrade from my formidable curse! It's only fitting that you're the first to confront me!"
Darkness assumed a combat stance, positioning herself protectively in front of both me and Megumin.
"To all adventurers considering facing the Dullahan, remain back! He can slice through you in an instant! We don't want any casualties here! Stay at a distance and support me—whether through cheering or helping decipher his next move! I'll be the one to take him on, as I possess the strength and resilience required to withstand his assaults!"
I couldn't help but think, when did this girl become so noble and impressive?
It seemed that the others had noticed too...
"R-Right, yes ma'am!"
"At your service, ma'am!"
"Will do, ma'am!"
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"
Whoops, even I got caught in the side-character crowd.
After witnessing the incredible strength displayed by Aqua and Megumin, Beldia likely assumed that Darkness possessed her own unique power.
Beldia maintained his defensive stance against Darkness, remaining vigilant without making a move.
In the brilliant sunlight, Darkness's sturdy white armor gleamed, a stark contrast to Beldia's ominous black armor.
She had always boasted of her durability, but I couldn't help but worry if she could truly withstand Beldia's formidable attacks.
As I contemplated whether I should intervene, Darkness must have sensed my concern and declared with unwavering confidence,
"Don't worry, Kazuma. When it comes to resilience, I won't yield to anyone. I can also employ my skills on both my weapon and armor. Beldia's sword may be mighty, but do you honestly believe it can cut through steel armor as if it were paper? I've heard from others that his broadsword can pierce through any novice or intermediate armor. However, my armor belongs to an advanced class... so I'm eager to see how my defense fares against it!"
Darkness was exceptionally assertive today.
Yet, even if she managed to defend herself successfully, would she ever land an attack?
"As a Crusader... As a guardian, there's one thing I won't back down from. Let me protect the two of you."
I was momentarily rendered speechless.
Just earlier, she was this cold and quiet girl who only talked when necessary.
With unwavering determination, Darkness maintained her stance and charged toward Beldia.
"Oh, taking the initiative, are you? It's only natural for a Dullahan to engage a Crusader. Very well, bring it on!"
Beldia braced himself for the impending attack.
Seeing Darkness grip her sword with both hands, Beldia didn't attempt to block. Instead, he lowered his stance, preparing to evade.
With Beldia squarely before her, Darkness swung her sword with all her might...!
However, due to a misjudgment of distance, her strike landed a few centimeters in front of Beldia's feet.
"Huh? Did you just miss a stationary..."
Beldia's voice was pitiful and tinged with disappointment...
He stared at Darkness with a blank expression, a sentiment echoed by the other adventurers.
"Ma'am, you missed."
"Don't worry, ma'am, you'll make contact on your next attempt..."
"And, uh, he's just standing there, so you can go ahead and hit him again, ma'am..."
The noble and confident expression that Darkness had previously displayed had now given way to flustered embarrassment, and her face was redder than Megumin's eyes.
"Oh, come on, how do you miss an opponent who isn't even moving? It's embarrassing! You could have at least been useful for once and had your moment of glory like Megumin!"
"Shut it, Kazuma! How about you try using that sword you've never even tested? Where's your moment of glory? Oh right, it went unnoticed when you fought that magic sword user!"
Tch, maybe she had a point.
I could have taken a picture of an unconscious Mitsurugi, proving that I had won our duel and garnered the admiration of a bevy of ladies by now.
"M-Magic sword user... Y-You mean Mitsurugi Kyouya, right?! Where is he? He was just here not too long ago!"
"Yeah, I saw him just a while ago. Apparently, some idiot made off with his sword, and now he's haggling with the local blacksmith for its return."
"Just you wait, you cursed Dullahan! Once Mitsurugi retrieves his sword, your reign of terror ends today!"
Oh dear...
The ladies who were supposed to be swooning over me were chatting about Mitsurugi, even though he wasn't present.
Although, to be fair...
It may or may not have been my fault that he wasn't here at this very moment...
"Seems like I had expected too much. For once, I could have relived that experience from centuries ago... Enough of this. It's time to finish things. Maybe that Mitsurugi fellow can recreate a similar experience for me once he arrives and discovers the fallen bodies of his comrades."
Beldia seemed to find his current opponent somewhat underwhelming. He raised his sword and casually slashed diagonally at Darkness.
"All right, the lady is dealt with... Next is... Huh?"
Beldia had been confident in his ability to kill with a single strike.
However, his sword merely left a deep scratch on the surface of Darkness's armor, accompanied by a loud screech.
Darkness withdrew from Beldia temporarily.
"Ahhh! My armor, for which I spent my entire fortune! You'll pay for this!"
Darkness inspected the scratch on her armor with a melancholic expression and glared at Beldia.
Wait, so she really did spend her entire fortune on her armor! That idiot! After so many times of telling her not to!
Although her opponent had managed to leave a substantial gash on her armor, her body remained unharmed.
Which meant...
"What's with you...? Why aren't you hurt after my strike...? Is that armor crafted by a renowned artisan? No... It can't be just that... That Archpriest and the Archwizard who's obsessed with explosions, just who are you people...?!"
As Beldia grappled with the confusion of encountering such an unexpected situation...
Darkness began to emit an ominous, villainous laugh, as if she had been destined for such a role in an alternate universe.
"What are you—"
"Isn't it obvious... Beldia... You're not dealing with the average Crusader class..."
"I fell like you're referencing something. Are you referencing something...?"
"You see, after withstanding the peak of your power... I'm only beginning to tap into mine... This final battle will prove that I am worthy of the legendary title... the legendary title that you fear..."
"Oh my god, you are referencing something...!"
"The Toughest Female Knight in the Kingdom!"
The Dullahan stood there in stunned silence... and even I...
"Okay, 'Toughest'? Out of all the words you could have chosen, you went with that? Why not 'The Strongest Female Knight in the Kingdom'? I honestly think that would have been way cooler—Wait, why am I even continuing this pointless conversation?! Just die already!"
Beldia firmly raised his broadsword with both hands and began a relentless barrage of slashes against Darkness, his speed exceeding anything a human could achieve.
One, two, three, four strikes!
The onslaught on Darkness's defenses swiftly reached double digits, each blow causing her armor to screech and become further marred.
Faced with such a relentless assault, most ordinary adventurers would have been reduced to pieces.
Yet, Darkness stood her ground, steadfastly blocking each blow.
A few strands of her long, blonde hair were severed as they encountered the blade and drifted into the air.
While entrusting Megumin with the safety of the other adventurers, I positioned myself behind Darkness, ready to provide assistance.
Aqua also joined the fray, eager to help.
"Darkness! You can't endure his attacks much longer! Let me handle the offensive; I'll back you up!"
This time, it seemed the other girl had some ideas I wouldn't mind going along with.
"Oh, please, leave the supporting to me, a capable Archpriest! You can endure his attacks for as long as you like, actually! 'Defense'!"
Aqua cast a 'Defense' buff on Darkness, significantly increasing her defense stat.
"There you go, now you can withstand the pesky Dullahan's attacks as long as you need to. I would use other buffs on you, but let's face it, your accuracy with hits is nonexistent. Just distract him and let Kazuma and me handle the offensive!"
That's great, Aqua, but maybe try not to mention Darkness's inability to hit her targets; it might dampen her spirits.
"Aqua... I'm giving it my all here. The least you can do is root for me too..."
"Enough! I'm done listening to your chit-chat! I'm going to curse everyone in this town so you all snap out of it!"
Growing impatient with our side conversations, the Dullahan decided to grab our full attention. He raised his finger into the air, preparing to unleash a barrage of curse spells on everyone in the town.
"As if I'll let you!"
Swiftly, Darkness lunged at the Dullahan, causing him to stumble and fall to the ground with her on top of him.
"W-Woah! Damn it, if you wanted to die first, you should have just said so!"
With remarkable strength, the Dullahan effortlessly lifted Darkness above his prone body and drove his broadsword into her abdomen.
"Darkness!"
I cried out in alarm.
Oh dear, witnessing her lifeless form was something I hadn't mentally prepared for!
"What the hell, it's barely penetrating your armor! Could this be the work of the Archpriest? To think it could withstand my killing intent to stab you... and even with gravity on my side... Just how strong are your muscles?"
"D-Don't say they're strong! My abdominal muscles aren't hard!"
It seemed like the more I got to know Darkness, the more I heard things I probably shouldn't. But for now, let's focus on the situation at hand.
"Screw this! You're not a dangerous opponent anyway! You're just an immovable object that I can easily walk around! Off me!"
With one arm, the Dullahan flung Darkness toward a nearby shop, completely demolishing the building's structure.
He then rose to his feet and scanned his surroundings.
"Alright, who's next?"
I turn to my right to see a black outlined of a familiar figurine... gone missing...
"Hey! You forgot to buff me, Aqua!"
Observing Darkness being tossed around like a doll, Aqua hurried to apply her buffs to nearby adventurers, taking her place in the battle.
"...Boy..."
For a mere moment, I had let my guard down...
I could feel the weight of the Dullahan's broadsword resting on my right shoulder.
"How unfortunate... I had secretly hoped to see how capable you truly were... But now that you're right in front of me, I realize you're just some fragile, scrawny kid... It turns out, you're just the brains... The girls are mere meat, plain and simple..."
"Kazuma!"
Darkness called out my name, charging straight at Beldia.
Aw, c'mon! I'm not ready to die!
I didn't even went into 1st base with anyone in Japan and in this alternate world!
"My minions will relish using your head as a glowing lantern!"
With swift motion, he prepared to deliver a horizontal strike aimed at decapitating me.
Clang!
The sound of metal rang out, temporarily deafening my right ear.
Initially, I thought it was Darkness's sword that had arrived just in time, but even if she had managed to block the blow, she wouldn't have been able to hold the sword steady against Beldia's immense strength.
"What...?"
His tone dripped with disbelief.
I turned to my right...
My obsidian blade that has been extremely docile, used only once in battle (technically), has finally awakened for some reason.
I had forgotten that this was a cheat item, treating it as just any ordinary weapon.
But now, this seemingly ordinary weapon was glowing with a brilliant green hue, and it effortlessly blocked Beldia's sword without any difficulty.
More remarkably, it was levitating...
"That weapon..."
Beldia took a few steps back to get a better look at the katana hovering before him.
The other adventurers, both male and female, were also in a state of shock, murmuring to one another in bewilderment.
However, this was no time to stand still like clueless characters.
I too took a few steps back to create some distance, noticing that Darkness was also struck dumb by disbelief.
Her expression conveyed uncertainty about what to do next.
The fact that no one was holding the blade was still astonishing... It truly was levitating or floating on its own...
Could I control this katana as well?
I cautiously twirled my finger in the air to see if I could manipulate it with the slightest touch, but the weapon remained unresponsive to my wishes.
Had it only protected me on pure instinct, sensing the danger I was in?
Was that why it hadn't attacked Mitsurugi? Did it recognize that he wasn't a threat?
But when I fought him, he mentioned something like—
"Kazuma... What in the world is happening with your sword?"
Darkness interrupted my thoughts and set her own sword down, as if Beldia was no longer a threat.
"I don't know."
Behind me, I heard the clanging of metal, so I turned around to witness my sword and Beldia's weapon locked in combat.
It was attempting to strike Beldia from every angle, exploiting every opening he exposed.
However, as a Dullahan, Beldia possessed impenetrable armor that not even Darkness's sword could hope to breach.
The katana was more of a minor annoyance to Beldia, similar to a persistent mosquito buzzing around and nipping at you as you desperately swatted it away.
"Tch! What in the world is this weapon? It wasn't like this the last time we clashed!"
Beldia, who had previously been manically reveling in beating down Darkness, was now on the defensive, with his armor being slashed as he struggled to block the relentless strikes.
"Hm...?"
I couldn't just stand idly by and let my weapon do all the work.
My arrows and beginner-level magic were useless against his formidable armor.
There had to be a way for me to assist my partner, who was fighting valiantly to protect my life.
"This is getting annoying! Letting your weapon do all the fighting...! At least have some honor in fighting like your Crusader girlfriend!"
"I'm not his girlfriend!"
Ignoring his last sentence, Beldia's other words had gotten my attention.
I know what to do now.
"Darkness, you just stay there and let Aqua heal your wounds. I know just how to defeat this guy."
"Looks like your sword is already doing it."
"Yeah but I don't know how long this ability can last. So I better make the most of it while I can."
"You're unusually an inspirational leader today. What happened?"
"Hey, I've always been a good leader! Never mind that, I'm going to initiate my diabolical plan."
As Darkness and I exchanged banter, Beldia continued to be pushed back by my partner, who was gradually gaining the upper hand.
While the cuts and slashes inflicted by the katana dealt little damage due to the Demon King's blessing and Beldia's natural immense defense, his armor was not invincible and one that could last forever.
Nothing could last forever.
Even us.
So, I was about to...
"Well, well...! Look at this...! The Demon King General, Beldia, The Great Dullahan who terrorized the kingdom and vanquished hundreds of innocent lives, being pushed back by a weapon wielded by a weak, fragile Adventurer! Wahahaha!"
"Shut up, boy! You're not accomplishing anything! It's the might of this formidable weapon that's doing all the work!"
"Maybe... Or maybe I'm just controlling it with my mind and outclassing both of you, physically and mentally!"
My plan was to provoke him and throw him off balance while my newfound partner continued to deal small amounts of damage.
Of course, I wasn't actually controlling the weapon with my mind. It seemed to possess a form of sentience all its own.
Hopefully, that wouldn't become a problem in the future...
"I am going to tear your skin, layer by layer with my own bare hands when I reach onto you!"
"Why don't you kiss my ass while you're at it! You talk a big game about being the final boss, yet you're struggling against a novice player like me! Muahahaha! Maybe I'll be the one to give you a true challenge!"
I turned around and playfully bent over, smacking my butt in his direction.
"Kazuma..."
"Oh..."
Even as I embarrassed Beldia...
Darkness regarded me with a mix of pity and disdain.
I had forgotten that she was still standing beside me.
I returned to my original posture.
"Hey, don't give me that look. I'm just teaching this guy a lesson for hurting you and attempting to curse innocent townsfolk. Do you want to join in?"
Darkness let out a heavy sigh.
"This isn't an honorable battle you're engaging in and I want no part of it. I'm going to check if anyone else is injured and have Aqua tend to my wounds..."
"Fair enough."
As Darkness walked away to assist those who might have been hurt by the undead knights, I continued my attempts to taunt Beldia.
But first, there was something I wanted to ask...
"You've certainly piqued my interest. It all started a week ago when you examined my weapon, and then, when your undead knights were defeated, your words hinted at reliving a past experience. You also expressed a desire for Mitsurugi to provide you with that same past experience. Now, seeing my weapon has left you visibly surprised. Care to explain?"
While my partner continued to engage Beldia, I posed my questions to him.
"Isn't it obvious?!"
"Not to me."
"I've seen this blade before...! It was wielded by a strong, tall, honorable warrior... one who was the complete opposite of you...!"
"Hey, quit throwing shade at me and get to the answers."
"Centuries ago, a man with no armor challenged me to a duel. He wielded the very same blade I'm facing right now. Out of respect for his bravery, I accepted the challenge, for I too was once a noble and heroic knight."
It was becoming clear.
Just as it had been written in the letter...
Miyamoto Musashi had battled the Dullahan.
"My undead knights saw him as a threat and attacked without my order, but he effortlessly dispatched them, astonishingly becoming the first human to achieve such a feat. And so our duel began."
As the letter had stated, Musashi had defeated the Dullahan.
"I suffered my first-ever defeat, swiftly humiliated and cast aside like a bug on a fruit. I pleaded for mercy, something I had never done before. I confessed the reason for my existence, the most humiliating part being... that he spared me! I fled on my horse like a coward, vowing never to cross paths with him again, until our second encounter..."
"Second encounter? Wait, are you telling me that you met him again? Explain."
This had never been mentioned in the letter before.
"Enough! This blade you possess is a slower, older, weaker version of the one I fought in the past! It is nothing compared to the warrior I battled centuries ago! Maybe if I kill you, it will cease its relentless attacks on me!"
Beldia disregarded the katana's strikes and charged straight at me.
In that moment, I came closer to wetting myself than I ever had before.
Damn it, I had been too engrossed in what the Dullahan was saying.
They had met a second time? When did that happen? Was this the third encounter with the weapon, essentially?
There was no time to ponder these questions. I had to run for my life, or I'd be turned into mincemeat!
As I sprinted desperately, the sounds of his sword smashing onto the rocky pavement grew louder and closer with each strike.
"Aqua! Aqua-sama! Save me!"
"Letting your Archpriest save you, of all people? All this time you've been relying on those women to fight for you...and your weapon as well...! Just fight like a man!"
Great, now the roles are reversed.
He also said the same exact thing I mentioned to Mitsurugi.
Father, if you're seeing this, please think of anything else positive about me.
"Kazuma, what's happening?"
Darkness, who was being healed by Aqua, had finally noticed the Dullahan chasing me with his sword, enduring my partner's attacks as best as he could.
"Kazuma? I thought you said you had everything under control! What's happening now? And is your sword floating? Is it attacking the Dullahan without anyone holding it? What's going on?"
If I recalled correctly, Aqua had a buff spell called 'Haste' that greatly increased her speed.
"No time to explain! Just buff me! He's trying to decapitate me! Use your Haste spell like you did when we first met!"
"Haste!"
The Dullahan had swung his broadsword vertically, nearly grazing the fabric of my clothing.
As soon as she cast the spell, I gained enough speed to narrowly dodge the strike that would have otherwise ended me, had she not buffed me.
"As if I'll let you escape from my wrath, dishonorable cretin! Full Speed!"
It probably wasn't an actual technique; he was merely announcing that he was going all out.
Nevertheless, even with Aqua's buff, he and I were still evenly matched in terms of speed.
By this point, we were already in the middle of town, with Darkness and Aqua chasing from behind.
My stamina was rapidly depleting, and I needed to come up with a new plan to escape.
"Come here, boy! I only wish to end your life in a miserable fashion!"
"Not interested!"
I decided to change my tactics and began entering small spaces that he couldn't easily follow me into, such as small buildings and stores, hoping to stall him for even a brief moment.
This cat-and-mouse chase continued for at least five minutes, and it showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.
This particular time, I had entered a small restaurant with no people in it.
I totally did not have any resentment towards the owner of this infamous restaurant...
"Quit trying to hide! No building is capable of standing when they meet my sword!"
Beldia sliced through the restaurant's door, causing havoc as he cut through chairs and tables in his path.
I hurried through the kitchen, and he burst through the kitchen walls, forcing me to emit a rather unmanly scream as I sprinted back toward the front of the restaurant, dodging the wreckage.
As soon as I exited the ruined restaurant, Aqua and Darkness finally caught up with us.
"Where is he?"
"Hey, Kazuma, this restaurant is the one-"
What was strange about this whole situation was the seemingly endless endurance and stamina of Darkness.
She wasn't even breaking a sweat, despite all the running she had done while wearing her heavy armor.
"He's..."
Just as I was about to respond, the Dullahan dramatically burst through the door frame.
"Right behind you..."
My legs had reached their limit, refusing to move any further.
Beldia raised his broadsword with a single arm, poised to end my life once and for all.
"Watch-"
"Ack!"
Beldia grunted in sudden pain, his attack halted abruptly.
My flying katana, which had been relentlessly attacking Beldia's armor, finally found an opening when he raised his arm, and it stabbed into his vulnerable armpit.
Ouch, even I felt that.
"Damn you...! Of all places to pop up, this blade decides to haunt me once more!"
Beldia was clearly frustrated, his attention now divided between my partner and me.
I seized this opportunity to instruct Darkness to join the battle.
"Darkness, now is your chance to shine! Your redemption arc has risen! Attack him while he's occupied with my partner."
"Got it! Although I don't appreciate the other things you said about me."
Darkness charged into the fray, her sword making solid connections with the Dullahan's armor. While her initial attacks didn't break through, they showed signs of cracking the armor.
When Beldia's broadsword struck Darkness, she absorbed the blow easily thanks to Aqua's Defense buff.
As Darkness and my partner continued to clash blades with the Dullahan, I took a moment to catch my breath and drink some water.
"Keep it up, Darkness! Rock him with your fist while you're at it!"
"Kick his nonexistent balls while you're at it!"
"Grab his head and throw it at the pig's den so they can eat him!"
Aqua had taken on the role of brutal cheerleader, similar to how she cheered for me with my duel against Mitsurugi.
But she got too close to me as I was about to cast Create Water on my empty cup, causing me to accidentally spray water all over Darkness.
"Hey, watch where you're going! Wait, hold on..."
Beldia, on the other hand, chose to dodge the water spray rather than endure it.
Wait a minute, was this his weakness?
Could water be the key to defeating him?
"Aqua!"
"What?"
I was about to say for her to use Create Water to weaken the Dullahan.
But then I remembered the last time she did such a thing at a peculiar restaurant that was now destroyed.
If she created the most powerful water spell in this world... inside the middle of the town...
I don't even want to know...!
"Never mind. It seems Darkness and my partner have finally weakened Beldia to the point where he can barely stand up."
The other adventurers had also caught up, marveling at the surreal scene before them.
"This battle feels like something from an action play..."
"Was Darkness always able to hit her targets?"
"This looks like a battle on another level..."
After a few more minutes of intense fighting, Beldia was reduced to his knees, his once-imposing dark armor now shattered and cracked in multiple places, courtesy of the relentless blows from Darkness and my katana.
Sensing that the threat from the Dullahan had subsided, my katana floated back toward me and sheathed itself in my sword belt.
"Hey, that's kind of cool! Do it again! Do it again! I want to see if I can use a party trick for that!"
Aqua, oblivious to the situation, clapped her hands in excitement.
"Now is not the time for party tricks. Use your undead spell again. He seems to finally be weakened after everything we've done to him."
With Darkness walking back toward us, the three of us stood there, waiting for the Dullahan's final words.
"This isn't supposed to be! To be weakened and defeated by such an incompetent team! A weak and unattractive boy, a little girl with explosive tendencies, a cleric with no signs of primal intelligence, and a clumsy crusader who misses all her attacks...! Ack! Why won't you all just die already?!"
His words echoed from the main gate, indicating that this was likely his final breath as he struggled to stand up.
"I should've died long ago when I fought him... That strong, determined, calm, honorable warrior... I would rather die a warrior's death than lose to these meddling kids and their stupid pet sword! Just who are you people?! To be able to do such significant damage to me! Especially the Archpriest who has only cast weak beginner spells...!"
Beldia pointed at Aqua, who began smirking and laughing cockily.
"Fuahahaha!"
Her demeanor was reminiscent of Megumin's triumphant laughter.
"What are you-"
"You see, Beldia... You're not dealing with the average Archpriest class..."
"Oh... My... God...!"
With his final groan, Aqua cast her most powerful spell upon the defeated Dullahan once more.
"Sacred Turn Undead!"
Beldia, now overwhelmed by regret, faced the full force of Aqua's spell. His body was covered in a white light, turning translucent, and gradually he began to disappear.
And so, in this unexpected turn of events, the Demon King's General was purified and vanished from existence.
The adventurers who had been spectating the entire battle erupted in cheers of victory.
While Aqua basked in the adoration, Darkness, who was wounded all over, knelt on one knee, closing her eyes and offering a prayer at the spot where the Dullahan had disappeared.
"Darkness, what are you doing?"
I asked, curious about her sudden change in demeanor.
"I'm praying. The Dullahan was once a knight who was executed unjustly and turned into a monster because of his grudge. It might seem strange after we smashed him multiple times with our weapons, but there's no harm in offering a prayer for his soul..."
"I see..."
As I observed Darkness in that moment, she appeared different to me. There was a sense of compassion and empathy in her actions that I hadn't seen before.
...
That afternoon, the entire town was in celebration over the victory, and it was clear that everyone was in high spirits.
Defeating one of the Demon King's generals was a remarkable feat, and it had brought a sense of triumph and relief to the people.
As for me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment
I had never imagined that I would encounter, let alone defeat, one of the Demon King's generals.
It was a significant milestone in our quest.
I knew that Beldia must have had a considerable bounty on his head as a general, and the rewards from this victory would certainly be substantial.
I planned to send a portion of the money to my family so they could live a more comfortable life for a while. However, that could wait for now.
Because at this moment, I found myself surrounded by a group of excited women, including some of the waitresses from the restaurant.
They were all clamoring to see my partner, the floating katana, once again.
"Kazuma-san, may I see your blade one more time?"
"Hey, I asked him first! Kazuma-kun, could you show it like you did earlier? It was really cool."
"It looked more than just cool! It was glorious! Please show it to me, it looked way cooler than Mitsurugi's sword!"
I couldn't help but smile to myself. It seemed that the women were quite taken with my katana's abilities. All those days of taking care of it had finally led to this moment, where it was gaining popularity among the ladies.
Take that, Mitsurugi!
"Where's Kazuma?" Megumin asked.
"He's over there with the group of girls. Look at him, drunk on the cheat item I forged myself. He's trying to make his own harem now."
Aqua replied, casting a disapproving look in my direction.
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it. He's worked hard for it. Let's let him be and see how it goes. He'll probably be the same unpopular guy tomorrow."
Darkness remarked with a teasing tone.
"Oh yeah, that reminds me, Aqua. Are you a blacksmith or something? What do you mean you forged that sword for Kazuma. Also, the letter from that Miyamoto guy, he said that you were a goddess. What's that all about?"
Megumin and Darkness had finally asked Aqua about their suspicions they've kept bottled up for a while.
But before I could hear more of their conversation,
"Kazuma-san, could you just show us or else we'll get bored..."
"Yeah, I have work to do in about 5 minutes, can you please hurry?"
The ladies were starting to get impatient, and I couldn't blame them.
"Ladies, ladies, one at a time. I'll show you my magnificent blade once more, but there's a small condition... a kiss on the cheeks."
I proposed with a playful grin, trying to regain their attention and enthusiasm.
However, it seemed that the prospect of giving me a kiss on the cheeks dampened their eagerness a bit.
"Eh? A kiss?"
"Is he serious?"
"Is my first kiss really worth looking at his weapon? Now that I'm looking at it, it looks small and skinny compared to Mitsurugi's larger one."
Doing my best to recover and prevent any more significant damage, I decided to pull out my katana.
"I was just kidding, of course! Watch and learn! Here you go, partner-!"
To my surprise, the katana remained stubbornly sheathed, refusing to budge. I had unsheathed it countless times before, so why was it choosing not to now?
Perhaps it only responded when my life was in danger? If that was the case, it was a rather inconvenient and cliche plot twist.
The ladies gave me pitying and disappointed looks, similar to what the other girls had done earlier.
"H-Hold on, ladies. It appears he doesn't want to come out. Just give me a moment..."
I tried using both hands this time, applying extra force to unsheathe the katana, but it still refused to move.
Come on, partner! Become my wingman at least this once! Maybe I could meet the love of my life from one of these ladies and finally reach into 1st base!
My frustration grew as I struggled with the sword, trying to figure out why it was behaving this way.
I eventually grew so impatient, removing the scabbard of the katana from my sword belt, and slammed it on the table multiple times, shocking and startling the ladies.
"Come on, you dumb sword!"
The moment those words left my mouth, the katana slipped from my grip and began to float on its own, the scabbard still attached.
"Wow..."
"So cool..."
"It's amazing..."
The ladies couldn't help but express their astonishment.
"There ya go, Ladies. Now as promised- Ow!"
A small, hard object struck the top of my head with blunt force.
Startled, I glanced upward, only to discover that my very own partner, suspended in mid-air, was using its scabbard to strike me – its own wielder.
"Ow! Ow! Ow! What kind of weapon are you, hitting your own master like this? Ow! Owww!"
My partner shifted its target to my buttocks, striking me from the side, as if I were its delinquent child.
I had completely forgotten that this blade possessed its own sentience, capable of perceiving its surroundings.
It must have overheard my insults and taken it upon itself to discipline me.
"Partner, you're embarrassing me in front of all these girls! Come on, show your cool side for them, and I promise to take better care of you- Ow! Ow!"
At this point, it was too late.
The ladies, who had initially regarded me with awe, now erupted in laughter, treating me as if I were a child struggling to control an unruly dog, being dragged along.
Even Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness witnessing the embarrassing scene, struggling to hold their laughter the best they could by covering their mouth with their hands.
I want to die now...
Desperate to escape the relentless onslaught of my sentient blade, I bolted from the guild, vowing never to return.
Dammit, I thought I had finally achieved an overpowered weapon.
But I feel like I've invited another troublesome party member into my life... and it's not even human...!
It's more like a pet.
...
The party still continued into the night.
After an hour of being chased by my own sentient weapon, it finally decided it's had enough and put itself back into my sword belt, deciding on it's own to come out or not, regardless on my decision.
I hung around to drink a bit to ease and numb my small bruises and then stopped to go outside and sit on a set of stairs to relax and wait for Aqua and Megumin to come out.
During that time, Darkness had come around and sat next to me to relax as well.
"Do you need something? Or just here to step away from the rowdy crowd inside?"
"Well, Aqua and the others kept pestering me to join in the drinking, but I don't really feel the urge. I've also been playing the responsible guardian for Megumin, discouraging her from drinking, until she finally gave up. So, yes, I'm here to take a brief break before heading home."
I trailed my eyes from the side of her face, down to her chest armor.
"Your armor looks like it's seen better days."
"Tomorrow I'll get it fixed with the rewards from the Dullahan."
"Did you really spend all your money just like Megumin?"
"M-Most of it, yes. The rest went somewhere else that is none of your concerns."
Without a second thought,
"Here, hand me your armor. I'll fix it for you."
"R-Really?"
"Of course, free of charge."
"Why so?"
"Just give me it or else I'll decide to charge you for it."
Without hesitation, she took off her armor, showing the amazing curvature of her figure which was hard for me to ignore, and she hand it over to me.
"Heavy!"
"D-Don't call it heavy! Actually, yes, it's heavy. Only my armor is heavy."
I retrieved my small hammer from my belt and began working on the dented, cracked, and sliced areas of the armor.
I don't get how this world works but for some reason, you can swing on a small gap of armor and it just mends itself together like healing skin cells.
It was rather easy work thanks to my knowledge of blacksmithing and two weeks of experience in taking care of my blade.
I handed it back to her, though not as shiny as last time, but it was better than being torn open and broken down.
"Thank you, Kazuma. It was unexpected but kind of you to do what you did."
"Mhm."
There was no way I'd admit that this was my modest way of showing appreciation for her invaluable contribution in defeating Beldia.
"You still don't want the new shirt that I promised you when that magic sword user ripped it?"
"No, it's fine. Worry about your own finances."
She displayed an unexpected expression upon hearing my response, but quickly reverted to gazing at the stars overhead.
The silence between us grew more until she decided to start the conversation.
"It is still fresh in my mind, realizing that we've just actually taken down a Demon King general... It's like a dream that you never expected but wouldn't mind it's positives..."
"Same here. And with the rewards coming tomorrow, I might quit adventuring to invest into my new business and send half the money to my family."
As I said that, Darkness turned around in shock.
"What? You are?! You can't do that! Who else is gonna help me defeat the Demon King?!"
I keep forgetting she has that stupid wish that I never want to mention because it disgusted me.
"Calm down, I'm sure you'll be rewarded greatly by the royalty of this kingdom. You're a noble, aren't you? You'll probably get more money than me as well for the sake of it."
She gave me a troubled look as I said that.
"What makes you say that? As our party leader, you were the one who devised our strategies and plans. You did most of the work."
That was unexpected praise from her, but...
"Because everyone has favorites. Besides, I've got no plan to make those pesky nobles richer if I keep risking my life to spend all my rewards on food, taxes, and so on. I'm gonna make my own money and divert wealth away from them, not into their pockets."
Staring blankly at me,
"Kazuma... do you hate nobles?"
Now that's a sudden question to ask.
"Perhaps... Maybe it's just that my experiences with them... weren't pleasant."
"How so? We nobles do our best to provide for the commoners. We put our backs into it when it comes to reimbursing them. This is strange... You're really strange... Of all the people I've met... you're the only one who absolutely despises us."
"It's... It's personal. I feel like you wouldn't understand it. But I'll tell you this. If I ever get to meet the governor who gave my parents such a small amount of land and a depressing peasantry life... he's gonna pay for it...!"
Darkness looked at me with concern written all over her face.
"Kazuma... I feel like your hatred of nobles is... somewhat misdirected..."
"Maybe... Maybe not... It's not like I have a tendency to kill them the moment they meet my eyesight. So you shouldn't be involved or try to prove otherwise."
I've seen a scenario like this in a romance manga before.
One where the female and male character's ideals clash together.
The female character will say, "I challenge you, I bet that I'll make you [insert plot device] first!"
Then the male character will deny and never submit, but over time as they both interact, they both fall in love together, and so on.
Not happening on my watch.
As expected, Darkness gave up on that topic of the conversation and brought up a different subject.
"With such a capable weapon in your hands, I'm surprised you aren't drunk on its power. I thought you would be trying to find the magic sword user by now and try to fight him with your newfound ability."
"Who do you think I am? I've got bigger things to worry about than to keep hating on other people."
Darkness snorted, doing her best to hold it in.
"Even though you were trying your best to impress those other women a few hours ago but then your own weapon turned on you and was spanking you like a child! Pufufu!"
She could no longer control her laughter and was openly laughing about it.
"H-Hey, quit antagonizing me! Dammit, I would've thought this weapon would've been my wingman by now and gotten me a girlfriend... Also, I still haven't punished you for antagonizing the Dullahan for the past week."
I thought I've finally reached my peak of power with this cheat item but did I really?
I feel like the same person from yesterday...
Was this really the blade that once belong to Miyamoto Musashi?
The legendary swordsman from Japan?
And why does it have it's own sentience? Why did it have it's own consciousness?
If I remember correctly from the letter... He did specifically wished:
'May it become its own true master of the sword.'
Did this wish inadvertently transform the blade into a sentient being of sorts? Could this be why it could levitate, move of its own accord, and attack independently?
He did mention that he hadn't yet grasped the blade's true potential.
And why had it chosen this moment to awaken?
'May it deserve a wielder that truly cares for it.'
Perhaps, because I had devoted myself to its care as if it were an ordinary weapon, as that was my initial assumption...
It had finally found a master worthy of both protection and wielding.
However, this still didn't explain why it had chosen to embarrass me in front of the entire guild by striking me on the head and buttocks.
Suddenly, my partner decided to reveal itself, sliding out of its scabbard and hovering around Darkness for some inexplicable reason.
It appeared to be thoroughly enjoying her company, radiating the same green light as before.
"Hey, why are you enjoying her company more than mine?"
This was the same blade that had battled Beldia to safeguard my life, yet now it seemed to care little about me.
Darkness could only chuckle at the unusual scene.
"Darkness, you don't seem too surprised by this at all. A floating weapon? That's hard to get used to, ya know."
She had been genuinely shocked when she first laid eyes on it, but now she seemed to be taking it in stride as just another day in the neighborhood.
"To be completely honest... This world has always been strange, even to me up to this day. Eccentric individuals with black hair and black eyes, armed with overpowering items, have been appearing in this world for over 500 years. The letter from that weapon proves it."
Wait... you don't mean there are more Japanese people here aside from Mitsurugi, do you?
Does that imply that I might encounter them as well? I sincerely hope not, because I have no desire to engage in battles simply because they want Aqua to join their party.
Actually, maybe I'll consider trading her for one of their cheat items.
"I see then..."
For a while, a serene silence enveloped the atmosphere.
The only sound was the soft, metallic chirping of the floating katana. Darkness, with a hint of playfulness, reached out to touch the blade with her fingers several times, as if engaging in an unspoken conversation with the weapon.
I couldn't help but be captivated by the way she turned her head, her golden locks cascading down her back, and subtly adjusted her posture to maintain eye contact with the blade.
It was as if they were caught in an unspoken game of hide-and-seek, forming a connection in this intimate moment.
This was an unexpected bond that I hadn't anticipated forming so quickly...
"Hey, Kazuma..."
"Yeah?"
"Can I give it a name...?"
"Absolutely not."
...
The day after we had defeated Beldia, my mind was consumed by thoughts of how to kickstart my business plan.
It was my duty to take down the Demon King, but that meant confronting formidable foes like Beldia in the future
Should I finish the quest of defeating the Demon King so I can go back to Japan and let my family live a luxurious life without me.
Or give up and find a place to live peacefully in this world with my family living a luxurious life with me?
Of course, I had already made my decision.
Given my status as the holder of the weakest job, luck alone wouldn't suffice to win the battles ahead.
My plan was to lead a leisurely life, steering clear of perilous situations.
Leveraging my knowledge of Japan, I intended to launch a business.
After setting up my career, if I had time to spare and ever felt like seeking thrills, I could take on simple quests.
I opened the adventurer's guild doors as I was planning my life.
As I contemplated my life's direction, I pushed open the doors of the adventurer's guild.
A potent aroma greeted me as I entered—a blend of the crowd's enthusiasm and the pervasive scent of alcohol
Adventurers were celebrating heartily in the middle of the day to commemorate our victory over the Demon King's boss.
Didn't you guys just drink and celebrated last night? How strong are your vitalities to be drinking without a hangover?
"Ah! You're too slow, Kazuma! Everyone's already starting to get smashed!"
Aqua, who was in a great mood, told me as I entered the guild:
"Hurry and claim your bounty, Kazuma! Nearly all the adventurers have already collected their rewards for defeating the Demon King's boss, including me! But as you can see, I've spent a good part of it already!"
Aqua beamed, displaying her money pouch for me to inspect before scratching her head and laughing merrily.
This... this girl was drunk.
I had no idea what the drinking age was in this world.
Upon closer inspection, it was clear that many of the adventurers inside the guild were so intoxicated that they couldn't even maintain steady footing.
Also, they got payment for just standing there? Well they did fight off some undead knights.
Maybe being a side character isn't too bad...
Ignoring those drunkards, I headed for the counter.
Darkness and Megumin were already there.
"You're here, Kazuma. Quick, collect your reward."
"I waited really long for you, Kazuma. Listen to me, Darkness is really petty, saying it was too early for me to drink..."
"Wait, it has nothing to do with being petty. That's not what I meant...!"
Seeing them occupied, I approached the receptionist lady.
Strangely, the usually composed receptionist seemed somewhat awkward.
"Uh, well... Satou Kazuma-san, correct? We've been anticipating your arrival."
Her demeanor raised my suspicions.
"Eh, well...Satou Kazuma-san, correct? We have been expecting you."
The attitude of the receptionist lady made me feel something was up.
"Well... First will be the rewards for these three ladies."
The receptionist lady then gave three small bags to Aqua, Darkness, and Megumin.
I found it odd—what about my reward?
As my doubts grew, the receptionist lady finally spoke up:
"Actually... It's like this. The guild has decided to present a special reward for Kazuma's party."
"Huh, why just us?"
In response to my question, someone from the crowd chimed in:
"Hey, MVP! Without you guys, there's no way we could've defeated that Dullahan!"
The inebriated adventurers around us heartily agreed.
Everyone...
Having faced numerous challenges and adversities since arriving in this world, I couldn't help but feel touched by the kindness of these people.
I stepped forward to represent all four members of my team and receive the special reward.
The receptionist lady cleared her throat and began.
"Ahem... In recognition of Satou Kazuma and his party's triumphant victory over the Demon King's General, Beldia... the guild hereby awards them 300 million eris."
"Three..."
We were rendered utterly speechless. The adventurers fell silent as they absorbed the staggering amount.
And then...
"Hey, 300 million, it's your treat, Kazuma!"
"Whoa! Kazuma-sama, treat us! Treat us!"
Adventurers started clamoring for me to foot the bill.
Oh, right!
"Hey, Darkness, Megumin! I've got something to share with both of you. I'm thinking of scaling back on adventuring in the future! With this vast sum of money, we could lead a peaceful life of luxury!"
Who cared about my business plans at this point?
I'd allocate 150 million to my family and enjoy the remainder in a life filled with women and fame!
"Hey, wait a minute! What about defeating the Demon King? Did you so easily forget about it the moment fortune was brought into your mind?"
"This is a problem for me too! I want to defeat the Demon King with Kazuma and gain the title of the strongest mage!"
Oh so that's her reason to joining our party, I got it right.
Their protests were drowned out by the noise that was getting rowdier.
In the midst of all this chaos, the receptionist lady wore an apologetic expression and handed me a document.
There were two zeroes missing...
Was this really three hundred million? Why am I only seeing 5 million in my hand?
Aqua drunkenly came over to me and peeked at the paper in my hand.
"Uh, well, here's the thing. It's because of Kazuma-san's actions... If you recall... When the Dullahan was chasing you, you ran through every single building, one after another. This led to the Dullahan inadvertently destroying them all in the process. You've caused quite a significant amount of damage, so we're simply asking you to cover the costs of those damages. L-Luckily, the total damage comes to 295 million eris, so at least you get 5 million eris! H-Hooray!"
After making this announcement, the receptionist lady slowly averted her gaze and left the counter in a hurry.
After seeing the paper in my hand, Megumin and Aqua fled out of the guild to avoid the awkward silence.
Darkness, the only one who remained by my side, examined the compensation bill and then placed her hand on my shoulder.
"Reward is 300 million... The compensation was 295 million... Kazuma, let's continue to take on quests with strong enemies to earn lots of money starting tomorrow."
Darkness said with a bright smile that stemmed from the bottom of her heart.
Do I have to spend my life with these incompetent comrades in this ridiculous world?
I slowly closed my eyes and steeled my determination to defeat the Demon King.
To escape from this ridiculous world!
...
I once was an honorable knight, unjustly executed by the Kingdom of Belzerg.
My grudge and deep hatred stemming from the unjust execution transformed me into a powerful Dullahan.
For countless years, I terrorized the kingdom and its people.
I placed numerous curses on all, be they farmers, adventurers, or nobles.
Any human I laid eyes on, I'd curse them to face their demise.
When heroic and noble knights came to confront me, I'd dispatch them swiftly, unnoticed.
I was unbeatable.
The kingdom put a hefty bounty on my head.
I reveled in the substantial price tag on my life.
Countless knights and parties pursued me for the reward, making it one of the highlights of my existence.
At some point, it grew somewhat tiresome, so I summoned my own undead knights to handle the hunters.
You'd have to be a fool to confront my undead army solo.
Many knights and adventurers joined forces in an attempt to bring me down.
Occasionally, if the party proved formidable, they'd defeat my undead army, but at the cost of their stamina.
If they were utterly drained, I'd grant them a swift death.
Often, if the party involved a love triangle or two souls deeply attracted to one another, I'd curse them, subjecting them to a slow and agonizing demise.
Their desperate cries to lift the curse from their loved ones delighted me.
It was all too satisfying.
However...
It was 20 years after my transformation into a Dullahan that I was humbled swiftly.
I rode through farmland, my horse and undead army trailing behind, checking for pursuers or potential victims.
The farmers who sensed my presence scurried into hiding.
By that time, farmers were insignificant to me. They were so terrified of me that they wouldn't dare reveal my whereabouts to the adventurers and bounty hunters chasing me.
As they should.
But it was right then and there that...
I encountered him...
Before me stood a man with black hair and dark eyes, blocking my path.
It was evident that he had been waiting for me, as if he knew I would travel this route.
He wore no armor, a stark contrast to everyone I'd met who sought to hunt me down.
Typically, those who pursued me donned the sturdiest armor they could find, as well as weapons they believed could harm me.
Before even considering armor and weapons, they needed the assistance of others to even stand a chance against me and my undead army.
Yet before me stood a man with no comrades, no armor, wielding only a slender, seemingly feeble weapon by his side."
"This is the strangest encounter I've ever been in yet. What do you wish from me, lonesome human?"
"I've heard of your strength... So, I wish to challenge you to a duel."
"Is it for the bounty on my head or the hope of fame from defeating me?"
"Neither of these concerns me. My sole desire is to assess my skills against a worthy opponent."
His words piqued my interest.
His demeanor and tone indicated his sincerity.
"How remarkably audacious, young warrior. To approach me alone, unarmed, and without formidable weaponry... This is a display of true knightly respect. Sadly, I cannot reciprocate, as this armor I wear is permanent."
"That doesn't matter... It doesn't bother me one bit... In fact, it makes it even better."
The man was suddenly excited by what I just said.
His lack of fear in the face of my reportedly indestructible armor intrigued me.
His hands remained steady, his feet unwavering, his shoulders firm, and his face unblemished by sweat. He exuded calmness and composure.
My curiosity grew stronger.
Could this battle yield a different outcome than the countless others before it?
No... I doubted it.
The laws of this world relied on your stats.
If his attack power fell short, he wouldn't even scratch my armor.
And my swordsmanship skills far surpassed his; he was too exposed, too carefree.
As an undead Dullahan, my physical attributes surpassed those of any human.
There's no way I was going to lose to this man. There's no way he would have the guts to approach me alone.
He must be bluffing.
Perhaps there was a group of others lurking in the bushes, fields, or trees, poised to ambush me.
I had encountered such situations before and emerged victorious each time, thanks to my superior combat skills.
This was nothing new.
"Very well! Draw your blade! I'll dispatch you quicker than a decapitation!"
I declared, pointing my broadsword at the man, signaling the start of our duel.
The man smiled and withdrew his weapon from concealment.
At that moment, an ominous aura emanated from him.
As he unsheathed his weapon, I caught sight of what lay behind him.
A volcanic eruption.
My undead knights seemed to sense the foreboding presence of the man and attacked him without my command.
"Hey, I didn't order you to—"
I began to protest, but it was too late.
They were already charging toward him, poised to eliminate him before I even had the chance to face him.
Well, let's see if he can survive this onslaught...
I turned around briefly to ensure there was no one attempting to ambush me.
To my surprise, there was no one in proximity to either of us.
If anyone were planning to attack me, they would have done so by now, distracted by my undead army's assault on their supposed decoy.
I returned my gaze to the front, only to be taken aback by the unexpected sight before me—a scene that would remain etched in my memory as a Dullahan.
My undead knights, all decapitated swiftly, lay lifeless on the ground, and the man stood victorious over them.
Not a drop of sweat marred his composure; he merely exhaled once, as if this were just another day's work.
"I suppose that served as a slight warm-up exercise..."
What was this?
What's going on?
Why was my nonexistent heart pounding so rapidly?
Was this excitement?
Could it be that I was finally about to face an opponent who could truly challenge me?
Despite being human, there was no way he could match my strength and swordsmanship.
Who was this man? And that dark blade of his, now unsheathed, appeared far from ordinary.
"Interesting... Interesting...! You managed to defeat my undead army single-handedly, unscathed! I hadn't planned on using them against you, but I'm delighted I did. Now I can witness your true capabilities!
Dismounting from my horse, I approached the formidable warrior.
He, too, walked toward me, wordlessly, which only heightened the intrigue.
Most individuals would typically utter something like,
'I'll finally exact revenge for what you did to my comrades,' or perhaps, 'Your reign of terror ends today!'
But not this man.
As we closed the distance, our silent duel commenced.
I had intended to execute a diagonal slash, feinting a vertical motion before changing direction to catch him off guard.
However, I had underestimated his remarkable athleticism.
In the blink of an eye, he vanished from my field of vision.
Strangely, I felt my tendons severed before I even comprehended what had occurred.
In that split second, as I raised my arm to cut him down, I had exposed all my vulnerabilities concealed beneath my armor, granting him the satisfaction of cutting through everything.
I tumbled to the ground, sliding amidst the lifeless bodies of my undead army.
The sensation coursing through me was familiar, yet distant.
The last time I'd experienced anything akin to this was when I was unjustly executed.
Was it excitement? No.
Shock? No.
Hatred?
As I lay on the ground, my body limp, tendons sliced, and black smoke wisping from the wounds, I watched in dread as the man slowly approached, wielding that mysterious blade that had cut through me like butter.
Fear.
Fear had been drilled into me as a distraction during my days as a knight.
The moment fear crept in, your shoulders quivered, your hands trembled, your feet tapped, and your body sent signals of impending danger from a grave threat—one that could cause severe harm.
In a battle, the first to succumb to fear was often the first to fall.
Yet, the man standing before me harbored no fear.
Just who was he?
Even as a Dullahan, mastery of swordsmanship required effort and dedication.
However, the man before me seemed not just gifted but exceptionally talented, combined with an unwavering commitment to mastering his skills.
He appeared to be 20 year old but possessed the prowess, knowledge, and expertise of a seasoned veteran.
"It seems I expected too much from you. But you know what they say, 'Keep your expectations low, and you'll never be disappointed..."
"W-Who are you?!"
My words choked in my throat, struggling to articulate how he could wield such extraordinary power at such a young age.
He defied the very laws of nature in this world.
In that moment, the looming volcanic eruption behind him faded into insignificance, replaced by something I had dismissed as mere legend and myth.
Demon.
Behind him, was a demon in disguise.
"Miyamoto Musashi. It has been an honor to duel with you. Where do you wish for your body to be buried?"
"W-Wait! B-Bury me? I-I'm already dead!"
"Hm? What do you mean?"
At this point, he no longer considered me a threat and sheathed his blade, adding another twist to my wounded pride.
A Dullahan with a 70 million eris bounty, defeated by a man who appeared poorer than a farmer.
"T-Truth be told! I used to be an honorable knight who followed orders! I was unjustly executed and transformed into this state due to my deep hatred and anger toward the kingdom. That's when I began terrorizing innocent people!"
The man advanced toward me, compelling me to crawl backward until my severed tendons gave out.
"Hmm... I sense no deception in your face or tone. You appear to be telling the truth. So, you're essentially a vengeful spirit, much like the tales from my world...?"
A vengeful spirit from his world? What was he talking about?
I nodded, agreeing with his assessment, to avoid provoking him further.
"Y-Yes! I am not lying, aren't I? P-Please spare me, formidable warrior!"
Calling him a warrior would be a grave understatement.
This guy was the representation of Death itself.
"Hmm... If I were to kill you... would you become an even more powerful vengeful spirit?"
"Y-Yes, I would! You wouldn't want that, would you?"
The man's smile grew more.
"It'd be better actually...!"
What on earth was wrong with this man?
Was his sole motivation merely to seek out and battle strong opponents?
In this world, where life was quick to began and death was swift to give...
He appears as if he could give a hot-shit about death.
Perhaps in his own world, it was just like this, and maybe tenfold.
As my tendons fully healed, I realized I had managed to distract him long enough.
I whistled for my horse, which stood nearby, to come to me.
The man rose from his crouched position and remained in place as the horse approached him first
But with a stoic expression, the horse steered around him, allowing me to mount and make a swift escape.
I had escaped from him, but deep within me, I couldn't shake the realization that he could have ended my existence with each passing second.
In the end, he chose to spare me, leaving a final twist of the knife in my nonexistent heart.
I prayed to the gods that I would never cross paths with that man again.
Of course, fate had different plans for me, and in the coming years...
I encountered him a second time.
Author's Afterword:
● I never truly wanted to make Kazuma an OP character. But I didn't want him to be too weak and stick to the original character's skills because it'd basically be the LNs all over again. In the later chapters, he will continue to grow stronger and have badass moments once in a while.
● Aqua has a chick in the future, Megumin has a cat in the future, and the only fitting thing I see that would be Kazuma's pet, is a katana that can fly and has it's own personality.
● Originally, I thought of something like a wolf or falcon, or even an eagle, but it's far too OOC for him. Dragon is also way out of the picture. No more animals in the household.
● A sentient blade that once belonged to Miyamoto Musashi, far from it's true capabilities, now in the hands of an average and lazy man. The sentient katana is also willing to attack Kazuma if he ever steps out of bounds and pisses it off. Hopefully I can create a lot of comedic and badass events with this new OC. (It doesn't speak but it can make happy/sad/angry chirp noises)
● Characters like Darkness are a bit stale but that's meant to be because we don't know exactly everything about her, yet. I've got many things planned behind her character backstory, in fact, I already did in the last few chapters.
● Kazuma being born into this world. being in it for 17 years and not changing much is what I planned. He became a hikikomori all over again due to the events that transpired. But trust me on this one, him being born into the world is a crucial part of the story in the later chapters. Trust me.
● I had planned to make Miyamoto Musashi similar to Vagabond, a hero or some sort, but if I did, I knew I would eventually messed it up and disrespect his legacy. I have other plans and will decide to make him my own character. I'll tell you this, he is neither a hero or a villain.
● The letter from Chapter 2 is still canon, and it will be important and crucial for the later chapters. (Chapter 20+), so very far ahead, I have planned for this.
● Kazuma's business idea is literally just Amazon Delivery Service in a nutshell because I wanted to divert him from making rich business instantly with inventions from Earth. Over the future chapters, his business will definitely grow. I just gotta find a way to make it as natural as possible. His business will also play a crucial part in the upcoming chapters.