Of course, both Darkness and Megumin recognized Mitsurugi and Aqua. Trailing a couple steps behind were five women who were probably adventurers. They were all very attractive and none of them were wearing an abundance of clothing. One was a gorgeous blonde elf with a longbow and quiver on her back dressed in a green halter top and short shorts. One was a big boobed brunette with long curly black hair with a great sword and chainmail bikini. Another was apparently a mage. She had a wand, a pointy hat, a blue and silver cape, and not much else. Her hips, belly, and shoulders were all on open display.

Besides the adventurers were five others, three men and two women, dressed in more typical clothing. They were spreading out through the guild hall, each carrying a stack of brightly colored brochures and talking to people at the bar or sitting down to a meal. Darkness overheard one of the men greeting a table.

"Hello! I wonder if you have a moment to talk about the wonders and joy the goddess Aqua could bring to your life!"

As the party was approaching them Megumin came to stand right beside her. The girl had an eager expression.

"We're getting recruited? And by Mitsurugi?! The guy who killed one of the Devil King's generals? This is awesome!"

Darkness turned and frowned at her. "Are you really going to be disloyal to Kazuma and our party?"

"Of course not. It's just, you know, nice to be wanted. I had to beg in the streets for a while because no one would have me. It's nice having someone recognize my genius for a change."

Darkness wanted to reply to that but Mitsurugi and Aqua had come up to them by that point. The other girls who seemed to make up the party were hanging a few steps further back. Mitsurugi opened his mouth to address them. Before he could get a word out the blue haired archpriestess spoke.

"Hello. I am the goddess, Aqua. I've decided to rescue the both of you from your horrible situations and give you the chance to be part of a real party and help me save this world. I'm sure you're both incredibly grateful. If you want to show me your gratitude an expensive bottle of wine will be a good start."

Both Darkness and Megumin stood there and stared at the girl for a moment.

"Goddess?" Darkness asked.

"Grateful?" Megumin questioned.

Mitsurugi stepped up and placed a gentle hand on Aqua's shoulder. "Aqua-sama, we've talked about this."

She gave him a put-upon look. "Hmmph, just kidding about being a goddess. I'm only an archpriestess and saint of the Axis Church."

"Church?" Darkness asked. "I've always heard them referred to as a cult."

"What?!" Aqua barked. "We are absolutely a church! Why would you call us a cult?!"

"Because everyone else does?"

"That's just jealously," Aqua said shaking a fist. "I'm obviously the best goddess and so my followers are a church! All the other religions attack us because they know we're awesome and everyone would join if they could!"

Darkness glanced to where adventurers were trying desperately to ignore the various sales pitches being given to them. One of the Axis followers was in a headlock.

"You just called yourself a goddess again," Megumin pointed out. "Have you been drinking?"

"What?!"

Mitsurugi stepped forward. "Please forgive Aqua-sama. She is very passionate in her beliefs and gets carried away sometimes. Still, it is a little insulting to call the Axis Church a cult. We are all devoted followers and do everything we can to spread the word."

The guy in the headlock was now being punched in the face. The other followers were still talking to different tables as though this were the norm. Darkness noted the women standing behind Mitsurugi nodded at his statement but didn't look especially enthusiastic.

"Well, as I am a devoted follower of Eris, I respect other faiths but have no wish to join them."

"Why would you want to worship that loser?" Aqua demanded. "You know she pads her chest, right?"

Darkness and Megumin both stared at her. Mitsurugi leaned over and whispered something in her ear.

"Oh, yeah, I bet everyone would be amazed if I showed them my party tricks!" Aqua produced a couple fans from thin air and wandered off.

"Aqua-sama is very, very passionate about her faith," Mitsurugi had an apologetic grin. "I know she sometimes makes a bad first impression, but she is a wondrous person filled with devotion and the greatest of wisdom."

She had jumped up on a table and was making water stream out of her fans.

"Is she really a saint?" Darkness asked with doubt. "Don't people normally only get sainthood after they die?"

"Well that's true," Mitsurugi admitted. "But I made a substantial donation to the church on her behalf."

"Really? How much does sainthood cost?"

Mitsurugi looked uncomfortable. "That doesn't matter does it?"

"It was five hundred million eris," a scantily clad red head said. "He handed over half a billion eris just because Aqua asked him to."

Mitsurugi turned back to the girl. "Anna, we've talked about this, I was happy to do it."

"But she just uses you! You give her everything she wants and all she does is go shopping and drinking!" The other girls all silently nodded.

"We'll talk about this later," he turned back to Darkness and Megumin. "Listen, my goal is to defeat the Devil King and I am trying to put together the strongest party possible to do just that. People have been talking about the two of you. I want to recruit you both to join my team."

"I refuse," Darkness replied instantly. When Megumin remained silent Darkness looked at her.

"Shouldn't we at least here him out? He did come all this way, right?"

"If you're rejecting my offer because of what happened before I want you to know I've forgiven you."

Darkness raised an eyebrow. "Why would I need forgiveness for defending my friend and party member?"

He sighed. "Listen, the two of you don't realize it, but Kazuma is using you. You don't understand what that guy really is."

"I think I should warn you that if you continue to speak ill of Kazuma I may feel the need to punch you again."

Mitsurugi grimaced. "Your loyalty is wasted on that guy; he doesn't deserve it."

Darkness cracked her knuckles.

"I don't think Kazuma is nearly as bad as you're making him out to be," Megumin said. "Sure, he's a perv and a bully and can be a real jerk face sometimes, but he's also brave, a good leader, and knows how to get things done."

"That's right!" Darkness nodded vehemently. "There's no way either of us would be as strong as we are now if not for him."

Mitsurugi crossed his arms and shook his head. "You're giving him credit he doesn't deserve. You," he pointed to Darkness. "Are the daughter of a great family and have been blessed with amazing defensive abilities. You," he pointed to Megumin. "Are a member of the Crimson Demon Clan. That you're an archwizard at such a young age is a testament to your unlimited potential. I'm sure both of you would have become powerful without any help from that guy."

Darkness looked embarrassed when he brought up her background and glanced about to see if anyone had overheard. Megumin puffed out her chest and planted a foot on a nearby table while giving her cape a dramatic flair.

"Heh, heh, heh, it pleases me to have my greatness acknowledged! It's true! I am the greatest of the Crimson Demon Clan. I am not surprised you would want the immense power that I wield."

Darkness sent him a stony glare. "I would never be so disloyal to Kazuma. He stood by me when no one else would and I will stand by him too, to the end."

"Then will you join me?" He held a hand out to the preening arch wizard. "Megumin, you do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me and I will help continue your training. With our combined might we can end this destructive conflict and bring peace and order to this world!"

Megumin paused and licked her lips. "If I joined you would you agree to let me only cast explosion magic? Let me cast it whenever I please? And agree to carry me on your back after each time I use it?"

Mitsurugi blinked. "Carry you on my back?"

The girl's cheeks blushed, and she looked embarrassed. "Ah, well, when I cast Explosion it drains me of all my mana, and I can't move for a while."

"In that case shouldn't it be a spell of last resort? Can't you just use other-"

"I refuse!" Megumin shouted and jumped completely atop the table and began waving her staff about violently. "I love explosion magic more than anything! If I join you have to let me cast it without restriction! If you have a problem with that then I'd rather stay right where I am! No matter how much of a perv and bully Kazuma is he's a good leader and I can count on him!"

"Megumin!" Darkness barked. "How can you turn your back on Kazuma and me?"

She looked at the other girl with genuine regret. "I don't want to. I think you're both great. Kazuma saved my life and he's the one who convinced me to learn other spells. I owe him a lot."

"Then how can you even consider leaving our party?"

"Because I love Explosion more than anything! I want to be able to follow that love without restrictions and without limits! If I can find that how can I say no?" It sounded as if it hurt Megumin to say those words, but she still said them.

"I'll agree to your terms," Mitsurugi said.

"Really?" Megumin cried out. "You'll let me use Explosion as I please and carry me around afterwards?"

He nodded. "I already have Rachel who is a skilled wizard," he nodded to the girl behind him dressed as a spell caster. "So, I can afford to have a specialist. Even if it's only once per day, I'm sure your Explosion magic will be incredibly powerful. Besides, I know just how difficult it is to recruit a Crimson Demon Clan member."

Megumin puffed out her chest again. "Yeah, we are legendary."

Mitsurugi nodded. "I've been to your home village and seen some of your clan's magics. I tried to recruit someone to join my party, but no one was willing. Ah, also there was a slight incident with Aqua-sama freeing a paralyzed griffin which didn't help. Very few of your clan seem willing to leave their home, in fact I only know of one other. A girl named Yun Yun. I was also planning to find her and-"

"You don't need her!" Megumin said quickly. "She's a total idiot who would only cause you problems! Since you have me on the team now there's no reason to go look for her."

Mitsurugi smiled. "Does this mean you'll join the party?"

Megumin sent a glance to Darkness who looked heart broken. "I'm sorry but-"

At this moment Aqua wandered back over and made her fans disappear. "So, have you two decided to join the party already? You should both be on your knees thanking me for saving you from that useless NEET."

Darkness frowned at the other woman. "I don't know what a NEET is, but the way you use that word it's obviously meant as an insult. I know you were former partners and that you abandoned him. Even so you should be more respectful of Kazuma."

"Hey! I didn't abandon anyone! It's that NEET's fault I'm stuck here in the first place! Honestly, I'm amazed he's still alive. He couldn't do anything without me there to hold his hand. When I decided to join Mitsurugi he cried and cried and begged me not to go. He was clinging to my foot as I left. I never met anyone so useless."

"Didn't you get yourself swallowed by a giant toad twice within five minutes and need Kazuma to rescue you both times?"

"Gak!" She looked momentarily traumatized but shook it off. "That… that happened a long time ago. Anyway, are you joining me or not? Most people would kill to be in my party!"

"Well die certainly," the red headed Anna muttered.

"What?" A suddenly alarmed Megumin asked.

"Well, somehow we keep running into ambushes and other bad situations. No one is really sure why." Anna and the other girls all glared at Aqua as this was said. Aqua did not appear to notice. "Everyone in the party except for Aqua and Mitsurugi has been killed at least twice. For instance, I got eaten by a pack of lions."

"I was crushed in a landslide and thrown off a cliff," the mage Rachel announced.

"Eaten by goblins," another girl said.

"Fell into a volcano."

"Eaten by a dragon."

Hearing all this Darkness's cheeks blushed and her breathing got a bit heavier. It didn't make her want to change her mind, but she couldn't help but feel a bit envious. The color was draining from Megumin's face.

"What's the problem?" Aqua asked. "I can resurrect you as many times as you need."

"What? You think it's fun getting ripped to pieces by a pack of lions?!" Anna demanded.

"It sounds it," Darkness muttered beneath her breath. She forced the jealousy down.

"Plus, we don't really make that much," Anna said.

"You don't?" Megumin said in surprise. "But aren't you always going on important, high paying quests?"

"Yeah, but half the reward money gets donated to the church. And all party expenses like food, lodging, and drink have to be paid out before we collect our share." Anna and the other girls once again glared at an oblivious Aqua.

Mitsurugi stepped forward to try and calm the waters. "Hey, we're all members of the Axis Church. We need to make sacrifices to support our beliefs."

Megumin held up her hand. "Okay, I'm not a member. Why should I have to donate half of my share?"

Aqua gave her a wide smile. "You can't join the party unless you worship me." Mitsurugi coughed into his hand. "I mean the goddess Aqua. When we beat the Devil King and save this world everyone will know it was the Axis Church that did it! Everyone will be fighting each other to join! After I go back to heaven you can be a bishop if you want! Isn't that worth half your money? It's a bargain!"

Megumin stared at her with her jaw open, then turned to Mitsurugi. "Hey, you're not going to force me to join a religion if I don't want to, are you?"

"It's fine," he assured her. "Once you learn about how wonderful the goddess Aqua is you'll love being one of the faithful."

Megumin looked about the room. The five girls standing behind Mitsurugi were frowning and the one named Anna was rolling her eyes. Throughout the hall the adventurers were all doing their best to ignore the cultists trying to recruit them. The guy who'd been in a headlock was currently lying unconscious on the floor.

"So, are you leaving that stupid NEET and joining my happy little flock or what?" Aqua asked.

"Hell no!" Megumin jumped down from the table top to stand next to Darkness. "I would never ever abandon my beloved teammates! How could you even think that of me?"

Darkness gave her an annoyed look but didn't say anything.

XXX

An exhausted Kazuma hauled himself into the guild hall late the following afternoon.

"You guys would not believe what a horrible day I had. I was trapped in a carriage for six whole hours with this crazy girl who… what are you guys doing?"

Luna and Megumin were both bowing to him. They explained what had happened and why. Darkness stood a short distance away and confirmed everything that was said.

"Wow," he finally said. "You both really tried to screw me, huh?"

Luna bowed even more deeply. "We're very, very sorry. It was a request from his majesty, we really couldn't refuse."

Kazuma sighed. "Give me and Darkness free food and drinks for the next six months and I'll forgive you."

Luna grimaced, but agreed. If their party were to abandon Axel that would cost the guild far more.

Kazuma then looked at Megumin. "No explosions for two weeks."

"What?! That's totally not fair!"

"Three weeks."

"Noooooooooooooooooooooo!"

In the end they agreed on fifteen days. And Kazuma stole (and kept) her panties.