"Damn Senpai! He ruined my chance for an adventure! I should have known better. Every game gets boring after you toggle god mode. The journey is more important than the destination, even if that destination is the harem ending," Kazuma muttered darkly to himself, kicking a stone down the cobblestone path. He glanced down at his Adventurer Card—he couldn't get another one. Well, he could, but the card just displayed the changes he had undergone on a genetic level. A fresh card would still display the same stats, the same empty skill list and the hundreds of points to spend.
A sigh escaped him as Kazuma took a seat on a bench, leaning on one of its armrests as his gaze drifted upwards to the sky above. The sun blazed overhead, so he had a few hours to come up with a solution before he was forced to go crawling back to Senpai and his luxurious mansion. Well, he could try sleeping outside… no, no way.
Homelessness was an ever pressing concern for someone in his position before dying—not in education, employment or training. He wasn't a NEET! He was just… a bit down on his luck before he died. So, Kazuma really didn't want to end up on the streets in what was supposed to be a brand new life.
"I want to go back," Kazuma muttered to himself, not sure if he meant the mansion or Japan. He was a level one hundred Adventurer, except he skipped over all the actual adventure bits. The fun parts. Now… another sigh escaped Kazuma, his head dropping down until his chin was practically touching his chest, "I guess it's way too late to complain about this, huh?" It was done. He was a level one hundred rookie.
But… maybe… maybe this was okay? Maybe this was just the start of his OP Isekai power fantasy? Those were fun in the dumb, mindless kinda way. Reading them was pretty dull, but it could be way more fun to live one out, right?
A smile spread on his face as he hyped himself up, "I was looking at this all wrong! My adventure really begins right now," Kazuma decided. He didn't need that useless goddess, or Senpai. He was capable of making it in this world all on his own, and that was before he got power leveled. Any group would be more than thrilled to have him on their team! Instead of a slow burn romance, the girls of the group would be awed and amazed by his incredible power.
He'd outshine all the other guys in the group by easily dispatching monsters and completing quests. After all, ladies loved a reliable man. And who was more reliable than an overpowered Adventurer? He could follow the steps of all the incredibly bland and tasteless power fantasy Light Novel protagonists that came before him. Girls would be falling all over themselves for him. That was the real adventure.
However, as Kazuma rose to his feet, intent on making the most of his new lease on life, a brisk breeze washed over him. His thin tracksuit didn't do much to keep it out since the material was meant to be breathable. A small shiver racked him as he rubbed his arms to warm up a bit. It wasn't really cold out yet. Just the kind of chilly that told you that winter was right around the corner, and was enough to make being outside annoying.
He might not normally be so susceptible to it, but he also spent the past year of his life in a temperature-controlled room that never went higher or lower than seventy degrees.
"Ah, are you cold?" A woman's voice caught his attention, drawing his eyes to someone that was walking by. She had a heart shaped face, and long brown hair with bangs that dipped down in front of one of her eyes, leaving only one to peer at him with. It was a warm chocolate brown and filled with concern. They were around the same height, with her being only a little taller, but most noticeable of all…
Her boobs were absolutely huge! Gigantic. Big enough to feed a family of four. It's enough to make the local dairy farmer green with envy. She was wearing a dull purple cloak over her shoulders, but the leather clasps that held it closed were enduring a labor worthy of Hercules himself to keep the cloak from busting open around her breasts. The others that came after made the cloak form fitting, revealing an hourglass figure.
Ah! This is it!
Kazuma threw on a smile and put on what he thought was a charming expression, "You don't have to be concerned for me, I can manage a small chill." Lady Luck truly wasn't? on his side because a breeze raced through, making Kazuma shiver once again. "But thank you for your concern," Kazuma continued. This was a flag event! He had played enough gal games to easily recognize one. "Miss…?"
The woman smiled, "My name is Wiz, and you are?" She questioned, her gaze looking over his form. Was she checking him out already? Or did the tracksuit stand out that much?
"I'm Satou Kazuma, just a fresh-faced Adventurer," Kazuma said, looking to the side bashfully. All the while he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. The stage was set for another Event—she would be all like 'oh, he's just a rookie' then, later on, she would realize that he's a super-powerful prodigy of an Adventurer when she overheard someone talking about him. Then she would be all like 'oh, he's so humble and down to earth despite being totally over powered', then something, something, something, and she would fall in love with him.
The plan was immediately thrown off course when her eyes lit up with recognition, "Oh, you're the Satou Kazuma?" The? What's with the The in front of his name? Was he already that famous? Wow, word got around fast. He guessed that without video games or light novels, people only had gossip to entertain themselves. "I heard you got back with your group from quite the adventure," she noted, aiming a pleasant smile at him.
Part of Kazuma rebelled at the idea. He had just stood around and watched! He didn't do anything! That didn't qualify as an adventure!
Kazuma ruthlessly crushed that part of himself.
"Ah, well…" Kazuma trailed off, that part of himself he was trying to ignore putting up a tougher fight than he expected. Though, a ceasefire was immediately called when Wiz reached out and took hold of his hand, clutching it between both of hers while also raising it dangerously close to her breasts.
"I also heard what happened between you and the leader of your party. Is everything alright? What are you doing out here in the cold?" She questioned, looking like she was about to tear up at the thought of him and Senpai fighting.
"Er," Kazuma began, caught more than a little flatfooted.
Wiz looked away, "Is it because you can't go home? Did they throw you out into the cold? Just like that? After what happened to you. Did she know about the power leveling? About his stolen adventure and slow-burn romance with a harem ending?
"Well…" Kazuma trailed off, not quite sure how to respond. It felt a bit wrong to throw Senpai under the bus like that… but then again, all of this happened because he was too lazy to kill the Demon King himself… but, he had still helped him. And it wasn't like Kazuma had fought against being power leveled. It was just something that he regretted when it was all said and done. "I… don't want to be too harsh on them, or anything…"
Wiz gave him a dazzling smile as she gave his hand a squeeze. And, just like that, he fell head over heels for her. To hell with Aqua and all the other hussies on the damn planet. He just found the Main Heroine. He'd even sacrifice a harem ending if it meant he could go down the Wiz route. "You're very kind, Kazuma."
What's a generic line he could use?
"I try to be. I think the world would be a better place if everyone tried to be a little kinder and more understanding of each other," Kazuma replied, quoting some protagonist that was so bland that he couldn't even recall their name. But, Kazuma sent a silent thank you to that bland protagonist all the same because he could practically see Wiz's heart meter skyrocket as he scored major points.
"If you don't have a place to stay tonight, then you're welcome to stay at my home, Kazuma. You don't deserve to sleep on the streets or go back to that awful home for being who you are," Wiz said. And that was really fast. One cheesy line and he already got invited over to her house? Was this an invitation? Was he about to become a man?!
"I…" Kazuma hesitated, mostly to avoid looking over eager. Then he put on a smile, "Thank you for having me, Wiz." Wiz was best girl. No question about it.
With that, he was whisked away to Wiz's home. It was a small building in the heart of the city, located above a small shop that she owned. It seemed that she primarily sold odds and ends along with knickknacks. Kinda like a souvenir shop.
They talked a bit and Kazuma learned a few very important things about Wiz. She was about twenty years old, putting her four years older than him. Which made her totally his type—she had the 'gentle older sister' feeling down pat. She was also single and ready to mingle. What he was most surprised to learn about Wiz though, was that she used to be an adventurer.
"You were an adventurer?" He questioned, standing in the middle of a room upstairs from the shop. It was a modest room—dark wood floors, a vanity, a single bed, and a dresser. It was all neat and orderly. It smelled like a girl's room— there was a faint scent of perfume lingering in the air.
Wiz nodded, "For a little while… though, I wasn't quite as successful as you, Kazuma." The truth tried to jump off of his tongue, but Kazuma swallowed the words down. "After a few years, I decided to settle down and open this little shop. I think it suits me better than the life of an Adventurer," Wiz said, offering a smile that Kazuma found himself returning.
Ah, she was just too much. Though, that did mean he had to be a little on guard with what he said. If she found out that he was just a bystander who, may or may not have, slept through some of the battles that he was credited for winning…
"I wouldn't go so far as to say that - I'm sure you were a fantastic Adventurer!" Kazuma said, feeding her more White Knight lines. So far, it seemed to be working so he saw no reason to distrust his arsenal of bland protagonists responses. "But, I suppose I shouldn't complain much, because if you hadn't retired, then we would have never met."
Oh, he scored major points again! Kazuma saw as much when Wiz flushed at his words, idly stepping back from a desk tucked in the corner, revealing two cups of tea. Kazuma wasn't sure how she made it, but his current assumption was magic. She set the cup of tea down before him on the small table in the center of the room before taking a seat across from him.
"Ah, well… it's probably a good thing I found you when I did… next month…" Wiz muttered, a look passing over her face that could only be described as bitter defeat, before she swallowed the expression down along with a sip of tea. Wait, what was happening next month?
"Is there something I can help with, Wiz?" Kazuma questioned, eyeing her. Had he been catfished? Or was this just another flag being raised.
Wiz looked a bit put out, "Oh, it's nothing you have to be concerned about Kazuma." She responded, offering another sweet smile. So, it was an event flag. Awesome!
Kazuma reached out, placing a hand on Wiz's hand. "Wiz, you've helped me already by letting me stay here. The least I can do is help you in turn," he said, and he had to fight off the sharp smirk that tugged at his cheeks when Wiz flushed and looked away. She bit her bottom lip for a moment, her eyes downcast as she struggled to respond, but she eventually found her voice.
"I suppose you wouldn't be the Rookie Legend Kazuma if you were so easily dissuaded," Wiz remarked, looking at him.
… if this were a shounen story, the amount of damage those words would have done to him would have caused Kazuma to dramatically cough up blood.
"The truth is, my shop… is going bankrupt," Wiz admitted, her voice laced with shame. "Since I've opened it, I haven't had a single month in the black. I can barely afford the interest on the loans I've been forced to take out…" Wiz admitted, a sigh seemingly deflating her.
This wasn't just a flag, it was a Red Flag! It sounded like Wiz was on track for a bad ending straight form a terrible NTR doujin. The loanshark was probably some super buff guy with a nondescript face, or a fat bastard, and he would try to get his grubby little fingers all over Wiz's body by leveraging the loans against her!
Kazuma wouldn't allow it. He would set this world on fire and quench the flames with oceans of blood before he let Wiz get NTR'd.
"I can help with that," Kazuma said, his tone deadly serious. "I can handle a few quests to help pay off the loan sharks immediately, then I could do something like a promotion deal!"
Wiz blinked, "A promotion deal?" She questioned, tilting her head to the side. Kazuma smirked, giving Wiz's dainty hand a reassuring and manly squeeze.
"Of course! I'll use your merchandise, and whenever someone asks, I'll make sure that they know to come here! It'll land you a whole lot of customers," Kazuma decided, radiating confidence out of every pore. Senpai had already dealt with all the super dangerous quests, so he should be over-leveled for all those that remained. Pure power should, in theory, make up for his inexperience.
Wiz's face lit up, "You would really do that for me, Kazuma?" She questioned, surprise and relief dripping from her words.
Time to clinch it. "Of course I would. After all, you helped me in my time of need," Kazuma replied. He was pretty good at this seduction thing, huh? He knew playing those dating sim games would help get him a girlfriend! It's why he played so many of them. Though… it wouldn't help him for what came next.
Kazuma's gaze drifted to the bed behind Wiz. A bed large enough for two. It may not happen tonight, but it would happen eventually. He wasn't so arrogant to believe he had an alpha Chad mega cock that came buckets and wouldn't go down no matter how many times he had came. Watching a lot of porn didn't translate to ability in real life - especially considering everything was censored. There would be no hiding his experience there, but maybe Wiz would appreciate the fact that he was a virgin?
Maybe. She also didn't strike him as the type that was experienced either.
"Ah, are you already tired?" Wiz questioned, catching him off guard.
"Oh, no, I-" Kazuma began, but the words died in his throat when Wiz stood up, her hands going to her clasps.
"It's alright, Kazuma. You must be exhausted after the past couple of days you've had, both mentally and physically," Wiz remarked, undoing the uppermost clasp. Kazuma's jaw tried to drop, but he kept his mouth shut. As a teenage boy, he had long since mastered the art of looking while looking like he wasn't looking. He glanced down to his teacup, the light green tea offering a reflection of Wiz on its surface.
Though, she did have a point. He did die a couple of days ago. And his dreams had been crushed, even if they had been quickly replaced.
That being said, was she hinting…?
As if to confirm his thoughts, Wiz undid the clasp holding up her cloak and let it pool to the floor at her feet. Kazuma was glad that he was looking down because there was no hiding his stunned expression. This… this was actually happening? Tonight? Now? He… was he really about to become a man?! Wasn't this too fast?! Or… had he been wrong about Wiz? Was she actually some kind of turbo slut hiding underneath the shy and demure exterior?
That was 1000000% okay with him, Kazuma decided. Shy virgin or turbo slut, Wiz was the one that would forever be in his heart so long as she was his turbo slut. Sleeping around was a no go. If he was going to give up his harem ending for her, then the least she could do was give up her nympho cock addiction for him. Or, rather, redirect it so she was addicted to his cock instead.
"It's fine, Kazuma. You don't have to be embarrassed," Wiz said, prompting him to look up and…
Titties.
Wiz stood naked before him, completely shamelessly. Her breasts were huge, large pale orbs that fought off gravity to remain perfectly perky despite their incredible size. Both were capped with a pale pink nipple that seemed comically small compared to the mountain of pale flesh they served as a peek to. Her stomach was flat, her torso revealing that she really did have an hourglass figure, with wide hips. Even her thighs were thick, perfect for thigh-high stockings.
"I hope you don't mind, but I usually sleep naked," Wiz said, her voice a bit tight, but warm as she looked down at him with rosy cheeks.
"So do I," Kazuma lied through his teeth. He was just pretending to be a bland protagonist for this moment. He wouldn't stutter or play at being dense. Even a virgin like him saw where this was going. Her legs were smooth and hairless, her groin similarly bare. So, that's how it was?
He had been seduced. A ploy to get him to pay off her loans.
Kazuma was still completely on board.
To prove it, Kazuma stood, a serene smile on his face. He unzipped his jacket, and pulled off his white undershirt to reveal a fairly muscular body. He wasn't all big like Senpai, but increasing his stats had given him a nice swimmer's build. Though, Kazuma guessed it really didn't matter because Wiz's eyes were glued to his erection. His erect penis strained against the loose and stretchy material of his tracksuit pants, leaving him pitching an obvious tent in his pants.
Wiz flushed, her eyes widening dramatically before her hands went to her face. Oh, maybe he was wrong about her being a turbo slut with a raging cock addiction? All the better then!
"K-K-Kazuma! W-w-w-why is y-your t-thing hard?!" Wiz exclaimed, flinching back as Kazuma paused taking off his pants and boxers.
Kazuma looked at her, tilting his head to the side as he tried to puzzle out the meaning of the question. "Because… you're… naked?" Kazuma replied slowly, feeling like he had just stepped into a minefield, and only realized he when he was at the center of it. Wiz's face was a bright red, flushing all the way down to her chest as she seemed to suddenly recall that she was, in fact, completely naked.
Her hands didn't know if they wanted to cover her body or her eyes, "But- but!" She stammered out, deciding to crouch down to use her legs to cover her breasts so her hands could cover her eyes. Did she not understand she could just close them?
"But what?" What was going on?!
"But aren't you gay?!" Wiz shouted at the top of her lungs.
Huh?
"That's what everyone in Axel says!"
What?
"Didn't your party leader reject you, and throw you out of the party because you were interested in men?"
Wait…
"I got undressed because I thought it would be fine since you aren't interested in girls at all! Isn't your type big, beefy men?"
Aqua… this… this was Aqua's fault. He didn't know how, but he knew it was the truth. Aqua did this to him. Aqua… Aqua… that useless goddess…
"AAAAQQQQUUUAAAAA!"
…
"She's sloshed," I remarked, looking down at Aqua, who cradled a third bottle of bubbly to her chest like it was her firstborn child. Or third born, but if she was one of those parents that actually loved all of her kids equally. Looking over to the right just a bit, Megumin was laying down on the bench, sporting an extended gut from stuffing herself to the absolute brim with as much food as she could reach. Though, I'm sure some of it was because of the food she had squirreled away in her clothes for later.
Right, not quite what I planned, but I had been too distracted with my thoughts to notice Aqua chugging down her second bottle, or her third. I thought she was still working on her first.
The plan had been to keep the original party away from Kazuma, but I had to admit that Explosion Magic had its uses. And since both Kazuma and Aqua were both high levels with a lot of points to invest there really wasn't a downside to then learning it. And just because Megumin was their teacher didn't mean she had to be a member of the party.
The quote from the author had specified that if Kazuma hadn't chosen Aqua or met Megumin or Darkness, then he would kill the Demon King in a few months.
"Hey, Megumin, would you mind teaching me Explosion Magic?" I might have added that it would serve as payment for the meal, but Megumin was already up, her eyes glowing bright red with excitement. She pushed herself up with the aid of her staff, stopping only to groan, a hand going to her distended stomach before rising to her feet.
"You're interested in Explosion Magic? The most powerful and sacred magic of them all?!" Megmuin questioned, practically vibrating with excitement. The idea was to learn it then pass it along to Kazuma and Aqua. I didn't trust Kazuma not to think with his dick, and he and Megumin had ended up together, so if they met, then she'd probably join the party. It was worth considering power leveling her as well, but I had already speed ran the major quests in the area.
I nodded, "Yeah, I am. Seems useful," I remarked before I cast a look at Aqua. She was completely out of it, and I wasn't willing to babysit a drunk Aqua. I didn't even like a sober Aqua. Looking around, I caught Luna's eye. She looked away, pretending to clean something, but it was too late. Walking over with Megmuin in tow, I pulled a bag of gold out of my pocket and set it on the counter.
As always, money talked.
"Keep an eye on Aqua for me, okay? Don't let her spend her points either," I told her, earning a sigh from Luna even as she took the bribe. That last part was important. I swear, I would throttle that girl if she spent the points on dumb shit the moment I took my eyes off of her. I'd take the card, but it was bound to her person. It'd just teleport out of my hands. And my inventory.
I knew. I tried.
"Let's go learn Explosion Magic! You'll love it!" Megumin said, grabbing my sleeve and practically dragging me out of the Guildhall. "We have to practice kinda far away, though, or the guards will yell at us. They're especially vigilant since they thought that I used Explosion Magic on the hills outside of town, but I didn't!" Megumin said, looking up at me, clearly expecting support.
Which… fair enough, I guess. "I believe you," I sighed. I knew she was telling the truth because that had been me. Soul Edge was an OP item, alright. And if anyone wanted to point fingers… well, they'd be pointing them at three overpowered Adventurers. Good luck trying to make those charges stick.
Megumin hummed contently, put in a good mood thanks to the food and my interest in Explosion Magic. She twirled her staff in her hands, and made a face at the guards of the city, before she practically began skipping to the required distance outside of the city. And not a step more. "Today is a good day," Megumin decided. "I thought Aqua was one of those lofty trust fund girls, but she's pretty nice! And you've understood the superiority of Explosion Magic… ah… what a good day!"
I grunted, easily keeping pace with her as we left the city behind… and it was there I saw that the arbitrary distance wasn't so arbitrary. A sign was up, declaring no Explosion Magic could be used. There was even a skull and crossbones, so I wasn't sure if that was a warning of danger or a threat.
"Here should be fine," Megumin decided, taking a single step outside of the threshold. That was petty. I could respect that. "Ahem," Megumin coughed lightly into one of her fingerless glove clad hands. "The most important part of Explosion magic is… flair! It's important to establish the atmosphere first. To set the mood." To prove that point, Megumin leveled her staff at the rolling hills before us, not that much further away from where I had cut a couple in two.
The shadows around us slowly grew darker, Megumin's cloak began to flutter in a nonexistent wind while her tunic quickly began to follow suit. Light began to gather at the tip of her staff as the jewel that floated inside a small crevice began to shine.
"Next is the speech. All good uses of Explosion Magic need to be started with an epic speech! I usually write a few lines to hit, but I let things free flow from there. But if you want to prep a speech in advance, then all the power to you! Just be sure to have some variety!" Megumin continued, her red eyes gleaming as she spoke, her excitement growing… was she really that excited to teach me, or was this some kind of Voyeur fetish?
"Light to darkness, darkness to light - manifest my madness into this forsaken earthly realm, the harbinger of devastation, the unstoppable force of change, the most sacred of arts — Explosion!" Megumin shouted, thrusting her staff to the sky, causing red magic circles to appear above her target. Each was highly detailed and intricate, but they soon vanished in a flash of light.
It felt like I was standing in the blast radius for a small nuke, or Alduin's Shout. A shockwave slammed into me, traveling through my body as the hill was devastated by a powerful explosion, sending a gust of wind out from the point of impact that struck with the force of a freight truck. My ears rang a bit from the roar of sound, but I was still able to hear the labored breathing of the diminutive Crimson Demon beside me, who fought to keep herself standing.
"Explosion Magic… is the best…!" Megumin remarked before falling down in a heap. I really didn't see the same appeal, but…
You know what? I didn't get it, but I could respect passion. Even if that passion came at the price of being a glass cannon.
"You know, you should be more careful with this stuff. You can't move, right?" I questioned, taking out my Adventurer Card. I had a lot of points to spend. "What if I was a molester or something?"
Megumin laughed off the point, "No fellow student of Explosion Magic could ever do something so heinous," Megumin dismissed. I… felt like she was really missing the point there. But she wasn't technically wrong right now, because I had no plans to become a rapist. Still, it was something she should at least be concerned about.
"Okay, but what if someone lied about being interested in Explosion Magic to get you alone because they knew you'd pass out after using it?" I asked, taking a seat a decent and non-rapey distance from her as I inspected my card. I hadn't used it yet, but the skill section remained unchanged. Maybe it took a moment to kick in? Or did I have to use my status window?
Megumin let out another dismissive chuckle, "There's no way that would ever happen. I might be a little young, but I'm an Arch Mage! If anything like that happened, I'd be able to tell and blow them up beforehand!" Megumin dismissed, and… there was enough confidence in her tone to make me second guess myself. I just couldn't tell if it was because she was right to be so confident or if she was just an idiot.
I think it was the latter. "Megumin?" I said, looking over to her, holding up my Adventurer Card. "Explosion Magic isn't showing up."
Megumin looked to me, blinking owlishly, "Eh?"
Don't 'eh' me, "Explosion Magic isn't showing up. Have… have you ever taught Explosion Magic before?" I asked her, feeling more exasperated by the second because Megumin's panicked expression grew more intense by the second.
"B-but I went through all the most important steps!" Megumin protested, weakly waving her hands around before stopping because she was too tired to do even that.
That didn't answer the question.
"Megumin, have you or have you not taught someone Explosion Magic before?" I questioned again, looking at Megumin, who looked at me with one cheek pressed to the green grass she laid on.
She averted her eyes. Then she pulled her hat down to cover her face.
Okay. To learn a skill, you had to get a serviceable explanation and witness the skill in question in action. Megumin had failed to give one of those. Secondly… god damn it.
I got up and reached into my inventory to pull out a blue vial. A mana potion. They were few in number because I had rarely used magic before, but I had a decent amount. Enough to spare one, at least. "Drink this," I told her, presenting the blue vial to her.
"I can't," Megumin responded, prompting me to swallow a sigh and flip Megumin over. Her face was beet red with embarrassment and she averted her eyes once again, but they were drawn back to the blue vial. "What's that?"
"A mana potion. It should put you back on your feet," I said, making Megumin gape as she reached up for the vial. Though, because she was so out of energy, I ended up having to dump the thing down her throat.
This girl… she didn't even know what a self-preservation instinct was, much less have any. If she went out alone to practice Explosion Magic, then she was stuck helpless for hours in the wilderness. If she went with someone, then she was helpless with a person she didn't know. She didn't even question the idea of drinking something that what amounted to a stranger gave her.
This idiot was going to get herself killed or suffer a Bad Ending at this rate.
Megumin gulped the potion down, her eyes widening dramatically before she shot up, gaping at her body. She marveled at her hands, then at me, her red eyes shining brightly before she grabbed hold of my shirt. "I could totally cast Explosion Magic again with those potions! Twice in one day! Hey! Hey! I'm an Arch Mage, you know?! You should let me join your party!"
I looked down at Megumin, and I swallowed another sigh.
I did this to myself, didn't I?
…
I got a lot of feedback from the poll. The votes showed that the majority of the audience wants the story to continue, but the minority wasn't as much of a minority as I would like. As of right now, the current plan is to continue on with the Konosuba jump, but I will be trimming off some of the fat to speed things along a little bit. If I had to say, we're looking at 15-20 chapters in Konosuba. Based on where I'm at with my backlog, I'd say it'll be closer to 15 than 20.
