God's Blessing on a Cruel World

by strongestkorean

Kazuma and Aqua are tossed in a much more brutal, unforgiving world where there is no resurrection or second chances. This place functions much less like a game, the character's personalities are more grounded, and our hero meets and brings the original party together in a very different, but much more intimate way, with a lot blood and tears in between. (contains smut)

3. Trickery

Echoes…

Echoes of distant sounds bounced around a mind of frazzled thoughts. It was owned by a boy abruptly thrown into a world of sword and sorcery; magic and monsters; life and death. The sounds were of people- voices that he knew. They repeated and oscillated in an empty room of consciousness. He stood blankly in the centre, listening to the strange stimuli.

"Satou Kazuma-san," a familiar female voice resonated around his head.

"Kazuma..." another sounded, this time of different party member.

'What is this…?' he looked around for the source of the disturbances, but they ricocheted in all directions around him, impossible to pinpoint.

"Kazuma!"

"Does it hurt…?"

'Why am I hearing this…?'

The noises continued with no pattern or purpose:

"Kazuma, fall back!"

"-Don't die on us!"

They became more loud, desperate, frantic:

"Kazuma!- Agh!"

"KAZUMA!"

'No… No, stop,' he covered his ears, unable to block the continued vocalizations.

"Sounds like a Kazuma kind of plan..."

"Wh-What's with you..?"

It wasn't just the sounds; things began appearing in the black space around him. People. All the members of his party suddeny stood before him, but they looked… Off. They stared at him with cold, empty eyes. It wasn't out of sadness or disappointment, but rather pure contempt, as if they were looking at nothing more than pond scum. It was a feeling he detested, not out of anger, but of shuddering fear; an experience of his earlier life that he wished stayed behind with everything else.

He saw the hatred that leered at him, 'Don't… Don't look at me like that... Please… I-I've been trying my best, I never wanted anybody-'

"YOU RUINED MY LIFE YOU PIECE OF SHIT..!"

"I can tell from your character that you lack the resolve-"

"I hope I never see you again-"

"You are a trash- you're a fucking nobody..!"

"I'll have plenty more uses for you."

He fell to his knees, crouching over and trying to blot out all the terrible sights and sounds. Even without seeing them directly, the adventurer could feel the judgemental hatred of the surrounding individuals, their gazes of disgust concentrated on one person:

Him.

A deep buried feeling crept its way into the young man's stomach, haunting his consciousness and mind.

'Stop… Stop it! Please, no more!'

…

A blissful silence lingered after his desperate pleads, inciting the boy to slowly open his eyes, immediately expanding fully in shock at the sight.

'Wha...What…?'

The girls- they were laying on the floor; pale, unmoving.

'G-Guys?'

He slowly approached a dark-haired girl with pigtails, someone whom he had known for only a short period of time, but already cared deeply about. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and slowly pulled the figure to to face him-

'Aagh!' he recoiled in fear and panic, having witnessed a decomposing, maggot infested face.

He stared down at his shaking hands, 'No… This isn't real… They wouldn't-"

"What? Die?" a high-pitched, childlike voice resonated above him.

The petrified teenager didn't recognise the source, but it still felt like someone he knew. Slowly looking up, he saw three figures standing above him in his peripheral vision, wearing posh clothes.

"Surely you would know more than anyone, Kazuma…" another infant voice sounded as the adventurer barely found the confidence to look at the small, silhouetted people.

"...Just how easily the lives of your loved ones can be taken," their small shoes and legs coming into his view, stained with blood.

"Hated, abandoned, forgotten… You're scared aren't you..?"

His eyes widened, 'Scared..?'

"Look at us…" the voices combined, forcing the adventurer to glance all the way up out of his control.

Disfigured, dismembered and gory faces and bodies of three children stared down at the young man in crazed delusion.

"Why did we die...? Why didn't you come sooner? Whay didn't you save us?"

His jaw trembled, 'I…. I….'

A presence came over Kazuma shoulder, closely beside his ear. It exhaled a cold air that made him shiver franticly.

"At this rate Kazuma," Joshua's voice breathed into the back of the boy's head, "All of the people you hold closest to your heart will die."

"Gah!"

…

The panting, sweating, and confused adventurer jumped up.

...

Darkness. The confused boy tried to gauge his surroundings, but his vision was blocked by something over his head.

'What is… Am I-'

"Nnngh!" Kazuma struggled against binds placed around his ankles and wrists. His hands were clasped together behind his back.

'What the hell?'

He paused for a few moments, trying to memorise the chain of events that lead him there.

He exclaimed, 'Joshua! That piece of shit, if I ever see him, I'll kill that- Wait, where am I?'

He felt himself bunched up with other people shoulder-to-shoulder. Sounds of horses clopped their heels against a dirt road, and the gentle bumping of a movement revealed to the adventurer that he was travelling on a carriage.

'The girls… They probably got taken too. I need to find them.'

That being said, there wasn't much he could do about his current situation.

He sat up, "(Aqua? Yunyun? Anyone?)"

"Hey, shut 'yer mouth over there or I'll clobber you so hard you'll fall back asleep!" a grotesque and throaty voice called out.

He felt a strong shove towards his side; he could assume that everyone would have to pay if he stepped out of line.

Kazuma could hear the movements of multiple horses and wagons in front and behind, 'It's not just our carriage on the road here, it's a whole caravan. How many people has Joshua taken?'

He tried to make himself comfortable- an almost impossible task in his position. The men around him felt tough, large, rugged.

'Probably adventurers… So Joshua likely fooled all these people, made money from their exploits, then captured them. I must've been a unique case; he likely didn't wanna deal with me until I got his money back… but by pure coincidence…'

He sighed to himself. The young man had been doubting his 'luck' stat for a while after he began his adventuring, but this really made him feel like it was just a number on his card to encourage gambling or something.

He closed his eyes, 'I won't waste my energy here. Once I find the girls, I'll find a way to get us all out of here.'

---

Another hour or so passed, and the entire troop stopped suddenly, jolting Kazuma back to his senses. A loud thump sounded as a large presence dismounted their horse, "Alright everyone, here's 'yer stop! Make a noise and you're a dead man!"

A weight pressed down on the end of the wagon causing it to tilt forward, "You guys first! One at a time; you run, I'll cut your head off!"

The captives began slowly offloading. As Kazuma stepped down, his arm was abruptly grabbed, before being pulled roughly to the side.

"You ain't going nowhere," the same voice emphasised, "I'm taking ya somewhere else."

'Figures,' the adventurer thought, 'He's probably got a chip on his shoulder about that debt.'

As the others were lead somewhere else, Kazuma was 'escorted' to a different location, eventually entering a building after a couple minutes of walking. The new place was warm, smelt premium and the quality of the wooden floor he trod on was apparent. Eventually, the big figure stopped him before walking ahead. Kazuma heard a doorway open in front of him, before being pushed inside, then kicked to his knees.

"Remove the bag," a frighteningly familiar voice was heard.

Barely a second passed before the bag covering the adventurer's head was ripped away.

Kazuma's eyes squinted in adjustment, trying to make sense of the room he was in. It was wooden, and quite spacious with a desk of paperwork guarded by two orcs on either end. There was no windows, just a few lanterns warmly lighting up the room. There were more captors stood behind him, but the main threat was his late business partner sat at the desk ahead. The mere sight of him brought a small amount of fear, but a much larger amount of boiling rage and resentment to the brown-haired boy. In spite of his indignations, Kazuma held in his discontent, glowering towards the smartly dressed man.

...

"Not going to say anything?" the smug individual tilted his head.

"Fuck you."

The pony-tailed man at the desk stole a quick glance to one of the men flanking the adventrer. A few heavy steps approached from behind-

PUNCH

-then a powerful strike to the jaw threw the boy to the ground, spitting out a sizeable amount of blood, before slowly sitting back up again, grunting in pain.

Joshua sighed, "And here I expected to have a mature conversation-"

"What do you want from me?" Kazuma cut him off, "You already beat us. Did you just bring me here to show off?"

Kazuma felt the steps of someone returning, but Joshua cut him off with another gaze, saving the adventurer from taking another punch.

Joshua continued to smile at the young man for a few seconds before standing up and walking around to the front of the desk, leaning back against it.

"I brought you here because you've been an anomaly since the moment I met you. Much brighter than the rest of the muscle-headed buffoons, and someone that could get the job done no matter how bloody their hands became- you have guts, I'll give you that."

The brown-haired boy continued listening silently as the man continued his monologue.

"I was actually planning on recruiting you as an advisor and second-in-command underneath my general, which is why you were allowed to wander around with your little group of idiots for as long as you did, until... Well, you know; I saw you trying to play hero by saving that girl," he sighed disappointedly, "And I thought you were a logical man... At least that expedition in the snow was for a financial gain, but what did you earn destroying that whole goblin village?"

Kazuma's anger continued to grow as he stared at the tall man with more and more disdain.

"A foolish girl who is now one of mine!" a nasty grin grew on the man's face as he raised his arms across, with the room of captors bellowing out in laughter simultaneously.

The adventurer's expression of loathing after being greeted with such derision was unparalleled.

"See, boy," Joshua slowly walked over to the younger man in the middle of the room, leaning down over him, "The thing I hate most in this world are people who claim to fight for 'justice'. Justice clouds your vision, endangers your livelihood, leads you to peril. Following it is following your own demise."

He leaned closer, "I wasted a lot of time and money on you, assuming you were the same as me, just to find out you were another one of the useless shits that I step on every day-"

BAM

The impatient adventurer delivered a heavy headbutt at the cocky man, causing him to step back quickly, holding his nose.

"How's that justice for you!?" Kazuma screamed in anger, as soldiers quickly subdued and pressed him against the ground, "I'll fucking kill you, I promise!"

Joshua touched his nostrils lightly, before looking at his fingers and beginning to chuckle.

"Ah Kazuma… I'd kill you in a second," he sighed, holding back the seething rage apparent in his eyes, "But that'd be too easy. Instead, I'm going to watch my investment suffer slowly in this place as payment for your failure, and the same goes for your girlfriends- But first," He turned to face the boy again, wide-eyed with a disturbing smile, holding out his hand stained with a small amount of blood, "Justice must be served."

"Rough him up a bit and then toss him into the box," he quickly turned around, slowly exiting the room.

"Wait, Joshua! I'm not done with you yet!" Kazuma struggled against the men pinning him to the floor.

"Joshua!"

"JOSHUAAA!-"

PUNCH

---

A beaten and bloody boy was thrown into a tiny metal cube. There was no windows and barely any space. The rusted steel was cold to the touch of the almost naked young man. The doorway was the only source of light, but just as quickly as it illuminated the inside, it slammed shut, engulfing the room in darkness.

Kazuma's almost bare body laid on the rough metal, pulsing in pain from head to toe. He lacked the strength to even get up, leaving him and his spiteful thoughts all to himself.

…

For a long time.

…

The hours dragged.

…

The darkness and silence slowly ate at his mental strength. Sat in the center of the steel cube, so uncomfortable he wasn't able to sleep, without a drop of water or any food, his stomach squeezed in discomfort after every minute.

…

'How long has it been…?'

He began to slip in and out of consciousness. His dry throat swallowed in pain, craving water as his bare back would react against the jagged steel for hours. The daytime sun would warm the room to the point where he felt like he was suffering from heatstroke, and at night, it'd be chillingly cold.

…

Two heat cycles had passed, and left him dehydrated from sweating. The only time he'd enjoy any sustenance was by licking the liquid coming off his own body, or biting his bloody nails.

…

The heat of the third cycle was warming the room to an uncomfortable degree once again. The mere thought of having to experience it another time made the young man almost throw up his empty stomach. He took a deep, humid breath, falling onto his back weakly.

'I'm gonna die...'

…

BANG

An ear-ringing blast of sound reverberated inside the cell as a bright light blinded the malnourished adventurer. He held up a trembling hand towards the silhouetted visitor.

"Time's up! Get out!" a loud, meaty voice called out.

Kazuma immediately felt a harsh grip on his forearm before being yanked out the cell with a ridiculous force, enough for the starved adventurer to think his arm was close to being torn off. The fresh, non-metallic smelling air was a treat for the boy's nose, along with the cool winds, and the startling, but well missed outdoor light. It was enough for him to barely notice he was already in a different building. The appearance and ambient noise of many people in the large sitting area brought the reality of the situation back to the young man.

"Alright boy, strip off whatever you have and put these on," the large being commanded.

The brute gestured to some dirty grey cloth shirts and pants in the corner of the building, which compared to Kazuma's ragged and worn adventurer pants, was not necessarily a downgrade; at least he'd finally have a top to wear.

After Kazuma put on the smelly clothes, the large pig-faced chief crossed his arms and spoke to him straight:

"From now on you belong to us as property and are one of the collective behind you, nothing more, nothing less. Your magic won't work here; your abilities won't work here; you are no longer special, gifted, or talented; you are just the same as the rest. '452' is your new name," the Orc pointed to number on Kazuma's shirt, "You will be addressed by that number and nothing else; whatever name you had no longer exists."

The adventurer- or actually now- prisoner stood blankly in front of the monster. It was difficult for him to focus on anything as all the sensations around him were a sedated blur.

"Follow the rules here and you'll avoid yourself getting any more time in the box, or getting my fist up your ass," The chief casually waved as he exited the building.

…

'What…?'

Kazuma didn't have time to ponder about everything he'd just witnessed; the sound of the feast happening behind him made his famished stomach squeeze in need.

---

"Hey, Yunyun," a black-haired petite girl quietly called out to her friend.

"Hey! D-Don't call me that! Do you want to get us thrown in the box?"

"I saw Kazuma."

"You-You did!?" the formerly upset girl lost all her frustration, holding Megumin's shoulders in surprise.

The girls stood in the outdoor yard on the other side of the camp, looking through a metal fence that barred the opposite end where the male prisoners were kept.

"Where was he? Is he okay?"

She pointed to a small food hall "He was dragged into that building by the big orc guy, and well, he looked like shit."

Yunyun's relieved expression turned more in worry, "What was wrong with him?"

"He looked like hadn't eaten in days; he was probably tossed into the box."

"Wha- Already!?"

"Yeah," she replied with an expressionless face, "Probably something to do with the bad blood between him and that Joshua fellow."

"No way..." Yunyun looked down in regret. It was her request that lead to everything happening, and everyone being where they were, so the sweet girl naturally blamed herself for the entire situation.

SLAP

"Owww! What was that for!?" the twin-tailed girl rubbed her back in pain.

"You're making that face again. How many times do I have to tell ya that you're not to blame for this?" Megumin sighed, shaking her head.

Despite her optimistic mannerisms and tough outer persona, it was the small girl that truly felt the worst about the party's circumstances. It wasn't even just that- the whole thing in general; getting captured by the goblins, Yunyun and the two others having to save her, then all of them suffering because of it. She was naturally a straightforward, uncaring girl, but she felt a sinking in her stomach that she couldn't describe. The guilt ate at her, but she didn't let it show on the outside for Yunyun's sake.

She shook the thoughts out her head, "I dunno about you but I don't wanna live here for the rest of my life, so we should find a way to get in contact with the others and then come up with a plan to get outta here."

Yunyun nodded, looking at the large manor house situated outside the walls of the camp.

…

"Do you think she's okay?"

"She's a strong gal, I'm sure she's fine."

---

A blue-haired woman in a maid costume paced down the well-decorated hallway holding a tray with a jug of wine atop it. Opening the double door, she quietly entered a luxurious dining room. High-class individuals sat at the main table chatting casually, grabbing expertly cooked crab limbs, slices of steak and other lavish foods in front of them.

She bowed slightly, then approached the table.

"Ah, refreshments," a sly-faced man in a pony tail welcomed the presence of the girl, holding his cup ready.

She walked over to the man at the end of the mahogany table, pouring the wine to the brim, before standing back against the wall, similar to the other maids spaced out across the room.

"My, My! Such a beauty! Joshua, who is this woman? I've never seen her before!" an overweight man in silk robes took notice of the girl, pointing to her with the end of a chicken leg.

"Oh, you have a keen eye, governor. She is a new maid I appointed just a few days ago."

"Yes… She'd be a great addition for me," the large man waved his chalice at her, unknowingly drooling from the edge of his mouth.

She took a breath, slowly pacing around the table to the obese gent, pausing next to him and displaying a more visibly unsettled expression upon seeing his cup already full. She slowly reached towards her tray to take the jug, intending to add as much as she could-

Grab

"Ah!" Aqua exclaimed as the man held her arm, pulling her down to face him. The sudden movement almost made her spill the everything onto the floor.

He continued to pull her closer, admiring her face, then looking her form up and down. The goddess could barely hide the disgust and repulsiveness she felt toward the chubby-cheeked, greasy-fingered man in front of her.

"Yes…" he exhaled heavily, the pungent rotten stench of poultry rippled the air from it's foulness, straight into the maid's face. It took every part of her being not to gag or recoil away from him. "You would be a fine addition to my concubines, heheheh!"

"Hey, fat man, hands off the lady- I've already decided to take her," another guest at the table announced,

"Huh? Who are you calling fat!? Nobody agreed to that! Isn't that right Joshua? You'll let me have her won't you?" he wheezed, turning to face the man at the end of the table.

"Like hell you will!" the other responded, "A nasty man like you would only ruin her beauty!"

"Blasphemy! I'll have you-"

"Gentlemen," Joshua interrupted the petty fight between the two guests. "Let us be civil. I haven't discussed anything regarding her to any of you as of yet, though I do appreciate your liking to my merchandise. In that respect, please treat them with care as you would want others to treat yours… Governor George," Joshua gave the large man a sharp look.

"O-Of course," he let the blue-haired woman go, allowing her to quickly scuttle away from him and back to her original position.

The host cleared his throat, "You are all here because you are my most esteemed patrons, so as a reward for your loyalty, you will have the exclusive opportunity to attain the best of my products." he raised his arms warmly, "We can begin fair negotiations between ourselves for any additional purchases, so long as they're for sale, but first, please take your time to see everything available. You may stay at my house as long as you like in the meantime."

An assortment of satisfied grunts and pleased expressions across the table seemed to agree with Joshua's offer, and at the same time, brought a deluge of fear and dread in a girl's heart.

…

After the guests left the room, the maids bowed and took their leave in unison, as practised. Aqua followed suit, turning to the exit-

"Wait there," the suddenness of the command caused the girl to flinch.

She stopped, watching enviously as the rest of the dead-faced staff departed the dining area until there was just two left inside.

Joshua stood from his seat, smugly smiling behind the Goddess, "You handled that quite well. I'm surprised."

She stayed silent. Her head rotated left so that she the man was only in the corner of her vision as she was approached.

"It seems you understand better than most where you belong here."

No reply.

The smartly dressed man placed his hands gently against her shoulders, turning her body to face him. Her gaze fell down to one corner, with her creased face displaying a hatred that couldn't be disguised.

"Aqua…" Joshua relished the word as slowly as he said it, "What a beautiful name. And a beautiful face to match-"

"What do you want from me?" The girl coldly cut him off, tired of the long hysterics.

He placed his hand on her chin, forcing her to look at him directly.

"I don't want- I already have you," his smile had a disturbing nature. He stared at her as if he were looking at a rare gem, "It's those men who want. What do you think's going to happen when they come back?"

"And why are you asking me this?" her face scowled, "To scare me?"

He snickered, "No… I'm just trying to imagine how angry that boy would be to see me doing this."

Fear and worry lifted her angry expression, "Kazuma...?"

"He's been enjoying his stay with us quite thoroughly, though he unfortunately hasn't had much to eat."

Aqua didn't understand.

Joshua looked out of a large window, "He should be out by now."

The shock on the girl's face once she realised what the smug gentleman was referencing was sudden.

"You… You put- You bastard!" the blue-haired girl lashed out, dropping the tray and jug that clashed loudly on the ground, spilling like blood.

The sly man quickly grabbed both of her wrists before slamming her against the wall beside them.

"Ghk!"

"My... Protesting like this against your master-"

"You're not my master! Ptuh!"

The glob of spit landed on his face, which, despite appearing composed on the outside, created a burning rage that reflected through his eyes.

SLAP

The maid collapsed onto the ground, holding her red cheek. While staring up at the rarely seen, visibly fuming guise of Joshua.

He crouched down, pressing her face firmly against the floor, before leaning in close, with his mouth right outside her ear.

"You are nothing but property now. The only thing that keeps you from being ravaged in every way possible by my men is that I'd get a much prettier penny giving you to a degenerate snob- and boy – I wouldn't underestimate what they are capable of."

The girl struggled in vain against the force of the hidden tyrant beneath the veil of a cheeky smile and good manners, with tears beginning to fall down her face.

"Enjoy your time and purity here while you still have it," he finally relented the pressure on the girl's head, before calmly walking out of the room, leaving just a single occupant.

"Oh, Kazuma…" she quietly muttered under her shuddering breath.

---

A tired, weak, dehydrated boy devoured a small tray of food, finishing by downing an entire mug of water. He stood up from the table, heading to the large bucket beside the food counter, continually filling up his wooden cup, then guzzling the entire thing in seconds. After having more than he could bear, he gasped for air, wiping the dripping water from his chin.

'Not enough… Only one meal a day at that portion- it's gonna take ages to get back in shape.' He looked to the open door to the outside, 'Maybe that's the point.'

tap tap

The adventurer turned to react to the sensation on his shoulder-

PUNCH

"Ough!" the weak boy collapsed onto his ass.

He glanced up to view a large, bearded older man with a pissed off look on his face.

"Oi kid, the hell you think you doin' drinking the water like it's all yours, huh?"

The brown haired adventurer slowly turned his head to the bucket, then back to the room of the hundred or so men that were giving him dirty looks.

'One bucket… For everyone…?'

He held his arms up weakly, "I'm... I'm S-Sorry… I haven't eaten or drank anything for days-"

"That ain't nobody here's problem, kid," the burly man towered over the weak corpse-like kid, "If I see you doing that shit again, it'll be more than a punch."

He walked away into the crowd of people inside the cramped building. The looks of everyone towards the boy became even more uncomfortable. It felt like the smartest decision to get out of that environment.

He struggled his way back to his feet, before exiting the to the outside area.

"What the…" the disgruntled adventurer looked around at the tall stone walls, metal fence and monster-like guards that surrounded the entire camp. His feet stood on dry dirt that had been dead for a long time. Not a single blade of grass, flower or visible sign of life other than the prisoners that meandered in the perimeter. He spied another structure, similar to the one he had just departed from, in the corner of the encampment.

'Probably where we sleep.'

His half-lidded eyes drifted to the fence- the divider that split the entire camp. On the other side were-

"Girls?" he squinted his eyes, "Is that-"

A wave of relief and comfort came over the young man after seeing two of his comrades standing on the other side of the fence. They secretly gestured at him, avoiding the attention of the guards stationed around them.

He smiled, beginning to walk to the fence, "You guys-"

'Wait,' He immediately stopped his advance, 'I can't.'

His face looked apologetic as he began to walk away from the two girls.

"Wha-What is he doing?" the once very excited and happy girl looked on with confusion from the rejection.

"He was coming to us, but then he stopped."

"Yes, I saw that, but why?" the girl looked down dejectedly, "Do you think he's mad?"

Megumin glanced at the scouting orcs and patrolling goblins across the edges of the encampment, "There's probably bigger things on his mind than getting angry at us. Let's just do what we can on our end."

…

The brown-haired boy closed his eyes in pain, pacing away from the fence, 'I'm sorry guys, I can't see you…'

His head later shot up with a stern look as he clenched his fists, 'But I can get us out of here. I just need time. Time and information. Please trust me- even with the short time we've been together; trust me. I promise!'

…

The ex-adventurer's deliberation was pretty short lived as the fatigue set in. Food was never going to supplement the three days' worth of missed sleep, and he couldn't wait to get some rest. The prisoner stumbled into the lodging- just as cramped as the eating area, all wooden, with lanterns strewn about the area giving just about enough light. He shuffled past the many occupied bunk beds, whether indicated by belongings, dirty stares or others already sleeping in them. He continued through the narrow walkway towards the back end, coming across a seemingly empty top bunk.

"Need something, kid?"

An older, deeper voice sounded, the source of which came from a man sitting on the bottom bunk. Kazuma's tired eyes drifted down to meet a similarly poorly dressed, well built bloke with long, rugged blonde hair and brown eyes. He looked to be in his mid thirties and sat casually, forearms on thighs, hands together, looking at the kid expectantly.

The young man hadn't even noticed him until he spoke up- probably a side effect of the tiredness. His slow-acting brain tried many different responses, looking for one that would simply allow the man to let him sleep there for at least a single night, however that depth of thought left him speechless for the longs seconds that passed.

"Oi, it's bad manners not to respond to your elders, you know," the man squinted his eyes, sizing up the weak-looking lad.

Kazuma's expression told him everything he needed to know. Desperation, anger, probably a bit of depression as well. A face the blonde was too accustomed to seeing, and something that, quite frankly, he hated. He may have accepted his long since changed circumstances, but he never lost his will, drive, or his temperament. The boy's face was that same template of despair… though… It was also different.

The larger man's gaze widened as he focused more on the kid's eyes, ones that were strangely reminded him of someone.

He composed himself again, wearing a cocky half-smirk, "You were the guy that got smacked in the canteen, huh? Rough first day, but could've been worse."

Kazuma's didn't return such a happy look. It was more like a glare- as if trying to will away the extra stuff and get the point:

'Are you gonna let me sleep there or not?'

The bearded fellow's smirk grew after the thought passed through Kazuma's head.

"You could say that," the new prisoner finally responded, clicking his lower jaw.

"So thirsty already kid? You won't last a week with a greedy belly like that," he pointed towards Kazuma's midsection.

"Yeah, well, let's say the owner doesn't like me. I was stuck in one of his cells for a few days."

"Huh? The hell you talking…" the older man's eyes expanded, "Wait… You were tossed in the box? For a few days? Aren't you one of the new batch?"

"Yeah… Me and him have got a bit of history," The look of burning hatred that came from Kazuma afterwards would've been intimidating for most people, and certainly left the receiver with an impression.

"Heh…" the man seemed curious, "452, huh? You're an interesting one-"

"Look, old man," Kazuma sighed, with annoyed half-lidded eyes, "Right now I'm not in the mood for a long chat. I need a place to rest."

The boy hoped he'd understand what he was talking about.

"Hm?" the middle-aged man matched his sight-line, looking up to the spare bunk above him, "Oh, heh."

The younger man didn't find the situation entirely amusing.

"Look, new kid, you wanna know why I'm the only fella here with a spare bunk?" he pointed towards the number on his shirt with his index finger.

'009'

"Nine…?"

"That's me. A guy who was here well before you were sucking on your momma's tit; nobody sleeps in my bunk."

Kazuma exhaled tiredly, 'What a waste of time… I might end up on the floor if this continues-'

"Though, I'll rate your balls."

Kazuma returned a perplexed expression.

"If you came in at the same time as the other lot, that's three days in the box, then you were decked after your first meal, then came to me of all people and asks for my bunk," he smiled at the absurdity, "You're a different kinda guy."

"I hear that a lot."

"Do you now?" he got up sturdily, pacing away from the boy, "You're lucky kid. I'll throw ya a bone."

The larger man stopped by a single bed- or more like a double that had the top broken- one of very few that existed in the musky lodging.

GRAB

"Mmmgh!"

The sleeping occupant was gripped by his throat abruptly, strong enough so that only small whimpers and gasps made it past his lips.

'Nine' stood above him, with a deadly look on his face, "Find somewhere else to sleep," he commanded coldly.

The random victim nodded briskly, before being released. After a few seconds of coughing, the sufferer grabbed their few possessions, then scurried away within moments.

For the first time in a while, surprise was visible on the new prisoner's face, 'Shit, I was messing with a dangerous guy. If I brought that interaction in a different direction, I could've been seriously messed up… Or killed.'

The bearded blonde exhaled, before returning to his bunk and laying down in a relaxed position, "There's your bed, kid. Be grateful."

Kazuma gave a wary glance, before taking the bed beside him without too much hesitation.

---

THUMP

"Wuh!?"

Kazuma jumped to a firm fist bumping his chest, causing him to jolt into an upright position, looking around in a tired confusion.

"Wake your dumbass up already," a memorably gruff voice remarked.

The young man's eyelids drooped until his eyes shut again; they felt like they weighed a ton.

'Man, I feel like shit… I've never been so tired,' the ex-adventurer thought as he wiped his dreary eyes.

"If you don't come out for roll call they'll drag you out then probably toss ya in the box for a few more days," a fading voice paired with vanishing steps continued, as it walked away from the young prisoner.

The idea of spending another living moment in that place sent a chill through the boy's entire body, giving him enough energy to stand up, slide his feet into a pair of worn leather shoes, and stumble after the last few people exiting the lodging. The bright morning light shone towards the poorly-adjusted drowsy eyes of Kazuma, leaving him squinting in blindness.

"Line up; Line up!" a loud, pig-like voice echoed through the ranks of men in the clearing, "I ain't spending all day here!"

Kazuma's eyes finally corrected for the bright outdoors, gazing upon the lines of prisoners, and the well remembered orc-commander standing in front of them, flanked with a few other armed monsters. He quickly fell in line with the rest to save himself getting any more special treatment from Joshua's soldiers.

"(This your first time doing this, huh?)"

The young man peered to his left, seeing Nine standing beside him, facing ahead with a feint smile.

"(Eyes forward,)" the older man muttered quietly.

Kazuma complied, keeping his gaze towards the yelling commander, "(What's this about?)"

"(Eh? You thought you'd just be livin' here rent-free? The reason that bastard Joshua even bothers keepin' us alive is to make money off our backs.)"

'Oh, of course… This is why he didn't just kill me. Seeing me break my back for the rest of my life would be more satisfying I guess.'

A pissed-off smirk appeared on Kazuma's face, drawing a glance from his neighbour. It was a look that the blonde man knew meant more than what was displayed on the outside, a face he rarely saw from the men that came and went during the extensive time he lived in the camp. He could remember it was always the people who exerted that energy that ended up dead sooner rather than later.

"(Hey, Keep to yourself and don't do anything stupid if you wanna stay alive more than a week.)"

"(Don't worry about that, I can keep to myself fine,)" the new prisoner's face became serious:

'-And I'll still get back at that asshole.'

---

Roll call came and went. Every prisoner's number was read out then answered back, and without wasting time, the men were brought in their rows to a central building that was in place of the metal fence dividing the two halves of the encampment. At the door, they were handed bulky metal pickaxes, then lead to the only exit out of the area. It was a large metal gate that could only be lifted from the battlements built above it, followed by another of the same, creating a sort of-

'Air lock. Joshua must've designed this; it's a sure-fire way to make sure nobody can just waltz in and out of the place unless he wants them to.' Kazuma pondered as they crossed the second gate out of the camp.

The huge manor house could be seen nearby the outer gate, towering high in the surrounding woodland area. It looked to be a ten minute walk from where Kazuma was standing. He stood engrossed in the ridiculous contrast of the beautifully tailored building sitting just a few hundred metres from the worn, nasty and colourless prison that existed with just a few dozen trees in between.

'That prick probably likes to overlook us while standing at one of those giant windows.'

The commander was followed by even more soldiers, mostly consisting of monsters, as they exited and continued marching the prisoners through a separate path. It was narrow and spanned for at least a mile, finally ending at a mining site. The terrain was morphed in such a way that a huge structure of stone protruded from the ground, spanning at least fifty feet in length. There were a few areas already mined, but the structure as a whole looked untouched.

"Outdoor mining again eh?" Kazuma was upset at how familiar the sight was to him.

"Once you find out how much these asshole demand from us, you'd wish you were in one of those dusty, underground shithole mineshafts," Nine spoke up quietly behind him in response, getting a sigh in return.

"Alright, since there's some new fellas here, I'll give a small briefing, but I'm only gonna say it once, so listen well!" the commander shouted, holding a dense lump of metallic, slightly red and oxidised material, "You've probably seen it before; iron. This is what you're digging for. You need to fill up those wheelbarrows you've been draggin' along with ya. If you think about slacking, you can say goodbye to food, resting hours, and anythin' else you value; and for those of you with the balls to try and escape-"

The brute's serious expression shifted into a menacing glare, "I dare ya to. Just be ready for what happens if I catch you."

Silence lingered after the final line was uttered; Kazuma had no doubts in his mind that anybody among the small mass of prisoners wouldn't even try and disobey the intimidating creature.

'There's almost enough of them to monitor us one-to-one. I probably couldn't even think of a way to escape here. Besides, that Joshua would probably go straight for the girls if I managed to get out on my own. If I escape, I need to take all of them with me at the same time.'

"-Oi get a move on!"

The distracted captive was shoved in the back by a guard, barely catching himself before falling over.

"What are you doing- driftin' off in your own little world?" Kazuma's unimpressed senior quipped behind in a hushed tone.

The boy mumbled grumpily as he continued forward.

---

"Line up, come on, we don't have all day!" A voice bellowed among the sounds of female prisoners departing out of their lodging, two dark-haired girls among them.

Megumin and Yunyun, or '435' and '448', tiredly exited the lodging among the rest, and stood in rows, responding to their numbers just as the men did an hour prior. The second-in-command, a younger man similar to that of Joshua's age, was the usual for their roll call. Compared to the owner, he was rougher, had short dark hair and wore less fanciful clothing. He sported a short sword and was clad in simple chain mail.

He briefly paused among the silent crowd before speaking up, "In a week from today you will all be judged to see if you're worthy of becoming a maid."

The larger of the two adventuring girls flinched at the utterance, turning her head towards the manor house towering above the relatively small foliage surrounding it. The air around the group of a hundred or so women was induced with a noticeable fear of unknown.

"Rest your thoughts, there's nothing deceitful happening behind the scenes; it simply means Joshua, the master, will value some of you above the rest, and allow you to live in more comfort inside the manor house," He calmly reassured the group with a likewise smug smile on his face.

Better food, better beds, better clothes. The same thoughts ran across the mind of almost all the white-clothed prisoners.

"(Sounds like bullshit to me,)" Megumin hissed under her breath.

"Your attitude, work ethic and presentability will be monitored in the next few days; if you want to be one of the lucky few, provide a good impression to me and the other guards. That is all."

The looks of fear between the female adventurers had a noticeable shift towards competitive and deceitful. Yunyun experienced a strange discomfort as she felt many gazes turn her way. Her younger friend could even feel the additional pressure.

"(Oh, boy,)" the small girl muttered to herself.

---

CLANK

CLINK

"So, Heeh... While we're out here busting our asses, what are the women doing?" Kazuma asked, panting under the scorching sun, pickaxe in hand.

The more adjusted man next to him continued carving the stone slab in front of him, before stopping, "They make the food we eat, wash their own clothes, clean their dorms and canteen and stuff."

"Huh," Kazuma was a bit annoyed at the difference in labour levels, but it made sense. He continued swinging at the deposit in front of him, "Doesn't sound so bad."

Nine scoffed at the young man's response, shaking his head.

"...What?"

...

Kazuma turned back to him with a concern, "What?"

The older man stayed silent for a few long seconds as he continued to hack the stone, finally acknowledging Kazuma's query with a stale look on his face.

"Joshua picks out the prettiest and most able gals to be his maids."

"Maids?"

...

The blonde man's eyes squinted in discontent, "It's what he calls his premium crop of girls that are sold off as slaves to the highest bidder."

Kazuma froze in place.

'Slaves… Sex slaves..?'

He couldn't bare to ask the question for what he already knew the answer to. His hands clenched tightly onto his pickaxe.

"The rest are just fodder exchanged to deranged bastards who want a cheap toy," he finished.

…

'The girls… They're in danger. It's only a matter of time. I need to think of something. I need to get them out!'

"How long? How long do I have until it happens?"

"They'll be tested over the week, then sold the next…" The blonde turned to see a strong look on Kazuma's face, "...Hey, if you're thinking about saving some girl you came here with, it's impossible-"

"I have to."

"Kid, I'm telling you, there's-"

"I don't wanna hear it!" the brown haired prisoner cut off his elder with a nasty look, "You're gonna expect me to stand by as they're sent to some fucking degenerates, or killed?"

Nine returned with a scowl, "There ain't nothing you, or anyone can do about it. Trust me."

"Trust you? All I see is someone who plays the safe card- What happened to your comrades?- When you came here?- Did you let them get taken too? Did you let them die-"

GRAB

"You better shut your mouth before I really give it to ya. You don't know nothin' about me junior, so you better close your presumin' mouth before I teach you some discipline real quick."

Kazuma's green eyes glared sharply; not a word could weaken his gaze.

Nine's brown eyes widened; that look again. It angered the blonde from deep within without himself even knowing why, "You really got a death wish, huh?"

"Hey, cut it out and get back to work! Fight in your own time before I kick both your asses!"

A guard's voice was barely noticed by the two glowering men, staring fiercely at each other. Kazuma forcefully removed Nine's grip from his collar, returning to his position. The boy held his pick high, shaking in deliberation, then began to ravage the iron deposit with his built up rage, ripping chunks of stone out of the large crevice in front of him.

CRACK

He continued.

SMASH

"Grh!"

BASH

"GAAH!"

THUNK

…

The breathless prisoner left his pick completely embedded into the ore after his dramatic performance. Bent over and holding his knees, he gasped for air.

"...Why?" the young prisoner asked.

...

After an unanswered silence he slowly looked at Nine, sweat dripping off his chin, "Why'd you give a shit about me in the first place?" he displayed a solemn expression to his older counterpart, with the essence of regret and fear visible through his exterior, "I'm just some stranger asshole you met the other day, but you helped me, and now you're trying to talk me out of this. Why?"

…

Kazuma's knuckles clenched atop his buckled knees. His thoughts could only turn to the people he cherished; the only people he had left in the world he lived in. He was going to lose them. He was going to lose them all if he didn't do something.

'Calm down… Calm down, Kazuma… You have time. I'm not gonna let them get taken. All that talk, the promises I gave, it's time to step up.'

He took a deep breath, slowly rising to a tall, strong posture with a calm but sharp look on his face.

"Game on."

---

Information.

Intangible, infinite and the most powerful weapon in the right hands. For a single young prisoner, it was the only thing he could rely on. In a painful, dread-filled environment, his discomforts, complaints and dissatisfactions were thrown away. Every fibre of his being was focused into absorbing each and every piece of data that existed around him. As the days quickly passed for most, he recited the experience of every day within his own mind as he laid in bed. Interactions between anyone mainly ceased for anything that wasn't the most efficient use of his time.

Time.

It was the deadline for the upcoming events that forced the boy in such a state. It felt as if a constant, sustained pressure was forcing him to fall in line with the rest of those who had accepted their depressing existence, but he knew that wasn't a choice he could make. He brought them here- It was his responsibility. He must end this. Despite that deliberation, it was always easier said than done. This horrid camp was ran by a man who had successfully applied the concepts that the teenager was only now trying to nurture.

So, what was the plan?

'Well, where do I start?' Kazuma thought as he looked up at the almost pitch black ceiling of the shoddy lodging bed he laid on.

It's been five days. Just a few more until the newcoming girls are judged to be maids. In that time I'll establish communication with them. During their trials, they learn housework as is required by any maid of Joshua's finest. It's pretty obvious there isn't a single man here who makes any of the food we eat; it's coming from the girl's side. I've already gotten myself into a serving role within our canteen with a few deceptive tricks. I'll be able to hide notes in the dishes that leave, telling them about the plan.

The sound of movement, voices, and clambering through a commander's loud call calmly woke a brown-haired prisoner, slowly leaving the lodging to the outside. The grey overcast clouds covered the rough, earthy terrain with a depressingly uniform and dreary light. Kazuma stood idly within a group of dead-eyed men as roll call continued as usual. He peered at the fence on the other side of the camp.

Oh, and about them. I've kept my distance from the girls- not even looking their way for the entire time I've been here. Joshua knows my connection with Aqua, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out he's already taken her to the manor house, but he may not believe the other two are special to me, and I'm gonna keep it that way. I'm almost sure that both of them will be selected by looks or talent, which is both good and bad. Their promotion to the manor house takes them out of reach for the nasty degenerates that buy slaves cheap, but puts them in danger of being swiped by the nobles. I've overheard too many stories from the men around me to allow such a thing. Nasty fetishes, torture and rape, of course.

The young man quietly took his pickaxe, following the line of men to the gate.

Then there's this slave camp. It's a square perimeter made of thick stone walls at least fifteen feet high. They double as battlements for his men to patrol and watch every angle of the whole area. The camp is divided in two with a fence to split genders of the prisoners. Built in the middle of that fence, in the centre of the compound, is a small armoury where guards and monsters stay. They have access to both halves of the camp, and it's guarded non-stop every hour of every day. A real piece of engineering, I'll give it to that scoundrel. The biggest issue is that gate, or two gates to be exact. The only entrance and exit to this place is that 'airlock'. It's controlled with wind-up wheels anchored on the battlements themselves, meaning only the monsters up there are able to lift the gates. The airlock has a staircase which is the only access point to get up onto the battlements.

Kazuma displayed a slightly inconvenienced, yet still unbothered look at the moral-destroying architecture of his new home as he carved into a mineral deposit in the woodland mines.

And to finish things off: Joshua's lackeys. He had the balls to capture and threaten adventurers of all people; the cornerstone of strength and control that exists outside of the country's military and government, so he has quite the troop backing him up to enforce his dominance. To our 200 depressed, demoralised and malnourished men and women, he has 150 fight-ready soldiers and monsters combined, half of which are human. The others consist of civilised goblins and orcs. The small armoury feigns the true scale of that group who actually live somewhere outside in the forest. I could tell from the new faces I saw every day while working here that there are definitely rotations of troops in and out of the camp. During the silence of night, I can just about make out the shuffling of movement. From Joshua's failed raid of the goblin base, I know wherever that base is, it has enough equipment to fully arm his entire private army: Crossbows, swords, armour, the whole lot.

The green-eyed boy looked down at the ores in his wheelbarrow as he pushed it along the winding path.

It's a tough obstacle. He doesn't make even half the profits from this iron then he does with his prized maids. In other words, he wouldn't oppose slaughtering us out of convenience- The only reason we're here is to legitimise his business so he can launder money from his slave trade. He also has a powerful orc as his commander, and a snarky second-in-command who sees Joshua as a role model, and is talented with a sword.

Kazuma sat at the end of an empty table, finishing the scraps of his daily meal, scraping the wooden plate unusually hard with a small splinter.

And that's not even the greatest weapon against us. The most enigmatic phenomenon that exists here, assuring Joshua's superiority over his dominion is... Well, I'm not too sure what this is. I had a strange feeling while I was riding in that cart as if I has lost a part of myself. The ability to use magic or skills is completely nullified. For everyone. Even when I'm a mile away at the mining site, it's still in effect. I researched a lot of topics before we set off to the goblin encampment, but I've never read about something like this. It's effectiveness and range are endgame level; the only way he could've gotten something of that calibre would be from the Devil King itself.

Tired, disgruntled men slowly shuffled through the run-down and musky lodging. Conversations quietened as the evening drew into the darkness of night. Silence spread across the building the as movement subsided at the only time of rest for the men of the slave camp. A singular prisoner laid awake among the masses, completing the planned cycle of another day.

'So, how would I find something so valuable; so powerful? The armoury? The hidden barracks?' Kazuma shrugged his shoulders, 'The harder you try to hide something, the more easily it ends up being found. The truth is, I don't care how many hidden walls or basements exist between us and that entity, he's gonna lead us straight to it.'

Kazuma opened his half-lidded eyes, 'I've been playing the puppet in this world for too long.'

A red-eyed young girl grabbed one of the last used plates, scrubbing the unusually rough surface clean. As she was about to place it with the rest, a strange pattern caught her attention. She looked closer at the engravings, and as she did, her eyes widened in surprise, then began tearing up in relief.

"So you haven't given up on us," she smiled, hugging the plate to her chest.

Kazuma closed his eyes, 'It's time I start calling the shots.'

---

The poorly dressed women were lined up after the men had left at the break of dawn, as usual.

"Today is the last day of your judgement! Your routines will remain the same. The next morning we will return to you with the results," the second-in-command raised his arms openly, "Today matters just as much as the rest, so if you think about slacking, you can say goodbye at the proposition of becoming a member of the manor house!"

A petite girl, stood among the rest, sensed a large amount of gazes toward her- or her partner, more specifically. It had grown stronger since the past few days, and the treatment they were receiving was more cold.

'Jealously is a woman's greatest flaw, I guess,' she smirked to herself, before her face turned more serious, 'The competition's gonna be rough on this last day. Yunyun's already stealing looks 'cause of her beauty and good performances, but now we're probably gonna start having problems.'

She turned to her oblivious friend, noticing a more uplifting look on her.

'Huh? Why's she got that stupid smile on her face? Is she trying to attract more attention?'

After the briefing was over, the smaller girl quickly dished a knuckle sandwich into her comrade's arm.

"Owww... What was that for?" Yunyun rubbed her arm.

"We're already getting enough attention and now you're showboating!"

"Wha- I wasn't- I wasn't showboating! I'm the same…" she tried to put off her obvious change of mood, but as soon as she remembered the message from Kazuma, the quite obvious look of elation returned to her face.

"Ah geez, you're as readable as a book," Megumin smirked, "It's about that thing isn't it?"

"What? No, it's just- Well…" she looked away, a small blush forming on her face.

"That man really did a number on you, huh? Never seen you this happy about a guy."

"Wha- What's that supposed to mean!?" a large blush appeared all over Yunyun's face.

Megumin glanced back to the other side of the camp, "Seriously, though. It's a crazy plan on his end, and yet-"

"It feels like the only way forward," Yunyun finished her friend's sentence.

…

The day continued just as the rest did. The girls washed themselves and their clothes, as uncomfortable as it was under the fiercely watchful eyes of the invigilators and guards alike, then were tested on cooking and preparation, speech, then ending the day simple washing up. They cleaned the men's dishes as well as their own in a separate unique building only on the women's side. Inside it was a kitchen and space for them to practice maid duties. Towards the end of the exercise, the overseers had already left as their deliberations were finally complete.

The two girls stood beside each other, cleaning the leftovers. Yunyun closely inspected the last few plates for any other messages.

"He's probably not gonna send any more, you know. We've gotten the whole message by now."

"How would you know?" the twin pig-tailed girl pouted.

"Cause he's smart enough not to draw any more attention then he needs to."

"You never know-"

"Hey, you two over there," a loud voice echoed in the small room.

Both Crimson Mages turned to see a blonde-haired woman in her mid twenties flanked by a couple other women, all glaring in their direction.

"Can we help you?" Megumin spoke up.

"Yes, you can help us," she smiled condescendingly, with her arms at their hips, sporting a confident grin. Most would consider her prettier compared to the rest of the women, but would pale in comparison to the two dark-haired girls.

"There's not enough room for all of us to become maids."

"...And how is that our problem?"

"Hmph, I don't remember my quarrel being with you, child."

The word was an easy trigger for the dainty girl, who now gave a nasty scowl in the direction of the blonde's face.

A smirk grew on the woman at the smaller girl's reaction, "Oh, see there, that's a look you wouldn't want the invigilators to see," she turned her attention to Yunyun, "Your little innocent antics get on my nerves, girl. I've been here many more times than you have, and on my best performance, your ugly face shows up and steals all the attention."

Yunyun's eyes squinted in anger, but more predominantly in sadness and fear. She was versed in combat against monsters, but never had the social skills to win in a verbal contest. It felt as if a part of her was nurtured into sucking up to people, and she found difficulty in making any kind of response. Her reluctance changed the atmosphere as the hostility grew towards the young girl.

Luckily she had a friend.

Megumin's anger turned into a smug appearance, "If an ugly face is all it takes to steal the spotlight from you, the chances say you'll never make the cut no matter how many times you try."

The looks of the girls in the room shifted back to the prideful lady, as her eyes darted around at the movement in momentum.

Yunyun saw her buddy wink at her, which made her return a more relaxed smile.

"The fuck are you smilin' at, bitch?" a vein popped on the once charming lady's head, now with a seething stare of indignation, "I've known the guards a lot longer than you two do- They'd do any kind of favour for me. If you don't give up your position, I'll scream for help."

"If you're trying to brag about how you've whored yourself out to a bunch of goblins then you really will never make it. Nobody's gonna damage the top picks as they're, well, more valuable than the trash," Megumin gestured towards the lady.

"…"

Her face turned red with rage, holding up a sharp kitchen knife at both girl's surprise, "I'm gonna cut your face until you won't ever see the light of day outside this place. Grab them."

The shorter haired Mage took a step back, "Are you serious? Have you lost your mind?-"

"GRAB THEM!"

The girls behind the blonde immediately smothered the new prisoners, pinning them to the floor by holding each limb.

"Ghk! Yunyun!"

"Megu- Agh!"

"Not smiling now, are you bitch?" the lady cackled as she approached closer, "I'll show you ugly."

She crouched above Megumin, lowering her knife slowly towards her face.

"MEGUMIN!"

"Ghk!"

The blade was lowered inches away, then to the point where was resting on her face. She turned the knife so it pointed deeply into her skin, where blood dripped at the knifepoint.

"NO!" With pure adrenaline, Yunyun thrashed the four women away from her with enough time to jump at the lady.

In reaction, the blonde removed the blade from the small girl to attack her, but Yunyun snatched her hand with a powerful grip, then shoved her away.

SHLICK

"AAAAGH!"

"Yunyun-" Megumin jumped up at the sound of the scream, only then noticing it belonged to the aggressor. The knife slashed down from the upper cheek down to the bottom of the blonde's chin, as the blood continuously flowed from her face, dripping onto the floor.

"MY F- MY FAAAACE!" she shrieked hysterically, stopping as much of the blood as she could, "HE-HELP ME!"

The other women ignored the two red-eyed girls in the commotion, watching with the rest of the small gathering at the once very prideful woman screeching in a frantic state.

"Oh shit!" Megumin quickly realised the weight of the situation. It would definitely be pinned on them in the most negative sense by the other women, and could even get them killed, "Yunyun!" she turned to face her partner, but she was completely frozen in fear.

"What have I…" she stared fearfully at the bawling lady, having never injured a person before.

"Yunyun, get it together; we have to run-"

"SOMEONE! SOMEONE HELP ME!" The crazed lass bolted out of the room, slammed through the door and onto the filthy outdoor ground.

"Oh dear, what's happened here?" The second-in-command stood above the lady with a few other guards, watching the dramatic show.

"THE- THEM- THEY DID THIS, THEY RUINED ME!" The gal had enough vengeance in her heart to still point out the two Crimson Mages among the mass.

"Oh, did they now?" he responded disinterestedly.

"Yes… Please… Help me-"

SLICE

…

After minutes of wild bellowing and noise, the pleads of the once desperate woman were immediately cut short with a lightning fast slash across her throat. She fell to her side, face paralysed in shock, as she tried to gargle words that bled out of her open windpipe. After another few seconds of twitching, she finally stopped dead.

"Sigh, Ain't that silence nice?" The short-haired man calmly spoke whilst looking at the accused assailants, "I'm not really in the mood to deal with something like this right now- in fact, I'm quite pissed off that someone's decided to ruin this process right at the end of the test, and if I'm honest, I don't really care if it was her fault, or yours, or anyone else's- But if I hear any more of this happening," he raised his short sword up with a deathly look on his face, "You'll end up the same as her. You're all dismissed."

He turned to a couple men behind him, "Get rid of her."

Yunyun watched as the lifeless body of a once much very alive woman was carried away as if nothing happened.

"Did I…?"

She felt a hand grab her own, "She did that to herself. Lets go," Megumin dragged the stunned girl to the lodging to end the dramatic evening.

---

The morning light gently woke a blue-haired girl from her sleep. She'd grown adjusted to a monotonous routine that was admittedly not difficult or uncomfortable, yet with each passing day a fear grew in her heart. The simple fear of possibly never seeing someone again. Beyond that, there was an even greater threat. Something she couldn't even fathom when she tried to think about it. A Goddess of her stature placed into such a predicament- she could almost laugh at its ridiculousness, but when she tried, only tears would escape.

Aqua still had one thing: Faith. She believed in Kazuma more than anyone she'd ever met, and knew that he'd do anything he could to get back to her. But… She also knew how much he'd suffered for her, too. Thinking back, maybe if she hadn't complained so much about the cold…

She shook her head, 'No, I'm not going to regret the past. What's happened has happened. I need to look forward now. I can't just wait for someone to save me; I need to fight as well!'

Aqua looked up with vigour, before preparing herself for the day. She shared a large room with a half dozen others, each with their own bed. The atmosphere was hollow and quiet between the women who worked in the mansion. There wasn't competition, or any resentment between peers, as they had already made it to the highest point possible. Their existence would stay finite; they were only there for as long as they would last, but would still much prefer that then be with the rest of the rejected prospects- like pigs in the mud ready for slaughter. They, instead, were premium dishes to be served to the richest. For the chance of finding an easily manipulatable son or gentle owner, it was better than nothing.

Aqua would reject all of that. She was going to live her life as an adventurer. She would beat the Devil King and all the other corrupt scum that breathed the same evil as Joshua. But-

'One step at a time,' she sighed.

Once in her maid costume, she and the rest exited the room in unison as they were trained.

She closed her eyes, 'I hope I at least get a nice guest-'

"Aqua?"

"Huh?" she snapped out of her thoughts, to notice an unexpected face, "...Yunyun?-"

"Aqua!" the new maid jumped into a hug with the surprised Goddess.

After just a moment of shock, Aqua immediately returned the deep embrace, "Oh, Yunyun, I'm glad to see you," the feeling of isolation was an invisible weight on Aqua's shoulders; something her comrade lifted away almost immediately.

"I'm glad you're okay too," she returned as they separated, "I'm here with Megumin, too."

A very cute, short-haired girl appeared behind her close friend, "I… I hate these costumes," she blushed lightly in embarrassment.

Aqua giggled, "You'll get used to them."

"Hey, you two!" a more mature, elderly voice called out, causing the two newbies to flinch simultaneously.

They slowly turned to meet an angry grey-haired lady, similarly dressed as a maid with hands on her hips.

"Return at once! How could you try to run away on your induction?! Do you want to be sent back to the camp?"

"S-Sorry head maid."

"Sorry head maid."

The girls bowed, responding in unison.

"Well, at least you learnt enough in manners. Come with me at once!" the lady dragged the two Crimson Mages away.

Aqua couldn't help but smile for the first time in what felt like forever.

…

Once the guests were served, and the trainee maids had gone through their induction, they were in the kitchen eating lunch.

"So you were promoted, huh?" Aqua smiled at the two newcomers.

"Of coursh- Oh mahn, this foodsh Great!" Megumin stuffed her face with high quality freshly cooked bread.

"Did you guys see Kazuma? Is he okay?" Aqua asked desperately, something she wanted to know as soon as she saw her party members.

"Yes, he's okay," Yunyun reassured the blue-haired maid, "But he did have a pretty rough start."

"Yeah, I heard."

"You heard?" Yunyun was surprised the Goddess knew about Kazuma's three days locked away.

Aqua's face looked away slightly, with a pained, hateful expression. Yunyun could figure out who she was referencing.

"Aqua, come here," Yunyun gestured for the Goddess to come closer, as she leaned into her ear, "(Kazuma has a plan for all of us to get out.)"

The maid's face lit up with hope.

"(He said we have to destroy the 'magic inhibitor' hidden inside this mansion on the last day.)"

"Last day…?"

"He means the day when we're going to be sold," Megumin responded.

Aqua's elation was swiftly substituted with worry, "That close? Do you know where it is?"

Yunyun returned a hesitant look, "Y-Yeah, that's where things get a bit complicated."

The Archpriest squinted her eyes, before they expanded again in realisation. She felt a dreadful chill run across her body with the mere thought.

"Mmmh, Don't fink too deep into it. We haf a week to figure it out," Megumin patted the Archpriest's back whilst munching on more food.

"Don't speak with your mouth full!" Yunyun berated her friend, turning back to her Archpriest colleague, "I don't understand too well either, but Kazuma saved my life; He goes through so much every day because of what he did for both of us," Yunyun placed her hand on her red-eyed friend's shoulder, "We both owe it to him."

Aqua looked at Yunyun with surprise, 'She's right… I've been fearing about my own fate, but haven't thought about what everyone else is going through… What they will go through if we don't stop Joshua and his schemes.'

The blue-haired maid smiled slightly, "You've changed, you know?"

"O-Oh, really?" Yunyun quickly retreated back to her timid persona, smirking with a light blush.

"Hmm, it must be a certain someone she's thinking abou- Agh! Let my bread go!"

Aqua looked up determinedly as the two girls wrestled next to her, pondering just how much her missing partner was going through in order to save them.

---

Darkness covered the manor house and the prison it overlooked as the evening drew later. Within a lodging inside the camp, the voices were muted and sparse, as the hardened men were preparing to sleep. Kazuma approached his gifted sleeping spot, pausing beside it before shifting past to the neighbouring bed. It was there that an older blonde man sat with a gruff look on his face, as his guest was company he'd rather not talk to.

"What do you want?" the tired man asked, unbothered to make eye contact with the young visitor.

"Something you probably won't give to me," the voice returned to him was calm and quiet.

Nine scoffed, closing his eyes with an annoyed smirk, "Then why'd you even bother comin' here?"

"Because I need it anyway."

The middle-aged veteran finally peered up to match a pair of familiar, yet unknown irises. What was looking back at him was someone who, in just a short period of time, displayed a completely different aura of character. What he had previously known was an unpolished, yet determined force. Naive, but motivated to try everything he could. Now, what stared back at him wasn't a change of motivation; that was all still visible, but now it was a cold, calculated and removed from unnecessary emotions and distractions. Kazuma stood above Nine in a way that felt his very eyes were dictating everything that existed around him. Nine showed feint surprise at the suddenness of the alternate persona, before tilting his head uncaringly.

"Oh, to help your friends I presume?"

"Yes."

"And you think I'm just gonna help you?'

Kazuma was silent for a few seconds, "I don't have a choice but to go to you."

"Well, that's a shame isn't it?- Because I do, and you haven't given me a fibre of reason for why you and your little girl band are more important than every other bastard who's lost everything about themselves since comin' here," he looked away, dismissing the presence of the newcomer.

Kazuma didn't give any immediate response, opting to slowly turn, sit on the bed opposite the spiteful old man, then face him again.

"That's why I don't understand… Why did you help me?" Kazuma looked at his counterpart with a solemn look, "Your contact with others is minimal- Your reputation keeps your untouched and on top, but there's nobody that you work with, laugh with, or eat with... But some beat up kid arrives, and you put them under your wing."

"Hrmph, don't overthink it. You just came of as a lil' interestin' is all-"

"That's not what it was."

"...Huh?"

Kazuma shifted himself atop the bed he sat on, conveying a serious expression, "You were the same as me, weren't you?"

Nine couldn't hide his disturbed reaction to those words, "I don't know what you're talkin' about-"

"You were brought here... The same as everyone else for all these years. You also had comrades, didn't you?"

"I told you it ain't none of your business-"

"-People who you cared about-"

"Shut up-"

"-People who you would've done anything for-"

"I said shut your mouth!"

…

A long period of stillness lasted as neither man said anything for a full minute. Nine sat with a distant look on his face, hesitating to speak.

...

The long-haired man finally broke the silence, "God dammit… You really don't know how to mind your own business, huh?" he looked to the side, musing deep and uncomfortable thoughts, before he returned his gaze to the boy.

…

The bearded man sighed, adjusting his sitting position, then placing his hands together.

"I was one of 'Nine'. Nine of the finest fighters in all of Belzurg. A specialised group with mastery in every class: powerful spellcasters, amazing healers and the most talented swordsmen for miles around." An appearance of nostalgia and reminiscent joy could faintly be seen on the man's face as he continued, "Known across the land, revered, hated, idolised; we had goals of challenging the Devil King's generals after our continued success."

"Generals?" Kazuma couldn't hide his surprise.

"We fought so much together, it was like we could read each other's minds. No party in the country could match our harmony in battle…" Nine's face scrunched in resentment as memories returned to him, "It wasn't long before he took interest in us..."

"...Joshua?"

"At first, it wasn't even about money. The image of our valour and strength blinded us. He promised more fame than we could ever imagine; to be the most well known group of adventurers in the entire continent- even the world. It sounds stupid in hindsight, but he made it sound real. He officially became our business partner, and our commercial success skyrocketed. He made a brand out of our image and we began gaining riches well beyond what we'd ever had before, to the point where our motivation to kill the Devil King was diminishing, as after all, we were gettin' paid as if we already killed him."

Kazuma stared at the older man, continuing to listen.

"It wasn't like that for all of us though. There were others like myself who still wanted to complete our original quest, but the rest grew more interested in expanding their name until it reached all corners of the world. Cracks were starting to show in our group, and it was because that bastard- Joshua- had planned for that to happen since the beginning. He continued to sew deception, lies and confusion between each of us, removin' the one thing that was most important to our party's existence: Trust. Without it, our greed turned into fear, that fear became anger, then that lead to violence. Before we knew what was happening to us, we were killing each other for a belief that wasn't even ours."

The young man opposite the mourning veteran sat in silence as the truth revealed itself to be more than he ever could've imagined.

"Only when I stood with my sword plunged through the chest of someone who I had once considered my best friend, did I realise the weight of our mistake… Of my mistake," Nine looked at Kazuma with a glimpse of guilt and sorrow, "I've never lost any comrades here, Kazuma. They were dead long before I was entered this place. They were dead because I couldn't see what was happening before my very eyes," he rested a hand on his name tag, "My number wasn't chosen out of coincidence. It's what Joshua decided as a reminder of my failure… I can't go back to undo those faults, that's why I haven't called myself by my original name since. I... I don't even know if I can remember it anymore."

...

Kazuma couldn't think of a word to say as a response to everything that he'd heard. The person before him had eyes filled with the darkness of his past.

"When I saw that look in your your eyes, it reminded me of myself, and I guess I didn't wanna see you dead so soon."

The young man looked down in contemplation for a few long moments, then back towards the misunderstood soul in front of him, "I didn't come here to pity you, Nine."

The older man in question looked back at Kazuma with a confounded look at the lack of filter in his words.

"I don't know the kind of people your friends were, but I doubt they'd like the look of you now," he continued.

"What...?"

"Sitting here, sulking; regretting past mistakes for the rest of your life- Do you think that's what they would've wanted from their strongest?"

"Strongest…?"

"If you weren't, you wouldn't be the one sitting here in front of me. I came here because I wanted you. The strongest adventurer in Joshua's camp."

"Me…" Nine paused in thought, "Me?" he scoffed, "And you want me to save your friends and help you life happily ever after?"

"It's not just us, it's everyone."

Nine's eyes widened, "Everyone? You have to be stupid to think-"

"People will die. Many of us will probably die," Kazuma clenched his hands tightly together, "I'll probably die..." he looked up with a determined gaze, "But I'd rather die giving it everything I had than rotting here for the rest of my life. Guess you could say I'm greedy."

"That's one way of describing it... So, you're dooming everyone here for your girlfriends?"

"This is as good a chance for any man here than me and my party. It's a moment that will come and never come back."

"And why's that?"

Kazuma leaned forward confidently, "A change in the system."

Nine returned a confused expression, but as the two men sat casually in the lodging, a certain maid darted silently from corner to corner in an almost pitch-black hallway. Her blue hair faintly reflected the weak moonlight that glistened through the large windows. Despite an unknown entity disabling any and all abilities and magic, night vision was engrained into her self, and never left her. She navigated the rooms with brilliant ease, stopping outside a specific room, or office, to be exact. The light was still visible under the crack in the door, with small shuffling sounds, writing and broken speech on the other side.

"Joshua's flawless monopoly runs on an infallible system," Kazuma smirked, as his partner simultaneously eavesdropped behind a door many hundreds of metres away, "But when his pride was hurt, to scare me and my partner, he broke it by letting her join the maids early."

"What good does that do?"

Kazuma's confident expression grew further, as Aqua silently gasped at the incoming sound of footsteps.

He held up a single finger, "He's allowed her more time in that mansion than any other maid that's ever been, giving her better knowledge of every hallway, corner, nook and cranny that exists there."

The door opened swiftly, with a figure darting their head out of the opening, scanning around the silent and almost pitch-black hallway, save for the blade of light cutting the darkness, emanating from the lit room. The trespasser exhaled in relief, having dodged the encounter by taking refuge behind a stand for a large vase.

The young prisoner held a second finger up, "He's already Introduced the finest product he's ever had to his customers, meaning the sale day will be his most demanding one."

After what felt like a lifetime, the vigilant soul retreated slowly back into the room, closing the door gently behind. After exhaling in relief, the Goddess noticed light from under the door being snuffed out, as she slowly approached it once again.

The prisoner revealed the third finger, "She's now in contact with two others inside the manor house- Ones that Joshua know were with us."

The Archpriest followed the sounds of movement reduce to very minute signatures, giving her enough motivation, yet with unparalleled fear, to slowly enter the quiet office. She turned the knob at a snails pace, eventually allowing the door to separate, and drift open.

Nine didn't seem convinced, "You think he hasn't thought of something like that?"

"That's what I'm hoping for."

The older prisoner scratched his head, "I don't follow. You're talkin' hocus pocus."

Kazuma sighed, "These inconsistencies will defer his attention; the more he's thinking about all these problems, the more it's gonna distract him. My plan is to make him fall into the trap he himself created."

"-By using his tiny blunder against him," Nine scoffed, "You've predicted all of this, huh?"

The gentle whirring of metal joints, and bated breaths of a jittery maid was the only sound that steadily entered the unknown room. Her owl-like sight displayed to her an empty place, having been occupied only a few minutes prior and without having seen a single soul leave the compartment. The impossibility of those variables placed more fear in the Goddess' heart, but also relayed valuable information that could only mean this was the place. Whatever the unknown item was, it existed past some secret passage in this room.

Nine's smile changed into a look of concern, "What makes you so sure your friends are gonna find it?"

"When you try to hide something valuable, you just end up creating a place that's so important, you fear every moment you're not where it is. Joshua brought me all the way over to his room so he could look down at me from the comfort of his office."

The girl scanned the simple build: A large, solid desk with a neat pile of paperwork on one end, then behind it a huge bookshelf covering the entire back wall stuffed with volumes of strange titles; psychology, studies, experiments and theoretical ideas about 'human existence'.

"-Because he was so desperate to prove his superiority over me, he allowed me to notice his strangely hollow-sounding flooring as compared to the solid, thick mahogany I felt everywhere else."

The maid walked around the wide desk, noticing a large cavity on the other side of it- more than was was necessary for simple leg room. She slowly slid the chair back, peering deeper into the hole. Her eyes widened-

"Heh, you are one crazy bastard."

Kazuma returned a humble shrug to the blonde man, but his counterpart sensed the amount of care that the boy had put into this plan. He looked down with more genuine and serious thought about this idea.

"We haven't even talked about the most important thing yet."

From Nine's appearance, Kazuma knew immediately what his senior was referring to.

"Joshua," Kazuma announced with a similarly serious tone, "Everything will be taken into account during this event, and for the men and women who lost their lives here, as well as our own peace of mind, I will make sure he's taken care of."

…

Nine sat in silence. This wasn't any kind of half-assed idea by many of the dead goons who thought they had a chance of freedom. This was a calculated, thought-out system. What every man before had failed to understand was the lack of support in their selfish ventures. You want to escape on your own? Then you'd be up against the wits of three dangerous leaders and over a hundred enemies to face all on your own. Their unity and numbers were an overwhelming strength, but the simple solution, of course, it to match it with your own army. However, the weight of this decision was heavy. This is still a desperate attempt at freedom; an all-or-nothing that could cost the lives of hundreds, who may have preferred to stay alive if their deaths would be in vain.

"You want to use my reputation to quell everyone into this, don't ya?"

Kazuma didn't respond as the man who sat opposite him already knew the answer. The green-eyed prisoner waited for him to give his reply.

…

"I'll be the one who kills him," The older man declared, leading the young conspirer to smile appreciatively, "But, you already knew I'd say that, didn't you?"

Kazuma looked at him acknowledgement, "I'll be there, too."

"No, I'll take care of him."

Kazuma became concerned, "Alone? Don't forget who we're talking about-"

"I know who we're talking about- more than you ever could," Nine spoke up, cutting off the immediate protest, "...Which is why I need to handle him myself. I'm not gonna involve a kid in this."

Kazuma flinched, "Come on, you know that's gonna be too dangerous. You think I'm gonna let you fight him on your own?-"

"Not gonna happen," Nine hushed the boy quiet again, "God dammit, why are you so difficult?" he sighed, before taking a second to collect himself, "I'm not trying to steal your glory; I'm trying to keep your dumbass alive. This ain't a thought experiment- It's life. Real life. No matter how much you run the simulations in your head, things ain't never gonna go perfectly to plan. The last thing you need is to be anywhere near that asshole. Once he figures out what's going on, the first person on his hit list is gonna be you. For me to kill that bastard, I can't have any liabilities."

Kazuma face scrunched in a pained way, as he realised the words his elder were right.

"Alright…"

"Geez, every time I talk to you it feels like I'm losin' my hair."

"That's just age."

"Heh, shut up ya little shit. Talk to me once you grow a beard."

"I've already got some," Kazuma stroked the few hairs on the end of his chin

"Huh? Where? On your balls?"

The two prisoners shared a quiet chuckle; the first they'd both had in a long time, and possibly their last.

"Alright," Nine's demeanour changed once again, "So what's the plan?"

a/n: Next chapter will come within a week, let me know what you think! :^)