Chapter 20 Ancient Rider
Disclaimer: I don't own Konosuba or Kamen Rider, they belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 20 Ancient Rider.
(Dusk. 5:20pm)
"What do you mean?" Kazuma asks confused.
Haruka walks up to him as he carries the paper and hands it to his friend.
"Here. Read this..." Haruka hands the paper to Kazuma and he begins to read.
"What's in this letter?" Megumin looks at the two boys with confusion.
"I don't know either!" Wiz says nervously. "And that an eagle flew here and just left this letter." Wiz says, still nervous.
"An eagle?" Darkness looks confusedly at Kazuma and Haruka. "Sending letters by pigeon is very expensive, and an eagle on top of that!.."
"What's the big deal? It's just a silly e-letter," Megumin says, but is cut off.
"IS THAT REALLY HIM?" Kazuma shouts excitedly as he crumples up the letter and looks at Haruka.
"AHh yes. It's really him." Haruka says a little startled.
"IS IT REALLY THE DECADE?!" Kazuma shouts even more excitedly.
"Yes, that's him!" Haruka says as Kazuma practically throws himself on top of him.
"Decade? Who is this Decade?" Megumin asks looking at the girls.
"I don't know!" Wiz shrugged.
"Decade? Isn't he that old hero who fought in a very old war?" Darkness says to the girls.
"Do you know him?" Megumin asks, approaching Darkness.
"Well, he does seem pretty excited about this Decade guy..." Wiz looks thoughtful.
"FORGET IT!" Kazuma says excitedly, grabbing Haruka's arm and starting to drag her away.
"Hey, hey, hey! Easy there!" Haruka is pulled by his arm as he tries to keep up with Kazuma's speed.
"Let's go to the bath!" Kazuma opens the door and runs out of the room.
"He seems pretty excited to see this Decade." Darkness says.
"Is this Decade that cool?" Megumin asks curiously.
"I don't really know, I've only heard stories about him." Darkness says.
Megumin looks at the door, now seeing a recognizable person entering the room.
"Guys, why did Kazuma and Haruka run out and scream? Yunyun asks, entering the room with a box of sweets.
"I'd like to know too..." Megumin said, approaching Yunyun and taking a cupcake from the box.
[...]
(Dusk. 5:30pm.)
"Ahhh... this water is so good..." Kazuma says, relaxing as he bathes in the hot springs using a towel to cover his waist.
"You looked like a maniac while you were running." Haruka says as she relaxes in the hot springs, also using a towel to cover her waist.
The two boys are in the men's bathing area in the hot springs. (There is no mixed bathing or bathing between men and women here in Fic. There's just a women's bathing area and a men's bathing area. One next to the other). The two boys on opposite sides of the bath are just relaxing, enjoying the warm water on their feathers.
"What can I do? He's my favorite Karen Rider." Kazuma shrugged as he lowered himself into the water, leaving only his head sticking out.
"He's your favorite. And several others. Ahhh..." Haruka sighs, feeling relaxed.
"Of course. Decade is one of the best!" Kazuma shrugged as he chuckled.
"You still haven't told me how you died. Tell me?" Haruka says as she looks at her friend.
"Ahh man..." Kazuma looks away embarrassed. "I'm not really in the mood to talk about it..."
"Come on, man, I'm your friend. Friends share with friends. I told you my story, so tell me, how did you die?" Haruka asks, while looking a little anxious.
"Brrrr..." Kazuma snorts in frustration. "... I was run over by a tractor." Kazuma begs the heavens for Haruka not to ask any more.
"Oh, that's it?" Haruka giggles. "And I thought you died in a fire trying to save a child, saving a child from being run over, saving your friend from being stabbed or having a heart attack!" Haruka laughs comically, making fun of Kazuma's face.
"Wow... I saw that one coming!" Kazuma jeers back and they both start laughing.
[...]
(Dusk. 5:35pm.)
"Did they just run to the bath?" Yunyun asks as he reluctantly enters the thermal water wearing only a towel covering his body.
"Yes, but I still have a question..." Megumin says as she enters the hot spring also wearing only a towel covering her body.
"And what doubt would that be?" Darkness asks, though she's a little flushed, but she gets into the hot spring using a large towel to cover her huge breasts and below her waist.
The girls are in the bathroom. Of course, they're in the girls' wing because... they're girls.
"It's about this Decade guy. You've heard stories about him, haven't you?" Megumin asks Darkness.
"Well... yes." Darkness says as he relaxes from his bath. "My father used to tell me stories about a great warrior with magenta armor and green eyes. He fought bravely while using a sword and magic cards." Darkness speaks quietly.
"And when are these stories about?" Yunyun asks, taking an interest in the conversation.
"About 1200 years ago." Darkness said, not really caring.
"1200 years?" Yunyun and Megumin ask each other, looking at each other. They looked back at Darkness.
"If he lived over 1200 years ago... how did he send a letter to Haruka and Kazuma?" Yunyun asks.
"Hmm..." Darkness groans in relaxation. Until she rolls her eyes realizing what she's just said. "Wait, what?!" Darkness stands up excitedly. "C-How is that possible?!"
"How come he's from the past... and sent a letter to Haruka and Kazuma?" Yunyun wonders, feeling his head hurt.
"Hmm... Did he travel back in time?" Megumin asks with a hand on her chin.
"Or maybe-" Yunyun tries to speak, but hears a huge noise of breaking glass near them.
"What was that?" Darkness asks worriedly.
"I think someone at the inn knocked over some glass." Megumin She suggests.
"But the noise was too loud to be any glass." Yunyun says.
"Well..." Darkness sighs and sits down again, leaving his body submerged under the water. "That probably wasn't too bad."
"I just hope so." Megumin relaxes her body.
"Did someone get hurt?... hmmm..." Yunyun groans in frustration.
"But back to the previous subject." Megumin said, drawing the attention of both of them. "Who is this Decade guy?"
"From the stories I've heard, he was a warrior wearing beige armor who could use a sword and some kind of crossbow that didn't need arrows. And his spells were based on cards" Darkness says, leaning on a rock and relaxing his body as he feels the warm water hit his body.
"This hero seems pretty cool!" Yunyun says excitedly.
"Really, it's pretty cool!" Megumin also says excitedly.
"This story is quite famous, haven't you ever heard of it?" Darkness asks confused.
"No." Megumin and Yunyun say at the same time.
"NO WAY!" a male voice shouts in the bathroom next to the girls.
"What was that scream?" Yunyun asks.
"Calm down, man. It's just a request." Another male voice speaks, but this time the explosive magician recognizes it.
"Haruka? Haruka's in the bath." Megumin goes over to the bamboo wall to try and listen in on the conversation.
"M-Megumin, what are you doing?" Yunyun asks, embarrassed by the explosive magician's attitude.
"REQUEST?! HE LITERALLY WANTS US TO FIGHT A WAR!" The other male voice shouts, sounding very annoyed.
"Is that Kazuma?" Darkness asks, walking over to the bamboo wall and standing in the same posture as Megumin.
"Guys, what are you doing?" Yunyun asks nervously.
[...]
(A few minutes ago.)
"Tell me, which girl do you like the most?" Kazuma asks his friend.
"Well..." Haruka thinks for a few seconds. "I like spending time with Megumin, I like talking to Aqua, except when she starts drinking, then she gets really boring."
"I agree." Kazuma says without hesitation.
"About Darkness... she's nice, but when she gets all... "excited" I can't stand it, man." Haruka sighs.
"Yeah... I feel you all right." Kazuma says, puffing out his lips. "What about Yunyun?"
"What about her?" Haruka said, looking slightly flushed.
"What do you think of her?" Kazuma asks with a slightly mischievous smile on his face.
"Oh, yeah... it's just that... well I..." Haruka says hesitantly.
"Come on, man. Be honest with your friend. Tell me, what do you think of her?" Kazuma says, calming his friend down a little.
"Brrr..." Haruka sighs, calming down a little. "I quite like spending time with her... and I-" Haruka is interrupted when a huge glass portal appears in front of the two boys.
A glass portal, which in an instant becomes cracked and shatters. A person steps out of the portal and falls into the hot springs right in the middle of the two boys. The two are startled for a moment, but they realize that they have just landed in the middle of them.
"Decade!" The two boys say excitedly.
"Sorry to intrude on your bath, but I have something important to tell you." Decade said, turning to Haruka and Kazuma.
"What's up, man!" Haruka says in surprise as he rises from the water.
"Did you have to come like that?!" Kazuma says, slightly annoyed.
"I'm sorry about that. But tell me, how's your life as a Rider?" Decade asks, turning his attention to Kazuma.
"It's nice and all, but talk. Why did you contact us?" Kazuma asks the Rider in front of him.
"I'll be frank and direct. Soon there's going to be a huge fight between the Riders and the dimensional monsters. It's like a war between the Riders and these monsters." Decade explains.
"Wait... what?" Kazuma asks, still processing what Decade has just said.
"In short: if this chaos happens here, you'll have to-" Decade says, but is interrupted.
"NO WAY!" Kazuma shouts, irritated and surprised.
"Calm down, Kazuma. It's just in case the worst happens." Decade explains.
Calm down, man. It's just a request." Haruka says, approaching her friend.
"REQUEST?! HE LITERALLY WANTS US TO FIGHT IN A WAR!" Kazuma shouts at his friend.
"Hey, hey! You're not going to take part in that war." Decade says, drawing their attention. "You just need to keep an eye out in case those dimensional monsters show up here."
"Ah, if that's all then fine." Kazuma says.
"Wow, that's a quick change." Haruka says as she looks at her friend.
"I'm really sorry about that. I know you two already have your goals, like defeating the demon king." Decade explains as he picks up a letter.
"Are you leaving already?" Haruka asks, focusing on Decade.
"Dust, aren't you going to leave a farewell gift?" Kazuma says in an ironic tone.
Decade is about to put the letter in his Driver, but he hears Kazuma's ironic request and thinks for a moment.
"That's not such a bad idea." Decade says, causing the two boys to blink in confusion. "I'll teach each of you two skills. One will be parry and the other is secret."
Decade approaches the two boys, placing two fingers on their chests, causing a small light to appear on both of them. The boys feel a chill as Decade removes his fingers from the boys' chests.
"That should do it for now." Decade says.
"What... what did you do?" Haruka wonders, looking down at himself.
"Let's leave this as a surprise present... and you." Decade turns his attention to Kazuma. "You don't have one of these yet, do you?" Decade shows him a triangular piece of jewelry. "Take it!"
Decade throws the jewel to Kazuma, the boy catches it and sees that it's almost the same as Haruka's, but it has an arrow in the middle and halves of a circle around the arrow.
"It looks like Haruka's, but I still don't know what it is." Kazuma says to Decade.
"You'll find out." Decade puts the card in his Driver and says "Attack Ride - Portal!" A glass portal appears behind Decade and he enters it. "I need to go now. There are other worlds that need my help." Decade enters the portal and vanishes into thin air.
"Okay... but what is this jewel?" Kazuma asks as he stares at the jewel in his hands.
"We'll think about it later. Let's finish the bath soon." Haruka suggests, sitting back down and relaxing in the bath.
"Right..." Kazuma agrees, going back to relaxing in the bath. "Did he even say parry? The perry that's in video games?" Kazuma asks, realizing Decade's words.
"I think so, but we'll test it later." Haruka says, scooping up the water with her hands and splashing it on her own face.
(With the girls.)
"War? Are they going to war?" Darkness wonders. Ears on the wall.
"I don't think so." Megumin says, still trying to hear more. "He said they only need to act if these creatures get out of control."
"Guys, should we really be eavesdropping on their conversation?" Yunyun asks a little nervously.
"Be quiet!" Megumin mutters while still trying to listen to the conversation, but she hears nothing. "Did they leave?"
"Probably." Darkness shrugged as he went back to his bath to wash up.
"AHhh I wanted to be part of that war." Megumin mumbles slyly as she returns to her bath.
"Why do you want to go to this war so badly?" Yunyun asks as she gets back into the bath.
"Because it's a war! Imagine me, in a war, unleashing my explosive magic everywhere and taking out lots of enemies!" Megumin says excitedly as she raises her hand.
"We'll think about it later. Let's finish our bath." Darkness suggests and the two girls agree.
[...]
(Night.)
"Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why!" Aqua cries deeply as she buries her face in Kazuma's chest.
"What do you hear with her?" Haruka wonders as she takes a sip of her chocolate milk.
"Apparently, she was kicked out of the hot springs." Megumin says as she lies down on one of the beds.
"And that... *I cry* I tried... *Cry*" Aqua tries to speak, but continues to cry in Kazuma's arms. "It's just that... I tried to get into the hot springs, but they turned into normal water..." Aqua speaks, but it looks like she's going to cry again. "And... and they kicked me out!" Aqua starts crying like a child again while hugging Kazuma.
"Calm down, calm down." Kazuma strokes Aqua's head gently as she continues to cry.
"Calm down, Aqua. You can still use the bathtub at the hotel." Haruka suggests.
"NO!" Aqua screams in anger and frustration. "I came to this town for the cult of Axis and the hot springs, and I can't go in the hot springs!" Aqua screams angrily as she cries again in Kazuma's arms.
"My God... when will it end?" Kazuma thinks as he continues to try to calm Aqua down.
"Weoow!" Chomusuke meows as he walks over to Haruka.
"It's Chomusuke..." Haruka picks up the cat and lifts her onto her lap. "This situation is getting very complicated..." Haruka strokes Chomusuke.
[...]
"Okay, okay, guys! Let's calm down a bit!" Wiz said, trying to defuse the situation.
"Well, you can continue this conversation..." Megumin said, grabbing Chomusuke and jumping onto one of the beds. "I'm going to sleep."
"Yeah... I think we'd better sleep anyway." Kazuma says as he pushes away Aqua, who is still crying.
"Yeah, but..." Haruka says, looking at the beds. "There are seven of us and only three beds." Haruka points.
"Putz..." Kazuma realizes that the numbers don't really add up.
"So... what do we do now?" Yunyun asks a little nervously.
"Simple! We'll all sleep together!" Kazuma says bluntly.
"No way!" Darkness shouts embarrassed.
"I... I don't think that's a good idea!" Yunyun says in a low voice.
"And I'll never sleep next to you, Kazuma!" Megumin says angrily.
"Why would you suggest something like that?" Aqua asks in confusion.
"We have to take advantage of opportunities!" Kazuma says, not taking much notice.
"A- Can we do it another way?" Wiz asks nervously.
"Okay, guys!" Haruka says loudly, drawing the attention of everyone there. "There are three beds for seven people, so let's make pairs. Two people sleeping in one bed."
Everyone looks at Haruka, and remains silent at his suggestion until one person breaks the silence.
"But then there will be one person left." Aqua says, breaking the silence.
"Then one bed will hold three." Haruka walks over to a bed and lays her upper body on it, while her legs stick out. "I'll sleep with Kazuma. You two sort it out."
"Wait a minute, I didn't agree to that!" Kazuma says, but there's no reply. Just a whisper and a slight snore from Haruka. "He's already asleep..." Kazuma sighs at the situation. "Whatever!"
Kazuma goes over to the bed and lies down on the other side of the bed Haruka was in, falling asleep next to him.
"They're fast asleep." Yunyun said impressed.
"Ahh I don't like this situation!" Aqua crosses her arms in annoyance.
"Uhf!" Megumin snorts angrily. "If they're going to suggest it... then I can do a little something!" Megumin speaks with a sadistic smile while waving her hands awkwardly.
"If you do anything tinny, we'll stick your head in the toilet." Kazuma and Haruka speak at the same time before going back to sleep.
The girls remain silent at their words. Megumin decides not to do anything, as she is well aware of Kazuma's ability to do something worse.
PAUSE
(Next morning.)
"This city is in danger!" Aqua says with determination.
"What are you talking about?" Kazuma asks as he takes a sip of his coffee.
The group was having breakfast in a restaurant. Until Aqua brought up the subject of the hot springs.
"The guy who looks after the hot springs told me that the quality of the hot springs has been declining lately." Aqua explains to the others. "Probably the demon king's army realized that they wouldn't win in a direct confrontation with my followers. So he started attacking the source of income! The hot springs!" Aqua speaks proudly of her deduction.
"Wow... how terrible!..." Kazuma says, not really caring.
"Believe me!" Aqua says, slapping the table.
"Look, I believe the truth is that most people don't like the Axis cult." Megumin says while caressing Chomusuke. "But why bother with such an elaborate conspiracy?"
Haruka and Yunyun just eat their toast while listening to Aqua and the others talk.
Aqua knocks on the table again. "I'm going to raise this city with my own hands! But I want to know if you're going to help me or not?"
"Too bad, I'm too busy walking around the city." Kazuma says as he rests his head on his arm and looks away, uninterested in the subject of the city.
Aqua listens to Kazuma's words in disbelief.
"I already know very well how horrible the Axis cult is." Megumin says as she focuses her attention on Chomusuke. "Then I don't even dare to get involved."
"Meoow!" Chomusuke meows boredly.
Aqua turns to Haruka and Yunyun, waiting for them to say something.
"Look... I didn't really like coming here." Yunyun says, avoiding eye contact with Aqua.
"I haven't spent enough time with these freaks to want to defend them... and I don't want to spend any more time." Haruka says a little irritated as he takes a drink of milk.
"Ahhh why do you have to be like this?!" Aqua shouts sadly as she knocks on the table. "You don't have to hate my followers like that!"
"Not that I do..." Haruka says. "It's just that if I see one of these crazy people asking for help because their cat is stuck in a tree, I'll take the cat from the tree and leave."
"Don't talk like that!" Aqua shouts sadly. "What about you, Darkness?"
"Hm? Me?" Darkness asks in surprise.
"You're going to help me, aren't you?" Aqua says, approaching her.
"Eh, well... it's just..." Darkness tries to divert the subject.
"Please!" Aqua cries out as she throws herself at Darkness.
"This is going to be a long day..." Kazuma thinks in frustration.
[...]
Kazuma and Megumin were sitting on a bench while eating some cookies.
"In this calm, the city even seems more beautiful." Kazuma says as he eats another cookie.
"Indeed. The only problem is the people." Megumin says as she finishes her cookie.
"ahhh you two there! What's the secret of this pot?" A woman speaks as she approaches the two.
"Not again!" The two of them shout mentally as the woman approaches...
"If you want to know more about these secrets, just join the cult of Axis. And you could win one of these! Let's go! What do you think? No need to be nervous!" The woman spoke as she approached the two uncomfortably.
Kazuma and Megumin quickly get up and start walking away from the woman, but it doesn't do much good. Two more people corner them and start talking to them.
"What are you doing? Take this, young man!" A woman follows them while offering something like soap.
"Take that, young lady!" A man follows the woman and I offer him a cloth with the Cult of Axis print on it.
"If you join the cult now, you get another one for free!" The woman says with a sadistic look.
"Hey, why don't you listen to me!" The man asks as he approaches Kazuma. "This is for your own good! For your own good!" The man grabs Kazuma as he gets too close to his face.
[...]
Kazuma and Megumin are leaning on a wall as they both look out over the city's huge river.
"Do you think I could swallow a bar of soap?" Megumin says while keeping his focus on the huge river.
"Where's Haruka at a time like this?" Kazuma wonders, knowing full well that Haruka doesn't take any trouble at home.
Kazuma sighs, before moving his head and seeing someone strange on a pier near the river.
A strange man, holding two huge bags full of pamphlets from the Cult of Axis, not just the bags, but his pants and shirt then filled with the pamphlets.
"I don't have that much to wash..." the man mutters while keeping his gaze focused and his eyes wide. "Detergent bar, detergent bar, detergent bar, detergent bar, detergent bar, detergent bar, detergent bar, DETERGENT BAR!" The man shouts hatefully as he throws the bags containing the leaflets into the river.
Kazuma watched in awe, but the man turned his gaze on Kazuma and the young man felt a chill run down his spine.
"Kazuma!" Wiz says as he runs up to Kazuma.
"Ah, hi Wiz! You overslept, didn't you?" Kazuma says as he sees Wiz approaching.
The man sees Wiz and quickly vanishes as fast as he appeared.
"Yeah, right!" Wiz says slightly embarrassed. "It's just that Aqua kicked me in the wee hours of the morning so I couldn't sleep properly."
"Yeah... I know that." Kazuma thinks back to his time at the stables.
"What are you doing now, anyway?" Wiz asks.
"Well, we were trying to get away for a bit, because-" Kazuma looks at the pier and sees that the man is no longer there. "Hey, where's that guy?"
"There was a detergent, no, there was a man there." Megumin says while keeping her gaze on the river.
"Wow, even where are the others? When I woke up, I was alone in the room." Wiz says to Kazuma.
"Oh, Haruka said he was going to the cafeteria to buy some hamburgers. I don't know about Aqua, Yunyun and Darkness." Kazuma explains until he hears a familiar voice.
"Defeat the demon king! Death to the demons!" A female voice speaks and everyone turns to listen.
"That voice!" Megumin turns to where the voice is coming from.
"I have a bad feeling about this!" Kazuma thinks nervously.
[...]
Kazuma, Wiz, and Megumin run to where the voice is coming from. When they get there, they see a crowd and a certain blue-haired girl surrounded by people while shouting at everyone.
"Defeat the demon king! Death to the demons!" Aqua shouts with the crowd of people paying attention to her. "My dear and faithful church of Axis! The demon king's army is sabotaging this city!"
"City." Darkness adds, speaking quietly and nervously as he stands next to Aqua.
"Do you know exactly what they're doing? Poisoning the hot springs! And their act of evil has already been confirmed by several spas!" Aqua says as he stands with his arms raised.
"Several spas." Darkness adds quietly.
"Look, I was in the hot springs and there was nothing wrong with them." A woman in the crowd says.
"That's because I was touring the hot springs and purifying them for you!" Aqua replies proudly.
"She stayed all morning to tour the hot springs?" Kazuma mutters, watching Aqua.
"What's up, Kazuma!" A male voice speaks and Kazuma turns around.
"Oh, hi! Haruka! Have you bought the burgers yet?" Kazuma says, seeing Haruka approach them with Yunyun.
"Yes, take that!" Haruka hands Kazuma a burger and the two of them start eating their snacks.
"What's going on?" Yunyun asks while sipping a chocolate milkshake.
"Aqua's saying something about the hot springs." Megumin says and notices the milkshake. "Hey! Didn't you buy one for me?"
"Eh, it's just... it's..." Yunyun says nervously, looking away.
"Then give me some of yours!" Megumin goes up to Yunyun and the two start having a little fight over the milkshake.
"Leave them." Kazuma says, nudging Aqua.
"But we can't give up yet! That's why I'd like to ask for your help!" Aqua says to the crowd. "So, until this case is resolved, please don't use the hot springs." Aqua speaks like a saint to the people.
"But this is a spa town, priestess." A man from the crowd speaks while crossing his arms. "If we tell people not to use the hot springs, which are our number one attraction, we'll have a big problem!"
"And why would the demon king's army do that?" A woman next to the man asks.
"Because they intend to cut off the Axis church's source of income." Aqua speaks to the crowd. "Yes, the demon king's army is afraid of the faith of Axis. And this has nothing to do with me preventing you from using the baths, because it would be very unfair if I alone couldn't use them. Now, dear faithful of Axis, listen-" Aqua is cut off.
"There she is!" A man speaks up, drawing everyone's attention. "That's the woman who turned the hot springs into normal water!" The man points to Aqua, along with a few other men.
"Hey, wait a minute-" Aqua tries to explain, but the men won't let her.
"Now! Get her!" Another guy points at Aqua.
"Let's arrest her! Someone get a rope!" Another guy says.
The crowd starts getting louder and complaining to Aqua, while the Goddess tries to calm them down.
"Now things have gotten interesting!" Kazuma says, taking another bite of his burger as he grabs a glass of soda and takes a sip. (Where did he get the soda? I don't even know.)
"N-No, it's not that guys!" Aqua tries to speak up and defuse the situation, but people keep complaining and talking loudly.
"Guys, I think Aqua's going to start crying!" Wiz says nervously to the boys.
"Guys, please calm down and listen to me!" Aqua despairs a little. Aqua despairs a little. "There, Darkness! Don't just stand there. Do something! Just like I showed you!" Aqua approaches Darkness, while Darkness looks nervous. "You should ask the church of Axis for help, girl, stop being embarrassed and speak up!" Aqua demands of Darkness while sounding cold from the pressure of the people.
"Ah... please help the cult of Axis." Darkness speaks softly while looking extremely nervous.
"Speak up, Blondie!" A man in the crowd shouts at Darkness.
"Should we interfere?" Haruka asks as she takes a bite of her burger.
"No, just leave it a bit longer." Kazuma says, finishing his burger.
"AHh all right!" Aqua shouts. "I'll reveal my identity!" Aqua says, drawing everyone's attention. "Honorable followers of the Axis faith, my name is Aqua. Yes, I am the one you worship. Aqua the Water Goddess!" Aqua raises her arm to the people with her eyes closed and her other hand on her chest. "And I made a point of coming all this way to help you!"
The people look at Aqua with admiration for a few seconds, but that all changes in a few breaths.
"Bullshit!" A man shouts, making Aqua swallow dry as she gets nervous.
"If you think you can pretend to be Aqua just because you have blue hair and blue eyes, you'll be damned!" An elderly woman shouts.
"She has to be sacrificed! She has to be thrown into the lake!" A man shouts angrily.
Aqua sounds cold as she listens to people's hurtful words.
"YOU LIAR!" A child shouts at Aqua.
"I bet you're a servant of the demon king, who came to this town to bring bankruptcy to the hot springs!" A man shouts while pointing at Aqua.
Aqua shudders in disbelief at the man's accusation, as her hopes are slowly dashed.
"I'm telling the truth! I am the Goddess of Water!" Aqua shouts as if she's about to burst into tears.
"Is this it?" Haruka asks as she finishes eating her burger.
"Yes, now." Kazuma finishes his soda and throws the glass away.
The crowd gets angrier and looks like they're going to attack Aqua. Kazuma and Haruka activate their Rider powers. (Haruka managed to evolve the Amazon's Boxes and consequently staged the skill for Kazuma when they had free time). The two jump through people. Managing to avoid some and step on others by choice.
"Hey, what are you..." Aqua asks, but Kazuma catches her, carrying her on his shoulder.
"No time." Kazuma says, jumping through the crowd.
"And you too!" Haruka jumps in front of Darkness and quickly catches her, also carrying her on his shoulder.
The two of them go skipping through the crowd while jumping on a few people. They make it back to Wiz, Megumin and Yunyun.
"What are you two doing?" Wiz asks before Kazuma grabs his clothes and tucks them under his arm.
"NO TIME!" Kazuma shouts running from the crowd.
"Hey, what's that?" Megumin questions, but Haruka catches her. Putting Megumin on her back. "Hey, what's that?"
"Let's get away from these crazy people!" Haruka says, going over to Yunyun and grabbing her around the waist as she starts running with the three of them.
"Hey! They're getting away!" A woman says pointing at them who start running away.
People try to catch up, but the two boys jump up. They manage to climb onto the roofs of the houses and lose the angry crowd.
PAUSE
"Ahhh why?!" Aqua cries as she lies on the bed and moves all over the place. "But I'm the Goddess here! That's very mean Ahhhh!" Aqua continues to cry as she covers her face with a pillow. "Why was I lynched by my own followers!?"
"Aqua, calm down! You don't have to cry like that." Yunyun sits on the bed next to Aqua as she tries to calm her down.
"Look, I know you're upset, but calling yourself a Goddess is already too much." Megumin says as she picks up Chomusuke.
"Meow?" Chomusuke meowed in confusion.
"A-Aqua, here. I drank it to calm down a bit." Wiz approaches Aqua carrying a cup of tea for her.
"WIZZZ!" Aqua throws herself at Aqua and holds her clothes while she cries in her arms.
"A-Aqua calm down!" Wiz says a little despairingly. "If you cry like that, your aura will affect me!" Wiz becomes a little transparent from Aqua's tears.
"I want a drink." Aqua says, stopping crying.
"Are you really that upset?" Kazuma says as he sits down on the sofa.
"Aqua, these people are pure madness. So why try to protect them?" Haruka asks in a tired voice. Already fed up with these crazy people.
"I have to..." Aqua says a little sadly. Aqua says a little sadly. "If I leave them, they'll get sick from the polluted water." Aqua says a little sheepishly.
The group looks at Aqua, with a little sadness in their eyes.
"Defeat the demon king! Death to the demons!" A mixture of voices speaks.
The group is surprised by the voices, and they look out of the window onto the street. Moving the curtain, they see a huge crowd of the people of Arcanretia and some followers of the church holding sticks and torches.
"What is it?..." Kazuma looks at the crowd in shock.
"Defeat the demon king! Death to the demons! Defeat the demon king! Death to the demons! Defeat the demon king! Death to the demons! Defeat the demon king! Death to demons!" The crowd continues to shout as they surround the hotel where Kazuma and his group are staying.
"What the hell is this?!" Haruka is surprised by the crowd.
"What is this?!" Aqua quickly gets out of bed and goes to the window with a smile. "Have my faithful finally believed me?" Aqua goes to the window and looks out at the crowd.
"THERE SHE IS!" A man shouts pointing at Aqua, who is standing at the window.
"THAT IMPOSTER IS A WITCH!" A woman shouts indignantly at Aqua.
Kazuma and Aqua despair at the crowd, while Haruka slaps herself in the face.
"KILL THE WITCH!" The people shout as they surround the hotel.
End of chapter.
Note: What a thing, huh? These people from Arcanretia are really crazy. And as you've read, Decade is worried about a possible "war", but that's not for now. And in the next chapter I want to do a little something about this group, because did you notice? The Amazons aren't appearing so much anymore...