I don't own anything. All characters and all rights belong to Natsume Akatsuki*

M for mature topics. No children allowed. *

Konosuba (Not): Thanatos Blessing Upon This Broken World

By Try Another Time

Countdown before the next wave: 3 days.

Ice sculptures fell one after the other before new ones grew from the fallen pieces to replace the fallen ones. The cycle continued for many hours as a single reaper pushed on while throwing dark knives with inhuman precision at each target.

"Why is magic so hard to master?" Kazuma shouted as he ran around and shot dark magic knives at the weak points of each ice sculpture.

"Is either repetition or putting all your skill points into the skill to get it to grow up. We can't have you putting those points into it now. It is best to upgrade the skill naturally. It will also help you to keep your train up." Yunyun said as she floated on top of the icy training field she had created for Kazuma.

"It has been hours. I'm reaching the limit of my stamina!" The reaper shouted as he shot three more knives out. Suddenly, one of the three knives changed shape until it was a small scythe. "That's new."

Yunyun descends to examine the mysterious projectile from closer. "Yes, this is proof of a skill evolution. Let's check your card."

Kazuma approaches her before taking out the card. "Minor darkness- Intermediate darkness. It does seem like it evolved."

"Told you so. The more someone uses a skill, the higher the skill level becomes. Do you think I gained all these masteries by copying them from others?" Yunyun asked as she showed her card to Kazuma.

The reaper shakes his head. "I don't doubt your words. You've been adventuring for years. Masteries come with experience and hard work. I doubt we possess enough skill points to gain masteries so easily."

Yunyun nods. "I try to save my skill points for such cases if there's a specific skill I want to obtain. I only used them when Megumin gained High Spell Casting, Magic Combo, and Multi-Casting. Any spell caster would need such things, and each skill requires many points. At least ten skill points for each skill."

"Ten whole skill points…. It must have taken you a lot of time to gather them." Kazuma assumes.

"It did." Yunyun leans against an ice statue before turning her gaze towards the ceiling. "We joined many groups as temporal party members and faced many challenges for years because everyone wants the experience from monsters. We were disliked because we had the power to erase almost anything in our path, so our jobs became much more challenging. They didn't want to share the experience, and we had to wait until we were against the ropes against strong enemies to be allowed to act. Imagine having a team of 10 members and waiting until you only have six alive to allow your spell casters to do their job."

Kazuma nods. "I can see why it would be difficult, and the higher levels required more experience, making it harder to join weaker parties. Yet you two made it happen. You got this far, although you faced adversity."

Yunyun smiles. "We did…. We pushed and pushed until we reached the current status quo." Her eyes then turn to face Kazuma. "And there's you. A mysterious adventurer who came from far away, a land without magic, to help this broken world of ours. I still have some concerns about you and Aqua, but I'm getting accustomed to you two."

Kazuma looks at the palm of his hand. "I understand your concerns. I… this mission was the only way to return to my homeland. If there had been another way, I would have chosen it, but there were none besides this mission. So I won't stop until it is over. That is all the assurance I can give to you. I don't care for the cheers, fame, or price for the heads of the demon lords. I will be gone once it is all over."

"... You say that, but what about Darkness? You heard her declaration. She won't back down from her mission to gain your affection. She likes you, and I can tell you it is not going away that easily." Yunyun says.

Kazuma shakes his head. "She will get tired of me at some point. I'm not the person she wants as a significant other. I lack aspirations and dreams for the future; someone even called me dull, like a cement block."

"Cement? As in the one used for walls?"

Kazuma nods. "... I had three relationships throughout my life, and neither lasted past a month. I already came to terms with the fact that I'm not material for marriage or a long-lasting relationship. I lack what girls were looking back in my homeland."

Yunyun examines Kazuma from head to toe. "... Maybe your homeland and this world differ in that sense. What most women look for in this world is someone willing to put everything on the line to protect their significant other, to take a sword and fight to keep them safe. In a world where death is an everyday occurrence, a man who is determined, fierce, strong, and calm in the face of danger will attract the attention of most females. Some women want a lavish lifestyle, but those are the kind that go out to get it with their own hands. Some women in towns wish to have a husband to provide for them and return home in one piece daily. And finally, some just want to achieve a goal before settling down. Most female adventurers settle down with their party members instead of random people because they trust them. If Darkness says she likes you, I doubt she'll give up. She saw something in you that she likes, although you can't see it, so don't sell yourself short."

"Thanks, but the reality is often disappointing. I won't let-" Kazuma stops as Yunyun flicks her finger and hits his head.

"Dumbass, don't let the past define your present day. If you fall a thousand times, get up a thousand times. If a thousand women call you dull, thousands out there will see it differently. In this world, the only assured thing is death unless you have a priest who can try to revive you. This world might be broken, but there's hope if you look closely enough. People like me and Megumin will retire from active adventuring before we settle down somewhere…. Maybe even our old home as we try to revive our clan." Yunyun admits as she recalls the vision she saw due to the power of the Incubus.

There was a pain in her face as she recalled the many bodies she had to bury alongside Megumin.

"... Have you given up on any of them surviving the attack?" Kazuma asked as he saw the pain on her face.

"... I had to. It was easier than continuing to look without an end in sight. I buried my dad, Megumin buried her mother, and we couldn't find her sister or father amongst the corpses. Schoolmates, uncles, aunts, and adults that we knew throughout our childhood were dead or gone without a sign of their destination. Chasing phantoms would only hurt us to no end. The best we can do is to take revenge against those who attacked us by eliminating their leaders and maybe finding a way to stop their whole race. After all is done, Megumin and I will find peace before we can return to the village." Yunyun said as she recalled the pain of not finding clues for months until they accepted the 'truth.'

"But what if we found clues about them? What if there was any chance of there being survivors? Wouldn't you want to do anything to rescue them?" Kazuma asks with concern in his eyes.

"Why do you ask? Your mission is to eliminate the demon lords. You said yourself." Yunyun glares at him with a cold expression.

Kazuma senses her animosity. "... I know my mission, but I'm not blind to your pain or the state of this world. My parents are gone, but my brother is alive, and if he were to disappear, I… would have sacrificed everything looking for him. I know my mission, but if there's any chance of survivors, I want you two to go after them. I'll continue my mission alongside Darkness and Aqua, but you two will have a place to return. Don't let go of your home for the sake of revenge. I'll take care of that."

"..." Yunyun was shocked after hearing such words. This stranger told her to go back home if they were to find survivors after so long. This mysterious reaper told her to choose a path that seemed like a hopeful dream. Her mind tried to imagine a day she could return to the village alongside the survivors and Megumin, but like before, it seemed too unreal to be true. "... If we ever find survivors….. If we ever find clues that could lead us to them…. I'll owe you one, but until then, I can't make such a promise."

Kazuma nods. "That's reasonable enough. Just remember that you have a place you belong to. Let's end our training. I'm starting to feel hungry."

Yunyun watched as the reaper walked away without saying another word. "What about you? Do you have a place to return? Is your homeland the place you belonged to?" After hearing about the small things, he told them about his homeland and life; concerns arose within Yunyun about Kazuma. "A life so devoid of hope or joy is truly a life? It seems real when you smile before us, but do you even smile back in your homeland? Why do you wish to return so badly to that place?"

Questions continued to arise one after the other as the Elemental Lord tried to decipher the puzzle that Kazuma was.

Hours later, in the bedroom.

"He told you all that?" Megumin asked as she brushed Chomusuke's fluffy hair coat.

"He did," Yunyun admits.

"He is that kind of guy. The reports on him described him as a rather good-hearted fellow." Aqua admits.

"Make sense why he was chosen. Determined, mature, lacks aspirations of grandeur or fame, good-hearted, has a mind that can adapt to his environment, and above all, capable of leading a team; your leader must have been keeping an eye on him for this mission." Megumin said as she faced Aqua.

Aqua waves her hand. "Nah, it was rather unexpected and unplanned. Kazuma was available at the right place and time… well, that and he was offered something he couldn't achieve without help. I wish he had something else driving his actions, but he only wants to return home. A life without joys or connections seems off to me, but I can't try to change him."

Yunyun looks worried. "You know about him. Was his life before so different compared to now?"

Aqua takes a second to reply as she considers what to say. "In terms of his homeland and the society he was part of, Kazuma was just another gear in a mechanism that kept moving. Kazuma was part of a country with millions of citizens with different circumstances. Regarding the expectations of said society, Kazuma was a semi-proper gear, a working man with no issues with the laws. If anything, the only problem would be that he was single and without children. His society puts more pressure on any male to be a successful adult who gains money, pays taxes, and has a family with kids. The same applies to women around his age. Everyone should be part of the large machine that is the nation like gears with limited freedom."

"That's… horrible. How did he live in such an environment?" Megumin asks.

"Promises. Kazuma made many promises to his mother after his father passed away. Said promises are what kept him moving forward. 'I'll be a proper adult.' 'I'll help you to take care of things at home.' 'I'll make sure that my brother gets to graduate.' 'I'll work to gain money.' He made many promises to her, pushing him to achieve goal after goal. He went back to school, worked to gain money, graduated, got into higher education, worked while still at school, graduated again, and overworked himself within a bad company to pay for everything needed; he overworked himself like a machine for years. He didn't stop even after his mother passed away. Kazuma became a machine with little to no freedom, yet he didn't cry for help or stop. He became subservient to the routine and the promises he made." Aqua says as she recalls the reports.

"... Goddess… that…. How…. Is Kazuma alright?" Megumin asked.

"He's sleeping more and eating far better than in the past. That's already a positive, but I'm concerned about what will happen if he returns to his homeland. Will he return to the routine? Will he overwork himself again? Will it kill him…. I hope that he chooses another path." Aqua's expression demonstrated genuine concern as she recalled how all of this started because Kazuma lost his life because he couldn't run away from a car involved in a severe accident.

Far too tired to get away and far too weak to survive the trip to the hospital. His fate was sealed in stone, and if he was to return…. Maybe it was going to happen again.

"So, you hope he decides to stay here instead of returning to his homeland?" Yunyun asks.

"That or at least some assurance that Kazuma won't do the same things if he were to return to his homeland. Kazuma needs to care more about his life. A life like the one he had back then was not a life anyone would wish on another." Aqua continues. "He already did enough to make up for his promises; he does no need to continue on the same path. Now that I think about it, Kazuma staying with Darkness sounds better than anything else."

"What? You think that Darkness is the right choice for him?" Megumin questions the dark priestess as she raises her voice.

"There's mutual attraction, but there has to be a more profound connection for that to work. Darkness has a long path ahead if she genuinely wishes to make Kazuma fall for her; her feelings need to be genuine; otherwise, it won't work. I will object if her feelings aren't genuine." Aqua declares with a determined expression.

Yunyun examines her with careful attention. "He said there's nothing between you two, but you seem to care more about Kazuma than anyone else. Do you have a secret crush on him?"

"Me?" Aqua points at herself. "Never, someone such as I can never be in a relationship with a mortal. I mean, Kazuma doesn't look too bad, and he's a rather welcoming ally, but us being a couple is ridiculous."

"How so?" Megumin joins in with an inquisitive expression like a cat that seems to have found something interesting.

Chomusuke joins in as she stares at the dark priestess.

Aqua feels the pressure as the three sets of eyes remain focused on her. "I mean, we come from different places. Different social statuses as well. Once the mission is over, we won't see each other again. Kazuma and I are only partners at the moment. It is just a temporal alliance, so I am doing my best to support him."

"Does supporting him involve objecting to who gets to romance Kazuma?" Megumin pushes the knife in.

"I have to… if I don't, Kazuma might get hurt again. Kazuma told you about his past, didn't he? His past relationships haven't ended well." Aqua continues to spill the soup.

"So you claim just to be afraid for the sake of an ally?" Yunyun.

"Yes!" Aqua.

"You're sure this is your final answer?" Megumin.

"Totally!" Aqua.

"She's done for." The dual casters told themselves as they saw signs of future events.

Megumin sights. "Well, that just tells me you won't get in anyone's way for the moment if the team does go for that route…. Darkness is going to fight for him, no matter what."

Yunyun nods. "Is the adventurer's curse to be trapped in this cycle. Remember three years ago?"

Megumin slaps her face. "That priestess and monk lady were out for us because they wanted the warrior of the party. I understand why those adventurers from five years ago claimed it was better if they teamed up with their significant others. They were trying to avoid all the drama."

"We can still evade that route. We just need not to get involved with Kazuma. If someone I know doesn't blush too much when she's around him, we'll be fine." Yunyun jokes.

Megumin blushes. "Hey, all of you lied to me, saying that he had proposed to me and then…. Kazuma saw all of me…. Goddess…. I can't ever forget how my purity was taken away in such a pathetic way."

Yunyun shakes her head. "In all of my years, I never found myself so ashamed… I mean, I understand that it was beyond his control, but for him to see me naked…. Father, your poor daughter can't get married anymore."

Aqua saw the two with some sense of comradery until she recalled how it had become a regular thing to share a bath with Kazuma after some days. "We saved money by bathing alongside him within Axel, and it gives a sense of security that he will get in the way of anyone who tries to infiltrate the bath."

Megumin and Yunyun turned to her with questioning faces. "You bathe with him before this dungeon?"

Aqua slowly nods. "We couldn't use the public baths. We had to pay for the private baths. I mean, Kazuma is not staring at my boobs, and he usually closes his eyes. He tends to keep to himself and just enjoy the warm water."

"What about what Darkness said? They kissed!" Both spell casters shout.

"That started on this dungeon. I don't recall Kazuma and Darkness doing anything similar in Axel. They must have gotten closer inside this dungeon." Aqua says. "And to quote him, 'We didn't do anything. Just because the towel fell and I saw your body doesn't mean you're impure.' So be at ease; Kazuma won't go around talking about how he saw you naked. I doubt he's that kind of man."

"How can you be sure?" Megumin asks.

Aqua's face turns cold. "If he were to spread rumors about me or someone else, I would impale him with a sharp stake the size of a greatsword, even if I had to endure the pain alongside him. I wouldn't show him any mercy if Kazuma were to act like a perverted teenager."

Both spell casters gulp as they see this side of Aqua. Neither expected something like it, but there seemed to be more behind the silly, dark priestess.

Meanwhile, inside the bath.

Kazuma felt a cold sensation running down his back as if someone had mentioned his name. His eyes turned around to examine the bath, but he couldn't find anyone.

"Is there's an issue?" Darkness asked as she sat next to him while cleansing her body.

"No… I just felt a dark presence. As if someone wanted me dead." Kazuma admitted.

Darkness examines the room. "I think it is only you and me. Maybe the girls are talking behind our backs about how close we are."

"Darkness, if you keep saying that, people will think we're a couple," Kazuma says.

Darkness smirks as she leans into him with her chest. "But that's what I want. I'm out to get your heart, Mr. Reaper."

Kazuma starts to blush as she pushes her breast into him. "I'm… not the right option. There are better suitors out there, Lalatina."

"Oh, someone is being extra daring today." Darkness puts her arms around his neck. "Repeat it for me."

Kazuma's eyes are locked with hers. "...Lala…tina?"

Darkness smiles before she rests her head on his shoulder. "It has been a long time since anyone used my real name. The last time someone did was the day I entered the academy. My father asked me if I was truly doing the right thing…. That was the last time I saw him."

"... Lalatina…" Kazuma puts his arms around her. "... I know it doesn't get any better with time. The pain doesn't go away…. We just learn how to live with it."

Darkness nods as she agrees with his statement. "We carry on with the scars."

The two continued to embrace for a while longer before they entered the pool's warm waters, where they continued to share the past with each other.