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
The same usual alarm went off as the time marked 5:02 AM.
"Five more minutes….." Kazuma stretched his hand to turn off the alarm, only to stop himself as his mind kicked into high gear. Kazuma's eyes opened up with distress as he sat up in a bed resembling his old bed back in Japan. His eyes looked around only to see an uncanny copy of his old room with little to no difference. Everything was the same, from the small laptop to the figures he collected.
"Was it all a dream?..." Kazuma touched his face as he tried to see if it was real. The feeling was uncanny as the sensation was as realistic as it came. His body seemed normal as he wore the same pajamas he usually used. Kazuma examined the room again, and his mind began to think that all he had experienced before must have been an insane dream. Yet, something in the back of his mind was screaming at him that all of this was wrong. "... No, this seems off. I know it wasn't just a dream."
The reaper jumped off the bed before running towards his small home's front door. As soon he tried to open the door, his fears were confirmed as the door wouldn't budge. He tried several times, yet the door wouldn't budge, as if something was keeping him trapped.
"Another fellow Japanese citizen. Aqua has a soft spot for our countrymen." A masculine voice with a distinctive eerie tone was heard from the back of the room.
Kazuma's eyes turned in the direction of the voice only to watch a dark demonic figure emerge from the back wall. As the figure appeared, the room began to crumble around them, revealing an endless space.
The floor beneath both Kazuma and the mysterious arrival turned into a pure blue ocean, while the sky above was bright with a mixture of warm yellows and reds.
"I was expecting a darker mindscape. People like us don't tend to have warm dreams. Aqua tends to choose those with regrets about their past lives. You're a curious choice." The demonic figure says as his red eyes examine Kazuma from head to toe.
"Dream…. So this is my dream. I hope this works." After realizing this, Kazuma focuses until his appearance changes to resemble his vessel outside the dream. With his scythe in hand, Kazuma pointed its blade at the demonic figure facing him. "Who are you?"
The figure smirks with its monstrous mouth. "It shouldn't be hard to decipher, but I'll gladly present myself. My name is Rephilis I, the first demon lord. I-"
Rephilis didn't get to finish as he was forced to jump away as Kazuma rushed forward with the intent to decapitate him.
"Oh, that's not nice. I came here to talk, and here you are, attacking me without any hesitation. You seemed to ignore what I am!" Rephilis creates several magical circles that start to fire spells at Kazuma.
"Thanatos-sama, if you're watching, I might need some help." The reaper's eyes go completely black as he starts to evade every spell like some kind of dark lighting, which leaves after images behind his every movement. His body heats up as an unnatural drive pushes him to kill the target before him. Mind, body, soul, and heart agreed as they sought to eliminate Rephilis.
"You ignore who I am as well, Rephilis. My mission is to eliminate all demon lords, and you're the guiltiest of all of them. I have witnessed the scars your actions have created, and I know for a fact that as this hunt continues, my decision will be reaffirmed as I witness what your demons have done to this world. The lives you have taken, the cities you have destroyed, the innocents you have corrupted, and those you have scarred for life. I don't know and don't care why you invaded my dreams, but I will not stop until all demon lords are dead." Kazuma shouted as his body let go of any restraints and turned into a weapon for a single purpose.
A reaper who wouldn't let go of his prey.
Rephilis gulps as he senses danger. His eyes watch as their surroundings change into a far more unwelcoming environment. The water turns dark, and dark clouds cover the area while his body reacts to a second presence. The demon lord tries to evade and block Kazuma's attacks, but his defenses seem to dwindle as if Kazuma or something else was influencing the dream. "Is this really what you want? Will you ignore and discard the possibility of being much more than a pawn for the gods? Think about it. Joining me will get you everything you could ever wish for."
The reaper ignores anything that comes out from Rephilis. "I don't care for your offers!" Kazuma's attacks grow faster and stronger as a deadly figure arises from the depts.
Rephilis fears turn real as Thanatos' large skeletal hands reach out to aid the reaper as they try to trap Rephilis before dragging him to the depths from whence he couldn't escape anymore.
"What are you? This is beyond anything Aqua has done before. A human can't have such control over their dreams." Rephilis decides to go on the offensive, but his movements stop as soon as a new voice joins the party.
"Sinful mortal, you have guts for daring to try to corrupt my agent. You went against the natural order of life and death while also challenging the goddess who blessed you with a new life. Your sins befit a punishment like no other. By the name of Thanatos, you shall meet your demise." Thanatos says as his large hands grab a hold of his prey.
"Let me go!" Rephilis screams as his demonic face shows genuine fear. "This was not part of the plan." His body feels the intense godly strength of Thanatos, who seeks to crush all of his organs and muscles until he's unable to move an inch.
Kazuma approaches the struggling demon lord with an expression that takes the air out of anyone who witnesses it. Pure hatred and disgust mixed in with a massive amount of killing intent.
"Monster!" Rephilis called out as he locked eyes with Kazuma's blackened eyes. To the demon lord, Kazuma seemed like someone possessed by a power beyond this realm. No human should be able to pull the stunt he was doing nor show such a killing intent.
"Corrupting and recruiting other reincarnated individuals such as yourself. That has been your approach since you started to walk this path. Aqua failed to stop you, to bring an agent capable of seeing the truth. You're a pathetic individual who fears judgment for his sins, but I assure you that my agent won't fail." Thanatos says as Kazuma comes within range of his prey.
The reaper raises his scythe. "Get out of my head and remember this face really well. I'm coming for you and all the others. None shall survive. I promise that my scythe will claim each of your heads." The scythe descends as it severs the head of the demon lord, which screams in anger until its last moments.
The dream begins to crumble as soon as the head sinks into the water below.
"Time to wake up, Kazuma. Remember his face and what he seeks to achieve. That sinner won't stop. He will continue to try to consume everything on his path. Don't fall for his tricks, Kazuma." Thanatos says as his large arms sink back into the waters beneath.
Kazuma nods in silence as he witnesses the end of his dream. His eyes look at the corpse of Rephilis as it dissolves, as if it was never there, to begin with. "I'll make this into a reality when we meet again."
With that, the dream ends as everything crumbles into darkness.
In the real world.
Kazuma awoke with the first rays of the sun, which started to hit his face as they pierced through the tent. As he sat up, he noticed a profuse nosebleed that seemed to be coming to a stop.
"God… he really came to me in a dream. Is this how he recruited the others?" Kazuma wipes the blood from his face before his attention turns to Rust, who is peacefully sleeping opposite of him. "I hope he has a few answers to my questions. I'm curious if Eris-sama knew about this."
The reaper crawled out of the tent before looking up to the sky with a determined expression on his face. "I have seen your face now. I know you, and I promise that you won't get away when we meet in the real world."
Meanwhile, Rephilis Palace.
"That son of a whore! How dare he attack me!?" Rephilis screamed as he sent his fellow demons flying with his growing aura.
He had recruited all and every single reincarnated person who was initially his enemy. Some presented a challenge as they fought against his forces for years, but in the end, all fell for his silver tongue.
All and every single one of them gave in to their desires and darker dreams. Power, ambition, lust, fear of dying; Rephilis used anything to convince them but Kazuma had been a completely different monster.
"He's not being supported by Aqua? Why is a different god interfering in this world?"
Rephilis tried to make sense of the whole thing, but he couldn't understand why a different god was interfering with the world. His fears increased as he felt the sensation of Kazuma's scythe sliding across his neck.
"I promise that my scythe will claim each of your heads."
In all of his years, he had never felt so scared when it came to another human but Kazuma had changed that as he faced a human that was not like the others. A reaper who wouldn't let him escape.
"Kill him. Hear my orders, kill that human and his allies; don't let him cross the ocean. Eliminate that reaper at all costs!" Rephilis shouts as he sends his orders to every demon across the world.
Within seconds, his message travels at full speed as every other demon hears the voice of their father and his ultimatum.
The reaper was to be eliminated at all costs, and that's a job that nobody was willing to object to.
With the rising sun of a new morning, Kazuma became enemy #1 on the demon's list of targets.
Several minutes later. Kazuma's campsite.
"... So let me get this straight. The first demon lord just invaded your dreams to try to recruit you?" Irene asks as she places her breakfast to the side.
Kazuma nods as he takes a bite from the dry meat on his plate. "He presented himself as such. His intent was clear as he grew angry with my attacks. He wanted to recruit me. The proud and scary demon lord tried to turn me to his side."
"... Kazuma, you're claiming that you face a demon lord in your dreams. Are you sure about what you're saying?" Darkness joins in with an inquisitive expression.
"I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's exactly what happened." Kazuma's eyes turn to Rust. "Does it ring any bells? Do the Black Daggers know about this?"
Rust nods. "It has been a theory of ours for years. Rephilis hasn't put a foot outside his territory since he took over that region. We asked ourselves how he reached reincarnated humans even if an entire ocean prevented them from meeting in person. Many demons can fly, but we haven't received any reports of Rephilis visiting any human in person. There had to be a way in which he turned them to his side, and reaching them through their dreams was not so ridiculous. Rephilis was an outstanding spellcaster when he was human; a spell that can invade other's dreams is not impossible, just rare."
"See?" Kazuma places his wooden plate to the side. "He likely feared facing reincarnated humans like myself, or he just saw recruiting them as a better choice for his plans. If my theory is right, he likely needed trustful generals who could aid his conquest to take over the world. One head will struggle to lead so many forces alone regardless of how powerful he is."
"... Fulcan wields a sword that is considered the strongest blade known in this world. My father theorized that he had the power necessary to split an entire mountain in half if he deemed it as necessary." Irene adds with visible pain as she recalls how the so-called hero betrayed their trust.
"Cursed Sword Gram, based on the knowledge I acquired from my creators reincarnated individuals tend to possess a blessing that could range from a power that outranks anything in our world or an item that could be considered as a cheat. That sword will likely make our fight against Fulcan much harder unless we can eliminate it from the playing field." Ciel joins in.
Darkness turns to Kazuma. "What blessing do you have, Kazuma? We know now that you're a reincarnated human like the previous ones."
Kazuma scratches the side of his face. "Me? I don't want to say I have one, but this body is already beyond the limits of a normal human body. I'm not invincible, but I can tell that my stats and abilities aren't normal. My boss wants all demon lords dead, and he made sure to give me all the tools he expected me to need. I'm an effective glass cannon."
"A rather durable glass cannon. You take hits better than most adventurers that aren't tanks." Darkness pinches Kazuma's right arm. "I have been keeping an eye on your development since we became a party, and you seem to be growing at a much faster rate than any other adventurer. I don't think you can solo a demon lord anytime soon, but I can say that you'll put a good fight if you were forced to face one all alone. There's also that thing you do when you get serious; your eyes turn completely black as if you were possessed…. Are you sure you're not the host to an all-powerful spirit?"
Kazuma shrugs. "No idea about that one. I don't think I'm possessed but I do see why you'll think that way. I'll ask about it next time I get to reach out to him."
"Alright, let's go back to business. You rejected his offer, right?" Irene asks.
Kazuma nods. "I never let him present his offer to begin with. He and his faction have nothing they can offer me. I don't want control of the world; I don't seek fame, treasure, or anything the demons can come up with. I already have a deal with my boss, and I won't risk it by turning my back on him and everyone else. He'd likely kill me if I ever do something so ridiculous, such as joining the demon side."
Rust shakes his head. "You have it rough, my friend. We were told by the boss that you and Aqua had come from above under the orders of someone higher than Eris-sama, but to hear that you could be eliminated so easily scares me. It is as if you had a tight, explosive collar around your neck. One wrong move and you'll life ends."
"... I'm ok with it," Kazuma admits calmly.
"Why!? Kazuma, it is your life we're talking about." Darkness asks with concern.
Kazuma turns his head towards the forest to the south. "12 reincarnated humans came before me, and those same 12 led this world to its current state. A tight leash around my neck is the best thing to happen. I promise I won't betray your expectations, but if by some miracle I were to turn away from this path, it is best that I get eliminated before any harm is done. Power corrupts; that's an undeniable fact. I ask that you watch me and speak up if I'm doing something wrong. I'm not perfect, so I'm trusting the rest of the team to bring me back to reason."
"Kazuma…." Darkness couldn't help but feel worried about his words. It almost seemed to her as if he knew that he could turn against them under the right circumstances.
Irene remained silent as she examined his expression. She didn't fully trust Kazuma, but hearing that there was a safeguard that could prevent another demon lord from rising put her at ease. "Very well. You met Rephilis, and now he knows you. We confirmed that he has likely put a bounty on your head and anyone close to you. I doubt he will let this go after reaching out and being rejected. We might need more people soon. If what I heard is right, the team might need another 2 or 3 team members."
Irene places her blade before the group.
"You have seen my adventurer card, and we know that my level is decent but nowhere near you. I'm perfect for the attacker position, but I lack many skills you deem necessary. If we want a chance against the demons and the squads they are bound to send after us, I need to raise my level, and we need to recruit at least another tank position and supporter or healer." Her eyes turn to Rust. "Do you think Inquisiotener Rook will be up for the task?"
"Rook?" Rust scratches his hair. "I mean, she is a fantastic one-woman squad with her relic armor, but getting her to agree to join this team will be hard. She's set on going after Romeo, but she might have an issue with joining Kazuma's team."
Kazuma raises an eyebrow. "Why is that?"
"... Rook…. No, let me use her real name for once. Cecily is an ex-member of the Axis order and the only remaining human in the order as we speak. We rescued her many years ago while she was merely a teen after the Axis order's capital fell to Romeo's corruption, formerly known as Yamada Momotaro. She has grown to despise anything related to the Axis order and has taken it upon herself to eliminate any remnants of the old religion." Rust explains.
"And what does that have to…. Aqua…. Shit. She might consider Aqua as another enemy." Darkness said upon realizing that her ally bore the name of the goddess that Rook despised.
"... Is there a possibility of Rook attacking Aqua?" Kazuma asks with a cold tone.
"No, within the base. Rook follows orders, and while inside the base, Chris-sama prohibits conflicts. As long as Aqua stays inside, she will be fine. Once outside, you need to be careful. Her hatred of the order is complicated. She watched as her entire religion turned their backs on the world while transforming themselves into demons. She prayed for a miracle to stop the madness, but her prayers remained unanswered." Rust explained.
"A former priestess turned inquisitor…. I'd like to talk to her. There seems to be a bigger story behind all of this. I'm also curious about how one single girl escaped such a situation. Seems unnatural for one single individual to escape the fall of an entire religion while everyone else turned to the enemy side." Kazuma admitted as he tried to make sense of such an event. "... Did Aqua have something to do with her survival?"
At that same moment, Black Daggers Base.
Aqua smiles in relief as she finally steps away from her long task. Around her, the survivors of the Crimson Eye clan rest on beds after going through strenuous surgery and treatment.
Their bodies no longer seemed like mangled living corpses, but instead, they looked normal, although many scars covered their bodies. Aqua couldn't help but feel proud of her summon as everyone seemed to be on their way to recovery.
"An amazing job for an amazing healer." A voice said.
"I know, right?" Aqua said with a smile as she turned around, only to stop in her tracks as she met the cold blue eyes of a white-haired woman. "Is you… Cecily."
Cecily was taller and far more muscular than Aqua, but her muscle mass was lower than Darkness's. Her face was cold, and a gruesome scar rested on her right cheek. "So your name is Aqua. Tell me, do you have any connection to the Axis order."
Aqua remained motionless as she faced Cecily's cold expression. "... No…. I have no relation to the order."
Cecily observed and examined Aqua for several moments until she turned around and began to walk away. "... Liar. I'll get the truth one day. Mark my words."
The inquisitioner walked away without saying another word.
Aqua falls to her knees as she tries to hold her emotions back as memories of that tragic day come back to her. "... I'm sorry…. I couldn't do anything about them. They were far too gone for me to interfere."
For the goddess, she had done her best to save the only soul that rejected the deal with the demon. For the former priestess, the tragic event affirmed that her prayers had fallen on deaf ears as her entire 'family' turned into twisted creatures.
A tragic tale in which Romeo is the only villain to be blamed.